Ragnarok Online 2: Massively Missing Online?

First announced back in November 2004, Ragnarok Online 2 aimed to capitalize on the success of its acclaimed predecessor. Over 4 years, 3 Closed Beta's, 1 Open beta and a formidable marketing drive later, the game has instead performed a vanishing act, plunging into the depths of development hell.

Is this the final curtain call - or can Korean based Developers 'Gravity' pull the rabbit out of the hat, yet?

Western gamers following RO2's progress would be forgiven for wondering whether the game has finished before it even got started. With the Open Beta caught in a seemingly perpetual time loop, and a wall of PR silence acting as Gravity's bulwark against the dubious times, things are looking bleak for the motionless MMO, the MMMO if you will.

One has to wonder just what is happening at Gravity HQ? I remember playing the Korean Open Beta in '08, and while it is an unwritten rule that MMO's are never finished - especially when first launched, the game world was a myriad of troubled landscapes, displaying all the hallmarks of an early closed beta.

Falling through the world, skills that did nothing, two playable races missing and classes that were literally useless, it was all pretty troubling stuff. All this, and yet Gravity's launch HQ was pushing forward, planning grand opening events, featuring music from the games soundtrack and acclaimed composer Yoko Kanno. Thankfully the soundtrack was a little more polished than the game was at this stage, so we werent treated to sympony de'la ear-gouge as we /noclip'd through the worlds (admittedly quite pretty) floor.

So what happened? Days turned to weeks, and it became increasingly apparent that a timely release was little more than a pipe dream.

That was then, no doubt the development has progressed, but by how much, lets look at what we have now.

Though sizeable chunks of the promised launch content is still awol (I hear a screenshot of one of the missing playable races - the Dimago - would make you quite a wealthy man), signs of life have been reported at Gravity HQ.

March 26th (2008) saw a large-scale update, complete with new dungeons, quests and a revamped User-Interface among other things. The last status update was put out back in January 2008 claiming that Gravity were aiming for a '08 release in the Philippines. Another missed deadline for a game with so much promise. (especially considering the success of its predecessor) It seems that RO2's execution up to this point has brought nothing but dissappointment and false hope, its a crying shame.

Despite its shortcomings, RO2 (beta) does have some great features welling up beneath its dusty surface. The animations and textures are superb - if you're into the anime style - and no MMO to date can compete with the incredibly detailed and varied emotes available - there's even a co-op emote that lets male characters have their head stroked by female characters while laying in their lap. A little creepy to some? maybe, but it is this finite attention to customisation and detail that wins people over. As it stands, the game - to me - is like a hollow malteser, aesthetically pleasing on the outside, but lacking in the honeycombed euphoria (content) on the inside.

The fact is - Gravity have already made a great game in RO1, and if they could bring RO2 up to that same standard, they would be poised to fill a gap in the Western market which is currently saturated with wannabe WoW's, there are many western gamers, myself included, who vastly prefer the eastern approach to gaming. This is a void RO2 might just be able to fill, if it could exploit the hooks that made RO1 one of the most succesful MMO's in the Eastern block.

Unfortunately, with no release date on the horizon for the East, let alone the rest of the world, the question is 'if?' rather than 'when?'


-Ari Read more!

Hands on : Dawn Of War 2 (PC)

After overcoming the belief that Relic had ruined one of my favourite RTS franchises, I decided I would chin-up and give it a chance...

And I am glad I did, while the new Dawn of war is vastly different to the original (and its 6 million expansions) the game still has its own charms, while base building and the large number of units have been removed, the RPG elements and use of cover add a new angle to the game.

Pros:

Ability to make use of cover - The ability to make use of cover allows you to plan your defense, it also means a bit more thought is required when attacking a stationary enemy that is in cover.

RPG element - The RPG element of the game allows users to customise their squads with different weapons, armour and a variety of special abilities, this means different players can approach the game with different tactics. The fact that I seem to be the only person using the scout leads me to believe that I may just be playing the game the hard way.

Fast multi player - I find multi player much faster paced than the previous Dawn Of War, i believe this is largely due to the lack of HQ's. Resources are still based around capturing points, but with a limited number of units defending them it can be a lot more difficult, the player must constantly move their defensive squads in order to repel the enemy.

Cons:

Lack of base building - I suppose this is more of a personal preference, but I enjoy building a base, and personally think this has been the biggest blow to fans of the game. You are unable to build more units, but are able to resurrect your named characters instead. This changeup removes a large amount of challenge from the game as all that is required to revive them is to have another named unit stand next to them for a few seconds (or in the case of a leveled up scout, instantly).

Lower number of units - As you can only have 4 squads I find it is almost always necessary to keep them all together, this removes the ability to distract an enemy while destroying an objective elsewhere.

Overall I do not think players of the original Dawn Of War should be put off by the changes, they do make it a very different game in its own right. Players will either love it or hate it depending on which style of RTS they prefer. Read more!

Survival Loller - The Decline Of Scary Games

Its 1996, you’re trapped in a mansion. You approach a dude who slowly turns his attention towards you. He has a mouth full of flesh. Hes chowing down on some man guts. (Your scared because you were a juvenile crybaby when you saw this scene but also because it was genuinely scary)


This was the chilling introduction Capcom gave the public in their hit game, Resident Evil, now regarded as a survival horror classic but what has happened to this once mighty genre!?

Despite laughable acting, cheap voice over’s and clunky controls the game maintained the suspense of a horror film throughout. Its huge success spawned a series of sequels and prequels (not to mention films) as well as paving the way to other survival horror games such as Dino Crisis and Silent Hill (both released in 1999).

Now, in 2009 Capcom have decided to give the world their 21st Resident Evil title, ironically titled Resident Evil 5. Silent Hill has released its sixth title in Silent Hill: Homecoming and Dino Crisis is long gone. So who does the title of Survival Horror king go to this year? The answer, in my opinion is no one. Both games have diversified so radically from their original formula that they now sit snugly in the Action category of gaming.

Resident Evil 5 may pick up from the same history banks, but that is the only commonality it holds with its predecessors. You now constantly have a partner to hold your hand throughout, which reduces any chance of feeling isolated. An impressive assortment of guns and a large supply of ammo means you are always ready to engage any enemy in your way. Conveniently placed explosive barrels and mounted guns help make light work of bosses. The blistering heat of Africa is preferred to the chilling air of the night. All these factors help detract from what a survival horror game should be. Something else fans of the old may miss is the puzzles; the few that appear could be beaten by a five year old.

Despite these shortcomings, the game still plays well and looks fantastic. In an action game the addition of a co-op partner changes everything - so if you can accept the change in genre the game is well worth a look.

Silent Hill disappoints in terms of living up to the Survival Horror tag. You play as a soldier returning home to search for his brother. Prior games had a normal civilian as the protagonist, helping to intensify the bond between the player and the character. Now you are somebody who has experience handling guns and has sufficient training in combat. This makes for an action orientated game and removes suspense and tension from the title. Making the transition from horror to action is fine but the developers employ cheap tactics to try and maintain a sense of fear. The main problem being a torch which wouldn’t help you navigate your way out of a shoe box let alone one of the expansive dark sections featured in the game.

The Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises are still going strong, but no longer have any appeal as Survival Horror games. Dino Crisis finished with its third game, largely because the third game was just plain awful. Fighting genetically engineered dinosaurs in space in the distant future was a bad design choice. The first two games had helped build a story following the main protagonist, Regina, and the third did not continue this.

So around 10 years ago the Survival Horror genre was saturated with engaging titles. In the present there is much greater potential to strike fear into gamers with the excellent graphics on offer but we are yet to see new generation titles achieve this. No game currently holds the title of Survival Horror king and there is a niche in the market which a smart developer needs to exploit. In the meantime if you are looking for a good survival horror game dust off one of the old consoles and play Resident Evil 1-3, Dino Crisis 1-2 or Silent Hill 1-2. Read more!

Wossy Slips Up Over Fable 3

Marmite-like Radio and TV presenter Jonathan Ross has made a boo-boo today, inadvertently revealing the development of Fable 3 - previously unconfirmed.

Wossy says he'll be contributing voice-overs to the third game in a series which, since the beginning, has featured fantastic voice-work from various Icons.

The accent heavy and overtly British voice acting has split the Fable series apart and is immediately recognisable in both Fable and Fable II

Rumour has it that Guardian Journo and all round legend Charlie Brooker would also like to contribute his unique brand of cynicism - a perfect fit in the satirical world of Albion. Read more!

Grand Slam Tennis - The Wii's True Test?

When the motion sensing control schemes of the Nintendo Wii were first announced, my immediate thought was "they could make a great tennis game with this" and then they did.


Great that is - if you didnt really care much for tennis and just wanted to swing a remote around and have a giggle, which is fine! If its fun its fun. (Unless you're one of the millions of plasma/LCD TV's lost in the great Wii invasion)

The down-side to Wii-Sports Tennis was that it was lackluster in depth. Sure, its family friendly, its got pick up and play appeal, but i couldnt help but feel that it could have been so much more. Was it really responding to my strokes, or was it just swinging when i twitched?

It is this same lack of depth, this casual appeal, which has deterred me from buying a Wii for so long, but now, just over the horizon, there is a game which might just convert me. EA recently announced Grand Slam Tennis on Wii, boasting an all-star lineup of pro players, but more importantly... in EA's words:

"Call Your Shots Topspin, backspin - superior racket responsiveness and control makes it possible."

Something this trivial WILL sway my wallet, its time they started putting the motion sensor to the test, and drawing out its real potential. (if indeed it has any)

With the release of image-shattering titles like Madworld on the horizon, the Wii can finally shed its family friendly, casual gamer appeal and become a more venerable gaming console.

Or it can keep being a Wii. Read more!

Afro Samurai

I’ve just finished the Afro Samurai series. Considering it’s only five episodes, lasting half an hour each, taking a year and a half from watching the first, to the last, is a little embarrassing.


I was hardly knocked out of my seat by it; that being said, it was really enjoyable. The drawings were insanely good. The characters were brilliant, I loved the relationship between Afro and his conscience. And the flashbacks to develop the story were just ace. But what have I learnt from it all?

Anime can be amazing. I don’t usually ‘get’ the whole anime thing. I thought Spirited Away was way (times ten) over rated, and I could never tolerate any others for more than ten minutes. I did watch, and thoroughly enjoy Princess Mononoke, but I figured that would be the exception. In a valiant attempt to catch the anime bug, I set up a crunchyroll account in the winter, and tried watching several anime films. They were all boring. I’m 20, generally speaking I like mature stuff. I watched the Tony Tikatana movie on there (adapted from a Murakami story) and enjoyed that, but since then I haven’t been on the site. But having seen Afro Samurai, I’m definitely going to have to explore Anime again, and see if I can find something else that rocks my boat in the same way. For now, I do have Afro Samurai: Resurrection to keep my yearnings sated.

You might just see an Afro Samurai game review on here soon too, it comes out in two days. And yet it's been out since February the 24th in America... crazy! Who still does staggered release dates these days anyway?

Read more!

My Pro Evolution Soccer disdain

And so I enter into the second month of a Pro Evo free zone. It wasn’t long ago that I was thinking of new formations in my head, on the way to, from, and in school.


Even as I lay in bed I was thinking "4-3-3 with Rosicky on the wing, but could he be a WB?!" In fact it was only last year that I reached the year 2012 on my Master League, players like Pirlo and Gerrard were beginning to retire as Walcott, Benzema and Aguero ruled the world. And Lee Chun Soo, bizarrely. It was a massive part of my life.

And yet, despite not playing for so long, I don’t miss it. Six months ago, this would have been unthinkable, if you’d even mentioned it to me a year ago I would have surely kicked you in the shins before unleashing an uppercut to your fragile chin, but this is the stark truth. And why? Because Pro Evolution 2009 is shit. The kind of shit that smells so bad your brain automatically ignores it, for your own safety. The computer makes horrid decisions for you, the passing is crap, the AI runs lack absolutely any intelligence whatsoever, the transfers are behind, the training mode is awful... it’s appalling. That’s not including the compete disregard for presentation and licensing.

And why else? Because FIFA 2009 (which my flat mate owns) pisses all over it. He also manages to piss all over me, but let’s not get into that. The attention to detail is impeccable. The extra modes, levels and variations on the same concept are untouched by Pro. But most importantly, they’ve finally got the game right. FIFA 2009 feels like proper football. No more 10-9 results, where five bicycle kicks are scored by the same player (thanks for that FIFA 2001 – incidentally, the last FIFA I bought). It’s not perfect, god no, but it is the best football game out there.

There’s about six months until these two giants go to war again. I hope Pro Evolution sorts it shit out, otherwise myself, and many others, will all be moving over to the FIFA bandwagon. Read more!

Everyones a Winner?

Guardian games writer Alex Gambotto-Burke touches on a subject close to my mechanical heart today - Difficulty, or lack thereof, in recent video games.

"Peter Molyneux, has been unapologetic in his aims. In his view, it was inconceivable that someone should pay for a game but be unable to complete it, as not only are they denied their money's worth, but they can "feel stupid and unskilled".

Is this true? Think back to the first game you were hooked on in your gaming youth, for me, it was Final Fantasy 7 (cliché i know) but when i got stuck on the roof of Shinra tower fighting Rufus and his Cat, aged what must have been 11 or 12 at the time, i did'nt wuss out and cry over the difficulty. (whats a Materia?) Call me old fashioned but i thought the idea of a game was to overcome a percieved challenge? Come to think of it, I'm almost positive the only game i ever clocked on the Sega Megadrive (my platform of choice for almost a decade prior to the PSX) was Streets of Rage 2, and even that limited success was fleeting.

I must point out that i adored Fable 2, but contrary to what Molyneux suggests, i felt short-changed by the ease with which i completed it. Being punished for sloppy skills is as essential as being rewarded for our accomplisments. His sentiments contradict everything that video games, in my eyes, represent.

People buy games to be challenged, to work for advancement, not to have it handed to us on a plate with a pat on the back and a happy ending. Bring on more ultra-hard games like Ninja Gaiden, there's more reward in overcoming something genuinely difficult than there is in trudging through something that could be so much more.

Guardian: Everyone's a winner in games' open world. Read more!

Who are these collectors?

Video Game Enthusiasts, (Aka Nerds) are all too familiar with "Collectors Editions", games laced with freebies and "long term" value, they are hard for any right-thinking dweeb to resist.

Unfortunately, some deskbound dic*lickers latched onto this concept and realised that by stamping "collectors" on a box and throwing in a piece of crap figurine with tits and some cards and shit, they could charge extra.

What we tend to get now is not a rare and elusive collectible (lame) but an ugly box of polished arse putty and a feeling of regret and lonliness that even This Guy doesnt recognise.

Having given away a little more than i would have liked about my miserable love for shiny boxes and treasure, i will leave my fellow "enthusiasts" with the following message.

My friends, This is a problem, not a goal.
Read more!