MW2 Comic Hits the Nail on the Head November 15, 2009
Posted by Lyle in Just For Fun.Tags: Funny, Games, Modern Warfare 2
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Snagged this from Kotaku, who snagged this from Digital Unrest by Chris Simmons. Had to share:
What’s really funny is, I did that in my second or third match. You haven’t experienced MW2 if you haven’t been killed by your own airdrop. There should have been an achievement for it!
Modern Warfare 2 Spec Ops Impressions November 15, 2009
Posted by Lyle in Just For Fun, News, Now Playing.Tags: Co-Op, Modern Warfare 2, Spec-Ops
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It’s just SO GOOD. I invited a good friend over for some split-screen co-op today. We played through about 19 of the Spec-Op missions on Hardened difficulty and I honestly can’t remember when a split-screen game has been so much fun. The smooth controls and sweet level design, along with very good (sometimes annoyingly so) enemy AI make this one of the most rewarding shooters in existence. It’s very fun, and will be something I know I’ll get tons of replay value out of.
The addictiveness of MW2’s online multiplayer leveling-up is replaced by the addictiveness of absolutely having to use teamwork and strategy for survival. And the harder it gets; the more fun it is to win. Most missions were fairly easy on hardened difficulty (with 2 players, mind you). A few of them were quite hard and forced us to rethink strategies a bit. I’ve played and beaten one mission on veteran and it only took us, what, ten tries? Failure did nothing to thwart my desire to keep playing til we won.
There are 20+ missions and you unlock them in groups as you earn stars for each successful mission. What’s really amazing is that each one feels unique; even the ones that are played in the same areas. You might have to breach and clear a prison shower room full of enemies. You’ll be calling targets and synchronizing sniper shots in the snow. You’ll be fending off waves of troops and vehicles in a desperate survival scenario. There are even a couple of racing levels (which were my least favorite, but still fun)! Then the fact that there are a couple of great missions inspired by COD4 thrown in for good measure (remember “Death From Above”?).
I would love to see the next Spec-Ops update support four players, but for these maps and missions two is definitely the sweet spot. Infinity Ward would have to up the difficulty considerably. At any rate; they’ve consistently hinted at updating Spec-Ops with new stuff… I will be there to scoop it up day one. This mode rocks.
Dragon Age: Origins and the Cross of Christ November 13, 2009
Posted by Lyle in Just For Fun, Now Playing.Tags: Christianity, Dragon Age: Origins
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My Level 9 Warrior Elissa Comes to Save Redcliffe
This is an article I wrote up for my church newsletter; believe it or not haha! So here I am explaining the beginning of Dragon Age to quite a few non-gamers…
There is a major early story spoiler in this article (well, if you’re a video gamer)
The game is Dragon Age: Origins and its set in a world that could be compared to Tolkien’s Middle Earth, though it’s much more dark and tragic. Much like any good fantasy story; you get your elves, dwarves, evil bad guys, swords, dragons (hence the title), heroes and kings. At a certain place in the story you meet some important characters: one will become your mentor, another is a renowned and revered hero, and another one just so happens to be your country’s king. It seemed as though the game was setting me up for a typical and predictable, but nonetheless epic, fantasy against the mindless horde of bad guys coming my way and I was really getting into it!
I was wrong about it being typical or predictable. There is an epic battle at the beginning of the game. In this battle your king and mentor are both killed, the battle lost, and the famous hero is revealed as a traitor. It was a major twist; and a jarring one at that. I was actually so engrossed in the story that it kind of got to me; it made me angry!
I’ve never felt quite so hopeless and sad about the story of a video game before. It made me think about Peter and the other disciples in the hours and days following the cross. What a shock it must have been (even though Jesus tried to warn them). Imagine having the man you had come to know as your mentor and King – the one your people have been waiting on for centuries; betrayed, arrested, beaten, and crucified. It must have felt as though time stopped and all was lost. Thank God we know the end of that story! Because of the resurrection we have hope in Jesus and Heaven! Our Mentor and King has somehow survived death and tragedy! I don’t know the end of Dragon Age (and don’t be spoiling it for me!), but our true story is way more compelling than any man-made story. It’s funny how you can find little reminders and insights to truth in the places you’d least expect if you’re looking for them…
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Single Player Impressions November 12, 2009
Posted by Lyle in News.Tags: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Extreme Content, Game Ratings, Modern Warfare 2
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Modern Warfare 2 is here. And here’s what I think:
ABOUT THE SINGLE-PLAYER STORY MODE
The bottom line: Amazing (in that summer blockbuster movie sort of way). The action is way over the top and the plot is just a touch outside of the realm of the possible (I hope so anyway) - but the characters drive it so well. The explosions and the settings were shock and awe moments for sure; but the emotional attachment to the characters you meet, play as, and really learn to love (and hate) makes this one of the best media about war ever. Soap, Roach, Ghost, Foley, Ramirez and more will get under your skin. These capture you as if they are real human heroes that couldn’t have been done better.
This is going to be a five star game; for adults.
Content: Well, aside from the “No Russian” level that is mentioned specifically below; the game is slightly more violent than COD4 Modern Warfare (1) was. It’s MUCH less violent than Call of Duty World At War, and I’m glad for it. I remember saying that the intensity level was the thing that concerened me about letting kids play the first Modern Warfare – and here it is the same issue; except that the intensity level has been upped considerably. Many of the scenes and set pieces will leave you holding your breath and dodging the incoming fire in your chair. I think it may be too intense, rather than too violent, for young ones. Much like the first game; main characters are not invincible, and some of the plot twists are very, very emotional.
“No Russian”
Much has been said and debated about the “terrorist” level. As horrible as it was, it does capture the nightmarish spirit of this new world war on terrorism we are in. The game allows you to play as a covert agent committing an atrocity in order to infiltrate a terror cell. You can pull the trigger or back off and watch as the real bad guys do all the work; or you can opt out of it altogether – the game warns you twice. I advise that you heavily weigh the options and don’t just charge in without thinking. It does set up the rest of the plot, but you really won’t miss anything that isn’t explained. I watched – did not pull the trigger – and was satisfied that the scene was not simply there to push the envelope of content in games. Don’t get me wrong – it was horrible – but it was not unrealistic, unfortunately. We live in a day and age where evil men fly airplanes as bombs and IED’s and suicide-bombings are frequently heard news. Infinity Ward handled with maturity; but I wonder why they decided to make it playable. It could have been a cut scene and still been just as powerful and heart-wrenching. making it playable was unnecessary and I think it will cause issues with those who aren’t mature enough to handle it.
They said that they wanted the player to experience the atrocities of terror – but I contend that no video game or movie could really ever do that. The Ft. Hood shooting was very recent and I kept thinking – the real thing was there, not here in my Xbox. The best it could do is make me think deeply about terrorism and about myself. It is interesting that although in my mind I knew that these innocent people were just animated 3-d characters I still had no desire whatsoever to participate. This level and the decision to make it playable are very good reasons not to blindly allow your young children to see or play Modern Warfare 2. The game is not for kids. Some will not be able to handle or process the scene; adults included.
The game is rated M for Mature for Blood, Drug reference, Intense Violence, and Language. I’ll pipe in later with Multiplayer impressions as well as Spec-Ops mode. I played and beat the single player campaign on regular difficulty, and have played to level 19 in multiplayer mode as of this writing. I haven’t even tried Spec-Ops.
Games and Christmas November 5, 2009
Posted by Lyle in Must Read, News.Tags: Preview, Gaming Industry, Content, Game Ratings
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Many parents are probably checking out the “Holiday Buying Guides” trying to decide what games to get for the kiddos this year. Here is a quick rundown of the four most anticipated (according to Gamestop’s current best selling list) that are out or coming out this season and what ratings apply: (Note that all four of the top-selling games are rated M)
#4 
Assassin’s Creed 2. M for mature. Well, a decent game about killing people who usually deserve it (but don’t we all?) deserves a sequel, right? It does when it sells ridiculously well! I think this is going to be a big seller this season due to the hype surrounding it and much like the first game, there’ll be lots of killin’…
Most of what parent’s need to know is pretty obvious from the title alone. You play as an assassin. You kill people in fairly brutal, highly efficient ways. It’s pretty much looking like the same game as the first with new features and a different protagonist/storyline. I hear that some non-gratuitous sexual content will make it into the game, as it seems the new assassin Ezio is a “ladies man” of sorts. Lots of kids will be wanting this game this year.
#3 
Dragon Age: Origins. M for Mature. I was actually surprised to see this in the list. Bioware is known for making seriously epic RPG’s but even though it’s my favorite genre, I felt this game was coming in under the radar with all of the other big games being released this season. THis is the one game on the list that I have played, and man; it’s amazing! I love it for it’s setting, story, and RPG tactical combat and gameplay… But I have to caution parents about the game. It’s certainly geared towards adults. There are some very “mature” themes, and although on the surface, it looks like a Lord of the Rings clone, it is much, much darker and bloodier. Also present are seemingly complex relationship building that may or may not result in sex scenes/nudity. It’s a bit overblown and non-gratuitous, but it seems like they are making it a selling-point-feature of the game, “buy our game and you’ll see breasts, kids!” Needless to say, it’s needless; and tacky. Other than that the game is compelling, smart, well-written, well-voiced and epic.
#2 
Left 4 Dead 2. M for Mature. In Left 4 Dead there was little to no story – it was you and three other “survivors” against (countable, actually) hordes of zombies that wanted to kill you. You had to work together, think fast, and aim true. The kids loved this one and aside from the arcadey feel I liked it too. It was mindless fun, but it was cooperative and I love co-op games…
That said, it was gruesome. It was every bit as gory and scary as your average horror movie and was more intense because YOU are the potential victim. What made it so fun was what made it so scary. So scary in fact, that I know of old dudes like me that actually can’t play it, because zombies creep them out! The sequel looks like it will be more of the same, although from early previews (I have yet to check out the demo, which is available) it looks more gooey than the first. Parents, I don’t think the young ones will like it, nor is it appropriate for them. Proceed with caution: Zombies and blood and gore ahead…
#1.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Gamestop already reports that there are more pre-orders for this game than any other. Gamestops will be open at midnight next week all around the country in order to make massive amounts of customers happy – and subsequently calling in sick on Tuesday morning 
The content for the 1st game wasn’t too over the top, but it was an intense experience and not recommended for the younger kids. From what I’ve seen so far Infinity Ward is rethinking it’s content levels fairly drastically with more blood and gore, swearing, and apparently; lots more intensity in the killing dept. Parents are strongly cautioned about this one. SPOILER ALERT (highlight text): A recently leaked video depicted a player-controlled terrorist versus unarmed civilians killing spree at an airport – I don’t know the context in which this takes place, but I have seen the video and it’s pretty hard to watch – I have HEARD that you can opt out of it or not participate in some way. SPOILER OVER.
Make no mistake, this will probably be the one game your kids want more than any other this season – but I don’t believe it will be appropriate for your younger ones… I’ll be playing it next Tuesday and will post an impressions article.
E3 Highlights of the Highlights June 5, 2009
Posted by Lyle in News.Tags: E3
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I was not there; except via the power of the internets. Here’s a brief synopsis of some of the bigger announcements:
- Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the first MMO where the story is all up in the player’s face. The game from Bioware will feature full voice acting for every playable and non-playable character in the game. Yeah – that’s A LOT of voice-overs. The trailer that was shown for this game instantly evaporated any coolness and calmness I may have been wearing and my inner geek exploded to life… If the trailer and the hands-on impressions I’ve seen are any indication – this game will bring Star Wars back to life to many a jaded Star Wars fan. The word is that if you liked Knights of the Old Republic; you’ll love this.
- Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker was announced for the PSP; but a decidedly more monumental announcement was that a new game in the franchise called Metal Gear Rising (which is a Raiden game) is coming to Xbox 360 (gasp) and PS3.
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is looking great in single-player mode, and features tons of snow in the level “Cliffhanger.” No Multiplayer was shown that I am aware of (WHY?).
- God of War 3 is gross; and apparently is God of War in hi-definition (as in not much is different – but most fans won’t care). And it’s really gross.
- Dante’s Inferno is gross; and apparently is God of War in hi-definition and on Xbox 360. It features an action game based on a literary classic and it seems that some game journalists are worried that the blockbuster action title is trivializing its subject matter. Pardon the skepticism but we’ll have to wait and see if Dante can play the role of angry-action-super-hero guy… Plus I heard that the developer has included unbaptized infants in the evil monster line-up… Wait what?
- Nintendo’s press conference was the snoozer of the week. While they did announce some exciting games (New Super Mario Bros. Wii – 4 players, a new Metroid game, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 were the big ones), they did it very slowly, with lots of words… There was a fair amount of yawn-enducing bragging from Microsoft and Sony as well – but Nintendo excelled at it…
- Microsoft and Sony both showed off new motion-sensing technologies that they are working on – and both of them looked like they have great potential for the future. MS’s Project Natal is camera-based and controller free; Sony’s ‘wiimote’ is very promising and they both looked like they actually work; which is a plus. Speaking of plus; Nintendo also talked about new motion-sensing technology (Wii Motion Plus) which was also talked about last year at E for All. Hmmm.
- Halo ODST was demoed; looked great. Halo REACH was announced which would have to be a prequel to the first Halo and has it’s own novel to draw from HALO: Fall of Reach.
- Peter Molyneux showed off the downright freaky Milo – an artificially intelligent ‘game character’ that uses Microsoft’s Natal project to recognize real people in real time and talk and interact with them. Amazing as it was; all kinds of scary sci-fi stories popped up in my head… Hal 9000, Skynet, SHODAN, the Matrix and WarGames anyone?
- Oh yeah, and there was this little announcement made about The Beatles: Rock Band game. And it’s quite funny that the most awkward part of Microsoft’s press conference featured rock legends Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr being paraded around and obviously not knowing what they were doing there or talking about…
There were so many games mentioned at the show that it’s very difficult to absorb the amount of info that has been circling around. I’m gonna try and make a list of the ones that I think will be noteworthy… But for now I need to simply conclude that 2009 and 2010 will be a lot like 2008 – great years for gamers…
Free Realms Impressions May 11, 2009
Posted by Lyle in News, Now Playing.Tags: Free Realms
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This is the website you launch the game from
Sony Online Entertainment used to entertain me with the game Star Wars Galaxies. My friends and I quickly tired of that rendition of our favorite galaxy far, far away but recently I found myself brushing off my old Sony Station ID to beta test this new “kid’s game” that I kept hearing about. Well Sony, you seem to have won me back.
Chances are they will win you too. This is a classy game that has something for just about anyone. Here’s quick rundown of the game:
- Free to play (mostly – I will guesstimate that 60%-75% of the gameworld is open to free players)
- Membership option is cheap at 5 bucks per month
- Cash shop for special items (such as pets) – yep that means you use real money which could get expensive
- 15 character classes (“Jobs”) that can be freely switched between at any time and leveled up separately
- 5 of those jobs are members only
- Very pretty and vibrant, but very simple graphics that can run on most PC’s
- Very kid-friendly – no serious content issues
- So far it looks very safe for kids – chatting is seriously limited and strongly filtered (some gamers always find ways to be crude, but so far I haven’t seen anything offensive)
- Pretty small download and very quick installation (the tech is pretty amazing)
- Has an integrated trading card game with a good balance of easy to learn but still deep gameplay mechanics
- Integrated web site that serves as the game’s launching platform.
That's what a level 2 Medic looks like
And without further ado; What I like and what I don’t about Free Realms:
Like:
It really is mostly free. You can experience a whole lot of game and never spend a dime… This is a huge plus for those of you with kids and/or tight budgets. The membership doesn’t cost a whole lot if you want to try it out, but it is optional.
You don’t have to fight. Less than half of the jobs in the game are combat oriented – but it is there for those that want to take out goblins and trolls (like me).
It’s refreshingly casual and kid-friendly. This is the most relaxing, stress-free gaming available today. Sick of Xbox LIVE potty-mouths ruining your downtime? Sure it’s for kids, but there is something really cool and appealing about it no matter what age you may be. There are some challenging areas, boss battles, and minigames that you can tackle when your mood goes competitive, but you can also, for instance, train your dog to speak… or become a chef and prepare a tasty meal for your friends. Which brings me to my last great like:
There is, quite literally, always something to do. You have 10 free and 5 member-only jobs to switch between at any time. The level cap is 20 for each one. The quest-lines make leveling up pretty easy and the quest-givers lead you around and teach you the game fairly naturally. There are mini-games such as chess, checkers, a tower defense game, and a full-featured trading card game. You can team up with friends and take on some basic, but still fun combat areas. Getting new loot from quests or leveling up is always addictive…
Don’t like:
Some of the member’s only stuff can be frustrating even though I understand they need to make money. I wish that everyone could get one free pet. I wish the most useful combat class (medic) was a free class. They really do make you want a membership sometimes or make you want to spend real cash for game items (like pets). Still, the amount of content available for free players is huge.
Haven’t found a story yet. Lots of little side quests, but there isn’t any epic main quest line to follow that I have found – maybe later?
Some bugs. I do think Sony jumped the gun and released the game a bit early. There have been a few downtimes, the friends list is currently broke, and there are some areas of the game that aren’t implemented yet.
Although the game is free to play, and cheap for memberships (most online games cost 15 a month these days); you could easily spend a fortune on it. The cash shop and the trading card game can add up quickly. 4 dollars for a 10-pack of virtual cards seems a bit much for a kid’s game… It’s fun, but be careful out there
Is that a Karate Kid reference?
You know what? This game is pretty amazing for what it is; and although it needs some polishing I would recommend that you give it a try at least. It’s pretty, accessible, great for kids and adults alike, and there’s a great amount of fun to be had here – most of it for free. Run, don’t walk to www.freerealms.com and give it a try
This impressions article is from playing some uncharted hours in beta testing and about 11 hours of play in the full game. My highest level jobs are Pet Trainer and Brawler (7 and 6, I think). I have yet to unlock the Wizard, Warrior, and Blacksmith jobs.
Free Realms May 4, 2009
Posted by Lyle in News.add a comment
You may have heard about this, you may not have. Chances are if you’ve ever played World of Warcraft or any other online game and liked it then you at least know about a variety of “free” online games that exist. You may have even tried a few. You may have tried a few only to learn after that extremely large download and installation process exactly why it might be free. Don’t get me wrong there are a few of these free online games I have tried and liked; but only a few. They typically just don’t have the production values of a pay to play game like WoW or Lord of the Rings Online.
Enter Free Realms; which has definitely bucked the trend. Now this is a preview of sorts rather than a review, as I am just getting started. But I can already see some things that I love about the game, and a few things that I like… Here’s the launch trailer:
So that’s the video that Sony Online Entertainment want you to see. Is it really fun? Is it really free? Is it safe for kids? I am on a quest to find those things out. In my limited time with the game so far I think the fun and safe questions can be answered fairly positively yes. The game is pretty fun; even for this old guy. Safe for kids – well so far I haven’t seen anything terribly offensive, and you can bet that I am watching carefully. Some parents might be turned off by the bare midriffs their kid’s female character can opt for. Some parents might be concerned about the fantasy creatures and monsters and the use of magic.
So far my only real concern with the game is it’s not really totally free – but anyone who has let their kids play Webkinz knows how that works. There isn’t any software to buy but they still make money (and indeed – they probably have to make money to make the game happen). There is a premium membership you can buy for 4.99 a month (really cheap for an online game) and you can purchase special items in a shop for the in-game currency that you buy with real money. I really don’t have any problems with SOE making money off of the game; I have heard that they are a bit misleading in their approach – but am withholding judgment until I see for myself.
And I will see for myself! I plan on playing a lot in the coming weeks and trying out many aspects of the game. If you see Kade Wolfrune running around in the game stop by and say hello!
Old Computer Dies; New Computer Really Lives April 21, 2009
Posted by Lyle in News.add a comment
So my home computer, which my wife and I both use for work and I use for gaming; died. It was hanging on by a thread and was well past it’s expiration date so it was to be expected. I was able to save the backups of all our important things on a USB hard drive, so all was not lost We decided it was time to stop scrapping old systems together and get a new one. First of all a disclaimer: I am NOT a computer expert; I’m a somewhat cautious enthusiast. Don’t rely on this as a guide or how-to… just a story:
Old Computer:
(Too old and sad to mention – was a Frankenstein monster from two even older computer’s parts)
New Computer:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 2.5ghz
4gb RAM
EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
640gb Hard Drive
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
It’s rather exciting to start up a game like Lord of the Rings Online; grab every slider I can see and stick them all on the highest settings available and play it that way… And that’s a gorgeous game. I’ve been running through all my old PC games and trying them out – well, because that’s what geeks do when they get new gadgets! Unreal Tourney 3, Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40K Dawn of War 2, Sacred 2, Spore, and more are installed and running beautifully beautiful!
And it’s not all about fun and games, though. I was seriously out of space on my old 80gb hard drive, and now both wifey and I have plenty of space for everything (for now). Also the RAM makes switching user accounts a lot snappier.
Here’s what I did: I went to a local PC shop (Microcenter in Columbus). I told the very nice salesman what I wanted to do and he helped me out splendidly. I bought the cheapest quad-core processor based PC I could find (a Gateway DX 4710-07). It had all of the specs above except for the nice video card (there was a generic on-board intel something or other in it). I had done some research on video cards before I left and had pretty much decided on the GTX 260. The salesman and I thought about which make of video card to get. I knew I wanted the 260 but there were 4 or 5 manufacturers to choose from. I went with the not-too-overclocked EVGA. I bought a 600-watt power supply to replace the terribly skimpy 300 watt original because the old PSU would have pretty much exploded and destroyed my house had I added that video card to it.
When I got home I realized the primary mistake I had made – not thinking about the case size and not knowing about the video card size. It’s been a while since I had bought a new video card and I had no idea from the pictures I’d seen just how ridiculously huge they have become! There was not much room to move in said case, but I was determined to make it work…
3 hours later; victory.
- Removed the PCI Modem (they still sell those?).
- Got the old power supply out and the new one in. I had to take out the large CPU cooling system to do it.
- Moved the hard drive to a different bay so the video card would (hopefully) fit.
- Put in the new video card… or as I’d like to call it from now on; the leviathan (epic biblical sea monster anyone? anyone?)
- You can sort of see that the back of the card was very snuggly with the back of the drive bay – just getting the thing in there was quite a trick.
- I had to reroute quite a few wires.
- I took some of the thin metal sheeting out of the back side of the case (for a very small amount of more space).
- Noticed the blood; went and cleaned up my poor finger.
- Finally ready to get -the leviathan- set in the PCI E slot; but it wouldn’t go. He’s a rather unruly beast, it seems.
It took me a while to figure this out because there was nothing I could see that was in the way anymore. Then I realized that since the monster card takes up two slots on the back of the PC case, it has two metal tabs on the bottom that have to slide down in the space between the motherboard and the case. I looked and sure enough, one of the tabs was being caught on the back of the case. So I grabbed my sea-monster video card and bent it with some pliers (just those two tabs). Fit perfectly (very snuggly).
3 hours. Blood and sweat, but no tears. Totally and utterly worth it. Also I saved quite a few hundred dollars by way of ‘do-it-yourself’. It’s not the fastest thing you can buy; but it may be the faster thing you can afford… Be careful if you try stuff like this. One small zap of static electricity and it’s all over for your new PC.
PlayStation 3 Price Drop Rumored Tomorrow March 30, 2009
Posted by Lyle in News.Tags: Playstation 3, PS3
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Big rumors today all over the internets about Sony (finally) dropping the price on it’s very awesome, but very not-selling-like-hotcakes PlayStation3 console. No one really knows if it’s true or by how much it’s going to drop but the gurus are saying 50-100 dollars. How nice would a $349 80 gigabyte PS3 be? Not as nice as a $299 80 gigabyte PS3.
The PlayStation 2 is set to drop as well, and this is actually the more believable of the two rumors. The people that somehow know this stuff say that your older brother’s generation system is going to be sub $100 starting tomorrow.
Moral of the story – don’t buy into the rumors completely – but also don’t buy a PlayStation console til tomorrow
UPDATE – It appears that Sony reps have been calling around to internet sites and telling everyone that the rumors are false. Nothing to see here folks, move along; sadly…
