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VIDEO GAME FEATURES

0  Why God of War 3 Doesn't Need Aggressive Marketing Tue, Mar 9th, 2010, 1:10 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA As we get closer to the release of God of War III, fans are eating up every bit of information they can get. The men and women at Sony are keeping a tight lid on this one however, with only the occasional trailer here, a screenshot there, and the unveiling of the box set for fans to chew on. That's exactly the way it should be. As a culture we tend to get a little obsessed with how much information we can learn before something even happens, and it's created a lot of false hopes and empty promises. God of War III is better off without it. More »

2  What Sony Could Offer In A Premium PSN Service Tue, Mar 2nd, 2010, 11:34 am (EST) BY ADAM MA There's been a bit of talk over the alleged leaked Premium Playstation Network features, and how much anyone would actually want to pay for those services. Some people are interested in possibly getting free games, PS1 Classics, and discounts to all content. Others would prefer the beta access, and supposed user-to-user challenges that allow a bit more customization. But in the end these features are just icing on a cake, and have little to do with what being online with a console is all about. Unlike Xbox owners most people feel that since Playstation 3 already offers free online services there's no reason for them to be charged for. Copying the things Xbox Live already does then offering a slew of useless additions won't help. If Sony really wants to start winning the console wars, then whoever is in charge of this Premium service outline need only look to a few simple things: More »

1  EA Takes Aim At Modern Warfare With Bad Company 2, Medal Of Honor Tue, Mar 2nd, 2010, 2:53 am (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS With the release of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 upon us, some have suggested that this game has the best chance of challenging Modern Warfare's position on top of first person shooters. This perception of direct competition is well founded, the DICE team has clearly gotten a lot of inspiration from Modern Warfare, while at the same time retaining the feel of a Battlefield game. This could potentially be a killer combination which publisher Electronic Arts seems ready to capitalize on. Bad Company combined with the Medal of Honor franchise are looking to dethrone Call of Duty as king of shooters, but will they be successful? More »

4  How Heavy Rain Succeeds Where Mass Effect 2 Failed Fri, Feb 26th, 2010, 7:29 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Mass Effect 2 was a game about choices. Yes, it did have aliens, a plot to shake the universe on its very foundation, sex sequences, and an epic soundtrack to tie it all together. But ultimately Mass Effect 2 completely hinged itself on the decisions commander Shepard made. The alliances you chose, the romances you engage in, and even your save file from the last game all played a role in shaping the storyline that unfolded till the very end. However, while Mass Effect 2 did keep many of its promises there was one really powerful storytelling element that was all but absent from the gameplay. Something that Playstation 3's exclusive Heavy Rain has in spades. Giving decisions to a player and then telling them that they will experience the full weight and consequences of their actions is a hefty promise to make. For a consequence to be experienced, the player needs to genuinely care about the characters. Mass Effect 2 never really gave me the chance to love my team. Sure I collected them, met them, learned about their hobbies and sexual preferences. In some ways I became attached, more for their combat usefulness than anything else though. The most interesting characters are received late in the game (Thane and Legion) and they aren't covered nearly enough, while the useless predictable eye candy hovered about for no particular reason at all (Miranda and Jacob). You learn about them through forced conversation that only sometimes seem to flow, and it's only through the game's cutscenes that characters really seem alive. More »

0  Hidden Gems: Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony Sat, Feb 20th, 2010, 12:47 pm (EST) BY COLIN Gaming Union's very on conscripted and self-proclaimed art director - that's me - is back with yet another hidden gem. Previously, I rambled on about a fun and addictive rhythm game for the PlayStation Portable known as DJ Max Portable. Now, from underneath the dusty rug, I bring to your attention Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony. More »

3  How Modern Warfare's Failures Contribute to FPS Gaming Thu, Feb 18th, 2010, 9:40 am (EST) BY ADAM MA It's hard to talk badly about a game that sold over 1 billion dollars worldwide, because it's clear that they've done something right. In this case that 'something' was Call of Duty 4, a game that set the stage for a whole new generation of shooting games. But now that Modern Warfare 2 is actually out, it's really hard to justify playing it still. Cheaters and exploiters are naturally rampant in almost every single game with a multiplayer component, but Modern Warfare 2 is absolutely out of control. So what do you do when cheaters ruin a poorly programmed game? Move on to another title, and hope its programmed better. Is it really a surprise to anyone that Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and Aliens vs Predator demos are doing so well? Aliens vs Predator might of had a lot of criticism surrounding its gameplay, but that didn't stop 14,000 people from trying it out over the span of a single weekend. Bad Company 2 squashes that by comparison, having been downloaded over 2 million times across Xbox Live and Playstation network, making it the most downloaded demo EA has ever released. More »

0  Shiren the Wanderer Brings Innovation To A Genre Sun, Feb 7th, 2010, 12:44 pm (EST) BY SHAWN In today's world, almost everyone has a passing knowledge of the various genres of video games, except for one in particular: roguelikes. This genre is known for many things, but accessibility is not one of them. So when Atlus announced Shiren the Wanderer for the Wii at E3 2009, many simply passed by the news and looked on to the myriad of other games present at the convention. Those people, however, should give the game a second look, as Shiren the Wanderer builds on the genre and advances it to a level where even players not accustomed to the genre can enjoy it. More »

1  In the Dante's Inferno vs. God of War Matchup, Pick Kratos for the Win Fri, Feb 5th, 2010, 6:11 pm (EST) BY JORDAN DOUGLAS Dante's Inferno, developed by Visceral Games and published by Electronic Arts, is about to hit store shelves. Ever since the game was revealed there has been endless comparisons to a little game everyone, who hasn't been living under a rock, has heard of, God of War. EA's Chief Executive Officer, John Riccitiello, has been clear that new IP, such as Dante's Inferno, are vital to the company's success. The question on everyone's mind remains, will Dante's Inferno be able to stand against the God of War III juggernaut? After playing both games' demos, it is by no means a stretch to call Dante's Inferno a God of War clone. The game is shameless in how blatantly it rips off God of War's controls, mechanics and atmosphere, however, this doesn't automatically mean the game is of a lesser caliber than God of War III. Dante's Inferno is actually quite solid and arguably the best God of War clone so far; the controls are tight, the graphics are generally crisp and the premise is intriguing. Granted, these are only impressions from demos of each game and a great deal can change when they hit retail, but judging from each studio's past work (Visceral with Dead Space and Sony Santa Monica with the previous God of War games), it's a safe bet to assume the final versions of each game will be high quality. More »

0  Can BioShock 2 Prevail Without Rapture's Creator? Wed, Feb 3rd, 2010, 11:04 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA With Bioshock 2 just around the corner it's hard not to imagine how well the game will live up to its predecessor. So much focus has gone into the creation of Rapture, the underwater utopia build on the sweat and blood of its citizens, and the state it exists in long after its rulers demise. What has become of the Splicers? What's the full story behind Big Sister? How much more punishment can Rapture take before falling apart? The main impression gamers have been given is that the city itself is the most important character, that the unfolding of its story is the driving point of Bioshock's single player campaign. But as a fan of the first game I remember things differently. So very different in fact, that I'm concerned about Bioshock 2 living up to the high standards that have been set by its predecessor. More »

2  The Last Story, Yet Another Final Fantasy? Sun, Jan 31st, 2010, 10:04 pm (EST) BY COLIN Just yesterday, Nintendo announced a new game to the world titled The Last Story. An RPG developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi and his studio, Mistwalker. Sakaguchi is mostly known for creating the popular Final Fantasy franchise but has since moved on to create other games, most notably for Microsoft's Xbox 360. The Last Story is his latest foray into the home console arena since the Lost Odyssey. What's most intriguing is the striking resemblance it bears to Final Fantasy, from the title to its logo and even the music. Will Mistwalker create yet another Final Fantasy or will they go on to create something new and refreshing? More »

1  Is Romance In Games Like Mass Effect Even Necessary? Mon, Jan 25th, 2010, 7:03 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Playing through a western RPG means that you'll be subjected to a lot of choices. Fallout, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, they all love to offer the player decisions that naturally have repercussions. From the group you assemble to the alliances you make, these decisions shape the very foundation of experience. Selecting a character that isn't good for the team may lead to some harder boss fights, and so on. But where does romance fit into all this? More »

	0  Persona 3 Portable To Redefine PSP Ports Sat, Jan 23rd, 2010, 10:56 pm (EST) BY SHAWN Anyone that has played Persona 3 can attest to the sheer length of the game, it's certainly not something that can be faulted as there is plenty of action, which is complimented by numerous cutscenes that come in both an animated and in-game format. More »

0  Hidden Gems: DJ Max Portable 2 Thu, Jan 21st, 2010, 12:46 pm (EST) BY COLIN One of the wonderful things about being isolated in a military camp in the middle of nowhere is that I get a lot of free time to just, well, do absolutely nothing. Of course that's just being inefficient, which is why I always keep my PSP close at hand. Doing so allows me to enjoy a myriad of portable wonders five days a week and one of those wonders includes a humble rhythm game known as DJ Max Portable 2. More »

2  Defining Immersion: The Fighting Genre Tue, Jan 19th, 2010, 9:24 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA How to properly capture and engage the average gamer is something that companies have been struggling with for a very long time. As tastes between individuals vary greatly, it's natural that each and every person will define immersion differently. Gaming Union covered a keynote speech by Yannis Mallat at DIG London 2009, in which he described how Ubisoft tests to ensure their games thoroughly have the ability to capture an audience before moving into full development. However even once a game has a core mechanic down that doesn't mean it'll be an inherent success. More »

	0  Can Knights In The Nightmare Really Work On PSP? Wed, Jan 13th, 2010, 7:07 pm (EST) BY SHAWN In the latest issue of Famitsu, it was revealed that Sting would be releasing a PlayStation Portable port of Knights in the Nightmare, which was released in North America by Atlus last June on the Nintendo DS. More »

2  Film the Future of Ubisoft? Tue, Dec 1st, 2009, 8:44 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA During a keynote presentation at DIG London 2009- a video game developers conference in London, Ontario - Yannis Mallat gave an inside look at the inner workings of Ubisoft Montreal.  The speech covered both the past and the future of the gaming company, and how they will continue to shape the industry, but one point in particular went towards how Ubisoft may be shaping the future of film as well.  Using Assassins Creed: Lineage as the flagship for their success Mallat spoke of the breakthrough of convergence - the next step in reaching a truly immerse gaming experience. More »

1  Ubisoft: Defining a Breakthrough Thu, Nov 26th, 2009, 9:13 pm (EST) BY ADAM MA Speaking to an audience of game enthusiasts and aspiring developers at DIG London - a video game developers conference in London, Ontario - Yannis Mallat, CEO of Ubisoft Montreal, painted a picture for global success in the gaming industry. Citing the 'Production Pipeline' as the backbone of the creative structure, the audience was taken through a series of Ubisoft's more groundbreaking games. Highlighting how "Ubisoft has been driven by high-risk but high reward decisions, innovation, and a desire to be creative" the pipeline is a precise guide to the methods of Ubisoft's game development. More »

	0  How Fighting Fantasy's Graphics Dazzle on DS Posted on 2009/11/20 BY KYLE WYNEN Randy Van Der Vlag is the Lead Artist on Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain for the DS, and in a presentation at the Montreal International Game Summit on Tuesday, spoke about how developer Big Blue Bubble pulled off, in this editor's opinion, some of the best visuals on the DS. More »

0  How Valve Has the Best Platform Posted on 2009/11/20 BY JAMIE COURTS At the Montreal International Game Summit, Jason Holtman, the director of business development from Valve, spoke in a conference about how the online distribution service of Steam has worked over the last couple of years, and sent a warning to the rest of the industry of how change is required to suit an ever demanding public. More »

2  Assassin's Creed 2 Can Stand Against Modern Warfare 2 Posted on 2009/10/16 BY DARRYL When Assassin's Creed was released in 2007 it instantly smashed records. After gaining the title of 'fastest selling new franchise ever to be released in North America' it then went on to sell around 8 million units worldwide on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It'd certainly be an understatement to say this surprised people, especially because of its love-hate relationship with the gaming media. For all those that loved the game, there were also those who honestly couldn't understand why it was receiving any praise. Time has passed since then, and although the original still continues to sell, its successor is just around the corner in the form of Assassin's Creed II (More »