Video Games Today

You have no doubt noticed that no posts have been made on VGToday in a long time. This is due to some staff inactivity, staff deciding to leave, my computer breaking, and dealing with my Xbox getting RRoD. We will be starting again tomorrow.

Also, note that the Feedburner stats on the right are inaccurate again, showing a fair amount of subscriptions not there. I will contact Google about this, and get it fixed ASAP.

Thanks for you guys' patience!

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

You have probably noticed our lack of posts lately, but that is all changing soon! We have all been really busy getting into this new year and I have opened up my new website (Click Here), which has kept me busy. We will start back up with the latest news next Monday!

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

Can a single title save Sony's plight and ignite flagging PS3 sales? It's unlikely. Is Guerrilla Games' effort a defining PS3 exclusive blockbuster, which will at least assure long-suffering PS3 owners? Definitely. Is it worth forking out for a PS3? ... Possibly.

Ever since Sony's infamous use of CG sequences to demonstrate the "possibilities" offered by the PS3 back in 2005, Guerrilla Games' flagship title has found itself under a tremendous degree of scrutiny. Could the PS3 actually manage to pull off the visual quality hinted towards, or was it all just smoke and mirrors? Let's admit it; it wouldn't be the first time Sony has resorted to such trickery.

If rumours are led to be believed then a considerable budget and access to Sony's finest tools, technology, and talent have certainly helped to ensure KillZone 2 is worthy of that footage. Purists could argue that such fidelity is restricted to a handful of sections within KillZone 2 and they're largely cut-scenes. But there's little denying that Guerrilla Games' first PS3 title is a visual masterpiece, eclipsing everything we've seen so far on the format and putting the likes of Gears of War into its place.


Picking up the events two years after the original KillZone, Guerrilla Games has deliberately ensured knowledge of the 2004 PS2 title is not a pre-requisite to enjoy the action. An entirely new cast of characters face this struggle between the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) and the Helghan, with the return of Col. Jan Templar providing the only real link to the first game. The ISA's attack on the Helghast planet of Helghan also brings us up to date with the continuing battle between both factions and explores the deeper reasons of why.

So begins eight chapters of pretty intense shooter action. Let's get this out of the way immediately, KillZone 2 isn't the greatest first-person shooter ever created, but then again neither was Halo. Half Life 2 and Modern Warfare still manage to share that honour. But KillZone 2 doesn't need to be. Beyond ensuring a solid shooter experience, the key requisite for KillZone 2 is (rightfully or wrongfully) whether Guerrilla could actually pull it off. And in answer to this, PS3 fans will be happy to know it's a most certain yes. "Hollywood Realism" is the wonderfully opaque term Guerrilla Games has used to describe KillZone 2, something that actually isn't merely the hyperbole that it suggests. There's a constant sense of dynamism to KillZone 2 and the world of Helghan. Wind gushes across the Helghan terrain to create a convincing sense of atmosphere that you can almost feel, while the forceful physics engine creates a gameworld that's utterly believable. Objects fly across the sky when the action heats up, yet there's a sense of solidity to everything unlike the many flimsy, plastic examples we've seen in other shooters.

Unfortunately, although the game captures the visual flair of those trailers, it rarely manages to capture the diversity and concept in terms of the mission challenges and gameplay. All too often the game falls down into familiar territory, with only the occasional section straying beyond the genre's conventions of shooting increasingly tougher opponents. Although KillZone 2 ticks many of the boxes for a solid fps experience, throwing ambushes, squad, and solitary sections into the mix, the game's pacing and occasional bland level designs prevent it from reaching the echelons of the genre's finest. Guerrilla hasn't attempted to throw anything new into the mix, and who can blame them when the pressure was on to deliver the PS3's visual magnum opus? The strict reliance on the check boxes however is a little too stringent for our liking, and whilst sections such as the assault on a speeding train are solid enough, the overwhelming sensation is one of 'seen it all before'!


The assortment of arms is what you'd expect from a shooter with even the more creative Helghast weaponry failing to offer anything that feels particularly new. Equally the handful of sections that require you to jump aboard a tank feel as though they're included just because other shooters have vehicular sections. There are exceptions: jumping onboard the AA guns onboard the ISA Cruiser New Sun feels closer to Star Wars than most other attempts ("great kid, don't get cocky"), while the mech section later in the game is pretty remarkable - all the more surprising considering we're not traditionally fond of mechs in shooters (Quake IV anyone?).

The covering system is the exception. Its implementation can be compared to that of the Rainbow Six Vegas series, just without the gimmicky need to switch the view to a third-person. Tapping a shoulder button attaches you to the nearest wall or object, with the ability to move around it and lean and peek out of cover to shoot. It's not without its problems, but it does provide a more tangible blend of old-school PC style and newer examples without degenerating into the virtual equivalent of whack-a-mole.

Guerrilla certainly deserves credit for its implementation of motion-sensitive controls as well. Wisely opting to restrict its usage to the gimmicky nature that it deserves instead of trying to develop control setups inextricably based around it, KillZone 2 uses the SixAxis/DualShock 3 motion controls for subtle commands such as turning gauges, steadying your aim when sniping, or planting mines - brilliant. Thankfully it's also largely a solid game without the glitches or bugs that thwarted the original. AI is generally very impressive and puts up a good challenge, although the kamikaze technique of certain Helghan troops does provide a weakness that can easily be exploited. As did the availability of the Electricity Gun during a later stage, its imbalance completely removing the sense of challenge from a game that generally steps up in challenge suitably as it progresses.

Of course no shooter is worth its RRP on a single-player campaign alone. It's the online multiplayer that really makes KillZone 2 an essential purchase, and surprisingly where Guerrilla Games has been at their most inventive. Despite the clamour for online play, we've got to applaud Guerrilla Games for including the relatively rare addition of bot support.

With the inclusion of persistent careers linked with the XP system, KillZone 2 may not radically push the boundaries, but the 'Warzone' mode does at least provide something that feels fresh in a fiercely competitive genre. Essentially it's a compendium of tried-and-tested game types into one cohesive game. Such an example begins with the two teams attempting to gain control of command points, the victor winning the round, before the next objective is something like defending or attempting to assassinate a VIP. There's nothing particularly new but the idea to combine each type into one mode is genius, and you're left asking why nobody's really tried this before. The only potential pitfall for KillZone 2 to overcome is whether or not the PlayStation Network can sustain the huge number of hours we expect KillZone 2 to quickly notch up.

Final Rating: 9/10

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew

The weight of a new Street Fighter game is not to be taken lightly. After about 10 years of ridiculous turbo hyper super extreme installments which added a new character or a new combo meter in piecemeal, we’ve finally gotten a full-on, true sequel in Street Fighter 4. And as someone who’s not even that big of a Street Fighter fan, it’s easy to see just how good it is. It’s the best 2D fighting game I’ve ever played, the best looking fighting game I’ve ever played and is definitely going to be a standard for a long time to come.

The basics: 25 characters, six of which are brand new playable characters in a Street Fighter game. There’s an arcade mode (a series of AI battles, book ended by story-driven animated sequences), a challenge mode (basically AI Time Trial and Survival challenges for leaderboards and unlockables), a training mode to walk you through each of the characters moves and online play. From a feature-list perspective, it’s pretty basic stuff. There’s no Virtua Fighter-esque quest mode to earn in-game cash or conquer virtual game arcades. There aren’t even minigames to beat up cars! But in place of all that, you have near flawless gameplay.

It’s hard to summarize the depth of Street Fighter, but the comparisons to chess in high speed seem pretty accurate. Everything has a counter, every character can beaten by someone of a higher skill level, and, unlike Soul Calibur, button mashers will be annihilated within seconds of stepping up against another opponent. To a certain extent, this makes it hard for newcomers, as you’re better off playing people around your skill level, but the whopping number of characters means you can always handicap yourself by picking someone you’re not really familiar with.


The biggest new additions to the fighting mechanics are focus attacks. Activated by holding down the Medium Punch and Medium Kick buttons, a focus attack is basically a charged attack that can absorb a single attack from your enemy, allowing you to unleash fury back at them. It’s easy to pull off, requires no complicated button combos, and adds another layer to the combat.

Ultra combos are also new. After taking a certain amount of damage, you’ll be able to unleash an extremely devastating attack back at your enemy. Usually this requires some complex button presses, but if the attack lands you’ll be taking about 1/3rd of your opponents life. It’s hugely telegraphed, but if you’re in mid air or getting up from the ground you may not be able to block it. The idea is to keep everyone in the game. Even if you’re getting crushed, you can still hope to land an Ultra and make a comeback. They also come with super flashy animations and are unique to each character, which makes pulling one off even more satisfying.


The visuals, though, may be the start of the show in Street Fighter 4. The level of detail poured into each and every character and fighting arena borders on OCD. Eyes bulge when hit, barrels knock over when you land an attack near them, monkeys do backflips in the background. Street Fighter 4 is full of life, and looks crisp and bright, a nice change of pace from the browns and dark greens of this generation of games.

There are qualms to note, though. In testing the online play alongside the public, we had major issues when trying to play ranked matches or quick join games. Either it wouldn’t let us connect or we’d be left playing in extreme lag, with a slideshow level of frame rate. Playing against friends in player matches seemed to cure this problem, but the lack of a party lobby system (as seen in Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix) means that you can’t have all-night round robin sessions.


The other big issue to consider is that the standard PS3 and 360 controllers are pretty inadequate for playing Street Fighter (or pretty much any other 2D fighting game). You can get by, for sure, but anyone with a joystick or a special gamepad will have a definite edge on you. That’s not really a fault of the game itself, but it’s something to consider if you’re looking to pick it up.

Lastly, we were a bit bummed by the lack of character customization in SF4. The game allows you to unlock 10 alternate colors for your characters, but secondary costumes are relegated to DLC. After seeing incredible character customization in games like Soul Calibur 4 and Virtua Fighter 5, it’s a shame Capcom didn’t go all the way with this one. We would’ve loved to have seen Guile with a big kitty helmet.

With all that said, though, Street Fighter 4 is an immaculate fighting game. The depth of play matched with the incredible visual fidelity makes it a new standard for 2D fighting games and may just revive what has become a niche genre.

Final Rating:8.5/10

Enjoy!
The VGToday Crew