inFamous Demo Impressions

Well at this point in the games development I would have to slap you silly if you haven't heard about the comparison of inFamous to Prototype. It seems it has been an on going comparison ever since the two games have been announced but now that everybody has gotten to play inFamous, the comparisons are now being made to Crackdown more so than Prototype. Now I haven't played Crackdown so I have no idea what it's like but to my understanding of things, inFamous plays like Crackdown but looks something more similar to Prototype's more grungier look. Anyways, comparisons aside, the demo is awesome!

The demo puts you in the middle of the action with just enough gameplay to give you an idea of what to expect of the retail copy. The first thing I took notice of is the landscape and how great everything looks. The city really feels like its living with life with everyone grasping just to survive. Its really great to just walk around and notice the sights and see the devastation that has been brought upon everybody (now that I think about it, that almost sounds disturbing). Aside from the pretty graphics, its the gameplay that really impresses me. The controls in inFamous are really fluid and simple to learn. Everything just seems like is meshes well together whether it be aiming at and enemy or jumping from building to building. I never found myself confused or frustrated with the controls which is something I'm always a fan of.

Now inFamous is an open world game so you can only expect that there will be your main story missions, side missions, hidden packages, etc.... Of course I'm not dissing the game, but you can only expect that from these types of games. In the demo, your also granted a taste of the hero side and the evil side, both of which have their own types of powers. To me, being evil looks like it would be more fun to play because you just cause all sorts of destruction where as the hero side is more about precision aiming to take out your enemies. Either way, inFamous is a game where it looks like I'm going to be playing multiple play throughs just to see what both sides have to offer.

Now I could talk about this game all day but I think I'll end it here. As you can probably tell, I had a blast with the demo and it definitely looks like inFamous is going to be a welcome addition to my PS3 library as well as everybody elses.

Travis(MWG)

Wait, I had fun in Home??

Well, we all know that Home is forever going to be in a beta form. I don't think Sony even knows what they want Home to be at this point and the word beta always gives a product an excuse of just sucking, it seems. At least Sony thinks so because they're obviously still funding it and to my surprise, so are other companies.

Well today I decided to delve into the world of Home and see what new excitement it had to offer. I did hear about the new apartment you could grab for free this week and thought I would see what all this talk about Xi was about. Now that stuff wasn't too exciting but, I did however find something in Home that I thought was step in the right direction. Looking through the new locations that were available, I noticed that an area for Siren was available and to my surprise, the Siren area was actually pretty enjoyable. What made it fun was the Ward of Despair mini-game that pit you with 4 other players to make it out of an hospital within 5 minutes while collecting items throughout the hospital. What makes it interesting is that they have zombies that pop out that you have to avoid and of course if you get hit by them, then your done. Apparently your supposed to get new costumes or something if you collect all the items or something but all I got was a shirt... I'm sure there's more to it, I just have to go back and play it again. Still though, what amazed me most is that I had fun in Home.

Siren was the only area I was able to visit but it seems like Sony is heading the right direction with Home. Now all they need to do is just keep adding games like that because it actually gives you something to do. I know Sony said they have a bunch of stuff in store for Home later this year and hopefully it will be more areas like the Siren location because it actually makes Home, dare I say it, fun.

Travis (MWG)

The Short But Sweet Modern Warfare 2 Trailer

Though the trailer is small, the anticipation for this game is huge. I still go back to play COD4 from time to time and still have a ton of fun with it. It makes you almost wonder what they could do to improve on the original. Well I'm sure we will find out more at E3 but for right now all we have is a tease of in-game footage that spans all of a full 17 seconds. From it though, it looks like they have added more melee moves and are now making vehicles apart of the single player. Another thing to point out is that it looks like the developers are taking you out of a hot and humid Middle Eastern environment and sticking you into a very cold winter wonder land.

If anything, Modern Combat 2 is sure to look just as stunning as its predecessor. Now I'm pretty sure that there will be a beta for Modern Combat 2 and I'm guessing something will be announced somewhere here in the next couple weeks during E3....at least we can hope right?

Travis(MWG)

Uncharted 2 = All Sorts of Awesome

Well to start things off, I loved Uncharted. I still love Uncharted. Easily one of the best games I played last year and it seems like Naughty Dog is out to make Uncharted 2 surpass the original is just about every way.

Today Kotaku just posted a story(here) revealing that Uncharted 2 will have multiplayer. While I was a little skeptical at first, I quickly changed judgment after reading what Kotaku had to say about it. Of course their throwing around the comparison to Gears but what do you expect? If you played Uncharted then you know that both games, while they may look it, they play totaly different.

So is anyone else excited for Uncharted 2? I think its going to live up to every amount of hype its giving and then some. I can't wait for it. Its definitely going to be one of my top games to look out for this year. Now all we have to do is wait.....

Update: As I was writing this, I noticed that Playstation Blog posted news of Uncharted 2 going multiplayer and also gave news to a beta starting June 3rd. I also embedded the video that they posted of the first gameplay so check if out if you haven't already!

Travis(MWG)

Whats Not to Love About Love?

So, how do go about describing a game like Love? After watching a video demonstration that Kotaku just posted, I still don't know how you would describe this game, but if you haven't heard of it then you owe it to yourself to check out the video. What’s most amazing about Love is that the whole game is made by one person and it’s just astonishing to see what he has accomplished thus far in the project. You owe it to yourself to watch the video if you haven't' already.

Travis(MWG)

Patapon 2 Download Only. Thoughts?

Well its been rumored for a couple days, but Sony just announced that Patapon 2 will be an “experimental” product as they are only making it available via download. There will also be a way of buying a code through Gamestop if you’re not able to buy online. Now this isn’t the first time that a full game like Patapon 2 has been offered online but usually there is a store item of the product available to purchase also. Is this leading to the rumors of the PSP2 to be UMD-less with the only source to get games is through an online store? If Sony can pull off an online store such as what Apple is doing with the app store then I can really seeing it working for them for future titles. This also saves them a ton of time and money with getting their games on store shelves. Now the reality of actually not having a retail copy is something I am going to have to get used to but the way gaming is going, it seems like its going to be that way in the future.

So as far as downloading games to be the only source to own a copy of a game, what are your thoughts of this process? Do you think that this is the start of a new process to get PSP games or maybe even the start of a resign of the PSP?

Travis(MWG)

First Gameplay Footage of Bioshock 2!

Gametrailers just posted the first gameplay footage of Bioshock 2 and I'm just going to say it right now..... I'm super excited for it now. I was excited for it before, but now.... it just looks amazing. From the looks of it, it looks like they are adding so much more to an already great game. Anyways, I'm going to keep it short, but anyways, take a look at the video if you haven't already!



Travis(MWG)

Nintendo DSi... Worth it?

So, is anyone planning on picking up an DSi? I wouldn't mind having one myself, but do I want to pay $170 for one? Right now, there isn't much out there that takes advantage of the hardware and I don't know if I would get much use out of the new features it brings to the table. I'm not too excited for the cameras that are built in and while the SD slot would be really helpful I still wouldn't find myself using it that much. I do like the functionality of downloading games from the store though and then I guess I could see the use of the SD slot other than to put music and whatever else on it. Now I'm not too sure on the ability to play Virtual Console games but if they let you play them on the DSi, that would be pretty neat. Who knows, maybe after the DSi is out for awhile, Nintendo will show something that really puts the DSi to use. Right now though, I'm happy with the DS Light.

Whats everybodys thoughts on the DSi??

Travis(MWG)

Is Gaming as We Know It Coming to an End?

Well, it seems that the talk so far at GDC this year is Playcast Media System's service called OnLive. To many analysts, this service is said to be the future of gaming and the end to consoles that we know today. Even Michael Pachter is getting into the argument saying that current gen systems will be the last consoles that we ever see. Now this has me worried, because if OnLive does what its supposed to do then we very well could be on the verge of consoles being a thing of the past.

If you don't know already, OnLive is supposed to be a service dedicated to bringing you live streams of games that you can play on any computer meeting basic requirements, provided you have a decent internet connection. You can also drop the PC altogether and buy a hub that connects directly into your TV and play straight from that if you wanted. Now, there are services out there that already do this type of thing but Playcast just seems to be taking it to the next level.

Sure this all sounds great but there is a pretty big downfall that Playcast is going to have to hurdle through to become king of gaming. OnLive requires an internet connection to be at all functional and according to Sony and Microsoft, a majority of gamers that own systems, are not even online. I can't remember the exact numbers but I know its a pretty big margin. I know more and more users are getting online everyday but could something like OnLive survive today? Another thing is, could consoles and OnLive both coincide together or is this actually the last gen we see consoles? Or could OnLive just be a gimmick and actually never take foot in the gaming forefront? To tell you the truth, I love my consoles and the idea of having to be online all the time just doesn't sit well with me. Well GDC is still going on this week and we can only find out more from Playcast. I'm curious to see what else they bring to the table.

For more information about OnLive, here's the link to the official site. http://www.onlive.com/

Travis (MWG)

Its Official. I've Been Killzoned

Two days ago I decided I couldn't wait any longer to pick up Killzone 2. So I decided to gather up some games and make a deal with the devil to get what I wanted. I ended up traded in The Orange Box, Enchanted Arms, Ratchet and Clank, Folklore and GeoW to get Killzone 2. Being how Gamestop is I thought that I was probably only going to get $5 for each game but to my amazement, the total came out to $64. Turns out Gamestop was running some kind of deal where you get more credit if you turn in 4 or more games. I thought it was great, so I grabbed Killzone 2, a sealed copy of course. I never trade in games. I usually just let them sit and collect dust, even if I know I'll never play them again. I was low on money though and like I said, I couldn't wait any longer.

Anyways, to the point, Killzone 2 is awesome. I haven't even jumped into the single player yet. Its nothing against the single player but the multiplayer just seems so satisfying. Now the controls do take some time to get used to and theirs times I wish it moved more like COD4 but its nothing to stop me from coming back for more. The ranking system is awesome. You don't gain ranks as fast as you would in games like other games but their isn't as many ranks either so it evens out plus you can gain badges which grant you new abilities in between ranks. I don't know, I'm liking the ranking system a lot though. I find myself playing for about 2 hours at a time trying to get up the the next rank.

Now I've just touched the surface of Killzone 2 multiplayer and I'm sure the single player is going to be amazing as well. Anyways, I'd like to find some people to play multiplayer with so if you want to add me, my PSN is G3NK1E. I should be on quite a bit so hit me up if you wanna play a game or two. Looking forward to it!

Travis (MWG)

To Madworld or not to Madworld…

Ok, it’s been a while since anything coming out on the Wii has sparked my interest. I still very much like the Wii and I don’t think I could ever sell it but the last thing I played on it was Super Mario Galaxy and that came out, what, a couple years ago? After seeing Nintendo’s E3 conference last year, I’m almost embarrassed to say I own a Wii. I didn’t really pay any attention to this game when it was announced. I thought it was going to be another developers’ take on bringing “hardcore” to the Wii, but it crazy to say that Madworld actually looks like it might be good. The reviews for it are now out and its getting good marks all across the board so its crazy to say, but I might actually try Madworld out.

I’m curious to see what everybody else’s take on Madworld are. I really want more games like this to come out for the Wii. Not so much of the over the top viloence but just more games for an older audience. I’m just curious now to what sites like IGN, Gamespot, and 1UP are raving about. They all gave the game a high ranking so I think it should warrant some attention. What about you guys though, is anyone else interested in Madworld?

Travis (MWG)

Official PSP2 News Coming Soon?

With new details of the PSP2 or PSP-4000 emerging, is their an guaranteed unveiling for the handheld for this years E3? I would like to think so at least. In my opinion it seems like the PSP is going downhill and Sony isn't really doing much to keep the system alive these days. Nintendo just launched their DSi not too long ago and its flying off the shelves in Japan whilst the PSP is slowly falling off the handheld bandwagon. I'm not trying to disown my PSP, in fact, it angers me that many games are not being developed for it but what does Sony exactly have in store for the current iteration of the PSP?

Just recently Sony announced games like Assassin's Creed and LBP for the PSP and theirs also talk about a new GTA and a new GOW but is it too late? I haven't touched my PSP since FFVII: Crisis Core came out and I always tell myself that I'm going to get back into some PSP gaming but I never do. I always seem to turn to my DS. Now that could be just because the fact that I am a RPG nut and the DS is literally littered with them but even when I played Crisis Core I fealt that the PSP was just too bulky to carry around. Now again, thats just my opinion but I really don't see anything bringing me back to the PSP.

Now the rumors are that the new PSP will be UMD-less and have some sort of a slidable screen. Nothing was mentioned about touch screen or an added analog stick but both additions would be greatly appreciated. I really can't imagine Sony not taking advantage of touch screen features and incorporating them into the PSP2. It seems like everything is going that way these days and the second analog stick would get rid of a lot of peoples complaints about the original PSP. Now everything mentioned so far is just rumors but the job posting from Sony for new hardware testers is pretty high for speculation.

I don't know, I would like to believe that the rumors are true. I'm ready for a new PSP. If Sony can solve the hardware faults of the original and put a better front up against the piracy issue, they can defiantly put up a fight against the DS and now the iPhone. I believe that Sony will unveil the new PSP at E3. I think its time and it would defiantly give Sony the talk of the show this year if nothing else. Anyways, what do you guys think? Is it time for a new PSP or should Sony keep pushing the original?

Travis (MWG)

Whos for the Resident Evil 5 Bundle?

Video posted at Kotaku

I don't know about all of you but here at MWG, we are all huge Resident Evil fans. As if the anticipation for the game couldn't get any greater, Microsoft's "Major Nelson" decided to tease us a little more by unboxing the RE5 bundle and showing us all of its amazing glory. While I'm not crazy about red, it's still not a bad choice for the 360 with what it comes with. The bundle also comes with a red controller and headset as well as a copy of RE5 and Super Street Fighter Turbo Remix.

Travis(MWG)

My rant on Home….

Ok, so I booted up my PS3 the other day just to, you know…..play some games. During my time navigating the XMB I ran across the Home icon. Then I thought, wth, let's see what's new in the world of Home. After Home got done with all the downloading and loading, I appeared in my apartment. I ran around a couple minutes then ventured into the outside area to see what was going on with other PS3 users. It took me no more then 10 seconds to realize how much a waste of time Home is. Maybe it's just me, but it irritates me to think about the time I wasted getting Home up and running. I could have been playing something else. I understand that Home is supposed to be some kind of social networking hub where you can meet new people to get your game on with, but I would much rather just meet people online through an actual game. I could see myself liking Home if I was into chat rooms and such, but not as a gamer. Then again, these are just my thoughts about it. You very well could be a gamer, enjoy Home, and understand what the purpose is, but for some reason I cannot.

Another thing that gets me is just how much time and money Sony has put into getting Home up and running. I can't remember the initial amount but I know that when I heard about it, I thought, "Home must be something really groundbreaking if there willing to put that much effort into it." Everybody was talking about it and it was getting great recognition about how it was supposed to be the next great thing to come to gaming since Live. I'm not going to hide it either, I thought Home was going to be all sorts of awesome, but that feeling was short-lived after the open beta rolled out. It seems to me that it will always be an open beta too, because Sony is afraid to admit that Home is broken and doesn't work like they had hoped. It just makes you wish that Sony put the time and money into a new IP or actual try to put more support towards 3rd parties or something. I don't know, I just think that where Sony is standing right now financially, they could have put their resources somewhere else. Sony claims that they have made $1 million off of Home so far and that they have gotten a hold of all of these endorsements from different companies, but how far will it take them? I don't mean to sound so bitter about the matter, but Home could have been something we could have lived without, in my opinion.

What is everybody else's take on Home? It almost seems like it doesn't get brought up anymore. To tell you the truth I almost forgot about it until I just happen to stumble across it the other day. I don't know, maybe Home will turn out to be something great, but right now, in my opinion, it's a complete waste of time. Maybe someone that uses it often can take me on a tour and show me what is so great about it or something and maybe I will change my mind. Until then though, I'm sorry to say it, my thoughts are down on Home.

////End rant////

Travis (MWG)

My appreciation for Flower

Ever since I took the time to admire the first screenshots of Flower, I’ve been anxiously waiting for the games release. Well Flower is finally here and I would have to admit that visually, Flower is one of the best looking games I have played in a long time. I’ve always been one to admire an artistic take on graphics rather than the heavy hitting type such as Gears of War or Killzone. While I’m a sucker for those types of game, it’s always nice to just play through a game that fleshes out simple gameplay design for a much appreciated experience.

As a player, you guide a flower petal through vast open fields. At first the maps yield a plain look to them but then open up to a much colorful landscape to admire. Flowers are littered throughout the maps and usually take you from one area to the other. As you fly through these flowers, you open them up and give life to the area around them and usually open up new paths to follow. The way the controls work in Flower are purely worked around the Sixaxis. You basically tilt the controller the way you want to go and hit any other button on the controller to move forward. I usually hate using the Sixaxis controls but they work really well for Flower. I know it must sound boring but really the game is extremely satisfying. When you finish a level and see it in all of its glory, you cant help but get this extreme sense of accomplishment.

I’ve only touched the surface of the game so I can’t speak for everything but the first level itself is very satisfying. Who would have ever thought that guiding a flower pedal through the air would be that much fun? I’ve only made it to the 4^th stage and things are starting to really be picking up. The game starts to take a deeper path and the environments are starting to show a much darker side to the game. I’m really curious as to what else Flower has to bring. Things are really starting to get interesting and I cannot wait to play through some more of the game. If you have a PS3 then everybody should definitely give this a shot.

Travis(MWG)

E3 getting its groove on again?

Here's a link for an interview from Gamasutra with the ESA about E3 that I thought was insightful. Growing up I always wanted to go to E3 and witness the gaming greatness of the show. When I heard that E3 was sizing down considerably, I was shocked because I knew then I would never be able to witness E3 the way it used to be. Now its great to hear that the E3, as we knew it, is back, but will it ever be the show it once was?

With all the recent layoffs happening, I can't really imagine companies spending a great deal of money or hassle attending the show this June. It couldn't of been cheap for game companies to make an appearance at the show, especially with all the advertising they had to do to compete with one another. It looks like things are looking up for the trade show according to the ESA, so will we get back the E3 we all know and love?

Travis (MWG)

First Hot Coffee, now full nudity?

With the highly anticipated Lost and Damned DLC coming out for GTA IV, you know Rockstar has to throw something out there that’s going to get the attention of the press and gamers alike. Apparently this time, its full frontal nudity and if you haven’t took a gander at the video already, I highly suggest that you keep it that way (I couldn’t resist…..). I just had to see how far Rockstar is really taking GTA IV. There really going with the mature theme of the game and bringing it even further with the dlc. Now it’s not all full fledged porn or anything but rather just some guy standing up showing his stuff, but is this something we want in our games? If Rockstar is doing this will other games follow? I know, like me, the press is throwing this out of proportion, but I was just wondering. What’s your take on this?

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/23672 <----- Heres the link in case you want to see it.

Edit: As I was writing this I read that the dlc had been released.... So ummmm, ya.. Does anyone plan on getting it?

Travis (MWG)

Hello. My name is Travis and I am now a Midwest Gamer

Hello all. It’s great to be here! You don't know of me yet, but I just joined Matt and Bud's crew and I will be posting on the site from now on as part of MWG. Just thought I would take the time to introduce myself and tell you what I'm about. My name is Travis Fountain and I currently live in good ol’ Lansing, Michigan. I love reading and writing about games. I spend most of my time scourging through gaming websites and forums just hoping to find something great to write about. I've been playing games for as long as I was able to walk and I never get old of them. It’s so great to see how much the gaming industry has grown over the years and I can't wait to see what the future brings. I really feel honored that Matt and Bud has asked me to join their crew and I love what their doing with MWG. Like I said before, I really feel honored for being a part of MWG and I look forward to chatting/discussing the industry with you all.

Thanks for having me! :)

Travis (MWG)