Guild Wars 2 review (Beta)

(This review is based on the impressions of a beta and all assets are subject to change)

The hype train has left station.
It is currently barreling towards us at an unstoppable rate of 700MPH. Colin Johanson laughs maniacally as the conductor throws on the breaks, sending an ear shattering screech through the air. Will the hype time stop in time? Will the players be underwhelmed? Why can't I log in?

Find out right about.... Now.

1) Game play and functionality:
While I still believe TERA currently has the most reactive combat in an MMO to date, I have to commend ArenaNet for keeping what is basically the traditional MMO combat formula and giving it there own twist.

Don't be mistaken, GW2 combat is still very much "click ability, do damage" but how the skills are laid out, how they are restricted and how the weapons sets/tool sets (I'm an engineer) effect how your character performs adds a unique flavor to the combat.

It works like this. The weapon you have equipped will decide what abilities you can use. For instance I can use a pistol and dagger and the abilities I have available will be different than if I duel wield swords. This puts the player in the position of having to decide his play style rather than his spec. Tool kits also work similar to this.

One component I'm not a fan of, however, is the dodge button. Dodge is very useful and is practically a requirement if you want to survive... Which is why I hate it. Dodge would have made so much more sense if only rangers or thieves could use it, but why are these fully armored warriors rolling all over the battlefield? As it stands, dodge is tolerable, but doesn't really make much sense. It just doesn't fit in with some of the classes.

Oh and the game is difficult, hardcore players rejoice.

Game play and functionality:

8/10

2) Story and plot:

I was pleasantly surprised in this aspect. I always knew Guild Wars had great lore, and when I heard they were going to add personal story, my initial reaction was that Anet was just trying to get the SWTOR crowd (which is fine; companies should be allowed to compete as long as they don't alienate their core philosophy). Imagine my surprise when the personal story was... Well, good... Very good. Your choices in character creation have a very palpable effect on your characters quest line and the personal story is fully voiced which is a very big bonus. 

Overall the actual story itself is at least above average and the fact that the interesting quest objectives compliment the story very well make it a win/win situation.

The story has some great elements, but the actual plot and characters don't breach that "great" mark.

Story and plot:

7/10

3) Dialog and script:

As with most MMOs, Guild Wars 2 script is just sorta "passable". And in most cases (outside personal story) this is fine since a lot of quests are simply "click guy, receive objective", therefore much of the dialog runs along the lines of "Hey, here's a book, click on it and something crazy would happen". Thankfully the action of doing the quest makes up for the not-so-good dialog.

Overall, Guild Wars 2 script is pretty average

Dialog and script:

6/10

4) Technical graphics:

I'm a bit iffy about reviewing this aspect on Guild Wars 2, since when I logged in, most of the time I was surrounded by hundreds of people so I never really got a good chance to test the optimization. I can say however, that while my frame rate was god awful a lot of the time, the fact that there were 200+ people around and the game was still remotely playable speaks good things about the optimization. Not great things mind you, but I never crashed and my GPU was fairly stable.

As far as looks go, the graphics options of Guild Wars 2 isn't very extensive, however, the game does look pretty great. The edges and textures are sharp and crisp and Anet spares very few details when it come to making something look good. 

Technical graphics: 

8/10

5) Art style and direction:

Ever since I saw the first screen shots of Guild Wars 2, I fell in love with the art style. It looks like a mix between western character and environment design with a hint of eastern flare. Really, it is quite gorgeous.

The most breathtaking sight for me was standing on a hill next to a water-well, looking at the absolute colossal scale of Divinities Reach. 

A lot of developers try to achieve this kind and yet fail miserably. A lot of the time what happens if the game will end up everything just blown up to ridiculous proportions. Every tent is 20 feet tall and every door could fit an army of people in it. Why? One of the aspects I loved the Warhammer Online was the incredible art direction (which I still believe has the best art direction of any MMO on the market) and Guild Wars 2 certainly comes close. Everything seems tuned just rate and I love it.

Art style and direction:

9/10

6) Sound design:

Jeremy Soule... Oh, I'm sorry, you needed more reasons to love the sound in Guild Wars 2? Alright then.  

Guild Wars 2 carries the industry standard of good, crisp sound, yet suffers slightly from some unconvincing voice acting and multiple use of the same voice actors.

Don't get me wrong, some of the voice acting is great such as Steve Blum taking center stage in the Charr quest lines. The rest of the voice actors range from passable to above average so a point will be docked. Aside from these aspects, there really isn't must to say about the sound.

Sound design:

9/10

7) Level design:

We've come to it at least. The feature that Guild Wars 2 will be remembered for. The level design.

I can not put into words how captivating the levels are, how massive the capital city is, and how fun it is to explore.

To put into perspective, I found myself, several times, wondering aimlessly around Divinities Reach. I wasn't really doing anything, I just wanted to see what was in the city, and believe me, there is PLENTY in the city. People talking, children running, mini games, strange sights and a plethora of other wonders to behold... And this was just in the starting area (which took me 27 hours to fully explore, by the way).

Coupled with the great design choice of the teleporter and "point of interest" system, Guild Wars 2 offers plenty motivation to explore.

An MMO world has never felt more alive, dynamic, and wondrous.

Level design:

10/10

8) User interface:

Not a big fan of this aspect. Aside from the fact that ArenaNet will, presumably, not allow add-ons, the user interface can be very overwhelming for a new player. 

Although the actual set up is very clean and minimalist, it just sort of throws everything at you and lets you sort out the mess.

I remember I was playing with my friend and we were all put into a separate overflow server. A pop-up window said something along the line of "You've been put into an over flow server, you will switch to the actual server when a slot is available"

And I was left thinking... "What?". All I had at that point was questions.

What's an overflow server?

Where are my friends?

Why can't I switch to my friends instance?

How do I leave this battleground?

Hopefully Anet will add helpful tips and tutorials for the player to navigate around their overwise impressive interface.

Also, no chat bubbles (though I'm 99% sure this will be in by release)

User interface:

6/10

9) Production value:
Guild Wars 2 has the art, it has the lever design, it has the sound design, and I'm happy to say it has the quality of life.

Granted there are a few features missing that I'm hopeful will be in for release but aside from the few, Guild Wars 2 feels like a modern MMO. You've got plenty of do and there are so many little details that make you appreciate just how much effort went into making this world a place that you want to stay in.

That aside, some features ARE missing and assets like animation could use a little work

Production value:

8/10

10) Overall elements:

I believe players will be getting a pretty substantial package when it comes to Guild Wars 2. From the moment you really get into the game, you can tell that Arena Net has been around the block and that they are not afraid to take risks. And like high risks, there are high rewards. 

Guild Wars 2 feels like a lot of games. It feels like ArenaNet dissected Guild Wars 1, WoW, SWTOR, Warhammer Online and put all of the best elements in those games and gave people a world that comes alive. Although some of those elements didn't make the cut, we can always hope that they will be a small enough task to add before launch.

Overall elements:

8/10

Personal Score:

9/10

Technical Score: 

78/100

State of the industry: Kickstarter

Indie developers seem to be turning away from self and 3rd party publication in what can only be described as a new, more independent, phase of the gaming industry.

Personally, I'm all for independence when it comes to running a company. I'm also 100% behind the idea that people should spend (or waste) their money on what every toy, gadget, or terrible investment they deem important. But it's also important to look at the consequences and ripple effects of initiatives like Kickstarter 

There are some truly good (or at least well intention'd) projects currently raising funds through Kickstarter. But like everything else in the world, the beggers, scammers and just people who generally don't know what they're doing come pouring through the flood gates.

As I said, Kickstarter can be used for good, but sometimes people can take the acquisition of monetary gains a little too far...

It saddens me because I really had hope that Kickstarter would be sort of a sacred tool that is used sparingly and only for projects with competent developers and leaders. Mark one down for my naivety. Apparently every little project, whether or not it's an awful 'GamrGurrl' calendar or a pathetic little flash game that wouldn't even be fit for Newgrounds, seems to be worthy of the attention of thousands of people clamoring over themselves to throw money into the bottomless furnace that Kickstarter is quickly becoming.

For a very long time, I've been hoping for an alternative to publishers that would allow independent game developers to get the funds that require (again, require) rather than having to turn to a big publisher, who they will then have to pay royalties to, such as companies like Steam, for distribution. Imagine my surprise when yet again the internet has taken something remotely good and driven it into the ground.

The fact of the matter is if this trend doesn't stop, Kickstarter will be the new dollar menu of the video game industry. Everyone will be making promises birthed out of delusions of grandeur. Ellwood Bartlett, for instance, is pleading for over 1 million dollars, which is fine... If you weren't for 2 problems.

1: Mr. Bartlett has already admitted he has no knowledge of current programming tools such as C++, but insists that he is a wiz with stamp-cards (well, thank god, for a moment I was under the impression he had no idea what he was doing!)
2: He only has a backing of about 21,000$, most likely because he makes promises such as "you can do anything!" or "there will be hookerbots!".

These are cases of ambitious indie developers trying to take too big of a bit and create their dream games without even getting down and dirty, getting a 2 years worth supply of ramen noodles, opening Gamemaker, C++ and doing some cold, hard, coding. These are people who don't want to build from the ground up because a few beggers got lucky with Kickstarter.

Indie devs need to pull back on the reigns and realize that if people continue to e-beg off of Kickstarter, than a website that was once good for small developers to get their projects started will become nothing more than the next Get Rich Quick scheme.

TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea

Although the North American version of TERA has only seen a few beta weekends, the game itself has been out in Asia for several year, so the "but it's beta" argument won't really hold water.

Don't worry, I like the game, but I do have several problems with it as a whole, overall I think it was a very polished experience (again, the game has been out in Asia for a while) but a lot of things about the game don't seem to harmonize with North American and European tastes.

Let's see if TERAs "True action combat" can carve it's own niche into the MMO market, or if TERA is just yet another WoW + <insert IP here>.

1) Game play and functionality

Game play is to TERA like story is to SWTOR. Both claim to have the upper hand in these departments, but as it turns out in SWTORs case, the game falls apart when you take away the story. Does TERA suffer the same fate?

I would say, for the most part, yes. To it's credit however, TERA has a lot of unique features that a game like WoW doesn't have, so at the very least TERA can set itself apart in some regard. 

The actual combat is very well done, however, it wasn't quite what I expected. I had assumed TERA would play like an actual action RPG, but instead it plays like an action RPG mixed with an MMO (go figure). Now, what I mean is although your attacks occur when you press the left and right mouse button (these are primary attacks/ blocks for the lancer) you are still bound to an attack speed, which creates this kind of weird situation where you just kinda hold down the mouse button until something dies.

To it's credit, this problem is alleviated at higher levels as you unlock more skill. 

The game play is possibly the most polished and responsive MMO combat I've played to date. Huge credit in the game play area.

Game play and functionality:

9/10

2) Story and plot

I don't know why I would do story and plot on TERA since, well, it doesn't really have one... Granted there are bare bones quest lines and back story, but the presentation of them really isn't that appealing.

I do have to give points for the fact that there are at least some cut scenes and consistency in your characters story.

This is one of those moments where I remind you that game play is to TERA as story is to SWTOR. It boils down to mostly a one-trick pony.

Story and plot:

5/10

3) Dialog and script

As with story, the game doesn't really have that much dialog and the script that accompanies it is rather poorly written.

The best way I can describe the script in TERA is that it feels like an episode of Dragon Age Z. All the characters intentions are unrealistically overt and over the top. I remember killing a boss and with his final, dying, dramatic breath he said something a long the lines of "ARGH, you have achieved nothing! My dark lord will grant me redemption and I shall return!". Granted, that isn't the exact quote, but REALLY?! Why is he telling me all this? Why would he reveal that he has a dark lord as a master and that he will return? Wouldn't it be better to take me by surprise? 

Dialog and script:

4/10

4) Technical graphics

Now we get to the good stuff. TERA is breathtaking. They owe a lot to their art direction, but also to their great graphics engine.

The engine is very smooth and well optimized in addition to looking great.

Now of course this is an MMO and the graphics can't go too over-the-top due to performance issue so points will be docked, however, for an MMO TERA is certainly one of the best looking ones on the market.

Technical graphics

 9/10

5) Art style and direction

As I mentioned above, TERA owes a lot to the great art direction of the game.

There is something about the art style of Asian games that always makes them look unique. The huge towered spires and cities, the scales of the landscape and the great looking, unique characters. When you look at TERA you instantly recognize it as an Asian game, which is good since the look and feel of TERA will be necessary for TERA to gain it's core fan base.

Everything about TERAs art just flows together and look really great. Coupled with a great graphics engine, and unique art style, TERA is a huge eye full.

Art style and direction:

10/10

6) Sound design

This is another one of those areas where you sorta say "eh". The sound design in TERA isn't really anything special.

The sound effect are decent and the music is alright but nothing is really memorable. If you heard TERAs main theme, you might be able to tell where it came from, but where you hear something like the tavern music in WoW or the Elder Scrolls main theme, that kind of music can kick you in the face and instantly throw you back into the game.

TERA lacks that, unfortunately. It finishes with a pretty average score for sound design.

Sound design: 

5/10

7) Level design

I'm quickly becoming accustomed to the quest hub hopping format, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. TERA also does not seem immune to this disease as it continues to consume the MMO market, systematically killing any sense of exploration or creativity when it comes to creating an MMO world.

The questing is very linear and feels more like a you're riding on a water slide that periodically changes color. It really is just one big roller coaster with pretty sky boxes.

For the sake of ending on a positive note, the environments, despite how linear they are, are very pretty to look at. The city is an impressive sight and some of the landscapes are pretty fun to romp around in.

Level design:

6/10

8) User interface:

I don't really have that many complaints when it comes to the UI of TERA out side the fact that it can get a bit shaky with trying to switch from combat mode to mouse mode since combat abilities are directly linked to the mouse.

Outside a few hiccups, the UI was very well constructed.

User interface:

7/10

9) Production value:

I was very pleased with my experiance in TERA.

It didn't feel like a new MMO (because it isn't) and I love that feeling. I love jumping into the launch of an MMO and feeling like the game has been optimized and has plenty of content. 

There are some features issues, however. A big one of these issues being that Battlegrounds will not be launching with the game. I feel like this is a colossal mistake on Blue Hole's part. Time will tell how this plays out.

Regardless, TERA feels like a very well made MMO with plenty of features and details.

Production value:

8/10

10) Overall elements:

So with the great combat but lack of any real narrative structure, the overall elements are a little bitter sweet.

I love PLAYING the game but I don't like being in the game. The combat is fun but there isn't really anything outside of better gear and arbitrary levels that would make me want to progress through the game.

Although the lack of story offsets the game play ever-so-slightly (since game play will always take presidence over story) the art direct and graphics make the world a little more of a fun and interesting place to be.

Overall elements:

7/10

To top this article off, I would like to make a bold prediction. Do I think TERA will be successful? No

TERA is a fun game with great combat, but the fact that Asian games are very hit or miss with North American and European markets, coupled with the fact that they are releasing a pay-to-play MMO in a market that is clearly going free-to-play and buy-to-play, I really don't have a lot of confidence in this game meeting the exceptions that En Masse hopes to meet.

Personal score:

7/10

Technical score

70/100

State of the industry: Sequels

With the release of Diablo 3 looming above the industry to undoubtedly shake things up (for better or worse), I feel we should take this moment to reflect on what a sequel is and should be, what a sequel is for and who it should be aimed at.

Much like evolution, video games progress in small leaps and bounds, and those games who try to drastically change their formula will, beyond a shadow of a doubt, either fail or ultimately disappoint.

But rather than say what has been said thousands of times, let's instead lay out some basic rules on HOW to make a good, true sequel.

The purpose

There are primarily two purposes to creating a sequel. To progress a narrative and to improve game play for an establish fan base. 

Keep in mind, you can expand a narrative without improving game play in the form of expansion packs (Remember those? Yeah, me to...)

Creating a narrative is a very straightforward process. Establish a main plot, introduce the back story and character, keep true to the premise of the story and finally deliver on the main plot by tying all loose ends in order to deliver a strong, satisfying ending. 

Redefining the game play of an established franchise, however, a much higher chance of failure and complication. By keeping in mind a few rules, companies can reduce the chance of failure:

What a sequel should be

1) Never change genres in the middle of a franchise.

This is a given. If you create a strategy game, do not create a sequel that is an FPS (unless it's a spin-offs)

2) Stay true to the premise of game play from the previous games.

If you're game is focused around exploration for instance, stay focused on exploration. An example would be the Elder Scrolls series. There really aren't many redeeming features about the Elder Scrolls outside of exploration. The combat is rather dull and repetitive and the main plots tend to be cliche, but the massive amounts of exploration that the Elder Scrolls offers is what makes this franchise a best seller. Think of your favorite game, take away what makes it unique and ask yourself if the other systems of the game would be enough to make it a successful game. You can learn a lot about games by doing this.

3) Do not attempt to expand beyond your core fan base.

Just don't. Not only does it not work 90% of the time (excluding short term success) but you piss off the people who got you to where you are and you look like a douche in the process. Seriously. Knock it off.

4) Know when to stop.

If your developers have lost the passion of the series, don't force them to complete it. Would we like to see Half Life 3? Sure. Would we like to see it if it meant turning it into an isometric RPG with completely different characters? No.

5) Know why you're making it. 

Are you making the sequel for yourself and your friends? Congratulations! You're a competent game developer! Are you making the game to make money? Than you're a businessman and would be better suited in a production field rather than development.

What made you great?

Diablo, Starcraft, Turok, Zelda, what made all these games great? I don't know... Only the developer knows, and the developer knows that a true sequel doesn't mean making the same game and slapping shiny graphics on it.

A true sequel is something that is not only well made, but necessary. A sequel MUST be necessary, whether by narrative progression or fan base demand if you can confidently improve the game play (IE making a Donkey Kong sequel, a game purely based on game play).

Move on

If a game studio fails to meet these rules when discussing a sequel, than that studio should not be afraid to leave their game series behind. Just let it rest peacefully on peoples game shelves. No one wants Dead Space 18 or Call of Duty 43.

Many times the industry gets diluted with an overabundance of games. MMOs in particular fail victim to this, but game franchises can also become diluted. The FIFA series for instance, is losing a lot of steam. Why? Because all 12 of those games involve the same thing; the player kicking a ball back and forth on a green playing field. Granted, it's fine if the developer wants to make a sequel to FIFA so they can improve game play. But 12 FIFA games? How much until people have had enough?

In closing, if you don't meet these requirements but still REALLY want to make a sequel, just let Obsidian Entertainment develop it and save yourself the embarrassment  

Diablo 3 review (Beta)

Given that Diablo3 is infact still in beta, I can not account for all the positives (and faults) of the game in it's entirety. Therefore, this review will be one that strictly analyses the systems in place and how well they function. Let's get started.

1) Gameplay and functionality:

Although it is completely fair to call into question the design decisions behind the gameplay in Blizzard games, few would question the actual functionality of a game like WoW or Diablo 3 in this case. While I remain neutral of the gameplay itself, it is hard not to notice just how well polished and optimized the combat is. Again, this is a beta, and the game itself may be riddled with bugs, but from what I've seen, for better or worse, the combat is very functional and fluent.

That said, I was saddened just by how damn easy the game was. To be fair, during the beta, players could not play above normal difficulty, so my view was rather narrow. However, "Normal" felt like a breeze. The 4 of us completely shredded through dungeons, even the last boss was incredibly trivial. Your health MIGHT drop below 50% if the enemy gets a few lucky shots in, but rest assured, there will be PLENTY of health orbs to hold your hand should you get in a tight situation, therefore, I must dock off some points.

Gameplay and functionality:

7/10

2) Story and plot:

Granted, there is nothing really "Wrong" with Diablo 3's story, my issue is the way it is delivered. It feels more like quest hub hopping in an MMO rather than a single player/co-op game. But to be fair, from what I remember of Diablo 2, the quest system was practically the same, however, times have progressed, and I was hoping for something that offered a little more immersion when telling it's story.

A few things I did like about the story was finding tomes throughout dungeons and killing monsters for the first time. After finding and picking up a book, you would receive an audible dialog, telling the player about the monster. It was a cool why to take in lore on the fly while not removing anything from the pace of the gameplay.

Story and plot:

7/10

3) Dialog and script:

Nothing about the dialog in Diablo 3 really inspired me as a player. The characters just sort of blurted out the objective after a bit of flavor dialog, if you were lucky. There were no moments in the dialog that really got me engaged, no times when the script made my spine shiver or when the characters made me WANT to help, I just did the missions the progress the gameplay, not because I was engaged with the character.

Outside the tomes you find laying around, and the info you receive about monster, there is nothing really unique about the dialog in Diablo 3. To it's credit, however, there was nothing really abominably "Bad" about the writing, just that it was uninspired and bland.

Dialog and script:

5/10

4) Technical graphics:

Blizzard seems to have fallen in love with it's home-grown graphics engine that has spanned from Warcraft 3 all the way to Diablo 3, and really who can blame them? They've had some 10 years to optimize and polish the engine, and it shows. The engine is very well built, to Blizzards credit.

That said, there is nothing really remarkable about the graphics. When you look at the game, just like every other Blizzard game, you think "Oh look, it's THAT engine again". I personally hope Blizzard takes a chance in developing a new one or at least experimenting with the current, to make it more of a technological marvel rather than a cookie cutter engine that they just slap onto their games because "Hey, why not?".

Technical graphics:

7/10

5) Art style and direction:

Let me be very clear when I say I have absolutely no problem with a company using style graphics, but I'm baffled at how bad art directors are at deciding if a style fits the setting. Diablo 3 is supposed to be a dark fantasy about hell fire raining from the sky to consume the world. . . so why does said world look like The Iron Giant?

Cartoonish graphics fit WoW because the Warcraft series was cartoonish, but what exactly is supposed to be light hearted and stylized about the Diablo series? Where is the humor that warrants silly looking models and buildings? I really don't see it.

The engine is fine, but I really question Blizzards judgment in using it in Diablo 3

Art style and direction:

4/10

6) Sound design:

Rating sound design is fun for me because it's really hard for a company to mess up the sound. Diablo 3, however, does have some issue (and positives, of course).

The voice acting is really nothing special, it even dips into "Bad" a few times, however, I can shrug this off since the dialog never inspired me to begin with and the music is well composed if somewhat bland and not very memorable.

Beside that, the sound effects of Diablo 3 were very crisp and well done. I really wished for a better theme song for Diablo, however. Something dark, something that sounded like doom was coming, something that gave audiophiles a palpable sense of dread, instead we got something that sounds a bit like Two Steps from Hell or Immediate music.

Sound design:

6/10

7) Level design:

I really have to give Blizzard credit here. I was ecstatic when I found out that the dungeon layout shifts and randomizes slightly every time you play the dungeon (which was a pretty big feature in past Diablo games) letting you never really have the same experience twice.

The areas were nice and open and there was quite a bit to explore in the dungeons, rather than just 1 or 2 corridors leading to the same area. I actually got LOST at one point. LOST... In a MODERN game... Who would have thought?

Level design:

9/10

8) User interface:

I was very pleased with the interface in Diablo 3. Granted when you see it, you will most likely think "Oh cool, it's like I'm really playing World of Warcraft". Yes the chat box is the same (which is understandable because of the Real ID system) and the crafting windows has the same layout. 

I'm a big advocate of "If it isn't broke, don't fix it" but I worry about the homogenization of WoW into every Blizzard game that gets released.

I don't want to play WoW, I want to play Diablo 3 and the UI should reflect that. Of course I can't knock Blizzard too much since the interface (while a copy of WoW) is very functional and organized 

User interface:

8/10

9) Production value:

From what I've seen of Diablo 3, it has all the production value and polish of a triple A RPG (co-op MMO isometric game, whatever) and they certainly get credit for this.

Something about Blizzard games that I'm happy with is the fact that while some of the features may be uninspired or rehashed, they always make sure they're very functional and that the playable does not suffer due to massive bugs. 

Yes, they delay their games by years at a time, it seems, but at least in Blizzards case it shows. 

Production value:

9/10

10) Overall elements:

The hour is at hand, the time is nigh and the day of judgment is upon it, so does Diablo 3 pull together and finish strong, or does the odd concoction of strange design choices dilute the purity of the gameplay? 

Well, a little of both really.

I personally enjoyed playing the game once through by myself and then several times with other player, but the schizophrenic elements (À la art direction) gave me a strange feeling of the game being "Odd". Not bad, but just "Odd". Odd enough to where I can't really love it. It's a fun game and good pastime but I don't see Diablo 3 hitting anyone's classic video game shelves.

Overall elements:

7/10

In closing, I would like to say that Diablo 3 was an enjoyable experiance, and I look forward to progressing through the dungeons with my friends, but I truly believe Blizzard owes it to themselves to move on. 

Games like Starcraft and Diablo 1 and 2 have achieved a legendary status in the video game industry and Blizzard will NEVER be able to outdo them with a sequel.

I'm hopeful when it comes to their new IP such as "Titan" and will keep my figures crossed that it will be a continuing trend.

Diablo 3 is a good game, but it just doesn't have "It" 

Personal score:

7/10

Technical score:

69 /100

The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition (Xbox 360) review

After months of promises, previews, speculation and a dash of excitement, The Witcher 2 has been released for PC and Xbox 360. That's right, the console release of CDProjekts flagship RPG has finally been delivered..

The patch is here, the content is out, and my body is ready.

1) Game play and functionality:

One of the most obvious improvements over the first Witcher is the combat. Keeping in the same spirit as games such as Arkham Asylum, the combat is fast paced, good looking and most impotently, challenging (especially now that CDprojekt nerfed my beloved Quen).

One of the problems players may encounter with the combat system, the talent trees specifically, are small imbalances when talents from your original character carries over to other characters you sometimes play as during story progression. For instance, the Alchemy may seem subpar in terms of combat, however does offer some nice out of combat benefits. The choice is yours.

Despite some minor flaws, once you get the hang of the combat, you'll feel like a true Witcher as you dance through your enemies in a whirlwind a death and destruction, slicing through monsters with ease.

Gameplay and functionality in The Witcher 2 gets an 

8/10

2) Story and plot:

The story in The Witcher 2 is one about choices. Not small choices like choosing nice response, neutral response, or mean response, but significant choices that effect the entire outcome of the game, even completely changing the middle of the game completely.

So whats the big picture? Without spoiling anything, Geralt has been framed. You need to find the assassin and clear your name. See a massive fantasy world as broad as it is deep while you guide Geralt through a story of betrayal, politics and intrigue. The plot is solid with very few plot holes or moments that make you think "Wait, what?". Granted it can be rather difficult to follow the story completely without playing the first or reading the journal entries; the reward for doing so, however, is well worth it.

Finally, I was rather disappointed to hear that some decisions in the original Witcher did not carry over to the second. That said, there are many decisions that certainly do matter from the first, and very good cameos from characters in the first (IE Siegfried, the broest of all bros).

The story delivers on it's promise of a mature, grim plot that immerses the player in a grizzly fantasy world.

The Witcher 2s story and ploy gets a 

9/10

3) Dialog and script:

Story aside, one of the most praised aspects of The Witcher 2 was the dialog, and with good reason. As a script writer myself, I'm a sucker for dialog that can describe events and people in a way that is unconventional, in a way the can send a shiver down your spine.

The way dialog is crafted in The Witcher 2 is nothing short of masterful. Hands down some of the best dialog I have seen in video games since Planescape: Torment, and I would never say that lightly. Telling a story is one thing, but to have characters who's words make you feel a connection with a setting and world is truly a rare experience these days.

The Witcher 2s dialog and script gets a 

10/10

4) Technical Graphics 

Crysis was once considered the benchmark for pushing machines to the limit, however it's much more important to be able to craft a game that looks visualy stunning and yet remains lightweight and manageable for systems.

I believe CDprojekt has hit a very stable middle ground with The Red Engine. The engine is very flexible, ranging from intricate graphics options, allowing you to scale textures down by a significant amount, while at the same time, implementing modern graphics options that only very high end systems can handle, including uber-sampling. 

So, here's the challenge, how does that scale with 7 year old hardware (AKA Xbox 360)? Well, quite well actually, which took me by surprise.

I honestly thought the Xbox didn't have it in it, but the engine is so well optimized that even ancient hardware can run it and still look very good. Granted, it does not look anywhere near as good as it does on PC and their are some graphical issues on the Xbox such as tearing, however, I must applaud CDprojekt for not only developing their own engine, but developing a very solid one that I hope will see more use in the future. 

The Witcher 2s technical graphics (for the Xbox) gets an 

8/10

5) Art style and direction:

I'm honestly starting to feel a little bad about this article, because I hate gushing; however, I must further agree that the art style and direction of The Witcher 2 is incredibly solid.

One of the most important aspects of art style is that it fits the story and setting, and The Witcher boasts one of the most convincing worlds in video games. Everything feels authentic. The armor is minimalist, almost simplistic, but designed just the right amount to feel different but not ridiculous.

Few games can pull off the main protagonist wearing light blue striped pants with a puffy shoulder pads and still look good. In any other game it would look ridiculous, but the setting somehow pulls it off. 

Art style and direction in The Witcher 2 gets a 

10/10

6) Sound design

FINALLY, we get to the part where I can start picking some aspects of this game apart. Granted the sound is good, but The Witcher suffers a lot of the same problems that Bioware games suffer, and that is mostly that when actors engage in dialog, they more or less sounds like two puppets, each taking turns while they talk.

No one really interrupts or speaks over each other. This would go a very long way in deepening the immersion of The Witcher.

I of course can't go without saying the that music in The Witcher 2 is just as great as it was in the first. Adam Skorupa returns with another great composition and this time is partnered with Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz for some truly great music.

Sound design The Witcher 2 gets an 

8/10

7) Level design

Among the few problems with The Witcher 2, level design leaves a somewhat bittersweet taste.

The landscapes are beautifully crafted and the level flow feels good, not great, but good. One of the problems I had with the level design is there tends to be a lot of back tracking. You also seem to feel walled in at a lot of areas.

Granted, I wasn't expecting exploration on the level of Elder Scrolls, however exploration in The Witcher 2 is very minimal, feeling more like quest hub hopping rather than exploration.

I also had a problem with the level design during certain events. You just kind of stood in the same place, killing endless waves of enemies. That was certainly the lowest point of the game.

The levels are designed beautifully, but just make sure you get comfortable with them, cause you're going to be in those same areas for a while.

Level design in The Witcher 2 gets a 

7/10

8) User interface:

As far as flaws go with The Witcher 2, the user interface is by far the most glaring. The only really "good" part of the interface is the art work. It looks great, like most things in The Witcher 2, but it just doesn't seem to function well. It's such a pain to constantly flip between inventory and crafting screen to see if the item you're about to spend 5000 gold worth of materials is really worth it.

If you play The Witcher 2, get used to opening and closing inventory windows... A lot.

User interface in The Witcher 2 gets a 

6/10

9)  Production value

CDprojekt isn't exactly the most well known developer in the world, and that's what I attribute the great production to. Not being well known, at least in the United States, may be what makes them try that much harder and put in that much effort.

You look at how many sales The Witcher series has sold, and truth be told, it isn't an incredible amount. Which is why when you look at the game all you can think is "how did they afford this". You can truly feel the effort and love the developers put into their games.

They weren't content with making The Witcher 1 plus good graphics, they wanted to shake the foundation of The Witcher series, and put it into the spot light.

Admitidly, they have their work cut out for them before the US starts acknowledging their great work, but Rome wasn't built in a day. If CDprojekt continues on this path and builds up their loyal, hardcore fanbase, they will be a true force to be reckoned with in the RPG genre

Production value in The Witcher 2 gets a 

10/10

10) Overall elements.

The Witcher 2 is one of those few games where everything just sort of "clicks". Nothing really seems out of place, nothing disrupts the flow and setting of the game. For many of us, The Witcher 2 isn't the most popular of games game. Kinda like hokey. But like hokey, it's the best sport in the history of people.

Overall elements in The Witcher 2 gets a 

9/10

Before I give the final score, I would like the say a word about not just the game but the developers. Few game companies would give 3 hours of content for 10 dollars, never mind for free. I don't know how CDprojekt can afford to do it. I'm not a financial advisor, but without a doubt the video game industry would be a much better place with more developers like CDprojekt.

Few game companies today can come close to the passion that CDprojekt displays in their games and fewer can come close to the enthusiasm they show toward their fan base. CDprojekt have earned themselves many hardcore fans with their game design and business decisions with The Witcher 2, and I am now one of those fans.

The Witcher 2 (for the Xbox 360) gets cumulative scores:

Personal score

10/10

Technical score

 85/100

The game is a must have for hard core RPG fans, and RPG fans in general.

Star Wars: The Old Republic - Postmortem review

For the first 3 or 4 months after the release of an MMO, there exists what is called the "honeymoon" period, where every subscriber of said MMO almost unequvically loves it. It's something new, regardless of innovation or lack there of. So when the most anticipated MMO, star wars the old republic, hit the market, there were armies of gamers who dropped there MMO of choice for the next big thing.

But how has the old republic stood up compared to other MMOs? And will it really pass the test of time?

1) Gameplay and functionality:

Unles you've been under a rock since the annoucement of The Old Republic, you should realize that SWTORs gameplay was never touted as innovative. This is perfectly fair from an economic standpoint, as publishers don't wish to take really big risks. Not to mention that there are many people who still enjoy hoykey game play, and that's fine.

Where the old republic fails at gameplay is not the fact that the game is a hotkey MMO, but rather it fails at functionality. During the first month, as a small example, the game was plague with an "ability delay" bug. Speculation was abound at the root cause of this, ranging from bad computer hardware to under performing servers, some even speculated that the root of the problem was inbeded in the Hero engine that SWTOR is built with.

Regardless of cause, this was an issue that bioware dragged there feet on. Although it was fixed within the first month, one has to wonder how such a significant issue left beta in the first place. Some players are still reporting that, while improved, there is still a slight combat delay persisting to this day.

Regardless of preference, you would be hard pressed to defend some of the oversights and decisions when it comes the mechanics of the game. Especially considering Bioware is invested in people rerolling new characters, and yet for all intents and purposes, there are only 4 classes in the game, with 4 mirrors of those classes on the other faction.

The gameplay itself is an average 5/10 which... isn't bad, but not good either. however, some of the issues that were in beta and persist to this day can not be overlooked.

SWTORs gameplay and functionality gets a

4/10

2) Story and plot:

Proclaimed as the old republics strong point, story and plot seem to be an automatic 10/10 considering that spent 6 years and many millions developing a game that promised to bring story to the MMO space.

While this is true for a lot of the classes, there are several reasons why story in the old republic falls short of greatness.

Throughout the game you are guided on a series of quests depending on your characters classes; AKA class story. While some class stories in the old republic are better than others, many times these stories are trumped and buried under an ocean of side quest stories that no one really cares about.

No, seriously, I'm a sith lord, why am i collecting 10 wampa toes?

Yes, some of the stories are good, in fact I would say most are above average, however, for a game that tries to immerse you in the world, elements such as the good/neutral/bad click-me-and-recieve-darkside-points dialog wheel, coupled with the fact that many of the quests themselves are not heroic in the least, the story of the old republic is a jarring experiance at best, at worst, meaning if you're a jedi consular, the story is absolute tripe with a few kill/collect quests mixed in.

While there are negatives, you still have to appreciate some of the stories and at least the effort of the developers to attempt at making the leveling experiance better. However, sub-par game play and a dialog system that kicks immersion in the teeth hinder the story considerably

And lets not forget, the story in the old republic ends at level 50

Story and Plot in the old republic gets a

7/10

3) Dialog and script:

In many ways, the dialog in the old republic is in the same situation as the story, but not in the sense that it is hindered by gameplay.

The dialog in SWTOR is hindered in that you understand what the story and characters are trying to convey, but many instances of outright fan-fic level script writting punch you in the nuts and steal your candy.

One thing I will give bioware credit for is the fact that their games have some of the most interesting characters created in any video game. Granted, nearly all, if not all of bioware characters fill a certain cliche role. Wrex and ogrim are the "crazy" warriors, zevran and thane are the regretful assassins and so on. That said, these characters still manage to be interesting enough to invest emotion into.

With that in mind, a lot of time, awkward dialog will take the authenticity out of an honest scene.
I mean seriously, payment in kisses?

Dialog and script in the old republic gets a

 7/10

4) Technical graphics

If you've been following the old republic at all, you've probably caught wind of Biowares insane decision to use the hero engine to build SWTOR.

The hero engine.

You want to know how bad the hero engine is? Name some well-known games that were built on the hero engine.

Let's see there's SWTOR, obviously, and... well I guess that's gonna be it huh?

Thousand of posts, hundreds of pages on this single topic alone, the decision to use the hero engine is widely considered Biowares biggest mistake in the development of the old republic. Countless system has sputtered out, crashed and burned dispite having cutting edge video cards and processors while some low end system don't even bat an eyelash at it. Although I'm sure every one can agree, ilum and a damn nice slide show.

Bad optimization coupled with the fact that the old republic doesn't even have a real high res option, makes the hero engine a giant blemish that continues to consume the face of the old republic, and taking as many computers down with it as possible

Technical graphics of the old republic gets a

2/10

5) Art style and direction

You have to ask yourself a few quesions when judging the art style of a game, and one of the most importent ones is "does it fit the setting". I think many would agree that the art style of SWTOR, while fitting for some other games, is a terrible choice for a star wars title.

The only star wars game i can think of that this style would fit is lego star wars. Not because it's star wars but because it's legos.

As I said, however, stylization can be a good path to take. The execution of stylization in SWTOR, however, is very unsightly and, when contrasted with some of the "dark" toned stories, makes the game look comical.

Art syle and direction gets a

5/10

6) Sound design

Now we arrive at last at what is hands down SWTORs best quality. The sound.

I really have to give credit to the composers of the game. They were inspired by john williams and honored his name with a great sound track.

The sound designers really made the game sound like star wars, and not just because they nailed the sound of a lightsaber. Blasters sound like blaster, the sound of running is authentic, and the voice acting is very good.

That said, something that has always bothered me about Bioware games is that there is no flow or fluidness to the dialog. Every time an NPC gets qoute unqoute interupted, they don't really get interupted. Instead they pause for half a second and another voice acter starts talking. Biowares dialog scenes always feel like 2 actors just sorting of talking at each other rather than having an actual conversation.

Sound design in the old republic get a

8/10

7) Level design

Another big issue that has sweeped the forums is the level design, or world design for each planet.

Planets in the old republic aren't so much planets, but rather different colored zones. The paths are incredibly linear and feels like they might
as well has bilboards on the way that say "this is the direction you will go in your main quest"

And lets not forget, having an "exaustion" zone 20 feet from the god damn town. You can't even walk outside of anchor head without the game punishing you for wanting to explore.

That said, the environments are very nice to look at and some of the planets do feel like star wars, and credit should be given where it's due

Level design gets a

6/10

8) User interface

Unfortunately for the old republic, the situation doesn't get any better. The user interface is perhaps the 2nd largest issue.

SWTORs interface is clunky, bland, uninspired, and can't be customized. Yes, a solution is coming in 1.2. But what good is being able to move the tool bar, if the toolbar itself is trash?
Bioware seems to be allergic to addons as they're not allowing any addons to be used, including UI addons.

The old republic doesn't even have a combat log...

I mean for god sakes, even the withcer 2, a single player game, had a combat log.

The user interface gets a barely functional

3/10

9) Production value

Aside from the larger features missing, there are also a lot of quality of life neccessities left out of the old republic.
When you walk through a supposidly bustling city, you never hear chatter and the only ambient noise you hear is looped sounds of speeders andmusic
There is no day/night cycle
No swimming

Really, there are so many small things that SWTOR is missing that it just feels half baked, even compared to a relativley low bugdet MMO like Rift.

The production value of SWTOR gets a

4/10

10) Overall elements

Like a story, it is manditory for all the elements of a game to resonate with each other, connecting A B and C to create a well-made experiance that flows.

The story, the game play, all these elements must come together to be considered a worthy game.

This is the most troubling about the old republic to me is that it tried to be so many thing.
It tried to be KOTOR
It tried to be WoW
It tried to be a single player game and an MMO

Unfortunately, the story and decisions aren't as good as KOTOR
The MMO aspects aren't as good as WoW
The gameplay isn't as good as a single player game
And the social interaction and multiplayer features aren't as good as other MMOs

The overall elements of SWTOR get a:

 5/10

So we come to the conclusion and all that can be said at this point is that at best SWTOR is disappointing. At worst, it's an MMO that will either fail and cause massive harm to Biowares reputation, or succeed and plunge the MMO genre back into a gauntlet of WoWclones being released every 2 months.

The final scores of The Old Republic are:

Personal score:

6/10

Technical score

 51/100

For all intents are purposes, The Old Republic is awesomely average.