E3 - to come and go

E3 has come and gone, with a great deal of anticipation before hand and a greater deal of that left afterwards, taking into account all that we've seen so far in the Expo.

It's been 14 years now since I've first picked up a gamepad (not to mention a freaking portable). It's been years with highs and lows in gaming for me, and my interest towards it. There haven't been many years in which my interest could flare up as much as it did this year and I'm honestly glad to be able to raise my glass and say: Welcome back our E3 of young!
Since 1999 and 2000 I have been watching the even year after year. Finally, a year worth of remembering this time, with the console wars in full effect and some good titles coming out of it.

I ain't an XBox owner...was, aren't anymore. Can't say I'm sad about it. However, having watched the Microsoft press conference, there are some key points that will probably make me spend a few days with my XBox wielding friends:

Halo ODST
Ok, it's hard not to get excited over one of the biggest franchises of the moment, even if my personal opinion is that Halo Wars was a flop. I've enjoyed the stories from Halo 1-3 and am actually interested in seeing them expand. The universe for the game is interesting so there's potential in ODST and that new title announced. I almost wish I'd see the game on the PS 3 for myself so I may enjoy it at home...but nonetheless, I'll play them when they'll come out.
Gameplay in ODST, from what the demo showed, looks pretty slick and interesting, even if I'm not one for changing characters constantly.

Forza Motorsport 3
This looks mostly like an OK driving game. I don't know if it'll be anything to praise the heavens about, but I'll be interested in giving this thing a whirl as well.

Splinter Cell: Conviction
The first two Splinter Cell games were for me some of the best games I've ever played. I never finished the 3rd one because of savegame errors, and the fourth never even got to play. Conviction seems like a good game so far, as long as the sneaking remains intact throughout. I want to play a sneaking game that ain't MGS (I can't stand that kind of sneaking, I want shadows) and until Thief 4 hits shelves there will be waiting involved.
Conviction, from what I've seen, is shaping up to be a great game for the 360. I want to try it out.

If these games, coupled with Risen (that was unfortunately absent from E3 from what I've seen) manage to impose some quality, I may reconsider my position on the 360 and risk my money once again for the console. But other than that, the Natal is a cool gimmick, but I'm not sold on it. I find motion sensing as something that may be important for the future, but not vital. I want to play with gamepads, it's one of the reasons I've remained a console gamer for so many years, even if my PC experience far exceeds the console one.

Next on my list would be the Sony conference that I had to unfortunately watch recorded and not live. The quality suffered, but the message got across for me.
Before anything else...I liked the introducer. The Microsoft guy gave me the impression of a douche...the Sony guy was rather mellow and calm. It's easy to trust a face like that, makes the conference a lot more bearable through the boring parts.

As a PS 3 user, it's MUCH too easy to become hyped for games like God of War 3 and Uncharted 2 so I won't say anything about those two. Those will be good games, they have their pedigrees, the teams have experience, it'd be hard to botch up something like that. Even more of the same is welcomed.

My E3 news bomb is Arcania. Gothic needed a face lift at long last and a jump to the consoles...I can't build another rig just to play that game and a console port usually means more work on stability and optimizing. So here's me waiting for my favorite RPG to hit market...whenever it'll be, at least I know it'll come.

Demons Souls had a weak presence at this years E3. It's understandable, since the game is already launched in Japan so there's really little point in preparing the waters for it any longer. I'm not that interested in White Knight Chronicles honestly so I may actually give DS a run down and see what it's got to offer. From the reviews I've read so far I got the fact that it's a hard, no-nonsense RPG game. And that's just perfect for me...I want something to actually make me play the damn thing not just press some buttons. I want something as hard as Soulbringer or Planescape: Torment. I want a game I need to play to win, I want something that punishes mistakes with more than a slap on the wrist so I'm hoping Demons Souls is that game for me.

I finally saw a presentation for Quantum for the PS 3. Yes, I know all you fanboys out there are yelling GEARS CLONE. BURN AT THE STAKE but for me, who has played the first Gears, the game looks fun enough to buy. Needs some spit and polish from what the trailers showed so far, and a more aggressive AI, but the game shows promise and I really hope they get the gameplay right. The graphics are standard fare so I won't comment, and the story may be over before it even begins...but the gameplay will make or break the thing.
I'm hoping for a meaty 3rd person shooter for the PS3...will my hopes be answered? Time will tell.

Modern Warfare 2 looks rather good, far better than I was expecting honestly. I think it's high time I got myself a copy of the first game and see what the hubbub's about. I may pick up the second one as soon as it launches if I'm impressed enough with the first. So far, only the first two CoD games made any impressions on me...the 3rd was bland so I never tried the fourth. 5 is as if it never existed to me.

One of my most anticipated games for E3 had to be the new Ratchet & Clank Future game. I'm happy to see I'm in for more of the same with A crack in time, and the story seems to go along well. If the variety in levels will be as impressive as it was in the previous games, and the weapons as fun to upgrade and use to maim and destroy...I'm definitely buying the game.
From what I've seen from the developers so far in the interviews, there's little to worry about. The new fast ways of going around the levels looks fun, and some of the weapons seem like they'll be quite amusing. I can't wait for a demo of the game honestly.

Afrika, I'm happy so say, did not thwart my expectations. The game still looks awesome and I want to play it so bad it hurts. I'm a photographer of sorts so that trailers of the gameplay just got to me.
I continue to respect the PS 3 for allowing and encouraging such projects with such a limited chance of success. I want more like this, more indie and more courage, like there once was.

Definitely not last and not least, but I'm rather tired of writing and most people won't event try and read this, would have to be Gran Turismo 5. I was never a GT fan but this caught my eye. It's not the graphics, that's just hogwash as far as I'm concerned, it's the sheer volume of data they're packing into the game. So many cars and track and modes and this will get anyone's attention.
I'm a Burnout fan myself so it's far fetched for my expectations to be great for a simulator. But, nonetheless, they are. Let's hope for a great game.


Yes, there are big names missing from that. Bad Company 2, Bayonetta, Left 4 Dead 2, Dead Rising 2, Lost Planet 2, Tekken 6, MAG, Brutal Legend, MGS: Rising, White Knight Chronicles, Final Fantasy XIII, Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum...and many more. Many of those games do not interest me, many have no reasons to interest me and many have been talked to death so far so there's no reason for me to say anything again.
All in all, E3 2009 was a good show. For me, it managed to spark my interest in a lot of titles and in next years show. I'm sorry there was no Diablo 3 or Max Payne 3 in the show but that's life, we'll see at TGS so GDC this year about those...or even Blizzcon.
Welcome back E3 and thank you for a good show and many, many promising titles for our favorite pastime.

Half Life 2

Gen: FPS
An lansare: 2004
Platforma: Playstation 3

Cu tspe ani in urma Valve a descatusat un monstru. Gatit undeva intr-un laborator secret, monstrul lor a venit si a luat piata pe nepregatite, impunand un nou sistem de story telling si de gameplay, lipsit de tipicile nivele ale shooterelor clasice de pana atunci. Iluzia realitatii a fost aproape perfecta in clasicul Half-Life, aducand dupa sine cateva dintre cele mai importante schimbari din industrie in ultimul deceniu.
In 2004, dupa indelungi asteptari si nenumarate amanari cand nemultumirile fanilor au trecut de la un murmur abia simtit la adevarate rascoale, dupa imposibil de multe greseli in procesul de creere si lansare…Half-Life 2 a ajuns pe PC-urile noaste, iar mai tarziu pe consolele noastre. Pentru mine a durat ceva vreme pana sa ajung sa-l joc, dar sunt acum gata sa-mi impartasesc impresiile asupra unuia dintre FPS-urile cele mai importante din ultimii ani si in acelasi timp, despre unul dintre cele mai rare tipuri de jocuri: continuari bune.

Reintrand in costumatia portocalie si lipsita de voce sau fata numita Gordon Freeman, jocul incepe cu o secventa introductiva destul de lunga dar interactiva. Dupa o introducere criptica realizata de catre unicul G-Man suntem lasati sa ne facem de cap si sa exploram gara postbelica din City 17, aparent o mica oprire in drumul nostru spre Nova Prospect. Dar suntem rapid luati in primire de o fata cunoscuta si trimisi spre o intalnire cu o fata savanta si mai cunoscuta…nici nu erau 100 ca el in primul Half-Life. Jocul face o treaba buna in a-ti inspira inca din primele momente un sentiment al urgentei, facandu-te sa treci peste momentele incipide ale jocului intr-un mod ce pare atat natural cat si foarte dinamic, fara a apela la multe trucuri inutile.
Dupa ce soseste in laboratorul bunului doctor pe care nu-l voi numi, povestea o ia la goana tragandu-ne dupa ea prin diverse locatii, jocul parca prea rar oprindu-se pentru a-si trage sufletul, si asta in general in compania altor rebeli. Locatiile prin care ne plimbam personajul tacut numara un oras aproape bantuit de “carcalaci”, sisteme de canalizare, un desert plin de lei de nisip foarte violenti, o inchisoare; pe jos sau plimbandu-ne la bordul unei barci sau a unei masinute incropite din diverse fiare vechi.
Tranzitia intre momente ale povestii se face aproape imperceptibil, cu putine lupte ce ar putea semnaliza un boss si in general lucrurile curg de la sine putere. Producatorii au reusit din nou sa recreeze sentimentul de imersiune in universul jocului, lasand povestea sa fie construita din bucati si piese, franturi de informatii vizibile in putine locuri, in discutii dintre rebeli sau mesajele propagandiste de pe uriasele ecrane plasate in puncte diverse ale orasului. Niciodata camera nu va sta ea fixata undeva, mereu avem libertatea de a privi si a ne plimba, de a o admira pe incantatoarea Alyx sau doar de a face un dezastru prin laborator cat timp alte personaje discuta soarta lumii undeva aproape.
Pentru intreaga libertate oferita si senzatia de imersiune in joc, povestea in sine nu straluceste. Cel putin nu in jocul de baza si nu doar din ceea ce aflam singuri fara comentariile producatorilor. Jocul se termina in coada de peste, lasand golurile sa fie umplute de episoadele viitoare (o cu totul alta poveste pentru alta data).

In ciuda firului narativ slabut jocul straluceste in continuare in lumina unui gameplay cum doar prea rar intalnim in shooterele moderne. Faptul ca povestea curge neincetat afecteaza mult cum se joaca HL 2, mai precis ceea ce suntem pusi sa facem. Jocul are doar doua scene intermediare: la inceput si la sfarsit, in rest totul se intampla live si in fata noastra…sau in spatele nostru daca suntem ocupati incercand sa ne cataram pe cate un computer de pe masa.
Secventele de impuscaturi de la inceput cand Freeman e incoltit, prost inarmat si fugarit, variaza mult pe masura ce jocul inainteaza. Arsenalul strans pe masura ce jocul continua include nu mai putin de 12 arme separate, de la clasica ranga pana la Gravity Gun, un punct central al jocului si una dintre cele mai interesante inovatii oferite de acesta. Dar voi reveni la el un pic mai tarziu.
Dupa cum am zis deja, Freeman trebuie sa strabata un lung drum care poate depasi cu mult 10 ore de gameplay si tot sa surprinda cu fiecare pas. Fiecare secventa a jocului cere o tactica diferita ceea ce personal mi s-a parut incredibil. Orasul bantuit de head crabs si zombie de diverse tipuri cere o atentie mare la mediul inconjurator si ce poate oferi, desertul cere atentie la fiecare pas, inchisoarea lasa sa se vada ce se intampla cand avantajul se schimba iar orasul are rebelii care vin odata cu noi in misiune. As putea scrie pagini intregi pentru a face dreptate sentimentului extraordinar care m-a curpins jucand acest joc, varietatii sale care m-a facut sa trec cu vederea liniaritatea obsedanta si designul de nivel prea…convenabil a unor zone. Gameplay-ul este fara dar si poate cea mai importanta si mai reusita componenta a jocului, unind intr-un singur pachet momente incredibil de variate cu niste puzzle-uri inteligente ce fac uz atat de multele arme ale jocului cat si de engine-ul fizic fantastic fata de care in unele momente n-am putut de cat sa exclam “Eu nu m-as fi gandit a asta”.
HL 2 sufera totusi de o dificultate foarte scazuta. Chiar si pe consola, cu handicapul unui gamepad jocul e deosebit de usor in mare parte a timpului, unitatile de regenerare a armurii si vietii fiind dese, munitia la fel, precum si cutiile cu provizii. Butoaiele cu explozibili sunt imposibil de multe si oarecum cretin plasate (adica, cine naiba pune butoaie explozibile la baza unui ponton si asa ca vai de el?) iar asta face ca multe ambuscade sa se termine inainte ca macar sa inceapa pentru inamici.
A nu se intelege totusi lipsa unui AI competent. Nu, inamicii stiu sa se ascunda, sa te inconjoare, sa-ti pregateasca ambuscade. Dar faptul ca adesea un unic om e mai bine inarmat decat ei si mult mai bine echipat face toata diferenta in materie de dificultate.

Sunt multe de zis despre HL 2 si probabil n-as reusi sa le implic pe toate intr-un singur articol. As mai putea scrie despre multe aspecte dar ma voi rezuma la cel mai important: Gravity Gun-ul. E in mod simplu zis o ustensila de ridicat si aruncat obiecte, letale sau mai putin iar impactul asupra gameplay-ului e masiv. In ciuda clasicelor rangi sau pumni sau cutite ce sunt mai mult decat familiare in FPS-urile tuturor timpurilor, acesta mi s-a parut cea mai distractiva adaugire pe care o poate primi un joc. Manipularea mediului inconjurator si folosirea a cam orice nu e prins de podea ca arma nu e ceva nou sau nemaivazut acum, in 2008, dar rar e facut intr-o maniera atat de distractiva precum aici. Nu suna a mult, stiu, dar puneti mana pe el si mai vorbim dupa aia. Plus, e arma suprema la un moment dat, dar nu va zic cand.

Grafic, jocul e incredibil de invechit in momentul de fata, chiar si pe PS 3. Efectul de apa e in continuare unul foarte reusit dar ma tem ca timpul nu a fost tocmai iertator in doar 4 ani de zile. Dar nu e un joc urat, nici pe departe, doar un pic sters si cu o texturare careia i-ar mai fi prins bine ceva bump mapping acum. Pe cat unele suprafete arata foarte colturos si neprietenesc, pe atat altele sunt cat se poate de credibile si de placute ochiului, surprinzator de altfel. Dar cred ca ajunge atat, HL 2 e un joc ce merita jucat pentru atmosfera, poveste, gameplay si un cast de personaje foarte atractiv.
Si as face o uriasa nedreptate acestui joc daca n-as vorbi de sunet. Am intalnit aici cele mai inspirate momente de muzica si de tacere care mi-au fost date sa le observ vreodata. Melodiile rare care apar se potrivesc perfect pe atmosfera intunecata a lui Half-Life 2, pe viitorul rezistentei lipsit de speranta si luptele aproape fara capat prin care trece eroul. Iar apoi vin momentele de tacere rupte de cate un zombie care apare de te miri unde, niciodata din senin totusi. E acea tacere completa, fara efecte sonore “de ambianta”, fara nimic, jocul doar tace si te lasa sa simti tensiunea ce pluteste intre pixeli. Respect Valve, stiti ce faceti aici.

Half-Life 2 este o recomandare pentru fanii shooterelor de pretutindeni si daca acum, la 4 ani de la lansarea lui inca nu l-ati jucat…faceti bine si puneti mana pe el, e important, impresionant si satisfacator din cat se poate de multe motive. Nu e un joc de o sedinta si nu e un joc pe care sa-l poti aprecia cu adevarat de la prima jucare.
Versiunea de PS 3 atat de hulita de unele site-uri este cat se poate de stabila, cu probleme minime de framerate si in general in momentul unui quicksave automat. Probleme ce mai apar la versiunea asta sunt de sunet care incepe sa paraie aproape random si nu e doar pentru HL 2 cat si pentru episoade si chiar Portal. Problema pare sa dispara la prima zona de tranzitie dar n-a fost rectificata nici macar cu patch-ul masiv de 128 de mb pe care l-a lansat EA de curand.

Grafica: 8 – invechita si stearsa pe alocuri, dar foarte eficienta pentru ceea ce trebuie sa faca, puternic atmosferica adesea
Sunet: 9 – Glitch-urile de sunet a versiunii de PS 3 sunt de vina pentru punctul in minus…altfel coloana sonora e incredibila din toate punctele de vedere
Poveste: 8 – Povestea initiala subtire e ridicata mult de personaje si dialog si de maniera unica in care este prezentata
Gameplay: 9 – facilitatea jocului este probabil singura sa problema adevarata, altfel schimburile de focuri sunt foarte placute si adesea unice, doua neparand sa semene intre ele, oricare ar fi inamicii aruncati in calea noastra.
Impresie generala: 10 – un shooter foarte bun si complet care dovedeste ca gamingul inca are multe de oferit atunci cand oameni talentati se ofera sa-si puna mintea la contributie.

Nota generala: 8.8