• 22Apr 09

  Dante's Inferno

  I just took a look at the videos for the upcoming game Dante's Inferno from EA. Man it looks interesting. I loved reading the book back in high school. I am hoping that they remain close to the source material. The idea of playing through the story, or a game closely related to it sounds tantalizing.

  It is my hope that it isn't just a hack & slash, but rather there is a RPG aspect to it, or a good story driving it. The book deserves more than a rehash of God of War where you just run around killing anything that comes in your way. I'd rather do some quests or something along the way. Not that you can't still have action too, I'd just rather have both. My only other caveat is that it is currently only coming to the current gen consoles, of which I have none. I guess if I was desperate enough I could play it on my brother's PS3, but I might, just might, be tempted enough to buy a XBOX 360 for this game (and a few others I'd like to play like Fable 2). It is still a long ways off from release, but I am eager to see more about it. Maybe EA might even be convinced to bring this game to the PC as well.

  • Posted Apr 22, 2009 10:08 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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• 17Apr 09

  Starcraft 2 = Starcraft 1.5?

  I watched the Battle Report posted here on GS of Starcraft 2. I have to say I was rather disappointed, and I've been eagerly looking forward to this game. SC1 is now some 10 years old and while it was a classic then, there has been a lot of advancement in RTS technology and game hardware. New techniques have been introduced like "leader units" and getting away from base building, especially for things like supply depos that hamper your population expansion without them. Watching the video just seem to be like watching a video of the original Starcraft except with better graphics and new units. It was almost like a Starcraft version 1.5. Something that a modder or fan would make that would be true to the original (same camera, same UI, etc.) but make no innovations as to piss off the fans.

  It seems to me that Blizzard is intent on making this game for the hardcore competitive gaming scene rather than a good game for the masses. I know that SC1 is still played in Korean leagues competitively and the games watched on TV there. SC2 seems to have been made exactly for that purpose, to be played by hardcore fanboys and not to offer long time fans any evolution in game play.

  Even WC3 made more evolution when it was released over WC2. WC3 introduced leader units and a RPG side to things where you could collect items, equip them, level units, etc. While I argue that it wasn't a perfect implementation, it was better than just releasing WC2 again with new graphics and some new units.

  While I will still probably buy SC2 when it comes out, and enjoy it, I still feel disappointed in paying $50 to play a game I already have. I hope that game review sites like Gamespot don't get star-lust when they review the game since it is by Blizzard (who it seems could release a bag of crap and still not score less than a 9). I want a thorough, honest review that scores this game on not just what is in it, but what was left out.

  • Posted Apr 17, 2009 10:14 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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• 15Apr 09

  Demigod Disappointment & THQ Rant

  I was disappointed to see the result of the work on Demigod. I am a real fan of RTS's and this one seemed appealing on the outside. But the more I watched the videos of gameplay, and then after reading the revew here on GS, I decided to skip it. I like the idea of controlling a boss or god-like unit with its minions, but being able to only control that unit and not the minions seems like a problem. If you wanted to create a diversion with your minions or the AI was being stupid you'd have a problem. Being left with only 1 unit to control in a RTS seems like little fun, even if there are RPG apsects to it like getting items and skills. I'd rather be controlling armies than a solo character. The nail in the coffin is that there is no single player. I mostly enjoy my RTS's with me vs. the computer AI since my friends almost all lack decent computers or are adicted to WoW. Playing against strangers online just doesn't seem as much fun, since inevitably you'll run into a crowd who play a lot more than you and are better and consistently wipe the floor with you. And that's no fun except to them I guess. Even if I was interested in online play, it is currently broken in Demigod according to GS, which cuts out the main purpose of the game.

  I am also kind of skeptical about buying a Gas Powered Games game again after buying Supreme Commander Gold from them. I liked the original and decided to pick up the bundle of the original and the expansion for $30 on Amazon. Seemed like a good deal. But what I found was that the expansion is very buggy on my system, even with the last patch applied. The sound cuts out in the game, and only 1 or 2 buildings might have sound. This affects gameplay since you don't have cues of what is going on audibly. The publisher THQ's site had a post about it, but the fix didn't work, and the game doesn't seem to be actively supported anymore. Speaking of THQ, could they have made finding a patch or getting support on a game any lousier? You have to search for the game's exact title (where there should be a pull-down menu with all their games in it or something), and then there isn't an actual page where the patches are posted and the changes listed. Is it that hard to support games like Blizzard does? They still have pages for patches for games released in the mid-ninties (Diablo) while THQ can't seem to support a game that's less than 2 years old?

  • Posted Apr 15, 2009 10:06 pm PT
  • Category: Games
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