Are You Screening? » Video Games

Cars 2 XBOX Review

Marc Eastman — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:17:10 +0000

Oddly given something of a beating by a lot of critics, one thing is clear about Cars 2 The Movie, it was something of a more "grown up" affair. While retaining a certain amount of goofiness and tomfoolery, it was a kind of animated homage to not only Bond films, but spy capers of an earlier age. It had the usual animated elements, and was certainly fun for kids, but a real appreciation of what was going on probably required more years than the first film.

That general shift holds true with the Cars 2 Video Game release as well. The first Cars game, which my son and I both played on the Gamecube, was a simple, but layered bit of fun, that took the theory of racing games and turned it upside-down. There was a world to explore in a kind of "free roam" uber menu, which allowed you to drive around Radiator Springs at your leisure, find hidden goodies, and make your way to various races and events.

The Cars 2 effort tries to lean much more toward a "serious" racing game, although somehow in the sense of not being especially serious. After all, it's an animated movie. It's a strange combination, and one that focuses on laying waste with add-on weapons to a large degree, and ultimately, it's sort of a weird game.

I suspect that much of the negative press the film received was a result of expectations being ignored, abused, and otherwise mishandled, with people expecting a certain casual style, and a lot of Lightning McQueen and the characters we knew from the first film. The video game is liable to produce the same reaction, as those with little information will jump into this game and wonder what the hell is going on.

There is nothing left of the exploration mode from the first game, and instead you are presented with a menu system that purports to offer events as "cases" to be worked through. You have a variety of race modes, and the diversity found in the kinds of challenges you'll be presented with is certainly a plus. There are straight races, which nevertheless involve a lot of bumping and crashing, and there are various death match races, with weapons of all sorts available to pick up while you're racing. There are also such spectaculars as arena combat modes, with a small area to drive around and try to blow up as many baddies as possible. All the while, you can drive backwards, on two wheels, and perform other special moves, all of which earn you extra juice to use your turbo boost.

As you progress through the game, you'll open up further levels in the "case files," which will get you new races/challenges, and as you move along you'll unlock new characters, and multi-player options.

The game is unquestionably fun, though some of the challenge levels may be frustrating for a lot of fans of the film, but a little of the magic is gone really. Like most racing games, the end result is that you'll play it like mad for a while, unlock everything you can, beat the levels, and move on. That wasn't the case with the first game, which my son would periodically return to for a surprisingly long time.

The purchase becomes a bit of a tough call, especially since I know that most people definitely will enjoy it. It's as slick as you'd expect from a Disney game, brings together a lot of elements, and has great controls and ease of play. On the other hand, there may be a point at which you have to decide if you're fun or serious, because you can only try to bring the two together with so much success. This is probably the best effort toward such success, but it may only amount to reactions that find it somewhat lacking. Not fun enough for some, and not serious enough for others.

This might be one, surprising as it seems, that you want to rent before making the full commitment.

Rating: ★★★½☆

Inspired by the upcoming Disney•Pixar animated film, Cars 2: The Video Game lets players jump into the Cars 2 universe with some of their favorite Cars personalities in exotic locations around the globe.

Continuing the storyline from the upcoming film, players can choose to play as Mater and Lightning McQueen, as well as some brand new characters, as they train in the international training center - CHROME (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage) to become world-class spies. They’ll take on dangerous missions, compete to become the fastest racecar in the world, or use their spy skills in exciting, action-packed combat racing and battle arenas. Players can race against friends and family in either single or multiplayer modes with up to four players to unlock challenging new tracks, characters, events and thrilling spy missions. The DS version will also include exclusive global locations not seen in the film.

Game Features

- Cars 2: The Video Game introduces the international training center - CHROME (Command Headquarters for Recon Operations and Motorized Espionage) that expands upon the film storyline

- Choose from more than 20 different characters, such as Mater, Lightning McQueen and the newly introduced Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell, and train to become world class spies

- Participate in simulated hazardous missions using high-tech gadgets to evade and impede adversaries

- Perform maneuvers only Cars characters can do, such as backwards driving, air tricks, sidestepping to avoid obstacles, two wheel driving and more

- Connect with World of Cars Online, a free-to-play browser-based virtual world based on the Cars universe, to gain rewards in the video game and then use them to unlock new items in the virtual world

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Cars 2 Movie Review (areyouscreening.com)

Dragon’s Dogma Gameplay Video Released

Marc Eastman — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:16:09 +0000

Well, you've got about a year to wait, but Capcom has released a gameplay video for their upcoming title, Dragon's Dogma. The story is that this is going to be a game changer, and while I have very little to go on in the big picture, the clip looks pretty impressive as far as the fighting goes.

Check it out below, along with some images, and keep an eye out as we get closer to... next March.

Dragon’s Dogma® is an exciting new franchise which redefines the action genre from the team that produced some of Capcom’s greatest action games. Set in a huge open world, Dragon’s Dogma offers an exhilarating and fulfilling action combat game with the freedom to explore and interact in a rich, living and breathing world. Alongside your party of three, you set out to track down and destroy a mysterious dragon.

Your teammates fight independently of you, demonstrating prowess and ability they have developed based on traits learned over time from you and your actions. Dragon’s Dogma offers a near endless opportunity to help develop partner characters to fight alongside you. With an epic story and incredible action, Dragon’s Dogma is set to be one of Capcom’s newest hit franchises.

Key features

Highly Stylized Action Combat – The creators of this game were responsible for the action hits – Resident Evil® 4 and Devil May Cry® 4.
Fight With Ability – The soul of combat comes down to how the game is played, where you strike the enemy, and how you react to their attacks.
Accessible Depth – Bringing an unprecedented level of depth to the action genre, every decision has an effect on gameplay in an intuitive way that does not require micromanagement. The weight of your weapon, the material of your armor – even the length of your legs – plays a role in how you fight your battles, but does not interrupt the flow of the action.
Epic Adventure – Dragon’s Dogma is built from the ground up as an action experience for consoles with a continuous, epic storyline that stands alone in style, scope and substance.
Open World – Utilizing Capcom’s proprietary MT Framework engine and the groundbreaking graphical styles and lighting effects used in Resident Evil® 5 and Lost Planet® 2, Dragon’s Dogma expands the environment to create a vast, richly detailed world, ripe for exploration.
A Rich Population – In addition to interacting with hundreds of fully voiced NPCs, you’ll be able to fight a large variety of creatures, from goblins to griffins and dragons. Each enemy requires a different strategy and provides a unique experience.

Gameplay Video

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L.A. Noire Xbox Review

Marc Eastman — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:21:11 +0000

L.A. Noire is without question a major step in the video gaming industry. The trouble with that statement is that a lot of things can be major steps, without quite being a place to put your foot down in themselves.

The production was clearly a massive undertaking, and it shows in the superb look and feel of the game. Actors were filmed using state-of-the-art technology, not simply to film motion-capture elements of them walking around, and providing dialog, but also to film the slightest facial movements used for questioning during the game. A large part of the gameplay involves interrogation, and it's up to you to decide if a character is telling the truth. Depending on the evidence you have, you can respond with doubt, and possibly get more information, or accuse them of lying, and throw the proof in their face.

The clues are not exactly subtle, which makes sense, because you don't want to have to be Cal Lightman to progress, but they are impressive. The realism at this level is sometimes pretty phenomenal, sometimes rather silly (as it becomes blatantly obvious that a character is practically winking at you - "Dude, I'm lying.") and watching characters twitch, roll or shift their eyes, and otherwise display their nerves when telling a lie adds a surprising amount of entertainment value to the whole affair.

Beyond that, the game looks gorgeous, giving you period-accurate Los Angeles, down to the smallest detail. It would simply be difficult to praise the looks of L.A. Noire too much.

On the other hand, as a game, it leaves quite a bit to be desired, and it seems pretty obvious that it is a direct result of trying to move so far into the realm of "interactive cinematic experience."

Rockstar has some big shoes to fill here, and they obviously pulled out all the stops hoping to do so, but at some point you've focused all your attention on beauty, and left out all the flavor.

Much like Rockstar's other titles, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, you find yourself tooling around from plot point to plot point, free to explore a variety of side stories, and unlock bonus items. This time, you're a cop working your way through the ranks, solving crimes, and slowly unraveling bigger picture nefariousness. You're in the boom of Hollywood, fresh from the war, and you have grand ideas about making a name for yourself and putting away bad guys.

You start your career in a uniform, learning the ropes and chasing down the criminal element, but it isn't long before you make detective, and get to start wearing snazzy suits (further options can be unlocked, with beneficial boosts among your possible wardrobe items).

As with other similar games (beyond Rockstar's own line, there is Mafia II, etc.), a cut-scene provides your starting point, and then you go to investigate the scene. Depending on what's going on, you may have to duke it out with some ruffians, shoot some robbers, run down a fleeing suspect, or chase a car through the busy streets, hopefully without too much collateral damage. Unless you are at one of the many stops which are simply for information gathering.

When the smoke clears, you'll have someone to question, a new lead to follow, someone trying to kill you, or a lot of wandering around looking for clues, but eventually it's all about putting the pieces together, and figuring out who to finger.

You progress through fairly interesting stories, and get the low down on villainous activity, with each seemingly unrelated case building toward uncovering the grand and sinister plots of corrupt personages far and wide. There is certainly a sense in which things all play out rather wonderfully, but it is a sense that has really lost touch with the sense you're looking for as a game player.

Sure, there's a massive story, and you're going to get a good number of hours playing through it, but it's actually a lousy story, and one that oddly comes at you the wrong way around. Most glaring is the fact that the first big wave of the arc spends hours and hours building up to the most anti-climatic ten seconds in the history of storytelling. Beyond that, the overall story, which we get through the normal progression of gameplay and through cut-scenes you get from finding newspapers around the city, is presented in such a way that you are ten steps ahead of your character from start to finish.

You know exactly where things are going for the next four hours of your life, and now you get to slog your way through the tedium of proving things you already know. You aren't really investigating anything, in the big picture sense, you're just slowly making your way to the receipt (or whatever), so that you can say, "Aha!"

It is, in a way, storytelling by propinquity, which is of course rather common and popular (see LOST for an example of how to work this to perfection), whereby it doesn't particularly matter how simple and boring the story may be, because we've made you spend a jillion hours with these characters, so you're going to care about them.

Worse, the balance of gameplay is utterly lost. It gets to the point where it actually becomes rather tedious to try and get through, and the action elements are few and far between. They are also mind-numbingly simple, and the few "puzzles" are just gimmicks in order to say there was a puzzle in the game.

There's an idea behind this genre of game, an idea that was brought to life rather brilliantly in Red Dead Redemption, and it is the idea of blending games and movies, with video games that are huge films, but the player gets to control the action and the course of events. Sure, cut-scenes and forced plot points ran much of the story, but it was near to the idea that you were watching a feature film, and controlling it to some degree. L.A. Noire is more like watching a feature film, but at ten-minute intervals the action stops and you are forced to read 50 pages of a novel before you continue. Perhaps an interesting idea, actually, but not a video game.

Ultimately, this is a strange stumble for Rockstar, but it conveniently won't matter, because I actually want the game to do well (and it will). A couple of games down the road we are going to have something really incredible, but we aren't there yet.

It's really gorgeous, and technically it is almost unbelievably impressive, but much as with the case of those who try to defend Avatar by saying, "Look how pretty it is," I just don't really care, when it somehow manages not to be much fun.

Rating: ★★½☆☆

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Yoostar 2 Review

Marc Eastman — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:16:14 +0000

Yoostar 2 bills itself as a party game, and if anything was ever the perfect idea for something to leave running as guests float in and out of the game, this is it. Something along the lines of Karaoke for film, Yoostar 2 lets you select a movie scene, and put yourself in it, delivering famous lines, or reinventing favorite scenes from scratch.

While many may see this as an instant decision, I wouldn't let myself be put off too quickly if you are among those for whom this seems like a strange idea. Wary myself of anything that has people referencing Karaoke, there's something quite a bit different about watching your own mug deliver lines as The Terminator, or The Godfather.

The most basic setup for the game has you selecting your film and scene, and then (for the XBOX Kinect version) lining yourself up with a ghost image so that you're in the right spot. You then choose if you want to run with the original dialog, or invent your own. If you choose to recreate the scene with the real dialog, you'll be scored based on (I guess) timing things well. The scene runs through, and you get prompts for your part. Once you're finished, you can watch the results, and see yourself in all your glory.

From there, you can save your scene and/or upload it to the in-game social portal via XBOX LIVE.

The game also has a sort of "career" mode which gives you the option to try and build yourself up through a progression of your "performances". It's not at all bad, and serves as a good excuse for playing alone, but there is only so much you can do with it.

It's a straight-forward idea, and whether you go at it alone, or have two people in the scene, or create mashups of scenes via the social portal, you get the idea of what's in store. You have 80 scenes in the box, and there are already many more available for download, both as single scenes, and as packages. The real question is, how well does it work?

The answer is that it works pretty brilliantly, though there are a couple of caveats there. The game will warn you about lighting, and it isn't messing around. You need a well-lighted area for things to work, and if you don't, the image it captures of you will come out a variety of odd colors and seriously pixelated. You also need to be aware of your clothing and its contrast to any backgrounds that might be around you, as this will monkey with the outcome as well.

However, as long as you have these things accounted for, the picture looks great, and apart from getting yourself to line up with the ghost image, everything works out very smoothly.

It's hard to imagine this one outside group play, but in terms of meeting the intended purpose, this one delivers, and is sure to offer up a lot of fun. The list of additional scenes available for download include some greats, and add a lot of value to the purchase. You can also tell that those behind the game understand their concept well, because those who don't actually know Ferris Bueller can jump into 300, and yet another group will go crazy seeing themselves in the scene with Barney.

There are a lot of ways to take advantage of the new possibilities available with the Kinect, and while this is perhaps not the most awe-inspiring, it's certainly good for a lot of laughs.

Rating: ★★★★☆

A new breed of social gaming for consoles and an ideal party game, Yoostar 2, brings the magic and fun of Hollywood to living rooms everywhere. Using the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360 or the PlayStation^®Eye, players insert themselves into famous movie and TV scenes, starring alongside or in place of their favorite actors. Perform the lines as written in English, Spanish, French, Italian or German, or “flip the script” and deliver a personalized improvisation. Yoostar 2 then scores the performance and lets players upload the scene to Facebook, Twitter, Yoostar 2’s in-game social portal on Xbox LIVE^® online entertainment network and PlayStation Network, or Yoostar.com.

Hollywood Scenes

· 300: This is Sparta! & Tonight we dine in hell!
· Along Came Polly: Me no estas too good.
· American Pie: Stifler’s mom.
· Angels and Demons: A Vatican jet is standing by.
· Animal House: You’re expelled!
· Apollo 13: Houston, we have a problem.
· Baby Mama: Here come yo’ baby mama.
· Beverly Hills Cop: Herpes simplex 10.
· Blazing Saddles: I was born here, and I was raised here.
· The Blues Brothers: It’s 106 miles to Chicago.
· Casablanca: Here’s looking at you, kid.
· Coming to America: I want to tear you apart.
· CSI: Miami Season 3: Gator bait!
· Employee of the Month: Call an emergency staff meeting!
· Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
· Forest Gump: It’s a household name.
· Frankenstein: It’s Alive!
· Godfather: An offer he can’t refuse.
· Grease: What’s the matter – you afraid?
· The Hangover: One-man wolf pack. & Oh, Lord – it's Mike Tyson
· The Italian Job: I’m Handsome Rob.
· Karate Kid: Wax on, wax off
· Kick Ass: You lookin’ at me? & Nobody’s tried to be a superhero?
· Kindergarten Cop: It’s not a tumor!
· Mad Men Season 1: Enjoying the company of women.
· Meet the Fockers: Look at this! & That weird shrine thing.
· Meet the Parents: Can you deal with that!
· The Mummy: Protect and watch over me.
· Norbit: I haven’t touched your seat.
· The Nutty Professor: Dinner with the Klumps.
· The Princess Bride: Tale of the 6-fingered man.
· Rocky: What about my prime, Mick?
· Rocky Balboa: People see me, and they think of you.
· Shaun Of The Dead: Zombie Soundtrack
· Slap Shot: The finer points of hockey.
· The Spiderwick Chronicles: Jared meets Thimbletack
· Stark Trek: The Next Generation Season 3: Locutus of Borg: Resistance is futile.
· Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2: What killed these tribbles?
· Superman Returns: Superman saves an airplane
· The Terminator: I’ll be back.
· Tropic Thunder: Agent Pecker on the line. & A sweet, cuddly, vicious little panda!
· Up in Smoke: Anybody got any coffee?
· The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy meets the Scarecrow.

Hollywood Sets

· Clash of the Titans: Defeat the Kraken!
· Gladiator: A gladiator before the cheering masses.
· I Am Legend: I can save you!
· King Kong: The wrath of Kong.
· The Matrix: The One commands 'The Matrix'.
· The Matrix Revolutions: Outmaneuver the Sentinel army.
· Men in Black: Confront the Bug.
· Scarface: Say hello to my little friend.
· Stark Trek: The Next Generation: Enterprise-D bridge.
· Top Gun: Flight Simulator.

RU?

Yoostar 2 Preview – Let The Movie-oke Begin!

Marc Eastman — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:21:44 +0000

Yoostar 2 is coming to stores on March 8th, and it's a curiously fascinating idea, especially if you have an XBOX Kinect. It's hard to describe without calling it a sort of Movie-oke, but basically you put yourself into classic movie scenes and either give your own version of the classic lines, or reinvent the scene with your own ideas. Either way, you get to see yourself in the film scene, and as crazy as the whole things may sound, it looks like fun.

The list of scenes and sets has been released, and apparently more will be available for download once you have the game. Check out the list, some screenshots, and a couple of videos that will give you a good look at this game.

Rehearsal begins as Yoostar Entertainment Group (www.yoostar.com) today announced the complete set list for the March 8 release of Yoostar®2 for the Kinect™ for Xbox 360® and PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system. The first console game to insert players into their favorite films and television shows, Yoostar 2 is launching with 80 scenes in the box, offered in five different languages, with hundreds more scenes available online.

“There is a certain challenge to selecting the right mix of movie and TV scenes that have the prerequisites needed to be both fun and entertaining,” said Nicholas Reichenbach, Chief Content Officer for Yoostar Entertainment Group. “But all that effort was worth it as we have some phenomenal content - from tear-jerkers and slapstick comedies, to Hollywood blockbusters and cult classics. Yoostar 2 will awaken and inspire the performer in each one of us.”

A new breed of social gaming for consoles and an ideal party game, Yoostar 2, brings the magic and fun of Hollywood to living rooms everywhere. Using the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360 or the PlayStation®Eye, players insert themselves into famous movie and TV scenes, starring alongside or in place of their favorite actors. Perform the lines as written in English, Spanish, French, Italian or German, or “flip the script” and deliver a personalized improvisation. Yoostar 2 then scores the performance and lets players upload the scene to Facebook, Twitter, Yoostar 2’s in-game social portal on Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network and PlayStation Network, or Yoostar.com.

Youstar 2 Trailer

Yoostar 2 Dev Diary #2

Yoostar 2 launches with some of the most memorable and iconic movie and TV scenes in history, including:

Hollywood Scenes

· 300: This is Sparta! & Tonight we dine in hell!
· Along Came Polly: Me no estas too good.
· American Pie: Stifler’s mom.
· Angels and Demons: A Vatican jet is standing by.
· Animal House: You’re expelled!
· Apollo 13: Houston, we have a problem.
· Baby Mama: Here come yo’ baby mama.
· Beverly Hills Cop: Herpes simplex 10.
· Blazing Saddles: I was born here, and I was raised here.
· The Blues Brothers: It’s 106 miles to Chicago.
· Casablanca: Here’s looking at you, kid.
· Coming to America: I want to tear you apart.
· CSI: Miami Season 3: Gator bait!
· Employee of the Month: Call an emergency staff meeting!
· Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
· Forest Gump: It’s a household name.
· Frankenstein: It’s Alive!
· Godfather: An offer he can’t refuse.
· Grease: What’s the matter – you afraid?
· The Hangover: One-man wolf pack. & Oh, Lord – it's Mike Tyson
· The Italian Job: I’m Handsome Rob.
· Karate Kid: Wax on, wax off
· Kick Ass: You lookin’ at me? & Nobody’s tried to be a superhero?
· Kindergarten Cop: It’s not a tumor!
· Mad Men Season 1: Enjoying the company of women.
· Meet the Fockers: Look at this! & That weird shrine thing.
· Meet the Parents: Can you deal with that!
· The Mummy: Protect and watch over me.
· Norbit: I haven’t touched your seat.
· The Nutty Professor: Dinner with the Klumps.
· The Princess Bride: Tale of the 6-fingered man.
· Rocky: What about my prime, Mick?
· Rocky Balboa: People see me, and they think of you.
· Shaun Of The Dead: Zombie Soundtrack
· Slap Shot: The finer points of hockey.
· The Spiderwick Chronicles: Jared meets Thimbletack
· Stark Trek: The Next Generation Season 3: Locutus of Borg: Resistance is futile.
· Star Trek: The Original Series Season 2: What killed these tribbles?
· Superman Returns: Superman saves an airplane
· The Terminator: I’ll be back.
· Tropic Thunder: Agent Pecker on the line. & A sweet, cuddly, vicious little panda!
· Up in Smoke: Anybody got any coffee?
· The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy meets the Scarecrow.

Hollywood Sets

· Clash of the Titans: Defeat the Kraken!
· Gladiator: A gladiator before the cheering masses.
· I Am Legend: I can save you!
· King Kong: The wrath of Kong.
· The Matrix: The One commands 'The Matrix'.
· The Matrix Revolutions: Outmaneuver the Sentinel army.
· Men in Black: Confront the Bug.
· Scarface: Say hello to my little friend.
· Stark Trek: The Next Generation: Enterprise-D bridge.
· Top Gun: Flight Simulator.

RU?

Ghost Trick Phantom Detective Preview

Marc Eastman — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 16:36:18 +0000

Coming to you from Shu Takumi, creator of the Ace Attorney series, is a new adventure for the DS, Ghost Trick Phantom Detective. I wanted to put out a quick preview, just to get this game on your radar, partially because the Ace Attorney series is an icon at this point, but also because the game looks rather cool.

Utilizing a variety of unique gameplay ideas, this one puts you in the role of the recently departed, and you have to get to the bottom of things before time runs out. Using your ability to possess objects, you have to work through puzzles and situations in a way that is unlike games that have come along before. Check out the information below, including a video, and keep your eyes open for this one.

Ghost Trick™ Phantom Detective will be coming to Nintendo DS™ and DSi™ in Winter 2010. Brought to you by Shu Takumi, the original creator of Capcom’s Ace Attorney™ series, Ghost Trick™ Phantom Detective tells an intriguing story combining logic puzzles and elements of humour that those familiar with the Ace Attorney games will know and love. Gamers will be entertained for hours with over a dozen chapters full of mystery and surprise as the spirit world collides with real life.

In Ghost Trick™ Phantom Detective, players are transported into the spirit world of Sissel, a murder victim who has lost his memory and returned as a ghost to solve the mystery of his suspicious demise. As Sissel’s ghost it’s up to players to possess and manipulate items found in the real world to solve the captivating puzzles he encounters.

Using the stylus players will need to carefully choose the path for Sissel to travel, possessing objects in order to trigger the correct item that when manipulated will alter the fate of others and begin to unravel the strange truth about who Sissel is and why he was murdered. How will you scare off the unwary assassin? There are many routes to choose from but not all of them will be obvious. It’s up to you to solve the crime but be warned, Sissel only has until dawn before he has to leave the supernatural world for good. Will you discover the truth before his time runs out?

By possessing and travelling through phone lines Sissel can move onto the next chapter of his mystery and witness incidents that will help him to find out more about his murder.

Sissel has another unique ability which will help him on his search for the truth. He can possess corpses and rewind time to four minutes before the victim’s death. Not only this but Sissel can talk to the deceased. Surely they’ll have something important to reveal? With the help of these two amazing abilities Sissel is bound to get closer to finding out what really happened in the hours before his death, as well as being able to save the lives of others.

Key features

• Brought to you by the creator of the Ace Attorney™ series, Shu Takumi

• Intriguing plot mixing mystery and humour will draw players into Sissel’s search for the truth

• Utilise the stylus to create a path for Sissel to travel, while possessing and manipulating items along the way

• Hours of engaging gameplay filled with logic puzzles

• Rich animation, unique art style graphics and character designs makes this a truly distinct offering for the DS

• Change the course of over 30 in-game characters’ lives to gather clues to reveal the truth.

• Solve logic puzzles in over 15 game stages and 25 subdivided areas utilising the abilities to possess and manipulate

RU?

EA Sports Active 2 Names David Beckham Brand Ambassador

Marc Eastman — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:42:29 +0000

If you've been following me for a while, you know that I got a look at EA Sports Active before it was released, and was quite a fan. Though old news now, you can check out a couple of the articles I put up about it back then here and here. Exercise "games" for the Wii were booming at the time, but there were a lot of positives I thought (and think) put the EA product well beyond the competition.

Well, we're closing in on the release of EA Sports Active 2, which will be available for Wii, PS3, and XBOX 360. The most recent news for the line is that David Beckham has been named Brand Ambassador, which frankly is news that is only so exciting, but I wanted to take the opportunity to put the title out there.

Most of the exercise titles we've seen rush toward the Wii will be rushing toward the XBOX 360 Kinect, and while a lot of them have solid features, I have found the overall experience with EA Sports Active unbeatable, and I assume the continuation of the series won't disappoint.

Keep the title in mind, and I'm sure there will be a lot more details soon, but for now check out a quick video that exposes you to a bit of the Kinect abilities. The video is an interview with producer Thomas Singleton. I met him back before the launch of the first title, though he was really involved with a tennis title at the time.

Beckham will act as the franchise spokesperson and will be featured in advertising and retail material across Europe and Australia. EA SPORTS Active 2 focuses on improving muscular strength, endurance and flexibility, as well as improving cardio; it will combine a heart rate monitor and motion tracking data to deliver a fitness experience that achieves authentic, measurable results. EA SPORTS Active 2 will be available on Kinect™ for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3, Wii™, iPhone® and iPod touch® in Europe and Australia on November 19.

“David has always worked hard to stay in excellent shape and has inspired people around the world to make fitness a priority,” says Jens Uwe Intat, Senior Vice President & GM of European Publishing, EA. “We’re excited about this collaboration with David as the high value he places on fitness makes him a perfect fit for EA SPORTS Active 2. We are looking forward to working with him to motivate people everywhere to get active.”

“EA SPORTS Active is impressive and includes many elements that I have seen throughout my football career,” says David Beckham. “I’m excited to collaborate with EA SPORTS who have a great track record in developing authentic and credible sports products and games over the years.”

EA SPORTS Active 2 will ship with the Total Body Tracking system that combines a heart rate monitor and motion tracking data to ensure a workout with accurate tracking and measurable results. Using heart rate data that is displayed on-screen throughout the workout, users will be able to capture the intensity of their workout, allowing them to optimize their performance and reach their fitness goals quicker. Additionally, users will now also be able to track both their workout and heart rate data on the new EA SPORTS Active 2 online* hub; allowing users to track their progress over time and stay motivated. Motion tracking data will provide complete freedom of motion for a deeper workout experience. EA SPORTS Active 2 will make working out simple, effective and will go with you wherever you are.

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Droplitz Delight App Review

Marc Eastman — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:55:27 +0000

Puzzle Apps tend to be pretty hit or miss for me, and even when considering the best ones, I usually lose interest pretty quickly. Droplitz Delight is a new effort as an App, coming over from XBOX Live Arcade, and it has just the right combination of features for a quick iPhone distraction.

The game is all about rotating little pieces of pathway in order to create a route for your little Droplitz balls to escape... or something. There are a variety of levels, and modes of play, but it all comes down to getting the paths together the best you can.

In a sense, there isn't much to the game, but like such classics as Tetris, that's sort of the real beauty of the thing. The first few levels may seem ridiculously easy, but once you get a few under your belt, and understand what you're doing, you'll find that the difficulty quickly gets to an interesting range.

If you're a fan of puzzle games, you know that the basic dynamics often go very wrong. You may find a variety of games that seem rather interesting in theory, but if they don't have some elusive, addictive quality, it won't take long before you aren't turning to them anymore. Whether they are simple, or bizarrely complicated, you've got to get hooked, and simple usually works better.

I'm not sure that Droplitz Delight is something that will keep you going in the seriously long-term, but it's a fun game that is a perfect option when you have a few minutes to kill.

Game Features:

- Guide the Droplitz to safety in this uniquely addictive puzzle game. Turn dials, create paths, and help the Droplitz from top to bottom

- Play in six colorful worlds and compete in more than 40 levels in three game modes: Target Quest, Classic Mode, Free Play. Set the Droplitz free in progressively harder levels with Target Quest. Jump in and challenge the original game play in Classic mode. Play to your heart's content in Free Play.

- Unlock illusive Uranium trophies and climb the high score tables

- Variety of difficulty levels suit beginner to expert players: Beginners can find solace with single dropper levels, a quick tutorial and even Hint buttons during gameplay, while experts can enjoy the challenge of Experienced and Insane difficulties.

- Highly recommended for fans of Lumines, Tetris and Peggle!

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Madden NFL 11 Hits iPad And iPhone

Marc Eastman — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:10:26 +0000

EA first hooked me on its mobile efforts when I got to play around with the iPhone version of Tiger Woods at their big sports extravaganza a couple of years ago. A few months pre-release, I found myself going back to the iPhone while most people had bigger fish to fry. To be honest, there was probably more interesting stuff around, but for some reason, I was really impressed.

Up to then, iPhone games of any serious sort either didn't impress me all that much, or wreaked havoc on my phone. Of course, we all know things are different today, but now they've kicked off Madden NFL 11, and it's almost a whole new world all over again.

For the first time, consumers can now play Madden NFL 11 on iPad™. Madden NFL 11 for iPad™, iPod® touch and feature phone versions are launching alongside the franchise console offerings today. A version for Android™ phones will be available later in the year.

“The release of Madden NFL 11 upholds EA’s legacy of innovation in the mobile industry,” said Travis Boatman, Vice President of Worldwide Studios for EA Mobile. “Total Defensive Control, a brand new feature for iPad and iPod touch, redesigns how you play defense giving you more control and ultimately, making it more fun. If you have a mobile device and you’re a football fan, then this is the game for you.”

Madden NFL 11 for iPad and iPod touch

Madden NFL 11 is the most fun and complete NFL experience ever made for mobile devices and is available today from the App Store.

Win With Defense – Total Defensive Control delivers the fun on defense. Play both sides of the ball with equal intensity with the all-new “Total Defensive Control.” TDC allows players to pause the action, position their defense and deliver game-changing hits like never before.

Quick Play Decisions – With the new GameFlow playbook based on the console game’s new feature, players spend less time in the playbook and more time on the field. Keeping the game’s momentum going and shortening overall time per play is perfect for gaming on the go.

Control the Action – With the innovative feature called “Hot Routes Everywhere,” players pick almost any football player pre-snap and literally draw their movement on the field while creating the play on the go. This year, draw routes on passing and running plays, along with defense.

Graphics and Controls Befitting the Game – With HD-quality graphics for iPad, optimized graphics taking full advantage of the new Retina display and 3GS maximized visuals, football players rumble into action in authentic stadiums as gamers get drawn deeper in the experience. Controls are maximized for each device including a unique passing wheel designed exclusively for iPad.

Unmatched Authenticity on Mobile Devices – With 32 NFL teams in authentic stadiums, choose from updated rosters featuring nearly 2,000 real players even seeing players’ names on the their jerseys in the iPad version.

Play Your Way – Whether playing rivals via Bluetooth on the iPod touch or jumping right into a solo game, Madden NFL 11 delivers like never before. Play through an entire 16-game schedule in Season Mode making trades and tracking stats for a team and the entire league. In Playoffs Mode, replay last season’s historic playoffs all the way to the Super Bowl.

Additional Features Coming Soon – Upcoming free iPad updates scheduled in time for the kick-off to the NFL regular season include retro-style “Vintage Voltage Football” and multiplayer gameplay.

Pick it up at iTunes here.

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Fable III Releases A Brilliant Pre-Order Bonus – Make A Game Character

Marc Eastman — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:24:11 +0000

When I first played the original Fable, one of the things that hooked me was simply the fact that I was so willing to go along with a game that seemed to be trying to switch things up. Instead working a new story, and tweaking a few things along the way, onto the standard format we've all seen too many times to mention, Fable was clearly aiming at rebuilding the theory and seeing what they could come up with.

Perhaps not a perfect game, but it was a lot of fun, had a great story, and kept pulling you along rather brilliantly.

Fable II... well, not as much. It was still fun, and it built on the original concept, but it felt like a stereotypical sophomore release by a band whose first album you love, but has big suits cracking the whip to turn out the next one in 6 months. Frankly, I didn't even finish it.

Fable III has been getting a lot of press for quite a while, and it hasn't piqued my interest all that much. Hints and rumors about interesting features have fallen thus far on ears more deaf than should be the case. I loved the first game.

Not long ago, something finally made me take notice. It was a couple of quotes in an interview at gameinformer.com (which I can't find now, it might have been in the magazine). Basically, while talking about many of the game's features, creator Peter Molyneux talked about what went wrong with Fable II. I won't even bother to aim at details, but he expressed some unhappiness with how the story worked out and so on.

That fact alone, a rare bit of reflection in today's world, rekindled my interest in the game. Trying to find out what recent info there was on the game, I discovered that Lionhead had just launched a new pre-order incentive - a villager.

As odd as it may sound, that sort of cemented things for me.

I know.

No, I'm not dancing around, because, "Hooray! I get to create a villager that will show up in my game!" I mean, it's pretty cool, but it's something at least marginally deeper than that. There's something about the general thought process behind the idea that (just go with me) reveals to me that we're back to the fun and creativity that originally sold me.

Not that Fable II was a bad game by any stretch, but it didn't quite live up to the expectations. This time, I think we're in for a wild ride. Check it out.

The Fable III pre-order tool invites fans to design their own villager with over 2,000 possibilities; pre-order incentive includes bonus quest and gold fortune

Great heroes of the past and present all know one thing is true: the revolution starts with you. That’s why Microsoft and Lionhead Studios are giving fans the chance to get into the action now before “Fable III” launches in the U.S. on Oct. 26. With the all-new character creator tool, called the “Fable III” Villager Maker, fans who pre-order the game can create and bring their personalized villager to life. Your custom in-game villager will deliver to your hero a thrilling new quest and 1,000 gold fortune, and then continue to interact with you on your journey to become ruler of Albion.

The Villager Maker is available for everyone to access and experiment with at www.xbox.com/fable3. Fans can utilize the tool to create a male or female villager with more than 2,000 different variations, including an enthralling backstory for the character, unique personality traits, clothing, accent, hairstyles and the region they hail from. Whether you create a valiant ally, an evil villain, or perhaps the perfect spouse, let your imagination run free as you make your mark in the fantastical world of “Fable III.”

The fun doesn’t stop there. With the Villager Maker, you’ll be able to save your character as a desktop wallpaper and share your creation with your friends on Facebook and Twitter to see who has the coolest design. Anyone can start designing, but transporting the villager into “Fable III” is a reward given only to fans who pre-order the game at participating retailers. A redeemable code will be provided that allows players to bring their character creation to life in “Fable III” when the game launches.

“Fable III” sets the stage for an unparalleled action and adventure experience, in which you will be called upon to lead a rebellion and rise up as the new ruler of Albion. The choices and sacrifices you make while fanning the flames of revolution, and then as you rule as King or Queen, will lead to an ever evolving world of consequences that will be felt across your entire land. Witness all the action, drama and humor as you’re propelled into a rich and engaging story, featuring a unique cast of characters around you.

“Fable III” will be available in a Standard Edition ($59.99) and Limited Collector’s Edition ($79.99) for Xbox 360.The Limited Edition offers unique collectibles that true “Fable” fans won’t want to miss, including downloadable content that Windows gamers can also access. Wrapped up in the likeness of a book from “Fable III,” the contents include an exclusive quest, dog breed, outfit, playing cards, a Guild Seal Coin and more.

“Fable III” launches in the U.S. on Oct. 26 and is rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

• Be the hero and forge your own destiny. Storytelling comes to life as “Fable III” puts you and your hero in the center of an epic journey that traces your rise from revolutionary to ruler and beyond, along with all the action, drama and humor. Interacting with the world of Albion has never been easier or more rewarding. The Expressions system offers an ingenious new Dynamic Touch feature that allows your hero to reach out and embrace a loved one, or exact retribution against those who have betrayed you. Your hero, your faithful canine companion and even your weapons now also evolve to extremes mirroring your morality and personal style of combat. The emotional connections players will develop in the world of “Fable III” will lead to some of the most memorable moments ever experienced in a game.

• Where blockbuster action meets adventure. Your journey spans from the streets of a thriving and industrialized Albion to the surrounding battlefields. The pioneering one-button combat system allows players to easily combine different styles in their arsenal – hand-to-hand melee attacks, long-range precision shooting and wickedly catastrophic spells – to advance the one-button combat mechanic to a full scale, thrilling level that offers infinite ways to engage, experiment and compete.

• Choice and consequence. A core tenet of the “Fable” franchise, players are presented with infinite choices and consequences that impact the world around them. Good or evil, loved or loathed, career versus family, or just you and your faithful canine companion – live the life you have always dreamed. More so than ever before, your choices lead to far more profound outcomes that impact your every being. Whether it’s deciding the outcome of minor squabbles or changing the direction of the entire kingdom, these key decisions will change the world forever.

RU?

Crackdown 2 Review

Marc Eastman — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:02:11 +0000

You know the world of gaming is moving into a new realm of achievement when you start liking games you don't like. Make sense?

Crackdown 2 is basically a shooter, but one with very open gameplay. You jump in as an Agent, trying to reclaim Pacific City from the effects of a virus that has turned much of the population into "Freaks," which is code for weird zombies. Unable to come out in the sunlight, night is a bad time to be around the city, but this gives the Agency an option for a supreme Freak-battling weapon.

The agency has a system in place for harnessing the sun's power, and pinpointing to the Freak lairs, and even the means to detonate a sort of Super Solar pulse, thus eliminating the Freaks once and for all. Unfortunately, there is a kind of rebellion at play in Pacific City. Known as Cell, this group of civilians is out to stop The Agency, and hinders their work at every turn. Your job is to reclaim whatever Cell has taken over, get the city back under Agency control, and wipe out Freaks.

Well, your job is really just to shoot at stuff. Sound fun?

Your focus is primarily on activating the beacons that make up this solar weaponry, but there are several other tasks to accomplish as well, though few of them are ultimately necessary.

Armed with a suit of armor, increasing ability to jump and run, and armed with a wide variety of weaponry and vehicles, the city is yours to explore. Climb to the top of buildings, and leap from rooftops to get around, or take a buggy with mounted machine gun for a ride, either way, you have a lot of city to cover.

What story there is comes to you by way of narration. Theoretically your handler, someone in the Agency is guiding you along the way, teaching how to use your abilities, and keeping you on track to one degree or another. Thus, while a somewhat interesting story, there isn't much story. You get the background, you have your objectives, you blow stuff up.

This isn't a game in quite the same group as things like Mass Effect 2, or Red Dead Redemption, and it isn't really trying to be. If you want a lot of story built in, try those games out, but if you want to throw shrapnel grenades, launch missiles, carry around gun turrets, and wreak untold amounts of general carnage, this is your game.

The question is only whether or not that's what you're looking for. If so, the controls, collectible power-ups, and complicated tasks are worth your time. The multi-player possibilities are very cool as well. You might find it a little tedious to search out those last few agility bonuses, because you can't reach a certain goal until you can jump higher, but overall things progress pretty smoothly.

The final verdict is that this probably won't really excite anyone, except as a multi-player offering. There are some games that make me wonder why they offer a non-multi-player experience, and this is one. The first few hours of play might be entertaining, but the game lacks the complexity to keep you interested on your own. As something to team up and deal out death, however, this one has some strong points.

If you're an action fanatic, you won't go wrong here. Otherwise, you won't last long before you wish there was more going on behind the explosions.

Complete freedom: A spectacular sandbox experience, Crackdown 2 is an explosive tour de force that invites you to explore, experiment, and navigate through objectives with complete freedom to do what you want, when you want. With unprecedented levels of open-ended gameplay in combat and story progression, Crackdown 2 redefines the sandbox style of play with a gripping narrative and more ways to engage in the explosive action than ever.

In a league of its own: With unparalleled cooperative action and multiplayer, the sandbox experience gets more exciting! Evolving the way open-world games are played, Crackdown 2 introduces never-before-seen multiplayer features that will take the genre to new heights. With the ultimate four-player co-op mode, 16-player multiplayer experiences, and an all-new party system, Crackdown 2 ushers in the most exciting open-world experience ever, offering unlimited ways to play and share Pacific City with friends around the world. Engage in dynamic competitive and cooperative multiplayer for double the carnage, action and intensity, only made possible on Xbox LIVE.

Sky's the limit: Serving justice, by any means necessary, Crackdown 2 continues the over-the-top action with ever-expanding skills, more dangerous enemies, and no safe zones. Strategies and tactics will be even more inventive with new weapons and agent skills that grant the abilities to scale buildings, orchestrate massive explosions, and engage in bone-crushing combat with obliterating force. Hit the road, take to the sky or explore underground -- the experience is limited only by your imagination. Whether chasing down enemies on rooftops or dropping from sky-high to ground zero in a matter of seconds, Crackdown 2 is the perfect adrenaline rush for action fanatics.

Sprawling environment: The sprawling metropolis that was once Pacific City is now divided between the Agency, the Cell and the Freaks in a contentious battle between order and anarchy. Divided and expanded with new environments in every direction, the city has never been more perilous. From the rooftops to the sewers, utilize their surroundings to the fullest to take back Pacific City.

RU?

Crackdown 2 video game review (telegraph.co.uk)
Review: Stale `Crackdown 2' crashes to Earth (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Doodle God App Review. Why The Hell Am I “Playing” This?

Marc Eastman — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:36:07 +0000

If you still don't have a smartphone, you've got to get one. I may be something of a tech geek, but generally I despise gadgets for the sake of gadgets. However, at some point everyone who pays enough attention to what's going on in the world discovers that, by God, there really is an App for that.

Doodle God, on the other hand, has me stymied. Even considering the entire world of App games, and the undeniable fun of some of the weirder efforts App developers have managed to get people to pay 99 cents for, Doodle God is in a class by itself.

Somewhere there is a psychology course (even the future is somewhere) focused solely on figuring out the inexplicable things people will get addicted to (and/or pay a dollar for), and one of the chapters of the textbook centers around Doodle God.

One of the curiosities to come out of the flood of screwy App games is the relatively new frequency with which people are forced to repeatedly explain what they're doing. Whether you're launching animals, nonsensically shooting cute and fuzzy things, or staring at a screen as some incarnation of tower zaps some incarnation of theoretical "baddie," you've never found yourself so frequently met with the further question, "But, why are you doing it?"

There is a new king (okay, God) of this odd cultural spiral, because you don't even really know why you're "playing" Doodle God. I put the word in quotes there, because I think there are some key elements of play that cannot quite be attributed to what you're doing when tapping the screen in this instance.

The game kicks off with a quick introduction, and sets you up with the four basic elements - Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. You're off. All you do is try to put things together. Tap Fire. Tap Water. You've made something new. Now you have that option as something you can potentially combine.

That's it.

Eventually, you'll get to all manner of cool things. Beetles, cars, dolphins, dragons, and just about anything you can think of. Most of them actually make a good bit of sense, though some are a bit weird. I suppose the question is, can you get them all? If you're stuck, there's a hint button. It will either show you something that can be made, so at least you have an idea what you're looking for, or it will open to categories and tell you something can be made from them.

It's fun, slick, gives you some interesting quotes whenever you discover something new, and I have no idea what the draw is.

As pure time-wasters go, this is one of the more creative efforts you'll ever run into, and though you probably won't believe it, you will get hooked. The first 40 or so will suck you in, and then things will get a bit tricky.

Take a look at an introductory video.

There will probably never be another App game that is so utterly pointless, and doesn't even give you a way to really call anything about it "fun" that I will recommend, but something about this is as wonderful as it is insane.

Check it out at the App Store here.

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RISK Coming To iPhone This Summer

Marc Eastman — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:22:55 +0000

There are several clones of the classic board game RISK already available at the iPhone App Store, but this summer the real deal is coming from EA. Some of the options already available to you aren't that bad for killing time actually, but EA clearly takes its App Games very seriously, already offering several of the most incredible titles there are, and it looks like this one will be no different.

THE REAL RISK EXPERIENCE! Soon on iPhone® & iPod touch®, pursue world domination with THE ORIGINAL game of strategic conquest. Mobilize against realistic AI adversaries or challenge up to 6 multiplayer opponents. Play the game that has fired dreams of global conquest for generations!

THE ORIGINAL WAR GAME TRADITION LIVES ON IN AN EXPLOSIVE NEW WAY

The updated look and feel also captures the powerful tradition of the authentic RISK experience. Strategize over the world map, attack with a “roll” of the dice, and fortify your advances with the same rule set as the classic board game.

ENGAGE IN MULTIPLE MODES OF BATTLE

Test your power against strong AI opponents, each featuring unique strategies and even emotional responses. Escalate the action in two Multiplayer modes. Challenge up to 4 of your greatest rivals via WiFi or Bluetooth, or up to 6 with Pass ‘n Play.

CRUSH YOUR OPPONENTS AND ACHIEVE HONOR

Attack enemy forces, and transfer and fortify your armies in phase-based warfare. Track the progress and relative strength of opponents with easily accessible in-game statistics. Earn an extensive list of achievements as your armies dominate territory after territory.

STAY ON THE MARCH BACKED BY AN INSPIRING SOUNDTRACK

Stirring sound effects and morale-boosting music enhance the feelings of struggle – and triumph!

I'm looking forward to this one.

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Are Video Games Art? Roger Ebert Opens The Debate- Again

Marc Eastman — Thu, 20 May 2010 18:08:11 +0000

I happened across a similarly titled article at SciFi Wire this morning, which offered a counterpoint in that Sir Ben Kingsley seems to be of the opinion that video games are art. Check out that article here. Unfamiliar with the idea that Roger Ebert had expressed the opinion that video games aren't art, I followed the link to his blog post on the subject. In a post titled Video games can never be art, Ebert lays out his points on the subject.

Though he has apparently made the claim before, what kicked him off was a presentation. Find that presentation below. It's around fifteen minutes long.

In reading the first article, I didn't think Ebert was making as strong a claim as it turns out he is, and I was rather surprised to read his thoughts on the subject. Early on he says, "I remain convinced that in principle, video games cannot be art." (emphasis from original)

That's the sort of thing that will spark my interest, because when someone says "in principle," I want to know their reasoning. I was somewhat surprised that I found his reasoning decidedly flawed. In the end, I decided that his statement is itself flawed as well.

The presentation that led to Ebert's response is a TED talk given at USC by Kellee Santiago, a designer and producer of video games.

reference art from Alan Wake EPK

To quote Ebert's blog - In it,

she begins by saying video games "already ARE art." Yet she concedes that I was correct when I wrote, "No one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists and poets." To which I could have added painters, composers, and so on, but my point is clear.

*I don't know why poets are mentioned twice, but the quote is the same in the article twice, so there you go.

I want to point out that Ebert makes much of this quote, and though he could have added painters and composers, he didn't, and it is worth noting. It's important because paintings and music are a very different kind of art, fairly distinct from poetry, film, and novels, and though Ebert talks about cave paintings and cathedrals, his points on art seem to focus on story.

More to the point, Ebert clearly wants the statement to have some meaning. It is supposed to be doing some work. It doesn't. Just off the top of my head, I don't think anyone can cite a Ready-Made, piece of experimental music, or example of Chinese calligraphy that is worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, and novelists. I frankly don't think Ready-Mades are art myself, but I don't see how the argument is that I wouldn't stand a certain piece up against a work of Shakespeare.

I rather think gardening could be art, but if I'm wondering about the fact it would seem nonsensical to try to decide the matter by trying to find an example of gardening that I want to hold up as equal in some way to the work of the world's great poets.

Ebert goes on to discuss definitions of art, because that's what Santiago does in the presentation, and finds them all a bit lacking in the sense of including video games. He does say that we could play with definitions of art all day, and find things that are accepted as art which would be excluded using any of them. Art, pretty simply, doesn't have any set definition that everyone agrees to, and to clear the thing up, definitions aren't really how we determine members of sets anyway.

Suddenly, Ebert does something a little odd, by saying this -

One obvious difference between art and games is that you can win a game. It has rules, points, objectives, and an outcome. Santiago might cite a immersive game without points or rules, but I would say then it ceases to be a game and becomes a representation of a story, a novel, a play, dance, a film. Those are things you cannot win; you can only experience them.

It's odd in one respect, because it's in the middle of the article, and not really connected to anything. It might have been stuck in at the end, and placed at random.

It's also odd, because it's logically flawed, and in such a way that it is almost a lie (or at least a hell of a cheat). You can't say there is a difference between art and games when the very question at hand is whether or not games are art. That is to argue a question using an answer as a premise.

It sounds good when you point to stories, novels, plays, dances, and films, and say, "see how those are similar in this way?" It's a logical trick though, and there is nothing set out in the "theory" of what art is that rules out - rules, points, objectives, outcomes, or says anything about an inability to win, or some experienced-only-ness.

The ideas being thrown around are a lot more complex than Ebert gives them credit for. For example, since dance seems acceptable as art, we might ask, "Is a dance art, to the dancer, while they are performing it?" We can give a similar line about a play. If so, there are pretty clearly rules of some sort, objectives, outcomes, and I daresay a way in which they can win.

Possible artist-themselves exceptions aside, this winning angle is a kind of straw man. There is nothing unique to the concept of winning that actually distinguishes it from any other difference among the arts. I admit it seems like there is, but there would seem to be a similar difference if there had never been music and it suddenly showed up on the scene. "Is music art," would not be answered by pointing out that it is a way of making noise, has melodies, or by picking any other inherent quality of the subject.

Winning is arguably just part of the definition of what it is to be a game, and the question of whether or not games are art is not answered by saying, "well, the difference between art and games is that games are games."

Ebert gets close to his closing by saying -

These days, she says, "grown-up gamers" hope for games that reach higher levels of "joy, or of ecstasy....catharsis." These games (which she believes are already being made) "are being rewarded by audiences by high sales figures." The only way I could experience joy or ecstasy from her games would be through profit participation.

The three games she chooses as examples do not raise my hopes for a video game that will deserve my attention long enough to play it. They are, I regret to say, pathetic. I repeat: "No one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists and poets."

This passage also strikes me, chiefly because I can't put my finger on why he would say it. "It isn't art, because I don't like it," is a sentiment I can often get behind, but I'm not sure how it is meant to convince anyone. Nor am I clear on how, "I wouldn't experience joy," is a rebuttal to inclusion of any particular game. The examples of things that do nothing for me, yet are considered art by a great many, are endless, but I don't understand putting them out as some support for the idea that they indeed lack the status.

Ebert also ends on a strange note, wondering at the interest gamers have in calling video games art in the first place.

Why are gamers so intensely concerned, anyway, that games be defined as art? Bobby Fischer, Michael Jordan and Dick Butkus never said they thought their games were an art form. Nor did Shi Hua Chen, winner of the $500,000 World Series of Mah Jong in 2009. Why aren't gamers content to play their games and simply enjoy themselves? They have my blessing, not that they care.

Do they require validation? In defending their gaming against parents, spouses, children, partners, co-workers or other critics, do they want to be able to look up from the screen and explain, "I'm studying a great form of art?" Then let them say it, if it makes them happy.

I allow Sangtiago the last word. Toward the end of her presentation, she shows a visual with six circles, which represent, I gather, the components now forming for her brave new world of video games as art. The circles are labeled: Development, Finance, Publishing, Marketing, Education, and Executive Management. I rest my case.

I only find this interesting, because it feels odd to hear. Why do any artists want to be called artists, as opposed to say, "nutjobs banging cans while playing dischordant "music" on the piano?" Why do fans and/or "patrons" want performance art to be considered art? Who knows why really, but the world of video games didn't invent the practice.

It's also interesting, especially if you watch the presentation I think, because the circles are the same, and are labeled the same, by those looking at the components of making films.

But, are video games art?

I think perhaps they are, at least in the sense that they can be.

First, I have to say again that there simply is nothing about being art that necessitates a comparison to the great poets, or anyone else. While Ebert may be talking about video games, his viewpoint is really exclusionary of most everything, and ultimately isn't really an argument that video games aren't art, but that nothing that isn't already considered art is art.

Whether it's interpretive dance, origami, tattoo, cooking, or at least three-quarters of all things "modern art", there are countless examples of things that are considered art already, or things we might legitimately wonder about as art, which will never stand up to such comparisons.

That said, I probably never would have put forward the notion that video games are art without someone making the statement that they aren't... and doing it so poorly.

The main reason, given very little thought frankly, is that while reading Ebert's opinion two things kept popping into my mind - Pixar and Alan Wake.

What comes to mind are visions of a film like Wall-E, a game like Alan Wake, and the process of creating these two entities coupled with the respective final products. At some point things perhaps become very philosophical, much like asking about the personhood of sufficiently advanced robots, but I'm not sure I can find what it is that is so different about these two examples. Especially, considering that we are talking "in principle."

More importantly, what nags at me about the discussion is not so much the bare idea of video games as art, but the fact that if they aren't, then people who make them aren't artists. That feels weird to me when I could take everyone from Wall-E, have them do almost exactly the same work, and suddenly they wouldn't be artists... whichever of them count as artists in the first place.

It's an issue that won't be decided by Mr. Ebert or myself, but it also won't be decided by way of odd and faulty logic. Though citing many and varied definitions of art, Ebert seems to forget that art is an idea we made up. There have been debates about which things qualify as art for as long as the term has been around, and often with good reason. (Is a urinal art because I stick it in an art gallery?) But, in the end it turns out that there is only one rule when it comes to deciding whether or not something is art, and Ebert is wrong in principle.

A thing is art if enough people say it is, and there the story ends. No argument I put forward is going to get Ready-Mades out of art books, much as I might hope it would, nor will my pointing out simply that I dislike them.

The plain truth of the matter is that there is no such thing as something not being art in principle.

Finally, I'd like you to look at this excerpt from Ebert's article. It is one I won't really comment on.

Santiago now phrases this in her terms: "Art is a way of communicating ideas to an audience in a way that the audience finds engaging." Yet what ideas are contained in Stravinsky, Picasso, "Night of the Hunter," "Persona," "Waiting for Godot," "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock?" Oh, you can perform an exegesis or a paraphrase, but then you are creating your own art object from the materials at hand.

What ideas are contained in these pieces of art?

Can I not simply list the ideas? Is that to create an object of art?

Only to pick "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the ideas of "love", "song", and indeed "love song" are most definitely in the art, and I challenge you to make the case that they are not.

(I have concerns about calling Stravinsky and Picasso art frankly. Even I might rule out people, but...)

I simply leave that quote to you, and ask that you wonder if Ebert seems to have any idea what art is at all.

Are You Screening?

Roger Ebert Revisits "Games Aren't Art" Argument (1up.com)
Roger Ebert's latest column posits 'games can never be art' (joystiq.com)
Ebert, Art, And Video Games (chicagoist.com)
Roger Ebert On Why Video Games Can Never Be Art (games.slashdot.org)
Why Does it Matter if Video Games are Art? (trueslant.com)
Ebert re-enters 'games as art' debate (guardian.co.uk)

Alan Wake Review XBOX

Marc Eastman — Tue, 11 May 2010 02:23:29 +0000

If it were up to me, Alan Wake would, in a variety of ways, represent the future of gaming. A new standard in immersive gameplay, the title has you playing as author Alan Wake during a vacation gone horribly wrong, and events unfold with the style and suspense of a television show. In fact, the game is broken up into episodes, and as you progress to the next installment, a "Last Time on Alan Wake" recap awesomely kicks things off.

From Remedy, creators of the Max Payne series, Alan Wake is part adventure, part mystery, and part shooter, but it's all put together in a package that doesn't quite resemble anything you've seen before (even though it resembles things you've seen before). Your trip to the quaint town of Bright Falls, WA is interrupted by the disappearance of your wife, and before you know it, a mysterious dark force is after you, and the division between fantasy and reality is becoming disturbingly blurred.

Piece together clues as the bizarre mystery unfolds around you, and use your wits and weapons to stay alive, including your most powerful weapon - light.

At each stage of your adventure you travel the forests, mountains, and surrounding area of Bright Falls, making your way from one goal to the next. The Darkness is after you, and it is possessing people (and objects) to hinder you along the way. Your gun may be a fine weapon, but you have to "burn" the darkness away with a light source before your enemies can be hurt.

There is much to be said for the fighting system of the game, and I suppose it requires mention, but it isn't that interesting to me personally. It's fun, easily managed, and gets the job done solidly, but it's not as impressive to me as the overall experience. You aim your flashlight, hold LT to intensify your beam (thus using your batteries faster), pull RT to shoot your gun, and so on. Press X to reload, find a shotgun, more ammo, or flare, run and duck... you know the score.

It's a good system, and stands up to the gameplay test, but the experience you're put through apart from the fighting is simply brilliant, and makes any fighting you do simply one aspect of a rich world.

The living setting, interactive landscape, and superb soundtrack create a level of mood that sucks you into the game to almost unbelievable levels. Possibly the best example of the game's general effect I can give is the mere fact that you actually run. For experienced gamers, you know full well that you are not actually in any hurry. Well, sometimes things are actually chasing you that need to be killed, but that's not what I'm talking about. As events unfold when you're following a path, you're supposed to be "hurrying" to whatever goal you're after, but you know it doesn't actually matter. In fact, in some sense you probably aren't really meant to. There are probably secret things to find. The bad or good things that happen when you reach point X, happen no matter how long it takes you to get there. In Alan Wake you run anyway... and it's weird.

On the one hand, you do it because things are actually pretty creepy. Thankfully, the brightness can be adjusted, but if you turn it down and turn the lights off, you'll be surprised, and don't think I don't know that hundreds of game have (somewhat laughably) said that before. On the other hand, you do it for much the same reason that you are hard-pressed not to fast-forward through an episode of LOST to get to the new information. It's that compelling.

Don't get me wrong, the combat is pretty intense and fun in itself (and even on the easiest setting you will die a few times - then try Nightmare and watch out), but the attention to the story and experience are a lot more important to me.

The only drawback I can see to the game at all is that, though you may give it another run on a harder setting, I'm not sure there's really a lot of replayability. I'm led to understand that downloadable content will be available after the game's release, and I look forward to it, but much as LOST is not particularly a show I would start watching again, Alan Wake is probably not something that one will run through again and again, and probably not six months later.

If we're lucky, game companies will be smart enough to follow a similar line of bridging the gap between television/film and video game experiences (in this, the good way), and in years to come we will look back at Alan Wake as a major player in the next generation of gaming. A lot of people might have something like Mass Effect 2 in mind as a similar theory, and while that was an excellent game as well, Alan Wake is miles ahead in terms of pure fun.

I hear the stage is set for Alan Wake 2, and if I could order it right now, I would.

Rating: ★★★★★

Alan Wake will also be released in a Limited Collector's Edition, and I'd recommend going for it. It will include a 144-page book containing a short story by Alan Wake, a compilation of FBI dossiers on the events at Bright Falls, an exclusive XBOX Live theme and Avatar, video documentaries on the game's development, in-game commentary and hints, and more. Seriously, in-game commentary.

In keeping with the general awesomeness of the game, Remedy has created a live-action prequel to the events in the game called Bright Falls. You can check out the episodes at www.brightfalls.com with more to be released as we approach the game's release date. You can check a quick trailer for that series below.

And, check out a thorough preview video for the game itself which gives you a lot of detail on gameplay.

Own it May 18th!

RU?

Alan Wake video game developer interview (telegraph.co.uk)
Remedy: Plot for Alan Wake 2 Already Mapped Out (1up.com)

Sherlock Holmes Game Hits The iPad

Marc Eastman — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:46:11 +0000

Having already made a splash on the iPhone and iPod Touch, Sherlock Holmes is now available on the iPad. This strikes me as a really great addition actually, because the App game is good on the iPhone, but it might almost be too much game for the really small screen. At least, that was my experience.

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution today announced the availability of Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad, a game for the Apple iPad that transports players to the seedy underbelly of 19th century London. Using the iPad’s multi-touch technology, players step into the shoes of the intrepid Sherlock Holmes who finds himself in an exhilarating whodunit puzzle adventure game. Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad is inspired by the motion picture from Warner Bros. Pictures in association with Village Roadshow Pictures and Silver Pictures.

In Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad, players follow clues through the gritty side of the 1890’s Victorian London where, along with Dr. Watson, Sherlock uses his keen wit and winning charm to prove a man is innocent of murder. Leveraging the powerful platform of the Apple iPad and its 1024x768 screen resolution, players will be treated to breathtaking graphics through 11 immersive 3-D environments as they work to solve the case.

Features for Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad include:

§ Puzzle Boxing Tournament – Exclusive for the iPad, Sherlock must use his wit and mental acuity, by finding and exploiting his opponents’ weaknesses to neutralize the threat. Knuckle through a tournament of 12 unique characters using the iPad’s multi-touch functionality

§ Auto-Flip and Rotate Support – Flip or rotate the iPad to play from any angle

§ Full Screen Resolution for a High-def 3-D experience

§ Increased Texture Resolution for the characters and environments

§ Redesigned UI takes advantage of the larger iPad screen

As players gather evidence within the game, they gain crucial information through compelling and insightful mini-games:

§ Insights – Find hidden clues using Sherlock’s keen Insight, and put them together in Sherlock’s virtual mind to unravel the mystery

§ Lock Picking – Find the perfect path through a lock’s inner workings to lift each of the tumblers, and gain access to the secrets within

§ Foot Chase – Wind a way through London’s streets in pursuit of justice. Outmaneuver the culprits and emerge victorious!

Sherlock Holmes Mysteries for iPad is now available for $2.99 on the App Store for iPad or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

Sherlock Holmes the movie is now available to buy or rent on iTunes.

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Sims 3 World Adventures Hits App Store

Marc Eastman — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:49:46 +0000

I hate to sound overly enthusiastic about a company, but EA has been blowing me away with their iPhone App games for quite a while, and now The Sims 3: World Adventures has hit as an App Game. The Sims 3, though limited and largely unable to pull me away from the PC version, is an incredible offering in the world of App Games, and we're taking things up a few notches.

Just released, I haven't played around with it yet, but it's an easy decision as a purchase.

Key Features

EXPLORE 3 EXOTIC DESTINATIONS

…“Al Simhara,” Egypt… “Champs Les Sims,” France… “Shang SimLa,” China. Each exciting location is loaded with a world of possibilities for danger, adventure, and romance for your Sim.

MEET GLOBAL CHALLENGES

Enjoy an international twist on the Sims-style gameplay you know and love with 52 new goals, 4 new mini-games -- plus personas, careers, and quests.

ENJOY MORE CUSTOM CONTENT

Let your Sim sport the local looks of the culture and acquire worldly tastes. There are lots of new clothing styles, furniture selections, and even new face types to choose from.

IMPORT/EXPORT BETWEEN THE SIMSTM GAMES FOR iPHONE® & iPOD TOUCH®

Yes! You can transfer your Sim back and forth between the iPhone® & iPod touch® versions of The SimsTM World Adventures and The SimsTM 3. So bring your favorite Sim on your adventure.

INCLUDES SIMS-STYLE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT FROM WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS

Travel to the tunes of artists like LeAnn Rimes – singing in

Simlish, of course!

Check it out at the iTunes Store here!

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GameFly Updates GameCenter App For iPhone And iPod Touch

Marc Eastman — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 20:19:57 +0000

I have to admit right from the start that I am not a GameFly subscriber. I am nevertheless a big fan. I find the concept brilliant, but I only have so many hours in a day, and generally purchase the games I'm after that don't come to me for review. That's just me. Even so... I'm sorely tempted.

GameFly has now gone a step further than movie counterpart Netflix seems willing to go, by taking their subscription service to another level with the release of an updated version of their GameCenter App. While there's nothing in it for me, apart from a twitchy jealousy, I wanted to share the news with you. If you are already a subscriber, this is an obvious must, but I rather like it as another key to the initial sell.

Everything at your fingertips all the time is something you can't overlook when deciding on something like this.

Key features that add a lot of value -

*Add or delete games & news by platform
*Ability to browse similar games from any game detail page
*Share the games you add to your GameQ with friends via Facebook, Twitter and email
*Improved UI for browsing games and news
*Special Offers including free trials and more
*More game trailers & higher quality

In addition to the most recent news, release dates, user reviews, game controls, videos, cheats, codes and more for over 7,000 video games, GameCenter 1.2 offers GameFly members a fully integrated GameQ in-app that enables easier browsing, adding, deleting and sharing of games. GameCenter 1.2 also includes an improved user interface and more personalization to further enhance the gamer’s experience.

“We are big fans of games and know how important it is to have access to the latest news, high-quality trailers and screenshots for your favorite games. GameCenter brings all this and more straight to the mobile device, so gamers can access and share the game content they want, when and wherever they want for free,” said Sean Spector, GameFly co-founder and SVP of business development and content. “We listened to our users’ feedback and GameCenter 1.2, with its host of new features, offers an improved mobile game-related experience.”

The new GameCenter 1.2 app is available for free from the App Store or at http://gamefly.com/gamecenter.

About GameCenter: GameCenter incorporates intuitive search functionality with suggest-as-you-type predictions, enabling quick access to in-depth game information on the fly including news articles, previews, trailers, screenshots, publisher and developer info, recent user and game critic reviews, box art, cheat codes, and game controls. Detailed and current information is available on an ever-growing list of more than 7,000 titles on all major platforms including Xbox 360™, PlayStation® 3, PlayStation® 2, Nintendo Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and PSP™. Breaking news articles feed in from leading game news sites directly to the app, and social networking features allow users to share game information and news on Facebook and Twitter. GameCenter is free and available to all iPhone and iPod touch users. In addition, GameFly subscribers can sign into their GameFly accounts and manage their GameQ. For more information, please visit http://www.gamefly.com/gamecenter.

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Sherlock Holmes Hits The App Store

Marc Eastman — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:38:52 +0000

The Game Is Afoot!

The World's Greatest Detective arrives on the iPhone/iPod touch in the exciting adventure game, Sherlock Holmes Mysteries, inspired by the motion picture of the same name, Sherlock Holmes. Presented by Warner Bros. Pictures, Sherlock Holmes, directed by Guy Richie and starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

Once inside the shoes of the World's Greatest Detective, you must use Sherlock's keen wit and flattering charm to prove a man innocent of murder, without revealing your sources. The investigation will take you into the seedy, gritty side of Victorian London, overflowing with deceit and disregard for basic codes of decent behavior as you traverse the deadly back alleys. Scour the environments… Uncover the Clues… Reveal the truth in The Case of the Innocent Man.

Authentic Sherlock Experience – Alongside Dr. Watson, uncover clues, interrogate suspects, solve the case!
Stunning Visuals – Gritty, seedy side of 1890's London is brought to life with exceptional art-style, and breathtaking graphics
Immersive Environments – 3-D environments bring the genuine Sherlock Holmes atmosphere to life
Compelling Mini-Games – Gain crucial information through insightful mini-games

§ Insights – Find Hidden Clues using Sherlock's keen Insight, and put them together in Sherlock's Mind to unravel the mystery

§ Puzzle Boxing – When Sherlock fights it is a game of wit and mental faculty, finding and exploiting his opponent's weaknesses to neutralize the threat

§ Lock Picking – Find the perfect path through a lock's inner workings to lift each of the tumblers, and gain access to the secrets the locks guard against

§ Foot Chase – Wind your way through London's streets in pursuit of justice. To emerge victorious is often the result of outmaneuvering those you pursue

Get it at the App Store!

Zippity By LeapFrog – Toddler Screening Edutainment

Marc Eastman — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 19:06:04 +0000

I'm actually a huge fan of LeapFrog, and endorsing their products is something that's pretty easy for me. My house has LeapPads (yes, more than one), a Leapster, a Didj, and countless books and cartridges. Simply put, there are a lot of things about the way LeapFrog tries to make their products work that gels with my theories on learning, and for what it's worth, I have a degree in Secondary Education. But, when it comes to the Zippity, I'm a bit out of my element in the age-range, and I'm inherently suspicious of the general idea.

Much to the chagrin of many people, not least those at LeapFrog, this is the kind of thing I wanted to get a couple months experience with before I had an opinion.

The main stumbling block is that this is sold as being for ages 3-5. That's a tough sell right there, because I'm not sure I'm all for a video system at the ripe old age of three, and even moving past that, I wonder about the attention span for something that is not exactly cheap. I have a little girl just at that opening age, and she loves a lot of things, especially when The Little Einsteins and so on are involved, but she loves many of them for about fifteen seconds.

So, first off, what is it?

The Zippity plugs into your television, and is a "game system" that your child controls using a large mat with an oversized joystick. The action is controlled by either moving the joystick or stepping on a colored space. The included games feature Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, The Little Einsteins, and My Friends Tigger & Pooh. I should note that this is an exclusively LeapFrog and Disney collaboration. There are expansion cartridges with Cars and Disney Princesses, and others, but you're going to be stuck with Disney titles.

The games focus on learning colors, numbers, memory skills, etc., and each show features two games with two levels of difficulty. Your child steps on the correct color to answer questions, or just to make the characters dance around. In one of The Little Einsteins' games, the joystick is used to get Rocket to collect musical instruments. You get the idea.

What's the verdict?

Well, I've had this thing for a few months now, and my daughter loves it. She jumps around like a maniac, and laughs hysterically. There's dancing, hopping, pushing, and pulling, and she loves the characters. It took her quite a while to figure out what she was supposed to be doing, and she needed some guidance, but she was just barely three when it first arrived. She tries to sing along and talks to the screen, and has a lot of fun. She seems to have also latched onto the idea that now she has a "game," because her brother is allowed to play with his Didj and on the Wii, so there's a lot of, "My game is called Zippity!"

Months into the experiment, she hasn't grown tired of it, though she doesn't get to use it too regularly, because the very idea still makes me just a bit uncomfortable, but she has tons of fun with it.

I like the games as well, because the learning involved seems solid. The different levels for the games seem to add to the difficulty in a meaningful way, though she isn't really up to the challenge. I also find it nice that the different shows are put together with very different games, and it's clear that my daughter knows that one set of characters is colors, for example, while others are different types of games.

I also like that there are expansions, but I'm slightly nervous that there won't be many more. As of now, I believe there are only three, and two of them are pretty girl-oriented, and for the money required I can see where people may want a bit more choice.

The fun factor clearly passes the test, and I believe the educational value does as well. The only thing left is the quality, and my daughter has tried her best to beat this thing to a pulp for months now, and you'd never know it. There is no such thing as moving the joystick a bit to the left for her, there is only ram it one way or the other with all her might, and the thing has held up fine. She has also jumped on the pad for all she's worth, and it doesn't seem at all the worse for it.

I definitely give this one a recommendation to any who might be interested. With all the possibilities out there, this one is perhaps a bit pricey, but I find it to be a solid product. I have always been pretty firmly of the belief that if there is learning to be done, there's no reason it can't be done while laughing hysterically, and the Zippity fits that bill.

I'd love to have a video here, since LeapFrog has many of them for the product, but they don't seem interested in making that an easy task. You can check out some video of the product at their homepage here though.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will mention that LeapFrog sent me one of these to try out.

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Ninja Assassin App Game For iPhone And iPod Touch

Marc Eastman — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:07:09 +0000

Now available at the App Store, Ninja Assassin is based on the film, and throws you into the role. You'll swipe the screen to swing your sword, tap to hide and throw shurikens, and much more.

I haven't had a chance to exhaust the game, but it's a fun, highly-stylized hack-and-slash with some twists. Additional game modes add to the playability, but the story mode is the main thing, and the progression of levels offers some variety to what is essentially just a killing spree. You can hide, thus allowing for the option to deliver surprise attacks, and there is some strategy to opting for different weapons. There is a bit of a learning curve, as simple as the gameplay seems when you go through the initial tutorial, and a few of the early targets will possibly leave you unsure about why they keep not falling down at you.

Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Legendary Digital are converting iPhone and iPod touch-users’ fingers into deadly chain blades, razor-sharp shurikens and lethal katanas in Ninja Assassin, a brutal, action-packed game unleashed today on the App store.

Ninja Assassin is a stealthy side scrolling hack n’ slash action game featuring an innovative touch-based, gesture control scheme. The player controls a single combatant against a number of different mobs and bosses identical to the primary enemies found in the Ninja Assassin movie. The gameplay is intense yet intuitive, while the gesture system allows the player to pull off stunning attacks that provide rich, over-the-top visuals along with a feeling of empowerment.

The game follows Raizo, one of the deadliest assassins in the world, after he was taken from the streets as a child and transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. Haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free and vanishes. Now he waits in the shadows, preparing to exact his revenge.

Ninja Assassin’s story mode is designed around the film narrative and organized into four acts. In addition to story mode, players can experience the ultimate challenge of “survival mode” where they must outlast wave after wave of enemies. Players can then upload and share their high scores online within the game or post to their Facebook page for the world to see.

Game Features:

Intense 3rd-Person Combat – Visceral “Hit-point” system allows player to sever enemy limbs

Intuitive Hack-n-Slash Gameplay – Gesture-based combat controls enable the user to attack with a simple swipe of the finger

Engaging Story – Featuring 12 action-packed levels spanning over 4 harrowing acts - separated by original hand-painted artwork inspired by the film

Stunning Visuals – Showing-off highly stylized, vector-based character models

Global Leaderboards – Player can rank themselves against the rest of the world

Personalized Playlist – Listen to your own music while slicing and dicing your way through the game

Multiplayer Mini-Game – Using Bluetooth connectivity, fling razor-sharp shurikens from one device to the other

Considering that this is an App, and movie tie-in game at that, there's more to it than you might expect. It's hard to say how long this one can keep you coming back, but it's priced right, and the graphics are superb (though some shade of red much of the time).

Check it out at the App Store now!

XBOX Ups Bid To Take Over The World With New Social Networking, Movie, And Music Options

Marc Eastman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:41:43 +0000

At the NewTeeVee Live conference, it was confirmed that starting November 17th, there are going to be a lot of new options for your XBOX360 and more to the point XBOX Live. Already putting together big pushes in the everything-in-one box theory with lots of XBOX Live options and the ability to stream Netflix movies, you'll now be able to Twitter, Facebook, Last.fm, and plenty of other words that shouldn't be verbs. There will also be news coming to you through your console, and generally the idea is for you to never turn your box off anymore.

Look for demand to skyrocket for a variety of XBOX accessories that had a limited audience up to now, as the possibility to video chat, update your status and more becomes more commonplace.

Check out the press release below.

Next Week the TV Transforms when Social Networking, Music and Movies Come Alive on Xbox 360Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and Zune video Launch Nov.17 on Xbox LIVE .

The topic du jour was all about TV, but this morning at NewTeeVee Live – an industry conference that explores the future of television – Xbox LIVE general manager Marc Whitten confirmed the next wave of social entertainment is coming to Xbox LIVE on November 17. Starting next week, Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm and instant on HD video from Zune will be available on Xbox 360 consoles, transforming Xbox LIVE into the largest social network connected to the TV with exclusive features custom-designed for the living room.

“We’re delivering some truly exciting social entertainment experiences to our members,” said Whitten. “Xbox LIVE’s differentiator has always been our community, and we’ve already seen a tremendous response to these features in our public preview. It’s the community that drives us forward and allows us to pioneer new ways of connecting people through the entertainment they love.”

• Facebook*– Update your status to share what movie, game or entertainment you’re enjoying, connect with friends and view their Facebook stream, status updates and photos on the big screen – all seamlessly integrated and custom-built for Xbox 360. You can even compare your Xbox LIVE and Facebook friends lists to see which of your friends are on LIVE.

• Zune – Zune video on Xbox LIVE offers a full fidelity experience with instant on HD in 1080p and 5.1 channel surround sound. No waiting for downloads or buffering, it’s there at the press of a button. You can also share the experience with up to seven friends through voice chat and Avatar integration on the TV screen – it puts a whole new spin on “movie night.”

• Twitter*– Stay in the know by discovering, posting and replying to Tweets right on your Xbox 360. You can even view friend profiles, trends and conversations, or search to see who’s tweeting about your favorite game.

• Last.fm* – Discover more music and explore endless personalized radio stations with Last.fm on Xbox 360. Skip, “ban” or “love” tracks to create your perfect mix—we’ve even built in “Gamer Stations” with game-related types of music selected specifically for the gaming community (Available in the U.S. and UK)

In addition to these social features, Xbox LIVE will also be debuting “News and More,” a new section of the “Inside Xbox” channel, transforming Xbox LIVE into a full-fledged media portal. With a regularly-updated stream of content from MSNBC, The New Yorker and Dilbert, “News and More” brings the latest in current events, arts and entertainment right to your fingertips.

All of these features build on the wild success of Netflix on Xbox LIVE, which quickly established Xbox 360 as the most-used living room device for streaming Netflix content to the home1. Only on Xbox 360 can you find the best in movies, music, games and social networking all in one place, tailor-made for the TV and connected to more than 20 million people around the globe.

“From the launch of Xbox LIVE nearly seven years ago, to milestones like Video Marketplace, Netflix and the New Xbox Experience, we’ve continued working toward our vision of connected entertainment for everyone,” continued Whitten. “I’m proud to say that next week marks another great stride in fulfilling that promise, and we’re already imagining what the future has in store.”

So what are you waiting for? On November 17, turn on your Xbox 360, log onto Xbox LIVE and enjoy the world of social entertainment at your fingertips. Not an Xbox LIVE Gold member? Starting November 20 (12 pm ET / 9 am PT) until November 23 (12 pm ET / 9 am PT) Xbox LIVE Silver members can enjoy the latest Gold features for FREE – including Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm! There’s tons more to experience with Gold as well. Play the latest game titles like “Halo 3: ODST” online multiplayer, participate in “1 vs. 100,” host an Xbox LIVE Party or even video chat with friends. All of these Gold-only features will be available all weekend long for anyone to try. * Xbox LIVE Gold adult account required to access these features. Xbox LIVE Gold memberships are just over $4 (U.S.) per month

** Xbox LIVE members under the age of 18 will not be able to access Facebook and Twitter as part of the Free Gold Weekend

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Twitter, Facebook come to Xbox 360 on Nov. 17 (crunchgear.com)
Xbox 360's Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM and Zune Video Come November 17 [Xbox] (gizmodo.com)

Wii Fit Plus Review

Marc Eastman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:04:32 +0000

It's gotten to the point now where we are just about spoiled for choice when it comes to fitness titles for the Wii. Once Wii Fit and the balance board hit shelves, the fitness possibilities started popping up everywhere. Right now there must be around 15 to choose from, and more are on the way. Now there's Wii Fit Plus, with several upgrades to the original, and it's getting difficult to figure out what might be right for you.

Each product hypes its own best features and priorities, and if you're after something very specific, you can probably figure out what you want without too much trouble. Knowing where to turn if you're looking more generally is a bit trickier. If you want something pretty serious, and want a general workout with a lot of options, EA Sports Active is still probably your best bet. But, in my opinion, Wii Fit is still the winner when it comes to losing track of the fact that you're doing some exercise.

The sell of Wii Fit generally is not that you can give up your gym membership. The real plus to the thing is that you have a lot of weird games that you do a few minutes at a time, and you get a bit of exercise along the way. There are bonuses in the way of things like yoga positions, and doing step routines, which are pretty much as valuable as you think they are. Doing the yoga is actually pretty cool, and offers a lot of stretching, relaxation, etc., but you're either going to do yoga or not, and Wii Fit probably isn't the deciding factor.

Of course, there are some strength exercises, some of which are fine enough, others are a pain to do, and it's certainly a positive note for the overall score of Wii Fit, but the strength exercises are more or less in the same boat as the yoga. If you were going to pick up a dumbbell, you'd have done it already.

The beauty of Wii Fit, and now Wii Fit Plus, is that there are so many things you can do that are just goofy games, that almost completely distract from the fact that you are exercising. This is coupled with the fact that core exercises can be deceptive. You play around with ski jumping and hula hooping, and who knows what else, and you're surprised to find that your abs are killing you.

It isn't hard for you to commit to doing a few minutes a day, because it's just playing a game. It's a lot like actually riding a bike vs. convincing yourself to get on the bicycle exercise machine.

Now the sneakiness comes in, because at some point you think to yourself, "Why not throw in a yoga today, or a strength exercise?"

No one's going to get any argument from me when it comes to whether or not Wii Fit is suitable replacement for any number of other exercises, or even how good for you the workouts are, or much of anything else really. I'm not a fitness expert. But, I can tell you this, it's a hell of an option compared to doing nothing, and if time and money are concerns, this is especially worth investigating.

As far as what you get new with Wii Fit Plus, there are several things really. New activities, of course, but you also now routines. Some selections are built in which will target certain results you're looking for, but you can also put together your own set of exercises. You've also got the ability to track your calories burned, and see equivalent foods for same. Cute, and possibly a motivational boost.

As for new activities -

Perfect 10 - Basically an excuse to swing your hips in different directions as fast as you can.

Obstacle Course - Not much exercise here really, but its rather fun. Walk in place and jump in order to get around obstacles.

Bird's-Eye Bulls-Eye - Put on your chicken suit and flap your arms to fly. Lean forward or back to control where you're going, and try to land on targets. One of the deceptive games, your arms will get tired by the end.

Driving Range - Manage your balance and weight shift to hit golf balls in different situations.

Skateboard Arena - Basically riding a skateboard, and or skiing turned sideways, but with a lot of jumps and things to do. It's more work than you think if you keep it up for a while.

Snowball Fight - Lean back and forth to pop out from your cover, and whiz snowballs at Miis coming to get you. Another good example of how just moving can add up. Put together with some of the others, this will get your core muscles working.

Rhythm Kung Fu - A kind of aerobic challenge, this one is a spin on step class where you have to follow the actions of your instructor.

Island Cycling - Ride a bike around an island, sort of. It's more fun that it sounds.

Segway Circuit - Ride a Segway around and perform various tasks like popping balloons. A light exercise, this one will also play with your core muscles after a bit.

Tilt City - A kind of expanded version of the game where you tilt a board in order to get a ball to go where you want it. Silly fun, but it actually does something.

Rhythm Parade - March and move your arms to the right beat. Do it well enough and you'll have a huge parade of followers. This one, sorry, is really goofy.

Big Top Juggling - One of my favorites, this one has you balancing on a ball and attempting to juggle. Lean left and right to keep your balance, and move your arms to juggle. It's complicated, and the constant shifting of your weight adds up without you having any idea you're doing any work.

Table Tilt Plus - More or less the same as Tilt City in general concept.

Balance Bubble Plus - Another leaning game, and one from the original Wii Fit with some additions.

Basic Run Plus - One of the stranger concepts of the original now has a bit more added to it. Run in place on the floor and watch yourself do it on TV. Certainly something with physical benefits, but a bit odd really.

The other parts of Wii Fit get some additions with Plus as well. There are more strength exercises, and a few more yoga positions, etc.

As an add-on, this is a really easy purchase. You don't lose anything, and you have a lot more to explore. If you didn't shell out for Wii Fit yet, you have all the more reason to check it out. It's well worth it.

There are a thousand ways to get exercise, but you aren't going to keep doing any of them unless you think the thing in itself is fun. For those that are really serious about getting in shape, Wii Fit Plus may be a bit of laugh, but for countless others it's something fun that you'll actually do. The new routines and the various ways of keeping track of your progress are nice bonuses, and only add to the value.

Own it Today!

RU?

Wii Fit Plus: how does it shape up? (guardian.co.uk)
Wii Fit Plus Party (tarametblog.com)
GeekSugar's First Look at Wii Fit Plus (geeksugar.com)
Wii Fit Plus detailed, exercise even more realistically (destructoid.com)
Wii Fit Plus Review (fitnesstipsforlife.com)
Wii Fit Plus video game review (telegraph.co.uk)

Mystery Mania – iPhone App Review

Marc Eastman — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:49:23 +0000

Leave it to EA to pull out all the stop on what is essentially just a time waster App. Having recently come out with several big name titles (Madden 10, Tiger Woods) as mobile versions, and with more on the way (NBA Live, Need for Speed Shift), EA Mobile doesn't let things rest there. They also have titles along the lines of Trivial Pursuit and such, and now they have a new entry into the category I like to call "Screwy Puzzle Games."

Mystery Mania is a puzzle game in the object manipulation genre that follows a little robot around a strange mansion. Assuming the role of this robot, and aided by a computer, it's up to you to find your way from room to room, and discover what strange events have unfolded, and what happened to your creator. A good number of puzzles, and countless ways for your robot to get fried or smashed are the main draws of the game, but it also has inviting, old school graphics, and a supremely simple interface.

The game is a fairly equal mix of the fairly obvious, and the somewhat challenging, but it's rather fun, and has the plus of being unlikely to make anyone tear their hair out. You get your money's worth here, but only because of careful pricing. Another couple of dollars would be too much, but I don't imagine anyone will complain as it is.

Certainly not the next greatest game ever, this is one of the better versions of quick, time-waster, and there's something to be said for any App you can distract your kids with for a few minutes.

There is also a free version of the game, so you can give it a decent spin before you buy.

Our award-winning point-and-click adventure is now freshly designed for iPhone® and iPod touch®.

Guide confused robot "F8" through a bizarre mansion full of unsolved riddles. Solve the puzzles and piece together the story of why F8 was invented.

Explore 27 rooms full of crazy conundrums, perilous traps, and intriguing secrets. Plus, meet curiously quirky characters... including F8's inventor.

Outsmart man-eating plants. Guzzle strange potions. Build ingenious contraptions. Crack open F8's story and earn achievements.

Check out the free version here.

Check out the full version here.

RU?

Mystery Mania Review (wireless.ign.com)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert invades iPhone in October (joystiq.com)

Command And Conquer Red Alert Coming To iPhone

Marc Eastman — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:41:29 +0000

Continuing on with their major push toward the iPhone, EA is bringing Command & Conquer Red Alert to the iPhone and iPod Touch at the end of October. Having already put together some incredible iPhone games in the sports realm recently (Tiger Woods, Madden 10, FIFA 10), and with a strong list of other impressive entries (notably The Sims 3), EA isn't letting up on the iPhone any time soon.

It's speculation at this point, but the game looks quite nice, and given the mechanics EA has built into recent titles, I have high hopes for this one. I wonder about the touch controls, because I've played a few games recently which have had somewhat tricky tap, or tap-and-drag controls, but I expect EA won't have that problem. Considering the way Madden 10 is played, and the control abilities there, they seem to have a firm grip on working these things out.

Keep your eye out for the release.

Touch-control the action on the battlefield. Drag and scroll, pinch-zoom, or select and move with a tap.

Choose your faction and fight as either the Soviets or the Allies.

Deploy military might unique to each side and engage in different campaign storylines.

Battle through 12 intense combat levels.

Fight in Skirmish Mode on two different battlefield maps with war squads you create and control.

Command units on realistic battlefields with different environmental conditions.

Build your base and manage supplies with an easy-to-use combat system.

Employ classic units like Kirov Air Ships and new units like the Paladin Tank.

Research and develop new technologies to destroy your enemies. Arm yourself for all-out war!

Escalate your action by using red-hot Soviet Commando "Natasha" and Red Alert's "Tanya" for sabotage and infiltration.

RU?

Command & Conquer on the iPhone Looks, At Least, Decent From the Screenshots [IPhone Apps] (gizmodo.com)
Command & Conquer Red Alert On Your iPhone [EA Mobile] (kotaku.com)

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