PSN Demo Showcase for 1/26/12

The PSN Demo Showcase is back and there is lots to talk about with the variety of games that came out as demos in the past couple of weeks.

First off is UFC Undisputed 3 as I have been playing the demo and the alpha online test that finally came out late last week for PSN peeps. The alpha test is definitely an early build of the game without most of the sounds you hear normally in an UFC game from the music and the announcers. It served its purpose testing the netcode to make sure its fine for the final game and so far it seems so from what I played. Created fighters are only allowed in this version and it is a nice touch to mix things up with fighting styles as the matches go on standard rules compared to the demo. The only disappointing part about the demo is that matches are set to one round only than the traditional three rounds as seen in past demos of THQ's franchise. Luckily there's PRIDE rules to use along with the normal UFC rules as PRIDE rounds are set to ten minutes, so that's the mode to go with if you want more time fighting. Four fighters are selectable in the demo as Jon Jones & Anderson Silva are playable in the UFC while Wanderlei Silva and Rampage Jackson are on PRIDE. The extra year of time has definitely paid off for UFC Undisputed 3 as Yuke's are able to add more touches and beef up the modes to make the game feel like the ultimate UFC game we have been waiting for. The core gameplay is still intact from previous entries, but the little new additions make this game worth it for any UFC fan. From the roster that includes the featherweight and banterweight classes, PRIDE (which the developers did a great job integrating it to the game), and the little new details that make fights don't like the last game, UFC Undisputed 3 is looking pretty good as beatdowns begin on Valentine's Day.

Next up is The Darkness II, the long awaited sequel to 2007's The Darkness. I actually enjoyed the first game as it was one of my personal sleeper hits of that year on the 360, so I'm curious how this one will pan out. First of all, Digital Extremes is handling this game than the original's developer Starbreeze and the graphical style has been changed completely as it looks more cel-shaded now. Cel-shaded graphics are actually a rarity these days, so its nice to see games like this implement it every now and then. The protagonist from the last game, Jackie, is back, and new villains are after his Darkness powers. The combat is mostly the same as more attention was paid to the Darkness tentacles being more than what they were in the original. I do like that you do crazy animations when firing guns as if you were in some John Woo flick, so that's cool than seeing the same old shooting animation from pretty much every other game that's out. There is a level up/upgrades system too as you gain experience by obviously killing enemies by guns or your tentacles. The pace during the demo though was a little too crazy for me, but it did start out with a bang. However, I do have a feeling that The Darkness II will be slept on again but we'll see about that.

The demo for EA's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has been out for a couple of weeks and it is a lengthy one too. For those who don't know, 38 Studios (Curt Shilling's development studio) and Big Huge Games are making this as it has been a long time coming for this to come out. If I can sum up this RPG in a nutshell, it would be a mix of Fable and Mass Effect. The environments are as colorful as Fable's especially when outdoors and it also has Mass Effect's dialogue trees even though your created main character is silent. Once you're out of the first area, there is a 45 minute limit for the rest of the demo as there are numerous quests in a big world (whatever you're given) to take on even though most of them can't be finished here. My time with it has been a mixed bag as it is a solid RPG with the necessary elements to be as good as the other big ones that came out recently, but it doesn't mean I had fun with it. In addition the demo is really buggy filled with missing textures and awkward camera angles to the point your land disappears. Good thing its just an early build that the developers released and it will be fixed in the final game, but having that many bugs in a big downloadable demo is inexcusable these days. Then again, this could be the RPG to play after you're tired of Skyrim when it comes out on February 7.

Last up for now is a multiplayer beta for Gotham City Impostors. This is a multiplayer-only spinoff game in the Batman universe as it is pretty self-explanatory that you can play as Batman look-a-likes or a bunch of clowns that are reminiscent of The Joker. It definitely has a certain level of charm that is neat, which is sort of similar to Team Fortress 2 in some way especially when looking at the characters and the tutorials for the game modes. It is objective-based from a territory-like mode where you have to control a set of canisters for a good amount of time for a toxin to release if you're the Jokers or a group of bats if you're on the Batmen side. The other mode in this beta is a capture the flag variant where you have get a battery to your base and if held for a certain period of time you can confuse the opposition as they go into la-la-land, but they still can slap you to death if you're not careful. Gotham City Impostors is full of weapons and gadgets to mess around with from the conventional guns, grappling hooks, and more in the final games as there is a loadouts system and other customization options. Other than that, the gameplay is your standard shooter fare, but with the Batman twists if you're into that and the default sensitivity is higher than other shooters. I only had a brief time with the beta as I'll play more to see if it is worth buying.

That's it for now... next week is the Starhawk Beta for me since I have a code from Uncharted 3, but Playstation Plus owners have been playing it for a couple of weeks, so expect thoughts about that one soon.

Oh Yeah New SSX Gameplay Footage Yeah!

If this new gameplay footage of SSX doesn't sell you on the game, I don't know what to say. Perhaps my game of 2011 is coming quicker than I thought, so basically buy this game on February 28!

Leon & Chris Are Ready to Do Work Again in Resident Evil 6

After months of rumors and speculation, Resident Evil 6 is officially announced for a November 12 release on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 (PC version will be out later). This ain't just another Resident Evil game though as two mainstays of the franchise are playable and have a big role in the story. Leon and Chris are doing work again to save the world from bioterrorism, but in different locales this time around. Leon's arc is dealing with the president, who is apparently got caught in the virus forcing Leon to make as Capcom says in the PR the biggest decision of his life. Chris's arc is in China to clear out the latest threat there and yes, there are zombies everywhere again. A third playable character is introduced along with who likely seems to be Ashley (The playable guy is probably Alex Wesker?). What I mean as this ain't just another RE game, its a pretty big game with elements from 4 and 5, but Capcom says they're trying to have a middle ground between those games gameplay-wise. I actually skipped RE5 because it was too much like 4 with little improvements to the formula. Maybe they learned their lesson this time around incorporating elements seen in other first & third-person shooters like cover and sprinting, but it is still 4 and 5 at its core. This is a lengthy trailer to digest as well and I'm already hype for the game, but we'll see if Capcom can bring it back again after 5 being a disappoint for many people.

Are You Really Ready For Some Genkibowl??

The first mission-based DLC for Saints Row: The Third came out earlier this week titled Genkibowl VII. Maybe I should of had missions in air quotes because these are basically more activities that have the crazy vibe of the Genki stuff from the main game. The announcers from Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax return for Genkibowl featuring slightly different twists of existing activities from the game that have that Genki flavor. Unfortunately, the slight twists aren't much as Apocalypse Genki is another version of S.E.R.C., except in a jungle-like environment and sharks coming out of the water to bite mascots away. Sexy Kitten Yarngasm is Tank Mayhem, but with a big ball of yarn instead trashing the city for points. There's a cleverly named achievement/trophy called C-C-C Combo Breaker for that activity alone (shoutouts to Killer Instinct). Super Ethical PR Opportunity is basically Escort, but with Genki around as you drive his Genkimobile burning people up while avoiding the exposure. Getting the car's flamethrower to go is interesting as you have to run over pedestrians to get it going to impress the professor. The only original activity of the bunch however is Sad Panda Skyblazing. Honestly, you probably won't get it done in the first try as the game and skydiving controls can be a pain for this instance, but once you know what to do as the announcers explain, then you'll be fine. The point of Sad Panda Skyblazing to skydive through rings and kill mascots in skyscrapers to accumulate enough money to go on the landing spot. There are hot air balloons spread throughout the level to keep your dive intact while in the air (even the unethical pandas give you more air).

The Genkibowl activities can be done in a hour or less unless you're getting to get all the achievements/trophies from the set, which aren't that hard but can take you a little longer if things don't go your way in the missions. I wish there was more originality with the activities as three of them are just different takes on existing activities, but still fun regardless. Its not everyday you're rolling a big ball of pink yarn down a city destroying everything in your way. It is a little disappointing you're getting this much content for seven dollars (unless you got the Season Pass for the rest of the DLC), but if you're itching for new stuff to do in Saints Row: The Third, Genkibowl is still worth to get strapped on again till the next mission-based DLC comes out in a month or two.

My Type of Snowboarding Heaven...

Yeah it is Winter time (well not really in Los Angeles during the day time) and my personal big game of the season is none other than the return of EA's SSX. I've been pretty stoked since the original announcement and every time it has been shown in preview events and trailers, it keeps getting better and better. This is my own snowboarding heaven as SSX is out on February 28, a crowded stretch personally for me when I have Mass Effect 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken out a week later, but who cares since I have been waiting for this all console generation.

And yes, SSX has lots of wubwubwubwub...

Capcom goes ANIME with the Asura's Wrath Demo...

Capcom's first game for 2012 is Asura's Wrath, which is out next month, as a demo of the game came out on Xbox Live Marketplace and Playstation Network earlier this week. If I had to describe this game in one word, it would be ANIME. Asura's Wrath is way too anime as it makes me laugh every time I play through the demo when the crazy stuff happens, but unfortunately the game doesn't make a good impression. There are two levels in the demo and they are pretty much boss battles. Episode 5 has the most "variety" than Chapter 11 and yes I quoted vartiety because there is not really of ton it in Asura's Wrath. It is an action game with an overuse of quicktime events as if it is the whole game. There is a shooting section in the boss battle against the giant like Zone of the Enders where Asura has a lock-on mechanic straight up from that game, but the basic goal of Asura's Wrath (especially in this demo) though is bulk up for burst meter and then make insane crap happen. It sucks that there is no basic combat sections against normal enemies in this demo as Capcom and developer CyberConnect2 handled this demo poorly even though they're like "Hey, let's have these levels in the demo because of they're f-in nuts without spoiling the story." Even in 2012, demos can be mishandled in this console generation. The one-on-one fight against Augus in Chapter 11 is straight up anime with cheesy dialogue like watching a Dragon Ball Z fight without the crazy fireball sequences, but the action is so over the top, it becomes too ridiculous. Even though Asura's Wrath will likely be a disappointing game from Capcom, give the demo a shot if you like ANIME in your action games.

EA Sports Goes From Jamming to Blitzing... The NFL Blitz Review

After the successful NBA Jam revival, EA Sports decides to also bring back NFL Blitz in this new downloadable release for Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network. The Blitz franchise has been known for fast-paced arcade style football without most of the NFL rules from pass interference being allowed, a limited but enough playbook on both sides of the ball, being on fire like NBA Jam, and crazy tackle animations the Madden games dreamed of having. Most of what makes NFL Blitz the game it was back in the late 90s is still in this new one gameplay-wise, but the missing things really hurt this revival from being great. Who would of thought a NFL Blitz game would lack energy like this one?

This 2012 version of NFL Blitz is crammed with modes both offline and online. There is of course is play now mode, but then there is the other stuff like Blitz Gauntlet. Blitz Gauntlet is a Mortal Kombat style ladder where you face real NFL teams and then have a boss battle against wacky characters such as zombies, ninjas, and horses. The only point of this mode is basically gaining these unlockable teams that can be activated before a game starts on the code screen, which also returns from previous entries. Besides the unlockable teams, you can change the ball color, turn on big head mode, and many other stuff on the code screen as long as you input the right icons before time is up. While Blitz Gauntlet is the main offline mode, the bulk of the game is actually on the online front.

The online modes in this new iteration will pretty much make or break the game for most people in terms of how long they will play it and the amount of them on at the same time to play games. If a decent community gets going, then the game will be fine online, but as most downloadable games go these days, people don't come back after launch week. Anyway, there is a simple head-to-head mode with only the real NFL teams and also Blitz Teams where its 2v2 online. The leaderboard system is pretty crazy especially for a game like this as you climb ladders locally, regionally, and then nationally by consistently playing well online. Performance-wise, the games play fine for the most part, but the lag can be a problem especially during punts and kicks since they are timing based. However, pulling out a clutch online win by a last second field goal under laggy conditions feels very satisfying. The Elite League mode consist of a card system that is basically fantasy football as you start out with a weak team, but having more Blitz bucks, which you can only gain them by playing online, you can buy more cards for better players, ultimate cheats, and more. Additionally you can pony up rare cards against others in Risk and Reward as well.

The core gameplay is as good as it was back in the original with most of the playbook resembling that one with infamous plays such as Da Bomb, Sub-Zero, Hurricane, and many more. The action is still fast-paced with two minute quarters as you can score in mere seconds and 30 yards are required for a first down. As long as you don't pass the line scrimmage, you can pass the ball more than once if you wanna be fancy at times. Being on fire is simple on both sides of the ball as you have to throw to the same receiver three times in a row on offense and sack the quarterback twice in a row on defense. In boss battles and elite league games, there are powerups spread throughout the field The vicious tackles are back in full force, but the ability to not do late hits like the original games is a huge disappointment especially for purists. The late hits were a hallmark of the franchise as since the NFL didn't want them in this new iteration, you can blame them. Kicking is only in field goals and punts as extra points are free as they were in the original, but I personally had an extra point missed once randomly, which was weird. There are also little changes from past games that hardcore Blitz guys will notice for both good and bad, but the core gameplay is still as pick up and play as it gets.

My major criticism with this new Blitz though is that there is definitely a lack of energy when it comes to the presentation especially how the game looks and sounds. The game just looks boring as I couldn't let myself have long stretches with the game, so it is best played in short sessions. It lacks the grittiness how the Blitz games were back in the day as if you compare it to Madden NFL Arcade, they can look pretty similar. Blitz goes by a certain art style and while the players are bigger and bulkier than their Madden versions, a certain spark is flat out missing. The NFL stadiums look bland and the crowd does not look as good as expected. The same lack of energy also comes with the commentary, which is also disappointing. Tim Kutzrow returns from NBA Jam as the main announcer along with Brian Haley as there isn't that much enthusiasm from the guys while the game is going along with the fact they don't talk that much either. The banter between the two gets repetitive as you'll hear the same jokes and lines multiple times, so the variety is not there as well.

So is this new NFL Blitz by EA Sports really worth reviving? Magic struck with NBA Jam's comeback, but I can't say the same for Blitz however. Sure, the core gameplay is still good and there's enough replay value, but the lack of energy in the presentation from boring graphics to not much effort being put in to the commentary really hurts the overall package. Even though there are a ton of online options, having players actually playing online is a problem even though it is not the game's fault since downloadable releases tend to not go well after launch week with player numbers. If there is enough of a community to keep going with the numerous modes and leaderboards, then the game can be a bit more enjoyable. Other than that, there is some fun to be had with NFL Blitz if you're into arcade sports games, but it could of been so much better considering the amount of effort the developers put into it.

Score = 6.5/10

Pros:

• Core gameplay still good and fast-paced
• Tons of modes for replay value both offline and online

Cons:

• Its still Blitz, but not everything that made the franchise famous are not in this new one
• Lack of online players can be a problem since the bulk of the game is online especially when trying to earn Blitz Bucks
• No late hits is a big disappointment, but blame the NFL on that one
• The game overall just has a lack of energy... it looks and sounds boring