Hi folks,
I know some of you are wondering what is going on with the live show right now, and while I cannot go into specifics, I have to inform you that the live show will be off air until further notice. This is due to forces beyond my control, and I am exploring ways to get the show back online in some form, probably with another site.
In the meantime, you can still check out my rantings on Invisible Walls on Gametrailers.com (and it is on iTunes too!) and of course on this site!
Cheers for your continued support!
Beer
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Moto GP 08 PC Issue
Just had this in from Capcom, so if anyone has bought MotoGP 08 on the PC - Read on.
Btw - I will be reviewing the PS3 version over the weekend.
Important Info for MotoGP 08 PC
Capcom regrets to inform consumers who have recently purchased the PC version of MotoGP 08 that we have just identified a technical issue with the PC version of the game. This issue only happens with MotoGP 08 PC when installing the game to a custom location on a hard drive; This issue does not affect the default installation, as it only occurs when the destination location has been changed.
To avoid this problem, please do not use the custom installation option to change the destination location for the game.
When the MotoGP 08 InstallShield Wizard reaches the step labeled “Choose Destination Location”, the default installation directory will be displayed (“C:\Program Files\Capcom\MotoGP 08”). Select “Next” to continue to the next step. Do not press the “Change” button.
In the next few days, Capcom will be releasing a patch for MotoGP 08 that will correct this issue. We regret any inconvenience that this may have caused our MotoGP community.
Btw - I will be reviewing the PS3 version over the weekend.
Important Info for MotoGP 08 PC
Capcom regrets to inform consumers who have recently purchased the PC version of MotoGP 08 that we have just identified a technical issue with the PC version of the game. This issue only happens with MotoGP 08 PC when installing the game to a custom location on a hard drive; This issue does not affect the default installation, as it only occurs when the destination location has been changed.
To avoid this problem, please do not use the custom installation option to change the destination location for the game.
When the MotoGP 08 InstallShield Wizard reaches the step labeled “Choose Destination Location”, the default installation directory will be displayed (“C:\Program Files\Capcom\MotoGP 08”). Select “Next” to continue to the next step. Do not press the “Change” button.
In the next few days, Capcom will be releasing a patch for MotoGP 08 that will correct this issue. We regret any inconvenience that this may have caused our MotoGP community.
Lego Batman
Na na na na naaaah BATMAAAAAN!
Yes indeed, the caped crusader continues his year of media dominance, this time in video game form. Unlike the brooding menace, pathos and generally tortured soul Batman from the movie ‘The Dark Knight’, this version of the masked vigilante has more in common with the camp humor of the 1960’s tv show, which actually is not a bad thing.
Of course the main thing about this game is that Batty and Co have been ‘Legofied’ following on from such other pop culture franchises like ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones’. So, does this game suck like nipples on the Batsuit? Or is cleaning up Gotham more fun than Michelle Pfeiffer in her Catwoman garb?
Lego Batman follows the same tried and trusted conventions of the previous Lego titles, namely a universe of recognizable characters, vehicles and locations, all Lego’d up and just waiting for you to capture, drive or smash and rebuild while trying to save Gotham from the plans of the nefarious Joker.
The game consists of three chapters, each chapter containing 5 hero and 5 villain missions. The basic objectives are simple, either stop the crimes and drag the villains off to Arkham Asylum (Hero) or go on a spree of cartoony lawlessness while avoiding capture (Villain). Each mission also has the standard side quests that have become regulars in the Lego games – Locate the red brick to unlock bonus powers, find the mini-kit parts to build trophies for your cave / hideout and unlock as many bonus characters as possible.
As you progress through each level, you will of course be collecting the blue, gold and silver Lego studs that are used as currency in- game. These studs can be found dotted in plain sight, and more can be revealed by simply going nuts and smashing up the scenery! This of course is part of the fun of the Lego titles, as going bananas in a level and seeing what can be destroyed is always a very satisfying experience.
I mentioned the wide array of characters earlier, and there are lots of them! Apart from the well known characters like Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Joker, Penguin, Riddler etc, the game also includes some of the less mainstream characters like Clayface, MothMan, The Man Bat and NightWing. Each has their own unique abilities that you will need to progress through the game, for example Joker has a hand buzzer that kick starts electric powered devices, while Poison Ivy can release pheromones that coerce gullible men into doing her bidding such as opening doors, activating switches etc.
Now while the game is a lot of fun, especially for those new to the Lego series, if you have played the previous three titles you may feel a large dose of déjà-vu. The game mechanics are the same as the previous titles, and the game engine still has the same flaws as the first three games (stupid AI, really bad camera positioning at times). Also, the game has no online co-op play, which is pretty unacceptable in this day and age you can still play co-op from one box, which is fun. While these issues do not spoil the game totally, they can lead to some very annoying moments.
When all is said and done, this is perhaps the first really great Batman game to his the consoles since…. well forever really, and while that is not saying much given the lack of serious competition (at least till Arkham Asylum and DC Universe Online come out next year) this is a fun game that will keep fans of the Bat happy for a fair while. The other great thing is that with co-op mode, this is a game that grown-ups can play with the kids and have a blast.
Verdict: Annoyingly fun, but sometimes just annoying.
The versions reviewed were for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS. The game is also out on the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, PC and PSP.
Lego Batman is out now, rated ‘E 10 for Everyone’
Yes indeed, the caped crusader continues his year of media dominance, this time in video game form. Unlike the brooding menace, pathos and generally tortured soul Batman from the movie ‘The Dark Knight’, this version of the masked vigilante has more in common with the camp humor of the 1960’s tv show, which actually is not a bad thing.
Of course the main thing about this game is that Batty and Co have been ‘Legofied’ following on from such other pop culture franchises like ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones’. So, does this game suck like nipples on the Batsuit? Or is cleaning up Gotham more fun than Michelle Pfeiffer in her Catwoman garb?
Lego Batman follows the same tried and trusted conventions of the previous Lego titles, namely a universe of recognizable characters, vehicles and locations, all Lego’d up and just waiting for you to capture, drive or smash and rebuild while trying to save Gotham from the plans of the nefarious Joker.
The game consists of three chapters, each chapter containing 5 hero and 5 villain missions. The basic objectives are simple, either stop the crimes and drag the villains off to Arkham Asylum (Hero) or go on a spree of cartoony lawlessness while avoiding capture (Villain). Each mission also has the standard side quests that have become regulars in the Lego games – Locate the red brick to unlock bonus powers, find the mini-kit parts to build trophies for your cave / hideout and unlock as many bonus characters as possible.
As you progress through each level, you will of course be collecting the blue, gold and silver Lego studs that are used as currency in- game. These studs can be found dotted in plain sight, and more can be revealed by simply going nuts and smashing up the scenery! This of course is part of the fun of the Lego titles, as going bananas in a level and seeing what can be destroyed is always a very satisfying experience.
I mentioned the wide array of characters earlier, and there are lots of them! Apart from the well known characters like Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Joker, Penguin, Riddler etc, the game also includes some of the less mainstream characters like Clayface, MothMan, The Man Bat and NightWing. Each has their own unique abilities that you will need to progress through the game, for example Joker has a hand buzzer that kick starts electric powered devices, while Poison Ivy can release pheromones that coerce gullible men into doing her bidding such as opening doors, activating switches etc.
Now while the game is a lot of fun, especially for those new to the Lego series, if you have played the previous three titles you may feel a large dose of déjà-vu. The game mechanics are the same as the previous titles, and the game engine still has the same flaws as the first three games (stupid AI, really bad camera positioning at times). Also, the game has no online co-op play, which is pretty unacceptable in this day and age you can still play co-op from one box, which is fun. While these issues do not spoil the game totally, they can lead to some very annoying moments.
When all is said and done, this is perhaps the first really great Batman game to his the consoles since…. well forever really, and while that is not saying much given the lack of serious competition (at least till Arkham Asylum and DC Universe Online come out next year) this is a fun game that will keep fans of the Bat happy for a fair while. The other great thing is that with co-op mode, this is a game that grown-ups can play with the kids and have a blast.
Verdict: Annoyingly fun, but sometimes just annoying.
The versions reviewed were for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo DS. The game is also out on the Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, PC and PSP.
Lego Batman is out now, rated ‘E 10 for Everyone’
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Vote, don't Wii Mote!
This video is smart. Watch and do what it says - even if you aren't American, it's a good message when it comes to voting wherever you are.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Fallout 3 Review
Will go here once I have finished playing it!
Short version - Game of the Year contender - bloody brilliant, even better than Fable 2.
Short version - Game of the Year contender - bloody brilliant, even better than Fable 2.
Fable 2 Review
I liked Fable. I liked it a LOT. I even forgave Peter Molyneux for promising so many things that didn't materialize in the first game, because it was still a ripping yarn and great RPG.
Now, a few years later, Lionhead have delivered another tempting trip into Albion, one filled with all kinds of humor, action, great storytelling and more than a little sauciness.
Set a few hundred years after the first game, Fable2 starts with a lovingly rendered cut scene of a bird flying through Albion, soaring gracefully amongst the rooftops of a small town, before coming to rest on the edge of a building and dropping a large dollop of poo onto the shoulder of the unsuspecting young tyke standing below!
You are that young tyke, and from that moment on, you are pretty much free to behave however you want as you grow and explore the land.
Fable 2 is a very British RPG, with all the voices coming from across the various regions of the UK (no Welsh though - buggers!) and the voice acting of the main characters is top quality, from the hilariously insulting Scottish gargoyles through the lilting voice of Zoe Wannamaker as the Narrator / Theresa and finishing up with the brilliant Stephen Fry as the caddish, vain and sexually ambiguous Reaver.
It’s not just the voices though that give the game its British feel, the locations in game, from imposing castles to little villages all seem familiar to me as I was born in a rural part of Wales and have visited many a historic site that could double for Bloodstone, Oakfield or any of the other locations in the game.
The third indicator of the Brit theme? The wickedly suggestive sense of humor! Take a dash of lewd, a pinch of crude, add a few nudges and winks and sprinkle with a healthy dollop of Benny Hill, and you have a fair idea of what to expect when playing this game.
Make no mistake, this is not a game for kids. In fact, anyone without a sense of humor should stay away from Fable 2 and they will only get offended and the next thing you know Fox News will be screaming from the rooftops that video games are teaching kids to fornicate.
To those people I say now – go away, this is not for you. Go back to shooting wolves from helicopters, or believing that the world was made in seven days. This game is way to taxing for your kind.
Anyways, rant over, back to the review.
There is the one overarching quest during the game and while that will always be there, you are never in any rush to complete it, as the game allows you to tootle along at your own pace, exploring, performing side quests and generally being as nice or as nasty as you want.
Being nice or nasty of course have their own benefits and drawbacks. Be nice to everyone and you will be loved, traders will give you discounts and your renown will soar, be too nice and EVERYONE WILL LOVE YOU, and want to marry you, and pester you for a ring or a gift, and that gets annoying really quickly.
Of course, if you wish to play as a total bastard, the peeps will tremble in your presence and you will get discounts borne of fear. The flip side is that guards will be watching you closely, some townspeople may attack you and your evil deeds will corrupt your appearance so much, no one will want to shag you.
That’s right, shag you. Fable 2 allows you to mate, bone, procreate, do the nasty and get jiggy with it. (You don’t actually see the act, it’s all blacked out and you hear a few sweet nothings being uttered) You can get frisky with a man or a woman (no gender bias here) and the game allows you to purchase condoms to stop you getting STD’s or putting a bun in someone’s oven should you so wish!
You can also get married, buy a home and raise the nippers if you are that way inclined, or you can drop seed and hightail it out of there to go kill more things! It’s all good fun and nonsense, and adds to the games sense of immersion. You also get a dog as a sidekick early on in the game, and you can train him up to perform tricks, search for buried goodies or sniff out treasure chests, as well as be quite useful in fights, and in charming the ladies with his tricks.
Another diversion from questing is to get a job, and there are several on offer, from Bounty Hunter (kill bad guys) Assassin (kill good guys) to being a blacksmith, woodcutter or even a bartender. These last three jobs take you to a little mini-game where you have to stop the cursor on the ‘sweet spot’. Hit it just right and you chop, hammer or pour like a champ, making gold and increasing your gold multiplier on the road to promotion. Screw up and you get laughed at and head back to the bottom of the money making tree. These games are nice little diversions initially and a good way to get gold early in the game, but soon become repetitive.
Another way to make cash is to become a landowner. You can buy houses and businesses and make coin from the rent and profits. Be warned however, charge too much and you will be deemed corrupt, too little and you won’t make enough to buy all those shiny guns and stuff.
Talk of guns, swords etc lead me onto combat, and your options are three: Strength based (swords, maces) Skill based (guns, crossbows) or Will based ( magic type stuff) Of course, nothing is straight forward, and you will find a balance of the three skill sets will serve you best as Strength also increased your health, Skill increases your speed and accuracy and Will is just so darn fun to use period!
My only criticisms of the game are that a few of the quests can be repetitive and predictable, occasionally you do get gypped out of the money you are owed by your tenants, which can suck if you need to stock up on potions and the other main characters you come across in the game as part of the main quest could have been more developed and involved, as opposed to just buggering off to wait for you at certain locations – lazy bastards. Also the game is a little short compared to games like Fallout 3, so here is hoping some varied DLC content is on the way.
To sum up, if you like games with a bit of cheek, deliver a great story with lots of options and things to do, that don’t take themselves too seriously and are more fun than two strippers in a pool full of jelly, then this should be right up your alley. If not, well there is always the latest Hannah Montana game to get in a tizzy over.
Fable 2 is one of the best games of the year in my book. Now let’s see if Lionhead can deliver us some more tales of Albion via DLC soon. I hope they do!
Verdict: Annoyingly Great!
Now, a few years later, Lionhead have delivered another tempting trip into Albion, one filled with all kinds of humor, action, great storytelling and more than a little sauciness.
Set a few hundred years after the first game, Fable2 starts with a lovingly rendered cut scene of a bird flying through Albion, soaring gracefully amongst the rooftops of a small town, before coming to rest on the edge of a building and dropping a large dollop of poo onto the shoulder of the unsuspecting young tyke standing below!
You are that young tyke, and from that moment on, you are pretty much free to behave however you want as you grow and explore the land.
Fable 2 is a very British RPG, with all the voices coming from across the various regions of the UK (no Welsh though - buggers!) and the voice acting of the main characters is top quality, from the hilariously insulting Scottish gargoyles through the lilting voice of Zoe Wannamaker as the Narrator / Theresa and finishing up with the brilliant Stephen Fry as the caddish, vain and sexually ambiguous Reaver.
It’s not just the voices though that give the game its British feel, the locations in game, from imposing castles to little villages all seem familiar to me as I was born in a rural part of Wales and have visited many a historic site that could double for Bloodstone, Oakfield or any of the other locations in the game.
The third indicator of the Brit theme? The wickedly suggestive sense of humor! Take a dash of lewd, a pinch of crude, add a few nudges and winks and sprinkle with a healthy dollop of Benny Hill, and you have a fair idea of what to expect when playing this game.
Make no mistake, this is not a game for kids. In fact, anyone without a sense of humor should stay away from Fable 2 and they will only get offended and the next thing you know Fox News will be screaming from the rooftops that video games are teaching kids to fornicate.
To those people I say now – go away, this is not for you. Go back to shooting wolves from helicopters, or believing that the world was made in seven days. This game is way to taxing for your kind.
Anyways, rant over, back to the review.
There is the one overarching quest during the game and while that will always be there, you are never in any rush to complete it, as the game allows you to tootle along at your own pace, exploring, performing side quests and generally being as nice or as nasty as you want.
Being nice or nasty of course have their own benefits and drawbacks. Be nice to everyone and you will be loved, traders will give you discounts and your renown will soar, be too nice and EVERYONE WILL LOVE YOU, and want to marry you, and pester you for a ring or a gift, and that gets annoying really quickly.
Of course, if you wish to play as a total bastard, the peeps will tremble in your presence and you will get discounts borne of fear. The flip side is that guards will be watching you closely, some townspeople may attack you and your evil deeds will corrupt your appearance so much, no one will want to shag you.
That’s right, shag you. Fable 2 allows you to mate, bone, procreate, do the nasty and get jiggy with it. (You don’t actually see the act, it’s all blacked out and you hear a few sweet nothings being uttered) You can get frisky with a man or a woman (no gender bias here) and the game allows you to purchase condoms to stop you getting STD’s or putting a bun in someone’s oven should you so wish!
You can also get married, buy a home and raise the nippers if you are that way inclined, or you can drop seed and hightail it out of there to go kill more things! It’s all good fun and nonsense, and adds to the games sense of immersion. You also get a dog as a sidekick early on in the game, and you can train him up to perform tricks, search for buried goodies or sniff out treasure chests, as well as be quite useful in fights, and in charming the ladies with his tricks.
Another diversion from questing is to get a job, and there are several on offer, from Bounty Hunter (kill bad guys) Assassin (kill good guys) to being a blacksmith, woodcutter or even a bartender. These last three jobs take you to a little mini-game where you have to stop the cursor on the ‘sweet spot’. Hit it just right and you chop, hammer or pour like a champ, making gold and increasing your gold multiplier on the road to promotion. Screw up and you get laughed at and head back to the bottom of the money making tree. These games are nice little diversions initially and a good way to get gold early in the game, but soon become repetitive.
Another way to make cash is to become a landowner. You can buy houses and businesses and make coin from the rent and profits. Be warned however, charge too much and you will be deemed corrupt, too little and you won’t make enough to buy all those shiny guns and stuff.
Talk of guns, swords etc lead me onto combat, and your options are three: Strength based (swords, maces) Skill based (guns, crossbows) or Will based ( magic type stuff) Of course, nothing is straight forward, and you will find a balance of the three skill sets will serve you best as Strength also increased your health, Skill increases your speed and accuracy and Will is just so darn fun to use period!
My only criticisms of the game are that a few of the quests can be repetitive and predictable, occasionally you do get gypped out of the money you are owed by your tenants, which can suck if you need to stock up on potions and the other main characters you come across in the game as part of the main quest could have been more developed and involved, as opposed to just buggering off to wait for you at certain locations – lazy bastards. Also the game is a little short compared to games like Fallout 3, so here is hoping some varied DLC content is on the way.
To sum up, if you like games with a bit of cheek, deliver a great story with lots of options and things to do, that don’t take themselves too seriously and are more fun than two strippers in a pool full of jelly, then this should be right up your alley. If not, well there is always the latest Hannah Montana game to get in a tizzy over.
Fable 2 is one of the best games of the year in my book. Now let’s see if Lionhead can deliver us some more tales of Albion via DLC soon. I hope they do!
Verdict: Annoyingly Great!
Invisible Walls 29
The latest Invisible Walls is up, and in the continued absence of the Annoyed Gamer show, I thought I would share with y'all! This week we talk about Tokyo Game Show, Fable 2, Fallout 3 and Far Cry 2 - Enjoy!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Where did the Annoyed Gamer go????
Yes, I know 18 days between posts is not good. Apologies all round to those of you kind enough to visit this site on a regular basis (you know who you are).
The only thing I can offer in my defense is that things have been a little loco for me this month. First up I am now producing the Invisible Walls podcast for Gametrailers.com, which is a lot of fun and a great privilege, but also means that time gets taken up in the process.
Secondly, while I have been doing the live show on livevideo.com, I have been doing it from home as LV has been moving to new studios and technical difficulties at the new place has meant that no studio broadcasts have been possible. Doing the home shows is fun, but the quality audio visually is not great, so I am not posting them here.
Hopefully I will be back in the studio before the end of Oct, and we can go back to business as usual.
So, with all excuses out of the way, I am going to try and update the site at least 2 or 3 times a week moving forward, this will include Invisible Walls and live show updates, but will also include me dropping reviews, thoughts, opinions etc in the old school style of the written word (which sucks, because I sodding hate typing!)
So stay tuned oh local reader / viewer / cool person, as this site will get more content starting later this week!
Ok, I am off to record this weeks Invisible Walls, that will be airing on Thurs (internet gods willing).
Cheers!
Beer.
P.S. I am playing Fallout 3 right now, and while my full review will not hit till Oct 28th at the earliest (embargoes and such like) let me just say now, that this game is really damn impressive!
The only thing I can offer in my defense is that things have been a little loco for me this month. First up I am now producing the Invisible Walls podcast for Gametrailers.com, which is a lot of fun and a great privilege, but also means that time gets taken up in the process.
Secondly, while I have been doing the live show on livevideo.com, I have been doing it from home as LV has been moving to new studios and technical difficulties at the new place has meant that no studio broadcasts have been possible. Doing the home shows is fun, but the quality audio visually is not great, so I am not posting them here.
Hopefully I will be back in the studio before the end of Oct, and we can go back to business as usual.
So, with all excuses out of the way, I am going to try and update the site at least 2 or 3 times a week moving forward, this will include Invisible Walls and live show updates, but will also include me dropping reviews, thoughts, opinions etc in the old school style of the written word (which sucks, because I sodding hate typing!)
So stay tuned oh local reader / viewer / cool person, as this site will get more content starting later this week!
Ok, I am off to record this weeks Invisible Walls, that will be airing on Thurs (internet gods willing).
Cheers!
Beer.
P.S. I am playing Fallout 3 right now, and while my full review will not hit till Oct 28th at the earliest (embargoes and such like) let me just say now, that this game is really damn impressive!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Better late than never?
I have been rather tardy updating over the last few weeks and I apologize! Things have been a tad screwy around here (well more screwy than normal anyway!) but I promise I will be better in the future!
So, lots of updates to share: First up - Annoyed Gamer from 9/23!
Next - Invisible Walls recorded on 9/22:
So, lots of updates to share: First up - Annoyed Gamer from 9/23!
Next - Invisible Walls recorded on 9/22:
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