The Gamer’s Quagmire #55: Thanksgiving Gaming Week II
Everything you wanted to know about gaming, and less.
by Jamison DeLorenzo
Our previous helping in the quagmire was a decent appetizer for the main course of the Thanksgiving Week Gaming Marathon. It wasn’t a coincidence that I took a week’s paid vacation the same week the latest BioWare game, Mass Effect, was due out in stores. As I am still without a working PC after 3 weeks, something that makes PC gaming somewhat challenging, it was a good thing that this game is, for now, a 360-only title.
Apologies are probably due to all readers because, let’s face it, I write way too much about KOTOR here. It is true that we all needed a GTA break, but, like any good addict, one substance was replaced with another. BioWare has been working with a consistent formula with their story mechanics for several years now, but when you consider how it allows you to have very different gaming experiences it should cancel out any complaining.
BioWare is where I go for my top RPG enjoyment, and that week turned into a week spent close to Gaming Nirvana (we should look into coming up with our own name for that, I feel like I’m greatly offending Buddhists with this term). Before getting into any details of this game you should know that because this is under the Microsoft title, BioWare’s last, this game will inevitably be ported to the PC. It is by this point in time that if you do not pick up this game that I will flog you.
That is, if I’m not still playing this game.
One week and two playthroughs later I have a lot of good things to say, starting with character creation. We’re not at Tiger Woods PGA Tour level yet for creation (which I hold as the pinnacle for face customization), but there is enough detail to make someone that resembles you not too difficult. Once you get through that you get to pick your class, history, and military service. There are 3 main classes, one per primary skill set, and 3 hybrid classes. History and military background seem like trivial things, but BioWare is able to make these choices rather substantive. They effect not only how your party members and other NPC’s interact with you but also which side missions you will have access to.
The 3 major skill sets are battle, biotic, and tech. Battle refers to the weapons you use (pistol, shotgun, assault rifle, sniper rifle), biotics are environmental attacks (multiple enemy throws, shield manipulations, etc.) and technical skills (first aid, lock decryption, electronic device tampering, etc.). While you can get a way with pretty much any party configuration, I do have two big suggestions. Always have a Decryption expert so you don’t miss quests and a First Aid expert, or, well, let’s say you better be extremely quick in the fight sequences. Electronics plays a good role too, but your Decryption expert should have both.
The background of this game, which already has a full length book, is a 22nd Century universe where Mass Relay technology allows space travel between various star systems (approximately 16 overall, each with multiple subsystems). I’d explain the whole thing, but so much science fiction went into putting together the game that it would take hours to read through all of the information you gather throughout the game. The game would have been quite good without all of this information. Its inclusion makes the game so much more enthralling. As you can imagine, exploring everything takes a very long time.
Like most of their games, the movies in the game are impressive, the sound effects and music is fantastic, and the level design are as good as ever from BioWare. If not for the slowest elevators in the history of gaming I would not have a single complaint about the game’s environment. Other elements which have been kept in from past games are party NPC interactions and dialogue that draws you into the story (along with some lively and memorable quotes).
The battles in this game take an FPS approach, so how you pick your class and abilities is very important. Like any decently built RPG character you need to beef up your charm/intimidate skills so your dialogue options are always open, but beyond that you always need to make sure the skills you choose to focus on are well complemented by your party. I can’t say I’ve ever truly enjoyed shooters, but they can be fun and in this game it is. Anyone familiar with the Gears of War mechanics will notice almost no difference. I think it works quite well for this game as taking cover is key for surviving the battles on the two unlockable difficulty levels.
If you’re reading this carefully, I have highly approved the graphics, sound, character creation, story, dialog, background, environment, and breadth of universe. Even the Xbox achievements you unlock add some depth to the gameplay. There are, however, two flaws out in the forefront.
One problem was the voice acting. Taking into account that the NPC’s are no longer stoic during conversations, the interactions were compelling. However a number of voice actors did not provide a lot of life with their lines. Some of them were good (most notably the voices of Bastila and Carth from KOTOR, Seth Green, and Marina Sirtis), while others had me convinced they had no context for any of their lines. Luckily the protagonist’s voice, male and female, were good.
The other area of concern was the ending. You’re able to be good or evil and have a great effect on future interactions. It is even possible to kill two party members (always a welcome choice). Whether you choose to help everyone at all costs, ignore people, or kill anyone that annoys you, you affect how people interact with you as the game unfolds. What bothers me is that, despite all of that good, the ending is only truly affected by a singular choice you make during the sequence of the final boss in the game… and either way you are a hero. Nothing else matters at all! Considering all of the work put into the dialogue trees it is time BioWare decides to put in more than two endings to the game (or, in this case, 1 1/2 endings).
As a whole this game has a ton of replay value and is a must buy if you have the means to play it. As for me, I’ve already played through the game twice and two more are already scheduled.
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October 22, 2007
The Gamer’s Quagmire #53: Bastila Catches Kerrigan
Everything you wanted to know about gaming, and less.
by Jamison DeLorenzo
I managed to resist overreacting to the news of EA purchasing BioWare several weeks back. Part of me felt like I was betraying a long standing heritage of raising warning flags about EA, singing the praises of BioWare, and lamenting yet another game publisher being assimilated by the Borg. BioWare has brought an incredible source of joy to me and millions of other gamers. The news of them being purchased by Microsoft back in 2003 was scary enough.Looking at that last statement concerned me some. When Microsoft was looking to buy them way back the thought of the soul being drained from BioWare was enough to make me queasy. The company that churned out Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Knights of the Old Republic was going to the Evil Empire? BioWare did make a lot of games that only appeared on Microsoft OS’s, so from that standpoint I managed to hold back the fear (which leads to anger, and so on).
Soon we got a taste of Jade Empire and soon we will see Mass Effect. BioWare is one of my favorite publishing houses. In fact, I have consistent weekly debates with myself over whether Square/Enix or BioWare is my favorite. I have the badge and everything ready to bestow on the eventual winner. Making the decision is a painful process. It may not become as painful as finding a Wii in a local store, but you get the idea.
Anyway, the point of this is that any gamer that holds an affection, in some cases potentially a very unhealthy one, for a game company anything can cause the person to freak out. EA soaking up BioWare was enough to cause me to consider playing DDR last week. While that may not seem traumatic to you, I once wrote a nicely worded rant about DDR which prompted in my first series of hate mail as a web author (in other words - it was a proud day). As a gamer without much of a social life, losing BioWare is like losing a best friend. It does sound very pathetic and I accept that, but it is an accurate statement.
This week another rumor has surfaced that has forced my hand. I already knew about the upcoming sequels for Mass Effect (is anyone else highly disturbed by planned sequels to an original work that has not even been completed yet?) and the upcoming Dragon Age (which is described as the sequel to the Baldur’s Gate series), but now there are talks of an MMO whose backdrop is… get ready… KOTOR.
Forgetting for now that we already had an MMO with a Star Wars universe, we have to look at this game as fans of the franchise first. We, as fans, have been pining for a KOTOR 3 for a couple years now. We, as fans, have been lusting for a completed version of KOTOR 2. While the blame with that error does lie with LucasArts for forcing the game out the door before it was finished, we can find salvation in that Team Gizka is very close to a completed mod that will sew up the game the way it should have been (and if you did not know that SHAME ON YOU).
As a fan of dreaming of having a life, the last thing I need is thoughts of getting onto another online game. What does frighten me is that the franchise has been a godsend for me because the story has been phenomenal. Yes, it also has lightsabers, but the interactive dialogue and fluent story has made the franchise a legend in my book. I have yet to see this in any online game. I have yet to think about how this can translate well into an online game. Maybe there are powers that be that need to repair the emotional damage that was done with the last Star Wars MMO (thank you very little Sony), but I do not see how EA can be the ones to do that.
I am an overly cynical person. The trick is to convince myself that this current rumor will turn fact and BioWare will continue its amazing string of superb games like how Blizzard kept its string going with World of Warcraft. Maybe EA will be hands off like they have been with Will Wright’s studios and everything will work out. As a service to fans of BioWare, heed my advice when I tell you that you should pocket this rumor now and wait at least another year before considering the possibility that this could happen and that it might be good. If you don’t do this it will absolutely drive you insane. If you do not believe me consult your nearest StarCraft fan and ask them about their emotional rollercoaster ride over the last six years with that franchise.
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March 12, 2007
The Gamer’s Quagmire #43: Getting What You Ask For
Everything you wanted to know about gaming, and less.
by Jamison DeLorenzo
Something struck me this past weekend that I feel that I should share with you. No, I didn’t get run over by a tour bus (although that almost did happen). I have been spending an extravagant amount of time looking over launch lists for each of the consoles wondering about which console looks like it is going to be the most promising this year. I decided that it was possible for a console to become my primary gaming platform in lieu of my PC. The Sony online Home announcement aside the launch lists are going to be the most telling. It will tell me which console will be naughty and which will be nice.
Wait- did I just make a Christmas reference in March?! With a list and everything else?!!!?! Sigh…
It struck me that every game I was most likely to want to play, with the big exception being Spore, is a sequel in a franchise. Granted, it is hard to see which new games are going to be good and it’s hard to plan for those. Assassin’s Creed, as interesting as it sounds, is on my list of games that may be rented at some point. I believe I have mentioned this problem here before so I am not going to elaborate on it. The reason I bring it up is that I started to walk down the path of what games would sound the most appealing to me if they were to be released.
Hearken back to Knights of the Old Republic II if you will. It is a quality game that was not finished in time of its release and there is plenty of content the developers at Obsidian completed that we never saw. However, because we have hints and bread crumbs in the game as to what this missing content is, people are working on the restoring this content. It is this type of news that has been the most intriguing in a while. Find a game that has some extra content in it that I have not seen before you and I am probably on the line ready to bite at purchasing it.
This is a strange notion for me to consider. I am not the person who jumps at the extra content that is on a DVD or looks for Director’s or Extended cuts of a movie. Music, on the other hand, does grab me that way. Finding several concerts and unreleased Dave Matthews Band tracks pretty much made my week despite a stomach virus, more Mets drama, insane work hours, a leak in my ceiling at home, almost being run over, and no gaming of any kind. Somehow this idea of viewing previously enjoyed media with some added bonuses has struck a chord with me.
Now, do I really want to see all of my past favorite games with some added content? Hardly. Several of my favorite games have been re-released within the past couple of years that I simply have no intention of getting (especially any of the Square games with added Anime). Most of these re-released games are simply fluff on top of the same game. Fables: The Lost Chapters, on the other hand, is in the ilk of the type of game I am very much interested in playing. That offering was a little too shallow for me to consider picking up because they finally made the game a decent length for an RPG and it was still not a whole lot more than the original offering.
In general I love seeing new takes or extensions on old ideas. This is still tricky to pull off with games because adding enough content to a game that makes it worth buying again is always tough. Fans of the Rainbow Six series should understand what I’m talking about here. Every once in a while a new release in the franchise does make the campaigns and the multiplayer vastly different experiences. Meanwhile Madden is still bogged down with the same gameplay that existed in 2001 (aaah, another cheap shot at EA). When you whore out a cool game, such as what happened with Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, you go in the opposite direction of what I’m looking for.
As that is one of my least popular phrases, which is true with any phrase that is beyond tired, I feel I should elaborate on what I mean by that. After all that comment is highly subjective. The only real difference between “good new content” and a “whored out franchise” is a highly subjective opinion on the new release. They sound completely different. The latter even sounds like I’m saying something extremely poignant instead of just being guilty of something every radio shock DJ does on a daily basis.
Take Sands of Time- the game was designed from the ground up by the creator. Everything about the game was brand new for the franchise. The next step, The Warrior Within, had a gutted story and a deeper battle system. Overall the game did not really offer anything new. After this came The Two Thrones which, although it offered an interesting story device, did not offer anything new to the game worth getting excited about. I am not saying that the games are not worth looking at if Sands of Time provided a good amount of enjoyment for you (it is in my all-time Top 10 for games), but after a ton of incremental changes you are effectively beating a dead horse.
Hmm, that’s still pretty subjective. Maybe I have no idea what I am looking for. Not knowing what I want could be my real problem. Maybe there is no winning formula for expanding on an old game. Maybe I only want expansion packs for games I love and complete rewrites for everything else. Maybe I just need to take a closer look at the titles available now and give them a try instead of being a chicken. Either way, I am starting to get a sense for why not too many games are appealing to me right now and that online games have a tendency to nuke one’s ability to find other good games to play.
Or I just may need to be 10 years old again and get a slew of video games for Christmas one last time.
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February 12, 2007
The Gamer’s Quagmire #39: X’s, O’s, Tears, and Smiles
Everything you wanted to know about gaming, and less.
by Jamison DeLorenzo
I wrote a while ago about the death of the Playstation era, and for whatever reason I had to stop and contemplate what that meant to me. It took me several minutes to think about all the games I had for it, all the great games I had for it, and to move on. Sure, maybe a solid four minutes of nostalgia and small tear down the side of my face is all the emotion your going to get out of me (yes, even during this illustrious Week of the Color Pink), but it was something.Lo and behold, today it dawns on me that the Xbox era is officially over. They are no longer being manufactured and the 360 era is in full swing. You could say that the Xbox now has officially come full circle (I’ve been saving that one… it was worth it don’t you think?). What bothers me a little is that I spent all of about 20 seconds thinking about the games for the Xbox that made it a special machine for me. The list wasn’t that impressive.
Overall there were around 20+ games that I purchased for it, so it was far from a waste of time. What bothers me is that Sony was able to generate around 10 games that I consider epic and will wind up in my great book of gaming when my gaming life is just about over. With any luck that is at least another 50 years in the making. Regardless, my point is that the first Sony machine produced a big list of fun games and a modest list of epic games. The Xbox did not even come close to this.
Should this bother me as much as it does? Probably not. At the time of the Xbox release the developers were knee deep in making games for Sony’s console and the best exclusive titles were on the PS2. Vice City, for example, was a PS2 exclusive for a while until Rockstar released it for the Xbox. I cannot really consider that game to be an Xbox game. What were the great games for the Xbox? Knights of the Old Republic I & II (the former being much better), Fable (which should have been better), and Project Gotham Racing 2. All other games that I bought for the Xbox were titles that were available on multiple platforms but I purchased for the Xbox simply because it was a more powerful machine.
That was it- 4 games for the Xbox. Sure, the first Playstation’s life was much longer and Sony did an amazing job lining up developers for it, but that is the big secret isn’t it? Perhaps Microsoft’s problem is that they are unable to get good developers. Sure, there were plenty of decent games for the Xbox but nothing that approaches all the good times I had with my PS1. Whatever the reason it is hardly the point I am making here. The console’s official passing should mean more to me than it does. What comes next bothers me a little more.
My Xbox playing days are, for all intents and purposes, completely finished. Still I am unable to let the system go. I would much rather keep it in storage than sell it for some credit towards some newer gaming purchases. I cannot seriously expect a used console to be worth a lot in several decades can I? So what is the hangup? Is it that there are games that I seriously may want to play again someday? Is my penchant for collecting things that powerful? All of these are difficult questions to answer. Perhaps I need to think about this one way.
Consoles that I now have in my possession that I never plan on dumping (and all still work): Atari 2600, Super Nintendo, PS2, and Xbox. Consoles that I had at one point that were punted the second I was able to do so: NES, Dreamcast, N64, Gamecube. The PS1 is somewhat of an anomaly because I still have the games as they are compatible with the PS2. I need to clarify a few things about this. First off is I got the NES very late in its release cycle and there are still some classic games for it- I’d just as soon play them via my flashed GBA cartridge than the NES console itself. The other 3 consoles on the punted list could not have been punted hard enough save for potential serious foot injuries. I hate to ruffle feathers (okay, that’s a lie) but each of those consoles are firmly entrenched in my “Galactic Waste of Money” file right next to my 1-week PDA and my fireproof match set.
(For the record I am probably being completely unfair on this point so let me make a small addendum to the Waste of Money comment. Goldeneye, Soul Calibur, and Shadows of the Empire were games that I absolutely loved and wouldn’t trade a second of playing any of those games, but no other games were all that compelling for those machines. Not one. What bothers me most are the controllers for each of those systems, the big reason these consoles got my special Boot Imprint of Doom on them. The N64’s wasn’t bad. The Dreamcast one was just uninspiring because that slot for the VMU made it too big. The Gamecube, despite its popularity, was the most annoying controller I have ever held. It took me 3 days to get comfortable with the button placement. I had a much easier time accepting the downfall of the Simpsons for crying out loud. Anyways, in my book that is completely unacceptable for controller ergonomics.)
So when I get home tonight I’ll probably stare at my shelf that contains some Xbox games, do my best to shed a tear without forcing the issue, and move on. Who knows, I may even fire up KoToR one last time.
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