i-Rix Review: Trenched

Trenched is a game unlike any that's been released recently. That's because it takes so many elements from so many different games and genres that the stew that emerges from this video game broth pot is one that manages to be delicious, almost surprisingly so. It isn't without its faults, and for all the replayability in its campaign, Trenched still feels a little light in the metal loafers, but fans of Double Fine or those with a penchant for cooperative play should definitely check out this mech shooter.

STORY

In true Double Fine fashion, the story of Trenched is a ludicrously genius one. This is a post-WWI alternate reality where an alien broadcast has fried the minds of countless military personnel, save for two; Frank Woodruff Sr. and Vlad Farnsworth. These two close friends are granted near infinite intellect. Whilst Woodruff uses his smarts to develop the "Mobile Trench", huge mechanized war machines that allow disabled soldier to walk once more, Farnsworth goes insane and creates the "monovisions", creatures made of television screens and wires that are hellbent on spreading the alien broadcast to all mankind. As this signal is almost always lethal, and the monovisions themselves are able to decimate most of the world's established military, Woodruff takes it upon himself to assemble a Mobile Trench Brigade and fight back against the invading beasties.

CONTENT

Trenched is split up into three campaign theaters with about four missions (and one boss fight) per. This might not sound like much, and to be honest, I wish Trenched had a tad more raw content to dig into. What saves Trenched from being too light in the loafers, however, is the ridiculous amount of loot and customization options. Between drops, challenges, and just level-specific stuff you're picking up, there are (approx.) millions of ways to customize your given Trench. This provides huge incentive to re-play levels repeatedly in hopes that you'll get something delicious. On top of this, any level can be played together with up to three comrades, and this in turn plays back into SEPARATE challenges dealing with your "regiment" (people who you've recently played the game with). This makes the replay value of Trenched potentially great, but with only the handful of levels included in the game, most of which become unplayably easy at a certain level, the unfortunate cap on content makes this the one area that it falls somewhat short.

GAMEPLAY

Thankfully, the actual act of playing Trenched is never disappointing. Each mission (aside from some straight forward boss fights) tasks you with utilizing your customized Trenched in the defense of a given structure or group of structures. You do this by combining your Trench's given weaponry, but also by setting up defensive and support emplacements about the battlefield to stem the attacking waves of monovisions. You see, besides being a third-person Mech shooter, Trenched is also a tower-defense game. You'll set up machine guns, sniper turrets, dampening generators, and mine layers in your enemy's paths and at strategic choke-points to make sure your structures remain safe.

Of course that's easier said than done, as there are a ton of varied types of monovisions. Some shield other units. Others have armor that needs to be broken off with explosions before attacking the creature directly. Others still will come straight for YOU and try to murder your ass. This variation makes the pacing of each pitched battle fast and frantic, and you'll need to learn how to manage your scrap reserves best to maintain your defenses. Of course, variation also plays into just HOW you've customized your Trench. For example, if you're rolling an assault chassis with some heavy weapons and/or ridiculous number of guns attached, those emplacements are going to take a back seat to just good old fashioned shooting. However, you could also take an engineering chassis into the fight loaded up with all types of emplacements and control the entire battlefield with strategic prowess. Throwing in a group of three other comrades means these options get even more radical as, with a posse behind you, you can specialize in your favorite area even more. In the end, Trenched is a game about love, and there's plenty to love with the way this game plays.

PRESENTATION

Like many other games in the Double Fine lineage, Trenched's distinct world drives its presentation. Trenched might not have a ton of graphical power behind it, but it knows how to to put its best mechanical foot forward. The cartoony look belays a dark and desolate picture of a world taken over by sentient televisions. Punctuating Trenched is its voice cast, with smartly written dialog bringing even more humor to the absurdity of the whole thing. The one point of contention I have with Trenched is the lack of a consistent soundtrack. There are fitting period themes present during cutscenes and at given points, but most of the in-game stuff is silent with only the ambient sounds of gunfire and screeching monsters.

VERDICT

Trenched is a 15 dollar gem. It may not have a ton of content (least that which stays playable throughout the game's entirety), but if you have a lust for loot and a stalwart squad of soldiers willing to endure some repetition, Trenched is a game well worth the price of admissions.

Trenched gets 4 stars out of 5.

i-Rix Review: WWE All Stars

Professional wrestling's been a big part of my life ever since I was a child. Take that as you shall, but much like the industry's quality, even I'll admit that the quality of professional wrestling games fluctuates from great to embarrassingly bad. From that heap arrives WWE All Stars. Between its list of classic wrestlers and fun over-the-top action, there's a lot to potentially love in THQ's latest foray into the squared circle. However, a laundry list of finicky issues and lack of compelling content cut-down this top prospect in its prime.

CONTENT

The first big failing in WWE All Stars comes from its rather meager selection of modes and match types. There are one to four player variations in standard matches, tornado tag matches, cage matches, elimination matches, and "extreme rules" matches, but that's about it. Also, because of the way each match plays out, there's just not a lot of variation even in these different match types. These all play into the two main single-player modes, Path of Champions and Fantasy Warfare.

In Path of Champions, you take a superstar of your choosing through one of three "story-lines" in order to become a WWE champion. Each of these is accompanied by some pretty brilliantly produced cutscenes that have the champion of the given path taunting you in true professional wrestling fashion (the best of these involving the Undertaker and PAUL FREAKING BEARER cutting promos from their funeral parlor), which flesh them out more than simply being a series of matches on an arcade-style ladder. Fantasy Warfare, on the other hand, takes one superstar from the current generation and pits them in a "dream match" against a classic superstar. While the video packages that splice actual footage of both superstars together as if they were actually feuding are spectacular, and matches like Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. CM Punk for "Superior Lifestyle" make complete sense, some of these just feel a little forced. I'm sorry, but there is NO competition between John Morrison and Randy "Macho Man" Savage for "Most Charismatic". Throw in a pretty meek suite of online modes, and you've got all that WWE All Stars has to offer.

GAMEPLAY

Of course this is a wrestling game. Wrestling should be tantamount here. And for the most part, WWE All Stars is a lot of fun. Four attack buttons and two defensive buttons make up your combative capabilities, and by combining these together, you can string strikes, grapples, strikes and grapples, and signature maneuvers together in creative ways. There's a good, almost fighting game level of depth to the action that makes experimentation both fun and rewarding. The first time I saw my little brother bounce a guy up with a powerbomb, grab him out of the air and flip him over only to Spear him out of mid-air with Edge, I knew there was some big potential here.

Further adding to the variation is the fact that each wrestler falls into one of four categories that help determine his moveset and abilities. For example, Big Men like Andre the Giant and Kane have devastating strikes and grapples that throw the opponent around the ring and can absorb more punishment, where as Grapplers like Mr. Perfect and Jack Swagger can link together grapples into a near-infinite chain of punishing slams and submission holds. Further adding to the mayhem are Signature and Finishing moves, each governed by their own meters. A multi-tiered bar (which also governs your wrestler's stamina for running) can be expended to use a Signature maneuver, which are unique, show-stopping moves that can devastate your opponent and turn the tide in your favor. They also help substantially fill your Finisher meter, which when full, lets you charge up your wrestler's finishing maneuver which can end a match outright. Knowing when and how to use these, and experimenting with them is all part of the fun of All Stars.

But sadly, there are some extreme caveats to that fun. As I stated, All Stars is pretty lacking in modes. Once you beat the Path of Champions a couple times through with different dudes and finish up Fantasy Warfare, there's not a ton left to play around with. Part of this is due to a disappointingly small roster and, whilst other competitors are already up for DLC and more have been announced, the way THQ is dolling them out at a snail's pace isn't doing the game's short shelf-life any favors. This is expounded by the incredibly weak online options. It's enough that the modes and options aren't there, but with no penalty for rage-quitters, copious lag, and nobody playing online, there just aren't any legs to the game.

Lastly, even the minute to minute gameplay in All Stars has some big blemishes. For one thing, certain options in combat aren't viable in the least. Options like using weapons are worthless. Spotty hit detection and random happenings may be acceptable in wrestling games as a norm, but that doesn't make them any less aggravating. All Stars is no exception, and the fact that this is a game much more about fighting game execution than any other, that is doubly so. The first time you botch a reversal that you KNOW should have worked, or when your rope spring miraculously doesn't hit the opponent despite passing right through him, you'll be making a Cornette face.

PRESENTATION

The presentation in All Stars is similarly spotty. The cartoony artstyle fits perfectly with the action in-ring, and the animations given to these over-the-top moves are smoother than any recent wrestling game. Epic moments even occur in the slow-motion uber versions of your given wrestler's Signature and Finishing moves, and although the exaggerated physiques of each ring warrior look a little ridiculous, ridiculous is what this game's all about. Of course, the video packages and in-engine cutscenes (complete with more than competent voice-acting) are the best parts of the presentation here. Sadly, there's just a lack of character in the rest of package, and even some of the action is stilted with emotionless wrestlers going at it and some minor clipping. Also, as repetitive as this game already is, having to look at the same five or six rings doesn't help matters at all.

FINAL VERDICT

WWE All Stars is a fun game that is kept from greatness with its inconsistency. There are good ideas in the game's content, but it's overall lacking. The gameplay has some spectacular innovations, but a lack of polish keeps it from elevating above a certain base level of enjoyment. The presentation is inspired in points, and lazy in others. Overall, if you're a fan of professional wrestling, you'll want to check out All Stars if only for a novelty. There's something potentially special here, but there are just too many mistakes in this rookie outing. It's a prospect to watch, but right now it's just middling in the mid-card.

WWE All Stars gets 3 stars out of 5.

"Everything's Fine": El Shaddai Demo Impressions

For as little mainstream coverage as it's gotten, I'm surprised I both remembered and desired to play Ignition Entertainment's forthcoming hack and slash effort, El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. Actually, scratch that. With just how amazingly distinctive the look of this game is, I couldn't help remember it from way back in E3 of 2010. Now, one year, one Giant Bomb quick look, and one XBLA download later, I got to play the game for myself (well a demo anyway).

An adaptation of "The Book of Enoch", an ancient Hebrew religious text, El Shaddai is as eclectic in subtext as it is in visual flair. Sadly, none of the story details really make it into the demo, and so if you're not well informed, you're probably going to be scratching your head at some of the stranger aspects included here. All you really need to know is you play as heaven's scribe, Enoch. He's been sent to Earth equipped with God's finest armor, weaponry, and blue jeans in a last ditch attempt to get a group or rogue angels to return to heaven. If Enoch fails, God floods Earth. Bummer.

But even if Earth teeters on the brink of oblivion, you'd never know it because of El Shaddai's amazingly abstract interpretation it puts on all its visuals. This is just a demo, but El Shaddai is undeniably a beautiful game. I really can't praise enough just how much the ethereal look of El Shaddai can sell you on its world and even on its gameplay. It's both primordial and post-modern, and it looks gorgeous.

But good looks does not a good game make. Luckily, on top of having extremely solid, fluid, and responsive hack and slash gameplay, El Shaddai's got a couple of tricks up its sleeve. Firstly, combat in El Shaddai is handled by one button. While that may seem odd for an action game, it actually works quite well with game's second mechanic, weapon trading. Enoch will wield a total of three separate weapons in El Shaddai (though only two are seen in the demo), but can only carry one at a time and switch strategically by disarming enemies or grabbing one from certain points in the level. These each have unique properties; the Arch is your standard sword, while the Gail is a long-range projectile type weapon; and when combined with varied button presses and contextual factors, the combat becomes fast and frenetic.

Shaddai's minimalist approach continues with a lack of HUD, instead opting for visual clues to tell you when Enoch needs some help. Take damage, and Enoch's armor will start to chip away. Attack to much with your holy weapon, and it'll need to be purified or exchanged for a new one. These kind of things help preserve El Shaddai's beautiful aesthetic while staying functional.

That isn't to say everything about my time with the El Shaddai demo was positive. While the one button combat functioned incredibly well, it can be a tad difficult to execute your intended actions whilst under the pressure of a tight battle situation. Also, the demo doesn't provide any kind of context or hint for a progression system. While that's not a game breaker in the least, hack and slashers certainly have a curse of falling into repetition. That could be exacerbated if Shaddai if you're not constantly moving towards new talents and abilities.

Aside from those minor concerns this extremely short, but undeniably enticing preview of a beautiful action game is one that anybody with some kind of online access needs to download. At only about 700 MB (on XBLA), it's a quick download that's well worth the time. I'm more intrigued than ever for El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron, and am definitely looking to pick this up when it's released July 26th.

Post E3 2011 Impressions...

E3's over, the show has rapped, and I've got a list of games I'm looking forward to.

Just click over to my Giant Bomb profile HERE to peep what those games are, and why I'm excited about each.

It's going to be a pretty awesome two years of video games. Hope you're excited as me.

i-Rix Review: L.A. Noire

The case that makes ya... and the case that breaks ya...

Rockstar Games doesn't miss. When it comes to creating games based around characters and the worlds they inhabit, no developer does it better. Although pure gameplay has never been the draw of these games, the developer usually does enough creatively or content-wise to make up for this sleight. In the case of L.A. Noire, the story elements are more greatly realized than ever. While this would logically make it Rockstar's greatest effort, the gameplay elements sag so far as to make it questionable as a proper game sometimes. The fact that, then, L.A. Noire still manages to be entertaining is a testament unto itself.

Story

The story of L.A. Noire takes place in the burgeoning Los Angeles of the post-WWII 1940s. You'll take on the role of Cole Phelps, a supposed war hero who works his way up the ranks of the LAPD. Los Angeles at this time is not only dangerous, giving Detective Phelps plenty of wrongs to right, but it is also irreparably corrupt. The corruption digs so far at the heart of the city that each case that Phelps takes has an overwhelming dread that the straight-laced cop is just a bit too honest for his health. Of course, this being a Rockstar game, the characters and their extremely human portrayal drive the story and, despite the occasional lull into repetition, it is truly the driving for of the game itself as Phelps takes on murderers, crooks, and swindlers. The full scope of the over-arching story isn't revealed until the game's closing hours, but if you're able to piece together the tapestry Rockstar has created here, L.A. Noire just might be the most well-constructed and satisfyingly pessimistic story effort in the developers long history.

Content

Although part of a long lineage, where L.A. Noire really starts to deviate (and not for the better) from its open-world brethren is with content. Noire isn't a short game by any measure, but outside of the main line of cases Phelps undertakes, there just isn't much there. After an introductory "Patrol" set of missions, Phelps will take on the responsibility of four desks throughout his LAPD career. Each desk has around four cases to take on, and while some are lengthier than others, they tend to even out at a few hours per desk for a total of about 12 hours of gameplay.

Of course there are side activities, but these are reserved to a series of 40 "Petty Crime" calls you can answer whilst driving 'round the city. There are also a bunch of hidden cars to unlock and city landmarks to spy, all of which give you more XP towards your overall detective rank, but hunting for these seems overly superficial and gamey. Yes, you're a detective with a job to do, so I wasn't expecting to be doing favors for anyone or to be able to amuse myself with wanton destruction, but is looking for random garages with non-standard police vehicles hidden inside of them REALLY a more convincing side activity? I don't think so. And I don't think it's fun.

Gameplay

Sadly, that feeling of shaky quality transcends onto the gameplay. At its heart, L.A. Noire is an adventure game in the vein of the Ace Attorney series with action sequences thrown in. Each case proceeds in a similar fashion; you'll receive a case and jet over to the crime scene to investigate. You'll usually question a witness, then head off to another location and repeat the process. If you fail to get accurate information either from your shoddy investigatory skills or your inability to read the witnesses' lies, the case will change dynamically, and this will often lead you as Phelps to pursue it at a different angle than had you done your job correctly. This all plays into your case rating once you've got your suspect behind bars.

While this whole "M-rated" Phoenix Wright has amazing potential, and at times Noire's blending of interrogation, investigation, and shooter...gation(?) feels perfect, it all becomes a little bit too linear after a while. When you first step onto a crime scene, survey the grizzly evidence and cut through the deception to the truth, using your keen observation of the facts and the human face, there's nothing quite like it. However, once you're introduced to the Homicide desk, and the cases cease to contain any level of variety, you start seeing the limitedness of the systems. To put it bluntly, unless you PURPOSELY do so... it's nearly impossible to do poorly in the investigation portion of the game.

This is because, not only are most of the clues hardly, if ever, concealed, but the game actually cues you with music if there are still clues to find. Music still playing? Keep looking. This skews the value of the gameplay inexorably on your interrogation skills. And just like the Ace Attorney series it is so much like, this means lots of leaps in logic, lots of trial and error, and lots of frustration. The final third of this gameplay triangle, the shooting and action sequences, are serviceable. As I stated before, this Rockstar games aren't necessarily driven by their action mechanics, but when the redundancy sets in during your detective duties, you can take some solace in the fact these segments are at least solid. Too bad they can get just as repetitive as everything else.

Presentation

At least the majority of L.A Noire's presentation is stellar. If you've read thus far, you probably wanna know what I think of the face motion capture. In short: IT'S INSANE. The level of detail the game captures is one thing, but the intangible human quality that its characters's have is something that can't be described. This is, of course, also due to a stellar cast. Yes, this video game has a proper cast, with actors who deliver a performance with both their voice and their face. They're bolstered by an appropriately period-looking Los Angeles which sports a similar meticulousness in its design. Topping it all off is a soundtrack with licensed 40s music and fantastic original music included. In short, this is a good looking game.

Final Verdict

In the end, L.A. Noire is a fine experience. It's got interesting takes on various game genres that are boosted up by a stellar story and presentation. However, similar to games like Metal Gear Solid prior to it, too often did I find more pleasure in watching exposition the game had set forth for me than in the actual act of playing it. That isn't to say its gameplay is devoid of fun, and if played in a more spread out/ less deliberate fashion, its repetition can be greatly lessened. The point remains that Rockstar has achieved a fantastic feat in electronic media. They just haven't created the funnest game.

L.A. Noire gets 4 stars out of 5...

The Summer of my Discontent (2010 Edition)

As amazing as the summer time can be for movies, it seems more and more that it is the exact opposite for video games. Sure, E3 is in the summer and with it, the promise of boat loads of sweet titles to come, but actual game releases? Those seem relatively non-existent in the warm summer months. Is it because game developers really think that we nerds are going to the beach or having barbecues or something? Because I can assure them... WE'RE NOT.

It can be tough to be sure. These are the months to go back and re-play those games which you really enjoy, or to dig through the back catalog from earlier in the year, but few things of any real note are coming down the pipeline which is extremely unfortunate.

Regardless, with release calendar in hand, I have taken it upon myself to name a few games that might bring myself (and hopefully YOU, the nonexistent audience) some solace from the summer storm. I'll go ahead and give a brief explanation of why each game might be worth your time.

TOY STORY 3: The Video Game

No, I'm not trying to derail my list from the get go. I'm dead serious when I say Toy Story 3 looks like a hoot. It looks fun! After all, isn't that why we love video games in the first place? Not only is it sporting plenty of Toy Story flavor packed into a cute and polished little platformer, but there's actually a genuinely interesting element going into Toy Story 3: the Video Game.

Called the "Toy Box" mode, what we essentially get is one of three playable characters (Woody, Buzz, and Jessie) in a Toy Story-themed open world and city-building game. Not only will you be collecting toys and various other goodies that can be dropped into various playsets in your toy box, but you can then jump into said playsets and complete missions in an free-roaming style. That sounds pretty fun to me.

And again... isn't that the point?

TRANSFORMERS: WAR FOR CYBERTRON

Another licensed game?! Well, yes... it IS summer, people! If I'm being honest, this is probably a much more legitimate choice to be a decent game than Toy Story 3, but whatever. Transformers has always been something that should be fairly simple to make a good game out of, yet it is constantly gotten wrong. This game, by taking it away from the movies and new continuity and moving it into something that is closer to the original series (combined with what looks like fun gameplay and some sweet multiplayer), it's difficult for even the most tame of Transformers fans to not get excited about it.

Oh, and because Gamestop's new TV spot hints at it, they better sure as FUCK be putting Stan Bush's "The Touch" in the game!

Crackdown 2

I was never a big fan of the first Crackdown. There just wasn't enough to the actual game to sink my teeth into, and although I liked the kind of progressive superhero in an open-world vibe they were going for, I just never find it super compelling. The new one looks to be more of the same, but with an improved multiplayer and some tweaks to the gameplay.

For all intents and purposes, that shouldn't mean I'd get excited about this, but I'm a different gamer than I was when the first game came out. With its improvements, I think Crackdown 2 should not only be more accessible, but more enjoyable as well.

And there ya have it. There are a few other games coming out that... I suppose could be cool. Singularity comes to mind, as does that Mafia game that is FINALLY supposed to be coming out, but those are the games that, in all honesty, have MY attention.

What that says about me, I don't even wanna go into. However, when these games end up being either successes or instant cult classics, you know who said it first! Until next time.

The Top 5 WORST Friends to Play Multiplayer With...

To get this silly little blog started off with a bang (or rather an unimaginative top 5 list), I invoke something that every gamer worth his/her salt has to deal with: playing with IDIOTS. Now, I don't mean idiots in a hateful way, rather as those friends you play with whose faults become ever more apparent with every second that passes in their virtual presence.

Perhaps you know these people. Perhaps you ARE one of these people; lord knows I've fit one or more of these descriptions at one point or another. The point is that they exist, and perhaps now you will be given proper information on who these people are and why they kinda suck to play with.

5. The Duct-Tape Gamer:

This term can be applied to a large group of people, but their defining characteristic is some form of faulty equipment. Whether it's a controller malfunctioning, a mic that constantly cuts out and echoes, or an internet connection that means you can't go ten minutes of playing without this person being booted from/lagging out of your session, this person just can't seem to get their shit together.

"What's the holdup?! Why aren't we playing already?", says you.

"We're waiting for douche-face to FIX HIS NETS!", says I.

4. The Screen-Looker:

While this was once the scourge of all multiplayer-based shooters on consoles, the advent and popularization of online has made the screen-looker an endangered species. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, try to recall the days of split-screen. Remember the person who just happened to know where everyone was hiding? Remember the heathen who managed to make the most ridiculous evasive maneuvers just as you got them in your sights?

No, this person was not touched by God and no they don't have ESP. They are just a dirty cheater who is looking at your part of the screen. This was always a difficult offense to prove, but the punishment would always be severe. To the dirty screen-looker goes the ire and many punches of his contemporaries.

3. The Apathetic One:

Like all good times in life, nothing can spoil a video game session faster than someone who just doesn't care. After all, video games are supposed to be a euphoric experience and one that builds friendship and community (YES I'M SERIOUS!). So why then do some dudes just seem depressed or bored when playing with their buds?

Is it because they really don't enjoy the game or that they just hate you personally? Either way, if you're laughing and having a good time only to be greeted by stony and disheartening silence coming through your headsets, you know your session is about to go from ^__^ to T__T.

2. The Clueless Teammate:

Let's face it, even if you're on a team in a multiplayer game, there usually isn't a lot of actually teamwork going on. However, games like Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2, and the Battlefield games stress teamwork as a NECESSITY for success and/or survival. This is usually where having an actual friend to play the game with would come in handy. At least it would if they actually realized you were alive. It would be handy if they actually acknowledged when you needed help as much as you gave it to them.

No dude, it's cool. Yeah, you got the last med kit, but you can have this one, too. Just keep these flesh-eating monsters off me, okay? Or just run off and leave me to fend for myself like you are currently doing. That's cool, too, I guess.

And last, but most certainly least...

1. The Idiot Savant:

This menace has existed for generations and has permeated all facets of the gaming world. Stop me if you've heard this before... even though you can't because this is typed out already...

You buy a game. You get pretty decent at said game. You invite a friend to play said game. They have never played said game. They proceed to UTTERLY DESTROY YOU AT SAID GAME.

Either they were lying or you just suck ass, but the fact of the matter is nothing is worse than that smug look on a friend's face when they stomp you at a game that they have never ever played before. Nothing ruins friendships or games in general like the idiot savant. They are truly the bane of all existence and the killer of innocent children.