I Am Alive IS FUCKING ALIVE

Well, will you look at that!  It seems that not only did I not completely imagine the existence of I Am Alive, but the game may actually release sometime this century!  HOLY SHIT!  Earlier today, I Am Alive was given a rating of MA 15+ by the Australian Classification Board, which means that it must actually be in development!  FUCK YEAH!  Anyway, there was a point at which the game was thought to be converted to a downloadable title as opposed to a full retail game, but this was later revealed to be a hoax.  Eurogamer still has the release window printed as "2011", which I HIGHLY doubt, but whatever.  Miracles happen.  Sometimes.

Anyway, here is the ratings page (a.k.a. proof of existence) for the game:
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2011/02/02/i-am-alive-not-a-download-title-just-a-joke/

And here's the story:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-28-i-am-alive-release-imminent

On a side note, I apologize for all the swear words.  I just felt like it; we all have our days.  Anyway, I am actually looking forward to this game, and have been for quite a while.  The premise itself intrigues me.  Survival without horror?  Count me in.  Hopefully, Ubisoft Shanghai can deliver the goods.

Here's Some Video Of Gotham City Imposters

Gotham City Imposters is a FPS set in the Batman universe.  Wait... what?

Apparently, one side has players as Batman impersonators and the other side has players as Joker impersonators; these are all fakes, though.  Nobody is actually playing as Batman or Joker.  I personally think the game is just an attempt to cash in on the Batman license; seeing the game in action didn't really help.  The guy in the walkthrough (see: source link) says that the game has an "unprecedented amount of customization"... that's nice, but I was watching the game in action as he was saying this, and I didn't see anything special.  BUT... of course, I haven't played the game, so it might be the funnest thing in the world for all I know.  We'll find out when the game hits XBLA and PSN in the early part of 2012.  

Also, in addition to the walkthrough in the source link, I found more gameplay on YouTube.  At the very least, the levels look creative:

Source: http://videogames.gameguidedog.com/news/gotham-city-imposters-gameplay-walkthrough-and-developer-interview/3874/

WarDevil Canceled... Again

It's been almost a month since I posted about the happenings of WarDevil.  Now, it seems that the game has been canceled yet again.  Here's a brief history of WarDevil:

1. Announced in 2004 as an exclusive for the as-of-yet-unnamed Xbox 360
2. Announced again in 2005, this time as a PS3 exclusive
3. Later changed; set to be released on BOTH consoles
4. Canceled!
5. Brought back to life under the name "Project Kane"
6. Canceled!  Again!

Hooray!  And there you have it.  So, I guess the game is officially "dead" for now... unless, that is, another developer decides to pick up the project.

.......

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Okay, we all had a good laugh there.  This game is pretty much gone forever.

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-28-ignition-cancels-wardevil-again-report

Slow News Day

Yup... not much going on today.  This probably applies to the entire month of June, as E3 just passed us by; this probably means we won't get any interesting game announcements for a little while.  I'm hoping Rockstar will reveal Grand Theft Auto V soon, but we've probably got to wait a little while longer for that.  Does anybody remember how when and how GTA IV was announced?  I don't.  I'll have to look that up and search for some patterns...

Crysis 2 Now Has DirectX 11 Support

Crytek has released a patch for Crysis 2 that will make the graphics up-to-par with the initial expectations of the game.  It can't fix the gameplay, which many people felt was far inferior to the original Crysis, but it will at least make the game look pretty.  In fact, with the patch Crysis 2 supposedly looks even better than Crysis does, which means that once again gamers will need a supercomputer and a graphics card from Atlantis to get the game to run.  The patch is 2.32 GB, which, aside from a few bug fixes, seems to be pretty much all graphics.  You can read the full list of features, as well as find links to the 1.9 update (which you need to get first) and the new patch, in the source link.

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-27-2-32gb-crysis-2-dx11-patch-out-now

What Is GoldenEye Reloaded?

Apparently, domains have been registered by Activision that point to a new 007 GoldenEye game; you can check them out for yourselves by clicking on the source link.  Anyway, there is no indication whether this is yet another remake (such as 2010's GoldenEye 007), a spin-off (such as 2004's less-than-stellar Rogue Agent), or an entirely new game.  The title "Reloaded" would suggest to me that the new game is either a port of the Wii version to other platforms, or a direct continuation of the story from the 2010 game.  I suppose we'll find out soon enough.

Source: http://gamingbolt.com/golden-eye-reloaded-under-development

Xenoblade Is Coming To America

Nintendo fans have been publicly clamoring for three Japan-exclusive Wii titles to come to the west: Xenoblade, Last Story, and Pandora's Tower.  A U.S. release for Xenoblade has now been confirmed, according to an e-mail answer from Nintendo.

Source: http://www.zeldainformer.com/2011/06/breaking-news-xenoblade-finally-confirmed-for-a-north-american-release.html

Check out the Japanese cover for the game:

And a landscape screenshot:

Both of those are from Wikipedia.  Epic, no?

Daily Video Game Deals, #11 - Spider-Man: Web of Shadows

It's always the PC deals that are cheap; the console versions of this game are still running for $40.  Web of Shadows is a Spider-Man game I've never played myself, but would like to.  Critical reception of this game was mixed; reviewers disliked the story in general, the mission structure, the voice acting, and Peter Parker's personality, but the combat system was pointed to as one of the best in any Spider-Man game; this is from what I gathered, anyway.  The PC version of the game holds a 52 on Metacritic, but has 4/5 on Amazon.  I don't know... play at your own risk, I guess.

The sad part about this is that Shaba Games, a developer of Web of Shadows (Treyarch apparently chipped in as well), was closed by Activision in 2009, so they'll never get a chance to take their combat system and try to build a great game around it.

Oblivion 5th Anniversary Edition Releases This July

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - 5th Anniversary Edition will be available in U.S. stores July 12th; it will be priced at $30.  The game is essentially a repackaging of the Game of the Year version of Oblivion, with a collector's item, a "making of" DVD, a map, and a $10 mail-in rebate on Skyrim and its strategy guide.  The extra stuff is only in the U.S., though, so European stores are literally getting a repackaged GOTY version of Oblivion.

Oblivion GOTY for PS3 also has a bug that makes it impossible to cure yourself of vampirism once you get infected.  Hopefully, they fixed that.  But, they're just repackaging, so... probably not.

Last thing: no Trophies.

Sources:
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion-5th-anniversary-edition-available-jul/
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1179134p1.html

Rumor Mill: Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar's inevitable next installment in the wildy successful series, has reportedly been in development for quite a while.

A clue pointing towards GTA V can be found in the manual from Episodes from Liberty City.  The picture, shown below, says "Liberty City, It's Over!  Next Stop."  It then has a picture under that, although it's unclear what that is.

People all around the internet have different opinions of what this could be.  Some people think the mountains point to a revisiting of San Andreas; some of the recent rumors, however, state that the game may be set in Hollywood.  I have a friend who is an avid fan of GTA, and from the point GTA IV was released it was obvious to him that Rockstar was repeating the same pattern it had with the PS2 games: Liberty City, Vice City, and then San Andreas.  I am actually inclined to agree.  I also read a comment from a person who thought that the image from the manual was from the film studio in Vice City.  I haven't verified this, but this fits in with the movie-poster theme of the picture.

Anyway, there is also the matter of the text under the aforementioned image, which reads "OPENS MARCH EVERYWHERE".  GTA IV was released in April 2008, and in March 2012 it will be almost four years since then.  GTA IV took three and a half years to develop, and if we are to assume that GTA V will use the same engine and technology, it must be almost completed by now.  Therefore, even though it's less than a year off, I believe that GTA V may actually be released in March 2012.

Sources:
http://www.1up.com/news/grand-theft-auto-v-12-release-pretty-likely
http://guyism.com/lifestyle/grand-theft-auto-5-is-officially-off-the-record-in-the-works.html
http://www.xcastonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1102:gta-episodes-from-liberty-city-manual-teases-qthe-next-stopq&catid=39:news&Itemid=104
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/987732-grand-theft-auto-iv-episodes-from-liberty-city/54406697
http://www.gta4.net/news/4359/liberty-city-its-over--next-stop/

Sucker Punch Already Working On inFamous 3?

It seems that Sucker Punch, developers of the famed Sly Cooper games on the PS2 and the newly-popular inFamous games on the PS3, are in need of a senior producer for a new video game.  The job description was posted on Gamasutra, and can be found here:
http://jobs.gamasutra.com/jobseekerx/viewjobrss.asp?cjid=26816&accountno=358

The platform listed is the PS3, so it's yet another PS3-exclusive.  So, here are the facts:

1. inFamous 2 was just released
2. The inFamous games have received good sales and good reviews
3. The new game is NOT Sly 4; that game has already been announced as Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, and is being developed by Sanzaru Games

So, it must be either inFamous 3, or a new IP.  I'm leaning more towards inFamous 3 at the moment; I haven't played inFamous 2, so I don't know how it ends, but I'm assuming that Cole McGrath still has more ground to cover.

Either way, a new game is coming from Sucker Punch!

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6320693/infamous-dev-working-on-new-ps3-title?tag=hot-stories%3Btitle%3B2

Former I Am Alive Developer Has A New Game

Darkworks, the (former) developer behind I Am Alive, has announced a new game called Black Death for PC, PS3, and 360.  It's a FPS in which you have to stay alive while shooting mutants.

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-23-i-am-alive-dev-announces-black-death

Wait... WHAT?  What about I Am Alive???  I've been intrigued about the game since the E3 trailer back in 2008, after which there has been absolutely no information about the game AT ALL.  There was a teaser shown at E3 2009 of the game, but it served only to prove that the game was still in development; it showed us nothing of the actual game.  Apparently, Darkworks has abandoned I Am Alive, which is something I was completely unaware of.  Development duties have been handed over to Ubisoft Shanghai, and we should expect the game sometime before the end of the world.

Google Is Now Dabbling In Video Games

Search engine giant Google is everywhere these days; hell, they're basically taking over the world.  There's a rare area they haven't approached yet, however: gaming.  According to IGN, that's about to change.  They report that Google is set on developing its own platform, and is looking for a Product Manager.  Would you buy a Google console?  The thought itself of a gaming platform made by Google is just... eerie.  Also, Google is powerful as all hell, and definitely a giant in its own right, but how will it be able to compete with the giants of gaming?  Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo dominate the industry, and I don't see anyone breaking that triumvirate anytime soon.

Either way, it will be fascinating to see how this all pans out.  Also, it should be noted that nowhere in the actual job description (link posted below) does it mentioned an actual platform/console of any sort; I guess that's just IGN's hypothesis.  The project is simply called "Games at Google"; I'll be following this up once some concrete information emerges.

Source: http://games.ign.com/articles/117/1178887p1.html

Job description: http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/uslocations/mountain-view/product/product-manager-games-mountain-view/index.html

PS3 Price Drop Rumor Strikes Again

Rumor is, Sony is set to announce a price drop for the PS3 at Gamescom this August (17th-21st).  If it happens, the new price will probably be set at £200.  Not much else to say here; we'll just have to wait and see.

Source: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1178883p1.html

L.A. Noire Headed To PC

Rockstar Leeds is porting Team Bondi's MotionScan-filled creation over to the PC in time for this fall.  I have read multiple angry forum posts about how Rockstar has "no love" for the PC; apparently, this isn't true.  Although, many of us will still be left wondering how amazing Red Dead Redemption would look on a PC at the highest settings... *shiver*.

Source: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6320849/la-noire-pc-bound-this-fall-ships-4-million-units?tag=recent_news%3Btitle%3B3

Lego Universe Going Free To Play

This was actually the first free-to-play transformation announced this week; City of Heroes was second, and Team Fortress 2 was third.  I just like to report things in reverse order (/order of importance, methinks).

Still... what the hell?  This makes three games THIS WEEK that have converted to the free-to-play model of business.  Ah, wait a second.  It seems that LEGO's version of "free-to-play" is a little different.  The company is still going to offer paid subscriptions for $10 a month... those who do this will have access to the full game.  Those who choose to play the game "free" will have access to a limited number of quests and functions, so that they'll WANT to pay $10 a month.  Remember how I said I hate micro-transaction systems?  Yeah... this isn't a micro-transaction system... this is worse.

If you've been dying to play Lego Universe for free, this still doesn't really seem like your chance, as you only get access to two adventure areas (out of a total fifteen), and one player property area (out of a total five).  Well... whatever, LEGO.  Whatever.  You do need to make money, and you did create the magnificence that is Lego Island 2, so I forgive you.

Source: http://blogs.forbes.com/johngaudiosi/2011/06/21/lego-universe-latest-online-game-to-adopt-free-to-play-business-model/

City of Heroes Going Free To Play

City of Heroes, a game I have been wanting to play since its release, is now going free-to-play.

Hrm... excuse me.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alrighty, I'm done.

Entitled "City of Heroes: Freedom", the superhero MMORPG will have run on a micro-transaction system.  Have I already mentioned how much I hate that crap?  Yeah, I think I have.  No matter; people need to make money somehow.  Of course, without paying, you'll only have access to a limited number of classes to choose from; that probably goes for powers as well, unfortunately.  Still, the option to play for free is there, and I intend to pounce on the opportunity.  Cryptic Studios, a developer of City of Heroes, also went on to develop Champions Online, a game that has been free-to-play since its launch, but I wasn't interested in it due to its comic-like art style; I've also read through forums which praise City of Heroes over Champions Online.

I'm looking forward to this.  The change will occur later this year, and when it happens, I will post it immediately.

Source: http://www.gametrailers.com/news/city-of-heroes-going-free-to-play/3513

Daily Video Game Deals, #10 - Spider-Man: The Movie (PC)

This, ladies and gentlemen, is my favorite PC game of all time.  It was also one of my first real games, and is probably one of the titles that got me into gaming in the first place.  Many people may not agree with my glowing opinion of this game, but I have nothing but fond things to say of it.  It's almost a decade old, but this is one game that is worth revisiting.

Video of the Week - Team Fortress 2: Meet the Medic

With Team Fortress 2 now entering its free-to-play phase, Valve has FINALLY decided to release the long awaited "Meet the Medic" short.  For those who don't know, Team Fortress 2 has nine playable classes, and each class got its own video, except for the Medic and the Pyro.  WATCH THEM.  Seriously, it's pretty funny stuff.  You can find them all here: http://www.youtube.com/user/teamfortress; Meet the Medic is a perfect addition to the collection (although a little graphic, so be warned):

On The Lack of Posts

Dear Readers,

I have made a promise that I have, up until now, not been keeping.  I intended this blog to be a wealth of information, and yet I've been skipping by with an average of three posts a day.  That's just not cutting it, and I know that.  Therefore, from now on, I'll be posting more.  MUCH more.  I WILL get this blog to where I want it to be: at the very forefront of gaming news and rumors.  For those of you who have put up with me so far, I thank you.  It only gets better from here.

-UnchartedGaming

Team Fortress 2 Is Now Free FOREVER

So... remember how, an hour or so ago, Team Fortress 2 was in the middle of its "free week"?  Yeah, well... it's now free FOR GOOD.  Valve is transforming the online game into a free-to-play affair, and will earn money through the hideously annoying micro-transaction system that seems to be popular among all the good games these days.  For those of you who don't know, a micro-transaction system works this way: the game itself is free to play, but you can choose to pay money for items within the game (hats, anyone?).  With many games, the developers try and make you feel as though you're not getting the complete experience, and so you are lured into giving them money for virtual items.  Fortunately, this is not the case with Team Fortress 2, at least for me.  I feel no attraction to buying any items at all.  The game is so much fun I don't care about any virtual items.  People can pay for their silly hats; it won't matter when I utterly destroy them online.

Sources:
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6321032/team-fortress-2-going-free-to-play
http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/06/24/breaking-team-fortress-2-is-now-free-to-play-forever/

UPDATE: Video

Uncharted, Resistance, Ratchet & Clank Collections Coming Next Month

There is now good news for people who have never played the Uncharted games, or the Resistance games, or the Ratchet & Clank games; all three series have released two games each for the PS3, and so each series is getting a collection containing two games.  There... may have been a better way to say that, but whatever.  Point is, they're coming.  The Uncharted Collection, containing both games released so far, as well as an Uncharted 3 avatar and theme, will supposedly be out on July 19th in North America, and will retail for $40.  The other two collections are confirmed for release on the same day, and will probably have the same price tag attached.

Source: http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/220701/uncharted-collection-arriving-next-month/

Daily Video Game Deals, #9 - Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Trilogy

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a revered platformer, known among fans as one of the best ever made.  Its success prompted the release of two sequels, Warrior Within and The Two Thrones; both sequels failed to achieve the sheer magic of the original Prince of Persia, however, and were criticized for completely changing the Prince's personality, among other things.  Nonetheless, they are all good games, and are now available for cheap, boxed together as the Sands of Time Trilogy.  If you've never played through the series, this is a good opportunity to do so; even if the sequels aren't up your alley, the original Prince of Persia by itself is worth the price of admission.

Skyrim Never Runs Out Of Dragons

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is arguably one of the most anticipated titles of 2011, and it's coming this November to many hordes of starved fans who have been avidly anticipating the game since its announcement.  I have never played an Elder Scrolls game myself, but even I have to admit that Skyrim looks great.  According to Bethesda, the developer, Skyrim will feature dragons galore; these dragons, when defeated, will grant the players new powers.  This is all very grand, but what if there were an unlimited amount of dragons?  Apparently, this is actually the case.  Dragon encounters are randomly generated, and it seems they'll be popping up throughout the game.  My question is, how would the game function without a cap on the number of these encounters?  There is the issue of player statistics, after all.  The player can only become so powerful; what purpose, then, would these random dragon encounters serve after the player has reached maximum power?

I sense a major problem here, but then again, I don't fully understand how the game functions.  I suppose we'll have to wait for a comprehensive review to reveal how this all pans out.

Also, not all the dragon encounters are random.  Some are set to appear at specific moments, probably at the end of dungeons and such.  So, there's that.

Source: http://www.destructoid.com/elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-to-feature-unlimited-dragons-201420.phtml

Team Fortress 2 Is Free This Week!

I missed this, but apparently Team Fortress 2 has been free on Steam this entire week!  The deal runs until Sunday, so grab it while you can!  You'll have to install Steam first, of course, but that's also free.

You can find the link here:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/440/?snr=1_4_4__13

Daily Video Game Deals, #8 - Beyond Good & Evil

Hey, look what I found!  If anybody wanted to give the original game a try, here it is for even cheaper than the HD version.  Not much else to say here.  The 4.5/5 rating on Amazon speaks for itself.

Beyond Good & Evil HD Finally Headed To The PS3

Beyond Good & Evil, an absolutely fantastic game that nobody played, was re-released in HD on XBLA back in March, which a PSN version scheduled for May.  It got delayed of course, and the new date is June 28th for North America.  It will retail for $10.

Source: http://ca.kotaku.com/5814623/beyond-good--evil-hd-finally-comes-to-the-ps3-next-week

I played through the PC version a few months ago, and it was one of the most amazing gaming experiences I have ever had.  Beyond Good & Evil is a difficult game to explain, as it combines elements from many different games; however, it does so flawlessly.  The game has garnered a lot of "Legend of Zelda" comparisons; these are completely unfair.  Beyond Good & Evil certainly uses elements of the "Legend of Zelda" series, but many other games do.  Beyond Good & Evil is completely unique in its world, its story, and its characters, which are likable in every way.  One of these days, I will post a review.  For now, just know that the game is incredible, and for 10 bucks, it's definitely worth a try.

The Robin In Arkham City Is... Tim Drake?

As previously mentioned, Robin is set to play a role in Batman: Arkham City.  For now, however, that role is limited to two challenge maps.  There is still no indication whether he is in the actual game or not; of course, Rocksteady probably wouldn't go to all the trouble of rendering a 3D model of Robin, complete with motion animations, just for two challenge maps.  So, odds are pretty good that he's actually in the game.  Some of you may think that's the obvious case, and I sincerely hope so.

As before, Robin is only available to those who pre-order the game (PS3, 360, or PC) from Best Buy.  Interestingly enough, the deal is called the "Tim Drake Robin Pack", which completely confuses me, as it obviously suggests that the Robin we are getting is Tim Drake.  Did Arkham Asylum occur in the time period after Dick Grayson and Jason Todd?  Does this mean we could be seeing Nightwing or the Red Hood in Arkham City?  Only Rocksteady knows, and they aren't telling.

Redbox Can Now Cure Your Video Game Itch

Redbox, a movie rental company, has now starting renting out video games.  They'll be setting you back $2 a night, which isn't bad at all, and the games themselves are available for the PS3, 360, and the Wii.  No PC love here.

Source: http://stclairshores.patch.com/articles/redbox-kiosks-now-offer-video-game-rentals-13

And look, they're on the website, too:
http://www.redbox.com/games

Looking at the site, it seems they've got a pretty horrible collection, actually.  Not many games at all.  They do, however, have L.A. Noire and inFamous 2, so it's forgivable... for now.  The service itself is relatively new, so I'm sure they'll keep updating their collection of games as time goes on.

True Test - A Video Game Tribute

I sincerely apologize for the lack of posts yesterday.  I have been working on a little project of mine for some time, and yesterday I finally managed to finish it.  The result is a video I'm very proud of, entitled "True Test - A Video Game Tribute".

Making of:

This is only my first video; there will be many more to come, hopefully at the rate of one a week.  I will post every video on my blog, with a little "making of" featurette such as this one; of course, you can always find my videos on my YouTube channel, the link to which I will post at the end of this post.

The making of this video was a long and arduous process that cost me much time and effort, mostly due to the different screen resolutions the videos themselves were in.  I initially started this project on Editstudio 6; I had used the software before, and so I downloaded and used the trial.  I found, however, that I could not fix the problem of the differing video resolutions.  So, I turned to Nero, and downloaded that trial instead.  It was a great program, until I realized that the feature to slow down or speed up a video did not exist.  This is not a cheap program, and while I didn't buy it, I have a feeling that some people who will may be sorely disappointed.  I mean, seriously; no speed change?  Even Windows Move Maker has that.  Anyway, I finally settled on Sony Vegas Pro, which I managed to borrow off a friend.  It allowed me to do everything that I needed to, and I spent all of yesterday rebuilding my video inside Vegas.

Now, on to the actual content.  There are 29 video games included in my video.  If you missed the description, here they are (in order):


Gears of War 3
Grand Theft Auto IV
Devil May Cry 4
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
God of War 3
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 3
Red Dead Redemption
inFamous
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Resistance 3
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Darksiders
Darksiders II
Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Edge of Twilight
Dragon's Dogma
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Kingdom Hearts Final Mix (Deep Dive)
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Metal Gear Solid IV
Prototype
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Metal Gear Solid Rising
Lost Odyssey
Starhawk
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Tomb Raider
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

This may seem like a lot for a 4-minute video, but there were originally intended to be much more; I had originally planned to feature around 50 games.  As the song neared its end, I had wanted to time some very quick clips (1 second or less) of various video games into the video, resulting in a very speedy, action-oriented collage.  I ended up not doing this because I felt the final product would better benefit from a slower, more focused approach, and so I went about changing the concept behind my video.

There were many games that were originally supposed to be included, but did not make the final cut.  There was a landscape scene from Red Faction: Guerrilla, for example, that I replaced with a landscape scene from Dragon's Dogma, because the Guerrilla footage was watermarked.  If there's one thing I won't stand for, it's watermarks in my videos.  I get most of the footage from trailers and reviews on GameTrailers, but when I find I can't work around the watermarks, I resort to downloading the clean version from FilePlanet.  This didn't work for Guerrilla, because the footage was exclusive to GameTrailers.  No worries, though; the game will soon get its own video.  Anyway, I was also intending to include Killzone 3 and Halo 4 in the video; Halo 4 was actually in at one point, but I decided to take it out and abandon both games, because I felt the project would be better off without them.  The Dead Space games were also early picks of mine, but as they definitely didn't fit with what I wanted the video to be, I disregarded them as well.  I really wanted to show some love for the lesser-known (but brilliant) games by including footage of The Witcher games, but I couldn't find a clip or a place to put it.  I really wanted to include Beyond Good & Evil 2, but there is only one trailer, and it didn't fit.  I didn't use footage from the first game, or from great games such as Psychonauts, because the games included in the video had to have realistic graphics; this would make the video flow much better, and hopefully tie all the different worlds together.

The song I used is called "True Test", by Polywood; I first heard it in the DC Universe commercial, and immediately loved it.  The challenge of setting a variety of action-oriented video game clips to the entire song is that the first minute is relatively quiet.  I found my solution to this with the "Ashes to Ashes" trailer for Gears of War 3, which comprises the first minute of the video.  I'm not a particularly big fan of Gears of War; it's just that the footage and the ambiance fit, so I used it.  I'd like to think it turned out quite nicely.  I always intended to finish the project with Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and I feel I did that successfully as well.  In between the beginning and the end, however, I do feel I could have made many aspects of the video better.  Some of the clips feel somewhat out of place, perhaps, but I had spent so much time on the video I just decided "the hell with it", and went with what I had.  I timed everything to the best of my ability, so while some transitions are slightly off, most of them are alright.

The theme I wanted to explore in "True Test - A Video Game Tribute" was that of the title of the song and thus the video: the idea of a "true test".  All of the characters featured in the video are truly challenged by those who would oppose them, and thus they all face the test of overcoming all obstacles, and perhaps even themselves, to achieve their goals.  When all appears lost, they will find the strength to continue, and that drive is central to many of the characters.

I intend to use this "theme" idea for as many of my serious videos as I can.  Of course, humorous videos are also in the works, so if you've never seen a funny video game tribute before, be prepared.

And, we finally come to the end of my long essay!  Thank you for watching, thank you for reading, and make sure to check out my channel on YouTube here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/UnchartedGamingBlog

Please look forward to my next video!

New Releases - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D will be on shelves in less than 7 hours.  Are you ready?  Once I get a 3DS, this will likely be the first game I get for it.  I remember playing the original N64 version many years ago (although it was still years after it was first released)... I was completely enthralled by the game's atmosphere, as well as pretty much everything else.  Unfortunately, I had to look up online guides for pretty much every dungeon, as there were countless occasions during which I had no idea what to do; I was new to the Legend of Zelda series at the time, and I was pretty young.  Because I used a guide to complete virtually the entire game (I know, I know, sorry), I don't remember much of the game.  Therefore, when I get the new 3DS version, I will never, NEVER touch a guide or use external help of any sort.  I intend to get the experience that the game was made to give.  I've also never played the Master Quest version, which is essentially a harder version of the game.

By the way, that's included in this 3DS version!  Ocarina of Time 3D includes both the original game and the Master Quest version, meaning that players will be busy for quite a while.  Nothing can top the sheer quality of magic that accompanies every Legend of Zelda game, and the remake of what most critics hail as the greatest game of the series will be no exception.

It's already got a Metascore of 94:
http://www.metacritic.com/game/3ds/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d

If you never played the original, and you have a 3DS, then you have no excuse.  The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of the best video games ever made, and whatever remake it gets will undoubtedly demand attention.  I recommend it very, VERY highly.

Editorial: Why The Fascination With Gore?

This is my first editorial, and it will be rather short; I cannot properly respond to the question I have posed, simply because I do not have an answer.  With that in mind, read on.

There are many video games out on the market that can be fairly described as "ridiculously violent".  Manhunt immediately springs to mind, as does Grand Theft Auto, Postal, Gears of War, God of War, Mortal Kombat, MadWorld, and the like.  My question is, why are gamers attracted to this?

Let me start out by saying that I do not find pleasure in blood and gore, and I simply do not understand people who do.  In fact, I think there must be something wrong with these people.  I have a friend whose little brother (middle school age) is fascinated by blood and guts and heads exploding left and right.  He hasn't even hit puberty yet.  What the hell?  People laugh and get excited by these things in video games, but if they happened in real life, those same people would have an amazingly different response: one of disgust.  War and death is nothing to take lightly; killing a man and seeing his own blood come pouring out of his lifeless body is not a joke. Gamers need to understand that games such as Call of Duty and Battlefield, while fun, AREN'T REAL.  Having fun with a video game is one thing, however; reveling in blood spatter and visible intestines is completely another.  I don't care if it's virtual; it's SICK.  It definitely says something about the person in question.

Some of you may disagree with me; in fact, if there were more people reading this blog, A LOT of people would disagree with me.  Please do me a favor, and comment on this one.  I honestly want to know why gamers specifically love violence.  I have found absolutely no article about this topic, as if people are simply afraid to ask, and afraid to say that there is something wrong here.  Note that I too am a fan of Grand Theft Auto; I find it fun.  I do not, however, simply kill people to see their blood spray all over the place.  Thankfully, with the more realistic GTA IV, headshots no longer cause heads to pop off and spout fountains of blood.  Anyway, it's the same thing with Gears of War, God of War, and even Mortal Kombat.  I find them all fun, but I am not attracted to them because of the blood and gore they tout.

I await your explanations as to why gamers enjoy seeing virtual blood.

Video of the Week: The Ultimate E3 Trailer

This one is pretty cool.  It's basically a video collage of major games shown at E3 2011; it does a great job of combining both trailers and gameplay, and is definitely worth a watch:

PS3 & 360 Price Cuts Due This Year?

According to Yves Guilemot, the boss of Ubisoft, both consoles will receive price cuts before the end of the year.  This isn't official, of course; it's simply a projection.  Not much else to say here.

Source: http://www.industrygamers.com/news/ps3-360-price-cuts-coming-this-year-says-ubisoft-ceo/

Daily Video Game Deals, #7 - Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is hands-down my favorite PSP game of all time, and overall one of the best games I've ever played.  It's not the gameplay that makes it so fantastic, although I still found it fun; rather, it's the world and the story which draws you in like nothing else available on a portable system.  First of all, the graphics are absolutely stunning.  The in-game graphics are great, but the cutscenes are in a league of their own.  Not only do the cutscenes in Crisis Core completely eclipse anything on the PSP and PS2, I would go so far as to say they look better than some PS3 titles.  Yeah, they're THAT AMAZING.  They really help draw you into the game.  I never played the original Final Fantasy VII (heresy, I know), but I basically knew the story of the game, and so I jumped into Crisis Core.  You play as Zack Fair, a SOLDIER, and the original carrier of Cloud Strife's Buster Sword.  If you know what happened in VII, then you know the fate of Zack before you even start the game, and this just makes the experience that much stronger.  I cannot recommend this game enough.

Valve Will Be At Gamescom

Valve, developer of Half-Life, Team Fortress, and other games that are not nearly as famous, will be attending the annual Gamescom trade fair in Germany this year.  They were already confirmed to not be at E3, so whatever they have to say, they'll say it at Gamescom.  Anybody hoping for any surprise announcements?  Half-Life 2: Episode 3, perhaps???  Nah, I'm just kidding.  That'll never happen.  Then again, Duke Nukem Forever was just released, so who knows?

Gamescom 2011 will be held from August 17th to August 21st.

Source: http://games.ign.com/articles/117/1177029p1.html

Devil May Cry Collection May Or May Not Be Happening

According to a Spanish website that no one's ever heard of before, there is a Devil May Cry Collection coming to the PS3 in November, retailing at $40.  The collection includes Devil May, Devil May Cry 2, and Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening; the 3rd game is the Special Edition, which included Vergil as a playable character.  Anyway, the box art was too lazy to be real, so naturally, IT ISN'T.  Here is the fake box art for the Devil May Cry 10th Anniversary Collection, in all its fake glory:

It's an obvious photoshop, as that art was used for the European versions of the Devil May Cry 5th Anniversary Collection, which included all three games and was released for the PS2; essentially, the new collection would just be an HD upgrade of the PS2 collection.  Going back, I seriously hope they don't come up with some ridiculously hideous/lazy design for the cover of the supposed collection, because Dante deserves better than that.  The website the picture was taken from can be found here:
http://www.thevault.es/filtrado-devil-may-cry-hd-collection

Note that the original post was made on the website XtraLife, although their article about the collection has since been taken down.  Interesting.

The Devil May Cry Collection is one I have been repeatedly clamoring for (see: http://unchartedgaming.blogspot.com/2011/02/devil-may-cry-collection-for-ps3-and.html and http://unchartedgaming.blogspot.com/2011/06/hd-collections-that-need-to-happen.html), and I am seriously psyched to be able to play these games on my PS3.  Back when I first posted about the collection rumor, however, Devil May Cry 4 was supposed to be included in the package.  Well, whatever.  We shall see.  In the mean time, Capcom is denying that a Devil May Cry Collection is even in the works.  Very well, Capcom; you keep your secrets for now.

Source: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1176951p1.html

Daily Video Game Deals, #6 - Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is the game I wanted a 360 for.  Not Halo, not Gears of War... this game.  I was intrigued by the creative aspect of building vehicles.  People should be warned that this isn't really a true sequel to the N64 games, as this is less of a platformer and more of a racer; however, most people who play it seem to take kindly to its immersive world and family-friendly atmosphere.  So, if you were ever curious about this game, now is the time to try it out, as it's going for pretty cheap.  Check it out below:

It's A Good Time To Buy Psychonauts

That image you see above is the PC box art of Psychonauts, one of the most criminally overlooked games of the last decade.  It was developed by Tim Schafer and his company Double Fine Productions; it was their first title.  The game was published by Majesco Entertainment, who actually suffered due to Psychonauts' poor sales.  Anyway, Majesco's publishing deals with Double Fine is now void, meaning that buying any NEW copy of Pscyhonauts will send money directly to Tim Schafer and his team.  DO IT.  Unfortunately, the game is hard to find at a decent price, so you'll have to do some digging if you want to get it.  BUT, more money to Double Fine hopefully means more money towards development of Psychonauts 2, which we will hopefully see one day.

Source: http://www.1up.com/news/psychonauts-rights-revert-double-fine

Psychonauts was originally released in 2005 for the PC, PS2, and Xbox; in 2007, it was released as part of Xbox Originals on the 360.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Now Has A Price Tag

The Halo remake set for the 360 later this year will cost you $40 in the U.S., and £35 in Europe.  $40 is about what I expected for America, but the Europeans are always, ALWAYS getting the short end of the stick; £35 is about $50.  Anyway, aside from the remake version with the HD visuals, 343 Studios is also including the original Halo: Combat Evolved, the way it was released in 2001.  I... did not expect that at all, but it's a welcome addition.  Anniversary also includes Achievements and Xbox Live functionality (only for the HD version of the game, methinks), so it's not a bad deal; playing Halo online, after all, is what many gamers buy Halo games for in the first place.


Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-15-halo-ce-anniversary-to-cost-GBP34-99

Daily Video Game Deals, #5 - Star Wars: Battlefront II

Yes, I am doing two of these posts, one right after the other.  Let's make this short: Battlefront II is awesome.  It was one of the friends that I mentioned in the first post who had the PS2, and when he got Battlefront II we all began playing that instead of the first game.  To this day, the game remains one of my top choices for multiplayer; I even bought the original Xbox version for a friend a while back so he could play it on his 360.  The friend with the PS2 actually told me that he preferred the original over the sequel, and after reading some reviews, I see why.  Battlefront II apparently does away with all the strategy of the original, and makes the maps smaller and less enjoyable; according to some reviewers, the epic scale of the first game was greatly diminished in the second.  I never played through the campaign or Galactic Conquest mode, so I wouldn't really have had time to notice it all... I can honestly say, however, that buying this game for multiplayer is worth it.  Battlefront II adds a sprint option, space battles, and playable heroes/villains to the series (all things the first game lacked).  Sprinting is awesome, space battles are awesome, and playable heroes/villains are awesome beyond words.  Essentially, when you kill enough people with a regular soldier, you are presented with the option to play as a hero or villain (depending, of course, on which faction you are playing as).  These are usually Jedi or Sith... but sometimes, they aren't.  The Hero side also includes Han Solo and Princess Leia, two of the most useless characters in any game, EVER.  Don't get me wrong, Han Solo is a great personality, but when he is your Hero and the opposing team has Darth Vader, you are royally screwed.  Of course, if you're good enough you can take down a Hero or a Villain with a regular soldier, so the game doesn't become completely unbalanced.  Also, Chewbacca isn't that bad.  The Villain side, of course, has Jango Fett and Boba Fett (in different game modes), and they can fly around with their jetpacks, which is pretty cool.  The game also limits the time you have with these powerful characters, so you will still spend most of your time as a soldier (these come in many different classes, by the way; I forgot to mention that).  Anyway, the main reason I would get this game is for the Jedi/Sith.  They're amazingly fun to play, and mowing down soldiers who never even see you coming never gets old.  It gets particularly awesome when whoever you are playing against gets access to their own Hero or Villain, and then it's lightsaber vs. lightsaber.  You can use force powers as well (which differ depending on who you are playing as), so that definitely mixes things up.  The Jedi/Sith move faster than anyone else, and can jump ridiculously high, provided that your "Force Bar" is filled up; Yoda can jump five times in a row!

Whew... well, that's enough of that.  If you're a Star Wars fan, and a multiplayer buff, definitely pick this one up.  It's an old game now, but there has yet to be a Star Wars game that can match the sheer fun factor of the Battlefront series.  Here it is:

Daily Video Game Deals, #4 - Star Wars: Battlefront

Star Wars: Battlefront is one of those games that you just have to play in order to understand how fun it is.  I spent countless hours with three other friends playing it on the PS2; to me, it never got old.  It wasn't fascination with the Star Wars universe, either; I was never a huge Star Wars fan.  I just liked the way the game played.  Many other people felt the same, and Battlefront remains one of the best-selling Star Wars games.  The PC version of the game is now going for a five-dollar bill and some change on Amazon, so check it out:

Microsoft Says That They Are Not Milking Halo

Some of you are probably laughing hysterically right now, but for those of you who aren't, please continue reading.  Microsoft says that they are not, in fact, milking the star franchise which has thus far earned them $34 million.  O RLY?  Well then, let's just list the most recent Halo games:

Halo Wars - 2009

Halo 3: ODST - 2009

Halo: Reach - 2010

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary - 2011

Halo 4 - 2012

That's five games in four years, folks.  Not even Call of Duty has managed to accomplish that.  So what does Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft Game Studios, have to say about that?  According to Eurogamer, he's brushed it off as coincidence.  HOW CONVENIENT.  I was always under the impression that Halo 4 wasn't supposed to happen; it was Bungie's world, and Bungie's story, and they finished it with Halo 3.  But, of course, Micro$oft wants their ca$h, because they apparently don't have enough from the hundred of thousands of dollars they've made from the franchise already.  For the sake of Halo fans, I at least hope that Halo 4 is a worthy addition to the series.

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-14-microsoft-denies-milking-halo

The Wii U Will Not Be Cheap

What have we found out in the past week?  We've found out that the Wii U only supports one Wii U controller, and that controller is supposed to be in the same room as the console if you want to play a game with its screen. Now, we are being told that the Wii U will not be cheap.  More accurately, it will be more expensive that the Wii.  To be honest, that's not saying much, but it seems like the console will be priced at over $300, if you ask me.  The controller itself looks ridiculously expensive, and according to IGN, this could be why each console only supports one.  Honestly, it makes sense.  I've based on the Wii U enough this week, however, so I'll just leave you with the links.

Sources:
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/10/report-iwata-on-wii-u-39-s-price-quot-this-is-not-going-to-be-cheap-quot.aspx
http://gear.ign.com/articles/117/1175842p1.html

Daily Video Game Deals, #3 - L.A. Noire

This deal isn't as cheap as the others, but a deal it is nonetheless.  L.A. Noire, which retailed at the standard industry price of $60, has now dropped to $40 on Amazon.  This is pretty great when you consider that the game came out less than a month ago (and to some really good reviews).  L.A. Noire is unique in the fact that is uses MotionScan for amazingly realistic facial expressions, something that is also at the very core of its gameplay.  It was also the first video game to be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival!  L.A. Noire currently holds a Metascore of 89 for both the PS3 and 360; if you're interested, you can find it here:

Wii U Controller Has A Very Short Range

An editor over at Kotaku wanted to be able to play his Wii U in the bathroom; the controller does have a screen, after all, and you are supposed to be able to turn off the television and play most games exclusively on the controller.  Unfortunately, this may harder than previously thought.  A representative from Nintendo confirmed that you may not be able to play games on the controller if you are outside the room the Wii U is in, meaning that the controller's signal range is a lot shorter than it should be.  People are now left to find creative ways to play the game they want in another room.  Looks like it's back to newspapers and philosophy books in the bathroom, then.

Source: http://ca.kotaku.com/5811558/nintendo-doubts-you-can-take-wii-u-to-the-bathroom

Wii U Launching Within A Year

According to SEGA, Nintendo's new console is going to be available in the first half of 2012; Nintendo themselves spoke of a 2012 release, but never specified a date.  So, if anybody was dying to know, there you go.

Source: http://wii.ign.com/articles/117/1175847p1.html

My worry is that there has been no footage of 3rd-party games running on the Wii U at all.  As I've written before, the E3 "Line-Up" trailer of 3rd-party games actually contained footage of the PS3 and 360 versions, due to the fact that development on the Wii U versions has not progressed very far.  This concerns me because the launch line-up of any game system is vital to achieving sales at launch.  The video mentioned that Darksiders II would be a Wii U launch title, so there's that, but will gamers be otherwise forced to buy only 1st-party titles when the Wii U hits shelves?  We shall find out in the coming months.

Here Is Some Leaked Hitman: Absolution Gameplay

The new Hitman game recently had its first full trailer shown at E3, but someone managed to film some gameplay footage from behind closed doors.  The video quality is relatively low, and for some reason every piece of gameplay is shown twice, but its something that fans of the series will gleefully lap up; until, that is, they've watched the thing.  Now I've never been a big fan of Hitman, but I'm pretty sure this installment looks a lot more action-oriented that your average Hitman game.  Watch for yourself:

Near the end of the video, Agent 47 has a hostage and uses him to pass a whole bunch of policemen; that doesn't sound like stealthy gameplay to me.  It's not much footage, however, and not many details have been released about the gameplay mechanics, so Hitman: Absolution remains a mystery for now.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/13/hitman-absolution-gameplay-footage-leaked/

The Witcher 2 May Come To PS3 After All

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, which was originally a PC exclusive all the way up until its release, now has a 360 version in the works.  After that is out on shelves, however, developer CD Projekt RED say that a PS3 port just might happen.

The Witcher was first supposed to come to consoles with The Witcher: Rise of the White Wolf, a revamped version of the original game with a reworked combat system and added features; it was supposed to hit the PS3 and 360 in Fall 2009, but was put on hold (canceled in my book) when monetary problems (among other issues) began to present themselves.

CD Projekt Red have said themselves that the combat system in The Witcher 2 was inspired by the one created for Rise of the White Wolf.  Anyway, they told Eurogamer that they would like to port the game to the PS3 when the 360 version ships (which will be sometime later this year); unless something goes horribly wrong, I'm pretty sure that means The Witcher 2 will soon be a PS3 title.

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-13-witcher-2-ps3-dev-would-love-to-do-it

THQ Closes Studio Responsible For Homefront, But Has Plans For A Homefront 2

THQ has closed down Kaos Studios, the developer of the FPS Homefront, which was released on the PS3, 360, and PC this past March.  THQ's Montreal studio (yeah, I didn't know they had one either) is now going to be responsible for the Homefront franchise.  Yeah... something doesn't fit here.  Homefront sold over a million copies in its first week on sale, and THQ was happy enough with the sales of the new IP that it wanted a sequel; and yet, it fired the people who brought us the original.  Of course... business as usual.  THQ wants a game with better reviews, though (Homefront got pretty mixed reviews); so, we are apparently getting a Homefront 2 that will be vastly different from its predecessor... and supposedly better.

We'll see.

Sources:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-13-thq-closes-homefront-developer-report
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-13-thq-confirms-homefront-2-plans

Daily Video Game Deals, #2 - Assassin's Creed

Assassin's Creed has a special "Director's Cut" edition that was released for the PC months after the original was made available for consoles.  I'm not exactly sure what this version entails, but there is supposed to be some kind of exclusive PC content.  Anyway, for some reason the game is now going for $3.88 on Amazon, which is cheaper than the shipping price of $3.99; it'll cost you almost 8 bucks altogether, but there is no denying that this is a good deal.  Check it out below if you're interested:


This game was known for its demanding computer requirements when it was released, so make sure you do have a computer powerful enough to run this beast if you decide to buy it.

Post 100 - It's The Season Of 3

This is my 100th post!  I have reached a milestone here!

Yeah... okay, enough about that.  On to this ridiculous influx of second sequels we seem to be experiencing.  Here is a list of AAA titles that will releasing soon:


Uncharted 3
Resistance 3
Mass Effect 3
Gears Of War 3
Battlefield 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3


Crazy, right?  Except for Mass Effect 3, which is schedule for release in March 2012, all the other titles will be releasing in the September/October/November time period of this year.  Prepare yourselves for many hours without sunlight.

HD Collections That Need To Happen

HD Collections are something that this becoming quite popular as of late, as PS3 owners so longer have backwards compatibility and are clamoring for PS2 titles to be re-released for the PS3.  360 owners are also getting HD Collections now, as both the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection and the Zone of the Enders HD Collection are headed to both consoles.  So, I've decided to compose a (completely hypothetical) list of great PS2 titles that I believe deserve the HD upgrade:


Devil May Cry
-would include the first three game in the series, and possibly even the fourth one (which was released in 2008 for the PS3 and 360); there could definitely be enough space on one Blu-Ray disc for all four, and every current-generation gamer definitely needs to experience Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, because its special brand of action and humor has yet to be topped by anything

Dark Cloud
-would include both games in the series (the second game was actually released as Dark Chronicle in Japan, but somehow became Dark Cloud 2 in America); anyway, not much else to say here... these are classics

Hitman
-would include Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Hitman: Contracts, and Hitman: Blood Money (so basically, the same the the Hitman Triple Pack for PC); the first game, Hitman: Codename 47, is to this day a PC exclusive, and nobody would want to port that; these would all be a great lead in to the next game, Hitman: Absolution, which is said to release sometime in 2012

Jak & Daxter
-would include the three main games in the series, along with (possibly) the fourth game, which was a spin-off racing title; I actually only played a few minutes of the first game back when it was released and there were demos of it in stores; I love Naughty Dog (and Crash Bandicoot is one of the best series ever created), so I personally would really like a chance to play these games on my PS3.

Final Fantasy
-would include X, X-2, and XII (XI is an online game and is still available for PC); you just can't have an article like this without mentioning Square Enix's legendary series, after all

Kingdom Hearts
-would include Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (which is a PSP title, but they could still port and upgrade it); that's right, four titles; we've been kept in waiting for Kingdom Hearts III so long that this is only fair (and don't worry, I'm definitely going to do a huge rant on that)

Max Payne
-would include the two games in the series; these would be good preparation for Max Payne 3

Ratchet & Clank
-would include the first game, Going Commando, Up Your Arsenal, Deadlocked, and Size Matters; yeah, that's five games, but I can dream

SSX
-would include SSX, SSX Tricky, SSX 3, and SSX on tour; yes, I know I am demanding an unreasonably high number of games in these collections

Star Wars: Battlefront
-would include both games on the platform; this is one of the collections I want most of all, as multiplayer with friends in this series was nothing short of awesome, and re-releasing both games in HD would give another generation of gamers a chance to experience that multiplayer for themselves

Syphon Filter
-would include The Omega Strain, Dark Mirror, and Logan's Shadow; I only played the PSP versions of Syphon Filter (Dark Mirror and Logan's Shadow, which were later ported to the PS2), but I enjoyed them so much I would gladly shell out for an HD Collection

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
-would include Persona 3: FES and Persona 4; both are titles that I have never played, but really want to

And... that's it for my list.  Now, which series actually have a possibility of being re-done for a collection?  Probably only two: Devil May Cry and Jak & Daxter.  The Devil May Cry Collection is actually something I posted about back in February (http://unchartedgaming.blogspot.com/2011/02/devil-may-cry-collection-for-ps3-and.html), but although I haven't heard anything since, I still firmly believed its being developed.  The collection is supposed to include all four games in the series, so it will definitely be something to look forward to.  Naughty Dog apparently has no plans for a Jak & Daxter collection at the moment (source: http://www.connectedconsoles.com/ps3-naughty-dog-no-current-plans-for-jak-daxter-hd-collection.cfm), but as the series was quite revered back in its day, I still feel it has a good chance of making it to the PS3.

Robin Is In Batman: Arkham City

At least, he is if you pre-order the game from Best Buy.  If you do, then Robin is yours... for two challenge maps.  Hooray for gimmicks!  Seriously though, this bothers me.  I absolutely HATE it when retailers do this, because it means you're not getting the full game.  If you're paying $60 for a damn video game, then it becomes increasingly frustrating when you find out that each retailer is offering a different pre-order bonus; no matter what you do, you're going to miss something.  Of course, many pre-order bonuses are limited to strange outfits and multiplayer weapons, so I usually don't care.

Source: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1175646p1.html

Anyway, we still don't know if Robin is actually in Arkham City or not.  Rocksteady Studios is keeping very tight-lipped, so it looks like we'll have to wait until the game's release to know for sure.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Has No Day/Night Cycle

Wait... what?  Surely this must be incorrect!  The Old Republic is an MMORPG that has been in development for quite some time now, and it's being developed by Bioware, the people behind 2003's Knights of the Old Republic (as well as both the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series).  It would be hard to imagine that a developer known for its quality products would not put a day/night cycle in an MMORPG, of all things.  And yet... that seems to be exactly the case.  The game can still be awesome, of course, but the lack of a day/night cycle seems like it would detract from the experience.

Also, this news is actually from back in March, but I had never heard of it, so I figured it would be new for some other people as well.

You can find Bioware's short explanation for their decision, along with some angry words from the article's poster, here:
http://furiousfanboys.com/2011/03/no-daynight-cycle-in-the-old-republic/?utm_source=scribol&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=scribol

Pay No Attention To This Post

F3HYHCGK2WEN


There we go, Technorati.  Can I have my account verified now?

Duke Nukem Forever Getting Some Hilariously Bad Reviews

I kind of feel sorry for Duke Nukem fans.  I played some of Duke Nukem 3D myself, and it was undoubtedly a creative adventure.  The new game, however, doesn't look to be half as good.  Duke Nukem Forever, at the time of this writing, holds platform-specific Metascores of 76 (PC), 62 (PS3), and 50 (360).  If you want to check out the reviews, here they are, for all platforms:

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/duke-nukem-forever

http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/duke-nukem-forever

http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/duke-nukem-forever

I am inclined to think that some of the more positive reviews are bolstered by the fact that the game has been in development for around fourteen years, and was considered vaporware before it was grabbed by Gearbox Software and set straight on the road to release.  I don't know this for sure, of course; this could be a decent game I'm talking about here.  Critics may even be harsher on the game just because it was an anticipated title for such a long time.  Either way, I'm sure many fans of the series have already decided whether or not to get the game, regardless of its review scores.  Many probably view the title as a piece of nostalgia, and for that purpose it may indeed appease some Duke fans.

UPDATE: According to someone Eurogamer talked to, the game is a lot buggier on the 360 (terrible screen-tearing, frame-rates, etc.), and he says that the PC version is much better, which definitely accounts for its significantly higher Metascore as compared to its console brethren.


Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-06-12-duke-nukem-forever-review

Lego City Stories Is Not A Lego GTA

I have read multiple articles on reactions to LEGO's newly announced game, Lego City Stories, that directly compare it to Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series. I would like to clear this up, before people simply write this off as a childish GTA clone.

First of all, Grand Theft Auto III was the game that made the series go big-time; it revolutionized the genre, and set the standards for many a gaming experience in the years after its release. Several months before it came out, however, a little game called Lego Island 2 was released (I have been meaning to post an essay about how great it is, but that will come later). Lego Island 2, to an extent, was somewhat of a free-roaming adventure as well. The game would let you freely roam around between missions, but more areas unlocking as the player progressed with the story. There were multiple collectibles to encourage exploration, as well. The player can also drive vehicles in the game; there are different cars, boats (although the player can swim), and even helicopters. The player also has the ability to whip out a skateboard at any time and ride around. These features were not implemented to the degree with which they were in GTA III, but nonetheless, they were there.

Lego City Stories, however, indeed seems to take even its name from the PSP titles Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. So, I could be wrong, and perhaps exactly what LEGO wants to do is make a GTA clone. I suppose we'll find out once we're given more screenshots and some videos. For those of you who are new to my blog or missed it, the Lego City Stories reveal at E3 can be found here:

http://unchartedgaming.blogspot.com/2011/06/lego-city-stories-coming-to-3ds-and-wii.html

My personal advice is simply to give LEGO the benefit of the doubt, as they have made fantastic games in the past that no one has ever heard of.

Ridiculously Difficult Games, #1: Monster Hunter Freedom

Some of may be thinking, “lolwut”. But... YES. Monster Hunter isn't exactly notorious for being difficult, but anyone who has played Monster Hunter Freedom for the PSP knows exactly what I'm talking about. Nobody short of an absolute pro can beat all the missions in this game. If you don't know what Monster Hunter is, it's essentially an action-RPG. A large part of the game is dedicated to gathering. Items and materials can either be obtained from the environment, or dead monsters. Basically, things you get from the environment make potions (health, stamina, etc.), and things you get from dead monsters make weapons and armor. The problem is killing these monsters. Monster Hunter does not have a camera that follows you around; you have to either constantly center it with a push of the L-trigger, or pan it around the way you want with the D-Pad. During fights with large, terrifying monsters such as wyverns or even dragons, camera control becomes a NECESSITY. And yet... you don't have it. What I did was run about with the analog stick (holding the R-trigger to sprint; it's necessary to survive) while controlling the D-Pad with my left index finger (same hand used for analog stick). Not very comfortable. You WILL get hit by monsters many, many times. When this happens, you are sent sprawling across the area; you always, ALWAYS land facing away from the monster, at which point the camera inexplicably LOCKS. You cannot turn the camera while down OR while getting up (which is not a quick process), and so you can only imagine what the monster is about to do to you. If you're a good player and have already memorized the monster's attack patterns after 320947239048 failed missions, then you may know what you're doing and roll out of the way as soon as you get up, which usually works with slower monsters.

Yeah... anyway, it's a pretty good game, so I would recommend it. I have put well over 100 hours into it, and I'm still not finished (although it's been quite a while since I played it). If you're ready for deep customization, a steep learning curve, and frequent frustration, then Monster Hunter Freedom is the game for you. Once I get back into the game, I may even write a review of it sometime.

Daily Video Game Deals, #1 - The Witcher: Enhanced Edition

The Witcher is a game that I wish I could play.  I bought it a few weeks ago, but only got through the first hour of the game before I realized that it was running to slowly, and I didn't want to ruin my experience by playing through the entire game with a low frame-rate.  Anyway, the game is now available for direct download on Amazon for $10; that's pretty good, considering the Enhanced Edition is actually the updated version.  The one on the page is also actually the Director's Cut version; there was some mature content removed for North American audiences, and the Director's Cut patch puts it right back in the game.  If you've been wondering about The Witcher 2 but wanted to find the first one for cheap first, this is a good time.  Here it is:














However, I'm not sure if that comes with a manual or a map, as it is a digital download.  The manual, by the way, contains no gameplay help at all, but rather is actually a kind of walkthrough for the story.  It's pretty cool.  Anyway, I actually bought my copy from Gamestop for $13, and its a physical box, so if you want that instead, it's here:

http://www.gamestop.com/pc/games/the-witcher-enhanced-edition/71511

I went to the actual store to buy it; I didn't buy it online.

Be warned, however, that if you have a computer with integrated graphics this game will not run well.  I learned this the hard way; my laptop has 4GB RAM, an i3 processor with 2.53 GHz (rated at 4.5 GHz), and a hell of a lot of free hard disk space.  However, it only has 128 MB RAM dedicated to graphics, and this is simply not good for modern games.  Check your computer thoroughly before you attempt to play The Witcher, as even though it is almost four years old, it is quite a demanding game.

Apparently, The Wii U Only Supports One Controller

You read that correctly.  You can only use one controller per console, which means any split-screen multiplayer with a friend in the same room is IMPOSSIBLE.  I just do not understand how Nintendo can go from the Wii, a family-friendly machine with more split-screen games than I care to admit, to the Wii U, a machine that will essentially force you to play by yourself.  It's true that some types of multiplayer can be accomplished with one controller; some of the mini-games included in Wii Sports are an example of this.  So, you can play, uh... golf, bowling, and archery.  Seriously though, how is this going to fly with gamers?  If I wasn't very interested in the Wii U before, then now I am not interested at all.  There will be an inevitable Mario Kart installment on the console, and when it comes, nobody will be able to play split-screen with their friends.  Also, what about the Super Smash Bros. entry for the Wii U mentioned at E3?  Will it be only online play?  That's ridiculous; half the fun of playing multiplayer in a Super Smash Bros. game is having your friends right next to you.  In an age of increasing social connectivity, I find this to be a huge step backwards.

Source: http://www.gametrailers.com/news/wii-u-will-only-use-one-wii/3486

CLARIFICATION: As of right now, only one Wii U controller can be used with each Wii U console.  However, both the original Wiimote and the 3DS can apparently serve as extra controllers, so it looks like 4-way multiplayer can happen after all.  But... THAT STILL SUCKS.

Upcoming HD Collections

The Silent Hill HD collection, containing the 2^nd and 3^rd games from the series, will hit stores this sometime later this year. The first game, a PS1 title, has been available on the PSN for some time now, which is most likely why it isn't included. The collection will be only for PS3, and will include trophies.

The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, a release I mentioned in a previous post, does not yet have a release window. Again, as the original Metal Gear Solid is a PS1 title available on the PSN, this collection includes the 2^nd and 3^rd games, as well as Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. I'll be getting this one for sure. Surprisingly, this collection is being released on both PS3 and 360. The “Collections” series up to now have all consisted of remastered PS2 games, as after the 1^st generation the PS3 lost its backwards compatibility. Then again, the Metal Gear Solid series has never been on a Microsoft system, so this is a good opportunity for Sony to make some money, I suppose. The Metal Gear Solid HD collection supposedly releases this November.

Lastly, the Zone of the Enders HD Collection is heading to both PS3 and 360 as well. The Collection contains Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2^nd Runner. And... that's all I have to say about that. It'll see release in 2012.

Sources:

http://gamrfeed.vgchartz.com/story/86681/e3-2011-metal-gear-solid-hd-and-3ds-version-hands-on/

http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6318672/e3-2011-silent-hill-hd-collection-spooking-ps3-this-fall

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/117/1172179p1.html

Whatever Happened To Final Fantasy Versus XIII?

Yes, I am doing another one of these posts in the same day.  That is how much this particular game's silence irks me.  Okay, then... begin rant:

Final Fantasy Versus XIII was announced as a PS3 exclusive five years ago at E3 2006, before the PS3 was even in stores.  It was revealed alongside Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Agito XIII as the games in the Fabula Nova Crystallis universe.

Here is a little timeline of some things that have happened between that announcement, and today:

1. An American 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII was revealed, much to the chagrin of the PS3 community and the tears of joy of 360 owners.
2. Final Fantasy Agito XIII, originally a game for mobile phones, switched to development on the PSP instead.
3. Final Fantasy XIII was released.
4. A brief trailer of Versus XIII was shown at the 2010 Tokyo Game Show; that's right, brief trailer (OVER FOUR YEARS AFTER THE GAME'S ANNOUNCEMENT).  It was also announced that more information on the Fabula Nova Crystallis games would be revealed at a press conference on January 11, 2011; this date was later changed to January 18, 2011, because apparently, Square Enix can't do ANYTHING on time.
5. At the conference, a lengthy Versus XIII trailer was shown, containing actual gameplay!  Yay!
6. Also at the conference, Agito XIII had its title changed to Final Fantasy Type-0... whatever.
7. Finally, at the conference, Final Fantasy XIII-2 was announced for release in 2011.  Wait... WHAT???  WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!?!?!

That's right, the sequel to the game that was announced together with Versus XIII will ship before it.  Final Fantasy XIII-2 is releasing this December in Japan, and in the first quarter of 2012 in America/Europe.  This is the release date of Versus XIII: TBA.  WOW.  In summary, XIII and Versus XIII were announced together.  XIII was released well over a year ago, and now its sequel is going to hit stores, probably before we are even given any information at all on Versus XIII.

Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the game, stated that the earliest we would see Versus XIII would be at E3 2011; translated from Square Enix talk into realism, that means that there was no way in hell we were going to see the game at this year's E3, and we probably won't hear anything about it for some time to come.

-END RANT-

The only reason, of course, that I am criticizing this game's development is because I am eagerly anticipating its release.  Final Fantasy Versus XIII was the game that originally made me want a PS3; five years later, I have one, but no word on the game.  Versus XIII is vastly different from XIII due to its combat system, which is real-time instead of turn-based.  This immediately turned me on to the game, as I am a Kingdom Hearts fan,  and this sounded to me like a similar battle system.  Also, the world and story in Versus XIII look to be considerably darker than anything shown in XIII.  Overall, to me it looks much more intriguing.  The interesting thing about all of this is that I'm not even really a Final Fantasy fan; in fact, the only game of the series I've played from start to finish is Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (which, by the way, is hands-down the best PSP game ever made).  Also, I played through a fair chunk of Mystic Quest and thought that it was awesome (take that, haters).

Anyway, to end this post I shall leave you with some videos of Versus XIII, in attempt to get more people to know that the game exists.  The first video is simply the trailer shown at E3 2006; the second is an extended version of that; the third is yet another extended trailer, but with English subtitles; the fourth is the latest trailer that was shown at the press conference back in January, also with subtitles (also the only video with actual gameplay).  Enjoy: