http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:43:31 +0000 0 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5714
This 360 arcade game is sparse with nil onscreen prompts and a joystick/two button control mechanic..it fires up the first screen, a backlit brooding woodland in silhouette, and you are left to navigate yourself around its forboding world. There is no ryhme nor reason to the setting..it is just so. In fact your protagonist whom I'll call 'silhouette boy' is nowhere to be seen initially and you have to poke and prompt him from his hidden slumber.

The world is out to get the poor glow eyed blighter and an utter savage one at that. This really is not for kids as viscious man traps, giant spiders, rolling boulders and sadistic feral children are just a few of the obstacles out to maim, dice and utterly obliterate 'silhouette boy' in many nasty ways. The gore is stylised but grossly real and at times extremely wince inducing. Sometimes even when you can see the play out of obstacles you throw the poor bugger into them just to sate your appetite...or is that just me?...lol

Gameplay is basically a side-on platform puzzler with a dark and twisted edge, and a real sense of forboding which is sometimes panic inducing. The puzzles are a mixed bag and some had me wondering how on earth I'd navigate through them, until it all clicked into perspective.

Graphically the game is wonderous to behold and many times I stumbled into traps and enemies whilst lost in the black and white parallax splendour. It really is a beautiful looking game in the very dark and bleakest sense and completely draws you into its world.

I am completely enamoured by it and my expectations after seeing it previewed before its release have in my mind been realised. The 360 needs games like this..ones that take the mold and bend it to its own will and give the gaming world something beautifully tragic and show the wider audience that first person shooters arent the only thing that games are about.

Limbo probably wont be for everyone. It is a melancholic, gothic poem. Gaming artwork that will be long remembered after those formulaic, clamourous shooters have faded from memory.]]> Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:43:31 +0000 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5714 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5571
Well, strap yourselves in for another visit to the twisted utopian world that is Rapture. This time you wake up in a Big Daddy suit 10 years later than the previous installment. You have been effectively reborn, and it seems for the purpose of rescuing your daughter, Eleanor. Her mother, Sophia Lamb, a brilliant scientist, has taken over the position of leader of Rapture and all worship her as the one to lead them to salvation - but she is a bit nuts and has been splicing up Eleanor since the day she was born as she believes she is the saviour of the new world. Okaaaaaay.

This time you are a lumbering puppet for a couple of the inhabitants who require you to carry out some tasks in order to progress through the city. You can dual wield Plasmids and weaponry this time, which comes in handy - toast a slicer with one hand and finish him off with the rivet gun in the other. As before, the weaponry and plasmids available increases as you progress and you can upgrade weapons via stations dotted about the city, some are well hidden, so don't forget to stray of the path into the hidden parts of Rapture to find lots of goodies along the way.

In order to facilitate your requirements for Adam you are going to have to make a few choices. As before, there are little sisters and their protectors, the Big Daddy wandering about. You will have to kill off the Big Daddy and snatch the little sister in order to get your Adam. Sounds easy really - and for the most part it is as long as you have your game on when you take on a Big Daddy. The next part is where you decide if you are the type of guy that will harvest the helpless little sister in order to get the most adam, or put her to work gathering Adam, and then harvest her, or put her to work and then rescue her. Your actions affect the way the game goes (so I am told) but as I am the nice type, I put her to work and then rescued her when she was done. There are a few more moral choices in the game, I am not sure how they affect it, but I did spend a little while pondering on one before I made my decision.

Putting a little sister to work isn't as easy as it sounds. The moment you set the little one down to get stabbing and sucking out the adam - bleugh - splicers catch a whiff and are on you like flies on sh*t! Its epic and gets very hairy, as despite being a full on diving suit badass, you die really easy in Rapture so some planning needs to be done first. With the aid of trap rivets, mini turrets (the BEST weapon ever) and clever use of security you just might survive long enough to protect the little one and scoop her back up again once she is done. Be aware that once all the adam gathering is done and the little sister is rescued (or harvested - how could you!) then you are in for a bit of a battle in the form of a Big Sister - you'll know she is around due to the soul ripping screech she makes - there is no escape she will track you down and you have to finish her off.

Mentioning security, the ability to hack turrets, cameras and safes is yours again - but this time it is much easier in that you can fire an auto hack dart at a distant turret, rendering it compliant to you, or a distance hack dart and hack away out of harms way - this time you have to get the needle into the green section to hack. Simple. And it meant I spent far more time hacking first aid stations - and sniggering as a hapless splicer ran to it to heal and got killed by the green poison haze - hack vending machines to get cheaper prices and some bonus stuff too.

Splicers are still as crazy as ever, posh voices in the distance complaining about god knows what - the brute splicer is a new addition to the Rapture family - he certainly can move for a fat lad. Research is an aspect of game play again, although this time in the form of video. It makes it a little scary in that most of the time you have to take a shot of your foe whilst they are charging at you in order to research your method of take down, however, it is worth it for the potential upgrades and bonuses you can glean from a well researched splicer.

I loved this game (I loved the first) - it felt good to be back in the world of Rapture with the familiar environment and sounds - the buzz of a hacked security bot flying overhead was strangely comforting. If you liked the first you will like this - others have made mention of feeling something is missing, and I honestly cannot fathom what that could be. Rapture was as I expected - and I am glad for that.

This game could easily be cained in a couple of days if you ignore all the adam gatherings you could do, and don't venture off the beaten track to find the secret places - I scoured the place and I still think I have missed a few things. There were a few notable parts that will stay with me for a while, the section where there were so many Big Daddies that I couldn't move for starting a fight! And at one point, a cheesy scare caught me out big time, so much that I didn't even have time to scream!

Play it.

10/10]]> Wed, 17 Feb 2010 12:24:03 +0000 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5571 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5502
Anyways, I've been waiting a while for this to be released - COD4 was excellent and the online play was just as good - COD5 was a little pointless really, it's hard to jump to the modern era then technically in the next game in the series jump back 60+ years, it was more a filler to play until COD6 came along.

I'm not going to bore you with all the minor details, basically it's a few years after the events of COD4 and things start to go pear shaped for the US and we give them a helping hand.

There are some of the same characters (The main SAS characters from COD4) and some new canon fodder types that you don't mind getting a little shot! Gameplay is excellent as expected, and I like the way the game recommends the level of play - You run a short course and your time/score give you a recommended playing style, or you can ignore it and pick any of them.

It's pretty much COD4 with shiney knobs on, loads more weapons and toys and a lot of variation in game play (eg it's not all run in and blow everything up - you get to make choices which effect parts of the level). The story is the right length and has a hell of a twist in it and the ending leaves it open for a another in the series.

Multiplayer is pretty much the same as COD4 except again it has more toys, more things to call in, air support, supply drops and some interesting perks (Such as being able to steal your killer's class in the kill cam mode for your next life - which is pretty good if they have some excellent weapons, kinda levels the playing field a little) - There are some added features, but I'll let you discover those as you play!

My only gripe, which is the same as in COD4 is that the Sniper rifles aren't as powerful as they should be - this is probably again down to a huge number of gamers moaning that they get picked off at a distance with a single shot from a powerful sniper rifle and that they don't like it - Well in all fairness, thats how sniper rifles work! - Do you hear us snipers moaning that all the other guns are too powerful and we get killed if showed in bullets?

Lastly, but not least - there is an additional section called Special Ops - you get to run certain missions (Alone or co-op) and earn stars depending on how difficult the mission is (for example, kill 30 bad guys with minimum civilian casualties in a crowded shanty town). This brings a lot more play time with this game, just have to find people willing to do the co-op with you!]]> Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:46:22 +0000 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5502 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5481
Uncharted stormed onto the PS3 showing gamers that Naughty Dog wasn't afraid to push their boundaries and venture into the territory where only Lara had really dared to tread. The first game was good, graphically quite stunning, if not a bit gaudy in parts - gameplay was good, learning from games such as Gears of War and the aforementioned Tomb Raider and mixing both genres adequately, but nothing particularly amazing if you ask me. I enjoyed Uncharted but wasn't amazed - being a long in the tooth Playstation gamer, I have played similar if not better games than that but it still earned a place in my collection.

Uncharted 2 however, blew the socks off its predecessor and I want to kiss Naughty Dog on the cheek! The first 40 - 50% of the game raced by, with the game being very similar to the first - noticeable improvements being the combat, now you can perform stealth take downs, which are very amusing - I will never tire of dragging bad guys over walls and snapping their necks mercilessly. Traversing the landscape felt smoother too, compared to the frankly poor attempt of the first game, Nate must have been working out as now he would give Lara a run for her money as oppose to the hit and miss fumbling of before.

I felt myself feeling slightly disappointed as I feared I would cain the game in a couple of days at this rate and wasn't feeling particularly challenged - then things changed, the game suddenly upped the stakes and my jaw actually dropped open at some of the glorious scenic vistas that opened up before me - I was made to plan my combat more cleverly, gone was the gung ho run in and hope for the best, I was sneaking about, pulling off headshots and taking out goons with grenades with the tenseness of knowing that if I messed up I would end up dead faster than I could reload. Uncharted 2 has lots of surprises along the way and I ended the game on 12 hours gameplay which is reasonable.

There are some thoroughly enjoyable jumping, hanging and climbing sequences to be had (which I adore) and for the most part Nate didn't cock them up and traversed the scenery fluidly - a welcome improvement. The characters and the story is solid - the voice acting is slick (Claudia Black is lovely to listen to, I could do that all day - heh heh) and you feel a part of it all. I especially enjoyed the banter between characters.

Naughty Dog has taken the ball and run with it and shown others how it is done - how you combine a shooter with an adventure game - I think Crystal Dynamics should take a good look. I am a huge fan of the Jak & Daxter series (Jak II being my favourite) and was wondering if Naughty Dog could do this as well - and yes, they can.

I haven't indulged in the MP side of this game yet, but I expect it to be as enjoyable as the SP. I am looking forward to playing co-op side of the game.

Naughty Dog should be feeling very pleased with themselves - I give them a 10/10]]> Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:15:32 +0000 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5481 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5470

It's the second mission into the game. We have left the tiny 'training' isle anchored off the southern coast of our battlefield of Skira. A 220km squared, (or so its claimed in the blurb), fictional, open-world island buffeted by the bitter Pacific winds far north of Japan. Its allegiance as shifted over the decades being at a crossroads in the world and its unforgiving landscape holds resources that in the late 21st Century all are vying to accrue. Russia are the ones presently holding the 'keys' to Skira but an agressive threat of the Chinese is looming, and as everywhere else in the world the Americans are there to stick the oar in too.

It is night/early dawn and our four man US crack team has been dropped ashore quietly on the Western strand of Skira. The moon is out but is hidden behind scudding clouds though its fitfull light is enough to illuminate this folorn place of stunted trees and ragged bushes in a ghostly ambience.

Our mission is to firstly 'deactivate' the 'sunburn' anti ship missiles posing a threat to our incoming fleet. The area is teeming with enemy so a quiet approach is a necessity. In this simulation of real warfare we are in extreme danger of being eliminated at the slightest whiff of our presence. I am team leader and am already bricking it at the thoughts of what may lie ahead. In this game you are not funneled toward your objective but are left to negotiate the terrain as you see fit. The enemy are and will be anywhere and everywhere.

Our approach is steady, though there is some urgency as the closing fleet are advancing ever more in range of those missiles...we must be hasty, yet carefull. I scout the horizon with my binoculars and it seems safe enough to proceed up the hill away from the beach. I am ever thoughtful of not allowing my team to make a sillouhette as we near the hilltop as experience has taught that in this game the enemy are as alert of my presence as I of theirs. We crawl to the summit...just for one of my team to call out that a convoy is trundling just metres away from our position. Luckily we are hidden face down in the grass and just see the wheels grinding past kicking up dust in our faces!

We wait for the trucks to pass us unnoticed and disappear around the dirt road. Quickly we crouch-run into the scrub on the otherside. I check the map, our goal is many hundreds of metres away. The area has pockets of dilapedated farm buildings and barns dotted about, the missile silo sits perched on a hillock beside such a collection of hard cover. There is talk of a PLA (Chinese) base nearby...caution, caution, caution!

The area seems devoid of troop movement so we skirt around the edge of our mission to approach from the opposite direction and to remain hidden. The lone mournful cry of a Curlew is the only sound to break across this haunted landscape as we drop down into a mist engulfed valley. I send my men ahead, a quick press of the right shoulder button brings up a radial menu, they will fire if only fired upon. A quick stab of the 'B' button fetches me an inventory list. I grab my binoculars again...my greatest friend! Nothing to be worried about.

Up the small valley side and a broken shed can be seen, I peer through my MK17 rifles scope. It has night ops capability and any heated item is clearly visible. The shed is manned!

We duck out of sight and skirt even further...we must hurry as base is relaying that our fleet is drawing ever near and are at threat from those missiles. A few clicks further north and my sniper spies more PLA...we are drawing close to our objective. It is tempting to finish the fight here and now but we know that the first gun report and our mission will be over, we need to safeguard the ships.

A noise from the south signals the approach of an enemy helicopter. We hit the loam and hope it dosent spot us. It's a cargo chopper and passes without incident...my heart is in my mouth. Dashing into more cover we gain ground. We cannot run far as we tire easily with our equipment and my heart beat resounds physically through the Xbox controller. I pause to catch my breath and my heart rate drops.

Three hundred metres away and we can see the silo silouhetted against the blackening skies. There are troops in abundance here, as we assumed. Now to think....if we advance all guns blazing we will draw the surrounding countryside on us...I resolve to advance directly alone and send my troops in a flanking manouever to draw them away. I sit and wait while my men are in position then execute the attack order.

Hell ensues on that mountainside...many PLA are downed without realising we are there but now the rest are alerted to our presence.Muzzle flashes in the dark are the only signs of some enemy. Tracer bullets wing the landscape in a mesemerising dance of death.

I forge directly ahead, quietly, until I am spotted, then crouch to take out the rifleman in my midst. He falls without report but his unseen compatriot hidden in the long grass grazes my right leg. I can no longer run. I take him out with a head shot and watch the blood fountain through the scope. Grabbing a medi kit I quickly patch my leg to stem the bleeding. Valuble seconds are lost and more troops are encroaching as I crouch there mending myself. I still cannot run....my medic is with the other team and it is he alone who can heal me to full health. No fear I am but seconds away from planting the charges.

A shout from my men alerts me to a Helo gun ship fast heading our way. I see it to the east strafing the bracken on approach. I ready my explosives and lob them beneath the missiles. Hobbling out of harms way I crouch to explode the pack when suddenly......I die!

Mutha fugger!!! Some unseen son of a bitch takes me out with one shot! Game over man, game over!

What a rush and what angst. So close yet so far away, and that was only the first part of the mission. This game is unrelenting. Rambo need not apply. Think and act like the soldier you aren't or you wont live longer than it takes you to read this sentence. Every step and objective earned is like a medal pinned to your chest...and I was playing it on the NOOB setting... Objectives waypointed and heads up display on. Hardcore this is!

I'm loving the pace of the game and it makes you play it in a totally different way to other shooters. No bullet absorbing ass here, one shot direct to your body will see you crumple like the sack of undeserving spuds you are. Bullet trajectories have to be calculated as aiming straight wont hit your target if you are hundreds of feet away shooting down hill...allow for the bullet arc and shoot higher than you would normally...unless of course you are at point blank range.

Vehicles are present and any can be aquired or confiscated to help you cut the miles between waypoints, or attack unsuspecting foes, though their control can be hapazard as is always usual for these type of games.

Graphically I was slightly disappointed as the initial screenshots and movies showed it to be a stunner...which to most extents it is its just that I was expecting more. It is fairly bland in colour scheme but that in reality relates to the confines of being on a wind blown, Scottish isle alike battlefield. Not much colour going off on the outer hebrides is there? The sea is very poor to.. erm..see, rather flat and pathetic to be honest and I'm sure they could have done a much better job as seeing most of it can be viewed at some stage or another due to the locality. Yet that dosent detract from the rest of the game. When you look down a mist filled valley with the sun rising in front of you all is forgotten and the draw distance is phenominal depending on the local weather at the time.

The game can feel a little empty though that is due to the locale again and interiors of buildings are very sparse and not like the rubble strewn ones we are used to from 'Call of Duty' games. Yet it is the gameplay where it excels. Confusing initially it soon draws you in and has you on edge with the very open nature of its setting. Things arent to be taken for granted and areas need thorough checking or clearing out before advancing. Your team AI is usually competent enough but the odd stray soldier may get themselves shot at by erratic behaviour as they try to dodge around a rocky outcropping or drive a vehicle backwards into a tree.

The most exciting aspect is the chance to coop gameplay the campaign with 3 other friends, or take part in multiplayer battles online. No need to mess with your AI friends then...you are all up shit creek together. I havent tried this part out yet but am looking forward to some real battles with hard men who can stand tall while the world erupts around them. Me? I'll be the one hiding in the bushes while the shooting goes away...lol :smartass:

Its not perfect but is different enough for fans of the genre to have a really enjoyable and frightening experience with. Is it like real warfare?...possibly, I have never partaken so am in no position to comment...it seems real enough for me. If you fancy something a little different this may be it...just leave your CODMW sensibilities at the attract screen.


8/10]]> Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:47:54 +0000 http://www.northenders.net/ipbforum/index.php?showtopic=5470