Games to Own #9: inFamous for PS3

I've been having immense fun with inFamous on PS3, it really is one of the best exclusive games available. Although Sony has quite a few stellar exclusives now. If you own a PS3 and haven't bought it yet, why not? While Killzone 2 may have not been everyone's cup of tea, I don't see how anyone could not enjoy this game. InFamous is an open-world game like GTA, you play in third person and you choose whether to be a super hero or a super villian. There's an interesting story, great voice acting and most importantly of all, great gameplay with minimal frustration. It's probably one of the first open world games that has caused me almost zero frustration due to the hard work of the developers. I hope but doubt that more games will follow inFamous in the things it has excelled in.

The first thing you'll notice is that inFamous has very quick loading times after you complete the initial mandatory install, which in itself is also quick. Did I saw loading times? The game loads only once when you start the game and it's very very quick. It's unbelievable what a difference this makes. First you see a sony logo, then the sucker punch logo video and finally the inFamous logo at the bottom of the screen as the game loads your latest save and puts you right there ingame in about...10 seconds. Yes, it's that quick. From then on, there is not a single load in the whole game, even when there's cutscene's and videos, well unless actually there is loads if you're in another city, but they're pretty quick. There isn't even a main menu! It really is an awesome feat. Grand Theft Auto IV on the other hand, had a very lengthy initial loading time. I like to be able to get into a game quickly and it's very annoying when you have to watch a whole heap of logo videos and being unable to skip them.

Secondly, Cole's (main character) agility is fantastic in the game. It's easy to scale walls, do jumping puzzles and leap from rooftop from rooftop because you don't have to be exactly perfect with your analog stick and jump button to get the right direction and distance, the computer knows most of the time where you want to jump to and will help you out. No massively frustrating moments like in GTA IV and Tomb Raider where you can't get the character to do what you want. The jumping and climbing in GTA IV still sucked, not a problem here though.

Finally, inFamous doesn't punish you by having you start from the beginning of each mission if you messed up or died and certainly doesn't require you to visit the mission spot again. No, inFamous has a checkpoint system within the missions and if you fail it, you'll instantly be transported back to the checkpoint with no load times, for a very unfrustrating experience.

These two factors contribute tremendously to making the game very enjoyable. It reminds me of the latest Prince of Persia actually, where the Prince is much more agile and easier to control. But, I think inFamous goes even further and controlling Cole is a pleasure and not a chore. A big thanks to Sucker Punch, for making such a polished product and enjoyable adventure. Try it and you'll be surprised how you could ever have put up with long load times, no checkpoints and crappy character movement. The bar has been raised.

Games to Own #8 - Call of Juarez for Xbox 360

While Hollywood made plenty of Wild West movies to satisfy people's fascination with this stage of history (although sadly, not very often these days), there hasn't been a lot of games based on this period. A fantastic Wild West movie recently shown in cinemas you should check out if you have a Blu-ray player is 3:10 to Yuma, it's one of my favorite movies.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand, We get a heck of a lot of World War 2 shooters, but Call of Juarez is the only FPS wild West game I can think of since a cool (at the time) shooter called "Outlaws", which was released on PC many years ago. I'm not sure why, I guess publishers think there's not much interest in these games, which of course is false as Call of Juarez sold well.

The story follows Billy Candle, who's accused of murdering his mother and stepfather, who happens to also be Reverend Ray McCall's brother. But Ray is not just any Reverened, he's an infamous gunslinger who turned to the lord and became a Reverand. Now Ray believes the Lord wants him to punish Billy. With bible in one hand and gun in the other (I kid you not!), he's out to take his life. That's all well and good, but the problem is, Billy is in fact innocent.

The interesting thing about Call of Juarez, is that you play as the chaser (Reverend Ray) and the runner (Billy) in the story, switching between each one at certain intervals. You'll sometimes go through familiar territory, but usually with different routes. Billy's levels consist of stealth and sneaking mostly, with some really fun bow and arrow action as well, while with Ray you'll be shooting enemies like it's 1769! Apart from a quick draw slowdown mode which can be done with dual pistols and is very cool, you'll also be able to use rifles and shotguns. Billy's main weapon is the bow and arrow and also enters "concentration" mode and can also use rifles and shotguns. I found the bow too fun to bother with the weapons though.

Billy's missions can be quite frustrating with some bits requiring trial and error. It's not always clear where you're supposed to go or what you're supposed to do and this makes his levels less fun than Ray's. You'll lose/die a lot with Billy. Luckily, the loading times are really fast. The graphics also deserve a special mention, sometimes the game looks fantastic, other times a bit average. The music gets repetitive but the voice acting is pretty good.

For a first effort from little known developer Techland, Call of Juarez is a great game. Sure it's flawed, takes a bit of time to get going and yes it can sometimes be frustrating, like some of the horse riding and Billy's sneaking bits, but overall it is a fun shooter with an enjoyable story and the change in characters keeps it fresh. The extra missions after completing the main story mode are really fun too. The second game which is a prequel is almost out, so make sure to play this one first! It's only $25!

8.0 out of 10

Games to Own #7 - Folklore on PS3

Like the #3 of Games to own before it, Folklore is an excellent game which didn't take the world by storm, probably due to it being released early in the PS3's lifespan and being held back by some factors and some of them being flaws. But make no mistake, it is a game you should own in your collection and the reason I have the Korean cover of the game I will reveal to you shortly.

Let's start with the basics. Folklore is a third person RPG, you'll play the game with two characters with a different perspective as they attempt to unravel just what the hell is going on in the village where they find themselves in. You'll spend time talking to the locals as well as entering a fantasy world in which you capture and use Folk "creatures" to attack other Folk as well as defending yourself. This is done by weakening the enemy Folk until it's soul pops out and then you latch onto it and use the sixaxis to yank out the soul and absorb it for yourself. I guess you could say it's kind of like Pokemon meets Ghostbusters and boy is it fun, especially the boss battles.

On some of the more complex Folk, you'll need to capture a few of the same kind to be able to summon them to fight or defend for you. Capturing as many different Folk as possible is helpful in the boss battles and against some of the bigger Folk. That's because each Folk belongs to a certain element (fire, water, electriciy) or style of attack (slashing, piercing, spiky). Each Folk is immune and weak to certain types of other Folk and using the right combination leads to massive damage. Also, exploring the map will help you find pages from a book showing you which Folk you need to beat the boss without struggling.

I could go on and on about how cool it is to yank out souls with the sixaxis, but I won't, I'll just mention some of the other features. If you have a Dual Shock 3 (if not, why?), then you'll be happy to know that Folklore recieved a patch which enables rumble and makes it even more awesome. The graphics are fantastic and this was one of the early games that wowed me. The orchestral music is great too.

The story is told in bits and pieces in a cool comic book style fashion but lacks voice acting which is a bummer, the FMV on the other hand does contain voice acting. It's hard to understand what's going on until near the last chapter and then there are still many questions, it's all a bit convoluted and hard to follow really, but it is enjoyable nonetheless!

While you play the same levels with each charater, the paths are different and so are the Folk, so it doesn't get boring at all. I don't know what else to say, this game brings me some great memories and was the first game I played on the PS3 when I got mine. Oh yeah, the reason I have included the Korean version, is because the game is also in english, but is much cheaper than the US version. At $24.99, it's a bargain. The more people buy it, the better chance of a sequel and I want a sequel dammit!

9 out of 10

Games to Own #6 - Gitaroo Man Lives! for PSP

With all the music games out these days and the success of the Guitar Hero franchise, I found that one game which had been released earlier on the PSP was a classic that recieved little fanfare. I am of course talking about Gitaroo Man Lives! for PSP, which I happened to play again recently after having a blast with it when it was released.

Apart from the obvious difference from Guitar Hero in the way the interface works, Gitaroo Man Lives! also contains a light-hearted story delivered with some pretty funny voice acting. The main bad guy in the game speaks really quickly, probably due to the Japanese translation differences. Anyway, the cutscenes between levels telling the story are amusing and worth watching.

The game features a duel system, where you attack and defend against your enemy by hitting the right buttons to play the melody in time with the music. To win the level, you need to deplete your opponents life bar. When on the attack, a line is drawn towards your cursor and you must follow this line with your analog stick and also press the circle button everytime a circle shows up in the line. These circles are of varying lengths, corresponding to the length of the note and how long you should hold the button. So basically, you only need to worry about one button and the analog stick in the attack mode, it's where you'll gain health and cause damage to your opponent. In the defense mode, the four face buttons of the PSP move from each respective direction into your cursor and you need to press the right face button as the note hits your cursor. Defense is used to defend against your opponents attack, everytime you miss a note, you lose health.

The music is pretty cool and covers a lot of genres. The fast paced ones are of course, much tougher. Gitaroo Man Lives! also features two difficulty modes, with me unable to beat the game on normal, but managing on easy. I always get beaten by the shark in the space level on the second defense phase...Anyway, the game also features multiplayer and collectibles to encourage replayability. My only gripe is that it's a little short, but considering you can easily play it many times, it's still a great game and good value.

8.5 out of 10

Games to Own #5 - Jeanne D'Arc

Welcome to another edition of "Games to Own", where I guide you, the shopper to great games that didn't sell well or weren't as popular as they should have been. It's another portable game this time and another PSP one at that.

Sadly, Jeanne D'Arc slipped away from gamers radars quite quickly, even though it's a high quality, AAA PSP game. Why? I think there wasn't enough hype or marketing behind it. Maybe you've played games such as Tactics Ogre, Disgaea or Final Fantasy Tactics before? Jeanne D'arc is the same type of turn based RPG. A grid makes up the levels, but there's also plenty of scenery and backgrounds added too, which can prevent you from moving in those directions. Each turn you can move your troops (up to seven characters) as far as they're allowed in your turn and attack the enemy.

If you didn't know already, the game is based on Joan of Arc, but takes plenty of liberties story wise. Ogres and Dragons? Check. Magic? Check. Demon Gods? Check. The story is actually a high point of the game and is told quite well with some cool Anime video's with good voice acting.

Graphics wise, the "tactics" types of games have always been lacking. But Jeanne D'Arc looks really good, thanks to the high quality 3D graphics for both the backgrounds and the characters. Of course, all this would be for naught if the game wasn't fun to play. And if it wasn't, I wouldn't be writing about it! Jeanne D'Arc is a must have game for the PSP, it presents the tried and working formula of the turn based RPG, adds some twists and provides and long and engaging adventure.

9.1 out of 10

Games to Own #4 - Metal Slug Anthology

Here's the first handheld game to join the "Games to Own" ranks. Compilations often fail to satisfy, often with stingy collections of games, games that show their age or poor ports/emulation bringing down the experience. I'm glad to say that Metal Slug Anthology does not follow this tradition and SNK Playmore have done a stellar job in bringing the arcade games to the PSP.

I have fond memories of playing Metal Slug with a friend at the arcades, back when arcades were still alive in the west. For me, it was the perfect pickup and play game for the arcades. In fact, the Metal Slug series are some of my favorite arcade games ever. You're a one man (or women) army against an actual army and one hit kills and deaths is the name of the game. The massive boss machines on the other hand, require a lot more punishment.

The PSP collection contains seven Metal Slug games, yes that's correct, SEVEN. It's a very generous and good value collection indeed! Included is Metal Slug, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, Metal Slug 5 and Metal Slug 6. My favorite game being Metal Slug X, which is a sort of directors cut or upgrade of Metal Slug 2. It features new enemies and some level design improvements/upgrades. Metal Slug 3 was the last game the original SNK team made and none of the latter ones by SNK Playmore compare even to the first three, but they're still good fun.

Each game plays well on the PSP and looks good even in the stretched widescreen mode, although you can play it in its original 4:3 ratio if you want to. Metal Slug can also be played with two players and the co-op with wireless works great. Make sure to pick up another copy if you have two PSP's and a friend to play with. I give this Anthology 9 Heavy Machine Gun's out of 10.

Games to own - #3

Welcome to part three of games to own in your collection. I try to dig out titles that aren't your multi-million selling AAA titles, but great titles that deserve to be in your collection that you might be unaware of. But most importantly, the point is to point out great games that have been neglected and have done poorly commercially (sales wise).

The strange thing with the game I have picked today; Valkyria Chronicles, is that it IS a AAA title, yet sold quite poorly. I assume it's due to the lack of marketing behind it, which is a real shame, as it is a fantastic strategy/RPG and a must have exclusive on PlayStation 3.

There's no doubt about it, this is a very original take on strategy RPG's. The game blends three different game genres (third person shooter, turn-based strategy and RPG) all into one to create something completely unique and fun to play. How does it work? Imagine a turn-based war game with beautiful anime watercolor type graphics and great orchestral track. And just wait till you see it in motion! 

During your turn on the battlefield, you choose which character you want to move and then proceed to do so in real time, just like a third person shooter. You have a limited amount of steps you can make and you can only attack once per character. When choosing to attack, you also aim a cursor before firing your shots. The enemy will also counter attack in real time as you approach and you keep doing so until you have moved all your troops and attacked or your turn is over.

You can also hide your characters behind cover, crouch and use vehicles and various weapons (just like a real war!). It's an excellent mix of gameplay and it works so very, very well. Couple it with an interesting plot and decent voice acting and you've got a AAA title which is one of the best strategy RPG's this generation.

9.5 out of 10. Buy it now, or at least try the downloadable demo off PlayStation network, which only shows a bit of the brilliance in the full game. Support unique games and buy this one so we can all enjoy a sequel.

Games to Own - #2

I admit, I have little to no postive feelings towards EA, with their large library of shovelware, yearly rehashes of sport titles and often bug-ridden or unpolished games. If it wasn't for the studios they have acquired such as Criterion (Burnout games) and Dice (Battlefield, Mirrors' Edge), I'm sure they wouldn't have such healthy profits. But things may change for the better now as EA is attempting to produce more quality titles and fix the crash and burn yearly titles such as Need for Speed.

Anyway, you're probably thinking why I'm talking about EA in this "games to own" post. That's because, dear readers, the next one on the list is (shock, horror) an EA game. The special edition is also available at a bargain price, so I've chosen the PS3 version, but the game is also available on Xbox 360. May I present Army of Two.

Now don't get me wrong, Army of Two is not a AAA title, but it is highly entertaining and fun shooter, especially with a friend. That's where the title of the game comes into play. You'll have control of one of the two foul mouthed Army Ranger veterans working as private military for hire, wearing some freaky death masks and spouting plenty of one-liners with attitude! The government gladly throws you into some dangerous missions where you and a buddy or AI will need to use strategy and cover to your advantage if you hope to survive.

From here, the game play similar to most third person shooters such as Gears of War, but includes some special tactics for two player teamwork. The AI is acceptable and does a decent job, but the fun lies in playing with a friend, which can be easily done over the PlayStation Network. You'll play through five missions, with additional missions available as downloadable content. Humorous dialogue and some great looking graphics round off the package. Customisable masks and weapons (including weapon bling!) make it worth earning as much cash as possible.

A word of warning, the game is one of the only ones to have a multiplayer region lock. However, this is easily bypassed. To play with a buddy from any country in the world, make sure to have the same version (region) of the game and you will be able to play together no problem. This lock was meant to be removed with a patch, but this still hasn't happened. I give Army of Two an 8 out of 10.

Games to Own - #1

Here's part one of a series of posts that will recommend some quality titles for your gaming collection may be under your radar. First pick goes to Bully: Scholarship Edition for Xbox 360. Another great game by Rockstar, the makers of the Grand Theft Auto games, Bully places you in the shoes of Jimmy Hopkins as he aims to survive at Bullworth, the school his mother has ditched him at while she goes of on her own.

Originally released on PS2, the game has received a nice graphics upgrade and some extra missions. Bully features a clever, funny and interesting storyline as well as some unique and fun mission types fans have come to know and love from Rockstar. There's plenty to do and even if you just speed through the missions, you'll still get a good 15 hours or so out of the game.

There are a few negatives of course. For one thing, while the graphics have been nicely improved, the loading times have not. If you're used to playing these open world games with no loading times, you'll be sorely disappointed. Every time you enter and exit a building, you'll be greeted with a loading screen. It's not too bad and certainly not game breaking, but it does get a bit annoying the further you delve into the game.

Also, while you earn respect with the various gangs at Bullworth, you can't choose which side to ally with. You're stuck doing the predetermined story missions which influence your respect. There are some other small niggling issues, but they're really not worth mentioning.

Bully is a fun and interesting open world game and less complicated than Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto titles. This one comes recommended with a score of 8.5 out of 10. It's also available on Wii.