Concluding Blog.

The beginning of this blog assignment seemed simple at first, just play different games and blog about them every week and just continue to do that till May with what seemed like no meaning for it. What I learned from playing these games, was that it isn't a pastime time or just a form of entertainment (even though gaming does have those aspects). Instead I learned from playing and blogging about the games, I learned that it isn't something that nerds do in front of a computer or create using weird Math equations that help program the games. What gaming is and the time it takes to design the games, is a very complicated process with companies numbering in the hundreds that work on these game to bring fun to gamers all over the world. Something of the CEO's of these gaming companies are not even what you would call "nerds" they are just regular people with the gift and talent to know how these things work and have the means to turn their talents into forms of entertainment for the people of the gaming world. When I was doing this assignment at first it seemed like something that was just to pass the time, but everytime I would play a new game and blog about it my mind slowly began to change and soon I had the mindset that instead it was time well spent on learning the different things that each game contains and with a few games, reliving classic moments that I had while playing certain games (both old and new). Everytime I played a game I was trying to think if me and the skills I  have acheieved so far in my class are enough to create a game that is the same if not better than the ones I have been doing blog's on, but let's be real. I can't yet! The companies that have created these games have taken years of personal and professional experience and time to create sometimes one game. Also they are working with computer graphic technology that is out of my grasp in my class. But even though I can't create the next game of the year, I can't still make games in my class that others may find entertaining and I hope to achieve that in my class.

Metal Gear Solid 4!

 

Game Info/Structure:

Don't judge the game by it's cover, just because "Snake" the main character you play as in the game may appear old on the game case, he may change your mind when you see what he endures in his final mission in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The graphics and the game play are truly awe-inspiring for our gaming generation, designed by Kojima Studios in Japan, MGS4 is truly one of my most favorite games to date. Being a longtime fan of both PS3 and the Metal Gear series I was really pleased to hear that a game was finally being made for the PS3 and did it make an impact on the system! The game's graphics are something that would catch anyone's eye for they seem so truly realistic that it seems hard to distinguish between real life and the game.               

Example of the game's detailed graphics.

The picture on the right is just a small example of the amazing graphics for the game, and that's not even cutscene graphics, which are 10x better! The funny thing though is Hideo Kojima (the CEO of Kojima Studios) wasn't really pleased with the graphics and he knew they could have been developed even better. The story of the game is about the player taking control of Solid Snake a soldier that is tasked with taking down his clone brother Liquid Snake to stop him from unleashing war the United States which takes him all over the world from South America to Europe. The only character to have knowledge of is the main one: Solid Snake, for there are too many characters to describe in the game! As for the story in order to fully have in depth knowledge of it you would have to research or play the entire series. Snake in the game is an excellent soldier, possibly the best. But there is a reason why this game is his last mission, because he's dying since being a clone at birth he a disability that stuck with him that causes him to age faster with his body but not his actual age, causing him to look like he's in his 60's in the game, when he's actually only in his 30's.

Character Roster for the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Others Think:


"If you’ve ever loved any one of the Metal Gear games, or any moments from the series, there will come a moment when MGS 4 will send your spirits soaring. If you’ve loved them all, well then there’ll be many, many more. It’s a masterpiece. But forget you read that. Go play it and find out for yourself. Because it’s the kind of game that, if you play it after being told it’s a masterpiece, might end up disappointing you because of the hype. So forget the hype. Forget that it’s a magnificent, ground-breaking, masterpiece. Just play it, and enjoy a dazzling, heart-lifting, voyage of discovery." - IGN UK, http://ps3.ign.com/articles/877/877611p3.html

"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the most technically stunning video game ever made. It's also a fine example of storytelling prowess within its medium, combining gameplay and narrative so slickly and beautifully that it's impossible to extricate one from the other. It's likely you will emerge awestruck from your first play-through, wishing the experience would continue yet nonetheless satisfied with its conclusion. It's difficult not to sound hyperbolic when discussing MGS4 because every part of its design seemingly fulfills its vision, without compromise." - Kevin Van Ord, Gamespot, http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/adventure/metalgearsolid4/review.html

What I Think:

There isn't really much to say about this game really, I like everything about it that I can't really describe how some things are kind of good and how stuff is bad, well I can't say there is anything bad with the game because there isn't! Metal Gear Solid 4 is a truly amazing game and for that I'm going to give it a 10/10 and 5/5 stars for being a true change and positive change to gaming and gaming fans worldwide forever.

Resident Evil 5

Game Info/Structure:

In 2009, one of the greatest PS3 games was released that made the year a definite winner for good games, and the game that helped to do this was Resident Evil 5. The 5th installment of the award winning series developed by Capcom, the game is a sort of "next gen sequel" to PS2's Resident Evil 4 which won game of the year for both PS2 and Gamecube. The type of game play system was integrated and made much better from Resident Evil 4 which was the "over the shoulder approach" which many fans to the RE series thought was one of the best things that the company could have done to the games. The story of the game is about Chris Redfield (the player) trying to stop the spread of a deadly virus unleashed in Africa by a pharmaceutical company known as "Umbrella". The two main characters in the game are Chris Redfield and his B.S.A.A partner Sheva Alomar as they fight against the "zombie" terror in Africa and the main villain in the game returns from a couple Resident Evil games: Wesker, but in order to fully understand the story of Resident Evil 5 you would have to play the previous games or research them.

Gameplay screenshot with Chris Redfield on left

The game is perfect in every way possible.. literally! It offers co-op both online and offline, a long campaign mode a fun co-op survival mode (which can also be played in single player) and a versus mode. The story can last players many days for the levels in each part are very, very long and they don't bore the hell out of you. Also the multi-player experience in it is basically endless for the story if so fun to play over and over again, also you can do the "Mercenaries" survival mode online or offline. All in all the content in this game makes it a game to keep for it has tons and tons of replay value in it.

What Others Think:

"The co-op implementation is great and the extra unlockable provides more than enough incentive to play the game through multiple times. If the controls don't bother you, anybody can have a great time playing through this adventure." - ZTGameDomain


"Perhaps Resident Evil 5's most remarkable achievement is how it deftly straddles the line between the franchise's sometimes endearing, sometimes frustrating, legacy gameplay mechanics while incorporating more contemporary action adventure elements like enhanced interaction and exploration of environments and a decidedly more shooter-like control scheme." - Playstation Magazine.

"The creepy suspense of the earlier games has been replaced with an action-packed intensity that will instantly appeal to some gamers and disappoint others. As an action game, RE5 is a success, and there's a wealth of replayability through item collection, weapon upgrades, score chasing and the unlockable Mercenaries mode. But this is no gentle nudge to the formula of the previous main RE games; it's an evolution." - IGN

The new "zombies" in Resident Evil 5

What I Think:

When I first got Resident Evil 5, I knew it was a good choice for I had previously played Resident Evil 4 so I know how the game would work and how the game play is with the "over the shoulder" approach, but I wasn't ready for the change of graphics from PS2 to PS3 and the massive amounts of things to do in the game and stuff to unlock. But here isn't anything I don't like about this game, it's truly a good game and in my mind has plenty of replay value, although it may disappoint long time fans for not having the generic zombies that we all used to face in previous games, it doesn't matter because the new enemies in the game will make you think twice about the threat of some lame zombies. In my opinion I believe that Resident Evil 4 deserved the 2009 Game of the Year award and for that I give it a 10/10 and 5/5 stars.

              

NFS: Hot Pursuit a game only real racers can play ;)

Game Info/Structure:

Released November 16,2010 by EA Games, this version of NFS: Hot Pursuit was to be a reboot of the Need for Speed series and what a better way to start it off than with the Hot Pursuit series (which is hailed as the best racing games). At first many NFS fans had first thoughts that the game was going to be sketchy due to the fact that it was being developed by both EA and Burnout series developer: Criterion, but as soon as further gameplay was released and finally when the game debuted, those thoughts soon changed... The game is split up into the career/campaign mode, online modes, the campaign takes an average of 20-25 hours to beat (if you play it non-stop). But the campaign surprisingly has a lot of replay value in it, where you can beat every race with all the different cars offered. The online mode however is definitely endless and is fun for it puts you up against racers that are as good as you or possibly better which makes it a challenge for the player.

Picture of my ride in the game: Lamborghini Reventon.

The unique thing about Hot Pursuit is that all cars are incorporated into different classes ranging from: Sports (slowest cars) to Hyper (fastest cars) which helps players a lot and allows people to race against others in the same car class online which in turn was a true stroke of genius on the developers part.

Map of the area you play in the game.

What Others Think:

"What I love about Hot Pursuit is that it completely embraces that spirit of adolescent madness and just runs with it. There is no wedged-in storyline here. You can play as a cop or a racer, and you increase your rank or wanted level as you run people off the road, drift around corners, drive into oncoming traffic (as a racer), and generally behave like a motoring maniac. Along the way, you'll earn Bounty to unlock new cars, expand your arsenal of weapons/gadgets and open new sections of the Seacrest County map. The more you drive, crash, smash and win, the more cool stuff you get. It's simple, and it works." - IGN


"In addition to the single-player career mode and the Autolog overlay, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit also has a full online multiplayer mode that allows up to eight players to team up and compete in cop and racer events. The mix of weapons allows for some real strategy online – coordinate as cops to drop spike strips ahead and then have those at the back fire EMPs. It's tough to avoid spikes when you're drifting out of control for a few seconds. Whereas Autolog provides a way to compete with your friends at everyone's leisure, the competitive online multiplayer brings everyone together for a head-to-head battle. The party system is intuitive and smooth, and you continue to build your Bounty with everything you do online. There's no split-screen multiplayer. But I played several sessions of couch-based Hot Pursuit with my fellow IGN editors, and we had a blast passing the controller back and forth." - IGN

"Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is pure over-the-top driving entertainment. The cars and environments are gorgeous, the crashes are spectacular, and the new Autolog feature breathes new life into the time-honored tradition of video game competition among friends. The single-player races can become somewhat repetitive and there are some presentation issues, but overall, Hot Pursuit is a blast. If you’re looking for a high-octane racer that grabs on tight but doesn’t take itself too seriously, give this one a shot." - IGN

The game that changed an entire generation: James Bond Goldeneye 64

Game Info/Structure:

The day that Goldeneye was released in 1997 (and for the week that followed) the responses and reviews were unlike any other for a game, gamers and professional game critics were in shock at how amazing Goldeneye 007 was and how it would become the first game to have an incredible split screen multi-player integrated into it. The game was developed by a sub company of Nintendo: "Rare" was considered to be the most influential shooters of all time due to it's incredible representation of the movie and also the because it is the first console game to have an addictive multi-player. The storyline for the game closely follows that of the Bond film which I could explain, but it would be 10x easier if you watched the movie for yourself or played the game in order to understand the story of the game. The characters are easier to explain because the only main character to know is the one that you play as which is James Bond! Bond is a secret agent for the British MI6 that is tasked with many different missions that would "crush" a normal soldier. Another achievement for the game is that it is the first game to actually incorporate a stealth like fighting/shooting system into the game.

Screenshot of gameplay

The campaign mode of the game is enough to keep a player going at the game for weeks and maybe even months due to it's incredible locations and types of objectives in the mission. starting in 1997 the game's campaign is still being played by millions all over the world 14 years later.

Multiplayer Screenshot

But what truly shocked gamers and critics about this game was the multiplayer mode that was developed.It was the first game of it's kind to have 4 player split screen and that allowed 4 people to simultaneously fight each other which shocked gamers worldwide. Many people have even claimed that they sometimes get sick of the newer multiplayer games like COD or Battlefield and decide to go back to this for they find it awesome to invite some friends over and have a party with the game (which is basically what I do).



What Others Think:

"Upon first seeing GoldenEye at the E3 convention, I was underwhelmed. I mean, here was yet another first-person shooter, with the only features setting it apart being the neat-looking sniper rifle and the fact that it was based on a movie that just about everyone had forgotten about. I couldn't have been more wrong. GoldenEye not only lives up to the "quality, not quantity" mantra that Nintendo continues to tout, it surpasses it.

The music in GoldenEye is absolutely perfect, and adds a lot of ambience to the game. For instance, one of the later levels starts in an elevator, complete with laid-back elevator music. When you exit the elevator, the level's real soundtrack kicks in. A minor point, sure, but it demonstrates the detail of the game. The only thing that could make GoldenEye's sound better is the inclusion of speech." - Jeff Gerstmann, Gamespot

"The game is brilliant in both the single-player mode, opening up new weapons each time a difficulty level is cleared (the cougar magnum in the easy difficulty level), and in multiplayer mode, making it the best multiplayer game on the system (edging Mario Kart 64 by a hair). In fact, we can say with a clear conscience that Goldeneye 007 is the best single-player first-person game on any system." - Unknown Writer, IGN

So as you can see Goldeneye has nothing bad said about it, why? you may ask well because there is nothing wrong or flawed with the game, and that is why it deserved the title as The Most Influential Shooter of All Time.

Screenshot of the levels in the Campaign mode.

My Point of View:


Being an N64 owner and having this game since the day it came out, I have to say that I am a dedicated fan to it and occasionally have a few friends come over and we face each other because we all still find the multiplayer to be fair, fun and highly addictive. I really enjoy the story mode because I myself am a Bond fan since I was young so the story is perfect and really close to the original movie, and in my mind this is the only video game that was put from movie to game that is actually good. The graphics are the best anybody can have for an N64 game. In my opinion I too believe it is the most influential shooter ever and for that I give it 10/10 and 5/5.

BMX Backflips 2, the sequel to the widely praised Flash game is here!!

Game Info/Structure:

Released within a year or 2 ago, the sequel to one of the most praised Flash games to hit the internet came out and in full swing, BMX Backflips 2! The first BMX game dominated on the internet for many months for its crazy addiction and eagerness to be played over and over again. But it's the sequel that really packs-a-punch as an incredible Flash game all over the internet due to the massive improvements made to it to make it even more addicting for the original game's fans. But there is a couple things with the second that are the same as the first, including the story: there is none! Also the character remains the same: a mysterious biker (the only difference with this biker is that he looks different!) The game was designed by the same guy that created the original: David Thorburn, the game has been praised for it's many improvements, only a few can be explained (due to the amount of them). The first and major thing players will notice is the amount of challenges (which you can choose!) from in the game, which is well over the amount of challenges offered in the original game. Another feature is the ability to upload your score to the global leader board and compare your score with people on the other side of the world! Also with the challenges the player has the ability to choose a challenge over and over again without restarting the game!

Screenshot of the game's gameplay.

What Others Think:

"Arguably one of Teagames' best and most popular games gets the one-up treatment with BMX Backflips 2.You can expect to find the same silky-smooth motion, animation and physics in this version, as well as new tasks to complete for each new level. What has changed is there is now a level selection screen with which to choose the level you wish to play in any order, and even repeat the ones you enjoy most. Control is still with the arrow keys: up and down for peddling forward and back; left to lean back; right to lean forward. Use space to brake.

To master these excellent BMX Flash games, you must learn to lean back while peddling just enough to lift the front wheel slightly off the ground. Doing so gives you the added speed necessary to jump over chasms and climb up steep inclines. Balance is key, as you don't want to wind up on your head and lose a life. You begin with five (5) lives, and when you have used them all the game is over.

Analysis: I found only minor complaints with this version. First, a player may not exit a level once it has begun. There were times that I found myself beginning the same level again when I thought I had chosen differently. An exit button would have been nice to allow the player to correct the error before continuing. Secondly, the high score table is rendered meaningless by players' scores that are no longer comparable. Since a player may now play any level of choice, achieving a high score may be as easy as repeating a single level one has mastered until a high score is achieved.

David has made one of his greatest games even better by opening up the levels and granting freedom of choice. This has the added benefit of making the game accessible to the casual gamer not interested in completing the whole game. Pair that with all-new levels of brilliant design and what you end up with is an all-new BMX Backflips game that surpasses the original in almost every way. If you enjoy this BMX game, be sure not to miss the original, BMX Backflips, and a variation on the theme, BMX Star, and all the rest of Dave's excellent games on his Teagames.com website." - Jay, www.jayisgames.com


My Point of View:

I was extremely impressed with all of the ways the game was improved from the original and kudos to that! The challenges in the game offer more fun and game playing time then the original as well, but for me this game also gets boring at a fast rate and for that it is another game in which I play usually when I am bored out of my mind... But overall the game can be generally fun to play at first,  and then it becomes something to play once and a while. But if I had the choice of either playing the original or this game I would have to go with the sequel of course! But to me this isn't such a good game that I praise it and play it whenever I can, instead it has just become for me to pass the time, but it's still good so I give it an 8/10 and a 4/5.

BMX Backflips

Game Info:

The game itself is a 2-D side scrolling biking game that has you complete different challenges in the game in order to advance to the next level in the game and finally to the end of the game. There are many things I like about this game, like the amount of entertainment you can get out of playing it and how simple the controls for it are, but there are also some things that there are to dislike about this game compared to it's sequel like the idea of only have 12-14 easy challenges that can all be completed within minutes and a minor glitch in which the tires of the bike just stop moving after a few challenges are completed, a problem which hasn't been fixed since the game was released but it was fixed in the game's sequel. The storyline and characters are extremely easy to understand, for one: there is no story! Also the character is simple, its just a mysterious biker that you play as. The game and the graphics were not created a big or legitimate gaming company, instead it was created by a small time game designer who ended up creating one of the coolest game to play on the internet! Although the game itself wasn't created using any high tech equipment, David Thorburn (the game's creator) admitted to creating the entire game using Adobe Flash, which by many has been hailed as a marvel in Flash game design.


What Others Think:

"A brand new game just released by David Thorburn, BMX Backflips is another marvel in Flash game design. The game has you navigating hills, half pipes, and jumps on a BMX bike, while performing wheelies and backflips for points. The game is mission oriented and presents various levels of increasing complexity. This variety combined with solid Flash programming, smooth animation and realistic physics is what makes the game shine. The only downside: sound is sorely missing from most of his games. But that's a small complaint compared to how enjoyable his games are. David tells me that he aims towards minimalism in his designs to compensate for Flash's lack of power. And his games are a testament to those who emphasize gameplay over graphics: they arguably create the games that are more fun to play" - Jay, www.jayisgames.com

What I Think:

In my opinion I believe many are right in saying that this is a Flash game design marvel but it can get extremely boring after a play through or two and to me I only play when I am really bored and just want something to do. I first noticed this game about 2 years ago and have just gone back to it when I have nothing to do at home, I have beaten it over 10 times but always forget to record what score I get each time, but as soon as I noticed there was a sequel I had to test it out and ever since I played it, I haven't been back to the original due to all the cool new features that were added in the second one. But if your a fan of side scrollers and biking I recommend that you play both BMX Backflips and it's sequel, especially the sequel!! So all in all I would give BMX Backflips a 7/10 and 3/5.

Link to game:  http://www.mousebreaker.com/games/bmxbackflips