So my new best friend ever, Greg, has somehow gotten his hands on another Star Craft 2 Beta test key and he graciously gave it to me. And people say that hair dolls and voodoo don’t work.

When I got the voicemail from him this morning, due to my shitty service, all I heard from his recording was , “So…. (inaudible) I  figured you would…..(inaudible) wanna…… Star Craft 2 beta key….”. That was all I needed to hear and I was out of bed and furiously pawing at the screen in an attempt to get the phone to call him back. I was asleep when I heard the voice mail notification go off and we all know how hard it is to focus on anything the moment after you wake from a deep sleep. I wasn’t quite sure where I was, saw my dog and thought he was  a pile of clothes and starred at the keypad to my phone as if I were a caveman who had never used cell service. Needless to say, after a few minutes my fat digits mashed the correct keys and my nerdy Mexican friend was on the other line answering my nerd prayers.

Moments later the email arrived, beta key included and I downloaded the client with speedy speediness. ( Speedy speediness?  I am still jazzed alright? I don’t need to fuckin’ impress you!)

The game took it’s time to install and once it was configured, I could not get it to load longer than a second. I finally tracked the problem down to a graphic card rendering issue and rewrote the default rendering mode in the configuration files. VIOLA! All systems go!

The Terran are still highly mobile

This game is BEAUTIFUL. After playing for a few minutes I was instantly transported back into high school, where I used to play the original with my closeted, somewhat boyfriend/best friend.

Yay for high school sexual confusion!

I was hoping I could access the single player mode, but the only thing included is the multi player option. Now, I am really good at Star Craft when playing against craptacular players and people who have never used a mouse before, you know, Jews? However, the 15 year old super virgins that kicked my butt today reminded me of my inability to really play the game with discernible skill. I usually start out and horde resources, never building any units until I am overtaken by an army of 3 Zerglings. It really is quite sad.

I don’t think I am able to post any pictures from the beta test,  as they may have something in the EULA about copy written images and what not. So, in place of my own screen shots, I am going to include some that came with the install. As it stands now, the Protoss are my favorite, but they were in the original as well. They seem to be a tad overpowered when compared to the other two factions, but when you have warp gates and transdimensional spaceships, what are the space hobo Terran’s but a moth to a flame? I am sure I just lost some of my uber political readers with this post, but this game is the bees knees you elitist dweebs!

The Protoss has them thar lazer beams

I have not come across any technical issues as of yet, but I am sure if they exist I will find them. I am tempted to report my crappy score to Blizzard as a possible bug. Surely one person couldn’t be THIS bad.

I thre this in for my friend Joel. If he reads my blog.

All in all, Star Craft II looks to be a beautiful addition to the original. I am just hoping they expand upon this version much more than they did the original. This game is too enjoyable to sit on the shelves for another 11 years.

Star Craft II beta test – Need a light? is a post from: Necropolitica - Deleting the stereotype

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I spent the last two weekends at a friends house enjoying one of the most amazing video games I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

No, scratch that, you don’t play this game,  you experience an entirely engrossing experience that often led me to forget that these characters were not real.

I am not one to be easily swayed by the hype surrounding anything,  evident when I happened to think Alice in Wonderland was rather, “wonder less” while everyone else was ripping out their hair for it. That being said, Quantic Dream has created a ground breaking piece of art with Heavy Rain.  Once in a while, you come across something that changes the genre in which it arrives and in this case, Heavy Rain is more art than it is video game. Before I go on, watch the video below and judge for yourself if you are even going to be interested in the following review. Keeping in mind that this is a video game, I dare you not to be moved by this performance.

Click here to view the embedded video.

With an entirely unique system of play, you cycle through four main characters, each a piece in a larger puzzle that intersects reactively according to the choices you make during the story. The game starts with the main character, Ethan Mars, a young father of two,  husband, architect and overall unexpected sex symbol.  When you begin the game it starts out painfully slow for the first 20-30 minutes, which can be slightly irksome for the more ADD prone amongst us. However, after a few minutes you realize the necessity behind the slow introduction as the game dynamics are unlike anything you have seen or played before. The entire game is built on a system of active decision making, allowing you to choose several different options during each encounter, never knowing the outcome of those choices. Whether you choose to take a shower or play with your children, these actions or inactions will have an impact on the unfolding of the story.  To add an even further level of complexity and urgency to your choices, Heavy Rain forces you to consider each and every choice you make, often times in an incredibly short amount of time, we are talking seconds here people. The full impact of these choices is further exaggerated by the inability to save your game or restart a particular event or area.

Heavy Rain's Ethan Mars

That is right, once you start the game you must play through entirely. There are no muligans in this business and that alone can be incredibly frustrating, but rewarding.

I will not go into too many details about the story or plot, as some of you have yet to play the game, but what I will tell you will provide you with enough information to spark your interests. (Assuming you have good  taste. which I assume you do considering you are reading my blog.)

As the game progresses Ethan Mars loses his eldest son in a tragic car accident and regresses into a deep depression, while the life around him falls apart. It is during this time that a serial killer, known as “The Origami Killer”, resurfaces and begins to terrorize your world. Known for his particular theatrics, the Origami Killer leaves clues and origami figures for the parents of the abducted children, forcing them to engage in a race to beat the clock and save their children before they are drowned by the oncoming  heavy seasonal rainfall. Hence the title of the game.

As the game progresses you are introduced to three other playable characters, all who play an integral role in the solving of the killers riddles. At any point you can be killed while playing these characters and without the ability to restart, it makes your choices far more stressful, making even simple decisions leaving you panicked.  These characters are all unknowingly intertwined and connected to Ethan Mars and the search for the Origami Killer. Madison Paige is a photo journalist who hopes to break the story and solve the crime herself. Suffering from insomnia, she often checks herself into motels as they are the only place she can experience a comfortable nights sleep. It is during one of these nights that she comes in contact with Mars and ends up playing a pivotal role in his survival and overall success, depending on your choices.

Heavy Rain's Madison Paige

Looking at these stills of actual  in game footage, you can see just how detailed and beautiful the graphics are. The mood of the game, lighting and environment are precisely crafted to invoke a different emotion depending on your progress in the story. The music is also equally brilliant and aids the player in forgetting that they are playing a game and not watching a well written drama.  The music is so well designed and crafted that you can almost hear the intent behind its placement in particular areas and events.  Check out the video below for a sample of the main theme, which I find to be both moving and  haunting.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Later on you are introduced to Norman Jayden, who I happen to have a major digital man crush on. I say man crush because I am so masculine that most people think I am straight and I don’t want to throw off my readers. Norman is an FBI agent who has been assigned to the Origami Killer case.  He has an adorable Boston accent and an even more endearing drug addiction. On top of both of those wonderful traits, he carries around with him the single most amazing piece of technology I have ever seen.  The item in question? He uses a pair of glasses that are built around a computer that is able to interact with his environment in real time, allowing him to read DNA samples, finger prints and anything else that could be considered useful at a crime scene. All of this data is then connected to the FBI central data base and displayed in an augmented realty virtual layover.  Norman is a vital character in Heavy Rain as he serves as one of the major devices for evidence collection, allowing you to unveil the identity of the Origami Killer… granted you make the correct choices of course.

Heavy Rain's Norman Jayden

I have also included a video demonstrating the wonders of the A.R.I system. What I would give if this thing were real.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The last major character in Heavy Rain is Scott Shelby, a private investigator working on behalf of the victims of the Origami Killer. Shelby is trying to piece together evidence to lead him to the whereabouts of the killers latest victim, hoping to save him in time and bring the killer to Justice. A retired police officer, Shelby understands the corrupt underbelly of the city and spends most of his time in less than desirable situations, looking for anything that will lead him to the killer.

Heavy Rain's Scott Shelby

Heavy Rain left me so immersed that I actually found myself feeling for these characters and their plight. I was anxious and upset when something would affect them for the worst. The stunning environmental design, coupled with such a beautiful soundtrack was almost overwhelming at times. As lame as this may sound, I related to these characters and felt for them and their journey. At times they felt real.  I am going to include a video that demonstrates some of the game play, to further illustrate the game dynamics and story development.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Overall, Heavy Rain is an intense experience that will leave you questioning the boundaries that a video game can be contained in as well as the emotions they can invoke. Aside from a few mechanic issues with the button placement, Heavy Rain is just as about flawless as they come. All in all, I would recommend this game to anyone that wants to try something new and reward themselves with an exciting emotional ride. I would not recommend this game for anyone with anxiety issues or fat fingers, as I often found it hard to hit the correct buttons when I was expected to make quick decisions. However, if you can cut back on the Cheetos or use some sort of dialing wand, you should be fine.

Pros: Heavy Rain is a beautiful game, pushing the envelope of character development and game dynamics. The music is far above most of its competitors and the characters and graphics are well developed and immersive.

Cons: Some of the controls can be frustrating as they require awkward finger posistion, which can cause muscle strain in certain situations. The onscreen notifications also tend to overlap their visual cues with other actions, making it hard to tell if you are supposed to tap a button rapidly or hold it down.

Heavy Rain: 5 out of 5

Heavy Rain – The Origami Killer raises the bar is a post from: Necropolitica - Deleting the stereotype

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I have traveled across the world in search of adventure, dragons and sweet ass.

There has been a slow increase of gay characters and gay themes in video games of late.  Just this year the Sims 3 introduced the idea of gay marriage, although same sex relationships had been a part of the game mechanics since the original.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The last game I had played, in which you could make your character homosexual, was Fable. The ensuing sex scenes, although they faded to black, had some comical, if not misleading, audio. I have never once heard anyone utter the words, “Oh, it’s so big” to me during the act of love making. I have also never used the term “love making” before tonight.

This video is from Fable 2, but it illustrates the point.

Click here to view the embedded video.

However, all of that is old news as Dragon Age: Origins includes a full on sex scene. Yes… a gay sex scene.

“Dragon Age” is the name given to the time period in which the game takes place. It was named so because, at the beginning of the age, dragons re-appeared in the world after being thought extinct. The game is not all about dragons, though of course dragons do play a role in the story. Dragons are rare and dangerous creatures, and their fantastical nature is evocative of what our game is all about – hence the title.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The video is pretty graphic for a game, although it doesn’t show anything. It does, however, rely on a lot of suggestion.

After watching the video several questions had been answered for me. I had long believed all elves to be bottoms and now I know.

However. I am left with one question?

Are all of the Elves in Dragon Age from the gayest part of Spain? If so… boo.

Video game characters have better sex than I do -or- Gay sex hits your PS3 is a post from: Necropolitica - Deleting the stereotype

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In a blazing pillar of fire, futuristic marines are shot from the stratosphere and sent spiraling to the ground at 80 miles per hour. Somehow, through the use of space magic or some unknown technology, they are able to land every time with no physical damage. Naturally I blame witches. Futuristic space witches.

Section 8 has been out for a while now and I recently got my hands on it. I have seen the commercials on TV and was oddly curious as to how the game would turn out. I don’t play an awful lot of PC games, but I have been trying to change that as of late. Section 8 was not exactly what I had imagined, but it did have some strong points. Before we go into great detail about space witches and the sort, take a gander at the trailer below. Take a moment to listen for the ultra macho voice over guy. “We always watch each others six.”  I wonder what the space equivalent of “no-homo” is.

Click here to view the embedded video.

So, it looks pretty action packed, right? The graphics look sharp, while the visual imagery is close to photo realism, and just look at that space armor! You could place a laptop behind you, turn your back on it,  stare into the reflection of that armor and enjoy your pornography in crystal clear clarity. It’s sad that I found a way to work that line into this review. What is even more sad, is that you took a second to visually imagine that scene.

Visually, the game is stunning, but that ends up being its strongest point. I would like to say that the concept is equally impressive, but it feels like the designers only ventured forward with it for a short distance, then abandoned it entirely. When I play a FPS, I usually find the most joy in playing with all the amazing weapons. If you add to that, the idea that this game takes place in the future, you can imagine my excitement when I imagined all the space weapons and laser guns and what nots. Unfortunately, Section 8 comes with a sparse number of weapons and they are all lack luster. The Halo franchise found itself loaded with cool toys and trinkets, but Section 8 dropped the ball when it came to weaponology. You are telling me that you have conquered space, but pistols are still the marine standby?  Boo, I say… simply boo.

The levels start out enjoyable, but you quickly find that they involve a lot of running around and very little interactivity. There is no organic nature to the enemy and the maps feel as if they were simply created to place objectives in. If that doesn’t make sense, imagine going through a haunted house. Sure, it’s scary at first, but after a while yoreu’ able to tell where all the masked high school kids are hiding, based on the bloody heads and claw marks. We all act scared, but in truth, we all die a little.

"Hey, is that guy hacking into our stuff? Let's sit here for a while and watch"

You spend a large part of the game hacking into access points, only to defend those points from enemy forces.  The enemy will often stand and watch you hack away, going out of their way to run around the complex before they make a b line for you. Unless the base was stocked with meth addicts, you would expect a little more direct action. This is enjoyable for a short amount of time, but after a while you start to feel like a hacker who has managed to stuff his fat ass into space armor. No one wants to undress a fat nerd… I would know.

At one pint, early on, they introduce the idea of dropping purchased weapons and resources into the game. Through your visual HUD, you are able to order “deploy-ables” straight into the battle. This concept works out great during a heated battle, but sadly the battles never get that heated and by the time they do, you realize you are fighting the final fight of the game. You also have to order these deploy-ables with space credits, which begs the questions, “Why would the army make you pay for the tools you are using to fight their wars?” Cheap bastards.

In the end, the game is entiely too short. It took me a breath taking 6 hours to finish and that was with a 2 hour break in between playing. Just as the game was starting to develop a plot, it was over. Now, I know I tend to be overly sarcastic, but I really was shocked at how short this game was. When I saw the credits rolling, my first thought was, “Oh.. I want my money back.”

Then I realized I borrowed the game from a friend. So naturally I  demanded they give me their receipt so I could return the game and claim the money.

All in all, Section 8 was a sparse 6 out of 10. If they had added more content, put some effort into the weapons and spiced up the game play, I would have been a lot happier in the end. The concept was great and it had a lot of potential, but even with it’s delays, the game felt rushed.

Section 8 – A lot of potential, but just short of landfall. is a post from: Necropolitica - Deleting the stereotype

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