Looks like when yours truly and TheJester attend the Project Natal Experience on the Sunday before E3 in Los Angeles, we will be treated to a special performance by Cirque Du Soleil – so sayeth an email from Microsoft today. Now, I am not a huge fan of the ‘circus’, but, it is worth noting that while I am trying out the full launch-lineup of Natal titles that there will be acrobatics going on all around us!
Stay-tuned for more E3 2010 news as it breaks!
STORY AND PRESENTATION
You are Jack Slate and, with your trusty partner Shadow by your side, are waging a war against terrorist crime. Let’s get right to the point folks. The story in Dead To Rights Retribution is on par with a horrible action flick. I am talking ‘Universal Soldier II: The Return’ horrible. You start off the game in a tutorial section and literally have no idea why you are there. Terrorists are running at you from all directions and it is your job as Shadow to help Jack Slate survive. While this may not sound bad right now, unfortunately this is just about how every mission in the game is going to go. The story wasn’t engaging and, most of the time, I felt like skipping the cut scenes just to get to the action. The game’s overall presentation needs a lot of work. Thankfully, the sections where you get to play as the K-9, Shadow, are by far the game’s shining moments. The way it brought you down to animal-level when you were stalking was very interesting and also a nice change of pace from the run-and-gun action of every other level.
If Namco Bandai decides to create a third game in the series, I truly hope they focus on putting some development time into an engaging story. Without having that story to hook the player, it just seems like you are doing the same thing over and over again.
GAMEPLAY
Dead To Rights Retribution is your typical third-person shooter. The left stick operates movement and the right stick uses the camera. You also have shoot buttons and special weapons at your disposal. Not only can you shoot foes from range, but the game also has a huge melee component. Stringing buttons together, Jack can deliver some crazy combos and finishing moves. The only problem with the melee system is the camera. It ends up swinging around at crazy angles so you have no clue what is going on! This pretty much holds true for every sequence in the game and, as it turns out, the camera is your biggest boss battle in the whole experience.
Retribution also features a cover system that Jack ca make use of but, to be honest, it did not work very well. The system, similar to Gears Of War, pops-up an icon if you had somewhere to hide. Great idea but I found it to be very unresponsive and, most of the time, it would bypass the cover in favor of jumping over it.
As mentioned earlier in the review there are certain times where you control Shadow. Shadow can run right in and rip out a bad guy’s throat or sneak around to get his prey. The cool part about having Shadow lurk is you are able to sense heartbeats and see where the baddies are at on the map. Make enough noise and the baddies heart beat will change alerting him to where you are at. This made for some fun scenarios where you can have Shadow bark only to lure a terrorist to his death. Nothing says death like a huge wolf-dog hybrid latching onto someone’s crotch. Oh, and did I mention there is an achievement for that crotch kill? The game really needed a lot more Shadow and a lot less Jack Slate.
One of the weirder issues to pop up in the gameplay was the downright wonky enemy AI. I am not sure where these guys were trained, but it seemed that every single one of them would banzai straight for my face. It did not matter if Jack was spraying a level with bullets – the baddies just keep running straight up to him. This got really old after awhile as it felt like you were killing the same person over and over. Also funny were the moments when AI baddies would get trapped in a wall or stuck behind an obstacle… like a potted plant (seriously).
GRAPHICS AND SOUND
The graphics in Dead To Rights Retribution were very hit or miss. In some places, the environments were great to look at and, in others, they were marred with glitches. The character models almost always looked the same except with different outfits. Shadow was done well but they really almost made him bear-like compared to the other models in the game. The cut-scenes were the best part of the graphics engine as they produced some nice outdoor environments and explosions. Overall, just average visuals, unfortunately.
The sound was average as well, with ambient sounds being very well done, but voice-overs being awful. It really was just like watching a bad action flick including the zany one liners. Also to note were some audio glitches where, during explosions, the sound of the bang would stutter.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Hear me, Shogunites, this is not a game that you want to run out and by from your local gaming store! At best, Dead To Rights Retribution is a rental but only for the parts where you play Shadow. If I had my way the third game would be about Shadow turning on his master and going out on his own! (ed. note: I like this. Would be like Ecco, but with a bear-wolf-dog. Yes!)
* Disclosure: A copy of the game was provided by Namco Bandai for this review.
Crytek has released the first in-game screenshots from their upcoming shooter, Crysis 2, this time revealing the game’s HUD as well! Crysis 2 is set in New York City sometime after the events of the first game. New York City has fallen under siege by the hostile aliens encountered in Crysis and promises to add all new levels of ‘verticality’ in the ‘concrete jungle’. Crysis 2 is due out this November on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC platforms.
See the second new screenshot, After the Break!
Last week, MMO site MMO-Champion posted up a bunch of leaked images and details from the alpha test of Blizzard’s upcoming Cataclysm expansion for World of Warcraft. Today, the site has officially-removed that leaked data at the request of Blizzard Entertainment. The also announced that they are no longer permitting alpha test details to be posted at all on their forums.
From the MMO-Champion Announcement:
‘Blizzard asked us to remove all the content from the Cataclysm Alpha on
the site. I don’t have any reason or project to be an internet superhero
because none of the underwear I have look nice over my pants and I’m in
the process of removing all the content from the site.’
The site claims it will re-enable the info and images once the NDA lifts on the expansion.
Via MMO-Champion
This photo was taken the other day at the Cannes Film Festival in the south of France. It is a poster for the upcoming Kane & Lynch film, staring Bruce Willis and Jamie Foxx. It features the tag line, ‘From the Hit Video Game Comes the Hit Movie!’ and should hit theaters sometime next year.
Via Collider
I still wonder how Jamie Foxx is going to play a psychopathic redneck. Should be interesting!
Bethsoft and Obsidian Entertainment have announced the contents of the upcoming Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition, due out this fall on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC platforms. The collector’s edition of the game will include several cool bonuses, including poker chips. The CE is available for pre-order now!
Collector’s Edition Bonuses:
♠ “Lucky 7” poker chips. Each of the seven poker chips was designed to represent chips from the major casinos found on the New Vegas strip and throughout the Mojave Wasteland.
♠ A fully customized Fallout: New Vegas deck of cards. Each card in the pack has been uniquely illustrated to depict characters and factions found within the game. Use the cards to play poker, blackjack or Caravan, an original card game that was created by Obsidian especially for New Vegas!
♠ A recreation of the game’s highly coveted “Lucky 38” platinum chip.
♠ A hardcover graphic novel “All Roads”, that tells the story of some of the characters and events that lead up to Fallout: New Vegas. “All Roads” was written by Chris Avellone, the game’s creative director, and created in conjunction with Dark Horse Comics.
♠ ‘The Making of Fallout: New Vegas’ DVD. This documentary DVD will contain exclusive video content, including interviews with the developers in which they take you from concept to creation and discuss topics such as story, setting, legacy of the Fallout franchise and more.
Namco Bandai has released the debut trailer for their upcoming Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. The game takes place throughout a post-apocalyptic America and features two characters who appear to be polar opposites. The initial description alludes to players controlling the more direct combat-oriented character of ‘Monkey’ – no word on coop with another player controlling the more tactical character of ‘Trip’. Enslaved will be released in late 2010.
It is well known around the GamingShogun dojo that I am a football fanatic. When FIFA World Cup arrived, the first thing I thought to myself was ‘Wow what a long title’. As I started playing over the next week, I realized that this wasn’t just the normal re-hash that usually comes out for EA Sport’s World Cup Games.
PRESENTATION
The presentation for 2010 World Cup is simply fantastic. Not only did the developers use what was already a great format from FIFA 10, but they made it really feel like you were there in the arena. Starting right off in the main menu you get a splash of African colors to your face and you almost feel like you are going to pack your bags for a trip. The main menu’s design has been streamlined a bit for the casual player and everything is much easier to understand.
From the opening moment of actually entering a game you are presented with a TV-quality experience. From the announcers going through the opening lineups to camera shots of the crowd going nuts, it does a great job of setting the mood for a match. One nice change in 2010 World Cup is the addition of camera shots showing the actual team managers. This is a small feature that I have always wanted in previous titles. Seeing such big names as Fabio Capello standing on the sidelines giving orders to his team really wraps up the package. Another nice addition is the deeper crowd shots. Instead of just cardboard cutout looking people you actually see them going bonkers in the stands. It seems football fans really do have a fascination with different colored afro-style wigs!
During actual gameplay, the crowd will shoot confetti on the field and there is never a moment where there is not some sort of chant going on. One minor complaint I have is the crowd chants are drowned out a bit by the commentators and it needed to be pumped up a bit. I am thankful though that those awful African horns are not out-of-control. To add to the presentation during gameplay the on field cut scenes are a bit ramped up. When a ball goes out of bounds it will cut away to a field or manager shot. If this is not your cup of tea you can turn them off in the settings menu. When you make substitutions the subs actually interact with the manager which is a nice addition. Presentation is where it is at in this game and the EA Sports team deserves a standing ovation for ramping up the feel of the World Cup.
GAMEPLAY
In previous World Cup games, the gameplay has just been ported over from that year’s FIFA title. When I first sat down to play this game I expected more of the same. Thankfully, this is not the case with this one.
The controls are identical to that of FIFA 10. If you are are FIFA 10 player you should be able to hop right in with no problem. The big catch here is the way EA Sports has reeled in the casual player. For those that may be a bit scared by the many different button actions for a football game EA Sports has introduced a 2-button control system. Yes – Pass, shoot, and tackle all done with two buttons folks! This makes the game easy to play and fun for everyone. I was actually able to get my fiancee to play a game with me without her throwing the controller in frustration.
2010 World Cup has also made some tweaks to the way players react on the field as well as the overall control. Players seem to react a lot better to lobs and through balls. One big frustration I had with FIFA 10 was that the players often just stopped in their tracks instead of following a through ball. So far, in playing World Cup, I find that they are hungry to get that ball into the net. Lob passes seem to be handled with more then just a header and I saw a lot more players bringing it down with their chests. While a small tweak, this makes things a lot more ‘open’ on the field. The final big change to gameplay is the new penalty kick system. In the past it was all just about aiming, shooting and hoping for the best. The new PK system throws in the composure meter. In order to hit that goal home you better make sure you are stopping the slider in the green or your country is more than likely going to hate you forever. Not only does this make PK’s more challenging but it adds to the overall presentation of the game.
2010 World Cup offers plenty of game options choose from. Right from the start you can pick your country and head off into the qualifiers and friendlies. The presentation ramps up again as you are presented with a daily team page that provides a wealth of information and news. Once you pick your squad it is all about heading off into normal gameplay. This would be your normal manager mode except the developers have really made it feel special to the World Cup by adding in those new informational menus.
One of the new options is called ‘Captain Your Country’. It is similar to the previous mode except you are working to be that one rising star who leads your chosen country to glory. The cool part about this mode is you can upload your ‘Be A Pro’ from FIFA 10 and bring him into the mix. As you play your one chosen character your rating changes depending on your actions. Get caught out of position too many times or mess up that big shot and you just might miss the chance to wear that armband. This is a great mode for people that want to potentially see themselves hoisting that World Cup trophy over their heads.
The biggest new mode is ‘Story Of Qualifying’. For the time being you can replay pivotal moments in the the qualifying rounds where players have three objectives to hit. When the World Cup actually starts the developers have promised that as major events happen in the tournament there will be DLC added to this mode for players to have a crack at. This is a great way to extend the lifespan of the game and add some overall fun as well. More sports game should add these type of ‘Live Season’ elements to their games.
2010 World Cup has limited online play but what is available is pretty solid. As with any of the FIFA titles you can play against a friend in a one on one battle. The difference in this game is the developers are keeping track of which country has the most wins in a ranking process. As you load up the main menu the first thing you are going to see at the top is the current ranking for all nations. This adds a nice bit of national rivalry and will hopefully get more people playing the game online.
GRAPHICS AND SOUND
The graphics for 2010 World Cup use the same engine that FIFA 10 uses with some tweaks here and there. The player faces have been refined to look a little bit more like each player and it also makes them look not so robotic. The cut scenes are well done and add to the presentation as a whole. One change that I loved was the cut scenes that show off the crowd. Long gone are the days of cardboard cutouts. As stated previously in the review the fans have a life of their own in the stands now. The on-field graphics have improved by an all new pitch or grass system. The pitch looks a lot more lifelike and my eyes may have been fooling me but I swear I saw some wear and tear on it. All in all the graphics engine may be slightly outdated but what it gives the players is a very pleasing experience to the eye.
Sound in 2010 World Cup is the area that needs the most improvment. While I love the big name announces the commentary really felt like a broken record at times. Hearing the same track on a repeated basis can really take away from the tv style presentation of the game. The on field noise also needs to be bumped up a bit. It would be a nice touch to hear something coming from the actual players on the field (or managers!). As with any EA game the EA Tracks selection fits the style of the game perfectly. a nice well rounded selection of world artists for the worlds game.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you are going into 2010 FIFA World Cup with the thought that this is just a re-hash of what is already available in FIFA 10 then you are dead wrong. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa is a fun game with an outstanding presentation that will fit great with the actual tournament. For football fans and casual players alike Shogunites should give this one a go.
*DISCLOSURE: A copy of the game was provided to us by the publisher for review.
As E3 quickly approaches, one question comes to the fore front of my mind. What games will be shown at E3? Well, what I have here is a partial list so far of what will be at E3. As always, this list of games can and will change at a moments notice.
2K Games
Mafia II
Sid Meier’s Civilization V
Sid Meier’s Civilization V (Digital Deluxe Edition)
Spec Ops: The Line
X-COM
505 Games
Grease
Naughty Bear
Anaconda
Gray Matter
BigPoint
Battlestar Galactica Online
D3 Publisher
Ben 10 Ultimate Alien: Cosmic Destruction
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien
DTP (Digital Entertainment Pool)
Drakensang: Phileasson’s Secret
DreamCatcher Interactive
Arcania: Gothic IV
See the rest of our Games of the 2010 E3 list, After the Break!
EA Sports
EA Sports MMA
NBA Jam
Electronic Arts
Bulletstorm
Dead Space 2
EA Sports Active 2.0
FIFA Soccer 11
Madden NFL 11
Medal of Honor
NBA Live 11
NCAA Football 11
NHL 11
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
En Masse Entertainment
Tera
Hudson Soft
Deca Sports 3
Konami
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Def Jam Rapstar
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
N3: Ninety-Nine Nights II
Rocket Knight
Rush’N Attack Ex-Patriot
Saw II: The Videogame
The Cages: Pro Style Batting Practice
Little Worlds Studio
Animal Color Cross
Color Cross
Cosmicrew
DJ Mix Bob Sinclar
Sea Pong
LucasArts
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge — Special Edition
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Star Wars: The Old Republic
MTV Games
Rock Band 3
Majesco
Crafting Mama
Greg Hastings Paintball 2
Swords
Zumba Fitness
Microsoft
Fable III
Gears of War 3
Halo: Reach
Microsoft Game Studios
Project Natal
Namco Bandai
Ace Combat: Joint Assault
Clash of the Titans
Dragon Ball: Origins 2
Enslaved
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2
Splatterhouse
Natsume
Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove
Nexon
Dragon Nest
Dungeon Fighter Online
Vindictus
No Publisher Announced
Color Cross
Paradox Interactive
Commander — Conquest of the Americas
Lionheart: Kings’ Crusade
Ship Simulator 2010: Extremes
Victoria 2
Perfect World Entertainment
Battle of the Immortals
Forsaken World
Heroes of Three Kingdoms
Slang
Lucha Libre AAA: Heroes del Ring
Sony Computer Entertainment of America
EyePet: Your Virtual Pet
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Gran Turismo 5
Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip
Invizimals
Move Party
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs
Slider
TV SuperStars
The Fight: Lights Out
The Shoot
Sony Online Entertainment
Free Realms
THQ
Homefront
The Last Airbender: The Movie
UFC Undisputed 2010
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw Online
Warhammer 40,000 MMO Project [untitled]
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Tecmo KOEI
Quantum Theory
Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll
Warriors: Legends of Troy
Trion Worlds
End of Nations
Rift: Planes of Telara
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
F.E.A.R. 3
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Scribblenauts 2
The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North
cdv Software Entertainment
Divinity II: Ego Draconis
Divinity II: Flames of Vengeance
Which ones am I personally looking forward to getting my hands on? Well, for that answer and more keep checking in here for our E3 staff previews within the next couple of weeks!
As today is the unofficial National Star Wars Day, I thought it fitting to send a bit of Star Wars humor to you fine readers. While a bit long in the tooth for a YouTube vid, this one still doesn’t ever NOT make me laugh.
