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danielkempster

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Metal Gear And Other Stories

By danielkempster 5 Comments

Hey guys, and welcome to another tantalising games-related blog from yours truly. I'm going to keep it fairly simple this time around and just focus on what I've been playing over the last week or so. As you can probably tell from the title of the blog, it's pretty heavy on the Metal Gear, but there is some other stuff thrown in too.


Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

Portable Ops is an excellent addition to the Metal Gear universe
Portable Ops is an excellent addition to the Metal Gear universe
While I was stuck at University without any consoles and only my PSP for company, I got around to finishing Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. I completed it last Tuesday (that is, a week ago today), clocking up fourteen hours in the campaign, and I'm not exaggerating when I say I loved pretty much everything about it. As a PSP game, it's right up there with God of War: Chains of Olympus and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions as one of the best I've played. The graphics are incredible, with the character models really stealing the show. The environments aren't quite as impressive, but still look great and are filled with enough detail to encourage a bit of exploration. The controls are fairly close to the ones found in previous 3D Metal Gear Solid games and they're about as well-implemented as they possibly could be on a handheld, given the lack of a second analog nub and a secondary set of shoulder buttons. Despite the more restrictive control system you can still do pretty much everything you could do in MGS2 and MGS3, which is great to see, but it can also be a headache at times. Some control functions are mapped to multiple buttons, making things slightly more awkward than they needed to be at times (some of the boss battles come to mind), but for the most part the game controls smoothly.

The gameplay initially comes off as standard MGS fare, but not long after the game begins you have a host of novel additions to consider. The most prominent of these is the inclusion of team-based stealth missions. I count this as a welcome addition to the franchise, and I thought it was an excellent way of giving something new to long-time fans of the series. Having a squad of up to three additional operatives supporting Naked Snake makes the game feel different from previous iterations, even if what you're doing isn't all that far removed in terms of gameplay mechanics. All the little changes this one notion brings have a noticeable impact on the way the game plays. Instead of taking down enemies and running past their unconscious bodies, I felt motivated to kidnap as many of them as possible in order to amass my own miniature army. Instead of having to worry about sneaking through an area unnoticed, I had the option to simply send in a soldier wearing the same uniform as the guards on patrol. I also enjoyed strategic aspect this squad-based concept adds to the gameplay. Throughout the game I found myself spending a lot of time between missions managing my units, trying to effectively rotate my soldiers to ensure stamina never becomes an issue, and attempting to form the most effective spy, technical and medical units to complement my sneaking team. The interface isn't what I'd call intuitive, but it's certainly not a nightmare to re-organise your troops.

I didn't get to try the multiplayer component, but the single player campaign is worth the entrance fee alone
I didn't get to try the multiplayer component, but the single player campaign is worth the entrance fee alone
Another thing I really liked about MGS: Portable Ops was just how close it came to replicating the experience of the console Metal Gear Solid games on a handheld system. All the conventions have made it through wonderfully unscathed. In terms of gameplay, everything remains intact. Portable Ops has all the weapons and gadgets you'd expect in a Metal Gear Solid game, from the humble tranquiliser gun to the mighty rocket launcher and everything in between. The series' penchant for memorable boss fights is carried over to the PSP as well, with most of Portable Ops' boss battles living up to the standards set by its console brethren. Similarly, despite the significant changes, the stealth action in Portable Ops is still very much what you'd expect from the series. Then there's the story. The story is one of my favourite things about MGS: Portable Ops: I thought it was well-written and (perhaps more crucially) well-told. I loved the use of the comic-style art panels accompanied by voice acting which, despite being drastically different to the cut-scenes from the console games, still managed to capture the style and flair I've come to associate with the franchise. A lot of that is probably thanks to David Hayter reprising his role as Snake, and his performance is as strong as ever.

In short, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops is Metal Gear Solid on the PSP. Nothing was sacrificed in the transition, and the result is certainly one of the PSP's killer apps. Any fan of the series should definitely check this out if they haven't already. Now I'm really psyched for Peace Walker, too. Actually, looking back over the length of that, I could have probably set aside a Discovering Gaming Greatness blog for Portable Ops. Oh well.

Metal Gear Solid

It's Metal Gear. On a GameBoy Color. For reals
It's Metal Gear. On a GameBoy Color. For reals
No, not that Metal Gear Solid. I'm talking about the GameBoy Color iteration in the Metal Gear franchise, known in Japan as Metal Gear: Ghost Babel. Shortly after finishing Portable Ops I turned my attention to the series' first handheld outing to see how it fared and, for the most part, I was majorly impressed. In much the same way that Portable Ops translates the MGS2/MGS3 experience to a handheld, Metal Gear Solid does the same thing with its PlayStation namesake. It plays like a hybrid of Metal Gear Solid for the PS1 and the original MSX Metal Gear games. Naturally, it's all in 2D, but gameplay-wise I think pretty much everything from the PS1 game made it over: you can press yourself up against walls and knock, you can crawl, and there's a well fleshed-out story told through Codec dialogue and "cut-scenes", if they can be called that. In all honesty I found the story in Metal Gear Solid GBC to be pretty weak and almost insultingly overindulgent at times, even by Metal Gear standards. Thankfully the gameplay made up for it with plenty of solid sneaking, a few intriguing puzzles and some pretty awesome boss battles. It's also pretty short, but considering it's a GameBoy Color game, I can forgive that. As if to say sorry for the brevity of its campaign, the game also includes an extensive VR Training mode and an assortment of mission-based challenges to attempt once you've completed the story. It may not be "up there" with the rest of the Metal Gear games, but I certainly don't regret picking it up.

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In terms of other stuff, I got home from University on Friday. I've never been happier to be back at home, and I'm glad I won't have to see the vast majority of my flatmates again other than in passing. Tensions were riding high in the last week, and I said some things that upset some people, but I don't regret any of it. What I do regret is letting the environment I was in make me so damn cynical. I've arrived at a mental state where I have very little time for the concerns of other people right now, and I don'r like being there. Hopefully a few weeks at home, as well as the knowledge that I'm free from the nightmare flat, will revert me to my old self again.

Not one...
Not one...
...but two enormous worlds to explore
...but two enormous worlds to explore
On the subject of games, I now have access to my consoles again. That fact, plus the distinct lack of available work right now, means I'm playing the hell out of video games for most of the day. I'm currently continuing to tackle the Career mode in Forza Motorsport 2; I'm at Driver Level 34, with around 53% of the available gold medals under my belt. I've also resolved to use the vast expanse of free time available to me this summer to polish off some outstanding RPGs. I've decided to postpone playing through Final Fantasy VI for the timebeing, in order to focus on tackling two colossal games that have been sitting on my shelf for a few months: namely The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Persona 4. I'm not very far into either at the moment (I've just started Morrowind and I'm up to about Endurance Run Episode 9 in terms of Persona 4 progress), so I can't really pass judgement on either of them, but I'll be sure to keep you all posted with fairly regular updates regarding both of those.

I think that just about covers everything. Sorry about the length - I'll try to blog more regularly over the next month or two, to ensure I don't continue pushing out blogs of such a daunting length. In the meantime, take it easy, fellow Giant Bombers. I'll see you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Game of the Year Edition (XBOX)
5 Comments

Wishful Thinking: PlayStation 2 Redux

By danielkempster 2 Comments

DISCLAIMER

In anticipation of the flak I'm likely to get for typing up something like this, I'd just like to say two things:
  • The product described in this blog entry is not real. Don't ask me where you can get one. You can't.
  • I am well aware that the likelihood of Sony ever doing something like this is next to nothing. I don't need to be told this. This is a dream, not an expectation.

Also, please be warned that this will be a very long read in a wall-of-text format. Thanks for your understanding.

Right now I'm sat in a small room resembling a prison cell. On Saturday I sent pretty much everything of worth back home to Hertfordshire with my parents, leaving me in my empty University room for the last week with very little to keep me occupied. That therefore means I have no television, no Xbox 360, and no PlayStation 2. In a bid to preserve my sanity I retained my PSP and a copy of Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, which worked fine up until I completed the game on Tuesday. I also held onto a book, James Patterson's The Final Warning. A bit of a misjudgement on my part (due to the cover looking like something you'd see on a political thriller), for the book is aimed at people a bit younger than me. As such, it only lasted me an afternoon (although I definitely recommend it to Giant Bomb's younger users). Thus, I am once again fighting boredom in an attempt to stay sane. As a result, I've been thinking a lot about games, and in particular, the future of my favourite games console of all time.

As anybody who knows me will be aware, I love my PlayStation 2. Ever since I received my first PS2 for my twelfth birthday back in February 2002, I've had a soft spot for Sony's second entry in the video game console market. Admittedly, the relationship has had its ups and downs. I lost my first PS2 to a damaged laser in late 2004, after which it was replaced by a sleek slimline model which has since become my longest-serving console. But, for the most part, it's been a very healthy love affair for the last seven and a half years. Yet now, as I sit here and my beloved PS2 is boxed up ninety miles away, I find myself coming to the realisation that this relationship isn't going to last forever. My slimline PS2, now four and a half years old, is more than likely around halfway through its projected life cycle. Which leaves me wondering, what am I going to do when my partner in gaming crime eventually succumbs to the ravages of time and breathes its last? I've been thinking about this on and off for some time, but now that I've finally dedicated some hard thought time to the subject, I've come up with a dream scenario, an ideal future that will allow the PlayStation 2 to live on forever. Presenting...

The PlayStation 2 Redux

 What I've decided that I'd really like to see in the future from Sony is an enhanced re-issue of the PlayStation 2 console. We're already seeing it with consoles like the Sega Mega Drive (known as the Genesis in the US), which was recently brought back to the UK in a stylish new package to allow gamers to play their old cartridges. What I'm proposing, however, is a little bit more than a simple re-issue of the hardware. Rather, I'm proposing a complete re-invention of the system's interface and capabilities. Read on to find out what this re-invention would entail...

The PlayStation 2 Redux would essentially be, by all external appearances, a slimline PlayStation 2 console. A little black box, about 25x15x5cm in size, with most of the same connectors; a mains adaptor; a SCART output (or maybe HDMI, depending on how mainstream the technology is by then); an Ethernet port for internet connection (more on this a little later). There would be a few  noticeable differences, though. Rather than a flap covering the console's disc drive like the current slimline PS2, it would have a slot-loading disc drive like the one found in the PS3. The other big difference I would like to see implemented is, rather than featuring two controller slots for PS1/PS2 controllers, the machine would have four USB ports that would take a re-issued version of the DualShock 2 controller with a USB connector, as well as being suitable for hooking up Singstar microphones, EyeToys, and any other old USB peripherals intended for the PS2. This design choice would also remove the need for a multi-tap in order to play four-player multiplayer games. Speaking of games, the PS2 Redux would be able to play all the same things as its currently-existing counterpart. That means all PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games, as well as CDs and DVDs. In terms of how the console would actually work, I'd like to see it adopt the Cross Media Bar (XMB) interface used by the PSP and PlayStation 3. 

As I mentioned earlier, I also think it would be a great move to set up some kind of internet connectivity for the PS2 Redux. While online gameplay for PS2 games certainly isn't going to happen, I would like to see direct connectivity with the PlayStation Store, where a wide array of both PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games would be available for purchase and direct download to the console. Internet connectivity would also open the path to enabling some kind of profile system, like Gamertags and PlayStation Network accounts. With a system like this, the games owned or purchased could be attributed to a user's account rather than a machine, enabling a flexible download system without annoying DRM issues (think along the lines of the service Steam provides). The other upside of this is that if your PS2 Redux ever does malfunction or break, you won't lose the games you buy from the PlayStation Store because they will be associated with your account rather than your PS2 Redux.

I will confess now that I own an Xbox 360, and while I'm not an achievement whore, I do get a feeling of satisfaction whenever I hear that little unlocking noise. Don't get ahead of me, though. I'm not going to say that the PS2 Redux needs support for trophies. I'm well aware that such a system would be near-impossible to implement. It would also require developers to revisit their old titles to add them, and to be honest, I'd rather that developers keep working on bringing us new games instead. What I am proposing is the inclusion of a single trophy for every PS2 game, awarded when the player completes the respective game's single player campaign. These trophies would show up on the player's profile, thus enabling gamers to keep track of the games they've completed and showing other players which games the user in question has excelled in.

For all this to be possible, a major internal design change would also have to be made with the PS2 Redux. Within the re-issued console would sit an internal hard drive. This hard drive would be used to store any purchases downloaded from the PlayStation Store. It would also be used to store any game discs ripped to the console. That's right; much like the Xbox 360, the PS2 Redux would also have the ability to copy games from disc to its hard drive. Any game data copied from disc to the hard drive would be protected through being attributed to the player's profile, to ensure that they aren't played on any other PS2 Redux consoles.

So if the PS2 Redux were to have an internal hard drive, we'd need to have an idea of how big to make it. The average PS2 DVD-ROM can hold up to 4.7GB, although dual-layered DVD9s clock in at around 8.5GB. The typical CD-ROM, according to Wikipedia, holds between 600 and 900MB. Obviously, these details only specify the amount of data that may be stored on these discs. The likelihood is that most games will sit somewhere below these limits. With this in mind, I think two different models would be viable - one with an 80GB hard drive, and one with a 160GB hard drive. I don't have exact figures to work with, so I'm going to assume for simplicity's sake that the average PS2 game takes up around 3.5 to 4GB of a DVD-ROM. If this is the case, then you could fit around twenty games onto the 80GB model, and therefore around forty games onto the 160GB model. This figure is, of course, not taking into account the larger games on DVD9s and the smaller games on CD-ROMs. Of course, this wouldn't be enough to satisfy some people, myself included. For this reason, I'd like to see support for some kind of Sony-produced external hard drive. This would obviously grant the user additional storage space that can be attached to and removed from the console.

So to sum up all those features I've just mentioned, the PlayStation 2 Redux should have:
  • Similar size and shape to the slimline PlayStation 2
  • Utilises the XMB interface of the PSP and PS3
  • Identical functions - plays PS1, PS2 games, CDs and DVDs
  • Internal hard drive - choice of 80GB or 160GB, with external hard drives an option
  • Slot loading disc drive
  • Ethernet port for internet connectivity
  • 4 USB slots for USB controllers and other peripherals
  • Able to rip game data from PS1 and PS2 game discs
  • Connectivity with the PlayStation Store, where PS1 and PS2 games are available for purchase and direct download
  • Profile system that works in a similar way to Steam accounts to prevent piracy
  • 'Game Complete' trophies for all games with single player campaigns

If I were an economist, I'd probably be able to project a likely cost for such an object. Unfortunately, I'm not, so I can only speculate (or perhaps 'dream' is a more viable choice of word). If such a product ever did come into being, I'd like to think it would be around ten years from now. Maybe even in 2020, to mark the twentieth anniversary of the original launch of the PS2. By then, the PlayStation 2's technology would most likely be dirt cheap, as would data storage capacities. With all this in mind, I think that ten years from now, around £80/$130 would be a reasonable price to charge for the PS2 Redux. With regards to the costs of games available on the PlayStation Store, I believe anything between £5/$8 and £15/$25 depending on the length and quality of the game in question would be a reasonable asking price.

As I said in the opening disclaimer, this is merely an idyllic fantasy, an embodiment of my hope that Sony will not allow what I perceive to be the greatest games console ever seen to simply lay down and die. I don't expect this to happen. But with lots of time on my hands and nothing to play, I think I'm entitled to dream. For now, I'm going to count the bricks in the far wall, and keep praying for the moment when I'm reunited with my beloved PS2.


DanK

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Currently playing - Nothing :(
2 Comments

Time For An Update

By danielkempster 9 Comments

Hey guys. It's been a while since I last blogged, so I figured with E3 now out of the way, this is the perfect opportunity to return to the blogosphere with some opinions on the conference and a little info on what I've been playing recently. As a minor disclaimer, this blog is likely to end up being quite long. Consider yourself warned in advance.

E3 2009

While I didn't follow this year's E3 conference very closely, I kept track of it thanks to Snide's live blogs and round-ups. I don't have too much to say that hasn't already been said about the show itself, although I will agree with the general consensus that this year's E3 was a hell of a lot better than last year's. Rather than give a detailed analysis, I thought I'd just mention the stuff that really grabbed my attention, as well as the stuff that left me feeling a little disappointed. 

Thumbs Up


  • Forza Motorsport 3 - The trailer that was shown off at E3 looked incredible, although I suspect it wasn't put together using the in-game engine. That being said, all that I've heard about the third instalment in Microsoft's racing simulation series has got me really pumped. Roll damage for the cars, an impressive cockpit view, and a wider scope of cars and tracks are just some of the features that I can't wait to check out when the game hits stores in the near future.
  • Golden Sun DS - One of those announcements that came completely out of nowhere, the mention of a new Golden Sun game has me mega-stoked. The first two games in the franchise were some of the best turn-based RPGs in recent times, harking back to the glory days of the genre on the SNES. Between this and GTA: Chinatown Wars, the temptation to replace my stolen DS is growing ever-stronger.
  • Gran Turismo PSP - I'm not even that big on racing games, so the fact that two of them made this Thumbs Up list has me a little worried for my own sanity. We've been waiting for the Gran Turismo series to hit the PSP ever since a port of GT4 was promised as a launch title for the original PSP. Now, around four years later, we have the renewed promise of a portable Gran Turismo game for the newly-announced PSP Go. If it makes it onto shelves in UMD format, I'll definitely be picking up a copy.
  • Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier - I'm a big Jak fan. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was the first game I got for my brand new PlayStation 2 back in 2002, and I thoroughly enjoyed it along with its two sequels. So much so that last year I pushed out a walkthrough guide for the third game right here on Giant Bomb. I never played Daxter on the PSP (although I do intend to pick up a copy at some point), but I'm super-excited for the most recently announced game, even though Naughty Dog aren't at the helm.
  • Just Cause 2 - In case you're not aware, I like open-world action games. I also like doing bat-shit crazy stuff. So it's no surprise that Just Cause 2 grabbed my attention as soon as I saw the gameplay footage here on Giant Bomb. I never played the first Just Cause, but the sequel looks outrageous. The grappling hook/parachute combo looks like it makes for some really crazy gameplay options, and the go-anywhere, shoot-anything mentality evokes fond memories of my time with the original Mercenaries game. I'll definitely be looking to pick this up as soon as possible after it launches.
  • The Last Guardian - I love ICO. I love Shadow of the Colossus. So much so, I recently re-played both games to share the experience with my girlfriend. Anything Team ICO is working on is bound to be excellent, and the footage shown of The Last Guardian has definitely piqued my interest. While I can only speculate as to what the gameplay involves, it looks gorgeous and seems to preserve the distinctive Team ICO style. Now if only I had a PS3...
  • Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker - As a huge Metal Gear fan, Kojima's pre-E3 countdown definitely had me intrigued. I'll say this now - only one half of the announcement satisfied my intrigue, and it's this half. Touted by Kojima as effectively being MGS5, it chronicles the events between Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and the original Metal Gear and seems to illustrate Big Boss putting together the nation of Outer Heaven. As with Gran Turismo PSP, if this comes out on UMD, I'm going to be all over this. 
  • The Saboteur - As I said above, I like open-world action games. While Pandemic may have made a bit of a misstep with Mercenaries 2, I have high hopes for The Saboteur. I'm really liking the setting and the art style, and the gameplay shown off at E3 looked very promising. I'm not completely sold on this yet, but I'll definitely be keeping a watchful eye on this in the time between now and its ultimate release.

Thumbs Down


  • Final Fantasy XIV Online - As a big fan of the Final Fantasy series, the announcement of FFXIV left me disappointed on two counts. For a start, Final Fantasy XIII hasn't even made it into stores yet, and Square Enix are already diverting attention onto the next instalment in the series. Second, I'd have thought Square Enix would have learned their lesson from FFXI and avoided awarding a roman numeral to this MMO. I have no problems with the concept of an FF MMO, but I don't believe they honour the spirit of the series enough to warrant numbering.
  • Left 4 Dead 2 - Although I never played the original Left 4 Dead, I am a big fan of Valve. One of the reasons for this is their "we'll release it when it's done" mentality. The mentality that kept people waiting six years for Half-Life 2, nine years for Team Fortress 2, and that continues to keep people waiting for Half-Life 2: Episode Three. Thus, like many people, the announcement of Left 4 Dead 2 less than a year after the original doesn't sit well with me. Unless Valve really pull out all the stops and make this well worth £40, I can see myself losing a lot of respect for them with this move.
  • Metal Gear Solid: Rising - Onto the half of the announcement that I didn't like. I don't honestly know what I expected after following Kojima's countdown, but Metal Gear Solid: Rising was something of an anticlimax in my eyes. I have no problems with playing as Raiden, but something about Rising doesn't really sit right with me. When Kojima seems keen to distance himself from a project, it doesn't put a great amount of faith in the mind of the average consumer. Regardless, as a fan of the series I'll probably end up picking it up anyway. I guess time will tell.
  • Red Dead Redemption - I stress for the third time, I like open-world action games. The debut trailer for Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption looked very promising, seeming to offer a GTA-style adventure in a wild west setting. I eagerly anticipated seeing more of the game at E3... but it didn't show! That's why it's down here - it's still going to be a day-one purchase, and I'm still majorly stoked for this, I'm just a little disappointed that it didn't put in an appearance at E3 so we could see more of it.

What I've Been Playing

Of course, while all this video game related talk has been going on, I've been playing plenty of video games of my own. Which ones, you ask? Well, since you asked, allow me to tell you...

BioShock

BioShock told a great story and backed it up with some decent gameplay
BioShock told a great story and backed it up with some decent gameplay
A friend bought me a copy of BioShock as a belated birthday present back in March. I'd been meaning to get around to playing it, but my hands had been full with games like Oblivion and Dead Space. I finally gave it a chance last month, and finished it in the last few days of May. The storyline was incredible and really gripped me, proving to be the game's saving grace in the opening couple of hours. I quickly became wrapped up in the struggle for Rapture and the feud between Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine. In terms of how it plays, BioShock starts out feeling like a very underwhelming first-person shooter. Thankfully, it really picks up the further in you get, as more weapons and plasmids become available to you. Graphically it's a tour de force, with a memorable art style and some truly beautiful water effects. The first time I saw water running down a staircase in BioShock, I gasped. Honestly, there were witnesses. Other similarly small touches, like the way a pool of blood catches the light at a certain angle, really helped to make BioShock feel immersive and envelop me in the story. The excellently realised world of Rapture was a joy to behold and to explore, and I look forward to revisiting it in the game's upcoming sequel.

Final Fantasy VI

After the awesome time I had with Final Fantasy V over the last couple of months, I decided to continue the trend by jumping to the next game in the series. I started up on Final Fantasy VI about a week ago, although I haven't played it much since I've been distracted by some other games (more on that a little later). I'm about four hours in and I'm currently at level 14, having just descended from Mt. Koltz. I intend to play more of this over the long summer I have ahead, so stay tuned for more info on that.

Forza Motorsport 2

Expect nice shiny cars aplenty in Forza 2
Expect nice shiny cars aplenty in Forza 2
Despite owning Forza 2 for around a year, I'd never really given it a chance, preferring to stick to the original game and Gran Turismo 4 for my racing simulation fix. But after seeing the E3 footage of the upcoming Forza 3, I decided to give it another spin. It's actually a lot better than I initially gave it credit for, offering a little more depth than in predecessor with the inclusion of Car Levels as well as the Driver Level carried over from the first game. I'm currently at Driver Level 22 with around 20% of the game's Career mode completed. Unfortunately I'm not hooked up to LIVE at the moment, so pretty pictures of my nice cars are out of the question, and so is the chance to take part in any online races or auctions. Maybe I'll get re-connected over summer and take some of you guys on. One minor gripe I do have with the game is its damage modelling, which was excellent last-gen but doesn't really cut it in an age where games like Burnout Paradise and GRID are showing off much more sophisticated vehicle damage. That aside, Forza 2 is an excellent racing game and has really got me in the mood for the third game in the franchise.

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

I can't believe I didn't give Portable Ops a chance sooner
I can't believe I didn't give Portable Ops a chance sooner
Some time last week, at a loss for something to do while I waited for my washing to dry, I decided to bring my trusty PSP out of retirement and try to finish one or two of the outstanding games I own for it. I was initially leaning towards trying to complete Grand Theft Auto: VIce City Stories, but I then spotted Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops sitting on the shelf. Probably inspired by seeing the announcement of Peace Walker only hours earlier, I popped it into my PSP and started playing. It looks incredible, even by PSP standards, and the squad-based gameplay adds a fresh twist to the standard stealth action I've come to expect from the series (although I wouldn't say no to a more streamlined inventory management interface). As the only game in the series' canon that I've not yet finished, I feel like I owe it to myself to reach the end of Portable Ops, if only to prepare myself for the imminent arrival of Peace Walker next year. You'll no doubt hear a lot more about this when I finish it. It's definitely shaping up to be of Discovering Gaming Greatness quality.

Portal

At a loss for something to do one afternoon, I whipped out The Orange Box and decided to play through Portal for the first time since I played it back in August last year. Three hours later, watching the credits roll while listening to Still Alive, my initial opinion of the game still stands. It's an incredible feat of technology that offers a truly unique gameplay experience supported by interesting mechanics and a wicked sense of humour. I also went back to try and tackle some of the game's advanced maps, most of which are truly mind-bending and make for a great mental workout. I implore you; if you haven't played Portal yet, do it now.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2

After so long, beating this guy felt so, so good
After so long, beating this guy felt so, so good
There's a great story behind this one. After reading Disgaeamad's blog chronicling his greatest gaming achievement, I felt compelled to return to Sonic The Hedgehog 2. A classic from the darkest depths of my childhood, in all my years of playing the game, I'd never completed it. Dis's blog inspired me to return to the game and show Dr. Robotnik exactly who was boss. I picked up my copy of the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection and made my way through the early levels quickly but carefully, the intention being to amass as many extra lives and continues as I possibly could before the final showdown where the maniacal doctor had bested me so many times before. I traversed the greenery of Emerald Hill Zone, dodged the unstable machinery in the Chemical Plant Zone and the flying arrows in the Aquatic Ruin Zone, won big in the Casino Night Zone, ran from rising lava in the Hill Top Zone, rolled under falling stalactites in the Mystery Cave Zone, narrowly avoided drowning in the Oil Ocean Zone, nearly got crushed in the Metropolis Zone, contended with flying turtles in the Sky Chase Zone and shot through the sky in the Wing Fortress Zone before I arrived at the spot where I had failed so many times before. Thankfully, my huge store of banked lives and continues paid off as I cautiously memorised the enemy's movements and finally shut down Dr. Robotnik after fifteen long years of trying. I'd like to thank Disgaeamad for inspiring me to put this childhood dream to rest, so thanks Dis.

Whoa, long blog. Thanks for reading all this, assuming you have. A few extra points before I close this blog. First, thanks to everybody who joined me in commemorating my fiftieth blogday a couple of weeks ago. It means a lot to have readers like you guys, so thanks a ton for your continued support. Secondly, I have about a week and a half left at University. The good news is, this means I'll be heading home very soon, where I'll have access to Xbox LIVE, so I'll be resuming my online gaming activities, no doubt. The bad news is, my parents are coming to pick up most of my stuff in three days, and "most of my stuff" would appear to include my 360, my PS2 and my TV. Long story short, I anticipate that I won't be playing many games for the next week or so. That being said, I'll still have my PSP and my PC. Maybe I'll use the opportunity to check out some stuff I've been overlooking for a while. Anyway, thanks very much for reading guys. I'll see you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (PSP)
9 Comments

DanK's 50th BlogDay Extravaganza!

By danielkempster 13 Comments

Hey guys, and welcome to a special edition of my blog. For those of you who aren't aware, this is my fiftieth blog entry for Giant Bomb. It feels really weird writing these words, because I've never maintained a blog like this before. I'd attempted to establish a blog back in the days of Gamespot, but gave up after I realised the community would be near-impossible to penetrate. Back when Giant Bomb launched ten months ago, and I typed out my introductory blog, I hoped that I would be able to find my footing within the community and attract a small audience who would enjoy reading my musings. While I'm well aware that I don't enjoy the fanbase and readership of fellow Giant Bombers like Sweep and Dalai, I'm incredibly grateful to all the people who take the time to read my blogs and offer their own views. You've made me feel integrated within this brilliant online community full of awesome people.

Anyway, enough of the mushy stuff for now. Plenty of time for that later. On with the BlogDay Extravaganza!

Retrospective: Looking Back On The Blog

While trying to decide on something exciting to write about to commemorate the occasion, I decided to leaf back through some past blogs in search of inspiration. Looking back on them now, I find it nearly impossible to believe that I've written this much in the last ten months. If it's taught me anything, it's that I'm a lot more passionate about both games and Giant Bomb than I initially thought. I've written about everything, from what I love about games, to the games themselves, to community matters, and pretty much everything in between. So, to commemorate this milestone in my own blogging history, I've decided to share some of my personal favourite blogs with you.

Half-Life: Discovering Gaming Greatness

Blog HERE
An account of my first ever experience with a Valve game. The start of the first of two beautiful love-affairs that have begun since I joined Giant Bomb, the other being Bethesda.

My Top Five Moving Moments In Games

Blog HERE - SPOILER ALERT
After experiencing the poignant ending of Half-Life 2: Episode Two, I decide to compile this list of the moments in gaming that moved me the most.

DanK Should Have A Face!

Blog HERE
A community-based blog/musing in which I decide to settle with a permanent user icon.

The Christmas Mega-Blog! Part Three - The Significance Of Story

Blog HERE
My love of games comes together with my love of writing to express my views on the importance of good storytelling in video games.

Sinners And Saints

Blog HERE - SPOILER ALERT
After enjoying most of Saints Row, something completely changes my opinion of it and prompts me to write this comparison between it and Grand Theft Auto IV.

2008 In Review

Blog HERE
A belated look back on my gaming experiences in the year of 2008.

Canis Canem Edit: Discovering Gaming Greatness

Blog HERE
After going back to an overlooked Rockstar classic, I explain why I think Canis Canem Edit is superior to Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in almost every respect.

DanK's Top 30 Games List

Part One HERE   Part Two HERE   Part Three HERE   Part Four HERE   Part Five HERE   Part Six HERE
dankempster jumps on the list bandwagon and compiles a charter of his favourite thirty games of all time.

How To Get Your Girlfriend Into Games: Dead Space Edition

Blog HERE
My girlfriend and I find the perfect way to spend a romantic evening together - strategically dismembering Necromorph limbs!

A Very Special Thanks

Like I said earlier, the Giant Bomb community is the sole reason I've made it this far. If you guys didn't take the time to read these blogs and share your own views with me through the comments you leave, I wouldn't have any motivation for doing this. You really are the reason I've maintained this blog for the last ten months. So thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me. Thanks AgentJ, Al3xand3r, AndrewGaspar, Arkthemaniac, atejas, BiggerBomb (your readership is greatly missed, buddy), Billabong81, BoG, brukaoru, Bucketdeth, Claude, crunchUK, c1337us, daniel_beck_90, Disgaeamad, ElectricHaggis, Gizmo, Hamz, Hexpane, jakob187, Jayge, Jensonb, Kush, Lies, LordAndrew, Manachild, MasterOfPenguins_Zell, MattyFTM, Maxszy, Meowayne, natetodamax, oldschool, Otacon, PenguinDust, Pepsiman, PowerSerj, Puppy, RandomHero666, Red, RHCPfan24, Rowr, ShadowKiller, sidescroller, Sir_Ragnarok, Soap, SuperMooseman, Sweep, TheGreatGuero, The_A_Drain, ThomasP, xruntime, ZeroCast, zhinse, and everybody else who's ever read and/or commented on my blogs. In addition, thanks to you for reading this commemorative edition of my blog. Join me and raise your glass in a toast to the next fifty.


No Caption Provided


DanK

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Currently playing - BioShock (X360)
13 Comments

Final Fantasy V: Curing The JRPG Blues

By danielkempster 6 Comments

the symptoms of JRPG blues include aversion to scenes like these.
the symptoms of JRPG blues include aversion to scenes like these.
If you missed it, about a month ago I posted a blog regarding my experience as a sufferer of the JRPG blues. For those of you who are unaware, or who are lucky enough to have not experienced this debilitating condition, the JRPG blues is a slump in JRPG activity for a prolonged period of time. Sufferers of the blues are typically people who enjoy the genre, but feel unable to get lost in any new adventures for reasons unknown to them. I was a sufferer for about a year, with my previous experience of a JRPG being the PlayStation version of Final Fantasy IV back at the start of 2008. Since then, I'd been having real trouble getting into anything that I picked up. Games like Infinite Undiscovery, Blue Dragon and Star Ocean: Till the End of Time just weren't gripping me in the way I wanted to be gripped. For a while I thought that perhaps my interest in the genre, an interest that began with Final Fantasy VII nearly ten years ago and has since spanned tens of titles, was waning. I genuinely thought that the JRPG, a subset of game that had played such an instrumental role in the formation of several of my interests outside of gaming, was something that I was beginning to outgrow.

That crystal was intact before you guys showed up...
That crystal was intact before you guys showed up...
A month later, I'm well and truly cured of the JRPG blues. The cure, as it turned out, was something as simple as a healthy dose of a classic, timeless JRPG which up until now had all but passed under my radar. Final Fantasy V, one of the few instalments in the series that I hadn't played through to the end, was recommended to me by fellow Giant Bomber and JRPG nut Disgaeamad. I'd tried to play through Final Fantasy V last year, almost immediately after finishing Final Fantasy IV, but I found it near impossible to get past the game's plodding story. One thing that particularly bugged me about it was the sheer amount of bad luck the group of adventurers seem to endure within the game's first ten hours or so. To put things in perspective, Lenna gets knocked unconscious and nearly abducted by goblins. Twice. In the first fifteen minutes of the game! Faris' companion Syldra gets sucked into a whirlpool while crossing through the Tule Canal, then dies later on after saving the party from the collapsing Tower of Walse. The party's ship consequently ends up wrecking... in a ship graveyard full of zombies! They get a new ship... and it sinks off the coast of Crescent Island about ten minutes later! But, perhaps the biggest annoyance the story gave me was the fact the world's crystals kept shattering JUST AS THE FUCKING HEROES ARRIVED ON THE SCENE!

The Job system ensures combat never feels like a chore
The Job system ensures combat never feels like a chore
Remembering this series of events not too fondly, I picked the game back up and started over. I gritted my teeth and endured the story's terrible opening (probably the series' worst, in my opinion). I fought through the first seven or eight hours of the game, past all the unfortunate coincidences, and gradually things started to get awesome. The story really picks up at around the point where Exdeath makes his debut, and keeps going from strength to strength from that point on. I have to agree with Disgaeamad that the battle on the Big Bridge is one of the finest Final Fantasy moments (and one of the greatest pieces of music in a Final Fantasy game) of all time. The characters, with the exception of Lenna who lacks any real personality besides that of the stereotypical princess, are all really unique and fleshed out. Galuf and Faris in particular are both incredible characters and now rank among some of my favourites in the series. The Job system is also very well-constructed and astoundingly deep for a seventeen-year-old game. I found myself really experimenting with different combinations of abilities towards the game's end, trying to concoct new and interesting abilities to give me that all-important edge in battle.

I finished Final Fantasy V last night, clocking up just under forty hours, and all I could think as I watched the game's closing credits was, "How the hell did I miss out on this for so long?". Technically speaking, I should know better than to write off a game based on its opening moments. I won't lie. The first ten hours of Final Fantasy V were a tedious grind. Even more so than I remember them being, although maybe that's because I've played it all before. Thankfully, once you get past the painfully slow opening, the game comes into its own. The story, which starts out very poor, becomes exponentially more exciting and interesting. At around the same time, the abilities bestowed upon your characters by the game's Job system really start to give you the flexibility that makes combat such a joy to experience. The characters prove to be the game's saving grace in its first quarter, creating an emotional attachment that makes some of the game's later moments even more poignant. They're also incredibly funny. In fact, I think Final Fantasy V may be the funniest game in the series. It's moments like this that made the opening segments worthwhile:

  


Now that I'm cured, there's only one remaining problem; how do I decide on the next game to which I shall devote my rekindled interest in the JRPG genre? I have a hell of a lot of potential candidates sitting on the shelf in front of me. Part of me wants to tackle Final Fantasy VI, one of my personal high points of the series, so I can continue to witness how the series has evolved over time. I also have a lot of unplayed JRPGs that I'm much more willing to give a chance now that I'm out of my funk. Games like Dragon Quest VIII, Lost Odyssey and Persona 4 all beckon at me with tempting fingers. Anybody else out there feel like making the decision for me?

Thanks for reading, guys. My next blog will be my fiftieth, and I'm intending to do something a little special to mark the occasion, so be sure to keep an eye out for that. In the meantime, I'll see you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - BioShock (X360)
6 Comments

Important Exams & Pretty Discs

By danielkempster 8 Comments

There are good and bad sides to everything. As an example, let's take my exam situation. I'm currently taking my end-of-year exams, having spent the last year at the University of Essex studying English Language & Literature - the first year of a three-year course. On the positive side, I have one exam left. It's a Literature exam and I'm reasonably comfortable with the texts I've been studying, so I'm feeling pretty confident about it. I've already sat three of these three-hour exams in the last two weeks, and I found them alright too, so that thought is helping to keep me calm as well. As soon as this one's out of the way, I'm free (well, at least until October when I start my study for the second year). On the negative side, however, that last exam is tomorrow. On a Saturday. As in, the weekend. And not first thing in the morning, either. My final exam starts at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon, and doesn't finish until 5pm. Talk about eating into a guy's game time!

This is how my games are going to be organised for the next two years
This is how my games are going to be organised for the next two years
But anyway, that's not the main reason I came here to blog. Yesterday, I received a disc storage wallet from Amazon in the post after ordering a couple for next year. The flat that my girlfriend and I have decided to rent is pretty small and isn't exactly loaded with shelf space for my games and her DVDs. Thus, I decided that it might be a good idea to invest in a couple of these storage wallets to keep all our discs in without sacrificing too much of what little shelf space we have. Like I said, the first one arrived yesterday and I spent a good hour or so moving all my game discs out of their cases and into the wallet. As I was doing so, I couldn't help but notice that some of these discs (particularly the older ones) have some really awesome designs on. These days, discs are often just printed with a cropped version of the box art, so I'd almost forgotten how nice-looking and truly original some of these discs are. Naturally, these thoughts soon gave way to the urge to write, so I thought I'd share some of my personal favourite disc art with you guys here at Giant Bomb. After a worried couple of hours debating whether or not it was wise to put my discs into my scanner, and a number of test runs with lesser-liked games (here's looking at you, Unlimited SaGa), these are the results:




Gallery
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I think my personal favourites are the Final Fantasy IX discs, featuring some beautiful concept art of the game's characters drawn by series stalwart Yoshitaka Amano. Although you probably can't quite make it out from the pictures on display, the level of detail in those drawings is incredible and really makes those discs something to admire. I also like the disc art for Shadow of the Colossus and ICO, as it complements the minimalist themes present in both games. I like the Vagrant Story disc art because it's simple, but effective. Unfortunately, I picked that up second-hand back when GAME used to mark their preowned stock with permanent markers, so there's a bit of black writing on the disc surface. It's a shame we don't often see this level of thought being put into most modern disc art. I included Lost Odyssey as a more recent example of interesting disc art, but for the most part I couldn't really choose anything from my Xbox 360 collection because all the art on the discs was identical to that on the game's box. I have a few other gems back at home, notably the Metal Gear Solid discs, but I don't currently have access to those so I can't scan them for your viewing pleasure.

Before I wrap things up, I guess I'd better let you all know what I've been playing since my last blog. First up is Final Fantasy V. I decided to play through this on the advice of Disgaeamad, as a means of dragging myself up out of the JRPG blues. While it was a little slow to start, the game has gradually become something very special in my eyes. The plot, which didn't really amount to much at first, has slowly turned itself around and improved to the point where it rivals some of my favourite Final Fantasy games. The characters are charming and really help to spur the player on at points when the story falters. I'm also a really big fan of the Job system; having loved it in Final Fantasy X-2 and the Final Fantasy Tactics games, it's nice to see where it really started becoming the infinitely flexible system it's known as. I've also played through Shadow of the Colossus for a second time, and started a third play-through of ICO. This is entirely down to a request from my increasingly game-intrigued girlfriend, who'd heard about Shadow of the Colossus and wanted to see it played. After playing through it, I let her know that ICO was developed by the same team and we started on that. Both games are incredible feats of design with some truly unique gameplay on offer. Playing both of Team ICO's previous games has also got me super-hyped for Project TRICO, even though I don't currently own a PS3.

Anyway, I think that about does it. Thanks for reading guys, see you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - Final Fantasy V (PS1)
8 Comments

Dead Space: Discovering Gaming Greatness

By danielkempster 9 Comments

Dead Space was one hell of a thrill ride
Dead Space was one hell of a thrill ride
It's been quite a while since I last wrote a Discovering Gaming Greatness blog. The last instance was back in March, when I shared my thoughts on Rockstar's Canis Canem Edit. I thought about writing one for Metal Gear Solid 4, but instead opted to focus on the theme of closure for that. So, the first Discovering Gaming Greatness in over two months is instead awarded to Dead Space. Developed by EA Redwood Studios (now Visceral Games) and released towards the end of last year, I picked it up on a whim (and very cheaply) from Amazon over my Easter break. Upon my return to Colchester, I decided to crack open the game and start playing it. What followed was a twelve-hour white-knuckle thrill ride, and easily the scariest game I've ever played. Those of you who read my blogs regularly may already be somewhat aware of my experience with the sci-fi action horror game. I promise not to re-iterate too much of what I've already said elsewhere, although I'll inevitably repeat myself to a certain degree. I also promise to keep this blog relatively spoiler-free, on the off-chance that anybody reading this hasn't played the game yet (and trust me, if you haven't, you should). With all that said, let's get this show on the road.

The combat in Dead Space is very satisfying
The combat in Dead Space is very satisfying
Any analysis of Dead Space is inevitably going to start with the game mechanics, and most specifically the combat. I personally found the gunplay in Dead Space to be incredibly satisfying, utilising the now-standard third-person shooting mechanics and combining it with the novel concept of strategic dismemberment. Being required to aim for the spindly limbs of the Necromorph enemies really put an interesting spin on the combat and made a welcome change from constantly aiming for headshots. The arsenal of different weapons on offer and the variation between different types of enemies really helped to keep the game feeling fresh, too. The weapons you're using all feel powerful, and the sound of a severed limb is incredibly satisfying. The apparent power of your weaponry also helps to make the enemies seem even more of a threat. Taking out a Necromorph's legs only to witness it start crawling towards you using its forelimbs is a pretty harrowing experience the first time round, and it doesn't get any less tense as the game goes on. Simply put, the combat in Dead Space feels like a breath of fresh air compared to other third-person shooters, with enough variation from the norm to keep someone like me coming back for more.

Inventory management is important in Dead Space
Inventory management is important in Dead Space
Another commendable aspect of Dead Space's combat system is the emphasis placed on weapons upgrades and inventory management. As is often the case with horror games, Dead Space provides you with a limited amount of inventory space and it's down to you to manage it effectively. Your protagonist, Isaac, can only carry up to four weapons with him at any one time, so it's up to you which ones you carry and which ones get left behind in the safe. Your inventory also limits what you can carry, offering you a certain number of slots which are yours to fill with health packs, stasis refills and ammunition as you wish. Throughout the game, you'll find yourself trying to achieve a decent balance between health packs and ammunition within your inventory. Of course, things get easier as the game progresses and offers you new suits with more inventory slots. The system isn't without its flaws - the game does tend to overload you with ammunition for weapons you're not using, often resulting in unnecessary ammo cluttering up your inventory. For the most part, though, the game deals with inventory management fairly well. You can also upgrade Isaac's weapons at workbenches, using power nodes to fill in grids reminiscent of the Sphere Grid system in Final Fantasy X. Attaching nodes to certain spots on the grid will improve that weapon's damage, ammo capacity, and reload speed, among other things. If you're like me and tend to favour different weapons in different situations, you may find yourself spending a lot of time debating where to place your nodes. It's a neat little system that adds a nice extra dimension to the inventory management.

The Zero-G parts of Dead Space can only be described as unique
The Zero-G parts of Dead Space can only be described as unique
Outside of combat, I really liked the way Dead Space used its setting to its advantage. The other gameplay mechanics in effect really help to set Dead Space apart from the competition, both thematically and in terms of quality. One such mechanic is the incorporation of a stasis module which Isaac can use to slow stuff down. In this case, 'stuff' covers both enemies and environmental objects. This means that stasis can be used to Isaac's advantage in combat, but it can also be used in conjunction with the kinesis module to solve some of the game's pretty well-designed puzzle segments. There's also the Zero-G portions of the game, which are really unlike anything else I've ever seen in an action game before. It's really well-implemented, making for some of the game's most interesting set-pieces and opening up some really memorable combat sequences (the boss in Chapter Six springs to mind).

Dead Space is a genuinely scary game
Dead Space is a genuinely scary game
The thing that really caught my attention with Dead Space, though, was just how atmospheric and genuinely scary the game is. Long-time readers may or may not recall my experience with Resident Evil 4 last year. I really enjoyed the game, for most of the same reasons that I loved Dead Space (the combat, the inventory management, the intrigue and suspense), but for whatever reason I just didn't find Resident Evil 4 very scary. Suspenseful, yes, but not scary at all. Dead Space, on the other hand... I think Dead Space scared me more in the first half-hour than Resident Evil 4 did in all the twenty-something hours I poured into it. A lot of this is down to Dead Space's audio-visual design, which is nothing short of incredible. Visually, the game looks amazing, which really helps in creating an immersive experience. This immersion is maintained thanks to the complete lack of an invasive HUD, instead opting to convey all that important information using the in-game graphics. Isaac's health bar is on the back of his suit, remaining ammunition is shown on the weapon's interface, and the inventory menu and briefing information are all accessed through holographic projections from Isaac's helmet. The sound design is also very impressive, utilising a lot of incredible sound effects to really put the shivers up the spine of the player.

If anything disappointed me at all about Dead Space, it was the game's closing moments. After the suspenseful, frightening campaign and the countless memorable moments it threw up, the final boss can only be described as something of an anti-climax. I was expecting something a little bit more threatening and robust, and instead got something that could be taken apart in five minutes with a few well-placed shots from the Plasma Cutter. Maybe I was expecting too much, but it did feel like a let down after the incredible thrill ride offered by the rest of the campaign. Despite that one quibble, though, I really enjoyed Dead Space. I found it to be an incredible sum of its well-implemented parts, and I'm already looking forward to the inevitable release of a sequel.

So, there you have it. My two cents on Dead Space. Thanks very much for reading, guys. As always, I'd really like to hear your thoughts, so please take the time to leave a comment. Also, while writing this blog, I've also been digging through my own blog archives and I've noticed that I'm rapidly approaching the fiftieth blog post milestone (this is my forty-seventh). While I haven't decided what I'm going to do by way of celebration yet, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all my long-time readers in advance. I've never maintained a blog before, and if it weren't for the support of you guys, there's no way I would ever have kept this one going for so long. So yeah, thanks a ton for your readership. In the meantime, I guess I'll see you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - Final Fantasy V (PS1)
9 Comments

A Short Blog On Disc Care

By danielkempster 9 Comments

Handle with care
Handle with care
I'm a pretty careful guy. I always take care when handling fragile possessions, and seldom damage or deface anything through misuse or neglect. Never is this more true than with discs. As an owner of over two hundred CDs, fifty DVDs and over one hundred and fifty disc-based video games, I go to great lengths to ensure my collections are well looked after and immaculately preserved. You'd only have to look at some of my PS1 discs to realise this: discs that I've owned for over ten years have only fallen prey to slight surface marks and the occasional fingerprint. I am very much a stickler when it comes to disc care, to the point where I've become very reluctant to lend out my games to even my closest friends. In the past I've had discs come back covered in scratches, smudges, sticky substances and, in one instance, a chunk of the disc missing. I can't abide people who don't treat their discs with anything other than the utmost care. There isn't much that pisses me off more than seeing somebody holding a disc with their fingers all over the data surface, or leaving discs out of their cases.

Yet, poor disc care is something that continuously seems to come back around and periodically bite me on the arse. The reason for this is my tendency to buy old games. These games tend to be very difficult to come by and incredibly expensive if bought new, so I tend to buy them second-hand. The upside to this is obvious: second-hand games are easy to find and pretty cheap nowadays, too. The downside is that you have no guarantee the game's previous owner is as careful with discs as you are. In fact, based on my previous experience with second-hand game purchases, there seems to be a very strong correlation between the kind of people who trade in games at retail stores and the kind of people who don't give a damn about their game discs. This is a shame, because all too often it results in gamers like myself getting done over.

Looks like no Primal for me
Looks like no Primal for me
Over the Easter break, I ordered a copy of the PS2 action/adventure game Primal from CeX's online store. For those of you who aren't aware of CeX, they're a company that deal exclusively in second-hand goods. It's a great place to go if, like me, you're the kind of gamer who likes picking up old titles that you may have missed years ago. The downside is, despite insisting they utilise a strict disc-testing policy, games that are scratched beyond readability make their way into your hands far more often than is acceptable. Primal, unfortunately, was one such case. After having a blast with Soul Reaver 2, and being a fan of SCE Studio Cambridge's other games (notably the MediEvil series), I decided to pick up Primal and found it on the CeX site for a paltry £1.50. After holding off on starting the game for a few weeks, due to being preoccupied with Dead Space and Metal Gear Solid 4, I finally got around to starting it yesterday. And starting it is pretty much all I did. After about five minutes, the game seized up and refused to load. I cleaned the disc, reset the PS2 and tried again, only to have the same thing happen again. After a third attempt garnered the same result, I grudgingly gave up and declared the disc a casualty of neglect. Sadly, it's too late for me to return the game to CeX, but considering it was only £1.50 I'm not too bothered about that. What bothers me more is the fact that as a direct result of somebody else's blatant disregard for the welfare of their game discs, I've been cheated out of what might have been a great gaming experience. In the future, I'll be making all my second-hand purchases in shops, so I can check the condition of the game discs before I take them home.

In other game-related news, I'm about thirteen hours into Final Fantasy V and I'm actually starting to enjoy it. The plot seems to finally be picking up the pace, and the characters all have an undeniable charm that makes the delivery of the story more entertaining than the story itself most of the time. I'm also still in possession of my flat mate's PS3 following our console swap, and I'm becoming increasingly tempted to check out Prince of Persia before I have to return it to her. I also caved in to peer pressure and ordered myself a copy of Persona 4 last week, so I'm waiting on that to arrive in the post. That being said, I probably won't have time to play it until the summer due to the current educational climate. I'm currently sitting my end-of-year exams for my first year of University. I sat my first exam this morning, which went pretty well, and I have three more over the next two weeks. It's a very daunting time for me, and most of my free time is being taken up with revision, so I'm not playing many video games right now. Anyway, thanks for reading guys. I'll see you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - Final Fantasy V (PS1)
9 Comments

Closure

By danielkempster 6 Comments

Metal Gear Solid 4 provides all the closure I needed
Metal Gear Solid 4 provides all the closure I needed
I think it's in the nature of human beings to strive for resolution. There must be something in our genetic make-up that means we can only deal in finite information. While we have a concept of infinity, it's impossible for us to fully grasp the notion that something may have no borders, boundaries or end. We don't like it when things don't get resolved. We expect a finish. We expect a conclusion. And if closure doesn't immediately present itself, we either go off looking for it, or we wait patiently until it comes to us. The former is evident in scientific research and discovery, while the latter makes itself apparent through our hunger for sequels to our favourite books, movies and video games. Why do we read these books, watch these movies and play these games? Because we are driven by our desire to find out what happens to the characters, and how everything all turns out in the end.

Why am I getting all philosophical in my blog preamble? Because I just finished Metal Gear Solid 4. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll probably be aware that my friend and I swapped consoles so I could experience Guns of the Patriots while she played Dead Space. After a week of sneaking, I've finally brought myself to the dramatic climax of Solid Snake's epic story. The closure that I've been waiting for since first playing Metal Gear Solid 2 seven years ago, the closure that was teased in 2004 by Metal Gear Solid 3 only to pose yet more questions, has finally found its way into my life. And yet, despite all the self-hype I built up waiting to play the game, I didn't leave the experience feeling underwhelmed or cheated in any way. Quite the opposite, actually. When you strip away all the next-gen enhancements, Metal Gear Solid 4 is truly a Metal Gear game at its core. In my eyes, it's an extremely fitting end to the story arc, and well worth waiting for.

"Metal Gear...?!"
Before I get too involved in the main point of this blog, I should probably make my opinion of the game itself a little clearer. After the initial cutscenes, when I took control of Old Snake for the first time, I didn't feel like I was playing a Metal Gear game. My first thought was to send a letter to Hideo Kojima, politely asking him why he got Gears of War in my Metal Gear Solid. Ten minutes of perseverance later, I came to realise that the gameplay changes amounted to little more than improved shooting mechanics. Crawling? Check. CQC? Check. Camouflage? Check. Cyborg Ninja? Check. Huge nuclear-capable robots? Check. Once I rediscovered the tried-and-tested MGS staples of gameplay, I felt much more comfortable. The game plays really well, offering a healthy balance of stealth, action, several memorable boss battles, and some of the most awe-inspiring set pieces this side of the Half-Life games. Graphically, the game blows everything else I've ever played out of the water, and the audio score by Harry Gregson-Williams is certainly on par with his previous work. But above all else, what stood out for me was the game's epic, sweeping storyline.

Sneaking is (thankfully) still a viable gameplay option
Sneaking is (thankfully) still a viable gameplay option
The plot was probably my favourite thing about Metal Gear Solid 4. Maybe that's because it was my motivation for playing the game, or maybe it's just because I'm a bit of a Metal Gear nut. Whatever the reason, I'm not going to deny that I loved every facet of the game's story. I loved the way it was told, through the cinematically directed cut scenes and mission briefings. More than anything, I loved the closure that it brought. I loved the way every strand of the plot that's been hanging loose since the clusterfucked ending of MGS2 was combined with the new questions from MGS3 and existing information from the earlier games to resolve absolutely every doubt in my mind regarding the story arc. I particularly enjoyed the reveal of the Patriots' identities at around the mid-point in the game. In fact, I think that may have been my favourite part of the game. It marked the point for me when all the long-standing questions I had finally started to be answered. That was, after all, the impetus that drove me into the game in the first place.

Metal Gear Solid 4 pays homage to series and its fans
Metal Gear Solid 4 pays homage to series and its fans
Metal Gear Solid 4 is an almost unhealthy helping of fan service. Like I said earlier, beneath the HD graphics and action-oriented gunplay, it is a true Metal Gear game at its core. In fact, it's arguably the most Metal Gear-ish instalment in the franchise since the original. As I mentioned, it checks all the boxes you'd expect a Metal Gear game to do. It also features some of the most impressive breaking of the fourth wall since MGS1. There are moments that feel a bit like cop-outs, but those moments also tend to be the moments that best capture the essence of the Metal Gear franchise. I'm not in the habit of leaking spoilers, so I won't go into any great detail on that matter, but I do think that the game's most Metal Gear-ish moments are the ones that have come under heavy fire from gamers for being too outlandish. After all, is it possible for anything to be too outlandish in the Metal Gear universe? Metal Gear Solid 4 may be fan service, but I am a fan. That's probably the reason why the game's plot left me feeling so satisfied.

As I said in the beginning, I think it's part of human nature to expect closure on a series of events. Our minds can't handle the indefinite. I spent seven years waiting for this closure, and now that I've experienced Metal Gear Solid 4 for myself I feel like it was worth it. Now that it is over, though, I just have one request for Konami: please leave Snake be. I don't want to see the franchise end, and I'd be more than happy to see more Metal Gear games made. All I ask is that any new material is exempt from the canon of Snake's story. Whether that means non-canonical games, or the creation of a whole new canon altogether, I really don't mind. You did a great job of providing closure for fans of the series. Don't mess it up.

Let sleeping Snakes lie.


Thanks very much for reading, guys. See you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3)
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"Kept You Waiting, Huh?"

By danielkempster 6 Comments

Too expensive for a mere student like myself...
Too expensive for a mere student like myself...
When the new generation of consoles hit, I was fairly sure that my decision to upgrade would initially swing the way of the PlayStation 3. I wasn't a Sony fanboy, having grown out of that stage at around fourteen, when I finally gave in, bought myself an Xbox and found out what I'd been missing. No, my mind was set on upgrading to Sony's third home console because of the years of fun I'd been provided with by my PlayStation 2, and the PlayStation before that. On top of that, I was a lot more interested in Sony's first-party franchises like God of War and Gran Turismo. I was convinced that the PlayStation 3 would be the best place to invest my money. Needless to say, a few things resulted in that assurance changing. The price, while not unreasonable in my opinion, was way out of my range, and continues to be. The games, particularly the first-party titles I was looking forward to, didn't materialise around the time of the console's launch. These factors ultimately deterred me from buying the PlayStation 3, and I finally entered the current generation of consoles when I purchased an Xbox 360 in April last year.

I cannot wait to play this!
I cannot wait to play this!
I've been happy with the 360 for the most part, despite losing one to an E74 error in February and then having it stolen before I could send it off for repairs. It's served me well - the games are good, the controller is comfortable and Microsoft seem to offer it a lot of support. But in spite of all this, there's still a part of my brain that wants to play the PlayStation 3. The reason for this - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. I've been a fan of the franchise for years, having played MGS1, 2 and 3, as well as the two MSX Metal Gear games, the two Ac!d games on PSP, and MGS: Portable Ops on the same. Despite showing all this love for the series, though, I've never had the opportunity to play the most recent instalment in what is surely one of my most favourite franchises in gaming. That is, until now.

My PS3-owning flat mate \and I have been talking about doing a console swap for some time, and we finally got around to it this morning. That means that for the next week, I am the acting guardian of a shiny black PlayStation 3 and a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4, while she looks after my 360 and a few games including Dead Space and Forza 2. I cannot even begin to tell you how stoked I am about this. The swap is in effect for one week, so I intend to play the hell out of MGS4 and, depending on timing, maybe check out Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Prince of Persia too. You can expect a full verdict on MGS4 later in the week. Thanks for reading, guys. See you around.


DanK

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Currently playing - Final Fantasy V (PS1)
6 Comments