With a severe lack of games coming out and that I have absolutely zero money right now I bring a recommendation of a Free-To-Play game. Yes, I said Free-To-Play. The game is Tribes Ascend on the PC and frankly, it's one of the best free games I've played.
The game is online team based multiplayer only except for a couple training options. The graphics are pretty decent and rendered using Unreal Engine 3. The environments are huge though fairly empty save for an occasional tree or tunnel. There are quite a few options for the quality of graphics as well so you don't have to have a top of the line video card to play. I do have the graphics maxed out and the game does look pretty good. The audio is pretty much what you would expect from a shooter.
Tribes Ascend makes several alterations to traditional shooter gameplay by adding in jetpacks and a skiing function. Jetpacks are on a limited, though regenerative fuel source and help you to fly rather high into the air. The skiing function lets you pick up ludicrous speeds going downhill (I actually said "I'm going to plaid" at one point(That's a SpaceBalls reference for you young folks who may not know(look it up))) when combined these two functions let you zoom around the map and escape or get into danger very fast. Kills are difficult to get from time to time due to the speeds of the other players so there is a lot of skill involved in lining up shots. There are a few classes for you to choose from ranging from lightweight and very fast engineers to overarmored and lumbering juggernauts. All weapons feel powerful and have an impact that you would expect them to have.
A key component to the game is the payment structure. You have absolutely zero obligation to spend money on this game and that is true this time. You will not unlock any kind of unfair advantage by spending cash and upgrading early. The game remains balanced and allows veterans and beginners to be on the same level equipment-wise. There is a nice bonus if you do spend any amount of cash and that is giving you a permanent boost to XP gained. You unlock classes and upgrades using XP or real money so the boost is a nice thing to have.
All in all, I was very surprised by this game and I think you should give it a shot. I mean, it is free to download and play so why not? I'm awarding an 8/10. I'll be working on a Diablo 3 review in a few weeks when it releases but that is the only thing I can confirm for sure right now. I'm thinking about getting Max Payne 3 and Ghost Recon Future Soldier, but I'm still on the fence with those. So, until next time, See You Online.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Mass Effect 3 Review Part 2
9.5/10. I know, it's strange to see a review start with the score, but there it is, plain as day. I will save you all the effort of reading further if you just want to see my score. Now, for the review portion.
As I have touched on, the games graphics are fantastic. The characters look brilliant, though they are still a little stiff in the animations. I'm not a big fan of Shepard and Liara doing the robot when they are hugging, but take the honey with the vinegar I suppose. There were some slow downs in a few cut scenes where there was a lot of action, some of this got fairly bad towards the end game, but it's livable. Environments are still beautiful and it was truly something to see the sheer size of a Reaper in the background while I'm fighting something else.
The story is great and I'm not going to spoil it for anyone. Just know that it's a fairly powerful ending. The gameplay as I have said is stellar, the tweaks and adjustments made to the combat systems make the game great. I spent a lot of time on the single player in part one, so I'm going to spend this time talking about multiplayer.
Multiplayer is squad based with different classes and races available for play. Teamwork is paramount if you want to succeed in these missions. The different classes have several different races for you to use which adds some fun because you no longer have to be only human. Each race has different abilities within the class so you can find what you want and go with it. Weapons are fully customizable in multiplayer as are your powers, though you are limited to three pre-chosen powers and only two weapons at a time. As you play through missions you earn credits to buy packs containing boosters, weapons, characters, weapon mods, or equipment. These rewards range from nearly pointless (ammo refill when there are ammo drops around) to awesome (grenade launching assault rifle) and they are chosen at random. Multiplayer is fun and I'm glad that they added it, though it wasn't needed. In all honesty, I was considering not playing multiplayer, but I'm glad that I did.
On that note, I am going to stop rambling and let you guys get back to your gaming. Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City comes out soon and I might be getting that, Diablo 3 is coming out on May 15th so look forward to that. Otherwise, again, Mass Effect 3 has earned a 9.5/10 and See You Online.
As I have touched on, the games graphics are fantastic. The characters look brilliant, though they are still a little stiff in the animations. I'm not a big fan of Shepard and Liara doing the robot when they are hugging, but take the honey with the vinegar I suppose. There were some slow downs in a few cut scenes where there was a lot of action, some of this got fairly bad towards the end game, but it's livable. Environments are still beautiful and it was truly something to see the sheer size of a Reaper in the background while I'm fighting something else.
The story is great and I'm not going to spoil it for anyone. Just know that it's a fairly powerful ending. The gameplay as I have said is stellar, the tweaks and adjustments made to the combat systems make the game great. I spent a lot of time on the single player in part one, so I'm going to spend this time talking about multiplayer.
Multiplayer is squad based with different classes and races available for play. Teamwork is paramount if you want to succeed in these missions. The different classes have several different races for you to use which adds some fun because you no longer have to be only human. Each race has different abilities within the class so you can find what you want and go with it. Weapons are fully customizable in multiplayer as are your powers, though you are limited to three pre-chosen powers and only two weapons at a time. As you play through missions you earn credits to buy packs containing boosters, weapons, characters, weapon mods, or equipment. These rewards range from nearly pointless (ammo refill when there are ammo drops around) to awesome (grenade launching assault rifle) and they are chosen at random. Multiplayer is fun and I'm glad that they added it, though it wasn't needed. In all honesty, I was considering not playing multiplayer, but I'm glad that I did.
On that note, I am going to stop rambling and let you guys get back to your gaming. Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City comes out soon and I might be getting that, Diablo 3 is coming out on May 15th so look forward to that. Otherwise, again, Mass Effect 3 has earned a 9.5/10 and See You Online.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Mass Effect 3 Part 1
The Reapers have arrived. Earth is under siege and millions are dying by the hour. A massive galaxy-wide war has broken out and the only hope is to unite the races or die. That is what greets you at the opening of Mass Effect 3. As you may or may not know, I have been invested in this game for quite a while (see my story on completing Mass Effect 2) so I was eager to see the decisions I've made in the past come to a head. I have played single player for about ten hours and played a few rounds of multiplayer and here's my thoughts to this point.
The gameplay has had some changes made to it, some subtle, others, not so much. The skill system has been fleshed out a bit offering six levels of upgrades instead of four. However, at level four you are given two options for how to progress your powers. This goes for Shepard and all squad mates. Controls are tight and responsive, and Bioware has helped to make a few changes to the cover system that put it more in line with a Gears of War type game which is great. You can now do combat rolls in any direction, sprinting is faster, and you can roll around cover and to either side of doors or setups similar to doorways. There are also some areas to do running jumps and ladders to help vary the combat situations a little bit. Some more changes are to the enemy AI. Enemies are smarter and I have found myself having to have a strategy in battle instead of going in and just letting my team take care of what I'm not paying attention to. Enemies will use verticality, flanking, and lob grenades to get you out of cover now. They provide covering fire for each other and continuously keep pressure on you. I have found the gameplay changes to help the series out quite a bit.
Going on with some more gameplay changes, Planetary Scanning from Mass Effect 2 is still around, but it's drastically different. Now you roam your sector and press a button to scan nearby and the game will tell you if there are "war assets" nearby. You go to the planet and start your scanner and follow the line to where the thing is, launch a probe, and you're done. If you scan too many times in a Reaper controlled area, the Reapers will come after you and if you don't escape in time, you die. The weapon system is mostly carried over from Mass Effect 2, except there are more options and you now have access to weapon mods to customize your weapons. There are also weapon upgrades you can purchase and you are allowed to customize your armor if you choose to.
Bioware was also nice enough to include a multiplayer mode this time. The wonderful thing about the multiplayer is that it is 100% optional. There is no NEED to play it at all if you don't want to. The mode is similar to Gears of War's Horde mode. You face waves of enemies until you either die or complete the mission. There are six levels to play on and this mode does offer you the ability to play as different races which is kind of neat, but other than that, there is nothing really groundbreaking. It's a fun diversion, but that's it. I haven't played too much to know a lot about it.
The graphics have been improved to a fantastic quality. Characters are still kind of stiff during cut scenes and they don't quite touch each other when they have moments of touching each other. Environments are fantastic and seem nearly realistic at times, though the water in the opening sequence is pretty terrible. Another small note is that occasionally in the opening sequence I would encounter background characters randomly popping into the background of the scene as if they were teleported there. There are also several points where you get a before the war and a during the war picture and the contrast is hauntingly beautiful. The mood is set and this game is quite a bit darker than I was expecting it to be, even though I knew it was about a war for survival. I feel like I have actually been hit at a small emotional level and that is impressive.
The games sound design up to this point is as we can expect. The returning characters sound like they always have and the new ones have some great actors behind them. The music is fitting and helps to bolster the tone that this could be the end of everything. There are some lip syncing issues but they don't detract too much from the rest of what is going on.
That's all for now. This is a huge game, and I will write more about the choices I've made in the past affecting my game now at a later time. Until then, please get this game and enjoy it. Till next time, See You Online.
The gameplay has had some changes made to it, some subtle, others, not so much. The skill system has been fleshed out a bit offering six levels of upgrades instead of four. However, at level four you are given two options for how to progress your powers. This goes for Shepard and all squad mates. Controls are tight and responsive, and Bioware has helped to make a few changes to the cover system that put it more in line with a Gears of War type game which is great. You can now do combat rolls in any direction, sprinting is faster, and you can roll around cover and to either side of doors or setups similar to doorways. There are also some areas to do running jumps and ladders to help vary the combat situations a little bit. Some more changes are to the enemy AI. Enemies are smarter and I have found myself having to have a strategy in battle instead of going in and just letting my team take care of what I'm not paying attention to. Enemies will use verticality, flanking, and lob grenades to get you out of cover now. They provide covering fire for each other and continuously keep pressure on you. I have found the gameplay changes to help the series out quite a bit.
Going on with some more gameplay changes, Planetary Scanning from Mass Effect 2 is still around, but it's drastically different. Now you roam your sector and press a button to scan nearby and the game will tell you if there are "war assets" nearby. You go to the planet and start your scanner and follow the line to where the thing is, launch a probe, and you're done. If you scan too many times in a Reaper controlled area, the Reapers will come after you and if you don't escape in time, you die. The weapon system is mostly carried over from Mass Effect 2, except there are more options and you now have access to weapon mods to customize your weapons. There are also weapon upgrades you can purchase and you are allowed to customize your armor if you choose to.
Bioware was also nice enough to include a multiplayer mode this time. The wonderful thing about the multiplayer is that it is 100% optional. There is no NEED to play it at all if you don't want to. The mode is similar to Gears of War's Horde mode. You face waves of enemies until you either die or complete the mission. There are six levels to play on and this mode does offer you the ability to play as different races which is kind of neat, but other than that, there is nothing really groundbreaking. It's a fun diversion, but that's it. I haven't played too much to know a lot about it.
The graphics have been improved to a fantastic quality. Characters are still kind of stiff during cut scenes and they don't quite touch each other when they have moments of touching each other. Environments are fantastic and seem nearly realistic at times, though the water in the opening sequence is pretty terrible. Another small note is that occasionally in the opening sequence I would encounter background characters randomly popping into the background of the scene as if they were teleported there. There are also several points where you get a before the war and a during the war picture and the contrast is hauntingly beautiful. The mood is set and this game is quite a bit darker than I was expecting it to be, even though I knew it was about a war for survival. I feel like I have actually been hit at a small emotional level and that is impressive.
The games sound design up to this point is as we can expect. The returning characters sound like they always have and the new ones have some great actors behind them. The music is fitting and helps to bolster the tone that this could be the end of everything. There are some lip syncing issues but they don't detract too much from the rest of what is going on.
That's all for now. This is a huge game, and I will write more about the choices I've made in the past affecting my game now at a later time. Until then, please get this game and enjoy it. Till next time, See You Online.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
A story of my journey to complete Mass Effect 2 SPOILERS AHEAD!
Ok, I am excited. Mass Effect 3 is going to end a story that I have built. Sort of anyway... I am going to tell you a story of a boy and his game. It is a short story that has a (SPOILER) happy ending. There are mild spoilers ahead from the first two games, so do not read if you haven't played them.
I had the first Mass Effect on my 360. I played the hell out of it. Defeated Saren, killed off Kaiden, by God I didn't even kill off Wrex! I had a magnificent paragonish heroine that survived Sovereign and saved the Council. I even slept with Liara. My file was glorious and I had some amazingly high hopes for what lay ahead for FBeej Shepard. Then I got Mass Effect 2 on my 360 and played through about a quarter of the way when my disc got damaged. I didn't buy a new one and it just sat there unfinished. Later on, I got a copy of Mass Effect 2 as a gift for my PC. Boy was I ever excited for that! I would finally finish what I started, kinda. I didn't have MY Shepard. Sure, her name was FBeej because I'm creative and all, and I only played though one game with her, but she was mine.
Sadness again struck on the PC version of Mass Effect 2 for me. I was playing through some of the Overlord DLC pack and for some strange reason when I began to travel the world in the hovercraft my computer crashed to a blue screen of death! I was interested, and from that point forward, whenever I tried to keep going I would blue screen. I know I could have just quit the mission and it would have been done, but that wasn't the point. I wanted to play the entire game, not miss out on any of it.
So my saga continued on to my PS3, at this point in the story I no longer had a 360. I purchased the game for the second time (third if you count the PC present) and began my playthrough. I played the motion comic making the big decisions from the first game which was nice to be able to do. Killed Kaiden, Saved the council and Wrex, slept with Liara. I had a shell of what was my former FBeej Shepard. I was alright with her. As I played through Mass Effect 2 I realized just how far I didn't make it when I was playing on my PC or my 360. I only had Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, and Garrus. I didn't have half the available squad members even! I kept on playing, getting all of my crew members, including the DLC ones like Kasumi and Zaeed. Things were going so swimmingly I figured I would have to eventually screw something up, and I did, I lost Miranda's loyalty by siding with Jack. The story moved along and I assumed I was going to lose a lot when I progressed into the end game. But by some act of divine intervention, I slept with Garrus and made it through the Omega 4 Relay into the Collector base without a single casualty. I have no idea how it happened. I moved on through picking my team and splitting up duties. By the final boss fight I had what I felt was the worst squad I could have, Soldier FBeej, Tali, and Kasumi. Holy crap what a terrible decision that was. (My usual squad was Garrus and Zaeed or Mordin, I like to deal a lot of pain very quickly) I had to change up my tactics but we made it through fighting the final boss and a thousand different Collector Drones. I was awarded with my ending cut scene. I had finished Mass Effect 2 and was happy to say that I did not have any casualties within my crew and happy with my Shepard.
FBeej Shepard lived with her crew and I was sad. I had finished a game that I loved so dearly. The only thing left for me to do was wait impatiently for Mass Effect 3 to come out. Thankfully, we won't have to wait too much longer, it comes out in three days! I don't know about you guys but I cannot wait to see the end to FBeej Shepard's story. I will have a review up as quickly as I can, but please be patient with this one as it is going to take a while. I have Tuesday and Wednesday off of work so I will be playing extensively. Also, I am getting the Collectors Edition so I'll be sure to tell you guys how much awesomeness Bioware packed into an $80.00 package.
Several side notes - 1. You guys should read the Mass Effect novels. They are fantastic not only at expanding the universe of Mass Effect, but they're decent Sci-Fi novels too. 2. GamesWithBeej is thankful for your support and as always I'm going to take this chance to remind you to share us with your friends. We want to become something awesome, and we can't do it alone. 3. Potential other reviews down the road: Minecraft(maybe), Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City(maybe), Diablo 3(for sure), Prototype 2(maybe), Max Payne 3(maybe). Well, that's all for this update guys. See You Online.
I had the first Mass Effect on my 360. I played the hell out of it. Defeated Saren, killed off Kaiden, by God I didn't even kill off Wrex! I had a magnificent paragonish heroine that survived Sovereign and saved the Council. I even slept with Liara. My file was glorious and I had some amazingly high hopes for what lay ahead for FBeej Shepard. Then I got Mass Effect 2 on my 360 and played through about a quarter of the way when my disc got damaged. I didn't buy a new one and it just sat there unfinished. Later on, I got a copy of Mass Effect 2 as a gift for my PC. Boy was I ever excited for that! I would finally finish what I started, kinda. I didn't have MY Shepard. Sure, her name was FBeej because I'm creative and all, and I only played though one game with her, but she was mine.
Sadness again struck on the PC version of Mass Effect 2 for me. I was playing through some of the Overlord DLC pack and for some strange reason when I began to travel the world in the hovercraft my computer crashed to a blue screen of death! I was interested, and from that point forward, whenever I tried to keep going I would blue screen. I know I could have just quit the mission and it would have been done, but that wasn't the point. I wanted to play the entire game, not miss out on any of it.
So my saga continued on to my PS3, at this point in the story I no longer had a 360. I purchased the game for the second time (third if you count the PC present) and began my playthrough. I played the motion comic making the big decisions from the first game which was nice to be able to do. Killed Kaiden, Saved the council and Wrex, slept with Liara. I had a shell of what was my former FBeej Shepard. I was alright with her. As I played through Mass Effect 2 I realized just how far I didn't make it when I was playing on my PC or my 360. I only had Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, and Garrus. I didn't have half the available squad members even! I kept on playing, getting all of my crew members, including the DLC ones like Kasumi and Zaeed. Things were going so swimmingly I figured I would have to eventually screw something up, and I did, I lost Miranda's loyalty by siding with Jack. The story moved along and I assumed I was going to lose a lot when I progressed into the end game. But by some act of divine intervention, I slept with Garrus and made it through the Omega 4 Relay into the Collector base without a single casualty. I have no idea how it happened. I moved on through picking my team and splitting up duties. By the final boss fight I had what I felt was the worst squad I could have, Soldier FBeej, Tali, and Kasumi. Holy crap what a terrible decision that was. (My usual squad was Garrus and Zaeed or Mordin, I like to deal a lot of pain very quickly) I had to change up my tactics but we made it through fighting the final boss and a thousand different Collector Drones. I was awarded with my ending cut scene. I had finished Mass Effect 2 and was happy to say that I did not have any casualties within my crew and happy with my Shepard.
FBeej Shepard lived with her crew and I was sad. I had finished a game that I loved so dearly. The only thing left for me to do was wait impatiently for Mass Effect 3 to come out. Thankfully, we won't have to wait too much longer, it comes out in three days! I don't know about you guys but I cannot wait to see the end to FBeej Shepard's story. I will have a review up as quickly as I can, but please be patient with this one as it is going to take a while. I have Tuesday and Wednesday off of work so I will be playing extensively. Also, I am getting the Collectors Edition so I'll be sure to tell you guys how much awesomeness Bioware packed into an $80.00 package.
Several side notes - 1. You guys should read the Mass Effect novels. They are fantastic not only at expanding the universe of Mass Effect, but they're decent Sci-Fi novels too. 2. GamesWithBeej is thankful for your support and as always I'm going to take this chance to remind you to share us with your friends. We want to become something awesome, and we can't do it alone. 3. Potential other reviews down the road: Minecraft(maybe), Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City(maybe), Diablo 3(for sure), Prototype 2(maybe), Max Payne 3(maybe). Well, that's all for this update guys. See You Online.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Final Bits - Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
There isn't much left that I can say about this game that would be new. Higher levels increase your powers to the point of true badassery and some of the later game areas look absolutely gorgeous. Getting out of the woods and into the plains is just breathtaking for me anyway. I do like to look at scenery a lot, but that's not important. The gameplay remains solid all the way to the end and I was pleased with how the story played out. This is a game that I believe everyone should pick up and play providing you enjoy a reasonably deep RPG experience. I'm awarding Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning a 9/10 and tell you to go play it now!
In other news, I am getting Mass Effect 3 on Tuesday and providing I'm not working I will be playing the entire day. I feel like ME 3 is going to be another "Review in Progress" so stick with us here and we'll have a review up in a much more timely manor than we did with Kingdoms of Amalur. So, until next time, See You Online.
In other news, I am getting Mass Effect 3 on Tuesday and providing I'm not working I will be playing the entire day. I feel like ME 3 is going to be another "Review in Progress" so stick with us here and we'll have a review up in a much more timely manor than we did with Kingdoms of Amalur. So, until next time, See You Online.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
UFC Undisputed 3 Review
Alright everyone, it's time to reveal the first review from my new sports guy, so be nice.
After 2 years, THQ came back into the Mixed Martial Arts scene with the latest installment of their UFC Undisputed franchise. The lengthy time in between releases was well worth the wait. UFC Undisputed 3 is by far the best game in the series and has taken great strides in the sports video game world as well. THQ has put their sports franchise right up there with EA Sports’ Madden, Sony’s MLB: The Show, and Take Two’s NBA 2K in terms of overall gaming. Every aspect of this game is well developed and, unlike previous installments, is easy to play right from the get-go. This review will take an in-depth look at the many features UFC Undisputed 3 has to offer.
GAMEPLAY: This year THQ has implemented various changes to the Undisputed franchise’s well known controls. As soon as the game is booted up, there is an option for which grappling system is desired: Pro or Amateur. Pro is the traditional grappling controls with the right stick being rotated in half-circles and extended turns one way or the other for major or minor transitions that was used in the previous titles. Amateur, on the other hand, is available for gamers unfamiliar with the previous installments, or who found the transition system of old to be too difficult to master. This control scheme uses a simple flick up on the right stick for major transitions or a down flick for minor transitions.
Aside from grappling complaints, another issue addressed by THQ was their sometimes impossible submissions system. As someone who recorded 3 career victories over 2 years’ worth of UFC Undisputed 2010, I can say that this is a very welcome change. Gone are the days of simply shining the right stick and praying for a successful submission (or escape, for that matter). It has been replaced with a much easier mini-game that appears as soon as a submission is attempted. A large, hollow Octagon appears on the screen with two colored bars, one red and one blue. The red bar represents the red corner fighter while the blue bar does the same for the fighter out of the blue corner. Whoever initiated the submission has the outer bar and must overlap the inner bar with the right stick for a successful submission while the inner bar must avoid his opponent to escape. While the inner bar remains the same size-wise, the outer bar shrinks as the struggle goes on. The outer bar varies in size depending on various situations: the state of the opponent (a rocked opponent gives a larger bar for the submission-attempting fighter, resulting in a higher probability of a successful submission), the positions of the fighters (it is far easier to submit someone with an armbar from full-mount or a rear-naked choke while having the opponent’s back, rather than trying a kimura from the bottom), the opponent’s submission defense rating (the higher their submission defense rating, the smaller their bar will be, making it harder to overlap it), and the attacking fighter’s submission offense rating (it is much easier to pull off a submission with Frank Mir who has a large submission bar than it is with Mirko Cro Cop who has no interest in submissions). As the submission is in place, there is a bar on the screen that shows how close the submission is to being completed. If the red corner is successfully overlapping the blue corner, the bar will be mostly red, but if the blue corner has almost escaped, the bar will be mostly blue.
The UFC’s slogan is “as real as it gets” and THQ has taken every step to accomplish the same task. How often do you see a fighter KO an opponent and before the guy even hits the ground, the victor is pumping his fist in celebration? I never have. Another new feature is called “Finish The Fight.” Once your opponent is knocked out, you have the option of pouncing on him and landing a few more shots a la Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, you can taunt the poor sap like Anderson Silva, or you can simply wait for the ref to wave the fight off. It is a welcome addition to an already staggering game.
In between rounds you are given advice from your cornermen on what you are doing well and what needs improved upon. This is identical to what is seen on television and can be very useful. The advice is accurate to what is being done in your match and if listened to, can make a huge difference in the upcoming round.
Last but not least is the new “simulation” energy setting. In the old days of UFC Undisputed 2010 you and your buddy could relive the Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin match from the original TUF tournament with no problem at all. That option is still there, but so is the option to have more realistic energy depletion. With this new setting turned on, a fighter losses energy with every kick and every punch thrown. Quick jabs require less energy than a Jon Jones spinning back fist and punches require less energy than kicks. The energy will replenish, to an extent, during times of little or no action and in between rounds.
PRESENTATION:
The fighters in UFC Undisputed 3 look unreal. And by that I mean exactly, perfectly real, just like their real-life counterparts. Even the PRIDE legends look like they did when they were actually fighting in PRIDE. It is amazing the amount of detail that has gone into each fighter’s appearance from Rampage Jackson’s mean mugging prefight to Anderson Silva’s thin goatee in his PRIDE days. Even Greg Jackson looks like Greg Jackson for goodness sake! The visuals are stunning and when using Event Mode, it’s almost as if you are watching a real UFC pay-per-view.
Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg take their familiar places as UFC commentators while Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros return to MMA with their take on PRIDE Mode matches. Rogan and Goldberg add realistic commentary as many of their lines were taken from live UFC broadcasts and put into the game. Rutten and Quadros took to watching actual game footage and calling it as they see it. Both teams are very entertaining and give you a sense of watching an actual UFC or PRIDE event.
One cool addition this year is fighter entrances. While they are not very long, there are a nice bonus for those who want as close to the real thing as possible. These are fully customizable for created fighters as well. Everything from the walkway to the trainer interaction to how they act once entering the Octagon is all fair game. The lighting is customizable with seven colors to pick from and so is the background music (although you have to choose from what options they have). This can be different during title fights and regular fights and PRIDE mode has its own created entrances. There are also over 100 each of fighter call and victory scenes to pick.
Highlight Reels are new to this year’s game as well. Creating them is easy since your last 50 rounds are saved into a database for easy selection. There are options to remove the crowd noise, commentators, and impact sounds from either your entire highlight reel or clip by clip if you want. The option to select background music is there along with screen effects and transitions between clips. The only downside to this feature is the insane encoding time. For a one minute clip you are looking at no fewer than 40 minutes of encoding.
GAME MODES:
Career Mode has received an extensive overhaul. The cutscenes have been replaced with actual footage of UFC fighters discussing their memories of whatever stage of your career you are in whether it is your first professional bout, your fist title shot, or your first loss to name a few. Your created fighter will be better overall than last year, allowing him to be more competitive quicker and there is less time in between fights. There are many new training games that will help your fighter to improve various aspects of his game. You still begin your career in the World Fighting Alliance but now you can win the WFA Championship. You can stick around and defend it as long as you wish. The offers from the UFC will continue to come as long as the wins do. Once you do decide to move to the UFC, there are many options there as well. Frequently you will be given the opportunity to move up or down a weight class for one-off fights and if you clean out your division or are on a bid of a skid, a permanent change my be suggested. PRIDE will also offer you fights and entry into their Grand Prix. With all of the options, Career Mode could be played dozens of times and never get old.
Ultimate Fights Mode has been changed for the better as well. Instead of a list of things that must all be memorized and completed at once, a timer and the task pops onto the screen throughout the fight, instructing you on what to do. Can’t get all the goals in one go? No problem. Ultimate Fights saves your progress, allowing you to go back and retry for goals that you have yet to achieve while not having to worry about the ones you have already gotten.
PRIDE Mode allows you to step back in time and enter the Saitama Super Arena for some good old fashion Japanese MMA. Head stomps and soccer kicks are legal is this beautiful recreation of the last true UFC competitor. Everything is authentic to PRIDE from the lavish entrances to the referee and even the “Screaming Lady,” Lenne Hardt is present. You can also take current UFC fighters and use them in PRIDE Mode as well as take PRIDE legends and put them inside the Octagon.
Title Mode and Title Defense Mode have returned, relatively unchanged. The only real difference is that in order to use a fighter in Title Defense Mode, you must first clear Title Mode with that fighter. These modes did not really need changing, nor did Tournament Mode and Event Mode, two more modes that also make their return this year unchanged.
OVERALL:
Overall, UFC Undisputed 3 made the 2 year wait well worth it. Instead of putting out another mediocre game, THQ took a break, regrouped and put out what is quite possibly the greatest MMA game ever. It is also a top 5 sports game after the inclusion of many new features such as PRIDE Mode, Finish The Fight, and revamped those is desperate need of it like grappling and submission controls, Career Mode, and Ultimate Fights. This game is a definite buy for any sports video gamer and a must-have for any MMA fan, purist or upstart. We award UFC Undisputed 3 a 9.5/10 See You Online.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Review in Progress Pt 2
I have to say I am impressed. I have played a bunch of quests and have leveled up a bit, experimented with all weapon types, and have explored a good portion of the first part of the world. I haven't made it too much farther along the main story, but what I can say is that it is decent from what I have played, even though a bit on the predictable side so far. There are a lot of quests to do and experience points are very easy to get, making leveling up no problem. I have not yet reset my character, mostly because I enjoy what I have right now. Reaching a new level allows you to place one point in any skill you want to, and grants three points to divide up into three skill trees. You are allowed to appoint your points however you want, all three in one category, or spread out. Progressing up these trees allows you to unlock powerful attacks and abilities. Also while these progress you unlock destinies relating to where your points are going. Destinies give you bonuses relating to whatever category they correspond to, Might, Sorcery, or Finesse.
The crafting system is surprisingly deep with weapons and armor being able to have as many as five components in them. Potions can have four ingredients and do anything from skill boosts to health refills. I can smith pretty much anything I want to make providing I have the parts, and I can craft whatever I need to keep from dying. It's all about experimenting. Providing your alchemy skill is high enough you can experiment with ingredients and if it turns out to be a failure you will get an unstable potion which grants you a random effect. These random effects can be anything from weakness to fire to a massive experience boost, it just depends on how lucky you are.
I have noticed several slowdowns during combat, mostly when I loose track of my character due to about six or seven other enemies attacking me at once. The slowdowns only occurred when most battle participants were attacking or using abilities. They aren't exactly a problem, as they are very brief, but they aren't a plus either. The enemies are varied and you have access to enough attacks and combos to make the fights a lot of fun. Combat has numerous options for how to proceed. Personally, I haven't been a fan of the stealth, but I never have been in any game. I go for a head on attack and try to kill the enemy before they get me.
Exploration is definitely a rewarding thing to do due to the amount of things hidden in the world. There are chests to loot, hidden items to stumble upon, and Lorestones to find. Lorestones give your character some XP and give you a bit of history about the world. If you happen to find all Lorestones in an area, you are rewarded with a permanent boost to your abilities. Lockpicking, pickpocketing, and other unlawful acts are available for you to dabble in if you so choose as well.
The quests are what you can expect from this type of game. They range from kill X enemies to fetch quests, to go here and defeat this person. While mildly repetitive, they are still a lot of fun and offer a lot of extra gameplay aside from the main story. Factions offer specific multi-quest stories that add to the backstory. They also award "Twists of Fate" depending on what choices you make during the quest lines. Twists of Fate give you a bonus to your stats.
All in all, while I've put a good bit of time into this game, there is still a lot of content I haven't even come close to experiencing. From what I've played so far, I do recommend that you pick this one up, but I am not comfortable giving a score yet as I still am only in the first major part of the game. Stick with me and I'll have a score up with some more details soon. Until next time, See You Online.
The crafting system is surprisingly deep with weapons and armor being able to have as many as five components in them. Potions can have four ingredients and do anything from skill boosts to health refills. I can smith pretty much anything I want to make providing I have the parts, and I can craft whatever I need to keep from dying. It's all about experimenting. Providing your alchemy skill is high enough you can experiment with ingredients and if it turns out to be a failure you will get an unstable potion which grants you a random effect. These random effects can be anything from weakness to fire to a massive experience boost, it just depends on how lucky you are.
I have noticed several slowdowns during combat, mostly when I loose track of my character due to about six or seven other enemies attacking me at once. The slowdowns only occurred when most battle participants were attacking or using abilities. They aren't exactly a problem, as they are very brief, but they aren't a plus either. The enemies are varied and you have access to enough attacks and combos to make the fights a lot of fun. Combat has numerous options for how to proceed. Personally, I haven't been a fan of the stealth, but I never have been in any game. I go for a head on attack and try to kill the enemy before they get me.
Exploration is definitely a rewarding thing to do due to the amount of things hidden in the world. There are chests to loot, hidden items to stumble upon, and Lorestones to find. Lorestones give your character some XP and give you a bit of history about the world. If you happen to find all Lorestones in an area, you are rewarded with a permanent boost to your abilities. Lockpicking, pickpocketing, and other unlawful acts are available for you to dabble in if you so choose as well.
The quests are what you can expect from this type of game. They range from kill X enemies to fetch quests, to go here and defeat this person. While mildly repetitive, they are still a lot of fun and offer a lot of extra gameplay aside from the main story. Factions offer specific multi-quest stories that add to the backstory. They also award "Twists of Fate" depending on what choices you make during the quest lines. Twists of Fate give you a bonus to your stats.
All in all, while I've put a good bit of time into this game, there is still a lot of content I haven't even come close to experiencing. From what I've played so far, I do recommend that you pick this one up, but I am not comfortable giving a score yet as I still am only in the first major part of the game. Stick with me and I'll have a score up with some more details soon. Until next time, See You Online.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)