The age of dragons

...is upon us once again. Dragon Age: the Veilguard, the 4th entry of the Dragon Age RPG series is FINALLY releasing next week after a whole decade since the last entry. Although I'm not entirely convinced this upcoming entry is going the be banger it desperately needs to be, given how long dormant the series has been, I'm gonna purchase and play it regarldless because the Dragon Age games holds a special place in my heart ever since the first game, Dragon Age: Origins I believe theres is a blog post I made about DA:O so many years ago here. Even after all that time, I still fondly remember the brief time I spent as a Grey Warden rookie with the heroic Duncan, Morrigan's condescending remarks, Alistair's jokes, and of course sweet, sister Leliana (who is also an assassin). Will Veilguard be able to give me the same experience? Probably not. I am afterall a different gamer than I was then. DA:O released in... 2008? My gosh that was nearly 20 years ago. I feel ancient just thinking about it. So yeah. Veilguard. Cant wait! I'll write my thoughts about it when I play it.

I like to Move it Move it

My PS3 is alive again!! After 2 months in the fixing bay and RM380 worth of cash flying out of my wallet. But well, at least I don't have to buy another one for the THIRD time.

It so happens that after picking the console up we (the wife and I) ran into a Sony Style and.. er... kind of accidentally picked up the Move.

It was by accident.. really.

Anyways, I've never played any of these motion control game thingies before. I don't own a wii and have never even played it so I was really curious..

The Move set that we bought came with Sports Champions and we bought another Move controller just so that we could play it together. After giving it whirl, I think that it works great! I don't exactly think it's a replacement for the classic controller. While I had fun playing ping pong with the Move, I would never want to use that for games like Uncharted.

Overall though, I think it is a recommendable piece of hardware. It's not exactly cheap, but at RM 180 a piece, it's considerably cheaper than the plastic guitar controller (which most of you who own it may have already stashed in you closets) and will likely have support for more games in the future. The There are however some limitations of the hardware that I think you should consider before picking it up.

1. You'll need some space to play this. A pretty large space at that especially if you're going to play a two player game.
2. Your TV better be big. I guess a 32" will do, but for best results, I'd say 40" above since you'll be playing from about anywhere between 2-3 meters the screen.
3. It doesn't work well in a brightly lit room. Your movements with the Move is captured by a camera. When it's too bright, the camera won't be able to recognise the color of the ping pong ball at the tip of the Move controller. Also, playing in a dark, preferably closed private room also works better for you because people won't be able to see you flailing your arm around like a madman.
4. As I've said in the last one, it WILL make others look at you weird.

Other than that, it's all good. It's also a great way to get people who aren't even into gaming interested in trying. My nephews absolutely loved it. I even I got my mum to try it, and she has never touched a game before! So I say, buy it, if not for you then at least for your family.

Psst, Sony, shouldn't you at least be paying me some for this ad? :p

iPhone Gaming

As I've recently started to use my iPhone more in terms of playing games, I figure I should write my impressions on some of games that are keeping me quite entertained to the surprisingly viable gaming platform. As a plus, most of these games are relatively cheap, ranging from $2 - $10 a pop.

First off, Puzzle Agent. I have Ryan Davis of GiantBomb to thank for this purchase. Puzzle Agent is quite of a mix bag. It has great presentation, a unique sense of humor and some really mind bending puzzles. Unfortunately, not all the puzzles are great. However, the story was intriguing enough to keep going to the end of the 4-5 hour game. Despite the aforementioned intriguing story though, the payoff was rather disappointing. But for $6, it is not a bad deal since it's a nice change of pace from the typical games out there and it's the kind of game that fits perfectly on the iPhone.

Solve crime by solving puzzle

The next game is Puzzle Quest 2. I really enjoyed Puzzle Quest back when it came out on XBLA 4 years back and I still played it on the PSP well until last year. It was certainly more suited as a portable game. I think Puzzle Quest 2 itself is a great game but the iPhone version suffers from the fact that the game was clearly not optimized for the iPhone. This is apparent in the menus where every button is so close to one another that going through the menu is an exercise in patience as I find myself clicking on something other than the one I wanted way more often than I would have like. I've ran into a lot of loading issues where I have to relaunch the game to load an area. The game has a lot of issues for sure, but even those aren't enough to deter me from playing the game. If you're interested in this game though, I recommend you getting the PC or probably iPad version instead.

Slim fingers recommended for best experience with this product

The last game in the list is Dungeon Hunter 2. This is an isometric loot based RPG similar to Diablo. In fact, one might even say it is a blatant copy of Diablo. That's not necessarily a bad thing since you can't play Diablo on an iPhone. The best thing about Dungeon Hunter 2 is that it is supports up to 4 players via wi-fi or even locally using bluetooth. The controls however leaves a bit to be desired, but it's more from the limitation of the iPhone's lack of a physical thumbstick. It's not going to replace Diablo or Torchlight, but if you need to sate your loot lust on the go, then this is your only viable choice.

Totally Diabolical

Games to play with other people

I bought a slew of games on discount from Xbox Live during the year end sale. Some of them are games that I've always wanted to buy and some of them are practically on a whim because, hey, they were on discount!! Pretty valid excuse to me :p

Of those games, I was really taken by two of them. The first of which is ...

Risk: Factions!

Now, the sole reason I bought this game was because Risk (the board game) has a special place in my heart because of 'a certain unforgettable event' during my days in IPBA.

Risk: Factions, however, is more than just a board game made virtually. They actually added a new mode entirely with new rule sets and factions that adds personality to the otherwise stoic board game. The standard game of Risk is also available but the new mode is so much cooler.

Any game with a fat talking cat is automatically a good game

I had fun playing the game even against AI, but I figure it would be much more fun playing against other people. There's online multiplayer, but my crap island internet connection couldn't possibly meet the demands for live multiplayer. And besides, I always enjoy couch multiplayer (ie. local play) better. This is definitely the game I'll get my friends to play whenever we get together again.

I bought Risk: Factions for around RM18 and it's certainly a bargain for such a fun game. Heck, that's even cheaper than buying the actual board game!

The other game is...

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light!

This game stars the character Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider series but plays nothing like it. The game is played from an isometric perspective (ala Diablo) and aiming is done by means of the right stick. The emphasis on this game is co-op and I can't stress enough how great this aspect of the game is.

Why did I gave such high praise to the co-op? Well, to put it simply, you and a friend will play one of two characters with different abilities and you will have to rely on each other to get around. I especially love how some of the puzzles really force players to work together.

Also of note, I can play this game with my wife and she's even enjoying it! If you're into co-op games, you should definitely play this game as this is easily the best co-op experience you're going to get right now, bar none.

Pure co-op fun

Tomb Raider and the Guardian of Light was available for RM28, though I believe both games have since been bumped back to it's regular (double) price now that the sale's over.

My personal top 10 games of 2010

10. Heavy Rain

Heavy is the only game that makes it to this list not because of how it plays, but because of how unique of a game it is. Honestly, I find the the tank-like character controls tedious and context sensitive QTEs (Quick Time Events - ie. push buttons presented on screen) doesn't make for a very compelling game. What the game excels is making the players feel fully in control of the decisions the characters have to make throughout the game and this is done even better than what has been done by any other games available today, bar none.

9.God of War 3

God of War 3 may to some people feel completely derivative of the previous 2 games in the series. And while I have to agree with that to a certain extent, the game more than makes up for it with a graphical fidelity that is simply unmatched in any other console games to date. And while the gameplay may not have evolved much since the series' debut, it is still the gold standard for games of its ilk.

8.Alan Wake

At first, I have mixed feelings about Alan Wake. It is a game that I like much more before I got to the rather lackluster ending of the game. But looking back at it, no other game has got me feeling so dying to find out what event is going to unfold next, thanks to the game's masterfully crafted story-telling .

7.Blur

Blur secures a spot on my list simply because of the awesome multiplayer experience. Not that the single-player mode is any slouch, but the game is best enjoyed playing with 10 other real people trying to make a pass while you having to avoid homing missiles from behind you and thundershocks in front of you all at the same time. It is the most frantic yet fun multiplayer game of the year for me.

6.Vanquish

In my book, no other third person feels more exhilarating than Vanquish. The experience of rocket sliding around a corner while shooting and following up with a dropkick to you enemy's face and then continue shooting at him while jumping back from said dropkicks' momentum is something no other game provides. Vanquish is poetry in motion. If whatever I wrote made no sense, the just watch the first 15 seconds of this video

5.Darksiders

Some rabid fanboys out there were quick to sum this game as a Zelda rip-off with a darker tone. But isn't that what Zelda fans have been asking for all this time. Face the fact people, Nintendo will never make a '18PL' Zelda game. Darksiders is that game.

4.Halo: Reach

I didn't think I would care this much for another Halo game but Bungie did their final Halo product justice by making it their most polished game yet, making the fight alongside the rest of the memorable members of Noble Team against increasingly impossible odds of the invading Covenant army over the planet Reach, a fight worth fighting for any fans of the Halo games. Also, the multiplayer is a lot fun as well.

3.Assassin's Creed Brotherhood

It's almost inconceivable that a game that wasn't even in development for a year would make such a good sequel to last year's amazing Assassin's Creed 2. But the folks at Ubisoft had done good in keeping what made the last game so great and adding in a load of more interesting stuff to do in the game world, enough to make this game feel more than just an expansion. Brotherhood also features the most fresh multiplayer component in any game. I mean, who would think that the single player focus game such as this would have a multiplayer that is not only functioning, but plays pretty good as well. They really done did it with this title and I can only be more excited of what's to come in the future of the series.

2.Bayonetta

If you noticed, the list really gave away my love for the character action game genre. Games like God of War 3 and Darksiders have great gameplay, but none of the even blows a candle at Bayonetta. This game takes my number 2 spot simply for having a super amazing gameplay that rewards skill, timing , and an appreciation of some good old Japanese zaniness.

1. Mass Effect 2

I'm Commander Shephard, and this is my favourite game on the Citadel.

For a game that was released in January, Mass Effect 2 managed to remain an impact to me is speaking volumes about the quality of the game. And that is partly because I practically played the game throughout the year. I would replay the game every few months, trying out different classes, and making different choices. It is a game that manages to keep me thoroughly entertained throughout its 40 hour campaign, leading to the best and last mission of the game. the fact that its so much fun even on the third time play through makes me confident enough to name Mass Effect 2 as the best game I've played in 2010.

Games of the year nominees

The following are games that I played this year and this automatically qualifies these games into my upcoming top 10 games of the year list.

2010 Games

(In alphabetical order)

1. Alan Wake - A competent third-person shooter with superb atmosphere and story-telling.

2. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood - Some incremental but terrific changes to the old game plus a very novel multiplayer mode makes this the best Assassin's Creed yet.

3. Bayonetta - So crazy it's awesome. Plus, the best use of 'Fly me to the moon' in a video game.

4. Blur - It's Mario Kart without Mario and karts are replaced with real life cars. Features a mad addictive 20 player combat race.

5. Castlevania: LoS - Still playing through the game. Seems decent.

6. Darksiders - Like Zelda and God of War got married and had a baby. One of the most surprising hit of the year for me.

7. Dante's Inferno - A pretty solid attempt at making God of War.

8. Enslaved - A sci-fi Journey to the West. Great characters. Gameplay's not too bad as well.

9. Fable 3 - Some of the changes made over Fable aren't actually for the better, but I enjoyed it even more than Fable 2.

10. Final Fantasy 13 - Very pretty. Very linear. Very heartbreaking.

11. God of War 3 - God of War in HD! Also features some of the most gruesomely brutal scenes in any games to date.

12. Halo Reach - Great single player and multiplayer game. The last and best Halo by Bungie.

13. Heavy Rain - A series of thumbstick movements and button presses as you watch a movie unfold according to your actions. Very unique.

14. Limbo - An XBLA game that is interesting at first but loses steam towards the end.

15. Mass Effect 2 - Vastly superior to its predecessor, which was already a really good game.

16. Monkey Island 2 - Hey, I finally finished this game... after like 15 years! And surprisingly, it's still a good game!

17. Red Dead Redemption - Gran Theft Horse.

18. Singularity - Looks like Bioshock. Plays almost like Bioshock. Unlike Bioshock, involves time-travelling.

19. The Secret of Monkey Island - Hey, I finished this game after 15 years too!

20. Vanquish - Like Gears of War played in fast forward. Pretty short but is one of the most pulse pounding games of the year.

And just for posterity's sake, here are games of yester-year that I finished or re-played this year

1. Borderlands
2. Demon's Souls
3. Devil May Cry 4
4. Dragon Age : Origins + Awakening
5. Fallout 3
6. Tomb Raider Underworld
7. Uncharted 2
8. Mass Effect

Hrm...looking back at this list got me thinking, for someone who has been playing much less than I used to in the days, I still play a lot! :p

Najibu the video game journalist?

All my life, I've had little choice in determining my own future. Almost everything was set by my parents. I wanted to be an artist. But NO, said my parents, and here I am today a teacher. I don't begrudge them for that. I'm sure all they want is a better life for me, and as a matter of fact, I'm doing pretty well. But ultimately, this isn't what I REALLY wanted for myself.

Having almost completely giving up on arts, my only interest now is video games. Saying that I'm 'interested' in video games, however, is a gross understatement. It's passion. Naturally, I'd want a work that I can channel my passion into. So when I heard GameAxis, the only real video game magazine in the country was looking for a writer, I knew I had to give it a shot.

I haven't heard anything back since I sent my resume for about a month, so I figured I must have not made the cut. Yet on one inconspicuous Friday, after a less than thrilling day at school, an unknown number rang up my phone, told me he was the editor of GAX, and that had been shortlisted to be interviewed for the job. I had to restrain myself from jumping in joy lest I bring down the shaky wooden house I live in.

Flash forward a week later, on the morning before the interview, one Brian Ekberg, an editor from Gamespot whom I used to admire just notified on twitter that he had resigned for another job. This post he left on his blog, which seemed just perfect to amp up my motivation for the interview, seemed to me to either be a really good coincidence, or that God was telling me that I am on the right path.

Later that day, I was there at the WriteOn Media office where I was to be interviewed. My wife, all the way with me has been very supportive and patient enough to wait at the lounge for the duration of the 2.5 hour interview. I can't thank her enough for that. Inside the interview room, that much time passed without me even realising it. I was talking to Terence Stephen, the editor-in-chief of GAX, a man who, like myself is deeply passionate about the industry. He was quite surprised to find out I am a teacher, but then again, he had had interviewees who are even lawyers and architects. There I was, in an interview for a job, and the interviewer was asking me questions like, "what's your favourite game?" It was surreal.

As part of the interview, I was tasked to write an article about a game, any game, between 500 to 800 words in about an hour. As much as I like writing about games, juggling between work and play had not left me much time to be writing a lot of game related stuff lately, so pulling off a well written article in an allotted amount of time was actually harder that it sounds. After giving it some thought, I decided to write a review of Blur, a game which I had intended to write a review for but never had the time and commitment to actually sat down and write.

Now all that's left is for me to wait. As much as I want this job, I don't think I'll be devastated if I were to be rejected. I'm a greenhorn with zero experience in journalism after all. However, Mr. Terence was kind enough to inform me that they're still looking for freelancers aside from the one full-time writer they will choose from the interview and the fact that I got shortlisted from god knows how many applicants was already pleasing enough for me. Regardless of wether I get the job, the interview was an experience that I won't likely forget... but man, it sure would be nice if I do get the job =)

Najibu's thoughts on Alan Wake

Despite a menagerie of things I had to do during the school break, I managed to finish at least one game out of the few new games I bought. That game was Alan Wake, a game that I think is one of the most surprisingly good game I've played this year.

The game plays like a mix between Resident Evil and Dead Space. I feel that Alan Wake controls better than the two games I mentioned and the result is a very satisfying shooter. Unfortunately, the game lacks variety to keep things fresh from start to finish thanks to a very limited type of weapons and enemies available in the game. The game could also use some more different settings as the bulk of the action will take place in the dark foggy forrest.

I find myself liking the game more for it's story more rather than the gameplay. The story is a well thought out one, but it's the superb story telling that really holds the game together. I especially liked the way how the game is broken into several episodes, similar to those mini series frequently aired on HBO. Each episode ends with a masterfully done cliffhanger that I find myself wanting to play more just to know what is going to happen next in the story. Each episode also begins with a quick recap of the previous episode. Honestly, I find it hardly necessary, but it's really cool so I'll give them points for that.

The game looks as good as any good 360 game but the lighting and shadow effects makes the game seem prettier than it actually is. My other complaint is the bad lip synching during the cutscenes. While not terrible, it's not up to the standard of recent games.

Alan Wake is a pretty short game - I finished it in under 10 hours, so that might keep some people off this game. My suggestion is either wait for the price to drop or borrow it from a friend. Heck, steal it if you have to (If you got caught, I won't be held responsible). The point is, despite its inherent flaws it is a game that should be played, if only to see how developer Remedy has taken story telling in video games to the next level.

For an in-depth review of Alan Wake, kindly watch this video review by GiantBomb's Brad Shoemaker.

Najibu at VGL Malaysia 2010!

In case you all hadn't heard, Video Games Live happened last Saturday. I had to leave my island prison Friday evening, rush to KL the next day, and return in the wee hours of Sunday. I got home at 4.30 IN THE MORNING for crying out loud. But. I couldn't be more satisfied that I had been to such an outrageously wonderful event.

The host, the orchestra, the vocals and the hall. Everything was top of the class.

The performance was actually pretty similar to the one I attended in Wellington some 4 years ago but there is something about watching it on my own home soil that makes it significantly better. The segments (the songs, if you are so inclined) for VGL Malaysia are catered more for the Asian audience. Meaning : there are more songs from Square, Konami and the likes. The only thing that makes it rather distasteful to me is that 90% of the songs they play are from games likely played by the attendees by rather... illegal means.

In any case, I can stress enough how AMAZING the 2.5 hour show was and I would not have second thoughts to give it another shot anytime. I only regret I couldn't get my copy of the VGL CD autographed because I couldn't possibly queue until 1am when a 4 hour drive still awaits =(

Here are some highlights of the show courtesy of Youtube.

This here is the theme for The Legend of Zelda performed by the very talented Laura Intravia

The Castlevania theme, with VGL co-creator Tommy Tallarico playing the lead guitar.

And in a surprise reveal, the last song, the encore, was Time's Scar. One of my favourite piece of all time.

I was initially a little disappointed that Liberi Fatale wasn't on the show, but Time's Scar more than makes up for it. There's plenty of other songs played including from hits such as Metal Gear, Final Fantasy and even Tetris so if you're interested hit VGL KL up on Youtube and you're bound to find something.

Lets go to VGL!

Do you like video games? What about music?

If your answers for those two questions were along the lines of "DUDE, YES!!" then you ought to be really excited for Video Games Live which is going to take place right here in Malaysia next month.

What's that, you say?

Here's a promotional poster of VGL, featuring me.

OK, maybe the 'poster' was insufficient. Simply put, it's an orchestra that plays some of the best music that has ever graced the interactive entertainment world, backed by some visual treats that one might expect in to see in a concert instead of a prim and proper orchestra. Or perhaps the talented video game composer cum VGL co-creator Tommy Tallarico can explain way better than I do.

I've had the privilege to attend VGL during autumn of 08 when it was brought to NZ shores, so I can personally attest to its awesomeness. Just the thought of watching it again makes me tingle!

Video Games Live will be going live at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on April 17th. The fact that they're having a show in the piracy central Malaysia is mind-blowing. Malaysian gamer enthusiasts especially, show some support! I'm definitely going (even if I have to take a leave from work!). Now, I'll be frank that tickets ain't exactly cheap, but if you have any passion on both games and music, it's well worth it.

For bookings and pricing, please check here.

If you want to know more about Video Games Live, I suggest you jump the official website here

Video games, time, and me

So Final Fantasy XIII came out today. For someone who absolutely loves video games, and also someone who had played the series from VII all the way to XII (minus the MMO XI), it's baffling, to even myself, that I'm not all that interested of the new game.

What could this mean? That I'm losing interests in video game?

No, if anything, I've been a much more avid gamer these days that I was when I was in my early teens.

The fact of the matter is, that time's a changing. Video games, along with the industry has gone a long way since the last decade. And so have I.

When I was 12, watching a game which had super slick full motion video (for its time) was the best thing ever. Me, now turning 25, doesn't want that in a game no more. I want to be able to actively take part in my video game journeys. And so I turn to games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, games of which are currently my definition of top-tier RPG.

I'm not, in any sense of the word, belittling Final Fantasy XIII here. I'm sure there are some pockets of people out there who are screaming in glee as they get to play the game they've been waiting years for, and it's probably for a good reason. I can't think that a Final Fantasy could possibly be a bad game.

But at this point in time, it's probably not the game for me anymore.

Najibu really likes Bayonetta

Bayonetta is now the very definition of over the top craziness. It's a character action game, much like Devil May Cry, and the similarities aren't startling since the two games are made by mostly the same guys. However instead of cool dude and heavy metal, it's sexy chick with pop, with craziness cranked to the very maximum. While still similar to Devil May Cry in gameplay, there are significant changes that differentiates the two well enough and actually makes Bayonetta even better than its spiritual predecessor. It isn't everything that I hoped it to be though, but for the most part, Bayonetta is a commendably great game.

The Good:

1. The crazy battle set pieces that is just out of this world. It's hard to talk about this without giving away too much, but I'll just say this: fighting on a moving missile is completely bananas, but also freaking awesome.
   
2. The witch time mechanic that slows down your opponents by dodging their attacks at the last possible second, which gives players the opportunity to deal more hurt to the baddies is a both rewarding and satisfying.
3. It's a beautiful game and it moves at a very smooth 60fps all the time (I've confirmed that the PS3 version has severe framerate issues though)
4. The game has a lot of reference to various video games , most of which are the dev's previous games, but also other famous games from Assassin's Creed to God of War to Halo. They are most amusing.
   
5. The game's rendition of Fly Me to the Moon. Who would've thought that song would be a combat theme, and a GOOD one at that! It's been stuck in my head since.
6. Good for newcomers and experts alike. The first 2 of 5 difficulties lets even a 4 year old play well (not that I'm recommending this game to a 4 year old) and the last 2 ensures a workout for those inclined for more challenge.
7. Those who appreciate the combat will definitely come back for more. I've replayed the game for 30 hours now.

The not-so-good

1. There are one too many cutscenes. Many of which are stylized image stills that are barely entertaining. It makes it that more annoying that to skip a scene, one has to hit start, select skip, and answer yes. A simple 1 button skip would've been most welcome.
2. Some occasional yet very noticeable screen tearing. It doesn't do any harm, but it isn't nice either.
   
3. Typical of a Japanese game, it has a story that cannot be understood in any way, shape or form. There's also this one character that makes me want to yawn hearing him speak.
   
4. It's pretty short if you're just going to play it for a single playthrough. Roughly around the 10 hour mark.

Also of note, the AU/NZ premium edition comes with this sexy replica of Bayonetta's gun. How crazy is that?! I would've totally bought it if I were still there!!

Dragon Age: Origins mini review

If you've like the old-school Dungeons & Dragons type RPG's such as Baldur's Gate or more recently, Knights of the old Republic, Dragon Age should be right up your alley, but if you missed out on those old gems, then Dragon Age should be the game to kick start you love for the genre. This is a hardcore esque RPG, where your characters' stats determine their hit ratio and damage and victory in battle has more to do with positioning and managing your team's abilities than having dexterous fingers.

It sound cumbersome, and truly, it is. Fortunately, Dragon Age remains accessible to everyone, from the newest of newbies to the stalwart dungeon crawlers thanks to the different difficulty options you can choose from. The game also has a really interesting, if not entirely original story, but unlike most other games where you're just there for the roller-coaster ride, in Dragon Age you take roller-coaster where you want to go. The sheer amount of interactive story elements in the game is astounding and this ultimately lends itself to making the story extremely immersive and also personal. I don't think there's been a finer RPG than Dragon Age in a good long while. Truly, this is the age of great video games.

The Good:

• Multiple character classes and races to choose from, each with different origins story and and various skill sets to choose from.
• Highly interactive story allowing you to shape the fiction to your whims.
• Interesting companion characters who has their own motivations to follow you on your quest. Some of which you can even flirt with, if that's your thing.
  
• Outstanding voice work overall. Especially loved the dialogue with the companion characters.
  
• A fully realized fictional world. Hundreds of codex entries to help you better understand the world you're living in, or you can simply ignore. Your choice
• Satisfyingly long, though how long depends on you play style. I played and finished it at the 65 hour mark, doing almost every side-quest I discovered (at 75% completion), including the time I spent reading every single codex entry I found, which was mountain loads.

The Not-so-good

• No voice work for the player character during conversations.
• A lot of the different monsters make the same, annoying noise.
• Lack of ability to respec your characters. I'f you screwed up leveling your characters, you're pretty much screwed.
  
• The 360 version's quality of pre-rendered videos suffer from what looks like an overly compressed video. I can't say for the PC and PS3 version.
• It will consume a lot of your time, which unless you are a student or unemployed, is not a very good thing.
  

Najibu's Top 10 - Games of 2009

The Year 10 is upon us! As a celebration for such even an occasion, I humbly present to the blogosphere, my personal pick of the 10 best games I've played throughout the year that was 2009.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand lucky no 10!!

10. I'm no fan of the racing simulator genre, and that Forza 3 had me hooked is saying something. Maybe it's the generous yet subtle driving assists. Maybe it's the elaborate livery editor. Either way, this is the definitive track based racing game of the year.

9. Assassin's Creed 2 goes into this list not so much for it's gameplay, even thought it is noticeably better than its predecessor in that regard. Rather, it's the fiction that is woven into the story-telling that captivates me. It's like playing the Da Vinci Code (the book/movie, not the game). It's that feeling when you cracked a near subliminal puzzle that makes you feel so smart is what makes the game so memorable. By the way, there is a Leonardo Da Vinci in the game too.




8. For a game that was released in February, Resident Evil 5 sure left a deep impression. How could it not really, when I've sunk above 50 hours in the single-player campaign. Something that I didn't do even to Dead Space, which is a similar game (and my pick for best game of 2008). It's the way the game is set up to allow me to jump in and out of any scenarios I want to replay and experiment with the different weapons I unlocked.



7. Infamous is a great open world third person shooter that...uh..isn't actually a shooter. Instead of relying on guns, the protagonist Cole shoot electricity from his hands! It's a rather lengthy game that is tons of fun to play. Easily the best open world game of the year. Also, a fine proof that you don't need guns to make a game better.




6. It's almost baffling that Shadow Complex is a download only Xboxlive Arcade game for the quality is above even most of the disc retail games this year. Shadow Complex breathes new life into the old side-scrolling a-la Metroid type of games and pushes the standards of a download only game. It looks, plays and is without a shadow of a doubt, one of the greats of 2009. And I should mention that it's the least expensive of them all.




5. I didn't like the story in Modern Warefare 2 much. It pushes beyond the envelope of believable, something that the previous game was. But I'll be damned if I didn't say it was fun to play. For better or worse, the game's over the top popcorn action movie setting allows for a really exhilarating shootouts that most other games just couldn't match. Honestly thought, the game would still be in this spot even without the single player campaign, for the multiplayer and spec-ops modes are the real reason for this game to be a keeper.

4. I have to admit, I don't like the combat in this game, but Dragon Age is the ultimate role-playing game in years. I appreciate the game because it let's you play the story any way you like, unlike some other RPGs I'd rather not mention. There's no light or dark side gimmick here, yet the choices presented in the game carries weight and affects the story a great deal, leading to numerous story-lines and ending that makes me want to replay the game differently. Considering that a playthrough took me almost 60 hours, even when I skipped a lot of the quests available, I'll be playing this game a lot more in months to come.



3. If I like Dragon Age for the story, I like Borderlands for the gameplay. In fact, I'd say that the fact that Borderlands has no real story whatsoever is the reason why I find it so easy to play this game again, and again, and again. It's the simplicity (or near-mindless fun, if you will) of the game that keeps me coming back for more dudes to shoot, and more loots too loot. If Gearbox keep releasing add-ons on a regular basis, I'd be more than happy to pony in some Microsoft point to keep on playing this awesome game. On a side note, I think Borderlands is the perfect companion piece to Dragon Age.

2. Who would have thunk that this game that I had little care about (and by a little known developer, no less) would turn out to be one of the best game I've played this year, not to mention that it's a *gasp* licensed game! Arkham Asylum beats all odds and caught me by surprise with its unique gameplay. No, there is no other game that plays quite like this Batman game even if you looked every nook and crany of the universe. I was even contemplating to put this game on the number 1 spot.



1. Batman was an excellent and original game, no doubt. But Uncharted 2.... hooo boy. Let me just some it up a bit. Third person shooter. Traversal (or jumping and climbing, some might say). A little hand-to-hand combat for good measure. There is nothing that hasn't been implemented in other games. The game shines brighter than the rest thanks to a masterfully crafted execution, that weaves the narrative and the gameplay naturally like no other games have. Uncharted 2 is chock full of amazing action set pieces, like fighting a helicopter on top of a speeding train, or playing a game of cat and mouse with a tank in a secluded village in Nepal, all the while desperately looking for an RPG to destroy the blasted thing. What's RPG called in Nepal anyway? Uncharted 2 seems almost as much fun to watch as it is to playbut believe me, it's actually a lot more fun to play than to just watch. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves - best game I've played this year.

Borderlands - a bite-sized review

In theory, it's not hard to imagine an FPS with RPG elements thrown in for good measure. A few games actually tried this formula. None succeeded. Then came along Borderlands.

Borderlands is a killer combination of 3 great games - the light tactical combat of Halo, combined with Modern Warfare like shooting mechanics plus controls, and the addictive nature of leveling up and collecting loot of Diablo.

If any two of those games are your cup of tea, you'll find a lot to like in Borderlands.

The game is best played with 3 other players but even on your own, the experience still holds up pretty well. Borderlands is an excellent original game that is easily one of my personal favourite title this year.

The good

• Perfect balance of FPS and RPG
• Sleek visuals
• Long, highly replayable campaign
  
• Excellent co-op game

The not so good

• Bare-bone story
• Frame-rate takes a hit when things get crazy
• No split-screen LAN play!!
  

The real terror of Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2 has been condemned by the most-likely-not-video-game-players-mass media for a multitude of reasons. It's lets you be a terrorist, says some and it's murder simulator says the other. Take my word for it that players don't give a cat poo for any of their blabberings because what essentially matters is that much like its predecessor Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2 is really fine game. Read: Game

That supposedly disturbing airport scene where you witness (and also possible to commit) mass murder - Didn't disturb me one bit, because I know better to discern real life and the game world.

The real terror is something else

It isn't about the shooting dudes in the face part.

The real terror is finding it too hard to put down the controller once I start playing the multiplayer. It's always "one more round!" after another. I actually had to make an effort to stop myself from playing, lest I find myself losing sleep and playing well till 4a.m. Such is the addictive nature of the game's multiplayer for me. And it doesn't even have achievements.

Oh, the terror!!

I love Uncharted 2

I've finally got Uncharted 2 last Saturday, played the hell out of it, finished it last night, and loved it immensely that I had another go at it today. The game play elements, though are no doubt better than the last game, hasn't changed much at all. In fact, all the cover based shooting, ledge jumping and exploration have been done to death by numerous other games in the market and in Uncharted 2, they are at best, at the standard level. So what exactly sets Uncharted 2 apart and makes it the oh-so-increadible game it is?

1. First and foremost, to me, it's the situations that these game play elements are presented in, and a lot of that has to do with the PS3's processing prowess. The game is cinematic, but rather than having you put the controller down and force 30 minutes long cutscenes down your throat, Uncharted 2 actually lets you in control of the game's many memorable cinematic sequences. There's recently talk about an Uncharted movie in the works. Screw that. This game is a better movie than any movie about this game is going to be.

2. The cast of characters in Uncharted 2, especially the protagonist Nathan Drake himself, is among the most likeable fictional characters I can think of. The interactions between the characters and Drake's frequent talking to himself moments are as believable as you and me. The writing for this game is so brilliant and witty that it often left me grinning as I play. Something that doesn't happen too often.

3. Drake is no Hero figure. He's like John Mclane, but a decidedly more likeable one. Throughout the game, the odds are almost always stacked against him, and seeing him go through all those impossible odds by the skin of his teeth is some of the most satisfyingly breathtaking moments in recent entertainment history.

If I have to name some issues, the climbing animations can look a little janky at time, and I didn't like how the game becomes unnecessarily hard towards the end, but I hated dying so much only because I was so eager to know what's next for Nathan Drake. With Uncharted 2, Naugthy Dog has created a true masterpiece of a video game.

Video Games, Sport?

"Is video game not a sport?"

Somehow or another, that was the question that had been in my mind since I got back from a game of badminton yesterday. And thus, began my quest for the truth.

The by the book definition of sports is "games and other competitive activities which need physical effort and skill". Obviously, the words in bold are its defining characteristics according to the dictionary. So let's cross reference those elements with video games and see if they match up.

Competitive: Games, as of late has been getting more competitive than ever. Gears of War and Modern Warfare are the best examples. Nowadays, it is even a standard for MMOs to include competitive Player vs Player matches. Checked!

Physical effort: This

picture taken from http://professionalprocrastinators.com/

That's probably taking it a little too far though, so I'm going to call it a no.

Skill: There's definitely an element of skill involved in video games. This is especially true in fighting games. That's why some players are better than others. Checked!

That's two for three, but the bit that it doesn't involve much physical effort is a really big factor. Of course, this wouldn't be a credible argument with just one source. The following is the the first paragraph of the Sports entry in Wikipedia (though, not that Wikipedia is the most credible source either).

Sport is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determinant of the outcome (winning or losing), but the term is also used to include activities such as mind sports (a common name for some card games and board games with little to no element of chance) and motor sports where mental acuity or equipment quality are major factors. Sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. Some view sports as differing from games based on the fact that there are usually higher levels of organization and profit (not always monetary) involved in sports. Accurate records are kept and updated for most sports at the highest levels, while failures and accomplishments are widely announced in sport news.

Mental acuity, equipment quality, commitment, fair play, and an accurate tracking of records. Every one of these things are present in video games. And from that lengthy description, the part that strikes me the most is that card games and board games are considered as sports as well.

Frickin' board games!!

Given these facts, how can video games not be considered as sports.

Ladies and gentlemen, I rest my case.

For the assassin wannabes

If you're big into video games, you'll now that Assassin's Creed 2 is rolling out this month. If you're not, there, you just found out.

In any case, you don't need to be even remotely interested in the game to enjoy this amazingly received short film that Ubisoft had conveniently made to promote the game's release.

Aside from leaving me all excited about the game, this short really leaves me wanting for a full on Assassin's Creed movie. With over a million hits within the first 24 hours of this short on youtube, I suspect the question isn't a matter of 'if' but 'when'.

Q4 Shopping List

As the year comes close to a a close, the games are coming in droves! Even with me having much more buying power than I did the same time last year I couldn't possibly afford to buy everything I want within these few months. See, there's a set of games that I want to buy just so I could play with my posse at our year-end gathering (which is only for a few days) and then there's a whole different set that I personally, really, want to play. Here's what's in the list for now, but I might change it later according to my financial standings... (note: the list only consists of games releasing before 31/12/09)

Gathering

1. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2
2. Borderlands (will buy regardless)
   
3. Band Hero (maybe)
4. Guitar Hero: Metallica (depends)
   
5. A brand new screen!
   

Personal - these are games that I will definitely get

1. Modern Warfare 2
2. Forza Motorsports 3
3. Dragonage: Origins
4. Assassins's Creed 2
5. Alpha Protocol
6. Brutal Legends
   

Actually, doesn't seem like that many things now that I listed it that way...but I still haven't calculated how much I'd need to spend for all those.

Regardless, I expect it to be a somewhat hefty sum, but not a necessarily ludicrous one either. I was also planning to get my hands on another Playstation 3 soon but it looks like that plan will have to be put on hold till next year.

[Edit] Somewhow forgot about Brutal Legends. That game wasn't very strong in my list anyways, but I am really interested in the fiction. And then there's Tekken 6, which for me is a maybe