Tag: Video game news (Page 5 of 20)

      Company of Heroes 2 Has Mightily Upset Its Russian Fans

      July 26, 2013 /

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      Since it emphasized all of the things I like about RTS games, and played down the aspects that keep me away, the original “Company of Heroes” won me over in 2006, and even snagged a few game of the year awards.

      However, even though I knew a sequel was due out, I wasn’t exactly waiting with bated breath. That being the case, its release was a pretty quiet one and besides hearing some vague rumblings of it being pretty good, since it didn’t shake the world like the original, that was about the extent of my knowledge regarding the release until recently.

      What happened? Well in pursuing Metacritic, I stumbled on “Company of Heroes 2” and couldn’t help but notice that while the critic’s score was a respectable 80, the user review was a not so respectable 2.0

      Why the discrepancy? Was it “SimCity” style DRM issues? Was it “Kane and Lynch” critic bribing being revealed? Was the review version completely different or something?

      No, actually, it turns out the negative reviews come almost entirely from Russian gamers offended over the portrayal of the Russian army in the game, where they commit a fair number of atrocities including shooting their own men, sending soldiers out with no guns, and in general being kind of evil, moral free bastards with whatever it takes mentalities.

      The uncomfortable part of this matter is that many occurrences portrayed are actually based off of historically accurate events. While many of the games detractors acknowledge that, the problem seems to be that the major focus on the army is on those negative occurrences, to the point that playing like a dick becomes an integral gameplay aspect.

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      Honestly my first reaction to this was a hearty “lighten up” as it sounded like a case of overly sensitive people trashing a title for virtual slights. Not to mention the whole “soldiers going to battle without guns” thing was done in the original “Call of Duty,” and I don’t remember anyone throwing a hissy fit about it.

      Though I suppose that it was portrayed more heroically there, rather than in a manner of considering the mass death of your soldiers to be “tactically sound.”

      Actually I think that is the whole point to this protest. Few had a bloodier and more brutal WWII than the Russians, yet in mainstream (especially American) entertainment, their contributions are mostly either ignored, belittled, or reduced to the most horrific tales of war as a plot device where other countries get to be the heroes.

      Russian gamers probably saw “COH 2” as a chance for their story to be told in a way that people might actually get to experience. No doubt upon seeing that their army plays like a more hardcore version of the GLA from “Command and Conquers: Generals,” they thought instead that here is another game that fails to focus on anything but the negative, and will probably add to the general, not entirely accurate, perception of the Russians in WWII that too many share.

      It likely wasn’t the intention of the “COH 2” developers to offend Russian players so tremendously, but considering that is exactly what happened, it’s probably time they swallowed their own pride and started making heartfelt apologies rather than the “We apologize…but that stuff still totally happened” stance they are taking now.

      Editorial

      New California Based Service Shows There is in Fact One Thing You Can’t Get Delivered in NYC

      July 23, 2013 /

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      Let’s not beat around the bush. The arcade scene is dead enough to replace disco as a cliché, and frankly deserves to be. Most of them were designed to pump more money from you than any villainized “freemium” game ever would, and the world of video games have progressed positively in a way that the scene would have never allowed for should it have remained the dominate form of gaming.

      But dammit, I still do love them. To this day getting three friends and playing “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is a guaranteed good time that may be bested by modern games, but is never really duplicated.

      There may be good reasons why arcades are no longer prominent, but there is no good reason why the still entertaining machines should be relegated to ironic obscurity in hipster bars or the rare pizza joint and laundromat.

      Fortunately there is a west coast company that agrees, and are providing a service that allows you to rent an arcade unit with unlimited play for $75 a month, with additional charges coming for multiple units. A subscription based service, you can keep getting new cabinets as long as you’re a member, and can even switch out machines mid-month if you’d like.

      Currently available machines are based on your location, but examples include classics like “Pac-Man,” “TMNT,” “Galaga,” “Golden Tee,” and even one of the arcade holy grails, “The Simpsons.”

      Unfortunately there is a limited area service, so many will not have the chance to experience one of the best opportunities to properly enjoy all-time great arcade games in their most ideal format without trekking out to a rare arcade spot, or paying prices that can exceed $2,000 for a home machine.

      Hopefully All You Can Arcade experiences a profitable level of success then and spreads to more areas, as the look on your friends faces when they show up to see “The Simpsons” in your living room is well worth the asking price.

      News

      The NCAA Pulls its Football Video Game License From EA

      July 17, 2013 /

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      The NCAA revealed today that they are no longer providing its football license to EA, effectively spelling the end for college football video games as we know them after the release of “NCAA 14.” While briefly touching on the issue, the real elephant in the room  that caused the decision is the use of player likenesses for which the included students receive no profit. It’s an issue that has been haunting all aspects of college sports for some time now, and the removal of this license is just an example of a larger problem that has no clear answer in sight.

      EA, for their part, says they will continue to make college football games, but without the NCAA license. A move that will likely work as well for them as it did for that non NFL licensed 2K football game.

      To be honest, first my reaction to this was somewhere between “Who Cares” and “Good Riddance.”

      While a little pessimistic, that’s a reaction founded somewhere during the years of “Madden-Lite” NCAA entries, which turned a game that used to be on every cinder block built book shelf next to the Einstein posters and dirty laundry pile in every college dorm room in America ,into another half-hearted EA series.

      Yes, if you don’t remember there was in fact a time when the “NCAA” team embraced and implemented the college spirit into their annual entries, and came up with a game that was separate, but equal in many ways to the usually more popular “Madden” franchise. Sporting its own cult fan base, it wasn’t unusual for someone to say they were a fan of “NCAA,” but never played “Madden.”

      Of course, as the years went on, the only way to really distinguish the two gridiron series was by identifying the team’s logos (which, of course, are no longer available).

      But the more I think on it, the more it becomes clear that this really is sad, due mostly to those years when NCAA was a classic franchise. It was once a rite of passage for every college football fan to have that “one game” that they would forever remember with their college roommate/best friend, and be able to recite play by play upon any future drinking occasion.

      Now, barring some serious legal changes, that’s likely gone forever.

      Ultimately, it’s true that the quality of the games would have had no bearing on the final decision. However, if the series had been able to maintain that former glory, then maybe this would be a story not entirely built around money, but memories as well.

      Reviews

      When Looking for Proof the Hype is Real About the Next Grand Theft Auto, Look at the Little Things

      July 10, 2013 /

      “Grand Theft Auto IV” almost had to be called “Grand Theft Auto IV.”

      What I mean is, considering it was for a new generation of consoles, and featured an exceptionally long development cycle, calling it “GTA: Liberty City” or something similar would have never gone over well with the folks at Rockstar, nor the fans.

      However obligatory the name might have been though, the final product never really felt right as being the true evolution to the world changing “GTA III.” It was abundantly clear that all of the focus went into creating Liberty City, and even though that still stands as one of the most impressive accomplishments of video game engineering, the rest of the game suffered from half-baked or just plain bad gameplay ideas.

      While it’s true then that “GTA IV” pleased many fans and critics, there were an equal number of people waiting for the real successor to the series.

      Based on the recent internet stopping footage that Rockstar released of “GTA V,” that may be soon upon us.

      You’d think that there wouldn’t be anything more to say about the next “GTA” until it actually comes out, but the first gameplay trailer of the series proved that as much as we may think we know about the game based on previous information, hearing about the features and seeing them actually come together are completely different things.

      Because when you see the game truly in action, it’s clear that Rockstar is aiming to create a game that doesn’t just appear to be alive on the surface, but is a living, breathing, and (most importantly) evolving thing. Sure major aspects like the three character approach appear to work better than we could have anticipated, and new or returning core gameplay features like hunting and purchasing property/stock look incredible, but what really amazes are the little touches.

      It’s the things that only the most eagle-eyed of viewers caught like individual weapon stats, or how the mini-map changes based on your current transportation. It’s the new pot shop you can patron, it’s the clever names of the tattoos, and it’s definitely the fact your hand shaped mouse cursor in the game is in fact a middle finger.

      Those are the things that “GTA IV” was missing. It’s those aspects that show Rockstar knows how to make a sandbox game on advanced hardware, and are now working to perfect an actual “GTA” experience, and not a tech demo wearing its mask but possessing none of its heart and soul.

      When looking for proof that “GTA V” is going to be a game-changer, you may be tempted to point to the tantalizing seconds of footage that reveal a true “GTA” style multiplayer mode. However, for me, the fact the NASDAQ parody stock market is called BAWSAQ is real proof that Rockstar is back to having fun with the series, and in the process advancing its identity.

      News

      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

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