Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=608https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3150GAMEPLAY Going into the second hour, I managed to gain my Devil Trigger ability which lets me gives a boost in attack power and speed for a limited time. I can also grab multiple enemies if they are grouped with the Devil Bringer while in Devil Trigger form. It basically works very similar to Dante's Devil Trigger from the other games. From what I've played so far, the Devil Bringer is a pretty cool addition to the gameplay element. It makes the pace even faster than before and is a really useful tool for stunning enemies out of their attacks. I was a little skeptical of how it would work it out, considering that players have been playing as Dante for the past three games, but I've actually grown attached to it as well as the new character Nero. DESIGN As I stated before, the backgrounds and characters are gorgeous. Levels, although extremely linear, are very well designed. Everything in the game has a very dark Gothic tone and feel to it. You spend most of your time without any sunlight which also adds to the tone. As for gameplay, players need to be fast and have some good reflexes if they want to build up their ranks in order to get more orbs and proud souls. Unfortunately, this game has some issues that could have been easily solved. The first problem is the camera. Although you are able to control it at certain times, it is mostly fixed at a certain point in a room. This leads to some disorientation and confusion, especially when you're running in one direction and the view suddenly changes and you end up running the wrong way. This was also an issue in the previous Devil May Crys which apparently hasn't been fixed. It would have been a lot better if the camera was focused behind the back of the character with the player having the ability to freely control it, like in 3rd person shooters. Another problem is the difficulty. After complaints of the previous game being too hard, Capcom decided to dumb down the game and made it incredibly easy. Enemy AI isn't all that aggressive and enemies usually wait around before attacking. It's a especially easier with the addition of Nero's Devil Bringer since you can snatch enemies out of their attack animations and deal a lot of damage with your throws. There's also the lack of weapons. Nero only has two weapons, his sword the Red Queen and his gun the Blue Rose. While guns in the previous games were pretty strong, Nero's gun in this game is pathetic and pretty much useless. It deals a negligible amount of damage and is really only good for keeping your style meter up. Players can go through the whole game without even touching the gun upgrades. Since you have only one sword, your attacks and combos are also limited. If Capcom ever decides to make a Devil May Cry 5 with Nero again, this lack of weapons needs to be fixed. Despite the issues, Devil May Cry 4 is still an enjoyable game, especially for fans of the series.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:50:57 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3150&iddiary=5847https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3150SUMMARY Devil May Cry 4 is an action adventure game for the XBOX 360 and PS3 developed by Capcom. In it, you play as a Nero, a new character that has been introduced to the series. After the assassination of the high priest by Dante, you are sent to go after and capture him. Being the first game for the next gen consoles, it adds a brand new element of gameplay not seen in the previous iterations of the Devil May Cry series. GAMEPLAY Right off the bat, you can see that the game is really pretty to look at compared to its predecessors, especially on an HDTV. The lighting and the details of the characters are very well done and lives up to the standards of the next gen consoles. Gameplay is broken down into a series of missions, just like the previous Devil May Crys. The first mission served as a tutorial for the controls and the awesome new gameplay element, the Devil Bringer. The Devil Bringer is the demonic manifestation of Nero's right arm and acts as a sort of grappling hook. You can use it to grab enemies and bring them closer to you or to initiate highly damaging throws, with each one being different depending on the enemy. Throws can even be used on bosses once they are stunned. This new addition to the game makes for a more aggressive and faster style of play, more so than the previous games because you don't really need to run up to your enemies as much. The interface and upgrade system is pretty much unchanged. Red orbs collected from enemies are still used to buy items, green orbs heal you, and gold orbs act as revives. The one difference now is that proud souls, which are gained at the end of each mission depending on rank, are used to buy moves and upgrades instead of the red orbs. Rankings are given based on how “stylish” your fighting was, meaning how well you are able to string different attacks together without being hit yourself. Getting hit resets the style meter. Style points are then added up along with the number of orbs gained and amount of time taken to finish a mission to give you your mission ranking. The story is actually more interesting in this game than in the other ones. There are still plot holes and things are still unexplained, but it isn't as bad as before. Nero is a member of the Order of the Sword, a group of knights that worship the dark knight Sparda. In the middle of a prayer with the other members and the high priest, all hell breaks loose when Dante crashes in from the roof and assassinates the high priest along with a few other members. Nero fights him off and is then ordered by the order to chase after Dante and capture him which is where the story starts to kick off. From there, you're left wondering why Dante has seemingly turned evil and attacked innocent people.Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:50:16 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=3150&iddiary=5846https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2759GAMEPLAY Played through my third hour now and it's still as good as I remember it. The real story of this game doesn't really come out until you're about 3 or 4 hours into it, maybe more if you're into level grinding your characters. As you meet more party members in different time lines, more and more of the story is revealed. The music is great as well even though they were made for a 10 year old system. Every song fits the mood and atmosphere of your surroundings perfectly. DESIGN As I said before, the battle system in Chrono Trigger was really innovative. It adds an amount of strategy in the way you fight because of the different areas of effects each technique has. Some techniques strike in a line, while others affect a small area. Enemies are always moving around during battle so you have to decide on the appropriate technique to use. It also brings your party members into play. Since everyone has different combo attacks, you'll start deciding on which party members to bring in order to use certain abilities. The overworld backgrounds and settings fit in very well with the various time periods. The future, 2300 AD, looks exactly like it should after the destruction of the world with the coming of Lavos: ruined, stormy, and bleak. This is enhanced by all the dark colors used for the settings. Another good example is in 600 AD, where the country is in a state of war against monsters. There's a very nice fog effect that envelops the world during that era which really sets the mood. This is also one of the first RPGs that had any amount of replay value. There are 13 different endings for the game, each one depending on the actions you take in each time era. The sidequests that you can partake in add even more to the story by giving the background stories of all your characters. There aren't too many RPG games out there that really flesh out their characters. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about your main character, Crono. He's one of your typical silent protagonists like Link from the Zelda games. For me, it sort of detracts from the game experience because your hero doesn't really have a voice or personality. Silent protagonists are supposed to make you feel like you're in the game because you become the character's voice, but I was never really a fan of them. And since I'm talking about the bad side of things here, I think I should list a couple other issues that I had. One problem is the difficulty. The game is a bit on the easy side, especially once you get the more powerful equipment and spells. It's also a little shorter than the usual 100 hour Final Fantasy game which is more a nitpick for me, but it should be a decent length for other players. All in all, Chrono Trigger is one the best RPGs ever made by Square Enix. It's a bit of a shame that the series was never continued past Chrono Cross. Hopefully, another sequel will be released, or maybe even a remake. Either way, this is a game that all RPG players should definitely check out.Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:00:38 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2759&iddiary=5205https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2759SUMMARY Chrono Trigger is an RPG game made by Square Enix for the SNES. You play as Crono and his friends from various time periods and try to save the world from an alien parasite known as Lavos, who destroys the world in 1999 AD. Starting in 1000 AD, you travel throughout different time eras in an attempt to stop the coming threat. GAMEPLAY It's been years since I last played this game and it really brings back a lot of memories. I remember being absolutely hooked on Chrono Trigger after getting it and played the entire game inside and out, getting every final weapon and going through all 13 endings. It was just the perfect RPG at the time. Anyway, I'll stop with the reminiscing and get on with the log. Chrono Trigger was and probably still is one of the most innovative RPGs ever made because of its gameplay aspects. A couple include the multiple endings and the new ATB (Active Time Battle) system. Starting out, you can see that the graphics are actually quite detailed for a 2D RPG on the SNES. The main characters have a very Dragonball Z look to them which is obvious considering that the artist for the Dragonball series, Akira Toriyama, did the artwork. Menus, items, equipment, experience, and whatnot are all very much like your standard RPG. Your party consists of only 3 members that you can switch around as you please but only at a given place. However, I think what really sets Chrono Trigger apart from other RPGs back in the day is the battle system. What I really liked about Chrono Trigger other than the great story is the battle system. Instead of having random encounters like the countless other RPGs, you're able to see where your enemies are while you're traveling in a dungeon. You can then choose to avoid or fight them. There also isn't a transition during battles where you're taken to a different screen to fight. Battles take place on the same screen and background which gives a seamless experience. The battle system itself uses the ATB system instead of the turn based one which also make the game a little more fast paced. The magic/tech system is unique in the way that you can combine magic attacks with your party members to make it stronger. Of course not all techs can be combined and you can only combine techs that you already have. One example would be, Crono's attack tech Cyclone with Marle's life restoring Aura, makes Aura Whirl which cures all allies. This magic system was never done before and is implemented really well in the game.Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:39:59 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2759&iddiary=5164https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2454GAMEPLAY One aspect of the game I should mention is the crime scene investigations. Being a forensics agent chasing down a serial killer, you can use different tools when you encounter a crime scene to gather evidence. It's a nice concept that adds more to the game and story but it isn't something that the player directly controls. You're only able to use your forensic tools when prompted to at pre-scripted events which is unfortunate. Playing through the second hour of this game, I noticed that the enemy AI is quite advanced. Enemies run away to grab weapons and hide behind corners and pillars to ambush you. They use feint attacks on you just to lure you into to blocking which surprised me the first time it happened. They even run away, only to pop up unexpectedly later on. I also noticed that as you progress further into the game, the psychotics you fight get more and more twisted. It's almost as if you're journeying deeper and deeper into the madness that is Metro City. DESIGN The mood and atmosphere of this game is done very well which really brings out the fear and tension from the player. You're always playing in almost pitch black darkness and enemies can come from anywhere. The levels are all very dark, gritty and decrepit to reflect the twisted nature of the crazies that you fight against. Sound is also exceptionally great. Every swing and thunk from your weapons sound satisfying and you can always hear where things are coming from when you're about to be attacked. Everything the developers did to set the tone and atmosphere is excellent. Even though its just a game, it really gives you an intense feeling of fear and panic which I haven't really experienced in other survival horrors, other than Fatal Frame on the PS2. There are some issues that this game has which could be fixed in the coming sequel. The first thing is the lack of a map. Some of the levels have very similar looking hallways and rooms which could leave you a little disoriented at times when you're trying to find your way. The lack of any amount of item management also bugs me. You're only allowed to hold one weapon at a time which means you end up having to throw away guns at times to get a fire axe or shovel which is needed for passage through the next door. And, for a game that emphasizes on melee combat, there isn't a combo system at all. All of your attacks are just one big swing. Executions get old after a while, considering that there are only four of them that you can do. The forensics concept, though very interesting, shouldn't be pre-scripted events. I want to be able to figure out how to assess the crime scene myself without someone holding my hand through it. However, these are just small nagging issues which don't get in the way of an otherwise awesome and highly scary game.Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:15:54 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2454&iddiary=4747https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2454SUMMARY Condemned: Criminal Origins is a survival horror game for the XBOX 360. In it, you play the role of Ethan Thomas, a forensics investigator tracking down a serial killer in Metro City. However, things go horribly wrong when you are ambushed by the serial killer and are framed for the death of two police officers. You are then forced to clear your name by tracking down and apprehending the killer while defending yourself against the crazed psychotics running rampant around the city. GAMEPLAY When first starting Condemned, you'd think it's going to be like any other FPS out there, but in reality it isn't. This is actually a survival horror game that's set in a first person perspective but with a unique fighting element to it. Unlike other survival horrors like Resident Evil that have you relying on different kinds guns to take out your enemies, this game makes you use nothing but melee weapons. Guns are weapons that you would be lucky to find. Even if you manage to get your hands on one, the game restricts you by giving you a very limited amount of bullets. You can't even reload them since you all you have is one clip of ammo. Which brings me to the main element of combat, melee weapons. Weapons can be found everywhere on each level, ranging from lead pipes and 2x4s to fire axes and locker doors. Anything that you can get your hands on can be used as a weapon. Additionally, your character is also armed with a taser for temporarily stunning enemies and you can also kick them for a quick strike. Each weapon has different strengths and weaknesses. For example, a fire axe may be a lot stronger than a small pipe, but the pipe can swing and block faster. Blocking and countering enemy attacks in this game is crucial to survival because you aren't able to hold onto any amount of med kits. Instead of just holding down on a button to block attacks, you have to time each block in order to deflect them. The last aspect of combat is the finishing moves. If you manage to weaken an enemy down to their last bit of health, they'll drop to their knees and you can perform one of four different finishing moves. This game really stood out for me because of its combat dynamic. Instead of using a whole bunch of guns with hundreds of bullets, you use common everyday objects to beat the living crap out of your enemies. Being in the survival horror genre, this game is really creepy. Everything is really dark which forces you to use your flashlight throughout the whole game. The psychotics that you fight are very well detailed and have varying degrees of facial mutilation. Because of the emphasis on melee combat, the game has a very visceral feel to it. Everytime an attack connects, you can hear it as well as feel it. You can even see the teeth that fly out of your opponent when you hit them. Other than the fighting, Condemned also has an interesting story that starts out like a normal serial killer story, but gets weirder and creepier as more and more things are revealed.Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:51:29 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2454&iddiary=4694https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2249Gameplay Session 2 GAMEPLAY And here I am on my second hour of the game. I managed to kill another 2 colossi making the total 4 out of 16. What I forgot to mention in the last entry was that there is a kind of stamina gauge that determines how long your grip will last when you're clinging on for dear life on the back of 1000 feet tall monster trying to shake you off. The graphics for the game are quite amazing, considering that its for the PS2. The colossi are very detailed as well as the world that you play in. Frame rate stays surprisingly consistent for the amount detail and action that goes on while you're battling a colossus. Not much more to say about the gameplay other than that it does get a little repetitive and kind of formulaic after a while because you're basically doing the same thing over and over again 16 times. DESIGN This is probably one of the more innovative games for the PS2. The whole concept of not having any dungeons to explore or regular ragtag monsters to kill was something not done before by any other game. The world is very beautiful and well designed with an emphasis on big, just like the bosses. Boss design is top notch as well, with the colossi resembling fusions of animals and building structures. Challenge increases little by little after the defeat of each colossus. Each one requires a different strategy and have different weak spots that you have to find and exploit. One of the things I really love is how the AI functions. The colossi have a very animal-like nature about them. They'll realistically buckle in pain when injured and sway violently back and forth trying to shake you off. Each battle just seems epic. As amazing and innovative as the game is, there are some bad points worth pointing out. First off is the story. There really isn't a lot of it and that really detracts the player from the whole game experience. I never really cared for the plight of the girl that I was trying to save, mainly because I just didn't know anything about her. Not adding dungeons and towns was creative, but it also created a flaw in the storyline. I think putting in a few NPCs to give more background and insight would have been nice. The game also has very little replay value. There aren't any side quests that you can complete adding to the shortness of the game. It does have some unlockables and a boss time trial run, but that doesn't really give much incentive to play the game again. Overall, Shadow of the Colossus is a game that I'd recommend everyone should try. It's one of the more unique action adventure games out there and it definitely won't disappoint.Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:20:34 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2249&iddiary=4316https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2249Gameplay Session 1 SUMMARY Shadow of the Colossus is an action adventure game for the PS2. You play as a young man trying to save a girl who was a victim of a sacrifice. Armed with a magical sword, your bow, and your loyal horse Agro, you must traverse across a forbidden land and defeat 16 colossi in order to bring back the soul of your beloved. The game has a unique twist in that there are no enemies to defeat and no dungeons or towns to explore. The only thing standing between you and the goal are the 16 colossi. GAMEPLAY Of all the PS2 games that I've played, this is one of the more unique ones, mainly because of the lack of enemies and dungeons. The game has a bigger emphasis on the semi-puzzle element of fighting each of the colossi. Right as you start the game, you're already given your goal through a deep ominous voice. Speaking of voices, the game uses its own language which sounds like some sort of garbled asian language. Anyway, once given your goal, you're off on your way to the first colossus. In order to find each one you must reflect the sunlight off your sword. The light then focuses into a beam and acts as a sort of compass to guide your way. After finding a colossus, you have to find a way to get onto them in order to attack the weakpoints on their body. This is where the bulk of the gameplay is. The colossi themselves are puzzles that you have to solve in order to progress. The initial feeling you get from playing Shadow of the Colossus is one of loneliness and wonder. For the course of the whole game, your only friend and companion is your horse, Agro, that you start with from the very beginning. He's with you everywhere and even serves as a key element in some of the colossi battles. The world that you play in is vast and expansive which adds more to the atmosphere and to the sense that your character is just an ant compared to the massive world of the colossi. As for story, there actually isn't much to it other than the initial cutscenes that are shown to you. There's no backstory behind the main character or the girl you're trying to save. The only thing you do know are that the 16 colossi hold within them a part of some being called the Dormin. It is through the Dormin that you will be able to bring the girl back to life. That's pretty much the bulk of the story. For this first hour, I've killed only 2 colossi.Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:28:35 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=2249&iddiary=4271https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1747Gameplay Session 2 GAMEPLAY Well I just finished my next two hours of playing Mass Effect and its been great. The battle system is like a cross between Gears of War and a pseudo turn based RPG. Equipping your weapon puts you in an over the shoulder perspective where you can aim freely. Holding down the left trigger lets you zoom in slightly for better accuracy. You're also able to crouch, take cover, shoot from cover, and even do a "roadie run" look alike ala Gears of War. The only time there is a pause from the action is when you use your biotic abilities or switching between weapons which brings up a menu ring. You can also change the weapons of your teammates which is quite handy. The biotic menu ring does the same in which you have full control over your biotic powers as well as your teammates. Enemy AI is decent from what I can see. They take cover and surround you when they can. Your teammate AI however is a different story. There are times when they get a little wonky and refuse to stay behind cover. As amazing the game is so far I do have a couple issues with it. As I stated above, there are times when the AI is a bit questionable. There are also a few instances of framerate drops in the middle of battle but nothing debilitating. And there's the issue of textures not loading completely on the characters at certain points. It's a bit weird to see an alien that I'm talking to suddenly have his or her face and outfit pop up in the middle of a conversation. DESIGN After playing Mass Effect for a few hours I can see that the developers put a lot of work into making it. The story is excellent and the amount of background info for the Mass Effect world is just ridiculous. You're given a codex in the game which records any piece of information that you happen to come upon in your travels, from the history of alien races and character biographies, to the background information on the development companies or your weapons and armor. There is just an immense amount of story and information which makes the world and the atmosphere almost believable. I think this kind of attention to detail is what keeps the player continually engrossed. The level and creature design is quite impressive as well. Each city has its own unique feel and the imagination behind the different alien races is very creative. It would be really nice to see more games like this that tries to fully immerse you in the world and the atmosphere.Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:43:44 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1747&iddiary=3549https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1747Game Session 1 SUMMARY Mass Effect is a action RPG for the XBOX 360 where you play the role of Commander John Shepard in the year 2183. You explore the world with your companions on your ship the Normandy. The main portion of the story is in your ongoing chase after the traitorous Spectre agent, Saren, who is trying to dominate the galaxy by reviving an extinct machine race known as the "Reapers". GAMEPLAY I was initially skeptical of this game when I first bought it but ended up getting hooked into the game the first few minutes. Before beginning the actual game, you are brought to a character editor where you are able to choose your class, customize the looks of your main character, and even choose your player's background. There are six different classes to choose from which are: Soldier, Engineer, Adept, Infiltrator, Sentinel and Vanguard. Soldiers are skilled in weapons and melee, engineers in tech abilities, and adepts in biotics(Mass Effect's version of magic). The other three classes are just combinations of the last three. Once you have completed the creation of your character you are then ready to enter then world of Mass Effect. Right off the bat, you can see that the game looks extremely pretty. The amount of detail that went into the face of your player and the NPCs is just incredible. I'm not lying when I say you can see every wrinkle and pore on each person's face. It's almost scary how lifelike they look. The voice acting and dialog is also superb which only adds to the almost realistic qualities of the characters. Even the most unimportant NPC has a voice. Speaking of dialog, Mass Effect employs this new conversation system where you are given a dialog wheel with options for you to choose what to say. Instead of listing word for word what the character will say, you're given a tone of what the option might give and your character speaks accordingly. It's a system that I haven't seen before and is quite interesting to see. Anyway this about concludes my first hour and a half. I spent a lot of my time trying to make my Commander Shepard look badass. I'll continue on with this log as I keep playing. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 01:48:40 CDThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1747&iddiary=3499