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Ben’s Week In Review: March 22

A few more days until Bloodborne …everyone excited?

God of War III on PS4 will RULE

Yeah, I know. We've reached the point where the word "remaster" is considered downright evil. And I'm well aware that we need new titles to drive interest in this new generation.

But as far as remasters go, I can't think of a better game to earn a second go-round on a new machine. I mean, God of War III was ahead of its time when it launched five years ago; can you imagine what the Remastered version will look like on PlayStation 4?! These games have always set and reset the visual bar in terms of graphical accomplishments; they made even the best-looking games on Xbox and Xbox 360 look like last-gen garbage. Given what Sony Santa Monica could do with an upgrade, I think action fans everywhere are drooling to get a look at Kratos in 1080p and 60 frames per second. I assume they're going for those technical benchmarks in the Remaster; people will be very disappointed otherwise.

As for the possibility of God of War 4 at E3 , I think it's quite plausible. I'm not sure if we'll see Kratos again, though, and the setting may be different as well. That's fine by me, for the most part. The developers have said in the past that they need a break from the Greek mythology scene, and I'd like to see what they can do with a fresh environment and a new protagonist.

If Kojima wants out, let him out

I know a lot of people are bummed about the apparent war between Kojima Productions and publisher Konami . But really, it's not that big of a deal.

So what if they part ways? Does anyone really think freakin' Hideo Kojima would have difficulty finding a home for any new game he creates? And I know people are a little upset with how Konami is treating this; i.e., we hear about the publisher removing the Kojima Productions logo from the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Then there are more rumors about how the publisher is trying to distance themselves from the developers. Well, okay. Kojima has been saying for years that he wants to do something else; maybe this is the perfect excuse to make good on that dream. He can do just about anything he chooses and I think true gamers want to see him try. We all love MGS but somebody that creative could produce something very special, regardless of the title's name.

I'm good with Kojima doing whatever the hell he wants, but it is unfortunate that the long-time partnership has to end this way.

Personal gaming update

I was pretty happy with Battlefield: Hardline , for the most part. I like to see games in relatively stale genres trying new things, and the multiplayer is refreshing and challenging. Honestly, it's a step in the right direction, despite the obvious shortcomings, and I hope developer Visceral Games gets another crack at a sequel. As for Final Fantasy Type-0 HD , it just isn't my thing. I acknowledge the good aspects of the game because that's what a critic is supposed to do, but I have no interest in finishing the quest. I'm probably not far from the end but I don't really care.

I should be playing GTAV but this always happens: When I'm down to one game in my backlog and I've got some time before the next game I want arrives ( The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt , and I'm not even convinced I'll want to finish it), I invariably go back in time. That's why I'm actually going through Shadow Hearts: Covenant again. I only beat it once but I loved that RPG and of course, it offers me a style of gameplay that just doesn't exist anymore. Well, it does, but only in bite-size, digital, and/or low-budget downloadable iterations. Besides, I'll want a breather after reviewing Bloodborne . 😉

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Snaaaake
Snaaaake
9 years ago

I don't think there'd be much difference having GOWIII on the PS4 aside from hitting 1080p and 60fps.
But well 60fps is big deal.

If Konami is willing to let someone like Kojima go, you know s*** just got real.

Temjin001
Temjin001
9 years ago

I look forward to GoWIII on PS4 but I can't say I share near the same level of enthusiasm as you do Ben.
I played a ton of GoWIII back in the day. I beat it on a tough difficulty too. It was great. But it's best days are behind me and $40 for a well tread game with little left for me to do is just too rich for my blood right now. I'll get it. I just can't say when.

Hideo Kojima is a gaming vet but I'm concerned his depature signifies a total change of direction for him and his team going forward. I'd imagine an old vet like him who has made huge productions is ready to take some time off and do something less ambitiuous. It's sad seeing one of Japan's last iconic devs possibly lay down the MGS mantle for good and go his ways. One thing is for certain. Metal Gear will never be the same now. Kojima was Metal Gear and without him it'll be something else, for better or worse… likely worse.
…. and why couldn't they have just kept David Hayter for MGSV? I mean he's been Kojima's Snake and here at the last (real) final chapter in Kojima's tenure the voice of Snake is someone else. It's just wrong.

PGU: I've been playing MGS Peace Walker some more. It has some neat ideas regarding Mother Base and researching all the cool gadgets but the actual game play is definitely held back by the PSP's underlying tech. It also doesn't help that the cutscenes just aren't MGS standard. Yes, they're artistic and interesting but MGS has always been something larger to me than that.

I'm tempted to cave and digital pre-order Bloodborne. I'm resisting right now. It looks interesting and I feel like it could possibly be my next Ninja Gaiden of this generation.

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
9 years ago

GoW3 on PS4 will be super good all the way around. But I'm not sure I'll get it, as the upcoming games I plan to get will take up a lot of time. Plus I spent a lot of time with GoW3.

Konami has been a thorn in Kojima side since last generation.

PGU: Finished Tales From the Borderlands episode 2 last night. These are Telltales best efforts by far. The interaction gives more playability to a wider audience and the dialogue is funny and refreshing. While the choices don't seem to have a huge impact they are engaging.

I'm pretty much gearing up for The Handsome Collection next week. Got all my saves uploaded and ready for download so I can jump right in to both Borderlands 2 and Borderlands TP-S. Gonna be fun on the PS4!

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
9 years ago

Yeah, no head scratchers this week, Konami just had some cross purposes with Kojima Productions because they have a business model they have to push.

Kojima shouldn't be working somewhere that would tell the man how to do his job but rather to let his mind go whichever way it goes and bank on it.

I was hoping to like Type 0 but if it doesn't grab me on some level soon I'll feel like I got suckered again.

I got Tekken 2 off the sale and played it. Back in the day we called those polygon fighters. So I'm watching this I can tell right away it's old computer technology that's doing its best for its time of day obviously. You can spot the wire frames. You can see how a programmer built a person out of a limited number of polygons. It's enlightening about that period of technology where we saw how developers decided to tackle the problem of getting into a 3D space. Those are the kinds of things that can never happen again, so the game's emblematic of a period of time I'm glad I saw with my own eyes.

Temjin001
Temjin001
9 years ago

That's the biggest problem I have with indie games of today. There's no history behind the era they represent. When I play old games that look and feel like old games I know I'm experiencing a moment in time where to many gamers THAT was the cutting edge. Like while playing Catlevania Rhondo of Blood. I knew of its rep on the PC Engine back in the day. And here I'm playing it on Vita knowing that im playing something that was a cherished gem to a select few. It carries weight with its nostalgia that no modern indie game has.

EMax
EMax
9 years ago

Konami has mentioned in the past that they were going to concentrate more on the mobile and casual market. Definite conflict of interest there with Kojima. It's sad to see that twenty years ago Kojima's complaints were more about how the technology at the time limited the vision and scope he had for his games and now with the technology available he is being limited by a business model.
….. gee …. that's all kinds of messed up.

There still is a silver lining though. Now that he is on his own, who knows what he could produce next. (C'mon Sony, approach this guy and support the sh!t out of him)

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
9 years ago

Isn't that fun Temjin? Looking back at a piece of time and realizing it was the sign of an age through which you lived. When the art of the time had a face on it and everyone was impressed. And yet, that face today would be called ugly by comparison.

That is art.

slow and smart
slow and smart
9 years ago

Good news for gamers who want a physical edition[like me] of wolfenstein the old blood,that is when you have a pc or ps4…

PGU:
i started a new Fallout 3 game …can't wait for Bethesda's E3 and their announcement of Fallout 4

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
9 years ago

I'd die

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
9 years ago

It's interesting you mention Shadow Hears: Covenant, as I was considering playing Koudelka after Type-0.

PGU:
Yes, it's all been about Final Fantasy Type-0 HD this week. The game is okay. I'm glad I have had the chance to play it still, but the structure of the game isn't doing much for me nor is the story/characters. The best thing about the game is the combat… which while decent still doesnt make up for whats lacking.

What wasn't lacking was the Final Fantasy XV demo! I haven't played a demo so memorable since MGS2. The game is just so full of life and I love the structure of the mission. It's not like XII/XIII's monster hunt where you go to location A, beat Monster B and beat reward C. They've added many objectives each with their own cinematic value. I loved how you learnt more about the beast before taking it on. I thought it was phenomenal, my questions now are Will the world be a map like Elder Scrolls or will we have a world with different continents?

Rachet_JC_FTW
Rachet_JC_FTW
9 years ago

okay so first of with bloodborne i am pritty keen for it but i haven't got hte cash atm so that'll have to wait atm.

then to god of war 3 revamped and god of war 4, i'd like to see what they do with both as both propersions say very intreging. as far as god of war 4 i think they should either like who was it suggested to start like awhole new thing almost like god of war 4 blad reborn or something. same thing new character and such.

then theres old kojima and konami having a spat over parting ways after MGS5 which is kinda sad to end and part ways like that its never nice to go like that but it is what it is and everyone kinda has to move on anyways and i'm sure kojima will be fine with what ever he wants to do someone will back him.

then with PGU i have since friday the 20th march 2015 started unchartered drakes fortune and i am currently up to chapter 15 after feeling a bit appithertic about DS2. so unchartered is going well having a blast with that and been playing a bit of words and ninjump on my new(dads old phone)phone inbetween times which has been fine. and the other thing was that i want to try get uncharter 1-3 done before 4 comes next year and maybe even god of war 3 if another one of those is coming.

i wish y'all all the best for the week ahead and hope you have a bit of fun gaming as always, and as always

happy gaming


Last edited by Rachet_JC_FTW on 3/22/2015 7:26:03 AM

EMax
EMax
9 years ago

Glad to see Shadow Hearts getting some spotlight. I always thought that it was one of those series that flew below the radar and didn't get the recognition it deserved. It was probably due to the FF mania at the time where some people purported that FF was THE only RPG worth playing.
Shadow Hearts had a sort of quirky dark humour and charm about it. Play it if you haven't.

Banky A
Banky A
9 years ago

MAN I AM CRAVING TO PLAY SOME VIDEOGAMES.

Personal update:

Finally got my personal website up and running for the cheapest 12 months you could EVER imagine. $15NZD for my 1st year.

Got this up in about 3 hrs of raw intro into Javacript, jQuery, CSS ouuuuch.

Check my website for the two sites I used 😀
have a gawk at some of my youtube vids too haha

http://www.bankalex.com

Banky A
Banky A
9 years ago

Due to the free host DNS/FTP hack I'm messing around with the site is only up about 90% of the time. Bare with it 🙂

Beamboom
Beamboom
9 years ago

All in all status is pretty dull in the console world right now. I could not care less about neither GoW, especially not the remaster, and apart from No Mans Land – and that is quite the wildcard – there's nothing console specific to look forward to in god-knows how long. Thank heavens for the multiplats.

The only thing I am curious about right now is what Guerilla Games are working on.

PGU: Been revisiting Bioshock Infinite again. Started a new playthrough, this time I will get past that point with the air-ships that I got stuck the first time.
And I must say, it really is a great production. I really can't wait to learn more about what mr Levine comes up with next.


Last edited by Beamboom on 3/22/2015 3:47:23 PM

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
9 years ago

You never beat it?

Beamboom
Beamboom
9 years ago

Nope. I ragequit after the n'th attempt on that chapter and haven't returned until now. I just had no chance whatsoever.

But this time I'll take it from the beginning and spec things differently.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
9 years ago

Of COURSE Raven's Cry got pushed out AGAIN to May or some damn thing. Stupid Polish studio playin with me mind.

Gonna go watch Black Sails for me pirate needs…

Beamboom
Beamboom
9 years ago

??? Ravens Cry?… Haven't you heard? The game is a catastrophy!

One can of course hope that they've overhauled the *entire* game (from A to Z) to such an extent that they've basically rewritten it but that's hoping for much.

http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/632850-ravens-cry/articles.html


Last edited by Beamboom on 3/22/2015 4:36:09 PM

Underdog15
Underdog15
9 years ago

People like Kojima need to be given the freedom to do whatever they want. When you're intrinsically motivated and nitpicky like him, you don't have to worry about him hanging around doing nothing. Give him a team and set him loose with a flexible and general deadline that isn't set in stone (just to help manage his time enough that we don't get more Last Guardian development times).

Guys like him should be easy to manage. Just give him your general expectations and let him deliver. He'll be fine elsewhere, and to be honest, I'm excited to see what he can do.

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