Nights of Thunder!

Rubbin’ is Racin’: Late Wednesday evening I mentioned to my friend TormentX that we needed to have a Nascar racing night.  A night where we would purchase a stock car body from the store in Forza Motorsport 3 and then purchase somebody’s design from the game’s Storefront.  Torment did one better and suggested that we design our own Nascar-themed paint-jobs and bring them to the race.  I thought that was an excellent idea, so the race was on!

We went on to spend the next couple of hours designing our own cars.  My design can be seen above and is also currently available through my in-game Storefront.  So after the designs were done myself and three friends took to the game’s ovals to attempt to recreate the Stock Car experience.  To make it in some ways more authentic and in others more forgiving I forced the view to in-car only, but left the damage as cosmetic.

The races were what you would expect, left turns, drafting, a little bit of paint traded, but all in all it was a lot of fun!  What is cool about Forza Motorsport 3 is that the game is very flexible, especially in the multiplayer department.  There you can create your own fun my making races with rules that don’t just end with the fastest lap times.  Feeling creative? Well you can paint your car, take photos, or make videos that detail your experience.  I am hoping to once again have a Nascar Knight, and next time I hope to have a full field of competitors.  Do you have what it takes?

Blur Beta Impressions: Speaking of full fields, Blur is at its best when a full field of twenty (that is right, TWENTY) cars take to the track where rubbin’ is not only racin’, it is a necessity!  I didn’t mean to jump into an impression without a more sound lead up, but that full-field transition was just to perfect.

Blur for me started as a bit of a slow burn.  My initial impressions were not the most favourable.  Coming from Bizarre Creations most recent racers, Project Gotham Racing 3 and 4, I had more of an expectation regarding the cars handling in the game.  But once I started to earn better cars and get my head wrapped around the ‘Kart-Racing’ mentality things started to come around for me.

Yesterday I had my most extensive runs with the beta and was very pleased with how things went.  What is tough that early on you may have the underpowered cars that make the experience fairly rocky, but as you build in-game ‘fans’ you will unlock better cars and mods that allow you to compete or excel (it is up to you).  But even in losing the game can be wildly fun.  As I  mentioned earlier, a field of 20 cars all frenzied for crumpled metal creates a gaming atmosphere quite like no other.

So my advice for you regarding this beta if you find yourself with an opportunity to play it, give it some time, level-up, and if possible, gather some friends up to play.  The beta has literally taken me from curious about, to not buying, to must buy.  While the visuals are not stunning, the player count is, that with twitter intigration it looks like Bizarre Creations may have their grove back!

That is all for this edition of Rolling Start.  Hope to see you on the track or in the comments section.  Until next time, don’t let off the accelerator!

Home Page | Forza Motorsport

-SG

Much like I have expanded my Zombie Action News blog into the Survival Horror genre with ‘Scare Tactics’, I am now pushing my video game racing blog posts beyond Forza and into other racers.   ‘Rolling Start’ is now my catch-all video game racing blog post that will appear when I have some racing game news or stories I would like to share.   In this, my first edition, I will recount my success on obtaining a certain drift achievement in Forza Motorsport 3, my impending Blur beta key, and a little introduction on one of my new favourite Zune Marketplace TV shows.

Drift Lap
Earn over 100,000 points in a single lap.

Gamerscore = 5    Acquired 6/3/2010

Achievement Unlocked – Drift Lap:  I had previously made several attempts to gain this achievement to no avail.  I did have a feeling though that my Ford Focus RS would be the car to take me there.  The only thing was that I did not think that this front-wheel drive car had the hp to make my drifts score high enough to get the total of 100,000 points that I needed.

So yesterday I decided that another attempt needed to be made, this time though I auto-tuned my car into the ‘B’ Class to give it the power it would need to keep those tires spinning after the fact.  My first lap was somewhat of a failure, only garnering me 87,000 points, but it did allow me the practice I needed to get the feel for the new upgrades I applied to the car.  So next up was lap 2, and I was not going to be denied.

Right from the get go I could feel that with each corner I was producing more points.  At the half-way point I was already at 50,000 with nothing but down hill in front of me.  The picture above was taken near the end of my run, but I almost got ahead of myself as I was able to produce just enough points to get the achievement.  I have only a handful of achievements yet to earn in Forza 3, all surrounding the season mode.  So I hope to earn the rest over the next few months. Stay tuned for that.

A Bizarre Turn of Events:   I thought I had sworn off Bizarre Creations.  I have been a staunch supporter of their brand since the days of Metropolis Street Racer on the Sega Dreamcast until the release PGR4 a couple of years back.  When BC was picked up by Activision, lost the PGR brand, and then was off to make a ‘Mario Kart’ style of racer, I figured they had jumped the shark so to speak, and I would move onto bigger and better things.

Sometimes for me my interest can turn on a dime, and with the recent buzz about the Blur beta, I suddenly have found myself back on the BC train!  At present I am waiting for my code to enter into the beta (thanks to twitter-friend @thewesker).  I actually once again find myself excited for an arcade racer.  I know if anyone can pull this off it is the team at BC.  And with features like twitter integration, challenges, and massive multiplayer racing, it is no wonder Blur has my attention.  Stay tuned for some of my Blur impressions in an upcoming post.

Top Show, Top Gear:   My brother introduced me to this show and I now I am a die-hard fan!  If you like cars and like being entertained you will love Top Gear.  Heck, I wager that even if you did not like cars you would still love it (I made my wife watch…she loved it).  It is hard to explain why it is so good, I just recommend that you go to your Zune Marketplace and download an episode and see for yourself.  Even the culture barrier is shattered as both North Americans and Europeans will find common ground and common laughs during an episode.

And that is all for now.  Be sure to check in on my Storefront in Forza Motorsport 3 (Gamertag SUPERGHOST of course).  While there please be sure to view and rate my photos as well as do a little shopping.  Check out my latest creation above for my 2010 FIAT Abarth 500 esseesse.  Get it while it is hot! On the web, check out my Profile Page at forzamotorsport.net.  Until next time, don’t let off the accelerator!

Home Page | Forza Motorsport

Twitter: @superghost

It Wasn’t Wrapped in Plastic 

Part of being scared certainly is the ‘surprise’ factor.  Episode Two of Scare Tactics is what I would consider a ‘surprise’ edition as that I did not know up until the last hour that I would be writing this post.  This edition looks at two budget conscious and curious additions of survival-horror games to my Xbox 360, Ignition Entertainment’s Deadly Premonition and Atari’s Alone in the Dark.

Did Not See Deadly Premonition Coming: I follow former 1UP.com ‘man –god’ and current Director of Business Development at Ignition Entertainment, Shane Bettenhausen, via his twitter feed as I do many other industry types.  I did see several mentions of Deadly Premonition, but sometimes I skim the feed so quickly I do not get all the detail I need.  So when I saw Shane tweeting about this game I automatically assumed that it was another Wii game as I was under the impression that it was all they were doing.

Last night my brother joined my Xbox LIVE party late at night and started raving about this new game, Deadly Premonition.  Using key descriptors like Twin Peaks-like, open-world, survival-horror, and most importantly, $25 price tag, I was quickly sold on this game and knew I had to have it!  Now that I was sold on acquiring this game my next hurdle would be to actually find this game in stores.  Knowing how GameStop/EB operates, I knew this game would be short-ordered, with perhaps one or two copies to be made available per store.  But if I have been in the dark about this game, more than most would be as well.  So this morning my search ended as quickly as it began, I snagged the last copy of this niche title from my local EB Games.

Now that I have it, I look forward to playing it.  I am going to go into it cold, not reading any previews or reviews to cloud my judgement.  All I have to go on is the brief description given by my brother and the back of the game’s box which I am looking at right now.  It certainly looks and sounds to be very interesting.  The one glaring negative that was expressed to me by my brother was that the game’s graphics lacks much to be desired.  But recent plays and purchases of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Silent Hill Origins has already prepped me for less than perfect graphical fidelity.  So tonight I will journey to Greenvale to investigate the town’s deadly secrets.  Wish me luck!

Third Time ‘In The Dark’ is the Charm?: Another unusual pickup for me this week was the re-acquiring of Alone in the Dark for the Xbox 360.  I have had a long history with this game without actually ever playing it.  At first I had i pre-ordered and ready to go when I got scared off by poor reviews.  Now normally I don’t let reviewers dictate my gaming picks, but when money is tight and choices between games have to be made, Alone in the Dark was voted off my island.

My next encounter with Alone in the Dark came when I purchased a discounted version of the game (complete with a AitD T-shirt) for $18.  I actually got as far as putting this disk into my console and dabbling for a few minutes, but that was as far as I would get.  It wasn’t meant to be as later traded the game off in a massive purge of my 360 collection.

Finally, this week I was picking up some Microsoft points at my local EB when I saw AitD sitting on the shelf with a $4 price tag.  I will buy any Xbox 360 game for under $5, even if it is just for the possibility to acquire a nice game case.  So I once again have the game in my possession (as well as the game’s soundtrack which was included with the game), I am unsure when I will try to play it again, but since it was so cheap I am sure I will never trade it in, so it is with me for good.  I have always had an interest in the game.  Perhaps it would be a good warm-up for Remedy’s Alan Wake which is set to arrive this May.

So in conclusion, it looks like al signs point to Alan Wake.  Like Deadly Premonition, Alan Wake has been compared to Twin Peaks.  As for Alone in the Dark, its episodic styling's and fire/light combat have oft drawn comparison to the upcoming Alan Wake.  Rest assured I will be focusing on Alan Wake as its release draws closer.  For now, just be sure to check under your bed and close the closet door before going to sleep!

Deadly Premonition

Twitter: @superghost

For Games That Go ‘Bump’ in the Night!

Previously in my blog I would post on Zombie games with ‘Zombie Action News’.  Since I have a strong interest in Horror-themed games I thought I would expand my scope beyond the Zombie menace and branch out into ‘Survival Horror’ games as well as others that will fit the into this genre.

For as long as I can remember I have always been a fan of ‘scary’ games.  in the 90s we saw the rise of the ‘Survival Horror’ genre with the arrival of Resident Evil franchise.  Soon after we saw the sophistication of the genre with the more cerebral Silent Hill games.  Now many games and series of games have come, gone, or hung around in this space, but certainly Resident Evil and Silent Hill are the biggest names on this block.  For my first edition of ‘Scare Tactics’ I will some of my recent goings-on with each of these two franchises.  Stick around for some old news and personal perspectives on the survival of horror games if you dare:

Origin of the Species: I recently posted about my adventures in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, the most recent of Silent Hill titles.  I have had a strong desire, if I ever can find the time, to play through the entire catalogue of Silent Hill games.  Over the past several months I have been acquiring all the games, some of which I already had, some on eBay, others waiting for the price to be right.  Regarding Silent Hill Origins, I thought I would need to buy a PSP in order to play it, something this weekend I was strongly considering.  I liked the idea of having a portion of the series playable on the go (Silent Hill, Shattered memories, and Origins).

On vacation this past weekend I was in a used game store in Calgary when I noticed Silent Hill Origins on the shelf for the PS2.  I have been so out of the loop regarding Playstation releases that I did not even realize the game arrived on the PS2 as well.  I picked it up and now I believe I have all of the core releases in the franchise.  The only thing with ‘Origins’ is that I know nothing about it.  I had heard in passing that the game is not particularly good.  I will be the first to admit that most Silent Hill games suffer from control issues.  Nevertheless, I am excited for this addition to my collection. 

Here is a rundown of my Silent Hill collection along with the corresponding system that I have it on in order of its release.  Hopefully I can find the time to marathon these games in the near future:

• Silent Hill (PS1)
• Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams (Xbox)
• Silent Hill 3 (PS2)
• Silent Hill 4: The Room (Xbox)
• Silent Hill: Origins (PS2)
• Silent Hill: Homecoming (Xbox 360)
• Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PS2)

Back to the Mansion:  The 2009 Tokyo Game Show gave word that new downloadable scenarios would be made available For Resident Evil 5 in early 2010. "Lost in Nightmares" is essentially the prologue to RE5 as you play the alluded to adventure of Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine infiltrating the Spencer Estate in 2006 which clearly resembles the mansion from RE1.  The next episode, "Desperate Escape",  allows you to play as Josh Stone and Jill Valentine post Jill’s liberation as they race to assist Chris and Sheva in their quest.  We will also get to see for the first time in next-gen, Rebecca Chambers and Barry Burton, as they make their respective return to the series in the Mercenaries reunion.

Personally I am looking forward to the “Lost in Nightmares” Chapter as I was very intrigued by that flashback in RE5.  Also, word on the street is that it plays like a next-gen version of the original mansion.  My favourite parts of the Resident Evil franchise take place in the original mansion and the streets of Racoon City in RE2 and RE3.  Like Silent Hill, I too would love to run the table of Resident Evil games, again time is the factor that most stands in my way.

My core collection of Resident Evil games is complete along with one of the side games.  Here is a list of what I have:

• Resident Evil (Saturn and Nintendo DS)
• Resident Evil 2 (Dreamcast)
• Resident Evil 3 (Dreamcast)
• Resident Evil: Code Veronica (Dreamcast) Code Veronica X (PS2)
• Resident Evil: Outbreak (PS2)
• Resident Evil 4 (PS2)
• Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360)

The completes my first edition of Scare Tactics.  In the next instalment I plan on getting up to speed with Dead Rising 2, BioShock 2, and Alan Wake. Until then make sure to check under your bed and close the closet door before going to sleep!

-SG

 

Missing in Action
Save your crew from an overwhelming attack

Gamerscore = 5   Acquired 26/1/2010

One of the question I have about Mass Effect 2 is how they are going to keep it the game journalist minds 10 months down the road when ‘Game of the Year’ voting rears its ugly head.  I am only a dozen hours into the game, but you only really need to see the first hour of the game to acknowledge that Mass Effect 2 is not only heads and shoulders above its predecessor, but that it is one of the finest games of this generation.  By blending genres BioWare has created the unthinkable, a hardcore RPG that anyone can play.

I could write thousands of words comparing the two Mass Effect games, the improvements and changes that were made, the graphics, the sound, everything that makes this package special.  What I think perhaps the most important change/addition to the new title is the inclusion of the in game news feed/DLC delivery system, the Cerberus Network.

The Cerberus Network is very important in several ways.  Firstly it almost ensures that BioWare/EA will see money when a used copy of the game is purchased.  In order to enable the Cerberus Network you need to input a one-time use code that is included in every new copy of the game.  If you buy used you eill have to shell out 1,200 MS points to have access to this portal.  I am sure some gamers will find this upsetting, but developers are always looking for new ways to have gamers buy new copies of the game.

Secondly, the Cerberus Network is the realization of a promise BioWare made prior to the release of Mass Effect 1.  Some years back we were told that new and interesting chapters of downloadable content will be made available for Mass Effect, bridging the gap between the sequels and keeping gamers engaged with the property.  We are all too aware of how that worked out.  In the years between games, BioWare was only able to squeeze out two content packs, one of which was more of a game mode that a add-on.  I have heard several reasons from project director Casey Hudson why that was the case, but that is the past, what is done is done.  The Cerberus Network has already added two DLC packs and promises much more in the future including vehicle missions.  The regularly updated news feed from around the Galaxy contributes to the games’ flavour.  These things will keep me checking back with the game over the following months.

Mass Effect 2 is designed to keep us coming back for more.  With so many choices to be made and ways to play the game, plus the ability to port over the decisions from the first Mass Effect and take all that data beyond into Mass Effect 3, BioWare is creating an RPG dynasty the likes of which we have never seen.  It even has me wanting to once again go back into ME1 so that I can play both games all over again, and I am not even close to being done my first ME2 playthrough!  So when 2010 draws to a close I believe BioWare has set a stage so that we all will not forget ME2 when comes to choosing the Game of the Year.  In fact, we will probably be playing an all-new mission from the Cerberus Network.

BioWare | Mass Effect 2

-SG

Missing in Action
Save your crew from an overwhelming attack

Gamerscore = 5   Acquired 26/1/2010

One of the question I have about Mass Effect 2 is how they are going to keep it the game journalist minds 10 months down the road when ‘Game of the Year’ voting rears its ugly head.  I am only a dozen hours into the game, but you only really need to see the first hour of the game to acknowledge that Mass Effect 2 is not only heads and shoulders above its predecessor, but that it is one of the finest games of this generation.  By blending genres BioWare has created the unthinkable, a hardcore RPG that anyone can play.

I could write thousands of words comparing the two Mass Effect games, the improvements and changes that were made, the graphics, the sound, everything that makes this package special.  What I think perhaps the most important change/addition to the new title is the inclusion of the in game news feed/DLC delivery system, the Cerberus Network.

The Cerberus Network is very important in several ways.  Firstly it almost ensures that BioWare/EA will see money when a used copy of the game is purchased.  In order to enable the Cerberus Network you need to input a one-time use code that is included in every new copy of the game.  If you buy used you eill have to shell out 1,200 MS points to have access to this portal.  I am sure some gamers will find this upsetting, but developers are always looking for new ways to have gamers buy new copies of the game.

Secondly, the Cerberus Network is the realization of a promise BioWare made prior to the release of Mass Effect 1.  Some years back we were told that new and interesting chapters of downloadable content will be made available for Mass Effect, bridging the gap between the sequels and keeping gamers engaged with the property.  We are all too aware of how that worked out.  In the years between games, BioWare was only able to squeeze out two content packs, one of which was more of a game mode that a add-on.  I have heard several reasons from project director Casey Hudson why that was the case, but that is the past, what is done is done.  The Cerberus Network has already added two DLC packs and promises much more in the future including vehicle missions.  The regularly updated news feed from around the Galaxy contributes to the games’ flavour.  These things will keep me checking back with the game over the following months.

Mass Effect 2 is designed to keep us coming back for more.  With so many choices to be made and ways to play the game, plus the ability to port over the decisions from the first Mass Effect and take all that data beyond into Mass Effect 3, BioWare is creating an RPG dynasty the likes of which we have never seen.  It even has me wanting to once again go back into ME1 so that I can play both games all over again, and I am not even close to being done my first ME2 playthrough!  So when 2010 draws to a close I believe BioWare has set a stage so that we all will not forget ME2 when comes to choosing the Game of the Year.  In fact, we will probably be playing an all-new mission from the Cerberus Network.

BioWare | Mass Effect 2

-SG

Not Your Father’s Silent Hill 

I have always made a point that the is blog was “All Xbox, All the Time” and I have stood behind that for nearly five years.  But in the realm of Silent Hill games, one of my favourite game franchises of all time, only three of the core six titles have appeared on the Xbox or Xbox 360.  So In my mind that is enough to consider Silent Hill as an Xbox franchise.  Having just played and been blown away by the PS2 version of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, I feel compelled to discuss this game right here and right now.  So I hope you enjoy my take on Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. –SG

I had originally planed a grand write up for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, but when I try to go on I find I have to much to say, the completion of the game still to fresh in my mind.  So I am going to try and keep this simple on point.  I put my playing of Silent Hill: Homecoming on hold for a bit in favour of the fresh experience that Shattered Memories had promised.  I wasn’t expecting just how much a departure it would be from the Silent Hill games we have come to know and love , but it is a departure in all the right ways.

Developer Climax streamlined the Silent Hill experience by replacing the tedious combat, item collection, and open-door hunt with a chase/escape mechanic, a cell phone/camera collection system, and a very straight forward world exploration which relies heavily on the story to propel you forward.  While some of these changes may seem counter to the core Silent Hill experience of the past, they are refreshing, allowing players to enjoy the Silent Hill universe in an entirely different way.  I personally liked the lack of combat.  Being a coward in real life, my first inclination would be to run for my life, just like you have to in this game.

Two of the other big changes, the therapist sessions and the world shifting to ice rather than rust add significantly to the experience.  At first I didn’t think I would like the shift to the ice world, but in the context of the game it works very well.  Playing this game in the dead of winter just adds to my appreciation for it.  Your in-game session with the therapist creates a very unique twist to the game you play.  If you play through this part of the game honestly as ‘yourself’, you will be surprised how it impacts the game as well as the ending.  I was quite surprised with how personal the game’s ending was for me.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, as I have said before, is one of those rare games that just will not let you put it down.  You just want to see what is around the next corner.  This game also represents game music legend, Akira Yamaoka’s last work on the game series as he has since left Konami.  I don’t think Silent Hill games will be the same without him.  He has been there from the beginning and his signature haunting melodies have put the series on the map.

Replayablity for me with this game may be an issue.  Now this game has all the different endings which Silent Hill games have traditionally had, but if you play this game true to yourself, it has that one-shot special feeling that I don’t think you could recapture on further playthroughs.  On the other hand I really want to play through it one more time because I now that I have seen the end I would like to see the game through with knowing eyes.

In conclusion I would like to leave you with this thought.  Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is the most ‘real’ game in the series, more of a psychological thriller than a survival horror game. I will leave you with that. Enjoy your trip to Silent Hill!

Silent Hill | Shattered Memories

-SG

 

 

Wow I'm totally blown away by Borderlands. Here's a game I've been watching for a while now and wasn't sure what to expect. Yeah I knew that Id bee getting a cell shaded wasteland featuring coop play , but the game had some stiff competition it that category with Halo ODST being released a few weeks prior to it.

As far as I'm concerned this game blows Halo ODST away in the coop department. Not that ODST was a bad game it just wasn't meant to be a coop game in my opinion, Borderlands was built from the ground up for coop and it shows. It also lends its self at being a great single player game to.

The game is all about picking up loot. From weapons (tons of them) and shields, to boat loads of cash and rare items. This game does for me what I wish Too Human could have done and that's get me addicted to it. Borderlands also succeeds at being a great FPS and RPG all at the same time, a formula that doesn't always turn out to well. I guess there's something about the wasteland setting that makes these two genres work great together…think Fallout 3.

So why should you buy a copy of Borderlands

1. Its a First person Shooter
2. Its also an RPG
3. 4 player online coop !
4. Addictive as hell
5. And a Gagillion Weapons !

-TX

Lego fanboy I may seem like but not really. Thing is  have 2 boys who love Lego's and love the video games even more.  Enter Lego Indiana Jones 2. The Lego games have always been great fun but one huge thing was missing from the games until now and that was a level creator. Checkout the video below and see what Indies new game has to offer. Now all they need to do is release a stand alone Lego creator game.

 

Source: Kotaku

-TX

 

First lets thank whom ever it is that you pray to that there is no true a Lego:Left 4 Dead game because that would just be plain old silly. What's not silly is checking of pictures of your favorite game turned in Lego's. At Saber-Scorpion’s Lair.com You can check out many more games turned into Lego's such Mass Effect, Half Life, Assassins Creed and many more …..

-TX