Liberty Blues

Images taken from the glorious DeadEndThrills.com

Grand Theft Auto IV's Liberty City is, easily, my favourite videogame setting around. That may surprise you given my bias towards certain games and, indeed, their own locations, but Rockstar's faux-version of New York is king because it continues to surprise me each and every time I visit.

Every three months or so I fire up GTA IV simply to go for a walk or drive around Liberty City. I do this, I guess, because I want to relive my experiences of playing the game when it first came out, or when the Episodes proved that the city had many stories to tell. I also do it because its huge size, impressive design and sense of life is unparalleled in this medium, even three years after its release. You know something was incredible when even L.A. Noire's Los Angeles -- already impressive in its own way -- can't match Liberty City's scope or awe. It truly does feel like Liberty City exists whether you're visiting it or not, and this distinct difference elevates it above any other game setting as the best one I have ever had the luxury of visiting; of inhabiting.

Verisimilitude is wonderful and certainly something that has seen substantial progress within this current generation, but it means nothing if these wonderful worlds that get built for games like Mass Effect, Fallout 3 and Red Dead Redemption are under-utilised or, worse, forgotten about. Obviously that's a non-issue at the moment as these games and their amazing environments are absolutely relevant to us right now, but my fear is that as we continue to progress and continue to move forward with technology, new hardware and new, amazing intellectual property (IP), these places of wonder will exist only in memory and nothing more. This might have been acceptable (to a degree) in the past where the medium's evolution was such a significant force, but as we reach and surpass the uncanny valley and photo-realism, I don't think it will be right to forget about Venice in Assassin's Creed II, Empire Bay in Mafia II or, yes, Liberty City in GTA IV. So much effort, time and resources go into making these virtual masterpieces but, because of the always looking forward mentality (that I keep bringing up on this blog) and the perception that what has come before must be outdone, I'm seriously worried that these wonderful game settings, these amazing spaces, will be left behind. Whether they are or not remains to be seen, but if it does happen then losing the brilliance of Liberty City will be the biggest loss, I think.

Think about it for a second. The Episodes From Liberty City downloadable content bucked the trend of DLC by redefining the city through new, fresh perspectives, adding a different take on a place we had all become familiar with. Like, say, Minerva's Den (also fantastic) from BioShock 2, this content took what we knew about these worlds and showed us that this was only just a small part of their overall make-up, that our insight was just a small component of a much bigger, much more incredible picture. They made something old new again, and definitely enhanced our overall enjoyment (and perception) of Liberty City as a whole. But, now that those episodes have been and gone, where do we go from here? Towards the next instalment of GTA (whatever that happens to be), of course, leaving Liberty City as nothing more than a memory -- an amazing memory, sure, but still a memory.

This year's E3 is the perfect example of this situation: every single press conference that opened the show was met with gamers everywhere anticipating the announcement of the next Grand Theft Auto. Like Half Life Episode Three (or, indeed, Half Life 3) the announcement never came, but the point is that everyone is ready to move on and experience the next title in Rockstar's seminal franchise, and they can't wait to hear about even just confirmation that it is coming. These people have moved on, in other words, and while they can reflect upon their time in GTA IV's Liberty City and acknowledge how great it is, it's no longer relevant to their gaming habits because they're too busy awaiting the future. This is understandable, of course, and I don't begrudge anyone who is excited to see where the GTA franchise goes next (both literally, in terms of where it is set, and figuratively in terms of the impact it will have) -- I know I'm anxious to know as well -- but as such an immense fan of Liberty City, it's somewhat disheartening and definitely disappointing to know that no one cares about it like they used to.

I don't know -- I look at Liberty City and see a gigantic metropolis with so much to see, so much to do, and also get the impression that we know so little about this remarkable city. Sure, we may have it memorised (I certainly do, thanks photographic memory!) and may know where we can go to play darts or go bowling, but as a whole we are a very small element in the city's massive scale, and despite three adventures within it, we've made such a little impact on it overall. At the end of the day we're just one person roaming the streets, with thousands more like us clearly visible amongst Liberty City's hustle and bustle. We may be the protagonist and, like all games, the experience may be centered around us and us only, but as I suggested before Liberty City leaves me with a sense that it exists whether I am there or not, and that my presence won't affect its ability to be home to so many civilians. It is kind of like New York for me in real life -- I know it is there and I'd like to visit one day, but it means nothing to my life here in Australia unless I actively seek to change that by hopping on a plane and flying to America. My concern is that no one will make the effort to make the trip to Liberty City any more, and the reason for that will be because they are always more interested in visiting the places that the various videogames out there take us next.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, but Liberty City isn't exactly a disposable thing, either -- it is still the most stunning technical achievement and fascinating environment videogames have ever seen, but all of that will be forgotten once brand new games, perhaps even the next GTA, come along to wow us with their own amazing locations. New York will never be forgotten -- why does Liberty City have to be?

Beautiful Disaster

Destruction caused by war is fascinating, but what if Mother Nature caused it instead?

War. Death. Destruction. Turmoil.

These are all things that videogames are synonymous with, so much so that brown and grey textures, muddy environments and charred ruins are, perhaps brazenly, more common than colour itself. But most of the time this significant imagery -- the “Destroyed Beauty” of Gears Of War; the apocalyptic ruins of Washington D.C. in Fallout 3 -- is the result of war, the remnants of the past now nothing more than ruins. Why is this? Obviously war and combat are important from a gameplay point of view, justifying these settings, but what if there could be other causes behind the destruction? What if the perdition came not from humanity’s struggle or fight against an enemy but from something out of our control? What if Mother Nature was responsible instead?

This is something I have been considering for a while now and something that I’m reminded of every time another game with an environment impacted by disaster comes along or, this year, another tragedy in real life occurs. In fact, this year’s sheer quantity of natural disasters has been so significant that I have felt compelled to delay this post out of respect for those who have suffered from them or, worse, lost their lives. The floods and cyclone in Queensland; the Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand; Tsunami (and subsequent nuclear disaster) in Japan; floods in Brazil; the Californian fires or, indeed, the recent tornadoes in America, including the recent one which wiped portions of the city of Joplin off the map -- all of these and more have been exceptionally serious, extremely unfortunate events that, when combined, make this year absolutely horrific and inherently depressing. I put off this post because I felt uncomfortable publishing it -- much like the creators behind those games that were either delayed or cancelled, I imagine -- when so many things were happening and where so many people were being affected. But I can’t put it off forever and, forgetting the tragic brutality we’ve seen so far this year, for a moment at least, I think that natural disasters in videogames could be something important and definitely an area worth exploring. Allow me to explain.

Videogame spaces, in this generation in particular, have come alive, with thematic settings, incredible atmosphere and multiple stories to tell. Discovery has been particularly strong, finding an abandoned shack in Fallout or a messy room in BioShock an intriguing affair, both because it gets us, as players, asking questions -- why is this room like this? What happened here? Where did the owners of this shack go? -- and because it adds weight and meaning to the environment we are exploring, the locations we get to inhabit. More than any other generation the combination of visuals, sound and atmosphere allow for videogames to take us anywhere, to places we can’t go. Mass Effect enables us to travel the galaxy and mingle with other species; L.A. Noire and Mafia II take us back to a time period long ago and incredibly different to our own today. Red Dead Redemption, finally, showed us what it was like to exist in a Western setting, enlightening us, indirectly, to how things were back then and how far humanity has come. But all of these settings, all of these locations that games allow us to visit -- both ‘real’ and fictional -- are static, mostly unchanging environments, only alive when our consoles are on and only existing to serve a story, mechanics or a particular intended experience. Rapture is, bless its soul, already in ruins when we get to see it, the levels built to convey the narrative and service the combat dynamics rather than to demonstrate how things can change, how characters and civilians alike can leave their mark or have an impact on the city or proceedings. If something changes it is because it was supposed to, a scripted moment to benefit or influence a particular facet of the overall experience. A good example of this is Mafia II’s transition from Winter to Spring: snow and blustery conditions give Empire Bay one kind of atmosphere (which, I might add, is quite charming) while the brighter, more positive aura of a warmer season gives the city another. What if this changed? What if Mother Nature’s ferocious but beautiful power -- if weather -- changed an environment or setting in a meaningful way? What if a tragedy in a virtual world could impact gameplay, the story, or the demeanor of a game’s characters in really interesting ways, changing our experience in the process and reinforcing our connection to that world and everything in it?

Just imagine if rain flooded Liberty City, and just what that could mean.

We’ve already seen how a thunderstorm in Red Dead Redemption or showers in Liberty City can change their respective games, even if it’s momentarily. It changes the atmosphere, makes driving (for example) harder because things are slippery, and breaks up the pace and alters the dynamics of our session. But what if Liberty City was flooded, its rivers overflowing and spilling onto the roads? What if the weather was so ubiquitous and ongoing that the streets were covered with water, buildings inundated and the result was a different city -- even if it did eventually recede -- than the one we’re already accustomed to? It would force us to reassess our approach to what we were doing or how we’d do it, and test our knowledge of the space we have inhabited for so long, making us find alternative routes or different means of travel. Furthermore, narratively, it could affect the people who we come to know, showing us sides of their personality we couldn’t see previously and how they would deal with such adversity. What if these quest-givers -- because, let’s face it, that’s all they really are -- couldn’t offer us things to do or tasks to perform because they simply had more important things to attend to? What if, god forbid, these characters -- some of whom we might actually have a connection to or relationship with -- died because they weren’t prepared for an excess of water to come and flood their houses, their home? What if, to go in a slightly different direction, Liberty City was hit by an earthquake, unexpectedly, because like the weather it was dynamic, unpredictable and unforeseen?

Such scenarios can pose many questions and, if done effectively, really impact upon a game world and the things inside it in meaningful ways. Part of the reason Heavy Rain resonated so much with me is because it used rain as a significant, serious part of its narrative -- something that hadn’t been done before. From a technical standpoint serious events and tragedies in games might be unrealistic to do, but surely there is incentive in trying if it can add weight to a world, make our connection to it as players more meaningful, and ultimately ensure that games as a whole can be as deep, emotional and affecting as products in other mediums? Mother Nature’s fury in real life is nothing more than a negative, unfortunate and unpredictable series of events, where loss is prevalent everywhere and the need to rebuild is essential. But in a virtual sense her wrath could be absolutely beautiful, especially if it engrosses us into our games more thoroughly than ever before. The result might not be pretty but it sure beats having yet another war be the justification for why all of our games are always... well, in ruins.

Through The Tubes

The good side of downloadable content...

In the recent months downloadable content has become a much more popular thing for developers to use to extend the life of their games. In the first couple of years of this generation the balance of content was nice with some games receiving new content and others not, with developers instead choosing to focus on their next game. In recent months however, downloadable content has become more prolific across most games and as a result I am starting to feel a bit exhausted from it all.

Some of that exhaustion comes from the fact that the games receiving the content are the very same games I felt pressured to play, leading me to feel continually overwhelmed with it all and desiring a much slower pace with which to play everything. The rest of it comes from the fact that, well, the content is coming rather soon after the games' releases and despite loving the games, I would like the chance to play something else as well.

This means that I have mixed thoughts about downloadable content now and I am a little worried with where the concept will head in the future. I have always appreciated the idea of having incentive to return to games thanks to new content and I still do, but I feel that if more and more content gets released to keep players playing, the more it will inspire developers to take advantage of the idea. There have already been examples of developers adding quick and easy content to games to make a few extra dollars, with Oblivion's infamous horse armor coming to mind as well as unlocking content in a game like Need for Speed: Carbon - content that can be unlocked in the game if a player actually played it in the first place. Hearing about this stuff annoys me but it goes even further than that. Now I am one of the first to admit that I am an Achievement (and now Trophy) whore, with my reason for chasing them being the fact that I am a completionist. Already there are examples out there of developers adding Achievements/Trophies to their downloadable content to try and gain a few more sales. While I like the idea of having new in-game accomplishments to go after, the more it happens the more I can see developers putting together a lazy list of things to achieve or obtain with easy scores just so the people out there who like increasing their Gamerscores can get a few extra points. It's a win-win situation for both the people who enjoy boosting their scores and the developers who make money out of the idea. Even I am guilty of it, playing games like Dash of Destruction (although granted it was free) from the Xbox Live Arcade to quickly increase my score despite claiming to obtain Achievements because of my desire to complete everything. Basically, my fear is that if downloadable content continues to become more popular then we will see consumers be taken advantage of.

... and the bad.

It also excites me, bringing the other side of my mixed thoughts to mind and indeed this blog post. As I mentioned above, I appreciate the idea of having new incentives to return to an old game and play it some more. Games like Burnout Paradise and Grand Theft Auto IV -- both with upcoming content -- are providing decent reasons to play these games again and I look forward to racing around Big Surf Island and getting a new, biker's perspective on Liberty City. I also look forward to playing Operation Anchorage in Fallout 3, having new Time Trial events in Mirror's Edge and visiting Knothole Island in Fable II. No doubt when I finally get around to playing a game like the new Prince of Persia, I will also be interested in playing its upcoming DLC once I am finished with the main game.

This is all well and good, but we are also lucky so far that the content -- both released or upcoming -- has remained decent enough to justify a purchase. How long will the consistent quality (that is of course, subjective) of downloadable content last? More importantly, is the concept something that can evolve and really do some interesting things for the medium as a whole? Can episodic content change and evolve because regular downloadable content might? It's an interesting subject to ponder and good or bad, I look forward to seeing where we go next.

Flawed Fallout?

Note: This is the final post in a series this week themed around Fallout 3 in which I take a brief look at some things in the game that annoy me. You can find the other four posts: here, here, here and here.

After spending the week praising Fallout 3 for being different and immersive, I thought I would end this week's look at the game with some of the things that bug me. These are only minor gripes, irrelevant to my enjoyment of the game and gripes that I can ignore with no hesitation at all but even so I thought it would be best to mention them here anyway.

The first one is something that I am sure many players of Fallout 3 would actually enjoy using so please take this with a grain of salt. Customisation in the game is, to me, pointless. I understand the reasons why it was included but even so I feel that it is irrelevant to the overall game. You create your character at the start, choosing various facial features and eventually settling on a look that you are happy with for your character. You then spend the majority of the game not seeing the appearance of your character and the various Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) do not react to how you look in any way, shape or form. This comes across as pointless to me and it is disappointing that I feel that way. I mean, I appreciate the effort that has gone into building the character customisation so to see it hardly be used afterwards is kind of annoying. One of the reasons it is pointless also happens to be my next issue with the game, but before I go into that let me just clarify that I have no issues with the customisation that involves your character's attributes and perks, I just have an issue with the appearance side of the customisation that has no real relevance to the rest of the game.

Another thing that seems to be pointless and unnecessary for the game is the two viewpoints -- first and third person -- that can be used. Again I realise why it is included and arguably including it gives more aid in customising a player's experience to their preferred way of playing, but in my own experience the only viewpoint I have ever used is the first-person one. So the third-person perspective serves no use to me as a player, is irrelevant to my gameplay and completely useless. When you consider the fact that the animation for your character in third-person is poor, it makes me question why Bethesda bothered to include it. If the perspective was more relevant, then quite possibly the customisation of the appearance of your character mentioned above would be more relevant to the game too, opening up the possibility of having even more unpredictable and interesting things happen in the game when conversing with the various locals of The Wastelands.

Beyond those two, adventuring through The Wastelands and trying to explore at night can be quite annoying. Normally I love the night in games but I feel that Fallout 3 is too dark during the night. Sure, I could change my brightness settings to accommodate it but really I shouldn't have too. Not when there are stars and a moon shining in the sky that should be providing enough light, but no, The Wastelands at night are as dark as the caves and sewers that you find yourself in from time to time. Other minor issues I have with the game include how hard it can be at times (although that is more my fault than the game's), how hard it can be sometimes to find a character you want to speak to like a Doctor and those damn Metro Stations when you first start to play and have to use them to reach say, the Museum of Technology. You get used to their designs of course, but they are far too overwhelming when you first reach them even with a quest marker to help you.

So there you have it, the minor and boring issues I have with the game. That concludes this post and indeed the week-long look at Fallout 3. I enjoyed doing it because it finally saw me posting regular content to the blog, hopefully you enjoyed it too because I plan on spending more weeks taking a look at various games in the future. Until then however, happy gaming.

Tranquil Wastes

Note: This is the fourth post in a series this week themed around Fallout 3. Today I look at some of the quests in the game. Potential SPOILERS ahead.

After talking about the personality Fallout 3 has yesterday, I couldn't help but be reminded of the quests you receive in the game and how they themselves are examples of that personality. I name-dropped a few quests in that post, so now I think it is time to look at a few of them in a bit more detail.

The first quest that comes to mind is Tranquility Lane, one that occurs inside a virtual reality simulation where the residents of Vault 112 live their lives in a simulated suburbia street. Through the lens of a Sepia-Tone filtered camera, the player speaks with the simulated residents in the search of information about the whereabouts of James, the in-game character's father. The way this quest is presented was a surprise as I wasn't expecting it at all and it seems so different to the gritty Wastelands that you spend most of your time in. The way it suggest an older, more tranquil way of living while also remaining in the future that the game is set in, fits within the context of the game wonderfully while also demonstrating the sort of personality I alluded to in my last post. The combination of the Sepia-Toned filter, the way in which the residents speak to you and how their houses are presented as well as showings of the 'real' game through the quest's tasks you end up doing make the quest thoroughly enjoyable and is something that you wouldn't find in any other game. The upcoming downloadable content for the game, Operation Anchorage, will also be using a simulation for the quests received and is set in the snowy areas of Alaska. Obviously this colder weather will be a direct contrast to what is seen throughout The Wastelands and like Tranquility Lane, everything will still remain with context of the game. That is fascinating to me and if it means adding even more unexpected places for us to explore while also continuing to inject personality, then I seriously hope Bethesda continue to take advantage of these simulators for quests in the future.

Another quest that comes to mind is Oasis, another area in The Wastelands that is in direct contrast to what you would normally see in your travels. As the name implies, green blossoming trees and almost blue (it's still radiated) water are seen in place of the brown and grey and it makes for a nice change. I haven't finished this quest yet due to only finding it in my last session with the game, but already I am appreciating the different look and feel of the place because it is keeping the game fresh and interesting.

To move away from how certain quests look, a few other places that come to mind are both The Republic of Dave and the Canterbury Commons, with the former just being a unique place of The Wastelands and the latter containing a quest. While they are essentially just detours, or places to find to reward your exploration, they still are interesting enough to make Fallout's experience fresh. I won't spoil them because then you will enjoy them more when you come across them, but needless to say they are interesting and add to the overall experience with the game. To repeat the point I was trying to make with yesterday's post, Fallout 3's elements -- quests, narrative, exploration, art direction and so on -- all combine to make the game unique.

Okay so I didn't go into too much detail after all. Honestly, I couldn't do that to you guys. I don't want to spoil the game's quests when they play such an important part in the overall scheme of things, so let me end this post by saying that if you want to play a game that is different and features a unique setting that changes in unexpected ways, then you need to play Fallout 3.

Apocalyptic Personality

Note: This is the third post in a series this week themed around Fallout 3. This time I move away from my experiences with the game and focus on some of the game's personality.

I haven't played the previous Fallout games unfortunately so because of this, I don't know whether what I am about to talk about is also in those games or not. After enjoying the third installment so much though I aim to find out by playing the games in the near future. I'm interested in what they are like to play, as well as seeing the differences between them and Bethesda Studios' installment. What am I about to talk about then? The personality that Fallout 3 has and how I think it makes the game more engaging as a result.

It wasn't too long into the game before I started to see this personality and the more I saw it, the more I realised that it makes Fallout 3's experience unique and unlike anything seen in a game before it. Before you say anything, I am aware that the size of the game meant that Bethesda had to re-use certain things and therefore the game doesn't take full advantage of its personality potential, but even with this in mind the game still stands out to me as being unique and because of that, the game is much stronger for it.

I have always enjoyed games that have their own personality, with titles like BioShock (you saw that one coming didn't you?), Okami and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker engaging me on a deeper level than most of the games I play. The reasons why these games are more compelling to me vary, of course, with their narratives or settings being just some of the reasons. Another reason I enjoy these games so much is because of their art direction. I mean, it's no coincidence that the games I just mentioned also have very unique art directions that add to their experience and immerse the player into their respective stories, worlds or characters is it?

Fallout 3's art direction is bleak and grim. The post-apocalyptic setting dictates that, yet despite the vast brown land and the grey concrete of collapsed buildings, the game's personality still emanates from the many corners of the game and I think the art direction helps that along. Whether that comes from the various posters pasted over the walls of the Metro Stations or from how Rivet City was formed out of an old ship, it all combines to provide a unique setting and personality that can only be found in Fallout 3. Another thing that adds to this personality is the various quests you receive along your travels, from Oasis to the Republic Of Dave - all of them again give the game personality and makes the game better because of it.

Enough with the small examples though, my simple point and the one anyone who has played the game will understand is that Fallout 3 is different to most games and the reason for that is because it has a personality that can't be found anywhere else. You won't find Evergreen Mills, Tenpenny Tower or Paradise Falls in any other game but you will find them in Fallout 3. The Wastelands suggest that there is nothing left out there in the wilderness anymore, but if you explore it anyway what you will find will make you smile. When you consider that games are meant to be fun, how can you go wrong with a smile?

Emotions Falling Out

Note: This is the second post in a series this week themed around Fallout 3. This time I take a look at the various emotions I have felt while playing the game.

Reflecting back on my time so far with Fallout 3 -- both as the player and as the in-game character -- I realise that the game has taught me many things. One of those things sticks out more than the others and that is the various emotions I have felt or seen while playing the game. These emotions have demonstrated to me how a game can affect a player's approach to it in different ways the more they play, be it through knowledge of how things can and probably will pan out in the game or through experience with the game and its world as progress is made. The best example of this I can provide is detailing how I approach the game now, compared to when I first started to play.

During the first 20 or so hours with the game, I was scared of The Wastelands. The place, more times then I'd care to admit has made me hesitate before continuing on due to how immersed I was and also due to the uncertainty with what was to come. I have even jumped a few times when an enemy has crept up behind me and attacked. The desolate and barren place, with showings of brutality and insanity found all over unsettles you, making you anxious about your survival. When you finally find yourself safe inside an abandoned shack, low on medical supplies and ammunition after barely surviving fights against the stronger, hostile creatures of The Wastelands, you soon realise how intense the game can be. The vast expanse of land entices you to explore but you won't find anything of reward or interest until after you have learned to be wary of your survival.

Compare that to how I approach the game now, about 80 hours in. I have a lot more confidence when I explore now, entering places like the Metro Station tunnels with not even a thought of what I will come across. I am stocked up on weapons, ammunition and medical supplies and not worried at all about the Raiders, Super Mutants and Feral Ghouls who are all intent on killing me. I see a factory in the distance and immediately have a desire to explore it, curious about what I may find. I am rewarded for this confidence too which only further increases my desire to continue exploring and my haste in doing so. Then, all of a sudden, I am again attacked from behind. I don't jump this time but fear soon takes over as I turn around and begin to panic when I realise that the beast is something I have never seen or fought before. I find myself once again barely surviving the fight, injured and worried that I may come across more of these beasts before I find something that I can use as a safe place to retreat.

I am of course referring to the Deathclaws, strong and agile beasts that can kill you with a few swipes of their claws. Without realising it, the game puts me in my place and reminds me that survival in The Wastelands is tough. You don't know what you will find and you can still die no matter how prepared you may think you are. As a player, going through this change of approach and then being shown that I was just being cocky is intriguing to me and is something I haven't experienced before in a game. I am already aware of the power a game can have over a player through immersion but I have never played a game that has taught me to be so weary of my approach, taught me to think before I do something in game and taught me to reflect on the past to benefit the things I may do in the future. It is amazing to me and if you can't tell already, I absolutely love it!

To go on a slight tangent now; approach to the game isn't the only thing I have been able to reflect upon after playing. The game has my attention so much that I am able to reflect on the various quests I have done and the places I have explored, remembering them in detail. I have always had a photographic memory (if you will) for locations in games and stuff like that, but to be able to remember pretty much everything I have done in a game is not something I am able to do regularly so the fact I can do it with Fallout 3 is fascinating to me. That makes me quite happy which conveniently brings me back to the emotions that you can go through while you play through the game. I've provided some examples here in this post, now I want to hear about your examples so if you have played the game, feel free to let me know in the comments.

The Wasteland Way Of Life

Note: This is the first post in a series this week themed around Fallout 3. In it I tell some of the story as told and experienced by the character in-game.


Growing up in Vault 101 with my father and friends meant that I knew nothing about the outside other than what the Vault locals mentioned in passing. The Tunnel Snakes tried to make it sound scarier than everyone else but deep down I knew that they didn't really know for sure what was out there and that all they were doing was putting on a tough-guy act. So when my father suddenly left the Vault and I realised that I needed to follow him, I abruptly left it behind and entered into the unknown. Walking outside, with the sun shining brightly in my face as it rose over The Wastelands, I couldn't help but hesitate as I saw how huge the place was. Dad could have literally gone in any direction and I had absolutely no idea where to start, so after admiring the vast area to the South I looked around and saw a nearby suburb. After raiding through the bins and listening to President Eden talk about the "Enclave" via a flying robot, I noticed a sign saying that Megaton wasn't too far away. Figuring that it wouldn't hurt to check it out, I followed the direction it was pointing to and came across the city of Megaton. A few hours spent there was beneficial to me as I was able to earn some Caps -- the supposed currency of The Wastelands -- by doing a few small jobs for the local townsfolk like fixing a few broken water pipes. The Caps I earned then allowed me to stock up on some weapons and medical supplies to aid me on my search for my father. Speaking of which, Colin Moriarty was able to point me in the direction of my father's whereabouts after bribing me and my Caps for the information. After staying the night in Megaton I spoke with Lucy West who was worried about her family in a small town called Arefu. She asked if I could go and check on them, so figuring that it could be ages until I knew more about where my father was, I accepted and proceeded to go to Arefu.

Along the way I came across many Raiders all of whom wanted to kill me as soon as they saw me. I also came across some Giant Scorpions and a Robot, all of which also tried to kill me. Upon reaching Arefu, all the way on the end of a broken bridge, I was once again shot at. This time however it was a mistake as a reasonably paranoid local of Arefu thought that I was from a group of people known as 'The Family'. After apologizing, this local told me more about The Family and then asked me to check on the rest of the Arefu residents who had locked themselves inside their houses. An hour or so later, the residents had all been accounted for except for the Wests, whom had been attacked and killed and who were also the family I was there to look for. Speaking with the paranoid guy again and after telling him the news, he sent me on a quest to find The Family. Heading North-East, the direction I was told to search, I came across an old cinema complex, a train station and the Meresti Trainyard. Searching through the subway tunnels of this trainyard, I eventually found The Family and also found that they weren't hostile towards me. In fact, they were quite welcoming to me after some initial hesitation and even offered me to stay the night to recover after fighting the Feral Ghouls that were in the subway tunnels. After some conversing with The Family's leader, I managed to convince him to let me see Lucy West's brother who was holed up by himself in a locked room. Speaking with him, I convinced him to head back to Arefu. He gave me a letter to give to Lucy and said that he would return as soon as I spoke with the leader. I did and managed to convince him to stop pestering the Arefu locals and even protect them from Raiders and the like, so long as The Family were supplied with Blood Packs in return. The Family were cannibals meaning that they enjoyed the taste of blood. This compromise meant that The Family got what they wanted, blood, and Arefu wasn't being hassled anymore so all in all it was a win-win for the both of them. After staying the night in Arefu, I decided to return to Megaton.

Along the way back to Megaton I was once again shot at by various Raiders and other inhabitants of The Wastelands making me soon realise that it is every man for themselves out there. I kept this in mind as I arrived in Megaton, stocking up on some more weapons, bullets and medical aid with the intention of being prepared the next time I headed out. I delivered the letter to Lucy and was sad to see her reaction to losing both her parents. Her mood soon improved once she realised her brother was still alive and well though, so that was something I suppose. After seeing her cheer up I headed outside to disarm the bomb in the middle of town, something I wanted to do earlier but wasn't quite confident enough to do so. After disarming some mines and traps while exploring the subway tunnels earlier, I felt I was confident enough to give the bomb a try. Luckily it was quite easy in the end. With the bomb disarmed, the locals (save for a few) were happy and offered me gifts for saving their town. I was also offered an unused house by the local Sheriff, which was quite a nice and unexpected surprise. It wasn't much, with only the bare essentials inside but it was better than nothing. At least now I had somewhere to go and hey, I also had a helpful robot who could dispense purified water when I needed it and tell me a joke or two when I was feeling down. Things were looking up for me in The Wastelands, which is certainly not something I expected after leaving The Vault behind so suddenly. With this feeling of comfort came a feeling of hesitation though as I knew that I had to venture back out into the hostile Wastelands, unsure of what I would find next and the knowledge that it could be ages until I found my father, dead or alive. So with a disheartened sigh, I rest my head upon my pillow and drift off to sleep unaware of what could happen tomorrow...

Life Outside The Vault: The Fallout 3 Experience

The Wastelands of Fallout 3 scare me.

Yes, it scares me. Not in the Resident Evil sense of the word nor even the Silent Hill definition, no, the reality of Fallout scares me and I honestly would not have it any other way.

The sense of peril, intensity and desperation for survival in the game is quite simply something I have not experienced in any other and I literally hesitate at times while traversing The Wastelands, wondering just what will I happen upon next throughout my travels. BioShock and a few other recent games have immersed me to the point where the games have felt real while playing, but Fallout 3 does it in a different way and arguably has more of a lasting effect as a result. Due to the way some of the game's side-quests can pan out, even walking into an abandoned shack can provide an unexpected experience. Allow me to explain.

After walking and exploring The Wastelands for around an hour, with the sun setting and my health relatively low after fighting some of the not so lovely inhabitants of the place, I found the aforementioned shack and figured that it would be wise to use it to sleep, recover health and have a break from all that walking and fighting for my survival. The next day I go to leave to continue my adventures only to find waiting outside for me three hitmen, waiting to kill me. From feeling safe to once again fighting for my life as soon as I stepped outside the door, the Fallout experience certainly keeps you on your toes and quickly teaches you to expect the unexpected.

I have had similar experiences where due to a lack of health items and ammo, I have had to be very cautious because if I wasn't, then I would most certainly find myself becoming just another hapless victim of The Wastelands. The place is tough, for sure and it is not just because you can find yourself in a situation with a lack of ammo or worse, health. Just seeing The Wastelands for yourself shows you how tough of a place it is, with a story to be found almost anywhere. A burnt down house could have a bath tub with a skeleton in it, suggesting what someone was doing before the events that changed the land; a playground in the middle of a remote town or suburb could have a whole bunch of active mines surrounding it making it dangerous to go near. It doesn't matter what examples I provide here, there are hundreds of stories to be potentially alluded to and found if you look for them and that alone really adds to the immersion and overall experience of the game.

If you can't tell already, I absolutely love Fallout 3 and I have barely scratched the surface. I'm around 25 hours in and have only done something like six quests. Most people seem to have it finished in 15 hours but most people don't play their games like I do. While they are happy to take advantage of options like fast traveling, I am happy to explore every inch of a subway system to make sure I don't miss a thing. Were I not doing this I would probably be a lot further than I am, but were I not doing this I wouldn't be having such a wonderful experience and fully taking in what Bethesda Studios have created here with the game.

As I said before, The Wastelands scare me and no doubt the fight for my survival will continue to keep me on edge in the future but you know what? I'm willing to face any fears I may have if it means finding Rivet City, helping Galaxy News Radio or anything else that can and will happen later on in the game. Life in Fallout 3 is hard, just like real life and damn it, I love it.

Space and Conquer: FallEdgePlanet Cry 09

This is Gtpod, and that sums up my November. A garbled title reflecting a garbled mess of incredible gaming that's proving difficult to keep track of. Dead Space, C&C Red Alert 3, Fallout 3, Mirror's Edge, LittleBigPlanet, Far Cry 2 and NHL 09. I don't know how far I am in each one, I don't know where the discs are, I don't know where on my HDD the PC games are, I don't know where some of them came from, I don't know if there are more on their way; all I know is, I'm f**king loving it. In fact, let's tackle them a bit, one by one - basically let's nick Nismo's "Overdue Opinion" idea, except this one's in no way belated and in every way topical.

Dead Space
Had GTAIV not been released this year, I think this would be my GotY. In terms of gameplay, I cannot fault it at all; EA have absolutely hit the mark for horror gaming, to the point where previous dissenters of the genre, such as myself, are righteously converted. A word of warning to those in this position though, if like me you were on edge playing F.E.A.R, you might want to play Dead Space in bursts; after playing several chapters in a row, I nearly jumped out of my skin when my roommate brushed the back of my chair walking past me.
It's not entirely perfect though, mostly due to graphical problems on the PC version. V-sync (a method of limiting the FPS for steadier gameplay) is entirely screwed, yet favourable in certain situations, so constant switching on and off is required. Also it inexplicably slows down in places, and sometimes starts up with a black screen; minor bugs to be fixed in the next patch I'm sure, but annoyances nonetheless (a common theme amongst PC games this year, particularly when EA's involved).

Red Alert 3
Greatest RTS series of all time? I'd say so. As someone who grew up playing RA1 on PC, the series has always held a special place in my gaming heart as the pinnacle of the entire strategy genre, and RA3 certainly didn't disappoint. The most refreshing and exciting aspect is how little EA have changed the formula from the early days; they've not at all been tempted by titles like World in Conflict and Supreme Commander to stray into more serious, straight-faced gameplay, instead sticking with the stereotypical, over-the-top action-film-like storyline and brightly coloured UI. It's exactly as epic as RA has always been, which is particularly nice to see after the shambles of C&C3 and Generals and such rubbish that so poorly plugged the gap between RA2: Yuri's Revenge and RA3. EA's second bout of perfection this quarter.

Fallout 3
Now, I must admit, I had some beef with Fallout 3, dating back to Tokyo Game Show 2008. It was late in the day, I was wandering around looking for my next title to test, when I saw a booth girl holding the most awesome 'thanks-for-playing-prize' I'd ever seen - a Vault Boy bobblehead (just like the preorder bonus). Not knowing anything about the game, having actively avoided it due to lack of interest, I queued immediately just for the prize. Two and a half hours later, I was given my ticket and lead into the booth to test the pre-release demo on 360. And I hated it. I was frustrated by VATS, frustrated by the map/compass, frustrated by the weapons/inventory; generally frustrated at what I saw to be an elaborate mod for Oblivion. Having spoken to other people who've tested alpha/beta stages of the game, they entirely agree that pre-release Fallout 3 was abysmal.
Pre-release Fallout 3 is not post-release Fallout 3. Post-release Fallout 3 is brilliant. If I had to put my finger on what the chief reasoning behind this colossal shift in our opinion is, I'd have to say it's the intro. Not wishing to spoil for anyone, but up to a certain monumental occasion in the story that occurs very early on, everything is very well explained in the common 'tutorial story' section of the game, and all events thereafter just sort of make sense. The struggle makes sense; 'struggle' referring to the Resi-like survival system (perhaps not that hard, but you get the point) of a limited inventory and scarce ammo. Similarities to Oblivion are quickly forgotten as the overwhelming story and atmosphere of Fallout is thickly piled onto the same Gamebryo engine. Not EA, but a definite Autumn success, and certain contender for GotY 08.

Mirror's Edge
Ah Faith, how long we waited for your grace to touch our hearts. My least-played game of the selection I'm talking about here, due only to the fact that it just arrived yesterday. Well... maybe not only. Oh EA, you were so so close to a perfect score for this quarter, why did you let DICE slip up like this? I'm not talking gameplay, or sound, or even atmosphere; I'm talking graphics. We all know graphics aren't everything (unless you're Ninja Theory, gg guys), but they certainly make up a part of the overall gaming experience, and in ME, this part is... I don't know... broken? I don't want to say 'lacking', the intent is all there, it's just the execution that does not do it justice. 90% at fault would have to be the aliasing problems. A pan over Edge City should be a breathtaking scene of sun-kissed skyscrapers adorned with runner routes; instead, a panoramic sight of jagged edges and screen tearing cuts through the atmosphere like a poorly aliased high-rise tower. That's not to say it kills it, but I really had to create a level of immersion to stop it from irritating me; generally, as you run from building to building, it's simply not noticeable, but in those brief moments when you stop and get your bearings or check direction, it sort of hits you, sadly. All this makes for a better looking game indoors though, as running through offices or sewers isn't nearly as graphically buggy.
An incredible game nonetheless. As I say, I'm not very far in, a little under half-way I believe, but I'm loving it. It's everything you'd expect from the demo and more, with unthinkable challenges created from the various running methods popping up throughout the chapters. On top of all that, the time trials prove a very prominent and very challenging mode of gameplay sure to extend the lifetime beyond the short story. A clear hit by EA, but it's no home run like previously mentioned games.

LittleBigPlanet
Speaking of hyped titles finally arriving... possibly the biggest title of 2008 is finally here, after several years of excitement, and it most certainly delivers. On a more personal level, I remain confusingly indifferent to a game I'm sure I love. Having not played it in over a week is surely only a symptom of the 'November Overload', however there may well be contributing factors I'm not all too aware of. Perhaps the creativity is just not within me whilst entertainment's being veritably spoon-fed in large doses by the several other incredible games. LBP is very much a game that's made fun by your own input; as much as you put in, you get out, and without that initial time spent, all that's left is a short story with little incentive for unlockables. I feel it's a game for the calm after the storm.

Far Cry 2
Yes, yes... Far Cry... learning from Crytek's mistake of introducing aliens into the original title, Ubisoft decided to stick with an all-human cast for the sequel, which I have accepted with considerably more warmth than its predecessor (which I refused to finish, on principal of it trying to be, but not being anywhere near as good as, Half Life). However, Ubi inexplicably decided to ignore one large aspect of Crytek's legacy, present in Far Cry and Crysis - a little thing called gunplay. Traditionally in FPSs, guns have a level of realism, and differ greatly in handling and aiming, range and accuracy and such weapon characteristics. Confusingly, Ubisoft seemed to create templates for 4 or 5 weapons, then just stick them to multiple models. For example, a rusted jungle AK with the accuracy of a western AS50 .50 cal sniper rifle, or a shotgun with the wide-angle spread of a silenced pistol. It comes as no surprise to me that a company known better for its publication of female-oriented casual DS titles than its equally-lacking-in-the-gun-department Splinter Cell series doesn't understand the intricacies of modern FPS gunplay.
Aside from this issue, however, they've put together an enjoyable game, with little else wrong. Maybe the AI's not as good as it could be, and the enemies are fairly cut-and-paste, but it's a game with a solid story and considerable side-missions that make for huge longeivty. Buy it for the experience, but don't expect anything magical on the weaponry side of things.

NHL 09
Last but by no means least, a sports title. Part of EA Sports' company-wide franchise improvement scheme, NHL like all other franchises has received a complete control overhaul. Simply put, it handles like a dream, and is that much closer to perfection, not to mention its stunning graphics and presentation. Playing team vs. team is, for the first time to date, entirely fluid with very few unrealistic hitches such as pucks not registering on blades, or players not being where they should ideally be; the AI improvements are significant, in turn adding difficulty to the same structures from previous titles, each rating being the equivalent of the one above from, say, NHL 08.
The addition of a new mode, Be A Pro, adds incredible gameplay that has exclusively taken up my time spent on the game. Taking exclusive control of a customised or ready made player, working from the fourth line of an AHL team to the Stanley Cup, is one giant leap for sports-gaming-kind, adding a level of realism never seen before. It makes the game so much more personal to be sitting on the bench, watching a period progress without you as an attacking line's sent out while you rest up, or spending 2 minutes in the penalty box, receiving the punishment both in game and in real life. Goalies hug the corners of nets, defenders sacrifice their bodies to save pucks, attackers finally complete breakaways instead of feeling obliged to pass; as far as I'm concerned, it's sporting perfection, and I just can't wait to see how EA Sports improve on it in the future.


So that's November - all of that in one month has made for the greatest gaming period perhaps of all time. On a more personal note, aside from gaming, I'm back to RR after a hiatus that can only be described as 'significant'. Look forward (I know you will) to many more editorials from me.

Realising Change

This may sound rather stupid but I think I am evolving as a gamer.

By that I mean, well, I seem to be going through a period of change with my gaming. I am still the completionist I have always been, I still have a keen interest in racing games and despite having access to Xbox Live and a whole bunch of friends, I am still generally a lone gamer. Yet this year during the typical rush of games that are all trying to release before the holiday period, I have come to the realisation that something is different. Now what that exactly is, I couldn't tell you but with every day that passes I find that I am noticing the change more and more and personally, I am finding it both intriguing and fascinating.

Take the recently released Fable II for example. Here is a sequel to a game I never had the chance to play yet as it came close to release I found myself interested in it more and more. It got to the point where I was thinking to myself that I would get it and give it a try but not straight away and after I had gotten the games I was anticipating first. The week of its release I saw it lying on the shelf of my local games store and before I knew it, I had purchased it, brought it home and had put it into my 360's disc drive ready to play. I don't know why I ended up buying it that day but after playing it that night, I was glad I did and do not regret a thing. I have barely played the game since that night, though. Why? Well no reason other than I thought it would be best to save the experience until a time when I can appreciate it more, so instead I continued to focus on the games I was playing beforehand in order to try and get them finished. That is irrelevant though; The short time I have had with the game has already impressed me and I am finding it very hard to resist firing it up each night. Of course it doesn't help when I see my friends playing it, but even so the allure of the game is compelling and again I find that fascinating. I plan on going more in-depth with my thoughts on the game in the near future when I play it more and can summarise my thoughts and impressions a little better, but in the meantime I want to point out that I think part of the reason why Fable II is alluring to me at the moment is because of how the gaming community at large has discussed the game. Reading this discussion (especially the blog posts) is, I think, presenting the game to me as an experience and when I combine that with the short time I have played, I think it is actually an experience rather than just another game. There are so many different aspects of the game being discussed and each one can inspire its own in-depth conversation from the community.

Another thing I have found interesting lately is that games I wasn't really interested in, or was not planning on looking at until a later date have now found their way onto my radar. Fable II was one of these games and another is Mirror's Edge. While I appreciated what EA/Dice were doing with the game and also the fact that it was rather original, I didn't really care for it because of a few reasons: one being that the game could go either way (success or failure), another being that it just didn't seem like it should be a priority of mine at the current time. Playing the demo earlier this week however completely changed my perception of the game and as I said, it is now on my radar and I am hoping to be able to pick it up on release. Now obviously demos are meant to be a taste of a game to give you an idea of whether you will like it or not, but the experience of playing this demo was different to how I come away from playing other demos and it did surprise me. Again I can't really pinpoint why (seems to be becoming a regular occurrence these days...) but the surprise meant that I find it intriguing.

Another EA game has also changed my perception of it recently and I think it is in part because of the gaming community. That game? Dead Space. Again while I appreciated that it was a new IP and that it was a Sci-Fi Horror game (I love my Sci-Fi), it never really seemed to be interesting until very recently when it released. First thing I noticed about it was that it seems to have a BioShock vibe about it. By that I mean atmospheric and isolated, yet almost an experience that could feel real. The other things I noticed come more from what people within the gaming community have been saying than anything but even so it is a game that went from a possible future purchase to a game that I want now.

To take this in a different direction, this Friday sees the release of Gears of War 2. That alone makes the day a good day and myself excited, but, thanks to quite a wonderful birthday I have found myself in a position to buy not one game, not two games and not even three. I am able to buy FOUR games on Friday and honestly, I can't believe it. While I am lucky enough to get the majority of games I want within a year, I don't generally get them at or near release and I definitely do not get more than one game at a time when I make a purchase. Fable is an example of that despite it being an unexpected purchase. Yet come Friday I find myself lucky enough to get four games and I almost feel guilty about it. If I weren't getting these games, I could get a Wii! Or, I could save it and get something not gaming related instead. It is definitely an interesting position to be in personally and like everything else I have mentioned so far in this post, it intrigues me. For the record the games I am getting are Gears of War 2 as I said, Fallout 3 (like Fable, another sequel to a game(s) that I haven't played) and probably Dead Space and Midnight Club LA.

The last thing I have noticed that seems to be changing and is again, intriguing me is how I feel about RPGs. Playing through Eternal Sonata recently, a Japanese RPG, has been quite a mixed bag of feelings for me. During the first playthrough of the game I found myself really enjoying it and as an overall game it was worth playing, but during the second playthrough I have honestly found it to be a chore. I don't HAVE to play through it this second time but I am because of the completionist trait of my gaming. The reason it has been a chore though is what is quite common with RPGs and that is the grind. This entire second playthrough has basically been a grind as I am skipping the cutscenes (on a side note: thank god you can - all games should have this option). That means all I am really doing is walking either to the next battle or to the next location. As it is a 'New Game +' the enemies are stronger this time around which means even more grinding to make sure I am strong enough to take them on and yeah it has not been fun at all. Because of this grind and how hard it has been to motivate myself to continue with it, I have found myself reflecting on Japanese RPGs in general and how I feel about them. In the past I could play them over and over again with no problem, my multiple playthroughs of Final Fantasy VIII in particular can attest to that, but as I have grown older my patience for these games seems to have decreased as I realise that I haven't played more recent JRPGs as much as I did the older ones and that some games were hard to even finish the first time let alone multiple playthroughs.

Now it could be a case of these games just not having a compelling enough story and therefore reason to continue playing, or it could be a case of myself going off (for lack of a better term) these games in favour of other experiences. I love a good story and RPGs provide them in the bucket loads but it just seems like I want to have these experiences elsewhere. Where? Perhaps ironically, in Western RPGs. The more I think about it the more I am realising that here I am re-assessing my interest in JRPGs while also absolutely loving the Western RPG experiences I have had. I haven't played many WRPGs but the recent ones I have like the aforementioned Fable II (although small) and Mass Effect have absolutely been brilliant and I can see that continuing with Fallout 3. Which brings me back to the whole point of this post, things seem to be changing within my gaming lately and while I clearly can't explain it or even what these changes are, it has been quite intriguing for me. The last few weeks have been very interesting for me as a gamer and what I have said above are only a few examples of what I have been thinking about. Change is afoot in the land of Nismo and what else can I say other than that I look forward to seeing where these changes end up taking me.

It's interesting though, isn't it?