Deus ex furtim

It appears that a sneaky Italian citizen has gotten their hot little hands on the “press demo” of this years highly anticipated Deus Ex sequel, Human Revolution. For once from the sound of the breach detailed at Patent Arcade we aren’t talking a shadowy organisation of highly skilled militant hackers, oh no, simply an employee of an Italian game magazine probably saw a company email and snapped up the details of the release, they might have even downloaded it from their home pc.

Square Enix provided the unpublished press demo, which usually includes multiple hours of gameplay intending to preview the content of the full game to 3rd parties commonly as basis for a pre-release review. So we aren’t talking a chopped down tantalising tid bit to earn your interest and money but an unpublished version that is the closest thing to the full game that anyone will see before August 23rd. I can only hope that when this reaches the torrent circuit (if it hasn’t already) that it will be tracked as diligently by US ISPs as the released episodes of Game of Thrones.

I adore the work that has gone into Human Revolution, and can only imagine the frustration this sort of thing engenders in the dev team, not the publishers, for them it’s simply potential losses (can’t imagine this will have that big of a dent) it’s the artists, animators and game designers that my heart bleeds for.

If you really want to support the studio on this one, don’t bother with the “Augmented” edition available here in the states, you want the real collectors edition, available only in “select European countries” I could only find the PC CE from Amazon.de and eBay, but they can be found for the consoles more readily if that’s what floats your boat:

Now that is more like it, I recently purchased the Play Arts Kai Big Boss from the Peace Walker line up and it rocks, so this was a no brainer for me. the rest of the content looks good as well, I am a sucker for the design from Human Revolution so far which gives that art book a little extra value to boot.

Ironic that a game whose cyberpunk setting gives us the opportunity to play as a spec ops hacker ends up being illegally obtained and distributed in such a garden variety way. A highly trained rogue ex-GIS agent infiltrating the magazine offices and securing the files would have been much more appropriate.

-Expatriategamer

Age of Conan going free to play

Age of Conan, the Cimmerian MMO that has met with limited success since it’s rocky launch in 2008 is adding a new business model to it current subscription method, the details are sparce at the moment but we are definitely looking at a free to play  option to be coming this summer, likely along side the Conan the Barbarian reboot (that’s a whole other post) details on the upcoming free mode and movie tie in content can be read after the jump.

Having played DAoC, WoW and WAR in the past and currently playing RIFT I have a certain soft spot for Modern MMO’s and being an avid fan of the original Robert E Howard fiction, I jumped at Age of Conan when it was first released. I have come and gone since then, but this new announcement has me excited to tread the jeweled thrones of Aquilonia beneath my sandled feet once more.

Age of Conan free to play!

Conan the Barbarian movie tie in

 

-Expatriategamer

A man from another time, Duke Nukem Forever

First things first, there was no way this was ever going to live up to the hype, we all knew that and I like to hope most had tempered their expectations accordingly, some things however cannot be attributed to unrealistic expectations.

Duke Nukem Forever (abbr. DNF, often used to shorten Did Not Finish, no irony lost on me there.) could have and damn well should have been a fun and funny, self deprecating, nostalgic romp to gaming’s storied past, as vapid but enjoyable as The Expendables. Had DNF been developed in the last couple of years, that may well have been the case. However having now played portions of the game on both 360 and PC, I assure you it’s just the opposite.

Like an old man at the most popular club in town trying to pick up young girls with the same come-ons he was using in 1981, DNF is out of it’s league. There are many things wrong here but the most glaring is it’s opinion of itself. Unbelievably DNF actually takes itself too seriously. trying to walk the line between evoking the adolescent giggles of it’s past while still being offensive, all you end up with is interactive urination and triple, lactating alien breasts. . . yeah. . .

There really isn’t much more to say, Duke’s once memorable one liners have been reduced to a gimmick that is more embarrassing than it is funny, but awful as the setting and attitude may be, if the underlying game was good enough it would have likely served to lift those aspects out of the mire. As it is however, beyond a very fleeting glimpse of enjoyable action, the core game mechanics just don’t cut it, the shooting feels canned and awkward, your opponents wooden and threatless, the pacing. . . . non-existent, it’s as though the list of “Things the Fans wanted out of a Duke Nukem Sequel” somehow  got mixed up with “10 things not to put in your Action Game” everything from imposing “realistic” weapons restrictions (you can only carry two at a time) to a needlessly punishing underwater level.

I understand the impetus for finishing DNF but the whole project just screams: “Too many hands in the pot!” Gearbox Software and 3D Realms would have saved a lot of face had they let DNF die with dignity.

Duke Nukem is a man from another time and Duke Nukem Forever does nothing to soften his transition from 1996 to 2011

-Expatriategamer

Wii me and Wii U

The pre-E3 Wii 2 announcement hype was discovered to be accurate after Nintendo’s E3 press conference earlier, the cornerstone of their presentation being the first solid details of the Wii successor console, unbelievably named, the Wii U.

Coming in hot is the potentially revolutionary Tablet/Handheld/Touch Screen/Control pad hybrid pictured above. Slated to be a new way of interacting with the console TV experience it’s primary functions and uses can be seen at length by following the links below. Interesting though that info may be I wanted to use this space to voice an initial concern of mine with how the new tabletpad is going to figure into your next Nintendo gaming experience.

Firstly a little clarification: I consider this Nintendo’s current gen console. It finally has HD video out, decent graphical chops (although lack of details on the exact hardware and the diminutive size of the console would lead me to believe that said chops won’t end up exceeding the competition) and a fully formed network service, this just feels like Nintendo have finally caught up rather than begun the next wave of Console hardware.

What I don’t understand is why Nintendo is making such an effort to bring it’s fan base out of the experience of actually playing it’s games, I consider the ideal multi-screen situation to have been solved by PC gaming quite some time ago; two or more monitors of similar size, oriented however you choose, admittedly PC gaming has not taken as much advantage of this as they could, MMOs allowing maps, inventory screens, status’ and chat logs as floating HUD items movable to other screens for instance, would be fantastic. The reason that this works so well is because you have your workspace (the monitors) and your input devices (mouse, keyboard, game pad, tablet etc.) separate from one another, making it easy to focus on your output without having to look in your lap every 30 seconds to make sure you’re hitting the right buttons.

Between the Kinect and now the Wii U (is that name really as awful as I think it is?) we have multiple options of focusing less on being immersed in our games and more on how to execute commands. In short the idea of dividing my attention between a poorly laid out, overly large secondary screen and my TV doesn’t sound like a way to increase my enjoyment or elevate the experience of playing the games I love.

Like putting glasses on to watch a movie at the cinema, the Wii U comes off as just another obstacle in between my mind and the space marine, effeminate swordsman, silent soldier or grizzled cowboy I’m trying to play.

Until I get hands on time with one of these in a home environment (or until Metal Gear Solid U is announced) I’ll stick with my TV and gamepad thanks.

Check out the Nintendo Presscon and Gamespot’s Wii U details

-Expatriategamer

The master becomes the student

E3 2011 is almost here and the yearly new game buzz has started, the newest trend being the ‘Pre-E3′ conferences and demonstrations becoming more and more public, I just wanted to quickly spread the first theatrical trailer for the Tomb Raider reboot we have been hearing about since early last year.

Following the naming convention set up by Medal of Honor, Prince of Persia and Mortal Kombat: Crystal Dynamics’ “Tomb Raider” is a reboot in the most literal sense. Along with the redisigned heroine and new gameplay focus Crystal Dynamics has the clarity and humility to see that for the last few years we have had two excellent non Tomb Raider games that have givien us those semi-mystical, globe trotting shenanigans we are used to from Lara, and take inspiration from it. Iam of course referring to Naughty Dogs Uncharted series, this latest trailer is definitiely giving me that Uncharted vibe, you know; the gritty, more grounded high adventure feeling that has been missing from Tomb Raider since 1997

Good then that Crystal Dynamics have effectively started clean with this “new” Tomb Raider and no where is that more apparent than the newly vulnerable, young, hip and skinny (by game standards) Lara. Rather than the famously under dressed, buxom, over confident, femme fatale Lara of the nineties. There is a lot of talk about this being a more realistic portrayal, attempting to be less sexually biased towards Women in games etc etc but let’s be honest, if they were really trying to tip the genre on it’s head we’d have a sexually ambiguous middle aged unattractive protagonist. So no no boys and girls Crystal Dynamics is still selling sexy it’s just updated it’s image to that of the times, as well they should. 90’s Lara, for all her faults, broke ground as a female lead character and in her own way I think new Lara will too.

Watch below and remember 1080p because the more p’s the better:

See what I mean about the tone? I could almost envision a Lara Croft/Nathan Drake crossover, all in all I am looking forward to see how Tomb Raider comes along.

– notable here is the authentic products she is using in the early stages of the trailer. What looks to be an Iphone4 and a pair of Earphones by Monster. Say what you will about product placement but I like the ‘grounded in reality’ sensation you get from non-overt nods to authentic gear like this.

-Expatriategamer

The prelude to warfare

Not a lot to say here, we all knew it was coming, and we all knew it would be good, and we all know the actual game could be crap. see below for the reveal trailer for Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. (720p is good for your eyes)

For your time you get a meaty crescendo and a healthy splashing of modern destruction in an international city near you! I have to commend them for going a little nuts with the story here, it sounds like we’re talking WWIII and why not? I will keep my reservations in check for this one but you can’t say they haven’t put out a damn fine trailer.

Worthy of note is the considerably improved animations seen here, mainly from outside the familiar 1st person perspective, scripted or not that grenade toss midway through the trailer looks nice and fluid with a healthy degree of the idiosyncrasy that is usually lacking in motion capture.

-Expatriategamer

L.A. Noire > first impressions

So I have just finished my first couple hours with L.A. Noire. Something I intend to be doing a whole lot more of in the coming weeks, so far? so brilliant.

Firstly, the atmosphere is exactly where you want it, firmly in the realm of film noir and classic detective tales, it feels like there’s something to bite into. I get the impression Phelps is a complex man and I look forward to playing through the rest of his tale. from what I can tell the story is divided out in episodes of game play, cases if you will, with a deliciously 40’s title displayed on screen at the beginning of each one, you go through the motions, listen to and watch the cutscene, start investigating, gather clues, question someone, drive somewhere, chase down a bad guy and interrogate him till he confesses. but this is a routine I could very much get used to, this game wants you to pay attention to detail, from my session the investigating and especially the interrogations are an engaging and nuanced system. In short it’s a stimulating mechanic made all the better by it’s presentation

Yeah, that's Brian Krause and yes it's in-game but it still doesn't do it justice.

Let’s get this straight: L.A. Noire has the best real time facial animation ever implemented. that is all there is to it, accept no substitutes. If you have this game and haven’t done so yet, in the very first case, pick up the newspaper in the alley and watch the first story. The nuance and variation in the animation of the professors face is spell binding, the subtle flexion and sinew of the neck, the creasing forehead, the analytical look in his eyes. I am more impressed by the implementation of the actors performance than the performance itself, the difference in quality here would have been like us going directly from Phonograph to MP3 back in the 1900’s. it’s the most innovative thing I have ever seen, it really needs to be seen in real time to be appreciated, something about the example videos online just don’t cut it.

Also, licensed arms and automobiles? the first patrol car you have access to is a ’47 Ford 4 door Police special, we’re talking American Graffiti here kids, it’s just the sort of authenticity that a game like this needs to succeed. all in all if you’re reading this and haven’t already, go out and buy it, it won’t win over the action lover in you, but if you have any interest in something different that will be a game changer from here on out (pun Intended) you ought to take a look at L.A. Noire

-Expatriategamer

If you happen to own it on PS3 as I do, I suggest you wait for the PSN to come back online before attempting to access the DLC store, as it will lock up your console good and proper. this has been a public service announcement.

Vintage is the newest black.

Today saw the release of Rockstar and Team Bondi’s LA Noire. Sort of an LA Confidential for the Grand Theft Auto generation, although from what I have heard it plays more like a modern day adventure game than Rockstars previous outings, I intend to dive in to it’s 1st act once I have finished here but in the meantime I thought I’d chime in on a trend that is becoming more prevalent across the full range of my interests.

Retro has been cool on and off for a long time, As a child of the 90’s I have seen several things that I loved come back in a big way, Transformers is the first that comes to mind and though I can’t say I entirely appreciate the way Michael Bay has handled his cash cow of late, I will be the first to admit I was in that cinema on day 1. However it’s more widely reaching than that,

1940 – 1985 if you are creating something right now, this is your target. Perhaps because we wish for a simpler time, maybe we are secretly afraid of progress or even in a wish to innovate we are being lazy and looking at what hasn’t been done for a while rather than what hasn’t been done before. One way or another here are some examples plucked from the stuff I enjoy with that vintage influence,

In Video Games:

L.A. Noire [1947] the aforementioned game that brought me to this post intends to give us the feel of the classic film noir genre with the backdrop of a stunningly recreated 40’s Los Angeles, waistcoats and fedoras? count me in.

Call of Duty: Black Ops [1961 – 1968] one of the biggest games of last year was based entirely in the 60’s gleefully and liberally using it’s cold war backdrop, we got everything from Creedence to Soviet sleeper agents and the assassination of JFK.

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker [1974] taking outlandish liberties with technology from the time period but then showing utter devotion to its setting with ample info on the Cuban Missile Crisis, El Che, the Cuban revolution, and the post Vietnam military industrial complex. It’s cold war science fiction at its finest.

Mafia II [1943 – 1951] an excellently presented rise and fall tale in the vein of The Godfather that portrays the transition from a wintery WWII era city into the rocking 50s with great attention to detail, clothes cars and crime.

Bad Company 2: Vietnam [1965 – 1975] released on the heels of Black Ops this Battlefield BC2 expansion was an exercise in what 2004’s Battlefield: Vietnam would be like in the new engine. Answer? awesome.

Interesting no? all of these released since 2010. . more from film, comics, fashion and automotive later. For now? L.A. Noire; here I come.

-Expatriategamer

More modern, Modern Warfare

So taking the gaming world by storm, a surprisingly unexpected teaser trailer for the next installment in the Call of Duty franchise has landed!……………. sarcasm, don’t you just love it?

The new teaser below is our next tidbit of information from a hobbled multi-team development effort comprised of the remnants from Actiblizz/Bobby Koticks batshit insane legal fiasco, duct taped together with greed and capitalism.

Originally rumoured to be a prequel but recently confirmed at Kotaku to be the direct sequel to Modern Warfare 2 (in my opinion the worst entry in the franchise so far) we have a relatively untested dev team, picking up where Infinity Ward left off, and from the spoiler laden details in the above link, they’re aiming a little higher towards the fantastic than the slightly more grounded storyline of the previous two Modern Warfare titles, not a bad decision if you ask me.

The move to hand off the inevitable sequels to a new cast of main characters comes as a surprise, considering the main goals of the new development team (At CEO Koticks instructions I’m sure) are a bug Free release and a Metacritic rating of at least 95, I would have expected them to take the safest road to release. Well, it will still sell like water in the desert, singularly occupy millions of highschoolers for a few months and hopefully fund the upcoming sequel to last years Black Ops.

So what can be gleaned from that? the conflict obviously partly takes place in the US , but we already knew that. Otherwise?……. Steve Blum’s Russian is really coming along nicely.

-Expatriategamer

Good news, Death has a new name

And the name is Absolution.

I had intended to start this, my little slice of web with a self serving delicatessen of why’s and whofors explaining who I am and what I intend to do here. Then Hitman: Absolution was announced, so frankly I now have more important things to talk about.

After IO Interactives rather inexplicable focus on the Kane & Lynch games for the past few years I wasn’t expecting any solid details on a new Hitman title any time soon, fortunately with the release of the teaser trailer below, I was pleasantly surprised.

Rattle snake coiled ’round the signature Silverballer? yup, I like where this is headed. I want to envision this as a well thought out symbolic representation of the next chapter in 47’s story, but it is more likely that someone thought it looked damn cool.

They were right.

Tore Bylstad (The Director of Absolution) said in an announcement earlier in the week “For the first time we are taking Agent 47 on a personal journey which allows us to explore other parts of the Hitman fantasy, This is both a familiar and yet significantly different experience from other Hitman games; something our silent assassins will relish, as will all those new to the Hitman world.”

The guy gets extra points for referring to me as a “silent assassin” hopefully that was a reference to the 2002 game and its more philospohical tone. If so, I am onboard.
I haven’t heard anything definitive yet regarding whether or not this will be the final installment of the Hitman saga, absolution would seem to suggest that there isn’t much more to be done once the story in this game comes to an end but who knows, if it sells like hot cakes we may have a new beginning for the escapades of Agent 47, It’s early days but I am excited to see how this comes along.

-Expatriategamer