Tales from the Borderlands

Yesterday I made my one major purchase of the Steam winter sale in the form of Telltale's Tales from the Borderlands.  I think it is the only thing I bought that cost over $10--gotta love the Steam sale.  Telltale has been branching out thanks to the success of it's hit adaptation of The Walking Dead.   The narrative driven point-and-click games might not be for everyone, but I enjoy them.  If you're a fan of the Borderlands series and any of the Telltale story games (The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, Game of Thrones) then you will want to check out Tales from the Borderlands.

Firstly, let me re-establish my fandom of Borderlands.  I am a fan mostly due to the quirky style and sense of humor that is infused throughout the games.  I wouldn't really place them on my top ten list, but I appreciate them.  So last night I decided to see how Telltale had taken the humor and style of Borderlands and made it into a new point-and-click adventure.  I have to say that I am impressed and was not disappointed at all.  In fact I am now anticipating the release of the second part of this episodic series.

Tales of the Borderlands is a complete departure from the heavy, emotional story depicted in The Walking Dead.  The story takes place after the demise of Handsome Jack in Borderlands 2 and follows two different characters.  One of the characters is an ambitious Hyperion suit named Rhys who is looking to climb to the top of the corporate ladder.  Unfortunately for Rhys his trip to the top is derailed by an even more ambitious corporate douchebag named Vasquez.  Rhys winds up being demoted and seeking revenge on his new enemy Vasquez.  He over hears Vasquez making a deal to purchase a vault key and as an act of revenge decides he is going to land on Pandora and buy the key himself...using money stolen from Hyperion by his friend Vaughn, a nerdy accountant type.  Of course once they get to Pandora they learn that they are in no way prepared to navigate the violent landscape.

Something I am enjoying about this series is how they decided to split the narrative between two characters.  You also follow the story of Fiona, a Pandoran native who crosses paths with Rhys.  For the sake of not spoiling anything let's just say she's adapted well to life on Pandora and has the street smarts to survive.

Part one of this episodic series was action packed and had many humorous moments.  As a fan of the Borderlands series I was excited to see several characters make appearances--Zer0, the haiku spewing assassin and Shade, the weirdo from Oasis who turns dead bodies into his own strange puppet show.  I noticed that many of the voice actors from Borderlands are providing voices for characters like Marcus and Moxxi.  I didn't pay enough attention to the credits but I think Fiona is voiced by the same actress as Lillith.

The Steam sale is winding down but you still have a chance to grab this series for a discounted price.

Shadowrun Returns Review

As part of my semi-annual game purchasing binge I acquired Shadowrun Returns for a low price as part of the winter Steam sale.  I also finished it relatively quickly.

Shadowrun Returns is a video game adaptation of a popular pen-and-paper cyberpunk RPG.  It is a turn-based RPG with many features that are similar to X-COM:  Enemy Unknown.  I played through the main campaign "Dead Man's Switch."  I very much enjoyed Shadowrun Returns and found the story and setting a refreshing change from the typical turn-based fantasy/strategy type of game.  I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of X-COM or turn-based strategy games.  Overall I would give it an 8/10.

Pros:
1.) Cyberpunk
--Before playing Shadowrun Returns I was completely unfamiliar with this genre.  You take one part traditional fantasy elements (magic, elves, dragons, dwarves) and smash it together with futuristic elements (cyber enhancements, automatic weapons, "decking") and you get this really amazing and different combination that works.  I liked that I could make a mage and then give them cybernetic enhancements.  Cybermage is so much cooler than your traditional robe-wearing spell flinger.

The stylized portraits and art are really fun and lend themselves well to this genre.  I enjoyed meeting new characters just to see what their portraits would look like.

2.) Setting
--The world of Shadowrun Returns is a dark but familiar world.  The story is set in and around a futuristic Seattle.  In this world magic has "awakened" ancient races, elves, orks, trolls, and dragons and has changed everything.  Major corporations are run by dragons and have a very powerful impact on everyday life.  As a shadowrunner you navigate the seedier side of life in this world--you deal with the gangsters, thugs, and others who lurk in the dark places.  Many of the locations in the game are authentic--anyone who has been to Seattle will immediately recognize them.  Even if you don't you'll enjoy the rainy, dark streets and the cheery atmosphere of the "Seamstresses Union."

3.) Campaign/story
--The campaign has you following up on a strange message you receive from a former business associate.  This associate had installed a "dead man's switch" that would automatically contact you in the event of his death.  Your job is to find out who murdered your friend and bring them to justice.  The story feels much like a murder mystery with you at the center finding clues and unravelling the threads that weave the story Sam Watts' death.  There are a number of side quests and the more you investigate the bigger and more interesting the plot gets.

4.) Interesting classes
--These ain't your momma's traditional classes!  Street samurai--specializes in ranged and melee combat.  Physical adept--utilizes magic to enhance physical abilities (punching with magic!).  Mage--a more traditional class focused on spellcasting.  Shaman--a support caster who specializes in summoning powerful spirits to help your party and also has many useful buff/debuff spells.  Decker--the Shadowrun version of a hacker who can enter the computer world known as "the matrix" and manipulate defenses, unlock doors, and do all kinds of other handy things.  Rigger--another technology related class that focuses on controlling drones in combat.  Drones can navigate small vents and are good tools for scouting.

5.) Combat
--Combat in Shadowrun Returns is enjoyable.  Once you have figured out how each class functions it highly enjoyable to see your choices play out positively.  Your casters are great at providing support and buffs to more offensive classes like physical adepts or street samurais.  The more tech centered classes are a nice change from the traditional "tank, healer, DPS" makeup present in many games.

6.) Moral choices
--You get to choose how your character responds to situations.  You can be the diplomat or the brute depending on how you want to play your character.  This isn't something novel, but is always something I enjoy in a game.

7.) Editor/workshop support
--If you're into designing your own content Shadowrun Returns offers a set of editing tools that allow you to do so.  I did not experiment with them but am supportive of any game that allows users to generate their own content.  There is also a large amount of Steam Workshop content to bulk up the game.

Cons:
1.) Length
--Although engaging and interesting the campaign was relatively short.  I finished it in 10 hours and was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more.  The flipside of that coin is the editing/workshop support with player generated content.

2.) Cover
--Similar to issues in X-COM, the cover system can be frustrating.  Often I would place my characters in heavy cover and they would still be crit.  There is also bonus damage awarded anytime you are flanking an opponent but the definition of what is actually "flanking" seems to be pretty broad.  This is great from an offensive standpoint, but not from a defensive one.  I found that my party was flanked much of the time even though no enemies were really behind me.

Despite the short length of the campaign I found Shadowrun Returns to be an enjoyable and refreshing journey.  It's worth picking up and is even more-so if you are someone who enjoys creating content.

Gimmick or Fun?

I always tell myself that I'm not going to fall for stupid gimmicky stuff that seems to be a ploy to make more money.  I'm smarter than that!  Unfortunately this is not always the case.  I am an avid Steam user and have been for quite awhile,  If you're at all familiar with Steam then you know that besides being a platform for digital distribution there is also an extensive community feature.  Within this community there is a marketplace to trade and sell virtual items.  I was astounded when I first learned that people were bartering virtual items for real cash.  It seems crazy...right?  I would never do that.....

Nope.  I totally fell for it.  For many games Steam has added in collectible trading cards.  These trading cards feature different artwork from a specific game.  For buying and playing a game you earn three or four "card drops" that are rewarded for spending time playing that game.  Once you have collected all of the cards to make a set for a certain game you can craft a "badge" for that game.  Badges award experience points that are used to "level up" your Steam profile.  Crafting a badge also awards special items like profile backgrounds or emoticons that are themed to the game for which you crafted a badge.  You are awarded a little set of numbers next to your name to indicate your current level.  This system is really brilliant.  A digital distribution platform that sells games that is totally using gamification to make cash.  Do these Steam levels actually mean anything?  Not really.  For earning experience you can unlock different features on your profile page like the ability to have a showcase of your favorite games or greatest achievements.

The trading card part of this system is what has sucked me in.  The completionist that I am hates having unfinished sets of trading cards in my inventory.  Typically they give you just enough that you have completed half of a set so it doesn't feel like you're very far from finishing it.  Cards are usually pretty cheap ranging in price from a few cents up to a few dollars for rare cards.  There is also a trade forum dedicated specifically to trading cards and other items.  I am too leery to trade and generally just list my cards on the marketplace--even paying a small "transaction" fee of two cents.  I can put $5 in my Steam wallet and not get anywhere close to spending it all.  Microtransactions are totally the way to go.  I don't feel bad about spending a few cents as compared to a few dollars.  It's really quite brilliant.

The recent addition of the ability to turn your unwanted cards, profile backgrounds, and emoticons into gems that can be used to buy booster packs is a great idea.  I've been happily disposing of all the silly backgrounds and emoticons I have acquired from creating badges.  With enough of these gems I have been able to create a few booster packs to help me finish off a few card sets.

So am I a sucker for falling for the trading card trick?  I can't help but think that I am but there's something about watching that meaningless Steam level number increase that's addicting.  I have to hand it to Steam for coming up with a system that totally buys into the inferiority complex.  I want to be a higher level because I can...and because I'm a higher level than you are.  /sigh....here just take my money.

Premature Buyers Remorse

Last year I made the regrettable decision of buying a game that many people love, but which I just cannot get excited about, Spelunky.  The Steam sale just has a way of making me buy games that are on the fringes of my personal preferences--but hey, they're usually under $3.  I've bought ridiculous things for much more than that and regretted it.

Yesterday I decided to check out one of the new games I had snatched up for $1.99.  You're probably thinking--"what can you expect from a game that cost $1.99?"  This is totally what I thought.  Well, we're both wrong.  My initial explorations into the world of Terraria were frustrating.  I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do and was eaten by hostile zombies in an alarmingly quick fashion.  I snorted with derision at this stupid game and thought I would resign it to Spelunky status as a game that sits in my Steam library and makes me cringe at my purchase.  Rather than doing that, I decided to look up some beginners guides and figure out what I was supposed to be doing.  Now, I feel that I've gotten a great bargain on an oddly fun game.

Terraria is a sandbox game with RPG elements.  It's also another of those modern games with an old-school pixelated feel.  (I know many people who are really tired of this throwback theme in gaming.  I don't mind it if the games are fun).  You start off by creating your little pixelated character and can customize features like your hair, shirt, pants, and shoe color.  After you have done that you are given the choice of what size world you want to spawn.  I opted for small since it was my first time playing.  You're then spawned in this randomly generated world.  I wandered around aimlessly until I ran into an NPC named Kyle who recommended that I build a house before it got dark.  Psshhh....what do you know Kyle?  The sun sank and the world grew dark and sadly Kyle was right--zombies made quick work of my little pixelated character named Jill.

Jill's house.  It's partially made of candy canes.

I respawned and luckily there were no zombies near my location.  I relocated Kyle and he again informed me that I should build a house and that chopping down trees would be a good idea.  Wielding my copper axe I hacked down a few trees and cobbled together a very pathetic excuse for a house--a semi-square of wood blocks with no doors in which I was trapped.  I listened as the zombies pounded on the walls trying to munch on poor Jill's pixels.  Now what?  I fumbled with my iPad and read some more of the beginners guide while the zombies continued their relentless assault on my "house."  I needed to build a crafting table to be able to build more complex items.  Hey, I've got enough wood!  Jill quickly created a crafting table and a large list of craftable items popped up.  A few minutes later the sun came up and the zombies finally retreated.  Jill ventured outdoors to continue her quest to deforest the world.

It took me a little while to figure out the basics of Terraria.  There is really very little in the form of a tutorial--Kyle gives you some handy hints, but you're on your own to figure much of it out.  I would highly recommend finding a good guide and having it handy for reference.  This game is about exploration, crafting, and getting loot.  There is no defined goal or story to follow.  Usually these types of games are a huge turn-off for me, but after several hours of mining, building, and slaying slimes I am really enjoying Terraria.  My $1,99 was well spent after all!

An Awesome Holiday Idea

I can't believe the things that modders come up with--they usually vary from being something really awesome to something absolutely ridiculous.  I'm not sure this is a mod but it is an extremely goofy idea.  This was a three part article in PC Gamer...I'll link all three parts so you can read them yourselves (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).

Basically this guy had the brilliant idea of playing Santa Claus in Skyrim.  He decided that he would take one in-game night to deliver presents to all the NPC's.  If you're thinking that would be impossible or that there is a huge number of NPC's you're not that far off.  There are 115 NPC's listed on the Skyrim wiki, but he decided to use his own system to visit them.  No visits to people living in caves and he was going to hit all the store owners and others who lived above their businesses.  But what about the time factor?  We all know that Santa has some special magical powers in order to deliver presents to kids all around the world, so it only makes sense that Skyrim Santa also possesses some unique abilities.  Using a mod that changes the speed at which characters move through the world allowed Santa superhero-esque running abilities that result in hilarious deaths (see below).

So maybe the superhero speed is a little too dangerous.  How about a super-fast flying reindeer mount?  That should get the job done.  Great!  Oh and Santa also needs some crazy strength to carry around enough presents for all these people.  Done.  There's one important fact that I didn't think about while reading this article.  The plan was to deliver the presents overnight and most residents of the Skyrim world like to retire to their cozy homes with the doors locked.  They don't really appreciate it when you come flying through their front doors--even if you are a super cool Altmer Kriss Krynn-Gul whose only intention is to leave presents like axes and ingots.  The result is numerous town guards trying to murder a beloved holiday figure.

This is such a ridiculous idea, but I was laughing throughout the entire article.  A great idea to keep a game interesting.  I wonder if this could be a competitive thing next year?  See who could deliver presents the fastest....or PvP Santa action.  That'd be awesome.

Steam Sale Purchase #2--Shadowrun

I'm making sure to keep tabs on the Steam winter sale so I can get some great deals on games.  I made a few purchases that so far have turned out very well.  I've only had time to dip into one of them, but it's great!  If you enjoyed X-COM:  Enemy Unknown or the older turn-based RPG's like the Fallout series you will enjoy Shadowrun Returns.

I had never heard of Shadowrun before seeing it on sale.  Apparently it started out as a popular pen-and-paper RPG and has expanded into the video game world.  I am enjoying the strange fusion of traditional fantasy elements--magic, elves, orks (with a "k")--with a futuristic world.  The result is a genre I am not at all familiar with called "cyberpunk."  Currently, I am playing through Shadowrun Returns which was released in 2013.  I also managed to snatch up Shadowrun:  Dragonfall for a nice price.

The character creation process in Shadowrun Returns reminded me a lot of Wasteland 2.  You pick a class and then choose from some pre-made portraits with options to change features like your skin and hair color.  The classes are pretty unique and I decided to go with something semi-traditional in the form of the street samurai.  There are other options that utilize both tech and magic, you can choose to be a mage or a "decker" who can hack into "the matrix."  The street samurai that I picked has skills suited to both ranged and melee combat.  You can opt to put points into ranged combat or melee combat, this makes for a versatile mix that lets you choose how you react in combat.

A Seattle landmark still exists in the future.

After you've created your character you enter the weird world of Shadowrun.  The main campaign involves a story about a former shadowrunner and friend named Sam Watts who sends you a message from beyond the grave using something called a "dead man's switch."  The switch is a piece of tech that is meant to activate and send messages after the user has died.  You learn that Sam was murdered and that he's offering a hefty insurance policy to solve his murder.  The campaign follows your efforts to solve Sam's murder and is set in a futuristic Seattle.  As you find more clues the plot thickens and turns into something much larger than just the murder of a former friend.

The combat is somewhat similar to X-COM:  Enemy Unknown, it's turn-based and utilizes a cover system with differing values for the type of cover you use.  As a street samurai who specializes primarily in melee skills I spend much of my time up close and personal with enemies.  If you choose the right companions they can buff your melee characters increasing their armor and making them into nice bullet sponges.  You can miss and critically hit enemies using a wide variety of traditional, tech, and magic attacks.  It's fun, but not overly challenging (you can change the difficulty settings).

The story, setting, and cool combination of traditional and modern make Shadowrun Returns a great game to add to your library.  If you're into modding or creating your own maps it also features Steam Workshop support and an editor tool for you to make your own worlds.  Grab it while it's on sale!

Christmas Gaming Memories

Merry Christmas!  I hope whoever reads this is having a nice Christmas (or holiday) filled with fun, family, and maybe some gaming.  I've been enjoying the Steam holiday sale and snapping up some great deals.  Christmas is usually a great time for gaming--time off to play some games you've been waiting to sink some time into or to receive some nice new games.

As a kid I have many happy memories associated with gaming.  One of the best Christmas presents my brother and I received was the original Nintendo.  It was a big gift for us (and of course my parents got some playtime in too) and we definitely got the most out of it.  My family didn't have a lot of money so getting a game console was a big deal.  A favorite for my family was Dr. Mario which is a Tetris style competition game that involves stacking pills of different colors and eliminating viruses.  Even my Mom who rarely partook of the familial gaming time would get in on the action.  It usually got pretty heated.  Ahh the fond memories of Dr. Mario.

My own personal favorite Christmas/holiday gaming moments were in World of Warcraft.  The holiday event featuring Blizzard's reiteration of Santa Claus was always exciting.  Logging on Christmas morning to unwrap the gift for the year was always exciting.  The gifts I received ranged from a cool robot pet, an ugly Christmas sweater, and some "footballs."  Even though the holiday quests changed very little over the years I played it was always fun to fetch milk and cookies, rescue a kidnapped reindeer, or kill the Greench.  Even little things like receiving holly to turn your mounts into reindeer (flying or otherwise) was a fun addition.  I have to hand it to Blizzard for coming up with fun and memorable holiday events.

So again, Merry Christmas (or other holiday) and may you give or receive the gift of gaming.  My brother gave me Five Nights at Freddy's #1 and 2 because apparently he intends for me to be scared out of my wits :)

LEGO Games--Goofy Fun for All Ages

As a kid LEGO's were handsdown my favorite toys.  Every holiday, birthday, or opportunity to get a present was marked by the request for LEGO's.  I requested pirate LEGO's and my brother would get the knight/castle themed sets.  We would meticulously read through the instructions and then make my Dad build them for us.  He was really good at building them and most likely has nightmares about building LEGO sets.  The introduction of LEGO themed video games might seem a little odd, but to a fan of these amazing building toys they are great.  Many popular movies and comic book heroes have now been adapted to LEGO videogame form.  While I haven't played all of the LEGO games I have very much enjoyed the few I have experienced.

LEGO Star Wars manages to be fun and goofy.

I first picked up a used copy of LEGO "Star Wars" for my Gamecube.  I was a little worried that it might be too childish, but it was actually a lot of fun.  You play through a "Star Wars" themed world as different LEGO piece characters like Luke Skywalker or Han Solo.  The world is made up of LEGO pieces and part of the fun is destroying the different set pieces and gathering the in-game currency made up of small LEGO pieces.  One fun aspect of these games is the goofy sense of humor--the pieces don't talk and often lose their limbs or heads in highly entertaining ways.  As you progress through the game you unlock new characters that can possess specific abilities--some can crawl through small tunnels, some can activate certain types of panels, and the rest are just fun to collect.  There are also special hidden pieces to collect that can be "built" into LEGO objects.  One nice feature is that you can go back and replay levels with new characters to access areas that were previously closed off due to not having unlocked the character with the right set of skills.

Since the introduction of LEGO "Star Wars," the LEGO gaming world has grown to include games from the "Harry Potter" world, "Batman," "Marvel Superheroes," "Lord of the Rings," "The Hobbit," and "Indiana Jones." I own and have played "Star Wars," "Lord of the Rings," "Harry Potter," and "Indiana Jones."  The "Lord of the Rings" game takes on a more open world approach and allows you to travel around a large LEGO filled world inspired by JRR Tolkien's books.  It's quite different than the other games, but sill very fun.  The "Harry Potter" games allow you to cast spells with a wand and hang out at Hogwarts with the characters from the movies.

If you're a parent these games are perfect for kids.  They are goofy and fun without any objectionable content.  The nice part is that after the kids are done playing you will probably enjoy them too.

2014--The Year the CRPG Came Back

I don't know if many people would consider this a great year for gaming, but it was a great year for fans of CRPG's.  Two great Kickstarter funded CRPG's in the forms of Divinity:  Original Sin and Wasteland 2 were released this year.  I have thoroughly enjoyed both (I'm still trying to finish up DOS).  On other gaming fronts, I'm not so sure it was a stellar year.  Dragon Age:  Inquisition has proven to be a popular favorite, winning the award for "Game of the Year" at the recent video gaming awards.  Alien:  Isolation was dubbed game of the year by PC Gamer magazine (and has been on sale for 50% off on the Steam sale) but I'm too afraid to play it.  Here are my personal top three picks for my favorites of 2014.

1.) Dragon Age:  Inquisition

I was really looking forward to this addition to BioWare's Dragon Age series.  I have felt really conflicted about this game because initially I wasn't extremely crazy about it.  No one can deny that Inquisition feels much more epic than the previous games.  The scope and scale of it is massive and it definitely made up for the weak second game in the series.  In the end I can't say I didn't enjoy it--I did enjoy it, I just felt like certain aspects of the game were a little off.  Compared to the other games I enjoyed playing this year, it definitely wins out as my favorite for 2014.

2.) Wasteland 2

As a kid, I watched my Dad play the original Wasteland and was thrilled to get the chance to revisit it as an adult.  I was a little hesitant about it being a Kickstarter game, but I was completely wrong about that.  Wasteland 2 takes the flavor of the classic game and spices it up with an awesome system.  The combat is challenging, the story will keep you busy and appeals to your nostalgic side, and there is a certain 80's technology sense of humor sprinkled throughout.  If you like CRPG's this is a must-have for your collection.

3.) Divinity:  Original Sin

Another CRPG and Kickstarter game.  I bought it, played about 60 hours into it, got a little bored and have only recently picked it back up.  Since revisiting it I have rediscovered what an enjoyable game it is.  I'm sure some people will find the combat and crafting systems somewhat difficult, but that is something I am enjoying.  I like that I can inadvertently set my own squad members on fire--just means I should be more careful and aware of my surroundings.  This is definitely not a game made for hand-holding.  Like Wasteland 2, there is much humor added in to keep it light and goofy.  DOS might not be a game for everybody, but I think it's good fun.

I can't wait to see what new games 2015 brings.  I am already excited for The Witcher 3:  Wild Hunt and hope to hear of more great upcoming releases (like maybe GTA V--pretty please?).

World of Warcraft Skills--Part 2

I got a little sidetracked by the Steam winter sale, but am going to finish my thoughts about the real-life skills that could be gained by playing World of Warcraft.  You may scoff, but I swear that situations I dealt with in that gaming environment were dead ringers for things that can and have
occurred in real-life.

Your guild.  Source of fun...and drama.

1.) Effectively Managing Resources
To be successful at raiding you have to be prepared.  A large part of that preparation means that your individual members are ready to go with all the consumables they need to complete a raid.  In the good ol' days of WoW you could chug potions with reckless abandon, so it was pretty much required that you packed along massive quantities of potions.  Now, you can only pop one per fight...much less resource demanding, which, as a former guild master who fought the fight of trying to make sure everyone was ready to go, is probably a good thing.  In order to make sure this preparation happened you generally needed to make sure there was a steady stream of materials and crafters ready to pop out a bulk of potions and flasks.  Sometimes this meant assigning people to gather mats or taking the time yourself to gather them when there was no one else to do it.

2.) Bank Management
Along with resource management comes the need to manage the guild bank.  Whether this simply means purchasing new tabs, designating tabs, or being in charge of doling out bank items really depends on the rules within your guild.  You're the one who has to decide how the bank is run and take care of any abuses.  Successful managers are usually able to acquire a large stock of crafting and other items for guild use.

3.) Counseling and mediating
To me this was the worst part of the experience.  As guild leader it is your responsibility to quash any drama before it boils over into all out mutiny or general craziness.  This could mean having private conversations with people in an effort to work out problems or coming to compromises.  Nine times out of ten these problems will be related to loot.  Having a good guild loot policy in place before you start is a must unless you plan on listening to everyone complain all the time.  If there are other problems you might have to play mediator or peacekeeper between parties.

I'm sure there are a lot more that I just haven't thought about.  I really think that someone could claim many of these skills to be legitimately tied to real-life work environments.  I don't think I'll be putting them on my resume any time soon, but if you were creative enough to do it I would definitely applaud you.

Steam Winter Sale is On!

Got some Christmas cash coming your way?  What better way to spend it than on heavily discounted video games that are part of the Steam Winter sale?  So far I haven't seen any stellar deals and have made exactly one purchase.  I am hopeful that there will be some better deals toward the end of the sale.  I'm still not sure if I'll go purchase crazy, I guess there just weren't very many games this year that have managed to hold my interest.

The one purchase I have made so far is Prison Architect--as the name implies you have to design and build a functioning prison.  Although it's only in alpha, it's pretty fun and pretty challenging.  Managing your prisoner's needs is difficult and if you fail they will riot and make your life miserable.  Yesterday I spent several hours trying to figure out the ins-and-outs of prison management.  It took me a good three or four tries to simply get an adequate prison open and ready to take prisoners.  After that I struggled to keep up with the streaming intake of prisoners that required me to continually build new cells for them--they really don't like it when you build one holding cell and make them stay in there.  I lasted for a few hours and then a random search set them off--they started beating on my guards and I was forced to call in the riot police.  There were casualties and about half of my population escaped in the mayhem.  Not a great start to my career as a prison builder and manager.  Here's a goofy video describing Prison Architect if you're curious about it.

I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for any standout Steam deals while the sale is on.  Save up those Christmas dollars for super deals on games!

World of Warcraft Skills

I'm not talking about your ability to gank noobs, I'm talking about the very real application of in-game skills that could possibly be useful real life skills.  I played World of Warcraft for six years and experienced many different styles of play and can definitely see their applicability to real life.  Here's a list of useful skills that I felt I acquired (people seriously use some of these on job applications and resumes--while I don't think I ever would, someone out there might).

1.) Time Management:  If you ever were involved in any kind of scheduled raiding then you could claim this one.  Most guilds have specific times/dates that they raid and members are expected to show up--usually on time and prepared.  Yeah, it's a game, but you still have to be there.  Even if you weren't much of a raider you might have done arenas or other PvP on a schedule.  Casual players might not think that they have to manage their time, but they usually do.  You have to complete dailies or other tasks to reach a certain goal.

2.) Effectively Managing your Employees (AKA guildmates):  As a former guild leader I can attest to the real-life struggles involved in leadership. It's your job to make sure that the requisite number of people show up for your weekly raids.  If they don't, it's your job to fix it.  You're responsible for making on-the-fly decisions about PuGging someone or working to recruit more members.  No one wants to cancel raids--that's usually the first sign of a failing guild.

Another skill that goes along with that is running effective raids and making tough decisions about who gets to raid.  I ran a semi-casual guild that had some success with 10-man raiding.  We weren't going to be setting any world or server firsts, but we were generally able to accomplish what we set out to.  One of the worst experiences I had leading a raid was having to cut someone loose who just wasn't good enough to be on the raiding team.  I felt it was the equivalent of having to fire someone.  It was painful and felt really horrible, but it was necessary.  We were able to replace this person with someone who was more skilled and were able to get past a roadblock being caused by their low-performance (one of the suckier parts of being successful in WoW raiding is that not everyone has the skills to do it).

3.) Coaching:  This goes along with #2.  Generally I would try to coach players who were struggling.  I would find guides or videos for those players in the hope that they would improve and I could avoid more painful "cutting" situations.  I think many guild/raid leaders become skilled at doing this.  Another part of coaching is preparing your raid/guild for boss fights--you have to look up the strategies and make sure everyone understands what is required.

More ideas tomorrow :D

The Witcher 3 News

I've been kind of bummed out about The Witcher 3 and the pushed back release date (in case you haven't heard, the game is going to be released in May rather than February).  I'm willing to let it slide if I keep seeing the amazing images of the game that are being released.  The world looks absolutely beautiful.  One really interesting piece of news is that they have added in another playable character in the form of Ciri and she looks pretty awesome.

Ciri, the lion cub of Cintra.

Now, if you haven't read The Witcher novels you probably have no idea who this character is.  I have only read a couple, but Ciri has been a prominent figure.  In the novels Ciri is rescued by Geralt after she is found hiding in an extremely dangerous forested area populated by killer forest dryads.  Turns out that Ciri is somewhat promised to Geralt and is also a princess from Cintra.  Ciri ends up in the hands of several other individuals but for some reason always ends up crossing paths with Geralt.  Eventually he winds up taking her to Kaer Morhen and starts training her as a witcher.  Ciri doesn't undergo the mutations required to become a full witcher and Triss Merigold detects some latent magical abilities hidden in her.  Eventually Triss decides that Ciri needs to work on developing her magical skills and takes her to a temple where she starts training with Yennefer of Vengerberg (another important Witcher character from the novels who is very minimally mentioned in the game).  Unfortunately that's as far as I got in the series, but Ciri seems fated to play an important role in Geralt's life.

The comments about this new character model were somewhat humorous as there were many complaints that Ciri is lacking something that most female Witcher characters have in abundance--cleavage.  I like the character model and her lack of unbelievable cleavage (the first time Triss Merigold appeared in the first Witcher game I had to roll my eyes at her bouncy boobs).  She looks like a Witcher--somewhat battered, but hardened--and I am looking forward to learning more about her story.

She's got the witcher scars going

Shooter Skills

Maybe you're someone who enjoys a lot of action and mayhem in your games and play a lot of shooters.  How do those skills translate into real life?

BioShock Infinite requires players to choose the right guns and powers.

Resume Skills
1.) Keen eye-hand coordination.  I don't know if this is even a skill that you could really list on your resume...I suppose it would depend on the type of job you are seeking.  Anyone who has ever played a shooter understands the challenge of setting up and executing good shots or successfully evading enemy fire.  I've alway had moments when I've marveled at shots that people pull off.  They definitely require some special talents.

2.) Problem solving.  In a shooter you often have to make decisions about the types of weapons you are going to use and balance those choices with ammo availability and other factors.  Players also have to use their memory and creativity skills depending on the type of map they are playing on.  Gamers use these skills much more than what they really think about.

3.) Sharp memory.  Many times you have to remember if a foe is resistant to a certain type of weapon or vulnerable to a certain kind of damage.  You might have to remember a series of maps in order to navigate to weapon spawn points or to the best spots to snipe or hide.

4.) Communication.  If you play any team based games and want to be successful then you know that communication is key.  Whether you are taking charge and giving orders to your troops or figuring out the best place to move, you have to know how to communicate.

5.) Teamwork.  Anyone who has ever played a multi-player game knows that teams that don't work well together are usually the ones that fail.  To be successful in more squad based co-op games players must work well with others.

Gaming Skills Translated to Real Life

I read an interesting article some time ago about people who are listing video gaming experience on their resume's.  This might seem laughable, but I would argue that many skills commonly utilized in video games are applicable in real life.  I am going to attempt to think about some games across different genres and the skills required to be successful.

Game/Game Type:  Management games.  Games like Rollercoaster Tycoon or other "tycoon games," Theme Hospital, Cook, Serve, Delicious.

Rollercoaster Tycoon water park.

Skills:
1.) Multi-tasking.  Anyone who has ever played a management game has to have a knack for doing several things at once.

2.) Ability to prioritize.  Often you have to make snap decisions about what is currently the most important issue that must be dealt with.  A ride just broke down or you have to serve a meal to a celebrity who will give you a stellar review and attract more business to your restaurant.

3.) Managing employees.  In games like Rollercoaster Tycoon it's vital that you are able to move your employees to the areas of most need.  People are barfing all over the ground next to your uber-coaster.  Better move some custodians over there.

4.) Efficient planning.  Oftentimes players are faced with making things work with limited resources.  You've got to squeeze the most rides into a small land area or create a buzzing hospital in a cramped building.  You make it work!

5.) Problem solving.  Every management game forces players to come up with a myriad of ways to fix a crappy park, hospital, or town.  You design awesome coasters or create an efficient city.

Sounds kind of cool, right?

Arrival--Mass Effect 2 DLC

In my haste to list DLC from Mass Effect 2 I neglected to mention "Arrival."  "Arrival" offers players an opportunity to test their solo combat skills.  The story behind "Arrival" is that a scientist named Dr. Amanda Kenson has been captured by Batarians while on a secret mission.  Admiral Hackett himself appeals to Commander Shepard to help break Dr. Kenson out of jail--there is one important stipulation, Shepard must go alone to avoid detection and the possibility of creating an incident with the Batarian government.  This is an interesting change and one that can feel quite odd at first.  I was really used to utilizing the skills and combos of all my squadmates...without them you must rely on your own skills.  There is also a certain degree of stealth involved as you are encouraged to sneak past many of the Batarian guards in an effort to quietly release Dr. Kenson.

Upon releasing Dr. Kenson you learn that she is involved in a secret project to study a reaper artifact.  Once you arrive at the asteroid/base of operations for what Dr. Kenson calls "the project," you learn that this reaper artifact has strongly, let's say influenced, the people living on this research base.  You also learn that "the project" is an effort to destroy the mass relay in the system by crashing the asteroid into the relay to prevent the arrival of the reapers in a few short hours.

If you're interested in testing out your solo combat mettle this is the DLC for you.  You must face off against several waves of project soldiers, including soloing several heavy mechs, as you attempt to restart "the project."  I enjoyed the challenge involved in this aspect of the DLC and felt that the story was a great tie into what became Mass Effect 3.  It's easy to forget this DLC when you hold it against "Lair of the Shadow Broker" which adds in a new base of operations and several interesting story based links like videos.

Are Re-releases the new future?

This summer I picked up a bundle containing the games Metro:  2033 and Metro:  Last Light, as well as all the DLC for Last Light.  They are both really great games and I would recommend them to anyone who enjoys shooters, stealth games, horror games, or post-apocalyptic games.  I was, however, surprised when both games were re-released as part of a new bundle.  2033 originally came out in 2010, so it's by no means an older game.  When I first played it I was impressed with the quality of details and graphics--especially for a game that was four years old.  So why the decision to offer a remastered version?  Is this going to become the standard in gaming?

To me this seems like another ploy to reach into our pockets for more cash.  It's not DLC, it's not a patch to improve a game already in place, but it is offering basically the same games all over again.  I won't be re-buying a game I already own, even with improvements.  The review I read for Metro Redux stated that some of the issues from the original game have been fixed--things like areas that were way too dark or enemy AI that would bring every guard from an area crashing down on you if a body was discovered in the wrong place.  The graphics have been improved (not quite as much on consoles as on the PC versions) for both games.  But is this really enough to tempt players into spending an additional $40?

I worry that this might become a new standard in gaming.  I would much rather have developers working to create new games rather than trying to make old games better.  But maybe I am in the minority with my opinion.  Would you be willing to re-purchase a game if it was offered in an improved format?  Personally, I would be more interested in classic game remakes as opposed to more modern re-releases.

BioShock Infinite DLC

BioShock Infinite seems to be a game that really divides gamers.  If you read the reviews on Steam it seems like people either love it or hate it for a myriad of different reasons (many of them having to do with the mind boggling ending).  No matter how you feel about it, there are several DLC add-ons that allow you to adventure beyond the world of Columbia.  I have played through both of the story based campaigns, but haven't messed around with the combat challenges in Clash in the Clouds.

Burial at Sea (Parts 1 and 2)
If you missed playing in one of my favorite environments, the underwater utopia gone wrong that is the city of Rapture, then this DLC will definitely peak your interest.  In this two part campaign you follow Elizabeth into the world of Rapture before the fall.  Many of the perennial Rapture nutjobs, like the artist Sander Cohen, make appearances as part of the story.  After the major scenery (and time) change to Columbia it's interesting to be back in Rapture.  You're also given a glimpse into a Rapture that isn't in the midst of chaos and destruction--it's kind of nice.  Then, of course, everything starts falling apart.  In part one, you play as Booker DeWitt and much of the story revolves around his appearance in Columbia.  Overall, the first part of this two part DLC experience might feel lacking.  Part two is much better and will leave you with a much clearer link between all the games in the series.

In part two you play as Elizabeth and get to bring the worlds of Columbia and Rapture together (it's part of the story, trust me, it will make sense when you play it).  Playing as Elizabeth is a big departure from playing as Booker as her abilities are slightly different.  Part two seems to overlap with the beginning of the end for the city of Rapture.

I enjoyed the tie-in between BioShock Infinite and the previous games and felt like the "Burial at Sea" DLC did a good job of connecting all the stories.  It was a nice piece of closure, especially since the future of the BioShock series looks to be up in the air with the closing of Irrational Studios.  I would wait until a Steam sale to buy them as they are generally featured for a reasonable price.

Dragon Age II: DLC Review

If you're looking to expand your Dragon Age experience beyond Origins, Dragon Age II offers a much different adventure.  DAII was widely panned by many critics and players for it's relatively small and repeating environments, but beyond that it's a fun game.  I enjoyed the new characters and stories even if they did take place only in and around Kirkwall.  Along with the main storyline there is DLC that can add some diversity to your DAII experience.

The Exiled Prince
This DLC adds a new character, Sebastian Vael, who is seeking to avenge his slain family and regain his place as the rightful ruler of a small kingdom.  Sebastian is an archer/rogue with some unique abilities that differ from Varric's.  He offers several side quests including one that involves some possessed nobles (more demons!).  I can honestly say that I haven't really included Sebastian in many of my squads.  I would rather have Varric in the party than Sebastian, but any content that adds a new squad member is usually a must-have for me.

The Black Emporium
I believe that this content pack was included as a pre-order bonus and may no longer be available.  With this DLC players gain access to a unique store that sells some interesting items, including crafting items, potions, and new armor and weapons.  It also features the "mirror of transformations" which allows players to change the appearance of Hawke.  The additional gear and weapons are alright, but nothing overly special.  The crafting supplies are the major perk of having "The Black Emporium."

All-Class Item Pack
I generally don't go for cosmetic or item packs, but for some reason I purchased this one.  With this DLC you gain access to unique items for every class as well as your followers.  The items are actually pretty good and have a wide level variety so they can be accessed throughout your playthrough.  Cosmetically they do add some swag to your Hawke--especially the warrior and rogue weapons.

Legacy
This is the DLC you want to buy if you are eager to leave Kirkwall and the surrounding areas and enter a new environment.  If you have played, or are planning to play Dragon Age:  Inquisition purchasing this DLC would be a good idea.  In this add-on you venture to an ancient dwarven ruin located in a desert.  As you slay your way through the carta dwarves who currently inhabit it you learn that the area is actually an ancient grey warden prison.  Within you will find new enemies and some nice loot.  There is also the option to do some puzzle solving if you're feeling a hankering for a mental obstacle.  This DLC introduces players to Corypheus--your arch enemy from Dragon Age:  Inquisition.  It also features one of the most frustrating boss fights ever as you are forced to navigate your entire party around a maze of obstacles.  It's doable, but will most likely take you a few tries.

Mark of the Assassin
Another great piece of DLC if you're looking to expand the world beyond Kirkwall.  In this add-on you are introduced to a new character, Tallis, an elven follower of the Qun who asks for your assistance with infiltrating an Orlesian castle.  Tallis is voiced by Felicia Day of The Guild fame and everyone's favorite lady nerd.  The quests from this pack are interesting and involve a wyvern hunt, some puzzle solving, and many plot twists.  There is some nice loot to be gained from completing this content.  This particular DLC is the most expensive of all the available DLC, but is definitely worth it.

Dragon Age: Origins DLC

Dragon Age:  Origins is a pretty big game and can be made even bigger if you purchase some of the many add-on content packs available.  If you were lucky, you might have gotten a free copy when it was offered "on the house" from Origin prior to the release of the newest Dragon Age incarnation.  Before you lay down your hard earned cash on some DA DLC, here is a review of said DLC.

Warden's Keep
Maybe you didn't get enough of investigating creepy, possibly haunted or possessed places in your regular travels.  "Warden's Keep" adds-in a new area--an abandoned keep that was once a bastion for Grey Wardens in Ferelden, as well as a series of quests to unravel and possibly redeem the good name of a once powerful family, the Dryden's.  The story itself involves some interesting moral choices concerning how you handle demons (Kill em' all! or willing to deal with them) and using somewhat shady items to increase your own power. From completing the quests you gain access to some unique items (which differ depending on your choices) and a new base camp at Warden's Keep that includes party storage.  This content pack adds approximately 1-2 hours of playtime.

The Stone Prisoner
If you're looking to add another character to your menagerie of squadmates, you should definitely purchase "The Stone Prisoner."  This content pack centers around the purchase of a malfunctioning golem control rod from a strange dwarven merchant.  If you can find the golem, it's yours for one low price!  Players are then introduced to the village of Honnleath where this golem is currently located.  There is some combat against both darkspawn and demons and more moral choices related to demons.  You'll also want to pull out your thinking cap for a short puzzle.  Once the golem is unlocked, he joins your party.  It turns out that golems are pretty sarcastic.  Shale is an interesting addition and could function as almost any role in a party (ranged, melee, or as a tank).  His abilities vary and his damage and armor is determined by the type of crystal you equip for him.  Overall, "The Stone Prisoner" adds in about 2-3 additional hours of content.  The addition of a new party member is nice and the quests and story is interesting.

Return to Ostagar

As the title implies, this add-on pack allows players to revisit the site of the battle between the forces of King Cailan and the darkspawn.  It's a bit nostalgic but also attempts to add detail to the events that occurred during the earliest parts of the game.  One nice part of this DLC is that you are able to recover both King Cailan's armor and Duncan's swords.  If you're looking for some nice, shiny loot for your group you will definitely get it in "Return to Ostagar."

Art featuring a character that looks vaguely like Leliana.

Leliana's Song

Leliana is one of the most interesting characters in your party and this DLC addresses her life as a bard heavily involved in the Orlesian "game" of intrigue.  You are introduced to her companions, a dwarf warrior and an elf mage, as well as her Orlesian lady-friend Marjolaine.  The campaign involves bringing elements of the Orlesian "game" to the city of Denerim.  Not everything is about combat and killing and you are given choices for how you want to resolve certain situations.  I would recommend this particular DLC to anyone who is a fan of Leliana as it unravels her story prior to joining the chantry.  You're looking at approximately 1-2 hours of playtime.

There are several other DLC options, but I have yet to play them.  One of the add-ons involves playing as a darkspawn and the other has something to do with dwarves and golems.  The Feastday gifts and pranks pack is also available if you want some unique gifts or jokes to play on your companions.

The DLC of Mass Effect 2

Looking for some more Commander Shepard action?  There is plenty of DLC available for Mass Effect 2 to keep you playing for many hours.  I have actually played all the DLC from ME2 and can happily recommend most of it.

One interesting feature that was added into ME2 was the option to gain access to the Cerberus network.  The network is/was basically a tool to inform players about new DLC content, but also allowed players to access some free additional content.  With the Cerberus network you gain access to Zaeed as a possible squadmate as well as his loyalty mission.  You also unlock a unique set of Cerberus themed armor and the arc projector (a heavy weapon the shoots electricity).  There is a short mission to visit the crash site of the original Normandy as well as a series of missions that unlocks the only vehicle in ME2--the Hammerhead.  All of this content is free.

If you're willing to spend some money you can add another new squadmate to your crew as well as accompany everyone's favorite asari, Liara T'Soni, on a mission to find the shadow broker.  "Stolen Memories" adds the character Kasumi Goto to your squad and introduces you to the world of space thievery.  Her loyalty quest involves attending a high society party and breaking into a heavily fortified vault.  It's a fun little side quest with some humorous moments including a Dragon Age easter egg in the form of a giant ogre statue.  There is plenty of combat as you eventually face off against the owner of the stolen objects and his private army.  Kasumi is an interesting character who, sadly, doesn't have a lot of interaction options, but will occasionally give her thoughts about what is going on.

"Lair of the Shadow Broker" music is great.

"Lair of the Shadow Broker" brings back one of the key characters from Mass Effect, the asari scientist Dr. Liara T'Soni, and involves a plot to take down the Shadow Broker.  It takes place on locations around Illium as well as on the Shadow Broker's ship.  I enjoyed the many references to Asari culture as you chase a spectre around a strange "exotically" themed resort.  This content pack also includes a high speed car chase and introduces a new alien species.  Players get the opportunity to renew their relationship with Liara, either romantically or as a friend.  I would recommend "Lair of the Shadow Broker" as the DLC you should buy from ME2.

The largest (content wise) add-on comes in the form of "Overlord."  In "Overlord," the crew of the Normandy is called in to help at a Cerberus facility that has been overtaken by a rogue computer virus. This content pack includes vehicular travel using the Hammerhead and regular combat missions.  As you progress you unravel an insidious Cerberus plot to control the Geth.  The story is interesting, but not as much as "Lair of the Shadow Broker."  It does add in another 3-4 hours of playable content.

If you're more into cosmetic and weapon skins you can also download alternate appearance packs for your crew or seperate sets of armor.  Overall, there is quite a bit of additional content and much of it is enjoyable.

2014--The Year of the Ridiculous Game

I like a little humor in my games.  It's a nice break from the seriousness of an intense storyline.  Lately though it seems that some games are themselves the jokes.  Earlier this year Goat Simulator was released and many initially thought it was an April Fool's joke.  The premise of the game is that you are a goat and your goal is to rain destruction on the world.  You receive "points" for headbutting things and just generally goofing around.  It's silly at best and completely ridiculous at worst.  If you haven't seen any footage of this game, here you go:

I don't know whether to applaud the creators for this odd addition to the gaming world or cringe at the fact that people are spending good money on it.  Maybe there was a gamer out there who had a fantasy of playing as a goat and wreaking havoc on the human world.

Here's another game that recently came out that also has me pondering the state of gaming.  I Am Bread allows you to play as a piece of bread.  No, I'm totally serious, it's a real game.

If you're looking for a game sheerly for the laugh factor, you might want to check out one of these two.

Borderlands 2 DLC

The Borderlands series is well known for releasing a glut of DLC.  If you're a big fan, you can opt to buy a season pass and gain access to all the additional content.  I didn't feel like purchasing all the DLC and instead waited for a Steam sale and snatched up the packs that I was interested in for a low price.

Game:  Borderlands 2

DLC:  Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate's Booty, Mr. Torgue's Campaign of Carnage, Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt, Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep.  (These are the packs I have purchased and played.  There are many others.)

Price:  $9.99 each on Steam.  I bough mine during the summer sale for $2.99 each.

Review:

Of the four story packs that I purchased I would most highly recommend Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep.  The premise behind this pack is that Tiny Tina is a D&D style dungeon master who guides your character through the Borderlands version known as "bunkers & badasses."  The other players are your fellow vault hunters from the original Borderlands.  The setting is a medieval themed world with a few new foes straight from the fantasy world--skeletons, orcs, and dwarves are just a few that you will face.  The gameplay is the same as in the regular game, but there is an addition of chests with the options to roll a many-sided die to determine the quality of loot.  This sort of jokiness is fun and a nice change from slaying the usual assortment of bandits and psychos present on the world of Pandora.  The dialogue between the characters is hilarious and I would recommend it solely on this factor.  Oh and there's a gun that shoots exploding swords--totally awesome.

The other add-on packs were pretty lackluster.  Captain Scarlett adds-in pirate themed foes and many treasure seeking plot lines, but is pretty meh.  Mr. Torgue's Campaign involves lots of blowing things up and many opportunities to earn special tokens to purchase nice guns.  There are some quality Mr. Torgue moments that might make this one worthwhile.  Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt is just more searching and killing of wildlife on Pandora (and you fight some unruly Pandora "natives").

If you're going to go for any Borderlands 2 DLC, go for Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep.  It will keep you laughing throughout and does add a good chunk of gameplay.

DLC Round-up

Purchasing DLC can be tricky.  There's a fine line between getting some fun, worthwhile additional content or just feeling ripped off.  I am going to review some of the DLC I have purchased in the hopes that someone will find it useful in their pursuits.

Game:  Mass Effect
DLC:  Pinnacle Station, Bring Down the Sky
Price:  Pinnacle Station may no longer be available on PC but I think I paid around $5.00 for it.  Bring Down the Sky is free.

Review:
If you are a fan of the combat in the original Mass Effect you will most likely enjoy Pinnacle Station.  This DLC adds in a combat simulator with 12 different missions to choose from.  There are also several missions on Pinnacle Station that involve defeating a snarky turian who owns all the top scores.  Depending on your combat prowess this DLC could add a few hours of playtime.  It is fairly easy to defeat the top scores on some of the simulators but is quite challenging in others.  There aren't really any unique rewards offered from completing the quests or earning the top spots on the simulator but there is the satisfaction of crushing guard Vidinios' scores.

So is it worthwhile or not?  If you enjoy combat, yes.  If you want more of a storyline or additional missions and rewards, probably not.  It is also somewhat difficult to find--I bought it on Origin awhile ago, but now it isn't available there any more.

Bring Down the Sky is the best kind of DLC...the free kind!  Bring Down the Sky adds in a scenario that involves stopping a Batarian plot to crash an asteroid into a human colony.  There are some story based elements and some combat.  Content wise you're probably looking at an additional 1-2 hours of gameplay.  I enjoyed Bring Down the Sky because it gave you another chance to feel like a hero--you get the opportunity to save an entire planet.  There is some interesting loot to choose at the end of the scenario that makes it worthwhile.

Since Bring Down the Sky is free, I would recommend it.  The story is interesting and you get to kill Batarians for the first time.  

Decisions, decisions.

I ran across this article yesterday while browsing my Facebook news feed and found it quite interesting.  I don't really think much about the decisions that I make in games and how they don't really mean much when it comes to the ending.  Should I be more upset that these decisions are completely arbitrary and that they won't have much of an effect on the outcome of whatever game I am currently playing?

I am not upset at all.  I don't think it's possible to make a game that will have content that truly differs depending on the choices you make.  For me it's more about the journey than the destination.  I might be a little weird in that I do not look up alternate scenarios for the games I play.  I would much rather play through the entire game and make different decisions and see the outcome myself than watch someone else's journey.  It's more about the character I am trying to develop than just getting a different result.  Maybe I apply too much logic to my characters and should make their decisions more human and random.  I tend to play a character completely one way and not the other.  Very rarely do I pick the "neutral" option.

Punch him Kenny!  Choices from "The Walking Dead"

It's more important to me that I have the option to make decisions rather than being forced down a single path.  I get to choose how my Lee or Clementine choses to navigate the fractured world in The Walking Dead.  Without these choices the games we play would be very stale.  It's the moral quandries that make games engaging. 

The Future of Mass Effect

Now that I've completed BioWare's latest and greatest, Dragon Age:  Inquisition, I find myself wandering back into the world of Mass Effect and wondering about the direction of the next game.  There haven't been a lot of details released about the next incarnation of my favorite sci-fi action drama.  Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock and who is a fan of the series probably knows that the series ended in a weird place and there are so many possibilities for where it can go.  I've been thinking about things that I would like to see in the next game.  (There will be spoilers about the Mass Effect series)

Should the next game be a prequel of sequel?
I would like to see the next game be a sequel.  The events of Mass Effect 3 were so dramatic that I think a story set after those events would be open to many more creative possibilities.  We've already gotten to see a lot of the council races and need something new.  One huge strength in BioWare's storytelling is their ability to tie the games together.  I always feel like the decisions I made in previous games will have some effect on the next game.  I am curious to see how the galaxy rebuilds after the devastation of the reaper invasion.  My Shepard cured the genophage, will that decision come back to haunt me?  Did I unwittingly unleash a new Krogan superempire?  How will the major decision at the end of Mass Effect 3 effect the galaxy?

Should there be any ties to Commander Shepard?
At the end of Mass Effect 3 there is that weird epilogue scene where it seems like the future and an older person is explaining to a child the importance of Commander Shepard.  Could this be a possible Shepard child?  Should there be a Shepard child?  Personally, I vote no.  I think the Shepard story line needs to be done.  There needs to be a new protagonist or new group.  I think it's alright to reference Shepard, and how could you not, but no child/grandchild.  I think it would be really cool if players were given the option of playing as different races--that the protagonist could be Asari, Turian, Quarian, Krogan, or Human.

What aspects of the three games would I like to see incorporated into the next game?

The new Mako.

There were many people who were upset when Mass Effect 2 seemed to take a clear departure away from RPG-like aspects.  The change from not having the multitude of loot--customizable armor and weapons--was a big change.  Mass Effect 3 seemed to somewhat rectify this problem by adding in mods for weapons and some new pieces of armor.  I would like to see the old loot system return with more options.  Of the few details released about the new game there has been concept art of the Mako.  Does that mean that they are going to add planetary exploration back into the game?  Should it be more open-world, like Dragon Age:  Inquisition?  As someone who is not a big fan of "open-world" type games I am hoping that they don't.  I liked doing some minor exploration on the planets, but have always enjoyed the focus on the story in the Mass Effect series.  One part of DA:  I that I really enjoyed was the ability to customize Skyhold.  It would be fun to have a new ship that is more customizable.  It's not the Normandy, but it's something you can make your own.

What about Shepard's old crew?  Should they make a reappearance?
I always like getting some closure about the characters from previous games.  While I want a departure from the Shepard storyline I think it would be nice to see these characters playing a role in the new galaxy.  Maybe Tali is leading the Quarian effort to rebuild Rannoch and you cross paths or you complete a mission for the shadow broker (AKA Liara).

That's all I can think of at the moment.  I'm currently replaying the Mass Effect series so it's on my mind.  I can't wait to hear more about my favorite series and hope all the other fans are just as anxious.

What I Look for in a Game

Over my years of gaming I have accumulated a fairly large collection of games.  Some of them have been absolute gold, but others...not so much.  Personally, RPG's are my bread and butter.  I have always loved playing as a specific character or having a designated role in a group.  This doesn't mean that I haven't branched out into other genres, but RPG's are my ultimate favorite.  These are the tags recommended for me on Steam:  RPG, action, sci-fi, co-op, and adventure.  I have to hand it to them, they hit it on the nose.

Here are some of the factors I look for in a game.

Engaging Story
I am drawn to games that have a strong story line and that are very story driven.  I have always loved BioWare's games because of their strong storytelling.  I find myself very invested in carrying out the story I have envisioned for my character.  I find myself tuning out in games that don't have a strong story  line.  I made the mistake of buying Spelunky during one of the Steam sales.  I'm sure it's a great game, but I just haven't been able to get into it.  I have played it for a total of 30 minutes.  Good thing I only paid around $5 for it.

I'm sorry Spelunky.  I can't love you.

I really enjoyed playing TellTale's The Walking Dead series and it's a simple point and click game, but another great example of a series with a strong story.

Replayability
Great games make you want to play them over and over.  Games are pretty expensive often $50 or more for leading titles.  I'm not laying down that kind of cash for a game that I'm going to play through once and then shelf.  A well made game makes you want to replay it and uncover all the divergent paths.  The Mass Effect series is my all-time favorite due to the fact that every time I replay it I find something I missed.  (I will replay the entire thing too--no Genesis for me!)  I have around 375 hours in Mass Effect 2 and just discovered Fist (from Chora's Den on the Citadel) hanging out in Omega.

Engaging Gameplay
I have a really hard time with open-world games.  I do own Bethesda's Fallout and Elder Scrolls series (well, really just Oblivion and Skyrim).  The gameplay is what keeps me playing them.  I find that the story becomes diluted in most open-world games.  There is so much more focus on exploration and looting than on following a certain story line.  There's just something about shooting and slashing through hordes of enemies and searching through mountains of loot that keeps me playing.

Challenge
Games that push you are always better than games that allow you to roll through them.  I'm not one of the elitists that only plays games that have been identified as hardcore or extremely challenging.  One of my favorite strategy games is X-Com:  Enemy Unknown.  I like that you really struggle through the early parts of the game as your squad develops.  I also like the randomness, it can be frustrating at times, but that challenge is what keeps me playing.

So what do you look for in a game?

Reborn

Classic Gauntlet.  Elf needs food badly!

It has become a trend in movies and games to take something old and rework it into a newer, hopefully better incarnation.  I don't know that this is always necessarily a good thing for movies, but it seems to be working for games.  Recently I finished a rebirthed version of the 1980's classic RPG Wasteland.  Now, thanks to a generous gift from my little brother, I am revisiting another classic arcade game that I actually played on an arcade machine.  I have many memories of playing Gauntlet in my uncle's basement and now I can play it from the comfort of my own PC.

I have only spent a couple of hours playing this reworked version of Gauntlet, but I can tell that they really tried to capture the essence of the original.  You can still choose from one of four playable classes--warrior, valkyrie, elf, or wizard.  Each class has it's own distinct playstyle--the warrior slashes through enemies and can use a spinning move to mow them down, the valkyrie wields a shield and spear and can block enemy attacks, the elf is a ranged class and can snipe enemies from afar and use a bomb to take out large groups, and the wizard uses a series of different magic attacks to roast, freeze, or zap enemies.

Once you've chosen your character the game is very much like the classic.  You must navigate a series of dungeons filled with hordes of bad guys. As in the previous game there are summoning stones that continually spawn large groups of enemies and must be taken out.  In your journey your goal is to collect gold as you slay your way forward.  There are locked doors that require you to find keys and exploding barrels that can be used to blast open weak walls.  Beside your companions your old nemesis, death, is present and often chases you throughout the dungeon.  It's fairly easy to avoid, but can be tricky in some places.  At the end of each set of dungeons there is a special boss that must be slain.  After you have finished a set of dungeons you can use the gold you have found to purchase special relics that give you additional powers for a short period of time.  These powers use potions that are found throughout the dungeons and can be a lifesaver in sticky situations.  Like the arcade classic you only have so many lives in the form of skull coins which are obtained from killing enemies, and you must use your coins to be reborn if you die.

Gauntlet can be played solo, but is much more enjoyable when played with friends.  Steam offers a special deal to get four copies for the price of three.  I have played three of the four playable classes and settled on the valkyrie as my favorite.  Her shield throw ability is amazing but takes some aiming practice to get right.  The wizard appears to be the most challenging class and switching spells on the fly is tough.

If you're looking for a decently priced fun game to play with your friends or have a special connection to this classic arcade game, you should check out this reworked version of Gauntlet.