REVIEW: Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition (PS3)

I had avoided playing Resident Evil 5 for a long time. As a long time fan of the series, I find my own decision quite puzzling, and I can only put it down to whiny internet blogs and user reviews lamenting the loss of "traditional" survival horror elements and more of a focus on third-person-shooter action. Even though I very much enjoyed Resident Evil 4... well, that's an understatement, it was amazing and one of the best games ever made... I think that for a while I agreed that the survival horror genre had lost its way a bit. So, I rigidly stuck with whatever examples of old-school survival horror I could get my hands on - namely Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and Siren: Blood Curse, which are both awesome by the way.

Then, just over a year ago, I decided to give Dead Space a whirl (another series I had avoided) and absolutely loved it! Then the sequel came out and it lost a little of the scary survival horror-ness of the first in exchange for a more action orientated Hollywood approach, but I loved that even more!! What was wrong with me!? Basically, I had come to accept that there is definitely a place for third-person-shooter-survival-horror. About a year after Dead Space 2 and I picked up a Playstation Move controller and decided to finally jump into Resident Evil 5. I found the experience to be extremely, extremely, enjoyable.

Now, be aware that I played this game single-player (even though it is really designed for co-op) and using a Playstation Move and Navigation controller, not a standard Dualshock 3. My first impression was that it controlled a little awkwardly, as you still can't move while aiming and you can't strafe unless using a control pad, but after about an hour or so I was definitely in the zone. The move controls are actually VERY good, and you get a lot of accuracy and speed when aiming at the various grotesque and infected bad guys throughout the game. Also, the quick-time-events translate really well to move and I actually found them much easier to pull off than having to hit certain face buttons (the move usually involves shaking it or swiping it quickly in one direction or another). So yeah, it was really good fun to play.

Story and setting wise, initially we're back in Resident Evil 4 territory, as once again you're fighting hordes of parasite infested villagers; as opposed to the vanilla zombies of the first few games. This time however, Capcom decided to turn survival horror on it's head and have the game set in Africa... in the blazing sunny daytime. The effect this has definitely diminishes the "creepy" factor to zero, but it doesn't take away from the visceral fear of being torn apart by savage possessed people! So yeah, unfortunately not as scary anymore, but still an absolute thrill ride of panic and terror. About two thirds into the game though and the setting changes into something more traditional for the series; namely an underground laboratory complex. This section of the game, and much of what comes afterwards not only feeds back into the story lines of previous (pre-las plagas) games, but it also rekindles the scare factor considerably. Some of those sequences crawling through dimly lit corridors solving obscure puzzles were really fantastic. Also, it's worth noting that boss fights in this game are EPIC!!

The game engine that Resident Evil 5 runs in is the MT Framework, and it is brilliant! Environments in the game are incredibly detailed and feature lots of subtle personal touches that really brings the world to life; this is also helped considerably by the lighting which does a fantastic job of making everything more cinematic. Character models, and enemy models, are also really well rendered with a lot of expression in faces and importantly eyes. There is a lot of soul behind the characters and along with some excellent voice work makes them very believable, and thus easier to invest in. This is especially important for Sheva, if you're playing single-player like me. Sheva could have easily been an irritating dead weight to drag around all game if she had zero personality and an ugly model. However, I really grew attached to her character and enjoyed fighting alongside her during the game, she also looks gorgeous, which helps.

If I have any criticisms of the main campaign it's that the over-reliance on co-op play sometimes makes the difficulty spike in some peculiar ways... if you're playing single-player. This is down the fact that some puzzles and boss encounters are designed to be solved with two people working together and sometimes the AI controlling Sheva really lets you down; no where is this more frustrating that during one of the penultimate boss fights in the game where I felt handicapped somewhat by playing on my own. Aside from this, the game was excellent and incredibly fun, and with the Gold Edition the storyline is really just the icing on a massive gribbley cake.

Now, I've not played through most of the additional content in the game, because there is LOADS!! There's the 'Mercenaries: Reunion' mode, which allows you to play through parts of the game, sectioned off and redesigned into arenas, in a sort of score-attack mode. The other notable extras are the two DLC packs that expand certain parts of the game and provide you with backstories or side-stories for certain characters in the main campaign. One that I haven't played through yet is Desperate Escape, which explains how one of the characters escapes hordes of ravenous monstrosities in order to reappear later in the story; it looks great and I'll play through it at some point in co-op with a friend so I can see what that's like.

However, the highlight of this entire Gold Edition to me is the Lost in Nightmares DLC. I'd read a review somewhere that basically this short four-part episode is better than the entire campaign of Resident Evil 5 and they were absolutely right. That's not to say that the main campaign isn't good, obviously I loved it as described above; but Lost in Nightmares is exceptional and really shows what Capcom could create if they were to send the series back to spooky mansions and T-Virus shenanigans of old. The plot involves Chris and Jill back to creeping around dark antiquated hallways, solving cryptic puzzles and avoiding hideously overpowered monstrosities while being armed with only a pap-pap handgun. This is by far the best survival horror experience I've played in years and really shows that the third-person-shooter camera angles and controls can still dip into "traditional" survival horror territory and provide old-school thrills. Brilliant!!

REVIEW: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2/PS3)

The first Metal Gear Solid game has a really good ending that concludes much of the story (the "Shadow Moses Incident") nicely, while also setting up a sequel by having some unresolved plot points and a massive 'WTF!' moment after the main credits. So, I was looking forward to Sons of Liberty while also wondering just where the hell Hideo Kojima was going to take the plot; little did I expect the absolute mind-melting, post-modern clusterf**k that was about to be thrust upon my brain. Metal Gear Solid 2 is an amazing game, utterly unique, but at the same time the best follow-up to the original that you could ever ask for... providing you like anime like Ghost in the Shell or Patlabor.

Technically the game is obviously a massive leap forward from the first title. Despite releasing quite early in the Playstation 2's life cycle, the increase in power finally brings the game up to a graphical standard that does justice to the characters and environments. The aesthetics are totally in keeping with the first game, while also cleverly updating them with an almost anime-inspired style and "cleanness" to the overall image; this is especially beneficial in cut-scenes where we finally have characters that can emote somewhat - although lip-sync with the voice acting is almost non-existent. Yet again, Hideo Kojima frames the cinematics with the eye equivalent to a Hollywood director and if you like films such as The Rock then you'll be more than happy with the oil-rig-esque location and sweeping outdoor sunset shots.

The soundtrack is also amazing with a very distinctive and strong score, backed up by some excellent voice acting. Some of the dialogue is questionable but then that is because the plot and characters are generally off-the-wall. Speaking of plot, I might as well discuss the story. The reason that I mentioned Ghost in the Shell earlier is because to me, this sequel feels very much like an anime directed by Mamoru Oshii, which is to say that it deals with a lot of philosophy and existential issues that spiral the plot off into strange tangents. Personally I loved it, but I can see how a lot of people might be swallowed up by the swirling mass of ideas presented here, especially towards the game's conclusion.

The game is also extremely postmodern and delights in tearing down that fourth wall; there are moments in the last quarter of the game that made my skin crawl as I began to question everything I'd been doing for the past 15 hours. Seriously. Not only are the characters double-crossed in the game and have to wade their way through the thick goop of conspiracies within conspiracies... but also the player has to face the game double-crossing you and toying with you. One moment in particular literally had me going "...What!? Whaaat!? WHAAAAT!?!?"

All this praise I've heaped upon the game so far hasn't even touched upon the gameplay improvements that this sequel brings to the original formula. The first person view (present in the first game) now lets you aim and fire weapons with pinpoint accuracy, especially in the high definition PS3 version, and this is used throughout in really devious ways. Often there will be rigged explosives strategically placed within locations that require you to shoot-out their battery packs to disarm them, or fire a coolant to prevent them from going off- or both. But these devices are hidden under things, on ceilings, or in other crafty locations that mean you really need to scope the place out in first person otherwise you'll be caught by one and instantly killed.

You also have more movement option available, such as hanging from ledges or aiming around corners; also you can stick-up guards by drawing a gun on them from behind and you can conceal bodies by dragging them away and putting them in lockers, etc. One of my favourite additions to this game and something that really puts the recent Deus Ex: Human Revolution to shame ( I loved that game by the way) is that you can go the entire game without killing anybody - even bosses! - if you wish. The guards and sentries patrolling the levels can be taken out with tranquilizers, or knocked unconscious using a variety of means; bosses have a secondary "health" bar which is their non-lethal take-down option.

Overall, despite some issues that were fixed later with Metal Gear Solid 3 (such as the overhead camera angle being too close), Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is a game that was way ahead of it's time, utterly unique and an amazing sequel to an already amazing game.

REVIEW: Metal Gear Solid (PS1/PSN)

Now, I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to video games; I've been playing them pretty constantly since I was very young, and have experience with most of the major series over the years. However, it will surely shock some people (and probably completely discredit me as a reviewer) if I mention that I've never played The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and until last year I had also never played Metal Gear Solid. This all changed when I decided to download the original game from PSN and despite some astounding games in a very strong year, one of the games that blew me completely away in 2011 was this one. In short, I am an idiot for not playing it before.

When you first load up the original Metal Gear Solid you will no doubt feel a slight sense of revulsion over the archaic Playstation One graphics; the textures are blocky, murky and don't line up properly, character models are clunky and polygons tear at the seams all over the place. This is just what games looked like, but after being spoilt on modern games for so long it's something you have to acknowledge and accept going in. Fear not though, within the space of an hour you will have forgotten about this (sole) shortcoming and will be utterly engrossed in the story and experience of playing this game. 

First off, the voice acting and music are great, especially for a game made in 1998!! The cinematic eye of Hideo Kojima really draws you into the story and builds up the characters and their complicated relationships with each other. There are twists and turns and multiple levels of intrigue heaped upon each other until your head is exploding with plots-within-plots, but it is all told so masterfully that it is never anything less that utterly gripping. Some of the most memorable characters in gaming history, primarily the titular 'Solid Snake' take shape here and by the end of the game, you will be itching for more.

Gameplay-wise, Metal Gear Solid rewrote the rule book and lay the foundations for a lot of what later came to encapsulate the modern video game. There are even things that this game was doing back then that put modern games to shame. The boss fights for example are some of the best EVER MADE!! Seriously, you will never ever forget the time that you faced off against 'Psycho Mantis' or 'Sniper Wolf'. Rather than "shoot the weak spot", Hideo Kojima makes each encounter utterly unique and requires some ingenious thinking from the player to overcome. The game is relatively difficult, but not overly hard, it just requires patience, concentration and most importantly brain cells.

Metal Gear Solid was one of my favorite gaming experiences of last year, something that I simply did not expect to happen. If, like me, you've somehow missed this "back in the day", rest assured that the gameplay and story are so masterful that downloading it and playing this old game in today's modern climate is still an amazing experience.

VGOTY 2011 #1 - Dark Souls

There is a very vocal minority out there on the inter-webs who consider Dark Souls to be the undisputed game of the year; some even go so far as to say it is the game of the generation. The only reason I would question that judgment is because Demon's Souls still holds a special place in my heart - otherwise, yeah they're spot on! Dark Souls is a "spiritual successor" to the previous game from From Software, which ranks among my most cherished of all time: alongside giants such as Final Fantasy VII and Shadow of the Colossus. This year was all about this game for me, nothing else (except maybe The Last Guardian until it got delayed to next year) even came close; and at one point I began to worry that it wouldn't live up to my expectations, that I may be disappointed, that the teaser trailers and snippets of game I'd seen may have been wrong... they weren't. Dark Souls is one of the best games ever made. Seriously.

The game begins by filling in, rather cryptically, the mythology of the world it's set in and then explaining that you're dead. Yup, DEAD. In fact everyone is dead, or "undead" rather, and that the world is essentially on it's last legs. You escape your cell in an Asylum for undead that are slowly going insane and find a dying knight who tasks you with carrying on his mission, to ring the "Bell of Awakening". Noone knows what will happen if you do this and there's no immediate pay-off: you're not saving the world because it's already beyond saving, you're not rescuing a princess or becoming the hero... this is as bleak a game as you will ever possibly play. With sword in hand you venture forth and what slowly unfurls is one of the darkest and most immersive tales in any fantasy RPG you will ever play. The true genius of Dark Souls is that its story is told through it's world, not in cutscenes or plot.

Then there is the gameplay itself. While other games, like Skyrim, are content to have you flailing at things and casting magic while healing, Dark Souls presents one of the tightest, most difficult and most rewarding combat systems ever in a video game. All your attacks have timing and weight, and the enemy are not stupid, they will block, parry, heal and kill your ass if you do not approach every fight, no matter how rudimentary with respect and concentration. Anything can, and will, kill you in this game but if you die ITS YOUR FAULT. The game is extremely difficult, as you have to navigate some amazing level design involving dark corridors, traps and a large intertwining open world that will kill you in a split second if you don't pay attention to what you're doing; you also can't pause the game so can't leave your character standing somewhere dangerous while you pop to the loo.

Then there is the innovative online functionality. This is a single player game - full stop! However, it is always online and your game will pull information from others playing at the same time as you; presenting bloodstains that you can touch to see how others have died before you. Sometimes you see ghosts of other players as they navigate their world. You can summon other players to fight alongside you if you are stuck on a particularly difficult boss fight or you can invade other people in an attempt to kill them and steal the game's most precious resource: humanity. I really could go on and on and on about all the amazing things that this game does well, and does differently from anything else that's out there. But really it's the survival-horror-action-RPG atmosphere that keeps me coming back to this game.

I really strongly suggest that you read some reviews and if you have a PS3 or Xbox 360 give this game a go. It may not be for everyone (some people - game journalists included - simply can not get through it and become overwhelmed by the high difficulty it presents) but it is indisputably one of the greatest video games ever made.

VGOTY 2011 #2 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Believe it or not, at the start of 2011, I wasn't massively excited for Skyrim. There were simply too many awesome games coming out, and it seemed like an age ago that I played through Oblivion (I remember at the time I would've given my right testicle for an Elder Scrolls five). Still, that game was one of my favourite games of all time and so as 11/11/11 approached this year... I got Skyrim fever.

For me the main thing that makes Elder Scrolls games so magical is the living world they create. Skyrim pulled me once again deep into the world of Tamriel, and all the time I'd spent with Oblivion came flooding back; only this time with many, many, improvements! The land of Skyrim looks gorgeous, from the snowy mountain peaks down to the frosty tundra and bubbling, steaming swamps, this is a land that you want to explore every inch of. Every inch is also meticulously hand-crafted and filled with secrets and side-quests, so much so that the game is overwhelming in the best possible way. In my (at the time of this post) 90-ish hours playing the game, a vast bulk of that has been spent doing everything except the main story lines. It is insanely difficult to walk from one place to another without something distracting you and about two or three hours later (after an epic adventure up a mountain or delving deep underground) you think to yourself "what the hell was I actually meant to be doing!? Oh yeah..." and off you go back on track.

It doesn't help matters that leveling your character and unlocking the associated 'perks' is insanely addictive and you feel like an absolute bad-ass when throwing fireballs from your hands at a Dragon as the epic main theme song blares out of your speakers!! The music in general is superb as Jeremy Soule has outdone himself once again, this time with a full orchestra backing him up. I've currently stopped playing, because I'm trying to get through a massive backlog of games, but soon I will be revisiting the land of Skyrim, as there is still a lot of stuff to see and do: quests to complete, secrets to find, trophies to earn. The Elder Scrolls games occupy their own lofty pedestal towering above most other video games, and most gaming websites are deservedly awarding this their GOTY.

VGOTY 2011 #3 - Portal 2

A guilty confession of mine is that I never really played through the first Portal game. I saw other people complete various test chambers and watched the story through on YouTube. I know I know... I'm a retard. However, this year I had the opportunity to play through Portal 2 and I was literally blown away by this game; for a while it was my definitive choice for number one VGOTY and I still think it is a worthy candidate for that spot. In short, this game is absolutely flawless, easily a 10/10 game and one of the best games of 2011.

One of the most striking things for me regarding Portal 2 is it's story. Told entirely through the first-person perspective and without anything in the way of cutscenes or on-rails segments, this game tells a brilliant and complicated story. The characters also are some of the most memorable... and they're robots!! That Valve pulled this off so well really shows you how skilled they are as a developer when they sit down and make a game. As for the actual gameplay, Portal 2 layers on mechanic after mechanic in such a natural and immersive fashion that the slogan "thinking with portals" becomes an absolute reality. Aside from maybe the odd five minute head-scratcher, most of the puzzles in this game are a joy to play through and the game keeps you constantly entertained and using your noggin' without frustrating you or slowing the momentum of the story.

If there was ever an example of master craftsmanship in game design, here it is! The graphics work perfectly, the music is fantastic and the voice-acting impeccable, but not only that... not only do we have here one of the best single-player experiences of the year... there's also a WHOLE OTHER GAME designed for Co-operative play and it is amazing!! One of my favourite weekends this year was getting together with one of my best friends and blasting through this game in one sitting, as we worked together with four portals to solve some of the best puzzles I've ever seen. As I said earlier, Portal 2 really is flawless in every single way, an absolute classic, and I don't use that word lightly.

VGOTY 2011 #4 - Catherine

Technically speaking, this is the only original game on my VGOTY list, as all the rest are sequels, follow-ups and "spiritual successors"; but Catherine is a 100% unique game and one that really interested me as soon as I saw a video of it on Giant Bomb about a year ago. Its difficult to explain the experience of playing this game, especially as I mostly played it during the midnight hours in the summer holiday. Even now, I get a strange feeling at the pit of my stomach if I think of the hypnotic atmosphere in the 'Stray Sheep' bar as Vincent (the main character) drinks the night away with his friends. I'd cling onto every available second, talking to as many people as possible and ordering as many drinks as I could knowing full well that as soon as I left the bar one of the most nightmarish and difficult games of the year was about to !PUNISH ME... HARD!

Catherine is a strange mix of light-RPG dialogue trees, relationship simulator and insanely difficult block-puzzle game that is hard to accurately describe and unlike anything else I've ever played. It is also one of the few games where I have finished it and immediately jumped straight back in for a second run-through. The replay value is amazing not only because of the trophies for clearing levels with greater skill, but also the dynamic "morality" meter and different paths through the game - leading to one of, I think, nine different endings!? The voice acting is also impeccable and the script is great; dealing with mature topics that are usually unseen in video games such as infidelity, and this makes a sharp departure from the sci-fi and fantasy offerings that permeate the rest of this VGOTY list.

The obvious elephant in the room though is its notorious difficulty: the Japanese release had to be patched because people complained about the game being "rape-ass-hard"... just to confirm, THE JAPANESE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY!! You know that it's going to break your face when that happens. The US release (which I played) came with the patch already as part of the game, but it is still an extremely challenging game. However, like other titles such as Demon's Souls, it's this heightened difficulty and expectation from the player that makes this game so rewarding to play through and overcome.