Ben's Week In Review: November 14
L.A. NoireJust as Call of Duty week ebbs, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Gran Turismo 5 weeks loom large...
Hey, so, L.A. Noire looks good all of a sudden
I only say "all of a sudden" because in all honesty, the game had completely fallen off my radar. I really wasn't even convinced it was a "go" project and half anticipated a cancellation announcement from Rockstar. But then they went and surprised me by releasing an all-new trailer. Of course, we didn't get any gameplay, but at least we finally got a look at the atmosphere and visual and animation quality. We also caught some great voice acting and a few hints at what should be an engrossing, well-written story. The hype has fallen off over time but I do remember that hopes - at one time - were really high. And while L.A. Noire has a long way to go before it cracks my "most anticipated" list, I'd say that video got it part way there.
I'm really hoping for some Heavy Rain type elements, a story the game deserves, and an authentic, believable environment. The last thing this game needs is endless, over-the-top gunfights and action...keep that in GTA. In this case, I'm looking for a little something different, as should you. I just can't wait to see more.
I'll listen to anything Ueda says
Anybody who had a hand in designing ICO and Shadow of the Colossus has my eternal respect, and Fumito Ueda could cement his status as a development legend if The Last Guardian is everything it could be... I really liked that interview Ueda gave, where he talked about the focus on "narrative production," some gameplay info, and the pressure involved when dealing with a highly expectant group of fans. Yes, we definitely expect nothing but brilliance, which must be a little stressful. But does anyone doubt the final result? I suppose my only concern right now lies in the control aspect; depending on who you talk to, some found the control in both ICO and SotC to be iffy. Personally, I don't believe those "iffy" controls were flawed; I believe the designers did it the way they wanted. I.e., the boy in SotC wasn't a superhero and hence, he should move like a boy.
But anyway, I've heard and seen nothing but amazing things when it comes to Team ICO's newest project. I know we have to wait until late next year but I don't care; this game could very well be revolutionary.
Personal gaming update
Finished Vanquish (finally), James Bond 007: Blood Stone (fun, but not worth $60), and I'm near the end of Call of Duty: Black Ops (about where I've been since doing the review). I'll finish that and while I really want to start Fable III, I'm afraid I have another busy week and both Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit are staring me right in the face. At this rate, with GT5 now set for November 24, I may not start Fable III until next year. I knew I shouldn't have bought a long game in the midst of all this insanity. By the way, you can expect a Dead Nation review later on Monday. Sorta looking forward to that one.
All I'll add about Black Ops is that it's a great game that simply needed more polishing (from the PS3/PC standpoint, at any rate). Maybe I'll go finish it now.
11/13/2010 Ben Dutka
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Comments (55 posts)
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:26:44 AM
But of course, I have to play them first.
1 up, 0 down
swapnilgyani
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:56:53 AM
I love both arcady and simulation racing games, but I prefer concentrating on only one at a time, and in this case, the choice is obvious for me :)
0 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:01:29 AM
0 up, 0 down
Highlander
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 1:01:20 PM
2 up, 0 down
Snaaaake
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 8:37:57 PM
But well they can't go online so SCREW PIRACY!.
1 up, 0 down
Highlander
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 10:33:36 PM
If they want a real downgrade option, they could always sell their PS3 and buy a 360. Now *that* would be a downgrade.
Last edited by Highlander on 11/14/2010 10:35:10 PM
2 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Saturday, November 13, 2010 @ 10:42:44 PM
Reply
pffft. Fable 3. I'll pass on that one. I just can't get into Fable. It's one of those MS exclusives that don't add a tick of value on the multi-platform flame-war scale. A PS3 fan can always say, "well, I have GoW3 and Uncharted 2 etc etc" and have a point that means something, but an 360 fanboy better not rebuttal with, "I have Fable 3."... anyway you see where Im going with this.
yeah, I like to think like a fanboy sometimes =p
Anywho, just when I was telling myself, "man, I really need to slow down with playing and buying so many games" and snuggled in with another play through of Uncharted 2 on hard, but my will submitted to CoD Black Ops after reading Ben's review.
Yes, the very game that the darker side of me internally wanted to dislike and I even had hoped it would be an underwhelming entry in the series to strengthen my resolve that the series is carried by the plume of it's hype and big budget advertising that fuels and continually perpetuates it's existence year after year. Well, to my surprise, it does a few things quite well. Surprisingly it attempts to expand it's storytelling with more detailed characterization and events. It also has had a few really awesome exhilarating scripted events that leave you saying, "wow, that was a million dollars well spent." I will say, it was slow getting in. The game is uneven in design. Several levels I encountered were tiring and totally cut 'n paste from prior games. But it offered just enough inginuity that carried me deeper to where it really started popping with lots of "wow" moments, I'm eager to finish it tonight =)
Needless to say, the AI is bad, a total digression for the series that hampers the believability of the fire fight. Also, the devs created many instances where it seemed they just pointed and dropped patches of enemies haphazardly without giving it much thought to balance out the level design. There were a handful of times I smirked at how totally non-sensical the combat would unfold. It didn't help that you'd observe the most asinine behavior from your comrades who seem to have absolutely zero spatial awareness of your position, who will not hesitate to plow through you, forcing you to the side in the process. It's sad that it seems they spent so much time with the big budget cinematics and scripting that they failed to make a solid playing foundation for it's game play. Ouch!
This isn't to say it's not worth it's time. It has some awesome moments and environments that make you say WHOA! A close, but missed attempt Treyarch, but at least I know your capacity to make strides in this genre is within the measure of your talent.
5 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Saturday, November 13, 2010 @ 11:57:42 PM
1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:25:36 AM
1 up, 1 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:36:38 AM
1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:49:39 AM
I'm just really hoping the developer (Treyarch or IW) can take the next step. Just erase those all-too-common multiplat issues and we get an elite, can't-miss product. Black Ops was close...
2 up, 0 down
Shams
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:35:54 AM
4 up, 0 down
StangMan80
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:27:32 AM
Reply
I'm not interested in any games coming up this year. Next year is packed with games I MOST have, most are PS3 exclusives. plus with GT5 which I'll be playing a lot. I'll be behind once again.
GOTY countdown: 11 days!
1 up, 1 down
Shams
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:33:05 AM
2 up, 1 down
StangMan80
Monday, November 15, 2010 @ 8:35:54 PM
That is not going to happen this time.
GT5(GOTY) countdown: 8 days 2 hours
0 up, 0 down
___________
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:48:47 AM
Reply
only game i want off the PSN store, well that and Ecochrome 2 of course.
LA Noire does not look good all of a sudden, its looked good ever since they announced the game!
ive always been craving a game that lets you play the detective, and now here it is, and its being made by one of the industries biggest studios!
so freaking psyched for brotherhood, absolutely loved AC2, my 2nd favorite game of last year so this one has a sh*t load to live up too!
same for NFS hot pursuit, though i wont be using my G27 for it as i was planning.
:(
stupid piece of sh*t broke on me!!!!!!
can not freaking believe that, 600 RRP wheel and the frigging thing cant even last a few weeks!
knew i should of bought the fantec GT3 wheel instead!
will be the last logitech product i ever buy thats for sure!
first my Z5500 speakers arrive broken, had to go through hell and back to get replacements. now this!
logitech = the worst, cheapest, most unreliable company in the history of the universe!!!!!!!!!
0 up, 0 down
tumbletunnel
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 1:47:05 AM
Reply
I contacted Housemarque when they will be releasing Dead Nation. In a mail back a few weeks ago they said it all depends on Sony. Announcement should be given that week after I wrote the mail. No releasedate yet. Do you know more ?
0 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 7:37:49 PM
This means I probably won't be able to do the review tomorrow as expected...have to wait until I know the embargo date, which will come along with the release date announcement, I'm sure.
0 up, 0 down
Highlander
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 2:22:29 AM
Reply
4 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:07:01 AM
Please excuse my blasphemous following comment, but imagine if it was further delayed. Chaos would ensue!! Yamauchi would need to go into hiding!
Sony... Market the hell out of this game.. Wheres Kevin Butler???
2 up, 0 down
Highlander
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 1:03:18 PM
2 up, 0 down
LittleBigMidget
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:16:48 AM
Reply
1 up, 0 down
PorkChopGamer
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:45:39 AM
Reply
0 up, 0 down
Lawless SXE
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:58:25 AM
Peace.
4 up, 0 down
PorkChopGamer
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 4:40:48 AM
0 up, 0 down
hellish_devil
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 6:03:32 AM
Will you review this game Ben?? I think it is really worth it (based on the demo, of course)
Last edited by hellish_devil on 11/14/2010 6:03:47 AM
0 up, 0 down
Lawless SXE
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 4:06:32 AM
Reply
And The Last Guardian is going to be a generation defining game. That's all I've got to say about that.
Personal Update:
Not a lot. I'm about halfway through Catch-22 now, and it's bloody hilarious. A truly fun novel.
I'm playing through Bioshock on Hard without using Vita-chambers, and well... it's hard. I'm about seven hours into it and have only gotten as far as the part where you have to get the Lazarus Formula. And on the PSP, I've given up on VC2 for the time being. I'm playing Ghost of Sparta, without a memory stick. And I'll take that out soon and play GT in an attempt to pad out my garage in preparation for next week. Oh, it's close.
Also, I picked up GoW:GoS, and Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition earlier today, and I haven't the faintest idea of when I'm going to be able to get started on the latter. Stupid things I do.
And Friday was my birthday. It was... crap, but I had the day off at least. I'm thinking of going skydiving before the end of the year as a belated celebration...
Peace.
0 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 7:42:28 AM
0 up, 0 down
RobiinzZ
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 5:13:26 AM
Reply
my net has also been down for a week now :(.
But to pass the time im getting back into killzone 2, comepleted it on elite yesturday, really to love that game :D.
0 up, 0 down
hellish_devil
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 5:40:41 AM
Reply
Yup, Toughest Soul Trophy is mine. I had to farm like 3 hours to get one chunk of marrowstone, and other five to get pure bladestone, but I finally did it.
Last edited by hellish_devil on 11/14/2010 5:41:38 AM
3 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 8:10:00 AM
Reply
Ueda is a Genius and deserves recognition. The Last Guardian is a work of "ART" in the making. I hope that this game gets plent of exposure. Now that gaming is reaching the masses Sony should do a Heavy Rain level marketing push. Is the world not yet red "E".?
Unfortunately my gaming week is frozen. My son is currently hospitalized for severe asthma. Came out of nowhere. He is much better after 3 days and should be discharged soon. I only got to play the first level of Black Ops and he is upset that that his Clan is advancing in levels without him. We have some catching up to do. Lately It seems that I have too many unfinished games. Never finished FFXIII, ModNation Racers and Sports Champions. Not to mention my EyePet, who must be starving and rabid by now. It feels like I am in my own personal Series of Unfortunate Events!
Last edited by FatherSun on 11/14/2010 8:57:08 AM
2 up, 0 down
Shams
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:18:56 PM
1 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 7:33:16 PM
0 up, 0 down
Alienange
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 8:59:41 AM
Reply
LA Noire came out of left field this week and looks great. TLG is going to be epic as only those who have played ICO and SotC know it will, and we've got the GT5 release date.
All the while we've got the best fps of the year in our hands with a new Criterion racer and AC on the way.
Game on friends.
2 up, 0 down
FatherSun
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:08:37 AM
3 up, 0 down
t4_robz
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:48:06 AM
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thats the review that im waiting for, i hope that every gaming site gives GT5 a 9.5-10 because if they dont get high scores it might kind of look embarassing considering how much time they have spent on it!
0 up, 0 down
Snaaaake
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 10:47:21 AM
They'll point out the bad and talk like it's the worst flaw ever.
2 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 11:27:12 AM
And are critics really that biased to collectively mis-represent a game?
And btw, I have spent a lot of time with Forza 3 and it is a great game. I preferred GT4 to Forza 1 and 2, but Forza 3 was a solid product that proved to me Turn 10 can do something respectable. It's 92% is accurately representational of the quality of the product.
The reality is, Turn 10 has competition that no other dev in any other genre has to compete against like they do.
Polyphony Digital isn't your average developer. In fact, they aren't your average great developer; they're something a lot more. Really, we just don't see devs who painstakingly craft something as premium as something like the GT series. Quite frankly, no matter what genre PD would be in, any competitor in the same class would have a huge bar to clear. As an example of their unparalleled commitment to quality, GT5 has missed numerous launch windows with the director revealing that SOny's pressure on him has been nearly "unbearable" but the team just won't yield to anything less than extraordinary.
I would highly doubt MS would be as tolerant for GT as Sony has been. PD's work ethic exceeds the norm, and I would see few publishers making such lengthy concessions for a dev team. But PD carries a significance that's rare indeed, and their upcoming product will be strong enough to wipe away any cynics because the quality will be too good too ignore.
6 up, 0 down
Highlander
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 1:06:35 PM
4 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 1:31:21 PM
I pulled up the top rated games on Metacritic for PS3.
Here they are:
#1 GTA4 --98
#2 Uncharted 2 --96
#3-4 LBP --95
#3-4 RDR --95
#5-9 MW2 --94
#5-9 MW --94
#5-9 Bioshock --94
#5-9 SF4 --94
#5-9 MGS4 --94
#10 Oblivion --93
Are these not some of the best games from this console generation?
Uncharted 2 was rated higher than either MW and it released during the same window as MW2.
Black Ops has an aggregate 89% on Metacritic. Which I think is spot on. This demonstrates to me that critics aren't the biased-payed off-bad people that are to be so distrusted. That's not to say that there aren't any poor critics out there. But given the general consensus, games usually do receive the scores they deserve.
GT5 will find it's place in the top 10. 'nuff said
Last edited by Temjin001 on 11/14/2010 1:31:48 PM
6 up, 0 down
Highlander
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:14:38 PM
I sort of agree with you, but I'm also wary of a small number of high profile exceptions to that. There are a few large sites that give games oddly out of line reviews based on what you can only call an agenda.
0 up, 0 down
Shams
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:22:23 PM
1 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 4:02:59 PM
And speaking of which. I do think inFamous's aggregate rating is a worthy indicator at 85%
As for NGS2, I think 83% is a bit low. I'd have been more pleased to see it closer to an 88%. But TEMJIN! you gave that game a 92% in your own user review. Yes, I know. My score would represent the higher end of the spectrum. Whereas there's going to be those who don't identify with the game the same way I do and rate it a 80%, or less. In the end, it would balance out at around 88%.
Something else I think worth mentioning, as I've done in the past, is the importance of values.
What one person finds praiseworthy and excellent may not be recognized as such by someone else. I don't doubt Highlander believes Burnout Paradise deserves a 97 or 98 (I can't remember) but according to his standards, which I would assume would be based on a logical foundation, it's justified in his mind to be rated as such. Personally, it'd be rated more around 90-91 by my standards, but that's because what we find valuable deviates by that much.
I do believe that the deviation we see in game reviews is mostly due to this very thing.
While I do not doubt that there is probably a dark and insidious side to critics and some forms of journalism (we're humans, everyone and everything is going to battle light and dark) I would like to believe, as a matter of not falling into the spin-cycle of cynicism and distrust, that most people choose to embrace the light and uphold that in their daily exchanges within society.
So with the exception of Destructoid, I'm generally in favor of most critics views. Even if I disagree with a point or two within the body of the review.
2 up, 0 down
JCARROLL
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 5:47:01 PM
0 up, 1 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 7:08:36 PM
Starting at the top of random games that came to mind...
They gave LBP a 10/10... that's extremely rare from them.
They gave Uncharted 2 a 9/10... another rare rating from them. Personally I think it's a 10/10 =)
GoW3 got an 8/10
MGS4 got a 8/10... !!!!
AC2 got an 8/10
They gave Enslaved an 8/10
They gave CoD Black Ops a 7/10
and CoD WaW a 6/10
Unfortunately, games like infamous, kz2, heavy rain all received 7/10's
But looking at 360's heavy weights this year. Mass Effect 2 received a 9/10, Halo Reach a 9/10, SC: Conviction got an 8/10 and Fable 3 and Alan Wake both got 7/10's
But the crap one that reeks bad. Halo ODST 9/10
I'm sorry, as long as I breathe a breath would I ever utter the words ODST is a 9 while KZ2 is a 7. It's impossible. And anyone worth their salt couldn't ever justify that ODST was 9 caliber and be right about it.
1 up, 0 down
Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 7:34:22 PM
2 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 8:51:59 PM
Let's look at the exclusives...
x360::
Mass Effect 2: 9/10, Gears 2: 9/10, L4D2: 9/10, Forza 3: 9/10, Halo: Reach 9/10, Project Gotham 4: 9/10, Crackdown 2: 8/10, Ninja Gaiden 2: 8/10, Tales of Vesperia: 8/10, Halo Wars: 7/10, Lost Odyssey: 7/10, Alan Wake: 7/10, Banjo Kazooie Nuts n Bolts: 7/10, Fable 3: 7/10, Shadow Complex: 7/10.
PS3::
LBP: 10/10, Uncharted 2: 9/10, Demon's Souls: 9/10, GoW3: 8/10, MGS4: 8/10, Warhawk: 8/10, Wipeout HD 8/10, Motorstorm 2: 7/10, Ratchet & Clank: CiT: 7/10, Heavy Rain: 7/10, Valkyria Chronicles: 7/10, Infamous: 7/10, Killzone 2: 7/10, Joe Danger: 7/10, Resistance 2: 6/10, MAG: 6/10.
I tried to be as fair and diverse in my findings as possible. I picked games that stood out in my mind as higher rated. I also picked games that were out while both PS3 and 360 shared the market. I'm sorry if I missed any big ones. Games like Ninja Gaiden 2 and Mass Effect 2 were announced as 360 exclusives so they're considered exclusive.
The BIG problem I see, and there are several, Edge's ratings in relation to the aggregate ratings from Metacritic's average is where things get very suspect. Edge consistently rated big hit games like MGS4, GoW3, Infamous and KZ2 far lower than the mean Metacritic score. WHereas, the heavy hitting 360 games: ME, Gears, Halo, Forza all rated at the Metacritic average.
This is strong evidence that Edge's reviews are skewed.
Shame on them!
0 up, 0 down
Temjin001
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:03:27 PM
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Snaaaake
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:14:51 PM
Are those people even gamers?
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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 9:55:23 PM
If it's a big PS3 exclusive, expect Edge to score it significantly lower than the critic average. If it's a big 360 exclusive, expect the opposite. Given the numbers, this is a statistical fact one can rely upon.
Prediction- GT5 won't score higher than an 8.
Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 11/14/2010 9:56:14 PM
1 up, 0 down
sunspider13
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 12:18:27 PM
Reply
Whenever Ueda has anything to say, I listen. I think he is one of the most gifted artists in games today. Yep, I said artist. With the games he's crafted and with the impending release of TLG, I can't wait to see the world he is going to bring to life. It should be one of those games you invite your friends over to see, or show your mom/dad and say "This is what gaming is also about."
My brother is in heaven with GT5 coming out 3 days before his birthday. He can't stop talking about it and rightly so. I'll be over at his house a lot, lol.
PGU
Nothing too exciting to report. Got through with my 8th play-through of inFamous. Waiting for inFamous2 is killing me. Will be getting Castlevania soon, can't wait to get into it. Been playing UC2 multi-player a little bit more and got 3 new friends out of it, and everyone can use more friends. And I'm on my 3rd play-through of Vanquish getting all the Pangloss statues. Although the environments don't really deviate, it's a solid game. An enjoyable game at that. And I'm 4 trophies away from getting a platinum which would make number 7. I'm only a trophy freak for the games I really like. That's it people, happy gaming.
Last edited by sunspider13 on 11/14/2010 12:19:51 PM
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Enigma757
Sunday, November 14, 2010 @ 3:04:09 PM
Reply
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Fane1024
Monday, November 15, 2010 @ 5:11:37 PM
Reply
Last edited by Fane1024 on 11/15/2010 5:12:02 PM
0 up, 1 down
yangfu
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 @ 8:59:11 PM
Reply
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Snaaaake
Reply
Saturday, November 13, 2010 @ 10:29:29 PM
I bought DMC4 after spotting it real cheap since I never finished it and I got Castlevania to satisfy my urge for an action game.
Ben, I'm looking forward to your Hot Pursuit and Brotherhood review, I'm having a headache choosing one of them.
But in your opinion, which one will you choose and why?
Last edited by Snaaaake on 11/13/2010 10:29:39 PM