So, it's time for some reviews again. A lot of games being released at the moment.
I've decided to leave Batman: Arkham City and Assassin's Creed Revelations alone for now and play them closer to Christmas.
You've probably noticed the decline, both technically and in quality, of Japanese games. Especially, in their lack of changing and modernising themselves this generation. Most of them, seem to be enhanced versions of the last gen era, both in graphics and ideas, adding little new. New IPs and innovations this generation, have been from western gaming companies.
Remember, how I told you in my review of Crysis 2, that I had never played the original Crysis? Well, guess what, Crytek improved the lighting engine of the original and released it on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3! A no-brainer purchase for me on Xbox Live On Demand, a full title for a reasonable price and you can clock in a 1000 achievement points!
While Crysis 2 took on an urban jungle and gave you city warfare, the original is all about natural environments and jungle warfare. It evolves around an object that has crashed from space, on a pacific island, and a race between US and North Korean forces to get to the crash site first.
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Like always, there are even more cars to select and the cockpit view seems to be tweaked to look more detailed. Combined with the new lighting, the cockpit is the view of choice to drive in!
Review
Played on: Xbox 360
Released: 2011
Released: 2011
It's taken a long time for Japanese developers to adjust, some have even stated they don't care about the western market, while others have struggled and opted for outsourcing franchises to the west.
However, those who dare to modernise themselves, usually win. Namco is one of those companies that supported the Xbox 360 early on with the exclusive, and traditional, Ace Combat 6. Over the last years though, they've seen the massive popularity of shooters like Call of Duty. Cleverly picking out a theme that could work well with their arcade flight franchise.
Let’s take a look at Namco's daring new take on Ace Combat!
Modern warfare is a really popular theme these days, the trend all kicked off with Call of Duty 4. It's about making a believable plot, set in our time, based on politics and combat today. Ace Combat has mostly been about real life fighter jets, but set in fictional countries at war. Assault Horizon dismisses this, and puts us right at the present state of the world, starting a conflict of it's own.
Modern warfare is a really popular theme these days, the trend all kicked off with Call of Duty 4. It's about making a believable plot, set in our time, based on politics and combat today. Ace Combat has mostly been about real life fighter jets, but set in fictional countries at war. Assault Horizon dismisses this, and puts us right at the present state of the world, starting a conflict of it's own.
Right from the beginning, this feels much more believable story, with less cheese and melodrama, typical for the older Ace Combat stories. The western influence is present throughout Assault Horizon. It also suits the real jet fighters better, as they're assigned to the countries they're made and produced in.
One cannot catch newcomers without radically changing gameplay and adding new features, though. The audience today is less patient and want incredible action and refined gameplay from the get-go. Synonymous with the popular modern warfare shooters.
One cannot catch newcomers without radically changing gameplay and adding new features, though. The audience today is less patient and want incredible action and refined gameplay from the get-go. Synonymous with the popular modern warfare shooters.
Assault Horizon fixes this by making the aircraft even more controllable at you fingertips, yet feels different between each aircraft model. Crucially for the visual impact and sensation of action, it adds a brand new, close combat, feature. It's all about getting close in on an enemy plane, pressing the shoulder buttons simultaneously, followed by the camera being dramatically zoomed in and your aircraft auto-following the enemy aircraft to a certain degree. From here you can engage in some impressively, destructive, dog-fighting action.
This new action feature gives way for some spectacular scenes, often close to the ground, between buildings, with many twists and turns. The zoomed in view allows for more use of the aircraft's main gun too, combined with lots of damage animation.
This new action feature gives way for some spectacular scenes, often close to the ground, between buildings, with many twists and turns. The zoomed in view allows for more use of the aircraft's main gun too, combined with lots of damage animation.
It looks awesome when you gun down an enemy and the plane disintegrates into flying debris, fire and oil! There are also counter manoeuvres, which look spectacular, when an enemy is tailing you. I enjoyed mostly the outside view of the plane, just to see all the really cool camera effects.
The missions are varied, you take control over fighter, multi-role and ground attack jets. There are even helicopter missions, where you use the mighty AH-64 and even a bombing mission where you can fly a B2! There's of variation in the scenery and locations, from snowy Moscow to rainy Miami and the warm deserts in Africa.
The missions are varied, you take control over fighter, multi-role and ground attack jets. There are even helicopter missions, where you use the mighty AH-64 and even a bombing mission where you can fly a B2! There's of variation in the scenery and locations, from snowy Moscow to rainy Miami and the warm deserts in Africa.
The missions being a door gunner, in a Blackhawk chopper, are also really fun, just lacking a little oomph to the sound. Set together with great detail in the graphics, distinct airplane sounds and precise controls it's a joy to play this game!
Namco have dared to renew a famous brand, they have modernised, took influence from other titles, like Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X., and outdone themselves in quality and options.
Namco have dared to renew a famous brand, they have modernised, took influence from other titles, like Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X., and outdone themselves in quality and options.
Has it paid off? Yes, it's a fantastic action thriller and fun flight game. Even the online multiplayer segment, complete with coop missions, is very good!
As per usual with the series, the singleplayer should've been longer, there's a lot of replay value here that's key. Overall, Namco have taken a lead on other Japanese developers, learnt from the west, showing it pays off to dare to take a step forward and not just stay at the same spot forever! Hardcore Ace Combat fans though, might not be as happy.
Review
Played on: Xbox 360
Released: 2011
Released: 2011
While Crysis 2 took on an urban jungle and gave you city warfare, the original is all about natural environments and jungle warfare. It evolves around an object that has crashed from space, on a pacific island, and a race between US and North Korean forces to get to the crash site first.
The jungle setting is followed by an outbreak of aliens, giving for a lot of enemy variety and environmental changes halfway. You play as an elite soldier, with the newest army technology, a nano-suit.
This nano-suit gives way for what Crysis is based around, switching between abilities and as a consequence makes you play differently with each of them. You can set the suit to strength, which lets you throw heavy things easily. Armour, which lets you survive a lot of bullet damage. Speed, which lets you run really fast or stealth, which makes you invisible. All these four, nano-suit modes, open completely different ways of playing the game. Much like in Crysis 2.
The play area is quite open, albeit a wide corridor rather than an open world. I noticed from the beginning that I began it differently from other shooters because of this freedom. Reminding me of how I used to play the first Far Cry back on PC. Instead of rushing forward and being forced down a corridor, playing more like Rambo than an actual hunter, I began to slow down and use the environment to flank and attack the way I preferred to give me an upper hand.
This nano-suit gives way for what Crysis is based around, switching between abilities and as a consequence makes you play differently with each of them. You can set the suit to strength, which lets you throw heavy things easily. Armour, which lets you survive a lot of bullet damage. Speed, which lets you run really fast or stealth, which makes you invisible. All these four, nano-suit modes, open completely different ways of playing the game. Much like in Crysis 2.
The play area is quite open, albeit a wide corridor rather than an open world. I noticed from the beginning that I began it differently from other shooters because of this freedom. Reminding me of how I used to play the first Far Cry back on PC. Instead of rushing forward and being forced down a corridor, playing more like Rambo than an actual hunter, I began to slow down and use the environment to flank and attack the way I preferred to give me an upper hand.
I'd scout, far ahead, for enemies that have a tendency to be hard to spot in dense jungles and plan my attack accordingly. This makes it a far more difficult game than it's sequel. You feel like you're going hunting, as you progress through the jungles, sandy beaches and mountains. Scouting for enemies along the way and feeling vulnerable. It's a nice feeling to play a shooter in such a different way, again.
Technically, Crytek have done a solid job on porting such a demanding title over from high-spec gaming PCs to consoles. It looks solid and holds a fair framerate. There are obvious visual cutbacks and the framerate drops on crowded scenes with a lot of action, especially at the final scene at the end of the game. All things considered though, it's in a fine playable state for players without a gaming PC.
The amount of trees, grass and bushes together with buildings, varied terrain and incredible ocean effects, although cut back from the PC version, make you want to soak in just the scenery! The large freedom allows you take a path of your choice to get to the objectives, a stark contrast to many modern corridor designed shooters. It might not be up there with Crysis 2, both in graphics and presentation, but it's still solid looking with a lot more woodland than your average shooter.
I'd recommend Crysis to fans of the original Far Cry, it doesn't quite beat it and doesn't touch it's sequel Crysis 2. However, you won't find many shooters that play like this in today's market as they're often focused on rushing you through their environments.
I'd recommend Crysis to fans of the original Far Cry, it doesn't quite beat it and doesn't touch it's sequel Crysis 2. However, you won't find many shooters that play like this in today's market as they're often focused on rushing you through their environments.
Recommended for Far Cry and shooter veterans that want something a little different.
Review
Played on: Xbox 360
Released: 2011
Released: 2011
It's taken Turn 10 less than two years, from Forza Motorsport 3, to get to the fourth instalment. While most of the changes are fairly subtle, it's a nice update to a great franchise of racing simulators.
You get the feeling that Turn 10 has listened to the fans and fixed issues they had with FM3. This fourth, and last instalment of Motorsport on the Xbox 360, being probably the best simulator racer on current-gen consoles.
Well, what has changed? The first thing you'll notice is the change of lighting. A lot of people complained that FM3 didn't quite nail the realistic lighting like it's competitor Gran Turismo 5. FM4 adds more real and contrasting lighting, and while I personally enjoyed the more dramatic and colourful lighting of FM3, I can now see the benefit of what they changed.
That said, FM4 still has some sunset versions of the racetracks to choose. So, if you like dramatic sunlight like me, then everybody is happy!
The main World Tour event has been overhauled with a lot more variation. It travels more frequently around the world to various racetracks and adding crucial variety in events. Most of the world’s most famous racetracks are represented and they've even added a new racetrack of their own, set in the Swiss Alps. This racetrack looks incredible and has an amazing flow to it as you speed through the corners.
The total amount of cars in each race has been raised from the, rather meagre, eight to twelve cars this time around.
There's even a Top Gear feature added, complete with the Top Gear racetrack and Jeremy Clarkson's voiced introductions of the cars in the Autovista mode. Here you can circle around and look at a small selection of stunningly detailed, interactive car models. The Top Gear events also include fun events like car bowling and football. Plus, the event of TV fame, "a star in a reasonably priced car"!
There's even a Top Gear feature added, complete with the Top Gear racetrack and Jeremy Clarkson's voiced introductions of the cars in the Autovista mode. Here you can circle around and look at a small selection of stunningly detailed, interactive car models. The Top Gear events also include fun events like car bowling and football. Plus, the event of TV fame, "a star in a reasonably priced car"!
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The handling has also been taken to a more realistic level and I really like the feedback it gives when turning now. You really can sense when your grip loosens and how the car reacts to the surface and turns.
In multiplayer, they've added a great new car club option. Which allows you to join or start your own car club. Here you can add friends and share cars within the club, so everybody can drive them. It’s fun to be able to share, not only a cool new car you've obtained, but also a design or tuning setups too.
Overall, Forza Motorsport 4 is an excellent package, it might not take a dramatic step up from FM3, but the many subtle improvements are very welcome. The massive total amount of racetracks and cars, can't be overstated. There's literally a ton of options to choose and race on!
Although Turn 10 have stated they didn't add weather and night effects to maintain the silky smooth 60fps framerate, something that really benefits the variety in racers, I would've appreciated it being added. Guess we'll have to wait for next-gen for that.
If you already own FM3, my rating is that below, if you don't, consider it a solid six. It's truly a massive racing package and this generations best simulator racing experience.
