Random rant #01

I’ve been playing a lot of games lately too. Though a MIND BLOWING title is yet to release this year. Some fairly good ones keep me entertained. But first, a hark back at last year…

…when Beyond Good and Evil released. Michel Ancel, the crazy french man who created the Rayman series, has become the Dr. Frankenstein of gaming. BG&E is a unique whole of many gaimng parts. Kinda like a certain Tarantino movie. It has the light hearted charm of the sci fi RPG Anachronox, sometimes you gotta stealth around like the Thief games, and many a times it pays homage to the exploratory nature of Zelda, and it has a gaming soul and a cinematic edge which entirely its own. Might seem funny to you, but this game CHARMED me.

Near Cry, actually
I remembered BG&E while playing this years first game in the BIG SHOOTER BLOWOUT OF 2004-5, Far Cry. Far Cry is highly unoriginal. Crytek borrows most of its ideas from either the original Half-Life, Alien vs. Predator, Soldier of Fortune 2, Unreal Tournament, BF1942, and what we’ve seen of Half-Life 2 and Doom 3. The story in Far Cry is as hackneyed and trite as they get in action / Sci-Fi shooters. You are this special ops guy that just happens to wash ashore this island where, surprise surprise, mad scientists are conducting experiments on humans and animals. (*cough* Doom *cough*) Just like in the original Half-Life, Far Cry constantly changes from claustrophobic, gloomy, experimental labs (that look awfully like the ones in Doom 3) to spacious outdoor settings that sort of give you that sense of being glad you’re back in the open again.
BUT the damn game is huge fun. They have borrowed and borrowed, but the biggest difference between movies and games is that, while a B grade, generic action movie would fail to elicit any response (other than disgust) from you, a game as campy as Far Cry can still give you thrills FIRST HAND, and by extension be fun. The greatest advantage that this game has; beside the awesome sounds, physics and visuals; is the superb level design and the incredible attention to detail in each of the scenes.

Popcorn Today, Pandora Tomorrow!
Splinter Cell:Pandora Tomorrow is well worth your time if you liked the previous outing of Sam Fisher. BUT, be warned: the game, is exactly the same as it was a year ago. The gameplay, the weapons, even the levels, have not much changed since you last met Fisher. The well worth your time part is because of an ALTOGETHER different game called Splinter Cell:Pandora Tomorrow Multiplayer. The multiplayer part is so cool, and so different, you’d want to buy the game for that. You see the whole Spies versus the Mercs thing plays out like a more sedate, stealthy version of Counter Strike. In short, I love it. :) The single player, on the other hand is totally mediocre, and nothing more.

Tips on how not to be a fucktard
As can be discerned from previous posts, I’ve been playing quite a bit of UT2K4 multiplayer lately. And playing online with strangers unleasges upon you a horde of retards such has never been seen in human history. Heres how not to be one of them:
-There are vehicles(if you’ve been playing BF1942, and playing it well, ignore this), and some of them can hold upto 3 people. So if you are the driver, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, know how to drive! Please. (Actual in game communication: Wut button is fly up?/) Space Bar, sir. Would you like fried team mates with that?
- Use voice communication. Dont just get stuck typing in leet while the rest of your team is dying. (Again, actual in game: 3v3rybody is d34d? lol!!11 rofl, that not how u ply!)
- The best thing they’ve done with the weapons is brought back the sniper rifle. Don’t make them regret that by EVERYBODY insisting on using the sniper ALL THE TIME. Nobody gets any work done, the opposite team kicks your ass, and you lose badly. Th3_Sn1p3r, you can not save the day.

E3

E3 this year has brought about a lot of games to be excited about, but I really can’t say not having played them, and you can read second hand previews on your own. The one that I did play was the Guild Wars open Beta. It was a combination of old school questing and Diablo 2 style Hack and Slash gameplay, and looked and played marvelously. The quest system is easy,a dn the level system promises to be easy and balanced. The interface is uncluttered, and the game plays smoothly, with richly detaled and glowy monsters frolicking about on my screen’s real estate all nice like. Best thing is, it is an MMO that does not require you to pay a monthly fee, and the streaming content makes sure eevn slower connections can play, if they’re patient. Basically what it means is, when it is out, YOU can play an MMO, right here in India. Coolio.