Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=456https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2994GAMEPLAY As much as I loved the first few hours of RE4, I have to admit that the more I played it, the more disappointing it got. The game starts out so strong and intense that it loses its impact after a few hours. In most games, the intensity slowly builds up to a final climax but in RE4, the most shocking and exciting moments are experienced within the first 5 hours of the game. Once the ridiculous plot started unraveling, the game started to lose a lot of its charm. The locations got more and more over the top (creepy castles, laboratories, etc.) and the terrible voice acting just pulled me out of the game. Also, the more I played, the more I felt like I was playing an action game rather than a survivor horror game. Sure it was still a lot of fun but for a game that takes itself so seriously and has so much potential, it’s a shame to see issues like this. DESIGN Technically RE4 is a stunning game. It has some of the most amazing graphics seen on the GameCube and really pushes the system to its limits. The textures, environments, and animations all look amazing. When it comes to the audio however, it fails to impress. The music is done well but it’s nothing special. The voice acting, just like every other RE game, is so bad that it hurts the overall game experience. From the fake Spanish accents to phrases that are repeated over and over again, the voice acting doesn’t even come close to some of the other titles out there on the market. While the voice acting quality hasn’t improved much since the first RE game, the camera and controls certainly have. Gone are the old fixed camera angles and wonky controls. RE4 now puts the players in the center of the action. The game is viewed from an over the shoulder camera angle that works very well with the intense edge-of-your-seat action of the game. The controls are completely overhauled too. Instead of the slow and wonky controls of the past RE titles, RE4 has a very responsive control scheme that makes getting out of tight situation a lot easier. As for the plot…well…it starts out pretty interesting but as I mentioned earlier it gets more and more absurd and unfortunately for someone like me who really enjoys good storylines, this game is a letdown. Some people may not be bothered much by it but for me, the plot is very important and RE4 completely fails in that department. Overall Resident Evil 4 is a game that must be experienced. Sure some of the design elements like the storyline, the pacing, and voice acting threw me off a bit but I still enjoyed it. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:50:12 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2994&iddiary=5630https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2994SUMMARY Resident Evil 4 is a third person Survival Horror game that puts players in the shoes of Leon S. Kennedy, a “U.S. Agent” who has been sent to an undisclosed location in Europe in search of the President’s kidnapped daughter. The game mostly consists of frantic third- person shooting (and some stabbing and kicking) with some light puzzles thrown in for variety. GAMEPLAY To say that Resident Evil 4 is action-packed and faced paced is an understatement. Ten minutes into the game and I was already faced with hordes after hordes of “zombies” chasing after me with axes, chainsaws, and other deadly tools. It was clear to me that the forth entry in the series was completely different from the past titles. While the previous three Resident Evil games relied on cheap scare tactics (zombies popping out of nowhere, etc.), RE4 is definitely a lot more frantic and the action is unrelenting. The enemies don’t simply shamble around. They mercilessly chase after the player, break windows, tear down doors, throw deadly objects, and in general are a lot more agile and hostile. For example, there is an area very early on in the game where a large group of “zombies” are gathered around a burning corpse. I had no choice but to go through them and what ensued was one of the most exciting moments in videogame history. I made my way to the fire and started shooting at the enemies with my handgun but there seemed to be no end to them. They were getting closer and closer and I had no choice but to retreat to a nearby house. I pushed a cupboard in front of the door to block off the enemies from coming in and for a minute I thought I was safe. I didn’t think the enemies were smart enough to break windows and use ladders to climb inside the building. In less than a minute, I was surrounded by dozens of zombies. As I was blasting them away one by one, one of the enemies started running towards me with a chainsaw screaming and before I could do anything he chopped “my” head right off. That had to be one of the most graphic “HOLY S***” moments I had ever played through. To describe Resident Evil 4, intense would be an understatement. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:49:45 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2994&iddiary=5629https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2734GAMEPLAY After playing the game for about 8 hours, it is safe to say that there is no variety in terms of what the player can do in the game. You travel the game world, find one of the colossi, take him down, and repeat. Of course each boss is considerably harder than the last and each one has its own unique weak point that the players must discover. Some bosses walk on two legs, some on four, some fly and one even swims. Climbing each boss is also different from the rest. For example, some are as simple as grabbing on to the fur on the beast’s body and climbing up while some require the player to sprint full speed with the horse right alongside the beast and jumping over to latch on. Sure each boss has its own strategy but the mechanics of the game remain the same. While the game may get a bit repetitive, it never becomes dull. Beating each boss motivates the player even more to find out how big the next one is and how it is supposed to be taken down. This game is the perfect example of how just how much a simple game design can do. DESIGN The graphics in this game are by no means the best on the Playstation2 but it makes up for its technical shortcomings (most notably framerate issues) with its style and artistic look. From the breathtaking landscape and imaginative creature design, to the incredibly smooth animations, this game simply looks stunning. As for the audio, the game’s music kicks in only when fighting the colossi but that’s perfectly fine since it fits the mood and atmosphere of the game so well. The gameworld itself is pretty massive but it still doesn’t compare to some other games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. As I mentioned before, the gameworld is almost devoid of any life but again it only adds to the mood and sense of isolation of the game. The only complaint worth mentioning about the game is the controls. Getting the main character to do what you want can be a bit of a hassle thanks to the somewhat wonky controls. For example climbing the horse isn’t as simple as walking up to it and pressing a button. You have to be facing the right angle and position to climb properly and sometimes when you are in a desperate situation (running away from a boss to avoid being hit) it can become a bit frustrating. But overall Shadow of the Colossus is an experience unlike any other and should definitely belong to any PS2 owner’s game collection. It is a testament to how much a game can do with the most basic of game mechanics.Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:54:44 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2734&iddiary=5199https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2734SUMMARY Shadow of the colossus is an action/adventure game unlike any other. It is one of the most simple, yet engaging videogames I’ve played to date. The entire game essentially boils down to traveling the game world in search of 16 colossi and slaying them. The concept may seem a bit dull but it is amazing how much satisfaction can be achieved with such simple, yet well implemented game design. GAMEPLAY The game begins with a cut-scene showing a young man traveling across a desolate world on horseback with a deceased girl on his lap. He arrives at a shrine of some sorts and places the girl on a pedestal. Then a voice tells him that in order to revive the girl he must track down and slay sixteen monstrous colossi scattered around the land. Armed with a sword and a bow, he climbs on top of his horse and embarks on his seemingly impossible journey. That’s it. That is the entire storyline and the only thing the player has to do in the game. The game world is almost devoid of any life and gives the player a sense of solitude and tranquility. As I started exploring the game world in search of the colossi, it became apparent that I was essentially in a wasteland with my horse being my only companion. Traveling alone, with no civilization in sight, I couldn’t help but to feel a sense of despair. The only things I could hear were the sounds of my horse’s pounding hooves and the howling wind which only added to my feeling of isolation. After a bit of traveling, I finally came across the first colossus in the game. My first reaction can be quite adequately summarized as “HOLY S***!” To say that the monsters in this game are huge is an understatement. They are without a doubt the biggest and coolest bosses in any game. Having read about this game in reviews, previews, etc I already knew what I had to do. Climb the beast, find its weak spot and take him down with my sword. And this is where the game truly shines. Finding out how to climb these walking skyscrapers without falling off or being squashed like a bug is the most fun I’ve had in a videogame in quite a while. After a few tries I finally found the giant’s weak point, thrust my sword in it and watched him collapse. The sense of accomplishment that the players feel for bringing down a massive beast with only a sword is something that is seldom seen in other videogames. And with that, I was off to slay the remaining beasts. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:54:07 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2734&iddiary=5198https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2388GAMEPLAY: Another thing worth mentioning about the gameplay is the creative radar system. The game requires players to proceed with extreme caution. In the upper corner of the screen there is a radar that alerts players to the location of enemies. Each enemy has a cone shaped line if sight. The player must try to avoid entering this cone in order to avoid detection. If the player is spotted, the enemy will sound the alarm and the radar will be jammed until the alarm timer reaches zero. As the payers progress through the game they encounter some of the most imaginative and memorable boss characters in gaming history. They each have an incredibly deep and rich background story that make the players sympathize with them and their cause. Also, the way some of the boss encounters are carried out is pure genius. As an example one of the many bosses in the game is a powerful psychic named Psycho Mantis. He has the ability to read people’s minds and can anticipate the player’s every move. There is only one way to beat him: plug the PlayStation controller into the second controller slot so that he can’t read your mind. If that’s not creative then I don’t know what is. DESIGN: What starts out as a simple covert mission to disarm the terrorists, slowly turn into one of the most complex and well written plots in any videogame. If I wanted to explain the storyline then I would have to dedicate a whole paper to it. Let’s just say it involves themes that range from cloning and genetic research to government conspiracies, betrayal, love, and the dangers of nuclear weapons. The graphics are obviously outdated by today’s standards but back in 1998, Metal Gear Solid had the most incredible graphics seen in any videogame. Not only did the game look amazing but the attention to detail was simply amazing. The audio was (and still is) among the best in videogame history. From the orchestral music to the top-notch voice work, this game set the benchmark for what videogame audio should be. I think it’s more appropriate to call Metal Gear Solid an interactive movie rather than a game. Saying that there are a lot of cut-scenes in this game is an understatement. I’m not exaggerating when I say that 40% of the game is cut-scenes. The story is such an essential part of the game that at times it feels as if the players are “playing” a movie. Some criticized the game for its short length and long cut-scenes but for those who enjoy a good storyline, this is a must-buy. 10 years after its release, Metal Gear Solid is still one of the best videogames I’ve played Fri, 08 Feb 2008 02:09:16 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2388&iddiary=4536https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2388SUMMARY: Metal Gear Solid is a tactical stealth game that was released on the original PlayStation way back in 1998. Unlike most games of its time, the game put emphasis on stealth rather than all-out action and gunplay. It was also the first game to give players a true cinematic experience with its then unheard of level of storytelling and voice acting. The game puts players in the shoes of Solid Snake, a former member of a special forces unit who is brought out of retirement in order to deal with a rouge group of terrorists who have captured a nuclear weapons disposal facility in Alaska. As Solid Snake, players must penetrate the enemy base, rescue the hostages, and eliminate the terrorist threat. GAMEPLAY: As mentioned before, Metal Gear Solid is a stealth game at its core. The player must navigate through the game without being detected by the enemy and there are many ways to achieve this. Crawling under objects, using boxes as cover, hiding behind walls, distracting enemies by making noises are just some of the ways that players can avoid detection. If detected, a timed alarm is set off which draws the enemies to Snakes location. During the alert phase players must hide and remain undetected until the alarm timer reaches zero. The game itself is controlled from an elevated third-person perspective. While the camera isn’t controllable by the player, the game moves the camera around every now and then to allow for a cinematic view of the action. The game starts out with Snake infiltrating the enemy base alone and unarmed. The only options are to remain hidden or to take down the guards with your bare hands. Of course as players progress through the game, they will find plenty of weapons, rations (which restore snake’s health), gadgets (such as thermal and night vision goggles), and other handy items that are all essential to snake’s success. Players can also remain in contact with snake’s support crew using a tiny earpiece called a Codec. Basically each contact has a set frequency that players can dial in order to gather hints and tips on how to play the game or what to do when they are lost. Once the players get the basics down, the story starts kicking in and that’s when the game really picks up (more on the story later). Fri, 08 Feb 2008 02:07:56 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2388&iddiary=4535https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2014GAMEPLAY: As I said before the game’s story starts out a bit slow but it really starts to pick up once all the playable characters join the party. Sure the character development isn’t as fleshed out as some of the other Final Fantasy games (such as FFVIII) but at least the plot is much more believable and is somewhat relevant to real world issues. Gone are the clichés of the past titles (rescue the princess, save the world, etc.) and instead players are treated to the most mature storyline out of any FF game. The gameworld is huge and it may take hours to get from one side of the map to another (that is until players gain access to the airship). The huge gameworld does however bring about some new problems that didn’t plague past FF titles. Exploration can become a bit tedious (especially in later parts of the game). There is also a lot of backtracking involved which makes traveling a hassle at times. It would have been nice to have faster forms of transportation a bit earlier in the game. To be fair though, there are some satisfying rewards for traveling the world. Also each city is incredibly detailed and is filled with many NPCs (non-playable characters) that really bring the world of Ivalice to life. another thing worth noting is the difficulty level. This game is definitely on the harder side of the spectrum. In fact some of the optional boss battles are nearly impoosible to beat. But I suppose that only helps make the game more rewarding. DESIGN: FFXII is probably the most ambitious FF to date. Technically it does things that were thought impossible on the PS2. The graphics are impressive to say the least. In fact FFXII is one of the best looking (if not the best looking) PS2 game on the market. The voice acting is superb and the script is very professionally written. Thank God there are no more awkward conversations like in FFX. If there is anything worth complaining about in FFXII’s audio department, it’s the music. While there is nothing bad to be said about the soundtrack, it simply isn’t as memorable as past FF games. In any case the FFXII world is very expansive and it took me well over 80 hours to finish the game (including all the side-quests). As I said before FFXII is a different beast from the rest of the FF games but I for one am not complaining. The changes made to this game are definitely refreshing considering the fact that many RPGs in today’s market play exactly the same with maybe a few minor changes. Overall I was very impressed by this game. It may not have the same impact that FFVII did back on the original PlayStation but Final Fantasy XII is still one of the best PS2 games to date and is definitely a worthy entry in the Final Fantasy series. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:34:34 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2014&iddiary=3949https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2014 (This entry has been edited2 times. It was last edited on Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:34:48.)Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:22:10 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2014&iddiary=3946https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2014SUMMARY: Final Fantasy XII is the last PS2 entry in the insanely popular RPG series by Square-Enix. This iteration takes place in the world of Ivalice, a world engulfed in war between powerful empires and the neutral kingdom of Dalmasca is cought in the middle of all this chaos. The game begins at a time when Dalmasca has been occupied by the all powerful Archadian Empire. Players assume the role of Vaan, a young Dalmascan citizen who has decided to stand up to the invaders. Thus begins Vaan’s quest to take back Dalmasca from the occupying Archadian army. GAMEPLAY: Let’s get one thing out of the way: this is no typical Final Fantasy game. Gone are the random enemy encounters that broke the flow of the game. FFXII has an entirely new action-oriented combat system that allows players to move while in battle (as opposed to past FF games where the player stood still while deciding what to do) and the fixed camera is now fully controllable with the right analog stick. However even though at first glance this game looks more like a typical action/adventure game, it still plays like an RPG. Attack, defense, and speed are still determined by numerical stats and players still have to wait for their bar to fill up before they can make a move. I’ve already beaten the game and I know that the first few hours of the game start s bit slow as they serve mostly to introduce the player to the new mechanics of the game (gambits, license boards, quickenings, etc.). There isn’t much character development until later on. In fact the motives of some of the characters aren’t really revealed until a good 30 hours into the game. Considering the fact that character development is such a huge part of any FF game, it is a bit surprising to see that the game focuses more on the warring nations as opposed to the characters themselves. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:21:40 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2014&iddiary=3945https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1652GAMEPLAY: I’m about seven hours into the game and although the mission structure is starting to get a bit repetitive (get to the next city, talk to a few people, gather hints, assassinate someone, escape), there are just so many things to do and places to travel to that it never gets boring. The first few hours I mostly spent my time traveling around the game world but obviously the game is not just about exploring. There is definitely a lot of fighting too. When I started the game I wasn’t really familiar with the combat system so I tried to button mash my way out of it but it didn’t really get me anywhere. I had no choice but to try to avoid getting into any sort of confrontation with the guards unless I had to. However at this point in the game, I’ve learned some new moves (dodging, countering, etc.) that make the fighting more entertaining. The finishing blows are usually in slow motion and make me look like a total bad-ass. The combat system is pretty fun but it is no God of War. There’s nothing particularly bad about the system but it feels a bit too simple especially since there is only one button used for attacking. As for the story goes, I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone who is reading this but let’s just say that it involves going back and forth in time to try to change the future. For me personally (and I know many disagree with me) the storyline can either make or break a game. I absolutely loved the Legacy of Kain games simply because of their deep storylines. On the other hand, even though Resident Evil 4 was one of the biggest games of the decade, I wasn’t pulled into it as much as I should have because the storyline was so simple and cliché. With Assassin’s Creed, the storyline has been engaging so far but I have yet to see how it all unfolds. I really hope they don’t end the game with a disappointing ending (Halo 2, I’m looking at you). DESIGN: In my opinion this is the first true next-gen title on the market. While games like Halo 3, Bioshock, Call of Duty 4, Ratchet & Clank Future, etc. all claim to be "next-gen", none of them really do anything to differentiate them from what I've been playing for years on my PS2 and X-Box. Sure the graphics, audio, presentation, etc. have all improved but Assassin's Creed is so far the only game that actually FEELS next-gen. from the huge size and scope of the game to the incredible amount of freedom that the player has to go anywhere he/she chooses, this game screams next-gen. The graphics are amazing especially considering the size of the game. The level of immersion is unrivaled. There are no cut-scenes and the story is told entirely in-game. The cities look so amazing and believable that I honestly have little doubt that that’s what they actually looked like centuries ago. Speaking of believability, the animations in this game are almost life-like (no I’m not exaggerating). The controls, although a bit confusing at first, are quite intuitive and the storyline is very engaging. But perhaps the best thing about Assassin's Creed is that it makes the player want to PLAY the game, not finish it. The tension that builds up before the player assassinates an important public figure and the rush to escape the city after the assassination with dozens of guards chasing after the player through the heavily populated cities make some of the most exciting and exhilarating moments in recent videogame history. Add to that the sandbox elements, the huge size and scope of the game, the simple yet engaging combat system, and the ability to climb literally anything the player sees and you have a game that easily stands above the rest of the pack and shows the true potential of next-gen gaming. That's not to say that this game is perfect. There is definitely room for improvement. If Ubisoft decides to make a sequel, they should add more variety to the missions, more interaction between the player and the NPCs (non-playable characters) and improve the A.I. Still, in my opinion Assassin’s Creed is the best game available for the 360 and PS3 so far. Sun, 13 Jan 2008 19:55:30 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1652&iddiary=3420