Opening Statement:
From Sega, and developer of cult-RPGs, Obsidian Entertainment (Neverwinter Nights 2) comes a new take on the action RPG. Forget outer space and fantasy kingdoms; Alpha Protocol is the world’s first tactical espionage Role player. Will it manage to successfully infiltrate your collection? Or will you be disavowing any knowledge of its actions.

"Who are you calling GENERIC!?"

Facts of the Case:
Michael Thornton has just been recruited by Alpha Protocol, an organization of rogue agents who operate outside the proper government channels and use whatever tactics they can to ensure global stability while furthering American interests. Mike’s inaugural mission takes him to Saudi Arabia in search of missing experimental missiles, one of which was used to knock down a civilian airliner. It’s up to Thornton to unravel a conspiracy involving terrorist groups, politicians, and the worlds largest weapons manufacturer, and with a mole inside the organization, he must trust no one in his search for the truth.

The Evidence:
I’m not sure what exactly it is that plagues Obsidian Entertainment. Born from the ashes of Black Isle, a name whispered with reverence amongst old school PC role-players, their output would never suggest they were responsible for legendary titles like Fallout 2, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment. They’ve spent the majority of their time clinging to the coattails of Canadian RPG powerhouse, Bioware. Hitting first with a sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, which saw its final act completely and savagely gutted to make a Christmas release date. They followed that up with an ambitious sequel to Neverwinter Nights, which arrived a technical mess, and still remains barely playable on cutting edge hardware. Whatever circumstances surrounded these noble misfires, be it Lucasarts’ aggressive development schedule, or Atari’s floundering fortunes, the guys at Obsidian seem unable to catch a break, unable to flex their ample muscles to the fullest. Perhaps with Alpha Protocol, their first attempt at a new IP, with Sega at the publishing reigns, their prospects could change?

No, not really. I’m really starting to think that Obsidian either has serious product management issues, or is otherwise under some unbreakable voodoo curse. Alpha Protocol comes out of the gate feeling like a collective of great ideas poured into a mold, and then cracked open before the clay has had the time to dry. The game, as a whole, feels raw and unfinished, like the developers reached the stage of development where a game is considered “feature complete” and then proceeded to dump the code to a gold master without any bug-squashing or quality assurance testing whatsoever. The game is hardly what I would call terrible, but for every idea that works, there’s an idea that is heavily compromised.

"Just call me Fisher!"

The gameplay, in a nutshell, is Mass Effect in a new skin. Built on the same engine, it’s as though Obsidian got their hands on the source code for Bioware’s Sci-fi RPG epic and replaced all of the art assets. Many of the faults that people addressed in that 2007 megahit are present here as well, and are considerably less forgivable almost three years on. The biggest bone of contention is no doubt the RPG-derived shooting mechanics, which rewards a bumped up weapon skill rather than a steady aim when it comes to landing headshots. Your targeting reticule could sit on some poor bastard’s forehead, only for the shot to whiz past him by several meters if your dice roll comes up “1”. For an international super-spy, Michael Thornton shoots more like an Imperial Stormtrooper.

Some will be able to rise above the crappy shooting, particularly those who stick with Assault rifles and pump their skills accordingly, but others will be immensely frustrated by their inability to hit a target, and pistol fans (like myself) will be tearing hair out in frustration as their silent killer is about as useful as a fart in a warm breeze. Hell, every weapon in the game outside of assault rifles is a useless effort. Shotguns are crippled by the fact that you have to be right next to a target, which makes it impossible to aim, and the sub-machine guns (which are duel-wielded for some unexplained reason) look stupid, and just spew forth a wall of lead that very slowly chips away at the health of even the lowliest of terrorist underlings. Sniper rifles pop up on occasion, but are usually a stationary affair that precludes you finding a lofty sniper perch and ventilating skulls. Once or twice I came upon a stationary sniper rifle only to find that I had no bitches to pwn.

Alpha Protocol doesn’t always rely on gunfights, thankfully. There are other alternatives, typically the stealth approach. Sadly, the stealth mechanics are about as weak as the gun fighting. Enemies seem to randomly be able to detect you on a whim (probably a result of comparing numbers under the hood like a bad guy’s perception vs. your stealth). Different body armour and load outs can make you a little tougher to detect, and if you can get close enough, there’s a neat option that allows you to either silently take down a baddie or otherwise knife his larynx out. Sounds great on paper, yes? Unfortunately, your silent take downs may randomly alert some dude in the adjacent room, separated by 10 inches of concrete, while dudes in the same room, mere meters away, remain oblivious to your presence, even while looking in your general direction.

What if Rambo were a Bond girl?

Yes, Alpha Protocol’s artificial intelligence is wretched. Whether you’re up against Arabic terrorists, CIA field agents, SWAT teams, private military bad-asses or fellow covert agents, they all follow the same set of arbitrary instructions: Run in circles, shoot, and die. Occasionally they dive behind cover, but it’s a pre-canned routine, they’d do the same thing if you were standing right behind them. Enemy awareness is busted, it’s as though everyone is wearing blinders and listening to Bell Biv DeVoe on their iPods while waiting for the one guy in the vicinity who actually has some sense of purpose to find you and raise the alarm, or otherwise get shot in the face/stabbed in the larynx by a covert agent. It’s as though every character in the game is hooked to a switch that has two settings, “docile” and “aggressive”. It’s the kind of “sneak n shoot” gameplay we got in 1998 with Syphon Filter on Playstation One. When you do raise an alarm, and oh, you will, it seems like everyone is automatically locked onto your location, and they come running like bees to honey. This in and of itself isn’t much of a problem, on easy and normal settings, bad guys are target practice, if you play on the hardest difficulty, shots are fired at random from bad guys who may or may not be in the room with you, and they will end your life in unspectacular fashion. After that, your corpse may either bounce around unnaturally or pass through a wall, floor, ceiling, or randomly placed shrubbery.

No, the technical limitations do not end at lousy henchman AI. Alpha Protocol is chock full of stiff animation, and technical glitches that have people passing through walls, walking on air, and otherwise defying the laws of gravity, physics, and common sense. On several instances, my Assault rifle magically belched brass shell casings even when it wasn’t being fired. Even after my still corpse hit the earth, and I sat slowly waiting for the prompt to reload from the last checkpoint, those 7.65mm shell casings kept ejecting from my rifle as though I were still standing upright in full on “Rock N Roll” stance. It doesn’t help that these stray bullets also clip through Mike’s body while he’s stuck in a run animation.

From a presentation standpoint, we’re looking at a mixed bag for sure. Menus are bland and utilitarian; they get the job done, but only just. The interface is likewise rather dull; full of nondescript icons that don’t always give a fair representation of your abilities. The game’s art design is bland and uninspired, with a bunch of plain, boring looking enemies that either lack any manner of personality, or have borrowed their charm from some crappy spy movie. Honestly, the character designs range from yawn-inducing to absolutely ridiculous (The pink-haired Russian commando or the Emo-teen hitman complete with running mascara come to mind). Michael Thornton is about the most boring frontman i’ve seen, and the miniscule customization options you’re given don’t help him improve any, at all. Then there’s the texture pop in that never ceases to make its presence known when you decide to hit menus in order to switch up an outfit or alter facial features.

Respect the beard!

That’s right, this is an Unreal 3 powered game, and about the only sign that alludes to that fact is the texture pop-in that plagued pretty much every Unreal 3 version 1.0 title. Lighting is rudimentary, the framerate is sluggish, textures are basic if serviceable, and everything is built with a minimal amount of detail, making for some mighty clunky looking characters and objects. Alpha Protocol may as well have been built on Unreal 2 technology. No, it’s not quite ‘Xbox’ ugly, but it definitely looks more like something that might have graced the 360 or PS3 in their early launch days. There are a few isolated incidents where Alpha Protocol comes close to matching some of the lesser U3-powered games out there, and on one or two occasions i did notice some genuinely sweet looking environments and effects. The biggest problem is that the whole thing suffers from screen tearing like a stray dog suffers fleas. Any panning of the camera results in disorienting tears as the “v” struggles to “synch”. If anyone were to want for a sample of the screen tearing issue that’s become pretty prevalent in this generation, Alpha Protocol is the new poster boy. Overall, if Midway’s WWII shooter, Hour of Victory didn’t exist, Alpha Protocol would probably take the ‘ugliest game powered by Unreal 3 Technology’ trophy.

Rebuttal Witness:
After all of that rampant negativity, you might be surprised to learn that does manage to get a few things right at the core.

For one thing, the game’s touted ‘Dialogue Stance System’ really works well, and as advertised. Again, think of Mass effect, but replace general comments with attitudes or emotions. Depending on the subject you’re conversing with, you can choose to be suave, professional, hostile, or courteous, and each Non-player character in the game reacts differently based on the stances you choose. Some characters have zero tolerance for bullshit, while others appreciate a hostile, stand-offish tone. The relationships you build throughout the game also play off of each faction you run into, and characters within each faction; become too close to one character, and you may find another won’t give you the time of day. Many of these characters become handlers for future missions, and depending on who’s got your back, mission parameters, storyline, and outcomes can change. It gives the game a sense of fluidity, characters who serve a major role in one player’s game may be mere footnotes in another. There’s really a sense that here, more than ever, your choices as a player really do have an effect on the outcome.

"Don't you ever call me Gabe Logan again!"

There’s an economy at work as well, that allows you to access a black market arms merchants and information brokers. Weapons are highly customizable, and different modifications do allow for a slightly more entertaining time when the guns come out. The intel you buy opens up new avenues for progressing through some of the games tougher levels. You can acquire weapon drops while in the field, or get rid of some of the more heavily armed foes in a region. It all feels authentic and logical, and here, Alpha Protocol really does a fantastic job of getting you to think like a spy. The espionage angle is taken that much further with a detailed e-mail and dossier system that gives you all sorts of tools and info. You can e-mail contacts (using the same stance system you use in conversations) and gather intel on factions and individuals that provides insight on how to deal with people when you run into them in the future.

When the game trades action for espionage, it actually succeeds rather brilliantly. There’s a significant amount of difficult choices, dialogue sequences, and safehouse shenanigans present in the game to really help take the sting out of the crummy action bits, and based on how you go about things, you may have less and less action to deal with. Play more like a spy, and less like Master Chief, and you’ll have a much better time with the game.

Closing Comments: There were many rumours circling around Alpha Protocol before its release, not the least of which was that Sega pulled support from Obsidian and basically put the brakes on development. Then they promptly delayed the ‘finished’ game for six months (possibly out of fear of Modern Warfare 2). None of it really makes a lot of sense, as given a bit more time in the oven, Alpha Protocol could have been a legitimate contender. As it stands, I want to love this game a hell of a lot more than i actually do, and I have no doubt that I won’t be alone. If you’re what one might call a hardcore RPG player and you’re looking for something a little a little off the beaten path, you may enjoy this trip through the world of international espionage.  However, it will almost certainly test the limits of your patience with some insufferably frustrating combat.

The Verdict:

Platform: Microsoft Xbox360, Sony Playstation 3, Windows PC(Playstation 3 version reviewed)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Sega
Release Date: June 1st, 2010
Rated: M(17+) for Mature

Steve’s Take:

Kicking things off is Jack Tretton and a joke about ponchos! IN YOUR FACE! It is on!

Killzone 3 – Sony pulls a Microsoft amd comes out waving the big gun around. Unfortunately for MS, Killzone 3 looks amazing AND it’s exclusive. Lots of 3D gobbledegook that means jack to me. Killzone 2 hits in Feburary, is in 3D, and support Playstation Move! Thumbs Up!

Playstaytion Move – Prepared to hate, must resist stupid motion controller… Sorcery looks very very cool… i mean NO! Stupid gimmick! Unresponsive rubbish! Oh forget it – Move looks pretty damned amazing,and the tech behind it is goddamn impressive. Of all the games to sell me, a Harry Potter clone and Tiger Woods. Thumbs up.

Kevin Butler is in the HIZZOUSE! Preaching the message of unity between casual and hardcore. Y’know, for a highly paid marketing machine, Butler is without a doubt… the man! This is one of the most awesome moments ever, and the crowd is devouring it. “We are GAMERS! We have gigantic TV screens in one bedroom apartments!” I see this whole sequence becoming a classic moment in the history of gaming, where all console loyalties were tossed aside. It was an awesome, and very classy move by Sony, and i’ve no doubt that Kevin Butler has gone way beyond his marketing firm roots at this point. The guy has entered the Video Game hall of fame.

Move Montage – a barrage of titles for Sony’s mo-con solution, ranging from the party games you’d expect to some suprisingly hardcore offerings. Goddamnit! It all looks like fun! The pricing isn’t completely ludicrous either. Thumbs up!

God of War: Ghost of Sparta – Why can I not get excited about this? Or the other 70 titles supposedly coming between now and christmas for the PSP? Even handed gesture.

Little Big Planet 2 – While I certainly recognize the cleverness, the first game just didn’t grab me. This time around, they’re throwing every kind of minigame imaginable into the mix. Maybe this time… Even Handed Gesture.

Playstation Plus – A paid premium service for PSN users. 50 bucks a year nets you early demos, beta access, free PSN games and PSP Minis, and free PSOne classics. Also includes Cross Game Chat with any PSN member (as long as the chat is initiated by a PS Plus subscriber). Sounds like a solid value, and everything that was free remains free, Kudos to Sony! Thumbs up!

Medal of Honor – A new demo with a look at the Unreal 3 powered single player, brief, but incredible. Some more online multi stuff, and exclusive bonus for PS3 owners! Medal of Honor Frontline (arguably the best iteration on any console) for free, in HD, included with the PS3 version! Thumbs up!

Dead Space 2 – Continuing where we left off last night. That is one bitchin boss fight. I had zero interest in this one before now. The PS3 version also includes the wii flop, Dead Space: Extraction (currently holding a very lofty 83% average score on Gamerankings) with full on Playstation Move support. Thumbs up!

Portal 2 – Gabe Newell is on stage! BOMBSHELL! The former PS3 detractor makes a few jabs about his past anti-Sony sentiments before showing some awesome footage of Portal 2, which hits in 2011. Thumbs up!

Final Fantasy XIV – Still looks good. Still not much info floating around about this one – i have a feeling some slippage into 2011 is imminent. I still can’t wait! Even Handed Gesture.

Gran Turismo 5 – Smokin hot trailer! Over 900 cars, fully 3D, Nascar, F1, WRC, and Top Gear (the awesome show, not the awesome SNES game) are all in there. Releases November 2nd! Thumbs Up!

InFamous 2 – Not much to see really. Looks like more of the same, and it’s coming in 2011. Even Handed Gesture.

Twisted Metal – Original series creator David Jaffe takes the stage and shows off some multiplayer. I’ll be honest, i think it looks like ass, and i was never a huge fan of the series to begin with. Thumbs down.

Sony did what Sony does best. they worked the crowd, and were wall to wall with games, games, and more games. The 3D tech looks cool and all, and they gave it some time, but not enough to take away from what was really important. As much as I want to hate the hell out of Move, the tech just seems to work so damned well! This is what was promised in the weeks and months leading up to the Wii launch. We’ll see how well the software pans out, but the lineup looks to be classic PSOne era 3rd party loaded Sony. This whole conference for me really hearkened back to Sony’s glory days in the PSOne era, they were fun, easy going, not too stuffy or elitist, and not too particularly concerned about technology, with their focus squarely planted on how the new tech serves the software. They put on the best show of E3 thus far, but Nintendo is ahead by a hair in my book, more because of the content. At any rate, i look at what Nintendo and sony have done today, and i see two companies who are embracing their respective heritages, who are giving their fan base exactly what they want out of a video game console. While Microsoft just seems to be more out of touch than the ‘Big N’ were at their worst a few years ago. I know I can’t freaking wait to lay mitts on a lot of Sony’s product.

On the downside, Kaz is just not savvy enough for these things, and the early reveals kind of knocked the wind out of this one a little – imagine how awesome things would have been if Killzone 3, Little Big planet, and Infamous 2 had been kept in the dark until today. I would have liked to see some more of this fall’s big guns. A Socom 4 demo would have been sweet! The suprises, particularly Twisted Metal, definitely didn’t blow me away either. Ah hell, i’m just disappointed because there’s been no mention of Dragon age II!

Final Score: A

For racing game fans, getting a digital fix comes in three flavours.  Hardcore simulation; along the lines of Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport , Arcade racers such as Burnout; with faster paces and much looser physics, and Kart racers; which deal out Mascot characters, and crazy course layouts. While at heart Split/Second, the newest racer from Black Rock Studios; the developers of last year’s phenomenal Pure, is very much of the arcade variety, it possesses qualities which blur the lines that separate it from the other two.

Last place is nothing a well-timed cargo container drop can't fix

Split/Second is a title seeming designed to elicit as many hoots and hollers out of an average gamer as humanly possible.  It is lovingly engineered with the ability to make us lean forward, out of our seats, our bodies synchronized with the controller, leaning and swaying like we’re in the midst of a fever dream.  The entire game is accoutered with the type of mad-cap explosive pandemonium that would seem more fitting a car chase in a Jerry Bruckheimer production.  It features all the accoutrements of a successful arcade racer; ludicrous speed, heavy emphasis on drifting, and all-around aggressive driving.  However, the game-changing arsenal of power-plays, and slightly more realistic physics than one would assume for a title this filled with pyrotechnics set Split/Second apart from the competition.

"I wonder if the diner has cherry pie?"

Drifting around turns, riding an opponent’s draft, and taking jumps fills a three-level power bar on an ingeniously designed in-game HUD .  This time however, the power isn’t used for a nitrous speed boost, rather to detonate one of the multitudes of explosive set pieces which populate the track.  One segment of the bar can be sacrificed for a low-level effect such as a parked vehicle exploding, or a section of overpass dropping onto the track.  Or, if players are feeling especially destructive, the full bar can be flung upon the altar for a much more potent effect.  These category 3 power-plays offer up spectacular visuals with vastly course-altering results.  It’s never anything short of cataclysmic, and it always leavers racers scrambling at the wheel, struggling to swerve around the likes of a collapsing building, capsizing aircraft carrier, or even an incoming plane.  Detours will become available, taking racers across rooftops, through the exposed guts of a toppled office building or blasting underneath a series of dropping freight containers.  Learning how to time these attacks, as well as how to survive being on the receiving end (and unlike the majority of Kart racers, there is always a way out in Split/Second, all it takes is skill) is a big part of the game play.  And while the cars don’t feel quite as slippery as those from the Burnout franchise, drifting is as easy as tapping the brake and releasing the gas for a hair; allowing gamers of any skill level enjoy the buttery smooth racing action.  The point I’m trying to make here, is that Split/Second is literally a thrill for every second of playtime.

Five cars! That's like Tyrannosaurus Wrecks!!

The play modes available are pretty much standard fare ranging from straight up 8-car races to an elimination race that explodes the last-place car at regular intervals to a ferocious, vengeful attack helicopter that dogs racers in two separate modes, bombarding the track with volleys of lethal rocket fire that increase in size and frequency as the race wears on.  Besides all this, there are a couple of real standouts that are expeditiously proving to be as much fun as the crash mode in 2003’s ‘Burnout 3’ that claimed countless hours of mine and my wife’s lives.  First up is the manic Detonator event, which challenges a single racer to beat a time trial, all while every threat on the track automatically goes off as soon as the car enters its proximity.  Next at bat is the endlessly entertaining Survival mode.  Imagine racing down an aqua duct, dodging a pack of wild “hunting dog” cars all while a malicious big rig fishtails about in front of you, raining explosive barrels onto the road in a murderous attempt to derail you.  Points are awarded for each truck that is overtaken.  This is a galvanizing moment in a game that bucks trend and is much more fun than it has any right to be.  What’s even better is the fact that all these modes are available to play online.  Though competitive gamers may want to burn through the single player campaign, as the only cars available are whatever has been unlocked through game completion.  Keen (or pathetic) action junkies will note the three major car manufacturers in Split/Second (Ryback, Cobretti, and Hanzo) take their names from action movie protagonists.

It also doesn't hurt that the game is retina bleeding gorgeous

The cake topper for Split/Second is the absolutely drool-worthy presentation.  The drop-dead gorgeous environment and explosions fill the screen with life.  What the cars themselves lack in crazy detail is offset by its simply stunning sense of scale and massive appetite for destruction.  Since purchasing my big screen TV back in March, I’ve searched for a game to blow my mind with this level of kinetic beauty.  Sunsets rain down awesome lighting effects without ever blinding the gamer’s vision; building collapse and fall apart in blizzards of particle effects and brilliant fireballs.  Mud and rubble is kicked toward the screen everytime a car makes a narrow escape.

The soundtrack was meant to be roared through a nice surround sound set-up and never fails to impress, as it features the best music to not make it into the car chase scenes in the last two James Bond movies.   Be it the Action film score, or the lively sound effects.  Split/Second wows in just about every aspect.

Rebuttal Witness:

Despite being an absolute must-play for racing fans, regretfully Split/Second is over far too quickly.  There are a total of 20 different vehicles, and 11 tracks to race them all, making the game feel a little stunted once the initial “Ohmygodthisisawesome!” effect has worn off.   The final couple episodes in particular feel less thrilling than the rest of the game, as everything has already been unveiled, and the only change is a ramp in difficulty.  It’s a little deflating when Split?Second explodes out the front gate at a break-neck pace, and stumbles in the final lap.

The game’s concept, that of an impossibly budgeted reality TV show in which case an entire city has been emptied for the sole purpose of blowing up during these races is jocular, but with it only being mentioned in the game’s menus, the brief mention at the start and end of each episode and optional instant replays of crashes, it’s not examined in near enough depth to really make a difference.  Perhaps some commentary would help with the immersion a little.

Imagine Mike Goldberg doing play-by-play on a building collapsing

Closing Statement:

Split/Second is an amazingly gratifying video game escapade, albeit one that starts to lose its lustre once the tracks and cars have all been uncovered.  Hopefully this instalment will prove entertaining enough that another season of Split/Second will bring the goods and ambition to match the games potential to be an exciting new franchise.  If the films of Michael Bay had a tryst with a copy of Burnout 3, this would be the awesome that they spawned.

The Verdict:

Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC (PS3 version reviewed)

Developer: Black Rock Studios

Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios

Release Date: May 18th, 2010

Rated: E 10+ for Everyone 10 and Up.

April comes in like a fercious wet box of kittens with a pretty timid little “mew”. Not much on the slate, but what’s there is of solid stuff!

04/13

- Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City(PC, PS3)

- Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox360, PC)

04/20

- Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)

- Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper (Xbox360)

04/27

- Dead to Rights: Retribution (multi)

- Super Street Fighter IV (multi)

- Nier (multi)

- Fifa World Cup 2010 South Africa(multi)

- Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake (PSP)

- Record of Agarest War (Xbox360)

After seeing Sam Fisher get his kill on to the strains of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”, i’m so sold on Splinter Cell: Conviction. I’ll also be doing some monster hunting, and Street Fighter is a must. What are the rest of you asking the Easter Bunny for? Outside of Creme Eggs?

EA has been no stranger to confrontation lately, what with the whole Bad Company 2 vs Modern Warfare 2 thing they’ve been trumpeting in the last few months.

Well, if we read into this one, it looks like EA Sports just might be throwing the gauntlet at THQ and their UFC: Undisputed series.

Check it out and let us know what you think. Apparently quite a few of you liked last year’s UFC offering after all. I think EA’s got one hell of a fight on their hands, even if they nail the gameplay.

It’s coming in 2011! Hopefully EARLY 2011.

Click on through for the full announcment!

WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR IN THE NORTH
FOR XBOX 360™, PLAYSTATION®3 AND WINDOWS™ PC

GROUNDBREAKING ONLINE CO-OP IN NEW ACTION RPG ODYSSEY

Burbank, Calif. – March 18, 2010 – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announces today that The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, an epic multiplayer action/RPG video game based on the renowned novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, is set to launch on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Games for Windows® in 2011.

Developed in association with Middle-earth Enterprises, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North explores both original and familiar narrative elements as Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment holds the rights to develop video games based on both the literary and motion picture content from The Lord of the Rings. Breaking new ground as a mature RPG video game set in Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North advances the RPG paradigm through innovative online, interdependent co-op play for up to three players who form their own Fellowship to fight Sauron’s forces in the North.

“With The Lord of the Rings: War in the North we are taking a mature approach to the widely celebrated property with authentic portrayals of battles and all new storylines,” said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Utilizing the award-winning and passionate development team at Snowblind Studios, we are looking to evolve the RPG experience and deliver The Lord of the Rings game fans have been waiting for.”

“In The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, Snowblind will deliver an action RPG for core gamers featuring authentic narrative and environmental locations from J.R.R. Tolkien’s original The Lord of the Rings,” said Ryan Geithman, Founder and Studio Head of Snowblind Studios. “This game is a natural evolution of the acclaimed RPG gameplay that Snowblind has consistently delivered over the past years. Players and fans will experience an innovative approach to online co-op gameplay, woven throughout every facet of the game in a way that only Snowblind can deliver.”

In The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, players can become the heroes in the great battle of the North as part of the epic War of the Ring. Exploring unseen lands, story elements and characters from Middle-earth as well as elements familiar from past feature films, gamers will experience extensive character customization and development, expansive co-op gameplay options and upgradeable weapons, skills and special abilities.

For more information about The Lord of the Rings: War in the North, please visithttp://www.warinthenorth.com.

# # #

About Middle-earth Enterprises

The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises is the holder of worldwide motion picture stage, merchandising, and other rights in certain literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Middle-earth Enterprises has been producing and licensing films, stage productions and merchandise based on the Tolkien work for more than 30 years and is headquartered in Berkeley, California. http://www.middleearth.com.

About Snowblind Studios

Snowblind Studios is an award-winning video game developer based in the Pacific Northwest with more than 10 years of experience. Utilizing a rich history of cooperative play games, they helped to define the growing Action RPG genre with critically acclaimed titles including Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance and the Champions of Norrath series. The studio was acquired by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group in 2009 and is currently working on The Lord of the Rings: War in the North.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including console, handheld and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

Contact:

Remi Sklar
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
818/977-3023
remi.sklar@warnerbros.com

Megan Korns Russell
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
818/977-0526
megan.korns@warnerbros.com

The Charge:

Dual FX Engines!!  Parallel Hyperbit Interface!!

Opening Statement:

My lifelong affair with Capcom’s stalwart Mega Man franchise is by no means a well kept secret.  I’d go as far as to say it occupies the throne that is my favourite gaming franchise.  Since the heady times of its heyday, there have been close to 120 titles released that bear the Mega Man moniker, more than both the Street Fighter and Resident Evil franchises combined; and during my career in gaming, I’ve owned close to 40 of them personally.  That can mean only one thing, I’m totally the perfect candidate to review Mega Man 10, Capcom’s latest return to the series that built the foundations of their house.

This level has more to do with Windows 95 than Sheep.

Pikachu! I choose PAIN!

The Evidence:

Back in 2008, I positively gushed about the non-stop fun that was rampantly on display in Mega Man 9.  And while I still feel it was a glorious throwback to the 8-bit era of gaming, once my rose coloured glasses were back on the shelf, I noted several elements that could have been improved upon.  There was a collection of little nitpicks that began to taint my feelings towards MM9.  Thankfully, Mega Man 10 addresses most of these issues, and while it lacks the advantage of being the Blue Bomber’s big return engagement, in my opinion at least, it is a much more solid title.

He's even turned Frosty against us, DAMN YOU WILY!!

The presentation of MM10; tricky to pin down as I’m sure many of us gamers cannot appreciate the art of recreating the original Nintendo Entertainment System’s 24 out of 48 displayable colours and rather limited but distinct sound chip.  Developer Inti Creates, now Mega Man veterans with 7 of the more acclaimed titles since 2002; has finally succeeded in replicating Capcom’s signature look and feel.  While MM9 certainly was a bright spot in the franchises spotty history during the last decade, there were a lot of recycled sprites and level designs, and a couple of the bosses looked like pixel diarrhoea rather than game characters (I’m looking at you, Plug Man).  It was exactly what we all wanted at the time, a throwback to 1988’s Mega Man 2 (considered by most to be the original series’ pinnacle).  MM10, marks Inti Creates third attempt with the old 8-bit series style (following a bonus level in the DS release, Mega Man ZX Advent, and MM9), and their first complete success.  Here they’ve created imaginative boss and enemy sprites (try not to giggle when Strike Man pounds his fist into his mitt before throwing a pitch), colourful and creative stages, and music that may lack the high energy tempo of its predecessor, but is filled with a much more robust and inventive sound.  Bleeps and bloops haven’t sounded this harmonious since 1993.  Don’t believe me?  Try to resist whistling Solar Man’s theme music for the rest of the week.

Pictured: Not Solar Man's stage.

You want a closer inspection?  Unfortunately, with a title such as ‘MM10’, the only way to truly review is to compare with what came before.  Mega Man 10’s level design is insidiously clever, eschewing the greatest hits feel of the ninth entry in favour of new stage gimmicks and new raps, such as coloured platforms that begin to vanish once touched, taking all similarly coloured platforms (and any power ups littered around) with them.  There are stages where treadmills are used to power platforms, or make a seemingly indestructible mini-boss tangible and weak.  There’s a level where vicious sandstorms can either carry gamers into cruelly placed spike walls, or if they’re feeling foolhardily brave, carry them across the stage at high speed; but only if they can time those precarious jumps properly.  Each of the 8 bosses gives a weapon (franchise standard), and this time each and every weapon is useful, provide the player is creative enough to think around their limitations.  There’s an awesome spreading weapon, a high powered bomb which does nearly triple damage if enemies are caught in its blast radius rather than hit directly, even a wall climbing saw blade that can scale obstacles WITH the player.  I’m still amazed that Mega Man 10 has the first shield weapon which is meant to be used offensively.  There’s even a second playable character that brings the series later contributions like evasive slides and a charge shot to the table.  Plus an additional third player robot available for download in early April.

The man, the machine, Street Hawk!

The newly structured challenge mode, borrowing a great idea from the PSP only MM: Powered Up, offers gamers a collection of 100 short levels, each with a specific goal to accomplish, be it navigating an array of spiked tunnels, or simply destroying a collection of enemies.  Some challenges are even unlocked by playing through the game itself, bringing a great assortment of boss rushes into the mix.

Not that a boss rush mode would make you any tougher, Pump Man.

Rebuttal Witness:

12 levels?  One set of castle stages?  C’mon Capcom, we want more!  Inti Creates are clearly using MM2 as their blueprint to building a great 8-bit game, but I know a lot of gamers who would be happier if they’d broaden their vision just slightly and begin offering the game length of later titles in the series.

Closing Statement:

Mega Man 10 is everything a fan of the series could hope to ask for, especially for ten bucks.  Its one weakness is the fact that Inti Creates’ strict adherence to the game structure of Mega Man 2 stifles its scope, limiting the amount of levels once the first 8 have been vanquished.  That being said; the new challenge mode, and promised downloadable content are sure to keep Mega Maniacs like myself coming back, and the rather difficult game play should give today’s youth a great taste of what games were like in the days before respawning and tutorial levels.  This is pure game play on display, a potent formula that hasn’t needed to be changed in over two decades.  Now of you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a mad scientist to bring to justice.

The Verdict:

Platform: PSN, XBLA, WiiWare (Wii version reviewed)

Developer: Inti Creates

Publisher: Capcom

Release Date: March 1st, 2010 (Wii), March 11th, 2010 (PSN), March 31st, 2010 (XBLA)

Rated: E for Everyone.

The Charge:

Opening Statement:
The latest from French Developer Quantic Dream (Indigo Prophecy) has been hyped and heralded as a boon to the PS3’s growing library of top-drawer exclusives since it was first announced way back in 2006. Does this latest experiment in cinematic gameplay deliver an experience worthy of two thumbs up?

Facts of the Case:
In a terrorized city, the hunt for a missing child will lead four disparate people to ask the question: How far would you go to stop a killer? Heavy Rain puts you in the shoes of each of the four characters as they piece together clues and attempt to track down the latest target of The Origami Killer, a ruthless serial killer who abducts young boys and drowns them in rainwater, before he becomes another casualty.

The Evidence:
The first thing you need to know about Heavy Rain is that it is as far removed from your typical triple-A console selling exclusive as it gets. This is not Uncharted 2 or Gears of War. There is no cover mechanic or on rails vehicle segment, and there is no 16 or 24 player online deathmatch. There is no horde mode. What there is, is a totally riveting, near flawlessly executed blend of video game and movie that will appeal to casual players and anyone who enjoys a great single player experience.

The “interactive movie” moniker has been being kicked around since the golden age of the Cd-Rom, where horribly compressed live action video clips passed as vaguely interactive video games with point and click interfaces. The medium was all but dead and buried until Quantic Dream’s ambitious and well received experiment, The Indigo Prophecy (or Fahrenheit for those outside North America) hit the PC and last gen consoles in 2005. Heavy Rain represents the evolution of that concept.

The gameplay is simple enough; you move one of four characters around a 3D environment and interact with your surroundings using a series of on screen prompts, and the story unfolds over 7 or 8 hours. What makes the game so special is the level it immerses you into the action. You’re never passive in Heavy Rain. This isn’t Metal Gear Solid, where the story unfolds over mammoth cutscenes, and there’s not a single moment where the game lets you set the controller down and watch. On screen prompts pop up at a moment’s notice, you may have to hold a button or several buttons. You may repeatedly mash a few buttons or shake the controller (making great use of the seldom implemented sixaxis feature), or push analog sticks in various directions. Pretty much every button, knob or doo-dad on the controller is implemented in ingenious fashion, and while it may sound an awful lot like a game full of the dreaded “quick time event”, it never degenerates into random button slamming. Every prompt feels intuitive and logical, and a lot of thought went into making the actions of the player suit the action on screen. Even better is the complete lack of a ‘Game Over’ screen. You’re not required to hit every prompt or succeed in every scenario, but bad things can happen if you are too inclined to failure. The game never out and out halts or punishes you based on your skills though; the plot seamlessly steams along at full speed. It’s really an amazing thing to behold. The nature of the game’s progression makes it difficult to near impossible to put the controller down once you start in. Like watching a great movie, you just want to progress and see what happens next. It doesn’t help that the game doesn’t feel as though it’s broken into chapters or levels. Be prepared to marathon this sucker.

This sort of experiment would be all for naught if the storyline wasn’t interesting, and it’s here where Heavy Rain really triumphs. Much has been said in the past about games like Halo or Assassin’s Creed or especially Uncharted, and how their storylines could make for awesome cinema. In truth, these games are snippets of narrative stuck together with video game glue. Large chunks would have to be carved out, and narrative would have to be invented. Not so here. Heavy Rain bridges the gap between film and videogame like nothing else before it. The script is an incredibly well written and mature affair with a three-act structure that mirrors film, complete with dialogue and plot turns that don’t pander to a ‘gaming’ audience in any way, it’s one part Zodiac, one part Saw, and one part Seven with just a minor hint of Twin Peaks. Beyond that, the developers have seen fit to include multiple branching paths that allow for some incredible variety and some pretty stark differences depending on how you go about things throughout the game, including a multitude of different endings. The game quickly becomes a discussion piece when you run into others who’ve played it, talking about how drastically different your experiences were, just within my own social circle of five or six people, we all encountered different chains of events, and no two endings were identical.

On a technical level, Heavy Rain is a stunner in motion. The same level of motion and performance capture we’ve seen in games like Uncharted 2 is employed here to great effect. Environments look realistic and well planned out, even if textures occasionally appear a little flat, and the weather effects are fantastic at setting the gloomy mood of the game. Facial textures and facial animation are amazing and wonderfully emotive. The voice acting pales a little by comparison, with a few foreign actors trying desperately to nail that American style movie accent, but the excellence of the writing more than compensates. The music, fully orchestrated and recorded at Abby Road Studios in London is phenomenal, and demands a dedicated soundtrack release.

Rebuttal Witness:
There’s no such thing as a perfect game, and Heavy Rain doesn’t break that particular mold. The biggest issue is undoubtedly the clunky control scheme. The tank-like movment and static camera angles occasionally recalls the classic Resident Evil titles, and on occasion you may find yourself constantly correcting your position in order to properly interact with the environment. In a traditional action-adventure game, this would be a fatal flaw, but Heavy Rain is anything but traditional, and while occasionally frustrating, I doubt the controls will diminish too much from your enjoyment of the title.

More serious are a handful of plot issues that pop up here and there. When there are so many puzzle pieces floating around in the air, you can probably expect a few to go missing, or fall into the wrong place, and as a result, you may encounter one or two plot holes and logic gaps as you go. One thing myself and the three or four others I talked to who finished the game had in common: One VERY LARGE plot hole hits as you careen into the third Act. I won’t get into details; suffice it to say you get a plot revelation and the game shifts characters, with the new character magically knowing the information you just gleaned. It was distracting, and a real stand out sore spot in a game that had otherwise been fantastically plotted up to that point. One or two other lapses in character logic do crop up in the final third, but they aren’t near as distracting.

Closing Comments:
Bottom line, Heavy Rain is not a game in the traditional sense, it is an interactive experience. The narrative is the closest to films that video gaming has ever come, and is riveting throughout. The game is a technical marvel, and in spite of some control misgivings that twitch gamers may take umbrage with, it is an accessible title that will appeal to hardcore and Mature casual gamers alike. Those people who bought their PS3’s to serve principally as Blu-Ray players; let’s just say your first game purchase has arrived. Heavy Rain is a game you NEED to play. It’s one of the very best games on this or any console in this generation, and in years to come it will be one of those games that is fondly remembered whenever the Playstation 3 comes up in conversation. It’s destined to be a classic!

The Verdict:

Platform: Sony Playstation 3
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America
Release Date: February 23, 2010
Rated: M (17+) for Mature