Weekend Roundup XIV

(c) 2009 Google Image Search

Hola there internets, Octopus here with yet another roundup of the weekend variety. It's been an interesting week on the blog, mostly for reasons we can't talk about yet, but it hasn't been too bad a week on the rest of the internets either.

Oooh, which story to pick to babble about. Hmmm....I'm gonna go with this one from Joystiq on the topic of the PlayStation Phone, which is apparently now not happening. Whilst the Sony Ericcson rep they spoke to told them that current phone specs would not be suffucient to do the PlayStation brand justice, it appears that there is a different, more concerning, issue behind this. Joystiq (and a number of other sites) are reporting that Sony Electronics wont lend the PS brand name to a phone made by Sony Ericcson, and in fact a PlayStation Phone will only happen when Sony Electronics makes a handset themselves. This seems to suggest that Electronics is at least considering making their own phones, which would lead to two divisions in one company making competing mobiles. What gives? However, if such divisions do exsist in the company, it does explains the current lack of a PlayStation Music Store (of which one would think Sony Records would be a launch supporter), and may also explain why the Sony Pictures-backed Movie Store has yet to find it's way outside America. Anyway, my advice: sort it out Sony, you need to bring everything together to make the PS3 the victor at the moment, and right now these internal catfights are leading to wasted resources.

Elsewhere in the gaming internets this week: Harmonix apparently is interested in making a PS3 version of their awesome old game 'Amplitude', which was one of the main inspirations behind Audiosurf; Free Radical is still just about alive in a broken state, and really needs to find a publisher for TimeSplitters 4; a stronger focus on the PC version of new kid-friendly Sony MMO Free Realms has led to a delay for the PS3 version; Final Fantasy XIII wont make it's way outside Japan until at least April next year; Patrick Keplek talked about the intriguing Silent Hill iPhone controls; Media Molecule teased some new LBP content; and PixelJunk Eden is getting a new free patch and an Encore pack of DLC.

Another thing I wanted to mention this week is Windows 7. I've been running it full time for just over a week now, and I will be talking about the new features and other enhancements later next week, and hope to get a video tour online. For now though, I will say that after spending some expended time with the system, it doesn't seem anywhere near as essential an upgrade as XP or Vista were from their predeccessors. There are some situations where 7 really shines (on portable devices, computers with lower specs, and those with SSDs) but there isn't enough to recommend it to anyone else as a must-buy. As I say, more in the week. For those interested, the first supposed screenshots of an alpha build of Office 14 have leaked onto the web too.


In terms of what we've been playing, things have been pretty Crash Commando-centric. I actually managed to complete Mirror's Edge, and in a prefect example of Trophies suggesting a different way of playing than I normally would, I managed to do so without ever firing a weapon (that's another silver in the bag). And you know what, I'm damn proud of that. But most of my gaming time this week has been devoted to playing shitloads of Crash Commando. The game is so fantastic, and although I don't want to say too much, as Armadillo will likely be writing a review up this week, but it has occupied myself, Armadillo and Aquatic pretty much all week, and that is praise enough. Oh and Fryingpan defied us all. Guess what amazing action-packed game he's been playing this week? Football-frigging-Manager. I also hear stories that he now refers to himself as the 'Special One' and has developed a love of big long coats. He needs to get out/on Crash Commando more.

Finally, for those looking for some 'bizarre' this week, click here for a strange story on MSN News about a girl selling her virginity to pay her college tuition fees.

Good luck Obama!

Fluorescent Octopus

Through The Looking Glass (A Mirrors Edge Review)

I'd be the first one to admit that I am too critical when it comes to words. I don't mean I hate words, I mean that when it comes to writing about anything at all, all the compliments and nice thoughts I had penned for it just evaporate in a mist of 'this-could've-been-better'ness. Which upsets me, because I know that I just won't be able to give the right kind of praise for Mirror's Edge that I know it deserves.

Now just let me compose myself since I just realised I said something so nice about an EA product. What am I turning into.

I will begin where most begin, and that being the synopsis of the game. You are Faith, a runner, delivering top secret messages and files to those who hire you, avoiding the ever watchful eye of the government who has opted to mould the world into a utopia at the sake of it's citizens' freedom. While a utopian setting doesn't sound nearly as interesting to most of you as perhaps Fallout 3's grey land of grey, it works out in the end gameplay-wise (and you hard-of-sight people who can't differentiate between a slate-grey rock and a charcoal grey house also benefit.)

As for graphics, it's pretty much spotless. And I don't mean just the cleanliness of it; the designs of buildings and architecture in general is flawless, and the use of stark, powerful primary colours don't seem out of place or forced, no, in fact they add more believability to it (there are even paint cans lying next to big red objects, how awesome is that?). If there was one game this year that clearly had love and care put into it's design, it's Mirrors Edge.

Gameplay is pretty much virtual parkour, but instead of looking cool-doing-gnarly-tricks as an incentive, keeping your life is the reason you roll, slide, jump, climb, and fall. There's never been a game using a first-person view in this way, so it's hard to compare it to another. But honestly? It really is like being in the eyes of someone who's running over buildings, and kicking the asses of lotsa Blues. It can be exhilarating; keeping just ahead of the Runner-hunters, sliding at break neck speeds down the side of a building, it really gets the adrenaline going, but on the same side of a different coin, it can be scary as well; free falling hundreds of metres to your dark and crunchy death, failing that jump and not knowing whether you'll make the next ledge, and even running headlong into a group of hostiles can get the ol' ticker pumping. But hey, if that's what EA/DICE was going for, bravo to them.

You're going to hate me, but a couple of niggles have popped into my head already. I will say them now before angry mobs with fire knock down my door. First off, AI. It's not a big niggle (Can you get big niggles? Biggles?) seeing as you don't spend a lot of time interacting with them, just stealing their guns or punching their lights out, but they're clearly not the brightest bunch.

Let's say you're in a firefight. You're almost dead, so you retreat behind a nearby pillar and regain your womanly composure. Not once does the enemy think to actually walk to other side of the pillar, and shoot at you from there. No, these are gentlemanly enemies, and are quite content with waiting for you before you continue your little feud.

Fear my artistic talent.

Secondly, but most vitally, there's the slightly off physics. It works in favour of gameplay, sure, but that doesn't mean it's right. There's the landing on things from extreme heights and surviving (albeit these things are always red things, which leads me to believe that red things are made of some otherworldly spongy matter that actually defies our puny laws of physics) there's also the complete ignoring of friction (the amount of times I've slid down a pole or ladder must've burnt clean through my gloves and those fantastically manicured hands) and finally, where's the gravity? Even a gifted athlete could not run along walls like that, or wall-jump twice, or even make those insane jumps that she does.

That's what athlete's call a steroid jump.

But again, minor niggles. These should hardly affect your choice when you buy the game. Instead you should ask yourself; "Do I have perfect eyesight? Would I be permanently damage them with insanely bright colours?" "Do I get motion sickness when I run in real life?*" and most importantly "Do I care about a story?". If you answered 'No' to all the above, by golly this game is for YOU.

89/100

-AW

*For those people out there who actually do get motion sickness...seriously? Do you? Jeez.

Demands

Octopus here, with some recommendations for this holiday season. Don't go out and buy terrible games just because you have money, oh no! This year has been one of the best ever for gaming, with so many amazing games, so read carefully, and inwardly digest.

5. Burnout Paradise
Okay, so this game is ancient now (Jan 08), but that doesn't give you an excuse not to buy it; its Platinum-priced at retail and about £25 on the PlayStation Store. There's been a steady stream of game-changing updates to the game this year so far, and from the recent announcements over on Criterion's website, it doesn't look like this is going to change going into next year. Expect a full review very very soon.

4. SingStar
Go on, admit this one made you go "say wha, girlfriend?". Hear me out, Christmas-time is when all your relatives are round, so just set up some pass-the-mic rounds, add in some tacky tunes (or the new Abba disk for added cheesiness) and they'll be distracted for hours. Sneak a girl (or two if you choose) in the back door and head upstairs. Leave to simmer for 15 minutes. And if instead you'll be sitting around all on your lonesome, trying to figure out how to pull both ends of a cracker yourself, a nice ballad or two will have you bawling your eyes out and then promptly falling asleep. Christmas Day solved either way.

3. Resistance 2
Skimpy parents? Pretty much guaranteed that this will be the one time you get a game all year? Then grab R2. A pretty substantial and engrossing single player mode, a seperate co-op mode for up to eight-players online or off, and a full-featured multiplayer mode that is all kinds of fun. All of this, as well as Trophies, will keep you playing the game well into next year.

2. Mirror's Edge
Number two is a toughie, but I've gone for the complete opposite of Resistance. Fancy a relatively short game, but one that's unique and incredibly intricate? Then go for Mirror's Edge. Set in a dystopian future where Runners carry packages between underground rebels, it actually works best as an on-foot racing game, taking alternate routes in an attempt to get to your destination ASAP.

1. LittleBigPlanet
Okay so this one was pretty inevitable, but look at it! It's got Burnout's post-launch support, SingStar's all-out fun, R2's longevity and Mirror's Edge's beauty. It is such a rare thing nowadays to see a game (from a relatively unknown studio too) tick all these boxes, and it is an absolute must-buy for any gamer worth his weight in prize bubbles. Epic review coming shortly.

WWAP #5: Busy Edition

This week's been one helluva mixed bag games-wise: both the Wanderer and I have been busy with various activities, including of course Eurogamer Expo, but somehow (as ever) we've still found time to get some solid game time in.

I myself spent the beginning of the week getting to grips with Mercenaries 2: World at Flames on PS3, playing large amounts of online co-op with Aquatic and one or two other online buddies who also have the game. Post-Eurogamer and the PlayStation Store update I've been playing around in the Mirror's Edge and EndWar demos, and rather annoyingly, my Bluetooth headset died halfway through a run-through of the latter - SingStar microphones to the rescue - but at least now I have a decent excuse to get the official PlayStation one when it comes out.

Mr Aquatic has been just as busy as me, and after starting the week showing me the ropes of Mercs, he has been splitting his time between Uncharted: Drake's Fortune that he picked up the other week on the cheap, and his new best friend Dead Space. Unfortunately for him, the new LPB release date of the 5th falls directly on the day he goes to Italy for a week, which is just pure bad luck (the lucky sod), and unfortunately for me, I have no money to buy it either.

And that's just the start - I think Penny Arcade put it the best (click to see the full comic):

Although obviously the dates are different (thanks SCEE!) it's gonna be mental from here on out until Christmas. Here on the blog, this week will be just as busy as we continue with our Eurogamer reportage, and try some new things. Keep em peeled!

Eurogamer Expo: Mirror's Edge

Imagine the scene: it’s about 11.02am on a quite chilly Wednesday morning in London, and, recently equipped with entrance wristbands, hundreds of gamers are now swarming into the Old Truman Brewery (now converted into an exhibition space of sorts). Large numbers of them have memorised the floorplan and head straight for the Street Fighter IV or Gears of War 2 booths at the back of the room. Others – like us – simply head to the biggest brightest television in the room. It just so happened that the giant forty-something-inch screen directly in front of the doors was running the very bright Mirror’s Edge.

We perched ourselves on the two stools placed ridiculously close to the screen and I picked up the controller. A friendly Eurogamer staff member briefed us (briefly) on the controls and then we were off. First things first: this game really is good-looking. The white/blue scene presented in front of us was broken up by small parts lit in red and scattered around the level. My first few minutes with the game were – how can I put this – a little bit rubbish; the controls and movement in Mirror’s Edge are not like any other game. L1 is jump, L2 is crouch, R1 does a 180-degree turn, and R2 is punch/attack. The face buttons are used as well, but less often: triangle is disarm for instance. In fact, you’ll do best in Mirror’s Edge if you maintain your momentum, so the shoulder buttons are normally your best bet. There are combinations of controls that enable you to do something a bit special: when running, press crouch and attack to do a slide attack, or jump and attack to kick the enemy in the face. The real difference to any other first person game, however, is how you move. The left-stick is forwards and back and the right-stick is look/aim as ever, but moving the left-stick from side to side actually strafes – a difference that makes sure turning does not affect your momentum significantly – and this can take a bit of getting used to.

The level we played was called ‘The Edge’, and began with Faith (the main character) running across the rooftops to pass a package onto another runner, Celeste. It is one of the first levels in the game, and as such, the complex gameplay mechanics were minimal, however there were a number of sections that really required you to use your head to find out where to go. At one point you are in a rather bland corridor and the only indication of where to go is a red-rimmed entrance to an air conditioning vent. In the end, we worked out that you had to climb onto some storage cabinets, and then leap backwards to a ridge on the wall, then across again to land on a cooling tube which led to the vent. It’s these brain-taxing moments that make the game shine, as it shows how much effort DICE have put into making the most of the first-person perspective, and trying to solve these puzzles without losing too much time or momentum is even tougher. Later there was some melee combat as well, but the level was really about getting to grips with the controls. SIXAXIS motion controls were also present in the game, however they are not compulsory – you can use the left stick or motion controls to balance, and there are also gestures for rolls and other moves – and can be turned off completely in the options menu if you wish.

One thing I will say about Mirror’s Edge is that it has really leapt to the top of my most wanted list since getting some hands-on time, as you really have to experience it in person to understand how it works. For those of you who want to have a go, a demo consisting of a tutorial and the level we played is now available on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace, and if you have preordered the game, you can enter a special code to unlock a time trial mode in the demo too. Mirror’s Edge is developed by DICE and published by EA, and will be released for the PS3 and 360 on November 14th and later this year on PC.