Before we start this fiasco, let me state that I originally wanted to just make a simple review about this game. However after reading through numerous reviews about this game, and my own experiences/conclusions thrown into the mix. I feel as though I have to address this growing epidemic of bull-shit, centered around this title.
This is really just a long rant, but in light of that I'd like to consider this part one of the now, two-part Dante's Inferno review. So why so much trouble/controversy over a title such as this? Let's find out!
Dante's Inferno, a game that only I seemed I care about, much like Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Did you know that on the release date of the latter aforementioned game, that I was one of two people to actually pre-order the title? Much of that scenario was replayed when I strolled into GameStop on Tuesday morning. Needless to say I felt like something was wrong, but I guess that's what happens when the sequel to BioShock is released on the same day. -_-
Getting into the thick of it, let's take a gander at one of the major factors surrounding/asphyxiating Dante's Inferno which doesn't give this game It's fair dues. If you haven't figured it out from oh...nearly(there's probably only one that seems fair)all of the reviews out there since I last checked, all anyone seems to do is compare it to God of War. Now I know similar play styles, and certain game mechanics will garner comparison to something that did it before and what not, but in light of a fair critical analysis, most reviewers and reviewies tend to stick with(and I paraphrase): "_______________________________________________________________________________"(insert any and or random comment/comparison about God of War because that's what this game was apparently suppose to have been, but because this wasn't God of War it was terrible.)You know, that's so funny because last time I checked, this game was titled: "Dante's Inferno" and not God of War right? I mean when I pre-ordered/bought the "title" it was under the name, Dante's Inferno right? Hmm...
...well according to the box cover, I have indeed purchased Dante's Inferno and not God of War, I guess the majority of people on the web with an apparent lack of any sort of free will(you know, that thing that lets you decide for yourself about something)at all can't be right all the time huh?
Adding more insult to injury is the overly restated fact that it "emulates the style of God of War poorly." Alright, what game in the action genre doesn't have some form of quick-time events? For that matter, what action game whose main focus on close-quarters combat doesn't have a "button-mashing-combo" system?Do I need to go on? Seriously, do I?
I suppose the point of all this if you haven't been able to put the picture together yet, is that in every single pro/con about Dante's Inferno whether It's mentioned or not is in some way/shape/form the bastard child of It's "parent," God of War. Having little to no mention about the actual game and story that It's based around(pretty much because It's weighed down by a ton of bull-shit), Dante's Inferno quite literally lives in the shadow of the parent it never had, and until people get over it, it will never truly shine and once and for all be recognized as a title all on It's own.
Stick around for part two, which will be posted later in the day. Or when I get around to it...
Earlier today I went through my normal routine of cruising Joystiq, Kotaku and a myriad of other gaming sites for my daily fix on the up-and-coming for video games. Another place that I frequent Gametrailers for their videos, more notably their trailers(hence the name).
Just another day browsing through when I saw something familiar, the latest installment into the Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution Series, the 3rd entry to be exact. They featured demoed gameplay by none other than the folks over atWillvolution, which by the way are a very talented and just overall awesome group of gamers that I've had the privilage to compete against.
So I was just minding my own business while watching an exhibition match between Sakura/Kabuto and decided to read some of the initial comments. This was the first mis-taken step into a battle that I had no idea was upon me. Now, before I start getting into this I'd like to say that I try to respect everyone's opinions and give people the benefit of the doubt when I hear them speak out on a topic, even more so on topics/things that I personally enjoy...
Also here is the particular video that all of this occured about, and I will admit that if you're not into this particular kind of game that it probably would seem uninteresting, but hear me out on this one:
...I was skimming through the most recent comments and ran into some interesting(or not so interesting, nor critical feedback about it)things:
-Yanahana: "god that was sooooo boring" -DotZero1: "That fight made this game look boring as hell." -Raidel007: "well the fight kind of sucked...... "
But that still begs the question, why is it boring? I really don't like it when people have a really "boring" opinion about a particular thing/subject. It doesn't offer anything relative to shift the argument to either side, nor does it keep the argument neutral. All it does is waste space, and time(more so the latter), if there's nothing constructive to say/add then please, just shut the fuck up! There are better things to do than to waste my time, let alone everyone else who stopped to read your comment.
The next comment that I took notice of was a step up from the previous two(not a very large step, but one none the less):
-Soladrin: "wow so boring, all the standard attacks are the same."
Alright, that's fair in the sense that It's kind of constructive, but lets look at this for a second:
1) This is a game of the Fighting genre, so immediately we should at the very least expect things to get repetitive.
2) You can believe all you want that "all" video games need to be unique in every single aspect of game-play and control. But come on now, who are you even beginning to kid around with that kind of statement. While the games of today continue to evolve and offer many new innovations, there's isn't a single game out there where the player doesn't have to repeat something over and over again.Sure, maybe they can mask it, or do something to make it so that you don't take notice to doing something repetitively which is great, but take that at face value. It's just a mask, and if you can accept that then you shouldn't have any problems with "things being the same."
3) With fighting games every fighter has a set standard of basic moves: punches, kicks, throws, blocks, movements, specials, etc. The point of this being, that this is a standard, you know that thing that you need to unify a specific aspect of a game, in this case your moves/commands. However each character has their own unique style to fit their different personalities, so while they all function the same internally, what makes it different is how each one reacts to the inputs. It's about all the unique little tweaks/quirks that each one possess that sets them apart despite being of a simplistic style.
Then all hell broke loose when I saw these next ones in particular:
-DenHond: "shit players or shit game? Only time will tell...?" -ThatGuy: "these players suck...oh i get it they are american players arnt they."
And the gauntlet comes down...correct me if I'm wrong but you(DenHond)are under the current assumption that these two particular individuals are of the coveted(sarcasm folks, if you aren't use to it by now, then step it up) "shit" caliber of gamers. First off, back the fuck down right now, having an opinion is all good, but never under any pretense just out right shoot down a particular person's style of play, we're all different and use different means to reach the same goal...in short don't be a fucking asshole. Second, what exactly makes this a "shit" kind of game? Going back to an earlier argument, why is this particular game a "shit" game? You've once again managed to not offer anything constructive to the mix, and wasted more of my time, next!
If there was anyone in there that I would not want to ever meet outside of video games, ThatGuy *sigh* you take the cake. Why would you, let alone anyone ever have such a damned shallow opinion about a specified affiliation of gamers with such a stupid blanket statement? You've put it out in the open now that YOU have this belief that not specific american gamers suck, but that all american gamers suck. Who the fuck do you think you are? It's probably safe to argue that YOU may have had experiences where certain individuals may have been of a lesser skill level than yourself that happened to be american, or maybe had someone behave in a very unsportsman-like conduct to you that also happened to be american, however that does not garner you absolution to verbally decimate anyone under the title of "american." You have not, and probably will not ever compete with every single one of us, even under the pretense of just fun. So shut the fuck up or get the fuck out! Either way you need a serious shift in perspective, no one should have to tolerate the shit that just dribbled out of your mouth ever.
We(the gaming community)have individuals like ThatGuy, and many other useless contributers to the trolling movement to thank, for continuing to make a conscious effort in lowering the bar for us. Most gamers, especially the really competitive bunch seem like a group of assholes, and to other gamers no less(shocking isn't it?). What happened to being friendly in the face of competition, or just being friendly? Is it really alright to let this grow and continue? I personally don't think so. Also, if I happen to meet any of you(individuals much like the above descripted)and you wonder maybe why we aren't getting along so well...take a look in the mirror and if you have enough insight, then maybe you'll realize that you're just going about it all wrong.
Alright Nintendo, you got me and I'll admit to it. As some of you may know, the latest in the Mario franchise: New Super Mario Bros Wii debuted on Sunday(which is a really strange day for a game release in my opinion, but we're not here to talk about that).
New Super Mario Bros for the Nintendo Wii is an extremely fun game, and a worthy addition to the somewhat recently diluted Mario franchise(this is looking at you Super Mario Galaxy). Originally thought of as a port of the DS game, many fans didn't seem too excited to see this at E3 '09. I also had my doubts because of the heavy focus on multiplayer, which in most Mario titles are but this game specifically has 4 players(Mario, Luigi, and two Toad characters) simultaneously playing at the same time. I believed that at the time I dubbed it Mario: Four Swords(parodying the Zelda: Four Swords Adventure title), which to me didn't seem like it was in the wrong at all, I mean when you give 4 people(friends hopefully)the opportunity to work together one of two things inevitably happen: 1)everyone starts the game all happy and nice, but then it eventually degenrates into fighting amongst yourselves for the coins(any type of currency), or power-ups, and no one want to cooperate because not everyone is of the same skill level. 2)Everyone ends up having a good time regardless of what happens. In most cases the former happens more often than the latter, usually ending friendships too. In this particular case however I was wrong, after having obtained a copy of it for myself I must say that NSMBW(New Super Mario Bros Wii)is probably the most fun/entertaining gaming experience I've had in a while! I would go so far as to say that It's encouraged that everyone plays this one with friends because it would be too boring alone. My roommates and I took it for a test run and we've just reached the start of the 4th world(after many ridiculous deaths and much laughter at one another).
NSMBW is very heavily influenced by Super Mario Bros 3(probably the best and most awesome Mario entry for the NES)with It's world structure which if you remember is much like a game board. A few things that return are the mushroom houses, and simple control scheme which involves using the Wiimote horizontally like a classic NES controller(D-Pad and two button interface). Yoshi, makes a return and is treated much like It's Super Mario World counter-part. Your main antagonists in NSMBW are none other than the Koopa Kids whom haven't been seen(at least by me)since SMB3, and Baby Bowser. Level structure also brings back a feeling of nostalgia by recreating specific themes and types of gameplay from many of the classic Mario titles. Some new things added into the mix are a bunch of new power-ups(which I don't know the official name of so we just made some names up off the top of our heads): Freezie Flower, Propeller Suit, and Penguin Suit! Music which is usually a driving force behind the Mario games seems somewhat bland this time around(I've only heard about 4 songs so far), It appears to just be there for background since you won't be paying much attention to it anyway.
If I'd have to make an estimate, NSMBW would be around 7-10 hours of gameplay with a ridiculous amount of replay value. With 8 worlds to explore, each carrying their own little secrets you'll be playing this one for a very long time. It caters to the gamers who crave the feeling of nostalgia, and for newcomers who just want to dive into the fun of a classic Mario game with a fresh spin on it!
Alright, so I know this update is like a week old already but I've just been busy with work and all that fun stuff, and I totally forgot about this one. Normally that isn't possible because I live and breathe video games so please forgive me. However, on to the topic at hand!
It was recently announced that Resident Evil 5:Alternative Edition will be released as DLC! You can get the skinny over on Joystiq but the jist of it is as follows. Capcom held a questionaire of sorts with the fans, and having deliberated the results with the Osaka Team, they've decided to move forward with the idea of releasing Alternative Edition as DLC for the US and Europe. Japan will be the only country who currently will be able to obtain the expansion in a physical medium.
I will admit that when I became privy to this announcement, I just screamed inside. This is a glorious day for the Resident Evil franchise and their fans, and I can't wait to play the expansion!
This is going to be an exciting time for me, It's been quite a long time since I've taken a trek into the Halo series(probably 3 or 4 months ago since I last played Halo 3). But this game is something to look forward to.
Taking place between the events of Halo 2 and Halo 3, the Master Chief and all the other Spartans will be taking a back seat, as you the "Rookie" who has just been placed in an ODST(Orbital Drop Shock Trooper)squadron are now the primary focus of this operation. During a routine jump, something goes horribly wrong over New Mombasa and your squad's pods are sent off course from each other. Upon regaining consciousness from the impact, you set out to find clues as to where members of your squadron have been, and if they are still alive while neutralizing the Covenant.
Fire-Fight, a new multiplayer mode in ODST has you and a team of friends taking down wave after wave of randomly generated Covenant forces a la Gears of War's Horde Mode. During specific points in between waves, special objectives are unlocked in order to increase the difficulty of gameplay. As an added bonus, if you pre-order this game at your local game retail outlet(Gamestop, EB), you'll be able to play as Sarge during this mode as well.
Halo ODST drops in a little over 2 weeks, September 22nd. If you're a Halo fan who wants an expansion on the story, or just enjoy FPS, then this game might be worth your time. See you on Xbox Live, lets bring the Covenant down!
Lets take a trip back in time if you will, back to the early days of my generation of video games. Remember when NES and SNES games were $60-$70 a game? Yeah, they were that expensive, hard to believe right? As a kid that was a lot of money...that you didn't have. You did all of these chores and behaved yourself so that maybe over the summer you'd end up saving enough money to buy it, or have your parents pick it up for you. Remember when you played that game for months on end? You played it with friends, family or even alone just for fun. Then you would set the game down for a little while, come back to it later and still have that same sense of joy and excitement years later. Those were the days...
So why is it now, that most(and I use that term loosely)video games of today's generation seem "easy"? As mentioned in a way above, back then you could buy a game, play it for quite a while, set it down and then come back and have fun all over again as if you've never played it before. The replay value on games and the difficulty has gone near completely downhill. Today you can purchase a game for $40-60(depending on the system, basing this on a new game price)and be done with it in a matter of hours or days, and then just be done with it all, never to pick it up again.
The question remains, why? The fact that the quality of rendering graphics have definitely gone way up in scale, but as a trade off the game-play time is reduced to the point of where replay-ability is near non-existent. Today games are more about just earning some stupid number(achievements/trophies...which I suppose can be quite rewarding at times), but at the same time is kind of stupid. While it does make someone work towards a goal, the overall course of action eventually becomes all about just getting every "achievement/trophy," and it usually amounts to not having fun, because this is something that you absolutely need to have in order to validate yourself as a gamer. When does working hard to obtain something you don't care about ever sound fun? Now I understand that some gamers are "Completists" which is fine, to each their own. You don't need a panel with squares and witty text to be as such, in fact It's robotic and boring.
The reason you pick up and play a game in the first place is because you think it may be interesting/and or fun. Everything else can fall into place as you go along, it should be about the adventure and the experience that should count in the end. Imagine back to a time where your group of friends all played one game, separately of course but all at the same time. Not everyone plays in the exact same style, you'd have all of these different stories and experiences, all from the same game. The goal would be the same, but that path leading up to it would be different for each and everyone of you. Usually that would be how you end up finding all of these random secrets, and it would only drive you to further explore the game again in another play-through. It made you work hard on your own merit, and gave you a sense of great fulfillment when you obtained it.
So what happened to that magic? Does it still exist? Absolutely, however very faintly the light still burns. Video Games should be about enjoyment, if they're fun then nothing else will matter. I want to remember a character because a part of them I can see reflects on myself, I want to remember a story because It's the kind of adventure that I would want to go on, or have been though. I want to remember this game because I couldn't see myself wanting to forget this moment, feeling the way that I do right now...ever.
I guess introductions are at hand right? Well...hello, and welcome to what I hope will be a series entries about my life as a gamer, and my opinions about where the industry is heading. Now let's get one thing straight right off the bat, don't lump me in with the "Casual" or "Hardcore" types(because there are types now *rolls eyes,*remember when being someone who plays video games wasn't cool and/or a fad?), for I am neither, I'm just a gamer, I enjoy a bit of everything, if it looks fun then I'll probably play it.
Namae wa?(Name):Devin Age: 23 years _____(old/young...or whatever you decide) Nationality:Japanese(yay, stereotyping! ^_^) First Introduction Into Video Games: my 5th or 6th birthday, when my grandparents got a Nintendo Entertainment System for me Favorite Video Game of All Time:Final Fantasy VII(now before you judge me on this one, let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed the story and elements that made up the world of FFVII before it became a fad to enjoy those games) Current Favorite Titles: /Dissidia Final Fantasy(PSP) /Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of The Lions(PSP) /Rock Band(360) Favorite Genres: RPG, Action-Adventure, Puzzle, Fighting
Current Systems Owned: /Xbox 360(360) <=====Current Favorite /Nintendo Wii(Wii) /Gamecube /Playstation 2(PS2) /Nintendo DS Lite(DS) /Playstation Portable(PSP) <=====Current Favorite
Past Systems Owned: /Xbox /Playstation(PS1) <=====Past Favorite /Nintendo 64 <=====Past Favorite /Sega Genesis /Super Nintendo(SNES) <=====Past Favorite /Nintendo Entertainment System(NES) /Nintendo DS(DS) /Gameboy Advance(GBA) /Gameboy Color
Now, I'd say that I take playing video games more seriously than the average person(I took 2 days off from work in order to obtain/play a game on launch day...you can make fun of me now, I know, I know...). However, not so much that it runs my life, but gaming is a big part of it. To me playing video games is like the equivalent of reading an exciting novel or watching a great movie, the fulfillment and entertainment that I get from it I can't really describe, I can say that It's only something that someone in the same situation as myself will be able to experience. I devote about 3-4 hours a day at minimum to video gaming(sounds like a lot, but trust me there are people who literally spend their lives on a game...seriously), usually not all in one sitting, it depends on the game.
Can someone love video games and not become a troll? Absolutely. Can these "individuals" become respectable members of society? Sure, why not? We're constantly growing, a community who started as outcasts and has managed to find acceptance in an ordinary world. We're your neighbor, a retail employer, the coffee shop guy, an officer of the law, your mailman...to be quite frank, we're everywhere and everyone, and we're here to stay.
