SUPERGHOST

Part of being scared certainly is the ‘surprise’ factor.  Episode Two of Scare Tactics is what I would consider a ‘surprise’ edition as that I did not know up until the last hour that I would be writing this post.  This edition looks at two budget conscious and curious additions of survival-horror games to my Xbox 360, Ignition Entertainment’s Deadly Premonition and Atari’s Alone in the Dark. 

 
Did Not See Deadly Premonition Coming: I follow former 1UP.com ‘man –god’ and current Director of Business Development at Ignition Entertainment, Shane Bettenhausen, via his twitter feed as I do many other industry types.  I did see several mentions of Deadly Premonition, but sometimes I skim the feed so quickly I do not get all the detail I need.  So when I saw Shane tweeting about this game I automatically assumed that it was another Wii game as I was under the impression that it was all they were doing. 

Last night my brother joined my Xbox LIVE party late at night and started raving about this new game, Deadly Premonition.  Using key descriptors like Twin Peaks-like, open-world, survival-horror, and most importantly, $25 price tag, I was quickly sold on this game and knew I had to have it!  Now that I was sold on acquiring this game my next hurdle would be to actually find this game in stores.  Knowing how GameStop/EB operates, I knew this game would be short-ordered, with perhaps one or two copies to be made available per store.  But if I have been in the dark about this game, more than most would be as well.  So this morning my search ended as quickly as it began, I snagged the last copy of this niche title from my local EB Games. 

Now that I have it, I look forward to playing it.  I am going to go into it cold, not reading any previews or reviews to cloud my judgement.  All I have to go on is the brief description given by my brother and the back of the game’s box which I am looking at right now.  It certainly looks and sounds to be very interesting.  The one glaring negative that was expressed to me by my brother was that the game’s graphics lacks much to be desired.  But recent plays and purchases of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Silent Hill Origins has already prepped me for less than perfect graphical fidelity.  So tonight I will journey to Greenvale to investigate the town’s deadly secrets.  Wish me luck! 

 
Third Time ‘In The Dark’ is the Charm?: Another unusual pickup for me this week was the re-acquiring of Alone in the Dark for the Xbox 360.  I have had a long history with this game without actually ever playing it.  At first I had i pre-ordered and ready to go when I got scared off by poor reviews.  Now normally I don’t let reviewers dictate my gaming picks, but when money is tight and choices between games have to be made, Alone in the Dark was voted off my island. 

My next encounter with Alone in the Dark came when I purchased a discounted version of the game (complete with a AitD T-shirt) for $18.  I actually got as far as putting this disk into my console and dabbling for a few minutes, but that was as far as I would get.  It wasn’t meant to be as later traded the game off in a massive purge of my 360 collection. 

Finally, this week I was picking up some Microsoft points at my local EB when I saw AitD sitting on the shelf with a $4 price tag.  I will buy any Xbox 360 game for under $5, even if it is just for the possibility to acquire a nice game case.  So I once again have the game in my possession (as well as the game’s soundtrack which was included with the game), I am unsure when I will try to play it again, but since it was so cheap I am sure I will never trade it in, so it is with me for good.  I have always had an interest in the game.  Perhaps it would be a good warm-up for Remedy’s Alan Wake which is set to arrive this May. 

 
So in conclusion, it looks like al signs point to Alan Wake.  Like Deadly Premonition, Alan Wake has been compared to Twin Peaks.  As for Alone in the Dark, its episodic styling's and fire/light combat have oft drawn comparison to the upcoming Alan Wake.  Rest assured I will be focusing on Alan Wake as its release draws closer.  For now, just be sure to check under your bed and close the closet door before going to sleep!

Deadly Premonition 
Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox    
Twitter: @superghost          

An End of an Era  

  
On April 15 of this year the Xbox LIVE service, which has been a part of the classic Xbox console since 2002, will no longer operate on it’s founding console as Microsoft pushes its online service forward to greener pastures.  I cannot help but feel somewhat saddened that I will be unable to revisit some of the great gaming experiences that the original Xbox had to offer.  Now personally I rarely went back to the original scene, but I did like knowing that if I wanted to, that I could. 

Now that in a few short weeks I will no longer be able to go there, I have been taking the time today to gather some of the downloadable content from some of my favourite games.  Now it has been going fairly smoothly except for a couple of bumps in the road.  One has been the constant console updates, the other was the false impression that all the DLC was free.  Because of that assumption I am now the not-so-proud re-owner of DLC packs for PGR2 and Links 2004 to the tune of $30 real-life dollars (groan). 

Fortunately not all the downloadable content is pay, in fact most of it is free.  So Over the last few hours I have been grabbing content while I still can.  If you still have some Xbox games kicking around but have not visited them in a while, in particular back-compatible games on your 360, now would be a good time to get what you can while you can.  Here is a list of what I have been grabbing or I recommend you take the time to grab: 

Halo 2: I do have the Multiplayer Map Pack disk so that has not been a DLC priority.  But if you do not have the disk, grab those classic maps. 

Splinter Cell (Series): Co-op and multiplayer maps from Chaos Theory and Pandora Tomorrow plus the missions from the first Splinter Cell are available now.  Why still download?  You can still set up a system-link co-op game for instance, plus the Splinter Cell DLC missions are actually pretty good. 

Ghost Recon / Rainbow Six (Series):  Lots of DLC maps and co-op gameplay.  I loved these old-gen Clancy-games. Classics! 

Amped 2:  Still the best Snowboarding video game ever created has a mountain available as DLC. 
  
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: If you are enjoying your Mass Effect 2 right now, you may want to check this precursor to the Mass Effect series in its entirety.    

Phantom Dust: Yes, Phantom Dust 

There is plenty more games out there that you can keep alive with split-screen and system link, but be careful of packs that still carry charges.  For me, the above are the essentials.  What games do you want to preserve DLC from the last gen?  I would like to here your input.  As the sun sets on Xbox LIVE for the vintage Xbox, lets not let it go quietly into the night.

Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox    
Twitter: @superghost        

For Games That Go ‘Bump’ in the Night!  

Previously in my blog I would post on Zombie games with ‘ Zombie Action News’.  Since I have a strong interest in Horror-themed games I thought I would expand my scope beyond the Zombie menace and branch out into ‘Survival Horror’ games as well as others that will fit the into this genre. 
 

For as long as I can remember I have always been a fan of ‘scary’ games.  in the 90s we saw the rise of the ‘Survival Horror’ genre with the arrival of Resident Evil franchise.  Soon after we saw the sophistication of the genre with the more cerebral Silent Hill games.  Now many games and series of games have come, gone, or hung around in this space, but certainly Resident Evil and Silent Hill are the biggest names on this block.  For my first edition of ‘Scare Tactics’ I will some of my recent goings-on with each of these two franchises.  Stick around for some old news and personal perspectives on the survival of horror games if you dare:  

  

Origin of the Species: I recently posted about my adventures in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, the most recent of Silent Hill titles.  I have had a strong desire, if I ever can find the time, to play through the entire catalogue of Silent Hill games.  Over the past several months I have been acquiring all the games, some of which I already had, some on eBay, others waiting for the price to be right.  Regarding Silent Hill Origins, I thought I would need to buy a PSP in order to play it, something this weekend I was strongly considering.  I liked the idea of having a portion of the series playable on the go (Silent Hill, Shattered memories, and Origins). 
 

On vacation this past weekend I was in a used game store in Calgary when I noticed Silent Hill Origins on the shelf for the PS2.  I have been so out of the loop regarding Playstation releases that I did not even realize the game arrived on the PS2 as well.  I picked it up and now I believe I have all of the core releases in the franchise.  The only thing with ‘Origins’ is that I know nothing about it.  I had heard in passing that the game is not particularly good.  I will be the first to admit that most Silent Hill games suffer from control issues.  Nevertheless, I am excited for this addition to my collection. 

  

Back to the Mansion:  The 2009 Tokyo Game Show gave word that new downloadable scenarios would be made available For Resident Evil 5 in early 2010. "Lost in Nightmares" is essentially the prologue to RE5 as you play the alluded to adventure of Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine infiltrating the Spencer Estate in 2006 which clearly resembles the mansion from RE1.  The next episode, "Desperate Escape",  allows you to play as Josh Stone and Jill Valentine post Jill’s liberation as they race to assist Chris and Sheva in their quest.  We will also get to see for the first time in next-gen, Rebecca Chambers and Barry Burton, as they make their respective return to the series in the Mercenaries reunion.  

Personally I am looking forward to the “Lost in Nightmares” Chapter as I was very intrigued by that flashback in RE5.  Also, word on the street is that it plays like a next-gen version of the original mansion.  My favourite parts of the Resident Evil franchise take place in the original mansion and the streets of Racoon City in RE2 and RE3.  Like Silent Hill, I too would love to run the table of Resident Evil games, again time is the factor that most stands in my way. 

 
The completes my first edition of Scare Tactics.  In the next instalment I plan on getting up to speed with Dead Rising 2, BioShock 2, and Alan Wake. Until then make sure to check under your bed and close the closet door before going to sleep!

Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox    
Twitter: @superghost    

Gamerscore = 5   Acquired 26/1/2010 

One of the question I have about Mass Effect 2 is how they are going to keep it the game journalist minds 10 months down the road when ‘Game of the Year’ voting rears its ugly head.  I am only a dozen hours into the game, but you only really need to see the first hour of the game to acknowledge that Mass Effect 2 is not only heads and shoulders above its predecessor, but that it is one of the finest games of this generation.  By blending genres BioWare has created the unthinkable, a hardcore RPG that anyone can play.  

I could write thousands of words comparing the two Mass Effect games, the improvements and changes that were made, the graphics, the sound, everything that makes this package special.  What I think perhaps the most important change/addition to the new title is the inclusion of the in game news feed/DLC delivery system, the Cerberus Network.  

The Cerberus Network is very important in several ways.  Firstly it almost ensures that BioWare/EA will see money when a used copy of the game is purchased.  In order to enable the Cerberus Network you need to input a one-time use code that is included in every new copy of the game.  If you buy used you eill have to shell out 1,200 MS points to have access to this portal.  I am sure some gamers will find this upsetting, but developers are always looking for new ways to have gamers buy new copies of the game.  

   

Secondly, the Cerberus Network is the realization of a promise BioWare made prior to the release of Mass Effect 1.  Some years back we were told that new and interesting chapters of downloadable content will be made available for Mass Effect, bridging the gap between the sequels and keeping gamers engaged with the property.  We are all too aware of how that worked out.  In the years between games, BioWare was only able to squeeze out two content packs, one of which was more of a game mode that a add-on.  I have heard several reasons from project director Casey Hudson why that was the case, but that is the past, what is done is done.  The Cerberus Network has already added two DLC packs and promises much more in the future including vehicle missions.  The regularly updated news feed from around the Galaxy contributes to the games’ flavour.  These things will keep me checking back with the game over the following months.  

Mass Effect 2 is designed to keep us coming back for more.  With so many choices to be made and ways to play the game, plus the ability to port over the decisions from the first Mass Effect and take all that data beyond into Mass Effect 3, BioWare is creating an RPG dynasty the likes of which we have never seen.  It even has me wanting to once again go back into ME1 so that I can play both games all over again, and I am not even close to being done my first ME2 playthrough!  So when 2010 draws to a close I believe BioWare has set a stage so that we all will not forget ME2 when comes to choosing the Game of the Year.  In fact, we will probably be playing an all-new mission from the Cerberus Network.

BioWare | Mass Effect 2

Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox    
Twitter: @superghost

Not Your Father’s Silent Hill 

 
I had originally planed a grand write up for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, but when I try to go on I find I have to much to say, the completion of the game still to fresh in my mind.  So I am going to try and keep this simple on point.  I put my playing of Silent Hill: Homecoming on hold for a bit in favour of the fresh experience that Shattered Memories had promised.  I wasn’t expecting just how much a departure it would be from the Silent Hill games we have come to know and love , but it is a departure in all the right ways.

 
Developer Climax streamlined the Silent Hill experience by replacing the tedious combat, item collection, and open-door hunt with a chase/escape mechanic, a cell phone/camera collection system, and a very straight forward world exploration which relies heavily on the story to propel you forward.  While some of these changes may seem counter to the core Silent Hill experience of the past, they are refreshing, allowing players to enjoy the Silent Hill universe in an entirely different way.  I personally liked the lack of combat.  Being a coward in real life, my first inclination would be to run for my life, just like you have to in this game.

Two of the other big changes, the therapist sessions and the world shifting to ice rather than rust add significantly to the experience.  At first I didn’t think I would like the shift to the ice world, but in the context of the game it works very well.  Playing this game in the dead of winter just adds to my appreciation for it.  Your in-game session with the therapist creates a very unique twist to the game you play.  If you play through this part of the game honestly as ‘yourself’, you will be surprised how it impacts the game as well as the ending.  I was quite surprised with how personal the game’s ending was for me.

 
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, as I have said before, is one of those rare games that just will not let you put it down.  You just want to see what is around the next corner.  This game also represents game music legend, Akira Yamaoka’s last work on the game series as he has since left Konami.  I don’t think Silent Hill games will be the same without him.  He has been there from the beginning and his signature haunting melodies have put the series on the map.

Replayablity for me with this game may be an issue.  Now this game has all the different endings which Silent Hill games have traditionally had, but if you play this game true to yourself, it has that one-shot special feeling that I don’t think you could recapture on further playthroughs.  On the other hand I really want to play through it one more time because I now that I have seen the end I would like to see the game through with knowing eyes.

In conclusion I would like to leave you with this thought.  Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is the most ‘real’ game in the series, more of a psychological thriller than a survival horror game. I will leave you with that. Enjoy your trip to Silent Hill!

Silent Hill | Shattered Memories

Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox 
Twitter: @superghost

Speed Kills! 

  
Yesterday evening ‘Twitter’ reminded me that it was a Live show in 1 vs 100 last night on Xbox LIVE.  As I had nothing going on at that time I decided to dive into a game for fun.  Well little did I know that my rapid-fire question answering finally earned me a spot in The Mob!  Finally, after the Beta and several months of Season 2 I finally made it to ‘The Show’!

Well that glory was short lived as on the second question, my lightning-fast reflexes and perhaps a bit of nerves had me answering the question incorrectly, even though I knew the correct answer.  I continued to play, answering all the questions correctly and finally eliminating ‘The One’.  The Mob won, but unfortunately due to my itchy trigger finger I walked away empty-handed.

It was exciting couple of minutes though, I had often wondered if I would be able to make my way into The Mob.  The funny/sad part was my 6 year old son got so upset when I lost out that he began to cry.   Oh well, there is always next season!  At the end of day I did score 200 Gamerscore out of 1 vs 100 this season, not a bad haul for a free game.

Xbox.com | 1 vs 100 for Xbox LIVE    

Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox 
Twitter: @superghost

If there is one thing I hate…its a ZOMBIE! 

Ned's Undead, Baby
Killed Ned. Again.

Gamerscore = 49    Acquired 17/1/2010

My DLC completion parade continues this weekend.  First I completed Fallout 3’s Broken Steel, now I have completed Borderland’s The Zombie Isle of Dr. Ned.

One of the least appreciated components of Borderlands, in my opinion, is the amount of humour in the game.  Though the Zombie Isle is the ‘darkest’ of the area on Pandora, it is countered with a light heartedness with it characters and its writing,  Some of the ECHO recordings and dialogue are just classic!  You will never listen to sound of popcorn popping the same way again.  Personally I also really enjoyed the Scooby-Doo references towards the end as well as the start and ending narrations.

At the end of this play through I am sitting in I believe a Level 42-43, so I still have my share of work to get to ‘Ding’ level 50.  Next up, Madd Moxie’s Underground Riot and who knows what else Gearbox has planned for DLC down the road.  All I know is that you can count me in!

Borderlands   
Source: SUPERGHOST's Haunted House of Xbox  
Twitter: @superghost