 |
|
Feb 9th, 2008 at 00:15:54 - Condemned: Criminal Origins (360) |
GAMEPLAY
One aspect of the game I should mention is the crime scene investigations. Being a forensics agent chasing down a serial killer, you can use different tools when you encounter a crime scene to gather evidence. It's a nice concept that adds more to the game and story but it isn't something that the player directly controls. You're only able to use your forensic tools when prompted to at pre-scripted events which is unfortunate.
Playing through the second hour of this game, I noticed that the enemy AI is quite advanced. Enemies run away to grab weapons and hide behind corners and pillars to ambush you. They use feint attacks on you just to lure you into to blocking which surprised me the first time it happened. They even run away, only to pop up unexpectedly later on. I also noticed that as you progress further into the game, the psychotics you fight get more and more twisted. It's almost as if you're journeying deeper and deeper into the madness that is Metro City.
DESIGN
The mood and atmosphere of this game is done very well which really brings out the fear and tension from the player. You're always playing in almost pitch black darkness and enemies can come from anywhere. The levels are all very dark, gritty and decrepit to reflect the twisted nature of the crazies that you fight against. Sound is also exceptionally great. Every swing and thunk from your weapons sound satisfying and you can always hear where things are coming from when you're about to be attacked. Everything the developers did to set the tone and atmosphere is excellent. Even though its just a game, it really gives you an intense feeling of fear and panic which I haven't really experienced in other survival horrors, other than Fatal Frame on the PS2.
There are some issues that this game has which could be fixed in the coming sequel. The first thing is the lack of a map. Some of the levels have very similar looking hallways and rooms which could leave you a little disoriented at times when you're trying to find your way. The lack of any amount of item management also bugs me. You're only allowed to hold one weapon at a time which means you end up having to throw away guns at times to get a fire axe or shovel which is needed for passage through the next door. And, for a game that emphasizes on melee combat, there isn't a combo system at all. All of your attacks are just one big swing. Executions get old after a while, considering that there are only four of them that you can do. The forensics concept, though very interesting, shouldn't be pre-scripted events. I want to be able to figure out how to assess the crime scene myself without someone holding my hand through it. However, these are just small nagging issues which don't get in the way of an otherwise awesome and highly scary game.
read comments (1)  - add a comment  - read this GameLog  |
|
Feb 8th, 2008 at 22:51:29 - Condemned: Criminal Origins (360) |
SUMMARY
Condemned: Criminal Origins is a survival horror game for the XBOX 360. In it, you play the role of Ethan Thomas, a forensics investigator tracking down a serial killer in Metro City. However, things go horribly wrong when you are ambushed by the serial killer and are framed for the death of two police officers. You are then forced to clear your name by tracking down and apprehending the killer while defending yourself against the crazed psychotics running rampant around the city.
GAMEPLAY
When first starting Condemned, you'd think it's going to be like any other FPS out there, but in reality it isn't. This is actually a survival horror game that's set in a first person perspective but with a unique fighting element to it. Unlike other survival horrors like Resident Evil that have you relying on different kinds guns to take out your enemies, this game makes you use nothing but melee weapons. Guns are weapons that you would be lucky to find. Even if you manage to get your hands on one, the game restricts you by giving you a very limited amount of bullets. You can't even reload them since you all you have is one clip of ammo.
Which brings me to the main element of combat, melee weapons. Weapons can be found everywhere on each level, ranging from lead pipes and 2x4s to fire axes and locker doors. Anything that you can get your hands on can be used as a weapon. Additionally, your character is also armed with a taser for temporarily stunning enemies and you can also kick them for a quick strike. Each weapon has different strengths and weaknesses. For example, a fire axe may be a lot stronger than a small pipe, but the pipe can swing and block faster. Blocking and countering enemy attacks in this game is crucial to survival because you aren't able to hold onto any amount of med kits. Instead of just holding down on a button to block attacks, you have to time each block in order to deflect them. The last aspect of combat is the finishing moves. If you manage to weaken an enemy down to their last bit of health, they'll drop to their knees and you can perform one of four different finishing moves.
This game really stood out for me because of its combat dynamic. Instead of using a whole bunch of guns with hundreds of bullets, you use common everyday objects to beat the living crap out of your enemies. Being in the survival horror genre, this game is really creepy. Everything is really dark which forces you to use your flashlight throughout the whole game. The psychotics that you fight are very well detailed and have varying degrees of facial mutilation. Because of the emphasis on melee combat, the game has a very visceral feel to it. Everytime an attack connects, you can hear it as well as feel it. You can even see the teeth that fly out of your opponent when you hit them. Other than the fighting, Condemned also has an interesting story that starts out like a normal serial killer story, but gets weirder and creepier as more and more things are revealed.
add a comment - read this GameLog |
|
Jan 26th, 2008 at 02:20:34 - Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) |
Gameplay Session 2
GAMEPLAY
And here I am on my second hour of the game. I managed to kill another 2 colossi making the total 4 out of 16. What I forgot to mention in the last entry was that there is a kind of stamina gauge that determines how long your grip will last when you're clinging on for dear life on the back of 1000 feet tall monster trying to shake you off. The graphics for the game are quite amazing, considering that its for the PS2. The colossi are very detailed as well as the world that you play in. Frame rate stays surprisingly consistent for the amount detail and action that goes on while you're battling a colossus. Not much more to say about the gameplay other than that it does get a little repetitive and kind of formulaic after a while because you're basically doing the same thing over and over again 16 times.
DESIGN
This is probably one of the more innovative games for the PS2. The whole concept of not having any dungeons to explore or regular ragtag monsters to kill was something not done before by any other game. The world is very beautiful and well designed with an emphasis on big, just like the bosses. Boss design is top notch as well, with the colossi resembling fusions of animals and building structures. Challenge increases little by little after the defeat of each colossus. Each one requires a different strategy and have different weak spots that you have to find and exploit. One of the things I really love is how the AI functions. The colossi have a very animal-like nature about them. They'll realistically buckle in pain when injured and sway violently back and forth trying to shake you off. Each battle just seems epic.
As amazing and innovative as the game is, there are some bad points worth pointing out. First off is the story. There really isn't a lot of it and that really detracts the player from the whole game experience. I never really cared for the plight of the girl that I was trying to save, mainly because I just didn't know anything about her. Not adding dungeons and towns was creative, but it also created a flaw in the storyline. I think putting in a few NPCs to give more background and insight would have been nice. The game also has very little replay value. There aren't any side quests that you can complete adding to the shortness of the game. It does have some unlockables and a boss time trial run, but that doesn't really give much incentive to play the game again. Overall, Shadow of the Colossus is a game that I'd recommend everyone should try. It's one of the more unique action adventure games out there and it definitely won't disappoint.
read comments (1) - add a comment - read this GameLog |
|
Jan 26th, 2008 at 01:28:35 - Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) |
Gameplay Session 1
SUMMARY
Shadow of the Colossus is an action adventure game for the PS2. You play as a young man trying to save a girl who was a victim of a sacrifice. Armed with a magical sword, your bow, and your loyal horse Agro, you must traverse across a forbidden land and defeat 16 colossi in order to bring back the soul of your beloved. The game has a unique twist in that there are no enemies to defeat and no dungeons or towns to explore. The only thing standing between you and the goal are the 16 colossi.
GAMEPLAY
Of all the PS2 games that I've played, this is one of the more unique ones, mainly because of the lack of enemies and dungeons. The game has a bigger emphasis on the semi-puzzle element of fighting each of the colossi. Right as you start the game, you're already given your goal through a deep ominous voice. Speaking of voices, the game uses its own language which sounds like some sort of garbled asian language. Anyway, once given your goal, you're off on your way to the first colossus. In order to find each one you must reflect the sunlight off your sword. The light then focuses into a beam and acts as a sort of compass to guide your way. After finding a colossus, you have to find a way to get onto them in order to attack the weakpoints on their body. This is where the bulk of the gameplay is. The colossi themselves are puzzles that you have to solve in order to progress.
The initial feeling you get from playing Shadow of the Colossus is one of loneliness and wonder. For the course of the whole game, your only friend and companion is your horse, Agro, that you start with from the very beginning. He's with you everywhere and even serves as a key element in some of the colossi battles. The world that you play in is vast and expansive which adds more to the atmosphere and to the sense that your character is just an ant compared to the massive world of the colossi. As for story, there actually isn't much to it other than the initial cutscenes that are shown to you. There's no backstory behind the main character or the girl you're trying to save. The only thing you do know are that the 16 colossi hold within them a part of some being called the Dormin. It is through the Dormin that you will be able to bring the girl back to life. That's pretty much the bulk of the story. For this first hour, I've killed only 2 colossi.
add a comment - read this GameLog |
|
|
 |
| kt6192003's GameLogs |
|
kt6192003 has been with GameLog for 16 years, 10 months, and 22 days |
view feed xml
|
| Entries written to date: 10 |
|
