The podcast of the century is upon us!!! Way better than the one that’s gonna air in 2048 about how aliens should fix their own planet so they’ll stop invading ours! This week: Batman: Arkham City! David, Landon, and Ivan talk for a solid hour about the new story, city, gadgets, and upgrades in the sequel to one of the best comic book games of all time. Ivan also FINALLY comes through with a jingle! Will it suck? Probably, but tune in to find out for sure! Support our Podcast and not some shitty futuristic Podcast! You wouldn’t wanna piss off those aliens. Trust me. Did you see Battlefield LA? Course not. No one did. But imagine how bad it must be! Click “Email Us” to tell us what you think! Subscribe to us on iTunes here and tune in next week when we discuss Battlefield 3!
Batman: Awesome City! (Lame Title. I Know. Suck It.)
Sit back and pop in your Arkham City disc, because you’re gonna be playing as… Dun nan a na na na na na Catwomaaaan…? Yes. The very first thing you do in AC is play as Catwoman. Odd. You would think players would want a chance to get used to walking in Batman’s shoes again before learning a new character. The disappointment quickly disappears after you find out how awesome she is to play. She can’t glide like Batman, but she can use that dominating whip of hers to latch on to rooftops and billboards in the environment. It’s surprisingly effective and almost doesn’t make you miss the cape. Catwoman also has thief vision (her version of Batman’s detective mode) that allows her to see the heat signatures of enemies. Unfortunately, it isn’t as robust as detective mode. It doesn’t give you a detailed analysis of the fight like its Dark Knight counterpart (total enemies, which thugs are armed, etc.), but still helps a little.
Combat works slightly differently with Catwoman as well. She’s faster than Batman and can use her whip (instead of a cape) to stun enemies. Beyond that, it’s pretty similar. You’re still pressing the same buttons to punch and counter as you would in Batty’s shoes. Starting the game on such a different note than its predecessor is pretty ballsy, but it was still a really fun sequence and doesn’t last too long. There are about 3 Catwoman sections in the game, but you won’t be playing any of them unless you scored an activation code from buying the game new, used from GameStop, or renting a copy with an unused code in it (I Win). If you want to hop strait into our masked hero’s suit, it’s almost better you don’t have the code, but the Catwoman sections are short and a lot of fun if you give it a chance.Now you get to play as dun na na na na na Robiiiin! No, kidding. Fuck that. BATMAN! Well, Bruce Wayne. Close enough. The story starts with the explanation of the game’s title. Every prisoner in Arkham Asylum has been moved to a new district of Gotham called Arkham City. Led by Hugo Strange, Arkham City is a Gated mad house of Batman villainy. Strange arrests Bruce Wayne at the game’s opening and throws him in Arkham. The tutorial teaches you the basics as you bust out of captivity and call Alfred to send you an aerial drop of your goods. Time to suit up.
Every piece of the story is logically and expertly crafted. Mr. Freeze gets involved because he is an extremely talented scientist and the perfect candidate to cure Batman and Joker. Freeze tells Batman he needs a sample of blood that has been exposed to the toxin for longer than Batman and Joker has had it. Batman then rushes to find Ra’s al Ghul. Ra’s has been exposed to it for centuries and never dies because of his Lazarus Pit. He’s perfect. I’ll stop there because I don’t want to give too much away, but every villain has a motivation that fits in the games story perfectly. Rocksteady allows you to enjoy fighting a handful of major Batman villains, without compromising the narrative. Tough to do, and amazing to experience.
All your favorite gadgets return. Batarang. Grapple Hook. Line launcher thingy (technical term). The game is mostly full of familiar tools, but there are a few new toys to play with. You now have a device that can disable enemy weapons in a room from a distance (limit two baddies per fight). This makes for a new level of strategy when tackling rooms full of armed guards. There’s also a new device grabbed from Mr. Freeze that allows you to create a floating platform of ice in any body of water. From there, you simply hop on and use the grapple hook to pull yourself to your destination. Leveling up also returns, allowing you to upgrade most of your gadgets and even your suit. Again, some of the upgrades are repeats from the last game, but there’s plenty there to keep you hooked on beating the crap outta henchmen to gain XP.
Arkham City is an amazing video game. Comic book fans will get an enormous nerd-rection from the clever story and characters. Gamers will enjoy an awesome open world experience with satisfying combat and varied missions. If you’re a comic book fan and a gamer, get ready to change your pants every 5 minutes. It isn’t a perfect game. Some of the repeated gadgets have lost their luster from the last installment, and the map could have marked building entrances to avoid pointless door hunting. It got slightly annoying to search around huge structures for a tiny vent or passageway. However, these are complaints are small and are quickly forgettable. The only thing bad about this game being so good, is not being able to use the article title “Batman: Arkham Shitty.” After a very satisfying experience, I must say, worth it!
Promise Broken: Turns out 1943 Doesn't Come with Battlefield 3
Not too long ago, EA also announced the DLC maps would come to PS3 a week before 360. What was seen as simply another perk of the the ps3 version, was actually a replacement. When the game came out, a short explanation was posted on the game's twitter feed, saying the week early maps are there to compensate for the missing 1943. It's bad enough to promise a piece of content and not deliver, it's even worse to not let your fans know till after launch.
The release on both platforms have been everything but smooth. I was attempting to play online with friends (yes, i have them) on the 360 version last night, and the EA servers were down. After deciding to just play single player, the opening cutscene repeated multiple times before i had to quit out manually. Apparently this is a known issue. A lot of titles have a rough day one, but this is among some of the worst.
Anyone else having the same issues? Post in our comments about it! Don't worry. People will be nice. It's the internet!
RAGE: No Bordered Lands in this Fall Out
I haven’t played a shooter this polished in years. It may take a few minutes to get used to the controls but after that, it’s smooth sailing. You start off with only the pistol if you didn’t get the Anarchy Edition, so make sure to loot every body so you don’t run out of ammo. There are many different bandit tribes; some are more acrobatic while some build RC Bombs. Mutants are the more generic enemy. These guys can be killed easily, but give no loot. The Authority is the new government and has the best weapons and armor. There are so many different enemies, weapons, and ammo types, the combat will stay fresh for a while. Sadly, there are a lot of weapons but you can only equip four at a time. I found that I stuck with my Crossbow, Double-Barrel Shotgun, Machine Gun, and Sniper Rifle.
The Level Design was very unique. At first glance, it seems very linear. With most doors being locked, you might feel trapped on a single path. id Software did this on purpose, closing off some path ways then opening them on later levels makes it feel like a new area to explore. The Wasteland is where they bring in the vehicles. For the most part, vehicles are only used to get from quest to quest but they are fun to drive. At first you start with an ATV. It doesn’t have guns on it but you do need it for an achievement. Later you get a buggy that you can upgrade with machine guns, rockets, and pulse weapons. In towns, there are races you can do for extra cash, but you will find that most of that cash will go towards your vehicles to do more races and make more cash. It’s a vicious cycle. Towns also have plenty of places to gamble your money away.
With so many good aspects in RAGE, it’s easy to over look the bad, but it’s there. The only competitive multiplayer is demolition derby. You have to race from marker to marker collecting points while shooting others. It’s a nice change of pace from all those games that just throw multiplayer in to get sales. The co-op is a fun but short experience for you and one friend. The missions are different than single player but you play through the same areas. The co-op also keeps track of points so you can be competitive if you like. With everything id Software did right in this game, I find that the small problems fade after you realize you’ve been playing for five hours already. A great game that I will be playing over and over, but it’s not perfect.
8 Balls
Ladies and genitals, our eighth podcast has arrived! This week we talk about RAGE. The cast has retained a shorter length (for now) and is full of intelligent dimwitted conversations about RAGE’s single player, versus, and co-op modes. Join us and learn about id software’s take on a post-apocalyptic future. Spoilers lie ahead, but we give fair warning. Plus, who’s not manly enough for spoilers? Am I right, genitals?! Click “email us” to tell us what you think or just post your annoying opinions in the comments for this episode. Subscribe to us on iTunes here! Tune in next week when we talk about Forza Motorsport 4. Thanks for listening!
Oh Sony, You Tickle Us
Once again the electronics giant is under attack. It was reported on 1up.com earlier today that Sony is suffering something of a security breach. The problem isn't as dangerous or large as what happened back in April, but it was confirmed that several PSN accounts have had multiple login failures on them.
If you sign in to your PSN account today and it forces you to log in again manually, you could be a part of the 0.1% of accounts affected. Sony assures the public that this is not a continuation of the big one earlier this year, and that any information used to hack into users accounts were obtained through other (illegal) means. No credit card are at risk this time around (although Sony will refund any fraudulent charges if anything happens).
The multiple failed log in attempts could lead to some users accounts being locked when you try to sign on legitly. If your account is locked, you should have received an email detailing how to unlock it and change your password.
Sony's getting really good at this "getting hacked" thing. Hopefully they'll make that an Olympic sport this year, otherwise Sony might just retain a talent for security breaches with nothing to show for it but a million angry customers. Poor rich incompetents.
Mass Effect Multiplayer Announced
That's right. From the mouth of the man himself, Casey Hudson, a multiplayer experience for all who will play Mass Effect 3! It is a four player co-op experience that if played, will boost the chances of Commander Shepard kicking Reaper butt cheeks! If ignored, and a player opts not to play the multiplayer, it will not negatively affect the single player campaign. So it's a win-win on all fronts!
The co-op missions are mostly about capturing and defending key positions around the galaxy in aid of the galactic war. Players will have the choice of selecting a variety of Alien races, and corresponding classes, and teaming up with buds to kick ass. Characters chosen on the multiplayer will have their own leveling aside from the single player, and moral choices from ME1 and 2 will not impact any element in the Multiplayer. The multiplayer is being handled by Bioware's newer crew in Montreal, and will not take away from the single player.
Along with the news of the multiplayer, Bioware announced that a system which determines battle-readiness for facing the Reapers will be available dubbed Galaxy at War. It is a quirky way of managing player stats that will include multiplayer progression, and hints at other possible Mass Effect apps and games. Meaning the multiplayer will not be the only manner in which to raise the survival rate of the war. Again, using the Galaxy at War system is optional, and will not negatively affect the single player. It really is a WIN-WIN!
All in all, Casey Hudson assured that the best possible outcome can be achieved by just playing the Single Player campaign without further association with the multiplayer or future apps. So for all you worrywarts (DefHalan!), skipping the multiplayer will not take away from the experience.
Keep an eye, ear, sixth sense open for more details as the release date approaches! Visit Bioware.com for more news!
(Great.... Now should I be Turian Infiltrator, or Quarian Engineer? Or maybe Krogan Vangard? Decisions decisions.)
Casty Number Slevin
This week, Dante reviews Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. We even save a little time to talk about the new Battlefield 3 open beta that just released for the PS3, 360, and PC. Finally, the G-Cast is shorter! Now, we know there are many people out there that wish the G-Cast was 14 hours long every episode. These people have what we at DR. G-Man refer to as “sexy voice addiction.” To reduce the number of cases, we have decided shorten the length of G-Cast and make sure everyone gets smaller doses of our sensual sounding utterances. Subscribe to us on iTunes here! Email us and tell us what you think! Enjoy!
G-Cast!! Episode Foooooore!!!
The first four G-Cast episodes have been removed from our rss feed because we feel they don’t represent the quality we want for our show. They were meant to be test episodes from the beginning and will still be available to listen to or download on the site. So, if you’re really curious about how the G-Cast all started, click the link below… I warned you though.
Listen to Episode 4 here (right click to download).
Original Description:
It is here! The fourth and final test episode of G-Cast. In this bundle of ridiculously sexy sounds, we talk about the third party’s press conferences (Ubisoft and EA) and touch a little bit on Germany’s Gamescom. We’ll be discussing Battlefield 3, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Mass Effect 3, and more. Next Friday will be the first episode of what G-Cast will probably sound like from here on out. The events will be recent and the episodes will be shorter. What’s that you say? Every moment you get to hear our voices is a gift from god? What you say may be is definitely true, but we think some people might find a 30-40 minute podcast ideal (unless we get a ridiculous amount of emails/comments opposing this). Next week, we will be covering TGS and talking about what pieces of news caught our eye. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes here!
Three's Company Tooooo!
The first four G-Cast episodes have been removed from our rss feed because we feel they don’t represent the quality we want for our show. They were meant to be test episodes from the beginning and will still be available to listen to or download on the site. So, if you’re really curious about how the G-Cast all started, click the link below… I warned you though.
Listen to Episode 3 here (right click to download).
Original Description:
Awwww yeah. Episode 3 baby! The words every Half-life fan is dying to hear (unfortunately, not in this context). In this episode, David (DR. G), Landon (DefHalan), and Ivan (Dante) sit down to talk about Sony’s E3 Press Conference. We’ll be discussing Uncharted 3, Resistance 3, PSVita, and Sony’s new 3D PlayStation monitor. Join us as we plow through another sexy sounding episode (you’re welcome world) talking about everything PlayStation with no sleep necessary. This is the third in our “test” podcasts. Tune in next Friday for the fourth and final “test” podcast when we talk about the 3rd party companies and what they offered at this year’s show. Don’t forget to email us if you have any questions (or death threats) at drg@drgman.com, defhalan@drgman.com, or dante@drgman.com. Suscribe to our podcast on iTunes right here! Enjoy!
Button Wars: The Reckoning
Ever since the Wii was announced, we got a look at a new controller unlike anything before it. It looked like a T.V. remote (first thought in my mind). Never in a million years could figure out how I would use such a thing to manipulate Mario or Zelda. I was far from what you would call a “believer.” This, of course, was before Miyamoto famously demonstrated the remote as a baton, conducting a symphony of Mii’s on stage. This event converted a lot of doubt in to excitement for this new revolution.
However, this event didn’t convert everyone. Even after play testing, many hard core gamers would still argue pressing a button is easier, faster, and more efficient than flailing your arms. Unfortunately for these people, the war on buttons was just beginning, and there was more wand swinging on the horizon.
If you’ve been playing games for a long time like me (i.e. no life) you probably don’t have any issues with two thumb sticks and 12 buttons. Unfortunately, your neighbor down the street, who hasn’t played a game since Asteroids, would never touch such a beast. Nintendo knew this and took action. Games could have continued to grow more complicated with more buttons and better graphics, but your gameless neighbor would have been left behind. You might say “Who the fuck cares?” and I might say the same thing, but I’m not as malicious as you are. Unfortunately, Nintendo cares. Anyone not playing a game is a lost wad of cash, and thanks to Nintendo’s success, Sony and Microsoft care too.
No. After the senseless beatings of the Wii’s success and the announcement of the Kinect and Move, hardcore gamers take another big kick in the nuts. Microsoft’s first party line up is very different now than it was three years ago. This past E3, Microsoft gave us a press conference that was 90% Kinect. In 2007, Microsoft’s hardcore titles were countless. Today, Halo and Gears seem to be the only titles meant for the hardcore. Fable looks to have gone casual, and every other title was full of jumping and kicking.
Sony didn’t go as nuts as Microsoft. They had some motion control titles at E3, but they still showed off quite a bit of their serious side. Sony has also made an effort to try and implement motion in titles previously thought to be impossible without a controller. I still prefer the controller, but at least Sony isn’t trying to leave the hardcore completely in the dust.
The war is in full force and it’s not looking good for me and my button loving brethren. I have no problem playing motion games from time to time. I play with non-gamer friends and the family. However, hardcore games are my bread and butter. I love experiences too complex for a couple buttons and an arm swing. Mom and dad can have all the table tennis they want, as long as I can still run home to my shooters. This is where I feel a threat.
So many companies have realized the growing market in motion gaming, I’m dying from hardcore withdrawals. Suffering through an E3 with even more motion games than the year before it, I fear the hardcore market might keep getting smaller and smaller as more casual gamers decide it’s easy to dance in front of a camera.
Persona 4 news makes me want to *bleep*
I’ve got a rager like none! And the culprit’s name is Atlus. They have never failed me. Ever. With the announcement of a Persona fighting game in the works, I have erected a giant monument of Jack Frost in my black heart.
Working together with Arc System Works- the guys behind the Guilty Gear and Blazblue series- Atlus is co-devloping a Persona-based fighter for the X360 and the PS3, and is expected to be available in Japan by next Summer. Thanks to Famitsu, Several screenshots have been released, and it’s just so erogenous! So check them out (since we don’t have any rights to post those pics on here... yet!)!
The only characters confirmed so far are the Protagonist, Chie, Yosuke, and Aegis along with their corresponding Personas. The game will include both Persona 3 and 4 characters, but hopefully will not be limited to just the two (DLC anyone?). I can’t wait to see how Atlus will play this one out! And I can’t wait to play as Yuka-tan! Heh heh heh...
The other major announcement is the remake of Persona 4 for the Vita entitled Persona 4: The Golden. The game will include a new dungeon, a new character, a new support system, and a new dialogue. It is not expected to be an FES version like what Persona 3 had, but it should be a fresher experience like the PSP version of Persona 3. It is set to hit Japan in the Spring!
I will be keeping an eye out for any more news regarding this, but make sure to check out the Tokyo Game Show for any new info!
L.A. Noire Solves the Mystery of Boredom
You play Cole Phelps, an L.A. cop in the 40’s, hot off the heels from fighting in the pacific theatre in WW2. It is an open world game, but almost doesn’t need to be. The cases are linear and there isn’t a whole lot you can do on the side except the occasional call from dispatch to go take care of a robbery or two. As you play the game and solve cases, you get promoted to detective and get to work traffic, Homicide, Vice, and Arson. Some job are better than others (Homicide is always a thrill), but the game does a good job of keeping the cases different so you won’t get bored.
Once you get to the scene, you’re given as much time as you please to roam around the crime scene and investigate clues. You’re welcomed by a little rumble of the controller every time you pass by a piece of evidence that might be crucial to the case. The game allows you to pick up objects and use the thumb sticks to turn it every which way to look for any clues that might be written or engraved on it. These quiet moments are very satisfying and really does a good job tricking you into thinking you did some awesome detective work (the hallmark of any great game). As you investigate, every clue is automatically recorded in your notebook. Everything gets recorded pertaining to the case at hand: The locations of the crimes, People of interest (suspects), and clues. This comes in handy during the interrogations.
After investigating (or before, but that’s sloppy) you can talk to your suspects and ask them questions. When your suspect answers your question, you have three choices. You can say he/she is telling the truth, doubt the answer (meaning you don’t believe him but don’t have any evidence to prove it), or say they’re lying. Claiming someone is lying requires you cite a piece of evidence in your notebook that proves they are a dishonest scumbag. Every actor in the game had their performance captured with high definition cameras to ensure a realistic experience during questioning. Their face looks eerily accurate and you can see the subtleties of their performance. It is a little blurry and not perfect, but it certainly does it’s job. If they have something to hide, they usually won’t look you in the eye, or they’ll appear nervous. Some of the actors overdo this more than others, but I guess some people are better liars than others in real questioning too, so it kind of works out.
Sometimes I ran into a problem where I would present a piece of evidence to prove the suspect is lying, but I guess it wasn’t the “correct” choice. I had this happen to me while playing Phoenix Wright as well. Sometimes, certain pieces of evidence make sense in my head as a contradiction, but i guess no one else shares the same logic. Only time will tell if this is my problem (probably) or everyone else’s, but it did get slightly annoying knowing that some of the evidence choosing was guess work rather than the pure logic of your investigations.
Another slight qualm, the story misses its mark a few times. Without giving too much away, the main character makes some questionable decisions that puts his name in jeopardy and seems unprovoked. It isn’t until this point that you realize they haven’t spent that much time building the characters enough for you to really care. Every so often, the game will flashback to the war, but all of these sequences are short and almost feel like they’re just spewing information rather than telling a story. This all leads up to an ending that will leave you with a feeling of “um… okay.”
The gameplay is more than solid and makes for an amazing experience, and if you’re from the L.A. area, the world is very accurate. There are no freeways, because it’s the 40’s, but you’ll be able to navigate the streets if you spend enough time downtown. The face capture technology is new and unique and offers gameplay that would otherwise be impossible (plus if you’re a big fan of Mad Men, it’s almost a complete reunion). Despite the troubles I have with some of the clues or the story, this game still deserves to be bought and played. There are very few games in existence that allow you to feel like a detective and even fewer that does as good a job as this. With the promise of DLC, it’s a game you’ll enjoy having on your shelf for months to come.
Back to the Future Review
The games start out in 1986, after all the events of the movies. Doc has been missing for a while and the city is going to sell off all of his stuff. Marty (voiced by AJ LoCascio, a creepy good M.J. Fox impersonator) is naturally uneasy with the idea. Before another moment passes, the DeLorean shows up out of nowhere with no driver. That’s when Marty decides that something is wrong and the adventure continues.
The game works like most Telltale titles. The story is spread over 5 3-hour episodes as a pseudo point-and-click adventure (you drag Marty around with the mouse rather than clicking), full of puzzle solving and dialogue trees. Unfortunately, this is where the game falls a little short. Puzzle solving is one of the great joys of an adventure title and Telltale has always provided challenging puzzles that are just the right level of frustrating and satisfying. BttF falls a little far from the tree presenting puzzle after puzzle that isn’t very challenging. Because of this, the gameplay is lacking a very important amount of satisfaction you would usually get with this genre.
Considering just the gameplay, I would give this title a B. Considering just the story, I would give it an A. That is why I decided to split the difference in my final score. Even still, it fell slightly in the B range due to the gameplay. If you don’t like the movies or never really watched them, kill yourself, but after that, you might not want to bother with this game. If you are a super fan like me, Buy it. There is a lot of story and it is all much appreciated in the mind of a wannabe DeLorean time traveler.