MoeFo Podcast: http://www.gcast.com/u/moeez/main
If you want a more observant eye on games, this podcast is it.

• 28Nov 09

  Why BATMAN is my Indisputable Game of the Year!

  Let's not forget, everyone was super sceptical on this Batman videogame before it came out. There hasn't been a single good 3D Batman game. There hasn't been a single great superhero game (Spiderman games are only good for the swinging). So, BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM had a lot going against it. How will the game keep true to the Batman character? Will the gadgets have lame gameplay? Would the combat system be a generic beat-em-up? Would the story suck? Who's ever even heard of Rocksteady Studios?

  NO ADDED JUNK

  ---

  

  Thankfully, it was the exact opposite of those questions. BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM is a tight experience, with game design that sticks stringently to its goals. There is no Batmobile driving sequence. There are no Quick Time Events. There is no co-op. There is no multiplayer. There is no big Gotham city open-world where you do side-quests to pad out more hours. Rocksteady was confident in its single-player campaign, to not have to add any obvious filler.

  

  That's major confidence from a fairly unknown developer studio.

  I'M THE GODDAMN BATMAN!

  ---

  So, what should a Batman game be? A platformer? A brawler? A detective game? Or, be like other clever developers, and dip into all those genres? Not many games combine different gameplay genres, or when they do, they're bloated. There's been only one game that I remember that did it well, which was BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL. Most games just rely on what they're good at, and stick to that. I think it's called the "if it's not borken, don't fix it" paradigm that has led to the most generic games ever.

  BATMAN: AA isn't that. The developers put excellent gameplay that defines every aspect of the character. Due to this, everything about the game feels fresh. From the insanely refreshing and satisfying freeflow combat system (Batman's the best at martial arts, and it shows) to the exploration of the world with your grappling hook (he's gotta perch like a bat, too) and other geekgasm gadgets (no Bat credit card), you know you're playing a Batman game.

  

  The Batman combat is just genius. Instead of combo mashing, every single face button is a tactic. Little input = big output. You must be an economical businessman with your button presses, especially when it comes to the Combat Challenges. Is it the only game where there isn't a single-button-mashing combo? The variety of moves leads into the animations, with some of the most beautiful mo-cap work I've witnessed from a protagonist. Animations never get old, because they hardly ever repeat. They're dynamic. This again is a huge achievement, to not have "animation fatigue" even in this HD era of having hundreds of animation cycles.

  

  Stealth gameplay could've been screwed up so bad. How many good stealth staple games are there really? I have to give props to Rocksteady for making the most universally simple and elegant stealth system that anyone can pick up. This is the new wave of aggressive stealth. The artificial intelligence is great, which allows you for sandbox SPLINTER CELL-like gameplay where you're toying around with the enemies, and then snapping up the last enemy who's peeing his pants. When you're on a gargoyle, you feel so Batman it's creepy. SPLINTER CELL CONVICTION is also going along this new wave of aggressive stealth (which is resonating a lot more with people who've always wanted to try these games), so let's see what grandpa Sam can muster up. Wait-and-pounce stealth is dead.

  

  Character gameplay even comes down to how Batman never kills, and so never clashes with the overall story unlike in UNCHARTED (let's face it, Drake is Marcus Phoenix in a half-tuck, and a superhero because of his unbelievable jumps of saving grace). To me, it didn't feel like the game was ripping off other games' specific minutia. Sure, if you're reductionist, you could say it's a mix of SPLINTER CELL, TENCHU, METROID but it never plays like one of those games. That's a huge accomplishment and shows Rocksteady are confident in creating Batman-centric gameplay. I want to see enemies' heartbeat in SPLINTER CELL now. I want to glide in every game now. Also, it's beaten TENCHU in the grappling hook department and is making SPLINTER CELL run for its money.
  

  LET ME TELL YOU A STORY

  ---

  

  Of course, I wouldn't forget the excellent storytelling. Notice, I didn't say the word "story". It's still a great plot, of Batman being stuck in a prison for 1 night with the Rogue's Gallery, but what shines is the multiple venues of storytelling used. There is soft storytelling through Joker on the intercom or on TVs and the audio interview tapes. Then there's the typical hard storytelling through cutscenes.

  

  Hold on though, there's a new type of storytelling too. Non-linear storytelling. This was experimented with PRINCE OF PERSIA 2008, but felt disjointed at times. Here, you're going from one part of the island to the other, and while the game's missions are not linear, there is still interactional dialogue and reactions. For example, after the Medical Pavillion mission, you can go back and find out that the Doctors haven't escaped but instead have boarded themselves up behind desks! They stay there until the end of the game! Nearly all of the characters give context-dependent dialogue too, at certain points of the game. All the personnel of the island are free to talk to, at any point of the game, so for example Aaron Cash can cheer you on to finally beat Joker when Joker's "party" starts. Because of such reactionary dialogue, it can make the Arkham Island come alive no matter how dreary it is, and showcases that Paul Dini can also write games.

  Blah, blah, ALWAYS WITH THE HERO SPEAK!

  ---

  

  Now, I won't say it's the most original game ever, but for this year, I feel it sticks out against the crowd. For such a bold game, it also excels on execution which MIRROR'S EDGE (the most original game of recent times) and other original IPs couldn't be. It is in the very rare club of a first game being nigh-on perfect on Day 1 release, like last year's DEAD SPACE. There is no need for a sequel, or any improvements needed other than very superficial ones like more bosses. It also helps that it's the best superhero and licensed game ever made. Riddick, you now have a friend.

  I'M IN CONTROL OF THE ASYLUM!

  ---

  All the reviews of the Batman game have been very favourable. The only negatives about the game are things that are very nitpicky. Batman's figure covering a large part of the screen (there is a non-Batman centred camera). Yes, the Titan bosses repeat a couple of times, and yes, there aren't 20 types of enemies, but this is par for the course with nearly every action-adventure game ever made. Plus, as long as they're fun, I don't see the criticism of some good repetition. One that everyone can agree on is that the final boss battle is shallow but it does show how unpredictable Joker really is. BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM is so damn good, people are finding it hard to find legitimate criticism. Usually, with triple A games, you can bash the character gameplay or story, but here it's just damn good.

  

  You also have to remember, a great game has to be as great for newcomers. It should be as pick-up-and-play as MARIO. Because of the excellent controls and simplified systems, BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM happens to be that. BATMAN: AA is definitely up there with MARIO games in terms of being accessible for everyone. Most of the games this year can have very specific audiences, like all of the shooters. Shooters are not every girl's best friend.

  THE LONGEST JOURNEY

  ---

  

  While most games up their pacing by putting more variety through newer locations or "palette-cleansing" gameplay (turret sections, vehicle sections), BATMAN: AA goes about it by completely changing the level design of Arkham Island at times. Rocksteady didn't feel the need to up the variety by letting you go to Gotham city (even though, you sort of do at one spoilerific point). Enemies appear where they weren't before, like snipers or crazed inmates. Poison Ivy's vines blocking away paths. Scarecrow, period. Batman's armour and face takes a ton of damage throughout the course of the game (for once, it's not a gimmick!). Because of such pacing and setpieces, the non-linear world never gets boring through the amount of backtracking you'll do. There's always something to look forward to.

  

  Thanks to the magnificent pacing and every single moment being memorable, the game ends just at the right moment. So, while you might spend 15-20 hours with the game, it feels you've been through a lot with the characters and the island. This is one night you and Batman won't ever forget.

  
  

  OVER? IT HASN'T EVEN BEGUN!

  ---

  Because it stands out amongst the pack of games this year and had the MOST TO PROVE, this is easily the Game of the Year.

  No sequelitis.

  Totally new gameplay, like the freeflow combat where animations never recycle.

  Most fun stealth gameplay ever.

  Non-linear backtracking that's always interesting.

  Great storytelling.

  And that it's damn memorable! Every moment in the game was given love and care, from Harley Quinn's office to the Riddler.

  Everyone loves the game, which is not something you can say for a game franchise other than MARIO. This is a great game for people not privy to Batman's loving cape. The best games are the ones where everyone finds something to love, and for 2009, it's BATMAN ARKHAM ASYLUM, in my opinion.

  
  

  • Posted Nov 28, 2009 3:00 am PT
  • Category: Editorial
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• 21Nov 09

  No games to play makes Moeez a what?

  It was an inevitable decision to make. To bring the 360 over, or not. I decided not. Now that I'm 2 months into my course, DEFINITELY NOT. Medicine is intense, and fast.

  Instead, I've been writing new short stories, and watching movies. I'm not ready to show off my short stories, but I am ready to talk about the movies I have watched.

  But first, I'll comment on the state of the gaming industry, with one simple sentence. Action games have called out the death of action movies. When you have games like Prototype, Uncharted 2, and Modern Warfare 2, who needs action movies? Why bother watching a crap action movie, when you can interact with a not-so-crap one? This realisation came to me during Prototype. With a game that has so much, will all the mayhem you can cause, a movie adaptation would need a $500 million budget.

  

  

  

  Like, the most memorable part of Modern Warfare 2 is there's a scene where it's raining helicopters. RAINING HELICOPTERS!

  So, action movies have more to prove now than ever. Which is why you get something like 2012 now, where they have to destroy the ENTIRE WORLD to prove they're still one step ahead of videogame epicness. That movie was so much fun, I want to see the Washington monument fall down again and murder millions of people!

  That's all on that. I have nothing more to say about games, since the divorce.

  So, movies then?

  ---

  I've been on a comedy bent. Thanks to stagevu, I've been checking the best of them. Best teen comedies, best dark comedies (that's a favourite of mine).

  World's Greatest Dad : Perfect dark comedy, too bad it's not out in theatres. Robin Williams strikes gold. Genuinely heartfelt stuff in there too. Honestly, it's the best film I've seen this year. Just too entertaining, great soundtrack, great scenes, great performances. This is the first year where I think a comedy film deserves a Best Picture over other navel-gazing, performance-heavy Oscar bait.

  Observe and Report : Controversial dark comedy, starring Seth Rogen. His most unique film to date. This is dark stuff. An overconfident, bi-polar mall cop who just wants to prove himself as a real cop. If you like character studies of flawed characters, you'll be into it. I loved it, even if you might not be into it.

  The Proposition : Gorgeous, but boring. The pacing was dead at times, which is my main problem. The characters are amazing, though, especially Ray Winstone. It's a perfect Western film though, insane cinematography and setting. Brutal violence. But it's very hard to get through the whole film in one setting, because of the languish pacing. Not enough Guy Pearce (dude from Memento), and he's not so badass until the very end.

  There Will be Blood : Wow, PT Anderson's most ambitious film to date. It's definitely a masterpiece. A period piece around California when oil first struck big. The first 20 minutes of no dialogue with DD Lewis reminded me of 2001, but done way better. Great journey of a scrubby man going down the spiral of evil fortunes and backstabbing. My favourite part of the film is the static filming, reminding me of old-school where it was all about the actors rather than the camera.

  Happiness : Pretty tough dark comedy. I'd go to say, it's a black comedy. The laughs are very few. And I didn't like it. The paedophile story was the most intriguing and disturbing. Honestly, too many characters to flip through. It's not enjoyable until the very "I came!" ending.

  Moon : Overhyped sci-fi. Sam Rockwell is great. Cinematography is great. Story is hard to follow at times, even though it's stupidly simple. I wouldn't recommend it, there's nothing deep to it. I've seen better clone stories in a Simpsons episode. If you want a deep, low-fare scifi movie, check out Solaris instead. Even if you hate Clooney.

  Syriana : Speaking of Clooney, he's in this. With a huge beard. Intense political drama set in Middle East, all about oil and corporations. It can get kind of complex, but that's what I like about it. Not hugely memorable, but the Prince Nasir character was interesting. The unemployed Pakistani kids was a great tale. Sad ending. Had a fun time, and if you liked it, check out Tom Hank in Charlie Wilson's War.

  Antichrist : Very emotionally draining film about two characters. Willem Dafoe, and Charlotte Gainsborough. There are no other humans in the film. Great performances, great visuals. It's one of those "bad things go to worse" plots. My favourite aspect is how nature, usually a lovely thing, is made evil. "Nature is Satan's church," and you'll believe it. Very gruesome sexual violence. If you liked Hard Candy, this is right up your alley.

  The Departed : Finally saw this movie. If I hear that Irish-sounding rock song again, I'll...whatever. I saw it just to compare to the original. Prefer Infernal Affairs more, but Scorsese still holds his own in the character-building department. The ending, didn't like it. Caprio still is a great OTT actor.

  2012 : Best execution of disaster movie ever. Instead of being a flood/volcano/global warming movie, it's everything! If you like good plots or interesting characters, stay far away from this movie. But if you love great FX, great sadistic visuals of your favourite landmarks getting murdered and murdering other people, I'd recommend it. Only for cinemas, though.

  Heathers : Damn it, I love Winona Ryder in this. An excellent teen school dark comedy, about student "suicides". Won't spoil it, but surprising seeing Christine Slater actually act. I've only heard him from the terrible Uwe Boll films. If you like Mean Girls, but with more angsty narration and much darker comedy, you'll love the heck out of this.

  Election : Wow, another excellent school dark comedy with Matthew Broderick (when he was still relevant), and Reese Witherspoon. Much like World's Greatest Dad, it's a surprisingly emotional journey for the main character. Plot is about student elections, with insane rivalry. Very off-beat, and memorable. No matter how in the dumps Broderick gets, he's always lovable.

  Fast Times at Ridgemont High : This has hit number 1 of best teen comedies. After seeing it, I wouldn't agree, but it has some genius moments of rude humour. Sean Penn, as a stoner since 3 years old, is the most memorable character. Mr. Hand reminded me of my own history teacher!

  Bronson : If you want to see A Clockwork Orange for the new generation, check it out. An absolutely Oscar-worthy performance from Tom Hardy. When I say A Clockwork Orange, I mean brutal violence, clas.sical music, and psychotic characters in prison settings. And it's a TRUE STORY about Britain's most famous prisoner!

  Choke : Sex comedy, with Sam Rockwell again. He has sex addiction, and needs help. Same setting as Fight Club's opening of group therapy. Very interesting story, and it's more about the character's relation to his mom. Their history together. The Jesus turn was surprising. Hot chick. Lots of sex. So, if you're into that...

  Superman/Batman: Public Enemies : If you want an excellent DC action animated movie, this is it. Completely satisfying. Much better than the dud that was Superman: Doomsday. GO BUY THIS NOW!

  The Prestige : Even though I saw it in cinemas, I wanted to see it in 720p. If YOU haven't, you must. Absolutely mesmerising psychological thriller set in the days of magicians and scientists. Knock-out performances from Wolverine and Batman. Nolan at the top of his game. Insane script, making you pay attention very closely. I can't wait for Inception. If that trailer doesn't have you excited or give you the chills...

  ---

  So, let's review. Best movie of 2009 IMO? World's Greatest Dad, so far. Biggest disappointment? Moon. Film I still need to see? Hurt Locker. Film I couldn't care less about? Avatar.

  

  • Posted Nov 21, 2009 11:15 am PT
  • Category: Movies
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• 17Oct 09

  I Haven't Played the Game, but I Have an OPINION!

  Humans are social beasts. We thrive on communication, and feedback. However, we also thrive on gossip and information from secondary or even tertiary sources. This is why we're not journalists or news reporters. We're simply enthusiasts for the medium. Which is why, we can be misinformed very easily, when our hands are off the product. We are only going by what other people tell us.

  HANDS OFF

  The majority of us enthusiasts are not in the gaming press. So it's inevitable to bandwagon around the press' opinions as our own. Imagine if you will the analogy that we enthusiasts are represented as clouds, floating above the earth. We are just fluff. The earth is where the gaming press has their hands on concrete gaming evidence. Without concrete evidence, many variables can "cloud" our judgement. It's only when we have the game in our hands, can we become rain and hit the earth.

  THE BARRAGE

  Since the Internet, the climate of gaming has forever changed. Before with magazines, they'd be our only doors to news and information about the videogame scene. Now, everything you ever wanted to know about videogames is on the click of your fingers. So with more doors open to you at any point of time, you're bound to think that you can know everything about a videogame before it's out. You never have even touched the game, but with the amount of Internet outlets and press people's opinions, you can go off your sniff on what's good and bad.

  Which is why many gaming companies realise this vulnerability, and are architects of their own games' coverage to such a high quality with trailers/screenshots/quotes. You can be misled by the culmination of hype from gaming websites and media, and feel like when the game's reviewed, want to let out your assumptions. You want to be the better on the horse race that your choice was right.

  I KNEW IT!

  In the game's review and release window, your opinion can finally come out the closet whether it is fan-gushing or hate-mongering. You think you've seen enough to form your own hands-off impressions. You also might feel inclined to spread your propaganda to other soapboxes, without ever having concrete proof. This is when you transform into a troll, and are there to either put the game on the pedestal or sink it under the ground without ever having a grain of truth. We are all victims of this (I'm currently an Uncharted 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 troll), because we want to seem smart and be centres of knowledge even if it's not first-hand. Pretention is an eventual side-effect of knowledge. You also want to be in on the act, before the hype for the videogame dies down after its first month (which is a sad case in itself).

  MISLED BY THE PIPER

  Not exclusive to reviews, news about games is in danger to gossip because of the ability of the Internet. It doesn't matter if the news story had a first-hand journalist behind it, now websites (Kotaku, Destructoid, and other blogging outlets) can throw around headlines around the story spread through secondary and tertiary sources. Commentators will comment on such "news", and spread that around so much that eventually it will stand as gospel "truth" (e.g. Gerstmanngate). There are now places where you can watch the whole game from beginning to end (Youtube, Justin.tv), without paying a dime.

  This is the danger of the more avenues opened from the Internet, where there's less first-hand impressions and more reliance on analysts and footage. When you're relying on analyst websites, something has gone wrong, no matter how reliable they are. If you've heard/seen this much about a certain videogame, you'd think you know the whole caboodle?

  THE EMPEROR WITH NO CLOTHES

  Videogames are a unique beast of entertainment. They are interactive, through controller interfaces. Fortunately, no videos or reviews can tell you how your hands and brain would react when you're actually playing the game. No amount of discussing particular game mechanics or headless speculation on video websites can allow you to get the full dish on the game before it's released. None of these venues can sum up everything the game has to offer.

  Unfortunately, you also can't convince sceptics of a game how good/bad it is, without handing them the game yourself. You could say "Brothers in Arms have some of the most emotionally brutal moments ever in a game!", but it means jack to the sceptic who hasn't touched the game. What might impress you about a game might not impress or even make someone else hate the game. You can't know every single secret hidden in a game that may give you an amazing moment, as evidenced by the recent Batman Arkham Asylum.

  Really, who wants fanboys or trolls to fall flat on their faces for having the wrong knowledge about a game or being misled? Who wants these speculators to be made fools, post-release of a game? You have to sympathise with these gullible enthusiasts for letting hype and hyperbole take over them. So, who really wants these uninformed, hands-off humans to end up like the emperor with no clothes?

  I do.

  To conclude, what have we learned from this piece? What nugget of unpretentious knowledge can I impart to you? You shouldn't solely rely on websites or bloggers for your gaming purchases? Form your own opinion for once? That for opinions, everyone has their own and you should keep that in mind? No, you already know that by now.

  The following advice might not be new to you, but it's a universal QFT (Quoted for Truth). Whenever a person starts going crazy over a game in a forum or comment, just say...

  "HAVE YOU PLAYED THE GAME? IF NO, SHUT UP!"

  • Posted Oct 17, 2009 9:45 am PT
  • Category: Editorial
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