Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to anyone who reads my blog (all three of you)! Look forward to some new articles within the next few weeks. I'm currently working on one that centers on the 3DS and my past experience with portable gaming devices.

I hope you get to play some great games on Christmas. :)

-Pat

My 10 Favorite Games of This Generation *To This Point *Subject to Revision

[10] Gears of War 3, XBOX 360
-Unlike the tradition established in the movie industry, video game sequels (and, in this case, threequels) often seem to eclipse the quality of their predecessors. Gears 3 is a prime example of this. The fine-tuning and polish in both the campaign and the streamlined multiplayer attest to the acumen of developer Epic Games. While Gears 1 and 2 are excellent in their own right, the improvements offered in Gears 3, along with its surprisingly moving story, make it the definitive game in the series.
[9] Batman Arkham Asylum, XBOX 360
-Rocksteady saved Batman. Batman Arkham Asylum revives the Dark Knight from an appalling legacy of undeniably poor video game outings. Batman is the perfect character to be the star of a video game, and Rocksteady should be given the key to Gotham City for bringing the legendary crime fighter to life in Arkham Asylum. The game portrays Batman the way he should be represented: not only as a badass martial arts expert who can wipe out entire rooms of henchmen, but also as a resourceful and intelligent strategist, who adeptly uses his gadgets and the environment he finds himself in to outsmart and outwit his foes. Rocksteady also gets major props for the fidelity of the Arkham Asylum setting: a grimy, gritty place that feels so far detached from the outside world that it becomes clear that Batman is the only hope for stopping the inmates from running it.
[8] Super Mario Galaxy, Wii
-The fun factor of the Mario series' characteristic silky smooth platforming is enhanced by clever gravity effects in Mario's first foray into space.
[7] Grand Theft Auto IV, XBOX 360
-Look past the carjacking and brutality, and you will find a vibrant setting brought to life by the complex, interwoven story lines of Liberty City's most colorful residents. It is easy to feel sympathy for protagonist Niko Bellic, a man of Eastern European descent, who leaves his homeland in an attempt to escape his troubled past and to forge a new life for himself in the states.
[6] Bayonetta, XBOX 360
-Unlike many other games, Bayonetta does not pretend to be a movie or a sophisticated piece of artwork. Instead, it proudly flaunts the fact that it is a video game, and that its sole purpose is to deliver fun. A perfect control scheme and graphics like no other game make Bayonetta one of the most unique and gratifying experiences of this generation.
[5] Limbo, XBOX 360
-Of all the games I have played throughout my entire life, Limbo conveys a sense of place like no other. Its spare, lugubrious environment of black and white gives rise to a gripping sense of isolation. With no script or cinema, Limbo harkens back to a time when games demanded that players use their imaginations to fill in story elements.
[4] Bioshock, XBOX 360
-I was locked into the world of Bioshock for three straight days. It was one of those games that I just couldn't get enough of. Built on the philosophical premise of Ayn Rand's social philosophy, Bioshock is an intelligent adventure that uproots many of the familiar traditions of first-person shooters. The real star of Bioshock is its setting, Rapture, an underwater city of destroyed beauty that is dark, haunting, and overflowing with intimate secrets demanding the player's attention.
[3] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
-A marked improvement from its predecessor, Oblivion, Skyrim marks another success for developer Bethesda. An enhanced, streamlined leveling system and a nearly inexhaustible amount of content make it so easy to get lost in the world of Skyrim.
[2] Red Dead Redemption-Developer Rockstar Games is the master of the open world genre. In Red Dead Redemption, the developer ventures westward from the bustling cityscapes of their Grand Theft Auto games to a western landscape peppered with serene plains, snow-capped mountains, and towns filled with outlaws and desperados. Red Dead Redemption delivers one of the most emotionally charged stories in video game history, one filled with colorful characters, large doses of humor, and one of the most surprising -- and satisfying-- endings you will experience in videogamedom. Drawing from the most revered of western literature and films, the world and story of Red Dead Redemption exude the best components of their source material, creating a sense of isolation, and the subtle existential feelings that arise from the tremendous sense of place that the game expertly depicts. It's not the raucous gunfights that necessarily capture the spirit of Red Dead Redemption for me; rather it was the sense of wonder that I was overcome with as, I, for example, witnessed the enchanting palette of hues radiating from the sunrise as it slowly crept over the horizon, my horse racing through open plains of remarkable beauty. Moments like these are what I think about when I reminisce about Red Dead Redemption, a game that I would consider to be a transcendent masterwork, an ideal example for demonstrating how games are evolving from trite, disposable diversions to fully realized and compelling worlds rife with emotional appeal.
[1] Mass Effect 2
-Mass Effect 2 is the definitive game of this console generation. As Commander Shepard, you investigate the widespread disappearance of colonists from locations across the galaxy, while at the same time assembling a crew of companions to accompany you on your mission and working to uncover the motivations of Cerberus, the dark and enigmatic organization that brought you back from death. Mass Effect 2 challenges you with weighty moral dilemmas, demanding decisions that will not only impact your own character and his crew, but will ultimately penetrate an entire galaxy. Seeing your weighty moral decisions have a profound influence on an entire game world represents a revolutionary feedback system, unrivaled by any other game, past or present. Commander Shepard is your character, an individual whose moral identity-- forged in the original Mass Effect (if you played it)--is further developed by the path you choose for him. Do you give into your passions and destroy anyone and anything that obstructs your mission? Do you recognize a moral responsibility to protect the galaxy from the deadly reapers and accordingly commit to righteous action at every turn? Or, perhaps you recalibrate your character's moral compass, choosing a path distinctive from your choices in the original game. Mass Effect 2 offers players an abundance of interesting options, handing them full control over the fate of their character, his crew, and the galaxy at large. All this control over the game world would not be so fulfilling, however, if it weren't substantiated by a compelling story and characters worthy of your guidance and protection. Luckily, Mass Effect 2 legitimizes this tremendous sense of agency with a world and characters that are easy to care about. As Commander Shepard, you want to preserve the lives of all your crew members (who, by the way, can perish if you falter in the execution of your mission), and you want to see your mission through. You truly get the sense that you are at the heart of the galaxy's fate: you are the force that will determine everything. This is a story with meaning, with character, with purpose, and it challenges players in ways to which they are not accustomed.

Ultimately, Mass Effect 2 has a palpable enduring power. Upon seeing Shepard's mission through to completion, I realized that it was this idea that my actions and choices had real weight, real influence, is what made Mass Effect 2 so different from any other game. This is a game that moves far beyond genre traditions, empowering players with an incredible sense of freedom and choice. Where other games often build barriers around the player to ensure smooth and simple functioning of core gameplay mechanics, Mass Effect 2 blows open doors for him by constantly presenting decision-making scenarios, which -- depending on the individualized choices of the player -- can completely alter the course of the storyline. Mass Effect 2 is a game that will be talked about for years and years, and will sit atop many a gamer's all-time favorite list. Boasting a heavily considered design that demonstrates an incredible attention to detail, Mass Effect 2 is without a doubt my favorite game of this generation, and one of my favorite games of all-time.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, 3DS*
Mass Effect, XBOX 360Borderlands, XBOX 360
Deus Ex: Human Revolution, XBOX 360Heavy Rain, PS3
Halo Reach, XBOX 360
Donkey Kong Country Returns, Wii
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wii
New Super Mario Bros Wii, Wii
Resistance: Fall of Man, PS3
NBA 2K12, XBOX 360
MLB 11: The Show, PS3
Crysis 2, XBOX 360Super Meat Boy, XBOX 360

*Would have made the list, but since it's a remake, I decided to leave it off. The original Nintendo 64 version is my favorite game of all-time.

Uncharted: What's the Big Deal?

I'm here watching the end credits roll to the PS3's critically acclaimed Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and I can't help but feel disappointed and underwhelmed. This is supposed to be one of the can't miss titles for the PS3, a killer app, a system seller. Aside from an engaging story and multidimensional characters that clearly surpass the throwaway industry standards of storytelling and characterization representative of the guns-blazing, testosterone-infused machismo of 80s action films, Uncharted is undeniably plagued with some of the industry's most undesirable tropes. How can a recipient of such high praise rely on archaic control mechanics, mechanics that feel so markedly unpolished? How does a game of such allegedly high caliber get away with engaging the player in banal guesswork, both in its shooting and platforming segments? Are we, as players, so starved for good stories and characters that we're willing to forgive such abysmally poor mechanics?

Nathan Drake is a fortune hunter who traverses the globe in an effort to unlock the past of his ancestor, the famed English sea captain Sir Francis Drake. Accompanied by journalist and love interest Elena, who films and comments on his exploits, and Sully, a gruff veteran fortune hunter, Drake unearths clues to his ancestor's past that lead to the pursuit of the lost city of El Dorado. It is no surprise that a rival group of fortune hunters is also in search of the lost city, and will stop at nothing to ensure that they beat Drake and his pals to the punch. The plot plays similarly to something like Raiders of the Lost Ark or National Treasure, as both groups are in hot pursuit of clues that will lead them to unearth this fabled city of gold. The cinematics in the game are very well-done, and serve as a reward for completing the frustrating and often tedious action scenes. It is within these cut scenes that the relationships between the characters really take form. While the animation of the characters' mouths leaves something to be desired (there is a marked abnormality to the shape and movement of their mouths, especially when they laugh or smile), the voice acting all but makes up for it. This is some of the most natural and realistic sounding interplay that I've ever witnessed in a video game, and it's backed by a crisp, dynamic script. The combination of the clever script and the kinetic interplay between the voice actors made the game come to life, so much so that I felt as though I was watching a captivating movie at times. These aspects of the game -- the story and cinematic elements -- are what ultimately pulled me through the experience. Were the characters and story not so interesting, I would have given up within the first couple of hours.

Now, onto my complaints. First, the gunplay was stiff and unrewarding, the cover mechanic sticky and unreliable. A gunfight in Uncharted typically consists of finding Drake cover behind a decrepit wall, waiting for an enemy to pop out from behind his own cover, and firing away. The problem is that the supply of enemies is ceaseless, and -- this is the first and last time I'll likely ever complain about this -- the enemy A.I. is simply too smart for its own good. Every gunfight sequence involves a seemingly endless chain of enemies emerging from a multitude of angles, making it very difficult to move in and out of cover, and leaving the gameplay to feel stagnant and dull. Unlike a game like Gears of War, where the player is encouraged to use strategy and to sleekly move from cover to cover, Uncharted denies the player flexibility in gunfights by placing extreme restrictions on his movements. When the player does attempt to move in on the enemy, the unreliable cover system often forces the player out of cover, sticking him awkwardly to the side of a wall right out in the open. Furthermore, the cumbersome targeting system is too slow to react appropriately to encroaching enemies, leading to a repeated onslaught of frustrating deaths.

This is not the only way that the game frustrates with stultifying deaths, though. The game's platforming segments demand a trial-and-error style of play. There are many times throughout the game when you aren't quite sure if you can make a particular jump. At the time, you see no other alternative, so you go with it, only to realize that's not what the game wanted. You are punished for experimenting, and as such, are constantly reminded of the linearity and one-dimensional nature of the experience, restrictions that continually pull you out of the immersion of the story and characters. This is not to mention that the game's checkpoints are often distant from your death plummets, forcing you to clamber all the way back, only to die several minutes later, this time from a different, but no more forgiving, platforming sequence.

In both its shooting and platforming segments, Uncharted feels like an unrelenting cycle of frustration. Dare I say that these mechanics are the leftover artifacts of an earlier time in gaming history: they are unrefined, careless, and nearly mindless. It is unfortunate because the story and characterization demonstrate such incredible advancements, and, I would argue hold profound meaning for the development of the video game medium. At the end of the day, however, we're not talking about a movie or a television show. We're talking about a video game. And a video game needs to be grounded in reliable and responsive controls, and a feedback system more profound than mere trial-and-error gameplay. Legendary game creator Shigeru Miyamoto advises that developers ought to create their control scheme and gameplay mechanics before worrying about anything else. While developer Naughty Dog makes some impressive strides in terms of evoking some feelings that often remain dormant while playing games, the team fails to provide the excitement and thrill of precise aim when shooting or a well-timed jump when platforming. In fact, just the opposite is true: these segments almost inevitably lead to frustration and the all-too-easy thought of simply putting the controller down and moving on to something else. That being said, the story and characterization redeem Uncharted just enough that I could recommend renting it to those who could summon the requisite patience to endure its often torturous gameplay sequences.

Score: 6.5/10

I am going to give Uncharted 2 a try. Here's to hoping that developer Naughty Dog will show how much it has grown since the first game. Look forward to my thoughts when I finish!

Bayonetta: One of the Best (and Most Overlooked) Games of this Generation

--> Released in January of 2010, Bayonetta, with its scintillating visual style and a blisteringly fast yet nuanced combat system, proved a formidable challenger to the God of War series for most exhilarating action game on the market. Bayonetta is so fast-paced, so insane, that sometimes you simply don't know what you're looking at...and that's okay, because that's what makes the game a masterpiece.  Bayonetta's developer, Platinum Games, simply doesn't care about any genuine emotional investment in the game's story or its characters -- the only thing that matters here is the feeling of blissful feeling of oneness with the controller and the action on-screen.  Everything becomes so natural that, after a while, you no longer need to make sure you're hitting the right buttons at just the right time.  The timing and button presses become second nature, leaving you to enjoy the nonstop on-screen action.   The game’s eponymous protagonist Bayonetta, an exaggeratedly sexualized witch who has been resurrected from the dead, controls effortlessly, surging from enemy to enemy, incapacitating entire armies of angelic creatures with a marked sense of panache that corresponds so perfectly with the rhythmic and finessed input of button presses. The result: a euphoric feedback loop. The one-to-one correspondence of controller input and onscreen action enables the gamer to “get into the groove” of masterfully timing button presses to cue up beautiful, intensely gratifying onscreen flourishes that, if done just right, culminate in Bayonetta transforming into a wicked beast, such as a gargantuan dragon that obliterates enemies, or--for the even more sadistic—calling upon a torture device, such as a guillotine, to dispatch enemies with a merciless, unabashedly gory sense of style. Bayonetta has all the violent visual flair of Kill Bill with an added layer of quirkiness and creativity. While the vibrant and stylistic visuals imbue Bayonetta with a distinctive look, it's this tight correspondence between a silky smooth and nuanced control scheme and the stylized on-screen violence that make Bayonetta transcendent. The entire package is wrapped in an eccentric sense of humor, a charmingly unintelligible B-movie type story, and some of the strangest characters this side of Deadly Premonition. While the PS3 version was paralyzed by heavy frame rate issues, the 360 version is a real diamond in the rough, a gem that went under-appreciated perhaps as a result of its no-man's-land release in early January, the dead zone sandwiched in between the holiday gaming season and the release of Bioware’s behemoth, Mass Effect 2. If you've recently been wrapped up in a slow-paced and ponderous game such as Heavy Rain or L.A. Noire, you may find yourself hankering for some juxtaposition in the form of an invigorating, over-the-top, no-holds-barred experience. Here's a suggestion: look for the lollipop-sucking, demon-slaying Bayonetta in your local game store’s bargain bin, and dive into an experience that no other form of media but a video game can deliver.