Get Your Dirty Hands Off My Games!

Hollywood Directors and Their Tough Love for Video Games

Director Guillermo Del Toro To Assist on New Video Games

I seem to be noticing a trend in the video game industry. This week, acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) announced he wants to partner up with video game publisher THQ, in what he says would be a one game per three year development cycle deal, with the earliest game coming out in 2013. Del Toro has speculated that many of the ideas he has are horror based, which included a game he had in mind that was "eerily similar to Left 4 Dead." Del Toro isn't alone. Steven Spielberg has thrown his Fedora into the ring when it comes to assisting in video game development, and just a couple of weeks ago news broke of Christopher Nolan speaking on how he'd love to create a game based on the world of his latest movie "Inception." These are all extremely talented directors who are masters of their craft, and I say we keep it that way.

I will be the first to admit; I don't know all the specifics involved in designing a video game, but neither do most film directors. Designing a game is an insane task that is more complex than putting a motion picture together. Besides that, most video game developers already have a game director on board. So my question is, when Hollywood directors sign on to assist in the development of a video game, what's their role? Because if it has nothing to do with designing a new gameplay mechanic, or assisting in designing a new art style, then they have no business being involved. From what it looks like to me, directors are just there to look at the work of other talented indiviulas, and give their seal of approval. It's a distraction.

Avatar: The Video Game. Proof that directors don't make for good gaming

You don't have to look very far to observe some of the catastrophes that involved the unholy marriage of Hollywood and Video Games. Take Exhibit A) Avatar. James Cameron had his nose way up in the development of the Avatar video game. Cameron kept pushing how the game would forever change the way we play video games by introducing stereoscopic 3D gaming. Of course, you need a pricey 3D television plus glasses to do so, but whatever, the game was ultimately developed. Low and behold, Avatar the game was nowhere close to the success of its movie counterpart, and the game was met with mish-mash reviews. Why? Because the gameplay mechanics didn't jive well with players. And that's something that not even the almighty Terminator creator himself Cameron can cure with his magical directing powers.

Lets look at the glaring contradiction in this whole thing. What if the roles were reversed? What if say, Gears of War director Cliff Blezinski was asked to direct Spielberg's next action film? What if legendary game creator Will Wright (The Sims) was asked to write a script for the next brainy comedy? Do you think something like this would ever happen? Doubtful. Yet Hollywood can get away with entering the domain of game designers because of their charming, "rich" on camera persona. Not only that, now that Hollywood is getting comfortable turning games into films, rarely do they ever consult the actual game creators for input on the film. Look at movies like "Resident Evil," "Doom," or even "Hitman." They all missed the mark...badly...because the studio wanted to tweak the game's essence for a more mainstream crowd. It just doesn't seem fair to me. (I can't comment yet on "Prince of Persia," but I can already tell you they lost me when they cast Jake Gyllenhall as a PERSIAN prince. Come on now)

I'm not dogging on directors like Nolan, Cameron, Spielberg, etc. Everyone has a talent, and for these directors it belongs in the film universe, not gaming. As The Clown Prince of Crime Joker once said, "If you're good at something, never do it for free." Unfortunately, Hollywood seems to be taking this saying a bit too literal. I know they mean well, but it's hurting the way we play games.

No Need for an Encore

Music Games Singing its Swan Song

Which one of these franchises will make you a tool this year?

Rock Band, Guitar Hero, SingStar, , DJ Hero, Lips. These are just some of the music game franchises out in the market today. Each year new iterations of these popular games nickel and dime gamers out of millions of dollars...and we actually pay for it without question. Sadly, I think the time has finally come to yank out our lighters from our torn jeans and wish them all farewell.

The latest entry in the popular Guitar Hero and Rock Band games are set to release this fall, beginning with Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, which actually came out yesterday. Quit surprisingly, the game is being met with moderate to negative reviews, and it may be due to the fact that developers are playing the same old song. I'll admit, I'm a junkie when it comes to playing music games. Rock Band 2 was probably the pinnacle of my music gaming festivities, while Guitar Hero had the most memorable setlist with Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock. With many online reviews bashing the 6th installment of the Guitar Hero franchise (not including its many spin-offs like Guitar Hero: Metallica and Van Halen), music games are losing its luster with the crowd.

Rock Band 1 Drums vs. Rock Band 2 Drums...What?!?

Every year Harmonix and Neversoft (The creators of Rock Band and Guitar Hero respectively) release a new iteration of their music franchise that's met with much success. These titles always release in the fall, with the goal of duping millions of mindless parents into buying another fake music instrument during the holiday shopping season. This year, both titles are introducing their "must-have" peripheral in the keyboard and re-designed guitars. Although I personally love bands that implement keyboards into their songs, it's becoming blatently obvious that music game developers are nickel and diming us into whatever they can get their greasy hands on. In the case of Rock Band 3, their new guitar features six strings that will allow gamers to learn basic guitar techniques, chords, and methods, but I think they're getting in way over their heads, and are once again just trying to push another peripheral to sell. I wouldn't be surprised if we see an electric triangle in Rock Band 4. It's becoming a gimmick, and I fear music games are starting to fall into the territory of Madden and NCAA, where it's just the same old game with a new roster.

Besides the peripherals, the new addition to these music games every year is a cheesy gameplay mode tacked on with a new and improved track list. Unfortunately, these developers are becoming a victim of their own success after they introduced DLC (downloadable content). Every week Harmonix and Neversoft release at least 3 new tracks you can purchase for your game, which adds to your game's lifespan and replayability. It's a brilliant marketing tactic, and I'm all for it. Lets face it, if we had the chance, we would play our current music games to our heart's content and buy our extra tracks at our own leisure. The reason you play music games is for the music, not some "new and improved" challenge mode. Unfortunately, publishers want to turn a profit by forcing developers to churn a new game every year, leaving developers no time to come up with fresh ideas, which is the same case of Madden and NCAA. Every year developer EA Tiburon just barely has enough time to polish their game, add a couple of new animations, and update the team roster. It's the same thing happening with music games. The developers are polishing their games aesthetics, adding cheap, gimmick game modes, and changing up the track list. In the case of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock (with the exception of the "re-designed" guitar) the main addition is a campaign mode that includes a ludicrous story narrated by Gene Simmons. For lack of a better term, it's all for show!

Rock Band also added a new peripheral in the keyboard, as well as minor tweaks to their gameplay mechanics, and a new 'pro' difficulty level. On a side note, if you want to buy more songs through DLC for the pro mode, it'll cost you the regular DLC price, plus an additional price if you want the pro mode version. I understand these games are cash cows, but so is Halo and Call of Duty. The only difference is each of those games bring something new to the table that doesn't cost us an extra $50. I'll gladly pay for 2 copies of Halo Reach before I pay $50 plus a $50 keyboard for Rock Band 3. In the meantime I hope this holiday season is the last we'll see of these music games until a fresh, new idea is brought to the table. I love that Activision took a chance on a game like DJ Hero, which introduced a turntable as a new peripheral. I'm personally not into that type of music, but the game brought a new concept to the table that is being met with moderate success. However I feel Activision didn't really give it 100% support because it knows its money maker lies with Guitar Hero.

Whatever the case, it'll be interesting to see what to come in the music game market. As they say...the show must go on.

No One Puts Nolan in a Corner

Warner Brothers Pushing for Batman 3-D

Wanna Know how I got these scars? Because of misuse of 3D that's how.

Some new reports are circulating that Warner Brothers Studios is pegging acclaimed director Christopher Nolan to film his next Batman film in 3D. Given the obvious success of Avatar, Warner Brothers hopes to put the best of a great narrative, cohesive action sequences, and 3D technology into one bundle of a batarang film in Batman 3D. According to several reports, Warner Brothers says it is also planning on converting Nolan's latest masterpiece "Inception" into 3D, in a joint deal with a new on demand 3D channel HBO is planning to release next year. Although Nolan has flirted with the idea of filming in 3D, the Batman helmer admits that he doesn't think the timing is right, and I ride the "in Nolan we trust" bandwagon.

My problems with 3D films are plenty. For starters, many films hoping to duplicate the success of Avatar are adding the 3D label as a gimmick. (See 'The Last Airbender' if you don't believe me) Films like 'Clash of the Titans' and 'Alice in Wonderland' used a post production conversion process to create their 3D effects, and the end result was a sloppy mess of fake depth. In both of these films, I never felt like I could 'Last Action Hero' my way into the movie like I felt with Avatar. The best way I could compare it was like the first time I read a pop-up book, it was fun for a while, but you eventually put it away in your repressed childhood memories. I think in order to make a successful 3D film, you need to have the right technology, the right direction and camera work, and the proper post production time to add the finishing touches. Case in point, Avatar did all of these things. It took something like 4 years just for the actual filming process. 

IMAX at its finest...3D not necessary

So what's Nolan's take on 3D? Straight from the man's mouth, Nolan spoke at a press conference in the UK before the release of Inception saying "3D is something we’re looking at, but I see at the moment significant technical limitations to the presentation format, mostly with the dimness of the image and the fact that you have to wear the glasses. The post-conversion process can be done very effectively, actually - we did tests for this film, but decided we didn’t have enough time to get it to the standard that we wanted." So besides some of the technical jargon involving color and lighting effects on film, Nolan believes that 3D CAN be done with the right technology and production time. I think the idea of an on demand HBO 3D service is great idea that will pave the way for 3D TV's in the future. However in the case of Batman 3D, Warner Brothers is hoping to release the film by summer 2012, and the film is only in the early script stages...Meaning no time for love Dr. Jones!

Unless Warner Brothers intends to rush the 3D conversion process, then Batman 3D will be laughable. As is the case with all these 3D wannabe movies, the studios are looking to make money. But you don't have to tack on a lame 3D conversion process to reel in the big bucks. The Dark Knight was able to haul in more than $1 billion because of many reasons, but most significantly was the use of IMAX. Many scenes in The Dark Knight were shot in IMAX very effectively. Nolan used at least 4 IMAX cameras to film The Dark Knight, and had to re-invent the wheel when it came to filming many of the action sequences. The same was said when James Cameron filmed Avatar. If you want to create a successful product, you need to go the extra mile when creating your films. The Joker chase scene in The Dark Knight re-imagined the way IMAX can be used in films, just like how Avatar changed the way 3D technology can be used in films. I'm not against 3D movies, I just don't want a half-assed product that'll ruin such a beloved franchise similar to what Spider-Man 3 did. Otherwise, Warner Brothers will have to listen to fanboys screaming their lungs out as to "Why do we fall down?" And besides, all this talk of Batman 3D is premature. How about Warner Brothers and Nolan figure out who's going to be their next villain already.

Farewell to Ye Blockbuster Video

A Look Back at a Dubious Media Empire

Looks Like We Won't Be Making it a Blockbuster Night Anymore

In case you may not have heard, a little company called Blockbuster Video officially filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy this morning. The move towards demise was long predicted since last spring, and is due to the ever changing media market. Thanks to companies like Netflix and Redbox changing the way people watch and rent movies, Blockbuster Video, once the premier movie-rental company, is no more. The company says it plans to continue operating its more than 3,000 stores nationwide, but says all stores will be evaluated for profits. At this point it's honestly only a matter of time before the company is liquidated. Blockbuster has been around since the mid 1980's, which is pretty much as long as I've been on this earth. I have fond memories of going to Blockbuster as a kid, mostly for the video games, but I refuse to let nostalgia make me feel bad for this company.

Redbox, a seemingly deceptive entertainment powerhouse

First off, Blockbuster has refused to adapt. When Netflix started way back in 2002, Blockbuster shunned the company off as a mere fad. Coinstar saw the value in offering a cheaper DVD-Video renting service, and began placing its Redbox kiosks across malls, supermarkets, and even fast-food joints nationwide. Once the subscription base for Netflix started to skyrocket, and the popularity of Redbox's $1 a day rental fees took off, Blockbuster tried to ride the bandwagon and begin a mail-service and kiosk plan of its own, but it was too little, too late. I think the final nail in the coffin came when Netflix started its online streaming service. It just came down to ease of access for consumer, and Blockbuster was far from it. All Blockbuster really had going for it was that it could hold new release films on the first day they were released. Netflix recently inked a deal with some movie studios like Universal, Fox, and Warner Bros. to not hold new releases for 30 days in exchange for receiving more copies of the films for availability.

Netflix, this generation's Blockbuster Video

Besides the obvious fact that Blockbuster refused to adapt, it was just a hassle to make a trip to the video store. Sure, everyone had a Blockbuster around their block, but once the company began its decline in the late 90's, many stores were getting the big axe, making it more difficult to make the trip. Not only that, everyone had the same experience of going to Blockbuster to rent either a video game or a movie, and find that what you were looking for wasn't available (even after checking with the front desk, which you knew was a complete waste of time). Even if by the crapshoot chance you DID come across the product you wanted, you had to deal with an $8 rental fee that got you about 2-5 days, and that;s NOT including the likely chance of paying late fees. One would also think that with Netflix offering an $8 a month subscription base, Blockbuster would at least reduce the rental fees of its movies. But nay, new release rentals still cost about $6 after taxes. Why would a consumer pay $6 for one movie, when they could easily get at least 6 movies in a month for that same price. Whatever the case may be, Blockbuster is a victim of its own success.

All right! Yet another game not in my queue's Top 15

Although I am all for the demise of Blockbuster, I do admit my heart goes out to the thousands of employees who are most likely about to lose their jobs. It's an unfortunate side effect of today's economy but when you make as many mistakes as Blockbuster has, it was really destined for failure. I'm not saying Netflix, Redbox, or even Gamefly are perfect. I personally have a gripe with Gamefly over its supposed promise to deliver the games you want, when you want, but that's for another blog entry. The point is you have to evolve as a company, and hopefully Blockbuster's failure will reflect that.

Who's Bad? This New Video Game Idea

Michael Jackson MMO Game Under Development

A shot of 'Planet Michael' capturing the essence of the King of Pop...Creepy

I love following the latest headlines in the video game world, but this next story had my brain moonwalking its way out of reason. A company called "SEE Virtual Worldsm" announced it is developing a Michael Jackson based MMO (massive multiplayer online) game called "Planet Michael," which will take inspiration from everything that encompasses the King of Pop. Although no gameplay details were revealed, the game is supposedly taking inspiration from Jackson's creative works, as well as his life outside of the recording studio. Not surprisingly, this has many gamers, including myself, scratching their heads harder than Bubbles the Monkey searching for ticks.

Yay, Lets Climb a Tree!

According to the developers, "Planet Michael will offer fans around the globe an innovative, first-of-its-kind interactive gaming and social experience that truly celebrates Michael Jackson's extraordinary life as an artist and humanitarian." Although that tells us nothing concrete about the game, I have a hard time imagining how this will work. Usually, MMO games like "World of Warcraft" or even "Everquest" require a hefty user base that is drawn in by the game's vivid and diverse world, but above all it's the gameplay that matters. Michael Jackson's music career DOES have many unique worlds that were buil on thanks to his music videos that the developers could feed on. Whether it's a graveyard level based on 'Thriller,' or a back alley beating neighborhood based on 'Beat-It,' there IS room to work with. But just how will this game play?

Moonwalker clearly hinted at the possibilities of multiplayer

Many wisecracks are already circulating the internet, so I figured I might as well throw in my two cents on what this game will be like. First, if it wants to succeed, it needs to be a quest based system like World of Warcraft. Obviously we should have different playable class systems, with players able to choose whether they want to be a good buy or a bad guy. So here are the classes I had in mind. Good guys: the police. These are going to be your tanks in the game. You can upgrade them to have riot gear as you level up because once you reach the higher levels, you're going to have to fight off swarms of pedophiles. Next up are the angry parents. These are your ranged attackers. Parents will have either air tasers or pepper spray, all of which are upgradeable. Lastly are the pediatricians. Clearly these are your healers, and they'll mostly be geared with antibiotics and syringes, due to the massive amounts of sexually transmitted "debuffs" your party may get from playing in the world of Michael Jackson. As you level up your pediatrician, you can also learn child psycho therapy. You'll need this later on if you fail a child saving escort quest. 

Bubbles the Monkey! What I remember most of Michaels life

Bad guys: the more popular class will be the metal image of Michael Jackson found on his album 'History: Past, Present, and Future Book 1." Clearly the tank of the bunch, this metallic moonwalker will have several abilities at his disposal such as Candy Treats, Pixie Dust, and Rocket Propelled Boots. Don't ask me about the boots, they're awesome. Next up are the chimps. These furry primates are your ranged attackers that fling monkey poo at their foes at a moments notice. You can upgrade your armor by speaking with the all wise leader of the chimps, Bubbles the Monkey. He'll offer you upgrades like shiny monkey gloves, which boost your agility in poo throwing. You can also gain a stamina bonus on your armor with upgradeable suspenders. Finally, the healer of the group will consist of members of the Jackson 5 (with the exception of Michael of course). Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, and Marlon will all have the ability to heal you through their angelic voices. Singing words of encouragement, your party can receive healing bonuses that don't require the use of a numerical HP system, but rather "ABC's," because it's as easy as 1,2,3. 

The end boss of my Michael Jackson MMO...Joe Pesci

The quest system works the way you'd expect. Good guys usually get escort quests by finding at risk, rape targeted kids and getting them away from Neverland Ranch. You may have to fight a monkey or two, but it's pretty challenging. The bad guys quest chain involves escort quests of luring kids into Neverland Ranch using candy and the promise of going to an amusement park. Other bad guy quests involve fighting zombies on the set of Thriller, preventing Bubbles from having a monkey attack in the mansion, and acquiring Eddie Van Halen to do an awesome guitar solo to boost your stats. Oh and the final dungeon of the game, which just so happens to take place in a dank, cold, dripping cave, involves you fighting mud creatures in order to get to the final boss... which is Joe Pesci from "Moonwalker." Ah! I can't wait to play it now.

A good use of Michael Jackson in a video game

But seriously, is a Michael Jackson MMO game really necessary? The man was known for his influence on Pop music. Sure the Sega Genesis game "Moonwalker" was a fan favorite, but a massive online world involving a guy that may or may not have slept with Macauly Culkin is a tough sell. Everyone loves Michael's music, so stick with that. There's already a Michael Jackson game coming out that focuses on that and it's called "The Michael Jackson Experience." It uses the soon to be released Microsoft Kinect Motion Controller allowing players to dance like Michael. It's a perfect idea, and I guarantee you that it will sell like ice cream of the future. But if you start to veer off the essence that was Michael Jackson, then it's going to be a big joke...just like this article. Enjoy.

Halo: Reach Review

The Epic Sci-Fi Shooter Comes Full Circle

Halo: Reach Finally Arrives

Bungie is at it again. The folks behind the coveted Halo universe are delivering their final swan song before they move on to their future developments with Activision. Halo: Reach is the latest foray in the sci-fi first person shooter series, that once again pits players behind the helmet of someone other than the iconic Master Chie. Instead, we assume the role of the man who played a pivotal role in the Chief’s survival, and he’s got some tricks up his sleeve that’ll make John-117 jealous. But is this latest game the epitome of Halo we’ve all been waiting for? 

Story & Presentation (9)

Reach’s story puts you in control of Noble Six, the unnamed, newest member of the elite “Noble” team, who is the soft spoken rookie newcomer. Halo fans will finally grow a bond with the characters in the game, as Halo finally delivers some fully fleshed out characters. The Noble team resembles a trigger-happy ensemble found in an 80’s action flick, but offers unique personality traits for each member. For example, Carter is the fearless, quick thinking leader of the team who cares about his troop’s well-being, while Jorge is the towering gattling-gun enthusiast with a big heart. It sounds cliché on paper, but the voice acting in Reach is superb and each character is presented effectively. 

Noble Six vs. The Covenant. It actually works well.

Since this is a prequel, fans familiar with the Halo universe ultimately know the fate of everyone on the planet Reach, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any surprises in store. The build-up leading to the confrontation with the Covenant definitely gets your paws sweating as the Covenant finally reclaims its ruthless swagger. Since Halo 3, I felt that the Covenant was losing its brutality and luster, but Reach completely sucker punches players with an unkempt ferocity we’ve never seen before. The Covenant employs new tactics, and commits atrocious, vile acts against both the human race, and the genetically superior Spartans. 

With Reach being Bungie’s final Halo game, many fans are hoping for a neat little bow-tie when it comes to wrapping up the Halo story, and for the most part, they’ll get it…mostly. If you’ve never played a Halo game before, Reach works well as a standalone game that doesn’t require any prior knowledge of the series, although it does drive a deeper emotional resonance for longtime fans.  The game does a good job of connecting the dots with the rest of the Halo games, and is actually easier to follow compared to some of the other games in the series. And SPOILER ALERT…there are no Flood in the game. Thank God.

The level design in Reach is unrivaled.

Of course Halo wouldn’t be as epic without the sound and music and luckily, it’s as epic as ever. Composer Marty O’Donnell delivers a score that elevates the franchise into blockbuster status once again, adding an extra emotional layer in the more dramatic parts of the game. Complementing the sound, the game is a treat for your eyeballs. The color palettes are riveting, and the vistas are something you need to see to believe. The world of Reach is brought to life with stunning backdrops and detailed landscapes that makes it insanely difficult not to be fully engrossed in the environment your in.  

Gameplay (9) 

In terms of gameplay, Halo: Reach doesn’t re-invent the wheel, but it definitely adds some nice chrome rims to its tires. The gameplay is pure Halo with the usual run and gun we remember. Among the major changes comes with the drastic improvement in the weapons and level design. Dual-wielding is gone and in replacement we get a complex variety of weapons for every combat need. Needlers are actually effective, and the pistol regains its zooming capabilities with a considerable destructive firepower that we haven’t seen since the first Halo. Each weapon handles differently, offering a nice balance in how players will handle each enemy encounter. Bungie has also upped the ante by increasing the scope of the levels, which is something that was missing in Halo 3. You’ll be overwhelmed at certain points, but there is a good amount of variety in each battlefield that offers you different strategic approaches to each Covenant encounter.

One of the new weapons, Needler Rifle, and it IS glorious!

Matching the improvement in your weaponry is the improvement to enemy AI. As I said above the Covenant is now a ruthless adversary with a thirst for combat. Enemies WILL flank you, and WILL fire at will. I found it difficult to actually get behind some of the elites in the game because their ability to adapt to their surrounding was acute. Many of the enemies from the older games return, but each has received a minor upgrade. Elites are much more difficult to take down compared to the brutes, and no longer are the grunts seen as fodder for your pistol whips. Instead, every enemy you encounter must be dealt with strategically. Grunts now carry explosive plasma canons, while elites and jackals have pinpoint accuracy with their medium to long range plasma rifles and needlers.  On top of that, since this is the prequel where Elites are considered the Generals of the battlefield, they’re much harder to take down thanks to the addition of the new armor abilities such as the dodge and the armor lock.

Armor Lock Ability.

Arguably the biggest change in Halo: Reach comes with the addition of armor abilities. In exchange for the equipment that was first seen in Halo 3, players can now choose between one of seven different abilities that are rechargeable on the battlefield. These abilities include sprint, armor lock (which grants you temporary invulnerability), Evade (an Elite specific dodge), Jetpack, Active Camo, Drop Shield, and Hologram. Each ability handles differently and allows players to experiment with different approaches to each battle. Personally I found the drop shield useful in the single player game, while the Hologram came in handy in distracting my multiplayer adversaries. There’s an armor ability for every play style, and Bungie has done a stellar job at balancing each of these to allow for a unique game every time you play.

Multiplayer (10)

This is THE reason you buy Halo. The multiplayer on Halo: Reach is without question the best in the series. Matchmaking works like a charm and Bungie has added minor tweaks to its multiplayer formula, giving players a much needed breath of fresh air. Finally you can customize your matchmaking searches by setting a preference to what kind of people you want play with. So here’s to hoping its goodbye to all those racist, incoherent 12 year-olds who scream into the microphone.

What the Rocketeer wishes he could be.

With 13 multiplayer maps, insane amounts of stat tracking, customizable online characters, and more than a dozen different gameplay modes, Halo: Reach offers the essential competitive multiplayer experience. You have the usual assortments of Team Slayer, Capture the Flag, etc., but the interesting addition is the arena mode. Similar to what you find in World of Warcraft, Arena mode allows players to compete against each other for a weekly ratings challenge. The better you do, the higher rating you achieve, and the more gear you can unlock for your character. The other big addition comes in the new Invasion mode, which is basically an objective based big team battle of Elites vs. Spartans. 

Firefight also makes a comeback and now you can use matchmaking to pair you up with other players, allowing you to tackle daily and weekly challenges that Bungie sets up. CO-OP also gets a major tweak by adjusting the difficulty of the campaign depending on how many players are with you. So if you’re brave enough, you and 3 other buddies can try and tackle the legendary campaign together. But be warned…playing Legendary with just one other person already adds a rotten flavor of insane that has never been seen in a Halo game.  

Forge is more robust than you remember

Another subtle, yet welcomed addition is the active roster. This allows you to track in real time anyone on your friend’s list that’s currently playing Reach. But the granddaddy of the multiplayer modes will be the forge theater. Making its triumphant return from Halo 3, Forge allows players to create unique multiplayer levels that can be played with other friends, or to just show off your design skills. Now players can flaunt their version of blood gulch that has three bases and Scorpion tanks galore. Players can also upload their favorite multiplayer screenshots and videos to share with, or embarrass, their friends, and the list goes on and on. 

Final Thoughts

Halo: Reach is the ultimate Halo experience. This is Bungie’s last Halo outing before moving onto a new IP (Intellectual Property) with Activision, and they go out with the proverbial rocket launching bang. Reach is the most polished, beautiful looking Halo to date, offering a great single player campaign that is perfectly complemented with a robust multiplayer. Whether you want to play alone, with or against friends, or against a ruthless AI, Halo: Reach is a game that is worth the $60 purchase that’ll keep you on XBOX Live for months to come. Just make sure to get some sunlight every once in a while otherwise you’ll end up like the WoW freakout kid.

• The Good -
•  Multiplayer, Multiplayer, and some more Multiplayer.
• A satisfying single player that is presented the most effectively of all the Halos.
• Armor abilities add a new layer of depth to the gameplay.

• The Bad -
• Only 13 Multiplayer maps, meaning we may get nickel and dimed with DLC.

• The Ugly -
• Knowing that this is the last Halo made by Bungie

My Epic Score of Epicness: 9.4 out of 10

Grunts...Finally a formidable foe to deal with.

Video Games Under Fire

Supreme Court Hears Case of Legislating Gaming Sales

Pushing the Boundaries of Violence in Video Games: The Chainsaw Kill

I received my October issue of Game Informer magazine today and came across an interesting story. After years of failed attempts, it seems the pussy whipped politicians and activists who are against video game violence are finally getting their ultimate wet dream. The Supreme Court has decided to hear the case of legislation in California trying to regulate the sale of violent video games in retail stores. If you know who I am, this little tidbit is an offense to me on many levels. First, I am an avid video gamer. Second, I majored in Broadcast Journalism and English, which are fundamentally tied to the belief of the first amendment. And thirdly, my conservative nature will not allow me to support a ridiculous law like this that restricts a free market enterprise like consumer electronics with government regulation. Puh-lease!!!

So how did all of this begin? Well, it all started a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away called California. For years, the state of California has passed measures trying to enforce the sale of mature video games to minors. The measure eventually became a bill, but was deemed unconstitutional by a circuit court...TWICE! Low and behold, the case was appealed and is now heading to the Supreme Court in November to determine it's constitutionality. So what's the bill say? From what I've gathered online and through Game Informer, the bill wants to impose a penalty to retailers who are caught selling mature games to younglings. It's something like $1000 per infraction. The bill also adds its own definition of what video game violence is...which is really not so simple. According to the bill, a violent game is "one that depicts “killing, maiming, dismembering, or sexually assaulting an image of a human being” in a manner that meets all of the following requirements: (1) A reasonable person, considering the game as a whole, would find that it appeals to a deviant or morbid interest of minors; (2) it is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the community as to what is suitable for minors, and; (3) it causes the game, as a whole, to lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors." Alrighty then, so that implies not just most video games, but tens of thousands of other works of creative art; be it movies, books, or comics.

So why the fuss about this law? Video games have always fallen under a large debate over whether they should be considered art. Considering now the complex nature that goes into creating a game, from level design, to art direction, story structure, etc. I find it difficult to NOT consider video games artistic masterpieces. Teams of talented individuals are ultimately creating an artificial world out of nothingness. When you consider the basis of the First Amendment, games should be protected, and thus not be allowed to be prohibited from sale.

One of the major defenders of video game rights is comic book mafioso Stan Lee. Mr. Marvel himself is standing up for video game rights, claiming the California bill impedes on our First Amendment rights. Lee has some experience in this field, considering that back in the 50's, comic books went through the same public scrutiny, which believed that comics contributed to juvenile delinquency. You can read his whole defense speech here if you like. Quite marvelously, pun intended, Lee brings up the obvious point of the first amendment protection we should all have. On top of that, he drives the point home that politicians are using the attack on video game violence as a way to boost their credibility to the public by supposedly helping America's youth, when in fact there is already a ratings system in place for games, (see ESRB) on top of the fact that many consoles have parental controls in place. Still, the big fuss comes when you mention the supposed link between video games and real-life violence and here is where I call BULLSHIT! I understand that many tragic events in American history are linked to video games. Columbine and Virginia Tech are the most notable in today's media, but what many people fail to understand is that many factors come to play in determining why a sick individual would perform such atrocities.

If you've ever watched a program called "Penn & Teller's: Bullshit," one of the episodes discussing video game violence does a great job in shooting down the stigma of video games being associated with violent crimes. What it basically says is there is no concrete, scientific evidence that links violent gaming to real-life violence. Instead, it is pure speculation that drives politicians and activists to pointing the finger at violent video games solely because they need a scapegoat. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Many experts say violent crime among youths since the 1990's has gone down since video games became popular. When looking at the f**k faces behind Columbine and Va. Tech, the main link between the two of them wasn't the fact they played violent video games or listened to Marlyn Manson, but rather the fact they were troubled individuals who were depressed. We need to recognize that humans are social beings. Thankfully, games are now trending towards a more social atmosphere and this is the direction we need to keeping pushing for. However, and this is a big However, video games can be detrimental to youth, but only with improper parenting. Parents need to be involved with their kids and teach them the difference between reality and fantasy, and that there are major consequences when we push reality too far.

Hopefully this is the stance the Supreme Court will take come November. If it comes to the point where government will control the sale of mature games then we will see a ripple effect like never before. Retailers will be scared to hold violent video games in fear of hefty fines, thus forcing developers to take less chances in creating their games. From there, who knows, maybe it'll make video games the scapegoats that most politicians are looking for. As it is, it also drives the point of why video games are taking the heat. Shouldn't violent movies like Hostel and Saw take the brunt from Congress? Or how about violent works of literature like "World War Z" or "American Psycho?" Might as well put a lid on Eminem while we're at it. The point is many times in life we want to blame other people for our problems but many times the only person to blame is yourself. I certainly hope it never gets to the point where I need to play "Wii Sports" for the rest of my life but who knows, I've seen weirder things...Like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Here is the episode of Penn & Teller's Bullshit I was talking about. Seriously give it a go, it's very good. Enjoy

The Devil's in the Details

Devil May Cry Has a New Face...Sort Of

The New and not so Improved Dante...Meh

It's the word that never seems to die...REBOOT. Today, Capcom unveiled one of its future titles "Devil My Cry," which is being developed as a reboot of the popular demon ass kicking series.We haven't seen our protagonist Dante kick some undead butt since his last outing 2 years ago in Devil May Cry 4, but now the series is expected to enter new territory with a re-imagined, younger Dante. Despite the fact that Devil May Cry 4 was considered a downhill path for the series, I really have to question the move to reboot an already well established franchise.

Today's announcement has made in anticipation of this week's Tokyo Game Show in Japan. The new Devil May Cry, which is being tagged across the internet as "DMC," brings the story back to Dante's youth where he's being interrogated by an organization known as the “young offenders rehabilitation program." As cool as this sounds, this isn't the Dante we all know and love. Gone are the white locks and muscle-ripped surfer body that we remember from the series. Instead, all that we remember is being replaced by an emo looking scrawny kid who resembles that douche from "Jennifer's Body" who totally gets owned. An announcement trailer was released showing the new direction of the game, but frankly, I'm not too impressed. Sure, the graphics, style, and overall attitude look great, but I just don't like the new look for Dante. Devil May Cry 3 already gave us the young and brash Dante we all wanted to see, but this particular youthful approach isn't convincing me.

Here's the thing, Dante has risen to a sort of iconic status in gaming. The white hair, red trench-coat, and wise-cracking attitude are synonymous with sword and gunplay action, and now Capcom has decided to throw all of that away and bring something new to the table that really wasn't necessary. I'm all for gaming reboots, but only when a game is in the trenches and continues to be a sales slump, which isn't the case for Devil May Cry. The problem with Devil May Cry 4 wasn't the fact that Dante was barely in it. On the contrary, I really enjoyed the new character Nero, and he played like a dream. Combos were actually easier to pull off compared to Dante thanks to Nero's extending demon arm. Instead, the problem was when you did finally take control of Dante, you backtracked every level that Nero had gone through, which I consider lazy development. I will admit, the story was getting too convoluted for its own taste, but I think it was held back by a rushed development cycle. Putting it frankly, Dante is a staple of action gaming. I mean he's in the upcoming "Marvel vs. Capcom 3" video game for Christ's sake! The Devil May Cry series became an inspiration for hack n' slash gameplay, which is evident in games like God of War, Heavenly Sword, and Bayonetta.

Gathering from what I've seen across the internet so far, a good amount of my fellow internet trolls are ticked off with the new look. Devil May Cry always had a gothic flavor in its design, but that was strictly based on the art style of the environment, enemies, and architecture. I think Capcom needs to take a lesson from what happened with the "Infamous" game franchise where gamers worldwide were crying foul after seeing the "revamped" look of its main character Cole. It didn't even last for a month. After much fan backlash, Sucker Punch studios (the makers of Infamous) immediately changed Cole's look to resemble his appearance in the first game. As with Devil May Cry, Sucker Punch had similar problems when approaching its sequel, and it turned out it wasn't the main character, but rather something much smaller. In the case of "Infamous," gamers just didn't like the 6-packs of cigarettes a day, scratchy voice of Cole.

Hopefully Capcom will be able to take a page from Sucker Punch's errors and find a way to change the look of Dante back to what he resembled in the first place. Reboots aren't always a good idea. They should be used sparingly, and only when a series or franchise is going in such a direction that no one is buying it anymore. Case in point...Castlevania. I'm extremely excited for the upcoming game because we haven't had a solid 3D Castlevania game since the N64 days. That's a series that needed a breath of fresh air, and I really hope this radical new direction will take it in the right direction. 

Another interesting piece of information out of today's announcement was that "DMC" is being handled by different studios. I'm not too sure on the specifics, but a U.S. based Capcom development team is heading the project, while European based "Ninja Theory" (Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West) and a Capcom team in Japan are assisting with the project. The morning conference calls must be a blast. But seriously, with all that talent on a single project, Capcom definitely has a lot riding on this game. However, based on what I've seen so far I'm not too thrilled with the direction. Hopefully that will change as more details are released but only time will tell. Until then, I'm going to make my own personal boycott of the DMC reboot and start playing my old Devil May Cry games on my PS3 again. I encourage all gamers to support our favorite trash-talking, white haired, devil/human hybrid known as the REAL Dante.

If you want to judge the reboot for yourself, here's the reveal trailer for Devil May Cry....Enjoy

Video Games | Devil May Cry | TGS 10: Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Dude...You're Blowing my Cover!

"True Lies" TV Adaptation in the Works

TV's about to do the Tango

Since I've been spending the better part of my day playing the lovely Halo: Reach, (which I plan to write a review as soon as I'm done with it) I was scouring the internet for something to talk about today and I came across an intersting story churning in tinseltown. Apparently, the 3-D Avatar mastermind James Cameron will be producing a TV adaptation of his insanely huge budget hit "True Lies." Right now the series is being shopped around to various studios, and frankly I kind of hope it doesn't get picked up.

I love James Cameron as much as any other film enthusiast, but I don't think True Lies will be a good fit in the small screen. For starters, TV is already saturated with dozens of spy shows like "Chuck," "La Femme Nikita," "Covert Affairs," and the upcoming Mr. and Mrs. Smith wannabe "Undercovers." I will be the first to admit, I don't really follow many TV series, but the ones I DO follow bring something different to the generic TV formula other than the cliche family sitcom, and police/medical drama. I follow, or will follow, shows like Lost, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, and The Walking Dead, because each of these shows brings something new to television. You can only re-hash a certain genre so much before it gets boring, and I feel that's what's happening with spy series. It's becoming its own genre in Television, and there is just no more room for it. 

Another problem I have with the True Lies series is going to be with the casting. No cast has been announced yet, but because it's one of Arnold Schwarzennegger's more memorable roles, then the series will hold no clout unless he's in it. And let's face it, I love Arnie but he's going to be busy tearing down California's state budget. Movies being turned into TV series is nothing new, but when you have a film that has such a strong and classic lead character like Arnold's take on Harry Tasker, then it's going to be very difficult to capture that same magic which made the movie such a success.

I'm not saying the True Lies series will be a disaster. James Cameron rarely does anything involving Television and when he does, it's fantastic. He helped produce the 2000 series "Dark Angel," which launched the career of Jessica Alba, and we should all be crawling and worshiping Cameron for THAT marvelous discovery. Cameron has a creative eye for these kinds of things, and I'm sure he'll do fine, but all I ask out of Television shows is to bring something new. If Hollywood wants to keep turning old 80's movies starring Arnold into TV shows, then give me a solid adaptation of Conan the Barbarian (The new re-make of  the film looks atrocious by the way) or the Running Man...hell, I think even Kindergarten Cop could work as an action-comedy TV series. The key in selecting films to turn into TV series is to select films that weren't very successful. Mediocre movies like "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" and "Friday Night Lights" have been translated to Television with much success, but shows like "My Big Fat Greek Life" or "Terminator" have met audiences with demise. 

There are always exceptions to success in TV, like the "Stargate" series, and honestly, I want True Lies to work. As much fun as it is to rip on awful programming, nobody wants to see a bad show. But if True Lies adheres to the cliche moments found in countless other programs, then I'll tango my way to the remote control and defect to another lame show.

 

Celebrating 25 Years of an Italian, Fat, Mustachioed Plumber

A Love Letter for Super Mario Brothers

This photo will bring back memories to any gamer

So today is a very important date in video game history. Today marks the 25 year anniversary of the release of Super Mario Brothers for the NES. That's right, it's been 25 years since a little Italian plumber with a hunger for shrooms busted into the American limelight. Even though Mario technically first appeared in the 1981 arcade hit Donkey Kong, (which is a much better game than Mortal Kombat) the 1985 platformer would ultimately be the game that would drive millions of little nerds to take their baby steps into the realm of video games, and establishing a unique social life. So this is my love letter, and I guess a pseudo memoir, to Super Mario Brothers.

Mario and Company

1985. I was merely a microbe inside my father's nether regions. Not even conceived, the game would have to wait until it could take hold of me at the tender age of 4 years old. So in the meantime, just like a bad cold, Super Mario infiltrated my family through my brothers and my cousin. It wouldn't be until 1990 when I first grabbed a nintendo controller. At first, I didn't know what to do with the damn thing, and Super Mario wasn't even the first game I ever played. Instead, my first forray into the world of video games came through "Mike Tyson's: Punch-Out," and it was a sad beginning. I remember being at my cousin's house and I snuck into his room to play the game. After countless breaths of fresh air into the plastic cartridge, I finally booted the game up, and came across the first fighter...a little weakling of a ginger named "Glass Joe." But on that fateful day, after many bouts of being mercilessly beat-down by my siblings, Joe would have his day. Confused by the buttons, I couldn't land a single punch. Ultimately I was knocked out, and my fits of scream echoed through the house. That's when my cousin walked in and saw me. Chuckles turned to laughs, and suddenly I was being labeled the worst video gamer of all time by my siblings. Glass Joe has a record of 1-99...and I was that 1. I vowed to rise up to greatness somehow, and because I was so bitter about the loss, my cousin pointed me to try out a much simpler game called Super Mario Brothers.

Simplicity is key, but challenge must be present

With no manual, and just a common sense for what was on the screen, I caught on quickly to the control scheme. Anyone can jump right in, and understand the world of Super Mario. You run, jump, and sometimes shoot fireballs, and that's it. But the challenge of the game was what made it all worthwhile. While simple to control, perfect timing became the obstacle to master, and the game became harder as you completed each level. Sure there were warp rooms, but what's the fun in that? Why bother playing a game if you just want to skip to the end? It's like having someone spoil the ending to a good movie. It sucks. Anyway, I eventually finished the original game and went back to take on my original foe...Glass Joe. After familiarizing myself through the laws of gaming through Super Mario, Glass Joe became a chump ginger who I TKO'd in the first two minutes of Round 1, and it was glorious. So while I'll never be able to rid myself of the one win Glass Joe has over me, his weak fists pounding me to a pulp ultimately made me want to be a better gamer, and Super Mario Brothers was there to save the day.

A game-changer in every sense of the phrase. Super Mario 64

Super Mario is the way to get people into gaming. It blurs generational gaps, and ultimately is the defining moment in whether you like games or not. Not only that, I like to credit Super Mario with the birth of multiplayer and social gaming. The original Mario Brothers had a two-player mode, which would continue to evolve in each of its future games. Fast-forward to the SNES era, and games like Mario Kart brought friends to each others houses where we would have sleepless nights of trying to master the 150cc courses. Battle Mode was intense by the way. Not only that, I have to credit Mario for the hundreds of other games that are out there today. There is not a single game on the market today that wasn't influenced in some way, shape, or form, by the original Mario Brothers. Whether it's the 2-player system, the platforming, the level designs, etc., Mario inspired generations of gamers and game developers for years to come.

No joke, this show was gold to me as a child

In all Mario has become a cultural phenomenon in the gaming universe. With more than 200 games under his plumber's belt, Mario has made leaps and bounds in terms of gameplay variation. From platformer, to sports star, to RPG's, to racers, everyone who's played a video game has had some one-on-one time with the stocky plumber. Heck, even if you didn't play games, they made a God-awful TV show and movie which I used to think was the shit back in the day. Despite what the media loves to say about video games degenerating our youth, Mario Brothers is responsible for more than just popularizing video games. In a weird way, Mario made me challenge myself to always be persistent and to never quit. Not only that, it brought me closer with many people throughout my life. Whether it's siblings, friends, strangers, or even your parents, there's a social aspect in gaming that can't be denied. I don't know if it's the cute art style or generally comfy atmosphere in the game, but Super Mario Brothers always had a way to bring people together who are just looking to have some good old fashioned fun. I'd hate to think what gaming would be like without Super Mario because honestly, a world without Mario is chaos, and for that, I wish Mario a happy 25 years.