Remember Halo: Reach?

The best thing about this latest trailer for Halo: Reach isn’t the rather gorgeous visuals. Nor is it the cinematic presentation or additional peak into the storyline. No, the best thing about it is the ending where ‘Remember Reach’ fades up above the release date of September 14th – That’s just over a month away! Without purposely defying the ad campaign, I actually forgot about Reach what with all the recent excitement but can’t think of a better way to be reminded than this trailer. Well, either that or a copy suddenly turning up at my door.

Hands-on: Goldeneye 007

I spent far too much of my late teenage years playing Goldeneye on the N64. And I’m not alone in that sentiment, it was a brilliant party game and something of a landmark in console FPSs. Lurch forward to the present and after numerous teases, rumours and legal battles, Goldeneye returns to gaming with a new Bond, new look but old gameplay. But Is that a bad thing? Certainly not! I feared that my cherished memories of multiplayer duels would be tarnished by what is fundamentally a homage to the N64 game but instead got to play a very entertaining first person shooter. Only the multiplayer was available to try though in my eyes, that mode is the main reason why I’d pick up the game when it’s eventually released. At the press event, Goldeneye 007 (as the new game is known) gathered a lot of interest for good reason. Whether you were playing the game or not it was still fun to watch over the shoulders of those who were, cheer at their wins and laugh at the loses. All in good spirit of course. As I did I realised that Activision has created a ‘hardcore’ party game for the Wii. Being a split screen game with up to four players, Goldeneye 007 stirred the same excitement of the original because players are sitting next to each other instead of being linked via the internet. While the original Goldeneye was forced to do this, Goldeneye 007 has chosen to offer such close quarter combat and is to its credit. But due to the Wii having to produce four separate windows of gameplay at once, the graphics did suffer slightly. They were still a commendable effort and did the job as well as could be expected for such a fast-paced game. And because of this speed, I found the best way to play the game was with the Classic Controller as it handled the infamous ‘run, circle strafe and shoot’ mechanics more comfortably than a Wii remote and nunchuck. The latter may work better in a home environment but bear in mind when you’re playing with three friends, your screens are a quarter of the normal size so the movements of the Wii remote have to be that much more precise. If you have a super steady hand however, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Sticking with the Classic Controller, I had a blast as did those around me with one chap to my left giggling heartily with every kill. That’s the kind of glee Goldeneye 007 gave us all and only after playing on one map too. I’m very much looking forward to its Winter release and am already amassing a group of friends ready to join me in some classically inspired multiplayer matches. Can’t wait!

Ono talks Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition

This week’s Famitsu magazine (via 1up) features an interview with Capcom producer, Yoshinori Ono and in it, they quiz him over details for Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition on the 3DS. Turns out that a portable version of SSFIV was always being considered but the existing hardware isn’t up to Ono’s standards: “Neither system would’ve been able to produce a port that I would be satisfied with,” He said. “That’s around the time when the 3DS was announced to us, and we decided that we could produce Street Fighter on that system well enough that everything fun about the series would shine through. There was also the fact that we could use all of its network abilities to help gamers communicate with each other.”

Ono doesn’t view Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition as a lesser version than the home consoles but a faithful port of the game, preferably with all 35 characters intact. But what of 3D implementation? “We’re in the midst of a trial-and-error process, throwing ideas around the development team for things that’d be neat to work with in 3D,” Ono said. “The system itself is still purely SSFIV — we’re thinking about ways 3D can be used in the visuals instead.” Since the 3D can be turned off completely on Nintendo’s new handheld, I’d imagine that a lot of developers will have the same mindset.

If you’re thinking that the 3DS port will be ‘dumbed down’ to accommodate the younger gamer then Ono implores you to think again: “We don’t have any intention of pandering to children here. We’d rather make a game that a kid wants to strive to become better at.” A noble concept but Ono is aware of the differences between home and portable console: “Of course, we’d like to make it a little more accessible since it’s not on a home console, but we’re not thinking about kids so much as people who stopped playing SF after the Super NES version.” The fighters will all stay the same as will their moves. Ono has no intention or reason to rebalance anything like that but the control method is something that he’d like to take a look at. “We are conducting trials, though, to see how we can use the bottom screen and Slide Pad. Maybe we could use the screen to simulate multiple button presses and the pad for special moves, or the like.”

The controls do seem to be a sticking point for some gamers who are expressing their concern online at the possibility of Slide Pad’s (analog stick) wear and tear or the two fewer buttons. Similar concerns were voiced about Street Fighter IV for the iPhone and that game turned out to be brilliant so my confidence is high for Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition. Without a release date for the 3DS, this game is has no real end in sight at the moment but Ono would like to see it arrive while Super Street Fighter IV is still popular in arcades. To be honest I’d quite like to see more of it now.

Hands-on: Kirby’s Epic Yarn

Kirby games have never quite received the appreciation they deserve with the cute exterior being some kind of barrier for all but a dedicated cult following. What a shame it is for those who scoff at cuteness and miss the great platforming within. I got to play with the upcoming and only true Wii outing for the franchise yesterday and even though it ramps up the adorability, it quite frankly looked amazing. Kirby’s Epic Yarn stays with the platforming genre but has an art-style as if the world and its inhabitants are made from lengths of string or scraps of material. And it all comes together beautifully, hopefully becoming a benchmark of Wii graphical capabilities. It’s a visual wonderland for the eyes that played just as well as it looked. Simple, fun but clever level designs made the demo a joy to play, still feeling very much like a Kirby game with a new art-style that added extra mechanics. Armed with a whip that may or may not be part of the string which makes him, Kirby could lasso enemies, squeezing them out of his way or attach it to things like buttons and zips, unfolding new areas or gaining access to higher ground. Like previous Kirbys, the pink puffy hero can morph into objects to help his crusade. Things like how double jumping changes him into a parachute for a safer landing or to counter that, Kirby can also become an anvil for a somewhat heavier descent. Levels can be played co-operatviely as I experienced yesterday. Xander played as Kirby while I took the reigns of someone called Prince Puff. We were able to throw each other to areas once impossible to reach or at enemies to end them. Late into the demo, Xander’s Kirby turned into a large, spherical tank and I manned a rocket-powered fist able to launch at incoming foes. Since said actions were controlled by tilting the Wii remote, it took a few minutes to get used to and did suffer from a little bit of over-steer but ultimately was a great laugh. Finishing our playtime was a boss battle against a green-stringed dragon with a button on the end of his tongue. Dodging his attacks, we had to lasso the button to defeat him with our eventual victory being rewarded with Kirby and Prince Puff doing a celebratory dance, something of a trademark of Kirby titles.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn was one of the best games to come out of this year’s E3 and by far my favourite Wii game of yesterday’s press event. I was surprised at just how good the visuals were and was overjoyed with the agreeable gameplay. It’s yet to have a release date more specific than Autumn 2010 but from what I’ve played so far, Kirby’s Epic Yarn is shaping up to be a great debut for the franchise on the Wii.

Nintendo 3DS hands-on: Impressions

Today I was lucky enough to have a peak into the future of portable gaming with the Nintendo 3DS. After ascending to the 29th floor of a respectable looking office block in London, me, LorD and Xander from UFO Gamers got to play with the device which, although is still in its prototype phase, it’s very impressive. As a handheld, the 3DS felt sturdy and an appropriate weight for something that should be held roughly a foot and a half from your face. Doing so gives the optimum viewing angle for the 3D that without sounding like a fanboy, continuously wowed me. Thanks to the two cameras on front, the 3DS is able to take three dimensional photographs. I was shown a couple that had already been taken of the lovely ladies in charge of looking after the console, posed to best display the 3D. The depth was highly defined and overall picture quality looked good enough for the quick snapshots that it was designed for. I did sometimes feel as if I were looking at one of those ‘hidden picture’ posters where you have to almost cross your eyes to see the image but unlike those 90′s phenomenon, I didn’t feel uncomfortable doing so. Unless you’re a real photo buff, the 3DS could possibly replace a digital camera in some circumstances. Sure the only real place to display these pictures is on the 3DS and the resolution may not be near your double digit megapixel camera but what’s better than a quick holiday snap in full 3D without the need of glasses?

One of the best casual features of the 3DS is the deal Nintendo have sealed with a number of Hollywood studios to bring their 3D movies to the system. I watched a trailer for The Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hool from Warner Bros and other than being considerably smaller, I saw little difference from when it was viewed in the cinema. Having to hold the 3DS at such a specific angle in order to see the 3D may grate with some people if they have to do this for the length of a movie but I’ve no doubt all kinds of third party stands will be sold alongside it.

For me, the 3D was superb. You can chose to have the 3D on 100% or not at all by moving the slider up or down and I found it to show a decent 3D image even when the adjustable slider was only just above zero. Having it on full did begin to hurt my eyes a bit but pulling the slider to a half way point made the visuals perfect and painless. But I think the technology is so young that after a couple of years, developers will have really understood the 3DS and the potential eye strain will be a thing of the past. The way Nintendo have implemented 3D to the devices makes it a non-essential feature and shouldn’t be seen as a barrier for anyone worried about the strict viewing angles or necessity to gameplay. It has so many other advancements and improvements over its predecessors like greatly improved graphics, powerful processor, improved online functionality (promised by Nintendo), HD movies (granted not full HD) and an additional control input. All these together are a strong reason to buy a 3DS or upgrade from your DSi or DS Lite. What’s most exciting to me is the fact that the models LorD, Xander and I got to play with today are still just prototypes. If the 3DS is this impressive so far, imagine what the finished product will be like?

Further reading:
3DS hands-on: Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample
3DS hands-on: Resident Evil: Revelations
3DS hands-on: Pilotwings Resort
3DS hands-on: Nintendogs + Cats

3DS hands-on: Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample

Now, this was only an interactive video by boy was it good. The typical cinematic stylings of Hideo Kojima were put into full effect and all the more so in 3D with some basic camera control by way of the new analog stick of the 3DS. The video started with Snake crawling through the undergrowth avoiding a reptile which shares his name and a crocodile that seemed lazily disturbed by his presence. Both looked great as numerous polygons and detailed texture mapping but the best was yet to come. After his animal encounters, Snake crossed a bridge put had to hang and shimmy himself over the latter half. Again the 3D shone as a helicopter flew beneath him giving a truly impressive perspective. Jumping off, Snake had to hide from a clumsy enemy soldier who dropped his packet of cigarettes through a clearing in the bushes. As he tried to retrieve his smokes by laying on the ground and poking his arm through the greenery, his hand waved wildly around Snake’s head. He then lunged his head through the gap, filling most of the screen, showing the superb detail of his face in an impressive 3D effect. Finally, a stroll in a field of flowers was disturbed by Snake’s former mentor, Boss, challenging him to a fight. Bad for him but good for me as the petals were kicked up around them and close ups of their faces and bodies were rendered beautifully. Kojima has stated that Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample won’t be appearing as a full game but there will be a Metal Gear Solid game to grace Nintendo’s new handheld and that this tech demo was to show off just how powerful the 3DS actually is right now. I was very impressed.

Further reading:
Nintendo 3DS hands-on: Impressions
3DS hands-on: Pilotwings Resort (Quick play)
3DS hands-on: Resident Evil: Revelations
3DS hands-on: Nintendogs + Cats

3DS hands-on: Pilotwings Resort (Quick play)

As the name suggests, Pilotwings Resorts has the same art-style of Wii Sports Resort and may have even been based on the same island. I was able to try out the unique analog stick that sits above the d-pad on the 3DS and how smooth it felt. Unlike the PSP’s overly sprung nub, this one worked very well as I piloted a plane through airborne hoops. Add this to the superior graphics and I’m hopeful that Namco will port their brilliant Ace Combat series over to the 3DS since Pilotwings Resort shows how well the mechanics of an arcade flight sim work on it.

Further reading:
Nintendo 3DS hands-on: Impressions
3DS hands-on: Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample
3DS hands-on: Resident Evil: Revelations
3DS hands-on: Nintendogs + Cats

3DS hands-on: Resident Evil: Revelations

Capcom’s portable horror game was demoed like Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample in that it was an interactive video. Unlike MGS I found that sometimes, Resident Evil: Revelation‘s 3D needed to better convince me. There was one scene in particular where you saw a ship being tossed about a huge wave. The ship looked to be on one plain, wave on another and darkness beyond that. Despite that oddity, RE:R is another graphical stunner and for the most part, is fantastic in 3D. The lighting and shadows looked great and the textures where all very convincing. Check out the video above to see what I mean as it’s the same footage I saw today and was in awe of.

Further reading:
Nintendo 3DS hands-on: Impressions
3DS hands-on: Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample
3DS hands-on: Pilotwings Resort (Quick play)
3DS hands-on: Nintendogs + Cats

3DS hands-on: Nintendogs + Cats

I actually bought the original DS because of Nintendogs. Not so I could play the game but the touch screen interactivity and voice recognition sold me on the feature set of what is now known as the DS fat. This latest 3D version of a much loved game will incontestably be a reason why a large portion of the DS gamer upgrade to a 3DS. The advanced graphics make the puppies even more adorable and added power of the 3DS mean that animations are incrementally smoother, controlled by a greater AI. The top screen displayed my puppy (sadly cats weren’t available in the demo) whose shadow appeared on the touch screen below. Using the stylus I could stroke or tickle the pup by moving over the shadow. A new feature is facial recognition that makes the dog track your face. After a while of holding the 3DS at a normal distance from my face, bringing it closer to about six inches caused my canine to jump up at the screen. When I moved my head from left to right, the dog copied me, occasionally lapping the air as if licking my face. Very cute. Toys like frisbees and boomerangs could be thrown for retrieval around the beautiful 3D living space in the game. Nintendogs + Cats looked like it had the best and most realised graphics of all the games and demos on offer and a one that will be a powerful system seller when the 3DS is finally released.

Further reading:
Nintendo 3DS hands-on: Impressions
3DS hands-on: Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater – The Naked Sample
3DS hands-on: Resident Evil: Revelations
3DS hands-on: Pilotwings Resort

Want to know about Master Chief? Talk to Frank

To think that Microsoft would forget about Halo ‘s Master Chief is pure madness. So 343 Industries’ Frank O’Conner (previously of Bungie) recent statement wasn’t at all surprising yet still felt oddly comforting to hear; “We’d have to be the world’s biggest assholes not to follow through,” O’Connor said, mindless of the pun he just made “We certainly haven’t seen the last of Master Chief.”

Halo 3 concluded (spoilers if you haven’t completed it) with Master Chief being put into cryosleep while the battered ship he was on drifted past a strange but clearly inhabited world. With such an open end to one of the biggest franchises in video games, a fourth adventure for Master Chief was always expected but since the prequel, Halo: Reach , is just over a month from release, I doubt we’d hear a great deal more on the matter any time soon. Still, a welcome comment by O’Conner if not an obvious one.