Sunday, December 30, 2012

Ouya Ships First Consoles

The Ouya console is about the size of a coffee mug.
Ouya announced on Friday that it has shipped 1,200 console units to developers around the world. These are not the final models that are due out in the Spring. Rather they are early versions of the Ouya console made specifically for developers to start making games.

Ouya in a blog announcement:
"They're on their way to developers around the globe -- by land, air and sea. As we said previously, these kits are very special. They're a one-off design - 'rare drops' for the most discerning and faithful developers whom we're looking forward to meeting in the coming months."
The developer's console package includes the Ouya developer console, two controllers, a micro-USB port, HDMI cable, and a power adapter.

Back in August, an Android-powered gaming console called Ouya ended its one-month Kickstarter campaign and raised $8.5 million from more than 63,000 backers. Ouya advertises itself  as the first fully "hackable" TV console and will be open to any developer who would like to make a game or app without any licensing, retail, or publishing fees. If you weren't one of the original backers, you can still pre-order the console for $99.

Check out the unboxing video below:

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Review: Unreal Tournament

Although it might be based on the same technology that powered Unreal, Unreal Tournament is very different in design from its namesake. Where Unreal was a story-based action game, Unreal Tournament is an arena first-person shooter. There is no story propelling the players through the game; there are no strange lands to explore; and there is no puzzle-solving. There is only combat. Head-to-head deathmatches are the main event here, with some "capture the flag" and other modes to round out the experience.

Unreal Tournament is all about multiplayer action -- even when the other players are really players at all, but computer-controlled bots. The single player mode, in fact, is populated entirely with bots who seek to either destroy you or, if they're on your team, assist you at all costs. The AI in Unreal Tournament was heavily praised in 1999 when the game debuted, and it's still impressive today. Enemy and friendly bots behave in ways that a human might behave, which makes Unreal Tournament stand out from the competition. At higher levels within the tournament, AI bots develop more complex tactics and moves; they don't just get stronger and more accurate.

 A player dodges a rocket.

Unreal Tournament is meant to be played on dedicated servers with others, but there is a substantial single-player tournament with several rungs for those who want to train in private before facing any human competition. The tournament is divided into four categories: deathmatch, capture the flag, domination, and assault. The first two, deathmatch and capture the flag, should be self-explanatory. Domination is a king of the hill scenario, where opposing teams try to occupy several hot points throughout each map; if the points are held long enough, that team wins. Assault is the most interesting of the group. Teams are divided into assault and defense. The assault team must accomplish a mission -- like escaping a castle or destroying an energy source -- and the defense team must try to stop them. Then the roles are reversed. Whichever team accomplished the task in the shortest amount of time is the victor.

Between the surprisingly deep and varied single-player campaign and the ability to play all modes online with other players, there is more than enough content in Unreal Tournament to last a long, long time. The sound and graphics are excellent -- what else would you expect from an Unreal game -- the enemy AI is experty programmed (and customizable), the action is fast and fluid, and the levels are memorable and diverse. Unreal Tournament deserves its reputation as one of the very best arena shooters of its generation.

Score: 9.0

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Review: Runescape

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once asked of his audience, "Why is McDonald's still counting? How insecure is this company? 40 million, 80 gillion... Is anyone really impressed anymore? Oh 89 billion sold... alright, I'll have one."

I guess you could say that was my approach to Runescape, recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest free MMORPG. Over 200 million accounts created...alright, I'll make one.

Runescape is not much to look at -- although its current graphics are certainly a step above the original version -- but its gameplay is remarkable (and addictive), and that's what counts. The basic formula is similar to many MMORPGs: players create a custom avatar and then enter a world of swords and sorcery. The first section of the game is dedicated to a rather long (but very necessary) tutorial that reviews all major skills in the game. Players are taught to mine for copper ore, chop trees for firewood, hunt for wild birds, and grow potatoes, among other things. After the tutorial, players are released into the world and allowed to make of Runescape what they will. There is no linear storyline to follow, so players have the freedom to enhance their skills through repetition, battle NPC creatures, or take on dozens of quests throughout the lands of Gielinor.

A town in Runescape.

Control in Runescape is done almost exclusively with the mouse. The only buttons that get much use are the arrow keys, which move the camera around each player's avatar. Unfortunately camera controls cannot be mapped to any other keys, so those playing Runescape on a laptop will have to do some contorting.

The music in Runescape is nothing groundbreaking, but it's not bad in the slightest. It's the kind of pleasant -- sometimes rousing -- background music one would expect from a MMORPG: repetitive but enjoyable. Voice acting is a strong point, although some NPC dialogue is represented only by text.

One of over 100 quests in Runescape.

The community that plays Runescape seems to be generally affable, respectful, and keen to follow the rules of the game, but there are always troublemakers on such online games. The greatest flaw, and it's a flaw that affects virtually every "free to play" game, is that those who upgrade to a paid membership have access to much more content than non-members. This includes quests, skills, items, and locations. Still, much of the game IS free, and can be played directly from a browser. Overall, the game is worth playing -- despite some control issues, some unrefined graphics, and a "free" membership that bars access to the full game.

Score: 7.5

Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Return of Monkey Island

If any of you spent hours in the early 2000's searching in vein on forums, blogs, and anything you can possibly get your hands on to see when, if, maybe, possibly, there might be another Monkey Island game in the works, then hold on to your pieces o'eight, here is some exciting news!

After years of quiet, we finally got a Monkey Island revival when LucasArts licensed TellTale games to make a series of short Monkey Island Games. The five-game "season" has now been released on one collective DVD, but is also available from the iTunes store. If that weren't enough (and it definitely wasn't), LucasArts released Special Edition versions of both The Secret of Monkey Island and LeChuck's Revenge,featuring first-time voiceover from the voice actors of the Curse of Monkey Island (Dominic Armato, Alexandra Boyd, and Earl Boen as Guybrush, Elaine and LeChuck respectively). I cannot praise these Special Editions enough. The artworks is extraordinarily true to the original, and the music is merely updated. Not surprisingly, the talented trio of voice actors also added a brilliant new layer to the game. LucasArts could not have done a better job on these special editions. If you're interested in playing them, they're available on for PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE Arcade as well as from the iTunes store.

As of yesterday, we have what I think could be the biggest news of all. When most people heard the news about George Lucas selling out to Disney, they thought about Star Wars, or Indiana Jones. My immediate thought was that Disney now owned the rights to Monkey Island. I wasn't sure what they'd do with it. My second thought was (seriously) that they might make a ride based on it! I was holding on to this delusion, as well as to the hope that they might reboot the franchise, when the DBTC editor-in-chief sent me an article from gamrReview.

Above, the Special Edition Secret of Monkey Island. Below, the original.

It turns out that Ron Gilbert, genius extraordinaire and creator of Monkey Island, is looking to buy back the rights from Disney, in the hopes of making another Monkey Island. In addition to teasing fans with this news, Gilbert revealed that he originally ripped off (his words, not mine) the idea for Monkey Island from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland. (I'm still holding out hope for a Monkey Island ride but I guess I can see where that isn't going to happen). Whether anything will pan out is anyone's guess, but I'll keep digging and if I hear any more news, you'll read it here first on Don't Blame the Controller!

Look! A three-headed monkey!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

U.S. State Dept Releases Video Game

Nintendo. Microsoft. Sony. State Department?

It seems that the State Department has entered the video game business. Today it announced an "innovative video game" called Trace Effects. It's designed to teach players about the English language and U.S. history.

In a press release, the State Dept. wrote:
"The website provides a variety of engaging, up-to-date materials and resources for teachers' professional development and for use with students in the classroom. It also offers free, high-quality, non-commercial English language learning resources directly to public audiences and strengthens the skills of English teachers and teacher trainers. The video game Trace Effects, an expanded webinar series, distance education programs and other innovative, interactive elements are available on the site. Trace Effects, a 3D video game experience geared for students ages 12-16, supplements classroom English lessons. Students explore American culture through puzzles, activities, and adventures in an interactive world. Through the game, students take a virtual journey through the United States, traveling to locations, including Kansas, New Orleans, the Grand Canyon, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C."
The game can be played online at the State Department's website. It's also available in DVD format for teachers and students.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Top 10 Games That Need Sequels

A favorite pastime of video game writers is making lists of games that need sequels. It's a fun exercise to look back fondly on excellent games that ultimately hit dead ends, or were followed by dreary sequels that more or less destroyed the original game's mythology. It's becoming more and more difficult to make such lists because of the huge amount of sequels that are produced every year. If a game is a marginal hit, the odds are it will earn a sequel -- maybe an entire trilogy. DBtC contributor Rob joked that it would be easier to make a list of ten games that earned undeserved sequels. Maybe one day I'll make such a list, with his help of course.

In any event, please enjoy the following list. These are games -- some old, some relatively new -- that desperately need a sequel. In some cases the storyline is left unfinished; in other cases, the brilliant gameplay and interesting characters simply demand another game.

Without further ado: the Top 10 Games That Need Sequels.


10. Kameo: Elements of Power (2005)

This was the first game I played for the Xbox 360. It was a launch title developed by Rare that was originally a Gamecube project before Microsoft stepped in and purchased Rare. Kameo was, in general, well received by critics, although it didn't sell very well. The game wasn't a masterpiece by any means, but it looked gorgeous and it featured a lot of interesting mechanics, something that Rare could easily improve upon in a sequel.

The original Kameo (2005)

Unfortunately, it appears that no sequel will ever be made. Kameo 2 was actually in the works before Microsoft cancelled the project along with several others so it could assign Rare to produce software for Kinect. About 18 months ago, a former senior graphic engineer at Rare released some concept art for the now defunct Kameo 2, and it's beautiful.

Concept art for Kameo 2.


9. Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion (2000)

There have been a couple of Turok games released after Turok 3, but they range from mediocre to awful. That's not to say Turok 3 was an excellent game -- it wasn't -- but it continued the story arc of the previous two Turok games, which definitely were excellent. What is needed now is Turok 4, a direct sequel to Turok 3, totally unrelated to Turok: Evolution (2002) the the reboot Turok (2008).


The most recent game, Turok (2008), sold fairly well, so there remains some interest in the Turok franchise. That's the good news. The bad news is that Turok (2008) was published and distributed by Disney Interactive Stuidos, which in 2009 fired 70 people at Propaganda Games, the studio that developed the game and was planning a sequel. Oh, and Iguana Entertainment, the team that developed the first Turok and Turok 2, have gone bankrupt.


8. Killer Instinct 2 (1996)

Most people probably know Killer Instinct 2 as Killer Instinct Gold, which arrived on the N64 shortly after launch in 1996. The game is a sequel to the arcade game Killer Instinct, which was ported to the SNES. Unlike fighting games like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, Killer Instinct focuses on combos and combo breakers. This won the game many admirers but also many detractors.


How likely is Killer Instinct 3? Somewhat likely, actually, thanks to some interesting news. In September it was reported that Microsoft had renewed the trademark for Killer Instinct. The trademark renewal has since hit a speed bump, but the renewal application itself is reason for optimism. Still, I suspect it has more to do with Microsoft protecting its intellectual property and less to do with a proper sequel.


7. Jade Empire (2005)

BioWare gets a lot of love for its Mass Effect trilogy and for Knights of the Old Republic, but not many people sing praises for Jade Empire, an action RPG set in a fictional medieval Chinese kingdom. Yet the games deserves a sequel. And it need not be a direct sequel. The completely original universe that BioWare created in Jade Empire is foundation enough. Add to that the innovative combat system and intuitive controls of the first game and Jade Empire 2 would be glorious indeed.


A sequel is unlikely, however. BioWare community manager Chris Priestly said earlier this year that "currently we have no plans [to return to Jade Empire]." BioWare will probably devote most of its resources to Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age 3.


6. Tales of Symphonia (2004)

I know what you're thinking: Tales of Symphonia already has a sequel, dummy! That's true, but what I want is a prequel to Namco's brilliant RPG. Anyone who has played and finished Tales of Symphonia surely knows what story and which characters would feature in the prequel, but I dare not reveal any more for fear of spoilers. You'll just have to play the original to find out!


The odds of a prequel are insanely low, only because I doubt anyone at Namco has even considered the possibility of such a game. They have since moved on to new Tales games, including a re-release of Tales of the Abyss last year for 3DS.


5. TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (2005)

In the space of five years, the world was treated to three TimeSplitters games. In the past seven, it has seen none. For those who don't know, the TimeSplitters games are often considered the spiritual successors to GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, since Free Radical Design -- the company that made TimeSplitters -- was made up of ex-Rare employees. In 2008, Free Radical went into administration, and the next year it was purchased by Crytek.


In 2011, a Crytek representative said that TimeSplitters 4 was planned for next-generation consoles. But this June, Cevat Yerli from Crytek stated that "Look, I wish we were working on it. The thing with TimeSplitters is, if we made a sequel to TimeSplitters, nobody would accept this apart from some fans, and we don't know how big the fan community is unfortunately."


4. Left 4 Dead 2 (2009)

Put together, Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 have sold about 12 million copies worldwide. So you'd think a sequel would be a foregone conclusion, right? Not for Valve, which is a most beloved video game company that still draws the ire of fans when it comes to sequels. Two months ago, Chet Faliszek of Valve has this to say: "A 3? You know, some time down the road. Like anything, I would say that to all of our games. So that's not a promise of when or where."


Still, my hopes are high for Left 4 Dead 3. The first two games in the series are two of the best cooperative video game experiences ever made. It was a great pleasure playing through the campaign with contributors (and great friends) Kevin, Nick, and Rob.


3. Banjo-Tooie (2000)

So, this marks the third game on the list that involves Rare. Can you tell that I'm more than a little upset about their decline since 2002? During its N64 days Rare made many great titles, some of which used classic Nintendo characters, others that were entirely new IPs. One of the best and brightest of those new IPs was Banjo-Kazooie, a brilliant platform game that rivaled Super Mario 64 in terms of gameplay, depth, and variety. Two years later came Banjo-Tooie, a sequel that some argue surpassed its predecessor. The ending of Banjo-Tooie playfully teased a third entry, but nothing ever happened. Two games were released on the GBA -- a racing game and an interquel that bridged Kazooie and Tooie -- plus a new game on Xbox 360 with entirely new mechanics, but never a proper platforming sequel to Tooie.



2. Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II (2004)

Before August of this year, I would have said the likelihood of anyone ever playing Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance III was zero percent. But this summer Interplay resurrected Black Isle Studios -- the company responsible for the Dark Alliance series -- eight years after shutting its doors and effectively cancelling the planned sequel. Now there is a sliver of hope.


Dark Alliance and its sequel are action RPGs set in the "Forgotten Realms" setting of Dungeons & Dragons. The second Dark Alliance game, which features five new characters, continues the story from the first game, and ends with a cliffhanger ending that suggests a third game is on the way. Maybe some day.


1. Beyond Good & Evil (2003)

For nine years I've waited patiently for Beyond Good & Evil 2, the sequel to one of the very best games of the past decade. I've been teased and taunted by concept art, rumors, and videos. There is even an Amazon.com page for it, but of course there is nothing available to purchase. However, despite the years of waiting and frequent delays, BG&E2 is probably the game on this list most likely to actually get made.

Beyond Good & Evil (2003)

The game was first announced in 2008. It was due to be released on Xbox 360, and actually was a major factor in my decision to buy that system. Little did I know that the game would be postponed for so many months. In May of this year, Ubisoft designer Michel Ancel -- who created Beyond Good & Evil -- said this: "We are in an active creation stage and at this moment we are only focusing on the game and making it the best game that we can." So that's somewhat good news. But just last month, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stated that:
"What's very important is that Michel Ancel is kind of doing too many things at the same time. He was working on Rayman Origins last year, and he's working a lot on Rayman Legends this year. So, you know, when he does that, he kind of puts too much of his time on the other projects that he has. So the fact is that working on Legends is slowing the process on Beyond Good & Evil 2."
 So that's where we are now. Rayman Legends is due for Wii U February 26, 2013. Maybe Beyond Good & Evil 2 won't be far behind.

Concept art for Beyond Good & Evil 2.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Watch Nintendo Direct

Satoru Iwata in LEGO form to promote LEGO City Undercover.
It's a big day for Nintendo fans.

There are three Nintendo Direct broadcasts planned for today: Nintendo Direct Japan, Nintendo Direct US, and Nintendo Direct Europe. The US and Europe broadcasts are scheduled fro 9AM PST. The Japan Nintendo Direct began at 3AM PST, and has already ended.

The Japanese presentation included footage from titles that will be available at launch in Japan on December 8, including Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. High-profile games from 2013 were also on display: LEGO City Undercover, Pikmin 3, Wii Fit U, and Dragon Quest X.

In other news, Iwata revealed that Game And Wario will include 16 games, including one that features classic WarioWare micro-games. He also confirmed that New Super Mario Bros U will have its own Youtube channel so Nintendo can share hints and tricks with players.

Also: Wii U Panorama View has a Spring 2013 release date in Japan. It will be available for download on the Wii U eShop, and will be joined by a Google Maps application that allows players to to look around streets using the GamePad.



More details to come during and after the US and European Nintendo Direct broadcasts. All that is known so far is that Nintendo will be focusing on Wii U and 3DS games for the remainder of 2012 and the beginning of 2013.

NOA President Reggie Fils-Aime said in November that "I think we will continue to surprise the fans with announcements and information. I would not go so far as to say you know everything in our launch window."

***UPDATE***

Some news from Nintendo Direct US:

Fire Emblem for 3DS will release in NA on February 4, 2013.

Pikmin 3 (Wii U) and Luigi's Mansion (3DS) will arrive in Q2 2013.

Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayash announced two new characters will be introduced in the next few weeks for Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge as DLC. The characters are Kasumi from Dead or Alive and Momiji from Ninja Gaiden.

Nintendo also teased Brain Age: Concentration Training and a new game from the development team behind Pokemon called HarmoKnight.


American Nintendo Direct:


European Nintendo Direct:

Monday, December 3, 2012

Video Games at MoMA

It appears that not only the Smithsonian considers video games to be art.

Last week, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City brought fourteen video games into its permanent collection. As many as 40 video game may find a home in the halls of MoMA, but as of now the roster is limited to the following titles:
This initial group will be installed in the museum’s Philip Johnson Galleries in March 2013.

In a press release, MoMA states the following:
"Are video games art? They sure are, but they are also design, and a design approach is what we chose for this new foray into this universe. The games are selected as outstanding examples of interaction design—a field that MoMA has already explored and collected extensively, and one of the most important and oft-discussed expressions of contemporary design creativity. Our criteria, therefore, emphasize not only the visual quality and aesthetic experience of each game, but also the many other aspects—from the elegance of the code to the design of the player’s behavior—that pertain to interaction design. In order to develop an even stronger curatorial stance, over the past year and a half we have sought the advice of scholars, digital conservation and legal experts, historians, and critics, all of whom helped us refine not only the criteria and the wish list, but also the issues of acquisition, display, and conservation of digital artifacts that are made even more complex by the games’ interactive nature. This acquisition allows the Museum to study, preserve, and exhibit video games as part of its Architecture and Design collection."
Games MoMA would like to secure in the future include Spacewar! (1962), Pong (1972), Space Invaders (1978), Asteroids (1979), Zork (1979), Donkey Kong (1981), Super Mario Bros. (1985), The Legend of Zelda (1986), Street Fighter II (1991), Chrono Trigger (1995), Super Mario 64 (1996), Grim Fandango (1998), Animal Crossing (2001), and Minecraft (2011).

The MoMA collection follows a similar exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC.