The Last of Us - Game Review

There is no doubt in my mind that Naughty Dog has once again guaranteed itself another game of the year title with their latest release. The Last of Us, which I completed for the first time last night, is unquestionably the best game to hit the PlayStation 3 since Uncharted 3.
A stealth survival game set amidst a zombie apocalypse, The Last of Us, follows Joel, a middle-aged, hardened smuggler and Ellie, his foul mouthed young ward, on a year long journey across the remains of the desolated United States. Visually, the game is stunning. The art designers, and visual artists of Naughty Dog have really outdone themselves on this game. Gameplay takes you through a variety of settings ranging from squalid inner city urban, reclaimed residential, and pristine wilderness. Each stage literally looks better than the last.  Here are a couple of screen shots I was able to find online.

The controls are intuitive and easy to pick up, especially if you have played the Uncharted series. I was also a big fan of the inventory system, and the fact that you have to collect various components before crafting the items that you need to survive. What I wasn't a huge fan of was the fact there was a finite limit on how much of each type of item you can you carry at any one time. Even though you are carrying a backpack, you can only carry 3 of each type of standard component item, and 3 of each crafted item as well. While this certainly adds to the "survival" aspect of the game, sometimes it was really frustrating to see items available to be picked up, but not have the room for it in my inventory.   This applies double to the limited amount of ammo you can carry at any one time.  In a zombie apocalypse you better believe that I would be carrying extra shells in my socks if that's what was necessary. However, for the purpose of a survival game, I do understand that managing limited resources challenges players to find alternate solutions for each encounter.
The story is also very multi-dimensional, and well crafted.  Nothing is ever quite as it seems, and all of the characters have multiple motivations for behaving the way they do. Initially Joel doesn't want to be saddled with the burden of transporting Ellie, but eventually they form a very strong bond, which enhances the story significantly.
I have already published a post that deals with the specifics of the unique zombie outbreak that Naughty Dog has crafted, which you can find here: http://wwwwd.blogspot.ca/2013/06/the-last-of-us.html
My first play through took exactly 17:25:45, on Normal difficulty, and I only managed to track down about 2/3rds of the collectable items, so there is lots of re-playability, especially of you aim to try and platinum this title. I really can't say enough good things about this game, as it is so impressive on every level. Pick up a copy for yourself, and loose yourself in this immersive world. One play through won't be enough, I guarantee it!

The Last Of Us

I am a huge fan of Naughty Dog studios and their work on the Uncharted franchise for the PS3. The visuals are stunning, the plots are top notch, and the play control is intuitive, all ingredients for a first rate game.

I just had the chance to play through the early access demo for Naughty Dog's newest offering, The Last of Us, which drops later this month on June 14.
Having seen the trailer, I knew that they were shifting focus to more of a post zombie apocalypse survival style of play, as opposed to the "Indiana Jones" Fortune Hunter game style that Uncharted did so well.
On first trial, this game looks and feels great. Naughty Dog has nailed the visuals. The collapsing buildings, overgrown vegetation, dynamic weather, all combine to create an environment taken straight out of the pages of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead.
While they don't give of the plot away in the demo, the interactions between the characters are interesting, and they hint at enough of the story to hook you in.
The controls took a little getting used to, specifically the melee attack, but ultimately I enjoyed the gritty sense of the combat. I generally tend to rely on a balance of stealth avoidance, and long ranged scoped attacks for most zombie encounters in other games, so I imagine that I will do the same with this if the opportunity presents itself. In my mind, toe to toe combat with a zombie is only a last resort!
And now for what I thought was the most interesting aspect of this demo, the zombies themselves. Naughty Dog has chosen to take a slightly different approach to the concept, and rather than the outbreak being caused by a viral or bacterial infection, if my guess is correct, the zombies are in fact infected hosts of a mutated form of parasitic Cordyceps fungus. Cordyceps fungus is a real world fungus that infects insects, replacing the hosts tissue with its own, and effectively overtakes the hosts central nervous system to further its own reproductive cycle, before releasing spores into the atmosphere that then hunt out and destroy their next host.
So Naughty Dog has basically taken a real world parasite, and by tweaking its ability to affect humans, created a feasible back story for a zombie apocalypse. Add to this fact, that they have devised different stages of infection to create various "types" of zombies, many of which can effectively hunt, and run at terrifying speeds, and this is a perfect recipe for one seriously deranged zombie survival story that will keep me up at night. It is my sincere belief that Zombies can not run. If zombies can run, or climb, or god forbid, hunt using echo-location like some of these creepy bastards devised by Naughty Dog, then every member of the human race may as well just dig a hole, lay down in it and wait to die, because that is game over for us as a species.

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

Yesterday, I picked up a used copy of newest offering from Activision.  The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.  I had read alot of reviews and fan feedback that cautioned me that the pacing was slow, and the game suffered from a number of other drawbacks, but to be honest, I think it is pretty friggin awesome.  As a huge fan of The Walking Dead in all of it's formats, I feel like the tone of this game is spot on.  You play as Darryl Dixon, a fan favourite from the hit AMC show, voiced by Norman Reedus himself.  Activision classifies it as a 1st person "survival" game, meaning it is not the goal to execute and obliterate every walker in a given level.  Really, if you don't want to, you could like sneak past almost every walker in the game, never firing a shot.  Ofcourse, I took a slightly more aggressive approach, testing out each and every melee weapon and firearm I could get my hands on.  To be honest, I am only about 3 main levels into the campaign, so I still have a long way to go, but so far I am a huge fan of the lead pipe and the double barrel shot gun.  In true Walking Dead fashion, gunshots draw walker hordes, so the majority of the combat is up close and personal.  I have yet to discover Darryl's signature range weapon - the compound crossbow, but once I get that I will cooking with gas!
Levels are an interesting blend of wide open areas and small dark enclosed places, all filled with decomposing walkers.  While most of the graphics are a little cartoonish for my taste, the zombies look fantastic.  And the kills are wicked.  Headshots, amputations, executions...all awesome.
I can't wait to dig my teeth into the plot of this game and discover yet another facet of The Walking Dead canon.

Super Mario Brothers - Before they were Super!

I found this advetisement in an X-Men comic book I was reading tonight (#187) from 1983 and it brought a huge smile to my face.
Long before they made their debut on the NES Mario and Luigi were just simple plumbers in this classic Atari 2600 video game.  Challenged by the nefarious turtles, crabs and flying thingies...I vaguely remember playing this title a few years after it was released, after I had gotten hooked on Super Mario Brothers for the NES.  I disticntly remember my younger self being like...wow this game is crap!  Now I look back on it and appreciate it for everything that it started.  Ah nostalgia...to think...this was 30 years ago!

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2: Online Multiplayer: Create a Class: First Impressions

I have had a copy Black Ops 2 in my possession ever since the midnight launch just under two weeks ago so it's time to share a few thoughts.  Right off the bat, if you aren't a gamer, or don't play Call Of Duty, go ahead and skip this post!  Its not going to interest you in the slightest!
I have already logged about 20 hours of online game play, and it would be more if I weren't so busy at work right now.  I am currently level 20 on my first Prestige, thanks to the Double XP launch weekend.
First thing, the new Pick 10 create a class system is a really interesting modification to the game.  It used to be that a player got to choose a primary weapon w/ attachment, a secondary weapon, a piece of lethal equipment, a piece of tactical equipment and 3 perks (1 of 6 available from different 3 tiers) to aid in their goals.
With the new pick 10 create a class system, the player can choose to forego any number of their weapons, equipment or perks to select any combination of the above, plus new wildcard attributes.  The wildcards each take up one slot, and allow the player added options, like selecting a second perk from a tier, adding a second piece of lethal equipment, carrying 2 primary weapons, or equipping 3 attachments to a primary weapon.  The wildcards allow for almost limitless customization combinations.
I play Domination almost exclusively, and very early on I found a couple of combinations that work really well for my play style:

ASSAULT CLASS:
Wild Cards:
#1 Primary Gunfighter: Allows an extra attachment on my primary weapon.
#2 Perk 1 Greed: Allows two Perks from tier 1.
Primary Weapon: Type 25 Assault Rifle: A solid assault rifle with full auto capability, a must in my books.
Primary Weapon Attachments x3: Thanks to the Primary Gunfighter Wildcard.
#1: Target Finder Scope: An advanced  holographic scope that actually identifies targets in its viewfinder.  Incredibly accurate, and helpfull for mid-range distance kills with an assault rifle.
#2 Foregrip: Reduces recoil, increasing overall accuracy, very important when running with on full auto.
#3 Full Metal Jacket rounds:  The FMJ's add a big punch to the Type 25's ammunition, meaning it takes fewer slugs to put down an opponent.  Also in a quick-draw firefight, the FMJ's give you the edge over your opponent.

Secondary Weapon: FHJ - 18AA rocket launcher.  A vehicle lock launcher with 2 rounds, perfect for knocking enemy aircraft out of the sky.

Perks:
Perk Tier 1: x2 Because of the Perk 1 Greed Wildcard.
#1: Flack Jacket: A must in Domination matches, lets you survive an explosion or grenade blast without dying.  This is a huge advantage when capturing control points.
Perk #1 slot #2: Light weight: Allows you to move faster, handy when trying to get from point A to Point B.  Also, you take less damage from falling.
Perk Tier #3: Extreme Conditioning: Lets you run for longer durations, and when combined with light weight, you go like the wind, even when carrying a rocket launcher.
In order to run this load out I have given up my lethal equipment, both tactical equipment pieces, and a Perk 2 tier selection.  I don't find that I miss them at all.
Just for fun, I also created a perk heavy class modeled after something that one of the game designers likes to run with.  This class forgoes both primary and secondary weapons, in favour of speed and lethal combat knife kills. Nobody expects it, and while it isn't well suited to domination matches matches, it is perfect for quick and dirty Free-For-All matches.

Mortal Kombat Class:

Wildcards:
Perk #1 Greed
Perk #2 Greed
Perk #3 Greed

Lethal Equipment: Combat Axe:  Literally the only thing I am carrying other than the combat knife.  The deadly combat axe is an instant kill when it hits a target, and it can be picked up again and again.  While it is not the easiest thing to aim, it is pretty badass.

Perks:
Tier 1 #1: Blind Eye:  This keeps me off if enemy radar, making me undetectable to their U.A.V recon drones.
Tier 1 #2: Light weight: Allows you to move faster, which is always handy when you are running just hand to hand melee weapons.
Tier 2 #1: Cold Blooded: This makes me undetectable to heat sensing scopes, and target finders.  If they can't get a lock on you, some players will have a hard time hitting you.
Tier 2 #2: Scavenger.  This allows me to resupply ammo for any weapon I choose to pick up mid round.  Very handy if your stealth attacks are getting nowhere.
Tier 3 #1: Extreme Conditioning.  Sprint for longer periods of time.  Thus combined with Light weight, and no primary or secondary weapons allows for the fastest movement possible.  All most twice the speed of heavily weighted players.
Tier 3 #2: Awareness.  This boosts the level of noise made my enemies around you so you can hear footsteps etc through your source speakers.
Armed with only the combat knife and Combat Axe, this super speedy class is a lot of fun, especially on small maps!
So there you have it, all most limitless options for customization means that you can play this game your way.
BTW, you play, feel free to add me on PSN: DeaDPaN79 and we'll swap stories.
Now get out there and shoot some douche waffles!
Stay Frosty.

Been There, Done That, Got Another T-Shirt!

That's right, it's November 13th, launch day for this years most anticipated video game: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

Once again my buddy Tim and I braved the November weather to attend the midnight release.  It had poured rain, here all day and the temperarure dropped to zero as tje night went on.  But we're hardcore.  We brought touques amd gloves, and once again camped out at our local Best Buy in order to be amongst the first to be able to play the game on launch day.

There were supposed to be three of us standing in line, but one of our friends bailed necause he didn't want to stand out the cold.  We wont hold it against him.  much.  ;)

This year we only had to stand out in the cold for about an hour, while there was a crowd, it looks like the inclimate weather kept alot of people home.  But not us!  We had wisely pre-ordered the game in order to get the free extra content: A sweet multiplayer map called Nuketown 2025, and as a added bonus we recieved a Black Ops 2 release day poster, and the official Black Ops 2 T-Shirt.

Ofcourse we then rushed home to play test this sexy new purchase.
After only about 3 hours of game play (Yes I played it until 4am) I have to say that I am pretty impressed.  So far I have only tried the online multipayer gameplay, but the whole experience is pretty slick.  More details to follow, once I have tackled the campaign, and Zombie modes.

Operation: Black Ops 2 successful.  Fun achieved!

My PS3 pile of shame...games that have gotten the best of me, for now.

In honour on the E3 video game convention, and all the big new releases that are being announced this week, I thought I would take a moment to reflect on my very own pile of shame - those video games that I rushed out to purchase, and in many cases now sit uncompleted and mocking me from their home stacked next to my sexy big screen gaming TV.  Yes, I have a gaming TV, and it is sexy.  It does occasionally get used to watch other things, but typically only Game of Thrones, and the odd Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game, but I digress.  These are titles that I have started, but failed to complete for whatever reason.  Most are great games, there just aren't enough hours in the day to complete them while I also attempt to max out my prestige level in MW3 while pwning douche waffles on Domination with my ACR.  For the record I am currently ranked #9838 for Dominator trophies ( I currently have 396 of these, awarded for most points captured during a match) on the world wide leader boards, down from #5129 before I started my last out of town work project 6 weeks ago.

While there are countless other PSN Network titles, and freebies that I have gotten with my PS Plus account, these are the titles that I actually laid down my hard earned scratch to acquire.  These are the titles that mock me while I have trouble getting to sleep at night.

You may find it interesting to know that on my online PSN profile, my personal info reads: PS3 addict.  It's true what they say, the first step is admitting that you have a problem.

So here it is, my PS3 pile of shame:

#1 Assasins Creed - This one has been on the pile the longest.  It is practically a launch title, and while the graphics are amazing, and the storyline is epic, I found the action really repetive, and even though I only have like 2 missions left to complete, I just can't be bothered to go back to it.  The fact that it predates PSN trophies may have a lot to do with this, since I am a total trophy whore.

#2 God of War 3 - This one makes me hang my head.  It's a great game, graphics are stunning, plot is pretty good, and the anti hero is the biggest badass in video games.  I think I have logged about 5 hours of game play, which means I have a long way to go.  This is the one that I keep telling myself I am going to tackle next, although I still have yet to do it...but Summer is coming, and that means long days spent cooped up in the dark playing video games in an effort to avoid contact with that retina burning ball of gas in the sky.

#3 Assassins Creed 2 - While the fact that I have only logged about 2 hours on this title is a source of shame, the plot and game play just haven't been interesting enough to draw me back.  The fact that this title is set in rennaisance Italy as opposed to Crusade era Islam is a bit of a let down as the weapon selection also kind of sucks.

#4 Killzone 3 - I picked this title up uber cheap at a Rogers Video fire sale, so I don't feel to bad about only logging about 30 minutes of game play.  I liked what I saw, but ultimately, its just another futuristic 3rd person shooter, and while the cover system is good, I firmly believe that the Resistance Franchise has got this genre locked down.  Having never played Killzone #1 or #2, I have zero connection to the back story.  My assumption: see the alien, kill the alien.  Pretty basic stuff. This one can wait...

#5 X Men: Destiny - I also picked this up super cheap at the fire sale, and it is a pretty solid game.  I have actually played through this game, but since it has multiple endings, I feel compelled to play through it to its ultimate completion...which means at least another 25 hours of game play.  I feel like it should be an easy game to Platinum, but I have yet to find the time...

#6 Uncharted 3 - I love this game.  It is easily the best game I own, and having said this, it hangs over my head that I have yet to Planinum it.  The fact that I dedicated 16 hours on launch day to complete it the first time, lends credence to my shame.  I have played through it 1 1/2 times, of the required 3 playthroughs, and found 92 of the 100 hidden treasures.  This is the game that mocks me the loudest when I have spare moments.  It is definitely the next on my list.

#7 Rachet and Clank: Tools of Destruction - This platformer isn't the genre I usually go for, but for a while I got sucked in.  Enough so that I only have a level or two left to complete.  But it has been about 3 years since I last put the disc into my PS3.  One day...

#8 Dark Kingdom - Another launch title.  Not the best game, but it was the first co-op rpg for the system.  Now I can honestly say that I have a reason for not completing this game.  Just the wife and I were playing through the co-op mode before Peanut was born 2 years ago, and she hasn't been available/ interested in picking up where we left off ever since.  I keep hoping that one day she will wake up with the deep seated need to finish this video game with me, but failing that this may be one that I never complete...unless I find a new co-op partner with 30 plus hours to spare.

#9 Final Fantasy 13 ( I think)  - This one makes me laugh.  I bought a used copy on a whim a few years back (like maybe 3...) and the game has never, ever been put in my system.  Haven't even seen the opening cut scenes.  I'm sure its a great game, but the 100+ hours of game play have just been super daunting.  I like the series, and I am a huge fan of rpgs, but this one is still as of yet untouched.

#10 Dragon Age 2 - Another solid RPG, that I just haven't found the time to get into.  Loved the first game, despite the fact that I haven't platinumed it yet either.  I will likely love this one...one day.

#11 Oblivion & Shivering Isles expansion - At one point I had sunk 200+ hours into this game attempting to complete every side quest, while basically ignoring the main story line.  While I haven't played it in over 2 years, I do still dream of one day rising victorious from the ashes of my save file...assuming I can even remember the control scheme...

#12 Call of Duty Black Ops - While I have logged countless hours into this games online modes, I have never completed the story mode.  

#13 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 - Again, I have logged over 216 hours (more than 9 full days) on the online portion of this game, but I have yet to beat the offline story mode.  I'll get to it...hell it took me 3 years to beat story mode on Modern Warfare 2.

That's not so bad right?

It's important to have a hobby...

I think my distraction has become my addiction...Or brains are saturated in Cholesterol...

The Zombie Apocalypse is here, and hordes of mindless hungry flesh eaters are attempting to break into my home to eat my brains.  Intent on survival I have hunkered down with a like minded individual, a big shout out to fellow blogger: teapotrobot of Taking Life Advice From Rappers, to defend my white picket fenced yard.  To defeat the horde we thought we'd think outside the box. Rather than the typical armory of AK47's, double barrelled shotguns, and replica ninja swords, we have armed ourselves with a collection of wacky mutant plants that we have obtained from our neighbour, Crazy Dave. He's C-R-A-Z-Y.

Okay, so this isn't exactly my life, but it is the plot of the video game that is filling all of my free time at work these days.
PLANTS VS. ZOMBIES from POPCAP games.  This game is available for just about every platform imaginable, except the Wii, but since not even people who own Wii's use them anymore, no big loss there.  We downloaded it on the PSN, and have been playing it non-stop between shows for at least 6 weeks.
  The premise is fairly straight-forward. Its a tower defense style game with a funky twist.  You use a wacky collection of Flora to stop the advancing Zombie Horde from gaining access to your back door and thus keep them from snacking on your brains.

With zany plants like the pea shooter, cabbagepault, cat tail, and wall nut, you have plenty of amusing options for mounting your defense.  Collect coins, gems, and other bonus perks along the way to access upgrades and unlock new and exciting ways to decimate the zombie horde.
Game modes include traditional story, survival, puzzle, bowling, among others, and most have a co-op option for those of you who want to get your game on with a friend.  There is also a really engaging Zen Garden that will help you generate in game cash.

We've already completed story mode twice, unlocked 90% of the trophy's (We are going to tackle the endless survival mode for the last trophy tomorrow).
Over our two playthroughs we have come up with a solid plant selection for survival: from back to front: two rows of sunflowers - upgraded to double sun for later levels, a row of double shooters, upgraded to Gatling guns for later levels, a row of freezy shooters, a row of cornapaults, a row of melonpaults upgraded to freezy melonpaults for later levels, a mixed row of magnets, woken up with coffee beans, (1,3,5) and shooting stars (2,4), a row of chompers, and a row of Tall Nuts.  If you have the extra slots pick up both a squash, and a jalapeno as they come in handy for destroying any sneaky zombies that manage to tunnel under/float over/smash through your defenses.
 
For a good laugh, read through the almanac for the Bios on all of the plants and different Zombies you'll encounter.  Also the secret music video found at end of story mode: There's a Zombie on my lawn, is just as good as any Robin Sparkles video.  See for yourself:

All in all, Plants vs Zombies is a very amusing distraction for all of your brain consuming needs!

Been There Done That. Literally got the T-Shirt.

Tuesday November 8th, marked one of the biggest gaming days of the year with the launch of the latest title in the very popular Call of Duty franchise:  Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 3.
As a gamer, I felt it was my duty to enlist my close gamer friends to trek out to the big midnight release for this game.  As a sidebar, I love midnight releases.  Whether it is for a movie (Transformers 3, X-Men Origins - Wolverine), a novel (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) or a video game (MW3) there is something about standing in line for a few hours with a horde of like-minded individuals, waiting to sink your teeth into the as of yet undiscovered content that the retailer is dangling so tantalizingly in front of you.  I love the idea that you can bask in the knowledge that you will be one of the first people in the world to delve into this sweet new content. 
I had planned on us arriving at Best Buy about an hour before the doors opened at 12:01am, not sure what to expect for a turnout as there were plenty of locations in K/W (and across the world) that were participating in the midnight release.  We were not disappointed!  The lineup stretched around the side of the building,  with many of the people at the front of the line reclining in lawn chairs or under blankets in the chilly November air.  There was a tangible excitement in the air as people of all ages shared in the pre -  release festivities.  We chatted back and forth with a few of the gamers around us inline, swapping gamer stories of killing douche waffles in the last COD offering, and the various other games that we devote so much of our free time (read: lives) to. 
One of my friends joked that he felt pretty sad to be standing in line at midnight to buy a video game, but no one had twisted his arm to be there, and when he eventually had his copy in hand, he didn't waste any time tearing into the packaging to check out the liner notes on his sweet new acquisition.
I was shocked to discover that neither of the two gamer friends attending the event with me had ever been to a midnight release.  I hope I have opened their eyes to the awesomeness involved.
Ultimately, we stood in line for about an hour and a half, and we all obtained a copy of the much anticipated title.  On top of that, we each got a sweet MW3 T-shirt to commemorate the event.  Proof, that we the few, the proud, had withstood the ravages of weather, and time, to be a part of history.  And more importantly, come early 2012, we will be ready to pwn some Christmas noobs!
So hows the game?  That's a discussion for another time!