Unabridged Obscurity

What Keeps Me Playing – Fallout 3

Andrew Galbraith — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I’ve now clocked thirty-five hours of exploring the Capital Wasteland, killing mutants and slavers, emptying my inventory countless times. Interestingly enough, I lost interest in Bethesda’s fantasy oriented title Elder Scroll: Oblivion after roughly five clocked hours, yet have been unable to shake the desire the play Fallout for another thirty-five. It seems the difference is in a few basic principles. Primarily, the orientation of the genre is science fiction as opposed to fantasy, essentially capturing the source material perfectly and expanding upon it in a way that, while not perfectly in line with previous incarnations, illustrate and flesh out the franchise even further. Bethesda additionally goes a step further and allows for the game to be played from various perspectives, opening the door to multiple playthroughs and, with the implementation and extrapolation of game achievements and the gamer scores, from various angles. Along with the main quest, side quests as well as downloadable content demand the attention of the player and are so flush with content they can keep any gamer entranced well beyond the estimated one-hundred hours of gameplay.

First and foremost, Oblivion is not a bad game. It is a well-written and thought-out title that has the ability to drive any fantasy fan into a fit of immersion that has the potential to leave them drooling and sitting in a pile of awe. My primary issue with the game was that the fantasy left a lot to be desired for me as a player. I enjoy alternate titles in the genre to be sure; Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, Fable and Fable 2 are a few of my choice titles. Fantasy games are not bad, but my preference as a gamer naturally gravitates towards titles such as Fallout 3, which is why my initial predisposition is quite obvious as this point. But, I never once in this article want to knock Oblivion. Bethesda knows what their doing when it comes to games.

I’ve played Fallout, Fallout 2, Tactics and even Brotherhood of Steel. Before the Fallout series came into being, the post-apocalyptic world was never done so well. The original Fallout was designed to be a dungeon crawling role-playing game, in the same vein as Blizzard’s Diablo. The exception here was that the entire world felt like the dungeon, always leaving the player feeling, in some capacity, at the mercy of the game world. This constant danger not only persisted to keep the player feeling vulnerable, but in that susceptibility, created a genuinely entertaining environment. The constant challenge on the horizon is one of the prime appeals of the Fallout series. However, Fallout 3 was altered with formulaic precision from its predecessors, without subtracting the elements that made it enjoyable.

The opening cinematic sets the stage to submerges the player into the post-apocalyptic world. From the moment the player is born in Vault 101, takes the G.O.A.T exam and subsequently escapes into the wasteland around what was Washington D.C. Bethesda seemingly has thought of everything. Character customization is spot on, allowing for players to create themselves in virtually any image they choose. Additional creation is extrapolated following the S.P.E.C.I.A.L process and the G.O.A.T exam that gives the player the abilities they’ll come to rely on later in the game. While being the training level that essentially establishes many of the rules for the player this is never done in a way that feels tedious and remains interesting enough to get the player through the vault. Even prior to the final escape, the player is given the opportunity to make last minute changes. Pending the player’s satisfaction, the character sets foot out into the wasteland.

Though wandering through the wasteland, at times for hours, the game never feels tiresome. Whether intended or not, Bethesda created a universe that allows the player to feel like an explorer. Random encounters with creatures, mutants and wasteland inhabitants, friendly or not, create a vast world that doesn’t cease to be remarkable. In particular, when discovering a new location, there is a satisfying ‘Cha-ching!’ sound and an on-screen prompt notifying the player where exactly they have found themselves. I find this tremendously compelling given that this occurs before the player even starts to investigate the settlement and intermingle with the populace. Coupled with branching dialogue options as well as the actions afforded the player, regardless of playing good or evil, provide the gamer numerous prospects to experience the game from an assortment of perspectives. In-game quests, be they downloadable content, side or mainstream, further provide the player with a plethora of fun and compelling content to sink their teeth into and keep the gaming community playing this game. Very much like a pusher, this title gives you the main quest from what you receive in the box of Fallout 3. But if you want more content, gameplay or achievements, then you have to pay. So far, four additional packs of content have been released and the ending of the main quest has been effectively removed. Theoretically, if Bethesda continues to create downloadable content, players can effectively play Fallout 3, wandering through the wasteland, until Fallout 4 is released or the end of time, whichever occurs first.

Shaping a universe is never easy, be it Oblivion or Fallout, but Bethesda handled it in such a way that was convincing and stood out in an extraordinary way. They crafted and molded a science fiction oriented world that pulls the player in and immerses them in a post-apocalyptic future. Regardless of the previous incarnations of Fallout, the game is accessible for those seeking to play, but crafted in such a way as to interest those who have been playing for years, while still paying service to the Fallout faithful. But with the chance offered to play multiple times, be it good, evil or neutral, through the title, I believe that coupled with the various perks and abilities the longevity of the game is assured. Additionally, with the commitment Bethesda has professed with downloadable content continued play has been cemented with relative certainty. Thus, with all the extras on top of the initial package received upon purchase, there is enough content for any willing gamer to supersede the one-hundred hour gameplay estimate and explore every last facet of a world Bethesda has created.

–Andrew
Guns and 50′s music.

Is the PSP Dead?

Andrew Galbraith — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I will never forget the day I opened up the crisp cardboard box containing my first PSP. That box didn’t just hold some sort of gadget or toy, inside that box at the time lie dormant the very things of which dreams are made. I remember when I first saw what would become the Playstation Portable. I was haplessly streaming videos from E3 2004 and trying to keep an eye on whatever information I could via whatever site was claiming to have the most updated information on the most regular basis. Looking back at the time, I was kind of pathetic in my geekdom, but nonetheless a moment I fondly look back on.

When my eyes gazed upon it, I was dumbstruck. I couldn’t look away. The Playstation 2 was still moving by the boatload and the Playstation 3 was a madman’s distant dream. The PSP could very possibly fill the void. It wouldn’t be difficult when matched up against the competition at the time. Microsoft was still fumbling slightly with the Xbox and Xbox Live service, Apple wouldn’t unveil the iPhone for sometime and Nintendo was knee-deep in the Gamecube and trying to shake the image of pushing the most kid-friendly system, both a blessing or a stigma, while showing off what would become the DS. It seemed like compared to the only offering on the table at the time, the PSP was poised to blow the DS out of the water.

The PSP was virtually a Swiss Army knife to many. Besides playing titles on the proprietary UMD format (really, thanks so much for that Sony), the little machine could play music, movies via UMD or loaded on a memory stick, could access the internet / Playstation Network and with a hacked system it became possible for gamers to easily play Playstation 1, Super Nintendo, Sega, Dreamcast or any other title compatible with the emulation software. Following the release of the Playstation 3, remote play via PSP to PS3 connectivity became possible and is still being fleshed out based on the much flaunted ten-year plan Sony has for the Playstation 3.

So is the PSP dead? And if it isn’t, why then is Sony releasing the PSP Go?

It’s always remarkable, be it a failure or not, to watch a genre move forward, but when a gaming platform makes the same progress, it is always interesting to watch. This however, is not the case with the PSP Go. I’m still trying to imagine what exactly is the direction Sony wants to take the market, but if the design of the Go is any indication whatsoever, they want to hold all of the cards via downloadable content. And not just minor updates or simple DLC, I’m talking about downloading entire titles and removing retail marketeers out of the equation in their entirety so that every dollar, euro and cent goes to Sony in one incarnation or another. Design-wise the Go is all about mobile platforming via downloaded content. All one needs to do is look at the integrated 16 gigs of memory. But why take retail out of the equation besides keeping all the money for themselves? Don’t retailers like Target, Best Buy, Amazon.com and even Gamestop give Sony the marketing coverage it needs? Is the average Sony consumer really that informed to base all of their purchases off what they see on the PSN? Personally, I think Sony is hoping for just that.

I’ve tried caring about the PSP Go since I saw it, but I just can’t bring myself to begin appreciating it in any further capacity than wanting to try it out, and this is coming from a proud PSP owner. I love my PSP, I want Sony to do better in this console generation so that they’ll still be around when the dust settles and a new generation is at hand, but at this rate, I’m sincerely concerned. The Nintendo DS and DSi have both buried Sony, capturing a significant amount of the handheld / mobile market share and to make it worse for the PSP Go, Apple has made up significant ground with the iPhone / iPod Touch. Add to the mix that there really doesn’t seem to be any indication that such success won’t let up any time soon, and that’s a significant problem.

My primary issue is that Sony hasn’t announced any sort of strategy to allow those who already own any kind of UMD to upload them or have them on the Go, while still passing on all the costs of the product development to the early adopters. To me, it seems like Sony is significantly banking on the customer loyalty that their brand has garnered over the years, but how much more loyalty can there be if the loyal keep feeling screwed over? Take for instance the 60gb Playstation 3, which had the closest thing to acceptable backward compatibility for PS2 and PS1 titles. Instead of working to make full-backwards compatibility the standard, Sony pulled the model and it has since become nothing more than a sought after relic for those willing to be price gouged on eBay. I apologized to you once Sony, but I can’t do it anymore. I have a collection of PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP titles all sitting on my shelf. Is it so much to ask that I can actually play my old games on the newer systems as opposed to getting screwed out of that simple right by being forced to purchase them again via the Playstation Network so Sony can turn another couple of bucks off of me? I applaud Final Fantasy VII for selling as it did, but what about those of us who already own the original discs and simply want to play it on their PS3? Not so much luck.

I would really like to give Sony my money, but if my original, out-of-the-box PSP is still chugging along and doing what I want it to do, when I want it to do it, then the PSP Go becomes nothing more than a superfluous amount of money. It ultimately comes across like Sony is trying to reinvent the wheel with the Go, and if this truly was the case, why not just implement phone capabilities into it? Why not be more transparent about the development process and give the gamers what they want instead of either telling us what we want or giving us what you think we want. A little inquisition can go along way to getting a desired result.

I like you Sony and we go way back, but I agree with many others that you need to seriously reevaluate what exactly it is you want to do as far as handhelds go. When Nintendo unveiled the DSi, they added just enough to warrant purchasing it, but Nintendo recognizes that it’s still the clumsy little sister when compared to the hotter, more experienced system that is the DS. But, we all grow up eventually, right? It seems like the PSP Go just doesn’t have enough to convince me yet that it’s the hotter, sleeker version of what I already own. In the meantime, Sony please figure this out or you’re going to go the way of Sega.

Best of luck.

–Andrew
To the best laid plans.

Thank you to Billy Berghammer for the piece that inspired this one.

LBP Hits One Million User Created Projects

Andrew Galbraith — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:18:00 +0000

I could arguably dictate that this speaks for itself, but in case you hadn’t heard, there’s over one million user created projects now on Little Big Planet. One million doesn’t sound like a big number, but look at it like this: 1,000,000.

See? Big number.

If you do the math, even after you complete the offline content, that’s still a daunting amount. Say you spend 5 minutes on every user created level, good or bad, that would mean you would be playing for 5 million minutes. That translates pretty well in consumer value for the $400 spent on the PS3, $60 on LBP and the $50 you spend on internet each month. Roughly, that breaks down to 83,333 hours, 3,472 days, or 9.5 years. I don’t think Sony was kidding about that whole ten-year plan. Really, the Soviets would be proud.

Sincerely speaking, my warmest congratulations to Media Molecule and the users who have given their time to shaping their little corner of the Little Big Universe.

–Andrew
We shape reality.

Dead Space Extraction Comic-Con 2009 Gameplay

Andrew Galbraith — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Making all allowances given how much fun the original Dead Space was, I think this game has a certain quality about it that makes it seem like it could be a good time. My only qualm so far is the controller vs. screen interface given the precision required to take limbs off the creatures. This of course could be easily rectified by making the predictable exception for the Wii.

–Andrew
Hackin’ and whackin’ and smackin’

Microsoft Dashboard Update

Andrew Galbraith — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Microsoft cleverly slipped a bit of knowledge into their Comic-Con press release. The next major Xbox Dashboard update since the Xbox Live Experience launched is coming on August 11.

I bet you’re wondering what that means for you. Well, have no fear.

If you are a Netflix user the ability to watch a film in a grouped party across Xbox Live with friends will become possible. It’s extremely interesting if not cool that I can now watch movies, from the classics to classically bad, with a party of friends – especially for those who are interested in watching 1080p, or rather those who have a connection that can manage it. Really, it gives a new angle and breathes yet more life into the 360 Dashboard as well as the Xbox 360 as a system.

Additionally, integration with Twitter, Facebook and Last.fm are impeding. So, now I can tweet about the game I’m playing, leave a facebook update about the game I’m playing and have the opportunity to listen to more of the music I want to listen to while – as the kids say – slaughter them noobs on the Live. Overall though, this is fascinating as it brings an entire new social aspect to the system with the integration of the various networks. Bravo Microsoft.

Last, but not least, Games on Demand will become available following the update going live, allowing for gamers to download Xbox 360 titles in their entirety. I really can’t wait to see the digital distribution model take off and watch retail outlets like Gamestop have it stuck to them. I’m all for picking up a nice game cheap, but what if with certain elements taken out of the product, that occurs naturally. After all, it would be asinine to charge the same, full price for a title I download when I could just as easily go out and buy a boxed copy and not waste the bandwidth, right?

A lucky few will be able to get the update early – those being in the press, obviously and those who head to Microsoft’s website and are willing to submit their consoles to guinea pigdom, which I’m more than willing to do so and have already signed up here. I like where Microsoft is taking this.

I’m aware of the argument that PSN is free and Live is not, but that is a different argument for a different day. For now, I’m going to celebrate the great things I’m trying not to be cynical about in my expectations.

–Andrew
Getting what you pay for.

Katamari is Forever Rolling

Andrew Galbraith — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:43:00 +0000

The new trailer for Katamari Forever makes me fondly remember Katamari Damacy, We Love Katamari and Beautiful Katamari quite fondly and this iteration appears to be no different.I definitely am liking the art style which, while looking very unique, seems to borrow a bit from Echochrome in basic principle.

–Andrew
Rainbow Road!

Zombies Now Hunt Sheep?

Andrew Galbraith — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Video Games | Zombies vs. Sheep | Gameplay Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

This a video for the new iPhone / iPod Touch title Zombies vs. Sheep. I would be lying if I said I was less than confused/intrigued as to why the Zombies are going after Sheep now. But with Zombies in the digital equivalent of Las Vegas, Zombies fighting plants and Zombies caught up in the aftermath of Katrina, I suppose I shouldn’t ask too many questions.

–Andrew
Brains?

Batman: Arkham Asylum In-Game Video

Andrew Galbraith — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Video Games | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Playing the Game Featurette HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Despite the press about Eidos trying to buy good reviews, which they’ve vehemently denied, I’m going on good faith and will check this out. Batman is just that awesome.

–Andrew
Na na na na na na na…Batman!

Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising

Andrew Galbraith — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Video Games | Operation Flashpoint: DR | Exclusive Weapons Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Every new trailer brings this title closer to its release date. Believe me, I’m all for military sims, but there is a thin line between simulation and fun.

–Andrew
Straddle the line.

UPDATE – Section 8 Dev Diary

Andrew Galbraith — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Video Games – E3 2009 – Video Game Trailers

Developer diary giving ample explanation about the unique Section 8 game mechanics.

–Andrew
Drop in.