• 27Dec 11

  PS3 vs x360: Fresh look

  Here is the thing: I got a PS3 as an early Xmas present (about 3 weeks ago).

  So, now that I had some time to spend with it, here are my impressions. All opinions below are subjectively mine, so please no console wars.

  1. Controller. I believe that x360 has the upper hand here. The PS3 controller is just too skinny, and the thumbsticks are so close together that sometimes my thumbs hit each other. Also, the thumbstick shape is such that thumbs tend to slip.

  2. Interface. PS3 interface is very different, obviuosly, so it's hard to compare. However, I got lucky: x360 received a new interface right after Thanksgiving, so here's my verdict: PS3 has a better and more straightforward interface now. You want to watch a video - just scroll to the left, play a game - scroll to the right. Easy. current x360 interface is a mess. Also, I love the animated PS3 backgrounds, especially now that x360 dumped premium themes.

  3. Free multiplayer and video service access - it's hard to beat the free stuff. PS3 has immediately become my choice for Netflix. x360 just thinks too much at every step, and you have to pay for $60 a year for it. On the other hand, x360 has a much stronger Youtube app. Also, video quality PS3 wins hands down. With HDMI connection and deep colors enabled, the games and videos look fantastic. And it plays blu rays, although I haven't had a chance to try this yet.

  4. Installing games and demos - this part of PS3 is really annoying. You cannot just download a demo and play it like on x360 - you have to install it first. It used to take forever, too, until I learned that I need to disable my internet connection and restart before installing anything - then it is done much faster.

  5.Noise - my good old white x360 is certainly showing its age, and one of the signs is that it is really loud, especially after it warms up. PS3, on the other hand, is whisper quiet.

  So, overall, none of the two is a clear winner. However, PS3 is certainly better suited for being a movie and video center, which is ironic since it's exactly what x360 is trying to achieve with the new update.

  When it comes to games though, it's complicated - for fast paceed games the x360 controller is still my favourite.

  The image quality obviously depends on how well a particular game can utilize the console's resources, so for slower paced games I think I'll just have to decide based on the screenshots and reviews.

  Overall, I'm a happy owner of 2 platforms now. Ditto

  • Posted Dec 27, 2011 5:00 pm GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 5Dec 11

  Revelations or Sunset of Ezio

  Ezio Auditore de Firenze...

  First time I heard this name, I thought it sounded a little silly and way too long.

  But then came Assasin's Creed 2, and things changed.

  Ezio turned out to be a likeable fella who I enjoyed sharing adventures with.

  Recently, however, I gave AC2 to my nephew who never played it before.

  He loved it, and after playing it for 10 hours he asked:

  'So, what new cool stuff did they add in the sequels?'

  Awkward silence was my answer...

  This is the biggest con and pro of Revelations: it is largely the same as AC2 or Brotherhood.

  On one hand, it's a good thing: if you enjoyed AC2 and AC:B, then Revelations is just more of the same good old stuff.

  There are a few tweaks, of course. The good ones: the hookblade, which is just a word for 'scale the buildings a little faster', and grenades, which are fun to use (attract a bunch of guards to one location with one bomb, poison them all with another). And the bad ones: Mediterranean defense, which is more of a chore than it should be, and the Den Defense, which would not be nearly as bad if it didn't force you to deal with cowardly captains afterwards.

  Ezio himself is still a likeable fella, and his older and wisez demeanor is refreshingly positive.

  New city, Istanbul, is not as diverse as it could be, but it is a fun setting to this chapter of adventures.

  However, the new things are not enough to shake things up. The game might as well have been called AC:B2, and that is not a good thing for many gamers out there.

  Personally, I enjoyed it a lot. However, it only took me 2 weeks of casual playing to complete, so the game is about as long as AC:B, I guess.

  Is it worth $60? Sadly, the answer is no. I strongly suggest to wait until it hits at least $30to buy it - then you will be getting a great deal.

  PS: if you are interested in AC multiplayer, be aware that to play it you need to buy the game new or buy $10 pass. Yes, Ubisoft is following the way of Mortal Kombat and others... Et tu, Ubisoft, et tu...

  • Posted Dec 5, 2011 2:17 pm GMT
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• 24Oct 11

  Is it really Human Revolution? (Review)

  Deus Ex or, as the full phrase goes, Deus Ex Machina is latin for 'god from the machine' - a plot device where some super being comes out of nowhere and saves the day. Luckily, this plot device is for the most part absent in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, the game I recently finished playing for the 2nd time.

  This year so was pretty scarce for RPGs, or even a good action RPG. So when Deus Ex came on my radar about 5 months ago, I got immediately interested and figured I'll give it a try. Did I regret that one bit? Absolutely not.

  Now, I have not played the original Deus Ex, so I will not be making any comparisons. To me, it was all new. And as a side note, I play on x360.

  With that said, let's begin.

  1. Graphics and Character Models

  First of all, let me say that good ol x360 can still pull some pretty decent graphics, which do not make my hdtv feel like a screen from the 80s. Everything has a yellowish color to it, which is not irritating at all (at least not as much as New Vegas greyish palette or Dragon Age brownish). Most things look good up close and don't ruin the immersion factor. The only complaint is that for some reason the character models feel like bobble heads when you talk to them - they keep shaking their head and arms a lot, which is a little annoying. Other than that - no complains.

  2. Level design

  Now this is one of the areas where the game really shines - the levels are anintricatemaze of rooms, secret passages and hidden vents. They are a little intimidating at first, but once you get used to navigating them, you find that there's always more than one way to get somewhere. And that is just absolutely amazing and captivating. On my 2nd playthrough I was finding passages and areas of the game which I totally missed during the 1st. And that is certainly a sign of great level design. Rooms look very believable, too, with lots of details which only help to immerse you into the atmosphere of the world. That said, the world is not as open as Oblivion or Fallout 3 - other than a few quest hubs, the levels for the most part will eventually converge into one spot. But getting to that spot is certainly lots of fun.

  3. Dialogs, Inventory and RPG system

  Why do I combine all these things together? Because they go so closely with each other. The dialogs in the game to some respect remind me about Dragon Age 2 - they allow you to express your thoughts by selecting a general direction. However, they also give you a full description of the text you are about to say, so you never accidentally mean one thing and say another. Also, unlike, Mass Effect (and, to certain level, Dragon Age 2), it is actually possible to 'fail' a conversation, and then you are stuck with finding other ways to get to your goal (which is not a bad thing at all!). In fact, I wish the dialogs were a little harder , sometimes it was a little too easy to figure out what needs to be said.

  The characters during those dialogs are appropriately voiced, and the character models express their feelings clearly (but without exaggeration). Also, the dialogs are sometimes affected by your augments. The augments are little cyber implants which let you perform actions or give you abilities which are impossible for an average human. They also allow you to get to some parts of the level where you wouldn't be able to get otherwise. You get an augmentation upgrade point every time you accumulate 5000xp, which is not too much. However, there are so many upgrades available, that getting them all in one playthrough is impossible. That means that at least in the beginning your gameplay will be somewhat different every time you play. By mid - game, you'l probably get all essential upgrades, but even then some secondary upgrades can make quite a difference. To add to the diversity, the inventory system is quite limited in size, so carrying more that two weapons is quite difficult, which means that if you want to have extended use of a particular weapon, you are probably better off saving it for the next playthrough.All that certainly adds some good replay value.

  4. Gameplay, Storyline and AI

  Unfortunately, even though the game lets you get to your objective in a variety of ways, the storyline itself is pretty much set in stone. Which is a shame, because with such a variety of ways to get to your objective, the game does not really take advantage of it. There's one sidequest where you are asked to get to your objective in a certain way, which makes you adjust your gameplay and think differently. Unfortunately, the main quest lacks this kind of approach, and never really branches off. That does not hurt the game too much though, because even though the goals and story line remain the same, thinking of new ways to get to your goal is still a lot of fun. The game is very flexible in how you accomplish things, even if the things which need to be accomplished remain the same. The AI helps with the diversity, since it reacts appropriately to your distractions, which lets you approach a room full of guards in different ways. They are not as smart in open combat, but then the game is really more of a stealth rpg anyway. If you do enter open firefight , be careful - your character dies from just a few bullets. So do enemies, but their superior numbers mean open confrontation is highly undesirable, even on easy difficulty.

  Last but not least, I have to mention the hacking minigame, which could be a game of its own. Describing it is really not worth it - just watch some youtube videos and you'll get the idea. Basically, if you liked the hacking game from Bioshock, then you will be right at home with hacking at Deus Ex.

  So, overall my verdict is - while it certainly has room for improvements, it's one of the best futuristic RPGs currently available. It may not be a revolution, but I think it is a must for anyone who likes the challenge of nonlinear gameplay.

  • Posted Oct 24, 2011 8:44 pm GMT
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