Benjamin “Yahtzee” Croshaw thinks Metal Gear Solid 4 is a “stiff and inefficient” third person shooter,” mainly because of the controls. The game’s storyline was lambasted as well, but that was to be expected. Surprisingly, Yahtzee seems to hate MGS4 even more than Haze, which was universally reviled.

Controls freak
Apparently, the part-time adventure game designer believes that pressing both shoulder buttons and the triangle face button while firing “is not good design.” Personally, I never had a problem with it. And from the looks of things, so did dozens of other critics who evaluated the game.

I was wondering if Yahtzee ever got the memo that MGS4’s first-person view (triggered by pressing triangle) is entirely optional. Heck, even the manual aiming is optional, but maybe the guy didn’t bother looking into that—even if he was supposed to make a review.

I was also surprised that Croshaw was having trouble shooting behind cover. Our favorite curmudgeon believed that players need to stand up first before they can fire back. If our misguided critic bothered to stick to cover and aim behind the edge of objects by pressing L1, he wouldn’t have those problems. Funnily enough, the option to use the cover is displayed in plain sight each time Snake sticks close to any object large enough to hide his body. Obviously, this gripe is invalid.

And this bit about a split-second delay to fire the gun? I have no idea what Yahtzee is talking about. If he’s referring to a slight delay when bringing out a hidden firearm (a quick press of the R2 button), then he must probably be unaware that holding the R2 button pauses the game.

Thick and redundant
As for the enemies being “legendarily thick,” perhaps the guy is playing MGS4 in the easiest level. The baddies may not be as Einstein smart, but it’s not that easy to get past them. Nothing wrong with playing the game on the easiest setting since not everyone who can write half decently can necessarily play. However, for a review to be truly comprehensive (and more accurate), the critic shouldn’t select the easiest difficulty.

Despite our differences in opinion regarding certain gameplay elements, Yahtzee and I agree that MGS4 is badly written. Dialogues are redundant, resulting in 90 minute cutscenes. Then again, I think some redundancy is necessary especially when dealing with events in the previous games. Not every person who played MGS4 was fortunate enough to go through the previous installments so a background is quite necessary.

There was no mention of weapon customization, high production values, great visual design, multiple installations, annoying 90-minute cutscenes, or even the quirks of Metal Gear Online in Yahtzee’s review.

Good writing can get you only so far
If you’re keeping track, I’ve pretty much discussed each point that Yahtzee made and I’m puzzled with the supposed issues he highlighted. This gives the impression that Croshaw didn’t really pay that much attention to the game as a whole. Who knows? He may have never reached the second act. For the first time, I must question Croshaw’s reviewing methods. I love his scathing reviews because they’re entertaining and fresh. Still, good writing can get you only so far.

To Yahtzee: It’s always a good idea to spend more time with the games you review. And know what you’re talking about. If you really took the time to complete MGS4 like some of us reviewers did, then there’s a good chance you’d be singing a different tune.

Post from: EveryJoe

Deconstructing Yahtzee’s Metal Gear Solid 4 review

Let’s face it: the previous Grand Theft Auto games were absolutely pathetic in the shooting department. Press a button to automatically aim, and then press another to shoot. Was it fun? Nope. The only reason past GTAs sell well is the sandbox-style gameplay that lets you do anything (i.e. run over pedestrians, shoot people, steal cars, etc.) you want, anytime.

When Rockstar introduced the concept of shooting individual body parts in GTA IV, it completely changed gameplay. Not only does it add new mechanics for players to toy with—the gunfights are also shortened to a great degree. If you can make headshots, at least.

To aim at a certain part, all you need to do is press the right analog stick towards the body part while locked. You have to maintain the angle of the right analog stick to keep the crosshair on target. This makes the shootouts more engaging.

However, this concept isn’t new because The Godfather, a GTA clone another sandbox-style game, has implemented it as well. I can’t really say which is better though. In The Godfather, the crosshair stays on the body part as long as the enemy is locked on. There’s no need to maintain the right analog stick angle so all you have to do is press fire when a foe steps out of cover.

In any case, the GTA IV shooting mechanics have changed from “abysmal” to “somewhat fun,” but it’s not quite Gears of War yet in caliber. I now look forward to taking on small armies of thugs using a variety of firearms because GTA IV now feels like a lightweight third-person shooter.

Image of Grand Theft Auto IV is courtesy of Rockstar Games.

Post from: EveryJoe

The joys of GTA IV #2: GTA IV is Shooting People in the Face^TM Lite

Clearly, Niko Bellic is not the star of Grand Theft Auto IV. He may be the lead character in Rockstar’s latest murder simulator epic crime drama, but the pièce de résistance is sprawling Liberty City, which is modeled after The Big Apple, New York City.

According to Wikipedia, Rockstar sent full-time researchers to NYC twice during the game’s development. They studied traffic patterns and makeup of every neighborhood, among other details. However, Liberty City is not an exact recreation of NYC. Rather, it feels more like a caricature. Liberty City attempts to depict the real-life city’s sights and sounds, and twists it into something comical that, while grotesque at times, takes on a life of its own.

Bellic, the game’s protagonist, starts out in Broker, the “industrial” side of town. He eventually gets a chance to walk the streets of Algonquin (or Manhattan) and witness the sights of Star Junction, Liberty City’s equivalent of Times Square.

The dissimilarity in each road and borough are remarkable. The textures are different, the people are diverse, their clothing is varied, architecture is distinct, and so are the vehicles that whiz by. Detail is king in Liberty City, and it never seems to get old. For the record, I don’t think I’ve seen every detail that this virtual metropolis has to offer.

Of all the games I’ve played (and I’ve played quite a lot), there’s nothing quite like GTA IV. I may not have finished this latest installment yet, but Liberty City is just oozing with so much charm that I can’t help but get lost in its streets with a sense of wonder. And rage if I’m chasing down a runaway target that won’t keep still as I try to get a shot off.

Image of Grand Theft Auto IV is courtesy of Rockstar Games.

Post from: EveryJoe

The joys of GTA IV #1: Liberty City is a breathtaking sight

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the last game that garnered a 10 in GameSpot was 1998’s Ocarina of Time. It took almost one decade for the industry to produce something of the same magnitude.

Are you excited about GTA IV? I sure am.

Forget about the hype that Rockstar has been bombarding us, forget about the delays that we gamers have endured for GTA IV, and just think of what this game means to the average shooter fan. Remember how terrible the previous GTA games’ shooting mechanics were, and how it caused so many unnecessary deaths? You probably thought at one time or another that the 3D GTAs weren’t really that good when you think about it. The games were probably great as a whole but the gunplay, which was a huge chunk of the experience, wasn’t satisfying at all.

Frankly, I was never more excited about GTA IV until I started getting details about the gunplay in the slew of almost-perfect reviews. Consider that dedicated shooters look great and play great since the focus of the entire game is just that–shooting. What makes GTA IV remarkable is that it’s as pretty as any of the current “next-gen” shooters out there, its shooting/cover mechanics are as engaging, and that there’s still much more to the game other than the shooting.

There’s also the sandbox-style open city, the action-packed car driving (that is combined with the shooting) and vehicular combat, the extremely-deep multiplayer, the myriad of things to do, the insane amount of detail, and the usual great writing, among others. And you know what? Since I haven’t laid my hands on GTA IV, I’m sure there are a lot more I’ve failed to mention.

GTA IV sure looks like a shooter fan’s utopia. Rest assured that Liberty City would look like Swiss cheese when I’m done with it.

Post from: EveryJoe

GTA IV is a shooter fan’s utopia

Can you name another game that lets you play a heart-devouring comic book antihero? I bet you can’t because there’s nothing quite like The Darkness, an FPS developed by Starbreeze Studios.

Sure, games that let you shoot people in the face may be a bit too common these days, but the concept of generating power from the dark and walking around with a couple of nasty tentacles is pretty new. I haven’t even mentioned what kind of guy the protagonist is.

I’ve heard of space marines, Special Forces members, intergalactic fugitives, special-armor-wearing characters, SWAT teams, World War II soldiers and the like, but mobsters with superpowers that talk with a New Yorker accent isn’t something you encounter every day.

You play Jackie Estacado, a hatchet man for the mob. He just turned 21. Aside from the obvious mafia connections, Jackie is set apart from the average twentysomething with a sinister inheritance called the Darkness (with a capital D), which manifests itself as a couple gruesome tentacles. Jackie can fire a shotgun just like the next hitman, but the tentacles provide abilities like a shield that protects the host from harm and the creation of a massive, black hole to suck the life out of enemies.

Oh, and you gain more powers when the tentacles devour enough hearts from dead foes.

Things have been great so far. I’m playing through a level that’s said to be “hell” and fight against undead German soldiers from World War I.

Just a couple of nitpicks: the tentacles take up too much space on the screen, making peripheral vision limited. This becomes an even bigger concern when the tentacles gain higher levels and grow in size. But hey, I can’t think of a better way to depict a couple of demonic tentacles wrapped around a human host so screw peripheral vision and gameplay.

I also find Jackie a bit of a sissy when it comes to damage tolerance. Let’s just say I expect a little bit more from superheroes. Sure, Jackie may be a normal guy without the Darkness and the shield it provides, but a couple of shots are enough to send this guy keeling even when the tentacles are protecting him.

Image of The Darkness is courtesy of Starbreeze Studios and 2K Games.

Post from: EveryJoe

Now Playing: The Darkness and it’s brilliant

Post from: EveryJoe

Gears Cheers #1: Bosses rule for a reason

Erin over at Play-Girlz asked me “what makes Riddick so atypical”? Like I’ve said, it’s not quite an FPS and it’s not your usual movie-to-game garbage. Cough *Spider-Man* cough.

You see, calling Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay an FPS wouldn’t be fair. As we know, first-person shooters are quite an unsophisticated bunch. You point your cursor at bad guys and press the mouse button to shoot.

Riddick, however, is much more than that.

This move-to-game adaptation is a mix of shooting (yes, it’s still there), stealth, melee, and adventure. Sure, the original Far Cry may also have stealth, but the execution of this element in Riddick is quite different.

You see, Richard B. Riddick is also gifted with “eyeshine,” which lets him see in the dark. Add this to Riddick’s ability to hide in the shadows when crouched, and you’ve got yourself a sneaker of a game. If you think you’ll be doing this sporadically, think again. As Riddick, you’ll need to sneak around every so often to survive the numerous dangers of Butcher Bay.

How often do you see a first-person action game with a good melee system? Frankly, I can’t think of one. The closest thing that comes to my mind when thinking of a half-decent melee system in a first-person game is Oblivion. Even that is quite awkward. In Chronicles of Riddick, you can block blows and execute combos. You have to time attacks to get through an opponent’s defense instead of attacking mindlessly.

Interestingly, Chronicles of Riddick is structured like an adventure game in some ways. You’ll be given a quest or three and you can pursue them to your liking. You backtrack at times, and generally interact with more people than your usual FPS. Speaking of people, all the characters you encounter has a unique face and each has something to say. They’re all voiced too.

I admit that these facets of the game aren’t unique. However, each is very well done. They’re so good in fact that when compared with other regular games (i.e. those not adapted from movies), Chronicles of Riddick is easily better than most single player-only titles. I personally found Riddick better than Half-Life 2’s single-player mode.

The Riddick remake sounds promising because of this. If its developers could put together a well-balanced multiplayer and further improve the single-player game, Assault on Dark Athena could be a sleeper hit indeed.

Image for Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay – Developer’s Cut is courtesy of Sierra Entertainment

Post from: EveryJoe

Why Riddick is not your usual movie-to-game adaptation

To survive means to combine different kinds of punches and not let a blow get past your guard. It’s not that simple though, since all your enemies are packing hardware that can punch hundreds of holes through your Furyan hide.

Aside from the combos, sneaking and silent kills become a must. I seriously hope these elements would be included in Assault on Dark Athena. Scratch that, I want Starbreeze and Tigon Studios to further improve the melee and stealth gameplay.

Post from: EveryJoe

The joys of being Riddick #1: Not quite an FPS and it’s a good thing

From what I’ve played so far, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is more satisfying than the PC version of Gears of War. They may seem like apples and oranges to you, but these two games are more similar than you think.

Of course, there are the obvious differences: Aside from not crashing every so often, Uncharted provides some light puzzle solving, copious platforming, and an Indiana Jones-like treasure hunt.

The dominantly gray and brown visual design of Gears is also not here, and it’s probably the first thing you’ll notice when you run Uncharted. There are just so many greens to see that one can get lost at first glance.

The heart and soul of this game’s action is its refined shooting, and it’s every bit as good as that of Gears. I’ve yet to encounter a major enemy to gun down, but each firefight can potentially be your last if you’re not careful. Your “ordinary” group of thugs are a coordinated lot that’s capable of strafing, flanking, and flushing tactics.

I’m currently halfway through the hard difficulty, and I’ve been impressed so far. I’m expecting to be even more impressed as I reach the climax and ending, so I hope Uncharted delivers.

Post from: EveryJoe

Uncharted first impressions