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Halo 4 Review (Mild Spoilers Only)

The Halo series has always been iconic; from its sound track and scenery, to its energy swords and vehicles. Everything about it has always been recognisable  none more so than the series main protagonist, ‘Master Chief’. With 343 Studios taking the gauntlet from Bungie, they were met with controversy. How does one take such a huge series like Halo, mindful of its massive fan base and develop something fresh, while maintaining the elements which have gained so much popularity previously?

With the increased pressure from fans in general, seemingly more so since the infamous ‘hold the line’ movement following the Mass Effect 3 release, a lot was expected from 343. They have not disappointed.

In fact, they have managed to give us exactly what we wanted and a little more - an impressive feat, given the circumstances.

Gameplay

If you’re a fan of the Halo series, you won’t be disappointed with the game’s mechanics. The game stays true to its original roots, and 343 have successfully recreated the look and feel of past Halo titles. It still has the same controls, the same progression based waves of enemies and the vehicles you know and love. This being said the game still feels refreshingly new. The inclusion of the sprint function (as used in Halo Reach) was a welcome addition as well as the use of ‘abilities’; changeable capabilities that can change the tide of battle – shields, holographic decoys and a personal turrets all which can be summoned at the click of a button. New, smarter enemies pave the way before you, and you’ll also find newly added quick time events here and there.

Without giving too much away, Halo 4 returns us to Master Chief’s armoured boots once more for an approximate 6-7 hour campaign. While saving the world from alien races is the Chief’s speciality, the real focus here is on Cortana and the pair’s unique relationship. The events of Halo 3 gave us a glimpse into the mindset of a deteriorating AI. This is expanded upon in the latest sequel, becoming a major plot point as Cortana reaches her 8th year in UNSC service. This is referred to as ‘rampancy’; when an AI reaches its expiry date and their increased knowledge causes them to overload and essentially ‘think themselves to death’.

As the story progresses we’re introduced to a new alien race, the Prometheans – synthetic beings made of half flesh and half cyborg; created by the Forerunners.  There are three different forms of Prometheans – crawlers (four legged creatures who can cling to walls), Knights (deadly creatures that emit an insect-like glow and are capable of teleporting) and Watchers (who are capable of regenerating enemy shields and health, while reining cover fire). New enemies of course means a variety of new variations of the weapons we’ve come to know and love -  pistol, machine gun, shotgun, sniper rifle and rocket launcher. Each one with its own pros and cons.

There are a few plot holes left unexplained, though apparently some of these things – such as Dr Halsey being alive and well after her demise in Reach was explained via the novels leaving some players without the knowledge utterly confused to her appearance. Other things (without spoiling any plot) will hopefully be covered in future titles. The only other qualm with the campaign would be the ‘destroy X amount of targets/flip X amount of switch’ which can sometimes seem a little repetitive and tedious, though not so much so that detracts from the story or the pacing of the game itself.

Multiplayer

Halo’s multiplayer has always been the bread and butter of the franchise and the addition of ‘Infinity Mode’ cements this further with Spartan Ops (mission based Co-op mode, reminiscent of the ‘Spec Ops’ found in the Call of Duty games) and War Games (the competitive Multiplayer Mode).  While the reference to the Call of Duty multiplayer is on the tongue, Halo 4 has made adjustments to their own online play which sees the inclusion of ordinance packages (similar to kill streak rewards) and the ability to join a game mid-way – something that was previously unavailable but comes as a welcome surprise.

Halo’s open ended maps maintain and enhance the freedom experienced in previous titles, both on a large and small scale. Grifball (one of my personal favourites) and flood mode (think along the lines of survival mode) have also been added to the War Game’s extensive list of playable game styles.

Halo’s multiplayer has, and will continue to be its lifeline long after the campaign is complete and both veterans and newbies alike will not be disappointed.

Graphics

The graphics in Halo 4 can be summed up with one word – stunning. Long gone are the days of blocky corridors and stiff, clumsy movements; replaced instead with breathtaking landscapes and intricate visuals. One of the first changes you will notice in the campaign is the work that has gone into faithfully creating facial expression and detail. Cortana’s expressions in those opening scenes will leave you in awe, and this does not subside throughout the game but instead is replicated in all those you come into contact with. Even as simple as it sounds, we even see Chief exerting some key head tilts, turns and body language that gives us some idea of what he’s thinking or feeling in those moments.

Gameplay itself is smooth and movements are fluid, bodies move and participate in believable combat and rarely does moving about feel chunky or unresponsive. Designs for newly added antagonists are in line with the series overall theme and particular art style, never once feeling out of place or unusual.

Sound

If there is one thing to fault within the game, it would unfortunately be the game’s sound. While the score is amazing, it becomes difficult to hear the dialogue in particular scenes over the crashing sound effects and striking musical chords. So much so, that subtitles were required to make any sense of it at all. It just so happened that playing with the subs’ proved rather beneficial as there was a scene in the campaign where words were appearing on screen via subtitles while Chief and Lasky stood awkwardly not uttering a word.

Touched upon above, the score used for the game is beautiful - even hauntingly so at times. It manages to find that perfect balance between empowering pulses and quieter, though equally intriguing melodies that create an amazing musical fusion; one which leaves you completely entranced by the scenes unfolding in front of you.

Value

As mentioned previously, the value associated with the game is exceptionally high. You will get what you paid for, and more. While the campaign is rather short, and somewhat expected from a FPS a variety of difficulties will give some a challenge, while others will indulge in Halo’s biggest factor when it comes to replay value - its multiplayer mode.  The addition of Spartan Ops adds hours of enjoyment with added missions, including cut scenes and can be played with co-op parties of 4. The War Games multiplayer modes are where you will find the most longevity within the title. With new additions already mentioned, 343 has definitely made Halo 4’s online PvP one of the highest rated FPS’ on the market, fortifying it for months to come as players strive to increase in rank and unlock a number of weapons and character customisations.

Conclusion

Putting aside personal opinions, there isn’t much to fault about the game itself. Sure there are a few minor flaws here and there, but if nothing else taking on a project such as this is admirable. It plays just like any other Halo game and without a doubt 343 studios have earned a great deal of respect for their treatment of such an established (and popular) franchise. Granted, if you’re not a Halo fan – you probably won’t like this one either. Those of you who are, and were worried about the treatment of your beloved game, well rest-assured you’re in good hands and in for a hell of a ride!

Score: 9/10

Pros

-          Beautiful visuals and animation

-          Engaging and well-paced plot

-          Well-rounded Multiplayer with plenty of options

Cons

-          Overly loud musical score and SFX

-          A few minor plot holes unexplained

-          Campaign could be longer

Read a modified version of this, and more of my reviews over here at allagegaming.com

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I see you have been playin Final Fantasy XIII-2 and sometimes answer questions bout games, and help wit stuff when ppl get stuck. I'm really stuck on one of the puzzles with the clocks. The numbers are 1,3,4,2,4,1,2,3,1,6,4,4,4. HELP PLZ!!

Hey there! I'm more than happy to help and ugh!, tell me about it, the clock puzzles were the WORST! Unfortunately the puzzles are generated randomly so there's so way to write a single guide to solving them.

That being said, with a little research you can find a few online applications which can dissect the mathematics of your selection.To help you out and give you the answers for your current puzzle just follow this diagram:

If you get stuck in future (or for those of you who need help with your own codes) you can check out either of these sites and simply input the numbers of your clock puzzle into the boxes on screen!

http://clockpuzzle.pl/https://www.robertwoodward.com/clockPuzzle/ 

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Assassin's Creed III: Review (Spoiler free)

The Assassin’s Creed series saw the mark of a new gaming age through the eyes of Desmond Miles, a modern day assassin living through the lives via of his unique heritage to unlock secrets that could save their dwindling order, and possibly the world. Desmond’s story reaches it’s climax in the latest  instalment of the AC series – Assassin’s Creed III – as he explores the life of Ratonhnhaké:ton (or ‘Connor’ as he comes to be known) and his desire to quench Templar control and bring justice  to his village. Time is running out in the real world, and the fate of the planet rests on Desmond, his lineage and a particular artefact that will change the world as we know it.

Gameplay

Similar to its predecessor, AC3 is an open world RPG allowing you to run, jump, and stab to your heart’s content. There are a lot of new features to experience  should you put in the time to pass the game’s linear start which is intriguing, though rather slow-paced in its beginning. Though it is the third game in the series (not including various AC2 spin offs) the first half of the game still engages you in tutorial-type gameplay. 

Quite noticeably the game is rather glitchy, though it’s likely that this will be remedied in future updates, it still makes for a frustrating experience as particular bugs prevent a mission here or there from being completed, requiring  a restart. It can be anything from a missing marker (particularly on side missions) to a certain button the gamepad being rendered useless. While this can be frustrating and inconvenient it is possible to be overlooked and the game is still very much playable.

The third instalment in the Assassin’s Creed series sees the addition of many new features exclusive to the title such as the hunting of wild animals and the command of a tall ship. Hunting through the use of snares allows you to catch smaller animals such as rabbit easily, and bait can be used to attract larger prey such as deer and elk which you can take down with a variety of tools at your disposal. The cleaner the kill, the better quality pelt you receive. Pelts and animal products can then be sold for a profit or used to craft other items. The wilderness is anything but a leisurely walk in the park though, with no more than a growl to warn you of the impending attack you are also victim to all manner of predators such as cougars and wolves who will quickly take you down given the chance. These encounters use a quick-time event, requiring you to hit the designated buttons to save your own hide, killing the animal in the process. This addition makes for an enjoyable, though optional experience which is a wonderful contrast to the paved streets of New York and Boston.

Aside from the signature hidden blade, poison darts, trip mines and firearms that were available in the previous game Connor has a variety of new weapons at his disposal including the tomahawk. The bow and arrow provide a silent option over the hand gun, definitely favoured for it’s faster reload time and the rope dart is an effective means for pulling an enemy off their feet leaving them open for the kill.

The ship ‘Aquila’ adds a whole new dimension to game play with unique missions. If you’re fond of big canons and fast paced nautical combat then you’ll thoroughly enjoy the refreshing addition. Controlling both the ship itself, its sails and weaponry can take a little getting used to but proves to be a lot of fun as you try and blast other ships from the water.

Other noticeable additions to the game include the ability to climb trees, lock picking, season changes and your ‘base’ the Homestead.

  Multiplayer

Besides the selection of new online characters (not limited to just assassin’s but the ability to play as British military as well), there are a few new embellishments added multiplayer mode that distinguish AC3’s multiplayer capabilities from previous titles. The enemy indicator bar has been replaced by the sounds of a ‘heart beat’ when your target nears you, and whispers when your attacker is near. While this has it’s benefit of removing HUD displays and making for a more realistic experience, it requires a lot of focus and cannot be attempted in a room full of noisy people – you just can’t hear it. You now also have the ‘line of sight’ capability, meaning you and your target can both see each other but if executed correctly you will receive better bonuses.

The multiplayer feels well rounded, its tutorials are helpful and easy to understand for those new to the game and the whole layout is smooth and easy to navigate when it comes to customising your character, finding stats or searching for a game. There are twelve modes to experience through multiplayer, including the new ‘Wolf Pack’ mode which allows you to team up with other online players and take down NPC targets through a sequence of levels, each one becoming more difficult similar to the horde mentality seen in other Multiplayer games.

  Graphics

The graphics have taken a considerable leap forward in AC3. The Assassin’s Creed series has always been privy to beautiful landscapes and intricate details on buildings and clothes though somewhat lacking on facial animation and detail. These have all been improved through the facial mould technology similar to that of LA Noire. Sneering, smirking and mouth expression are all evident and further add to the narrative experience and there are times you cannot help but stare in wonder. Especially when compared to the somewhat blocky, GTA feel of the original Assassin’s creed game.

As always the buildings and scenery are remarkable, and much like Ezio’s outfit, Connor’s robes display beautiful canvas textures and detail on its adornments. Small details such as footprints in the snow, stray pieces of straw falling after exiting a hay stack – all these things are evident. Forests are lush, wolves appear as if they could jump right into your living room and water splashes and reflects the light perfectly.

Unfortunately, as mentioned previously a few bugs here and there sometimes result in a lower frame rate when partaking in high speed operations, though not noticeably so. There also seems to be a consistency issue with blood appearing and disappearing in cut scenes, and sometimes patches of it even moving around on Connor himself.

Sound

The Assassin’s Creed series is an open narrative that plays like any good RPG should – driven by its strong storytelling and plot. Included in this is voice acting, which has the ‘do it right, or don’t do it at all’ mentality. Fortunately AC3 is doing it right. The voice acting of Adrian Hough as Haythem Kenway particularly delightful, in addition of course to returning characters Shaun (as snarky as ever), Desmond and Rebecca. In turn I found Connor’s voice acting a bit unreliable. At times it could be amazing, full of emotion and purpose and other times rather droll and forced, though this seems to tie in with his character.

General dialogue is top-notch, characters using language and words for their time period complete with relevant accents from a variety of backgrounds though this is of course to be expected and therefore nothing that jumps out if the ordinary.

Value

Similar to previous games, AC3 is a completionists dream. With all manner of items to find, side missions to complete, future DLC to be released via the ‘season pass’ not to mention the multiplayer aspect, the game itself has a high replay value. The ability to replay story-based missions means you can replay the whole game should you wish to or just your favourite scenes – both of which you can do with whatever upgrades/status you have reached in free roam and aim for that 100% synchronisation. Still looking for something to do? How about upgrading your homestead, recruiting assassins or liberating cities from Templar control?

Conclusion

Even with the introduction of a new character and lineage, the Assassin’s Creed games will always be compared to one another especially considering this is all part of ‘Desmond’s Story’. That being said, AC3 takes the controversial leap removing certain aspects of games previous and adding new experiences. A lot of these are positive additions, adding exciting new elements to the series we love. Others, such as the access to upgrades, the purchasing of properties and a seeming lack of puzzles leave you a little confused and with no clear direction where or how to obtain items or perform upgrades. Putting this, the game’s slow start and some of Connor’s character flaws aside though still leaves you with a well-rounded and enjoyable game. It might not match up to previous titles, though this is a purely personal opinion, it is still a highly enjoyable game for the right audience.

AAG SCORE: 7/10

Pros

- Beautiful graphics and visuals

- Fresh new additions keep the series interesting

- Strong plot and sense of urgency

  Cons

- Glitchy at times meaning the restart of sequences/missions

- Connor’s personality seems somewhat deficient

- Lack of direction for crafting and upgrades

Read this review and more over here at allagegaming.com

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I'm cracking out the de-frib and bringing this sucker back to life!

For those of you who hung around, have some non-existent cake!

Everyone else, get your asses over here!

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Mass Effect 3 Ending (Spoilers + Thoughts)

So I'm a little late to the playing field, but I just finished my playthrough of Mass Effect 3. It was a bloody fantastic game, I really loved it.  I'm currently trying to process and piece together my thoughts on the ending and get it all written down, so I apologise in advance if it doesn't make sense or i've left things out. I'll probably add to it if I need to. Also, sorry if some of the things I've written disagree with any of you. Please take note that these are just my thoughts but I'd be happy to discuss them with you... :)

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Assassin’s Creed III images have now officially been released. The game will be next month’s cover story on the Gameinformer magazine! Ubisoft have also released the official box art for the game that will release this October on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Said to be set in the late 1700s during the American Revolutionary War, players will take control of a new character that will be detailed in the 13 page cover story next month.

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After the release of the above picture, it has been announced on Japanese website 4gamer that the outfit of Ezio Auditore Da Firenze, of the Assassin's Creed series will be released as a downloadable and wearable costume for Noel Kreiss in Final Fantasy XIII-2.

This sketch is the only official artwork provided thus far.

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Bioware's Big Announcement: Command & Conquer Generals 2

As many of you already know, at yesterday's 2011 Video Game Awards in Los Angeles it was announced that Bioware's next title will be Command & Conquer: Generals 2. You heard correctly, the company well known for it's in-depth RPG games with romancible characters upcoming game will be a real-time stradegy. There aren't many details yet, save that it will be using 'Frostbite 2' the engine used to power Battlefield 3.

Needless to say I was really looking forward too & hoping Bioware's announcement would be a new RPG to sink my teeth into so I for one was dissapointed with the announcement, not to mention the fact that's it's not the Bioware we've come to know and love.

True that Bioware is a derivitive of EA after being bought out years ago, and the game is apparently being developed by 'Bioware Victory' (previously Victory Games) but it feels a little more like they're using the popularity of the Bioware franchise to beef up some of their other titles. I mean how much of a say will Bioware even have in this title? It is highly likely it will simply be developed with the Bioware name slapped on the cover? It definitely won't be the kind of game we've come to expect from Bioware, whether or not this is a good thing we will see - at this point I am skeptical. Thoughts?

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VGA Video Game Awards 2011

Yesterday's showcase of the 2011 Video Game Awards in Los Angeles (streamed live on Spike TV) was hosted by Zachary Levi and featured the most sought after awards in the industry including 'Game of the Year'. Many world first game trailers were also premiered.

For those of you who missed the live stream, here are the award results:

Game of the Year: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Studio of the Year: Bethesda Game Studios

Best Xbox360 Game: Batman: Arkham City

Best PS3 Game: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Best Wii Game: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Best PC Game: Portal 2

Best Handheld/Mobile Game: Super Mario 3D Land

Best Shooter: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Best Action Adventure Game: Batman: Arkham City

Best RPG: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Best Mulitplayer: Portal 2

Best Individual Sports Game: Fight Night Champion

Best Team Sport Game: NBA2K12

Best Driving Game: Forza Motorsport 4

Best Fighting Game: Mortal Kombat

Best Motion Game: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Best Independant Game: Minecraft

Best Adapted Video Game: Batman: Arkham City

Best Song in a Game: Bastion "Build That Wall" (Zia's Theme) by Darren Korb

Best Original Score: Bastion

Best Graphics: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Best Performance by a Human Male: Stephen Merchant as Wheatley

Best Performance by a Human Female: Ellen Mclain as Glados

Best Downloadable Game: Bastion

Best Downloadable Content: Portal 2 "Peer Review"

Character of the Year: The Joker, Batman: Arkham City

Most Anticipated Game: Mass Effect 3

Trailer of the Year: Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Trailer World Premieres: Hitman:Absolution, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, Tekken TAG Tournament 2, The Last Of Us, Mass Effect 3, Command & Conquer: Generals 2, Rainbow 6: Patriots, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, The Amazing Spider-Man, Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron, Fortnite, Diablo 3, Bioshock: Infinite, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengence.

And a big well-deserved congratulations to Miyamoto and The Legend of Zelda Series who were the first to be inducted into the Video Game Hall of Fame to honor the most influential games and franchises in the industry.

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Metal Gear Solid: Rising is Still in The Works

With no mention of the game at E3 2011, a lot of us have been hanging on for any mention on the production of Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Well the wait is over, and news has surfaced after Hideo Kojima confirmed towas interviewed by Official PlayStation Magazine UK.

Kojima mentioned the game would be taking a new direction as he is loosening his reins on the project, meaning MGSR may star Raiden as a sword slashing cyborg main character instead of Snake, and focus on action rather than stealth.

“This time I’ve been really hands-off, letting it go on its own with the new team” says Kojima. “It’s not like I’m giving up complete control. It’s that point in the beginning – the core concept, finding that seed. So the concept came from the staff – they got the idea to use Raiden as the main character and to make it into an action game. Even the story: I try not to read it, because if I do then I’ll want to say something and get sucked back in again!”

Rising isn’t without some Kojima influence though “Very early on I set boundaries and I gave some feedback. If there’s something I feel crosses a line and goes against everything Metal Gear is, then I’ll say something. But as much as possible I try to preserve the boundary.” So, what’s the latest? “It’s moving forward, but it’s different from Metal Gear up to this pointTrue, that Kojima said he wouldn't be involved in the project which has been said on previous titles, only to get involved but so far it looks like it's staying that way.

"It's moving forward, but it's different from Metal Gear up to this point," Kojima said.  "This time I've been really hands-off, letting it go on its own with the new team. It's not like I'm giving up complete control. It's that point in the beginning - the core concept, finding that seed. So the concept came from the staff - they got the idea to use Raiden as the main character and to make it into an action game.

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Hey, I was just wondering, with your limited edition Skyward Sword, did you get a clear cover for the controller? Or did you just take it off for the photo?

It did come with the gel cover, but I took it off so you would be able to see the whole controller and it's details for the unboxing photos.

Personally, I don't like having the gel cover on the controller when I play anyway :)

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The unboxing of my The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Limited Edition) for Nintendo Wii (Australian Ver).

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Blizzard Investing in Diablo 3 Console Development

Diablo 3 game director Jay Wilson still won't confirm console development of the highly anticipated Diablo 3, but assures fans it's a work in progress. He mentioned in a recent interview with Gameinformer magazine...

"We have a really great team. We are starting to fill the team out with new hires and some core members of the Diablo 3 team," he said.  "We are still in active exploring mode; we haven't officially announced a product," he admitted. "We say that because we like our product announcements to be a big deal. We haven't been as secretive about this one because our biggest barrier is actually getting a console team."

"People don't believe us when we say we're going to make a console game. I understand why they don't believe us, because we've tried this before. We've also never invested in it to the degree that we're doing now, and we've never had a product that we felt was appropriate for it."

While I'm not a Diablo/Blizzard player myself, I'm intruiged by the fact that Wilson said he doesn't want to do a port, he wants it built from the ground up for consoles which is definitely an interesting development.

"Our goal is to make a game that feels like it's natively made for a console. If we make it, we want it to feel like a Blizzard game and that we built it for that platform from the ground up."

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Hey Foxx, I'm a fellow Aussie girl gamer looking to expand my horizons - I only play a couple of franchises, namely Zelda, Mario and the older Pokemon games. Would you be able to give me any franchise recommendations and a good place to start with them, bearing in mind that I only own a Wii and 3DS? I'm planning to buy Snake Eater 3D, but I'd like to get into more stuff, not just MGS...

Wii and 3DS huh? Well let's see, you've already got Mario... if you don't have Super Mario 3D Land yet I'd recommend that. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is right up there on the top of the list. If you're nostalgic of N64 remakes then you can't go past Star Fox 64! If you like fighting games try Dead or Alive: Dimentions. Snake Eater 3D is a good choice too and if you like action platformers Shinobi looks amazing.As far as the Wii goes, you can't go past Zelda games Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword being released this Thursday (here in AUS, everywhere else gets it today). Definitely give Okami a go if you haven't already, it's really different artistically but absolutely beautiful. Also check out: The Metroid Prime Trilogy, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Super Smash Bros Brawl and No More Heroes 2.Hope this helps :)

[respawn-gaming-blog]

Final Fantasy XIII-2 DLC Expectations

Final Fantasy XIII-2 is getting paid download content on a regular basis according to producer Yoshinori Kitase. Kitase mentioned in a recent interview that the game will have a large amount of DLC and as a rough schedule, he said to expect one to two updates every month, each containing multiple items.

Square Enix has already announced a few pieces of DLC so far, including costumes, weapons and enemies. Kitase said to expect the content to be more involved than just downloading an item or weapon. The content will also be mixed in with play elements, where you have to defeat a monster in order to get an item, for instance.

Kitase confirmed that the game's downloadable costumes and weapons will show up in event scenes. They're currently making the necessary adjustments to get this working.