Demo Review - Infamous 2 and Red Faction: Armageddon

Since the PlayStation Store has returned from it's hiatus dealing with the hacking incident, I have downloaded a few demos and have played some. Here is basically a reactionary posting detailing my initial reaction to Infamous 2 and Red Faction: Armageddon.


Red Faction: Armageddon
I have not been much of a Red Faction fan in the past, I'm sorry to say. That is mainly due to a lack of exposure to the games themselves. To my knowledge, I haven't actually played any of them for one reason or another; however, I did download this demo, and without any preconceptions I think I can give an honest review on the gameplay and the quality of the game itself (well at least the demo)
Right from the get-go we see our protagonist being run out of town and forced to escape into the sewers--nice. Every game needs a sewer level, don't you think? Well, to be fair, it's not a typical sewer level. You are definitely under ground. You are quickly introduced to the controls, which I have to applaud the designers on. A fairly straightforward design keeps it simple enough for anyone to play, but still has enough variety to keep the action interesting. The left analogue stick is for movement--forward, backward, and side-to-side. Pressing the left stick enables your character to sprint. The right stick is for looking up, down, and left to right. Pressing the right stick initiates a melee attack. I've always been a little confused by this in games--to me melee attack should be one of the shoulder buttons. Speaking of...L1 allows you to take aim with your selected weapon and R1 (more affectionately known as the trigger) is for firing said weapon. There is a new game mechanic introduced called "Nanites" which by way of R2 produces a shockwave attack--either in a "Hulk smash!" kind of way or in a directional attack--which will send your enemies flying and damage your surroundings. By using L2 the "Nanites" reconstruct demolished structures. In order to accomplish this the player must hold down L2 and keep the "stream" in the direction of the desired reconstruction. This is only a temporary reconstruction, lasting long enough for the player to proceed. Now for the face buttons. The d-pad is used to select weapons--one being allotted to each direction--making in-fight weapon switching quick-paced and simple without needing to take the player out of the action. The triangle crouches the player, while the X button makes them jump. Circle enables you to dodge attacks by rolling either forward, backward, or side-to-side depending on which direction with the Left stick the player is moving. Square is the action button as well as allowing the player to reload their selected weapon. Among the weapons presented in the demo are your standard assault riffle--a staple of action games, a magnet gun which fires twice--once for the anchor and once for the reciever (during the demo I actually found little use for this apart from gleefully sending enemies flying into the distance--yet strangely it is currently the highest user voted weapon on Red Faction's website,) a grenade launcher which fires remotely detonated sticky grenades--it was gratifying to come across an enemy, fire the grenade and see their "Oh, Sh**!" faces just before you detonate the charge (which is done by pressing the action button,) and finally my personal favorite, the singularity cannon--a gun which fires miniature black holes! I'm not joking, it is a gun that fires mini-black holes! Upon impact a spacial singularity is created, sucking in everything within its radius until is explodes. I found it very useful when ambushed by a horde of enemies.
I familiarized myself with the controls quite rapidly, and was very comfortable as I moved through the sewer tunnels. Not being familiar with the series, I don't know if the enemies were new to the game or were staples. They reminded me of the monsters in the Doom or Duke Nukem games of old--kind of demonic/insect/alien looking creatures coming to eat your lunch. Eventually you reach a point where your character enters a power suit. I'm not sure what it was called, but it was your standard armored suit complete with machine guns and missiles. Once in it you have to run a gauntlet of metal structures and oncoming monsters.
The destruction engine (sorry, I'm not familiar with its actual name) from Guerrilla is back, and with the added ability to reconstruct the environments as well, it is better than ever. A few times I found myself wondering around, just to see what I could put back together. All-in-all, the demo had decent action, amazing graphics, great controls, and ok voice acting; but was pretty straight forward. There were no twists nor turns from the presented path--or if there were, they only led to more ammo. Although it is just a demo, maybe there will be a bit more variety in the actual game. Red Faction: Armageddon is Random Ninja Approved. Based on the demo I'd give it at least a 4 out of 5.


Infamous 2
Now unlike with Red Faction, I have played the original Infamous. I loved the first game despite its flaws in controls. The stylized look to everything, really gave the appearance of a gritty superhero story--made all the better with the comic book-like panels in the cut-scenes. However, one of the best aspects, apart from it being a free-roam sandbox style game, was the karma meter. Based on your decisions during the story, you either received positive or negative karma, which in turn enabled you to have different powers--much like the Knights of the Old Republic series. Well all of the things I loved about the first game are back in the sequel...almost. It is still a free-roam sandbox game with an ever changing karma meter tracking either your rise to grace or your fall into darkness, and the comic-style panels are back as well. However, I am not sold on Cole's new look or voice. Cole is the main character, a messenger/delivery man who inadvertently destroyed a large chunk of Empire City (the game's equivalent to New York City) simultaneously gaining supernatural powers and killing thousands of people. In Infamous 2, Cole and his sidekick Zeke have traveled to the game's equivalent to New Orleans (sorry I can't remember the name) under the belief that Cole will acquire new powers which he will use to defeat a coming enemy called "The Beast"
The demo is quite expansive, allowing the player near-full range of Cole's abilities--at least the ones achieved in the first game plus a few new ones. Right from the start, I could tell that there would be a problem with the controls. It was also a problem with the first one. They are too sensitive. You barely press the left stick to move, and Cole has gone sprinting in that direction. The amount of pressure applied to the controls determines Cole's speed. Right stick moves the camera--unlike with Red Faction, Cole doesn't actually look in the direction you move the camera. In order to use Cole's lightning, you must press and hold L1 to aim. This is one of my preferred controller moves. The best example being in Metal Gear Solid 4, how the trigger (R1) was both the melee attack and weapon fire button, however, the weapon only fires if you hold down L1 as well. This allows the player to have more control over combat. Although that's where the game's controls similarities end. Cole does have a melee attack, but it is done by pressing the square button. rather than having a combination of buttons, one only needs to repeatedly bash the square button until a small gauge fills up. This represents the amp--which is a new weapon introduced in the game. To me it looks like a wicked bat that Cole used to bash his enemies. Once the gauge fills up, you can press the triangle button to perform a killing move (for lack of a better term) There are a few different ones and they are each awesome and acrobatic. The other face buttons used with L1 use different lightning attacks. A new move introduced is a way for Cole to move objects--much like Magneto--he can lift and hurl them using his electricity to generate magnetic fields. Cole is also a free climber, which is a big part of the game. He scales buildings and other structures with relative ease; however, it's not that easy and (at least in the first game) his climbing was too sensitive like the other controls--he would grab when you don't want him to.
The demo jumps around the story of the game--going between at 4 different mission and alternating whether Cole is good or evil. To start he's good and uses his powers to take down some thugs calling themselves the Militia while trying to find a shard that will grant him more powers. Once that is over, the demo skips to a later mission. Only this time, Cole is evil. His powers are slightly different to reflect his attitude. It is in this section that the players are introduced to the supernatural thugs--reavers(I think) After you stop a fight between the Militia and the Revers( sorry I'm not sure how it's supposed to be spelled) he is sent to rescue a kidnapped girl--though she looks likes she's in her 20s The girl leads you to her uncle, who is apparently leading a resistance against the Militia. After a few words, another monster called a devourer arrives. This guy is big--not the biggest thing Cole has ever fought, but large all the same and with a hard rocky hide which appears to be impervious to lightning; however, the inside of his mouth looks fleshy and vulnerable. Putting 2 and 2 together, I immediately began tossing lightning grenades into his roaring mouth until I killed the monster. After this victory, the demo shifts once again. Cole is good once more and is sent to retrieve some cases of medical supplies from the Militia. This section introduces another power called the ionic vortex. Using great amounts of power Cole can create an electric tornado which draws in enemies (and other things) and will usually destroy everything. The first time I activated it, I accidentally did it in the middle of a busy intersection. It looked amazing. Arcing lightning dances along the telephone lines as a swirling torrent sucked in all of the pedestrians and cars. It was over in a matter of seconds, but it wowed me. After collecting three of the cases I made for the fourth, and thinking that the demo would end soon I unleashed a vortex on a large contingent of Militia surrounding my prize. Again it was glorious, but I was correct, the demo ended with that.
I'm finding this one to be a tough call. While I love the concept of the game, the powers, the premise and the look and feel; I can't seem to get over my hang ups on the controls. They are just too sensitive. And for a game that has visceral action like this, maybe the sensitivity should have been toned down a bit. Not a lot--just a bit. The demo for 2 did seem to be more refined than the first, but on the whole, it had the same feel while I was running around. Even with my hang-ups I quickly acclimated to the control scheme and was quite adept at running about, jumping, and gliding through the air. Climbing is where I had the most trouble, but with more practice...
Anyway, based on the demo I give this game a solid 4 out of 5. It is Random Ninja Approved, but maybe they should reduce the sensitivity to the controls. Oh, and I typically don't like it when water kills your character--at least these give you a chance to get out, but really...

Keep an eye out for my next Demo Review, where I discuss LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean and Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls (the other 2 demos I downloaded)

(note: Images above are the official box art for the PS3 games.)

A Bit of Nostalgia

Recently I've been holed up in my room watching entire series of shows on Netflix instant stream. It's been great for the most part, however things have been a bit confusing with some of the shows. Like sometimes, certain episodes wont be available, or they'll be out of order, or the audio won't sync just right. But I still watch and it's a great way to spend family time.
One thing I really enjoy Netflix for is reconnecting me with childhood television shows. I have loads of fun watching them, and I am often surprised at how well some of the shows translate decades later. One In particular that I've watched recently is Jackie Chan Adventures. For those who don't remember this show, it was an action adventure cartoon with a mix of sci-fi and fantasy. The story centers around Jackie Chan (yes the character is based on the action-star) an archeologist hired by a secret government organization to research ancient artifacts that are being targeted by a world-wide criminal organization called the Dark Hand. But it is discovered by Jackie's uncle a cranky old antiquities merchant and master in the art of chi magic, that these relics hold ancient magic. It also turns out that the Dark Hand is doing the bidding of a demon named Shen-do(doo) who is trapped in a statue form unless he can gain all of these powers. Things really get out of hand when Jackie is forced to care for his rambunctious niece, Jade.
It was a cleverly written show with many homages, nods, tips of the hat, and otherwise references to movies and pop culture (before it became cliché to do so. Many of these jokes I didn't catch until seeing the show again as an adult. They are too numerous for me to list them here, but just watch any episode and there is at least one.
While I would love to go on about the show itself, this particular entry is not about the show itself, but how it was presented to me on Netflix.
While most of the main story episodes were presented in order, there were a number of episodes out of place. For example, There were 2 episodes near the end of season 2 that obviously take place in the middle of season 1. There were other problems like this throughout every season. It makes it confusing to the watcher when something is amiss or there is a plot element that appears before it is introduced in a later episode. There will be a mass of filler episodes between the climax and the previous story episode. I can understand if the filler episodes are scattered more evenly, but this is ridiculous.
Some confusion is a fault of the show itself. Plot elements will be brought up and never seen again, or never explained. I cannot avoid spoilers on these examples. In season 2 they come across a magic suit of armor that grants the wearer more endurance, speed, strength, etc. But they only use it in that episode. Many situations arise in later seasons where it would have been a good idea to break out that armor, but it never comes back. I think the writers forgot it existed. Also in season 2, one of the characters is neither seen nor mentioned for like half of the season - as if they didn't exist. Near the end of season 4 an antagonist (who will become the main antagonist of season 5) shows up with no explanation, and no one questions his origins - he is never explained. Things like this detract from the overall experience, and a lot of it could have been fixed either in re-organizing the episodes and adding just a tidbit of info here and there. Overall though I really enjoy the show and watching shows and movies on Netflix. Now if only Netflix delivered games as well...

Tron: Legacy

I feel a great sense of both pride and alienation because of where I fall in my generation. Growing up I was exposed to awesome old movies like TRON, Flash Gordon, Conan, and the like. I remember them all with a feeling of nostalgia. Compared to my peers I feel that my childhood was awesome. My dad was a Trekker and a member of the KISS Army. Because of him I was exposed to awesome Science Fiction not just from the 80s but from the start. One of my favorite TV shows is the original Star Trek series and my two favorite movies are Flash Gordon and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This is just a roundabout way of saying I'm a geek and damn proud of it.
As for the alienation, it seems that there aren't many others in my age group with this same upbringing of Star Trek, D&D, comic books and video games. Most of my peers I've been around have no knowledge of the awesome 80s movies, and music I grew up with. (Which is why I make it my sworn duty to educate people) I feel like I'm in a generation gap some times. I hang around with people older than me, because I feel more akin to them, when I talk to people my age or younger and find out they have no idea what I'm talking about I have to face palm... but enough about me.

While the original Tron came out before I was born, I was exposed to it because of my dad. We had it on VHS tape, and I would watch it along with Star Trek, Flash Gordon, Heavy Metal, and Robo Jox. I loved Science Fiction, and when I heard they were making a sequel to Tron, I freaked. Finally!

My dad and sister joined me at the theater where we saw the movie in 3d. But first we sat through 30 solid minutes of trailers. I know people joke about trailers , but it was seriously 30 minutes. There was a group of 3+ minute long trailers then there was the "please put on your 3d glasses" screen, followed by another group of 3+ minute long trailers. And finally, the movie began with possibly the best opening logo for Disney ever.

The movie itself, while have a paper thin and (frankly) predictable story, had awesome effects, superb acting, and a pumping soundtrack fitting for the mood. Everything had an 80s feel, from the source music in certain scenes, and the hammy (yet not over the top) acting. In one scene, Sam Flynn (Kevin Flynn's son) turns on the power in the arcade from the first movie. As the lights blink on, the dozens of games come to life echoing with the familiar jingles and sounds. But that's not where my geekout began. In the opening scene we see the original Tron poster on Sam's wall. Boom. Right from the get-go I was exploding with nostalgia.
And of course this movie is full of nostalgic moments for sci-fi fans. Disc battles, lightcycle battles, familiar sights, sounds, and... Bruce Boxlietner. Oh, yes Bruce Boxlietner reprises his role as Tron from the original. Oh...hell...yes! The look and feel of the movie (to me) had a sleek cyber punk look. Cyber punk being my favorite subgenre of Sci-Fi, I loved that. The costumes were great, the atmosphere was awe-inspiring, and the action was fun to watch.

Now before I seem like there was nothing at all to complain about, let me talk about what I saw as negatives.

There's barely any Bruce Boxleitner. He reprises his role as Tron, but only in brief flash back scenes. The computer generated face on younger Jeff Bridges(Kevin Flynn) is starkly noticeable. The plot is predictable; in my first screening I was literally able to speak the next lines of dialogue before the on screen actors did. Characters are set up, but then never seen nor heard from again. near the beginning we are introduced to the Encom board of directors who have ruined (gone in a completely selfish direction with) Flynn's company; among them is a smug programmer who really seems to be made out to be a great antagonist for Sam.... never seen again. And the plot revolves around the possibility that the villain, a digital copy of Kevin Flynn is bent on crossing into the real world and taking over. This (to me) raises the obvious question of how a digital being can exist in the real world (you know, without a projector or connection to the internet) We're just to assume it's possible with flynn's data disc. No explanation is given. There is a pretty thick analog for Kevin Flynn being God; he's called "the creator" and Sam (his son) arriving to save the world from CLU (the evil version of Flynn) some of this I don't mind, because technically Flynn did create (or at least laid the building blocks of) the Grid.

But I loved Tron: Legacy. I highly recommend seeing it. It is a fun ride from beginning to end (there's not much suspense, as I said it's predictable) The graphics are amazing, the acting is supurb, and it pays tribute to the original in so many ways. Finally a belated sequel worth seeing. Plus Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxlietner!