Review - Life is Strange

There is almost too much to be said about Life is Strange, an episodic narrative-driven game developed by Dontnod and published by Square Enix. It pushes boundaries and goes where few other games even attempt, much less succeed. After all, few other games would center on a female protagonist and her reconnecting with an estranged female best friend. Few other games would broach topics and themes more common to dramatic television than typical videogames. Make no mistake: Life is Strange isn't for everybody. But for those open to a game that eschews providing its players cliched power or revenge fantasies and instead delivers a captivating and personal narrative about friendship and the trials of adolescence, Dontnod's followup to Remember Me is beyond memorable. It's magnificent.

-- Review (Draft) - Life is Strange, by wangxiuming

I drafted this paragraph for a review of Dontnod's recently-completed episodic adventure game, Life is Strange after completing Episode 4, in anticipation of a glorious finale in Episode 5 that would cement this thought-provoking adventure as an incomparable piece of art in videogames. And to be honest, while Episode 5 did not exceed Episode 4's narrative climaxes for me, I still would have agreed with what I wrote two months ago ... at least, up until the game presented its final "choice" to me.

Yeah ... I jumped the gun.

That's not to say Life is Strange or its developer Dontnod are without achievement. The game itself, despite the final choice and its subsequent endings, still remains - on-the-whole - a provocative experience, one that is ultimately worth both the time and the money spent on it. It is courageous on many fronts, considering its protagonists, its subject matter, and - at least through most of its five-chapter run - its emphasis on delivering real choice with real consequences.

Unfortunately, while touting its adaptive storyline based on player choice as its greatest strength, the last choice in Life is Strange ultimately serves not to empower player choice at all. Instead, it undermines all of the choices that came before it, and ultimately the entire experience as a whole. It is a tremendous shame, especially when looking back just two months ago, I had been prepared to only heap praise.

Spoilers follow.

Life is Strange centers on Max Caufield, a teenage girl in her senior year at the prestigious Blackwell Academy in the seaside town of Arcadia Bay. Without explanation, she discovers she has the ability to reverse time. The player takes on Max's role and powers - frequently used as a tool for the generous dose of puzzle-solving that is required to progress. Not all is as it seems in Blackwell, and it's up to Max to uncover and connect the mysteries. Her interactions with her fellow classmates and the townspeople will build - or ruin - her various relationships. In turn, many of these decisions have a lasting impact on future events and those subsequent interactions. Kill a man's dog (you monster!) and he'll remember it. Through it all, Max will reconnect with an estranged friend, Chloe, while desperately wondering how to stave off an impending calamity.

It would be impossible to talk about Life is Strange without also talking about Chloe. Max reconnecting and re-establishing their friendship is central to the story, and her efforts to keep Chloe from danger is the impetus that drives the narrative forward. It's enormously compelling to watch them reminisce about old times and catch up with each other lives - especially since Chloe is hardly the same girl Max remembered from before she had to move away. Thankfully, both characters are portrayed beautifully by their voice actors, and so indeed is the rest of the cast. Still, it's Max and Chloe who are the real stars of the show and they are completely believable as two lost adolescent souls, struggling to make sense of what's happening around them and to do the right thing - for each other, as well as for the rest of the town.

And oh the things they'll stick their noses in. Throughout the narrative, Max will have to deal with a plethora of real world problems, not all of which there is an easy fix - or indeed, a fix at all: friends struggle with depression after being slut-shamed through viral media, the sacrifice of privacy in the Academy in the name of security, corruption or despondence in the ranks of authority at all levels, bullying, etc. etc. These are not your typical video-game challenges to overcome, and indeed, not all of these problems can be solved. The game will make you debate encouraging an oft-bullied loner to attend a party where he can potentially stand up for himself but risk more of his dignity, or stay home in the safety of solitude. What choice do you pick? Max's temporal powers only extend so far ... she might not be able to change her mind.

Then again, sometimes she is able to change her mind; rewinding time to the start of a scene can be done in most parts of the game, and it's fascinating to watch things unfold differently based on the different choices you make. Broaching one topic over another in a tense conversation might mean the difference between people ending up shot, and it's not always clear - though the game does leave clues - what option will result in a "best" outcome ... neither is there anything forcing you to strive for that result. Max is perfectly free to live with whatever mess she's stirred up if you so choose ... unless of course, the consequence is her death.

I struggled to find the right descriptor in reviewing Life is Strange when I first started this draft, and I'm still not sure I found it. Courageous, I think, might be the closest thing I can think of, but it's not exactly that. I wouldn't call it innovative either - maybe in its medium, it could be so considered, but it doesn't exactly broach things that have never been portrayed in media as a whole. Regardless, for its subject matter, its embrace of choice and meaningful consequences, and for presenting two strong female protagonists in Max and Chloe, developer Dontnod and publisher Square Enix deserve recognition. I'm even more thrilled that Life is Strange has already become a financial success, reaching 1 million in sales before the release of the fourth episode. The game will hopefully be a herald for other publishers and developers to recognize the market for these types of games, and continue to bring videogaming into the mainstream.

That all said ... I cannot help but feel disappointed by the final minutes of the narrative. A slew of minor quibbles also detract from the experience - minor plotholes that are unaddressed and questions that are left unanswered - but ultimately it was the ending(s) that ruined what was otherwise a thoroughly brilliant game for me.

I should mention it's difficult to discuss this without treading into spoiler territory, but I will do my best.

The last choice the game asks you to make renders almost all the decisions you've made through the first 4.9 chapters null and void, no matter what you choose in the end. I left the game feeling empty, questioning whether anything I did from the beginning up until the last few minutes mattered at all. I was particularly disappointed in one of the endings, which personally I felt could have done a lot to ameliorate that sensation, simply by showing us that Max had gotten something valuable out of the relationships she built from the game.

Instead, Life is Strange detoured into a fatalistic dive off a cliff.

Yes, the endings were different. No, it did not matter... and maybe that was the point?

Could this really be the message behind Dontnod's tale, after spending hours and hours, chapter after chapter, enthralling us, convincing us that what we did made a difference? Is this really supposed to be Max and Chloe's legacy? Is life not strange at all ... but merely the illusion of so being?

Even despite this surely controversial ending, Life is Strange remains a worthwhile experience. On its own, the game is a worthy - if flawed - entry in Dontnod's library. I think it will have to be another title, however, that serves as that developer's magnum opus.

Recommended For:
+ Fans of episodic adventure-narratives AKA "walking and talking simulations"
+ Gamers who want to explore different and real-world themes and storylines
+ Gamers who enjoy/don't mind playing a strong female protagonist and exploring her relationships
+ Fans of story-based games.

Not Recommended For:
- People who don't want to simulate walking and talking.
- If you didn't like Mass Effect 3 because of its last moments, I can't imagine you'll like Life is Strange

Review - Remember Me

Will you Remember Me?

In 2013, Developer Dontnod released a captivating setting and immensely personal tale in their debut action-adventure game Remember Me. Uplifted by a memorable protagonist and encapsulated in a story focused on identity, memory, and the relationship between those two central themes, Remember Me resonated with me well after I completed the game. It's a shame then, that Remember Me's actual gameplay is not up to par. Unwieldy controls, lackluster platforming, and excessively restrictive level design ultimately drag down what could have been a superb game.

A world that invites you to explore ...

Remember Me is set in Neo Paris: a year 2084 version of the French capital complete with dilapidated slums, sprawling marketplaces, and majestic skyscrapers. You play Nilin, an "Errorist," armed with the ability to see, remove, and modify other people's memories. It's ironic then that you start off the game having lost all of your memories. Edge, a mysterious ally and constant voice in your ear, helps you get your bearings and then guides you through various mission objectives. Your goals are both to restore your own memories and bring down M3M0RIZE, a giant corporation whose research is threatening the security - and the sanity - of Neo Paris and her people.

The atmosphere and setting of Remember Me is absolutely compelling. Dontnod's version of Paris is simply breathtaking; if there's anything worth remembering from this game, it's the truly beautiful vision and artistic direction. Whether its wandering through the slums, casually infiltrating a shopping district, parkour-ing across rooftops, or ascending the seemingly boundless limits of a Neo-Parisian highrise, the game treats you to a buffet of eye-candy. Meanwhile, the musical score successfully accentuates the action with an energetic techno beat while also managing to deliver poignancy to the game's emotional climaxes.

... but then closes the doors.

Unfortunately, while the game's art style, graphics, and music spark a desire for exploration, the game itself is surprisingly narrow in scope. Too often, Nilin is barred by arbitrary barriers, locked gates, or walls that hinder her movements, forcing her along what amounts to a winding railway with only a few nooks off the beaten path to house collectibles and stat boosts. The last time I played a game so linearly designed was the original Final Fantasy XIII, and while it's somewhat more forgivable in this 10 - 20 hour action game, the sensation did make me feel like I was playing an "on-the-rails" shooter. It's just such a shame in such a intricately crafted world, that we are not allowed to see more of it.

The game is also generously splashed with platforming segments that are uneven at best. Nilin spends much of her time hanging from ledges, gliding along as she tries to navigate the precarious edges of buildings, prisons, warehouses, and various other infrastructure. While I did appreciate the shots of the city you get from these segments, the platforming itself is ultimately uneventful. There's no real sense of accomplishment from successfully reaching the end, as far too often the only obstacle to your progress is accidentally falling, or the game's poor on-screen instructions of where you are allowed to go. The game will generate little pointers telling you where the next ledge you should leap to are located, but it does this unenthusiastically. Falling to your death because you can't see a little orange triangle drains the narrative of its momentum; and yet, this is sadly the most danger the platforming ever presents you with.

Don't mess with an errorist.

When Nilin isn't scaling skyscrapers, she spends most of her time beating up the agents of M3M0RIZE. Remember Me's combat system is simple to learn and yet layered with some depth. You start off with access to simple combos. A dodge button reacts timely - and even in the middle of a combo - and allows you to avoid being hit by enemies, who will conveniently notify you via exclamation points flashing on screen that they're about to attack. Meanwhile, Nilin's punches, kicks, and special abilities are all animated fluidly; it's a pleasure to watch as she wades through a pack of armored M3M0RIZE soldiers and disable them with graceful but powerful martial arts.

As you progress through the game and defeat more and more enemies, you unlock additional combos. All of the combos available to you are customizable with attacks of your choice. Available attacks - called "Pressens" in game - include those that increase damage dealt to your foes, allow you to heal yourself with every successful hit, and reduce the cooldown time of your special attacks. Special attacks range from taking control of enemy robots to launching Nilin into a fury mode that allows her to chain attacks together without limit for a set amount of time.

... like, seriously. Just don't.

These diverse options afford what is ultimately a serviceable combat system. Unfortunately, the controls leave something to be desired. The auto-targeting function is horrendous, and targeting in general is unwieldy at best. These problems are exacerbated for Nilin's ranged weapons, which force you into a first person perspective in the heat of battle. The game also has a tendency to throw waves of enemies at you, causing too many of the battles to feel like wars of attrition.

Even when overwhelmed by staggering odds, however, the combat can feel too simple at times. This is especially true of the Regeneration "Pressen," which allows you to heal yourself with every hit. The result is that Nilin is never truly in danger of being defeated, as refilling your healthbar is as simple as executing a regenerative combo attack. The game attempts to ameliorate this problem somewhat in the later stages of the game with enemies that hurt you with every successful hit you land; even so, I never felt like there was any real risk.

Just another day kicking ass.

While the platforming is otherwise innocuous and the combat manages to be engaging enough, it's the story elements of Remember Me's gameplay that truly capture the imagination. Of particular note are the "Memory Remix" sequences, which task you with altering certain key memories of your target in ways that cause their entire personalities to change. It's utterly fascinating to watch a person's memory, then tweak certain details within - the undoing of a leather strap tying your victim's beloved to a medical bed, or the removal of a safety in a loaded gun - and then see how just these minor changes cause your victim's memory to play out in entirely different ways.

History is in the eye of the remember-er ...

These remix sequences truly beg the questions: do our memories define who we are? Does history change with memory? Dontnod doesn't directly address these questions; indeed, their treatment of Nilin's power is not entirely consistent. In an early section of the game, Nilin's use of the memory remix causes another character to completely change her behavior, but it seems clear that it's only through our protagonist's manipulation that this result is achieved. Nilin knows she's revised history for her target alone. However, in later segments of the game, the remix of another character's memory seems to bring to Nilin a sense of emotional closure, a catharsis, that doesn't quite make sense considering Nilin more than anybody should know that the remixed memory is not in fact reality.

... or is it?

Cue Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You"

Despite its problems, Remember Me is nonetheless a memorable experience, one worth experiencing if only to provoke the questions it brings up for yourself. While parts of the gameplay are lackluster, the story, the protagonist (a woman of color! As the lead character of a game!), and the setting are all well-worth the look. Remember Me is available on Steam, PS3 and the Xbox 360.

Recommended For:
+ Fans of stories in their games
+ Fans who like their games with atmosphere and style
+ Fans of thought-provoking games
+ Gamers who'd like to see more minority representation in games!

Not Recommended For:
- People who blaze through stories
- Fans of challenging or difficult games

Spotlight - Skyrim Soundtrack (Updated with Gamespot Feature)

(Update! Looks like Gamespot posted a featurette about the music, sound, and voice acting today too. What are the odds?! Check it out at the bottom!)

One thing I'm not going to fret about related to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is its soundtrack. Jeremy Soule has taken the helm as composer for the Elder Scrolls series once again, and from what limited previews we have seen - or heard, rather - of the music, he's done a stellar job. I adored his work on Morrowind, raved about the soundtrack for Oblivion, and now I'm eagerly anticipating the same for Skyrim.

An official soundtrack for Skyrim has been announced and will be shipped the week after the game is released on 11/11/11.

Unlike his previous soundtrack work for the Elder Scrolls series, Jeremy Soule has scored and compiled a whopping four-disc set for Skyrim! That's a lot of music! One of the criticisms leveled at Morrowind and Oblivion was that their soundtracks - while enchanting - quickly became very repetitive as they tended to loop ad-infinitum during the hundred of hours of questing players could get in the game. A four-cd soundtrack shoud alleviate that problem somewhat (just a tad).

The four-disc set is available at Directsong exclusively for $30.00. Pricey, but it just might be worth it. Check out Gamespot's featurette on Skyrim's soundtrack, sound effects, and voice acting below, and head on over to Directsong to preorder.

Review - Dragon Age: Mark of the Assassin

Dragon Age 2's second story-based DLC outing is "Mark of the Assassin," an adventure that - apart from sporting around 5-6 hours of additional questing time - also features the remarkable voice talent of Felicia Day as the titular assassin, Tallis. Fans of the actress will find a pleasant treat in this DLC; Day brings Tallis to life in an engrossing way, and while the character herself may not be the most interesting of Bioware's creations, she still houses a personality and backstory that's worth a look.

The same can be said for the DLC itself; the premise, execution, and twists along the tale prove to be an entertaining diversion that will provide a solid chunk of additional gameplay. It's worth the pricetag - more so than Legacy. Everything good about Dragon Age is here: intricate lore woven into an interesting story, new creatures that provide varied and interesting battles, a puzzle or two to wrack your brain, challenging boss fights, and even a few surprising cameos from Dragon Age: Origins.

It's Felicia Day! In Dragon Age! As an elf!

The folks at Bioware have learned their lesson from Dragon Age 2. Mark of the Assassin once again sends you to a completely new location for you to explore. Gone are the recycled maps and endless waves of enemies (at least, for the duration of this DLC). Instead, you're sent on a mission to liberate a treasure from an Orlesian stronghold. Here, you'll take part in a wyvern hunt, chat up a few nobles in a party, and work your way through a fortress - by stealth or by force - to complete your mission. Though there have been complaints that the stealth portion of the game is buggy, I did not experience any of the bugs that have plagued other reviewers.

As to be expected from Bioware, the story twists and turns along the way (though I have to say, releasing the Dragon Age webseries along with the DLC might have given away a lot of one of the "surprise" moments). The highlight of the story and the DLC is definitely Tallis. With her snarky yet bright outlook, she is a welcome addition to your cast of companions. She's played wonderfully by Felicia Day, and it's a shame that the character is limited to the DLC; she will not join you on your main quest (though it seems possible she'll show up in another Dragon Age iteration).



Your choices in the DLC also have consequence; unlike Dragon Age 2's main game, where your choices often have little effect on the narrative, Mark of the Assassin will play out differently based on a few key choices you make. Anything that gives your actions more weight is a plus in my book.

If you're itching for more Dragon Age 2 that's not set in Kirkwall, Mark of the Assassin is worth a look. The DLC is available now on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3. 


Recommended For:
+ Dragon Age 2 fans
+ Felicia Day fans - don't worry, she differentiates Tallis from Codex quite well.

Not Recommended For:
- Dragon Age 2 haters
- People expecting Mark of the Assassin to solve all the problems of Dragon Age 2

For those looking for more history on Tallis, check out Dragon Age: Redemption.

Spotlight - Pre Skyrim Jitters

If you're fans of the Elder Scrolls series, then you indubitably know that Skyrim, the fifth installment of Bethesda's epic open-world RPG, is about to be released on 11/11/11 - less than 15 days away. Now there's been an impressive amount of hype for the game, considering it has been over 5 years since the studio released the previous game, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Yes, in addition to taking frivolous legal action against indie developers, Bethesda also still makes games! Imagine that.

Oblivion was hailed as one of the best RPGs of 2006, featuring stunning graphics (for the time), a massive world to explore, almost countless quests to complete, and its signature RPG leveling system; unlike most other models of the roleplaying videogame, the Elderscrolls uses a system where your abilities improve based only on use. That is, swing a sword enough times and you'll become a master swordsman. Blast enough enemies with fiery death, and you'll become a master mage. Spin enough diplomatic circles around your enemies with your silver tongue and you'll become a master ... debater.
Heh. Had to.

Skyrim allows you to kill bears like never before. As long as they aren't pandas, I say.

Still, for all its innovation and technical marvel, there was one area where I felt Oblivion fell short compared to its peers: narrative. Plot. Story. Now, I realize that these factors aren't really selling points of the Elder Scrolls series. Still, in a world where fans often feel justified in demanding improvements to game sequels (often to suit their own esoteric tastes), I feel okay jumping on the bandwagon here. After all, what gamer hasn't dreamed of ways to make the games they play better?

It has been my contention that there are two kinds of successful fantasy stories in RPGs: one based on setting, and one based on characters. Either your setting must be absolutely original and immersive, or your characters have to be compelling. Preferably, you would have both an original and interesting world to explore coupled with characters that you care about. In the absence of both, you must at least have one for a good story to be told.

Pretty? Yes. Interesting? That's debatable.

Case(s) in point. While Dragon Age's setting may not be the most original in all of fiction, the series still told an absolutely captivating narrative through your many party members. One of the best parts of the story in the first Dragon Age was trying to penetrate the witch Morrigan's caustic exterior. Or getting to know the man behind the string of sarcastic jokes that was Alistair. Or trying to decipher exactly what the mysterious shapeshifter Flemeth was planning.

Morrowind, the third installment of the Elder Scrolls series, took the opposite approach. The game managed to make up for its lack of memorable non-player characters using a fascinating and stunningly-well crafted setting based on a truly unique culture and intricate weave of lore. The sheer drama of this politically and religiously charged world more than made up for the lack of NPCs. You didn't just get to know a character in Morrowind. You got to know a whole nation.

Morrowind's capital city of Vivec, a thousand times more interesting than Oblivion's generic fantasy.

Unfortunately, Oblivion's setting seemed in comparison to be utterly generic fantasy with an unremarkable plot and dull, forgettable characters. Oblivion's narrative had neither the expansive and intricate backstory of Morrowind, nor the well-developed and layered characters of Dragon Age. The result was an utterly uninspired story. You got to know a world in Oblivion, yes. But it was like getting to know your husband/wife of forty years. Been there, done that. Seen it all before.

Note, that I don't think Oblivion itself was bad - just this one aspect. In terms of technology, gameplay, and sheer expansiveness of its world, Oblivion should still be considered the top of the top in its sub-genre of RPG.

Standing stones in Skyrim will impart special benefits to various skills.

With that tedious and overlong introduction done, I finally come to the point of this post. What will Skyrim do to address these concerns? Most other gaming sites seem to have conceded that the story aspect of the Elder Scrolls series is unworthy of note; the emphasis in most previews I have read has been decidedly focused on gameplay. That's fine; Elder Scrolls' massive worlds and unique gameplay are after all the major selling points of the series. Still, for a gamer who enjoys games primarily for their story content, what is there to expect?

Well, Skyrim is set in a brand new location, the home of the Nords. In terms of real world correlations, Nords are essentially fantasy Vikings. They make their homes in snow-covered plains that are broken apart by frost-covered crags and frozen tundra. This is a welcome change from the generic forests and medieval cities of Oblivion. As for the actual lore and backstory, we'll have to see when the game releases, but what's been shown so far seems to hit closer to Oblivion than it does Morrowind.

We can visit everything you see here, from Skyrim. Maybe not the clouds I'm guessing. Or can we?

As for plot, very little has been revealed. Apart from the fact that for some reason, dragons are trying to destroy the world, and your character is the fated hero chosen by destiny to defeat them and save the realm. Generic? Yes. Can it be done well? Again, guess we'll have to see.

Finally, Bethesda has not made a big deal out of its NPC characters. This isn't surprising, considering Skyrim's predecessors. There's supposed to be a new NPC AI system which is supposedly pretty revolutionary in terms of giving all the thousands of NPCs their own schedules. Gameplay wise, this sounds great. Story-wise, not so much. Quantity can't make up for lack of quality in terms of developing memorable characters to interact with. If every non-player character in the game has their own schedule, but none of them has any personality, that's big minus points in my book.

Dragons are an integral part of Skyrim's lore. Also, expect to kill a lot of them.

So, in short. Looks like Skyrim's not going to satisfy any narrative cravings. I look forward to being proven wrong, but I won't go so far as to hope for it.

That said, I still plan on fully enjoying this game. Despite Oblivion's lackluster storyline, I still found its massively open world absorbing and engrossing. Fans of the Elder Scrolls series often claim to forgo the main plotline entirely, choosing to carve out their own story and make their own mark in the Elder Scrolls universe. From what we've seen of Bethesda's latest RPG so far, there's no reason to think we can't do the same in Skyrim.

It's not an Elder Scrolls game if there's not a weird zombie skeleton all up in your grill.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim releases on November 11, 2011 on PC (via Steam), Xbox 360 and PS3.

Check out my review of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion here (please note that this was done on my old 5-point review system, which has since been discarded) and then catch some of the latest footage of the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, plus the live-action trailer below!


Latest Gameplay Footage, via G4TV

Xbox 360 Games - E3 2012 - The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Live Action Trailer!

Spotlight - Dragon Age: Redemption

Felicia Day's newest web-series set in the Dragon Age universe is out! Check out Redemption, which stars Day as the elven assassin Tallis.

I was a little worried that Day wouldn't be able to break out of her "Codex" role from her other series, The Guild, but she does an admirable job here in the first episode, setting Tallis apart (as a confident and somewhat snarky elf) from her other roles.

The way the Qunari are depicted does bug me a little though. I'm not sure if it's the costume or the acting, but they don't give off the same presence as they have in the game - there's not that sense of intimidation in their first appearance. We'll see if the series can overcome this.

Dragon Age's newest story-based DLC is also out today, which conveniently enough features Tallis as a playable character. Mark of the Assassin  can be picked up for $10.00 or its equivalent Bioware/Microsoft Points value on PC, Xbox360, and the PS3.

Spotlight - The Benefits of Gaming

Via my friend, Gamers have apparently helped scientists to achieve a significant research breakthrough in the struggle to cure AIDS. Read the full article for all the details, but apparently a group of gamers playing Foldit was able to decrypt the structure of an AIDS-like virus' enzyme in three weeks, something that has held scientists back for nearly a decade.

It's always exciting to hear stuff like this, because it validates one of my favorite hobbies. Kids, next time your mom tells you to put away the video games, just tell her that you're working on a cure for all the world's diseases. ;)

Bastion Official Soundtrack Now Available!

Bastion, which I have lauded multiple times in the past few weeks, has officially been released on the PC. This version features mappable key-bindings, gamepad support, and a higher resolution than its Xbox Live Arcade counterpart. The core game remains the same though, so for those of you who don't have an Xbox360, I highly recommend you download this great game for your computer. Download via Steam (you'll need to sign up for a free account if you haven't done so already).

In addition to the PC release, Supergiant Games has also released the official soundtrack for Bastion (which was definitely part of the reason the game was so great). Composed by Darren Korb, the full soundtrack features 22 songs, 2 of which have not been heard before. Get it here for $10 digital download or $15 for a compact CD.

As an added bonus, for a limited time, Supergiant Games is offering a bundle deal to get both the digital game and the digital soundtrack at a 20% discount.

Check out my full review of the XBLA version here.

Review - Bastion

Overview

I've blogged a bit about Supergiant Games' Bastion previously, and discussed most of its most prominent features; for those who still don't know much about this Xbox Live Arcade downloadable, well, let's just say it's an action RPG infused with style, atmosphere, and just enough poignancy to make the trip feel worth both your time and your hard-earned dollar. If there is only one XBLA downloadable game you get this year, you can bet Bastion should be one of your top choices.

Story

The game is set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, brought to its knees by what's referred to as "the Calamity." Your character, "the Kid" must navigate through a world filled with crumbling infrastructure and hostile humans and monsters alike. Along the way, you pick up remnants of the old world and unlock levels that provide you with a backstory to the Calamity's survivors. Between each level, you return to your home base, called the Bastion, a sanctuary of sorts that houses its own unique mystery.

Hope the kid doesn't roll around while he sleeps...

The story isn't told through cutscenes or cinematic movies; rather, your tale is told through the haunting baritone of a mysterious narrator that you meet within the game. It's a unique concept, and while there was a potential for this gimmick to become annoying rather than enlightening, Supergiant Games has done a truly stellar job in its implementation of the narration. The narrator will comment on almost everything you do, much of it to sarcastic and witty effect. Falling off ledges, slaughtering enemies, just pounding the destructible environment, and main plot events are all told to you with dramatic bravado. Even better, the story is integrated almost seamlessly into the gameplay; you'll never be forced to slog through long-winded paragraphs of tiny text.

Gameplay

Bastion is an action-RPG, a rarity on the XBLA market. You control the "Kid" throughout the entire game, stabbing, shooting, flame-throwering, or blasting the multitude of enemies that appear to impede your path. You're also equipped with a shield that -if timed correctly- allows you to counter attacks. When you're surrounded, the Kid can perform a handy somersault to leap out of harm's way, or use a special skill activated by the right trigger that generally does damage in a wide radius. The controls are smooth for the most part (though some of the ranged attacks are hard to target and the auto-lock on feature leaves a little to be desired). Along the way, you'll gain experience and collect spirits with which you can upgrade your arsenal of weapons. Level ups provide passive bonuses that afford you such improvements as additional potion slots, or increase your critical chance or damage.

Dogs may be man's best friend, but this shield is definitely the Kid's.

Your weapon selection is one of the best parts of Bastion. The game features around a dozen unique weapons - each that plays distinctly from the others. Unfortunately, you can only hold two weapons at a time, and when you discover a new weapon, one of your selections is automatically overridden with the new item. Still, this is a minor annoyance at worst. It's fun to experiment with all the different types of weapons. On top of that, as you progress through the game, unlockable challenges for each weapon also become available, rewarding you with different bonuses depending on your performance with said weapon.

I found the game to host just the right amount of challenge - not so hard that you feel frustrated for dying, but not so easy that your accomplishments don't feel satisfying either. When you successfully clear a mission or attain the high score on one of the weapon challenge levels, you'll know that it was your skill and perseverance that paid off, rather than simple button mashing. If this level of challenge is still too easy for your liking, however, you'll find that the game integrates additional difficulties smoothly into the actual game. During the story mode you'll eventually gain access to a Shrine within the Bastion, and by invoking the collectible totems of different deities, you can ease or ramp up the difficulty to your liking. Different totems have different effects (such as increased health for enemies, enemies that do more damage, or causing enemies to explode upon death). With each invocation, you also increase your XP rewards; just be careful you don't kill yourself. I learned it the hard way not to invoke too many totems at the same time.

Slash people to ribbons with the Kid's machete ...

There's also a treat for players who beat the game; completing the final mission gives you access to the coveted "New Game+" mode, allowing you to carryover experience, weapon upgrades, and unlocked items, easily making the game quite replayable.

Graphics & Sound

Despite its cartoonish theme, Bastion features some of the most gorgeously drawn sprites and backdrops I've seen. Style permeates the entire game, and the environments feel organic thanks to some nice particle effects and just a generally high level of detail and polish. The animations are not always the most sophisticated, but that doesn't prevent the gameplay from being fun, and in no way detracts from the astounding level of atmosphere.

... or blast them to smithereens with his shotgun!

Working in tandem with the art style, the sound quality is undeniably impressive. The narrator was well cast, his voice work some of the best I have heard in any game, let alone on XBLA. Ambient sound and music all serve to further draw you into the game's post-apocalyptic realm, simultaneously bringing you a sense of wonder and danger. The soundtrack is phenomenal. If Supergiant Games releases it, I would not hesitate to pick it up. The three tracks with vocals are particularly poignant.

Final Thoughts

Bastion is Supergiant Games' first release ever, but if its any indication of this fledgling developer's work quality, we can expect some great things in the future. Bastion is an action-RPG that does not disappoint in any sense, and the 10+ hours you can spend on the game is well worth its pricetag of 1200 Microsoft Points. Get it! Play it! Love it!

Recommended For:
+ Action RPG fans
+ Fans of games with style
+ Fans of immersive, story-based games
+ Anybody with an Xbox360


Not Recommended For:
- People with no souls.

Spotlight: Coming Soon to a Media Outlet Near You - July 2011

We're already halfway through 2011 folks ( can you believe it? ) but there doesn't seem to be any shortage of cool new media to entertain yourselves with - at least not in July. We list a few reasons to be look forward to enjoying life this month, after the jump.

On a side note, did you like the blog's background image for June? If so, I've included a 1920 x 1080 wallpaper below - just click on the image and you should get a full-resolution version. I really liked this background because it suggested a lot of action, but still had enough open space so that it wasn't distracting. Find more wallpapers like this one at www.dizorb.com.

WTWOF: Dragon Age 2 - Legacy DLC (Updated with Trailer)

Bioware has unveiled the first of its story-based DLC, titled "Legacy." The developer has stated that they hope to address at least some of Dragon Age 2's many criticisms with this $10 downloadable content. Given that the engine is probably not going to change for a single DLC, I'm guessing that the camera is not one of the issues that will be addressed. The horribly open-ended way the main game ended will also probably not be resolved, as the DLC can be played through at almost any time during the main storyline.

Possible Characters this could be:
- Bregan from Dragon Age: The Calling
- Papa Hawke (Grandpapa Hawke?)
- A new breed of Darkspawn engineered by the Architect
- Random NPC monster for you to kill

What can be fixed, however, is the annoying "wave" system of enemies and the use of recycled maps. These are the two biggest problems that faced Dragon Age 2, and we'll see if Bioware has been listening to the essentially unanimous condemnation of these two points. It is fitting then, that the Legacy DLC will be the test to see if Bioware can salvage the legacy of the Dragon Age franchise.

Hawke fights an armored Rhino-thingie.

Dragon Age 2: Legacy  features a whole new plotline involving a Grey Warden prison, and a new darkspawn threat. Uncover the secret behind the Hawke legacy along the way. The DLC is due out July 26, 2011 for $10 (and the equivalent amount of Bioware, Microsoft points) on the PC, XBOX360 and PS3. Expect a review shortly after, and see the reveal trailer below.

Spotlight - XBOX 360's Best RPGs, Part 2

It's interesting how the consoles have treated RPGs. Back in the old days, Playstation and Playstation 2 were definite RPG titans, boasting a seemingly limitless number of titles in the genre. Then, an interesting thing happened around 2007 - 2009. The Xbox 360 - which, if you may remember, the original Xbox was more of an action-oriented console - somehow took over the reigns of the RPG kingdom. With most of the big-name spring and summer RPGs on the Xbox 360 already released, I countdown my top ten favorite role-playing games on the system. See my top five below!


5. Final Fantasy XIII

There's no question FFXIII had many faults: the extreme linearity of both the story and the character progression were in stark contrast to almost all of its recent predecessors. The Crystogen leveling system really gave you no room to differentiate your characters beyond their set path, and it wasn't until near the end of the game where you had any area that you could "explore." Still, despite this, FFXIII still was an enjoyable experience, whose strengths ultimately outweighed its weaknesses. Fluid combat, an innovative battle system, stunning graphics and a great soundtrack kept this RPG from completely abandoning its Finally Fantastic legacy.


4. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

It's a testament to the quality of this game that even after five years, the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion still ranks in the top five. Despite a rather unremarkable main plot, stunning graphics, a truly wide open world to explore, endless number of quests to complete, and a multitude of interesting factions to join make this Elder Scrolls one of the best in the series and one of the best RPGs on the Xbox 360.

3. Tales of Vesperia

Some might say the JRPG genre has grown stale and repetitive, and honestly, Tales of Vesperia doesn't really do much to disprove that. The battle system isn't revolutionized from it's predecessor series, and the story is at times just as nonsensical as most JRPG plots tend to become when translated to english. Still, there's a reason i sank 80+ hours into this game in one playthrough - it is fun. The combat is fluid, and there's no denying the gaming high you get when you succesfully pull off that chain of dozens upon dozens of combos. Stylistic visuals and a charming soundtrack top off an otherwise superior game.


2. Mass Effect

The first Mass Effect was truly revolutionary, and thrust Bioware into the forefront of cinematic storytelling. An epic space opera boasting countless worlds to explore, quests where you determine the outcome, and an array of interesting and deep companion characters made this shooter-RPG the most fun I've ever had on the system. Sure, it had its problems too, most notably the horrifying amount of level recycling used in sidequests and the sheer awfulness of its planet-exploring vehicle, but these are nitpicks at worst. This is a game you simply must play if you have not.


1. Mass Effect 2

A lot of people have argued that Mass Effect strayed too far from its RPG roots in its second iteration. Everything from the leveling system to your equipment and even inventory management had been stripped down significantly. Why then, is it at the top of my Best RPGs on the Xbox 360? Simply put, the game sacrifices these elements to make the entire experience that much better. The combat is fluid, visceral, and you still have a wide and varied amount of classes and abilities to choose from. The storytelling is refined, and the effort that went into it is clearly visible, with the ability to import the decisions you made from the first game. The addition of "conversation interrupts" gave you the sense that Shephard is definitely not someone to mess around with. Gone was the horrible planet exploration and recycled areas (though replaced by a similarly annoying planet-scanning minigame). On top of that, Mass Effect 2 came with the bonus of some of the best DLC out there (Lair of the Shadow Broker anyone?). Some truly poignant moments are waiting for you if you haven't yet had a chance to play this game.

What do you think? What are your favorite 360 RPGs?

Spotlight - XBOX 360's Best RPGs, Part 1

It's interesting how the consoles have treated RPGs. Back in the old days, Playstation and Playstation 2 were definite RPG titans, boasting a seemingly limitless number of titles in the genre. Then, an interesting thing happened around 2007 - 2009. The Xbox 360 - which, if you may remember, the original Xbox was more of an action-oriented console - somehow took over the reigns of the RPG kingdom. With most of the big-name spring and summer RPGs on the Xbox 360 already released, I countdown my top ten favorite role-playing games on the system. See the first five below:

10. Fable 3

The original Fable was one of my favorite games on the original Xbox, a game that managed to fit smooth action-combat with an interesting story, adaptive character development, and that wonderfully quirky sense of humor the series has boasted since its inception. While the combat seems to have become overly simplified and the stories seem to have weakened progressively in each game, Fable 3 at least fixed the multiplayer issues from its predecessor.

9. The Last Remnant

Featuring a unique take on tactical combat in RPGs, the Last Remnant was not well-received by most professional critics during its original release. A slew of graphical and technical problems marred an otherwise interesting story and innovative fight system. Some of the graphical problems were solved by installing the game to your 360 harddrive, but texture pop-in and framerate slowdowns were still commonplace. Add to this, the fact that the game actually punishes you when you "level up" made this game a difficult one to enjoy. And yet, somehow I'm still playing through it now.

8. Eternal Sonata

A stereotypical action-RPG, except the story incorporated the life and music of Frederic Chopin. Eternal Sonata also boasted some of the best cel-shaded graphics and art design on the system at the time of its release. The game captured a sort of musical charm that fans of classical music no doubt enjoyed; all the characters besides chopin were named after some aspect of music, including such oddities as "Allegretto" and "Polka."

7. Star Ocean: The Last Hope

Another JRPG, The Last Hope featured an intense, action-packed and fun-driven real-time combat system which was both fluid and addicting. The only things that dragged the game down was the obtuse storyline and the painful character designs. Seriously, your characters looked like a moving collection of porcelain dolls, which I'm sorry, but no. Just no. No.

6. Marvel Ultimate Alliance

Marvel Ultimate Alliance was a great culmination of the technology and engine that drove the first two X-Men Legend Action-RPG games. MUA featured a large cast of playable and recognizable characters from the Marvel Universe, all of whom had their classic powers and costumes available for use. The story was competent, and the graphics and sound were just fine. Plus points for being able to telekinetically throw your enemies off ledges. Too bad the sequel to this great game oversimplified the character development options.


Check back tomorrow for my top-five Xbox 360 RPGs!

Spotlight - Yun and Yang from Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition

Via IGN, comes this interesting character overview of two of the new characters from SSF4: Arcade Edition. Personally I've so far been a big fan of Yun, who's attacks mix strength and speed pretty well. Not that I'm any good at the game mind you.

More Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition Videos

Flip throw for the win, anybody?

What to Watch Out For: Bastion

Today's WTWOF spotlights Bastion, an upcoming XBLA (Xbox360 Live Arcade) action RPG from Supergiant Games. For those of you who were readers of Gamespot before 2006-2007 or so, you might recognize one of the developers on the project: Greg Kasavin. Before he left for Supergiant Games, Greg Kasavin was Gamespot's resident RPG expert, with most of the big-name RPGs going his way for reviews. For the most part, I tended to agree with most everything he said; that hopefully means Bastion will not disappoint.

It's Hammer Time.

 
Bastion stars "The Kid," - and that's pretty much all I know about the main character. The game is set in a gorgeously drawn world ... and that's about as much as I know about the world too. As you can see, a lot of the details for this upcoming downloadable arcade game are still vague, but what we do know is quite intriguing. Among the features the game is touting is a level design that sort of coalesces into place as you progress. Further, every action you take as "The Kid" is narrated in real time by a somewhat snarky narrator, giving your adventure a very humorous storybook feel.

The backdrops are really quite gorgeous.

This seems like a very promising gem for fans of quirky, stylish, action RPGs. Bastion is slated for release July 20, 2011 for XBLA (1200 Microsoft Points) and later on the PC. Check out the Reveal Trailer below!

Supreme Court Says No to Fahrenheit 360-PS3-WII

In case you haven't heard, the Supreme Court struck down a California law passed in 2005 that made selling "violent videogames" to minors under 18 illegal.

Via FindLaw, "The majority opinion focused on the ban's violation of First Amendment rights. Justice Scalia, writing the majority opinion, explained that violent video games are not illegal and protected under the First Amendment, just like other literary and media outlets like books and movies."

The article continues "In fact, Justice Scalia also cited to a variety of children's books that depicted violence, including Grimm's Fairy Tales. He described how the fairy tale of Snow White included descriptions of how the 'wicked queen is made to dance in red hot slippers 'til she fell dead on the floor.' And, that Hansel and Gretel killed their kidnapper by baking her in an oven. And, that Cinderella's evil stepsisters have their eyes pecked out by doves."

It is true that there are plenty of mediums of entertainment that are saturated with violence: books, television, cinema - nothing is immune.


For those of you who don't get the title, it's a reference to Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451.


No, I don't think it's tacky to compare videogames to the literature that was being suppressed in the text. But yes, if I feel I need to explain the title, then I should probably rework it.


Shrugs.

Spotlight - Rolemaking in RPGs

Via Rampant Games comes a blog post on creating characters and why - for the author - it's not an essential part of the RPG. He has some good points; after all, character generation is almost exclusively a western RPG feature. JRPGs seem to do just fine without it (Final Fantasy anyone?). It's not essential for someone to enjoy a game; indeed, sometimes it's even a turnoff. When you just want to leap straight into the action, a long-winded series of menus telling you to make a "toon" and assign all your starting statistics may be a daunting and unappealing task.

Remember this, anybody?

Purely from a storytelling perspective, when you define all the characters for the player, it's easier to develop a stronger, tighter narrative. You don't have to consider questions like "oh, but what if the player chose to make his character this." You don't have to worry about whether or not the story is logical with what the player has imagined his character to be. You don't need to concern yourself with consistency between the player and the game. The game has already defined everything, including the player, their character, and their role in the story.

Limiting player choice in creating their characters can thus, arguably, be what strengthens the story of a particular game. Final Fantasy 7, for example, forces you to play Cloud Strife. But is the game any weaker because you're not allowed to create your own character? Not really - in fact, given the story of Final Fantasy 7, using any other character besides the predefined Cloud Strife wouldn't make sense. Using a more recent example, the Mass Effect series - while allowing you to change your class and some superificial characteristics of your character - still forces you to play (a somewhat predefined) Shephard. And the narrative is strengthened, because of this. Can you imagine a Mass Effect game without Commander Shepherd at the helm?

Commander Shephard

So what is the common denominator between the stories in FF7 and Mass Effect? The stories in these games are not about the player; they are about the characters. Final Fantasy 7 is definitively a story about Cloud Strife; Mass Effect is Shephard's story. Make no mistake, these are good stories too.

Why then, when I look back on the last couple of years and almost all of my favorite RPGs have included character generation as one of its features? Dragon Age - Origins, Star Wars - Knights of the Old Republic 2, Neverwinter Nights, The Elder Scrolls - Oblivion. The list goes on. And for me, the answer to my own question is that the stories in these games aren't about somebody else. They're about me.

How relatable is he?

                     + Carries a giant sword
                     - Is an Amnesiac
                     - Is broody and emo
                     - Has ridiculous hair
                     - Carries a giant sword

Okay, not me like in real life. But they are about a character that I made, a character who I know everything about. The stories in those games I mentioned above are all personal stories, involving my own role-making if you will. Something about having my character in a story makes me care that much more about what happens. If you hated Cloud or Shephard, it's likely you probably couldn't finish Final Fantasy 7 or Mass Effect; the challenge for these types of stories is trying to make a relatable protagonist. Well, when a player is given the option to make his/her own character, there's almost no chance that he won't relate to his own creation.

Does it take more effort? Yes, certainly. Is it worth the effort? That depends on the story you're trying to tell.

One of the things that was heavily decried on the Dragon Age 2 forums was how much character generation was being stripped down. Dragon Age - Origins had featured such a strong character generation system, allowing you to choose race, gender, class, starting statistics and skills. Apart from that, they also allowed you to choose between six different origin stories. Dragon Age 2, on the other hand, allowed you to choose your gender and your class. That's it. They even forced you to play a character named Hawke, a la Mass Effect.

The end result was that the Dragon Age series changed from being a personal story for the player ... to Hawke's story. This by itself is not necessarily a bad thing (see my review for the full assortment of things gone awry in DA2). Still, it was a bit disappointing to know that I would not be playing my own character in the second Dragon Age, after the first experience was so captivating.

How relatable is he?
+ You can get rid of the god-awful beard
- You're stuck with his annoying family ...
- His actions don't produce results
- Love interests include known carriers of STDs ... and terrorists.

I get the sense that there is a trend forming, where character creation in RPGs is being left behind in favor of accessibility and approachability. Dungeon Siege III, Dragon Age 2, The Witcher; the last few big name RPG titles have all featured very limited character creation (if at all). Still, for those of us who enjoy making our own characters, we at least have Kingdoms of Amalur and The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim to look forward to.

I hope.