Review: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Posted on September 3, 2012 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360, PC)

Developer: High Moon Studios

Publisher: Activision

# of Players: 1 (Online 2 – 12)

ESRB Rating; T (Teen)

Score: B+ (85%)

High Moon Studios swings hard for the fences with Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and while not quite a clean home run (it’s more of a hard rocket shot that clangs off the correct side of the foul pole into the stands), the game manages to be a fantastic follow up to Transformers: War on Cybertron, despite the loss of co-op play and the twin campaign structure. Previous experience with the last game isn’t really necessary for any player to hop in and have a blast, but A true Transformers fan will tell you that you’ll need to know where the story began before tackling what’s here. It’s definitely going to help in terms of understanding what’s going on in all the chaos, as the game assumes you’re playing it because you’ve been around for the first installment. FoC is also packed with fan service in the form of in-jokes, references to the cartoons and the animated movie and more hidden goodies than you can shake a Minicron at.

(Although, shaking a Minicron would probably not be a good thing to do unless you were really mad at it for knocking over a vase onto that napping cat by “accident” or something…)

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Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes: Just When I Think I’m Out, They Drag Me Back In…

Posted on September 1, 2012 by geelw

OK, I’ll bite (and hard, at that) – a new Metal Gear Solid game coming from Kojima Productions? With that proprietary Fox Engine making sure the game looks even more amazing as an anniversary present for fans of the long-running series, this one’s a no-brainer even if it was a Metal Gear tsuguroku. Fortunately, it’s not, as you’ll see in this almost 11 minute jaw-dropper. I’m in all the way on this one, feet first. Hell, I’ll even post the trailer twice here (one is English subtitled) just to show my love for the series. Hey, I’m still buying Revengeance, Konami – I’m not some fair weather fan who only wants the same thing over and over. Thankfully, Hideo Kojima seems to be the same in that each Metal Gear experience has some truly excellent reasons to play through multiple times…

As for the proposed Metal Gear Solid movie everyone seems to be raving about (n one way or another)? I’m really, really on the fence here. Why? Well, young’uns… the joke goes something like this: in every Metal Gear Solid game, there’s that loooooooooooooong cut scene where unless you’re prepared for it, will go on and on (and on), forcing you to commit to playing around with camera angles with your controller just to kill time as an important plot point is explained. At some point (if you haven’t fallen asleep), you can et up and go make dinner, go to the bathroom or even go outside to check the mailbox (sometimes all of the above) before things get back to being playable.

You can’t expect a modern movie audience to be in on this at all (maybe the art house crowd will go for it, though), so hopefully, the folks writing it will go light on the exposition. On the other hand, I don’t want a stupid action flick with explosions and Meryl boobing out all over and a story that’s thinner than the edge of a katana. If this isn’t in The Dark Knight territory in terms of tone and execution, I’ll be a sad clown indeed. But let’s see what happens with this project. With a Solid Script (ha ha), perhaps Solid Snake can rake in the green with a big surprising smash of a summer flick.

That said, success or failure at the box office, I’ll still respect you in the morning Mr. Kojima!

Let Sir Hammerlock Take You On A Tour of Borderlands 2…

Posted on August 31, 2012 by geelw

Hmmm. I definitely needed a vacation after all this time without one, but Gearbox’s well-armed, enemy-packed planet of terror is a wee bit too “hot” for my tastes. Oh well – I think I’ll stay home and blow $#i! up from the comfort of my couch, thank you much. Anyway, start stocking up on provisions now, what with food prices jumping and all that noise. I predict it’s going to be a looooong fall of many gamers buried in this game for way too long (just like 2K Games and Gearbox want them to)…

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise Hands-On: Behaviour’s “Fluff Film” Gets Some Big Improvements…

Posted on August 29, 2012 by geelw

One of 2010’s great guilty pleasures for me was 505 Games’ Naughty Bear, cooked up by the slightly twisted (like a pretzel dipped in slightly tainted chocolate sort of twisted) minds at Behaviour Interactive (formerly Artificial Mind and Movement). The lead character, a rather pissed off teddy bear out for revenge for all sorts of minor to moderate social snubs, made for quite an efficient killing machine and despite a few flaws, the game was uniquely amusing and challenging, albeit a bit on the short said for some players who may have been a wee bit too good at the serial killer thing. Hey, I’m just sayin’… everyone needs a hobby, so I judge no one. Just don’t tell me what’s in that duffel bag you always carry around, Mmmm-kay?

Anyway, that first installment seems to have done well enough with gamers who grooved on its combo of cute and psychotic elements (plus some memorable bloodless yet violent stealth kills) that a sequel was a no-brainer and yes, it’s merrily on the way (and like a good serial killer, sooner than you’d think). You’re getting an all-new Naughty Bear starring in a bigger, better and badder game as a PSN and Xbox Live download this October, so break out the digital duct tape and garbage bags – you’ve got some killing to do.

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He’s Baaaaack (And In a Better, Harder Game This Time)…

Posted on August 27, 2012 by geelw

Shhhhh… don’t tell anyone this, but Behaviour Interactive and 505 Games are going to be unleashing a big and furry surprise on PS3 and Xbox 360 gamers soon enough that’s a pretty nice treat from what I got to see and play. I can’t talk more about it until the embargo lifts (soon enough, soon enough…), so I’ll just keep you in suspense for a tiny bit.

Er, that and I need to figure out how the hell to get that darn bear from stalking me (I think he’s on the roof, judging by the sounds of pigeons being squashed). Anyway, drop by on the 28th for a status update (provided that bear doesn’t get into the house)… Off to bed (with a light on and a few bear traps slathered in honey laid out near key entry points)…

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Launch Trailer: These ARE The Droids You’re Looking For!

Posted on August 20, 2012 by geelw

Tomorrow is the happy day for Activision and High Moon Studios as their big metal baby storms into retail before landing snugly in consoles all across North America. All that hard work they’ve put into what’s looking like the best Transformers game to date should make fans all to happy to snap this up like hotcakes. If War for Cybertron kept you busy for weeks, the new customization modes, addition of fan favorite characters, even more thrilling gameplay and what looks like some ridiculously fun multiplayer modes should have you practically living in front of your TV. Of course, you kids headed back to school had better get that gaming in before you have to hit the books hard. You don’t want to end up being a video games journalist or something equally low-rent (little in-joke there)…

Assassin’s Creed III Naval Battle Trailer: By George, How Big IS This Game, Anyway?

Posted on August 18, 2012 by geelw

Between the open world exploration across a few choice (and massive, excellently detailed) locations and these spectacular-looking (and rather speedy) sea battles, it looks as if Assassin’s Creed III will be keeping a few million gamers quite occupied for a while before they even touch the multiplayer content on the disc. Me, I’m a story guy first and foremost, so I’m highly impressed by what I’ve seen so far and that includes the Vita game that’s an entirely different story altogether. That October 30 release date is rushing up fast and I’d bet this game will keep a lot of you gamers who normally head out on Halloween inside scarfing down that candy you’d intended to pass out to trick or treaters…

By the way, here’s a new Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation trailer in case you need another good reason to get a Vita. This just might be the best game on the handheld to date and for quite a while, the largest in terms of scope.

Konami On Air Gamescom 2012 Wrap-Up: Raiden The Wave (And How)

Posted on August 18, 2012 by geelw

Konami revealed a nice selection of upcoming titles at Gamescom this year and even had their own web show to promote the goods. Here’s a look at the three post show videos for each day of the show as well as the pre-show peek behind the scenes video that kicked things off. Between Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 – Mirror of Fate, and a few other cool games, I’m going to be glued to my TV for a nice chunk of time, that’s for sure. I just hope I don’t go even more broke stocking up on extra controllers…

WRC 3: The Birth of A Driver Trailer: Still Holding Out Hope For This To Skid Into The USA….

Posted on August 18, 2012 by geelw

Hmmmm. So far, there’s still no news about a definite US release (boo!), but I do have my fingers crossed that a small publisher here willing to take a chance on what’s looking like a pretty solid racer will pick this up so we finally get an official WRC game after too many years without one. Not that I don’t mind the fun stuff Codemasters is doing, mind you. I just want something a bit less “party” and “social” and a lot more steel-willed concentration as I’m trying to make it though a course and nab that best time without wrecking. As usual, we shall see…

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Update: Faster And Furiouser

Posted on August 16, 2012 by geelw

Based on this new Gamescom trailer, Sega is really pulling out all the stops with this sequel, but I’m still curious about that rather glaring lack of the word SEGA in the title. “Sonic & All-Stars” just sounds so… lazy or something. Hell, even if the game has guest stars NOT in any Sega games, keeping the name of the company IN the darn game is kind of important for old-ass Sega supporters such as myself. I’m just saying… Anyway, the game looks great and you certainly can’t go wrong with a good, fun racing game built for competition and pure fun. Just fix that name and it’ll be perfect, I say!