TNR's Favorite Titles (Part 3)

Today's post will explore my favorite picks for first person shooting games or FPS on the Playstation 3 console.  This is yet another category where the games I chose were released across all consoles, but I have simply not found any exclusive PS3 titles that could dethrone the cross console titles.  There was also some debate over which title was my overall favorite, so the below commentary will focus on the two games that I enjoyed most and why I ultimately chose one over the other as my favorite for the PS3.

TNR's Pick for My Favorite FPS: PS3 Version

The decision was tough but ultimately my favorite two FPS titles for the PS3 are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2.  Though both titles have dominated the majority of my online multiplayer experience, Bad Company takes the prize for my favorite FPS to date on the PS3.  Every gamer has his or her own style of game play, and I do not claim to be a skilled player compared to most of the people I have run across in the community.  However, I find BC2 to be the most balanced environment for gamers to hone their skills in the multiplayer environment.  With Battlefield's ranking and weapon reward system, players are required to think strategically about which class they will employ during any given match.  Skilled players are still bound to score above others from match to match, but due to the pacing, weapon balance, and the size of the maps less skilled players can play through every match feeling mostly rewarded for their contributions. 

Perhaps the most significant factor that puts BC2 on the top of the pile is the fact that DICE shows their love for loyal fans of the series by releasing free content.  In the past year, BC2 has seen a FREE map pack release, and the release of an easily affordable multiplayer expansion in Bad Company 2: Vietnam.  That along with the fact that DICE lowers the cost of their other downloadable content within a reasonable amount of time after release shows that some developers still recognize that a certain amount of fan service is due to make players feel appreciated. 

While the COD franchise is clearly the most successful series in the FPS genre, there are a number of things keeping them in the number 2 position of my list.  The first is the matchmaking system, or a general lack of one.  I understand that developers can only do so much to moniter the gamer experience through host based servers, but sitting down to play a few rounds of Modern Warfare 2 or Black Ops can often be a controller smashing experience.  All too often, it seems that teams are dominated by one or two individuals whose skill level obviously eclipses those of the other team members.  It would be far more rewarding to see matches that pit players of equal skill against each other. 

In COD games, rank is certainly no indication of skill, and I often find myself playing against dominating players based on the fact that I have reached the first prestige.  I personally have no interest in the status of prestige, but would rather be able to sit down to a round of Black Ops without fighting the desire to tear my apartment apart.  If COD's matchmaking systems took into account a player's recent success/failure rate (which is clearly recorded by the developers' servers already) and then adjusted lobby selection based on those inconsistencies.  Perhaps what I'm asking for is impossible or not cost effective, but developers like Bungie, and now 343 studios seem to have found the key to doing this with some level of success.  However, I digress.  Admittedly, I know nothing about the complicated nature of organizing and coding the matchmaking process, and perhaps what I am asking for is no lean feat.  Nevertheless, COD keeps my lazy cheeks in my seat despite the fact that matches are often painfully skewed. 

Ultimately, what determines a game's status, profit, longevity, etc. is a player's preference and/or spending habits.  Many of us will buy a game simply because it is popular regardless of the fact that it may do very little to advance the series in terms of innovation.  I personally am looking forward to the releases of both Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 this coming holiday season, and will most likely buy both because I can't stand waiting to see what improvements have been made.  Game junkies unite!

TNR's Favorite Titles (Part 2)

My last entry covered TNR's favorite action title for the Playstation 3 console, and I find it interesting that the XBox 360 is actually significantly lacking in exclusive action/adventure titles the likes of Uncharted 2.  For that matter, Microsoft's system carries a low number of non market place produced platformer titles.  This is not to say that there are no action titles available for the 360, rather there are not many developers signing on to do exclusive contracts with Microsoft to produce these titles like they have with Sony.  Perhaps this has something to do with the overall market dominance of the long living PS2 system, but the fact stands that the best action title I have played for the 360 was released on both platforms simultaneously.  That game is Assassin's Creed: Brothehood.

Favorite Action/Adventure Title (XBox 360): Assassin's Creed:Brotherhood

TNR's last game review covered this title in great detail, so I will avoid a lengthy description of the title itself here.  To put it simply, ACB is a title that shows how much a franchise can evolve and improve itself with each release.  Ubisoft clearly listens to its fans and makes adjustments to their titles that will improve fan loyalty while growing their new consumer base.  ACB is more than just fan service, however.  With ACB, Ubisoft created a title that brings more closure to the currently available Assassin's creed titles while leaving room for subsequent sequels to be released. 

While many critics of the series viewed Brotherhood as nothing more than an overpriced expansion pack for AC2, I thought it was an excellent stand alone title.  Not much had changed in the way of artistic style or game mechanics, but the final product showed a higher level of polish than its predecessor.  Also, several of the original installments mechanics (i.e. flag collection quests) had been reintroduced to give hardcore collectors some more substance to play with.  In many cases, it is likely the best course of action to play AC2 and AC:Brotherhood in rapid succession to fully appreciate the changes. 

The question remains why is AC:Brotherhood my favorite action title for the 360?  Well, it is true that this game was released on multiple consoles with no change whatsoever from version to version, but none of the other titles I have played on Microsoft's console provide the level of depth or replay value that this one does.  Wrap that together with a robust story line, compelling voice acting, and a competitive and original multiplayer offering and I'm officially sold.  Perhaps the second half of 2011 will provide some higher quality action offerings, but after looking at the summer release schedule, I'm somewhat dubious.  Of course with nothing more than a shoestring budget and a Gamefly subscription, I may have to pick and choose.

TNR's Favorite Titles (Part 1)

TNR has been running for 15 months now, and with 21 posts under my belt I think it is finally time to reveal which titles have impacted my collective experience with the XBox 360 and Playstation 3 gaming consoles.  With rumors of new generations of consoles floating around the ether, it seems only fair to summarize TNR's experience with the current generation of consoles that have provided so many hours of gaming bliss.  Please keep in mind that this is the work of one man with a passion for gaming and is therefore simply a list of my personal favorites from different genres on the PS3 and XBox 360 consoles.  Today's Installment covers TNR's #1 favorite action titles from the PS3.

Favorite Action/Adventure Game (PS3):  Uncharted 2: Among Theives

Why Uncharted 2?  The answer is simple, yet broad.  Uncharted 2 is a title that does an excellent job of blending storytelling with compelling game play while offering a level replay value that keeps players coming back to the title for multiple plays through the campaign.  The art is really in the way that Naughty Dog studios blends humor and action into their games.  In many ways, the original Uncharted and its sequel challenged the way that storytelling games would be presented on current-gen consoles.  Pre-rendered cut-scenes had already been replaced by game engine driven cinematics that could pump out equally stunning visuals graphically, but what Naughty Dog took things a step further by delivering in game nuance that made character interactions feel more organic.  Nathan Drake, the franchise protagonist, doesn't simply move through environments, he is a part of the environment.  Every obstacle and passageway makes his character model respond and move in a way that makes his presence there believeable.  If a passageway is narrow, Drake steps sideways to fit the gap.  If a ceiling is low, Drake crouches to accomodate.  All of these interactions are done without special command inputs from the player, but rather through a proximity control system that the game engine implements itself.  Furthermore, none of these adjustments interferes with the way the player accesses the game at any given time. 

Dialogue also has a lot to do with the believeability of the game.  Everything the characters in the Uncharted games say to each other is acted out in recording studios where the voice actors were interacting in real time with each other.  As a result, we get dialogue that feels natural and appropriate as opposed to canned and scripted.  The implementation of the dialogue in game also feels organic as a result of being placed naturally through physical game play.  Cut scenes don't steal all of the glory in this department.  Drake and friends quip back and forth as they climb ledges, fight foes, and explore an environments just as real people would, and although the humor is plentiful, it never feels over the top or irritating.

Overall, what makes Uncharted 2 my favorite PS3 action game is the fact that it takes all of the showcase elements mentioned earlier and combines them with puzzle solving, shooting, exploration and skill elements that all work solidly together.  That combined with a treasure hunting mechanic creates such a well rounded experience that I keep coming back to this title again and again.  The original Uncharted does all of these things well also, but it's sequel just seems to push the envelope in terms of polish a bit more.  I can't wait for Uncharted 3 so I can experience this series from beginning to end again. 

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Review (Titles I Missed)

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (ACB hereafter), is a continuation of Assassin's Creed 2 plain and simple.  The events of ACB pick up directly where the previous title left them, but don't rush to write this one off as a mere expansion to AC2.  ACB adds a number of enhancements to the elements that worked well in AC2 and revives some missing elements from the original Assassin's Creed that culminate into what feels like the most well rounded Assassin's Creed title to date. 

Story/Gameplay/Presentation

Ezio is back to wreak havoc upon the world of the Templars in ACB, and this time he gets the chance to prove he is the master of his craft.  The game literally picks up after the ending scenes of AC2 after Ezio successfully freed the outlying territories of Templar rule.  Alas, all is not well in Italy.  The Borgia Templars seem to have a stronger hold on the governments of Renaissance Europe than the assassins had imagined, and it is Ezio's job to root them out one by one.  The collective action of ACB takes place in Rome this time around rather than moving from city to city to complete missions.  Florence is accessible through in game flashbacks (memories within memories......weird) but the main action is played out in the vast expanses of Rome. 

The city itself is gigantic by game standards, and the varied geography still provides the same challenges that previous titles employed without the necessity for loading screen between environments.  Large open fields, ancient ruins, and small outlying villiages provide ample exploration opportunities for players this time around.  In fact, the explorable area is so vast that ACB allows players to ride horses through towns and across the entire playable map rather than limiting their use to trans-city travel.  The economy system of ACB has received a bit of a tune up with this installment as well, and money is a bit harder to come by.  Missions, sidequests, and looting all provide income, but most compensation is earned by rennovating shops and by purchasing landmarks around Rome.  All Ezio's earnings can be withdrawn at any number of unlockable banks throughout the city for his own use which is an improvement over having to return to his villa each time a withdrawl is required..  The biggest change to how money is spent is perhaps in the shops themselves.  Certain items (weapons, doctors supplies, clothing) are only unlocked when collectable items are obtained to be redeemed at a given shop.  Earning money is no longer enough, and collectors are likely to be thrilled with this prospect. 

There are many more enhancements to be noted, but perhaps the most significant is the introduction of the assassin recruitment mechanic.  As Ezio sets up shop in Rome, it is obvious that he needs to start rebuilding the Assassin's Guild, and he does so by recruiting those who have been persecuted by the Borgia Templars.  The process of recruiting assassin's is initially tedious, but after setting up a base of operations, the mechanic is extremely rewarding.  As players add more assassins to their stable, they become available to summon to Ezio's will.  Assassins can be deployed against guards or assassination targets at will during regular game play or during missions. Additionally, each recruit's skills can be improved by sending them on remote missions that take them temporarily out of action.  This function takes a bit of critical thinking at times as some missions will have a lower probability of success if an assassin's rank is low or if more than one assassin is needed.  Every assignment increases a recruit's experience and lethality.  If a mission is failed, it may lead to the death of recruits, and assassins can be killed in battle if not properly equipped as well. 

The tomb sections make a comeback in this installment as well with Ezio raiding underground chambers a la Lara Croft in search of keys to unlock ACB's ultimate suit of armor.  There are six of these sections, but there seemed to be less of an emphasis on puzzle solving this time around.  Instead, most sequences require free running accuracy or blending and stealth to be completed successfully.  The tombs in AC2 felt a little more challenging, but their inclusion in ACB was a welcome diversion from the main memory sequences of the game. 

Desmond's story takes a back seat this time around as well as players only need to leave the animus when they choose to.  Modern day Monteriggioni is available for exploration as Desmond and more collectables are available in the modern day.  However, it is clear that ACB is here to prvovide more closure for this chapter in Ezio's life.  Visually, the presentation of ACB has not evolved much from the previous title, but the scenery is still as breathtaking as ever.

Control

If there is anything that players have complained about in this series, it would be the combat controls.  There are still some quirks to the combat system in ACB, but a few nifty additions have smoothed things out substantially since AC2.  The addition of a "kick" function helps to break through tougher enemies' defenses for a quick execution follow up.  This is particularly valuable against the tougher "brutish" soldiers that weild spears and heavy weapons.  In AC2, the clumsy "disarm" ability was the only way to dispatch these combatants in some circumstances, but the addition of this new technique helps to alleviate some of the frustration of combat sequences.  Free running is still much the same with a few bugs here and there.  It would be nice to see a command that could speed some of the shimmying sequences up a bit, but this still works well.

Final Impressions

ACB delivers an experience that takes the best elements from its predecessors and incorporates them in a way that makes this game a more polished and satisfying product overall.  Though it felt more like a continuation of AC2, it still holds it's merit as an advancement in how Assassin's Creed games should be made in the future.  In no way did it feel like this game was pushed out to fill a gap between sequels, and in fact this title was more satisfying than the second intallment in many ways.  ACB felt like it was the game that AC2 should have been, and the official sequel should only improve upon the mechanics in place without detracting from the already impressive quality that was achieved here.  The only thing that could be found at fault with ACB is that it may try to do too much in one game.  However, taking out too many elements would have shortened the game significantly.  Nevertheless, ACB is an outstanding title that deserves recognition as a standalone game.


Game Score: 9 out of 10 (Excellent)