Forza 3 - Final Verdict

Well, the guys at Turn 10 set out to develop the definitive simulation racer of this generation... So, were they successful? The answer is a resounding Yes. They managed to take all that was good about Forza 2 and add to it creating one of the best racing experiences ever. Fantastic cars, wonderful graphics, amazing physics and great tracks are just the start. This game is a deep and rewarding sim racer. Everything from the tuning/upgrade options to the robust custom paint program allow you to truly create an original one of a kind car. The cars in my garage are different from anyone else. I created them and they are unique to me. It's upgraded different, tuned different, drives different and looks different.

Being able to truly make your very own version of any car in the game adds a real sense of pride and ownership. It's very satisfying to make a car, take it online and beat the competition knowing that YOU made it. You took this stock car, upgraded, tuned, tweaked it and made it into a perfect racing machine. Then you took that car online and destroyed. It's really an almost surreal experience and you certainly get a greater sense of accomplishment then you would in a standard arcade style racer.

Of course that is exactly why I like sim racers. You win largely based on skill. Tuning aside, if you can't hack it on the track, your not going to win. In fact, I have beaten faster cars simply because I was able to drive the course better. Fortunately, Forza 3 has all the tools in place to help out the novice and turn him into a pro. From driving assists to the auto-upgrader, the average joe has all the tools needed to compete with the big dogs.

Now the best place to start is the Single Player portion of the game. It's a great place to get your bearings and begin your road to glory. A perfect place to test cars, learn tracks and generally get your feet wet. The Single Player mode is all about what they call 'Season Play' which is basically a streamlined (and better designed) version of the events from Forza 2. There are 6 seasons to play through and each one is longer and more difficult than the last. As you play through you'll earn both money, which is used to buy and fix up cars as well as experience which gifts you new cars with each level you progress.

Each season is filled with one main 'World Championship' event which you race every other week and many smaller weekly events in between. Now while the 'World Championship' events are set and mandatory the weekly events are of your choosing. As you start each week, you will get to choose a specific series you want to race for the next two weeks. These will also change based on what car you are driving. So, if you want to race 'A Class' races simply get in your 'A Class' car and select an event to race.

Note: One race takes up one full in-game day and races are usually spread out 2-3 days apart.

As you chug through the multiple seasons you will begin to learn the tracks and which cars are your favorite. You'll start to find out which cars are competitive in which classes and what the best driving lines are around the course, all of which will be invaluable when you take the game online later on. And trust me you'll want to play through a few seasons before you head online. With over 400 cars and 100 tracks you are going to need to spend some time getting to know the game before you jump into the deep end of the swimming pool.

To further help you on your way to becoming a Pro are the driving options mentioned earlier. The options include everything from the standard options you'd expect to full driving assists. Standard options include things like being able to select automatic or manual transmissions or turning on or off the traction control and stability control. These are the basics that the more seasoned drivers will tweak to their liking to get the car to handle and break like it should. But beginners can dive even deeper and mess with some of the more advanced assist options.

One such option is the driving/breaking line which tells you what line to take, when to accelerate as well as when to brake. Not good enough? No problem because you can also turn on the auto brake assist which will actually apply the brakes for you. With these assists on you can basically go around the track problem free. All you have to do is hold in the gas and follow the line. Perfect for the beginner trying to get a hang of the game and how it works. The only real problem (and this only really applies to the auto brake feature) is that it's not going to be quite as fast as a seasoned driver. You see, the computer will often break too much and error on the side of caution. After all the idea is to allow the user to make it all the way around the track and slower is safer.

Still it's a good starting point for most new comers and allows them to jump right in. My best advise is to use it as it's intended, which is as a learning tool. If you are someone who needs such assists, by all means use them. But as you practice and get better, start turning them off one by one (or at the very least the auto brake) until you are driving under your own power. In the end you'll be a better driver and faster around the track.

One more helpful tool is the "rewind" button which allows you to actually rewind the action if you make a mistake. This feature is a benefit for all users, regardless of skill. Even the best of the best will be using this bad boy. Mostly because it allows you to erase even the smallest error during the single player seasons (not available in online multiplayer matches). With the single press of a button you automatically rewind the action a couple 2-3 seconds at which point the game pauses and asks you if you want to continue from here or move back some more. Once you have reach the desired amount of rewind, simply select the continue button and off you go... again. Only this time with a better understand of what you need to correct in order to avoid whatever it was you messed up the first time. It's really great for when your learning a track for the first time and have no idea how to judge the corners. A truly priceless learning tool.

Of course once you learn what your doing and have some cars built up, it's time to try your hand at the online multiplayer portion of the game. Forza 3 shines just as brightly here as it does anywhere. Allowing players to put up their own custom rides against each other in the ultimate test of driving. You think the computer was tough on 'hard'? Try racing against a real person. There is no greater test of skill than lining up in a full room of real people from across the world and going a few rounds. How will you react? Can you keep up? All this and more is put to the test and it's a ton of fun.

You can also create private matches and race with your friends. Get together, check out each others cars and see who is the best around the track. And with tons of changeable settings you can custom make the race to your liking. Pretty much everything is available for you to mess with and tweak. Car classes, tracks, lap numbers, damage, collisions, assists, HP rating... you name it. The end result is an incredibly enjoyable online experience. It even has a party system so you can take your friends with you into public rooms.

At the end of the day, when you take into account all of the above, you have possibly the best racing simulator games ever made. Tons of cars, full customization, great tracks, wonderful physics, full damage molding... the list goes on and on. And that's not to say the game is without it's faults. I have experienced some minor audio glitches and some strange AI glitches when using the rewind feature (every now and then one of the AI car suddenly crashes into the wall for example) but the total package more than makes up for any of the minor flaws. Forza 3 has accomplished what it set out to do and has set the bar very high.

Final Verdict - 9.2/10

Uncharted 2 - Final Verdict

Well I have been spending the past few days playing through this game and I must say, this is one of the best games I have ever played! Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is simply a masterpiece of modern gaming. An almost perfect blend of story, cinematic action sequences and gameplay topped off with some of the best graphics and visuals I have ever seen. A game truly deserving of all the hype and praise it has received. If for some reason you have not had a chance to play it yet, you need to do so immediately. It is a must play for anyone with a PS3. But enough gushing, let's break it down and take a closer look at all the parts that make up the whole.

The game really does feel like an interactive action movie. More so than any other game I have ever played. This is due to several key components... cutscenes, story, pacing, cinematic direction and level design. Uncharted 2 takes all of these things and blends them seamlessly into a video game experience like no other. Let's start with the story. The guys at Naughty Dog really did an amazing job creating a wonderful story and fantastic writing. The Uncharted series has always based it's stories in real historical mystery and the second outing is based around the travels of Marco Polo and the mystery surrounding his return from China where most of his expedition went missing. Our hero, Nathan Drake, sets off to find out exactly what happened and winds up in a story much bigger then he originally bargained for. The story is filled with action, love, betrayal, humor and actually manages to get you invested in the characters and their actions. Something most video games never quite manage. It's obvious that the story was very important to the guys a Naughty Dog and I must say, they nailed it.

A solid story is important but how you present that story is just as crucial. For that we need cutscenes and action sequences. Fantastically written and acted, the cutscenes in Uncharted 2 are a real treat. Which is a good thing because there are quite a few and unlike some games, you never want to skip a single one. The story and scenes are so well done that you are actually looking forward to the next one. Part of that is due to the fact that the voice actors actually act out every scene wearing mo-cap suits. The result is a much more life like performance that is actually happening. Doing it this way really seems to capture the life of the scene and allows the actors to play off each others performances. Couple the solid writing, good acting and cinematic direction and you have a real treat. Not to mention, all the cutscenes and action sequences are seamlessly integrated into the game. No load time, no prompting. They just take over and put you back in control in such a way that you really feel a part of the game.

And speaking of action sequences. OH MY GOD! This game pulls off action sequences like no other. This game has so many "Oh *#%$!" moments it's amazing and they just happen while your playing. Fortunately, they don't require you to do anything. No button pressing to do, no timed events. Just pure action. Usually brief, like having the floor come out from under you and then you are back in control scrambling to climb back up. And while these scenes are pre-scripted, it really feels like it's actually happening while you are playing and never takes you out of the action. It's a wonderful addition to the cutscenes and a key part of making the game as fluid as it is.

Another part of the equation is the level design and the game shines here as well. The level design is fluid and well done. Rarely will you ever find yourself wondering where to go next. It's just intuitive. After a battle, I always found myself going the right direction. A feat even more impressive considering how large and open some of levels are. There is no glowing trail or anything, just good level design that seem to naturally lead you to the next location or battle. Of course, if you do get stuck somewhere long enough the game has a helpful hint system to point you in the right direction. (I only had to use the feature once the entire time playing)

Of course the game isn't all about story and exploration. There is also a whole lot of fighting to be done. It is and Action/Adventure game after all. Once again, Naughty Dog delivers. The fighting and gun play have a great feel to it. Pop in and out of cover, make your way around to flank the enemy and get flanked yourself. The mechanics are great and everything feels very smooth. The AI will flank, change position and even flush you out of you hiding spot with grenades. Your probably not staying in one place too long which add a great deal of excitement to the battle. You'll be pinned down by five or six guys, trying to pick off the Heavy Armor Shotgun guy headed right at you only to be flushed out by a grenade. All of a sudden you are running for your life, avoiding bullets, sniper fire and the Shotty on your tail. Certainly never a dull moment. And there is no auto-aim or "lock on" feature to get in the way. You can blind fire from behind cover or pop up of more accurate firing and you can also "run and gun" which is helpful when you get flushed out.

Of course gun play isn't your only option. The game also features hand-to-hand combat and stealth kills. Quite often when you enter an area occupied by baddies, you have the element of surprise. You can survey the situation and plan your attack and many times you have the opportunity to pick off several bad guys by sneaking around, grabbing one at a time. You also have the ability to run up and beat the crap out of them too although, it's usually best to do when there is only one or two guys left. Otherwise you could find yourself full of bullets. Still, it is very satisfying. I found myself running in for a quick beat down when ever I got the chance. The animation is solid, varied and just all around fun.

And that brings us to the graphics. Not much to say but WOW! The game is gorgeous. Wonderful locations and lush colors and textures are everywhere. But the real kicker is the amount of moving objects on the screen at one time. Particle effects in the air, dust rolling through, bushes and flags moving in the wind, water dripping from a leaky pipe etc... So many details and objects are moving about that the game really comes to life. The city in Nepal is especially impressive to me. If you see this game in motion, you would hard pressed to Not be impressed. A truly jaw dropping experience.

Put all the above things together and you get one of the best gaming experiences ever made for any console. Don't get me wrong, the game is not perfect. There are a few things here and there... like popping in and out of cover can be a bit tricky and the AI seems particularly oblivious before the fighting starts. Why the patrolling bad guy doesn't seem alarmed when his fellow guards go missing is lost on me. They will even walk right past dead bodies and think nothing of it. But these are minor issues and completely overshadowed by the game as a whole.

All the pieces are solid on there own, but it's the way in which Naughty Dog was able to put it all together the makes the game so special. The graphics, animation, pacing and story all come together in a way that sucks you in and doesn't let go until the credits roll. So fluid and well paced that you feel you are constantly moving forward and action so good that you would almost swear you just played through a 10 hour movie. This game is truly amazing and the sets bar in which all future Action/Adventure games will be measured.

And that just covers the single player adventure. The game also features a solid Multiplayer game mode that will have you playing long after the credits roll.

Final Verdict - 9.8/10

Producing Video Games Today... At What Cost?

I am taking all the fun out of making games... Seriously!

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick (pictured above) has a very interesting take on the subject. In a recent statement given during a Technology Conference Bobby had a number of interesting and frankly disturbing things to say regarding video games publishing. And as a gamer, I must say, I am a little taken back at how he runs one of the worlds largest video game publishing companies.

He said "The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."

He goes on to state that he sets goals that "really [reward] profit and nothing else" and that keeping an air of "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" is a good method for "keeping people focused on the deep depression." Making sure his people are looking at the bottom line and nothing else.

That might be a good way to run a business and keep the profit margins in the black, but is it really the way a video game publisher fosters creative development? Is this the kind of environment that can generate truly "great" video games?

Personally, I am not so sure. I mean, sure, a company needs to be profitable. After all, everyone needs to make money and the people involved in making the game need to be paid. And more profit means more money. More money means we can continue to make more new titles and keep people employed. And all of that is good. But at what point do you draw the line and stop running things like a business and start to look at what it is you are actually producing?

I mean, at some point you have to realize that your "job" is to produce video games which are by nature "creative". Now from my experience, "creative" people generally don't do well in an overly structured environment. Sure everybody had deadlines, pressure, budgets etc... That is the nature of the business but is it really necessary to take it to the extreme? Should we put profit over product? Should we allow the bottom line to be the driving force in a an industry built on peoples passions and dreams?

I gotta believe that the answer is no. Would we have ever seen games like Beyond Good and Evil or Oddworld if the people publishing those games were so worried about the bottom line? The industry already has too few truly new IP's. If everybody thought like Bobby, I am not sure we would ever see a new IP again.

In a world already filling up with sequels and trilogies, what does this say for the future? It is certainly a lot cheeper to make a sequel than to put the money into a new IP. I mean there is no guarantee that the new game will be either popular or well received. It's a gamble. So if I am looking at the bottom line, I say we make Guitar Hero 15 and Modern Warfare 11 well before we ever look and making a new game.

The problem is, that while it may be profitable today, eventually those brands will fade away without innovation. Without new advances and creative leaps forward, no one will want to play those games. We must strive for truly ground breaking ideas, new IP's and original thought if we hope to keep the industry going forward in the direction that it has been. We have to foster the imaginations behind the games if we want truly new and amazing experiences.

Yes, the industry needs to make money, but at what cost?

Forza 2 Review

This is a copy of the first Video Game review I ever attempted (June 2007). I know it's out of date now but I wanted to share. It was originally written for a Clan News site so the review is written with an emphasis on how well it might work for clan competition. New video game reviews are on the way. For now, enjoy...

FORZA 2 Review

Forza 2. Perhaps the most anticipated racer of the year is here and its big. As the first true sim racer for the 360, anticipation and expectations are high and Forza 2 delivers. Developer Turn 10 has put a great deal of time and effort into the cars and physics for Forza 2 and it has paid off. The physics of this game are second to none and are what really makes Forza 2 the great racer is it. Forza 2 is all about cars and that is part of what makes Forza 2 shine. The cars and their physics are truly the stars of this game and make for a tremendous amount of fun and depth. Each car has a very unique feel. As you go from class to class and car to car, every experience is completely unique. The game it's self runs at a very smooth 60fps which despite a few jaggies makes the game look very good. Behind all of that lies the real power, the physics engine which run at 360fps. That's right 360fps! So not only is the game smooth, there are calculations going on that you will never see making for a physics engine that essentially handles calculations and makes adjustments in real time. All of this means you get a racer that is as real as it can be.

With over 300 cars available there is something for everyone. While it may not have every car ever made it does have a great selection that should make the child in all of us smile.

Pretty cars and physics are great but this game has got so much more going on under the hood. And speaking of under the hood, Forza 2 has that in spades as well. This game has by far the most in-depth tuning system I have ever seen. Everything is adjustable from the tire pressure to the down force to every major engine part. This game gives you the ability to fully tune almost every car in the game. It's not the best looking racer we've seen but the depth of the game more than makes up for that.

The ability to tune the cars to your needs and requirements allows for a truly unique gaming experience especially when to take into account the online portion of the game. Not only do you get to race with real people over Xbox live, you get to put your skills and your own specifically tuned car to the ultimate test. I have found myself spending hours upon hours tuning my cars to get the most out of the specific class I am racing. Classes are broken down into the following ratings: D-class, C-class, B-class, A-class, S-class, U-class then R1, R2, R3 and R4 racing classes. Each car you make has a specific number rating which determine what class the car is rated. When tuning your car it is obviously a good idea to try to get the car to the top of its respective class. You'll find people tuning cars to get every bit out of a specific class in order to have the "best" car in that class. However, as mentioned earlier, each car has it's own unique feel and abilities so having a car tuned to 850 (A-Class) will not guarantee a victory over a car rated at 837. Driving styles and personal ability still have a lot to do with winning but the rating and class system create a very addictive mini game and add a lot of life to the online racing portion of this game.

Tuning isn't the end of it either. Let's not forget about Paint. Paint you say? Yes Paint. After you tune that car can you just leave it looking stock? Not a chance and Forza 2 delivers there as well featuring a very robust and customizable paint program. Everything from the simple stamps to manufacturers decals to putting together a very complex and detailed custom logo can be achieved. Some of the process can take a while but the end result is a specifically tuned and painted car that is truly one of a kind! The paint program can also allow for the creation of a unique clan logo allowing your clan to have similarly styled cars and custom logos. Nothing like showing up for a clan match to find your opponents show up in all black and green rides with the Clan Logo featured prominently. Can you say i-n-t-i-m-i-d-a-t-i-o-n. Sure I knew you could!

The online portion of this game is also very robust. The online games fall into the following categories: Exhibition, Tournament and Career. Each game is then fully customizable to almost any restriction. You can set up game for almost anything. C-class cars only, HP range of 150-250, No damage, Simulation Damage, Cosmetic damage, 1 lap, 75 laps, No assist, Full assist... the list goes on and on. This allows you to always keep thing interesting and fresh every time you race. Maybe you want to race that course again but this time in an A-class, no problem. It would also allow you to set up matches specifically for each clans requirements or preferences. This makes forendless possibilities on the competitive side. Imagine challenging a clan to an A-class race on tracks A,B and C. Then after that is all said and done, make a new challenge for D-class on track X,Y and Z. Both races would be completely different and would likely net Very Different results. The possibilities are truly endless.

Exhibition games are mostly as they sound. They are just for fun games. No penalty to just go online and race. If you win you win and if you lose you lose. This is a great place to start and usually the first place people go when they first try an online race. It is also a great place to go with a few friends to check out some rides. Maybe you want to show your friends something on your car besides your tail lights? Photos are good and the photo mode in this game is awesome allowing you to take still and action shots of your car. But sometimes you want to see it in motion, test its limits or just mass around. An exhibition race is a great place to do that.

Tournaments are just what they seem. A series of races to determine the winner on a group of tracks. This is all business, no joking around here. You better bring your A game and put in a consistent performance if you want to take home the gold.

And finally we have Career. My personal favorite. A bit of a mix between the two. It is serious racing but it is also a lot of fun. Tracks and restrictions can be changed on the fly and people can come and go as they please. Plus each match is worth money which you can use in your offline career! The more money, the more cars you can tune out and more cars is always good. So why not race online competitively and make some bank? Why Not indeed.

All in all this is a great game in general and even better when you take it online. The possibilities for competitive play and clan matches are almost endless. Each member with it's own unique set up and car. Great cars, Unbelievable Physics, Miles and Miles of Customization and a Great mix of tracks put this game at the top of the Racing Sim list.

Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 9.0
Gameplay: 9.5
Replay value: 9.0
Multiplayer: 9.0
Clan: 9.0

Overall: 8.9 out of 10 (Not an average)

Welcome to Interseptor's Gamer Zone

A blog about gaming. My name is Interseptor and here is a little bit about me...

I am a gamer, have been all my life. Currently on the verge of turning 30, my first gaming started back on the Atari 2600. Playing the classics like Pong, Pitfall, Pole Position and Jumpman. Since that point, I was hooked. (And I think a lot of my generation did the same.)

As I grew up, I went from console to console as well as the occasional PC game. I have owned almost every major system to ever come out. Starting with the Atari mentioned above and moving on to the NES, Sega Master System, SNES, Genesis (and ALL of it's add-ons, Sega CD, 32X etc...), Dreamcast, PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox and the Xbox360. As well as most of the handhelds too...

Gaming is no longer just for kids. We (my generation) had the unique experience of growing up at the same time the game industry did. As we became older and more mature, so did games.

Gaming is my hobby, it's what I do. I love it! In fact I could easily play all day every day. Unfortunately, I also have to work and take care of other "Grown up" responsibilities. But in my free time, I game. Mostly console games, as that is my preferred platform of choice and the Xbox 360 and PS3 are my favorites of this generation.

In my blog I will attempt to cover gaming news, upcoming games, reviews, previews and just generally anything gaming related. Please feel free to post comments and advice.

Thanks for stopping by.

~Interseptor