2009.02.28
I played flOw two years ago when it first came out. It was a fun little title for the Playstation 3 that actually made decent use of the typically gimmicky six-axis tilt controller, but it was nothing groundbreaking. So, when I heard that Thatgamecompany was making a spiritual sequel called Flower, I thought it sounded interesting, but I admittedly didn’t take much notice because I expected it to be much like flOw but with a different skin.
Holy crap, was I wrong. I heard Lee talking positively about it on our own Megaphones Ahoy! Podcast so I decided to give it a shot, and downloaded it onto my friend’s PS3. I only planned to play the game for a few minutes and my friend decided to casually watch me try it out.
Just beautiful.
Three hours later, he and I had finished the game after an incredible arc of intense emotions. Flower is perhaps the most riveting game I have played since
Shadow of the Colossus (which came out four years ago). Its immersive and simple concept tells the story of the beautiful, varied, and powerful dreams six flowers conjure on a drab city windowsill.
Although it’s possible to plow through the game in the same amount of time it would take to watch a movie, Flower doesn’t impose any time limits on you, and you can (and will definitely want to) take your time to soak in the gorgeous environments.
I encourage anybody with access to a PS3 to play one of the best games in years all the way to the appropriate and incredibly satisfying ending. This is why games are made.
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Editorials | Tagged: Flower, PS3, Thatgamecompany | 
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Posted by Ethos
2009.02.26
To think that it was some fifteen years ago that I first started playing Street Fighter 2 Turbo on the newly released Super Nintendo console! It would be some time before I found a fighter that could keep my attention like that game. It might not be such a shock to find that the game which could was a Street Fighter with the number IV.
Street Fighter IV is shining example of how a game can be made in 2009 whilst remaining true to the original game play style. The game also brings a lot of new ideas to the table and remains very true to the game released fifteen years ago. It brings in a few new mechanics that only enhance the game and make it even deeper than it already was.. The exciting thing about these newer mechanics is that while they are present, they are not needed to have a lot of fun. The game contains twenty-five fighters in total with a few to unlock along the way. Classic characters such as Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li and Blanka are here, along with new characters which players will soon learn to fight with, learning the skills needed to fight against them.
Ryu about to unleash an ultra.
I hope to have a review done very soon. This is meant as a quick heads-up on what the game has made me feel so far. I have played the game for a total of nine hours, played online in a total of ninety-six games, and unlocked all but two of the characters. I would like to think that I will be playing this game for a long time to come.
I do have some complaints against the game. The final boss, Seth, is an example of how it is possible for developers to make you feel cheated when playing a game. Seth is just random and broken, in that no pattern exists in what he does. On very easy he can beat the player within fifteen seconds; the next time he is fought on hard he can be taken down in fifteen seconds. This pattern repeats. As of yet, I have found no sure way to beat him with ease. I hope this skill will come with time.
Look forward to a review soon. For other thoughts of mine on the game, listen to episode two of the Megaphones Ahoy! Podcast.
7 Comments | Editorials | Tagged: PS3, Street Fighter IV, XBox 360 | Permalink
Posted by Lee
2009.02.25
Bethesda aims to please players of Fallout 3 with their newest downloadable content package titled Operation: Anchorage available exclusively for the XBox 360.
The additional content allows players to enter a virtual reality simulator, essentially a video game inside a video game, that recreates the epic liberation of Anchorage, Alaska from its Chinese Communist invaders before the apocalypse-causing nuclear bombs were dropped.
The first thing the player will notice is how big a change the gameplay in the expansion is versus the normal game. A majority of Fallout 3 has the player scavenging in desks, cabinets, and various other places for any ammo or health items he or she can find, but none of this is necessary with the ammo and health stations located around the simulator. All the player has to do is activate one and completely refill his or her health bar or ammo supply. These stations make the simulator feel more like a first person shooter, with the player taking no heed to the ammo supply, than the rest of the game. The simulation really does play like a video game, complete with 10 semi-hidden briefcases of intel items the player can collect to unlock a special perk that adds an additional point to each skill.
However, there are cons to having the sim feel like a video game. Part of the fun of Fallout 3 is to walk around the wasteland and constantly be on the lookout for a group of enemies to appear over the horizon. The enemies in the expansion have attack patterns that seem to follow a set track, which may cause unwanted monotony for repeat players. Another part of the fun of the original game are the karma-based choices the player can make throughout the game, which are lacking in the simulation. The player still has dialogue choices he or she can make, but these choices have almost no effect on the world and characters around you.
Overall the DLC is a great addition to the Fallout 3 world, adding two to three hours of gameplay. It shows the player a different time before the bombs were dropped, when civilization was in working order. The expansion also adds a few new items the player can use in his or her story, including a suit of original power armor that never degrades and an electricity-charged sword which can reduce enemies to ash. For 800 Microsoft points, roughly 10 USD, the DLC is definitely worth a buy for any fan of the game.
9 Comments | Reviews | Tagged: Bethesda, Fallout, Fallout 3, Operation Anchorage, XBox 360 | Permalink
Posted by Bup
2009.02.24
These days, I do the majority of my gaming on the go. Whether I am sitting around waiting for my next class to start or wasting time while my Grandfather watches the news, my handheld systems are a constant companion. Enter the DS and PSP. I have always been torn between the two systems. What if something should happen and I was forced to give up one or the other? Which system would I choose?
Thea's on-the-go essentials.
On the one hand, the PSP seems to have more memorable titles: Final Fantasy I & II, Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea, Crisis Core, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth and so on. These titles alone are what finally convinced me to invest in the system and so far I have not been disappointed. However, the downside to many of the games I have encountered on the PSP is that it takes a lot of time to accomplish anything. These are not titles that I can play for five minutes and feel I have completed something. These are titles that make me want to curl up in a comfortable chair when I have hours of time to devote to characters, pretty graphics, and complicated storylines.
This is where the DS comes into play. More often than not, if I feel the need to play a game for a few minutes I reach for my DS. The DS has a variety of games that do not require hours of my time, such as Pokemon, Tetris, Meteos, Super Princess Peach, and the Castlevania titles. At the same time, if I want to engross myself within an RPG I can pick up Final Fantasy III or IV. At a glance, it seems the DS has the upper hand. However, the titles on the DS have disappointed me more than once. The only stylus-based game I have enjoyed is Meteos, the rest just feel gimmicky, as if the stylus features were tacked on at the last minute to boost sales (Look this game has stylus features!). In addition to this, I was disappointed by the 3D rendering of Final Fantasy IV and found that I would much prefer to play the GBA version. Yet, I would still be hard-pressed to part with my DS, especially with the upcoming Valkyrie Profile release!
In the end, I fear I have not been able to decide which system I like better. The only thing the two seem to have in common is that they are both handheld devices that I can slide in my purse on the way out the door. So, readers, what do you think? DS or PSP?
11 Comments | Editorials | Tagged: DS, PSP | Permalink
Posted by Thea
2009.02.24
As promised, the Megaphones Ahoy! Podcast (MAP) has been restored on the iTunes store. Users with iTunes can access the store link by clicking here.
The MAP is marked explicit as it may contain occasional profanity. I could bleep it all out using an amusing collection of sound effects, but I am far too lazy to be bothered. As such, listeners can experience the MAP in all of its R-rated uncut glory.
As always, let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or topics you want covered!
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Posted by Lusipurr
2009.02.24
Lee Gordon, our British Webmaster, has completed migrating, arranging, coding, and typing with the result that we are now officially Lusipurr.com. Unfortunately, the process involved changing our feed URL. The upshot of this is that any former subscribers must resubscribe. Additionally, the iTunes link is similarly updated. The former link to the MAP on iTunes will be pulled and replaced with a new permanently functional link, probably within forty-eight hours. Once the process is complete, it will be announced here and the podcast link in the sidebar will be restored.
We realise that having to resubscribe is an inconvenience, but it is a necessary one which will allow us to better manage the site when we move to new hosting later in the year. Please take a few minutes to update your RSS feed to point to the new location and rest assured that you can look forward to loads of irreverent (and irrelevant) news and discussion for months and years to come.
Thank you for reading and supporting Lusipurr’s Megaphones Ahoy!
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Posted by Lusipurr
2009.02.21
2009 for gaming is a bit of a mystery so far.
Will we find out about Team ICO’s next project? We’re promised to NOT get ready for Final Fantasy XIII this year. Nintendo is even more quiet than usual which makes me both excited and nervous for their E3 presentation.
So while I catch up on all the 360 games I wasn’t able to play since I just bought the console recently, I’m going to instead rant briefly about music.
Specifically I’m going to rant about music that is so close to being fantastic but makes minor, but crucial, errors.
In fact, today I’m going to be even more specific and rant about two songs that fade out.
Fading out is possibly the most lazy technique used in modern music save for changing keys to make the last chorus “more interesting”.
I can’t possibly imagine a scenario in which fading out actually benefits a song. I just can’t picture a band really sitting down and deciding “well yes, the way to end this song in the best way possible is to fade out”.
No.
It’s lazy.
It makes me so pissed off, in fact, that some songs that would otherwise be among my favourites have become a source of severe bitterness. Here are the two examples:
1. So Long Mrs. Smith – Matthew Good Band (Raygun)
This is a hidden gem on Matt Good’s most available EP. It’s simple and powerful; really the stuff that defines the guy. It’s not very long, but that’s okay, it’s far more frustrating that the song goes into a beautiful acoustic solo and then decides to fade out
…right in the middle of it
…while the solo is still going strong.
Matt’s usually so good with never, ever fading out, that this just confuses me. Perhaps because it was on an EP, he didn’t think the song was actually as good as it is? Either way: no excuse.
2. Perfect Symmetry - Keane (Perfect Symmetry)
So you kids are more likely able to relate to this song just they’re just not popular in Canada. Keane’s newest album has some hits and some misses, but the biggest mix of both is the title track. It’s a powerful, sprawling epic that I may have labelled their best song in their three album career; except they decided that they wrote enough different parts of the song, and so they just fade it out at the end.
IT MAKES NO SENSE.
This song has been called Keane’s Bohemian Rhapsody, which isn’t exactly true in its own right, but it would be a lot more understandable if Keane had thought of a way to tie up their song in the same thoughtful and emotional weighted way that Queen did. But Queen didn’t fade out Bohemian Rhapsody.
Imagine?
“Just wanna get out, just wanna get right out of here”, and then the song slowly fades out during the instrumental that follows. It didn’t happen because Queen wouldn’t make such a musically retarded decision for such an important song.
What a bloody waste, Keane.
So that’s my rant.
What do you think? Do you not mind when a song fades out? Do you know/like/hate any of Keane, Matthew Good, or Queen?
That’s what the comments are for.
Ethan’s Link of the Week (Music): Listen to Lorene
4 Comments | Editorials | Tagged: Keane, Matthew Good Band | Permalink
Posted by Ethos
2009.02.16
What ho!
Last but not least, I’m Shawn ‘Lusipurr’ Cooper. You may be familiar with my ‘work’ from RPGamer, where I served as Q&Abuse correspondent and Head of Interaction until October of 2008. I was also frequently heard on their RPGcast podcast, where I spent many a happy afternoon rubbishing Fable into the ground.
My non-gaming interests lie in classical music, English poetry and literature, and history. Within the realm of gaming, you can expect me to focus on RPGs, puzzle games, and platformers. I’m not averse to a little first-person shooter action, either. I own several consoles: Atari 7800, NES, SNES, Wii, DS, PS2, PS3, and a PSP, though of late I have spent a lot of time in Final Fantasy XI, Team Fortress 2, and StarCraft–all of which I play on the PC–in my case, a MacBook Pro.
A list of favourites is too difficult to compose, but some of my favourite games are Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy Tactics, Metroid, Castlevania III, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
You can expect me to post at least once a week on Mondays for the Megaphones Ahoy! Podcast (MAP), for any weekly piece I may have time to write beyond the podcast editing, and for any important news releases or site announcements!
{See you again!}
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Posted by Lusipurr
2009.02.16
Hello world!
I’m Ashley, although I’d much prefer Thea. There are far too many more memorable Ashleys in this world. Why am I here? I bribed my way with promises of halfway decent writing, German chocolate cupcakes, and a puppy-dog face that no one, not even Shawn, can resist.
Ah, but seriously, I enjoy games. For the most part, my gaming experiences are limited to RPGs and anything with brightly flashing colors and cute characters. I’ve also been known to play a little World of Warcraft every now and again. What can you expect from me? I will be writing about anything that catches my fancy– games I’m working on, music I stumble across, interesting technoligical tidbits, and so forth. Don’t expect anything up-to-date from this one; I’m usually a few months behind everyone else.
I’m going to break the mold and not list my favorite games (mostly because I can’t think of 5). My favorite game is Valkyrie Profile, with Pokemon a close second. Other games I’ve enjoyed are Eternal Sonata, Meteos, Super Princess Peach, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, and LittleBigPlanet.
Look forward to hearing from me on Tuesdays!
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Posted by Thea
