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      Celebrate the 4th of July With Some of the Best Revolution Games Ever

      July 4, 2013 /

      Like many holidays that offer you the ability to shamelessly eat and drink as much as you want while multi-colored explosions fill the sky for your amusement, it can be easy to forget the real meaning of the 4th of July.

      It’s a day where Americans celebrate not the attainment of independence, but the declaration of it. Before we could earn it though, we needed a revolution, which meant lives would be lost, heroes made, and ultimately one side being written as the victor.

      Revolution is one of the oldest story concepts out there, but for whatever reason it doesn’t find its way into video games often as a central plotline. Fortunately though, the revolution games available offer enough entertainment to compensate for the lack of overall entries.

      If you’re looking to celebrate the day Americn declared revolution through games then, do so with some of the best revolution games available.

      Freedom Fighters

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      The most entertaining revolution game of all time? You could make the argument.

      “Freedom Fighters” is the story of a plumber swept up into a revolution against the Russian empire that, in this timeline, has been growing in strength since the end of WWII. The gunplay, squad mechanics, and varied objectives are all great, but where “Freedom Fighters” really made its name was its presentation and environment. This is basically “Red Dawn” the video game, and little touches like Russian broadcasts that portray your actions as terrorist activities really sell the world being created.

      “Freedom Fighters” didn’t get a fair chance on the market when it was released, and considering how hard to find it is now, is likely to remain cimrinally underrated. Should you ever get the chance though, be sure to experience it.

      The Saboteur

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      Continuing our underrated theme (which is oddly true of many games about revolution) “The Saboteur” didn’t make a huge impact upon release, but has since become appreciated as a hidden gem.

      This is due in large part to the game’s graphics (black and white with splashes of color) and plotline that sees you look for revenge as a member of the resistance in Nazi occupied France. Certain elements like the stealth sections are underdeveloped, and overall the gameplay is leagues behind “Freedom Fighters” or many other titles, but “Saboteur” has style to spare, and provides a memorable experience because of it.

      The Just Cause Series

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      “Just Cause” is one of the few games to really develop an equally entertaining franchise based on a revolution plot, and as such both games get mentioned here.

      Whether you’re being dropped into the fictional island of San Esperito or Panau, both games provide a similar objectives, as you play Rico Rodriguez, a man tasked with starting a revolution against oppressive warlords. To do so, you undertake tasks for various groups that could all play a part in the coup to come, and also engage in some good old fashioned anarchy of your own accord.

      Similar to the “GTA” games in structure, “Just Cause” made its name by having absolutely huge worlds with loads of crazy stuff to do. It’s the perfect set up, and is executed with bravado.

       Jagged Alliance 2

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      As rare as revolution games are, we unfortunately got even less squad based strategy games based around revolution, which is a real shame considering how well the idea fits. Fortunately “Jagged Alliance 2” may have perfected the idea before it went dormant.

      Featuring action similar to the old “XCOM” games, “Jagged Alliance 2” is a complex and incredibly deep title that sees you take the role of a hired gun for the exiled leader of a former Monarch empire, as he tries to take down his betraying wife, and reclaim what was his. Along the way you’ll gather mercenaries, train them, and take on odd jobs between main objectives to finance everything.

      “Jagged Alliance 2” hasn’t aged a day and is just as large and rewarding as ever. Grab it on sale at Good Old Games, or anytime at all.

      Republic: The Revolution

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      “Republic”, the most ambitious revolution game ever made, generated some serious hype before it was released, only to be met with some deserved criticism for its gameplay shortcomings, particularly when it came to control issues and its steep learning curve.

      However there is no game before or since like “Republic,” as it offers the chance to start a revolution from the ground floor, and focuses more on the political and strategy side rather than action. As you might imagine, it takes a lot of effort and planning to truly execute a successful revolution, and you’ll have to devote hours navigating menus to even make progress towards that objective.

      “Republic” isn’t a perfect game, or even a great one, but for strategy hounds, its one of a kind.

      Editorial

      New Metal Gear Solid 5 Footage Shows the Full Graphical Potential of Next-Gen Gaming

      July 1, 2013 /

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      Next-gen gaming is a strange animal in its early days, as often times the best the last generation has to offer comes out right before (as we are very much seeing this year) whereas developers are still trying to get their footing when it comes to developing for the new systems, and as such don’t always produce experiences that truly exhibit the power and potential of these new machines.

      There are exceptions of course (“Soulcalibur,” “Halo,” and “Mario 64” jump to mind) but more than often, the above conundrum tends to be the case.

      My impressions of the pending next-gen fell in line with that problem, as while certain games shown certainly look to be incredible on their own full merits, in terms of graphical capabilities, I didn’t see anything from E3 or elsewhere that gave us a true visual idea of what we can expect.

      However, it turns out that may have been the result of having to view blurry, second hand versions of all the footage, as Eurogamer has the 60FPS HD version of the “Metal Gear Solid 5” trailer, and it looks absolutely incredible.

      Unfortunately the video is too high quality to be uploaded properly, but by proceeding here (or here for the 720p version) you can view it in all of its glory. Just know that it takes some respectable performance power to run them uninterrupted.

      Now obviously some of the footage is from cinematics, and therefore not trustworthy when it comes to representing quality. However, the parts that are clearly gameplay show a level of detail and clarity that is simply not possible on this generation of console hardware. Looking at only the gameplay sections, you could make the reasonable argument that MGS5 is the most technically impressive game of all time.

      Also, interestingly enough, the pursuit of 60 FPS has been around since the original Playsation days, but never became the industry standard for all releases due in large part to the rise of HD gaming making it more difficult, and somewhat less necessary. The team behind “MGS5” want to make it standard for their game though, which may indicate a shift in the rest of the industry is soon to follow in terms of  AAA releases, and if so will only increase the amount of eye candy available for gamers in the years to come.

      News

      The Return Of 2D

      June 28, 2013 /

      With Sony and Microsoft introducing the newest eighth generation consoles – the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, respectively – some of the highest graphic potential games are imminently poised to enter the market. Video game technology is one of the fastest moving industries, and in order to compete studios are consistently testing the confines and boundaries of what that technology is capable of producing.

      Some of the hottest games slated for 2014 include Titanfall and Destiny that immerse a player in a hyper-realistic setting with incredibly detailed character and in-game design. The sheer size of some of these virtual environments is amazing. Additionally, the freedom to be able to create entire worlds has allowed developers to take full advantage of the human imagination, inhabiting these other universes with anything from monsters and mech-robots to protolithic deities and cartoon characters.

      But sometimes it’s easy to forget about the precursors to these next generation gaming experiences. The beauty of consoles like the Super Nintendo was that the limitations on their technology, what they were able to display, did not hamper the creative process – quite the contrary, it fostered it. Some of the first role-playing games (RPG) to grace the video-game industry like the initial Final Fantasy and the time-shifting Chrono Trigger were (and are) just as expansive and imaginative as games coming out today, both in terms of their innovation in actual gameplay, their focus on story and character development, and their playability even decades after their release.

      That seems to be where a lot of modern games lose their steam – press releases for new games tend to emphasize how many hours of gameplay are to be expected, and this notion of setting a quota often makes the games quite interesting to play, but don’t really imprint any lasting effect. Arcade-style and strategy games, like the original RPGs for the SNES, are iconic not only in their capacity to draw us, but also in their tendency to keep us coming back for more.

      Some studios have picked up on this latent nostalgia for simpler formatted games which emphasize 2D interfaces, most notably Klei which brought out Mark of the Ninja for Xbox and continues to release updates to its survival game Don’t Starve. But the beauty inherent in coming back to an older format of video game is being able to look at it through a contemporary lens, and develop novel ways of approaching the gameplay.
      Independent studios, which often lack the same sort of funding and manpower, are the guiding forces behind this 2D re-emergence, as well as other businesses that are picking up on the accessibility of gaming. Online casinos and developers of applications for mobile phones and devices are consistently using the 2D style to display their applications and services – think of any Online Poker or Slot Game, or the craze that Angry Birds experienced.

      It’s proof that advanced and complex graphics don’t necessarily make for a good game (consider all the heat that subsequent installations in the CoD saga have experienced). What makes a good game is a good idea, and the ability to tell a story in a fun, interesting, or controversial way – the release of Reus from Abbey games is an excellent example, where you take on the role of a god by creating entire eco-systems. The dimension-shifting 2D game Fez takes a meta-approach t by allowing the player to shift the environment 180 degrees on its axis.

      Although there is something exciting in the course of video-game evolution, and its endeavour to supply an interactive form of entertainment and adventure, it’s important for developers to recognize that technology is a tool, not a crux. A game can be as flashy and loud as an ambulance, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s appealing. The rise of independent game developers, by virtue of the resources available to them, are beginning to represent a shift in video game culture as more and more people pick up on the creativity afforded by a simple 8 bit graphics card.

      Simon is a writer and content specialist who is addicted to being on the front page of anything. A graduate of Dalhousie University, he specializes in using the em dash too often. Currently, Simon rests his typing hands in Vancouver, Canada. Check out his recent thoughts on online gaming.

      Editorial, Gaming

      The Five Biggest Gameplay Trends Heading into the Next Generation

      June 27, 2013 /

      The winds of gaming are constantly shifting and changing, but whether it be the next generation bearing down on us, or the inevitable just happening to be occurring, it seems quite a few changes seem to happening at once when it comes to actual gameplay.

      For our purposes, let’s call them trends.

      Like any other medium, gaming is susceptible to trends now and then, but unlike, say, the world of fashion where they often pass by with such speed as to go unnoticed, trends in gaming tend to stay quite some time. If you’re looking for what to expect out of video games as we enter a new generation then, look no further than these five trends, which will soon dominate the industry.

      5. Tablet and Smartphone Interactivity

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      Maybe the Wii U isn’t so farfetched after all, as supporters for using smartphone and tablet features with their games are a growing crowd.

      This is most obvious through the Xbox One’s features, which make it clear Microsoft intends to use every entertainment avenue available to enhance the function of their system, however, this is also visible in individual titles like “Watch Dogs” and “The Division,” which are not only promising, but show some exciting and creative tablet support features as well.

      It’s a growing tech world out there, and video games seem to be recognizing that as they head into a new generation.

      4. Games Get Harder

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      This is more a notion of where we are going to be in a year from now, more than an idea with a host of tangible examples, but games are slowly getting harder.

      Call it the “Dark Souls” effect, but suddenly it seems like even the normal modes of titles are presenting more of a challenge than they did just a few years ago. Whether it be in last year’s surprise hit “XCOM,” or this year’s GOTY leader “The Last of Us,” single player games are creeping closer to the 15 hour, or more, completion mark that was rare in even more recent major releases.

      The only downside here is that this could lead to a greater emphasis in the freemium model as companies charge to help gamers get ahead. As long as some personal restraint is shown from gamer’s end though, this is a good thing.

      3. Shooters Are Here to Stay

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      The shooter genre (the majority of which are of the FPS variety) represented the dominate game type of this last generation and, if this year’s E3 is any indication, that isn’t changing anytime soon.

      This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, as many of these shooters represented the best games of the show. Titles like “Titanfall,” “Destiny,” and “Killzone: Shadow Fall” all garnered well deserved attention, and show that FPS’s are not only still kicking, but have plenty of life left in them.

      If you’re really down about this though, just know that plenty of developers on both the indie scene and elsewhere are coming up with a plethora of original ideas, seemingly to combat this movement. However, that’s just all the more evidence the shooter is still king.

      2. Color Comes Back

      In an effort to present a “maturity” of sorts, many games from the previous generation used muted tones of grey, black, and brown and little else. While it got the bleak mood across well enough, it also led to every game looking the same.

      But between “Bioshock Infinite’s” bright and creative world of Columbia, “Far Cry: Blood Dragon’s” neon tints, and several titles at E3, it looks like the sun is slowly breaking through the grey, and color is being highlighted once more in the gaming world. Even “Killzone,” the poster child of the grey palate, seems to be integrating reds, blues, and more into its next title, serving as a harbinger of sort for the movement.

      Maybe not everyone sees it the same way, but this is a promising trend that can only improve creativity.

      1. The Apocalypse

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      Every once in a while a setting dominates gaming. It was WWII, then it was Sci-Fi military worlds, and then of course the last few years have shown a horde of zombie games flood the market.

      Now though, it’s the apocalypse that’s primed to dominate the scene. “The Division,” “The Last of Us,” “Mad Max,” “Titanfall,” “Destiny,” and too many more to count all show some sort of view of the world after the one we know now has ended, and they are just the horsemen of this movement that is sure to change the landscape of gaming in a literal way.

      Like many other trends, your interpretation may vary on this movement, but it does mean that from now on it’s the end of the world as we know it.

      Reviews

      The Top Five Things I Want to See in WWE 2K14

      June 25, 2013 /

      As an old school fan of pro wrestling, I’ve always found a guilty pleasure in the WWE video games.

      Sure they’re great multiplayer titles that offer enough freedom and modes for anyone to lose hours to, but in the end they are games meant for the fans.

      To that end though, there have always been some nagging problems and missing features that have kept the games from being the ultimate fan service to the faithful of that most bizarre sports entertainment hybrid. While there are a few larger issues that could definitely be improved (*cough* for the love of God better A.I. *cough*), these are five smaller things I’d love to see in the recently announced WWE 2K14 and beyond.

      5. Create-a-Submission

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      The best thing about the WWE games is their ability to allow you to customize just about anything to an absolutely insane amount of detail. Want a 500 lb woman with a mullet to come out to “Freebird” while wearing a custom championship belt to defend at your own custom PPV? You can do that.

      However one aspect of the game, submission moves, have always gotten the shaft. Sure, it’d be great if they were more dynamic and destructive than they are now, but realistically I’d just love the option to create my own maneuvers, much like you can create finishers. It would require a little more “outside the box” programing considering you’d have to play around with ragdoll physics to make it work, but it’s the lack of those kind of dynamic options that have made these games feel stale recently.

      Submissions may not be a huge part of wrestling, but they are there and the next WWE game would do well to cater more towards fans of them.

      4. Smoother Chain Moves

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      Chain wrestling is a term used in pro-wrestling to specify wrestlers who are able to flow from one maneuver to another without really much pause between them. While popular amongst high-fliers, more and more wrestlers have incorporated this exciting style into their matches.

      The WWE games have always been lacking in this department however. It used to be excusable as the technology of the time only permitted for the “Grapple, do a move. Grapple, do a move” system, but we’re well beyond that tech now, and are still subject to the same plodding style. It would be great if there was more situation awareness to the controls, so you wouldn’t have to experience superfluous, and often janky, animations when stringing together simple moves.

      It would admittedly take a complete overhaul to fix this entirely, but it would be nice if there was more of an element of this in the next title.

      3.  Better Commentary

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      For years, wrestling games had no audio commentary, so when the feature was finally incorporated, most were so grateful they excused the repetitive and dull nature of it.

      Yet, much like animation, here we are years later and still subject to the same repetitive and dull commentary. It’s bad enough when you hear the same lines over and over, but when you play the new games annually, you rarely hear any lines not used in previous installments. There is a level of that in all sports games, but I’ve never heard one as bad as the WWE games, and it really takes you out of the environment, or forces you to turn the commentary off entirely.

      While dynamic commentary and more realistic banter would be great, really all anyone is asking here is for some fresh dialogue in each new installment, and some less mechanical “one take” readings.

      2. A More Historic Roster

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      Along with its heavy customization options, the thing fans have appreciated most about the WWE games are the comprehensive rosters, which feature not just a host of modern day superstars, but legends of the past as well.

      One thing that’s always bugged me though is that the legends rarely go beyond WWE stars of the past, and even then don’t often go past the Hulk Hogan era.

      Granted this may be a licensing issue, but considering the WWE basically owns the rights to the majority of wrestling history, its time the roster reflects lesser celebrated stars of times gone past from other organizations. Sure, not all fans may jump for joy at the chance to play as, say, Buddy Rodgers, but no one will complain about more wrestlers on the roster, and the old-school fans would love it.

      1. WAR GAMES!!!!!

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      The War Games match sees two rings joined surrounded by a large cage. Two teams of 4-5 enter one at a time at set intervals until all men are in the ring. From there, the first man to make another from the opposing team quit or submit wins it for his team.

      It’s the most unique and incredible match type ever devised for pro wrestling, and has, to my knowledge, never been in a video game. While a WCW creation, considering that WWE owns their rights now, and even have a War Games DVD on the way this year, now would be the perfect time for the most wanted of all match types to finally make its debut.

      Someone please…make this happen.

      Editorial

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