First Impressions - Gears of War: Judgment brings new ideas to the series but stubborn fans may not approve

(wikipedia.org)

“Gears of War: Judgment” marks the first time in the series that someone other than Marcus Fenix is in the spotlight, though the new protagonist is already well-known to fans. Damon Baird, mechanical whiz and all around smart ass, takes the lead role in “Judgment,” along with everyone’s favorite Thrashball player, Augustus Cole. Two new faces join Baird and Cole to round out Kilo squad – Sofia Hendrik, an Onyx guard cadet, and Garron Paduk, a former UIR soldier.

“Judgment” is also unique in that it tells a story closer to the beginning of humanity’s war with the Locust on the planet Sera. Told through a series of flashbacks, where different characters take the lead role while they relate different parts of the story, it’s very interesting to see Sera and the COG before the Locust horde ruined much of their civilization. As the game begins, we see that Kilo squad is being led, in handcuffs, into a military tribunal where they are questioned about some sort of heinous crime that they are accused of committing. As the game roles on, you’re given bits and pieces of information which keys you in on their actions but given the circumstances of their trial – it’s being held in a crumbling hall as the city burns around them – Baird and crew must have done something pretty serious.

I really liked the setting and the change of characters from the established “Gears” storyline. Setting the story earlier in the timeline of the war with the Locust and introducing new elements and characters to the war’s history gives you a perspective of just how far humanity falls during the conflict. Sure there’s always the problem of retcon when adding new elements to an earlier time in an established story, but everything that “Judgment” adds feels so natural, you hardly notice.

The theme of the game so far has been “change from the original,” as we’ve already seen from the storyline and the characters populating it. Not to be left out, the gameplay of “Judgment” sports some serious departures from the original trilogy of games. Each section of the story told equals a mission. Each mission now features a three-star rating system, where a better performance (kills, gibs, earning ribbons, etc) earns stars quicker and a post-mission stat screen meters out exactly how your performance affected your star rating to give you an idea of how to improve. Other changes to the gameplay include reducing the amount of guns you can carry to two (switched with the Y button) and quicker gameplay.

Overall, it seems that “Judgment” has a more arcade approach to combat and gameplay – meaning there is a bigger emphasis on scoring points than just surviving battles and reaching your next objective. It’s a huge departure from the story-driven narrative of the original trilogy but I really enjoyed the way that you can play for 10-20 minutes and still get a feeling of accomplishment. Purist fans may not see it that way, though, and feel that it’s too much of a difference from the series they know and love.

There is another new element to the new mission make-up of “Judgment.” Near the start of each mission, you’re given the option to play the “declassified” version of said mission. Selecting this option will impart some new stipulation on the mission that will usually up the difficulty but also allow you to earn stars much more quickly. These declassified mission elements can be as simple as restricting your arsenal to certain weapons but some can completely change your approach to a mission. Declassifying a mission isn’t required, though you’ll have a tough time getting three stars without doing it.

So far, it seems that earning stars really only goes towards unlocking a post-campaign chapter called “Aftermath.” Though you do need 40 stars to unlock it and with each mission only offering a max of three stars, you’ll need all you can get to unlock the epilogue chapter. Also, as in previous titles, your story campaign progress translates to your overall persistent XP pool, which lets you unlock new weapon and character skins and other customization options.

Developer Epic Games was joined by developer People Can Fly for “Judgment” and the influence of the new studio was seen all over this title. Having played People Can Fly’s previous offering, “Bulletstorm,” I could see the similarities almost immediately with the faster action and the arcade presentation. Though, hardcore fans of the series may not be too comfortable with the changes to their beloved franchise, I found “Judgment” to be a breath of fresh air to a series that was getting a bit stagnant.

Review - Casual and hardcore fans will find something to love about "Injustice: Gods Among Us"

Wikipedia.org

Though superhero movies have been enjoying an increase in popularity in recent years, superhero video games haven’t had as much luck. Generally, video games based off superheroes have been cheap movie tie-ins that do little but try to cash in on the popularity of whatever recent movie it’s based on. There have been a few notable exceptions (such as “Batman: Arkham Asylum” and “Batman: Arkham City), but not until the recent release of “Injustice: Gods Among Us” has an original property based on comic characters presented such a unique, complete package.

A fighting game based on characters from the DC Comics universe, “Injustice” poses a simple question – what if our mightiest heroes suddenly became our biggest threat? The plot of “Injustice” draws many heroes and villains together for an interesting premise – the Joker has detonated a nuclear bomb in Metropolis, killing millions including Lois Lane. In the wake of the devastation, Superman decides that humanity is no longer fit to rule itself and institutes a world government, run by the native Kryptonian. While some side with Superman, many others oppose him and side with the dark knight, Batman. Superman begins mercilessly hunting down anyone who aligned with him while a handful of heroes and villains work to stop his reign.

The story is special in that it doesn’t just tell a black-and-white story of good guys and bad guys. Members of each faction in “Injustice” feel they are justified in their actions. The story deals with mature themes of loss, regret and revenge, using the super-powered heroes and villains to enhance these underlying ideas. It’s rare that superheroes are treated in such an adult manner and the story shines because of it.

But the strength of the story wouldn’t mean much if the mechanics underneath weren’t just as strong. Luckily for gamers, “Injustice” was developed by NetherRealm Studios, a company with a long history of creating fighting games. Responsible for the recent “Mortal Kombat” reboot, the company is led by Ed Boon who co-created the original “Mortal Kombat” series with John Tobias in the 90s. Thanks to these impressive credentials, “Injustice” is a very competent fighting game that hardcore fighting fans and casual gamers will be able to enjoy.

Fighting games in general seem to be on the decline these days, mainly because the genre as a whole started to become too difficult and complex for casual gamers to enjoy. NetherRealm realized this and made a concentrated effort to simplify the fighting mechanics for this title and it really shows. 

Batman and Superman lead opposing forces in "Injustice" (ign.com)

 On the surface, the fighting system of “Injustice” seems overly simple. There are three attack buttons (low, mid, high), a character specific action button, a throw button, and a environmental interaction button. Blocking is handled by holding back and special attacks are accomplished by pulling both triggers. You won’t find any parry, guard advancing or other advanced fighting game techniques because “Injustice” focuses on grand battles more than the intricacies of each fighting style.

One of my favorite aspects of the fighting system is the character action button. Each fighter has a specific action that can be called upon by hitting the B button and its affects differ from person to person. Batman can call three floating Bat-arangs to his side and launch them with another button press on the fly or to extend combos. Wonder Woman’s action switches her fighting style between her iconic lasso and a sword and shield combination. Lex Luthor can engage an energy field that shields him from damage. These unique actions add extra depth to each character and set them apart from one another.

Hardened fighting game fans may yet still find some things to enjoy. Each fighter gets a four-bar super meter that fills up that by successfully attacking, blocking or taking damage. This bar isn’t just used to trigger special attacks but governs other aspects of the fighting system as well, most notably the Clash system. At a point in each fight, each fighter can bet their super meter against their opponent with the winner dealing damage to the loser. Granted I’m not sure exactly what triggers a Clash, it’s a neat innovation that adds extra layers of strategy and energy management to any standard fight. 

If you preordered at GameStop, you get access to special "Red Son" missions and costumes (gametrailers.com)

 The super meter even has other abilities and actions that I’m just becoming aware of, like the meter burn. Some attacks can be extended or amplified with the pull of a trigger after landing successfully. Whether to use the meter burn is up to you – do you want to do more damage now at the cost of losing a Clash later or not being able to earn your special? Adding extra depth and uses to the special meter is only one way that “Injustice” attempts to appeal to the hardcore fighting fan.

Another surprising inclusion to the fighting system is adding specific data for each attack (from punches to special attacks) such as power, range and how many frames of time said attack takes to perform. While casual fans will not understand the importance of this information, hardcore fighting fans will no doubt spend massive amounts of time poring over the data – not just so they can discern the statistically “best” fighter but so they can argue on message boards about which characters are “ridiculously OP (over-powered).”

If the idea of comparing the number of frames per attack sounds dull to you, perhaps gigantic explosions are more your speed. And in that category, “Injustice” delivers as well. Each stage in this title is absolutely littered with possible environmental attacks and hazards. These hazards can be one time attacks, used multiple times or even change the landscape of the level entirely. With the click of a button, any character can interact with these objects in the environment to gain an edge in battle.

An interesting aspect of these attacks is that not all characters interact with them in the same way. Take a fight between Batman and Lex Luthor, for example. Batman, being a normal human, will be able to vault himself off a tactical missile hanging over their heads while Lex Luthor, in his super-powered attack suit, will be able to rip said missile off the ceiling and throw it at Batman. This interesting dynamic now means that the selected level of a fight is more significant than just a colorful backdrop. If you’re a character with normal attributes, say Harley Quinn, against someone with massive physical strength, Doomsday for instance, picking a stage with large environmental hazards may not be a smart idea.

"Injustice" even explains how Deathstroke can go toe-to-toe with Superman (videogamer.com)

Though picking your preferred stage in a versus battle isn’t as simple as that. Before a versus battle, both players will be able to pick a stage with the game randomly choosing one of the choices. Also, each fight has two rounds, though not as in most fighting games. To start, each character has two full life bars. When one is drained completely, the fight is paused briefly as the characters reset a short distance away from each other to ensure at least a brief pause in a heated battle. It should also be noted that damage from the first bar doesn’t translate to the second. So if you trigger your character’s special attack when your foe only has a sliver left of his first bar, the excess damage dealt is basically wasted.

“Injustice” even adds a few modes beyond the story to keep players engaged. There is a single fight menu as well as the standard practice mode, which even lets you queue up a handful of moves on-screen to eliminate the need to constantly access the move list. The Battles menu lets you take part in a series of increasingly difficult fights if you’ve already conquered the story. But the most interesting additional mode is S.T.A.R. Labs.

S.T.A.R. Labs features a plethora of side missions, many of which aren’t just standard fights but feature special conditions which, when met, earn you one, two or three stars for said mission. Earning more stars will earn you more special unlocks, such as extra costumes and stages. There are literally hundreds of these missions which should be more than enough to keep you occupied after beating the story.

After playing “Injustice,” I have to say that I’m very impressed with what NetherRealm has accomplished. Creating a deep yet approachable fighting game is commendable enough but being able to do so with a roster of well-established, well-liked DC characters is incredible. The art style of characters and backgrounds is highly detailed and colorful, giving each fight the feeling that the action has sprung right off comic pages. DLC characters (and a season pass) have also been announced. Only one is known so far but honestly, he was the only other character I really wanted to see included in the already stacked roster. The intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo is the first piece of downloadable content announced for “Injustice” and I can’t wait to play as the main man. I’m just hoping he isn’t sporting those awful 90s dreadlocks.

Review: An early 'Game of the Year' contender in "Bioshock Infinite"

(A short note: I don't know why this article seems to be in a bunch of different fonts. Blogger apparently can't make up its mind.)

(wikipedia.org)

Going into “Bioshock Infinite,” I knew it was going to be something special. What Irrational Games and 2K managed to accomplish with the original title in the series was nothing short of amazing – “Bioshock” is a masterpiece that I’ve played numerous times over for nothing more than the sheer enjoyment of it. “Bioshock” told an amazing tale, set in a fantastical location with one of the most unique and surprising twists ever presented in a video game.

And against everything that I thought was possible, “Bioshock Infinite” tops its predecessor in nearly every possible way. Not so much a sequel to the original title as it is a continuation of the series’ lore, “Bioshock Infinite” will astound and captivate gamers with its intricate story of love, loss and redemption.

(I also just want to make something clear. There was a “Bioshock 2” but it was little more than an attempt to cash in on the popularity of the original title and should be regarded similarly to the third live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie – like it never happened. So if or when I refer to “the last Bioshock” know that I mean the original and not 2.)

“Bioshock Infinite” initially draws you in with its unique setting, the floating city of Columbia. The city draws more than a few parallels to Rapture – its leader is wildly charismatic, it was created as a refuge for a chosen few and exists in a place where no one thought a city could. However, your first impressions of Columbia will be wildly different than of Rapture. The city isn’t in the midst of a bloody civil war – quite the opposite. Columbia appears to be thriving. Its streets are clean and its white citizenry all obey and worship the Andrew Ryan of Columbia, their prophet, Zachary Hale Comstock.

If you thought it was odd I mentioned the race of the citizens of Columbia, congratulations on careful reading. On the surface, Columbia appears to be a paradise but eventually the curtain is lifted and we find that underneath the veil of happiness and unity are the ugly realities of racism, xenophobia and class struggle. It becomes clear that Columbia is only paradise if you’re white, devout and well-to-do.

As you explore the streets of Columbia as protagonist Booker DeWitt, we find that he is no more comfortable in this setting than any of us would be but he can’t let these astonishing discoveries sway him from his goal – finding a woman named Elizabeth, who is being held somewhere in the city, and bring her back to New York. Booker’s only knowledge of his task is that collecting the girl will repay his debts, but just what those debts are remains a mystery and a central point of the story.

The Motorized Patriot is a fearsome foe though not very bright. (Vg247.com)

One of the more interesting  aspects of Columbia, especially from a gameplay point of view, in the vast network of Sky-Lines. These suspended rails were originally created as a means of transporting goods around the city but eventually also came to be used as a method of transporting people as well. With a nifty gadget called a Sky-Hook, individuals can attach themselves to the rails and be rocketed toward their destination in a manner akin to a roller coaster. You get several opportunities to ride these Sky-Lines throughout “Bioshock Infinite” and they are an incredible addition to the game as they are not only incredibly novel but also add a new layer to combat.

I’m finding it hard to explain much more about the story and setting since they are both so intricately tied together. And since I would hate myself for ruining even a bit of the story, I’ll jump right into the technical and gameplay aspects.

Overall, I found the gameplay and story of “Bioshock Infinite” to flow much more naturally than that of the first game. The narrative of this title is more focused and it keeps the action moving from one location to the next without feeling heavy-handed or contrived.

For instance, in “Bioshock,” each newly discovered area would play out similarly. Upon your entrance to a new location, you’d be given a task or series of tasks to complete in the given area. As you traverse the area, completing tasks, you would also be given the opportunity to face the mini-boss character Big Daddies and collect/save its Little Sister. “Bioshock Infinite” on the other hand keeps the action moving from one area to the next thanks to its expertly crafted story. Rather than leaving the gamer to his own devices, allowing them to decide when and how to proceed, “Infinite” keeps you focused on your next task. Unfortunately, this means that the epic battles against Big Daddies have been eliminated. It also removes the one element of choice and uniquely affecting the story yourself, but I’ll get into that later. On the whole, “Infinite’s” finely crafted story and the way it directs gameplay makes Columbia feel like a larger, living city rather than just a collection of areas.

The Handyman is a massive enemy that will track you relentlessly. (Justpushstart.com)

Though you aren’t given as much free time to explore every nook and cranny of Columbia (or, I should say, you don’t appear to have as much free time), exploration is still very much essential in “Bioshock Infinite.” Gone from this title are portable medical kits. Instead, Booker will have to rely on found foods and items to restore his health and salts on the fly (more on salts in a bit). At first, I was wary of this change but eventually found it to give the combat a much more visceral feeling and made me much more considerate of my actions, knowing that I couldn’t just restore my health at the click of a button. “Infinite” does include a shield mechanic, though, to give players a bit of a safety net.

And you’ll need that safety net (especially on the harder difficulties) because combat has been refined even further. No longer can you carry an arsenal of weapons, Booker must make do with only two guns at one time. In addition to guns, Booker also can use his Sky-Hook to for melee strikes, which are mapped to a face button (about the only worthwhile addition from “Bioshock 2”). Melee makes combat early on a bit more interesting but becomes nearly worthless halfway through the game, unfortunately. Booker can also perform executions with his Sky-Hook but beyond looking cool lose their worth later in the game. With certain gear, executions can give you some health but even performing an execution can be a risk to your health sometimes.

Gear are pieces of clothing Booker can wear to grant him special bonuses to his combat skills, the effectiveness of consumables and other useful perks. Four pieces of gear can be equipped at once (Hat, Shirt, Pants and Shoes) and it’s a good idea to tailor your gear to your current situation, especially on higher difficulties. Obtaining gear requires a bit of careful searching though, as they can’t be bought and usually aren’t just out in the open.

But Booker doesn’t just need to rely on firearms as he also has access to a wide variety of powers thanks to vigors. In “Infinite,” vigors work similarly to plasmids in that they grant the user some sort of supernatural attack. A few are basically copies of earlier plasmids but a few have interesting effects. Bucking Bronco, for instance, pops affected enemies into the air for a short duration. It’s the same idea as the Whirlwind Trap from the original game, except it can now be used offensively. Also, each vigor can be charged up to produce a trap effect. And much like Eve from the last game, salts are now used to govern whether or not you’ll be able to use a vigor.

Songbird is Elizabeth's protector though his origins are very much a mystery. (Boothammer.com)

However, Booker has an even more valuable resource available to him in combat than weapons or vigors. After rescuing Elizabeth, she will more or less be his constant companion for the rest of the game. Booker doesn’t need to baby-sit Elizabeth, which is thankful because no one would want to play a game that’s just one long escort mission. While you’re playing, Elizabeth will often come across ammo, weapons, salts and money that Booker can use. But she also has another trick up her sleeve – opening tears.

Tears (like, “There’s a tear in my shirt” and not the stuff that comes out of your eyes) are windows into other worlds, as Elizabeth puts it at one point. During combat, you’ll often come across elements and items that she can bring into our world from another. From weapons to health kits and even cover, making use of tears is essential to victory. You can only have one tear open at once, though, so be aware of your surroundings before eliminating cover to bring in something else.

And Booker will need all the help he can get as he tries to escape Columbia with Elizabeth. Though you’ll most usually be battling soldiers and police, every so often you’ll encounter a Heavy Hitter. While not quite as durable or ferocious as Big Daddies, Heavy Hitters are no less dangerous and require plenty of firepower to bring down. The most common type is the Motorized Patriot, a clockwork robot that wields a powerful chain gun.  Patriots are durable but have a weak spot on their back that can be exploited. But the most interesting Heavy Hitter enemy is the Handyman. Part machine and part human, these monstrous enemies are not only amazingly tough but also very intelligent. Quite the opposite of the Patriot, Handymen can deftly move around environments thanks to their mechanically enhanced size and strength. Once spotted, a Handyman will relentlessly pursue you, electrifying Sky-Lines to cut off escape routes and even throw enemy characters at you from afar. Handymen are so interesting to me because even though they are biomechanical monsters, their few lines of dialogue paint the portrait of tortured, tragic souls that are merely pawns of their creators and constantly wish for death.

But the granddaddy of the Heavy Hitters is Songbird. A massive flying creature, Songbird is charged with protecting Elizabeth and keeping her on Columbia. Throughout the game, I expected Songbird to play a larger role as events unfolded but unfortunately his role was rather small. You don’t ever get to find out much more about him than I’ve told you here, which seems like a criminal oversight for such an interesting foe.

One aspect of “Bioshock Infinite” that disappointed me a bit was that, despite the emphasis on small changes having larger effects in the narrative, your actions in the game don’t necessarily have an effect on the outcome. In the original game, choices you made over the course of the game affect which ending you receive. Whereas this game offers a handful of choices near the beginning but they don’t seem to have an effect on anything.

There are so many more elements of “Bioshock Infinite” that I’d love to discuss and talk about here, but I can’t as I already fear I’ve said too much. Don’t worry, though, there are many, many more wonderful surprises in store for you if you play “Bioshock Infinite.” Games like this don’t come around often. There are a great many themes at play in this title, but they are all expertly blended into a cohesive tale that is both simple yet infinitely complex. Even after completing it once and most of another play-through, I still find elements that surprise me or add a new light or a new twist to what I thought I had understood completely. What makes “Bioshock Infinite” so special is what makes great literature so special, that it is ultimately open to interpretation and anyone who plays it could come away with very different ideas or opinions.

To me, “Bioshock Infinite” already has “Game of the Year” won. You’d do well to have played the original “Bioshock,” as it is somewhat related to this title, but it isn’t necessary as this title easily stands on its own. There are also at least three planned pieces of DLC in the pipes (with a Season Pass available for purchase as well), though there isn’t any information about any of the packs yet.