Far Cry 3 features the best villain of all time?

Darth Vader, Megatron, Hannibal Lecter and the Joker are some of the most iconic villains in entertainment. Video games have endured some tough times with some crazy and memorable villains including Psycho Mantis, Shang Tsung and Bowser. Now that, arguably, one of the games of the year has been released in Far Cry 3, in my eyes one of the greatest villains in gaming history and possibly entertainment’s history has been created. The villain in question has a crazy Mohawk haircut and bares a huge scar which extends from the side of his face to the side of his head. This villain is none other than the game’s cover character Vaas.

From the moment you gain control of Far Cry 3′s protagonist Jason Brody, your first impression of Vaas will haunt you for the rest of the time you spend indulging on Rook Island’s exotic landscape, dangerous wildlife and colorful characters. Jason Brody is living the high life with members of his family and closest friends but as soon as Vaas has his way, Jason is left cowering for his life and the feeling of fearing for your life never leaves your (the player) thoughts the entire time you are playing the game. This is mostly down to Vaas and his insane ways of influencing Jason and the way in which he gets inside your head.

‘Insane’ is a word that seems to be used a lot in Far Cry 3. As you dive further into the fast-flowing and deep story of Far Cry 3, Vaas uses the same line almost each time you see him:
“Did I ever tell you the meaning of insanity?”

The message behind this sentence is enough to question “the meaning of insanity.” The amount of times in which Vaas mentions the question and the way in which he has acted in Far Cry 3′s story makes you question the way in which Jason Brody thinks “the meaning of insanity,” is. You see so many different aspects of it throughout the game that you think that Vaas himself is “the meaning of insanity.” As there is so much going on in such a short space of time in the game with protagonist Jason, it is hard to grasp what is real and what isn’t.

This is what is special about Far Cry 3, even though everything is so fast-paced and exciting, nothing is ever the same and everything is so unpredictable. You are often left wondering, “WOW! Did that really just happen?”

Another aspect of Vass’ character which makes him so special is the way in which he is motion captured and how his voice has been recorded by Ubisoft. Vaas was voiced and captured by Michael Mando. The way in which Mando has grasped the sense of fear and craziness which Vaas has within him has been brought to life by Mando’s excellent acting skills. Most characters are voiced by voice actors who you believe would be best suited to the character but in Vass’ case, it is great acting skills as well as excellent voicing skills.

All of the above reasons, as well as many more reasons within the game (spoiler orientated) show why Vaas is one of the best game villains of all time. From the moment you meet him you know you are never in for a safe journey and each and every encounter you have with him will have you asking more questions than answers you will be getting as this villain is as complicated and tough as taking on a shark with your bare hands!

Oh I almost forgot, “Did I ever tell you the meaning of insanity?”

@SimonMarshall6

Far Cry 3 Review

Picture yourself on holiday in an exotic location with a select group of your closest friends. There are so many things to see and do including wild parties, relaxing on the calmest beaches and pushing your body to the limit by skydiving above beautiful islands. It seems as though you have the world at your feet. However, these activities are merely hiding a brutal war on Rook Island. You soon find yourself in the middle of this war as protagonist Jason Brody and having to adapt to unfamiliar territories with survivor skills such as hunting, knowing your surroundings and being able to handle weapons. Welcome to Far Cry 3.

As you gain control of the protagonist, Jason Brody, you realise that you are a young man who is barely surviving and afraid of what the future holds. The tone of the game is set as soon as you experience your first encounter with the sick and twisted VAAS, who is as unpredictable as he is crazy. The action from the beginning is ‘on the edge of your seat’ exciting and constantly has your heart beating at almost insane levels as you become immersed in the colourful and beautiful green landscape of Rook Island, which is displayed perfectly in Far Cry 3. One of the best features of Far Cry 3 is the game’s tone. Whether it is creeping through the vast plant-life or infiltrating the enemy’s base, the sense that you are never safe makes every mission or task different. At the same time however, each task you complete is met with relief and a feeling of accomplishment rather than missions that leave you disappointed and without satisfaction.

Throughout the game, there are several kinds of missions and activities which help you to develop survivor skills and get you one step closer to your ultimate goal. These missions include being unnoticed while killing a group of enemies and infiltrating their bases. This happens throughout the story missions and also with the enemy outpost missions which gives you and your clan more territory. This leads to new missions outside of the story. Additional missions include driving into targets on a quad bike in an allotted time, destroying a certain number of enemies with specific weapons as a sort of mini game, tracking down and killing someone who is wanted for criminal behaviour or hunting down some of the rarest and dangerous animals in the wild. The missions in the game are so varied and different, yet offer the same sense of satisfaction whenever you complete one.

As the playground of Rook Island is so immensely huge, there are several different ways to move from A to B in the game’s setting. Car may seem like the most useful option for most when moving across land, but you often find yourself being spotted by enemies or driving through a shootout between your clan and the opposition. Due to the high peaks of the island, there are hang-gliders on some of the highest points which offer stunning views and the ability to land wherever you wish in a certain area. Boats are a great alternative way to travel, jet skis in particular. Jet skis allow you to go at high speeds and are very mobile in the water. But if you are in control of one in dangerous waters, be aware of sharks!

As large as the playing area is, you will no doubt have a lot of interaction with the wildlife. The animals vary from the tamest of pigs to the deadliest predators on earth, sharks. Each of these animals add value to your efforts though. Once you hunt an animal, you can harvest their skin or fur in order to sell them for money or use them to your advantage by crafting them into items you can use such as wallets to carry more money, holsters to hold more weapons or create arrows to help with your silent hunting tactics. As well as helping your inventory, animals can also be useful when taking on enemies. If an animal is locked up in a cage, you can free the animal and let it bring pain and misery to those who have put it in confinement… Or it will aim to hunt and kill you. It is a win or lose situation if you release captured animals, there is no middle ground. Flowers and plants are also a useful source of objects as collecting several types of plants can create medicine to aid Jason in his time of need. All of these survival options are there to ensure that you are always aware of your surroundings and to also keep you alive in a severely dangerous location.

How you use the environment will reflect upon how successful you are in the game. Of course you can merely run into an enemy’s location all guns blazing but this would have you killed quickly as the enemies are tough at times and you often find yourself outnumbered, mostly because you are, almost, all by yourself. Fans of stealth games will feel at home in Far Cry 3. In most missions, you will have to make use of the surrounding bushes, trees and plants to fool your foes into looking for you and then you follow that up with a close-quarter kill. A neat feature to help with this is the ability to throw rocks to create noise. This is a simple yet important feature as it allows the player to tactically plan attacks. One slight downside to the stealth aspect of the game is the ability to hide bodies. You can only hide bodies after you kill them at close range with a knife and even this ability to drag the bodies is only available after you unlock the skill via the skill points menu. The shooting mechanics of Far Cry 3 are also very solid. The aiming feels authentic as well as the reloading and amount of guns you can carry. Nothing about the weapons seem farfetched.

As well as an enthralling single player campaign, Far Cry 3 also offers a separate co-op campaign and online multiplayer. The co-op campaign involves a campaign for up to 4 players which can be played online or offline via split screen. While I have been able to play some of the co-op campaign, I was unable to play the online as of yet due to the number of players online (the game isn’t released until next week). The multiplayer game modes include the typical online game modes such as team deathmatch, single player deathmatch and modes such as capture the flag. Continuing on from Far Cry 2’s online mode is the ability to create your own map and play it online via multiplayer. Developers of the game may be involved as to which community designed maps are possibly implemented into the multiplayer modes.

With the strength and depth which the Far Cry 3 campaign offers, I believe that the saying ‘leaving the best till last’ applies in this instance. This is definitely one of the best games of the year, if not the best. The tone of the game is one of its greatest features, as it always leaves the player wanting more, but leaving the player with the sense that they have accomplished something after they survive an ordeal. With superb graphics and authentic sounds, it is possible to think that you are actually on Rook Island. Everything about this game is spectacular with how many things there are to do, how you can complete missions and how breathtaking and unbelievable the campaign is. With an entertaining co-op campaign as well, Far Cry 3 offers more than anyone could imagine.

5/5

@SimonMarshall6

PSVITA - Yet another handheld failure?

As 2012 nears an end, it is time to reflect on the past 12 months. There will be stand out moments which will live on forever, some which will be regarded as defining moments in history, some which will be forgotten and some which will be regarded as failures. In the gaming world, one topic which will have to be looked at closely will be the success of the PS Vita. With so much expected of gaming nowadays, has Sony’s latest handheld stepped up to the mark and delivered or has the past year for the Vita been a failure and, if so, what can be done to take the Vita to the next level?

For me, the example which Sony had to follow was Nintendo with the constant success of their handheld consoles. At first comparison between the two, there is one subtle difference and that is that the Vita feels like it is always playing second best to the PS3 whereas the DS and 3DS feel like their own systems. In my opinion, the Vita feels like it is constantly on the receiving end of its big brother’s knock off games such as Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified, FIFA Football and Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation. While all the above games are great successes on the PS3, the versions of the Vita seem like quick ways to make money. Early reviews told of reports of being able to complete COD: BO Declassified in 45 minutes? You would have more time out of a £0.79 mobile phone game than with this £39.99 disaster.

A way to combat this would be to try and make games so that anyone can pick them up and play them, multi-genre if you will. Nintendo has seen successful sales for numerous Mario sales which includes Mario Land, Mario Kart and Mario Party all of which involve the exact same moustached plumber. The mass appeal which the Mario games feature is what has the public going crazy for Nintendo’s main character. The PS Vita should appeal to all ages from children who are experiencing their first games to adults and teenagers who have grown up with Game Boys and DS’. It is something which Sony will have to make appealing to the masses through their Marketing techniques as it doesn’t seem that Little Big Planet Karting is cutting the mustard after it failed to impress reviewers.

Personally, I do not own a PS Vita, although I was sorely tempted to as release date approached in February but I am glad I resisted. I have a friend who owns one and he is yet to purchase a physical game for the console. His limited game purchases have come via the PSN store and they have been very limited indeed. Crash Bandicoot Racing, Crash Bandicoot 1 and 2 have been the only purchases he has made. He is not a massive Crash fan but he is a big gamer and would rather purchase games for the PS3. Of all my game playing friends, he is the only person I know who has a PS Vita and only plays it sometimes whereas compared to the DS, I know at least 6 or 7 who play the Nintendo DS. Not only does the Vita have to compete with Nintendo but also the ever expanding mobile phone gaming network. Although the Vita is relatively young, the range of games aren’t very exciting and the price of new games may put some people off if they aren’t wanting to play through classic PSone titles.

One thing that I do believe that the Vita has going its way however, is the cross-play functionality. With the ability to play the game on the PS3, save your progress and continue on via the Vita, seems to be very exciting. This has been featured recently when Sony released the Playstation All-Stars game which not only featured the PS3 version but also featured a PS Vita version so you could play the game no matter where you went. This is something which Sony should embrace. The roster of Playstation exclusive games is vast and exciting that they would be stupid not to.

Playstation Plus is also another example of how Sony are trying to grab the attention of more gamers, with an upgraded service to both Vita and PS3 owners, Playstation Plus subscribers receive excellent gifts including free games, exclusive content and discounts. While it does cost money to subscribe to the service, it is worth every penny as it almost provides something for nothing in regards to the number of games you can receive.

Although the past year has not been memorable for Sony on the PS Vita, the future certainly could be exciting as long as some steps are taken for a much improved approach. It is a dangerous market out there nowadays and with fierce competition in the form of the 3DS and mobile phone gaming, the PS Vita will have to ensure it will be a success this time next year, so far though I believe that the Vita has failed to impress many but there are still plenty of chances for Sony to step their game up!

@SimonMarshall6

Value in Video Games - Does it Still Exist?

“Do you want fries with that?”

 This phrase is known throughout fast food diners across the globe. But these days in Gaming, it seems as though you have to pay more in order to cure your gaming hunger. Why is this? With the launch of Arcade, Indie and now Games on Demand, retailers are feeling the effects of the Digital Age. ‘Supersizing’, for example, from a 120GB to a 320GB PS3 will not be kind to your pocket but will certainly be kind towards Sony and the retailer themselves. Now with Trade in’s becoming more and more frustrating with the pricing, is the customer the most important source for a company or is it all about the money?

 But what factors contribute to you, the consumer, being left to part with more of your hard earned cash in order to chill out with Master Chief, lie in with Lara Croft or mess around with Mario? Are we, the gaming community, getting the best from the market when games are so varied in price (console compared to game apps)? Are we still Lovin’ it? Let’s look at one of the main culprits with the Retailers.

  In the old days, gamers would gather at gaming retailers to discuss the latest talk around the hobby which they all enjoyed.  Contests would be held to see who the true superstar of a game was. Now, High Street outlets are like ghost towns. No-one has any spare money with the state of the economy and the Games Industry is no different.  Good deals seem harder to find now and the RRP of most games is £49.99 (in the UK) which High Street stores seem to price the game near, giving a discount of £10 on most occasions. If you are willing to wait a day or so you can order online from hundreds of websites for a lot cheaper than you can buy from the High Street. Where is the sales service? The conversations and interaction with fellow gaming enthusiasts are non-existent.

 Trade in’s, which gaming outlets were once renowned for, are also being neglected. The pricing for some of the trade in prices are ridiculous. Every so often outlets promote special offers by trading in your console and you get so much off a better one. I don’t think this is enough. Trade in prices for games seem to be disrespectful towards the consumer. We buy games at full price on release date and maybe around 6 months to a year later, the value has roughly dropped to around 10% of its original value.

 One of the main reasons for this however is the yearly releases of some franchises, sporting titles in particular. Personally I am a huge football (soccer) fan so my favoured football game is Fifa 12. Every year on release day I rush to the game store so I can then rush home and be graced with the finest footballing experience there is available. But again, I know some yearly releases are a must, Sporting franchises only might I add? Rosters change, graphics become more lifelike and also the mechanics of the gameplay change. I know of many gamers throughout the community who argue “why can’t the roster just be changed?” Call of Duty doesn’t need a yearly release and neither does Assassins Creed or Need for Speed. If the games are released too close together, the value of the previous game almost becomes worthless.

 On the flip side of poor trade in prices, if you are buying a used game you will have to pay a significantly higher price than the shop bought it for as well as the dreaded ‘Online Pass’ which most games feature nowadays if you wish to play online. Developers have hit back and looking for more money in order for gamers playing their game. I do believe developers deserve to make their money. They create the fantastic titles we play and dedicate months, if not years, to keep us entertained for months and years. But to buy a second hand game and then have to pay £10 in addition to that? You may as well buy the game brand new. As much as Call of Duty’s multiplayer has been criticised for hacks and trolling, it is extremely popular due to its easy accessibility.

 Arcade and Indie gaming on Xbox Live have proved to be very popular amongst the community but Games on Demand has been a major let-down. The Arcade provides developers with feedback to games which may have gone on to become full retail releases. Titles such as I am Alive, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare and Castle Crashers. The Indie game Marketplace gives inexperienced game creators the chance to show what new and fresh ideas they can create with a relatively low budget. The only good part I can see from Games on Demand however are some titles which have yet to be released on disc, Crysis, Resident Evil 4 and Code Veronica X HD to name three games which are featured in Games on Demand. However, the pricing is far too expensive for most games. Halo Reach which had been released in September 2010 was still £39.99 on the Marketplace more than one year later. Pricing such as this will continue to persuade people to surf the web to look for the cheaper alternative.

 The internet is the most impersonal way in which to purchase video games. Where is the service? The friendly chatter? The sense of satisfaction? You can’t have a conversation with your computer monitor regarding where to find all the hidden packages in Grand Theft Auto can you? As much as this is missing from websites, the current state of the economy will dictate how we spend our money and this will obviously make gamers spend their money online. So whether it’s from Amazon, Play or similar websites, we can all find that great deal that will have us smiling that we have saved some money… As long as we are willing to wait.

 Back to my original point in that do we gamers believe we are getting value for money? The short answer is no. Of course there are a few ways in which we can find a great bargain, Deals of the Week via XBL, deals on websites or waiting for deals to happen in retail outlets. But for the majority of the time a lack of service, poor trade in prices as well as additional online pass codes which need to be purchased in most instances, I beg that the games industry takes a good look at itself and repay the faith in which the community has shown this great culture. Can we also make gaming easy to access as well? Let’s turn this expensive, ‘Supersized’ burger into a small, Value burger. They’re both burgers aren’t they?

If this article has made you hungry then I apologise but it’s really about the gaming J.

@SimonMarshall

Kinect Criticism – Is it Justified?

“Come on kids. It’s time to get interactive with the Kinect!” 

 To most of you, that is what Microsoft must have been thinking when the Kinect was released to the public in 2010. Many gamers debated whether the motion control fad was about to influence the Xbox in the way in which the sensor bar had revolutionised the Nintendo Wii. With sales of the Kinect booming around Christmas 2010, many thought that Microsoft would capitalise on this popularity and bring all genres of games to the latest evolution is console gaming. With few games failing to capture the innovation and competitiveness which has seen game franchises become successful in recent years. So, who is the Kinect aimed at then? Again, most of you would say it would be kids or young teenagers. But why can’t it be for everyone? In the world of Kinect, are there such things as Casual and Hardcore gamers?

  Games which were released in conjunction with the Kinects release included Kinect Sports, Fighters Uncaged, Motion Sports: Play for Real, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Kinect Adventures which was included in the Kinect. Straight from the word go, the public and the media seemed to have decided that the Kinect was aimed at children who love to jump around and are always active instead of sitting perfectly still on the couch while creeping through a war-torn city trying to save the world from World War 3. Why can’t these types of interactive games be for everyone? (Unless of course you have a disability or find it hard to move) I’m certain that everyone, at some point in their lives have played sport and enjoyed running around and playing football, tennis or golf. Once I had received my Kinect on Christmas morning I was ecstatic! (I was 21 at the time!) I couldn’t wait to see what the technology was like and how well the sensor would pick up my movements in front of the camera.

 I was very impressed indeed. The voice commands as well which could be performed impressed me also especially because of my nationality, Scottish, and my hard to understand accent. It was the overall excitement of the technology which was in front of my very eyes. It was far more impressive than the Wii’s sensor bar and far more impressive than Sony’s Move. Even at first glance, the Kinect titles looked to be for the younger gamers.

However, many gamers turned their back on this revolution for Xbox and went back to playing Call of Duty, Halo and Need for Speed. I feel as if the Kinect brings in all sorts of gaming stereotypes, Children of all ages (well, 3 and upwards), middle aged people who aren’t gamers and the older generation. Most people can jump, dodge, kick and punch mid-air so why not bring the enjoyment factor that the whole family can interact with in game challenges. Dinner with the family on a Sunday could turn into a games night…

 But no, most gamers would rather be left on their own in a dark room with yesterday’s dinner still on their shirts. This is not a dig at the current stereotypical gamers who wish to play the same game all day and all night. We all have our likes and dislikes. I don’t see how people can play Call of Duty and only Call of Duty for days on end. Kinect changed the typical gaming set up (slightly more advanced than Nintendo’s and Sony’s versions) for the better in my opinion.

The Kinect has not only been used for gaming but as the following advert from Microsoft shows, it can be tweaked and altered to be used for several assignments and activities:

As much as the Nintendo Wii was a success, the technology involved in the motion capturing system was basic and cannot compare to the Kinect’s power. I believe that Playstation merely released the Move just to try and keep up with its rivals and it was a huge failure. Lacklustre games were released immediately after the Move was released and not followed up with any further releases. Meanwhile, games for the Xbox continue to back their “technological experiment” with support in hardcore games and games which use the Kinect’s powers entirely. Games such as Gunstringer, Kinect: Star Wars, Rise of Nightmares, Dance Central 1 & 2 and Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. All of these titles have been developed by utilising the Kinect’s technology and motion capturing system so that every body movement is captured and displayed in the game as accurately as possible. Of course there are the childrens titles including Sesame Street and Disneyland Adventures which appeal to children of all ages.

 

 As I have mentioned, several developers have used Kinect functions in their games, some of the more hardcore titles including Forza Motorsport 4, Mass Effect 3, Virtua Tennis 4 and Tiger Woods 13. I believe that developers are finally taking notice of the Kinect and taking it serious. The inclusion in Forza and Mass Effect 3 especially show how much the Kinect has been accepted. The voice command’s in Mass Effect 3 work extremely well in the game (the demo anyway) and fully immerses you into the role of Shepherd.

 

It is rumoured that the Kinect was an experiment on the 360 to use with the next generation which I’m sure Microsoft are in the middle of developing. I believe that the Kinect has been somewhat of a success without impressing every gamer out there. Some of the titles are lacklustre and the same rubbish that keeps appearing (Kinect Sports or Motion Sports) but all in all, I believe that the Kinect has been a success and needs to be accepted for the great piece of technology that it is.

@SimonMarshall6

Online Gaming - Why is no-one talking... Can you hear me?

 When the current generation of Gaming was created in 2005, direct communication through online gameplay was born for the console players. Of course, communication on PC gaming had already been established for several years but this brought the use of microphones to the forefront of gaming. Xbox live allowed gamers to instruct one another and allowed players to get along with one another as they shared common ground with the games they were playing. Of course when the PS3 was released the communication in gaming was not as open as it is on Xbox 360, due to PS3 having no party system. Eventually however, the mood within the online community changed and many people preferred to play without a headset and why is this? This current trend of no communication through gaming has become more and more noticeable over the past 2-3 years. Surely the community’s attitude hasn’t turned sour… Has it?

 Ever since the emergence of popular FPS and 3PS franchises such as Call of Duty, Halo and Gears of War, Communication in gaming has always been vital. How else would you know where an enemy is coming from if you are crouched behind some barrels or whether to go all-out attack and go for the victory? So why did people suddenly begin to stop using the headset to use Party chat or no headset at all?

 The main reason I believe is due to the amount of children that play games which are intended for a mature audience. Kids screaming at you, “Die! Die! Die!” That sort of language and attitude from gamers under 12 or so is no good at all. It ruins the realistic feel which games are supposed to impose or immerse you into the game, as it were.  One minute you are sneaking around playing Search and Destroy and before you know it someone on your team is going around killing everyone because they ‘feel like it’. Partly, it is this immature attitude which has divided the hard-core gamers and Casual gamers I would say. This act of selfishness amongst the “Team Killers” which ruin the game for everyone on their team can be avoided with player feedback in the profile menu but once the act has been committed, it is hard to get your win streak back, especially if you are going for achievements.

Point in question

 These are gamers who wish to show off to their friends by saying, “Oh, look who I killed, they all died trololololol.” Again, this selfish act may just be the last straw for some players who will inevitably turn their back on the game and move onto something else. I would know it’s happened to me before. That is why I have never touched COD: MW3 because of the amount of immature players which are on the servers. Of course the majority of players just wish to play and play fair but there’s a minority who wish to “Troll”.

 The current trend of “Trolling” has impacted gaming like an unwanted zit on prom night. Gamers throughout forums seem to be embracing the “Troll” as well as the Trollface logo. I for one totally discourage this. It’s no wonder people have opted out of using microphones because of small minded gamers who wish to poke fun at any given chance. Left 4 Dead is another prime example of great teamwork to begin with and then it turned into every man for himself. Survival is the aim of the game in both Left 4 Dead games and in order to do this, you need to stick together. When the first game was released it was no problem as the community did this without hesitation. But as the public’s ability to play the game grew, people became cocky and started venturing off on their own which inevitably means that Left 4 Dead became Left 3 Dead, Left 2 Dead then Left to die all on your own. Again, not only did this make players want to only play with their friends or forget about wearing a headset but also turned players away from the game when Left 4 Dead 2 was released.

 Games such as Fifa 12 with its “Be a Pro Mode” which allowed 22 players from around the world play in the same game and if you weren’t quick, then you had to play out of position as the popular positions of strikers and wingers would be taken straight away. As you were communicating with your teammates and asking for a pass or even a touch of the ball, players would play with themselves or with their friends while you are in the same team which makes games very frustrating. The exact same problem which faces other games I have mentioned. Gamers playing the games while looking for solo glory and abandoning the rest of the team happens in many games these days. There is a way around this problem however which can only be found on Xbox.

 The Xbox revolutionised the communication barrier with the party system. Friends could gather in a single party and play the game they wanted to play it and if you were a serious gamer then this was the way forward. If you were playing COD, Left 4 Dead or Fifa then you could plan how to play the game while you were in the middle of the game itself! Personally, I only use the party system nowadays. I have been put off of public communication and would rather talk to my friends or my Xbox Live friends over party chat. It cuts out all of the abuse, bullying and ranting that every Joe Bloggs seems to want to talk about. It of course is a big bad world out there in Xbox Live communication. Microsoft can’t stop that unless they removed the communication function.

 Of course I am part of the problem in that I only use party chat but Microsoft… What else can I do?

 The maturity of some gamers is a whole other issue. Parents buying their kids GTA, which is an 18 rated game and letting them play it shows how little they know of games. I don’t think that the fad of trolling will go anywhere soon. Just need to hope that by the time the next generation rolls around, everyone will have grown up and can play like adults!

Can't we all just talk about it and get along... please?!

@SimonMarshall6

GT: SCIENCEakaSYCO

New Video Game Releases- Are We Stuck in a Rut?

When Pong was created in 1972, the creators of the game had no idea what this simple yet addictive video game would create. For the past 40 years, the phenomenon which is gaming has evolved and grown from two stick paddles and a ball to a multi-billion dollar industry. We have seen the rise and fall of arcades, numerous consoles and also of game series. Many great names have been made in the gaming world both by producing games as well as starring in them. Many days and even weeks have been consumed up without notice on trying to complete a game. Players become so engrossed in a game that nothing else seems important. But, now in 2012, has game ideas gone as far as they could go? I have been thinking about this for a while and it seems as though we have had every sort of game imaginable and in today’s market, the same games are being released without much imagination or a so-called “X-Factor” which makes it stand out from the crowd. What is left for gaming? We have been to then ends of the universe fighting aliens and we are even able to learn guitar on games. But what has caused this over-flooding of poor quality games or the lack of genius behind some of the new titles which has merely seen rebranding or sequels. I promise there will not be a sequel to this blog… Well if I make enough money there may be.

 Activision and Infinity Ward broke, almost, every record within Guinness’ little book last November with the release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. This was the third game in which Activision have released under the Modern Warfare title and was always bound to break records. As history suggests, Call of Duty 4 and Modern Warfare 2 at the time of each games release, broke records of sales figures so the success of the third MW game was inevitable. One of the successes of this franchise though is that basically, the gameplay has never changed since the unique COD 4. In essence, the COD franchise began with the classic World War 2 setting and gameplay. This continued onto COD 2 and 3 but the evolution which was created for COD 4, was incomparable to gameplay which had been featured before. The online modes were great and could keep you entertained for hours on end. But now I feel, as do millions of others, feels that the COD franchise has been bogged down with the same recipe ever since COD 4 was released. World at War, MW2, Black Ops and now MW3 have all had the same gameplay which made Activision’s 2007 release such a smash hit. No advancements on the gameplay, not building on the gameplay which created a whole new fad of the FPS genre. Of course the game still sells very well but I know many have been put off by the games lack of variety and poor community.

 Don’t get me wrong, it is not only COD that suffers from this sequel, money grabbing concept. Games such as Assassin’s Creed, Need for Speed and even games like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat who bring out edition after edition after edition with extra characters added in each time. The problem I see with it is where is the innovation? Where is the inspiration which made these original games great? Have developers become so engrossed in getting money that it is willing to forget its loyal fans that made them the big name which they are today? As soon as a game seems to do well after 1 or 2 games, the company seems to stick with the formula and maintain the same old gameplay. I would go as far to say that I am not a fan of any of these games anymore. The lack of variety and difference in gameplay shows a lack of ideas in the gaming market. This is why the market is getting bogged down with the same old games being produced year after year.

 Not all yearly releases are a bad idea in my eyes however. Sports games such as Fifa 12, NBA 2K12 and Madden 12 all require yearly updates for squads and rosters. Not only this, but the gameplay does change every year from Fifa’s contact engine to the tactical defending and then the online features which all of these games feature. These games to require yearly releases as well as new features as that’s what makes them feel so fresh.

This lack of evolution in gameplay in this current generation may also be due to overcrowding of not only same games, but also the same genre of games, most notably the first person shooter genre. Again, Call of Duty created the benchmark into what became the phenomenon for console gaming on the current generation. The market is now filled with every type of FPS you can think of. WW2, Cold War, near futuristic wars and also wars which take place in space and anywhere imaginable. These days there are so many titles which hope to gain customers who will play their product, as well as COD. Games over the past 12 months such as Brink, Homefront, Crysis 2, Operation Flashpoint, Warhammer 40000: Space Marine, Rage and Bodycount to name but a few all follow the COD formula and all failed to some extent in the FPS category. Brink was hailed as the next big thing with innovative gameplay and constant action but this failed to impress both critics and the public. Crysis 2 is a bit different however, the gameplay was well accepted but the online modes were compared too much to that of COD and were seen as being too similar. Where is the “X Factor”? Sure we all like games with guns in them as it is exciting but far too many average shooters in not good for anyone.

 Another point for this lack of ideas could be pinpointed to what we, the fans, want. For years we have been crying out for this game or that game to be re-released for this current generation and now we have… HD COLLECTIONS!

 Over the past 2 years we have seen the releases of many classic games in HD format so that we can try to feel the same excitement we felt when the HD game in question was originally released. Over the past 12 months, we have seen the likes of Resident Evil 4 & Code Veronica, Silent Hill 2 & 3, Metal Gear Solid 2, 3 & Peace Walker, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Devil May Cry 1, 2 & 3, Ico and Shadow of Colossus all being re-released in HD for the 360 or PS3. With the work and effort that is required to polish an old game up to HD standards, surely that time could be used to brainstorm a new and fresh idea and even begin development of it. Of course games developers would be nowhere without the fans but as well as SOME HD Collections, most of all we want to see new games being released, not carbon copies.

 More recently Xbox fans have been upset with the company due to the lack of exclusives coming to Microsoft’s console. Playstation seems to have much more of a varied exclusives list than Xbox which again is a major downfall of the current games market. Halo, like COD seems to be getting over produced and a new game is released often. Once a year perhaps and with the announcement of Halo 4, 5 and 6, we can only hope that the Halo series can concentrate on becoming the frontier of Microsoft’s console.

 So please Game developers of the world, take your time with these games in which we the public dedicate many hours, days or years to your products. We need to be provided with new and fresh games. I don’t want to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 26 which still features N00b Tubing, Need for Speed: The Running out of Ideas or Assassins Creed: Ezio’s Great, Great, Great Grandson. With all of the hype on the next generation of Console gaming, I feel that we should give this generation the send-off it deserves… Although the next generation has yet to be announced.

@SimonMarshall6