Heavy Rain Review – How Far Will You Go?

March 5th, 2010 by Riddles

Heavy Rain boxartLIKED:

-Fantastic, gritty mystery drama told from multiple angles

-Character-driven, emotional drama told from multiple angles

-The ability to alter the story dramatically, and the emotional weight your decisions carry

-Control scheme that makes the actions on-screen feel like an extension of the player

DISLIKED:

-Some awful voice acting

-Lacking facial animations

-Walking

Heavy Rain is a difficult game to review.

This is because it’s almost a stretch to classify Heavy Rain as a “videogame.” These days, videogames are often referred to as “interactive films,” but Heavy Rain takes this concept to the extreme – it’s literally a ten-hour long movie. Thankfully, Heavy Rain is a pretty damned awesome movie – and its interactive nature makes it an experience you can’t quite find anywhere else.

Heavy RainGAMEPLAY

There isn’t much to say here. Heavy Rain features literally no gameplay conventions or mechanics that can be critiqued. The gameplay is the story – they’re one and the same. You’re just there to enjoy the ride, direct the characters, make important decisions, and occasionally engage in a quick-time event.

It’s a good thing, then, that the control scheme is so tightly done. Heavy Rain succeeds fantastically in making the events on-screen feel like a natural extension of yourself. For example, a very early part of the game requires you to shave. You perform this task by nudging the right control stick in the indicated directions. However, if you do it too quickly, poor Ethan will cut himself with the razor. In another example, a character’s hands are bound. How do you bust out? Shake the DualShock up and down. After a while, it becomes intuitive what controller actions are required for certain things. It feels so natural, in fact, that you’ll find yourself wincing in pain during some of the game’s more macabre moments. However, this review is spoiler free – so go play yourself if you want to know what I mean.

My sole gripe is that the simple task of walking in Heavy Rain tends to be something of a bitch. No, seriously: the walking mechanics are just bad. You walk by holding down R2 and steering with the control stick. This wouldn’t be too horrible if the control stick inputs weren’t such a crapshoot. Painfully often, you’ll find yourself walking in the complete wrong direction, missing tight corners, and other such disorientating nuisances. It’s just a very weird control scheme, and one has to wonder what possible advantages Quantic Dream thought it would have.

Hers does too.

STORYLINE

Heavy Rain is an incredibly well-written, suspenseful, and tightly-paced thriller. The scriptwriting is fantastic, with nary a sloppy sentence to be found. The world is deliciously moody and atmospheric – sure, rain is pretty much the cheapest atmosphere buff in the books, but because of its context and importance to the plot, it really, really works in Heavy Rain – more so than anywhere else. Rain is always falling, and it’s beautiful to see.

Heavy Rain tells the story of four people and their respective struggles in the mysterious case of the Origami Killer. The killer is a psychopath who drowns his victims in rainwater, and adorns their bodies with an Orchid flower and (naturally) an origami figure. Ethan Mars is a desperate father trying to save the life of his one remaining son. Madison Paige is an insomniac journalist who meets Ethan by chance. Scott Shelby is a private investigator, looking into the case of the Origami Killer on his own. Norman Jayden is a triptocaine-addicted FBI profiler, sent to aid the police in their official investigation. The four separate narratives are weaved together perfectly to form the story as a whole.

The cast is one of Heavy Rain’s strongest points. Some characters are weaker than others, yes, but they all serve a purpose in the story, and they have strong, believable personalities. My only disappointment was in the female lead, Madison Paige. She’s a strong character, yes, but by the end of the game, I felt like I still didn’t know enough about her. Ethan Mars, on the other hand, is an extremely strong and well-developed lead protagonist – you’ll feel emotionally connected to him, and his desperate quest to save his son.

scott shelbyA lot of recent games have been about “choices,” but no game executes this concept like Heavy Ran does. Sure, it may not have the cross-game world-changing decisions that, say, Mass Effect does – but I guarantee you, few other games out there will make you doubt yourself and your actions the way Heavy Rain will. This review is spoiler-free, so I can’t go into details, but I will say this: I always thought the tagline “How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love” was cheesy and melodramatic – until I played the game. Then it made sense. While playing Heavy Rain, you’ll feel like a part of the story – and you’ll feel the weight of your actions.

But Heavy Rain’s narrative isn’t perfect. In fact, it has a few rather glaring errors that keep the game from garnering that coveted perfect score. (A perfect score on Riddlethos IS coveted, right…?) My main complaint, ironically enough, is with the voice acting.

I say “ironically” because most of Heavy Rain’s voicework is quite strong. The four main characters are all very well acted, and the actors are all refreshingly new to the medium of videogames. There are no Yuri Lowenthals or Nolan Norths to be found, which helps set Heavy Rain apart, and lend it a more believable, movie-like persona.

However, Heavy Rain contrasts these strong performances with some absolutely god-damned awful performances. And, when trying to tell a story as deep and involved as Heavy Rain’s is, you cannot afford that. You just can’t. It’s okay to have a few “mehs” here and there, but Heavy Rain has entire (very pivotal) scenes ruined by voice acting that belongs to some shitty anime dub. For example, there’s not a single acceptable child actor in the entire game. Not one. Nobody expects a child character’s voice acting to be fantastic, but in Heavy Rain, it’s downright painful. And since some of the game’s most important scenes revolve around children, this is unforgivable. Also, many of the game’s characters sound like they’re either trying to imitate or speak through some sort of accent. It’s really noticeable, somewhat obnoxious, and always annoying. At the end of the day, Heavy Rain is still a well-acted game – but that’s why the parts that aren’t are so offensive.

Also, the game’s plot does teeter out near the end. Or at least, it did for me. You can get multiple endings in Heavy Rain, and mine had to have been the worst. Play it and judge for yourself, but in a nutshell: Heavy Rain spends a little too much time building up the tension, and proceeds to break it in a rather hurried, anti-climactic fashion.

Norman JaydenGRAPHICS

Heavy Rain is a pretty game. But it’s not as pretty as was promised. Remember during this year’s CES when that rep from Sony said that “graphically, [Heavy Rain] blows Uncharted 2 out of the water”? Yeah, it doesn’t.

Still, it’s a pretty game. Environments are moody, evocative, and covered in some very well-done rain/water effects. In fact, the water is some of the best I’ve seen, rivaled only by the illustrious Uncharted 2. Character models are extremely well-detailed, and in fact, Heavy Rain may rival Uncharted 2 in this regard. Animations for the characters are also very well-done, for the most part, but this brings me to my next complaint: Heavy Rain’s facial animations are very lacking. I really wish Quantic Dream would have taken the time to tighten them up a bit, because the effect of certain scenes is dampened by facial animations that lack any noticeable emotion. Again: not really a mistake that such a story-driven experience can afford to make.

SOUND

I’ve already gone over the voice acting, so there isn’t much more to say here. I suppose I can give a shout-out to the game’s soundtrack, which is very solid, though not exactly memorable. Heavy Rain is saturated with somber piano melodies, which fit the mood very well. Aside from that, there are some bombastic orchestral cues for the more high-energy sequences, and not a whole lot else. It’s more or less what we’ve come to expect from a high-profile Western release. But it is very good.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Heavy Rain is an easy recommendation to any gamer patient enough to sit back and enjoy a good yarn. It’s an emotional, character-driven experience that makes a damn good argument for videogames as a legitimate and unique form of storytelling. The game has a few imperfections that stand out, but none of them are deal-breakers. It’s one of the most unique gaming experiences in recent memory, and it’s thoroughly engaging from start to finish. Here’s hoping it doesn’t take Quantic Dream five years to release another game.

Heavy Rain - 9.0/10

God of War III: The First 30 Minutes

March 5th, 2010 by Ethos

This is from the demo... not the opening. But still...

This is from the demo... not the opening. But still...

I got the opportunity to go to a God of War III launch event today and play the first 30 minutes of the game. Not a demo, not a controlled environment, but a PS3 hooked up to a TV with the final copy of the disc inside the console. So let’s not waste any time, but get right to it while trying to stay relatively spoiler-free, but read on at your own risk.

First off, I need to say that the game is stunning visually. I mentioned this to a member of the Santa Monica studio who happened to be there. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch his name, but he worked on God of War II and III, and when I mentioned how good the game looked, he instantly told me how much more that they could do on the PS3. He almost seemed to apologize for the graphics. Let me re-iterate that, at least from these 30 minutes, this ranks in the top 3 best looking games I’ve seen on the PS3. This includes the Uncharted games. What’s even more impressive is that everything is in-engine. All cutscenes, everything. Now, that doesn’t mean it’s all real time, but nothing is CG and believe me when I tell you that that fact will surprise you during some moments.

Also from the demo. Shut up.

Also from the demo. Shut up.

The opening is, as expected, extremely epic. The first boss battle blows the Hydra and Colossus out of the water. Pun intended (you’ll see). Otherwise, this is still God of War. Magic powers seemed to be mapped to specific weapons this time which opens up interesting possibilities as way to trigger magic is also mapped to a different button, so things seem to be a bit more mixed up from a gameplay standpoint. But that’s mostly speculation at this point as I had no way to upgrade or collect new abilities or weapons from the section I played.

Still, there were a few improvements I could immediately pick up on. The Quick-Time Events that I just spent a Sunday Soapbox tearing to pieces aren’t as excruciatingly bad. The cues take place on the four corners of the screen representing the placement of the Playstation’s signature shape buttons. This makes it easier to actually watch the animation and use the peripheral to cue your fingers. It’s still a dumb mechanic, but it’s admittedly more bearable than before. The leap to the PS3 is noticeable. New animations, grander scope, more going on, and absolutely beautiful boss fights.

It was just a little taste, but while it really just is more God of War, the pretty new packaging has got me excited.

Scatter Storming. Issue #022

March 3rd, 2010 by Ethos

ss022Silly Paranoid Riddles. We all know Scatter Storming is better.

Although I do have to thank him for giving me his camera as a parting gift. Let’s get to it.

Hey, guess what? I played Heavy Rain! -
It’s true! Thanks Andogo for the loner copy. I’d even consider buying it myself, but you know I’m broke when I trade in two games (one of them Darksiders which I know I’ll re-buy) just to afford Final Fantasy XIII next week. Anyway, I think I have to slightly disagree with Riddles and say that Heavy Rain really is Quick-Time Event the game. But they are more forgiveable in this case. They branch out, and there is a degree of decision and influence in Heavy Rain that doesn’t exist in the QTE disasters of God of War. Still, after a time, although I’m thoroughly enjoying the story, I get sick of just tapping on-screen cues. But I’m sure I’ll trek my way through it if I still have a copy after I’m done with Final Fantasy XIII, God of War III, and Pokémon Soul Silver. So…hrm…that doesn’t look so optimistic anymore, but there is the added bonus of Heavy Rain looking to be relatively easy to Platinum, so we’ll see. But all that brings me to my next point…

Theme Week War -
There’s no debate that Final Fantasy XIII gets next week. Despite all the mixed buzz about it, I’m just as hyped as ever. Final Fantasy IX isn’t a fan favourite and its obviously my favourite, so I’m reserving final judgement on this one until I play it. And honesty, the big complaints about this one (linear for a long time, no towns), don’t scare me in the least. But, that leaves the following week. Riddles the Moronicus wants it to be God of War III Week. Boo-urns, who the fuck cares? I’ll play it, yeah, but he and I both agree that it’s a fun, yet vastly overrated series. Maybe not vastly, but notably. Anyway, my vote is for Pokémon Gold & Silver Week. Riddles argues that God of War is the bigger release, but I call bullshit on that! Pokémon is fucking huge and he just wants God of War because he’s never cared about handhelds or the PURE AWESOMENESS that is Pokémon. Whatta douche, what do you guys think?

Oh dear -
I have no idea why any woman has ever had any interest in me after writing a paragraph like that.

Etrian Odyssey! -
For long-time fans of Ethos (I’m sure there are many), I used to write reviews for RPGamer.com. The first one I wrote for a new release was Etrian Odyssey II. This was a game I never would have played otherwise, and a game that literally everybody I talked to on staff warned me about. I ended up loving the game and almost bought a used copy the other week. In fact, I only didn’t because of the previously mentioned broke situation. But after going for my occasional browse of RPG-related news, I stumbled upon art for Etrian Odyssey III. Huzzah! I didn’t even know it was coming. This is now officially on my radar. If they can keep up all the awesome without making it dissolve at the end like last time, then it could even be on the top of my lists for the year.

That’s all. Go home.

Hey! Look! Listen!

March 2nd, 2010 by Riddles

HLLfinal

It looks like we’re back on a sort of regular-ish schedule here at Riddlethos.com. Aside from the part where the new theme week didn’t start until today.

But hey, at least HLL is here! Right? Everyone loves HLL, right? It’s better than Scatter Storming, right?

RIGHT?

EH?

Before I single-handedly destroy my own ego, we shall get started.

infinity-ward-logoActivision and Infinity Ward Are No Longer Friends

Well, I suppose I should rephrase that: Vince Zampella and Jason West, to two heads of Modern Warfare 2 developer Infinity Ward, are no longer friends with Activision. And, because of that, they’re no longer employees of Infinity Ward. Even more interesting than that, however, is that Activision has filed an SEC suite against Infinity Ward, investigating “breaches of contract and insubordination by two senior employees at Infinity Ward.”

You’ll notice that the above paragraph is rather short on details. This is because there aren’t many details to be had at the moment. What we know for sure is that neither Zampella or West are employed at Infinity Ward any longer (according to their respective Linked In profiles) and that Activision indeed filed the SEC suit. What happened to prompt such a lawsuit, and why did IW’s two big cheeses leave? Nobody knows. Kotaku is currently doing its best to stay abroad of the situation.

ps3fatSay What…? Apparently the PS3 Fat Was Having some Issues, All Better Now

This one kinda went under the radar for me, mostly because it didn’t affect me, because I have a PS3 Slim.

But apparently, owners of the PS3 Fat fell victim to what Sony is calling an “internal clock bug” yesterday, and because of this, many trophy-enabled PS3 games did not function correctly. Or… something.

Here’s the gist of it: the internal clock on many PS3 Fats reset themselves to January 1, 2000. Supposedly, this was because the PS3 fat was programmed to recognize 2010 as a leap year.

Well, after this automatic reset occurred, whenever owners of the Fat attempted to go online, they were greeted with the dreaded “8001050F Error Message.” And, on top of that, certain trophy-enabled games couldn’t even be played offline  - players were given the same error code, along with a message that said “Registration of the trophy information could not be completed. The game will quit.”

Anyway. As much as I’m sure that sucked for many people, it’s over now. Sony posted on the official PlayStation blog that it has been “resolved,” and if your time still isn’t right, feel free to adjust it.

Sounds so deliciously exciting. I’m sorry I missed out on it. (Kotaku)

wpid-Verizon-DROID-Eris_PhotoApple Sues HTC For Infringing on iPhone Patents

Perhaps by now, you’ve heard of HTC. They are, after all, the ones manufacturing phones utilizing the relatively new Android Operating System, such as the Droid Eris (the slightly watered-down version of Motorola’s Droid) and the upcoming Nexus One from Google.

Anyway. They’re one of the few players who are challenging Apple’s iPhone right now, so it hardly comes as a surprise that Apple is trying to sue them. Apparently HTC has infringed on over 20 of Apple’s patents, including multi-touch technology and other such nonsense. If you wanna know more of the specifics, check out this article on PC Magazine.com.

For drama’s sake, here’s a quote from Apple’s Chief Executive, Steve Jobs:

“We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it,” Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, said in a statement. “We’ve decided to do something about it. We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

PREACH IT, MR JOBS!

Nah, actually, this kinda stinks of a dominant player in the smartphone market trying to stamp out competition before it becomes competition. And I say that with little to no evidence supporting me. It’s just my gut reaction.

space-invadersPeople are Trying to Make a Space Invaders Movie

No, really. They are. Or, Warner Bros. is, to be exact. They are currently in talks with Taito to purchase film rights for everyone’s favorite arcade classic.

This is so ridiculous that I’m not even going to exert the effort necessary to say that it’s ridiculous.

Except I already did. Fuck. Oh well. If the movie ever does happen, then it will (reportedly) be produced by Mark Gordon, Jason Blum and Guymon Casady. Gordon was involved with Saving Private Ryan. Blum produced Paranormal Activity. I don’t care what Guymon Casady did. His name is sketchy. (Kotaku)

500x_codActivision Has Plans for Call of Duty

Rather than commenting on the juicy Infinity Ward rumors, Activision has taken the sneaky way out, and outlined their grand new business model for their immensely popular Call of Duty franchise.

Activision intends to form a Call of Duty “Business Unit,” which will “bring together its various new brand initiatives with focused, dedicated resources around the world.” The focus will be on “high-margin digital online content and further the brand as the leading action entertainment franchise in new geographies, new genres and with new digital business models.”

Sounds pretty heavy. But they didn’t talk all business jargon – they confirmed that a Call of Duty game developed by Treyarch (responsible for Call of Duty 3, and 2008’s World at War) will be released in 2010. In 2011, another CoD game from an unnamed developer will be released. And, furthermore, another CoD title will be developed by the upstart Sledgehammer Games, a studio headed by Dead Space creative leads Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey. Reportedly, Sledgehammer’s take on CoD will “extend the franchise into the action-adventure genre.”

Wait… really? I mean, uh. That could be cool? Iunno. All I can think about is the fact that one of my (newly) favorite franchises is well on its way to being transformed into an Activision cash-whore.

I mean, I guess that’s what it was before. In a way. But you know what I mean. Right?

New Metroid: Other M Cinematic Trailer Looks Dumb

I’m sorry, but it does. I mean, I guess I can sorta get behind this dramatic, story-driven new direction that Nintendo is taking with the Metroid franchise. Really, I can, because it would be great to get to know Samus a little more intimately. (Not that way.)

But if that’s what they’re gonna do, then the writing had better be good. Like, really damn good. Better than it is in this ridiculous, melodramatic, gameplay-devoid trailer.

Anyway. Now that I’ve torn the trailer to pieces. Enjoy it!

And that, as they say, is that. I’m off to play more Heavy Rain. ‘Till next time!

Welcome to… This Week!

March 2nd, 2010 by Riddles
Special thanks to whoever made this.

Special thanks to whoever made this.

We’re such oddballs here at Riddlethos.com.

This week, (March 5 to be precise) Ubisoft will finally release Assassin’s Creed II for the PC. Good news for the twelve people who will buy it, right? Wrong. With Assassin’s Creed II, Ubisoft is rolling out a brand-spankin-new DRM (Digital Rights Management) safety measure.

In order to play Assassin’s Creed II on the PC, you’ll need an internet connection. Furthermore, you’ll have to be connected to Ubisoft’s servers at all times while playing the game. Creepy, eh?

Oh, and if you’re disconnected from the internet for any reason, at any time, you’ll be thrown back to the menu screen.

To say the least, it seems like this new DRM may be a deterrent to people who live in countries with large expanses devoid of internet. Like, say, North America. Also, Ubisoft is not my big brother, so they don’t always need to be watching.

In honor of Ubisoft’s stellar efforts to further the cause of big, money-grubbing companies that criminalize their customers, and of draconian DRM measures that will serve only to increase piracy, This Week is Copy Protected.

It’s Coming, It’s Coming

March 2nd, 2010 by Riddles

The new theme week I mean. I have to design a banner. And given the nature of the theme week, it’s a little, uh… difficult?

Let’s just say it’s hard to graphically interpret the theme of the week.

See, now I have you all psyched out and thinking this week’s going to be a big deal, when really, it’s not.

Ahem. Anyway. Until I grind this mofo out, enjoy my awesome/overstaying Heavy Rain banner.

It is awesome, right?

Impressions: Heavy Rain

March 1st, 2010 by Riddles

heavy-rain-1Heavy Rain is one hell of a ride.

I couldn’t think of a better way to start, because Heavy Rain is somewhat… unique. That being the case, it’s hard to discuss it and/or critique it through traditional methods. As you all know, there is very little actual “gameplay” in Heavy Rain. It’s one big interactive movie that you control through contextual button-presses and quick time-ish events.
That may sound utterly unappealing, but Heavy Rain is never dull -  it just requires a more open-minded player who is ready to experience a deep and involving storyline. Those who seek ball-to-the-walls action need not apply.

So, what is it that makes Heavy Rain so much fun to play? The storyline and the characters, and the way that you, as a player, affect how things unfold. Heavy Rain is a first-rate thriller that mixes gritty detective drama with more personal, human themes that run deep. Four separate story threads are woven together seamlessly to create a cinematic and emotional adventure that you won’t be able to tear yourself away from.

Caution – minor spoilers may follow. (And I promise they are indeed minor.)

This guy's life sucks.

This guy's life sucks.

Heavy Rain opens very slowly, introducing you to the character Ethan Mars and his family. You literally spend the first two hours or so performing mostly mundane tasks, such as setting dinner tables, helping your son with homework, and reheating pizza in the microwave. As dull as this sounds, you’ll soon realize how important this leisurely introduction is to connecting us with Ethan Mars and his trials throughout the course of the game. And this is true for all similarly “normal” or slow portions of the game – it’s all for the sake of developing a strong cast of characters, and Heavy Rain succeeds brilliantly in this regard.

But you certainly don’t spend all of your time in Heavy Rain nuking leftovers. There are more intense scenarios to be experienced. For example, there are fight scenes which can end in a variety of different ways, depending on your performance. There are detective sequence that see you piecing together clues left behind by the enigmatic Origami Killer. There are sequences that will make you perform decidedly painful or disturbing tasks – such as crawling through a maze laced with broken glass.

Hers does too.

Hers does too.

And yes, a lot of these scenarios are laced together through quick-time events. However, these are far, far more forgivable than they are in, say, God of War. (See Ethos’ Sunday Soapbox below). For one, most actions in the game aren’t done through “quick-time.” Slower, more deliberate actions require more deliberate contextual actions, simply requiring you to hold down certain buttons or clicking the control stick in the right direction. So, to call Heavy Rain “QTE, The Game” isn’t an accurate statement any way you slice it. The actual quicktime events feel appropriately integrated and fun, instead of random and out-of-place. Also, when you miss a cue in one of Heavy Rain’s QTEs, you aren’t presented with a messy death animation and a loading screen. Instead, the events play out differently depending on how well you follow the button prompts. Heavy Rain’s control scheme succeeds brilliantly in making you, the player, feel immersed in the role of each character. Certain sequences will, for lack of a better term, make you feel their pain. Literally.

Heavy Rain is not a game to be missed, so long as you’re the type who can enjoy a slightly higher-concept, story-driven adventure. I’ll be completing the game and reviewing it with my full thoughts soon.

WEEK EXTENSION NOTICE

March 1st, 2010 by Riddles

heavy-rain-1Loyal readers,

Let it henceforth be known that Riddlethos.com’s Heavy Rain week will be extended by ONE (1) day. A new theme week will debut Tuesday.

I will NOT let Andogo outshine me on the Heavy Rain about-writing this week.

I will not.

Thank you, that is all. Heavy Rain impressions coming later.

Sunday Soapbox: Accepted Idiocy

March 1st, 2010 by Ethos

If you all keep up with the best feature on the entire site, Scatter Storming, you’ll know that I just (basically) started and finished the God of War Collection version of God of War 2 over the past few days. I’m not going to revisit my impressions, but know that they were generally quite positive.

god-of-war-collection-funI give that warning because the issues I have with the God of War series rattle me to my core as a gamer. God of War 2 ups the ante with better puzzles, better environments while maintaining its deep combat, but then beats the player over the head with absolutely inane mechanics. I understand that there needs to be a visual response to prove that Kratos is a badass, but holding the R1 button to watch a short treasure chest opening animation sets the mood without the necessity to button-mash just to open most of the doors. Hastening the inevitable arrival of arthritis to my hands really doesn’t make me feel like Kratos is really strong, but just cramps my hand and makes me really annoyed. There isn’t a single thing about the mechanic that adds anything to the experience. It’s not thematically relevant, it doesn’t require skill, it doesn’t require choice, it doesn’t add depth to the story or mood, it’s just flat out annoying as shit. I’m aware that the timing is a factor in some time-based puzzles, but there are better ways – that the game actually employs on occasion – to add an intense finale to such a type of puzzle.

god-of-war-collection-colossusIf that’s not bad enough, the series decides to maintain its absolutely idiotic quick-time event mechanic. It needs to go, no question. Especially because the second game actually has better boss fights that require some thinking to defeat, so there’s more to them than just slashing away on easy mode. That should be the sort of trial and error that large battles require: educated guesses on how to find a clever way to the boss’ weak spot. Definitely NOT missing a quick button press or mash resulting in instant death and a rematch. After using skill and deductive thinking to defeat an enemy, it is counter intuitive to rest the outcome on a semi-randomly generated quick-time event. Darksiders got it right when after a well-fought battle, you were treated to a God of War-esque brutal kill animation, except that it was a reward. You were able to actually watch the kill play out and feel like you earned it, not be too focused on goddamn mother fucking quick time events to appreciate the awesomeness of the sequence.

The strange thing is that God of War seems to be praised for popularizing this “technique”. Chris Roper of IGN’s review of the second game mentions the switch to the circle button instead of R1 for opening doors, but doesn’t cite either as a detriment to the gameplay, and there isn’t even a cautionary mention in the closing comments or subscore summaries. Just because the rest of the game is really well put together does not excuse such asinine mechanics. I will go as far to say that it is the anti-gaming mechanic.

Well that’s it for my first Sunday Soapbox. It’s fun to let my already annoyingly strong opinions loose!

Hey! Look! Listen!

February 27th, 2010 by Riddles

HLLfinal

I’m baaaaaack!

Or, HLL is back, I should say. I feel like it’s been weeks since I sat down and wrote one of these things… and that’s probably because it has been. We did have the debut of the Audio Edition last Tuesday, if you recall (I’m sure it’s impossible to forget, as much as you’d probably like to) but HeyLookListen started as a written column, and those will never go away.

Now, will we see more audio editions in the future? Well, I can’t give any specifics at the moment (largely because I don’t know them myself) but I think it’s safe to say that you haven’t heard the last of HLL.

Get it? Heard the last? I’m implying that, y’know… there’ll be more audio editions.

Anyway. Let’s get on with it.

SamusMetroid: Other M Demoed, Dated

Nice. I’ve always been a strange breed of Metroid fan, but a fan nonetheless. I really love Metroid Prime 1+2, but I never did get into 3. I played Super Metroid all the way up to Ridley’s lair, and then for some reason, stopped playing forever. And that’s the extent of my Metroid experience.

We haven’t heard shit about Other M for almost a solid year until now, and it’s looking like a day one purchase for me. The concept intrigued me when it was first unveiled, and after reading through the slew of impressions now floating around the interwebs, I’m all but sold. For once, it looks like Nintendo is doing something very, very different, and that alone is enough to interest me.

For your convenience, I’ve provided links to gushy, fanboyish impressions from IGN (in which Matt Casamassina literally quotes all the dialog from the demo) as well as slightly more objective impressions from Kotaku. Both, however, seem to love the game. Other M has been confirmed for a June 27 release date in North America. Can’t wait.

And who knows, maybe I’ll finish up Prime 3 for posterity’s sake before then.

mediaMario Galaxy 2 Demoed, Dated

Hey, this headline is the same as the last one… except it’s Mario Galaxy 2 instead of Metroid.

I suppose I could have mentioned the fact that the Nintendo Media Summit just took place. Hence these two announcements. I’ve really never had much interest in Mario games of any kind, but Galaxy 2 is looking pretty sweet. For a Mario game. And that’s my educated opinion, after watching the trailer and not reading these Kotaku impressions I’m about to link you to. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve also provided the newest trailer for the game below.

Oh, and uh… here’s the boxart.

UR MI AY...? Whut? "UR MR GAY" was so much more straightforward.

UR MI AY...? Whut? "UR MR GAY" was so much more straightforward.

ffxiiiFinal Fantasy XIII is an 18 GB Install on 360

That’s between all three discs, naturally. Ve3tro.com was nice enough to provide exact sizes for all three discs:

  • Disc 1: 5.9GB
  • Disc 2: 5.8GB
  • Disc 3: 6.6GB

18.3 GB in total. Of course, it’s entirely optional to install. And it’s worth noting that the PS3 version sizes in at about 38 GB, so it literally more than twice the size of its 360 counterpart. And it’s all on one disc, too! Oh, the beauty of Blu-Ray.

heavy-rain-1New Line Optioned Heavy Rain Film

And, in fact, it’s technically still an “option,” as it were. Waaay back in 2006/2007, New Line Cinema (y’know, the people who distributed the Lord of the Rings movies) filed a “Short Form Option” for Quantic Dreams’ Heavy Rain. All this really means is that they have the option to make one, should such a thing be feasible. It has no financial contracts therein. The filing was discovered by internet sleuth Superannuation.

So really, this is nothing at all to get worked up about, just an interesting bit of trivia. And also a reminder that development on Heavy Rain really did start a looong time ago… now that I think about it, I do seem to remember the game being shown off before the PS3 had even been released. It’s been a long time coming.

On that note, I apologize for the complete lack of Heavy Rain-related content on Riddlethos this week. It’s been a little difficult, getting back from 8 days in Toronto and readjusting to normalcy. But I promise to have something written and posted before this week ends. Look for it!