What is your malfunction, Mister?

So the word came out. Batman:Arkhum Asylum was on sale over at Games For Windows Live. The bargain price of $12 for a game still selling at near the original published price after being released in December 2009.

Two things ran through my mind; the few interactions I've had with Games For Windows Live (GFWL) and the possibility of downloading from a source that doesn't have the best reputation on the internet.

My interactions with GFWL was limited to the interference felt in Gears of War and Dawn of War 2. The pulsing box and message reminding me that GFWL was only the press of a button away may have been put there for convenience but  what it meant to me was the gaming division of microsoft was lurking around somewhere in the cyberbackground of my game.

I had been the picture of patience with Batman: Arkham Asylum, refusing to pay full price for a game that wouldn't live beyond the first play-through. And while the offer from GFWL was very tempting, the world of direct downloads is  dark and mysterious place. Money is given and aside from a download link, there is nothing to show for your hard earned money, wisked away in an electronic transaction.

I mentally assured myself it was Microsoft for heavens sake, how terrible or risky could it be?

Working my way through the different screens, I tried to remember login's and passwords that had been typed in the rushed excitement of conquering another planet in the role of a space marine or eliminating the Locust Horde.

The interface was nice, and the whole thing moved along quite nicely. That is until the downloading started.

This impression is given without any exact facts or statistics, I don't know how big the file was that needed to be downloaded. As with most things, it was mixed in with real life and the exact details get lost in the overal flow of things. Nor did I start a timer when the download kicked off. But I came away feeling it took so much longer than any game bought on the popular digital distributor, Steam.

At least three-quarters of my games are from Steam, and while I'm an old time gamer who misses the excitement and joy of buying the box, running home and loading up a newly bought game to take my latest gaming adventure, practicality of the new age has won me over.

I can reformat my hard drive, update my computer hardware and not worry about having all the game DVD's and serial numbers at hand. One software download to install the Steam inteface on the latest incarnation of my gaming computer and viola, I have my games ready to go.

Looking back, I was fortunate real life distracted me from the slow download. After coming back from an evening of family obligations, the game was only at 93% completed, and although not mathematically possible, the last 7% surely took longer than the rest.

Once the game was finally on my hard drive, it only seemed a matter of time before wits would be matched with the Joker and wearing clothes so tight it was obvious I was confident with my sexuality. But that wasn't accounting for GFWL and the cryptic microsoft error codes. For whatever reason, the game wouldn't install. After following the support screens from GFWL and Microsoft (they quickly become intermingled) and another download later, the game wouldn't install again.

I switched off my computer in disgust.

Even as I dreaded the call to Microsoft support to find out where my $12 game was, the thought of just waiting until I buy the game in a more guaranteed manner did cross my mind. So it was with curious interest I noticed the icon for Batman; Arkham Asylum on my start menu. But having been teased by Microsoft in the past with half-installed products, there was only a hint of hope it would work when I clicked it.

The game started.

To be fair, the demo fairly represented the final game with the scenes that were included giving a familiar air to the finished product, finally playing out before me. Sure the game is 'so console' I wanted to look for the X, 0 and triangle on my keyboard, but taking the mantle of the Dark Knight in the moody halls of a Gotham landmark made up for any key punching, power-ups and incessant on-screen tips.

While this game isn't going to make it onto the replay list, playing through the Rocksteady creation will certainly be fun and something to look forward too.

The same can't be said for GFWL.

The crossroads of enjoyment and enlightenment

Firstly, I have never necessarily followed popular opinion for PC games. If I enjoy a title, its because I genuinely enjoy playing it with no amount of wonderful reviews or awards of 'Editors Choice' coloring my opinion.

Sure, they may loosen the wallet initially to buy the game, but once a few hours of in-game time have been put under the belt, my opinion is pretty much formed. And that opinion may, and usually does fall somewhere between 'awesome' and 'why did I even buy this?'.

Show me someone who swears a game is perfect and I'll show you a 'fan-boy'.

So it wasn't surprising that I stood my ground against the different detractors of Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising since buying the game when it was released late last year. Understanding the need to play the game on hardcore to get the gaming experience desired, I argued its positive points against those who claimed ARMA 2 was the Holy Grail of the easily thrown around title of 'military simulation'. The more extreme supporters of ARMA 2 would effectively claim anyone who owned OF:DR should delete the game, burn the disc and damn the very souls of the developers who dared to soil the hallowed name of Operation Flashpoint.

Indeed, they're passion flowed with such vehemence that they trolled OF:DR forums, responding to those who wanted tips on playing the games with helpful advice such as 'uninstall it' or 'why did you waste your money on this piece of ****'.

The game certainly has drawbacks, but no game comes to mind that I'm not playing but still takes me to the respective forums to lambast it further than an opinion when asked.

Interestingly, I own ARMA 2 as well and would point out that where as I could get into and fight my way through the different levels of OF:DR, the same couldn't be said about ARMA 2 which barely managed to collect an afternoon's worth of play time.

One of the complaints about Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising I couldn't understand was that of the distance detail. When first playing the game, everything appeared fine to me.

Now however, we can safely say I've run a mile in the complainers combat boots. The problem arose with a new monitor which took me from an old resolution of 1650 x 1050 to 1920 x 1080 and away my distant trees and foliage in OF:DR. Because the game is so badly designed in the options menu, I can't force it to show the distant detail.

Will this new view make me line up with the others upset at OF:DR? No. Will I stop playing the game? Nope. Where as I may have considered the game a 7.5 or 8, its now a 6 or 7. But its still great for a small squad based first person shooter with interesting missions.

But what is more interesting to this collection of events, is the new interest in ARMA 2. That too was bought when released, but the demanding game, both in hardware requirements and detailed game play kept this casual gamer away. Certainly my once high-end gaming rig can still handle the higher settings of ARMA 2, but the same can't be said for the aging gamer's brain trying to work through the complex controls and commands.

Patches have been released to address some of the annoying bugs and my tactics to get into the game have changed from a full-frontal assault on the campaign to a flanking manuever by working through the single player stand alone missions. Both of which have multiplied my time in the game over the weekend compared to the prior months of owning it.

My conclusions and comparisons between the two games?

Oddly enough, the AI in ARMA is dumber than that of OF:DR. And though commands can be issued while still moving in ARMA 2 compared to freezing the player in place in OF:DR, they are so multi-leveled in the former that you have to stop anyway to complete the order. So just as I get used to finding the right, safe spot to order my squad in OF:DR, I'll do the same for ARMA 2. Understanding the frustration of looking off into a single texture distance in OF:DR, the NPC faces reforming as they come into view in ARMA 2 kind of ruins the atmosphere just as much.

For a quick run through a small-based first person shooter, OF:DR for all its flaws will be booted up first. But when I want a challenging 'military simulator' with amazing terrain, ARMA 2 is a natural choice.

And sadly, its that reasoning and understanding that appears to be missing from those enthusiastic gamers trolling the forums to give their unabashed, positive feedback.

Logitech love

Somewhere a Logitech executive is counting his would-be bonus. Shareholders of the peripheral manufacturing company are wondering why the Logitech stocks have shot up.

Look no further than at yours truly and a spending spree in a gaming computer make-over. Even as I've been putting together the shopping list of the next computer build, my search for a new joystick had me in the peripheral aisle. Not good.

Through some inexplicable black magic, and maybe a little bit of peripheral lust, I was walking out with the new Logitech G500 gaming mouse and something that has really impressed me, the G13 'Advanced gameboard'.

Its really a fancy version of Belkin's Nostromo N52, something I feel no gamer should be without. These game pads are basically a smaller keypad with the keys perfectly laid out to fit gamers fingers and thumb, all of which are programmable. I have used the N52 and its predecessor pretty much since I've been playing computer games. Keys are and can be configured to have the same actions at the same place for every game. Sure you can (usually) reprogram the keyboard in the game's option menu to do the same thing. The challenge with that has been when you change 'E' to 'use item' the game might use 'E' for sprinting. Now you have to reprogram that.

Not sure what caught my eye and made me want to part with $70 for the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard. Sure it has a pretty LCD display and there are more keys than the N52. But you're not looking at the LCD display while playing and more keys mean you can a) accidently hit the wrong one while playing or b) look down to see which key to press while playing and disregarding the whole reason for having it in the first place!

But as soon this new puppy was plugged in, I was pretty much sold. The LCD display can give an array of info, game stats, ram and processor usage and according to the manual, messages from other players. Call me whipped, but the feature it has been set on in the short time of ownership is the clock function. I can't remember the number of times losing hours in a game has gotten me in trouble.

The color of the display and keys can be changed to any color in the spectrum and macros are easily programmed.

The key assignments are kept in the G13 so theorically you can take your playing preferences with you from PC to PC.

Other highlights;

25 programmable keys
Backlit keys
Programmable mini-joystick

The last point is the most intriguing. By default the mini-joystick replaces the WASD keys, leaving a whole four fingers available for a variety of death moves and game-changing manuevers. Still have to get my mind and reflexes around the idea of not using a WASD set up.

I literally just loaded up the drivers and plugged it in last night, so more thoughts and posts may come about with more gaming hours under the G13 belt.

Regardless, my desk looks like a Logitech show room. The G500 replaced my G5. Why? Based on all the reviews Logitech had made all the improvements in this G series of gaming mice that appealed to what I want in a mouse. Also, a mouse pad was never used with the G5 and for whatever reason a bunch of stuff accumulated and stuck to the bottom of it. Does a gamer really need any more excuses than that to buy a new mouse?

Finally, after a whimsical purchase of a Logitech Ultra-thin Illuminated Keyboard about a year ago for another computer in the house, I saw one on the shelves at Best Buy and snapped it up for the gaming computer. Its not designed necessarily for gaming, but the soft-touch keys feels perfect to me. Love the illumination on the keyboard and its of a slim design with a transparent bezel makes it look sharp!

Oddly enough, while I was writing this blog I popped over to Newegg to see what buyers thought of the keyboard there, and many seem to echo my feelings about it being perfect for gaming as well as everyday computer use. I guess its the worst kept secret.

The reason I snapped it up though, its really hard to find in stores, at least around here. So after the keyboard, mouse and gaming pad (all Logitech) I'm left with the same problem I had before. No joystick.

Go figure.

Offline means out of luck for Assassins Creed 2

Have you ever read something that obviously carries some huge ramifications but you're not quite sure how big or even how you should react?

This is where I am with the recent news regarding the extent Ubisoft is going to for its upcoming PC version of Assassins Creed 2. According to a brutally honest article at CVG the latest Assassins Creed game will not only require PC gamers to have an internet connection to load the game initially but to play it as well.

According to Tom Francis and his hands on experience with a pre-release version of the game, 'If you get disconnected while playing, you're booted out of the game. All your progress since the last checkpoint or savegame is lost, and your only options are to quit to Windows or wait until you're reconnected.'

Francis quite rightly concludes, 'Even if everyone in the world had perfect internet connections that never dropped out, this would still mean that any time Ubisoft's 'Master servers' are down for any reason, everyone playing a current Ubisoft game is kicked out of it and loses their progress.'

There are a few reasons this is still bouncing back and forth in my undecisive brain.

Understanding the birthmark the red-headed step children, aka PC gamers, bear in the gaming community is the ugly 'pirate' word, DRM (Digital Rights Management, the term given for steps taken to prove that game in your computer is the genuine article) will always be out there in some form or another. But when it infringes on the very ability to play a single player experience in such a dramatic fashion, then a more serious consideration needs to be given.

Also, consoles tend to be as wired to the internet as thier PC cousins but I haven't heard of any intentions to make this mandatory in those worlds.

Finally and certainly the biggest concern over this latest news, this is reportedly going to be the standard DRM system for all Ubisoft games. With the company being so large and buying so many smaller developers, trying to avoid Ubisoft games could leave a huge hole in the gaming library.

As they say in the best ongoing stories......to be continued....

Absolutely free Command and Conquer?

Taking the industry trend of including old stuff to sell new titles, EA is giving away Command and Conquer, Red Alert Tiberian Sun and Tiberian Sun: Firestorm.

While many game developers and distributors have discounted, packaged and bundled their freebie way to increased sales, EA is just giving away the games on it's Command and Conquer 4 dedicated website.

No gimmicks, no subscriptions, just download the zipped file (rar in this case) and play the classic, again or for the first time.

The advertising guru's at EA are surely banking on a few things. Firstly, by visiting the Command and Conquer 4 dedicated website they are guaranteed exposure to every frugal gamer looking for a free title. Secondly, by bringing Command and Conquer fans looking to relive past glories, they can ensure everyone knows this is reportedly the last in the long series of the title that made RTS what is has become today.

Nostalgia is a strong selling tool and being there for a finale even more so.

While many can point to 'Dune 2' as the game that brought about the way the general public would play Real Time Strategy games, Westwood's Command and Conquer's first appearance on the shelves back in 1995 is widely accepted as the grandfather to the genre.

Between the free games and the recent appeals and efforts towards PC gamers with Battlefield; Bad Company 2, many who had condemned EA as the big bad corporation killing all they knew and loved about gaming must be wondering about now.

GR PC Players RTB Roger, Roger

Either the best things come to those who wait, or the humble PC player has been snubbed.

Again.

In an announcement of the latest Ghost Recon edition, Future Soldier, Ubisoft's senior community developer Kimi Matsuzaki said both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions are confirmed. PC's, hmmmm, we'll get back to you on that.

And, as if to single out the red-headed stepchild in the cyber-room, Ubisoft also said they have a Wii, DS and PSP version of the game planned, but no PC.

Rightly or wrongly, PC gamers and especially the followers of the Ghost Recon series can be quite vocal about what features are included, AI and technical issues console players never appear to think twice about. Has this verbal ferociousness managed to get PC gmare un-invited from the party?

Console players won't have time to give us there input on the matter. They'll be too busy playing Xbox 360 version of Splinter Cell: Conviction to get access to the Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.

Future Soldier is being developed by Ubisoft's Paris studio and is already set for a Q4 2010 release, with an apparent hope to get a slice of the Christmas crowds.

Loveless relationships (Mass Effect 2 Spoilers)

Anyone who has glanced at this blog may know I never played the original Mass Effect until about a month before the much hyped release of the sequel Mass Effect 2. The original idea was to see if I liked the RPG/action feel of the game leaving time to buy ME2.

Somewhere between the period where I was still looking for my happy place in ME and the amazing trailers for ME2, bang (!) I found myself as the new an improved Sheppard in an updated Normandy the day the sequel's release.

And I'm still not finding my groove.

Sure I've flirted with the ladies, got drunk with the Doc and even shook my thing with some strange alien in a run-down mining colony, but the game hasn't lit the passions yet. Even while playing the game, in the back of my mind, I'm trying to reason why the game jasn't kicked in for this old gamer.

It's certainly not from lazy game development. The graphics look amazing, the design of the game appears incredibly open-ended and enough people are raving about it in the various forums.

Maybe its the little things that lose any possible passion for me. Navigating across the galaxies feels like playing a prettier version of asteriods, but instead of a limitless triangle I'm piloting a fuel hungry spaceship. When seeing the galaxy map for the first few times, I wondered why they had fuel depots everywhere. Although I don't remember Sulu pulling over for gas every other trip or seeing fuel canisters bungied to the Milennium Falcon, The Normandy is obviously a thirsty beast.

When I visited the crash site of the original Normandy, collecting dog tags reminded me of Gears of War, just a lot more boring. There was definitely the idea of a very moving mission, but it was lost in the presentation.

Flirting is fun, that is until you run out of the conversation tree and then your left with the stiff, "I'd better be going" from Sheppard, that smooth talking devil.

While inventory and character maintenance seemed intimidating in the first game, I keep looking for more options in the sequel with this horrible feeling I'm missing something.

The wonderful moments are enough to keep me coming back for one more shot though. Having the room tilting after I finished drinking with the doc made me laugh out loud. Getting slipped a mickey at the bar was a funny surprise. Who knew I'd waste the bartender though.

The story certainly is intriguing to warrant roaming through a few more galaxies. I just have to make sure I have enough gas.

2K humor

You have to love a game developer with a sense of humor.

While the 'uber-edition' may have been cancelled, the special edition has certainly caught my eye. Normally not a big fan of special editions, including a record, huge art book and all the design thoughtfulness that appears to have gone in the package is impressive.

This is what you get;

•Vinyl 180g LP with BioShock orchestral score

•Audio CD with BioShock 2 orchestral score

•Three vintage Rapture advertisement posters (rolled)

•BioShock 2 Art Book, 164 pages and hardcover

•BioShock 2 game
 

 

 
May have to make my way to a GameStop next week.

We've got movement!

SEGA has sent word that an online multiplayer demo for Aliens vs Predator will be released simultaneously on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and STEAM tomorrow February 4th. The multiplayer demo will deliver the chance to play as all three species – the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien – and go head-to-head in Deathmatch mode on Refinery, one of the game’s multiplayer maps.

“The team at Rebellion has created a truly immersive multiplayer experience with three completely different and compelling playable species. We believe that Aliens vs Predator offers gamers a unique alternative to the current FPS multiplayer games on the market, and sets a precedent for the evolution of multiplayer gaming in the genre,” said Gary Knight, European Marketing Director of SEGA Europe.

“Multiplayer was a huge part of our original AVP game back in 1999, and we’ve kept the spirit of that classic experience in creating the multiplayer for our new Aliens vs Predator. With the demo now gamers can get to grips with each of the three iconic species so they can hone their skills and be ready for when the game launches and battle commences,” said Jason Kingsley, CEO and Creative Director of Rebellion.

Speaking of the original game, it appeared to have become a surprise hit when made available on the digital download websites such as Steam.

The latest edition of Aliens vs Predator is an entirely new title for PC and high-definition consoles from acclaimed British developer Rebellion, the team behind the 1999 original PC gaming classic.

Bringing the most intense war between two of science-fiction’s most popular characters FPS fans, AvP delivers three outstanding single player campaigns and provides untold hours of unique 3-way multiplayer gaming.

Experience distinctly new and thrilling first person gameplay as you survive, hunt and prey in the deadly jungles and swamps surrounding the damned colony of Freya’s Prospect.

- As the Marine, you’ll experience a claustrophobic and terrifying experience where light is your friend, but there’s never enough. However, the United States Marine Corps are humanity’s last line of defence, and as such they are armed to the teeth with the very latest in high explosive and automatic weaponry.

- As the Predator, you will stalk from the shadows and from above, passing athletically through the treetops to ambush your victims. Although equipped with an array of powerful, exotic weapons and tracking equipment, honour ultimately dictates that you must get in close and take your trophies face to face.

- As the most deadly species in the universe, the Alien offers you the chance to play as the very stuff of nightmares - the monster in the dark swarming forward with countless others, jaws like a steel trap and claws like blades.

- Play all sides off against each other in a series of unique 3-way online modes and go tooth-to-claw-to-pulse rifle in the reinvention of one of multiplayer gaming’s defining moments.
Aliens vs Predator is set to be released on 360, PS3, and PC on February 16th in America and February 19th in Europe.

BioShock 2 - Midnight release, pre-order bonuses and new game trailer

2K is moving with the lumbering focus of its legendary Big Daddy for the February 9th release date of BioShock 2.

Harkening back to the excitement of midnight purchases at good old fashioned retail stores, 2k Games are tempting players back to the underwater city with two bonus characters playable in the multiplayer versions of the game.

As a further enticement, a new trailer!

Bioshock 2...when the clock strikes midnight

2K Games announced today its nationwide Return to Rapture with midnight openings celebrating the launch of the eagerly awaited BioShock® 2, the shocking sequel to the 2007 Game of the Year. On February 9, more than 2,500 GameStop and Best Buy stores will open their doors when the clock strikes midnight to the hordes of Big Daddy fans hungry to get their hands on and devour BioShock 2. Additionally, those who pre-ordered the game through GameStop will receive two bonus characters* - Blanche the Actress and Zigo the Fisherman - to use in the game’s multiplayer mode. The road to the launch of BioShock 2 kicks off tonight, with the debut of a 3 minute 15 second trailer during the first commercial break of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.


“One of the most exciting aspects of the original BioShock was how our fans responded with adoration for the game, from creating homemade Big Daddy suits to their own BioShock-inspired art and videos,” said Christoph Hartmann, president, 2K. “We felt it was only fitting to reach out to those passionate fans with nationwide Return to Rapture midnight openings where they can pick up their copy of BioShock 2 as early as possible.”

Debuting during the first commercial block of NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon exclusively in North America, the launch trailer is a realization of the elements that BioShock 2 fans have been clamoring for. Breathtaking action set against the backdrop of a decaying underwater Utopia provides players with the slice of Rapture that awaits them next week, all presented in a style that is distinctively representative of the BioShock universe.

BioShock 2 will provide players with the perfect blend of explosive first-person shooter combat, compelling storytelling and intense multiplayer to form one of 2010’s most highly anticipated titles. Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. Along the Atlantic coastline, a monster has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to the undersea city of Rapture. Players step into the boots of the most iconic denizen of Rapture, the Big Daddy, as they travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city, chasing an unseen foe in search of answers and their own survival.

Crysis 2 previews

Game developers just need to stop. Seriously.

They just need to slow down with releasing one quality game after another.

I'm not alone when I either decide to play through a game just before the next title in the series is released. However, it may be a more unique situation with my limited gameplaying time to find myself facing the release of a much anticipated title to only realize I never got around to playing the game before it.

Happened with Mass Effect 2 as well as Modern Warfare 2, and the list goes on in its long and illustrious fashion.

Now its Crysis 2.

I was all over Far Cry as it came out in the days of having more time for gaming. Crysis though, didn't get around too. Messed around the the beta, never got to the full fledged game.

But with the news this morning that there will be a new Nanosuit (2.0 no less), which adds a new 'tactics' mode to the skills roster with 'power' and 'speed' modes being combined its time to look in the cyber bargain bins.

Leaving behind the jungle and being set in a destroyed metropolis setting allows Crytek to introduce more vertical gameplay to the game, encouraging players to plan their attacks from above.

Command and Conquer opens its ranks for worldwide beta

The grandaddy of Real Time Strategy Games, Command and Conquer latest title is rolling into its worlwide open beta.

Electronic Arts Inc. is inviting PC gamers to get an early hands-on experience with Command & Conquer™ 4 Tiberian Twilight by joining the open multiplayer beta before the game’s release in North America on March 16 and in Europe on March 19, 2010. The multiplayer beta gives players a unique opportunity to experience all-new RTS gameplay in the game’s new, fast-paced, strategic 5v5 multiplayer mode across four different maps. Gamers can get access to the beta by signing up online.

"We could not be more excited to give fans a taste of what’s in store for Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight with the new multiplayer beta,” said Lead Designer, Samuel Bass. “Players can expect the fast-paced strategic RTS action they’ve come to know and love in the Command & Conquer franchise augmented with new gameplay elements that really ratchet up the intensity, especially in our 5v5 multiplayer modes.”

The Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight open multiplayer beta features four maps including the new Afflicted Arena. This new map features a once lush, Polynesian landscape transformed into a military dock by the Global Defense Initiative (GDI) and currently besieged by Brotherhood of Nod forces aiming to claim the tactically important location and take control of the Pacific Rim. Players in the roles of the Offense, Defense and Support classes will engage in strategic battles to win key vantage points across the map and secure a majority of the TCN Hubs to take control of this vital location. Experience earned through the new Persistent Player Progression system during the multiplayer beta period will be transitioned to the full game upon its release.

Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight brings the 15 year-long fan-beloved Tiberium saga to an epic and stunning conclusion, giving players a new innovative and compelling strategic gameplay experience through the epic battles between the GDI and the Brotherhood of Nod, with its enigmatic leader Kane. With its new experience and class-based systems that are persistent across all game modes, Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight sticks to the action-packed gameplay fans have come to love while offering them entirely new ways to play Command & Conquer. Whether conquering alone, in co-op mode or in an all-new 5v5 objective-based multiplayer mode, Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight delivers an innovative social real-time-strategy experience never seen before in a Command & Conquer game.

The extra that comes with a pre-order of the game is the official soundtrack of Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight, as well as an exclusive bonus mission.

Command & Conquer 4 Tiberian Twilight will be available in North America on March 16th 2010 and in Europe on March 19th.