Alright, this trailer for Portal 2’s cooperative gameplay is incredibly short, but I imagine it’s exciting for the throngs of Portal fans out there.
I’m excited for Portal 2 as much as the next guy, but I’m going to play the part of jaded gamer dude and hold it in my pants until we see something truly cool. Call me when they show puzzles where we’ve got to juggle our coop partners with 4 portals on the fly.
I recently read the Lefsetz Letter about Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff announcing new “Full Disclosure Pricing” on Twitter:
@irvingazoff: New TM full disclosure pricing! http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0D00448D1A496EA9?brand=&tm_link=tm_homeA_g7&hot_ticket_brand=home
Now that’s a little thin on explanation so here’s Irving shedding a little more light on the matter:
“Correct. Since acts, promoters and venues are fighting full disclosure all-in pricing that consumers want, TM is unilaterally doing this. Needless to say a major promoter has already written to us demanding we stop. Go ahead and print if you want Bob. Thanks. Irving”
Cool, so now we get to see how much show prices really are without having to go through the song and dance of pretending to buy a ticket right?
Not exactly.
While each event page now shows a price including “fees”, there’s no mention of the “order processing charge” that will get tacked onto your order once you actually get down to putting on your billing info. This charge is roughly around $4-$5. (In Irving’s Carrie Underwood link above, it’s $4)
But that’s not all.
I bought a pair of Arcade Fire tickets for the Los Angeles show last week and not only was there a $4.80 “order processing charge” for a pair of tickets, Ticketmaster was now having the gall to charge $4 for “standard mailing.”
[rant start]
That’s right, we’re now charged an absurd $4 to be mailed tickets via a 35 cent envelope (I know because I’m staring at a ticketmaster envelope postmark right now). The “free” standard mail delivery option used to be the only thing I could mollify myself with if I bought tickets for a show months in advance. Now I don’t even have the option to pay $2.50 for the privilege to print my own ticket. The cheapest option was a $3 fee to go to a Macy’s or some retail outlet and have them print out tickets for me.
Are you kidding me? $3 to make an out of the way trip to a retail outlet to have them print out something for me?
Mr. Azoff, go back and hide the fees from me until the end step if it’s going to end up costing me an extra $4 to buy a 35 cent postage stamp. What’s next, a $2.75 fee to send them a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for them to mail my tickets?
[/end rant]
Don’t get me wrong, the idea of a “Full Disclosure Pricing” sounds swell to me as a consumer. I’d love to eyeball an event page and be able to figure out if I can afford to go or not without 5 minutes of fumbling with Captcha work. Perhaps this is how Ticketmaster should have done business from the beginning. Regardless, with the way Mr. Azoff talks about it, you’d think that Ticketmaster had unilaterally cut fees to the consumer by 75% or something equally revolutionary. Now wouldn’t that be something to get excited about.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though. I do realize that Ticketmaster is walking a tightrope with event promoters, venues, and artists in terms of who gets paid what and how much. But please, if you’re going to advertise “Full Disclosure Pricing”, try to actually disclose the final price before trumpeting yourself as a hero of the consumer.
Ok, I think I’ve figured out this video for Yeasayer’s Madder Red.
It’s got to be part of an ARG promoting Bioshock Infinite. I can’t believe they would spoil the game this early, but you can clearly see that Kristen Bell’s one armed face-monster rules the clouds at the end of this video. There’s no doubt it’s the final boss.
“Come on, there’s no way he’s doing another Bioshock title. This is just to tell us it was from the people who made Bioshock… ahhhh crap.”
That was the first thing that went through my mind as I watched the Bioshock Infinite trailer this morning.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the original Bioshock game. It had amazing visual style, fun gameplay, and a thought provoking plot. It was just a game that didn’t need have a sequel, much less turned into a franchise.
I applauded director Ken Levine’s decision to not be involved with the competent, but ultimately unnecessary Bioshock 2 released earlier this year. Good for Ken for preserving his integrity in not caving to publisher demands for a cash cow sequel.
My initial nerd rage reaction stemmed from the apparent betrayal of my self-created game designer integrity code. But then I watched Joystiq’s video interview with Levine.
It’s quite apparent that the Irrational Games crew is not cutting any corners with Bioshock Infinite. Brand new engine. No re-used assets. Nothing forced into the game from the previous entries in the franchise if it didn’t fit.
Levine made an interesting comparison to the Final Fantasy franchise in that each entry has some recognizable elements, but generally are completely original settings, characters, and plot.
This rang true with me. I think I can deal with “SkyoShock” or “MoonShock” games if they’re not glorified expansion packs utilizing the same characters and plot elements. There are actually some really cool moments in the trailer and the setting definitely hasn’t been explored too deeply (if it all). Color me cautiously pumped for this when it comes out in 2012.
My only concern now is if these Bioshock titles settle into a neat little checklist including some of the following:
Upgradeable Plasmid-like powers
Fantastical Steampunk setting with a questionable dictator making you think about a particular branch of philosophy or ideology
“Controversial” morality choice leading to different endings, but mainly just achievements
Mysterious protagonist who finds out who he really is via a plot twist in third act
Ok, this may all be a bit cynical, but the worry is legitimate. Fortunately, Ken Levine has gathered enough goodwill with me from his previous games that I’ll believe in him to create something wondrous with Bioshock Infinite.
Multiplayer-focused games are a tough animal to “review” since the experiences are so intertwined with the playerbases. At the same time, you can usually tell within the first 30 minutes or so if a game is going to be fun for you or not.
I had a chance to spend a couple of hours with Monday Night Combat today and I’m here to tell you it’s something worth looking into.
In a nutshell, Monday Night Combat is a 3rd person class-based multiplayer action game. You can choose to be one of various classes (such as a sniper, support, assassin etc.), each of which has its own unique powers, weapons, and playstyle. Additionally, anyone can build or upgrade turrets around the map. Think Team Fortress 2 meets <insert your favorite tower defense game here>. There’s two modes of play: Blitz and Crossfire.
I’ve really come around on the developer walkthrough video as my pre-game release promotional content consumption of choice.
It offers these two simple, yet crucial, elements:
1) Real gameplay footage without bullshots/cutscene smoke and mirrors.
2) Informative narration straight from the game creators on how the game plays.
Unfortunately, dev walkthrough videos tend to run on the long side, so you have to have a little interest in the title before you commit the time to view them.
Let’s take care of that little detail for Uber Entertainment’s first title, Monday Night Combat.
It’s a class-based third person shooter. Focus is obviously on the 6v6 multiplayer and creating a “Monday Night Football” feel to each match. There’s a rewards and upgrade system where you can level up certain skills in the middle of the match and also on a meta-level between games too. From the looks of things it could be to the Xbox 360 what Team Fortress 2 is to the PC/Mac, especially at the $15 price point.
Sound interesting? Check out the two developer walkthrough videos below:
While combing the E3 showfloor, I had a chance to play a decent amount of upcoming games. Here are some quick impressions from some of the Playstation 3 games I tried out:
Killzone 3:
Killzone 3 at E3 2010 was all about the 3D. I was surprised at how unintrusive the 3D glasses actually were. Combining a first person shooter with stereoscopic 3D glasses seems like a recipe for extreme motion sickness, but this didn’t end up being the case.
The demo was about 20 minutes long and started with an on rails helicopter turret sequence in the snow. Amusing, but nothing terribly original. The 3D was really impressive in the blizzard as I really got the sense of immersion of being pelted by snow.
Once I landed, the game became very familiar. If you’ve played Killzone 2, you’ll know exactly what I experienced. In fact, if it weren’t for the 3D and the fact that there was a “3” in the booth, I could have mistaken the game for Killzone 2. The graphics are incredible on a console, but underneath the glossy veneer is a typical, albeit very polished, cinematic shooter. I didn’t see any new weapons or gameplay mechanics during my time with the game.
Little Big Planet 2:
Most of the short Little Big Planet 2 demonstration was focused on the new game creation tools. Emphasis was placed on mini-game creation. Little Big Planet is no longer a platform to create platformer game levels, but one that can do many different game types.
Three mini-games were shown to show off some of the new possibilities. The first was a sort of fast-paced Simon Says button pressing game, kind of like competitive Quick Time Event pressing. We then played a bumper-boats game, evoking memories of the hilarious Mario Party minigame. The goal is to knock the other players off of the ring, with the use of a single button to boost. The final minigame was a competitive 2D shooter using rocket launchers. Think Smash Bros. level with little Sackmen toting rocket launchers.
The Sony rep also talked about making it easier to find and filter user-generated content. An improved search feature is planned, along with the ability to “follow” specific designers. There would also be Playstation Move integration, the details of which were not shown at the booth.
Overall, it sounds like if you’re an active LBP designer, you’ll want to pick this one up as it gives a lot more tools in the toolbox, so to speak. I’m on the fence, since I never really played the game much beyond the included campaign. There’ll be another Media Molecule designed campaign in this sequel, but I can’t help shake the feeling that LBP is a title that just didn’t work, despite its noble mission of empowering end users to be game designers.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3:
I absolutely despise the Xbox 360 controller for fighting games so I made sure to try out Marvel vs Capcom 3 on the Playstation 3. There’s not much to say about this title other than it controls tightly and looks amazing. The character select screen for each player creates a comic book cover from the selected characters using the actual template for a Marvel comic. I found this a very nice nod to detail on Capcom’s part.
Any concerns over the title losing any speed over the move to the 3d Street Fighter 4 engine were quickly laid to rest after one round with the game. The same ridiculous 32 hit laser super combos and tag team air combo action is back and as fun as ever.
I even held court for awhile, winning four consecutive matches before people started getting afraid to challenge me. Unfortunately, the demo didn’t have a single player arcade mode, so rather than twiddle my thumbs and wait for a new challenger, I left.
Yakuza 4:
At the Sega booth I was surprised to see Yakuza 4 on display. See, although I have always heard great things about the Yakuza franchise, it’s never quite taken off in the US. It’s a 3rd person fighter/adventure game hybrid with RPG elements set in modern day Japan. I’ve been told the writing in the game is exquisite, with comparisons to The Sopranos being made.
The very nature of the game doesn’t scream “MAINSTREAM APPEAL”, so I was surprised to see the fourth installment green lit fora US release. After speaking with the community manager in charge of evangelizing Yakuza 4, it became quite clear that this title is a labor of love from the localization team dedicated to the fans. One of the key features mentioned was the fact that you can now go into Japanese hostess clubs in the game and, well, interact with girls. Apparently the more vocal fanbase had cried foul over the hostess clubs’ omission from the US version of Yakuza 3, so they were re-added to the sequel. That’s listening to your customers, folks.
While I’m not sure if I can devote 30-40 hours to a single game anymore, I’d like to see Yakuza 4 succeed if only for the fact that it’s supposedly an authentic look into certain aspects of modern day Japanese culture. The game releases on the Playstation 3 in spring of 2011.
Invizimals:
Invizimals is an interesting take on the Monster Hunter/Pokemon genre of RPG collection games. Using the PSP camera attachment, you can find creatures “hidden” amongst everyday items lying around the house. Basically, anything with a distinct color is liable to be hiding a creature to capture. Once you find a monster, you can then train with it in RPG-style turn based battles to upgrade them ala Pokemon.
(please excuse the sudden cut off in the video, there was an unfortunate battery mishandling)
I’m a big fan of Augmented Reality and this seems like a really novel way for tweens and adults to play the genre. Battles take place on screen using a combination of game animations and live footage of whatever the camera is pointing at. You can even wager the creatures you’ve earned in multiplayer battles, kind of like the ultimate form of virtual cockfighting. YES!
Don’t get me wrong, I used to love the series. Most people had their formative video game experiences with Super Mario Bros. I had mine with Final Fantasy II on the SNES. I remember begging my parents to purchase an obscenely priced Final Fantasy III cartridge for $74.99 at a specialty shop. I even had my relatives pick up an import copy of Final Fantasy V from a trip to Japan even though I knew no Japanese whatsoever. Hell, I was determined to learn kanji as a 12 year old solely to play that game.
Final Fantasy used to be the reason I chose a particular console over another. It was why I wanted the Super Nintendo, Playstation, Playstation 2, and Playstation 3. Each new entry in the franchise was an event. I would spend every free moment lost in the world of Final Fantasy until the epic tale was over.
It took me nearly five months to finish Final Fantasy 13. There were stretches of multiple months where I didn’t even touch the game. I eventually finished the game, but it took a herculean feat of self-motivation to do so.
Twisted Metal was perhaps the biggest “surprise” of Sony’s E3 press conference in that it was probably the biggest first-party Sony title announced without being leaked in advance. However, it was only a matter of time as there have been Twisted Metal titles released for every Sony console generation prior to the Playstation 3.
David Jaffe’s (God of War) new Eat Sleep Play studio develops the latest installment in the franchise and I had a chance to play a quick deathmatch at the Sony booth.
The quickest way to describe Twisted Metal if you’ve never played a game in the series is that it’s a cross between Mario Kart battle mode and Unreal Tournament. You pilot a twisted character/car combination such as a homicidal clown’s ice cream truck and you’re pitted against equally colorful cast of characters’ cars in a deathmatch. Each car has its own special weapon that recharges over time and you can pick up assorted missiles and ordinance powerups on the map. Oh, and your battle arena is generally an expansive real-life setting like suburban housing tracts.
The original Twisted Metal on the Playstation was one of the launch highlights of the system and Jaffe’s PS3 version definitely captures the look and feel of that seminal title. It’s not for the controller-challenged, though, as it pretty much uses every button on the Dualshock 3 controller to some degree. I took one look at the loading screen picture of the controls and blanked out like I was watching C-Span.
Fortunately I pick up games fairly quickly and within a minute I had figured out how to drive and shoot. The demo included two new vehicles (a helicopter and a motorcycle) that haven’t been seen in the franchise before. I found the helicopter difficult to maneuver, but it does have the satisfying ability to pull enemy vehicles up with its magnet attachment and drop them in less than optimal places. The motorcycle dude’s special attack is to throw a boomerang chainsaw at enemies. It works as ridiculous as it sounds and does MASSIVE DAMAGE to enemies.
Twisted Metal was created to be played among a large number of players and it’s exciting to see the franchise arrive in a console generation where online play isn’t an afterthought. It’s not a franchise overhaul, but it doesn’t have to be. We’re in an era where car arena deathmatch titles number in the single digits. It’s an entertaining title that should be a blast to play with friends.
As long as Jaffe delivers a polished game, Sony should have a hit on its hands.
Twisted Metal is scheduled to be released in Spring 2011 exclusively on the Playstation 3
I think the my days of having the patience to sit through a 40 hour video game are through.
It took me almost 5 months to put in the 45 hours needed to finish Final Fantasy 13, with a lot of it feeling like an obligation to my sometimes misguided principle to always finish what i start. That’s not to say there weren’t some great moments in the experience, but by and large everything the Final Fantasy franchise stands for has become stale.
Final Fantasy 13 tries so very hard to advance the aging Japanese RPG genre and actually does succeed in doing so on some levels. I, for one, am actually glad they got rid of towns in this game. When you boil it down, the only thing towns are good for are a) buying items and equipment and b) fulfilling a required plot/character interaction in order to advance the storyline. Getting rid of them streamlines the gameplay. It’s much more convenient to be able to buy items at any save point instead of hunting for several buildings in a town to complete your shopping list.
