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I’d like to see a few more remakes/reboots of classic games.

Tomb Raider Anniversary was a great attempt at re-treading old ground and a first class example of the kind of quality possible if done correctly. I far prefer Anniversary to the more recent titles in the series, Legend & Underworld. Probably in part due to nostalgia, but also because after trying to go through TR1 on the PS1 again, the limitations of the old control system stick out like a dog in a fish tank. The updated game mechanics really go a long way towards improving the overall experience.

Capcom have also shown remakes are more than viable with the Gamecube remake of Resident Evil, largely held to be one of the best in the franchise by many fans thanks to the various updates it received. Capcom made changes to the script to give it a more serious tone, an updated (less shit) voice over track (Barry Burton, I’m looking at you buddy!), updated graphics and cutscenes, and if I remember correctly it even featured extra areas and story details. The game was received very well in reviews and sold 1.35 million copies according to the wiki entry.

Batman: Arkham Asylum, while not technically a remake, was a reboot for the franchise. All the Batman games before it were laughable. None of them really nailed it well, yet Rocksteady really captured what makes Batman great whilst still delivering a solid gameplay experience.

Of course, the risk of a dud is high. You only need look to the movie industry for examples of how easily a reboot/remake can crash and burn. Given the love some gamers have for certain titles, any mistake made to the formula no matter how minor will be a thorn in it’s side for life.

Still, I think there is a lot of room for retro classics to receive a new breath of life and would love to see a few more titles given a fresh lick of paint.

As predicted, it didn’t take EA long to find a new way to gouge customers. They’ve tried several attempts at this project ten dollar bullshit and seem to have settled with the worst of a bad bunch of ideas.

In my opinion, a reasonable solution is how Battlefield Bad Company 2 was handled. All retail copies of the game came with a ‘VIP code’ that granted the owner free access to the first DLC pack. Any DLC since then, which has re-used assets on the disk, have also been free for ‘VIP’ players. Anyone buying used would have to fork out some extra cash to get access to the extra content. This at least seems half fair compared to the new system, which will see gamers buying used games forking over extra money to use the online features advertised on the back of the box.

Given that EA are one of the biggest game publishers around right now, I just don’t buy the claim they are losing money on used game sales. Not only that, but if their BS is to be believed, this is all for the benefit of the customers and to help fund upkeep of the servers.

Yes, but.. logically, the only strain on a server is caused by new retail players. Anyone who buys used is simply replacing a player that already existed and no longer uses the servers due to selling the game. Under this system, if the same game is sold and traded a couple of times, EA get paid multiple amounts towards the ‘upkeep of the servers’ yet they gain no additional players to justify it. I’m sorry but this just doesn’t wash.

If I sell my house, I don’t give a cut to the original builder because of work he did years ago – He was already paid for that work. If I were to sell a car, I wouldn’t give a cut to the manufacturer because they made it – They were already paid for the car when it was first bought.

Bullshit, all of it.

I like to rent and ‘try-before-I-buy’ on some titles I’m unsure on. Under the new system, only the first in line to rent the game get to redeem any ‘VIP’ code included in the box which means anyone else renting that game will be restricted from the online features so that’s the end of that.

The worst of it is, if I know anything about gamers it’s that they’ll continue to buy even while being shafted. Example – the majority of the ‘Boycott MW2′ steam group were all tagged as playing MW2 on the day of release. Even though Activision makes games for Satan and his minions these days, gamers continue to support Kotick and his douchebaggery.

It’s simple logic that if EA can make this work, other publishers will start to pay attention. Ubisoft, Sega, and THQ already have plans to implement similar systems as I understand it… it wont be long before others fall in line with this if we don’t start voting with the contents of our wallets.

The universal greeting works every time!

I’ve been playing the multiplayer Transformers demo a little over the last few days and I have to say, I’m surprised at how good it is.

Don’t get me wrong, it wont bring anything new to the table that other 3rd person shooters already haven’t, but at it’s core the combat and controls feel very solid. Based on that fact, plus developer interviews regarding the story, the art direction (G1 FTW!), and the trailers showing snippets of the Omega Supreme/Trypticon fights.. I’m very optimistic for this title to say the least!

More updates after I pick it up tomorrow. Feel free to add me for some co-op action…

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/08/sony-psp-go-experiment-revealed-love-of-physical-media/

The classics are the best.

When confronted with a failure, don’t try and recognise the fault, instead try and act as though you were doing this on purpose all along as an experiment… at the expense of your customers!

I really hope someone got shitcanned at Sony for the Go!

I mean, it’s not like anyone could have foreseen this happening is it really? Who could have known that not following through on promises to release all UMD games on PSN would end like this? Who could have imagined that releasing digital versions of games sometimes weeks (sometimes never) after the physical UMD release would irritate gamers and promote a distrust in you as a brand name?

No, no… sorry, it wasn’t those reasons the Go failed right? It’s because;

consumers like their packaged media library

…yeah, and they also appreciate that packaged games release on the date advertised, not weeks later if at all.

No thanks.

Each year control schemes on games get more complicated, and more and more combinations of buttons are being used simply because we are running out of space on the controllers as it is.

The Wii works (well, I use that term loosely) as a result of a few factors.

1. The controller still has buttons and an analogue nub
2. It has rumble
3. Nintendo has been aiming at casual motion games specifically

The inclusion of an analogue nub, and buttons help with the games not entirely suited to motion control, and add to the ones that are. The force feedback, although weak, is at least there. Fall a large distance on Monster Hunter.. Wiimote shakes. Slam a hammer into an Urugaan’s chin and you feel it.

Sony Move seems to have at least grasped the concept and adapted it to suit them. Their controller still has buttons and can attach to a nunchuck type device with… an analogue nub! I’m not sure on the details but I’d bet it has rumble too.

Then we have Natal, sorry, Kinnect (urgh! Bad name, bad name!).

Great piece of tech on paper. No buttons, no vibration, no analogue nub, not even a physical thing to hold… I see a problem here.

Firstly, at this point, anyone who actually wanted motion controls has probably gone out and bought a Wii by now. Secondly, if Natal, sorry, Kinnect (urgh! Bad name, bad name!) is going to cost the rumoured $150 as everyone suspects, you can get a Wii for that price! Just those two factors alone are a big enough problem without considering that this thing wont even apply to 90% of the games I play! How exactly will FPS games work under this? Well I’ll tell you how, on rails. Which is bullshit. How will platformers work with this? How will anything other than a clusterfuck of a party game that already exists on the Wii work with this thing?

So far, Wii Fit, Wii Sports, Wii Dance, Mario Kart Nintendogs have been shown… oh wait, sorry.. Kinnect Fit, Kinnect Sports, Just Dance, Joy Ride, and Kinnectimals. Looks/Sounds familiar right? Yeah…

When I get home from a long day at work, I like to relax on my couch with a game. I sometimes play for extended periods of time. The last thing I want is a bullshit control scheme that forces me to either be standing, or moving around to control something.

Well.. we made it back from Tokyo and only wound up stranded for two days. Can think of far worse places to be stranded!

Lack of updates lately is mainly thanks to Monster Hunter 3! Well, I cant blame MH3 entirely, also been playing some other titles this month… and on that note I move into the “What I’m playing this month” portion of this post;

1. Monster Hunter 3 (Wii)
2. Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360)
3. Alan Wake (Xbox 360)
4. Skate 3 (Xbox 360)

Hectic time for me regards to gaming…

The four titles above were all recent releases on my must have (or the very least, must rent) list, Red Dead Redemption is out this week, Transformers: War for Cybertron next month. Still got Lost Planet 2 to play through…

Madness!

Thank Minegarde I have a few twofer Blockbuster vouchers to get through or this month would be a bloody nightmare!

Currently in Tokyo so no updates for the next week or so… Back soon!

I just got access to the APB Beta!

Unfortunately I forgot to check my emails over the weekend so only received confirmation this morning which was too late to make the first test night over the weekend. Will set the client going later today so I don’t miss any more action. Had forgotten I signed up for this tbh, looks like a lot of fun.

Wont be able to say much due to the NDA but if/when it lifts I’ll post up my opinion on the game immediately.

In the meantime, if you are part of the Furious Fighters group… see you online soon!

After holding Farm on the Laguna Alta map for the majority of a conquest round, the opposition sent 6 players and 1 tank and captured the base. Thanks to a lucky respawn on a still standing squad member, I managed to get two RPG shots off on the tank…

…both missed by a mile, BUT, managed to take out the remaining two walls of the farm building causing it to collapse, killing the 6 opposition players in one glorious demolition kill!

Incredible game. More to follow soon.

I’m interested. You have my attention. Now, let me say, I’m not entirely sold on the concept.

Do I want to wear 3D glasses at home when I’m gaming? Not so much. If it enhances gaming enough, I’d consider it but I cant see it being comfortable at all. Also, let’s not forget gamers who already wear glasses. I can’t see the prospect of wearing two pairs of glasses to game in being a very attractive one. In fact, I already know it isn’t from talking to people who wear glasses.

I am pretty excited about the possibilities 3D gaming + Natal could provide but I can see the obvious problems. Glasses, lack of force feedback, to name only a couple. When they sort it out so it works minus the glasses, or finally pull off holographic displays (and not using the curved mirror tricks of the 90′s), I’ll jump on board.

Till then, I’m filing this in the pile marked “Temporary Fad”