Whew! This year was a close one.  With a wedding so pay for this coming March, and full year’s worth of can’t miss games released over the course of 2009, I didn’t think I was going to make it out alive (or at the very least, out of shark-tank debt).  I’m in agreement with Steve that trying to pick just five out of the squall of sterling digital offerings we’ve had this past year is a cruel endeavour.  After spending much of the holidays in tears, trying to trim the fat from my list, I think I’ve finally tapered it down to an unfortunately circumscribe five (plus two honourable mentions).  So before we ring out the Aughties, or Zeroes, or whatever you hipsters are calling the soon to be decade past, I’d like to regale the gamers among you with my personal favourite games of 2009.  And no…Prototype is not on the list.

Honorable Mention: Resident Evil 5 (PS3, XB360)

A full five years after Capcom reinvented (and reinvigorated) their flagging zombie franchise with ‘Resident Evil 4’; along comes the fifth mainline title.  I don’t know if I’d call it an evolution OR a revolution, but I do know that I’d call it awesome.  While there isn’t anything cerebral, or even outright frightening at play in this survival horror title, “Resident Evil 5” is a non-stop adrenaline ride akin to a Michael Bay or James Cameron movie.  If the massive action sequences and pretty much endless gun play don’t hook you (which they will), the countless firearms and robust co-op campaign surely will.  Joining returning hero Chris Redfield (along with his his 24-inch pythons), and series newcomer Sheva Alomar is a twisty, over-the-top horror/action experience that could only be plausible as a Resident Evil title.  Capcom deserve props for not attempting to reinvent the wheel again, instead just building upon what was done in 2004, and knocking it clear out of the park.  Just never play online with Kaiblaker, I hear that dirty Newf bogarts the best of the ballistic hardware.

Why it’s off the A-List:

As much as I loved RE5, playing it always made me want to go back and explore the terrifying confines of the Ishimura in Dead Space.  As well, as awesome as those big action set pieces are, I found that whenever the heat was turned up in RE5, the exity strategy was always; “back up into a corner and pray the bullet sponges run out of lead porrousness”.

Honorable Mention: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

Gamers have been crying for years that the PlayStation 3 was lacking that system seller, that killer-app that they simply needed, a game that everyone would clamor over.  Here it is.  Nathan Drake’s second fantastic adventure, “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves”.  Gamers join Drake and company on a roller coater ride of a quest to discover Marco Polo’s lost fleet, and find the hidden city of Shambala.  The characters are among the most amicable available in games today, and let’s be honest folks, if archaeology included this many rocket launchers and machine guns, ever red-blooded male in North America would be taking it in university.  Though I did think that the gun fighting towards the end was a bit much, the moving train and Buddhist monastery levels alone are worth the entry fee.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt that it’s possibly the prettiest game of all time.

Why it’s off the A-List:

95% of Uncharted 2 is immeasurable badassery.  The remaining five percent is comprised of the seemingly limitless gunfire that begins once the temple of Shambala has been infiltrated.  I sweare the last 90 minutes of that game is playing hide and shoot with Lazaravich’s goons.  Oh, and let’s not forget history’s most frustrating last boss battle.  Nathan Drake combats a busted camera and a roid raging lead villain in a showdown based around a gimmick that belongs in The Legend of Zelda.  Only the timing is so precise, and the bad guy has teleporting grenades.  5o attempts later and I no longer care if i ever finish Uncharted 2.

5.  Brütal Legend (PS3, XB360)

What do you get when you take real-time strategy, epic hack and slash game play, and coat the entire thing in heavy metal?  Brütal Legend was 400 horsepower bad ass.  A soundtrack encompassing more epic heavy metal licks than most gamers have ever listened to, a great voice cast, and a hilarious (and often touching in a cliched way) story, and one of the greatest in game beheadings ever designed, Brütal Legend is the type of game I think any player with an open mind should spend some time with.  All you My Chemical Romance fans who whined that the demo miss sold the game, or the RTS segments were too difficult and the too much a departure, your emo sniveling is not true metal, this game is.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaketh: Brütal Legend suffers at its halfway point from a serious case of schizophrenia.  After about 6-8 hours of pummeling Hair Metal sellouts and charging, axe in hand across a exultantly over-the-top Heavy Metal game world, Brütal Legend up and decides that the bitter war between Eddie Riggs, and the Black Tear transformed second act villain needs to be taken somewhat seriously.  The laughs are sadly dialed down, and one of the missions in particular really slogs as a result.  It’s like watching Delerious, only to have Eddie Murphy suddenly transform into post oscar win Jamie Foxx.

Jack Skellington shirts and your sister's jeans are not True Metal!

4. InFamous (PS3)

Sucker Punch; easily the most underrated of Sony’s in-house developers, followed up their critically acclaimed ‘Sly Cooper’ trilogy with InFamous, an open-world action game steeped in the mythology of the early to mid 90s comic boom.   This title combined breathtaking parkour style acrobatics, with surprisingly well-crafted 3rd person shooter mechanics and a genuinely interesting storyline, and blended it all within a breathtaking city full of citizens to either save or enslave villains to either overcome or enlist, and a bevy of incredible lighting based super-powers.  The best thing about it, is that you get to do it all twice.  This was probably one of the strongest PS3 exclusives to be released all year long.  If you haven’t checked this out yet, give it a spin.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaketh: How is it, that in a game portraying an everyman’s struggle to still maintain his humanity in a world that is becoming more savage, whilst he himself is rapidly becoming a god; did Sucker Punch manage to make every primary character so unlikable?  Cole is like the love child of Batman and a T-800 terminator, only without all the warm and fuzzy.  Trish is the picture perfect ice queen, her boyfriend survices the explosion that claimed the life of her sister, so she hates him for surviving.  And Zeke?  Ugh.  Zeke is like every Rob Schneider movie role ever, only fatter and even more obnoxious.  Even the strongest willed heroes out there would be hard pressed not to throw a lightning bolt down these joker’s paths.

Unlimited POWAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

3. Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, XB360)

Wow!  Smash hit of the third quarter of 2009; Batman: Arkham Asylum is not only one of the finest superhero titles that has ever been crafted; it’s simply one of the greatest games of this current generation.  Rocksteady were an underdog going into this title, having only the lackluster ‘Urban Chaos’ for the PS2 and original Xbox.  They delivered in spades however, giving gamers a chance to really feel like the Dark Knight, pitting him against an assortment of foes on what was advertised as the longest night of batman’s life.  Moody and atmospheric in places, darkly humourous in others, and pretty much balls to the wall intense the entire time; Batman: Arkham Asylum looks like it will only be one-upped by its own sequel.  I’ve heard certain jaded old gamers say that it suffered from ‘Bioshock’ syndrome, only doing as well as it did in the absence of more competition, but I honestly believe that even released in November, Batman: Arkham Asylum would’ve cleaned house.  It’s the first time in nearly 20 years that a Batman title has been a must-play.  Besides, that inverted take-down never EVER gets old.

The Contrarian Fannboy Speaketh: I guess if I was forced to complain, the recycled army of thugs that Batman pummels his way through for the entirity of the game could have used a little more variety.  As well, more than a couple of the big boss fights fell a little flat for me.  Something a little more epic or well though out for Bats’ big baddies could’ve served as a nice break from all that stalking and puzzle solving.

You can't tell me that Danny Elfman's theme isn't playing in your head right now.

2. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii…duh)

Don’t even read this section, just go buy the game, buy a Wii, and be transported back to a more innocent era of gaming.  New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a triumph, a complete improvement on its predecessor for the DS, and a celebration of the most creative and fun titles in the Mario franchise.   Amazing levels, fun power ups, and a multiplayer campaign that borders on Lovecraftian madness.  Honestly, just grab a copy…if you can find one.

The Contrarion Fanboy Speaketh: Certain…volatile couples may experience certain marital issues if they attempt the more than a little loose multiplayer aspect of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.  I know Mrs. Aspersclager still has those papers stashed in her desk for the next time Erich knocks her into a pit to grab that Propellor Suit.

Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night, I can see paradise by the dashboard lights.

1. Street Fighter IV (Ps3, XB360)

Lighting a fire under the glutamus maximus of not only the Street Fighter franchise, but the entire genre in general, Street Fighter IV was hands down my game of the year for 2009.  There have been a bevy of Triple-A titles released in its wake, but none have even compared in the amount of time I’ve spent Cannon Spiking the competition online with SFIV.  Colourful visuals, explosive music and absolutely flawless game play spelled an easy KO for the returning king of fighting games.  And what’s even better is the upcoming release of Super Street Fighter IV, an updated version with a rumored 10 extra fighters, four extra backgrounds, and new special and super moves; all of which look to make not only a potent online fighting cocktail, but also a front-runner for my game of the year in 2010.

The Contrarian Fanboy Speaketh: Shut it Shakespeare!  I’m trying to play Street Fighter IV!

Pictured: Things about to be restored to their natural order.

Well, there you have it.  My picks for the top five titles of 2009.  And believe me; I tortured myself over whether any of the other countless great titles released over the course of the year also deserved a spot.  It’s been a great 2009 for gaming, and its looking like 2010 is going to hit even harder right out of the gate.  I’m hoping for more greatness from the franchises we all know and love, praying for success for new IPs like DarkSiders, and wishing that Microsoft will finally deliver me a good reason to fire up my 360 again.  That’s it for me for the rest of the year.  Everyone have a great New Year, and whatever you do, don’t drink and drive.  You can’t play me online in Street Fighter IV if you’re in the hospital or on a slab.

]]> http://pixelverdict.com/2009/12/29/best-games-of-the-year-2009-jon%e2%80%99s-list/feed/ 0 http://pixelverdict.com/2009/06/09/review-prototype-ps3xbox360pc/ http://pixelverdict.com/2009/06/09/review-prototype-ps3xbox360pc/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:47:23 +0000 Steve Power http://pixelverdict.com/?p=1884

Ripclaw? What's a Ripclaw?

The Charge:

Become Anything… Change everything!

Opening Statement:
After a few less than stellar Crash Bandicoot titles, the developers at Radical Entertainment, the guys behind the critically acclaimed Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, have returned to the sandbox territory with Prototype, but does the game have what it takes to survive in today’s more sophisticated sandbox?

Facts of the Case:
A gravelly, brooding voice tells us that we are Alex Mercer (no relation to Pixel Verdict’s own resident superhero, Jon Mercer), and Alex Mercer is having a bad day. It would seem Alex has woken up dead, or more accurately, he’s woken up on an autopsy table, with no memory of who he is. Turns out there’s a virus loose in New York City that he may have something to do with, the GenTEK corporation is hunting his every move, his wardrobe looks like he mugged Avril Lavigne, and his sister just can’t stop compulsively dropping f-bombs, with extra enunciation on the “f” part. Luckily, Alex is also blessed with super mad crazy super powers, the kind that let him morph parts of his body into melee weapons, defy gravity by running sidelong up the surface of even the tallest buildings, and disguising himself as whomever he’s consumed in order to escape detection. It’s all up to Alex to piece together the fragments of his clouded past and hopefully save the Big Apple from certain doom. All in a day’s work for a super hero, right?

The Evidence:
Not having been the hugest of Hulk fans, I never spent a whole lot of time with Hulk: Ultimate Destruction when it was initially released, and yet Prototype gave me that feeling of deja-vu almost immediately. For a game that’s been in the works for so long (it was originally supposed to be released last fall), it feels an awful lot like a last-gen offering. It was a long time coming to shelves, initially being developed with Sierra before the whole Blizzavision/ActiBlizzard merger, and was the only Sierra property that Activision actually decided to keep from Sierra’s stable of IP’s. Why Activision would feel compelled to keep Prototype and ditch A-grade looking stuff like Ghostbusters and Brutal Legend boggles the mind, but keep it they did, evcen allowing nine extra months of development so the guys at Radical could polish it up and add some content.

BLOOD!

We’ll start with the sandbox, which is pretty damn huge, and gives you a good cross-section of NYC, but is almost entirely devoid of anything to do. You basically mash the trigger and run around grabbing missions that will either further the story or provide five minutes of distraction. Reminiscent of another Activision sandbox game from days gone by, Spider-Man 2, there are only a few mission types, and they get old incredibly fast. Sure you may get some enjoyment out of simply running around and tearing shit up, and that’s fine, but for substance, Prototype is ultimately an empty vessel.

Graphically, Prototype makes a solid first impression with a glossy opening cinematic and a sequence in Times Square with a ton of moving people on screen. Things settle down pretty fast though, and soon enough you’ll be noticing the bland buildings, low res textures, and lack of any significant lighting effects. To say that it looks last generation isn’t an accurate statement, but it’s a far cry from cutting edge. Thankfully, the framerate stays rock solid throughout, even when the screen is loaded with chaos. The animations don’t fare too well either, particularly when you gun the run trigger and start scooting up walls – it just looks silly. At least the art design is passable… no, wait… it isn’t. The art design is even more limp and plain than the building textures, with stock “G.I Joe” looking grunts that look like they’ve been struggling for work since Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy was finished, and generic “infected human” template #5 to take care of all the rest of the baddies. The major villains are guys in suits or guys in fatigues (except for one, who’s actually kind of cool), and I can’t stress enough how much I HATE Alex’s character design. He’s like A My Chemical Romance concert crossed with an Image Comics superhero rag from 1994. One final nagging issue; you can pick up goddamn cars, but why the hell do they turn transparent when you’re carrying them?

Sound is decent, but goddamn does the voice acting ever chomp and suck. Alex Mercer is your typical video game bad boy. No humor whatsoever. Combined with the extremely terrible script, laced with forced profanity and phony “edginess” that’s one part Spider-Man and one part 28 Days Later, the whole presentation just falls flat. It feels more like a generic afterthought than any kind of cohesive narrative.

Rebuttal Witness:
Yes, there is some good in Prototype, particularly for those of you who dig random insanity. The controls are pretty tight, and work rather effectively, particularly the aforementioned “run” mechanic. When Alex is zipping along, bouncing from car to car and generally making a scene of a cross-town stroll, the game feels pretty solid. It never reaches the level of Assassin’s Creed or InFamous, but the free-running vibe is there. Combat is also pretty solid, with a slew of options ranging from the ultra cool (giant blade) to the ridiculously silly (giant Hulk fists!) You can pick up machine guns and rocket launchers as well, and hey, you can elbow drop army tanks!

Crunchy on the outside, squishy on the inside!

The way Prototype handles your wanted level of sorts is also pretty ingenious. As you execute more “super-de-duper” maneuvers when soldiers are in close proximity, they will become aware, and will hunt your ass down with extreme prejudice. If you can break eyeline, you can then disguise yourself and ditch the pursuers. It’s simple, but it works quite well, and puts a little more emphasis on stealth gaming in particular situations.

The Web of Intrigue is also a cool concept, whereby you track down and consume specific targets in NYC in order to try and piece together your shattered memories. Sure it’s a collection sidequest, but it’s presented in a thoughtful manner, and actually answers some questions.

Closing Comments:
Honestly, I can’t in all good conscience recommend Prototype to anyone in a world in which InFamous is readily available. It doesn’t do anything particularly well, and while there are some solid gameplay concepts present, and the open world of NYC is huge indeed, there’s just nothing there to do that doesn’t get old extremely fast.

The Verdict:

Platform: Sony Playstation 3/Microsoft Xbox360/Windows PC (Xbox360 version reviewed)
Developer: Radical Entertainment
Publisher: Activision
Release Date: June 9th, 2009
Rated: M (17+) for Mature

And they say that a hee-roh will save us!

The Charge:
Save what’s left…or destroy it all!

Opening Statement:
The majority of truly great super hero stories begin with a tragedy, be it Superman’s home planet being destroyed, Batman witnessing the murder of his parents as a child, or Spider-Man failing to save his uncle due to his own teenaged arrogance.  This is meant to symbolize the earning of their powers, or the emotional anchor that will keep them from growing corrupt.  To keep them steadfast in the face of the sea of anarchy they will surely face in their quest to make the world a better place.  Sucker Punch, one of Sony’s top three prized development studios seek to test those very waters with InFamous; a sandbox title that grants players an incredible array of super-powers, and the choice to do good or do evil by those very abilities.  But is this long-awaited PS3 exclusive a mighty champion of the people, or does it fizzle out faster that the Joel Schumacher Batman movies?

Your friendly neighborhood ummmm...Lightning Man?

Facts of the Case:
Sucker Punch has a history of delivering more than solid games filled with spectacular platforming set pieces and magnificent production value, but sadly become more cult classic than console classic.  Their sole release outside of Sony was the criminally underappreciated Rocket: Robot on Wheels for the Nintendo 64, and their Sly Cooper trilogy for the PlayStation 2 scored major points with reviewers, but got lost in the shadows of much larger releases like the Jak and Rachet franchises.  Which is perhaps why they’ve chosen to take on much more serious fare with InFamous.  The standard cartoon adventures of a raccoon thief are packed away in exchange for the story of Cole McGrath (That’s McWrath, American pronunciation); a fleet footed courier in the bustling fictional metropolis of Empire City.  Finding himself at the epicenter of an unnaturally large explosion that tears the city apart, forcing government quarantine, Cole wakes up in the hospital having gained amazing electrical superpowers.  Couple that with his natural athletic ability and love for parkour, and Sucker Punch seem to have all the ingredients for one dynamite title.

Nobody said nuthin' 'bout me fightin' Cthulu when I signed up for this!

The Evidence:
To begin; InFamous is a good game, a very good game.  I’d go so far as to call it a great game.  The game play is simply fun.  Cole has nearly unparalleled freedom in exploring Empire City, and as his abilities grow, so does the speed and ease in which he does explore the city.  Players must explore each neighborhood, taking on missions to advance the story, and performing tasks to either aid, or subjugate beleaguered citizens.  At the very heart of all this is InFamous’ karma system.  Every action Cole performs earns him experience points.  This XP comes in three flavours; Good, Evil, and Neutral.  All are used to purchase upgrades for all of Cole’s abilities, but the good and evil XP gauge Cole’s status amongst the denizens of Empire.  So depending on player’s own preferences, whether they’d take the noble path and try to bring peace to a ruined city that is awash in darkness; or follows baser desires and lashes out at the fearful citizens who blame him for the tragedy, gamers can cause a Karmic shift which radically changes the play style and outcome of InFamous.  If it hasn’t already become painfully obvious, I eat this stuff up.

1.21 JIGGO-WATTS!!!

Empire City is split into three central islands, each overrun by a specific gang of miscreants, usually led by a supervillain who like Cole, arose from the explosion with fantastic powers.  Traversing these three islands feels just about perfect, as Cole seems to magnetically attach himself to climbable surfaces as soon as he jumps towards them.  It takes less than five seconds for gamers to get the grip of how easy it is to move around the game.  Freerunning across rooftops soon evolves into sliding over power lines, and as Cole grows more powerful, players will be able to literally glide through the air on bursts of static, and grind power lines and train rails at high speed.  I’ve read numerous complaints about people complaining how difficult it is to navigate down the side of a building when searching for hidden goodies, but honestly, the triangle button causes Cole to drop down to the next level.  I had no complaints about the controls, and had Cole moving around like a super-charged monkey in no time.  There is a motherlode of collectible things to be discovered, so gamers are encouraged to explore, but watch out for those electrical dead zones, and don’t step in any puddles.  Water is instantly lethal to our lightning infused protagonist.

I'm gonna be a rock and roll star, Gonna groove from night to day.

Of course what use is there in being a superhero/vigilante if there aren’t throngs of criminals to punish?  And oh how players can punish them!  With a simple flick of a shoulder button, the camera drops down to Cole’s shoulder in a viewpoint almost like something out of ‘Ghost Recon’ or ‘Gears of War’, here players have access to a perpetually increasing gallery of electrical attacks that seem to accurately mimic the standard load-out of a soldier in a Tom Clancy game.  The assault rifle becomes the standard lighting bolt, sniper rifles become precision aimed blasts, Cole has access to sticky shock grenades, and even a heat seeking “Megawatt Hammer” which acts like a stinger missile.  Every one is simple to use and offer up no shortage of ways to lay waste to Empire City’s gang problems, especially in the clever ways they can be used together to create combination chains.  Whether it is low-level thugs, the mutated Conduits, or one of the game’s three major super villain boss battles, the combat never ceases to be exciting.

ARRGGHH!! QTE!! My one weakness!!

Rebuttal Witness:
Remember when I said in the opening that InFamous is a great game?  Well it is, but it also had the potential and pedigree to be a console defining amazing game.  And for everything the game does well, there are just a small handful of problems that squander just a little of the game’s near infinite potential.  First off, and this is more comedy than a real gripe, though that doesn’t make it any less annoying.  InFamous stars a character that can scale a suspension bridge with his bare hands, yet he stops cold whenever he comes face to face with a chain-link fence.  That’s right, an electrical superman, who can run atop power lines can’t seem to scale an object that I have been throwing my husky ass over since I was 8 years old.  Secondly, Empire City is a huge place, and there is never a shortage of missions popping up to keep Cole busy.  However, many of the missions are exactly the same, and it gets a little depressing when you look at the map, see that you’ve cleaned up 92% of a city sector of crime, and only 4 missions remain before you score that in-game trophy for your dedication to crime stopping and all 4 of those missions revolve around trailing a courier for five minutes.  Somewhat infuriating.  It’s like Assassin’s Creed, InFamous tries so hard to draw players into a world, immerses them in Empire City and fills the game with hidden back story for those who want to dig for a little more meat, and then there are these tedious little missions that wear the nerves down incredibly fast.  Thankfully not all of these gnat-like side missions are necessary, so it is possible to breeze past them.  Secondly, I realize that having a couple of ancillary sidekick characters are par for the course when dealing with superheroes.  Cole’s girlfriend Trish is a neat character; a paramedic who tries desperately to keep hope alive on the ravaged city streets, but there are times when her childlike “emo-fits” at Cole being inadvertadly tied to her sister’s death makes me wish Cole would just flash-fry her and hook up with the black canceresque villainess, Sasha.  Cole’s best friend Zeke on the other hand, is annoyance made tangible.  Every bad rockabilly stereotype known to the human race has been pooled into this one character, and I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to pull an Emperor from Return of the Jedi.  I highly doubt there’d be a jury in Empire City that would convict me.

So be it...Jedi...

Closing Statement:
As usual, Sucker Punch delivers a stellar title that no PlayStation owner should deprive themselves of.  Now especially, as they’ve put aside the cartoony Sly Cooper and delivered that same brand of great gameplay to a wider audience.  Despite a handful of nitpicky (near nonexistant) flaws, I have to trust my instincts here, and  I can see InFamous gaining quite a bit of fame at a lightning fast pace.

The Verdict:

Platform: Sony PlayStation 3
Developer: Sucker Punch
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Release Date: May 24th, 2009
Rating: T for Teen.

This week is the calm before the storm that is E3. Erich, Steve, Tim, and Adam prepare for the big expo with a round-up of potential press conference surprises, talk about games like Punch-Out!!, inFAMOUS, Bionic Commando, Terminator Salvation, Gears of War 2, and MadWorld, and finish with this week’s Symposium Ad Nauseum topic: Video Game Nutrition. Leave your thoughts, complaints, praise, and favorite recipes in the comments below, or email us at feedback@pixelverdict.com.

You can listen to the show with the player below, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.

Carry on the show discussion over on the Jury Room forums at DVDVerdict.com!

It’s Canada 3, America 1 as Erich welcomes Adam, Jon, and Steve to talk games and correct his meager knowledge of Canadian geography. They talk Demon’s Souls, Sly Cooper 2, Hammerin’ Hero, Legends of Wrestlemania, Suikoden Tierkreis, Resident Evil 4, and Tetris DS. In news, Jon’s excitement about an early release for PS3-exclusive inFamous turns into a debate about the marketing wisdom of using demos as pre-order bonuses, Steve joins the throngs of Xbox 360 owners rejoicing over Microsoft adding the E74 error to its 3-year warranty, and Adam uses his +4 charm to get everyone to care about the new World of Warcraft patch. After minor technical difficulties, the boys wrap things up with this week’s Symposium Ad Nauseum, asking deep questions about why the gaming cliches that bug us the most are often those we hold most dear.

Have an existential question about exploding barrels? Let us know by emailing feedback@pixelverdict.com.

You can listen to the show with the player below, download it here, or subscribe through iTunes or by adding our feed to your podcatcher of choice.