Grand Theft Auto IV
Score: 7.0
Systems: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Genre: Action Length: 30 hours Difficulty: 6 Publisher: Take Two Developer: Take Two
Pros - It's the best GTA game - Liberty City is very detailed and creative - Lots of Multiplayer mission types
Cons - It's still a GTA game: Watch cut scene, drive from point A to point B, shoot somebody. Wash, rinse, repeat for 30 hours - Frame rates and graphics look like PS2.5 - Has an interesting world, yet there are no interesting things to do in it
The mega review sites undeservedly dish out hype and praise like clockwork to the GTAs, Halos, Final Fantasies, and Metal Gears of the world. No game encompasses such a ridiculous amount of hype as GTA does. GTA3 was an admittedly a revolutionary game for its time because it started a whole new genre: the sandbox game. It should be praised for originality and pushing videogames to new places. However, the GTA formula and actual gameplay have always been average at best.
Where do we begin? Let's take a minute to review what the mainstream media has to say about GTA4. Currently GTA4 is being hailed as literally the BEST game of all time. The game has a ridiculous 99% score on Gamerankings.com. Every single review without fail has praised the game as the Holy Grail of gaming. WOW! Can I start my own site to get another viewpoint from the hype driven, marketing based payola that is the norm in the videogame media?
The mega sites are all posting 10 page reviews that go on ad nauseum about the spectacle and grandeur of GTA4. Yet within those pages of PR fluff, there is very little concrete information about why GTA is the most fun game of all time, why GTA gameplay is anything more than average, why the game deservers a frickin' 10 out of 10.
Most of the large sites comment continually about how wonderful the cut scenes are. I think cut scenes can be a nice reward for finishing a larger portion of a game. Once these movies start becoming a significant portion of the game, then I may as well watch a movie (are you listening Metal Gear Solid?). In my opinion, games are a unique form of entertainment because they allow people to interact with a world and do things that are not feasible in reality. Watching cut scenes, regardless of their quality, tends to bore me to tears because it takes me away from having fun doing things in this great city that they've meticulously built.
The mega sites also write reviews the size of War and Peace filled with the nebulous, meaningless dribble about how the game makes you feel or little cute details in the world. Yes the world is a highly rich, detailed, and interesting place: plenty of people walking around with funny comments and actions, tons of variety in car models, good physics engine, and plenty of things to do other, such as bowling, buying clothes and going to a strip club (gotta be controversial to sell the game, right?). The main problem is that the gameplay is just not that fun inside this world. How does any of this matter if the game isn't actually fun to play?
The first 3 hours of the game is literally half cut scenes, and half chauffeuring people back and forth through the city. Woohoo, I can see now why this is the best game of all time. They should have called this "Driving Miss Daisy Theft Auto IV". The missions do get better and more interesting, but the game basically always revolves around talking to someone, getting a job (some kind of hit), and driving to go kill somebody.
There is so much peripheral SIMS like crap in the game such as bowling, dating, buying clothes, surfing the web that sound cool in theory but are not fun to do in a videogame. It really seems the developers focused on adding more meaningless content that no one wanted in the first place as opposed to making the game's core gameplay more enjoyable and varied (I supposed it adds to the bullet points they can put on the back of the box). If these types of things are fun, they have been done much better in other games devoted to the genre. Why play a game of bowling when you could get a bowling game instead?
I think that open world gameplay tends to be a flawed style of gameplay. It sounds cool in theory to allow people to do anything they want and see how the world reacts to your actions. It was fun when GTAIII introduced the style on the PS2. The genre has just failed to innovate to keep things fresh. What you end up with is trying to do all things for all gamers - a jack-of-all-trades, but master of none type of philosophy.
The open world also compromises graphics and makes gameplay repetitive and uninteresting. Other open world games, such as Assassins creed and Spiderman 3, are also great examples of the general flaws of this gameplay type. These games tend to have interesting worlds but ruin the experience with uninteresting and monotonous missions and side tasks. Repeating the same 4-5 types of tasks on enemies and environments that look different for 30 hours fails to keep me interested.
There have been many updates to the GTA system that allow it to move into the 21st century: map navigation and GPS voice allow you to get your next mission MUCH easier, aiming controls and fighting allow for easier lock-on and switching between targets, and improved controls.
Crackdown is a good example of an open world game, which is fun.. Its over the top action, mega explosions, fun platforming, smooth and polished graphics, and silly sense of humor make Crackdown a fun open world game to play. The upcoming game Prototype also looks to be a solid open world game because you get to do some amazing, over the top things in the open world. Again what you do in the game's world is the key, not the actual world and its appearance.
To be fair, the GTA game does try to provide you with a lot for your gaming dollar. The campaign is lengthy 30 hours (about 6 hours of cut scenes and 6 hours of driving between missions), and there are endless side missions (bowling, dating, clothes shopping, etc.)
The newly introduced multiplayer is robust as well with 12 different modes. Some of the modes are pretty cool, such as cops and robbers (one team runs from the other team chasing trying to catch them), GTA race (race while shooting at each other), and some co-op modes for 2-4 players. Due to the game's large following, there are plenty of people on-line to play with. Unfortunately, the technical problems that mar the single player portion of the game, such as poor frame rates, become even worse online. The game feels too sluggish to be any fun long-term online.Also, there is no online menu, so you have to quit a game, go back to the single-player mode and then re-enter the new multiplayer mode you want (all with the obligatory load times mentioned above).
If you are comparing GTA to previous iterations in the series, then it looks great. However, this game pales in comparison to the standards set by this generation's Gears of War, Crackdown and Ratchet and Clank. The textures, jagged edges, and rough look make this look like your average 3rd party multi-port game. The frame rate also suffers (appears to run from 20-30fps), which makes the game feel sluggish and the controls are not as responsive as needed. The load times are absolutely ridiculous in length (10-15 seconds each) and quantity (before each cut scene and the beginning of each mission). It is not uncommon that the game freezes up during these load times and you have to reboot the system.
I understand that the Liberty City world is a large and very detailed world, and its tough to make a sandbox game look like Gears of War or Drakes Fortune. However, Crackdown was a sandbox game and it managed to have great textures, frame rate and controls, so it appears Take 2 decided to focus on other aspects of the game and allow the graphics to suffer. GTA4 is a nice looking GTA game but an average looking game at best.
In summary, GTA4 is the best GTA game so far. However the gameplay itself continues to be the weakest link in the overall package. We here are PoweredUpGamers believe that gameplay rules the day every time, and no amount of hype is going to change that. If you liked former GTA games and don't mind that the actual gameplay hasn't changed much, then you will like this game. If you compare this game to other alternatives on any system, then you will probably find that the game pales in comparison to the games competing for your time and money.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Gears of War 2 - XBOX 360
Welcome back the Locust Horde. Only yourself and your crack team of elite fighters (Delta Squad) can stop the locusts horde from ending the lives of all the humans on the planet. This time its not as simple as blasting your way through the game. What is evident in this game is it based around tactics, tactics and more tactics. The introduction of a new 'cover system' means you can employ the services of the enemy as a a shield. The graphics have improved from the Gears of War 1 opener and appear to be both more detailed and deeper in color.
The game offers both single and multi-player options. The solo mission is larger, harder and the weapons are more severe and destructive from the previous edition. Epic would be a word that comes to mind and this is not just a reference to the developer. The plot twists in this game keeping it both entertaining and interesting and should keep you coming back for more. One thing that does seem to have improved is the graphical glitches. Most games seem to slip at some point or another but this seems to be very rare on GofW2
The multi-player Horde mode is a welcome addition and extremely entertaining. You and four others can fight off wave after wave of Locusts and see who can survive till the end. This mode allows the gamer to take charge of any of the human fighters plus any of the locusts. It may take the more advanced of gamers out there a number of long sittings to get to the end, but there is no doubt it will have been well worth it.
The game offers both single and multi-player options. The solo mission is larger, harder and the weapons are more severe and destructive from the previous edition. Epic would be a word that comes to mind and this is not just a reference to the developer. The plot twists in this game keeping it both entertaining and interesting and should keep you coming back for more. One thing that does seem to have improved is the graphical glitches. Most games seem to slip at some point or another but this seems to be very rare on GofW2
The multi-player Horde mode is a welcome addition and extremely entertaining. You and four others can fight off wave after wave of Locusts and see who can survive till the end. This mode allows the gamer to take charge of any of the human fighters plus any of the locusts. It may take the more advanced of gamers out there a number of long sittings to get to the end, but there is no doubt it will have been well worth it.
Be Rich - And Let Your Real Estate Empire Thrive!
Strategy real estate-themed games become extremely popular lately, and after the huge success of the Build-a-lot series we are presenting a new game of this type - Be Rich. While offering mostly similar game play, it introduces some new twists that make your game experience a bit different.
Do you prefer a lightning-fast career or thoughtful development? It's all here!
Be Rich offers you not much of a story. You just found you real estate company and start developing it in one of the two modes - Career or Sandbox. In Career mode you complete level after level and develop your corporation, while in Sandbox you just have a large area and a number of rather challenging goals to achieve as well as a number of tools to use in your game and no time limit, so you can make it your own way.
But if you choose to make a career, you select your assistant out of three highly qualified real estate professionals and step to the first level. Each level represents a town with your company branch and certain objectives to complete. You have some cash and construction wagons, and possibly some real estate properties. There are also some parameters like Town Appearance or Population. Your objectives may be related to any of these, for instance, earning certain amount of money or rental income, building a certain number of specific houses or getting the town population to a certain level.
Your choice of means to use is rather wide. You can construct houses, upgrade them (which increases not only the rental income, but also the number of tenants), sell and buy them, and repair them if necessary. You can also construct buildings like shops or workshops to create additional revenue stream or eliminate some frequent problems. Each town may also offer its own issues like fixing a bridge or creating a stadium and running some matches there. You can also decorate your town with trees, fountains and other beautiful additions, which also add to your revenue and town appearance.
There is also one feature that makes the game a bit more complicated, but at the same time more interesting - the roads. You can't build something away from a road, as the constructors may not be able to get there, so you always have to think where you put our buildings and about communication and objects location a lot.
Between the levels you can see you company's Headquarters and purchase improvements for it using your points earned for completing level objectives early. These upgrades give you some advantages, like faster construction or more tenants to houses, which is very useful sometimes.
So, if you enjoy strategy games, Be Rich is a nice variant to try - and test your managing skills!
Do you prefer a lightning-fast career or thoughtful development? It's all here!
Be Rich offers you not much of a story. You just found you real estate company and start developing it in one of the two modes - Career or Sandbox. In Career mode you complete level after level and develop your corporation, while in Sandbox you just have a large area and a number of rather challenging goals to achieve as well as a number of tools to use in your game and no time limit, so you can make it your own way.
But if you choose to make a career, you select your assistant out of three highly qualified real estate professionals and step to the first level. Each level represents a town with your company branch and certain objectives to complete. You have some cash and construction wagons, and possibly some real estate properties. There are also some parameters like Town Appearance or Population. Your objectives may be related to any of these, for instance, earning certain amount of money or rental income, building a certain number of specific houses or getting the town population to a certain level.
Your choice of means to use is rather wide. You can construct houses, upgrade them (which increases not only the rental income, but also the number of tenants), sell and buy them, and repair them if necessary. You can also construct buildings like shops or workshops to create additional revenue stream or eliminate some frequent problems. Each town may also offer its own issues like fixing a bridge or creating a stadium and running some matches there. You can also decorate your town with trees, fountains and other beautiful additions, which also add to your revenue and town appearance.
There is also one feature that makes the game a bit more complicated, but at the same time more interesting - the roads. You can't build something away from a road, as the constructors may not be able to get there, so you always have to think where you put our buildings and about communication and objects location a lot.
Between the levels you can see you company's Headquarters and purchase improvements for it using your points earned for completing level objectives early. These upgrades give you some advantages, like faster construction or more tenants to houses, which is very useful sometimes.
So, if you enjoy strategy games, Be Rich is a nice variant to try - and test your managing skills!
Star Wars - The Old Republic (PC)
No, it's not another KotOR, which I'm semi-disappointed about, but it is a new Star Wars MMORPG. This game is actually set 300 years after Knights of the Old Republic, but does feature some familiar faces. You'll be able to fight on both sides in this game, as you were able to in KotOR.
So here's the thing. Why now? Why didn't they announce this game way back when they released KotOR II. It was actually in demand then, now the Star Wars hype has died down again, with the exception of The Force Unleashed, which was kind of a let down, to me at least. Yes, it took a different look at Star Wars, and let you be a complete bad ass, but I'm not really into that sort of thing. I want to be a Jedi, I want to fight Darth Vader, or whoever else has control of the Empire, and most of all I want it to be challenging, yet beatable. Is that too much to ask?
I doubt this game will even feature and Emperor, but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised. They also better not make this a subscription based game, because there's no way I'm even buying it then. I have better games that don't even cost money. Or I'll pick up a $10 one off Steam. Maybe BioWare will give this game all they have, or maybe they'll piss it away like some other games which I won't mention. Now I'm going to have to go play some KotOR in anticipation.
So here's the thing. Why now? Why didn't they announce this game way back when they released KotOR II. It was actually in demand then, now the Star Wars hype has died down again, with the exception of The Force Unleashed, which was kind of a let down, to me at least. Yes, it took a different look at Star Wars, and let you be a complete bad ass, but I'm not really into that sort of thing. I want to be a Jedi, I want to fight Darth Vader, or whoever else has control of the Empire, and most of all I want it to be challenging, yet beatable. Is that too much to ask?
I doubt this game will even feature and Emperor, but hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised. They also better not make this a subscription based game, because there's no way I'm even buying it then. I have better games that don't even cost money. Or I'll pick up a $10 one off Steam. Maybe BioWare will give this game all they have, or maybe they'll piss it away like some other games which I won't mention. Now I'm going to have to go play some KotOR in anticipation.
Warhammer 40,000 - Dawn of War 2 (Insight) (PC)
Why our citizen Relic-aholic is so blessed that Dawn of War II has just appeared should be apparent to anyone with a feel even accidentally abreast the beating of PC gaming. Not alone is this the latest and greatest action straight from the makers of Company of Heroes, but it's a swell one that has approved to advance things in a hardly altered direction.
It promises old-school charms with all-new tweaks - admitting able and carrying are two absolutely altered races, just like Space Marines and Tyranids.
One of the above departures for Dawn of War II's single player attack lies in the absolute angle the adventure is told through. The artifice for Dawn of War II is focused appealing alone on the Space Marines, to the admeasurement that there are no added playable factions in the single player.
A above acumen for this is that it seems Relic has approved to analyze what affectionate of belief can be told aural the RTS genre; war and political struggles are appealing , but is it accessible for added claimed dramas to become an acute allotment of the story? Relic thinks so and has advised the absolute single player about the idea.
The a lot of accessible way that the developer has done this is by ascent aback a lot of Dawn of War's scope. The 40K cosmos may be one of Amaranthine war, but at the amount of that is a affluent fiction that Relic has broke into by eliminating the abstraction of body queues and countless, faceless soldiers. Your armament are no best innumerable and anonymous; individuals matter.
The absolute artifice for Dawn of War II isn't annihilation wholly remarkable, it has to be said. The adventure starts on the abroad planet Calderis, training arena for the celebrated Blood Ravens chapter, which is getting assaulted by barbarian hordes of Orks. Astime goes on new enemies are alien and you yield the action to new planets, but at its amount it's still just the aforementioned Amaranthine war that's consistently kept the 40K cosmos active inches from extinction.
It promises old-school charms with all-new tweaks - admitting able and carrying are two absolutely altered races, just like Space Marines and Tyranids.
One of the above departures for Dawn of War II's single player attack lies in the absolute angle the adventure is told through. The artifice for Dawn of War II is focused appealing alone on the Space Marines, to the admeasurement that there are no added playable factions in the single player.
A above acumen for this is that it seems Relic has approved to analyze what affectionate of belief can be told aural the RTS genre; war and political struggles are appealing , but is it accessible for added claimed dramas to become an acute allotment of the story? Relic thinks so and has advised the absolute single player about the idea.
The a lot of accessible way that the developer has done this is by ascent aback a lot of Dawn of War's scope. The 40K cosmos may be one of Amaranthine war, but at the amount of that is a affluent fiction that Relic has broke into by eliminating the abstraction of body queues and countless, faceless soldiers. Your armament are no best innumerable and anonymous; individuals matter.
The absolute artifice for Dawn of War II isn't annihilation wholly remarkable, it has to be said. The adventure starts on the abroad planet Calderis, training arena for the celebrated Blood Ravens chapter, which is getting assaulted by barbarian hordes of Orks. Astime goes on new enemies are alien and you yield the action to new planets, but at its amount it's still just the aforementioned Amaranthine war that's consistently kept the 40K cosmos active inches from extinction.
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