Game Reviews

X-MEN PC

2009-05-05T01:29:00.000-07:00

We've been anxious to get our hands on Raven Software's upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine game since getting the rundown on the promising game from our Australian compadres. As longtime comic-book fans, we've pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that Wolverine would likely always be neutered in some fashion as far as games were concerned. A slightly mental Canadian killing machine with a short temper, an indestructible metal skeleton with matching claws, and the ability to heal just about any wound doesn't fit into your standard game archetype. That said, Raven seems to be finding its way with its upcoming take on the mighty mutant. We had the chance to get our hands on a few levels of the Xbox 360 version of the game and were very happy with where Raven's going with the game.

We had the chance to try out four levels--Jungle, Alkali, Spillway, and Agent Zero--that let us get a proper feel for the upcoming M-rated action game. As we noted in our last look, Raven isn't shying away from Wolvie's penchant for slicing, dicing, and general goring. The jungle level was, wait for it, set in a jungle filled with mercenary types eager to perforate everyone's favorite Canadian mutant. The level is essentially the start of the adventure and featured the expected tutorial messages to walk you through Wolverine's move list. Although the game features an experience and leveling system that will amp up your various attacks and abilities, we're pleased to report that Logan doesn't feel neutered at the start of the game. You'll be able to kick butt with a respectable amount of bad assery using normal and heavy attacks, grabs, and, what is easily our favorite move, the pounce attack. The level kicks off with a cinematic that shows our boy heading off to a mission in a helicopter that is eventually shot down. At that point you take control of Wolverine as he falls to the ground in a pseudo-skydiving sequence, sans parachute. Thankfully, if you're able to aim your fall properly, your landing will be cushioned by an unfortunate merc who definitely should have stayed in bed that day. Once you're on the ground, you'll guide the clawed Canuck through the jungle, slicing and dicing your way through the enemy forces like a hot knife through butter. The action varies from down-and-dirty combat--which finds you facing mobs of foes that you deal with by using attacks, grabs, throws, and the environment (such as throwable or exploding objects as well as unique kill spots)--to stealthier bits in which you sneak up behind unsuspecting saps and gut them up close and personal.

The level also let us try out the incredibly satisfying finishing moves that reward timed button presses with shudder-inducing cinematics of gory death. Aside from the basics, the game features dodge and counter systems to let you avoid or reverse attacks. As if that wasn't enough, Wolverine's healing factor and enhanced senses are used very smartly. The healing factor does what you'd expect and heals a fair amount of the damage that you receive, letting you go toe to toe with some heavily armed enemies. That said, there are some limits to how much it can save you, and an onscreen bar will let you know if you've taken too much damage and have to hide for a bit to heal up. Once your healing-factor bar is whittled down, your proper health starts to go rather quickly when you're attacked, which can lead to death if you're not careful. Wolverine's enhanced senses, triggered by hitting up on the D pad, show you the world through a blue filter and let you see useful areas to climb, direct you where to go next, and even let you spot hidden or cloaked enemies. Honestly, we can't go on enough about how well all of the systems capture Wolverine's abilities. Unlike other games that have taken a stab, pun intended, at capturing the mutant, this one doesn't feel like it has compromised much for the sake of a game formula.

As you take out enemies in the various creative ways that the game affords you, you'll earn experience that will enhance different attacks, abilities, and attributes for the surly antihero. In the work-in-progress version of the game that we played, this also meant that Wolvie would spontaneously sprout a spanking-clean tank top every time he leveled, which was a funny sight to see. Given how much punishment he takes, Wolverine's clothes take a pretty hefty beating. As much of a badass as Wolvie is, gaining levels is essential because the enemies that you face become smarter and much more powerful, and some even have superpowers, which forces you to fight smartly as the game progresses.

The Alkali level found our boy punching his way out of a military installation (which is something he seems to do awfully frequently) and facing off against assorted soldiers determined to keep him in. The level is a bit further into the game and showed off the enhanced combo attacks that Wolvie can do. We have to say that we were really pleased by the flexibility of the combat system and the different death-dealing options available to the creative player. Timed deflection of bullets and unique pounce combos are very cool things that we discovered while playing.

The deflection mechanic is key for the Spillway level, which follows Wolverine as he tries to beat an oncoming rush of water by leaping onto moving jeeps that are also trying to get out of the rush of liquid. Pouncing your way from car to car is essential, but after a few cars your foes take to shooting rockets at you. Although the incoming projectiles are almost impossible to dodge, especially if you're in midpounce, you can clear your way through without much fuss if you wait until you're shot at and then simply deflect them back at your enemies. The timing on the deflection takes some getting used to, but it's a breeze once you master it.

The Agent Zero level plays a bit with the skydiving section that we saw at the start of the game and has you leaping in the air between moving helicopters. Though the concept is somewhat similar in spirit to the Spillway level, the gameplay is very different and fun. Once you make it onto a helicopter, you'll have to dodge gunfire from the pilots, who can pretty much guess what's coming once you land on their copter, and do enough damage to fell the vehicle. As the helicopter you're currently on goes down, you'll have to leap and control your fall to the next one. Pro tip for prospective players: avoid the rotors while landing, trust us. The last helicopter that you land on, with Agent Zero on it, changes up the mechanic some and has you shoving Wolvie's claws into the moving rotors to jack them up. The sequence is tricky but very satisfying when over.

As far as the story goes, the game has some ties to the movie but does its own thing in a number of places. The action is a mix of flashback and present-day events that follow chunks of Wolverine's unique life. Although we weren't able to get a full grip on what was going on because we jumped around a bit in the game for the various levels, suffice it to say that our boy has led a rough life. The dedicated CG cinematic sequences as well as the interactive cinematics in which you take control of Logan are looking quite good and should please comic and movie fans.

In terms of the game's look, the visuals are coming together greatly, with Wolvie looking very much like Hugh Jackman. This is especially true in the sweet cinematics done by Blur, the same group responsible for the movies in the original Marvel Ultimate Alliance. The environments and effects are all looking very sharp. We like the effects used for his enhanced-senses vision, and we can't go on enough about the inventive displays of gore, especially the finishers. The lovefest also extends to the way that the game shows off Logan's healing factor. Raven is using a procedural effect for how it displays on his body; you'll see him get progressively perforated, even to the point where there's some decent-sized holes in his skin that you can see through, exposing the adamantium skeleton. Once he starts to heal, the various wounds and holes will slowly close, shifting to gashes, then bruises, and then returning to normal. Not only does it look cool, but it also nails the way that his abilities have been shown in the comics. Key to our enjoyment of all of this has been the game's frame rate, which is fast and smooth. There's nothing worse than getting your killing groove on only to be brought to an awkward stutter by a choppy frame rate. That said, there are definitely some issues with the game's camera, which, if you go on a pouncing and killing frenzy, can make it tough to follow the action.

The audio is coming along well and serves as a good complement to the action. You'll hear plenty of satisfying snikts and claw effects as you go about your business. The same is true for weapon fire and ambient effects, such as grown men dying and some shouting of orders tossed in. The game's score definitely has a sweeping feel to it in spots, which is perfect for setting tone and harkens to the film. Hugh Jackman is on hand to voice Wolverine, which helps give the game that extra layer of cred.

Based on what we played, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the closest that we've ever seen a game come to delivering the Wolverine experience that we've wanted. The combat is brutal and fast, and his powers are represented authentically. Although we're hoping that the problematic camera can be tightened up, the sheer fun of gutting fools is there. Movie and comic-book fans will most definitely want to check out Wolverine when it ships this May for the Nintendo DS, PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PSP, and Wii in time with the movie. Look for more on the game in the coming months.

Velvet Assassin

2009-05-05T00:58:00.000-07:00

Velvet Assassin makes heavy use of darkness to bring to light the events of World War II. As an espionage agent fighting behind enemy lines, you slip in and out of shadows, silently stalking through dimly lit streets and grimy prisons as you attempt to sabotage the Nazi war effort. But the darkness in Velvet Assassin is more than just a cover for satisfying stealth play. The grim realities of war are also present, giving added weight to your objectives and a moral backbone to your killings. As you slink through burning Parisian villages and witness innocent civilians being executed for no reason, the chilling brutality of war becomes clear. The unsettling atmosphere drives you ever deeper into this ravaged land, but a few gameplay problems hinder the suspension of disbelief. Sluggish gunplay and nonexistent enemy intelligence make your actions feel artificial at times, lessening the impact of these atrocities. However, Velvet Assassin is largely able to rise above these issues and present a powerful, unnerving look at one of history's darkest periods.

You assume the role of Violette Summer, a British assassin sent alone to slow down the German war machine. When the game begins, you see yourself from above, lying in a hospital bed after a mission gone terribly wrong. There are morphine syringes scattered across your bed, and the influx of drugs in your system creates a series of dreams that let you recount your past missions. As your efforts in the war play out, Violet begins to question the events around her, making her character empathetic and believable. Interspersed with these flashbacks are quick looks at the present, in which two Allied soldiers stand above your hospital bed, trying to decide your fate. The story is told in brief snippets, which makes it initially difficult to follow what's going on. But as the plot becomes clearer, the moral decision looming overhead becomes more powerful, casting all of your actions in a new light.

The 12 missions have you fighting single-handedly against the German forces, assassinating a war criminal, destroying a fuel depot, and other objectives typical for the setting. For the most part, you must rely on stealth to meet your goals. The levels are blanketed in darkness, providing ample cover for you to weave through the disturbing setting. Troops patrol all around you, and if you can silently sneak behind them, you trigger a brief execution scene. The absolute patience needed to stalk through these missions is tense and rewarding, mixing the fear of being spotted with the relief of creeping through a particularly dangerous situation unseen. The levels are often linear, providing only the odd alternate route that leads to a hidden supply of weapons or armor, but there is still plenty of creativity needed to achieve success. Figuring out how to reach your goal in the most efficient way is hugely satisfying because no two situations play out in the exact same way.

In addition to stealth attacks, there are a few other ways to kill your enemies. You can release toxic gas from a barrel to suffocate them, pull the pin off of the grenade of an oblivious soldier, and send a current of electricity surging through a puddle of water on the floor. These different attack abilities add a layer of depth and cunning to your adventure, which makes you carefully plan the best way to kill the German forces. The strangest way to dispatch your foes is by using morphine. You can use the drug to enter a dreamlike, invulnerable state in which you can easily take out one enemy before you snap back to reality. The amount of morphine available in a level is extremely limited, so you can't rely on this supermove as a crutch, but it still clashes with the ultrarealistic setting.

You can also kill your foes using a traditional firearm. Like the morphine, ammunition is limited, so you can't rely on your guns too often. However, the aiming controls are too sluggish to provide satisfying deaths. It's easy enough to line up a headshot when you aren't moving, given that you have the element of surprise on your side, but when troops have spotted you and are moving in fast, the gun is too erratic to be effective. For the majority of the game, the lousy gunplay won't hamper your enjoyment. The levels are designed for stealth kills, and using the gun as a last resort serves as an adequate line of defense. But there are a few poorly designed instances in the game in which you must shoot down a number of fast-approaching troops, and the sloppy mechanics are simply not up to the task. It's frustrating and unrewarding, and you'll rely more on luck than skill when you finally shoot down the last soldier.

The solid though unspectacular stealth action gives rise to thrilling moments, but it is the chilling atmosphere that makes Velvet Assassin so engrossing. The lighting is particularly impressive. From the orange hues of a level that plays out during sunset to a blue cloud enveloping a dock at night, the levels are all unique and realistic. But it's the feeling that these levels call forth that is even more startling. In one, you slink through a Gestapo prison that is punctuated by cries for help followed by nerve-rattling gunshot blasts. In another, you creep through a burning Parisian village. As you crouch down behind walls, you will be face to face with slaughtered civilians. The levels are grim and disturbing, continually thrusting unsettling imagery to the forefront, never letting you forget what is happening all around you. The music sets the perfect mood perfectly, using pounding beats to make you anxious and unnerved. The atmosphere creates a feeling of claustrophobia, as if there is no way out, surrounded by violent forces everywhere you look.

Unfortunately, just like the wonky gunplay's tendency to partially undermine the combat, the artificial intelligence often breaks the feeling that you are in a desolate war zone. The enemies are extremely robotic, walking determinately along a preset path; outside stimuli rarely distract them from their orders. Soldiers will often not react to shadows being cast on the wall or fuse boxes being blown. The inhuman dedication to marching feels out of place in the realistic setting, taking away the surprise that a more adaptable AI would have injected. Although the German troops are predictable to a fault, it doesn't completely destroy the immersion. Sections play out like a methodical puzzle game, making you carefully plan your route lest you be found by a foe. The game is able to stay tense throughout because the penalty for being spotted is high, but it's impossible to overlook the stupidity of your enemies.

Even though your enemies are as dumb as wood, they still create a feeling of empathy not present in many war games. As you sneak around bases, you can eavesdrop on conversations that give your attackers personality. For instance, in one level, two soldiers quarrel over a stolen bar of chocolate, and in another, they reminisce about the women and wine they enjoyed in France. But these conversations are not merely superfluous looks at the yearnings of a soldier. Sometimes they reveal their darker side, which makes it more rewarding to kill them off. In one level, a soldier explains in meticulous detail how best to burn bodies that have been dumped in a ditch. In the prison level, a soldier proposes a game of rabbit hunt: a disgusting activity that involves shooting prisoners as they try to run free. There are also letters scattered throughout the levels that show the desperation that some of these troops felt. One soldier writes a heartfelt letter to his wife, telling her how miserable and suffocating military life is. These emotional moments paint the soldiers as real people and add a lot of weight to your actions.

The desolate atmosphere and empathetic look at your enemies make Velvet Assassin a powerful war game. It's bleak and grim, making the horrors of war come to life in disturbing fashion. The lousy gunplay and moronic AI dilute some of the intense realism on display here, but the game is able to stand out despite these problems. Creeping slowly through the shadows is tense and believable, and pulling off these seemingly impossible objectives is deeply satisfying. Velvet Assassin offers a brutal depiction of war, creating an experience that is horrific but still rewarding.

Lost Odyssey

2008-11-04T02:16:00.000-08:00

*****

Lost Odyssey is the latest JRPG from Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Mistwalker Studios.

*****

Gamers who have played through pretty much any Final Fantasy game will feel right at home the moment they take control of Kaim, the main character in Lost Odyssey. The game is huge—it comes on 4 DVDs, which guarantees many days of gameplay.

After a truly spectacular opening sequence, the journey begins with Kaim Argonar, a thousand year old immortal, surviving the deadly impact of a meteor crash on a battlefield. There are three other immortals and they have all lost their memories. They are all searching for their identities and their memories, which they unlock through the game in the form of dreams, revealing the key to thwarting a sinister plot threatening two worlds.

Kaim is the strong silent type, the mysterious hero with a soulful scowl and a deep sea of unfathomable secrets. But he doesn’t struggle alone; Lost Odyssey does not neglect the rest of its fascinating cast. Lady pirate Seth, benevolent queen Ming, the simple and noble prince Tolten and several others provide companionship. All their lives intersect at one point or another. The storyline is serious, but comic moments are plentiful and most of it involves the inadvertent spy Jansen. He is a flamboyant ladies’ man and one of Kaim’s very first companions, managing to be both annoying and charming.

The main story follows a predictable path but it is really beautiful and is about self discovery and the timelessness of the relationships we develop. The memories of our hero and his companions are presented in simple but effective sequences and are recounted via stylized text, accompanied by static images and subtle music. They make for a good amount of reading, but if you skip through these memories, you will miss the game’s most touching and heartfelt moments. In fact, these moments make you stop everything and consider how beautiful and cruel life can be at the same time.

Virtually everywhere you go, someone can provide a morsel of helpful information. Talking to everyone you see, from boring old innkeepers to hyperactive children is very useful—you never know whose knowledge will lead you to a special item or prompt one of Kaim’s memory-inducing dreams. The story is just that much richer when you get the perspective of the people in it.

Some quests are more elaborate than others; for example, one puzzle will have you paying your respects to 16 statues scattered all across a mountain village, while another will require you to play tag with a young girl.
One of the weak aspects of the game is combat. It is typical JRPG—turn based and random. You can attack, use an item, cast a spell, defend, activate a skill and even attempt to flee if the situation gets too hot to handle. Weapons are pretty boring as none hold any special properties whatsoever; they have an attack rating and nothing else. Spells and most enemies are based on the usual Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water elements which counter each other.

Combat animations take an astonishingly long time, slowing everything down. Enemies and combat animations are the prettiest part of the game, and are in fact outstanding examples of next-generation beauty. For every round of battle, you must choose what you want each character to do—fight, cast a spell, defend, etc. What you can’t decide directly, however, is when your characters will perform their actions during each turn.
Each member of your party has a speed rating that serves as a baseline for when they will perform their maneuvers, but many factors (such as spells and status effects) can go into changing that speed. When you’re choosing what action to perform, you won’t be able to see the turn order of the upcoming round—only once the battle sequence begins will you see who is attacking via a row of icons on the bottom-left of the screen.

In addition, each monster has his own speed rating that has to be factored in—pay attention to when a monster attacks, as a given monster tends to strike at the same time during every round of battle. There are a number of ways for you to engage in battle. Most of the time, battles will occur randomly while you are in field and dungeon areas.
You can save your game by standing near glowing orange save points. Save often, even in towns, as challenging areas tend to sneak up on you.

A couple of additions to the combat and leveling system add to the thrill. There is an interesting ring building system. Defeating enemies and searching through the huge game world will earn you components which you can combine to form “rings”, which offer hand-to-hand combat bonuses. The first few rings created can be upgraded with other components or combined with other rings to turn them into more exotic and powerful ones. Rings can be switched anytime during combat without losing a turn. This allows you to use a water-based ring against a fire-based monster, etc.

Equipping a ring also adds an interactive element to combat. As your character runs towards an enemy to attack, a targeting ring appears on screen. This is the ‘Aim Ring system’ in action. Holding the left trigger creates a second Aim ring which begins on the edges of the screen and quickly shrinks in. Release the trigger when the Aim ring overlaps the target ring. Do it perfectly and you will dish out bonus damage; miss and you actually hear the character curse on screen.

Your party consists of a mixture of humans and immortals. A human acquires skills and spells as they level up. Immortals are quite different—they learn skills and spells from the humans in your party and from the accessories they use. At the end of combat you earn your standard XP and also ‘Skill’ points. You don’t use skill points as you might in other RPGs. Instead, SPs progress you towards learning a specific skill you have linked to a human party member or from an accessory which you are wearing. This also creates an interesting dynamic between mortals and immortals. When an immortal falls in battle, he or she is automatically resurrected after a few turns. But immortals can learn certain skills only from humans who must be fighting alongside.

Powered by the awesome Unreal 3 Engine, Lost Odyssey boasts stunning visual fidelity and rendering quality. The technology pushes high definition visual designs to a higher level and brings out the smallest details in the largest battles. Story sequences are penned by the award-winning Japanese novelist Kiyoshi Shigematsu, artwork is handled by famed Japanese comic artist Takehiko Inoue, and renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu creates a soulful yet contemporary soundtrack.

Lost Odyssey sets a new benchmark for the RPG genre with a combination of true-to-life cinematics and a heart-wrenching story of an immortal man and his companions. The massive worlds, memorable characters and epic story play together as an intense blockbuster film.
If you have an Xbox 360 and you are an RPG fan, I would definitely suggest you go out and get Lost Odyssey. It is not just a great game but also a heart-touching experience that you’ll remember for a very long time.

Fifa Street 3

2008-11-04T01:59:00.000-08:00

Football has always been and will always be the people’s game. It’s never a Cinderella story in this game, because most players rise from obscurity to become legends. The basic necessity of football has always just been a football and a few players ready to do anything to get that ball. This is why most football is played on the streets. Electronic Arts felt that this was reason enough to start the FIFA street franchise after launching successful “street” titles for NFL and NBA.

The launch of FIFA Street in 2005 was a refreshing change from previous football game titles as gamers got to pull off astounding moves and play free-flowing and mesmerizing football with a massive array of tricks. The Street titles have always been criticized for a lack of realism and while FIFA Street 2 was a bit more realistic and coupled with longer gameplay than FIFA Street, it too had its share of problems. Innovation probably proved to be a challenge for the developers as the game had a seemingly simple premise.

FIFA Street 3 changes almost everything and we have a brand new game with a new feel and more advanced gameplay. FIFA Street 3 is a game that has been around for a while but some games tend to go unnoticed even though they truly are innovative. This game can be a classic and based on not just gameplay but also on presentation, graphics and sound.

Gameplay

So far the Street titles have been about pulling off audacious tricks and leaving your opponent crawling on the floor but it has never been about being a good team or playing intelligent football. FIFA Street 3 addresses this problem of realism first. Goals win games, not tricks and no matter how spectacular the trick is, it is forgotten as fast as it happened if it does not lead to a goal, much like Andriy Shevchenko was after transferring from A.C Milan to the Chelsea bench. The controls are very simple and intuitive, yet for beginners it will take some adjustment. Tricks in the game are in three basic broad categories, drags, flicks and juggling. The game is played at a very fast pace with hard-hitting defending. Defending can be challenging as strength and skill is factored in, but there is an auto-defend button which is very useful, if timed properly.

The system of trick points is completely eliminated and you no longer have to calculate how many more nutmegs you need to get your gamebreaker. This paves the way for worrying more about scoring than getting past Gattuso. Like other street games the environments can be used to perform tricks or even pass the ball around and if you use the environment well, it will be hard to get the ball off you. All of this adds realism to the game and you see how momentum can shift and get the best out of your team. Keep the ball, beat opponents and gain momentum.

Sound

The music in this game just fits perfectly with the attitude and the nature of this game. “This has always been a game with global underground credibility, and our responsibility is to always take its music to the next level,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing at EA. “For FIFA Street 3 we’ve created a soundtrack that digs deep into hardcore electronic culture, bringing together the genre’s most radical breakthrough artists from more than a dozen countries. It’s more than just the world sound of the streets; it’s the sound of FIFA Street.” This was the bold statement made at the unveiling in January 2008 but it truly does reflect the street football culture. It’s not just the music that grabs you, because while playing the game, the players talk as well. For instance, if playing with Spanish players Xabi Alonso or Torres and they have the ball, a Spanish voiceover starts commenting and asking for the ball in Spanish. Likewise with other nationalities and this really adds to the richness of characterization. The sound in this game is immersive and you feel like a real street footballer, getting involved in the game and asking for the ball.

Graphics

By far, one of the fun factors in this game has to be the graphics. The players in the game are mildly exaggerated and have a caricatured look. FIFA Street 3 uses the NBA Street Homecourt engine to great effect to make some of our larger-than-life players, well actually pretty large. Big strong defenders look quite beefy and have massive frames while certain players like Ibrahimovic stand like giants amongst other players dwarfing them easily. Peter Crouch stands tallest at 6 feet 7 inches, but his notoriously thin build is also emphasized making him look like a walking skeleton! The environment is very responsive, with fences and doors shaking due to impact and the ball can go out too, so place your passes well.

Final Say

This game can be truly entertaining when you play multiplayer. You can beat friends with tricks and goals and humiliate them with your skill. However, the gamebreaker is not unstoppable like earlier versions of the game and it can be triggered whenever the player wants. The single player campaign however is slightly disappointing as it can easily be finished in a matter of hours. It does not involve creating a player and has very few games. The novelty value of this game is still great though, so football fans cannot miss this one.

Alone In The Dark

2008-10-18T02:49:00.000-07:00

Prior to testing Alone in the Dark, we took a look at its official website. It was well presented, with lots of interactive features, such as letting you investigate the area the game is based in: New York’s iconic Central Park. With such an impressive website, we were wondering if the game would live up to the high standards. Before we get into the details, let us give you a quick briefing about the plot of Alone in the Dark.
In the fifth installment of the popular horror franchise, you return as the protagonist Edward Carnby, a private detective who specializes in the paranormal. Alone in the Dark 5, or Near Death Investigation as it is referred to sometimes, sees him head to Central Park to check out rumors of supernatural happenings in the tunnels that run beneath it.
The game starts off with you in the clutches of your enemies, along with an elderly man named Theophile Paddington. After the long cutscene, you get your first experience of the ‘cracks’—living fissures that turn up around you randomly, and ‘eat’ anyone in their path. Soon you get to see yourself for the first time, when you face a mirror—a sure shot ploy to show off the developers’ idea of impressive facial animation.
You immediately realize that our protagonist has lost his memory— the biggest cliché in thrillers. In writing class we are told to avoid clichés like the black plague. Unfortunately nobody gave this valuable piece of advice to the scriptwriters at Eden Games. Right from this initial turn off, Alone in the Dark goes plummeting downhill, with no saving grace whatsoever.

Gameplay
Eden has tried to make AITD (Alone in the Dark) as interactive as possible, so be assured that you are going to have to use a lot of objects in the world to get you through puzzles. The only problem here is that the controls are frustrating and do little to help you carry out the many tasks that the game requires you to. There are so many keys pinned to so many actions that you get utterly confused, and confused is not the best state of mind when you are battling mutated monsters.
The camera angles had us pulling out our hair. AITD is both first person and third person, and you have the choice to switch between the two. Now, you would think that’s a good idea, right? Best of both worlds, you would think. Absolutely not! The first person view is bearable, but the third person view is just too difficult to handle. You can’t use the mouse to move the camera around, and have to rely completely on your arrow keys. It wouldn’t have been that big a deal if we were able to stay in first-person mode throughout. But AITD refuses us that pleasure too, switching to the third person randomly, completely at its whims and fancies.
In an attempt to make the game more realistic, AITD has a unique feature—blinking eyes. If you don’t blink for a while, your vision will start to get hazy. While this was a nice idea, it is horribly implemented. We had to keep pressing the ‘X’ key from time to time just to be able to see properly; sometimes even in the middle of a firefight. We use the word firefight because pyromania forms an integral part of AITD. The mutated humans, (unimaginatively titled “Humanz”) cannot be defeated by the handgun which you hang on to throughout the game. You need to burn these hellish zombies, and you can do that by pouring flammable liquid on your bullets, thus making them ‘fire-bullets’. How that makes sense, we do not know. You need to use fire to solve puzzles as well, and this is where AITD scores a little. The fire effects are stunning, and quite realistic in the game.

Graphics
As we said earlier, the facial animation is quite impressive—you can see every crease on Carnby’s face. The fire effects are brilliantly carried out and give you an sense of realism. Sadly, this is where the praise for the game’s graphics ends. Apart from these two notable factors, there is nothing in AITD which stands out graphically. The environment seems rather bland and doesn’t send a chill down your spine, like the way a good survival horror game should.

Closing Thoughts
A quality survival horror video game is supposed to keep you hooked on to your seat for hours. It is supposed to scare you, thrill you and captivate you completely. While you are playing a good horror game, it should be gripping enough to cut you off from the entire world.

AITD does none of that. Once you have been through 15 minutes in the game, you don’t feel like playing it any more. It really has nothing interesting to offer. The story is clichéd and doesn’t build up well enough, the graphics are poor and the gameplay is the worst we have experienced for quite some time. The DVD-style menus which let you play any part of the game don’t help either, as they leave you with nothing to unlock, thus taking away what could have been a small incentive to try and get through the whole thing.

The industry has had some amazing horror franchises including Resident Evil, Doom, and Half-Life. Alone In The Dark used to be a member of this elite club, but with this latest installment which promises to be an epic failure, we have to wonder if it’s time to say R.I.P. to Edward Carnby, or wait till a more experienced developer takes up the task of reviving this franchise. Give this one a pass—there are just too many misses and very few hits.

BAD COMPANY

2008-10-18T02:25:00.000-07:00

The Battlefield series is one of the outstanding first-person shooter series that many gamers swear by. The games have been great over the years, ranging from the epic Battlefield: 1942 title and its various expansions all the way to Battlefield 2142. Battlefield: Bad Company enters the scene by limiting itself only to consoles. The series which has always produced PC classics has taken this step to perhaps endear itself with console gamers. Battlefield: Bad Company seems to fit right away into the console environment, and it gives many of us hope that finally, console gamers can get good FPS titles which are not absolute pains to handle because of fidgety controls and bothersome graphics. Bad Company however is one of those titles that seem to make itself at home with the console.

Plot

Battlefield: Bad Company is just a bit unconventional when it comes to the plot. You play Private Preston Marlowe, a man who seems to just land up in this war between the United States of America and the Russian Federation without a clue but with a past. This fictional war takes place in the near future and sending in highly trained soldiers is expensive and risky. As a result the Americans have set up an infantry battalion called ‘B’ Company, which they call Bad Company. This battalion is made up of insubordinate and incompetent soldiers as well as petty criminals who are basically sent in first to act as cannon fodder and wear down the enemy. Marlowe for his part admits that he has done something that merits ending up in this group of misfits. He is assigned to a four-man team consisting of Sgt. Samuel Redford, Private Terrance Sweetwater and Private George Gordon Haggard. The colorful bunch liven up the game with silly one-liners and random comments even during battle, ranging from Haggard’s stupidity to the Sergeant constantly talking about going fishing.

During their first few battles on the frontlines, Bad Company start noticing that the enemy has different troops on their side. After killing one, they find that an elite army of mercenaries called “The Legionnaires” are with the Russians. Private Sweetwater feels that the Legionnaires could be the deadliest army in the world. He also reveals that he heard that they are paid only in gold bars, and while the others dismiss his tall tales, Bad Company actually does find a solid gold bar which they split four ways. Now that they have developed a taste for gold, the rest of the game is about looking for more gold while killing some Russians.

Gameplay

Bad Company’s controls are easy to master and there is a good degree of sensitivity in order to regulate overshooting the target with the crosshair. The targets have bigger hit boxes to facilitate easier kills. This makes adapting to the game quite easy, and after a while, you only have to worry about not getting shot rather than hoping that you’ve aimed the crosshair at the enemy and not the ground.

The enemy AI is quite intelligent and they manage to work together and start attacking from a great distance if they see you. However your squad can be very frustrating, as most of the time they seem to only talk while you break into enemy lines. They can often be found hiding behind some sort of shelter on many occasions. There is one unusual device called “Life 2” which seems like a syringe which you have to use when your health is low. It has no limit to usage except that it takes a few seconds to recharge. Thus, health is not a problem. Guns are well rendered and there is a great deal of variety when it comes to weaponry.

While single-player mode is fun and the story can be quite interesting, Battlefield games are all about multiplayer modes and this one is no exception. You can choose from five character classes which are all well-balanced and play a new multiplayer mode known as Gold Rush in which one team defends its gold from the other team. 24 people can play in multiplayer but there should have been an option for a cooperative mode in the campaign.

Graphics and Sound

The Frostbite engine is used in this game and this enables the environment to be almost completely destructible. You should not hide behind trees and walls because the enemy can shoot them down, but that also means you can bring the roof down on them as well—literally! The game takes complete advantage of this, for example, there are no keys to open doors because you can just shoot them open. While blowing everything up might be all you need to do, the graphics in this game are really quite good as well.

The background score is vintage Battlefield through and through, and while you roam around the maps, you can be sure that there will be a nice theme going on in the background. The sound effects are top notch with bullets whizzing past at ear level, and explosions cutting through conversation from time to time.

Final Say

Battlefield: Bad Company has taken a very different direction when it comes to war FPS games, adding an air of rough charm and humor to a situation that is otherwise almost always serious. The characters are lively and the plot is entertaining, so even if killing Russians gets repetitive, you can look forward to the antics of Sweetwater and Haggard. Also the multiplayer mode is a lot of fun even if you need an Internet connection to play it. At the end of the day, you can destroy everything you see and kill enemies in different and novel ways. So what more could you want?

Farcry 2

2008-10-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

In the year 2004, a certain German-based developer called CryTek completely changed the way gamers perceived first person shooters. Far Cry, developed by CryTek and published by Ubisoft quickly became a gamers’ favourite, with its stunning graphics, impressive AI and open-ended gameplay. CryTek then went on to develop Crysis, which became known as arguably the best game of the year in 2007.

So when we heard that a game called FarCry 2 was coming out at the end of 2008, we could not help but drool. FarCry was a success. Crysis, although criticised for its absurd system requirements, was a success as well. It was left to our imagination as to what CryTek would come up with this time, with FarCry 2. However, the catch lies here: CryTek is not associated with FarCry2 at all! The game will be published by Ubisoft and will be developed by Ubisoft Montreal, the driving force behind hit games like Assassin’s Creed, Lost: Via Domus and Rainbow Six: Vegas. The question is, will Ubisoft Montreal be able to live up to the high standards set by CryTek?

Let’s get to that a bit later. First off, let us explain what we meant when we asked if this is really a sequel. Apart from the fact that the developer is different, FarCry 2 has hardly any similarities to FarCry. The protagonist of FarCry, Jack Carver will not be featured in FarCry2. Instead, you have to choose from a total of eight characters to play as, each with his own strengths and weaknesses. Whichever character you choose, the other seven will appear in game as NPCs. FarCry 2 is set completely in the continent of Africa—right from the savannah to the jungles and villages. You take up the role of a mercenary hired to bump off an arms dealer known only as ‘The Jackal’, who is causing terror and unrest in Africa for his own monetary gain.

How the player decides to go about this main objective is left to his own whims and fancies. FarCry 2 gifts players 50 square km of explorable space, giving the game a sandbox type feeling, which is the current trend with games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl, Battlefield: Bad Company and of course GTA 4 all following a similar pattern. Such an open world atmosphere means every player can use his imagination and tactical skills to approach the same objective in a variety of ways. The day-night cycle plays in important part in this aspect. You can use stealthy Sam Fisher-like tactics to strike in the night, or just go all guns blazing from the front in the light of day. FarCry 2 also features a unique weather system—sunny skies when the player does well in his objectives and dark and stormy skies if he fails too much. The realism in the game is stunning as well because there are so many things that change the game. For instance, you do not have to keep your NPC characters around and you can go it alone if you want to because you can simply kil them and the game continues like nothing happened! Of course they can really help you out as medics or for backup. Once again, if the enemy kills them, they do not get magically revived, so be careful.

An interesting addition is the inclusion of wildlife. Not only does this make the game more realistic, but also gives players the ability to distract enemies. This is a double-edged sword, however, as animals can blow your cover as easily as help you distract the baddies. The weaponry is also carefully detailed. Apart from the usual handguns, assault rifles and submachine guns, you have access to exotic weapons like flamethrowers, rocket launchers, detonators and other explosive goodies. These weapons are designed to accurately show wear-and-tear as the game progresses, and tend to jam regularly as they get old.

Like we saw in S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl, you will come across many factions and individuals who you can decide to help or ignore. Your decision is important, because if you do happen to help them, they might just come back sometime later to repay the favour and save you from an extremely sticky situation. This is vital, because the AI in FarCry 2 is quite intelligent, and more often than not you need a sidekick to successfully take out an entire encampment of hostiles. A taste of this was given to journalists at E3 2008, when a demo level of FarCry 2 was screened. The objective was to wipe out an enemy camp. While the first few attempts were met with failure, the objective was accomplished only because the players had befriended an NPC, who was on hand to provide medical assistance whenever necessary, along with helping to pump bullets into the numerous baddies.

So why is FarCry 2 called a ‘sequel’ to FarCry, if the developers have made so many changes? The reason is that while the setting, story and character have changed, Ubisoft have held on the attributes of FarCry which made it a success—widely explorable world, intelligent AI and stunning graphics. Seems like a sure shot formula for success right? Keep the successful points in, and refresh all other aspects of the game to make it seem new. Which brings us back to the questiion: Can Ubisoft Montreal live up to the high standards set by CryTek? The answer lies in the jungle.

Assembling A PC

2008-10-14T03:28:00.000-07:00

When buying a new PC, everyone is faced with the choice between a branded and an assembled one. Those who don’t want to go through the daunting task of shopping for components and assembling the PC themselves, often choose an easy way out by opting for a branded PC. There are very few adventurous ones who upgrade or build their own PC.

There are more drawbacks than advantages in buying a branded pre-built or a customized PC. No doubt that you won’t have to worry about maintenance. However, you’ll be stranded if the company technician doesn’t turn up on time. Also, you cannot tinker with the hardware or resort to your tech-savvy friends or some technician in case of emergencies. Finally, service and upgrades are heavy on the pocket. With an assembled PC, the biggest advantage is that you can pick the components of your choice to suit your budget and requirements. Unlike branded PCs, you have the freedom to troubleshoot problems and upgrade hardware yourself as and when you like—and that too without paying any service fee.

So how about assembling your own PC? Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Even if you’re a first timer, you’ll still be able to assemble a PC unerringly by reading this lucid step-by-step guide. This guide can not only be used to build a new PC but also be referred to if you are planning to upgrade a few components such as the processor, memory or graphics card. With regards to choosing the components, you can refer to the PC Configs in the Hardware section of the magazine.

Finally, this guide assumes that you know how to install the operating system. If you don’t know, you can seek the help of a technician or a friend who is willing to spend a couple of hours installing the operating system.

Are you ready for the ride? So roll up your sleeves, grab a screwdriver and let’s get started!

The ingredients
Just like you need certain ingredients to prepare a dish, you need the following components to build a PC—processor, motherboard, memory (RAM) modules, graphics card, optical drive, PC case, power supply unit, monitor, speakers, mouse, and keyboard. Also, note that you need a graphics card only if your motherboard doesn’t have integrated graphics or if you’re a gamer. Likewise, you need a power supply unit only if your PC case doesn’t come fitted with one. Most entry-level PC cases come fitted with a power supply unit. However, such power supply units are only suitable for entry-level PCs. Therefore we would suggest you invest in a good power supply unit if you want to build a powerful PC. Lastly, you also need a Philips screwdriver and some cable ties.

Preparing for take off
On unpacking the PC case, you will come across a packet that contains screws and mounting nuts. Empty the contents in a small tray. If the bundled power supply unit didn’t come fitted to the PC case, keep it aside. To begin with, unpack the motherboard to find a back plate. This plate is meant for covering the rear panel of the motherboard except the essential ports and connectors so that dust doesn’t creep into the case. The back plate should fit into the slot provided on the rear panel of the case. If you find that the slot is sealed by a metal plate, then you need to extract it using a pair of pliers. While you are fitting the back plate, you must ensure that the openings correspond to the ports and connectors on the motherboard’s rear panel. This is very important because none of the essential ports and connectors should be blocked by the back plate.

Installing the motherboard
In order to fit the motherboard into the case, you first have to fit mounting nuts in the holes provided on the case’s motherboard panel. While you are placing the motherboard on the motherboard panel aligned to the back plate you just fitted, note the spots where you need to fit mounting nuts. < can locate these easily by looking through the screw holes that are provided on the motherboard. After fastening the mounting nuts with a pair of pliers, fit the motherboard into the case using screws that match the screw threading on top of the mounting nuts—note that using wrong screws may result in the screws jamming into the mounting nut. Completely tightening the screws might result in unwanted stress by the graphics card or other add-on cards. Therefore, do not tighten the screws completely. Also, ensure that the screws are used in the right places.

Install the processor

Depending on which processor you have purchased, follow the relevant step: INTEL PROCESSORS: You have to release the lever of the CPU socket and then lift the socket cover that opens up from the opposite side. You will find a golden triangle on one of the top corners of the processor. Align the triangle with a similar golden triangle on the CPU socket and then fit the processor into the socket. Now, close the socket cover and fasten it with the lever. Note that you will find the lever is offering some resistance now.
AMD PROCESSORS: With AMD processors, you have to release the lever of the CPU socket. You will find a golden triangle on one of the top corners of the processor. Align the triangle with a similar golden triangle on the CPU socket and then fit the processor into the socket. The processor should gently slide into the socket. Push down the lever into its place.

Install the CPU cooler
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If you have purchased an AMD processor, fitting the CPU cooler will be a cakewalk for you. You simply have to place it on the processor with the lever towards the center of the motherboard. Then fit the clips and carefully push the lever down. Finally, you have to connect the fan connector to the CPU fan header on the motherboard.
Fitting an Intel CPU cooler is a tricky affair. Place the CPU cooler on the processor with the fasteners on the corners aligned to the holes surrounding the CPU socket. Push down each fastener while holding the CPU cooler in place. You should hear a click when the fasteners clamp to the motherboard. After ensuring that the fasteners are in place, connect the fan to the motherboard’s CPU fan header. The CPU fan header is usually labelled and placed quite close to the CPU socket.

Install the optical drive

To install an optical drive, you will have to first remove the 5.25-inch bay cover where you wish to fit the optical drive from the front of the PC case. There is chance that you will find a metal plate behind the bay cover. You will have to remove that cover also. Now, insert the optical drive from the front and push it back until the front panel of the drive is in level with the front surface of the case. Fasten the drive with screws from both sides to keep it stable. You can follow the same steps to fit an additional optical drive or a floppy drive or a 3.5-inch internal card reader. Note that 3.5-inch drives, such as the floppy drive fit in the exposed 3.5-inch bays. To finish the installation, you have to connect the drives to the motherboard with the bundled IDE and floppy drive cables. If you have two optical drives fit them in alternate bays in order to ensure proper air circulation within the case.

Install the hard drive

You have to be careful while handling hard drives because they are delicate and could be easily damaged. Therefore, make sure that they don’t receive any shocks during installation. To ensure its safety, hold the hard drive with the circuitry facing down and gently slide it into the lowermost concealed 3.5-inch bay. Note that you don’t open a cover and push the hard disk inside, but you fix it inside the case itself. Hard drives are delicate, so ensure that you don’t jerk it too hard while sliding it into the bay. Fasten it with screws on both the sides to prevent imbalance and hold it firmly in place. Note that screws used for fastening hard drives and optical drives are different—screws meant for hard drives are thicker than those meant for optical drives and floppy drives. Now connect one end of the SATA/IDE cable to a port behind the drive and the other end to the SATA/IDE port on the motherboard

Install the memory

Because most motherboards (Intel and AMD-based) support DDR2 memory, there’s only one way to install memory modules. If you closely observe the side on which contacts are present, you will notice a cut that divides that side into two different lengths. The memory slot is designed accordingly. Hence, memory modules fit into the slots only in one direction. To install the memory module, first release the plastic levers, align the memory module to the slot, and push it down gently until the levers click and lock the module. If you have two similar memory modules, install them in similar-colored slots so that they run in dual-channel. Some motherboards (especially the ones by MSI) support dual-channel in odd-colored slots—refer to the motherboard’s manual for confirmation. Installing memory modules shouldn’t be a tough task as the method is quite straightforward.

Install the add-on cards

There are plenty of add-on cards available in the market for extending the versatility of the PC. These add-on cards include graphics cards, LAN cards, sound cards, TV tuner cards, Wi-Fi PCI cards and so on. If you have any of these cards, install them now. First, break open the slot cover on the rear panel of the case covering the slot that will be occupied by the card. Next, slide the card into the appropriate slot by gently rocking it back and forth so as to ease it into the slot. After fitting the card into the slot, fasten it with a screw to hold it in place. After you have fitted all the cards, tighten all the screws holding the motherboard which were left loose (While fitting the motherboard, screws were not tightened completely. If you are in doubt, refer to step three where fitting the motherboard is explained).

Front panel header and front USB headers

For the power and reset buttons, internal beeper, and the power and hard drive activity lights to function, you will need to connect the respective connectors within the case to the front panel header on the motherboard. To connect the labeled connectors to the right pins, you will have to refer to the page in the motherboard manual which explains the layout of the pins in the front panel header. In similar fashion, you will have to refer to the motherboard manual also to locate the front USB headers and connect the front USB connector or wires. If your PC case has audio jacks on the front panel, you can enable it by connecting its wires to the front panel audio header on the motherboard. WARNING: Don’t try out any connection without referring to the motherboard manual. Read the manual carefully as you could damage the motherboard beyond repair due to wrong connections.

Install the PSU and plug in the power connectors

If the power supply didn’t come installed within the case or you’ve purchased it separately, install it in the bay at the top rear corner of the case. When done, connect the power connectors in the following order—20/24-pin main, 4/8-pin 12 v, graphics card, optical drive, floppy disk drive, hard drive, and case fans. Plugging in the power connectors should not be a problem as they fit only in one direction. When done, tie up all the excess and loosely hanging power cables with cable ties. This will facilitate air circulation within the case and prevent excessive heat building up within the case. Proper air circulation and cooling of PC components is very important because overheating can potentially damage critical components such as the processor, memory, and the graphics cards. That completes the main assembly. Now, close the case and get ready for action!

Connect the

Now all that remains is connecting the outer peripherals. Depending on the interface of the keyboard and mouse (PS/2 or USB), plug them into the relevant ports on the motherboard’s rear panel. Connect the monitor’s video cable to the D-sub/DVI port on the graphics card or motherboard (in the case of integrated graphics). Connect the speakers/headset and the microphone to the audio jacks on the rear panel of the motherboard or the sound card. Finally, connect the power cables to the power supply unit, monitor, and other peripherals such as the printer. Power up the machine, install the operating system, device drivers, and the desired applications (If you have no idea about installing the operating system, seek the help of technician or a friend), and voila!. You’re ready to go!