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Gears Of War 3
All The Info on the Final part of the trilogy
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
We got our hands on a preview build of the game, has Edios montreal done a good job, or have they gone down the road of another FPS?
This generation has produced some truly great racers, with Burnout Paradise pioneering DLC with it's generous helpings of free content and Project Gothams 3 and 4 perfecting arcade thrills. More recently, the likes of Blur and Split Second have mixed things up by grafting on characteristics from other genres to creating interesting hybrids. Yet despite the over abundance of choice, race fans are always expenctant of what the simulation racer will produce next and late 2010 saw the release of 2 genre behemouths, Forza 3 and GT5. Inherint hostility between console format fans being the way it is, it's only fitting that we take a look at both of these flagship titles and how they hold up against each other.
DRIVING MODEL
Forza 3:Aptly named developers Turn 10 started off with solid driving mechanics and they have tweaked it to near-perfection over the course of three titles. Cornering is key in the world of Forza, throwing a machine round the track can be a hugely satisfying experience if you know exactly how to squeeze past those hairpins. Turn 10 also broke ground in the racing genre with it's hugely customisable difficulty, effectively giving the player the tools make the driving model effortless or unforgiving as they want. However, there is a rigidity to the cars takes the shine of the smooth cornering, suspension is fine but not perfect and some of the cars can feel a tad stiff to control.
GT5:'The Real Driving Simulator' is the intimidating subtitle of all Gran Turismo games and by and large, it has never been misleading. The GT series has always been about two things, the visuals and and the driving and GT5 presents a meticulous virtual representation of driving physics. Like (or perhaps because of) Forza, GT5 also has customisable difficulty settings and while they are useful, to play Gran Turismo 5 free from tweaks is to experience an unforgiving world of precise handling and split second decision making.
WINNER=GT5
VISUALS
Forza 3:Much has been said about the differences in power between the PS3 and 360, slings and arrows are exchanged on pretty much every triple A, multi-platform title release. The reality is that any differences are negligible and it is often the case that the skill of the developer and the strength of the engine is the deciding factor. Forza 3 is a beautiful game, realism never coming at the cost of it's warm aesthetic, the machines on display gleam without being glossy and the crisp vistas each track has to offer can often distract from the road.
GT5: 6 years in the making, Gran Turismo 5's construction was an obsessive, painstaking process. Polyphony delaying the project numerous times so that they could tweak to absolute perfection; unfortunately, the finished product is nowhere near the die hard GT fan's wildest dreams. Gran Turismo 5's visuals are breathtaking and on occasion the term 'photo real' can be used without sounding flippant. However, there are some inconsistencies that mar one's enjoyment overall- jagged shadowing effects, bland scenery and a largely non-existent damage model that seems afraid to show it's precious babies banged up, these elements combine to create an uneven graphical feast.
WINNER=Forza 3
COMMUNITY
Forza 3:This is the area where developers Turn 10 have always had the edge. A ridiculous amount of online features, user created content and a healthy, frequent supply of DLC have been provided for every game in the series and the Third Instalment built upon this with a more streamlined content sharing system and the best matchmaking lobbies in the racing genre.
GT5: Gran Turismo 5 sees Polyphony trying their hand at a multiplayer suite for the first time and the results are, like the visuals, mixed. Some great communacative features are present in the games career mode, everything from photos to created tracks can be shared and cars can be 'gifted' from garages in your friends list. The online lobbies are frequently over complicated and it can take time to find the right race (and get that race started when you're in). These features are still young at this point and Polyphony promises frequent updates, but for now it doesn't represent the pinnacle of community racing.
WINNER=Forza 3
CONTENT
Forza 3:I'ts evident that Forza 3 is going to be a robust package when, on opening the box, you are greeted with an install disc alongside the standard game disc. Turn 10 offers the player a lot of content straight off the bat, with 500+ cars on the disc (plus some premium models in the box as free DLC) and nearly a hundred tracks (including reverse and variation versions), this content would also later be bolstered by frequent digital releases.
GT5:Polyphony met the challenge of Forza by offering their usual gargantuan amount of content on the GT5 disc. Over a thousand cars are present, both in the new car dealership and used dealership (which randomly generates offers as you race) and the 71 tracks on offer feature real world locations like the Top Gear track in Surrey and a painstaking recreation of the Nurburghring, which is in many ways the centrepiece of the game. Shortly after release, Polyphony released a free update that brought with it an extra dealership for those rarer models, as well as new tournaments and races that are updated in generous intervals. Overall, GT5 has a lot to offer and the flow of content doesnt show any signs of slowing.
WINNER:GT5
VERDICT
Well, it's a tie. It's extremely difficult to choose between these 2 franchises, especially when one is enamoured with both in equal measure.
There is no denying the skill of Turn 10 in crafting a robust racing experience, games that have visual splendor as well as tight gameplay. On the other hand, it's also hard to deny the sheer power of Polyphony's creation, a game spilling over with content, crafted by people whose obsession with automotive racing is actually worrying. If you only have one console, then neither is a clear excuse to change up, if you have the freedom of choice however, simply put, get both.
Back in 2008, EA made a solemn promise that they would strive to improve the overall quality of their output, changing the face of the studio from a factory line of sports franchises and mediocrity, to a beacon for solid gaming. One of the first titles to be released in the wake of this announcement was Visceral games’ Dead Space, an immensely enjoyable and atmospheric survival horror that, despite being a Frankenstein of other games of it’s ilk, managed to have a unique identity all it’s own.
Now comes the inevitable sequel, in which Visceral and EA attempt to emulate the critical and commercial success of their golden goose. An attempt, I’m happy to report, that has been wholly successful. Dead Space 2 doesn’t make any dramatic changes to the formula that made the first game so successful, it just refines it and grafts on some extra meat to create a stunning and robust sequel.
STORY
Dead Space 2 kicks off 3 years after the events of the first game, with the player cast once again as the engineer turned necromorph exterminator Isaac Clarke. The most surprising thing about the games opening moments is the sight of Isaac’s tired visage and the sound of his gruff voice. These were things kept from us during the entirety of our spell on the Ishimura and it feels good to think of Isaac as something other than the guy in the armoured space suit.
A frantic opening (featuring Isaac trussed up in a straightjacket) throws us into another necromorph outbreak, this time on the Sprawl, a gigantic colony orbiting Saturn. Dazed and confused, Isaac soon comes into contact with would be saviour Daina and escaped mentalist Stross who both attempt to influence his path through the sprawl. The games opening chapters play out in much the same way as the first game; tight corridors, faulty illumination, random necromorph attacks, but things soon escalate as Isaac is tasked with tracking down another marker and stopping the spread of the infestation, all the while fending off the attentions of the necro horde, the Church of Unitology and Isaac’s dead girlfriend. There are twists and turns aplenty and in the tradition of modern horror, most characters are dispatched shortly after they’re introduced, leaving the player consistently alone in the dark. The story mode is hugely enjoyable throughout and it’s an added bonus that Visceral leave breathing room for a third instalment (given the sheer size of the Sprawl, a whole franchise could be borne of this location).
VISUALS & SOUND
About 90% of Dead Space’s success comes from it’s wonderful atmosphere, this is achieved through the use of some fiendish environmental design and brilliantly cinematic sound. The constant sense of foreboding and dread is almost palpable and throughout Dead Space 2’s single player story, this tension never lets up.
Well executed jump scares punctuate your journey through the sprawl, monitors suddenly flutter to life, steam pipes explode, sprinkler systems spring to life and shadows flit in front of Isaac as he creeps around this doomed metropolis. The sound suite is equally important in crafting the scares, whether it’s the terrifying moans of the enemy, bloodcurdling screams of ill fated sprawl residents or the deafening silence of deep space, Dead Space 2 is a full on sensory assault.
The biggest improvement of this sequel is the dramatic change in setting, re-locating the action from a claustrophobic spaceship to a heavily populated cityscape. Cluttered plazas, shopping centres, toy stores, creepy churches, even creepier nursery schools, the Sprawl’s horrors are all the more effective because they are grounded in reality (some of the more unsettling sequences see Isaac raiding deserted apartments). There is no big graphical leap in DS2 but it does present a finer version of Visceral’s engine, with some spectacular QuickTime events occurring during boss battles and the frequent hull breaches that showcase some impressive particle effects. Overall, Dead Space 2 is a great looking game and a definite visual highlight of this generation.
GAMEPLAY
With it’s tight over the shoulder perspective and stop-start gunplay lifted straight from games like Resident Evil 4, the first Dead Space game utilised some solid survival horror tenets and the ability to hack the limbs off the blood-thirsty abominations attacking you was a unique mechanic, luckily that system is still in place for the sequel. Elsewhere, the series trademark cinematic set pieces are here in force, swapping out slow burn horror for blockbuster thrills, these scenes are exhilarating and OTT. Ranging from a teeth rattling train crash that leaves our hero hanging upside down, to a brawl with a giant necromorph on the side of a gunship, these action beats are a great reprieve from all that corridor creeping.
This time around the pacing isn’t affected by needless backtracking, Isaac is rarely in the same location twice and all puzzles are situated in close proximity (although, as before, there are some large scale conundrums out in the cold of space).
Isaac has undergone some slight modifications to his repertoire that make the action different enough to not be a complete retread. The engineer can now actually engineer, with some hacking mini-games calling upon Isaac’s unique skill set and his anti-gravity abilities are no longer restricted to surface to surface jumps, now there are boosters on Isaac’s suit, meaning he can float freely and, on occasion, go all Iron Man on our ass and jet through space at ridiculous speeds (don’t engineers have safety regulations in the future?). New enemy types are numerous and terrifying, Isaac is now plagued by grotesque child necros, crafty stalkers that hide from him before rushing in for the kill, and exploding babies….yes, you read that right. There is also returning enemy models from the previous game and a smattering of chunky boss battles. It’s a varied rogue’s gallery, meaning there is always something new waiting around a corner to scare the hell out of you.
MULTIPLAYER
Much like 2010’s Bioshock sequel, Dead Space 2 contains an online multiplayer that is arguably not needed. It seems to be the trend these days to shoe horn multiplayer into every release, either to earn those extra DLC dollars or simply to extend the life of the product in question. This may be the case with Visceral/EA including multiplayer in DS2, but what is here is enjoyable enough. Structured somewhere in between Left 4 Dead and species mash-ups like Alien Vs. Predator.
Humans take part in an objective based skirmish on a healthy selection of claustrophobic maps and the necromorphs run around trying to eviscerate them. The first few hours of Dead Space multiplayer can be thoroughly enjoyable, a squad of humans that stick together can hold their own while strategically placed spawn points and secondary abilities help the necromorphs counter the space age weaponry.
At this early stage the action seems a little imbalanced in favour of the necros, mainly because their numbers are bolstered by AI enemies that spawn constantly, making it messy and confusing for a human to get a bead on a player controlled beastie. Humans do get the firepower however, as well as their stasis abilities and a handy team heal that can turn the tide in a pinch.
The atmosphere of the single player translates well to the multiplayer, it’s a nerve wracking experience being separated from your squad mates, and human controlled necros are a frightening concept. Controlling the mutated freaks is awkward at first, but the difficulty curve is forgiving. Each necromorph has an individual skill, casting 4 enemy models in different generic MP roles like melle, speed, ranged and stealth although it’s often far too tempting to wait 5 seconds and respawn as a Slasher, a class with balanced abilities.
Overall, the multiplayer doesn’t feel as tacked on as certain online modes (Bioshock 2, im looking at you!), but it may be unlikely that unlock able suits and weapons will keep players coming back to it, perhaps some extra maps, modes and character will arrive via DLC.
VERDICT
Dead Space 2’s single player is a spectacular experience, dripping with atmosphere and supported by sky high production values, Isaac Clarke’s second adventure is the best survival horror of this generation. Multiplayer is an interesting curio, enjoyable enough and well executed, by interest in this 3rd person L4D clone soon wanes.
That aside, Visceral has put together a generous package, with extra difficulty modes and a new game + that encourages further play, gamers will be poking around in the claustrophobic corridors of the Sprawl until the inevitable third instalment arrives.
Dust off your Nanosuit, EA and Crytek today announced that the Crysis 2 multiplayer demo will be starting January 25 exclusively on the 360, allowing Xboxers to experience the gameplay variety offered by the franchise’s signature Nanosuit in a multiplayer setting.
The demo catapults players into a war-torn Manhattan where two teams fight to the death; each using the powers of the Nanosuit to be fast, be strong and be invisible. Maps will be set across New York City, presenting players with vertical gameplay that allows them to strategize, attack and defend from above and below.
Here’s an official description of the demo:
The Crysis 2 Multiplayer Demo will feature the “Skyline” map, and two game modes; “Team Instant Action” and “Crash Site”. “Team Instant Action” pits two teams against each other as they kill as many opponents as possible to earn higher ranks. In “Crash Site”, players will battle for control of alien drop pods, earning points by guarding their pods and keeping enemies at bay. Developed by Crytek UK, Crytek’s specialist multiplayer studio, Crysis 2 multiplayer will include six gameplay modes and 12 maps set across recognizable locations in New York City. Throughout the campaign, players can earn up to 50 multiplayer ranks and a variety of different upgrades to their weapons and their Nanosuit.
“Crysis 2 offers a fresh, new take on multiplayer – one that will stand out and establish the game as a top contender in the first person shooter genre,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO of Crytek. “The Nanosuit gives gamers a sense of power they have yet to experience in any other shooter and having New York City as a backdrop will present a different type of playground with even more possibilities.”
Built on CryENGINE3, Crysis 2 will be available for the 360, PS3, and PC on March 22, 2011 in North America and March 25, 2011 in Europe. No official word on a demo for the other platforms was given today, but we’ll of course keep you posted if/when those details emerge.
If you’re looking forward to the impending release of Breach on both the Xbox 360 (via Xbox Live) and PC, then you’ll probably be happy to hear that developer Atomic games has detailed the the gadgets and equipment you’ll be able to utilize within the game.
Here’s the description: The elite forces that conduct black operations are often behind enemy lines, out-numbered and trying to accomplish clandestine missions. They need specialized equipment to even the odds, equipment like the IR Sniper Detector. It bounces IR beams off any scoped weapon, creating a flare that allows players to locate campers from across the map. The Sonic Imager can display high resolution live imagery of enemies on the other side of a wall. The M2 SLAM Charge is a sticky proximity mine that can be placed on any wall, ceiling, floor or vehicle surface to eliminate vehicles and enemy infantry. Breach also features Dragon Skin armor, which is a flexible body armor system already credited with more than 392 confirmed saves during combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. The real-world gear seen in Breach is being used for these purposes by real operatives on real assignments right now, and many have never been available before in any military shooter.
the story in the singleplayer of Splinter Cell Conviction is one that is divided in two the main overall story that fetures the memoble sam fisher and a prologue of sorts that holds a major segiment which sets up events that shape the rest of the plot that happens in the main campain the latter is the co-opble so that you and a friend can tag team in vareties ways the main story is set up in wonderful mixture between cutsences gameplay and flashback that meshes perectly together with eacther in one single presintastion for long time fans and newcomers as such as myself the basic outline of conviction is this 3 years have gone by and sam has come out of hiding when he gets word that the death of his little girl may not have been an as random as once thought so he embarkes on a one man quest for the truth which takes him to places he never thought hed see again and uncovers things that make him a great nuisance for his pursuers
Gameplay
being a steath action game conviction uses a number of different approaches to moving into an area and dispatching enemies as such you chose to mark & execute by individually targeting one or more of your enemies depending on your weapon how many can be marked so it pays to think and plan out your method of attack otherwise youll be hard pressed to improvise on the spot that being said each environment is unique bringing the right weapon and gaget in singleplayer sam has access to all gagets but in co-op youl only have your choice of 2 also you always have your choices between guns with or without suppressors this is entirely up to player based on play style tools of the trade is important but conviction also lets you take out enemies bare handed means if no firearm will do or if the moment doesnt warrant one its a nice touch as it lets you do thing quick and dirty if need be if enemies are however alerted thats LKP or last known position comes into play if your discovered by an guard he or they are aware of your location began hostal actions at this moment a shade or ghost image appears of sam fisher or you're coop character reguardless it informs the enemies of your presence and the'll use any and every means to eliminate you so stay on top at all times and that note taking a hostage is very useful in the mist of combat as it gives you "meat shield" aganst incoming fire :)
Multiplayer
deniable ops as memtioned earlier is a strictly co-op oriented online modes Infiltration: a takeout every enemy before you can move on the next area without alerting the enemies
Hunter: similar to terrorist hunt from rainbow six the goal here is to kill all opposition and you can use almost any means nessecary but if you dont alert the gurads there is less opposition to deal with.
Face-Off: goal is to kill all AIs and the other player in massive undertaking Last Stand: you and another if available must defend an emp device from waves of enemy reinforcements for twenty or so rounds :( which lets partispenting players go up against the AI in each of which only one "face off" let one player vs another deniable ops adds a nice replay method of allowing players to hone their skills and talents by accomplishing all objectives within the levels taken from the prologue in which player play as ether archer or kestrel (an american and russian agents) you can customize all outfits to better suit your style weather bring more ammo or gagets or by adding more armor anything give you the edge to succeed in this cooperative asspect of the game
Conclusion
all things considered this is very enjoyble game iv got give ubisoft a hand they put together a wonderful game especially for long time fans of the franchise and those newcomers with an passing interest this undoubtedly will be their first entry into the world of splinter cell an emphasis on a wider target demographic meaning i think more people enjoy this splinter cell more than the others just on the direction they took, they made it fun and badass to be sam fisher in a environment which he is most lethal individual rather than a ultra realistic steath-game where only 1% of hardcore population gamers could play with any real degree enjoyment so if there is to another splinter cell i hope it follows the path set down by this the fith installment two thumbs way the hell up.
So with 2010 out of the way and 2011 just getting started lets have a look at what people's 'Game Of The Year 2010' is..
When we asked some gamers to do this, i originaly asked about 10+ people but only get 2 replys. Which goes to show either they dint class them selfs as gamers or they couldnt think of thing to write! (we shall go with the latter option)
So what where peoples Game Of The Year 2010 then?
Mafia 2
For me, the best game of 2010 was Mafia 2. Forget playing 2009's sports games with an updated roster, forget headshotting the same lagging people on a new set of maps, and forget riding around the wild west killing zombies. Mafia 2 takes my top position thanks to its atmosphere, its narrative, and its pacing. Empire Bay is a beautiful imagination of a post-war American city, populated with larger-than-life characters - all of which had superb voice acting. It made me wish I had some Italian-American friends, just so I could hear them speak. The story was gripping from start to finish, and every detail of the game world helped the player to believe that it could actually have happened. The final few moments of the game were tragic yet badass, unexpected yet obvious. The whole pacing of the game was pitched just right, with a mixture of dialogue and action that came together so well that I can't remember the last time I played a mobster game as suave as this one. It had almost no replayability but that didn't stop me from playing through it again, just to enjoy Empire Bay once more. Sure it could have had more side quests, and there should have been a damn autosave point between Steve and Derek, but in terms of sheer panache and style nothing came close to Mafia 2. I'll be interested to see if Rockstar's L.A. Noire can match it.
Webster0’s Top Games Of 2010
2010 was a surprisingly good year for games, I say surprisingly because some of the games came out of nowhere or were arcade games that looked good but you had that after thought that they just looked good but not particularly great. The games I’m going to mention are in no particular order as I found it too hard to really put a number on them. So here it goes, 2010’s best:
Super Meat Boy:
Possibly the greatest arcade game of all time, this side scrolling old school arcade classic had some help from the creators of Castle Crashers, and so is as equally random in just about every way. You play a meat boy, who has a girl friend called bandage girl, who gets kidnapped by a Dr. Foetus, yes you read it right, foetus, in a jar, that’s wearing a suit....exactly, what more do I need to say. It’s a fantastic game and is almost impossible to put down, after spending two hours on the same level, I should know. If avoiding saw blades while running at high speeds and jumping ridiculous heights while doing seemingly impossible boss fights then this is definitely worth the ms points.
BlazBlue Continuum Shift:
This was a surprise for people who didn’t play the first one, which was a bit of a dark horse in the fighting game genre, but this sequel was excellent, they changed a couple of controls, added features to help you learn to play more effectively, and overall really tried to make the game more accessible to those who don’t constantly play fighter games and know every move in existence. Definitely worth if you like games at all, good fun, better with friends, as it’s one of those games where you say “NOOO I WAS GONNA WIN YOU SON OF A BITCH”, so definitely good fun, and with a wide range of characters with many different play styles you are sure to find something you like.
Dragon Age:
An amazing game from bioware, great story, well developed characters, and a choice of endings each unique in the way they play out. Some good dlc to go with it, some of which may have had some questionable premises, the awakenings required you to *spoiler* not to die in the ending. Apart from that the game was well structured, had great moments with characters talking amongst themselves leaving you thinking wtf was that about, and left you wanting more.
Ruse:
A game few people I know have herd of except when I’ve mentioned it, a top down (sort of) strategy game that has allot of multiplayer potential (if more people had it) and the single player is very enjoyable, if not a little bit long. There’s not really much to say about the game because it’s a strategy game, but its sets during WWII and you play various members of the allies and the axis at one point, generally that’s it. Not to sell the game short, but that’s really the whole game summed up, however it is a great game and good fun.
Tron Evolution:
This is how I feel about this game: ITS SUPER MEGA ULTRA FREAKING OMG SO GOD DAM AMAZING THAT I CAN’T STOP PLAYING IT. Though the last part isn’t right as not that many people got the game so the multiplayer is the same old crowd, which is fine, but it’s just very small. Honestly though, the for Tron fans it explains the story between the films perfectly and is an excellent game surprisingly seen as its Disney, also the multiplayer is really good fun from light cycle matches to all out brawls, this really is a game that I’d recommend to anyone really, it really is great fun. The only real bad part is the camera angles are irritating sometimes, the game play involves melee, ranged, vehicles including tanks, there are objective games or killing games, it’s mostly everything you want from a game really, especially the light cycle fights.
Darksider
The best none Zelda game ever! Yes that’s right I said it, it’s basically the mature version of Zelda, with the rider of the apocalypse war, an amazing story after the end of the world, an amazing game to play with puzzles epic fights and combat with creatures of hell, an truly unique game in the story it portrays and very unique to xbox games as it really is a Zelda style of play which I have seen very few games on the box use. Could be my best game of the year easily in many respects.
Dante’s Inferno:
Now where would a year be without a hack and slash, again with the hell theme, Dante’s inferno is based loosely off the poems the divine comedy, specifically the part in hell obviously. As it is a hack and slash there isn’t much to explain about game play, it works, pretty well, it’s fun, you wield death’s scythe , you fight impossibly huge monsters at points, the usual hack and slash elements. But, the story is something new, interesting and entertaining, and that adds to the game play and makes it worth getting. The visuals make you want to go on and traverse deeper into hell, the screams you hear as you walk around make you feel like you really are in hell. A very well designed game and worth owning.
Now there are more games out there that I didn’t mention, that’s not because they aren’t good, but either I didn’t play them or I just didn’t see the extra something to make me think they were the best games or they seemed good at first but fizzled out towards the end or didn’t have much replay value or the multiplayer died (somewhat like I explained about Tron having a small community). Here are the games that I’d say were next in line if my top games hadn’t come out.
Bioshock 2:
good game, first one maybe better, short lived
Mass Effect 2:
I’ve been told it was amazing, but I couldn’t play the first one as I found it dull, so I never tried this one sorry fan boys!
Fallout New Vegas:
I just didn’t get into it the way I got into 3, I don’t know why, I just didn’t, I need to give it more love I think, what I played was good, the 3rd was amazing so I’m still expecting this one to be good
Star Wars TWU II:
it was good...but too short, way way too short
Transformers War For Cybertron:
Good game, story reasonable, multiplayer has issues and not many played it whenever I tried it
Red Dead Redemption:
again good game, but got bored of story pretty quickly, multiplayer too, not allot of people on, grinding. However, I have not played the undead expansion and I’ve been told it’s great fun so possible return needs to be made
Blur:
arcade racer that gets old, pretty fast. Buggy and/or laggy and ends up getting on your nerves and losing its appeal, shame really, had potential
There are also other games that I just don’t feel the need to mention, either because they are in the list of overrated games to follow soon, or they are just not that great or I didn’t feel the need to play them. That about sums that up, Webster out
Red Dead Redemption
With such an effortless track record and peerless ability to create masterful free roaming adventure games, it was hard not to be excited about Rockstar’s western opus, yet few could anticipate just how masterful the finished product would actually be. A game that not only manages to impress with its faultless cinematic storytelling and beautifully constructed setting, but also improves upon the developers last game, sprawling masterpiece Grand Theft Auto IV.
The feeling of distilled Rockstar quality is present from the moment we enter John Marston’s life, as a low key opening credits sequence introduces us to the relatively contemporary (for the western genre) America of 1911.
Marston himself is the games strongest asset, his craggy face ravaged by scars, weathered by years of violence. This, along with a classic western swagger, is a perfect showcase for Rockstar’s wonderfully naturalistic euphoria engine; Marston is a poster boy for his hardware generation.
The world in which Marston inhabits was also a joy to behold. Here was an environment in which it was possible to waste hours just traversing the wilderness, admiring the scenery. There are hundreds of side quests, achievements and collectables of course (as well as a morally dubious yet thoroughly enjoyable animal skinning mechanic) but simply watching a beautifully rendered sunrise is enough to warrant booting the disc. With Red Dead Redemption’s game world, Rockstar created a level of immersion many will find hard to top.
Storywise, the dependable developers presented yet another fable to put the best of Hollywood to shame. Giving us a grand chronicle of one mans struggle to escape the evils of his past, the game questions the very nature of redemption, as well as keeping that trademark Rockstar humour intact and throwing in a few explosive set pieces along the way. No single character is disposable, from snake oil salesman Nigel Wes Dickens to creepy corpse whisperer Seth, there isn’t a flat note in RDR’s symphony of colourful characters.
As for Marston himself, he is given a traditional western send off in a poignant false climax that may have frustrated some (Jack Marston isn’t as engaging as his father) but remains a bold narrative choice for a developer whose storytelling is constantly evolving.
2010 was a great year for games. The likes of Mass Effect 2 and Heavy Rain pushed the boundaries of cinematic storytelling, while old hands like Blizzard and Nintendo showed that traditional gameplay could still seem fresh with their stellar sequels Starcraft II and Super Mario Galaxy 2. Yet leave it to Rockstar, the developer who have, on more than one occasion, shook the world of gaming to its very foundations, to deliver such a thoughtful and accomplished masterpiece.
Each console generation brings with it a new generation of heroes, champions who define genre, platform and medium and stand out from the throngs of endlessly recycled gaming personalities. With the latest hardware iteration going from strength to strength, it’s high time we take a look at some of this generation’s icons.
Niko Bellic
Grand Theft Auto games are often groundbreaking masterworks, but until the fourth in the series, they were not known for strong central characters. GTAIII’s lead was a mute and Vice City’s Tommy Vercetti was a tired gangster stereotype. San Andreas showed some progress with its reformed gangbanger Carl Johnson, but it wasn’t until Rockstar returned to Liberty City that the developer found their defining protagonist.
An eastern European immigrant in search of the American dream, Niko Bellic is a truly modern hero. Haunted by memories of his past, he is soon dragged back into a life of crime by people who respect, yet take advantage of his honourable nature. Funny, smart and vicious, it’s a joy to play as Niko.
Defining Moment:“So this is what the dream feels like? This is the victory we longed for”. A post-credits lament sees Niko express regret at everything that has occurred through the course of his tale. It’s a bleak moment, one which calls into question the motives of the player.
Nathan Drake
With Master Chief standing tall for Microsoft and platform hero Lara Croft losing her appeal, Sony needed a new star for the PS3 age. Naughty Dog answered the call with Drake, a traditional action hero in the Indiana Jones mould. All sly quips, death defying leaps and brutal fisticuffs; Nate is an engaging presence. Some saw him as slightly derivative at first, what with the bloke-Lara vibe and Gears of War shooting mechanics, but Nate came into his own with robust sequel Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.
Defining Moment: Leaping from truck to truck in Uncharted 2’s epic mountain-top chase sequence.
Commander Shepherd
Bioware’s Mass Effect series is this generations defining RPG experience, setting itself apart from the pack with a suitably grandiose story arc and thoroughly engaging, unique universe. Shepherd is the avatar which the player moulds into either a genocidal badass or heavenly saviour of the galaxy. Shepherd’s back-story and appearance is up to the player (as is his/her gender), the rest of the commanders action packed career is carved out by some of the best dialogue and plotting in modern gaming.
Defining Moment: Towards the end of ME1, Shepherd is faced with ending the genophage, a manufactured plague that is responsible for the near extinction of the Krogan race. His trusted squadmate Urdnot Wrex is a Krogan, Shepherd must make a choice…
John Marston
Another Rockstar hero from another Rockstar masterpiece, Marston is an homage to the grizzled outlaws of the old West; Eastwood, Wayne and Cooper all rolled into one. With his salty dialogue and cocksure swagger, Marston is a shining example of a central character done right.
Defining Moment: His death at the hands of government agents, sacrificing himself to save his family and finally obtaining that elusive redemption.
Ezio Auditore Di Firenze
Altair may have been our introduction to the world of Assassins Creed, but he was just a dry run for Ezio. Ubisoft’s most lucrative IP of this generation, AC is a wonderfully scripted open world adventure that improves its own established formula with each instalment. Replacing the blank, monotone assassin from the first game, Ezio is a smooth lothario, as adept at wooing the ladies as he is slitting throats and AC fluid parkour themed acrobatics sets him apart from the other leading men in action/adventure genre.
Defining Moment: Developing the resource management of ACII, Brotherhood sees Ezio rebuild Rome. Renovating buildings, hiring his own team of assassins and growing his empire.
Master Chief
Ok, so he may have only had one game this generation, but what a game. Halo 3 not only smashed every conceivable multimedia sales record, it was also a hugely successful salvo in the ongoing console war, marking out Microsoft as a force to be reckoned with.
With minimal dialogue and a shiny orange visor where his face should be, Chief’s job was to serve as an avatar on which the player can project themselves as they blast the covenant to multi-coloured smithereens, but over the course of 3 great games he has managed to become a star in his own right.
Defining Moment: Chief’s story ends much as it began, after defeating the flood and destroying the Halo (again), John-117 decides to put himself in cryo-sleep as his lifeless ship drifts through space. Get some rest Chief, you deserve it.
