CRYSIS 3
The path of the super soldier has been well-worn by gamers, especially given that the vast majority of video games are specifically designed to make you feel like a gun-toting god. It’s not like there’s an abundance of first-person accounting games, or massively multiplayer online shelf-stocking simulators (MMOSSSs). Game makers know that there’s an overwhelming majority of gamers out there who play video games for one reason and one reason alone: to forget about their lousy day at the office and step out in the oversized shoes of an almighty bad-arse for the evening.
Consequently, it’s rare that we’re actually able to empathise with the protagonists in the first-person shooter genre. It’s somewhat impossible to relate to someone who murders so many so often, and shrugs off repeated gunshot wounds as though they were no more irritating than day-old sunburn. The previous games in the Crysis series have been particularly guilty of this – they’ve each strapped you up in an exceedingly well-armoured and cloak-equipped Nanosuit and sent you out to leave no guard un-murdered in your pursuit of... something something the fate of the universe. They've certainly been fun, but rarely has there felt like any real purpose behind all of that ultra violent enemy punishment.
Consequently, it’s rare that we’re actually able to empathise with the protagonists in the first-person shooter genre. It’s somewhat impossible to relate to someone who murders so many so often, and shrugs off repeated gunshot wounds as though they were no more irritating than day-old sunburn. The previous games in the Crysis series have been particularly guilty of this – they’ve each strapped you up in an exceedingly well-armoured and cloak-equipped Nanosuit and sent you out to leave no guard un-murdered in your pursuit of... something something the fate of the universe. They've certainly been fun, but rarely has there felt like any real purpose behind all of that ultra violent enemy punishment.
So the biggest surprise that hits when you first sit down to playCrysis 3 is the noticeable leap in quality displayed by its story and characters. It’s clear that this is an area that Crytek has largely directed its focus, and perhaps why the core gameplay experience hasn’t really changed too dramatically from Crysis 2.Crysis 3 roots its narrative in a fight against the oppressive CELL Corporation and the pursuit of the alien Alpha Ceph, but the story is propelled along by the relationship between protagonist Prophet and his sidekick Michael ‘Psycho’ Sykes. One is desperate to cling to his last traces of humanity, the other, newly stripped of his Nanosuit and tortured by CELL, is struggling to come to terms with his own mortality.
Even if you do have to repeat sections, at least you’ll be enjoying the view. Crysis 3 is set in a dilapidated New York City, reclaimed by nature, and it's been brought to life with quite a staggering amount of detail. When the gates open and you first set foot inside the Liberty Dome setting you’ll likely pause a moment just to take it all in. Gorgeous lighting, vegetation rendered down to individual blades of grass and levels with towering verticality; it’s a clash of jungle and shattered urban architecture that results in a game world genuinely like no other. Crysis 3 was always likely to be an impressive technical achievement, but the artistic quality of its design shouldn’t be overlooked.
As has become par for the franchise, Crysis 3 is an experience best enjoyed in the single-player campaign, but that’s not to say that the multiplayer component is in anyway poor. Once again outsourced to Crytek UK (the studio formerly known as Free Radical Design), the online side of things does a commendable job of appropriating the Call of Duty class/load-out/perk systems, but works best in the modes that leverage the Nanosuit powers. This is particularly exemplified by the new Hunter mode, which pits two cloaked hunters against a team of CELL troopers. Each trooper killed switches sides and becomes a hunter, until there’s one trooper left to nervously twitch and shoot at shadows. It’s genuinely intense stuff, and well worth investigating once you’ve polished off the campaign.y of its design shouldn’t be overlooked.
In preparation for this review we tested the game on a high end PC, a PS3 and a 360. Naturally the PC version (our test machine was packing two AMD Radeon HD 7970 graphics cards) was the visually superior of the three, thanks to its higher definition, better lighting and textures and all manner of other fog effects and shading employed on the highest graphics settings. Having said that, the console versions are still able to hold their own. We expected the six and seven year old circuitry in our PS3 and Xbox 360 to boil into a puddle of silicon soup as soon as we slipped the disc in the tray, but as it turns out Crysis 3 runs well and looks fantastic no matter which platform you pick it up for.
CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 2
If you’ve longed for a proper first-person shooter on Vita, one that makes excellent use of its unique capabilities and second analog stick, you’ll be sorely disappointed with Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified. Declassified’s clumsy controls exacerbate the frustration that comes from playing poorly designed single and multiplayer levels, while the horrible AI and lack of polish makes it feel like it was rushed out the door. No, this is not the Call of Duty you’ve been waiting for; it’s one you definitely need to avoid.
For all the criticisms leveled against the Call of Duty franchise, one thing that’s been pretty much untouchable when it comes to the console and PC versions is the responsiveness and precision of its controls. Declassified, however, doesn’t meet the mark. The controls feel floaty and the unchangeable aim acceleration made me constantly overshoot targets when trying to do small aim adjustments. The on-screen touch controls also function poorly, and I regularly hit them unintentionally simply because they’re either placed too close to one another or to the thumbsticks. This isn’t a matter of having to learn a new control system, it’s just unwieldy and aggravating to use.
Multiplayer on the go should have been the reason for Declassified to exist, but it stumbles at almost every turn. First, the good: the menus look like the console Call of Duty titles, and I dig how Declassified manages to bring slightly less feature rich takes on custom classes and other multiplayer staples to the Vita. Things swiftly fall apart after you get into a match, though, with bugs that include players appearing mid-air and terrible spawn issues that make you start right in front of enemies. A small number of maps can work if they’re great, but all of Declassified’s feel tiny even with 8 players.
The few included modes would be enough for me if Declassified’s multiplayer was fun, but the poor controls make just getting through a match a lesson in patience. It’s one thing to lose because you’re outclassed by your competition, but another to fail because you accidentally slash the air when trying to call in a Killstreak, or you swing your weapon past your intended target because the aiming just doesn’t feel right.
HALO 4
As usual, of course, the fate of the universe rests on Master Chief’s long-dormant shoulders – the green-armored super-soldier has been on ice aboard the Forward Unto Dawn since Halo 3 faded to black five years ago – but this time our hero bears an even greater burden.
Saving humanity is the easy part. In Halo 4, his more difficult task is rescuing Cortana from herself. She is slipping into rampancy – a condition that plagues all UNSC AI constructs after they’ve been in service more than seven years. As their knowledge base expands, they eventually, as Cortana explains, think themselves to death. And that’s the unexpected heart ofHalo 4’s greatness. The plot delves deeper into John’s humanity than ever before, but Halo 4 is more about Cortana and the fight for her own – ironically enough – humanity.
Of course, gorgeous graphics are only one responsibility a console’s killer app must bear. Perhaps equal to Halo 4’s monitor-melting visuals is its bar-none, best-in-class sound design. If you think you’ve heard Halo, check your ears and listen again. Nary a gunshot, MJOLNIR boot clank, or Covenant Elite’s “Wort wort wort” passes through your speakers without a significant, authoritative overhaul that lends an aggressive, testosterone-inducing punch to Halo 4’s combat.
Few game series are known as much for their music as Halo, and thus much has been made of British electronica producer Neil Davidge taking over for the beloved Bungie incumbent, Marty O’Donnell. It’s a bold shift – and probably wise of 343 to go in a tonally different direction rather than attempt to emulate O’Donnell – but the results are mixed. The trademark monk chants are gone, and Davidge’s moody tunes are complementary rather than additive. The new tracks simply aren’t memorable and never elevate the action happening on the screen the way that O’Donnell’s bombastic scores did, though this may be intentional, as Davidge’s compositions are decidedly atmospheric.
DEAD SPACE 3
I’m low on ammo and health when the attack comes but I’m not alone. Backed into a corner, my partner and I improvise. Every second counts as we systematically dismember the Necromorph front line, using our Jedi-like kinesis to impale enemies with their own torn off limbs. We stomp their corpses, loot the precious resources, and quickly reload in preparation for the next wave.
It’s in frantic moments like this that Dead Space 3 truly shines - its superb combat and addictive new collection and upgrade system brought to life by the game’s crackling production design. The same can’t be said about the frequent errand-running, poor story and overwhelming sense of deja vu that marks much of the 19 chapter adventure. Dead Space 3consequently becomes caught in the dissonance of the extreme glory of its combat and presentation, and the pervasive tedium of almost everything else it does. Despite its problems, one fact remains: I can’t stop playing it. Allow me to explain.
Dead Space 3 follows the galaxy’s unluckiest engineer, Isaac Clarke, as he takes up the fight to protect the human race from the mysterious Markers and its Necrospawn. This begins with Isaac heading off to rescue Ellie, his missing girlfriend who returns from Dead Space 2 with barely a mention about her missing eye (or busty chest makeover). Isaac is joined by John Carver, the first playable co-op character in the series.
Combat reigns supreme in Dead Space 3 - physical, viscous, feral combat. The dismemberment mechanic is the equivalent of Dead Space’s headshot. Severing enemy appendages slows them down and kills them faster than a bullet to the brainpan. Other tools like the slow-mo inducing stasis and gravity-manipulating kinesis put a fresh spin on typical shooter fare. Even if you played the first two games, Dead Space 3’s combat is still some of the most unique and satisfying of this console generation.
The new weapon crafting and upgrading systems really adds to the combat experience. You’re constantly on the hunt for materials and resources to build a new weapon, to modify a favorite stand-by, or tune-up the performance of your RIG suit, but everything comes at a cost. Do you craft a Tungsten Torque Bar to access locked rooms (answer: YES) or do you make an Acid Bath modification for your Ripper blade (answer: DOUBLE YES)? Do you upgrade the hit points on your RIG or do you craft a surplus of med packs and stasis kits? This makes for tough decisions and creates a terrific tension all its own.
This makes it appear that Visceral had nothing really new of substance to say. Isaac is a broken shell of his former self, and as a result he's flat throughout the majority of the game with very little arc. And instead of some of the clever subversive gameplay we saw in Dead Space 2, like the straightjacket intro or the grueling eyeball needle sequences, we’re instead treated to a bunch of middling mini-games and fetch quests. Other nagging issues include a reoccurring boss fight with a creature you must face three separate times, a terrible fight against an angry drill, and a truly generic final boss fight that makes the giant Terminator encounter from Mass Effect 2’s finale feel fresh. Considering the elegance and sophistication of the world, combat and upgrade design, it’s a shame everything else seems so ho-hum.
FARCRY 3
Jason Brody cries out in horror the first time he watches his brother murder a man. When the sibling kills again, there’s a vulnerable tremble to Jason’s whimpering whisper. “I can’t do this, Grant.”
Shortly afterward, in a moment of panicked self-defense, Jason rams a machete through an attacker’s throat.
The many secrets hidden in its gigantic, open world aren’t arbitrary video game collectibles. Lost letters from World War II detail past struggles on Rook Island. Stray memory cards detail the depravity of its drug operations. Disregard the first-person shooter veneer – yes, this is a violent action game, but that’s a small slice of a grand adventure. There’s a history to Rook Island that bolsters the astonishing sense of place established by the captivating culture and scenery. You’ll explore ancient underground ruins, walk among the locals, and buddy up with the leaders of the native Rakyat tribe. It’s this allegiance that puts Brody on his dark path.The Rakyat can give Jason the power he needs to save his friends, brother, and girlfriend.
This is where Far Cry 3’s character progression comes in. The more brutally and often he kills, the more experience Brody earns to become a better murderer. Before long, the man who couldn’t handle the sight of blood learns to chain vicious machete executions, fire pistols from ziplines, and throw knives into eyeballs from 20 meters out. Fear disappears. Jason starts enjoying the slaughter.
Multiplayer, on the other hand, retains very little of what makes Far Cry 3’s single-player campaign special. The combat is still fast and engaging, but it’s less tactical with fewer attack opportunities. Maps are cluttered and often confusing, too, so navigating to the next objective can be challenging. Taking over control points in the adversarial modes ends up as aggressive games of tug-of-war that any shooter vet is more than familiar with.
The competitive incentives function much like Far Cry’s contemporaries, too, with weapons and attachments unlocking with each level-up. This speaks to the multiplayer’s overall ambition: It’s serviceable, but is afraid to do anything other than explore old territory. The extensive map editor, which allows for terrain deformation, the addition of wildlife (including sharks that swim on land, angry tigers), and custom-created objects, presents the chance to make something better.
The cooperative mode shares the predictable progression system, but compensates with a character-driven side-story campaign focusing on entertaining moments rather than depth. Those characters are as uneven as the co-op design, though. Mikhail the Russian and Callum the Scot are funny dudes whose one-liners make them feel like unlikely action heroes. Their partners, on the other hand, are obnoxious, annoying clichés who feel like they just learned about profanity.
Co-op leaves the open world behind in favor of linear levels with branching paths – with three or four players, taking advantage of high ground and flanking positions gives your team an incredible sense of empowerment. With just two, it becomes a frustrating grind. Enemies don’t scale, and the missions are specifically designed for four people. You’ll need a full crew to protect bomb-carriers while blowing up bridges or guarding vehicles from enemy waves. At times, it feels like a mindless shooter with senseless direction, but there are brief bursts of friendly fun in blowing up walls, driving quads, and wiping out hundreds of enemies.
Both online modes feel superfluous and out of place, but neither is bad. Both serve a purpose for a certain crowd, but the kind of person who connects with Jason Brody’s story likely won’t fall for simple co-op and a forced-but-functional competitive side.
BIOSHOCK INFINITE
BioShock Infinite aims so damn high – fittingly, since its alternate-reality 1912 city of Columbia literally floats atop clouds – that it’s a wonder it successfully hits any of its lofty goals at all. But it does hit them, again and again. A stunning original world of retro-sci-fi technology and gorgeous scenery. A cast of fully fleshed-out, memorable characters who deliver real emotional impact. A great villain and a greater monster. New and thrilling ways of traveling and changing the world around you. A story twist most people won't see coming. Even when it does occasionally miss, another hit follows so quickly that the stumble almost feels like a setup to increase the effect. Infinite comes through as a true, worthy follow-up to BioShock, one of the most-renowned shooters of this generation. In my book, it becomes one itself.
Irrational Games – a studio that’s made a name for itself in eschewing predictability and is known for pathological cybervillains and brutish Big Daddies who earned our sympathy in their staunch protection of Little Sisters – somehow makes a city built on the clouds seem plausible. It's a place that feels alive. Townsfolk bustle in the plaza streets, birds flit about almost everywhere, and propaganda extols the local prophet's racist, ultra-nationalist beliefs. Columbia has its own history and hierarchy, to a degree that most shooters – or games of any genre, for that matter – can’t even aspire. It's created using a vibrant color palette and a unified vision of a twisted, jingoistic take on America. Simultaneously, no two of its many diverse areas ever feel alike. All these elements give this fantastical city a sterling sense of genuine place.
In firefights, that means you might have the choice to teleport in any one of a flying gun turret, a wall of cover, a powerful weapon, or a stash of medkits. It’s yet another option that'll affect how the fight plays out in a big way – a layer that makes Infinite’s combat so refreshingly nimble. The guns may not be wholly original, and the vigors may be familiar, but in concert with the Elizabeth wildcard and the open, large-scale play spaces, Infinite offers tangible, meaningful choices in each encounter.
Elizabeth herself, in fact, plays a central role in BioShock Infinite’s story, and in the moment-to-moment experience. Once she’d established herself at my side, any period of separation was noticeable. Not only does the action revert to feeling very much like BioShock 1, but it made me feel as if something was genuinely missing: emotional depth. Over our time together, Elizabeth's expressive performances elicited everything from sympathy to fear and even guilt. She provides motivation and moves the story forward, and like the clear bond the Big Daddies and Little Sisters had in the first game, I was compelled to protect her. And from a purely mechanical perspective, it’s a half-miracle that she never gets in the way – but she doesn't. What's great about Elizabeth is that her presence always adds something, and never takes anything away.
Booker and Elizabeth have a strong supporting cast to work with as well. Almost from the moment Booker arrives on Columbia he's antagonized by Zachary Comstock, aka “The Prophet,” who makes for an easily hateable villain both for his morally reprehensible views on race and for his oddly personal verbal attacks towards Booker over loudspeakers and other communiques. His level of evil and the ways in which he harasses you indirectly are something of a cross between the sadism of System Shock 2’s SHODAN and the manipulation imposed by BioShock’s Andrew Ryan.
Meanwhile, Booker’s most physically imposing opponent is the Songbird, the gigantic robo-fowl assigned to "protect" Elizabeth in a tower, Rapunzel-style. He is constantly in your rearview mirror, as it were, ominously threatening you each time he appears and giving chase in exhilarating running sequences. I wish he'd shown up more often, really – among all the players in Infinite, his is the arc that feels the least developed. That’s not to say his story isn’t satisfying, just that I was left wanting more.