Archives for the Month of November 2008 on media addict
Little Big Planet
I completed my first play through of the single player portion of Little Big Planet last night and I have to say this game is great. The amount of creativity afforded is astounding as each level is more ingenious than the next. I absolutely love how everything has a hand-made look, a very distinctive departure from virtually every platformer ever made. LBP reminds me in many ways of Super Mario Galaxy because they both surprise you with their scale and the amount of variety they can pack into a level. Overall both games are very accessible, but also feature some genuinely challenging stretches.
Gameplay wise LBP takes some getting used to. For years I've gotten used to platformers like Mario or Donkey Kong Country where characters run and jump in certain ways. Not so in LBP. Since LBP takes place in a physical world, unlike any other platformer I have played, everything obeys the laws of physics. Objects have inertia, can gain and lose momentum, and most detrimental to platforming, can't stop on a dime. It is very easy to run off the edge of platforms simply because you are not accustomed to stopping your character's forward momentum. Even so I really like the benefits that a system like this gives you. For instance to reach high objects you simply ride a platform that rises and falls. If you jump just as the platform reaches its apex your upward momentum adds to the force of your jump, propelling you higher. There are some challenging and fun jumping puzzles involving platforms on bungies that use this principal to perfection.
I haven't yet gotten into the level creation aspect of the game since I wanted to finish the single player first in order to acquire as many materials and objects as possible. I have, however, tried a few of the higher rated levels that others have created and posted in the LBP system. Some of the levels are very creative (escape from Alcatraz), while other levels are more simple fun (ride a roller coaster). After I play some more and try my hand at level creation I'll do another post.
Aside from a few annoyances with getting used to the jumping I have thoroughly enjoyed my LBP experience so far. If you like platformers and have a PS3 Little Big Planet is a must have.
Quantum of Solace
Quantum of Solace is what you would expect from a Bond movie; action, adventure, cheesy villains, horrible dialogue. Coming after the very solid Casino Royale, however, it is a disappointment. While Casino Royale is by no means my favorite Bond film, it is definitely close to the top 5. Quantum of Solace by comparison belongs with other mediocre editions such as The World Is Not Enough or Moonraker. I picked these two because, like Quantum, their plots are all over the place.
Quantum of Solace's main problem is that it is insanely uneven. This seems to be due to the director Marc Forster's desire to turn Bond into Jason Bourne. The action sequences are frenetically cut for no other reason than to disorient the audience. Shaky cameras and fast cutting fit Paul Greengrass' style in The Bourne Supremacy & The Bourne Ultimatum. Here the cutting removes any spatial awareness the viewer has of the action that is taking place. This gets old fast and consequently much of the action is just boring.
Without solid action we are forced to pay more attention to the story, which is abysmal. To make matters worse the writers have seen fit to throw in some preachy current event related dialogue that is nothing but heavy handed political jabs. I was also amazed how little sex there is in this movie. Quantum features more shots of Judi Dench in her sleepwear than Olga Kurylenko. What is the world coming to? 2.5/5
Fable II
Fable II is the right type of RPG for someone like me. It has a larger amount of customization and scope than the Legend of Zelda games (which I love), while at the same time not overwhelming you with options like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.
Fable II has a lot of positives: great art style, fun combat with a surprising amount of depth, large game world, decent story, and a fantastic sense of humor. The art style is just as it should be for a fantasy RPG such as this, a caricature of real life. All of the towns and people are wonderfully over-the-top in their appearance. The fighting develops very nicely from just button mashing at the start to precision kills as your abilities grow. The comedy aspect of the game is one of its biggest highlights. Being a mature title, Fable II isn't shy about taking the gloves off and presenting some genuinely funny material.
On the negative side I did have some gripes, mainly to do with the level of polish the game apparently didn't receive. The menu system is very cumbersome and should have been redesigned. The vertical layout of the menu makes it a laborious task to just use a couple of potions or augment a weapon. To make matters worse it also can be slow to respond to your navigation commands, only adding to your frustration level. Graphically Fable II could also have used some improvement. While the majority of the game looks fantastic, at times the character animations and graphics are simply not up to par. I was also disappointed by the end of the main quest. After being set up they way it was I expected a much more epic end to your journey, however, given Fable II's emphasis on your moral choices I shouldn't have been that surprised.
Overall I had a fantastic time with Fable II. Aside from a few technical annoyances and an underwhelming end to the main quest I don't have much to complain about. Definitely worth a try.