This is what your local GAME might look like soon enough.

It has been widely reported by the gaming press, including Eurogamer, that the UK’s largest independent video game retailer is in financial difficulties. The firm had a poor 2011, and whilst many had hoped the Christmas season might bring a last minute reprieve it was not to be and sales were down close to 15% compared to the year before. To put this into context, most major high street retailers in the UK experienced a rise in sales compared to twelve months earlier, as Christmas 2010 had been so poor due to excessive snow and ice keeping shoppers away from their town centres.

To be fair GAME have, for a while now, been issuing profit warnings and talking of reducing the number of shops they have over the next one to two years. This of course is taking place at the same time as HMV recently having to reorganise its debts with its lenders. However, HMV have a broader range of products, less stores but larger ones (and hence can sell more and try a greater variety of activities) and have earnestly started moving the business into new areas, albeit some more successfully than others. The firm has invested in live music and venues, and started to transfer space in stores (which was set aside to plastic boxes) to fan related merchandise and technology.

This is not to say that HMV has the answer, but I mention it as a way of demonstrating that specialist music, film and game retailers are having to find new ways and that this is hardly new. Over the last few years we have gone from having, perhaps, 3-5 retailers offering such products per high street to 1-3, with some towns having barely 2. Those two are often HMV and GAME. There is now a serious chance that over the next 2-3 years this will reduce further to one or in some cases none.

The all conquering Amazon. It's taking sales from bookstores, toy stores and of course videogame stores. It's also the perfect platform to migrate from physical product to digital download or stream. Something it is pushing more and more.

Let’s look at the reasons why and what this means for both the games industry as a whole and the consumer. Whilst it would be easy to say it’s down to the increase in downloaded content (legal or illegal), it would not be true for the overall market. For PC, clearly, it has had a huge impact but the average store dedicates very little floor space to PC titles. Meanwhile in console land, whilst you can get a small selection of titles as downloads, most are retail only, or are retail only for a long time before they go onto Xbox Live, for example. Sony has started doing near simultaneous releases for a few titles, but it does not release numbers for the PSN store; though it’s safe to say that if a game is on for significantly more money there than it is priced in shops that it can’t be picking up many sales at present.

So what does the trouble at GAME signify? It could just be that the business expanded too fast and inherited too many shops, with a range of leases and costs which are unsustainable. In other words the business has put itself into the situation it now finds itself and is not systematic of any type of global change. I suspect though that this is not the only reason the firm finds itself in trouble. It expanded rapidly, largely on being the only place which had a good selection of titles and in more recent times in supplying a strong second hand offering.

Both areas are now under attack, from both Supermarkets such as Tesco and due to the online side of the business such as Amazon, Play and many independent ‘warehouse’ only operators using the Amazon/Ebay marketplace. Whilst GAME also has a strong online presence, it’s not actually that easy to use, and doesn’t offer great prices. This is because the focus of the business has remained its stores.

So we have established that most consumers are buying boxed games still, but the market is being redefined by the online retailers and supermarkets. Yet that is not the only factor in play here. We are buying less games. Sure some games are selling in huge numbers, and for more money per purchase, but we are buying less overall.

When discussing market size, services such as PSN, STEAM and others are rarely included in such figures. However, it's clear that if you are a PC gamer, you download, you don't get the box.

The size of the UK market shrunk last year. The UK is not alone. Some people are hoping a new console generation will solve this. I doubt it will in the short term. In the medium to long term it will as people who currently play games continue to, whilst new younger generations join the ranks of hardcore gamers. However at present, there will be no sudden demographic shift where we immediately find new consumers to join our ranks. Such a culture change last took place during the Wii/DS generation and at least 30% of that has since found that smartphones suffice, as they were never hardcore gamers to begin with.

As I’m sure many of you will have noticed the games we buy take longer than ever to complete. Aha, I know what are thinking; Modern Warfare 3. This takes a bus ride to complete. That as we know is the single player experience only. The online is an ongoing all consuming social experience, with more special op operations being added, more multiplayer maps and modes. Even the Elite experience is designed to take up your gaming hours with stat analysis! Yet check out the games sale’s figures. It made more than Black Ops but sold less copies in 2011, as reported by Eurogamer.

So back to the idea of launching new consoles. The Vita is out pretty soon and as it offers an HD experience in your hand it, ironically, will split consumer spending even more. It won’t increase the size of the hardcore market but take purchases away from the PS3, Xbox and WiiU. In case you missed it we are now in the midst of a deep economic slow down, which for some people is starting to look like a depression, or at least a slow and ongoing contraction (which could last up to a decade). Whilst the entertainment sector as a whole is less effected during downturns (as reported by TIME, quoting the ever popular Michael Pachter), as people need escapism and spend less on holidays and other high price ticket items, it’s clear that new consoles and games costing £35 or above are now falling into the luxury area of disposable income for many, bar a few yearly purchases where value is eked out through replay and DLC offered throughout the year.

So less games are being bought, which means less games being traded, which results in less profits on second hand sells for the retailers such as GAME. The more money we spend on AAA titles and then investing in DLC to go with them also means we are more likely to play them to death and not trade them in (compounded by the ‘online pass’ feature meaning second hand copies lack online functionality).

So back to the present. In the short term this has been an awful week for GAME. Whilst they have managed to secure support from publishers and creditors it seems logical that consumers will slowly start to place pre-orders elsewhere in case the inevitable happens soon. Also will you be taking your games there to get reward points? What happens if the company goes down the pan and you haven’t spent those points? The time to redeem could be now, which could actually give the firm a short rebound, but if we don’t take in new games to part-ex against other new titles their business model will dry up. Publishers meanwhile will start to encourage the platform holders to push digital delivery, at decent prices (perhaps) and at the same time as the game launches on the high street. The days where they had to protect their retail distribution is perhaps starting to end.

The loss of GAME or HMV won’t mean the end of retail or a lack of competition for the consumer. We have 3-4 supermarkets in the UK of a decent size. In addition we have a plethora of online retailers all able to sell a product which is not required to be sold on the high street. After all it’s just a box with a disc in it.

The next generation of consoles will offer discs, but ultimately though, game retail will stop being physical and the next generation of consoles will offer all titles as near simultaneous digital copies, at competitive prices, as the publishers will learn a lesson from the (eventual) demise of GAME. Whilst it’s always been in their interests to protect and look after their retail channels, times are a changing and they now must look after themselves and their future distribution partners i.e. the platform holders themselves.

As predicited TVs are now shipping with game streaming software built in. This of course is a threat to everyone in the industry, but is much more of an immediate threat to one trick ponies such as GAME.

Assuming the next generation of consoles also offer a streamed game service in parallel to downloaded content for those with broadband fast enough (it’s safe to assume that a large enough market will exist 5-7 years from now with super fast broadband in many countries), it is clear that there is no hope for businesses such as GAME and HMV. In the UK it could be argued that the decline in the high street retailing of games really started with the demise of Woolworths and Zaavi (which is now online only), but the troubles at GAME have demonstrated that perhaps we have become perilously close to the tipping point which will lead to a fundamental change in the way in which the majority of gamers purchase and access future content.

Rumoured to be the most expensive videogame ever developed, Bioware’s MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic finally saw a full launch at the tail end of December – presumably aimed at those not satisfied with the weight gain already associated with the season and still seeking a method to put on a few more pounds in a short space of time.

I picked the game up having already tried the beta and had been quite impressed – despite having been frustrated by staggered early access rules sprung at the last second, shockingly inflated retail prices, and the general stench of publisher influence surrounding the whole affair. What follows is a collection of first impressions having spent a couple of weeks with the game across numerous classes.

Each time a new MMO hits the market it is, inevitably, overly and tediously compared to World of Warcraft, the apparent all-powerful benchmark for the genre. Were the reason purely based on long term financial success this would make more sense to me, but rarely are these the things used for a comparison. I have a long history with MMO games as my waist line will attest to, yet only briefly does WoW appear in that history and beyond this paragraph it will not be levied towards The Old Republic again for any reasons other than financial ones.

Given the popularity of the Star Wars brand it may seem a given that (at least initially) Old Republic was going to have an easy ride, though it’s worth pointing out that DC Universe and Star Trek Online could also be considered to have strong brands backing them, and we all know where they ended up – the Free-To-Play dungeon where MMOs go to die. That said it does seem like this MMO is off to a strong start yet doesn’t feel overly populated, thanks to instanced planets and numerous servers for both the EU and US regions. I went in also expecting 90% of people to be playing as some kind of Jedi or Sith yet this doesn’t seem to be the case and – with the exception of people not willing to be a healer or a tank which plagues every game like this – classes seem reasonably balanced.

There is of course another draw here for fans of the Knights of the Old Republic games. This game, while set some time after those original games, still follows the events in them and in particular on the Imperial side Revan is often spoke of. There are cameos from characters that appeared in those games too and you can also visit planets from them to see the fallout of previous events, most noticeably Taris.

Another thing which sets Old Republic aside from other games in the MMO category is the inclusion of companions for every class, light/dark alignment and the thing which takes up most of the required 20 GB install – voice acting.

While this is not the first RPG based MMO to include voice acting within quests (I believe it may have been Age of Conan that did it first) it is the first which not only fully voices everything but also has recorded lines for male and female variants of the four starting classes on the Republic and Imperial sides for all possible choices (which can usually be categorised as good, neutral and evil). This is not voice acting on the cheap either, and is almost exclusively to an extremely high standard of delivery.

This is certainly an impressive undertaking and can at times create the impression that you are immersed in a single player game – Knights of the Old Republic 3 – yet then you will see another player running by and remember. The illusion is furthered by having an NPC companion with you to facilitate those who want to play alone that even incorporates a like/dislike system for your choices leading to romance options or companion quests. While there are open air quests across the numerous expansive planets you can visit, there are also instanced areas for your chosen class’s plot line, Flashpoints and group quests.

Play enough of a few different classes or do enough quests and you will start to pick up on things which were cut and pasted to help cover the staggering task of constructing so many fleshed out activities. Given any individual quest dialogue you can be sure that there will either be a standing animation, a hand motioning angrily either at you or to the side, or an animation where the person you are speaking to walks forward a couple of steps then steps back. Rarely will there be a cutscene in which things become any more animated, especially outside of class quests.

Dialogue is often recycled too. For example a Jedi Consular’s ‘evil’ option when undertaking a quest (paraphrased slightly) is “Sounds interesting, but what’s in it for me?” and this will be said a lot regardless of the wording of the option you chose. This is a frequent thing across all classes for generic responses to the process of learning about and accepting a quest. I mention these things not as faults, purely that the longer you play the more obvious they become and it does take some of the sparkle away from the initially impressive façade.

The quest-giving NPCs of the world are also insanely forgiving to rudeness, abruptness and the generally evil manner you can choose to react in if you are after Dark Side points. You can constantly pick the (often amusing) blunt option which insults the person you are speaking with and they will still carry on offering you the quest with a comparatively lax response to what was just said about them. There are also moments where you can actually flat out refuse to be told more only for the NPC to force the information on you anyway.

The reason for this though is clear – you can team up for any and all quests, and outside of class based ones (in which party members can only take up spectator roles in cutscenes) everyone can have input via number rolls with the highest being the course of action you see play out. This means that in order to be fair the rude “I don’t care about the details” option could win the roll on a dialogue choice but those who wanted to know more are still also satisfied.

Long term, Old Republic does have a distinct advantage over something like DC Universe in that even if the current maximum level of fifty can be reached fairly quickly, the unique storyline to each class and the engaging manner in which they are presented compels you to try them out just to see another interesting plot. This is not to mention having the Republic side and Imperial side, each giving access to different planets (some are shared eventually though).

In the long, long term we do wonder though how additional content could be produced that matches the same standard currently present. Adding new quests isn’t as simple as putting in a few screens of text – they would have to record all options for all classes on each side. It isn’t much of a surprise then that thus far it is only expanding how PVP currently operates that is being discussed and an additional Flashpoint or two. I do worry though that rather than add fully fleshed out quests as part of the MMO tradition, that it evolves and grows over time to keep justifying your subscription, they may release micro-transaction additional content citing the voice work and so on as the reasons why.

With solid gameplay that offers traditional MMORPG style interaction mixed with different concepts not usually seen in the genre (such as a cover system for Smugglers and Imperial Agents) and excellent parts borrowed from single player RPG mechanics, Old Republic is off to a very strong start. Of course, quite a few MMOs have had strong starts and what really matters will be how strong it remains a few months down the line as people run out of things to do and look to the developers for more content. It does also fall into some typical trappings of the genre such as repetition by design, a lack of quest variety and some areas being needlessly large.

Star Wars: The Old Republic has a good chance of being financially successful for a moderately long time depending on the quality of continued patching and additional content and is a very interesting experience for experienced MMO players and new alike. Fans of the Star Wars brand will already probably be playing, so that leaves fence-sitters and those already subscribed to a different MMO and to them I would suggest waiting for the inevitable release of a free trial which, unlike some trials, will give a taste of what the whole experience is like as this is a game less about getting max level as fast as humanly possible and more about the enjoyable plot driven journey to get there.

This was originally going to be a review of the atrociously acronymed F.3.A.R. (that doesn’t even make any sense! What the hell is the ’3′ supposed to stand for?). Two things resulted in it morphing into an article about horror games in general. Firstly, as the review would have ended up being about seven months late, publishing it would seem a bit… silly. In case you were wondering though, I’d give it 8/10. Secondly however, one thing I was planning to mention only in passing – but which is actually an issue worth looking into – is that it’s a horror game that isn’t actually very scary.

As an FPS, F.E.A.R. 3 is a resounding success. The graphics are pretty good, with a silky smooth frame rate from start to finish. The weapons roster, while fairly limited, is admirably varied in terms of power and fire rate. The franchise’s AI is still far beyond what the competition is capable of, with intelligent use of cover and a worryingly competent understanding of flanking. You may cringe when you learn that the developers have dropped in the odd explosive barrel here and there, though.

As a horror game – which is first and foremost what all three games have been advertised as – it is a failure. A few of the scripted shocks are effective and, yes, there are one or two areas which are distinctly creepy; most notably perhaps the houses decorated with candles, blood and gore, with the rapid footsteps of unseen horrors heard every now and again. For the most part however, there is – ironically – a total lack of fear.

This is largely down to the fact that there are several lengthy, fairly traditional sequences that see you fighting your way past hordes of soldiers to progress. It’s very well done and great fun to play, but these moments also make it extremely easy to forget completely that you’re supposedly playing a horror game. The biggest mistakes are usually made when the game is going full throttle down scary avenue, however. For one thing, it relies too heavily on clichés. The whole ‘young child as monster’ thing has been done to death in the movies now and yes, Alma is central to the story; but why not take the approach the (not much scarier) second game took, and concentrate more on her adult form? Also, please note: if you’re pleased with a visual shock you’ve thought of, repeating it within minutes does not make it scarier. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Unsurprisingly, this game (and many others purporting to be horrors) makes one of the most common mistakes Hollywood never learns from. If you throw a load of monsters on-screen, that’s not horror; that’s a load of monsters. Monster movies and (effective) horror movies are two very, very different things. Therefore, when F.E.A.R. 3 starts throwing fast, leaping, pointy-toothed creatures at the player later in the game yes, it’s a good excuse to whip out the shotgun; but it rapidly drains all horror from the experience. True fear stems from the unknown and, when something is right in front of you trying to rip your face off, you know everything you need to. There’s no sense of fear interfering with your aim.

In the Christmas podcast I briefly reminisced about the original Condemned, and how it was a horror game that worked (if you have a 360 and haven’t played that game, please do so). Speaking for myself I was constantly on edge playing that game, never knowing where the next threat would come from. If I had an extremely rare firearm to hand, I knew that what few bullets I had in the chamber would have to be used wisely. There were to be no ammo pickups. This meant that combat was almost exclusively melee, forcing you to go toe-to-toe with often horrific looking enemies who fought intelligently. Enemies hide regularly and can spring from virtually anywhere; more than once, I jumped as I came under attack while searching for clues in a darkened, seemingly empty room.

If you’re a fan of the Silent Hill games then think, what makes you more tense; fighting one of the twisted, staggering enemies, or wandering through the fog in an unknown area while your radio crackles a warning that… something is nearby?

I remember that I loved, and was scared silly by, the original Shadow Man game upon release. That was almost twelve years ago, so my memories of it are vague at best; but what I do remember are wonderfully crafted moments of horror. Yes, there was a cheap (but damn effective) moment where an enemy jumped out at me from a cupboard in an old, apparently deserted building. One enemy type in particular never failed to creep me out, squawking ‘Shadow Man‘ in a broken voice as, no more than an upper torso, it rapidly dragged itself toward me with its arms. What really sticks out in my mind is the ‘Nursery’ level, populated by hideous creatures, where blood is plastered over everything. Though there are never any children to be seen, the soundtrack of discordant lullabies and cries of unseen babies made for a chilling, uncomfortable experience.

I couldn't find a picture of The Nursery, but these decapitated inmates creeped me out too.

Of course, getting the balance between enjoyable videogame and effective horror experience is not an easy task. It doesn’t help that you can’t please all of the people all of the time. For example, I just can’t seem to enjoy the first few Resident Evil games. I’ve tried playing the original on the Saturn, the PSOne, the DS, and the GameCube; I just can’t get into it. I find the control system obnoxiously awkward, and the save system obscenely, unnecessarily frustrating. For similar reasons, the two or three times I’ve tried playing the sequel soon resulted in a sulk. Oddly however, I managed to finish and enjoy Code Veronica (maybe because of its emphasis on action) and Zero (maybe because it tried something different with two simultaneous player characters. I predicted, correctly perhaps, that this was a test run for a multiplayer Resident Evil game).

I never found those games to be particularly frightening, due perhaps to their tendency to throw new monsters at you without any horrific foreplay (not to mention the aforementioned game design frustrations, which took up a lot of my attention). With a whole new playing perspective and a hee-yooge new emphasis on combat, alongside a handful of other, minor alterations, Resident Evil 4 turned the series on its head. I love that game – it’s definitely one of my favourite games ever – but, despite being light years ahead of the previous games in terms of user friendliness and fun, it all but decimated the horror of the franchise. I’ll gladly admit that the first games successfully created an almost constant atmosphere of unease, sometimes even tension; but these feelings are almost never found in 4 and 5.

I don’t subscribe to the (quite frankly ludicrous) idea that giving the series decent (though still not perfect) controls is the biggest reason for this loss of horror. I think it can almost exclusively be ascribed to the series’ new philosophy; that is, provide the player with plenty of action, with gaps between fights kept to a minimum in terms of length and frequency. There’s never going to be much time for scene setting and careful sculpting of fear in a game that lets you shoot somebody in the face with a rocket launcher from an over-the-shoulder perspective.

So, does this mean we – and the developers we rely on for our games – are forced to choose between a decent game and an effective horror experience? Not at all. Shadow Man was essentially a platform shooter; Condemned employed a smart, effective combat system – utilising a first-person perspective – with surprising depth. Although their controls are not ideal, the Project Zero/Fatal Frame games use an interesting and effective risk/reward first-person shooting system within titles that, usually, deliver a creepy atmosphere and multiple effective shocks.

In case you’re not aware, the basic idea behind combat in Project Zero/Fatal Frame is that you damage ghosts by taking pictures of them with a camera; the more of them you get in shot, and the closer you allow them to get to you, the more damage you inflict. The panic and fear involved in this system during the most hectic moments is impossible to emulate in film, as the player is in control of exactly when the picture is taken. The trick is to stop looking at what Hollywood is doing, and think about what is possible in our industry.

If you don’t know what “The NowGamer thing” is, click here. You’ll be taken to a page where said website is running a writing competition, the prize for which is a blog at their piece of webspace – which is to be regularly updated by the winner(s), completely unpaid. This has elicited some strong reactions from journalists and bloggers in the videogames arena, from 100% unpaid writers to full-time high earners. Generally speaking, there are two schools of thought; the pro-competition ‘it’s a great way to get a foot up the ladder’ camp, and the anti-competition ‘it’s unacceptable for a professional site to expect writers to provide content for free’ camp.

Firstly, let’s not forget that this is not without precedent. Just last year, IGN ran a near-identical competition which they called ‘Game Changer‘. I (very) briefly considered entering myself, but quickly decided against it. Partly because – in my personal, thoroughly unprofessional opinion – I find the writing at IGN to be by and large dry and soulless, and didn’t relish the idea of being homogenised into that culture. Also however, the idea of IGN expecting people to work for them for free angered me somewhat. IGN is a global multimedia company owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. With the money they have at their disposal they could assign a minor celebrity to each and every one of their staff just to tell jokes about willies during break times, and for all I know that’s exactly what they do.

NowGamer is a much smaller concern; but it’s still a business. A well established website which pays its experienced writers and (it seems fair to presume) turns a healthy profit. What’s in this competition for them? Nothing, really. Well, apart from free content. And publicity. Publicity enhanced by the controversy over the nature of the competition and its prize which, I am sure you will agree, they could not possibly have foreseen.

Twitter is the best place to look for angry/happy/misguided opinions squished together in one place. It’s tempting to say that those in the ‘anti-competition’ camp are almost exclusively snobbish full-time journos, secure in their circles where every single assignment is guaranteed payment. That’s simply not the case, however; the most common argument in favour of the NowGamer competition seems to be – from some of the most successful games journos of today – “I did a lot of hard work for free, I never would have got where I am now without it”. While on the face of it a convincing argument for the project’s validity, it does ignore a few important factors.

NowGamer CEO?

Firstly, most of the best known names in the industry are old hands; at least, so far as videogame journalism is concerned. Those who did internships, apprenticeships, battleships, whatever for free will almost certainly have done so for print publications. That automatically makes it much easier to get noticed. There have only ever been so many games magazines on the shelf whereas, today more than ever, there are more multi-million dollar sites and minor blogs than you could ever possibly read in one lifetime. As has been established, NowGamer is more visible than most; but by distancing itself from the winner(s) by awarding them a “blog” rather than a more defined place in the NowGamer family, the prestige is questionable. Regular contribution to a print magazine also carries a more easily identifiable work ethic; they’d have to make it to the office on time each day, and work hard and consistently under the watchful eye of an editor.

I pity the poor lad/s or lass/es who end up winning this thing. It’s become clear from day one that many within the industry will dismiss their newfound position out of hand, considering it a worthless crumb tossed from the table of slavers. A common kneejerk reaction against the competition has been to declare “People can get their own free blog from WordPress, what’s the point of going for this one?”. Hmm, let me think. Well, how about the fact that NowGamer recorded over a million unique visitors in November 2011? In terms of promotion, all the hard work – and it is hard work – is done for you.

To be frank, anybody looking to get into full-time videogame journalism in 2012 is fast running out of roads to take. Last year, publishing giant Future Publishing culled a large amount of talented and experienced staff, and even some publications – including the much-loved PC Zone. The publisher culled them expensive, the jettisoned staff culled their former employers bad names, and everybody was forced to cull the whole thing off. Ahem. The point is, PR firms which deal in videogame matters have a long history of swiping experienced journos. Nowadays, videogame journalists must be lining up to jump into PR as it is, in all honesty, the much more secure job right now.

No, when I said PR I meant... oh never mind.

The NowGamer blog carries no guarantee of a paid, full-time job in the future, not at NowGamer or anywhere else. There’s a chance it could help however, which is surely better than nothing. On the other hand, the whole business does carry a whiff of ‘dystopian depression-flavoured future’. In effect, what we have are unemployed people – or people in jobs they hate – entering a competition where the prize is pretending to have a job they enjoy.

One important issue that NowGamer has remained silent on at time of writing is the issue of training and advice, namely: will there be any? As mentioned before, the site employs experienced and talented writers. If said writers are willing and able to offer the winner/s advice on their writing, the value of the prize suddenly becomes more clearly defined. Advice from experienced full-time journalists will be worth more than the blog, and would certainly prove to be more of a help when looking for a paid position.

If you’re a budding journalist yourself and you’re considering this competition, the choice is entirely yours. If you go for it, I say best of luck to you. If all you want is for people to read what you write, the prize is most definitely worth your time. If you’re looking for something that will help you find a full-time paid journalistic position, the value is a little fuzzier when you look at it; though it won’t harm a CV. In the unlikely event that somebody from NowGamer is reading this, pay attention right now: people will stop shouting at you if you promise to pay the winner/s at least something.

Raiden has always been a controversial character. His debut performance in Metal Gear Solid 2 was at the expense of a protagonist, Solid Snake, who was well loved by gamers. With his flowing, golden locks, androgynous appearance and a sneaking suit that hugged his buttocks far too tightly, Raiden was the antithesis of the chain smoking, rugged and gravel voiced hero that we were pining for.

Reaction to Raiden’s surprise inclusion was overwhelmingly negative and alongside a narrative that was at times incomprehensible, he helped sour many on what was still an excellent game. Even Kojima Productions couldn’t pass up the opportunity to mock Raiden, parodying him in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater with Raikov, a Russian major, to whom he bore a strong resemblance and who happened to be Colonel Volgin’s secret lover. MGS4 was kinder to Raiden, as he appeared in a cybernetic exoskeleton and wielded a katana that cut through steel; he became a cyborg bad-ass that was the polar opposite of his original incarnation.

Last month saw Raiden return to controversy, as he found himself smack bang in the middle of a web of lies and a Metal Gear spin-off that has attracted a very mixed, yet passionate response from fans. It was revealed at the recent Video Game Awards that Kojima productions’ Metal Gear Solid: Rising is now Platinum Games’ Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. An impressive trailer revealed a game that looked nothing like the Metal Gear Solids of the past, as Platinum Games have not been shy in putting their stamp on it. It has since been revealed that Rising is not simply an existing project handed over to a new developer, but that the original concept was secretly canned at an unspecified time in the past, only to be revived when PG expressed an interest and started it almost from scratch.

It has long been rumoured that Platinum Games are developing Rising – rumours that Kojima avoided and PG denied in an interview last summer – but it was still a surprise to most of us when their role was confirmed. Nonsensical sub headings aside – the suggestion that the two studios considered merging and creating Kojinum Games has been confirmed only in my head – the announcement set the interwebs alight with panic, excitement and despair that led to both Hideo Kojima and PG’s Atsushi Inaba coming to the forefront, following months of silence. Inaba jumped to the games defence on twitter, accepting that public reaction had been mixed, establishing PG’s reverence for MGS but making it clear that they wanted to create something different, which they certainly appear to have done.

I saw a lot of Vanquish in the trailer, which is no bad thing

The bombastic trailer throws series convention to the wind, shedding the serious overtones of the Solid franchise and replacing it with eighties fonts, head-on combat and electric guitar riffs. These changes have left purists questioning the use of the Metal Gear moniker, though it is important that we make the distinction between Metal Gear Solid, a canon to which Rising does not belong, and Metal Gear. Revengeance – I already loath that word – is a standalone, spin off and we shouldn’t limit PG’s aspirations by trying to tie it down where it doesn’t quite belong.

Personally, I am torn with Rising. Although I was luke warm to the prospect of another Raiden led entry, as a huge fan of the series I was still looking forward to a new MGS and intrigued by a fresh combat model. Part of me feels like Revengeance is a misuse use of the series – I had to swallow a bit of sick when I first saw Raiden flip a metal gear with one hand – but from what the trailer revealed, this is far more Platinum Games than a continuation of what came before. I saw a lot of Vanquish in the teaser, a really fun game but also a very shallow one, that makes me think this has the potential to a be an entertaining outing, but strictly on the developer’s terms.

I don’t necessarily share the enthusiasm that many show for Platinum Games, as Mad World and the forthcoming Anarchy Reigns hold no interest, and I thought Bayonetta was an uneven adventure that was far too quirky for its own good, though I’m sure many of my colleagues here at Critical Gamer would disagree. PG’s lack of interest in character development and a penchant for terrible voice acting and dialogue does make me wonder why they would be chosen to breathe life into a dead Rising, when script and dialogue has always been a key element of Kojima’s games.

When I come to play Revengeance, I’ll try not to hold familiarity against it. I’ll judge it on its own merits, as an OTT action game that happens to have borrowed a title and a few characters from a series that I love. Platinum Games involvement should free-up Hideo Kojima to really get stuck into the mysterious “Project Ogre” and, who knows, it may even turn out to be the perfect palette cleanser for the long running series and the nudge that Kojima needs to get moving on Metal Gear Solid 5. Let’s just hope a dictionary is consulted before the next game is christened, as I don’t think my poor spell-check will survive another bout of Revengeance.

This image has threatened traditional gaming since around November 2006.

It’s been a year of worry for the traditional gamer. Whilst gaming might seem to be an ever growing past-time, some of the traditional elements which make up the industry have seemed fragile. Publishers have been busy shutting down traditional developers, especially those famed for 3D racers, but beyond too.

We have seen shops such as Gamestop starting to seriously invest in alternative delivery platforms such as their own tablet and streaming services, fearing a fast-arriving dead end to their current business model. Indeed in the UK, where GAME have been less aggressive in moving into new areas of the business, we are witnessing the start of what will be a contraction of its street presence over the next five years. HMV, too, are struggling and are being quite open about the idea that they might not be around in the next 2-5 years in any shape or form.

Alongside this we have seen traditional hardware providers, such as Microsoft and Sony, in effect pour cold water on the idea of an early start to the ‘next generation’ as it is only really now that they are generating real profit dollars from their investment in current hardware and software. Whilst they might feel the urge to produce something new in the face of the soon to be released Wii U, both companies will resist in the knowledge that they have healthy, steadily improving install bases and technology which still won’t look outdated, even compared to the Wii U. I suspect they have noticed that the current generation of hardware is actually perceived to be cutting edge by many consumers today, despite being very behind suped up PCs. Hence there is little demand to bring a new, expensive console solution to the market in these difficult economic times.

Look, look I got some new plastic! But no games or applications to use with it!

Nintendo’s own year has been a difficult one, until the final quarter came around with the upturn witnessed in the holiday season. The launch of the 3DS was undermined by a range of mistakes. A high price, which did not actually put off day one early adoption but which did kill day two, three and further afield purchases. This drop in sales and consumer relevance was then compounded by the device having no actual new software (quality or otherwise) for months after release! It was almost as if Nintendo itself was surprised by the release of the console. One suspects that this observation might be closer to the truth than some might realise. Could it be that Iwata suddenly panicked when he saw the drop off in DS hardware and software sales in late 2010 and early 2011, and thought a hardware launch, which was due for November 2011, should be brought forward? Could it be that he actioned this change of timeline, forgetting that the software development teams couldn’t speed up, pro-rata?

This would explain the lack of software, both in terms of game titles and the also slightly unfinished operating system, which is still having parts of its online functionality added by firmware to this day; but which the software team have admitted were due to be there from day one.

Indeed Nintendo have taken a bashing on behalf of traditional gamers everywhere. Analysts the world over have decided that Nintendo could be the RIM (the makers of Blackberry products) of the games industry. Everyone likes to be the one who can call the end of the world (just ask the Mayans) and analysts are as human as the next guy (really they are) and Nintendo was their punching bag in 2011. The narrative went like this – people are moving from dedicated gaming devices to iPads and smartphones. Why spend £30 on a game, when you can get freeware or £1 software? The logic was sound, but too simple. People will always buy something they want, you just need to give them something they actually want, and come the end of the year Nintendo seemed to be achieving this. The 3DS sales are now running ahead of all predictions and confidence is not only building in the platform, but in the traditional games market in general. What started as a bad story for Nintendo and the industry as a whole has started to evolve into a success story.

Of course the area of growth which has probably received the most headlines, is the continued march of the social and casual gaming market. This encompasses everything from the Just Dance franchise, to the exponential growth of the Farmville type experience. There is no question that the online ‘Sim’ style of gameplay is not only hugely compelling but ideal for multi-platform, cloud play. Users can switch from the PC to their tablets, and in theory continue on the Sony Vita, as many of these games start being released in the platform agnostic HTML5 coding language. Indeed as televisions become ‘smarter’ with their own implementation of Kinect-like experiences, merged with an appstore, we can expect to see continued growth in the use of such genres. For hardcore gamers, this can be seen as a threat, as it potentially pulls funding from the type of projects they would traditionally welcome. Indeed if one looks, as an example, at Disney Interactive, it is moving evermore into this social and casual space and further away from traditional AAA game titles.

Should we as traditional gamers be worried by this? Probably not. Firstly the world is not black and white (even though according to my dad, when he was a boy it used to be – just look at old films back from when he was a youngster he tells me) and hence some of us also play those social games (maybe less so the dance titles). After all they are really very similar to RPGs, but often the character is the ‘farm’ or ‘restaurant’. However it also means that those AAA titles that are released get an increase in funding, and hence we should see an ongoing rise in production values and overall quality. The end of year titles released in 2011 are probably the best evidence for this. The range of software in your local GAME or Gamestop is reducing, but who can dispute the quality of Batman Arkham City, Skyrim, Uncharted 3 and the top shooters, MW3 and BF3?

Let us not forget the great games that have come out on XBLA, PSN, Android/iOS and recently on the 3DS, which is starting to have some quality digital titles. If you are a dedicated gamer, and not just someone who dives in to kill some time, you have never really had it so good.

What will 2012 bring to the story? For sure, we will see the ongoing decline of brick and mortar shops. Boxed product will still exist, and we will probably continue to see the ongoing investment into ‘limited edition’ versions which will help to prolong the life of this boxed product. However for many they will only order via online, postal only services. Shops will simply start to close or become trading and part exchange locations.

Game of the Year 2012?

The year ahead, when it comes to software, is going to be a very exciting year. Max Payne 3, Grand Theft Auto 5, MW3 map packs and BioShock Infinite (have Take 2 already sewn up 2012?) are already in our consciousness. The 3DS has some superb first and third party exclusives arriving in early 2012 too, and the industry will have the US and European launch of the Vita to look forward to.

The Wii U will release. Nintendo will see this as a slow burner, as the Wii at its new price is still selling strongly. However for those wanting to upgrade it could spoil the party for the current levels of PS3 growth and Xbox steady sale projections. Why? Because for those who already have a Wii (and only a Wii) and are considering what to step up to then if the Wii U ticks a number of boxes, it’ll be the natural platform to choose. What are those boxes?

• If the Wii U has the same range of ‘adult’ software as the 360 and PS3 in addition to being 100% backwards compatible with all their Wii content.
• If it allows them to play all the new Mario titles, along with new Nintendo only IP. Expect Nintendo to make a push to position the Wii U as the first console to take MMOs seriously with a controller designed for them.

The ultimate home based tablet and server solution?

If the above happens, then who would not buy the Wii U over one of its HD counterparts? Those of us already with a Wii and 360, or PS3 will probably fail to become early adopters. That’ll be fine by Nintendo though, as once the new inevitable Mario games and Pikmin are released, and once the hardware does eventually drop in price, they know we will still invest.

What Nintendo decides to do with its online provision for the Wii U though is very exciting. Nothing is really known, but all the rumours suggest a very open online service, perhaps with multiple portals such as EA’s Origin and Steam. However, if they could be linked with a single Wii U identity (not a friend code!) it suggests a range of delivery services, offers and perhaps even streaming services being offered through the platform, alongside its own propriety content.

2012 could be Take 2's year, at least when it comes to Metacritic scores. Sales will surely follow.

As the economy continues to stumble, the games industry will clearly find that growth and expansion is stunted by the social and economic factors around them. Yet if any leisure industry will succeed in these tough times, it’ll be ours; and 2012 will be another step forward.

A criticism often aimed at videogames is that they’re childish. This description is a ball of contempt flung at the industry as a whole by those who know little of it, and understand even less. It’s also a common criticism within certain areas of the videogames fanbase, with some games – Super Mario titles, for example – often dismissed with a sneer and an assertion that they are ‘for kids’. Rather than attack this attitude as unfair and inaccurate, I want to approach the issue from another angle entirely. I intend to argue that the rapidly beating heart of every videogame experience you’ve ever enjoyed is childhood.

Does life get you down? If it never does then, to be honest, you’re sleepwalking through the world. When the blinkers of youth are lifted and you’re forced to grip the reality of life with both hands, all of a sudden there’s an awful lot to get depressed about. Your day to day life becomes a microcosm of the world at large, whether you realise it or not; uplifting victories sit side by side with crushing disappointments. Injustices are seen on a regular basis, and often you’re powerless to do anything about them. When you’re not powerless, you look away. You curse yourself for doing so, then do exactly the same thing at the next available opportunity.

Anger at world events stems from reflections you see in your own experiences. You work a job you hate – if you can find one at all – for money that never lasts. Those above you do less and earn more, and show nothing but contempt for you and your friends. So then you switch on the TV, and see the people whose callous actions left the world’s economy in ruins awarded six figure bonuses for another year. Meanwhile, people who sit in peaceful protest at this injustice are arrested and beaten by the police force who, moments before, checked one last time that there are no TV cameras to be seen.

As a young child you know nothing of this; could never even imagine it. A policeman is to be trusted, and that is the beginning and the end of it. Every day there is something new to learn, and there is always time to play. Life is full of mysteries too beautiful to be solved, and so your imagination fills in the gaps with creative wonder. You believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy because your parents tell you they exist, and so it must be so; besides, there is no other possible explanation for the wonderful gifts given to you during the secret night.

The world is full of good guys and bad guys, with no inbetween. Your entire life is lived in an impenetrable armour of safety, security, and no consideration for the future. You love the grown-ups who look after you unconditionally, and so you seek their praise and approval on a daily basis. You draw; you read; you learn; you invite them to join in your games. One of the final words to learn on the road to adulthood is ‘responsibility’.

The point is, we all lose something happy and powerful when we realise we are no longer children. This transition is necessary to survive in the world however, and brings with it many positives. With our childhood behind us, we are gifted with the capacity for wisdom and a greater understanding and appreciation of love. Realisations of reluctant complicity and injustice can be worrying and saddening, but they can also spur us on to try to change the world for the better, no matter how small a change that may be. This matured intelligence is necessary to fully enjoy and appreciate most games on your shelf or hard drive, but even more important is the memory of childhood which glows with energy at the core of every single one of them.

It takes only a cursory glance at several genres and themes to see how a childlike mindset – during both development and play – is present. On the most basic of levels, many videogames recreate make-believe play or innocently determined declarations of ‘When I grow up…’. Driving fast cars, fighting aliens, playing soldiers, wandering a magical fantasy world, playing in a world-famous sports team, singing songs into a microphone… need I go on? Then there is also the customisation aspect that more and more games feature nowadays, which certainly has its roots in dressing yourself and your toys in a variety of costumes. For longer than you have perhaps realised, you want to stamp your mark on what you own, what you make, and the ‘you’ that people see – and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.

Gleefully holding a picture up to your parents for approval as a child is indicative of a wider desire to garner praise in general, for acknowledgement for your efforts. This is a desire that never leaves us and, later in life, leans towards a need to be praised above all others. This, I think, is what is behind the phenomenal success of the Xbox 360′s Achievements and, later, PS3 trophies.

To a large extent, this is analogous to the classroom. A large number of people have been set the same task, which they then do their best to accomplish. Upon completion they are rewarded with something to prove their success; a sticker or certificate… or trophy or achievement. Many of these trophies and achievements require great skill and/or many hours to earn, meaning that the majority of players will never receive them. These are the ones that, for many, are the most sought after. For similar reasons, being near the top of the scoreboard in online matches is never enough for many people. They want – need – to be at the top, showing that they are above everybody else.

It may seem hard to reconcile the idea of games relying on childhood experiences with the success of certain titles, specifically horror games. Even ignoring the fact that many games which bloom from childrens’ imaginations feature monsters and peril of various kinds, however, there is good reason to claim that the horror genre connects with what we enjoyed as children as much as any other.

In my opinion, Roald Dahl was possibly the greatest children’s author who ever lived. The man who gave the world Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Twits, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and much more (including some powerful stories for adults) had his books so loved by so many children for several reasons. He was of course an incredibly gifted writer, but it was what he did with this skill that gave his stories their magic. He spoke to children as a child, seeing the world through young eyes in a way that virtually none of us can as adults. He knew exactly what children wanted in their stories. He gave them wonder, magic, heroism – and horror.

Dahl wasn’t afraid to remind children in his books, on a regular basis, that not all adults are to be trusted; that some adults are in fact downright nasty. In his world grown-ups, while sometimes protectors and heroes, are at other times villains and monsters. His most famous tales are an explosive fusion of wonderment and horror, a sense of menace always ready to leap from behind a mask of laughter. Similarly, though for a progressively older audience, look at J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories. Immensely successful, and populated with complicated – and often dangerous – characters and situations. Rowling and Dahl are both responsible, ultimately, for children’s horror. Just look at how the world’s children reacted.

Roald Dahl, whose very life makes for fascinating reading.

It is said (though less often nowadays) that there is something called ‘Nintendo Magic’ which powers the best of that company’s games, a certain ineffable something which makes certain titles unique in a truly captivating way. I think I’ve finally cracked it; that ‘Nintendo Magic’ is understanding what it’s like to be a child, and pumping a videogame full of it in its purest form. Therefore Super Mario games are bright and colourful, with a mostly cheery soundtrack, and simple controls. Yes this appeals to children, and yes it is certainly intentional. That’s not what makes a Super Mario title childlike, though; not entirely.

Character and level designs have always been similarly bold and simple, deceptively so. The introduction of 3D graphics allowed Mario games to become what they had always tried to be with Super Mario 64, and even more so with the Galaxy games. Start a new level, and adjusting the camera slightly will afford you a view of a huge chunk of the landscape. Seeing a level for the first time is exciting. You see new enemies, blocks that hold who knows what, strange buildings or land formations in the distance. You feel like… like a child in their very own toy shop, the frustrating rules of time and space stopping him or her from trying everything all at once. Similar feelings of wonder and a desire to explore are present in the 3D Zelda games, combined with a knowledge that there is a wealth of incidental content in there – and you want to find it all.

This is not to say that Mario, Zelda, or any other Nintendo game is by default ‘better’ than all other games. In terms of games design, in titles such as these, Nintendo wears its heart on its sleeve. There is no shame in the childlike wonder of bright, engrossing games; no desire to dress up the fun and wonder in ‘mature’ greys and browns. It’s an attitude that, outside of Nintendo, is nowadays usually reserved for indie developers. So if you are wont to laugh and jeer at games such as these, think twice before you do. Think long and hard about just how far removed these games are from your ‘proper’ games. After all, if you didn’t enjoy being a child again from time to time, you wouldn’t play anything at all.

It’s nearly Christmas. Again. The bad news is that this means you’re even poorer than usual by now, and you’ll soon have to pretend to be much more interested in what distant relatives have to say than you actually are. The good news, however, is that it’s once again time to find out what Critical Gamer’s favourite games of the year are! Also: presents.

It’s been another great year for games, though this time around almost all of the best ones have been sequels; something reflected by our choices (whether we like it or not). It was extremely close when it came to deciding which game we thought trumped all the others. Eventually however, we decided to declare that Critical Gamer’s Game of the Year 2011 (despite the notorious bugs) is:

Skyrim

Stephen K says: I knew Bethesda would have something incredible in store with Skyrim, but I was unprepared for its tidal wave of sheer excitement that swept across communities the world over. It captured the imagination of nearly everyone who glanced its way, and I could go on and on about Skyrim’s visuals, scope, and expansive wealth of content. But what really amazes me is how Bethesda finally made the promise of the Elder Scrolls series a reality. When I was back in Morrowind’s icy island of Solstheim, staring into that foggy draw distance, my imagination took over. Sparse evergreens appeared as towering forests, glitchy swipes of my sword became dramatic strokes of battle, mindless NPCs were rugged inhabitants with lives to live. And in Skyrim, all of that was true. It was adventure that welcomes everyone, retaining depth and subtlety while fixing the broken parts. Experienced travellers could rediscover Tamriel’s vast beauty once again, and newcomers had the chance to experience for themselves what it is we’ve been pretending to see all this time.

There were so many top quality games released this year however, that we’d feel ever so guilty if we didn’t talk about some more of them. Therefore we now present to you, in no particular order, nine ‘honourable mentions’ plucked from the 2011 release schedule; some personal favourites of the cheeky chappies at CG, each of which we award with a virtual medal thus:

Uncharted 3

Matt says: Uncharted 3 is another compelling entry in a series that remains the best reason to own a PlayStation 3. The outstanding competitive multiplayer returns with an array of customisable options and bonuses, and there is also a standalone co-op campaign for those who yearn for narrative drive in their multiplayer.

As good as the competitive and co-operative multiplayer is, it’s the singleplayer that steals the show with its stunning visuals, impeccable pacing and memorable set pieces. A tightly scripted adventure that boasts witty dialogue and likeable characters, it is packed full of small, human touches that bring characters and situations to life. Such moments allow Uncharted 3 to be more than just another action game, as it thrives during the quiet moments between huge firefights and narrow escapes from sinking ships. When it comes to standing out from the crowd, it’s all in the details, and developer Naughty Dog have proven once again that they understand this as well as anyone else in the business.

Arkham City

Ian says: Following on from such a huge critical success was always going to be hard going and yet with Batman: Arkham City Rocksteady achieved this. The second outing for the Dark Knight in recent years had the same high level of visual polish and quality voice work its predecessor Arkham Asylum had, but added so much more. It didn’t fall into some of the common sequel trappings and those they did mattered little when compared to the larger explorable world, excellently tweaked gameplay, and engaging plot; which culminated in one of the most memorable endings to a game in recent years.

Portal 2

Anthony says: Following on from Valve’s masterpiece, Portal 2 took the concept demo-like experience of the original and stretched it into a proper length game. It took everything that made the original Portal great, and did it better and bigger. Larger environments, sharp humour, more diverse puzzles and a Bristolian robot; it had everything. The space-hole spewing gameplay remained largely unchanged, but the introduction of environment morphing gels opened up huge possibilities in and out of test chambers. Even the marketing that preceded the game was excellent, with funny Aperture Science investment videos and a scarily complex alternate reality game that sucked us deeper into to the crazy Portal universe. Portal 2 also introduced a brilliant co-op mode featuring two mute robots that still managed to buzz with as much personality as Nathan Drake or Commander Shepard. The chaotic and often hilarious results of four active portals really made the specially designed test chambers a joy to prance around. It’s also incredibly funny to drop your mate through a portal into spiky doom, only for him to reappear and do it to you, with death carrying no consequence other than a minor restart and a round of giggles.

LittleBigPlanet 2

Luke says: Like Portal 2, LittleBigPlanet 2 achieved what had previously seemed impossible; it made the prequel look unambitious. Again, there is a brief story mode which can be enjoyed online or offline by 1-4 players simultaneously, and this time round it’s even easier. The heart of this game is the level creation tool however, which is now more powerful than ever. The LittleBigPlanet community has created and shared platform levels, puzzle games, homages to classic titles, machinima, racing games, and much more… all for free. It’s like an almost limitless number of games in one, making it an essential purchase.

Battlefield 3

Kevin says: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 was our favourite multiplayer shooter from last year, and DICE have followed it up with a tour de force experience in Battlefield 3. With the addition of fighter jets to the vehicle roster, and large open maps that are packed with destructible scenery, they have tweaked the multiplayer to perfection. This is not your usual run and gun shooter, with teamwork rather than killstreaks being crucial to winning games. In fact even modest players can reach the top of the leaderboard, thanks to the balanced points system which rewards players with extra points for capturing flags, repairing vehicles, or even laying down suppressing fire. It’s this fair system of play that encourages players to work as a team, rather than sit in a hole racking up kills. There is a campaign mode that uses the Call of Duty template, and an enjoyable two-player Co-op mode, with six different missions to take on with a friend; but these are more of a snack, and the main meal is in the multiplayer – which is a Christmas dinner that will leave you feeling full long into the new year.

Super Mario 3D Land

Steven G says: This is a masterclass in traditional platform design with graphics as good as Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii, but with the gameplay of a traditional 2D Mario title. The difficulty level is perhaps just a little too low for seasoned gamers, but there is still much to be gained even for hardened players. There is beauty in the way these levels are designed and just playing through them brings a smile to one’s face. The 3D adds to the enjoyment of the game and actually assists you in some puzzles along the way. Despite being a little too easy to finish, collecting all the gold coins and stars will take some time.

Whilst you can swap levels and powerups with other users locally and online, there is no multiplayer option such as the two player mode in New Super Mario Brothers for the original DS. The game even lacks an online leaderboard for fastest level times and other ‘achievement’ based challenges. Nonetheless, if you have a 3DS this is a superb game you need to get; and if you don’t have a 3DS, you now have a reason to get one.

Bastion

Stephen K says: Bastion is like a beautiful melody or perhaps a really good story, the kind with meaning: you just can’t forget it and you certainly don’t want to. The brusque narrator was a game-changing method for telling stories, the music resounded with an offbeat magic, and its art was a surreal mix of muted tones and whimsical swirls. But in perfect harmony with this poetic vision was a hearty framework of gameplay, just like the old days. Whacking things with weapons and then upgrading said weapons for further whackage was a skill that took cunning to perfect, requiring quick wits and swift thumbs. The plot didn’t hinder the gameplay and vice versa; Bastion was created with both aspects in mind, and the result was something special. It’s flat out impressive to see such a small downloadable title (and an equally small team) stand shoulder-to-shoulder with this year’s colossal competition. Yes, I have a feeling Bastion will be remembered for a very long time.

de blob 2

Luke says: Almost certainly an unexpected entry here, and one that many would disagree with (including some Critical Gamer staff); but I’m the boss round here, so I stick my tongue out in mature defiance and declare de blob 2 to be one of the best games of 2011. Not only does it do something different, it does it very well indeed.

Ostensibly a platformer, this game puts colour and music at the heart of the experience. At the beginning of each level, you’re stuck in a monochrome world with what really is best described as a minimalist glumtrack for music. After filling your blobby avatar with various colours and painting in anything and everything you find however, the environment is transformed into a world of rich and vibrant colours, supported by a truly wonderful soundtrack of funky jazz. Fighting your way past the conformity loving ‘Inkies’ through to the end of the game isn’t too difficult, but finding every last secret presents a challenge you’ll gleefully accept. The wonderfully crafted cutscenes are the icing on the cake and, considering the rock bottom prices this criminally ignored title is now selling for, there’s no excuse not to buy it.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Anthony says: We’ve all dreamed of what it would be like to have robot arms and how awesome x-ray vision would be, but Deus Ex: Human Revolution managed to put a bleak spin on the whole thing. After an unfortunate work related incident, Adam Jensen is rebuilt with a variety of cyber bits that augment his body. The result: a multi-purpose man-tool players can mould to fit their desires. Want to play the game like a ninja? Improve your skin so you turn invisible. Want to be a walking death factory? Upgrade your robo-arms so they can throw vending machines and steady your aim.

The RPG-like ability upgrade system means you can go through the game and have a completely different experience each time. Chase down secrets and sub-missions in the open hub areas, and you can easily stretch one playthrough to 25 hours. I was sucked into this game and the dystopian future it was pushing. This could definitely be played as the most entertaining stealth game of the year, whilst at the same time being an action driven cover shooter. The plethora of choices, coupled with serious consequences for your actions, makes this several brilliant games in one.

So, how do you feel about our choices? Happy? Angry, sad, confused? Hungry? Thirsty? Exhausted? Feel free to let us know (not that you’ll ever change our minds about anything). You’re welcome also to congratulate Kevin on doing a wonderful job on this year’s Game of the Year award graphics. Steal them, and he will hunt you down.

Hunt you down we say!

P.S. You’ll soon be able to find a condensed version of our choices at ‘Most Wanted’, the vouchercodes.co.uk blog. In fact, if you head to the main Voucher Codes website, you’ll be able to find offers and discount codes for literally squillions of online retailers, many of which stock some or all of the above games. The codes are all free, and you don’t even need to register with the site! Lovely. 

As discussed on the most recent episode of Critical Talk, I recently wrapped-up the main story in Batman Arkham City. The mini-sandbox was a double edged sword, as the distractions are fun and helped to add layers to the universe but at the cost of the relative linearity that kept Arkham Asylum so focused and engrossing. However, I loved the story and characters, and the city was as atmospheric as it was dangerous.

As good as everything else was, it’s the balletic yet weighty combat that’s the real star, as was the case with Asylum before it. While it may be easy to jump into, it does take a while to master but is well worth the effort. Once you come to understand the rhythm of the smackdowns, how to move fluidly between foes and how best to utilize the different moves and gadgets at your disposal, you have one of the most satisfying combat systems around. In Arkham City, each and every ruckus is full of joy, no matter how severely outnumbered you may be.

Combat is central to AC’s ability to rise above the countless superhero disappointments of the past. But just as flawless combat can elevate a game to a different level, broken or superfluous rough-housing can be infuriating and completely overwhelm positive aspects of even the most promising of titles. For example, Mirror’s Edge would’ve been a much better game minus the frustrating hand-to-hand shenanigans and the unfair and out of place firearms that the game constantly goaded you into picking up.

As frustrating as being shot whilst scurrying up a drainpipe may be, the baffling inclusion of combat in ICO is in a league of its own. The release of the ICO HD Collection finally gave me the opportunity to fully experience Fumito Ueda’s two modern classics – Shadow of the Colossus being the other. I initially struggled with the infuriating camera and grew tired of constantly being lost in a castle that, in places, is a rather dull and hollow abode. However, I soon began to warm to its charms and enjoy the simple relationship between Yorda and Ico, taking to heart her complete reliance upon a child who, despite being kidnapped and utterly lost, takes it upon himself to protect and guide a delicate and unknown companion. As the boundaries of the castle moved outwards, I found myself being treated to stunning vistas and increasingly aware of the simple yet effective soundtrack of seagulls, chains and echoes, punctuated by the occasional pleas from boy or girl.

If you don't give me a bloody sword I'll jump!

However, my limited time with ICO – Arkham City caused me to reluctantly abandon it three hours in – was hounded by combat so unnecessary and ill-conceived that it soured the entire experience and served to constantly remind me that I was playing a very dated game. I understand the role of the persistent wraiths that try to snatch Yorda from your grasp, as it makes you reluctant to leave her alone for any significant period of time and reminds you that you are not alone; but it could have been handled so much better. Forgive me for suggesting it, but perhaps this would have been one instance where QTEs would have worked wonders; the wraiths snatch Yorda and a series of swift button presses either reclaim or relinquish control of her.

The symbol of this shambolic combat is the mighty stick. It was my lone weapon for the majority of the time and is as useless as tits on a bull. Uncontrollable swings of this oversized splinter would strike walls, doors and every other inanimate object in sight that doesn’t require a beating. Time and time again, a soulless wraith would trundle off with Yorda slung over its shoulder, as I busied myself with laying into a wall. The most impotent of weapons, it barely registered when I finally made contact with the wisp-like enemies. I could almost feel each wasted lunge shooting up my arm, conveying the sensation of a missed swing that wrenches every muscle in the upper body. I hope Ico has a capable masseuse.

It doesn’t really get much better once steel is introduced, as the lack of a lock-on feature means that you will still be twatting walls more often than not, the only difference being that the thud of timber on stone is now replaced with a metallic chime. Every time I was forced to swing that weapon, it took me back outside of an experience that had started to enthral me, and I was no longer enchanted by the simple beauty of two lonely figures traversing a barren ruin, frustrated instead by unwanted confrontation.

Much like multiplayer modes, combat is sometimes shoved in where its not needed. We all enjoy hitting people with a big stick, but sometimes its nice to go on an adventure without having to batter someone to death. Unless of course you’re Batman, in which case you should always be spoiling for a fight.

Gaming websites are very, very popular. Traditionally they were popular as it was the place you went to (if you didn’t wait for the magazine copy) to get the first review of a game. A review was important, really important, as often the review was the first place where you could really find out the details of a release. However over the least five years, the review has become less and less relevant for the large budget ’super release’ games that are designed to hit the October to January release window.

A whole load of game, requiring a whole load of review.

The games due for release during that period this year such as Batman Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, Skyrim, Uncharted 3 and so on have been previewed to the high heavens. We have seen a plethora of detailed written previews and, more importantly, huge amounts of streaming content. Some content has appeared in edited trailers, and others being over the shoulder camera footage of in-game content. Now this is not to suggest that games don’t need reviewing any more. Of course they do. However, it’s one thing playing the game for 10-30 minutes in bite sized chunks and another playing through the narrative and judging the experience in its entirety. Indeed recently we had the pleasure of previewing Bodycount, the new FPS from Codemasters. I’m happy to say that a ten minute playthrough showed the game had promise. Indeed for ten minutes it was quite fun. However, just see its Metacritic scores and read the well written reviews from a range of sites and it’s clear its content doesn’t hold together well for a full 5-10 hours (if you can get near to ten hours from it!) £40 game experience.

Looks great doesn't it! Plays great too for 10 minutes.

Yet, for many gamers, the reviews of these AAA releases about to be unleashed on us are superfluous. Many have already decided and pre-ordered. Myself included. Indeed the cult of the pre-order, often with the pre-order bonus, has increased this diminution of the role of the final review. To exacerbate the situation the publishers are giving out review copies closer to the release date on some titles, or due to the decreasing margins for websites the number of staff (and hence reviewers) are decreasing, whilst title lengths are increasing.

What does this mean in practicality? Reviewers sometimes play the game through on the easiest level setting. This might be followed by replays of select passages whilst on more extreme difficulty settings to test improved AI, and how the increase in difficulty measures up in terms of overall game experience. Of course, some areas of the game can’t be fully tested, such as many of the side missions (a requirement of many of the third person, open world games on the market) and it’s really hard to fully test the online part of a game before release in terms of robustness. Testing game modes though is something that we can all do, with many developers (not all though) offering open betas, often a month or more before release.

Uncharted 3 for example has had extensive testing, both for all PSN users and for PSN Plus users. Additionally, who interested in Battlefield 3 reading this has not played the BF3 beta that was available on PC and both consoles?

So what purpose does the review serve? Clearly some people don’t follow every article and preview. Some play on their console seasonally and are not aware of the betas. In addition there are still a healthy proportion of owners who don’t like playing online and for whom the single player narrative is the most important element. For them the review is still crucial; but even they have to accept that the degree of thoroughness a reviewer might have is limited and influenced by a great deal of pressure.

For everyone else, the review serves a different set of objectives. For some, they just enjoy games so much that they like reading about games (the same reason someone might choose to read a feature or commentary article like this). They like to see the energy and excitement a game can bring to a fellow game lover, and share in the glory of seeing someone else delight in a superb narrative and interactive experience.

However, there is also a negative reason to read reviews. Due to the betas, previews, video clips and hype games have focused upon them, they have fans and groupies before they even hit the shelves. This is where the review becomes a victim of the marketing machine. If the reviewer dares criticise or celebrate a game suddenly all the readers who have already made up their mind somehow feel personally violated and start attacking or supporting the review; and in some cases making it personal, focusing their attention on the reviewer.

"Modern Warefare 3 pisses on Battlefield 3. You got that? Say YES CHEF!"

This is an ugly and immature culture that is developing. It’s one thing to be into a brand, claiming that you really enjoyed previous incarnations – but to start attacking or supporting a game which you have not fully played is daft! Okay, so the reviewer might not have had the time to experience 100% of what the game offers, but at least they have the release copy and have had significantly more time with it than their readers.

Gaming has always had fanboys, but they mainly focused on arguing about consoles. When they did argue about games it was post release and they could claim to have played them. With publishers hyping games more and more, this situation will only get worse. Reviews will decrease and websites will turn to more news and feature based articles. Already some websites are encouraging reader reviews, which although democratising, can result in lower editorial standards across the industry as a whole.

Criticising is an art in itself. No reviewer has a divine right to know what is good or bad, but by playing a cross section of titles regularly they can develop a good knowledge of what is good, bad, inventive, well executed or clumsily brought to life. In a world where we are being bombarded with more and more content, via XBL, PSN, app stores, etc and still encouraged to purchase expensive £60 titles, we need ways of filtering out the bad from the good. Old fashioned reviewing is under threat and if it is eventually replaced by social reviews, we shall be worse off without it.