Pax East Round Up/Rant Down

PAX East wasn't the only source of news, I also read that Tim Burton is making a live-action Dumbo movie. Clearly, I haven't seen everything after all.

On set photo of Burton's live-action Dumbo (joke)

But before I get onto a rant about another franchise being Burtonised I will talk about what I had intended for this blog-post. Very recently we had this year's PAX East event, this time being held in Boston. PAX are the Penny Arcade eXpos, established by the creators of the popular web-comic Penny Arcade's as a series of festivals dedicated to gaming. The festivals area place for games that are soon to be released to be aired, and demoed, and should hype gamers up for the year's releases.

I say should because, unfortunately, I feel like the games took a backseat this year. The focus shifted towards demonstrating virtual reality hardware instead, and as a result I feel like the event suffered in the same way that E3 suffered a few years ago when the new consoles took centre stage. Hardware advances are all well and good, but should not eclipse the software (games, apps etc.). Without that software the hardware has no purpose. And the software that was presented didn't get my gaming juices flowing, and felt rather stagnant.

It may be hard to believe that this is a game, not a film.

The parts I paid most attention to were those displays by Square Enix. Final Fantasy XV looks amazing and to see it in demo form got me excited. The cut scenes shown previously at E3 made my jaw drop as they looked almost like a live-action film and not a video game. But this has happened before, with games promotional material looking stunning but the game play looking like it's made of play dough. A clear demonstration of this divide was seen in Alien Colonial Marines, and all gamers know how that turned out. Too often shiny clips promise something that game play just can't fulfil. Yet, looking at the gameplay footage of Final Fantasy XV it would appear like this issue has been solved. And the gameplay visuals appear just as photo-realistic as the cut scenes. I should mention that I acknowledge that graphics aren't everything and a games story and gameplay are major deciding factors on whether it is a great game. But remember that this is a Final Fantasy game so story is hopefully assured. And gameplay wise it is looking rather innovative, for a FF game, which too is reassuring. Overall, I am really looking forward to FF XV's release, and hope that by then I will own a console that can play it.

The Alien Colonial Marines demo looked good... looked!

Other highlights include the trailer for Bloodborne by From Software (yes that is the developing companies name), the studio that have recently brought us Demon Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls II. All of these were dark bleak games, which were brutal in difficulty, and yet were both very enjoyable and beautiful in design. And it would appear that their trend continues to Bloodborne. The trailer shown at PAX showed a nightmarish land that had rich detail hiding beneath. It even made Amy, who is far from an avid gamer, sit up and take note. Stating that it looked beautiful. I have faith that this game will be just like the aforementioned, even if it has become a PS4 exclusive.

Worryingly little was heard from camp Nintendo. Although this could be due to an upcoming Nintendo Direct. Perhaps like their announcements during E3 they allow us to think there is nothing before blowing us out the water in private. Splatoon, their new first-person painting shooter got an airing. It still looks rather cool, but the real testament for me will be whether it has any single player appeal. As mentioned in this post, I am rather hesitant about Splatoon as I am no longer a big online gamer.

Courtesy of Forbes

Also worrying was the announcement that Mass Effect 4 will be including multiplayer. But then again the whole existence of the game confuses me. I would have preferred if Mass Effect had remained a trilogy, especially considering such a final end. Not that I am surprised considering it was a major franchise, but sometimes even that doesn't warrant not allowing something to end before it grows too old.

I was sad to hear that Sony have allowed the patent on The Last Guardian to run out. As this could be a sign that they have given up on the game. Considering how long it has been since any news appeared it could be rather likely that the game has been abandoned.

The Last Guardian, gone, but hopefully not forgotten.

Things that passed me by, other than the virtual reality, was that Far Cry 4 now has yetis. I guess at least it now has something that is different from Far Cry 3. And also the fact that Uncharted 4 has been pushed back and that the Assassin's Creed film has gathered some momentum with cast being announced. Neither of which made me excited as both franchises have become examples of overstaying your welcome.

I will try to end on a enthusiastic tone however. Indie games on show were all rather cool looking, which just reaffirms my belief that right now indie gaming Is the way to go. Which is my main reason for not buying either the PS4 or the Xbox One. Also we have heard some of this year's E3 line-up which includes some exciting titles. So, perhaps the gaming horizon isn't as bleak as PAX would suggest.

What do you all think of PAX East? Let me know in the comments section.

Unicycle elephant from johnlund, FFXV image from galleryhip, Aliens image from Scified, Final image from DualShockers.

Inspirational Blogger Tag Challenge

I have been nominated to list seven facts about myself  by Amy-Elize Brown. This is part of the Inspiring Blogger Award, and I’m honoured that she thought of me. Please check out her awesome, and equally as inspiring, blog: Asleep in the Woods.

Like her, I have done a seven facts post before. If you do want to see seven little known facts then check out my previous post: Here. To do something a little different, I thought I would reflect upon seven video game developers who have made a good impression on me.

Traveler's Tales
Many of you may know Traveller’s Tales (TT) for their work on the Lego games series. Before they were releasing Lego games in a range of franchises, they developed some great games like Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex (the best Crash Bandicoot game in my opinion). But it was a game preceding this that left an impact on me. The video game adaptations of A Bug’s Life and Toy Story 2 were some of my earliest forays into gaming. In fact, A Bug’s Life is one of the only games that I collected the hidden items out of enjoyment, and not for achievement/trophy. Whether you love or hate the Lego games you have to admire the franchise. Especially considering they still update their Lego game's mechanics, even after establishing a working formula.

Valve

This one shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Valve corporation pretty much feature on many gamer's admiration list. With a backlog of impressive series like: Half Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal and Team Fortress, it is easy to understand why. Each game is iconic in its own right, and have attracted cult followings. The only criticism I have, and many will agree, is that the studio seems to have a dislike for the number three (Half Life2: Episode 2? – why not just call it Half Life Three?-), and we are still waiting for some of those much needed final acts (Half Life!)

Bioware

They are one of the best in the gaming business at storytelling. No other games developer spring to mind who have been able to complete a whole trilogy without it feelling stale or repetitive by the end. Yet with the Mass Effect trilogy, Bioware managed to keep me hooked throughout. Each game has a strong story that stands alone. I’m sure some people will disagree with me on that one, especially regarding Mass Effect 3’s ending. Another reason I respect Bioware’s storytelling is due to Dragon Age: Origins, which has been one of the only fantasy worlds to draw me in; and very effectively too. By the end of the game I was left shaken as I had to leave the world and its people behind.

Rare Ware

I have already mentioned that Traveller’s Tales had an effect on my childhood, but they weren’t the only ones. I grew up playing the N64, and as such experienced the golden age of Rare Ware. I have talked about many of their games before, and if you want to hear more about them check out this post Here. But suffice to say, the studio brought us games like Banjo-Kazooie, Diddy Kong Racing and Goldeneye. These are some of the games that people think of when they think of great retro gaming.

Rare Ware's pre-Microsoft days... sigh.

Nintendo

This one shouldn’t come as much surprise to regular readers of my blog. What may surprise some of you is that Nintendo actually began their gaming career with playing cards. Thankfully, they went a bit more high-tech and produced some of the greatest video games. Without the grandparent of gaming we wouldn’t have critically acclaimed series like Mario, Donkey Kong, Kirby,or even my beloved Legend of Zelda. Despite what some people may say about Nintendo they are still going strong, and will hopefully keep providing us with amazing games.

The Behemoth

Image from Giant Bomb

From one of gaming’s giants, to an indie developer. It’s hard to create a 3D game that can hook someone into its world, but it’s harder still for a 2D game to create the same sense of immersion. Yet, immersed I was in the world of Castle Crashers. A game that was a simple side-scroller with a plot that was at most: Go save the king. But, there was enough collectables, unlockable and hidden features to keep me hooked. Their other game, Alien Hominid, was just as simple and still had more re-play value then most modern AAA games.

Rocksteady
Game developers attempts at superhero games are fraught with bad memories. Very few decent games have been made based on comic book characters, Spiderman on the PS one was the last good effort. Before Rocksteady entered the arena. Rocksteady have managed it twice, and hopefully will achieve a hat-trick. Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, are not just great superhero games, but great games full stop. Before anyone mutters: What about Arkham Origins? Well that was a low point (still good compared to many AAA titles), but made by another developer. I have every faith that Batman: Arkham Knight will be a fitting conclusion. Even if I do have to wait some time to get a PS4 in order to play it.

So there you have it, my top seven video game developers who I admire. You may not agree with me, but let me know why in the comments section.

Also, another thank you to Amy for tagging me. She certainly deserved the inspiring blogger tag before me, as she was one of my blogging inspirations.

I would like to nominate David Owen as my inspirational blogger/author. David is a graduate from university (University of Winchester), and has gone on to become a published author. Plus he is a video games journalist and has written for IGN; which basically makes him a god.

Thankfully, he accepted the tag and posted seven facts about himself here.

Rare Ware image from DragonBorn9617

Retro Game Gabbing - (Part 2)

Welcome back. This week I tackle part two of my Retro Gaming Gabbing, reflecting upon my retro gaming history. You can catch part one be clicking this link. In my last post I talked about discovering a gift box site, named Man Crates, which offered retro gaming crates.

One crate contained a cartridge of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game Duck Hunt. Upon seeing this I started to reminisce on the vintage gaming that has made me the man geek I am today. Unfortunately (or fortunately), if you found it interesting, I went into too much depth on generation three and four (see here for an explanation of generations) and I ran out of lines to go further. I am of the belief, that blog posts should be kept short and sweet; especially when you are as dull as me.

Image from Steam Community

So, without wasting any more time, here is my memories of gaming generation five. Sorry if it seems Nintendo heavy, I was little hooked (not in a cultish way).

Generation Five

Generation five was all about hand-me-downs for me. At the time I was still playing a generation four console, whilst my brother played his N64 in his room. Occasionally I was allowed to play games with him, like Blast Corps. and every fanboy’s favourite Goldeneye. Looking at these titles alongside a few others released for the N64, such as Diddy Kong Racing, MarioKart 64 and Super Smash Bros.,I realise that this generation was a golden age in split screen (for me at least). To be fair it makes sense, games had progressed to a point where they could handle a lot of on-screen activity, but we lacked the capabilities of the advanced internet we have today.

Image from How Stuff Works

When my brother got a Playstation One (PS1) I inherited his N64. Which meant that the N64 was the first console that I bought my own games for. I can still remember going around a friend’s house and experiencing Banjo Kazooie. On the next trip to the local shopping centre I recognised it on shelves, and purchased it with what pocket money I had to hand; plus a little advance from my father of course. I can remember vividly the store I bought it from, and the feeling of holding that small cardboard box in my hands (the old boxes felt much warmer than the cases we have today, ah nostalgia’s rose-tinting glasses). Unfortunately, the box is gone and the store too. But Banjo Kazooie’s cartridge still remains in my possession. My collection soon grew to including Pokemon Stadium One and Two, Pokemon Snap, Super Smash Bros.

In fact Pokemon Stadium One still stands out in my gaming history as one of my finest moments. For weeks I attempted to beat the Champion League’s Elite Four without any luck, even my brother couldn’t accomplish it. But then, one Saturday morning as everyone slept (I do resent them not being present for such a defining moment), I finally beat the League. To say I was excited would be an understatement. I am not ashamed to say that I ran up and down the house, multiple times cheering my head off. If my family had been asleep they certainly weren’t for long. I hadn’t even checked to see what my prize was for such an accomplishment. I was a little disheartened to find it was just an Eevee, but still beating them was enough, something I did regularly after I realised the formula.

Image from WiiU daily

One regret I have about the N64 is that I never owned a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on it. The game is one of my favourite stories, in my favourite game series and yet I haven’t owned the original cartridge. I have, of course, completed Ocarina of Time (in fact multiple times on multiple consoles), but not on its original platform. I also admit to never finishing The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, although I will rectify this soon with the upcoming remake on the Nintendo 3DS.

When my brother moved on to generation six with the Playstation Two I got my hands on his PS1. At this point I became rather fickle and forgot about my allegiances to the N64. Too caught up in the amazing Metal Gear Solid, a story so complex that my head now can’t even cope with the story. I don’t think I was too concerned at the time; not when I could take down a helicopter, right after repelling down a building. The game captivated me so much that I began telling people I wanted to be a missionary, just like Solid Snake (the main character: a mercenary). People were rather confused that I believed a missionary went on secret missions to say the least.

Start-up screens still give me a shiver (in a good way)
PS1 start-up screen from Galih

I also remember the morning of my eighth birthday as a result of receiving PS1 games (I really am a geek aren’t I?). That morning I awoke bleary eyed to find that my Mum had piled my presents around me as I slept. That day I received; a garish green and purple neon Walkman, with a tape of the Witch Doctor, a copy of Rayman and Gex: Enter the Gecko along with other things that have faded from my memory. I loved both of these games, and still do, but have yet to complete them. I still retain an obsession for Leslie Phillip’s voice due to his voice acting in Gex.

Yet again, I seemed to have had more to talk about than I expected. I will stop there before I bore you any further. The next post on Geek Boy Babbles won’t be so indulgent I promise. There will be a break in gaming generations before I return to tackle generations six, seven and then handheld histories.  

Until then let me know your opinions and memories in the comments below.

Retro Gaming Gabbing - (Part 1)

Last week I became aware of a gift box site called Man Crates from a friend. Apparently they sell gift boxes sent in crates, and of course, need to be opened with a crowbar. At first I thought that he was just kidding, that perhaps it was a riff on the Loot Crates idea. But then I checked it out and was rather taken aback to say the least.

You can check out a link to their gifts for men page here.

I have to say that upon viewing their site I was hooked by the humour and shocking range of sets (I'm not sure eclectic covers this place). Two boxes stood out to me. Firstly, the zombie crates which seem to all feature some rather intimidating knives. But mainly their retro gaming crates, which would be like mana from heaven for a geek like me.

As soon as I spied the cartridge of Duck Hunt in a crate package I immediately had inspiration for this week's blog post. 

Good job they provide a crowbar, perfect for re-enacting Half Life

As I began to reflect upon my personal gaming history I realised it wasn’t just a hobby. Gaming is something that has helped me shape the person who I am today. Some may say that this is a reason that gaming should be banned, but we will ignore that for now.

So where to begin? Well, I think it would be best to deal with it by console generation.

For those that don't know consoles can be catagorized by generations. Typically generations are when consoles that were released in neighboring years are grouped together. Usually the key console makers (companies like: Nintendo, Sony, Sega etc.) release one console per generation and aim to create a new console every ten years or so. Right now we are in the eighth generation of consoles with the likes of the X-Box One, the PS4 and arguably the Wii U.

Generation Three

Technically I wasn’t born until the fourth generation, but thanks to an older brother and a family a little behind the times my console experience predates my birth. My gaming experience from this gen was of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Sega Master System I.

Specifically I have fond memories of playing the NES around my Nan’s house. My brother and I would end the visit with an hour playing coop on the console. Unfortunately, we only had one cartridge that would work; fortunately it was a double pack: Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt. An odd combination, but a lot of fun as Duck Hunt included a light gun. As you can imagine we had many arguments over who was winning and who was cheating by edging closer to the screen. 

However, one thing we united over was our hatred for the giggling dog that popped up when you missed the targets (thank you Super Smash Bros. forWii U for allowing me to enact vengeance upon the pooch finally). Super Mario Bros. was my first introduction to platforming and I still have the theme song permanently etched on my brain. We never did actually complete the game, the furthest we got was world five… out of ten!

Laugh for now, but your time will come!

The Master System was our home console and we had a few games, although I don’t remember any. I think the reason I don’t remember that many is because I rarely played anything other than Sonic the Hedgehog. As such I actually finished this one.

Once again I found myself bounding with my family through gaming and not just my brother. My Mum too got involved in this game and actually spent more time playing it than I did. She didn’t make it past world two; the bridge level always foxed her.

Suffice to say that despite not being born when this generation was active I have strong memories of the consoles that make it. 

Generation Four

I don't have much experience with this generation. We did have a Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) at home, but I don't really remember playing it too much. It was my brothers console really, and we only played a few titles together like Killer Instinct and Donkey Kong Country. This generation passed me by somewhat and I do regret missing out on some genuinely good titles. I especially regret never owning a Sega MegaDrive.

Image courtesy of the Old Computer.

I hadn't realised when I began this post that I would have so much to talk about in such early generations. To help this I will end this post here and carry on the generation reflection in next week's post. Be sure to check back in a weeks time.

Also I want to hear your gaming history, let me know in the comments section below as always.


Man Crate image from ManCrate.com, Duck Hunt image from IGN,

Shovel Knight and SteamWorld Dig

This Christmas I decided that after shunning gaming in favour of university work for the past six months that I should treat myself for the holidays. So I hit the 3DS' Nintendo e-shop and bought myself a couple of indie games and set aside Christmas day and Boxing day as work free relaxation days. During which time I ploughed through SteamWorld Dig and part way through Shovel Knight. Both of which I have been eyeing up for a while.

SteamWorld Dig is a steampunk western exploration game that is very similar to Minecraft or Terreria. The focus isn't on levels or storyline and instead it is about digging your way down and discovering the hidden treasures beneath the surface.

Image from Steam Store

You play as a mining robot who has come upon a small town built upon a treasure-rich abandoned mine. There are legends around town about a famous miner who disappeared in the depths below and you head off to seek the treasure he sought. As far as plots go it isn't that detailed, but believe me, you don't need much else.

Despite lacking a strong antagonist or reason beyond go explore little robot there is not much else to prompt you along. Unless if you are like me you are quite content to just keep exploring in an OCD like fashion determined to find all the possible items you can. Well if it has worked for the likes of Minecraft, Pokemon and various other collection games it may as well work with this one.

Indeed I found myself rather obsessed with the game and couldn't quite put it down. It is rather addictive and I found myself becoming rather thorough in my tunneling. Like Minecraft I found myself loathing having to trudge back up to the surface. It seems there is an innate desire in me to burrow myself away if I am given the chance. Going to the surface when I had a full inventory brought the chance to upgrade myself and the town before heading back below.

The graphics are not amazing in a realism type of way. If you are looking for a photogenic steampunk robot game then this isn't for you (perhaps next year's Call of Duty will be better for you). Instead it chooses a 2D cartoon type art style which compliments the old west theme perfectly. Characters are cute but not sugary and remind me of the film Robots.

Technically there really is nothing that productive in the game. You dig to find minerals which pay for new upgrades which allow you to dig further. This mindless cycle was just what my overloaded brain needed right now. Something I could dribble over for a few hours whilst someone shoveled mince pies into me.

I love how distinct each character seems

Speaking of shoveled: Shovel Knights a game which has already found a lot of praise piled onto it. Another 2D, graphically simple game but one which has a complex background. This game has received a lot of recognition due to its retro feel. Not just in its 8-bit art style, but also because it is making a name for itself to being rather challenging and one of those games that you learn to master slowly.

You play as the titular Shovel Knight an adventurer who once was known throughout the land for his escapades. His companion Shield Knight was forever at his side until one fateful day when the tower she was in disappeared. Shovel Knight in his grief turns to farming, what else? Until the day the tower returns. With its return an evil enchantress also follows and her army of evil knights.

As Shovel Knight, the player must visit many levels and rid them of the evil knight that plagues them until he reaches the tower and the enchantress herself. Gameplay is very much like the games I would watch my brother play on the NES or Sega Mastersystem. It reminds me mostly of Castlevania in its setting, villains and gameplay. You move left to right platform jumping and sleighing enemies (or should that be shoveling) until you reach the boss of the level.

These bosses are one of my highlights as each are rather individual and very recognisable. In fact what attracted me to the game originally was the Plague Knight; who I have yet to face. The reason for this is despite sounding simple the game is rather tricky and there is a lot to explore beneath its surface. Whilst it can be completed quickly it would take a few playthroughs, and a bit of an obsession to do so.

This is Plague Knight, he's my favourite.

Both of these games are really good in there own right and for the prices asked, great value for money. SteamWorld Dig is about £8, and Shovel Knight about £13. Which compared to most modern games isn't bad considering both can be played multiple times through.

Overall they were a brilliant distraction from work for a couple of days. Small enough that they can be picked up and trawled through in a few hardcore hours. Or you can play bits at a time as neither have plots that are hard to follow. I loved every second I got with both and cherished the precious moments I got between my girlfriend snatching away my 3DS. This wasn't in a bid to force me to spend quality time together, but for her to play Mario Kart 7. Time she spent swearing like a sailor at the screen and making me fear for my limited edition 3DS' life.

Shovel Knights image from SoundonSight, Plague knight image from Planet Minecraft

Alien Isolation

As I mentioned in my previous EuroGamer Expo post, I was very fortunate to attend this years event. It gave me a chance to get hands on and see some of the biggest releases that would soon be hitting the highstreet. The biggest developers were there of course along with many indie developers and the event drew quite the crowd.

Whilst I don't tend to enjoy playing snippets of games pre-purchase I was quite eager to try Sega's Alien: Isolation.  This game has been causing quite a stir since its announcement and has won many awards at this years E3. After the last game in the franchise, Alien: Colonial Marines, ended in such devastation I was wary of the hype it was gaining. I as with many others had been burned by the previous game and felt I needed to see it first hand to avoid the problem a second time.

One big problem with bigger games such as this is that they drew the queues. Some of the lines boasted waiting times of over forty-five minutes for only a few seconds of demo. Thankfully this wasn't the case with Alien: Isolation. The queue seemed to dissipate in massive chunks and I started to question what they had behind the massive curtain perimeter. What didn't help was the smoke that seemed to be emanating from somewhere inside. Perhaps inside the infamous Xenomorph lurked and we gamers were in a production line of sorts fed to the hungry beast.

As I approached the staff energetically engaged with us in a refreshing manner that many other booth staff were not. All wearing uniform drawn from the film series, they ushered us forward stating that their 'Xenomorphs were hungry' or to move closer to 'warm us up, Aliens like their food hot. They also provided us with a free comic that ties into the game and told us of the competition that ran alongside the demo. If you could survive until the end of the level (a big IF they emphasised) your time taken, if good enough, would be added to a leaderboard. For those who made the top ten a free T-shirt was yours, if you came first a replica jacket from the game. With such customer interaction it is no wonder the booth apparently won an award for best visitor experience.

We entered the area in groups and were shown a short video about the games production. Then ushered into a darkened box filled with monitors ready to scare the unfortunate watchers. Many articles have said that the game is 'terrifying' and I hoped that it would live up to this. I am still very much on the hunt for something to scare me and I as of yet go rather sedate when confronted with all manner of horror media. I ensured I was sat comfortably, knew the controls and had the headphones secured to ensure I was as immersed as possible.

Immediately felt a sense of familiarity as I looked around the cramp cargo hold I started the level in. As a fan of the film series the iconic look that they carry was like an old friend. Everything is a light grey, piping hangs from the ceiling and tubes of coolant encompass me. This clearly where my character as the daughter of Ripley belongs. The developers clearly understood the feel of the franchise. It could have been tempting, with all the graphical technology at their disposal, to create a wondrous and eye-catching setting. But instead they have stayed true to the gritty, bleak, cargo ship feel that evokes the nostalgia.


I soon found myself gathering everything in the room to help my survival: metal scraps, extra batteries for the motion tracker, health bars and of course a handy flamethrower. I liked the sense of urgency this installed in me from the get go. I hope that a lack of resource will be big in the game making your chance of survival defendant on careful management.
Making my way cautiously towards the objective, a switch to activate the lifts door control. Utilising that trusty tracker to ensure I avoided any unwanted attention. I liked the fact that the tracker seems to take up a lot of the screen when used, which should discourage overuse. Anything else and a player could become reliant; much like Arkham Asylum's detective mode. I noticed a few times my wall-hugging technique would bring me in collision with the scenery. At which point a box would tumble and it's noise seemed to echo too loud for comfort. I felt the atmosphere was just right and really affected my playing style. I became very cautious of tight spaces where I may knock something; which drew me out into the open.

I soon learnt that this would be a bad sign.

I soon met my hunter of course, it was inevitable, unfortunately this wasn't as exciting or terrifying as I had hoped. I just watched him pass me by before sneaking behind him. A lot has been said about the Alien's intelligence, but I still saw the same adherence to a patrol pattern as any guard has in countless other games. Not to say it isn't imposing, I did find myself taking a breath in as it walked past hoping it wouldn't turn its gaze my way. When I made it to my destination I was given the next objective, head back to the lift. At this point there is a scripted attack, but as I kind of guessed there would be I was prepared. I flamed the Xenomorph in the face and then sprinted to the exit, pressing the lift control and surviving... on my first attempt.

It may be a bit boastful, but I will tell you that I did indeed make the leaderboard, unfortunately not the top. I was pretty proud of my free T-shirt especially since they had said no one had won for a while.

The demo was good, yet it wasn't quite as outstanding as I had hoped. Yes, it was atmospheric and yes, it is definitely an improvement on Alien: Colonial Marines (but the what isn't?). Groundbreaking, however, it isn't. The Alien was very easy to outsmart and this meant I never truly felt too vulnerable. I know in the main game there will also be other threats to deal with, I'm sure it has potential.

For now I will keep an eye on it, however, not enough  to pick it up on release day.







Alien: Isolation image from ABCgames, in-game image from Videogamewriters.

EuroGamer Expo London 2014

This weekend I was lucky enough to be able to attend Eurogamer Expo London 2014 (EGX). The expo is one of the biggest game shows held in the UK. At the show developers have gathered to showcase what they have in development and give gamers a chance to go hands on with the year’s releases. Whilst not as big as an American gaming convention, E3 especially, the show still excites me.

A massive thank you to my friend Lewis Bailey for allowing me to attend as his plus one. It was a great day and I really appreciated it.

There weren’t any big exclusive games announced at the event, but there were several game titles I was keen to see in action. The games I was most eager to see included: Namco Bandai’s Project Cars, Dragon Age:Inquisition, Arkham Knight and of course the much hyped Alien Isolation (which I even got a chance to go hands on with). For a full list of games I will provide a link at the end.  It was also my first opportunity to hold the Xbox One and PS4 controllers, both of which I am still unfamiliar with.

Before I begin I will admit that I personally don’t like playing demos; worse still I don’t like playing in public (video games that is, honestly your dirty minds!) Firstly, I don’t like demos as often they are lifted from the games directly. I realise this is technically a good thing; it does after all give you a very good impression of the game. But I like my new games to feel fresh and new and hate replaying a whole section. Some games demos have understood this and offered demos that are challenge maps not in the main quest line or serve as prequels to the story. By doing this not only does it save spoilers until release, but also invests me into the story so that I am eager to pick it up on release.

I hope gamers are going to start seeing the lack of real ingenuity behind the triple A game's PR campaigns. Too much glitz, without any substance, is bad for any industry.

My second peeve about playing in public is that I get very self-conscious. I am always very aware that behind me stand several others who are eager to take my place. This realisation isn’t helped when they offer ‘helpful’ remarks or whisper about my techniques. A lot of this is down to my own pig-headed nature; I like to figure things out for myself. Another issue is the queues that come before the demo, often the most hyped games have lines well over 45 minutes long and when you only get a few minutes of game time to compensate I lose enthusiasm.

By the end of the day we were 'BFFs'

For this reason what actually stole the show in many ways for me wasn’t the big hitters it was actually the indie games. Not only are there shorter queues for them, but the developers are usually on hand. They are eager to get feedback from their games and genuinely interested in your opinion. Thankfully I think the gaming industry is starting to slide towards the indie trend. At this year’s E3 big games like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare failed to gain as much attention as previous years. I think gamers are starting to see that behind their PR agent led pitches lies a lack of innovation.

The games I tried out were pretty decent and I will post about them separately in other posts. I got to grips with Alien Isolation, NBA 2015, Super Exploding Zoo, Little Big Planet 3, Terra Tech, Never Alone, Cloudbuilt. I also saw a lot of gameplay due to the aforementioned fact that I enjoy watching more than playing. I will go into detail about the games in later posts as I wouldn’t be able to go into enough depth in this post.

You may notice that my Euro Gamer Expo posts are slightly one sided towards what Sony had on show. This isn’t on any biased of my part, more on the part of the show. Sony seemed to get the better space and even the event programme came with a Sony advert attached. The billboards leading from the station to Earl’s court where plastered with their promotions too.  

What I will talk about is my first experiences with the PS4 and Xbox One controllers. I will say that right now due to the exclusives the PS4 is my preferred console (after the Wii U of course). It is also partly because of how the Xbox One’s reveal was handled which left a bitter taste in my mouth. It is rather unfortunate then that after giving both a whirl that the Xbox One controller felt more natural to me.  It hasn’t really changed that much from the old Xbox 360 pad except it has put on a few pounds. The buttons all remain the same and very much easy to understand. Some might complain that the fact that it didn’t change means there is nothing new to gain, but I’m more of the opinion that it isn’t broke, so why fix it?

Luminocity had a beautiful cardboard display.

The PS4 controller on the other hand is an attempt to revolutionise the dual shock pad. Once again it has put on a bit and become squarer at the top. I wanted to test out the touchpad of course, but was somewhat disappointed. The pad is plastic in texture and feels like the back of a Kindle eBook. This made it rather too fiddly for precise control. I found the slightest movement was interpreted as a mile long stroke, which is disappointing considering how advanced touchscreens can be. Despite it’s added size the buttons don’t seemed to have benefited. They instead have become smaller and more out of reach for my fingers to find, the analogue sticks were oddly indented too. I already miss the classic start and select buttons and found myself reaching for empty space. Overall the controller felt alien to me and just rather uncomfortable.

EGX was a fantastic opportunity for me to attend and I really enjoyed seeing what is to come in the year ahead. I saw some great games, met some lovely people, bought expensive merchandise and played spot the cosplayer. It is a must attend expo for those who need to keep up with gaming and geekery.

Link to games on show can be found Here.

Link to Vlog done by The Lewis Rocks, featuring myself, can be found Here.

What a gamer wants.

Like many gamers, I have an ever-increasing list of announcements that I want (read as need). Surprisingly, none of these is for the elusive Half Life 3; I have yet to complete Half Life 2. Also, I personally think the good people of Valve aren't quite sure what number follows two.

I thought I would post a list about what I want to see in the near future. You may not want another fan-boy wish list, but I'm going to give them to you anyway.

If by the end of this post you find yourself agreeing/disagreeing or discovering your own wishes, then please leave them in the comment section and we can banter about them there.

1. Minecraft for Wii U.                                                                                                          Just think how well the Wii U's tablet controller would lend itself to Minecraft, or for that matter Terraria. No more fiddling in inventory screens, just drag and drop, the thing touchscreens were made for.                                                                                             I'd even take a 3DS port of the pocket edition. Come on people of Nintendo and Mojang, get together; there's money to be made in this one.                                                                                    
2. Japan's Hyrule Warriors limited editions.                                                                            If you don't know about the Hyrule Warriors Treasure Box set then check out this link. I am rather envious of this limited edition, and very tempted to import it. I especially love the scarf and Tri-force alarm clock. Western special sets have yet to be announced, so I'm still holding out for a similar version to reach our shores.                                                                       
   
3. More respect for the Wii U.                                                                                               I won't rant about this one too much, for now. However, I could and have written many posts about the wasted potential of the Wii U. What annoys me isn't just the gamers who don't give it the time it deserves, developers too always seem very reluctant to give it a chance. The most recent example of this is Ubisoft, withholding a Wii U game that is ready to ship (link).                                                                                                                    
4. The end of console exclusives.                                                                                           Surely, I'm not the only one who is sick and tired of being pulled in all directions, just to play games. Why should we have to choose between missing out on exclusives, or spending money on buying multiple consoles? I know that the simple answer is to buy a PC, where the majority of games end up. But, for someone not tech savvy, PC gaming seems like a minefield.                                                                                                                          

   

   It looks cool but,
   can it play Crysis?

5. The cost.                                                                                                                          Number four leads nicely onto this one. It doesn't matter what console you pick, gaming is getting too expensive. Just a few years ago, a new release would cost about £39.99, that would only be a few days before there was some promotion making it affordable. But now, games release at around £45, and seem to hold that value. Games companies wonder why gamers buy pre-owned, it's because they are pricing themselves out of the market.

That's a few wants off my chest. I bet the moment I hit publish I will think of a dozen more.

For now, however I want to hear yours. Share them in the comments. I will reply and discuss them all, no matter how insane.

Rage image from the christian nerd, Tri-force alarm from nerdreactor, PC image from techspot.

E3 2014 - My Overview

Before I start, I’d like to issue a slight disclaimer. As mentioned in my previous E3 posts I did not go to E3 myself, and all insight I provide has come from live blogs and articles. This is not due to laziness, but living in a totally different country and not having the funds - I would love to go to E3 someday.

With that out of the way let’s take a look at my opinion on E3 2014; an event that has brought back a part of me. For the past two years I have been hesitant to call myself a gamer; I blame this in part to a rather cynical view of the console wars and the handling of the new generation. After last few years of companies showing off who has the biggest CPU, it seems we have finally got back to the games. And to be honest it’s the games that get me excited, not the boxes I play them on. So as I believe that this year focused on the games, it stands to reason that I feel a bit like my old geeky self again.

Favourite Part:

This is an easy one; my favourite part of E3 was Nintendo’s live event. Yes, it can be argued that as the Wii U is the only new gen console I own that I’m biased. But, at least I am honest about that fact. However, Nintendo’s fun and enthusiastic event couldn’t help but raise a smile in anyone who watched. It pays off too, if the creators look enthusiastic then the fans shall be as well. It’s little wonder then that Microsoft, Sony, EA and Ubisoft all seen rather procedural when their announcements can feel like a business meeting. I think this article demonstrates my point; not many executives are seen enjoying themselves so much as Shigeru Miyamoto.

To be more specific, I would say that Nintendo’s showcasing of their Amiibo concept was my highlight. I love the potential behind the idea, and as an avid collect of geeky merchandise, I can’t wait to fill my shelves with my favourite characters.

I can't help but want all of these.

Unexpectedly Impressed By:

On the other hand, I was rather impressed by both Sony’s and Microsoft’s first day conferences. Yes, they may have been a bit business like in their presentation, but they gave us a good look at some amazing games. With the competition between their machine's releases are out of the way we can finally see what they can play. In the exclusivity department I think Microsft did well; with Phantom Dust, Project Spark and Scalebound all looking rather appealing, despite not much gameplay being shown. Sony however, won in my mind with a single game, No Man's Sky - 

which if it is as it appeared, could be revolutionary. Having a genuinely new experience each time you play sounds great, and the fact that you can go from walking on land to space flight seamlessly adds a whole new level.

Disappointed by:

This one shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who has been keeping even a small interest in E3 -  its Ubisoft. Two reasons for this: firstly, the fact that playable female characters are not being included in two of their biggest upcoming releases co-op modes (article concerning the statement is here). Both Far Cry 4 and Assassin’s Creed: Unity features co-op with multiple playable characters but with no female option provided. I find it especially odd considering how Far Cry 3 and the Assassin's Creed series have had the option before.  This has been put down to time and resource constraints, which as explanations go is more offensive than the issue itself. There is a lot wrong with Ubisoft’s decision and if I'm honest it is an issue that runs throughout the industry, it will take full blog rant to cover it – look forward to that one!

The second reason is the announcement of a game that has been developed for the Wii U. But wait, surely this is good news? Well no, because Ubisoft refuse to release the game until the Wii U sells enough consoles to justify them releasing the game (article here). This came off as being a dig at Nintendo and a bit unprofessional in my mind. Why mention the game at all? I find nothing wrong with holding back a game ,if you believe it will sell better later. But, when it concerns a sensitive issue concerning another companies product, keep the reason to yourself. 

Looking forward to:

My top three games that I am hyped for are:

• No Man’s Sky
• Mario Maker
• Dragon Age:Inquisition

I also love the idea of Project Spark, however until I see some solid gameplay footage showing the kind of games we could create I will be wary of it. The concept sounds great, but seems a bit too ambitious.


Least looking forward to:

Well the yearly additions of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Battlefield Hardline go without saying. I hate how both series release yearly with little to no new features being added. Yet, the game I dread has got to be Let it Die; which from what I’ve seen, looks like a murder simulator along the lines of Manhunt and Mad World. The only outcome of this game is yet another media outcry against video games. For once too I would agree as the game looks like violence for the sake of being violent.

Conclusion:

Overall I was impressed by this year’s E3 and came away feeling rather enthusiastic for being a gamer again.

What did you think? Let me know in the comment section.


E3 logo from Arkhamverse, Amiibo image from Nintendo, Assassin's creed image from Rkbwrites, Shigeru Miyamoto image from paper architect blog

E3 Day One

Today's post is going to be a brief summary of what I thought about some of the announcements made at E3 on day one.

Microsoft

The first day of E3 2014 kicked off yesterday with Microsoft's press conference, and I've got to admit they impressed me. Which is a hard thing to type, considering my current feelings towards the company after the last few years. However their slot didn't start off this way, as they opened with a trailer for the newest Call of Duty. I use the word 'newest' in the loosest possible terms here. The only change appeared to be that they had managed to slip in a celebrity cameo, (Kevin Spacey) in amongst all of the explosions. As the show progressed, I saw some games that did peak my interest and I will give a brief summary of them in this post.

After Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, they showed Forza Horizon 2, not much has changed since the first one; but it is hard to innovate on a racing game apart from better graphics. They were keen to mention the addition of what they called 'dynamic weather' (what I presume means wet surfaces will affect your driving etc.); as I enjoyed the first Forza Horizon I will keep an eye on the sequel.

Kevin Spacey looking rather plastic.

Next came Valve's Evolve, which looks like a cross between Team Fortress, Left 4 Dead and Borderlands. Considering it is a Valve game and they rarely put a foot wrong in my opinion; means this is definitely of interest to me.

What isn't of interest to me is Assassin's Creed: Unity but this is mainly due to how disappointed number three made me. The inclusion of co-op does little to appease this. Similarly my feelings towards the announcement of Crackdown 3 and based on how the first had failed to hook me and the sequal passed me by in the same way I wasn't very impressed.

Project Spark stood out to me however, by suggesting it would allow gamers to create and share games of their own creation. On the face of it this sounds amazing. However I fear it is rather over ambitious idea; and the fact that most of what was shown was little more than a CGI movie did little to abate these fears. I will reserve my excitement for this game when actual game play is shown. The same for both Scalebound and Phantom Dust, games which had no actual game play footage, so whilst looking rather cool and stylish I can't really make a judgement on whether I think they will be any good.

I love that Conker the Squirrel will finally return through Project Spark,
but can't help but wish he would get his own game again.

My highlight of Microsoft's conference was the trailer for Dragon Age: Inquisition, it showcased a return to Dragon Age: Origin's focus on beautiful open landscapes and an epic story line. The trailer left me feeling excited for its release and worried about the state of Fereldon (the world it is set in). I can't wait to get my hands on it, and experience the conclusion to the trilogies story.

Overall Microsoft did impress me, with their focus returning back to the games. I did notice a certain lack of Kinect related games and with the announcement of a Kinectless Xbox One package, suggests that perhaps they have finally stopped trying to push what many gamers like myself don't want.

EA

EA's press conference seemed to focus a lot on their sporting games, the Sims 4 and of course Battlefield 5. None of these really peak my interest. They gave some very bare details about both Mass effect 4 and Star Wars Battlefront, two of their games I had hoped to hear about. However, they seem to be a long way off and still very much in development. I do like that they emphasized Mass Effect 4's story which will feature new characters and locations; so at least fears of them trying to rehash Shephard's story from the original trilogy are eased for now.

Ubisoft

Ubisoft did little to enthuse me, but considering a large part of their efforts centered around Assassins Creed: Unity this is of little wonder as to why. Their trailer for The Division was cited as the highlight of their presentation, this looked a lot like a combination of The Last of Us and Homefront. It didn't look bad but with no gameplay shown it is hard to judge as I have mentioned earlier. They gave us a good look at Pagan Min, the lead bad guy in Far Cry 4, as I enjoyed the last game  I looked forward to this one. However the new villain feels very similar to Vaas, Far Cry 3's insane bad guy. Whilst Vaas was what made the game enjoyable I don't believe copying the character is a good way to go, after all if I wanted to see him again I'd just replay it. Still it isn't often a game will allow me to ride war elephant, so my interest has been caught somewhat. Lastly racing simulator The Crew suffers the same problem as Forza Horizon 2, that it looks like any other modern racer with little innovation apart from a shinier setting.

Pagan Min looking both stylish and insane!

However, any good feelings I could have had towards Ubisoft was lost when they made a statement concerning a yet to be released Wii U exclusive. A game that whilst complete, they refuse to release until the Wii U sells more consoles. They justify this action as they need to make the marketing financially viable, to me this just sounds petty and downright dirty. I understand that they need to ensure that a game will be able to at least break even and that sometimes this means being tactical in its release. But then why tease a game with minimal details and say it won't be released until a console sells better. To me this just seemed like a bit of a dig towards the Wii U and a bit unprofessional.

Sony

The last presentation of the night came from Sony and I have rather mixed feelings towards this one. It did not look good at first, as they opened with a trailer for Bungie's newest game Destiny. It looked a lot like a mix of Halo and Mass Effect, which whilst should sound good I think I'd rather see something that looks innovative. This feeling wasn't helped by the trailer for Uncharted 4 which showed Drake once more at a seemingly low point of a new expedition. It repeated the line 'one last time' a few times which I found ironic considering I believe that Uncharted 3 should be the end of the series. Then there is Little Big Planet 3, which also looked rather the same as past iterations; except with the introduction of three new characters. I admit that I do like how it will be backwards compatible with levels created from the first two, and that the new guys do indeed look cute.

What wasn't cute was the trailer for Dead Island 2, which I can assume was meant to be a funny look at the beginning stages of yet another zombie apocalypse. Instead it just looked gross and rather samey. Considering how I quickly grew bored of the first Dead Island I doubt I'll show much interest here. The gore only got worse with Let it Die a game that from the trailer looks like disemboweling people in the most vicious ways possible. The only thing I can see resulting from this one is yet more fodder for the media's hate towards Video games. I honestly felt ill watching this one and can't imagine myself going near it.

Then there was some great looking concepts that emerged. For instance, The Order: 1886 the upcoming Sony exclusive steampunk game, which from the trailer seemed now to be taking a survival horror approach. It showed a man walking the dark corridors of an asylum before taking on what I believe to be a werewolf. Werewolves themselves don't appear much in games so that is a different idea at least. Also looking rather different was Abzu, an underwater exploration game from the makers of Journey. This looked visually beautiful although I can't imagine it will have much storyline which is something I always want in a game.

Let it Die looks too grim and gore related for me

My two biggest highlights were the announcement of No Mans Sky and the remastering of Grim Fandango. The first from the trailers looks amazing; as we were shown game play footage of both planet exploration (with dinosaurs) followed by hoping in a spacecraft and flying through space. They seemed to suggest that the game would be different for every player with the the world being 'procedural generated'. This means to me that the game creates itself as you play, which if it becomes a reality is an awesome concept. The second whilst being the most removed you can get from a new idea still interests me. As Grim Fandango is a game I have always wanted to try, so now seems to a good time to.

Sony's presentation left me feeling rather mixed, they showed some games that didn't interest me, some that really interested me and the one that made me feel ill. However, I still think that between the PS4 and Xbox One I would buy a PS4 first. This isn't really as a result of E3 so far; as Microsoft impressed me this year more than Sony. Instead my choice comes from the exclusives already out for PS4 Although on principle I hate the idea of exclusives they do clearly have an impact.

I'm still holding out for Nintendo's digital event and really hope they give me something good, especially after the Ubisoft statement.

What have you seen that has interested you? I want to  know below!

Kevin Spacey image from the verge, Project Spark image from gameinformer, Pagan Min image from gamepur, Let it Die image from gamereactor,