Review L.A Noire

I recently purchased L.A Noire through Amazon and received it release day.

Generally to review games people rate them on graphics, sound etc but I will give you the executive summary with the cool and fun aspects of the game, NO spoilers.

L.A Noire is a different genre of game, I would almost classify it as a entertainment/film and action game. My roomate and myself find it fun to play it in a team and figure out clues, decisions and the interview format of the game. A lot of the game seems like Rockstar’s previous with cut scene action and driving and shooting but it is much more linear in motion then Read Dead Redemption of GTA IV. One thing is clear, they made the game different for a reason. The cases themselves still have a very open element of choice though. Overall I would recommend renting L.A Noire first in order to see if this style of gameplay is for you, then purchase it.

Cool stuff:
-Solid achievement list
-Great crime scenes and challenging interviews
-Different crime types
-Perfect scenery and historical perspective

Motion Gaming

So with all the new motion gaming coming out after the Nintendo Wii originally stole the spotlight what do you all think the best gaming system for motion control games will be? You can base it off opinion, experience or just cause you have a grudge against a system. As for the holiday’s and my marketing background I think that Kinect will attract the family audience while the Playstation will attract some more Ps3 guru types and become more of a niche product. The success of these devices comes down to what games, past and future, will support some interaction with the new devices. I am hoping to see some shooting games and maybe some rally games for Kinect and some fighting and shooting games on Playstation. Now Vote in the polls section!

Call Of Duty Black Ops T-Minus One Week

Alright folks with Call of duty black ops right around the corner it is obvious a lot of leaked info and just general info is out in full swing, and quite honestly overwhelming. What should I read? What to watch. Well besides Gamespot’s new video below, I will highlight the many exciting things coming up in the new Call of Duty.

Lets start with perks and upgrades: The main theme here is that you now purchase with currency rather then leveling up, this will allow people to really get into something they like early on in the game without the disadvantage of those players who really have unlimited time to level up! Perks are back and will consist of the same purchase system but a player must complete challenges in order to unlock the Pro level of perks. A nice add on by Treyarch.

Weapons will be very historical in nature and militant accurate with each region in the story modes and the multiplayer will offer equally good selection.

For more Call of duty coverage watch below, the video is an hour long but will certainly tour you on two main maps for online gaming and highlight some of the new game types. Enjoy!

A side note about Pre-Orders, i pre-ordered from Amazon and received a $20 promo credit toward another game, which is a pretty good deal if you can handle not having it at the midnight release parties etc.

http://www.gamespot.com/shows/now-playing/?event=now_playing_call_of_duty_black_ops20101101&hd=0

For some reason WordPress won’t allow me to link so you will all have to copy paste the link. Sorry

Fallout New Vegas: First Impression

With Fallout New Vegas’ release in the US yesterday I bought a Red Bull and stayed up fairly late enjoying the vast wasteland. For those of you not familiar with Fallout I encourage you to check out the Fallout website:

(NO SPOILERS)

Now, the game is definitely similar to Fallout 3 in the way the game works and plays. The storyline starts out a little slow but really picks up once you start to talk to local people and find out their problems and issues. The new underlying theme in the game is the many factions that you can make your Ally or axis. You have a ranking system, from hated to idolized and you really choose how this happens. There are basically three main factions when you start out: New California Republic, Caesar’s Legion, Powder Gangers. The varying characters and animals have a fairly good AI. Many new weapons are also available from some classic guns like a 9mm pistol, varmint rifle and the carry over 10mm pistol from fallout 3. You will start the game with some fairly small weaponery. Scavenge around and you will find weapons and ammo.

Other cool new things in the game:
– Build your own ammo
– Create weapon mods
– build weapons
– Cook up meds or food at campfires

New locations are fairly easy to see from high vantage points but the map is fairly large and open. I am looking forward to exploring outside the beginning areas and seeing what all lies ahead. Advice: Buy this game, have a good block of time to really get into it because it is a lot of fun.

DiRT 3

With DiRT 2 going on sale on amazon for $15 it brings to mind the new DiRT 3 coming out. No official date has been released but gamers on ps3, xbox 360 and Pc can look forward to some new content:

Codemasters and fellow developing members have added new environments and cars. Additionally the popular DC shoes viral video’s can be recreated by gamers. The new game really wants to bring about the rich history of rally sports and bring some of the older rally vehicles to life in a racing game that will certainly please graphically. Some rumors from various sites say that facebook and the game will some how have options to link and hold game stats for a new type of multiplayer experience. Keep watching out for news on this game and until then try out Forza 2 and 3 along with the classic DiRT and DiRT 2

See More Dirt 3 Screenshot at IGN.com

Call Of Duty Black Ops -VS- Medal Of Honor

Alright with the release of each game approaching (Call of duty Nov 9th 2010 and Medal of honor Oct 12th 2010) many gamers are going to compare the two and possibly decide to purchase just one, or maybe two dependent on ones taste. At any rate many of us will be debating which one is the best for us. I wanted to take an overview type look into both games to help decide for myself and others. I will review each game on the following criteria and rate on a scale of 1-10,(1 being terrible 10 being perfection).
The criteria:
Value, Story Line, Multiplayer, Variety, Content (current an future)

First Up:Medal of Honor will be released on:
XBOX 360, PS3, PC
Release date: October 12th 2010
Value (7): With EA being out the market for a while besides Battlefield Bad company it will be debatable how well the overall game will perform. The game was created using real soldiers and specialists to make the game play realistic so single player will certainly be a strong play through. Multiplayer seems to be a mix of battlefield with some elements of modern warfare 2 thrown in. The Beta that was tested this summer will certainly fix many bugs and problems and hopefully make the release smoother.

Story Line (7): With MOH being based in the middle east and current conflict period it makes it harder to compare with COD Black ops but non the less the storyline will be a much more historical like story compared to modern warfare’s more fictional setting.

Multiplayer (5): With many players of the beta commenting on the game being to similar to modern warfare 2 it could risk being a bit repetitive of battlefield bad company as well. It should be safe to say that EA’s anti-cheater technology is more advanced and well tested compared to that of previous FPS.

Variety & Content (6): Medal of honor brings some new themes to the table and certainly a different look on the first person shooter front but really lacks any defining and unique characteristics, time will tell how much content is released and the quality but with EA’s record it could be spotty on varying consoles.

Call of Duty will be released on:
XBOX 360, PS3, Wii, DS & PC
Release date: November 9th 2010
Value (9): With the call of duty franchise introducing more coop like features into the game it truly adds value to a player that enjoys keeping a game in their collection. With the storyline being speculated as a bit longer then modern warfare gamers can look forward to more to do and see versus other past FPS’.

Story Line (6): The storyline will be a new “time period” for call of duty, the lack of historical accuracy and general fiction may take away from the game play for some fans but will add new elements into a solid graphic filled game.

Multiplayer (8): Call of duty has always had initially strong multiplayers, with the new currency system and customization taking some cues from Halo will certainly delight a new set of fans and allow advanced players to make the game there own, by far one of the most “sought” after features of this game. Players will have to see how fair and fun the gameplay becomes.

Variety & Content (7): New content, new customization and new maps have all been announced or speculated by industry experts and fans. This certainly will hold a new type of gameplay that older Call of duty and halo like games haven’t seen yet.

Overall: My personal opinion after reviewing the games is that I will pre-order Call of Duty Black Ops and most likely rent Medal Of Honor. With EA having a solid hit with Battlefield Bad Company 1 and 2 I believe they have tried out and found what gamers enjoy for a future hit, I just don’t know if it will hold value for players better then the more quickly declining BF’s. Call of duty will have a solid storyline and coop will be fun but at the same time I worry about the multiplayer turning into a cheating fest and players overusing certain weaponry and perks.

Time will tell about each, feel free to share your thoughts in a constructive manner!

Getting Prepared for New Fallout

Excitement is growing for the new release of Fallout New Vegas coming October 19th.

However before you play and spend $60 on the new Fallout, make sure to practice or enjoy an older game by the same developer. Fallout 3 has been a fan favorite for quite sometime (including myself), you can purchase a used copy for around $20-25 and currently through October Microsoft has the downloadable content 50% off. This will allow gamers to really enjoy the old Fallout to it’s fullest!