Archive for March 15th, 2010

"Flower," the game that reminded Guillermo De Toro of 'haiku poetry' struck a similar chord with Game Developer's Choice Awards judges in San Francisco. That Game Company took home a win in the "Best Downloadable" category this year for their effort on the PlayStation 3. Asked if they would have a game in the running for 2011, though, the creators didn't sound like they want to make any promises.

"2011? We are not going to have a game by 2011," That Game Company co-founder and creative director Jenova Chen told Kotaku. And nor would anyone want Chen to rush through his next release after seeing what his team accomplished this time around. Chen and his studio's other co-co-founder, president Kellee Santiago accepted their award graciously, but Chen put the accolade in perspective while discussing his own priorities.

"What I care about is actually people who played it and how they felt about it," he explained.

The rest of the interview is well worth your time as well, as Stephen Totilo failed to glean any Pokémon tips for his ongoing battle against Russ off of Santiago and Chen. That Game Company is going to be a place to watch over the next few years.

What would you like to see That Game Company do next? Do you want to see a "Flower" follow-up in 2011? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

"Flower," the game that reminded Guillermo De Toro of 'haiku poetry' struck a similar chord with Game Developer's Choice Awards judges in San Francisco. That Game Company took home a win in the "Best Downloadable" category this year for their effort on the PlayStation 3. Asked if they would have a game in the running for 2011, though, the creators didn't sound like they want to make any promises.

"2011? We are not going to have a game by 2011," That Game Company co-founder and creative director Jenova Chen told Kotaku. And nor would anyone want Chen to rush through his next release after seeing what his team accomplished this time around. Chen and his studio's other co-co-founder, president Kellee Santiago accepted their award graciously, but Chen put the accolade in perspective while discussing his own priorities.

"What I care about is actually people who played it and how they felt about it," he explained.

The rest of the interview is well worth your time as well, as Stephen Totilo failed to glean any Pokémon tips for his ongoing battle against Russ off of Santiago and Chen. That Game Company is going to be a place to watch over the next few years.

What would you like to see That Game Company do next? Do you want to see a "Flower" follow-up in 2011? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The President of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aimé, has been dodging specific questions about the next "Legend of Zelda" game on the Wii since it was teased at last E3. I was able to sit down with Reggie for a few minutes during GDC last week and I couldn't help but ask for a status update. You can watch his response up top.

Perhaps most surprising is that he hasn't actually played the new "Zelda" yet:

"I've talked to people about it. I, personally, have not played 'Zelda.' I've played more of our content that's closer in and that we've already announced. I look forward to my next trip to Kyoto to get my own hands on it."

Look at that, you and Reggie have something in common!

It's hard to say what it says about Reggie not having played the new "Zelda" yet, apart from the fact that the game's still a ways away from being finished.

Bungie announced that they would commemorate "Halo 2" as its tenure on Xbox Live comes to a close this April, but a newly filed trademark indicates that they want to extend the life of one of their older legacy properties as well. "Marathon" first premiered in 1994 for Mac and Pippin, but the series has remained largely untouched since Bungie ported "Marathon 2: Durandal" to the Xbox Live Arcade 2007.

Bungie filed the new trademark on March 8th, 2010, according to TARR.USPTO.gov (via Superannuation). Just because they want to make sure unapproved "Marathon" characters don't start showing up in Burger King Kids Meals without their permission anytime soon doesn't necessarily mean that we're going to see a new game on the Xbox 360 next year, but we can all speculate about things like a "Marathon" MMO or an unlockable "Marathon" kart-racing mini-game in "Halo: Reach," thanks to Bungie's legal diligence.

Who knows? Maybe there is a "Marathon" movie or officially licensed "Marathon" Halloween apparel awaiting us at E3 this summer. And who wouldn't want to wear a "Marathon" Snuggie while they flash back to 1994 over a midnight "Marathon" re-discovery session? Bungie might find themselves unable to provide any of these things if such trademarks were not properly filed, so thank someone from the company the next time you see them, and speculate away!

What do you think the new "Marathon" trademark means? Would you like to see Bungie relaunch the series? Sound off in the comment section below.

Jason West and Vince Zampella became free agents earlier this month after Activision decided to remove them from Infinity Ward. In turn, the pair of "Call of Duty" franchise-makers announced plans to file a lawsuit against Activision. Now, it appears they've locked wagons with some big-time talent representation to help them find their next gig, thanks to the Creative Artists Agency.

The Hollywood agency beat out at least one competitor to rep West and Zampella, according to the Los Angeles Times. CAA may be best known for their film and TV industry work, which includes deal-making for names like Will Smith, Steven Spielberg and Nicole Kidman, so if the ex-chiefs of Infinity Ward feel like making a movie deal, they're probably in a good position to do that now, but the move may represent a bigger power play by CAA.

In addition to becoming the most pirated game of 2009, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" arguably became the most successful entertainment launch ever. If CAA believes that these two guys can replicate what they did building the "Call of Duty" franchise with another property, they would be foolish not to establish a relationship.

Does signing up with CAA sound like a good call to you for West and Zampella? Do you think they can make another "Call of Duty"-sized game series? Share your reactions in the comment section below.

PSP owners are probably aware that Sony's PSP go presented a conundrum about what owners should do with their UMD games if they plan on upgrading, since the system lacks a drive for them and doesn't provide a natural way to convert a legally owned library of titles. That problem alone caused a lot of us to wonder if the UMD format wouldn't be extinct within a relatively short amount of time. Sony has recommitted to the tiny discs, however, and says they are still a priority.

In fact, Sony told a GDC audience in San Francisco that UMD games are "alive and well," according to a report on IGN. The company also reportedly said that they would continue to make all retail games available on UMD's, as well as on the PlayStation Network as downloads.

Sony officially has a two-platform strategy for the portable market, but I have to wonder how much of a priority the UMD will be in the future if they push forward with their rumored plans for gaming-capable iPad and iPhone competitors. Those all seem to be download-focused systems, and no UMD drives have been released for use with the PSP go yet. From the outside where I sit, it looks a lot like they're just trying to squeeze as much life as they can out of UMD's without investing any major resources into their future.

Do you think Sony will make good on their commitment to UMD's? Do you want to see a UMD drive made available for the PSP go? Sound off in the comment section below.

As I mentioned last week, Stephen Totilo and I will be battling for gaming supremacy using Pokemon trained by walking around GDC (via the PokeWalker). While familiar with the franchise, Stephen isn't quite the Poke-Maniac one might imagine, so he's desperate for any edge he can get over me. After the Game Developers Choice Awards, he enlisted the help of some of the winners to see if they had any advice for the upcoming battle.

You can watch all the interview clips here.

It would appear that the Penny Arcade guys, pictured above, were the most Poke-educated, and all they could suggest was EV Training, which is, um, helpful?

In case you're wondering, the ultimate battle will take place tomorrow evening, with the results posted Wednesday morning. To make sure the stats are not skewed, neither competitors' Totodile has battled or taken a PokeWalk since returning from GDC. They're just kicking back, waiting for the big fight, daiquiris in claw.

So who is the ultimate PokeWalking master? All will be revealed soon.

Infinity Ward settled rumors about their "Stimulus Package" map pack for "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" last week with their new Mapathy website, but they didn't address the price barrier that players would have to breach in order to obtain the upcoming DLC. Microsoft grabbed the baton and answered that question yesterday, though, and the cost will be $15 or 1200 MS points.

The announcement came from Xbox Live's Major Nelson, who hyped the March 30th release on his most recent podcast.

PlayStation 3 owners will have to wait a bit longer for details, of course, since Xbox owners get a 30-day head start with the maps. Mapathy.com doesn't have a Sony or PlayStation logo at the bottom with all of its other happy brand names and partners, so your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not it will show up there a month from now.

The $15 mark trumps the $10/800-point fee that "Call of Duty 4" charged for new maps, and if you scroll through the comments over on Major Nelson's blog, you'll see more than a few posters who are predictably unhappy with that hike. I'm going to wait and pass judgment for myself until after they come out. $5 is a significant jump, so you can bet Infinity Ward will get user feedback if they don't deliver with some fresh map concepts.

Does $15 sound too steep to you? What do you think the new map pack should cost? Share your reactions in the comment section below.

The las "Final Fantasy" came out at the tail end of the last console cycle, meaning that many gamers ended up missing out on one of the strongest entries in the series from a gameplay perspective. The story fell somewhat short, but the vast open world, more action-oriented combat mechanics and open-ended level progression kept things entertaining through many tens of hours, in true "Final Fantasy" fashion.

It's an even greater shame for those who missed it when you consider that "Final Fantasy XIII" is such a gigantic backward step that it's rendered almost unrecognizable as a new entry in the long-running RPG series. Until you come to 25-hour mark, that is.

The Basics

If you've been following the development of "FFXIII" then you already know the basic setup. I won't spoil the story here, one of the game's stronger bits, beyond the basic setup. We join the action on Cocoon, a world-city situated high above the broken planet of Pulse. Ruling over all are the fal'Cie, God-like beings split into two factions, one for each locale. Long before the events of the game, a war was fought between the two societies and the people of Cocoon emerged victorious. To the victors, Pulse is a dead world, a dangerous place inhabited by who-knows-what. All of this is dictated by Cocoon's ruling class, as Cocoon residents have never actually been able to venture down to the surface.

Of course, that level of government control is always going to breed resistance, and that's where we come into the story. The picture is not precisely what Cocoon's ruling class has painted. The playable characters in "FFXIII" are l'Cie, individuals marked by the fal'Cie to fulfill some unknown Focus. Get all that? It makes much more sense in the context of the unfolding story.

The Highs

Eye Candy
This review is based on a PlayStation 3 version of the game, and the visual decadence on display is stunning. Square Enix put a lot of effort into making this first "Final Fantasy" offering for the current console generation the best-looking yet, and they succeed admirably. Pre-rendered cinematics are almost indistinguishable from gameplay. Worth noting that there have been complaints regarding the 360 version not being up to par with the PS3 version, so if you have to pick, Sony's console is the way to go.

Tell Me A Story
Between the stellar visuals, strong voice actors and well-written dialogue, "Final Fantasy XIII" also delivers one of the most engrossing overarching tales in the series. There are a few issues -- you're simply thrown in, expected to pick up complex ideas as you go (or do a lot of Datalog reading), and cut-scenes pop up frequently -- but the unfolding connections between your six playable characters are filled with clever twists and turns. The usual "FF" shmaltziness is there, but you actually care this time because the characters are so well-developed.

Fun, Simple Combat
A complete explanation of the game's combat mechanics would occupy a blog post unto itself, so here's an abridged version. You only issue direct commands to a single character in each encounter; which abilities you have access to and how your other party members (either one or two, according to the demands of the story) behave depends entirely on Roles. Think of a Role as a character class; each can be leveled up individually along a fairly linear path, and each character gets access to specific abilities at specific times as the Paradigm paths open up further.

The combat is entertaining and surprisingly easy to jump into, but there's clearly a lot of depth beneath the surface.

The Lows

Point A to B...For 25 Hours
The single-most questionable change in this "Final Fantasy" as compared to its predecessors is the linear gameplay design. There's really only one "Low" to speak of, but it covers a vast portion of the game. Yes, every story-driven RPG is going to follow a linear path. The key difference here is that the path is quite literally a narrow corridor that you follow from A to B. There is no open world to explore in "FFXIII," and not until the late, late game do you have much in the way of choice. You simply follow a path, fight what's in your way, watch a cut-scene and rinse, repeat. Things change dramatically in chapter 11 (out of 13), when a slew of side-quests open up. But you won't hit that point until around hour 25. Until then, repetition reigns. And as strong as the overarching story is, it's not going to be enough to overcome the boredom of a forced grind for many gamers.

Leveling follows a similarly linear track, with each character's three main roles predetermined (access to the other three for each opens up at around the 20 hour mark) following a single path. The size and makeup of your party is dictated until chapter 10. What this all amounts to is roughly 20 hours of very gradual tutorial. Most won't truly feel challenged until around chapter 8 or 9. Not a bad thing in and of itself, but that initial, lengthy grind to get to the meat of the RPG is a flat-out bad design choice.

The Verdict

"Final Fantasy XIII" is going to be a divisive experience among fans. Those who treasure loot collection, grinding on their own time, leveling up in side-quests to make the main quest less challenging... they're s--t out of luck. Those who value a strong core story above all else are going to be pleased. Ultimately it comes down to how much entertainment players are going to take away from that developing story and the admittedly strong combat mechanics. Because that's all you get to drive you forward until around hour 25.

Thus, the fatal flaw in "Final Fantasy XIII" is one of pacing. All of the series hallmarks are here, but their uneven distribution throughout the game is going to drive less patient players away before all is fully revealed. There's definitely more than $60 worth of game here; whether or not the whole of that experience is entertaining remains open to discussion.

The original "Crackdown" didn't make you think too hard, and that was fine so long as there were plenty of tractor trailers to hurl across the map. The sequel is sticking with that formula, while layering in some improved multiplayer features. Microsoft has announced that "Crackdown 2" is coming to stores in the US on July 6th, with other territories coming over the following few days.

The July 6th release date is a pleasant surprise, especially when "Crackdown 2" could have, conceivably, been planned as a holiday release. It's also awesome that it's coming out in July, a historically slow month for video game releases. Looks like you won't have to spend all summer waiting for random XBLA releases!