J delves into the highly anticipated Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs. Will it live in the shadow of its predecessor or send J wee wee weeing all the way home?
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Beyond: Two Souls Review
It’s been three and a half years since the release of Heavy Rain, Quantic Dream’s murder
mystery experience on PS3. Since then, the company has been a go-to source for
the latest in emotional storytelling visuals, including last year’s tech demo Kara. It’s with much anticipation that
the company’s next game, Beyond: Two
Souls, is released. Is it truly the next evolution of interactive
storytelling, or has Quantic Dream pushed the medium in an undesirable
direction?
To get something out of the way right off the bat – yes,
this is a game. The discussion about whether experiences like Heavy Rain are games is one that’s been
done to death. Games as a medium have
been ever expanding in the roles they fill in our lives, their definitions being
rewritten and resembling something more like board games in which the medium is
no longer defined by the rules of its individual components. You can argue that
the experience doesn’t have much player interaction or is bogged down with
narrative, but that does not disqualify it as a game.
Story
Story is the main focus with this game, as it has been with
other Quantic Dream titles. This time we follow Jodie Holmes, a girl
gifted/cursed with the ever-looming presence of a spirit named Aiden. You
relive her life story in disjointedly through time, slowly piecing together her
sad life. Her journey from a little girl conflicted about what makes her
different to a woman who’s accepted and embraces it is as compelling as it is
interesting. Along the way, you find paternal figures in Dr. Nathan Dawkins and
Dr. Cole Freeman, researchers investigating paranormal happenings. Through the
course of your life, people come and go, but these two seem to be the pillars
of stability most children have when growing up. As we follow Jodie through her
disjointed life, piecing together the overwhelming tragedy and small victories
that lead her down a road of self-discovery, you become attached to both her
and her spirit partner Aiden.
![]() |
And here we have Aiden killing a guy. Neato. |
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Why is she not sunburnt if she's been walking in the desert for days? |
Narrative Choices
As with the previous title by Quantic Dream, your choices and
actions have an effect on the story, outcome of situations, and characters’
lives. This feeling of permanence and the importance of thinking things through
was pervasive in Heavy Rain and is
even more pronounced here. More
characters have their lives and wellbeing put into your hands and just as in
real life, though certain scenarios only seem to have one solution, creative
thinking and patience present you with new options if you’re willing to
explore. Though the perfectionist in me wants desperately to go back and change
things, like life, you must live with the choices you’ve made.
![]() |
You've got something on your face. Let me get it. |
Gameplay
![]() |
Homeless Jodie is my favorite. Her chapped lips are such a nice touch |
Verdict: For all
the critiques I’ve given the game, I still thoroughly enjoyed the ten hour experience
and was gripped by the story all the way through. If you love story driven
games, this one is for you. Even if the plot can get ridiculous at time, the
controls can feel sluggish, and the immersion is broken, not unlike Aiden,
Jodie’s always there to pull you back in.
Friday, October 18, 2013
October 2013 Podcast
Colby and Daniel discuss the recently released Pokemon X/Y, the sad news of Watch_Dogs being delayed, and the launch lineup for PS4 and Xbox One.
Subscribe to us on iTunes
Or download here directly
Subscribe to us on iTunes
Or download here directly
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Pokemon X/Y Review! An Old Formula - Remastered!
Pokemon is a 17-year old franchise, and flagship of Nintendo's first party titles, that has relied on the same formula since its inception. While the policy to "not fix what isn't broken" has certainly been successful for the Pokemon franchise, each new generation has brought with it new wishes from fans on how to make the Pokemon experience more personal, and how to improve the overall presentation. After 17 years, X and Y are now the quintessential and refined entries in the Pokemon franchise. Although the formula remains the same, this new experience is absolutely unparalleled.
AristoGamer October 2013 Podcast
The summer's dry spell of titles is almost complete! Today we'll be talking about
How to download and use Teamspeak
- New game announcements
- Watch_Dogs being delayed
- Launch titles for new consoles
- Pokemon X/Y
How to download and use Teamspeak
Date: Thursday, October 17
Time: 8:00pm Central Time
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
EB Expo 2013: Revitalizing the Australian Gaming Industry
Recently I had the pleasure of working and attending one of Australia’s largest gaming conventions. Though the great southern continent isn’t known for having a thriving gaming industry, the major gaming retailers are aiming to turn this around. EB Games is one of the leading retailers in games sales, and as such have taken it upon themselves to host what is known as the biggest gaming event in the southern hemisphere, being able to pull the interest of major games developers and publishers, while never forgetting the little guys and providing a hub for indie developers and smaller games companies to show off new and upcoming titles and talent.
Darth Aus and his force boomerang |
Dubbed the EB Expo, the event runs for three days in October providing gamers all around Australia to come and experience, test and witness the newest and upcoming titles and hardware for the year to come. This year, gamers were particularly blessed with being able to get their hands on the new generation consoles which are soon to be released in November. Major developers took advantage of this to show off new software running on the new consoles, opting to give players a chance to experience games like never before, and hinting a taste at what is to come.
But what kind of convention would this be without cosplay I hear you ask? Well, EB Expo also catered to our cosplaying friends by throwing a massive cosplay competition with prizes up for grabs for those who had the best voted costumes. As I worked the expo floor, I saw an assortment of Links, Mario’s and Assassin’s from all walks of life. They were all quirky and wonderful, bringing a much needed gaming atmosphere to what would essentially have been a hardware/software show and tell.
One of the truly amazing cosplays that walked past me |
There was an assortment of tournaments ranging from some of the best League of Legend players to Australia’s best World of Tank teams. There was so much to see, that even as a staff member I couldn’t fit it in one viewing session. Each year, the EB Expo gets larger, grander and encompasses more of the gaming industries facets and niches. It gives hope that the Australian industry isn’t quite dead or stifled. There is still growth in our industry, and these annual conventions helps to promote that growth and encourages it to flourish.
And now what we've all been waiting for. Charmander vs Squirtle in the ultimate pokemon showdown.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix Review
J takes the plunge reviews Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix. Will it please hardcore fans and newcomers alike, or is this an overmilked series?
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