Gaming Bros

Bayonetta is a third-person action game made by Platinum Games, the team that brought us games like MadWorld and it includes the director of Viewtiful Joe and Devil May Cry. If you are a fan of the Devil May Cry series, then this is your cup of tea. Bayonetta tells the story of a witch who was awaken from a long slumber but cannot put together the memories of the past and who she is. As she fights and kills the angels that come to take her, she begins to remember what happened 500 years ago. A war between two factions, Umbra Witches and Lumen Sages, broke the balance between darkness and light and led to the current events.

You play as Bayonetta as you go through the sacred city of Vigrid and discover the secret of 3 dimensions: Paradiso, Purgatorio and Inferno. One of the greatest aspects of the game is the combat system. As you fight countless number of angels, you execute crazy combos with different weapons that are equipped on BOTH your arms and legs! Another interesting mechanic in the game is the Witch Time in which the game goes to slow-motion after you dodge an attack at the right moment. If that is not enough, you can also do Torture Attacks that summon torture devices which crushes your enemies in most brutal ways . You won’t get through the game with button-mashing only; you have to use the different combo’s and Witch Time to survive. Ending each battle with top skills and combos earns you medals graded from platinum to bronze; giving the game a great replay value and a good reason to kill angels in style. The game also excels in the graphics of characters, enemies and surrounding environment. Each one of those is made in the greatest details especially Bayonetta’s luscious lips. But nothing will impress you more than the boss battles. Fighting an angel 100 times your size is jaw dropping. Another triumph in this game is the music that gets you right in the action and atmosphere. The voice work is great but not the best, and the action cutscenes of Bayonetta kicking some angelic ass is mind-blowing!

The only negative point I have with the game is the way the story is told. Watching the cutscenes is fun but it is always interrupted by film-strip style stills that would’ve looked much better in full motion. Also, the story is very unclear in most of the game and you only know what the hell is happening at the end. This game is not a piece of cake! Like Devil May Cry, Bayonetta requires a set of skillful hands and some patience to finish. But is not the frustrating kind of difficulty, on the contrary, finishing each challenge is of utmost pleasure.

In conclusion, Bayonetta is a piece of art! A rare product that combines stylized action and Japanese madness. If your top priority in a game is fun gameplay, then Bayonetta is definitely for you.

4 out of 5

I  take this opportunity to introduce you guys to our newest crew member. Please welcome Maitham.

Maitham is a hardcore gamer and there is nothing he loves in this world more than video games; except for peanut butter of course. Video games was his passion as he grew up and he believes that it shaped the person he is today. Maitham is crazy about FPS/Action RPGs, and he has nothing but loathing for turn-based RPGs. Oh yeah, he is also a doctor in the making and amateur film maker.

Keep an eye for his upcoming posts and reviews.

Final Fantasy XIII is the latest installment in the long standing traditional-Japanese RPG series of Final Fantasy. The game is a PS3 exclusive in Japan and available on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 elsewhere. Like all other main entries in the FF series, FFXIII is set in a brand new universe and has a storyline and a set of characters unconnected with any of its previous games.

FFXIII is set on Cocoon, a world living in constant threat of the underworld Pulse. Both worlds are run by God-like creatures called fal’Cie who have the ability to enslave humans into becoming cursed l’Cie. The story revolves around the interactions between the two worlds of Cocoon and Pulse, and fal’Cie, l’Cie, and humans.

Unlike previous Final Fantasy games, the player in FFXIII has only control over one character only even during battles. The player has control over who he chooses to be the leader to be control of. The other two characters in the battle are controlled by the game AI and will act depending on the job/role assigned to them. The job system (called “Roles” here)  of older Final Fantasy system is a fundamental aspect of XIII. Depending on the role each character takes, the character will have a set of specialised skills. FFXIII also introduces a new game concept called Paradigms, which allows you to set up six pre-configured role combinations for your characters which you can then switch between during the battle. So for instance you can have a paradigm for having one Commando and two Ravagers, and another paradigm for having on Commando, a Medic, and a Synergist. Now during the battle you can switch between your multiple paradigms instantly and have your characters perform a different task depending on the current situation in the battle. There are also no MPs in FFXIII, all attacks in the game require using up a number of time slots, these time slots charge up as the character waits in the battle, as these time slots fill up, the character has the option of firing multiple attacks instantly, or casting a single more powerful attack that consumers multiple time slots. The result of all these new additions is that the battle system is extremely fast, you are required to switch between paradigm throughout the battle to balance between offense, defence, and support. The game also provides you with an “Auto Attack” for your party leader making the player concentrate more on the strategy of which paradigm to use at what instance of the battle instead of worrying about inputting the right command for the only character you have. I thought that this new battle system is very challenging and fun to use, especially the extreme speed of it!

One really nice aspect of the game is how the story is told through multiple characters and does not have Lightening as the strict focus of the game, you get to play with a couple of characters for the first two hours, and then switch to another two characters for the next two hours, and then another two characters later. The fact that the game does not use EXPs any more and instead using a new Crystogen Point system that is awarded to EVERYONE in the party whether or not you played with them makes it easy to switch your characters at anytime as you will not have any overpowered character.

The main draw back of FFXIII is the absolute linearity of it, the game barely allows for any exploration except for one stage about half in the game in which you can take missions to find specific bosses and beat them to get special upgrade items. Otherwise the game is literally a navigation from point A to B in every single stage. The game also doesn’t have any secret spells, secret summons, or secret characters. I do not think that the game has much replay value as there isn’t really much that you can miss from the first round in the game – other than that open stage with missions which can always go back to if you want to, even right at the end of the game.

I still wasn’t turned off by the linearity of the game because I found the battle system fun and I enjoyed the storyline, the characters, the artwork, and the music. As somebody who does not want to spend hundreds of hours playing a single game, I am glad that I managed to see almost everything the game has to offer in go and then easily move on with my life to do something else!

I do not think that FFXIII is the best game in the series, but it is an excellent Japanese RPG with fun fast and challenging gameplay and an epic cinematic experience to go along with it.

4 out of 5

I paid a visit to the Modern Electronics shop in Sabco center the other day to check the latest games. I was greeted by the salesman with the news that God of War III, Heavy Rain and White Knight Chronicles have been banned in Oman. He told me that the ministry people came over and asked them not to sell these games or else they will be in trouble. I cant remember the last time such thing happened here. Game shops didn’t have any trouble selling God of War games before even though they were banned in the other golf countries.

I guess this is a sign that someone finally woke up and realized that a lot of the games being sold these days contain sex, nudity & extreme violence. I can totally understand why they banned God of War III and Heavy Rain but why the heck did they ban White Knight Chronicles ? I haven’t played it so if you played it please let me know if it has inappropriate contents.

This is bad news for me, I delayed my purchase of God of War III because the price of it was pretty high when it first arrived and also because I still didn’t finish God of War II, and after the ban the price went even higher and the game became rare to find. I’m close into finishing God of War II and I don’t think I’ll have the patience to wait for God of War III‘s price to come down. May god help my wallet!!

I don’t believe in banning games. If we ban mature games then we might as well ban all the R rated movies in the market. The best solution is to put strict rules that forces shops owners to follow the ESRB ratings and never sell mature games to teenagers. I know it’s not an easy thing but it’s still much better than banning the game itself. Does banning games prevent the shops from selling these banned games ? They will keep selling them but the only difference they’re not on display and also its an opportunity for them to sell it at a high price.

So I got the chance to play Heavy Rain in the past few weeks and here is what I think of the game:

Heavy Rain might be 8 hours long give or take, but I can assure you that the end result will be nothing less than satisfactory. The game starts slow but after the first few chapters it picks up pace and begins to engage you in the story. The game has a very dark atmosphere which makes it feel like a very bad dream and that’s exactly what the game aims to do. The gameplay is based on quick-time events that force you to make difficult choices leading to different outcomes. Even the small choices you make can affect the entire story and lead to a completely different ending.

The story revolves around four characters connected to each through the origami killer. I can safely say that the story Heavy Rain offers is one of the best in the video game industry and it made me feel like I was watching a proper Hollywood flick. I also liked the script and the dialogue used by the characters of the game. It may not be the best, especially if you compare it to Uncharted 2, but it’s still considered very good. The character development was remarkable and I really felt attached to the main characters. The only point I have against the story is the plot holes in-between. But I’m not sure if I can really blame it for that especially when you have a game that relies completely on your choices and can take many different paths. After all, this is a video game, not a movie.

Before its release, a lot of people were questioning Heavy Rain‘s gameplay style which is based on quick-time events. I found the controls working quite well to the point that I forgot I was controlling a character, it felt very natural to me and the choices were in my hands. Another point that played in Heavy Rain‘s advantage is the impressive graphics. You might find some flaws throughout the game like the details of the background graphic. But overall the work they did on the character models and surrounding environments was excellent. It played a big role in getting you in the atmosphere of the game. I also thought the game’s soundtrack is terrific and suits well with the game’s dark theme. The voice acting was okay but I felt that it could have been much better especially with a game that relies on the story and the dialogues.

In general, Heavy Rain is a well-made game and a must for gamers / movie lovers. The game tells a lot about the future of gaming and looking at how well Heavy Rain is doing in sales, I have a feeling this won’t be the last game in this genre.

4 out of 5

As a gamer I had a great time playing video games this year. Maybe its not the best gaming year but it  certainly was impressive. During this year we saw the return of  fighting games with Street Fighter IV, Sony Playstaion 3 awaking from its long sleep, Financial crisis casting its shadows on a number of game development studios like Pandemic and GRIN. We also witnessed the appearance of a new contender in the gaming war, the iPhone. But most importantly, lots of great video games titles were released this year on all the platforms. To sum everything up, Here is a list of the best games of 2009:

Demon’s Soul (PS3)

From Software brings an action RPG game unlike any other you have played before. Demon’s Soul is the game that will make you weep with it’s unforgiving difficulty. If you can overcome that then you are about to face a game with deep tactical combat and customization along with the amazing level designs. The game also offers some excellent and unique online features.

Street Fighter IV (PC-Xbox360-PS3)

Capcom was able to return to the roots of the series with the release of Street Fighter IV. The game offers deep gameplay and competitive online multiplayer. Whether you are a fighting game expert, a newbie, or even if you aren’t into fighting games, Street Fighter IV is worth checking out.

inFamous (PS3)

One of the best new IPs in 2009, inFamous gives  you the freedom of movement and awesome electrical powers that make you feel like a true super-hero. The combat is fast and fun. I also liked the karma system and the upgrades they were both outstanding. The fate of the city is in your hands as you can either be a real hero and save it or just be evil and destroy everything that comes in your way.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)

Playing The first Super Mario Bros. in co-op was every gamers dream. Nintendo finally made that happen with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Nintendo reminds everyone in this game that they are the masters of 2D platforming. The game offers magnificent platforming and brilliant level design. The multiplayer is fun and hilarious. the game is also very challenging unlike the previous DS version. But most importantly, the game has a nostalgic feel to it that is just amazing and will make you shed a tear easily.

Forza Motorsport 3 (XBox360)

Its a beautiful racing game with an entertaining Career Mode and an excellent online multiplayer, not to mention the selection of hundreds of cars and the varied tracks. The game also balances between simulation and arcade style to make the game playable by anyone. All of this make Forza Motorsport 3 the racing game of this generation, for now at least.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (PC-Xbox360-PS3)

This is how a Batman game should be. Batman: Arkham Asylum gives you Fun stealth gameplay with a strong story that is loyal to the comics and over the top voice acting. Its simply the best comic book game ever made.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (Nintendo DS)

Be prepared to have a hilarious time with the third and best installment in the series. Its a fun Mario RPG game with varied gameplay and hilarious dialogues .. inside Bowser.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC-Xbox360-PS3)

It is the newest phenomenon in the gaming industry. Modern Warfare 2 gives the best online multiplayer experience out there. The game also offers a short yet great single player campaign and a well made co-op mode.

Assassin’s Creed II (PC-Xbox360-PS3)

Nothing beats jumping over the artistic buildings of 15th century Italy. Unlike its predecessor, Assassin’s Creed II is an incredibly polished game with improved gameplay mechanics and a decent story. Ubisoft learned from their mistakes in the first try and gave us a masterpiece. Oh and who is a better side-kick than Leonardo Da Vinci himself.

Dragon Age: Origins (PC-Xbox360-PS3)

With its incredible story and character development, Bioware has made another great western RPG title. Dragon Age: Origins is easily the best RPG of the year

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo DS)

The sequel to Phantom hourglass proves to be an even better game than its predecessor. Join link in an adventure through brilliantly-designed dungeons, new items, innovative boss fights. The game will also take you through challenging puzzles and you will solve them with the help of princess Zelda.

Killzone 2 (PS3)

It’s the game that took everyone by surprise when it came out. Nobody thought Guerrilla would be able to match their game with the famous E3 trailer back in 2006. Killzone 2 is a great FPS shooter game that offers an action-packed campaign mode combined with stunning visuals and sound effects. It also has a remarkable online multiplayer that will keep you hooked.

Halo 3: ODST (Xbox360)

Halo is back but this time its more like an expansion than a sequel. Halo3 : ODST offers a great and unique campaign mode even though its a bit short. It also introduces a splendid new Firefight mood. This game is a must for all Halo fans.

Uncharted 2 (PS3)

Most critics and gamers agree that Uncharted 2 is the game of the year. Naughty Dog were able to turn their weak points in the previous Uncharted into powerful ones. This is a blockbuster game and an adventure you will never forget. Uncharted 2 offers brilliant combat system, remarkable voice acting, great story, incredible script, stunning graphics and smashing online multiplayer. All of this makes a thrill-ride that you will be remembering for the rest of your life.

Borderlands (PC-Xbox360-PS3)

One of the hit titles of 2009, Borderlands is a game that came out strong & unexpectedly. The FPS/RPG game offers a crazy amount of customized guns and an interesting art style. It can be crazy fun when other players join the party co-op style. And it can become a bit boring and lonely when played by a single player.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (Nintendo DS – PSP)

The handheld version of the GTA franchise is certainly up to its name. The incredible work that has been put in the game, like the great story and the varied missions along with all the new features, make this a must experience for all handheld gamers.

Left 4 Dead 2 (PC-Xbox360)

Fans went mad when Valve first announced the sequel to Left 4 Dead in such a short period instead of releasing it as downloadable content. But Left 4 Dead 2 proved them wrong and turned out to be a true sequel with its  marvelous campaigns and the new modes as well as the improved gameplay. Left 4 Dead 2 is the best co-op multiplayer experience since the first installment.

I guess that sums it up. It was truly a wonderful year. I know there are other awesome titles that I didnt include  but this is the cream of the crop.  2010 is coming up and its look like its going to be an even better year for gamers than this one.  Our poor pockets are gonna get a hard beating as well !

I’m glad to inform you that Moody Gamer is back in service, but with a different author. My name is Hussain and I’m a hardcore videogamer who loves what he does. You will learn more about me and the games that I play in my future updates. You can check out my other blog at Life in a Sketchbook and follow me on Twitter to learn more about me.

I hope that you enjoy reading this blog as much as I enjoy writing about games!

I’ll make this quick. I will be stopping posting on this blog. Hardly will it effect anyone since I haven’t blogged for some time now, in addition, whenever I did, it was few and far between posts.

So farewell

I was debating whether to write something or not, but since I have a lot of things to write, I decided to keep on going. As I promised from the previous post, here are my impressions and thoughts about the new Prince of Persia.

First thing anyone would notice from the Prince of Persia (2008) is that the Prince doesn’t sound like a prince from Persia, but rather a western dude. That aside, this new Prince of Persia game is pretty good.

It uses the same engine that powers Assassins Creed but with added Cel Shading effect to give the game its new distinctive and magical look. The animation department is pretty good as expected from a Ubisoft game, especially a Prince of Persia game.

Unlike the last Trilogy, the new Prince uses the aid of princess Elyka in this adventure. So no more messing with time element here, this is all gone since this is a different re-imagining to Prince of Persia story, so it has nothing to do with the previous Trilogy.

Story wise, the game is ok and has a very predictable story so nothing really impressive in that department.

What really is cool about the Prince of Persia, is the platforming element, which is taken to the next level, Ceiling walking anyone? Also, a departure from the last Trilogy is the more focused one-on-one fights. No more the Prince going against a dozen guards. With that, there is now more complexity to the fight and more depth to it, or so I thought. As soon as you learn the controls, all the fights are really the same, from the first mob to the last boss. There are some encounters that have some small gimmick changes to make them less repetitive which helps a bit. Also, Elyka adds some depth to those encounters. It almost transforms to some sort of reduced Soul Calibur fighting game.

Also, the game doesn’t have any kind of loading, it is one seamless world and it is very very beautifully designed. Just going through them is enjoyment on its own.

The game is moderately lengthy, you can expect 15 hours of gameplay if you aim to reach the end, or you could go and collect every sphere there is to add more length, but that is merely a small thing to keep you doing that.

All in all, this is Prince of Persia as you would expect it. Is it better than the last Trilogy? Story wise it isn’t, that is for sure. Gameplay? It can go to preference, I would say they are both great and give you different yet similar experiences.

Yes, I finally managed to get around and complete the single player portion of Command & Conquer Red Alert 3. All I can say is that it is a well done campaign with lots of variety in it. Each side boosts nine missions each can take you from as little as 20 minutes and as long as one and half hour, depending on both how you play and the mission it self.

The variety is quite nice as well, even though you have your destroy the other side in between the lines, it has been designed in a way that it really isn’t at the fore front and not direct at all. The units are also introduced quite nicely as you play along the missions and the variety is quite big that I often end up not using some of them. Not because they are useless, but rather because you can pretty much use any kind of combination of units. The secondary modes for each make the decisions even broader and less restricted.

The cut scenes are not bad, but I honestly expected alot more from a Red Alert franchise. I also hate the fact that CG cutscenes are very few. Bring back the win and lose CG cutscenes from the original Red Alert and C&C games (During Westwood days). Those made me want to win and lose each mission just to watch them.

Anyway, the game is still sitting on my desktop just because I still want to explore the MP side of the game which I really see some great fun to be had there, thanks to the very different factions and the fun units you control. Add in the fact that combat can be on land, air or sea makes it even more engaging.

On another Note, I started playing the new Prince of Persia and until now, I am liking it. I managed to manually configure my Rumblepad 2 on it but still can’t manage to get vibrations to work. That was lousy work from Ubisoft to be honest. More impressions to come soon.