(note: for now, this article is a work in progress, as it will take quite a bit of time to edit the videos, upload them to YouTube, and write the commentary. Hopefully I'll have it completed relatively soon)
If you've read my review of Fallout 3, then you know damn well that I'm a huge, huge fan of the game. However, I was very disappointed to discover that you are not allowed to continue exploring the incredible world of the Capital Wasteland after you've completed the main storyline. Luckily I saved my game at a point just before the game ends, and so I was able to postpone the ending of the game and play one of Fallout 3's two expansion packs, The Pitt.
After installing the expansion, I soon received a radio broadcast asking for assistance. After traveling to the area specified in the broadcast, I slowly crept up to the sound of gunfire (my character mainly relies on stealth, so I wanted to surprise whoever it was that I was going to own with my sniper rifle). Apparently I got there too late, though, and the guy I was supposed to save got pretty pissed that he had to take care of all the bad guys himself (crybaby):
After listening to him bitch and moan for a little while, I decided to help him out. The first task was to acquire a slave outfit to use as a disguise. I could either try to persuade a few slavers to give me an outfit, or take one by force. Being the faithful disciple of Abraham Lincoln that I am, I decided to kick everyone's ass and let the slaves go free:
Next, I met the dude with the eye patch at the train station so that we could travel to The Pitt. Once there, he flipped out and started shooting some slavers, which was pretty awesome. After the dust settled, he basically gave me the "You're on your own, we're counting on you, don't screw this up, blah blah blah" speech and cut me loose:
I eventually found my way to The Pitt itself. The plan was to dress up like a slave so that the slavers would let me in. I disliked the subtlety of this plan, so I made my own: kick everyone's ass again. It worked well at first, but then I got jumped by a bunch of candy-asses with batons. Crap:
.
After being bludgeoned into unconsciousness, I woke up to find that the nerds had taken all of my stuff. Damnit. Then some lady helped me up and told me to meet her at her house so we could discuss how I was going to kick everyone's ass again. When I got to her place, she started explaining things to me, when some tool walked in and tried to intimidate me. Being a level 20 character, there really isn't much that intimidates me in this game, so I decided to stab him with a knife I found (he shot me a couple of times, but it really only tickled). Then I jacked his fancy, spikey armor. Owned!
Apparently no one noticed that Jackson was dead (or else they didn't care - he was a bit of a dillweed), nor that I was wearing his his armor and carrying his gun, as not a single person gave me a second look when I strolled across town to start my new job as "ingot collector". Before starting, however, I had to swing by and grab an "Auto Axe" from a guy named Marco (as you'll see later, I'm glad I did). Then it was off to play errand-boy:
Shortly after stepping outside, I witnessed a touching moment between two estranged brothers who were apparently reunited at that very moment. In a heart-warming gesture of pure love, John-john reached out to his brother Billy, in an attempt to make amends and rekindle their fraternal bond. Billy (who had unfortunately been irradiated to the point of being transformed into a bloodthirsty "trog") responded by trying to bite his brother's face off. At this point I felt that a little peer mediation was necessary, so I pulled out an assault rifle that I picked up on the way out and gunned Billy's ass down. John-john thanked me by peeing himself and running away. n00b:
By the way: Here's what a steel ingot looks like, in case you're wondering (took me a while to figure out what the damn things were, but once I did, they were pretty easy to find):
This doesn't have anything to do with the story, but I managed to stealth kill a trog with that auto axe thing, and I thought it was pretty awesome:
After killing some trogs, finding some steel, and giving that steel to the asshat in the mill, I returned to the nice lady who helped me up after the mean men beat me with sticks. She explained that Ashur, the head deuchebag of The Pitt, was about to give a speech and extend an invitation for a champion to fight for his or her freedom. The nice lady then graciously volunteered me to be the lucky schmuck to fight a cave full of psychos, in order to get closer to His Deuchiness and thus set the slaves' plan for revolution in motion. Eh, whatever:
To make a long story slightly less long: I signed up to fight in the arena. I fought all three rounds and easily owned the pants off all of my opponents (although I only recorded the final battle). The last guy, Gruber, was somewhat less impressive than everyone made him out to be - let's just say I blew his head off with a Chinese rifle. 'Cause I did. Watch:
More to come...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Left 4 Dead - Surviving Survival Mode (or not so much)
With Left 4 Dead's latest update, featuring a new gameplay mode accompanied by a brand-new campaign, there's a lot of zombie-killing for me to catch up on. Although Valve has done a great job at adapting certain parts of the four original campaigns to work well with Survival Mode, the newest map "Lighthouse" is currently the most interesting, offering a completely original experience for this game.
The first round I played with a few random strangers, and although our teamwork was about as harmonious as a troop of retarded monkeys with staple guns, it was still an incredibly entertaining experience. The new map is a blast to play:
Our teamwork didn't get much better, but that didn't detract from the fun (at least as far as I was concerned). This time around, the mentally-challenged primates and I opted for more familiar territory (the Crane scene from the Dead Air campaign), hoping to improve our game a bit. We still got rocked (notice I was the last one to die, though - w00t!):
After enduring a humiliating defeat at the hands of digital zombies, I decided to call in some of my whores from One World On-Line and do things the right way (thanks to <0w0|>DarkKnight, <0w0|>PuNcH, <0w0|>Sneaky-Biscuit© and eventually <0w0|>Killemall for helping me to delay my inevitable ass-kicking). This round went much better than the last two, but we still failed to do better than Bronze. Still, it was much more fun to have some actual teamwork going on - plus, these guys are hilarious:
The first round I played with a few random strangers, and although our teamwork was about as harmonious as a troop of retarded monkeys with staple guns, it was still an incredibly entertaining experience. The new map is a blast to play:
Our teamwork didn't get much better, but that didn't detract from the fun (at least as far as I was concerned). This time around, the mentally-challenged primates and I opted for more familiar territory (the Crane scene from the Dead Air campaign), hoping to improve our game a bit. We still got rocked (notice I was the last one to die, though - w00t!):
After enduring a humiliating defeat at the hands of digital zombies, I decided to call in some of my whores from One World On-Line and do things the right way (thanks to <0w0|>DarkKnight, <0w0|>PuNcH, <0w0|>Sneaky-Biscuit© and eventually <0w0|>Killemall for helping me to delay my inevitable ass-kicking). This round went much better than the last two, but we still failed to do better than Bronze. Still, it was much more fun to have some actual teamwork going on - plus, these guys are hilarious:
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows Review
Graphics:
Sound:
Gameplay:
Replay Value:
1337ness:
A wise man by the name of Ben Parker once said, “With great power comes great responsibility”. I’m pretty sure he meant to add “and 1337ness” there at the end, but it must have slipped his mind. One tends to forget little details like that when one is fictionally slain by a fictional character. If he were still fictionally alive, though, Uncle Ben would no doubt be fictionally proud of his fictional nephew in his latest video game, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows..
Web of Shadows is not only the best Spider-Man game to date, but it is also an incredibly kickass game on its own merits. Building upon many of the stronger points of previous Spider-Man titles, the similarities and superiorities of Web of Shadows to its predecessors are almost immediately apparent. Not only has every aspect of gameplay been improved, but the game is driven by a completely original storyline that offers many pleasant surprises to Marvel Comics fans. This is like a breath of fresh air after playing through three titles that are confined to the setting and plot of the Spider-Man movies.
The graphics in past Spider-Man games haven’t always been the best for their time, and unfortunately Web of Shadows is no exception. The graphics are, however, the best in any Spider-Man game yet, and are adequate for its purposes. The buildings and (some) characters have reflective surfaces and only occasionally look slightly pixelated. The in-game animations are very well-done, but the character movement in some of the cutscenes is still a little awkward and clumsy. Spider-Man is especially well-done, as are most of the boss villains and allies.
The sounds you will find in Web of Shadows are typical for any Spider-Man game, movie or cartoon, from the classic “thwip” of Spider-Man’s webshooters to the ambient sounds of Manhattan Island. The voice acting is also surprisingly good, as the game features more characters from the Marvel Universe than any other Spidey title. Most of the voice actors nail their characters, even using the appropriate accents and dialects usually associated with a particular character. Oddly, I felt Spider-Man’s voice was the most out-of-place of all – his raspy, ditsy surfer-type voice leans more toward ninja turtle than web-slinger (although it’s still a hell of a lot better than listening to Toby McGuire). Thankfully, though, the dialogue is still great, and Spider-Man delivers some pretty hilarious smartass remarks throughout the game.
The gameplay is, hands-down, the best part of Web of Shadows, and that’s really what matters most. Although similar to previous games (i.e. a free-roaming city in which random crimes occur, and the player is given the option to intervene or not), nearly every aspect of the gameplay has been improved. Web-swinging is smoother, easier, cooler, and much more fun; combat is a blast, offering a ton of moves that can be executed in various combinations; collecting hidden objects - which used to be a useless distraction and overall pain in the ass – is now not only enjoyable, but improves Spidey’s speed and stamina throughout the game.
The storyline in a nutshell is that Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis, Venom, is succumbing more and more to the will of his alien symbiotic costume, causing him to forgo his oath to protect the innocent and thus driving him to cause widespread chaos in New York City. Venom creates more and more symbiotes, spreading his malice throughout the city and infecting its citizens, causing them to transform into somewhat less-powerful clones of himself. Initially you will have only a few infected civilians to contend with, but pretty soon the city will become overrun with venomites, creating a scene much like one would find in a zombie apocalypse movie. Spider-Man and his allies must then find a way to stop Venom and rid the city of its symbiote infestation.
Adding to the depth of the usual Spider-Man gameplay, Web of Shadows allows the player to choose the “black suit path” or the “red suit path”, based on decisions made throughout the game. As Spidey himself is infected by the symbiotic spawn, choosing the black suit path will turn Spidey into a darker, angrier, and ultimately more evil character, whereas the red suit path will have the opposite affect. Regardless of the actual path that the player chooses, however, you are still allowed to switch between Spidey’s red and black suits at will throughout the majority of the game. Each suit has its own arsenal of unlockable maneuvers, giving the player access to a huge array of special moves and combos between the two suits.
Another great addition to the gameplay is Spidey’s ability to summon an ally to aid him in battle (note: to those of you who landed on this site after searching "how to summon ally", you have to hold the button down until Spider-Man's head flashes a blue color before your ally will appear). If you have chosen the red suit path more often than the black suit path, you may summon either Luke Cage, Wolverine, or Moon Knight – all of whom are pretty handy in a pinch. If you choose the black suit path, you can summon Electro, Vulture, Rhino or Black Cat. Regardless of who you summon, allies will prove to be incredibly useful when dealing with hordes of symbiotes. When you’re finished with your ally, you may dismiss them at will and either summon a different ally (after your special meter recharges) or go solo until you feel you need their help again.
Spider-Man calls on Luke Cage and Wolverine to lend a hand.
Web of Shadows is an excellent game, especially if you’re a Spider-Man fan. The graphics and sounds, while not perfect, are fairly appropriate and do not detract from the experience of playing the game one iota. The gameplay is intense and incredibly addictive, and the amount of combat moves coupled with the ability to choose a path of good or evil makes the game highly replayable. However - if you own a PS3 or Xbox360, I would recommend purchasing or renting those versions as opposed to the PC version, as the PC version has some performance issues even on higher-end systems. Either way, though, there is little chance that you won't enjoy playing this game.
Screenshots:
Sound:
Gameplay:
Replay Value:
1337ness:
A wise man by the name of Ben Parker once said, “With great power comes great responsibility”. I’m pretty sure he meant to add “and 1337ness” there at the end, but it must have slipped his mind. One tends to forget little details like that when one is fictionally slain by a fictional character. If he were still fictionally alive, though, Uncle Ben would no doubt be fictionally proud of his fictional nephew in his latest video game, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows..
Web of Shadows is not only the best Spider-Man game to date, but it is also an incredibly kickass game on its own merits. Building upon many of the stronger points of previous Spider-Man titles, the similarities and superiorities of Web of Shadows to its predecessors are almost immediately apparent. Not only has every aspect of gameplay been improved, but the game is driven by a completely original storyline that offers many pleasant surprises to Marvel Comics fans. This is like a breath of fresh air after playing through three titles that are confined to the setting and plot of the Spider-Man movies.
The graphics in past Spider-Man games haven’t always been the best for their time, and unfortunately Web of Shadows is no exception. The graphics are, however, the best in any Spider-Man game yet, and are adequate for its purposes. The buildings and (some) characters have reflective surfaces and only occasionally look slightly pixelated. The in-game animations are very well-done, but the character movement in some of the cutscenes is still a little awkward and clumsy. Spider-Man is especially well-done, as are most of the boss villains and allies.
The sounds you will find in Web of Shadows are typical for any Spider-Man game, movie or cartoon, from the classic “thwip” of Spider-Man’s webshooters to the ambient sounds of Manhattan Island. The voice acting is also surprisingly good, as the game features more characters from the Marvel Universe than any other Spidey title. Most of the voice actors nail their characters, even using the appropriate accents and dialects usually associated with a particular character. Oddly, I felt Spider-Man’s voice was the most out-of-place of all – his raspy, ditsy surfer-type voice leans more toward ninja turtle than web-slinger (although it’s still a hell of a lot better than listening to Toby McGuire). Thankfully, though, the dialogue is still great, and Spider-Man delivers some pretty hilarious smartass remarks throughout the game.
The gameplay is, hands-down, the best part of Web of Shadows, and that’s really what matters most. Although similar to previous games (i.e. a free-roaming city in which random crimes occur, and the player is given the option to intervene or not), nearly every aspect of the gameplay has been improved. Web-swinging is smoother, easier, cooler, and much more fun; combat is a blast, offering a ton of moves that can be executed in various combinations; collecting hidden objects - which used to be a useless distraction and overall pain in the ass – is now not only enjoyable, but improves Spidey’s speed and stamina throughout the game.
The storyline in a nutshell is that Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis, Venom, is succumbing more and more to the will of his alien symbiotic costume, causing him to forgo his oath to protect the innocent and thus driving him to cause widespread chaos in New York City. Venom creates more and more symbiotes, spreading his malice throughout the city and infecting its citizens, causing them to transform into somewhat less-powerful clones of himself. Initially you will have only a few infected civilians to contend with, but pretty soon the city will become overrun with venomites, creating a scene much like one would find in a zombie apocalypse movie. Spider-Man and his allies must then find a way to stop Venom and rid the city of its symbiote infestation.
Adding to the depth of the usual Spider-Man gameplay, Web of Shadows allows the player to choose the “black suit path” or the “red suit path”, based on decisions made throughout the game. As Spidey himself is infected by the symbiotic spawn, choosing the black suit path will turn Spidey into a darker, angrier, and ultimately more evil character, whereas the red suit path will have the opposite affect. Regardless of the actual path that the player chooses, however, you are still allowed to switch between Spidey’s red and black suits at will throughout the majority of the game. Each suit has its own arsenal of unlockable maneuvers, giving the player access to a huge array of special moves and combos between the two suits.
Another great addition to the gameplay is Spidey’s ability to summon an ally to aid him in battle (note: to those of you who landed on this site after searching "how to summon ally", you have to hold the button down until Spider-Man's head flashes a blue color before your ally will appear). If you have chosen the red suit path more often than the black suit path, you may summon either Luke Cage, Wolverine, or Moon Knight – all of whom are pretty handy in a pinch. If you choose the black suit path, you can summon Electro, Vulture, Rhino or Black Cat. Regardless of who you summon, allies will prove to be incredibly useful when dealing with hordes of symbiotes. When you’re finished with your ally, you may dismiss them at will and either summon a different ally (after your special meter recharges) or go solo until you feel you need their help again.
Spider-Man calls on Luke Cage and Wolverine to lend a hand.
Web of Shadows is an excellent game, especially if you’re a Spider-Man fan. The graphics and sounds, while not perfect, are fairly appropriate and do not detract from the experience of playing the game one iota. The gameplay is intense and incredibly addictive, and the amount of combat moves coupled with the ability to choose a path of good or evil makes the game highly replayable. However - if you own a PS3 or Xbox360, I would recommend purchasing or renting those versions as opposed to the PC version, as the PC version has some performance issues even on higher-end systems. Either way, though, there is little chance that you won't enjoy playing this game.
Screenshots:
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