Posts Tagged ‘PC’

Sometimes you need to reset the bar. As an informed gamer I find more and more that my definition of what constitutes average is slowly creeping upwards. Then Capcom’s Dark Void was thrust into my lap, and I found my equilibrium.

Conceptually Dark Void looked like a solid game. It threw me into a dramatic story, set in a beautiful world with interesting opponents. Add to this cover based combat with the ability to take flight at any time, courtesy of a jetpack, and developer Airtight Games should have been on to a winner. But these elements all combined to make and experience that define the term pedestrian.

See it looks fun, but the soul is missing.

Strangely nothing in the execution of Dark Void is wrong. There are no technical problems, mechanically or graphically, but it contains none of the magic that I seem to have begun taking for granted in my games.

I look to games with similar third person combat, such as Gears of War, and feel none of the spark that made them special. Like a gifted young musician copying their idol, the performance of Dark Void is solid in its execution, but lacks any of the soul that makes the original feel special.

Dark Void looked so promising in previews, but all the final product did for me was establish that good games really do possess a spark that raise them above the masses; a spark that no amount of technical talent or focus testing can substitute for.

Read more about Dark Void here.

A labor of love for developer Bioware, Dragon Age: Origins offers classic D&D gameplay. With an emphasis on character interaction, the game makes interesting use of a simple morality system to form some unique party politics.

Games always task us with saving the world, which can make it hard to focus on the little things. We make assumptions that our party will unquestioningly follow us to their deaths however we behave. Not so in Dragon Age, because this is a game where party members have a choice, and the ability to leave.

I played the PC version, which (anecdotally) offers a better experience than the console ports.

It was my party that formed the heart of my experience with Dragon Age. RPGs always see me playing the good guy, helping the people I meet with problems and solving situations in the best way possible. But in Dragon Age decisions are often grey, and the wrong choice can lead to me alienating a party member who disagrees with my leadership.

Having acquired every character I was met with the task of balancing their interests. Not offending a templar may not seem difficult, but it becomes a challenge when others are urging you to use dark magic to expedite a quest.

At its basest level party management is just the binary morality system seen in many RPGs, but with each party member carrying their own values. It’s a simple mechanic that creates fascinating interactions and managed to draw me in far more than the epic mission I was tasked with ever could.

Metro 2033 is a first person shooter developed by the Ukrainian development studio A4. Based on a Russian comic of the same name, it is set beneath the streets of a post apocalyptic Moscow, in the city’s subway system.

More hopeful than it should be.

Metro 2033 reminds me of my first car. An old Ford Escort that by the end of its time with me it had hit a skip, gone through a fence and crashed twice. But like a faithful dog it kept trying to please right up to the end, and I loved it. You see despite the front bumper hanging off, the buckled boot and shattered indicator light, my Escort still worked and despite its many problems so does Metro 2033.

Like the makeshift weapons and equipment of Metro 2033 nothing in the game works perfectly, but somehow its ramshackle nature adds to the atmosphere of the derelict environment. Combat lacks impact but this is explained away by a dependence on reclaimed ammunition, and constant restrictions to the field of view is justified by the darkness of the Metro’s tunnels and the gasmask that is required in the irradiated surface of Moscow.

Lonely and moody, it is strange that Metro 2033 leaves me feeling so optimistic. Its linear comic inspired story holds an undercurrent of hope that is almost refreshing. Life will adapt and endure, and even confined below ground lacking even basic creature comforts, communities will form and fight to protect each other from adversity.

Another review of Metro 2033 by me here.

Darren is back just in time for a semi-festive show. We spend most of our time catching up on the last few months events and our respective holiday breaks but in the process we do touch on lots of games in-between our stories.

As I said last show do not expect Dans wonderfully detailed show notes every week, and this week serves only to reaffirm that declaration. I can tell you that you can expect us to talk about all the games we played recently, Red Dwarf, bad commercials, me pissing myself, me being taunted by hordes of nerds, the upcoming 2010 releases and our vacations. Unfortunately even with Darren back there is no Frakkers this show, but we do have some music and the return of Darrens Old Games.

Hopefully 2010 will mark a more regular schedule for The DoFuss Show as we stream line the formula, but we make no promises. Enjoy the show and keep an eye on the site this month for some gaming memories of the last ten years.

I am trying to get back in to oil painting, Darren insists on Twitpic updates so keep an eye on that if you care.

Craig Charles had far too much to do with it. [ 1:11:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download