The main campaign of BFBC was as hilarious as it was action-packed. Did you decide to continue that trend with this game or has the focus shifted more to the intricacies of combat?

Lo Wallmo: We are trying to move more toward a serious tone in this game compared to the last game. I think some people were a little bit put off by the humor. Some people thought it was a little bit too corny, maybe. We tried to move toward a more serious military game, but still maintain the essence of the characters, which is pretty funny. They’re supposed to be funny guys and you’re supposed to feel like they’re real people and not like crazy killing machines.

So you think that’s to create more attachment to the characters, to give them more personality?

Lo Wallmo: I would think so, yeah. The characters have real hearts. You’ll like to experience this adventure together with them.

Has the health system been revamped in any way? It became cumbersome to keep using the shot over and over.

Lo Wallmo: It was a decision we made pretty early to remove that [the shot] and go for a more standard rejuvenating health system, where you duck into cover and recover your health.

Is there a set level cap for the multiplayer? And what of perks, leveling up, etc. like in MW2?

Lo Wallmo: There is a cap at level 25. Our perk system is customizable. You select the kind of bonuses you would like to apply to your character as you unlock them, so for instance if you have more health, you can have that, but you don’t get to do more damage with your explosives. So there is an either/or system, where you select one perk that is available to you — you might want to scope out your gun or you might want more ammo. You can select the perks you want.

Was the same graphics engine used in the original game implemented this time?

Lo Wallmo: Yes, it’s the same, just optimized. There has been a lot of work done to improve the rendering so we can show more cool stuff on the screen.

Can we expect to see a little more character development? I grew to love the characters and hoped for more intimate departures into their personalities with the original game.

Lo Wallmo: The characters have their own ride, each and every one of them, throughout the campaign. You’ll see that they have their ups and down. They’ll definitely be different than they were at the beginning of the game near the ending.

With the popularity of ME2’s Cerberus Network, since you’re launching day-one DLC quite similar to that, can players expect to see any free maps or characters?

Lo Wallmo: Absolutely. There is a pack of maps being announced for launch that are free, but there is also going to be paid DLC, which we will make sure is not as game-changing. There will be more things to supplement the game with later on.

What about BFBC2 should attract players scorned by the bugs and various annoyances brought on by MW2? What are you anticipating will draw in that audience? The multiplayer? A mindblowing campaign?

Lo Wallmo: We really feel like players should have an equal opportunity to enjoy the game and not be bugged by cheaters. That’s why we feel strongly about dedicated servers for this game to keep the important parts of the code away from the players. That’s something we feel strongly about. It should be fair for everyone.

Do you feel that BFBC2 is trying to bring in people with a mind-blowing campaign or is there a focus on one or the other? Or is there a good balance of effort put into both pieces?

Lo Wallmo: Hands down, we are most focused on the multiplayer aspects, as we have a lot of pedigree there from the Battlefield franchise in the past, but we also love creating single-player games and put more focus into it this time around, so I would hope that it’s 50/50, but our heart has been in the multiplayer and online. “Online vehicle warfare” is kind of our tagline. It’s what we like.

How long do you think the campaign is?

Lo Wallmo: About 6 to 10 hours, depending on how you play.

Thanks for doing the interview with us! It was a pleasure!

Thank you.

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In the realm of Kala Moor, people have been mysteriously vanishing. Vicious fiends from below the earth have been surfacing and wreaking havoc across the land. When offered a vast reward to find missing townspeople, protagonists E’lara and Caddoc set out to unravel the mystery of the blight and rescue theinnocents.

Players will be given a choice between these specific characters: E’lara, a “ranged weapon” expert, and Caddoc, a skilled swordsman. Each of the protagonists/players will have access to various weapons and augmenting spells. The game itself takes advantage of the notion of cover mechanics, letting players play tactfully or direct. Players will also be able to pull off combination attacks, as well as heal each other regardless of proximity.

Bethesda is confident that Hunted: The Demon’s Forge will appeal to a variety of gamers, from action/hack ‘n’ slash to first-person shooters. The game takes full advantage of the Unreal engine and offers highly-detailed environments set in locations such as vast forests, damp dungeons, haggard towns, and ancient ruins.

If the concept isn’t enough to sell gamers, Bethesda was kind enough to include a handful of screenshots indicating how the game looks so far. Though no release date has been confirmed, Hunted: The Demon’s Forge may be coming out this year.

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Modern Warfare 2

According to 1Up.com the price was announced by Robert Bowling on the Major Nelson’s weekly podcast. Even though their competition, DICE’s Battlefield Bad Company 2, will be releasing a free map pack on the same day, I can’t see IW or Activision backing down from this price. The maps in MW2 don’t bother me as much as the unbalanced perks do but having the fan favorite Crash and Overgrown could add some enjoyment to the game, if it plays well with all the new perks and kill streaks. The map pack is due out March 30^th on the Xbox 360 but no dates have been set for PS3 or PC but I assume that it will release on the PS3 on April 1^st.

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In Green Day: Rock Band players will step into the shoes of the Northern Californian band and play through the story and history of Green Day. As players progress they will unlock more than 100 collectible images and over 40 minutes of unreleased videos from interviews, outtakes and performances. The set list from the punk-pop band spans the entire career including “Brain Stew,” “Jaded,” “Hitchin’ a Ride,” “American Idiot,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” The already released Green Day tracks can be imported into the upcoming title and will have added vocal harmonies, unique performance visuals and exclusive archival material.  Green Day: Rock Band as the standalone game will release at the standard $59.99 on Xbox and PS3 and $49.99 on the Wii. Gamers can also pick up the “Plus” version of the game which costs $10 more but will come with a special package and all 6 DLC Green Day tracks already released which is a $22 value. Hopefully with the release date set so soon after the announcement of the game we won’t simply be getting a track pack title but we’ll know more about the game in the months to come.

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The first part of the demo will be the bathroom interrogation scene, which if you haven’t seen it yet it’s pretty brutal. The next part will fast forward you to a later part of the game to give you a preview of the story and showcase the new gameplay. For those who don’t know, Splinter Cell: Conviction can be played more like an action/shooter rather than a stealth title, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go old school and stealthily take out all enemies. You will also be able to check out the marking system which allows you to plan your attack ahead of time and execute it with perfection. The demo trailer can be accessed via the Spotlight section on Xbox Live and make sure you check back with us for our demo impressions this week.

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So what will gamers be getting from the pre-order bonuses? If you pre-order from GameStop gamers will get Kratos and his “Kart of Chaos”, if you pre-order from Amazon and get Ratchet or Clank and their karts, and pre-ordering from Best Buy will net you Nathan Drake and his “Jungle Jeep”.  Each pre-order will come with an additional bonus mystery mod and kart package that will include additional accessories to make your own creations but more information on those mystery items very soon. They all look too awesome to pass up but the Nathan Drake bonus is probably the one I’m going with. Where will you be pre-ordering ModNation Racers?

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This week’s discussion? Your favorite gaming controllers. If you’ve been gaming for over 18 years like I have (and I’m 20 — some of the staff and I’m sure some of you eclipse my legacy!), you’ve seen your share of controllers. Whether you’re still partial to your mouse and keyboard, the classic PlayStation controller, or the wackiness that is the Wii remote, it’s no doubt you have a favorite, one that you’d go to immediately if you could use it as a universal controller.

For me? I’m always drawn to the classic controllers, but the multipurposing of the PlayStation controller all the way up to the DualShock 3 has me captivated. Though my days of retro gaming are nestled within the cockles of my heart along with my joys connected to the mouse, so many of my best memories are connected to that little gray controller.

Now they come in so many different colors. We can move them in order to control the action onscreen. They’re wireless now. Most of all, they’re so gorgeous. I memorized the face button layout over and over while indulging in PaRappa the Rapper back in the day, threw the poor things when I couldn’t best Zophar, and mourned when the wires began to show, meaning it was just about time to toss the peripheral at that point. Though the Xbox and Xbox 360 controller fits snugly and comfortably in my hands, I have to go with my PlayStation-oriented roots. Who knows, though? My opinion may change tomorrow. I’m not sold on PlayStation Move, just yet. So let’s not even get started with that. Still, I appreciate and look back fondly on all of the interesting controllers I’ve gotten my hands on in the past.

What about you? What’s your favorite controller? Do you even have a preference? Why? Don’t be shy! Sound off, and bring your friends. If the mood strikes, why not check out last week’s discussion while you’re at it? We’re dying to have an intelligent conversation with you. Thanks for reading!

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[Source:  Bethesda Softworks]

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Nintendo and Sega have been at the forefront quite some time now when it comes to releasing sports titles that I can really sink my teeth into, such as Mario Tennis and Sega Superstars Tennis. Fast-paced, simple, and tons more fun than you can have within the confines of real world physics. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is the latest in the long line of mascot sports titles, and if you’re a fan at all of mascot kart racers, then you owe it to yourself to give this a try, even if you’re a waning Sonic fan. I promise this is no Sonic the Hedgehog 2006.

Far from it, in fact. This racer is, for all intents and purposes, Sega’s answer to the wildly successful Mario Kart. As a longtime Mario fan I can’t definitively choose a side, but I’ve always favored Sega’s cast to the hackneyed Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser combo in each subsequent sports/minigame release, so it’s nice to see another installment that follows up with the previous tennis outing.

When you hop right into the game, you’ll note that, upon choosing a character, the roster is packed to the brim with plenty of memorable characters. You have the obvious Sonic favorites such as the blue blur himself, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Eggman, and Big the Cat. Even the angsty Shadow make an appearance. Beloved personalities such as Ulala (Space Channel 5), AiAi (Super Monkey Ball), and Beat (Jet Grind Radio) make the scene as well. It’s an admirable mix of superstars, to be sure. And to sate our appetite for more Sega favorites, some more obscure personalities round out the list, such as Fantasy Zone ship Opa-Opa and Virtua Fighter’s Jacky. As you progress throughout the game, earning what’s known as Sega Miles, you’ll be able to purchase different racers to give you a reason to keep coming back and see what else the game has to offer — and believe me, you’ll want to see. You will note that Banjo and Kazooie are not included as playable characters. Yes, the Xbox 360 version was graced with the presence of one of gaming’s most famous duos, but the PS3 version is obviously without the zany pair.  If you want Banjo and Kazooie or the ability to play with your Xbox 360 avatar, then make sure to opt for Microsoft’s release when purchasing. Unfortunately, neither the Wii nor PS3 have special guest characters of their own.

Each character’s jalopy is suited to their personality and is split into three types: cars, bikes, and hover crafts. Each vehicle performs differently when faced with specific types of terrain. One must also take into consideration the heft and shape of the chosen car, since different choices have different ramifications. For instance, bikes are smaller and more lightweight than their companion choices, but can also be knocked out of the loop and into last place much quicker than a regular car. Hover crafts accelerate quite poorly, but are built like a tank. It all comes down to your preference, and even which character you want to side with, as there is a fair mix between all of them.

Getting into the action is ridiculously simple. If you’ve ever indulged in a kart racer, you should feel right at home here. Accelerating, braking, and powering up are all you need to know, with one button mapped to each. The rest is up to you — maneuvering around the track, implementing well-timed boosts, and deciding which item will put you the furthest ahead from the rest of the pack. And yes, there is the Sega equivalent of the blue turtle shell, just so you know. Activating your kart’s boost that will give you that edge to get ahead of the rest can be a bit difficult to master, but doing so is the key to victory time and again.

Failing boosts, you may always fall back on each character-specific All-Star move, much like we saw in Sega Superstars Tennis. These are all quite predictable (Sonic transforms into Super Sonic, and so forth) but offer reliable and quite hilarious ways to get back up to speed (if you catch my drift — I’m here til next Wednesday, guys!) if you find yourself skimming last place just a little too often. These moves offer some quirky variety and surprising last minute victories if you’re not careful — some of them can pack quite the punch! These are not featured in online matchups, though, so as long as you can gauge your computer opponent’s actions, winning despite the rampant use of All-Star moves is still cake.

There is a glorious mix of tracks spanning several Sega games, including Samba de Amigo and even House of the Dead. Throughout the game and the purchase of Sega Miles, you’ll be transported throughout the golden years of Sega titles past and present, and you’ll be treated to some surprises, too. Unfortunately, the game’s multiplayer modes do not make proper use of them, instead relying on the same recycled maps over and over in order to provide a more general, all-purpose approach to the different game types. Among the more standard options such as Arena and Free Race, modes such as Battle and King of the Hill mix things up a little. Battle sees you attempting to thwart other players’ progress by harassing them with powerups and All-Star moves. King of the Hill, well, is just what it sounds like. You may also collect emeralds or Chaos in the other two game types, but from my experience it’s best to go full out race mode here to test your skills against the rest of the world.

The game looks great, though does occasionally suffer from frame rate issues. These are minor and can be overlooked in scope of the beautiful, vibrant stages and fluid renderings of all of your favorite characters. Simply the brightness and fantastical design alone should be enough to win you over, or perhaps the remixed and excellently orchestrated themes from familiar Sega titles — welcome to the Fantasy Zone!

What we have here is a polished and zany kart racer that knocks another one out of the park for the “Superstars” line. It’s deliberate fan service for Sega devotees, however, and most of the younger set will take one look at the varied cast included and wonder who in Kratos’s name the rest of the motley crew even are. It’s unfortunately an obstacle that may prevent this title from selling as well as it could amongst the children that it’s obviously being marketed to who have missed out on Sega’s golden years. Lucky for us, that just means less of the obnoxious little slogs online in the game’s multiplayer mode. Whether a new or old Sega or Sonic fan, this is a great way to spend your time and money if you’re not digging the whole “realistic racing” thing or if you need a new online go-to game for you and your friends. I hope to see the Superstars line continued in subsequent titles featuring different sports in the future, as Sega is really doing a great job with them.

That said, who wants to take on my Ulala?

Title: Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Publisher: Sumo Digital Developer: Sega Platform(s): Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (reviewed), Wii, Nintendo DS Release Date: February 23, 2010 (PS3)

Doin It RIGHT: - Plenty of Sega fan service for those of us hungry for the same sweet Sega action seen in the previous sports title. - Fun, funky karts and courses. - Familiar tunes, stages, and characters turn this otherwise cut and paste racer into something magical.	Doin It RONG: - No All-Star moves in multiplayer due to latency, but gosh, you kind of miss them. - Sega Miles accrual may be too slow for some who want to jump in right away with every character unlocked.
FINAL SCORE: 8 / 10

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I’d like to reiterate that last sentence again. Desperate Escape details exactly how Jill and Josh came to occupy the chopper that proved a timely aid to Chris and Sheva at the end of the main campaign. From start to end, this chapter is literally a one-way quest to get to the chopper. And a short one, at that.

Players start up this mission just after Chris rips the control device from Jill’s chest. Jill is stalwart in her mission to stop Umbrella/Tricell, especially after what she’s been forced to do, and urges Chris to chase after Wesker. This leaves Jill alone in her task to help Chris and Sheva, while at the same time get out of the dangerous Tricell facility. Luckily, Josh Stone shows up at an opportune moment, and it is together that they set out to find their comrades.

The player is given control, and from there on out experiences some very familiar Resident Evil 5 circumstances. Jill and Josh head first to a communication tower to send helpful messages to the previously focal protagonists, all the way battling hordes of not-zombies hell-bent on stopping them. After accomplishing this, the duo get into communication with the helicopter pilot from the main campaign and set their sights on escape.

Desperate Escape from start to finish feels like any other mission in RE5. The player has to get beyond locked/barred/destructible doors while firing their way through fiends. One of the only different points is the finale, which is more akin to a round of Mercenaries in a very small arena. All in all, the mission is extremely short. It took me 65 minutes on my first run through, and I was taking my time to make sure I got the trophy for killing 150 enemies. Including the seven-minute wait at the end of the chapter, I imagine this could be completed in about 20 minutes with relative ease.

There were a few discernable features of Desperate Escape. Josh seemed a bit too ready to run ahead of Jill; I was frequently aiming through him, and he seemed to like to perch right in front of my character before opening fire. Countering this frustration was Jill’s melee moves. Her knife stab animation is almost uncomfortably brutal (almost), and some of her kicks give the action an satisfactory over-the-top flair. It was cool to see. Unfortunately, she has an awkward double-knee drop attack for downed enemies that looks completely silly. Josh’s attacks are pretty brutish, seeming more in line with Chris’ physical build than his own, but they were nevertheless entertaining to see.

Players buying the package are also treated to two more characters to use in the updated Mercenaries Reunion mode – Rebecca Chambers from Resident Evil Zero and Josh Stone himself. Again, this is more something aimed towards those players still having fun in Mercenaries mode. It only serves to help justify the price for players focused on a more holistic story.

Desperate Escape is essentially an anecdote to the RE5 main campaign. It is only as fun as the most basic mission of the bread-and-butter title that it is an extension of. It does include a couple of extra trophies, which is always nice, but its appeal doesn’t go too far beyond that. While it is certainly appreciable, this addition in and of itself is not very exciting.

Title: Resident Evil 5: Desperate Escape Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Platform(s): Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (reviewed) Release Date: March 5, 2010 (PS3)

Doin It RIGHT: - Intense RE5 action. - Appreciable filler for the main campaign.	Doin It RONG: - Brings nothing unique to the table. - Price is hard to justify.
FINAL SCORE: 6 / 10

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Lady Gaga Pack 01 will be crammed full of goodness such as:

• Bad Romance
• Poker Face
• Monster
• Just Dance

Also, should you feel the need to bust out in song just like Cartman in the “Whale Whores” episode of South Park, an additional track will be available for purchase — the Cartman version of “Poker Face.”

Riveted? I AM.

You all are hereby summoned to a Rock Band Gaga jam session with me next week. No excuses. Love, love, love, I want your love.

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Tigresa: So Heavy Rain’s story… This was probably the first video game ever that I have really ever felt the desire to employ actual morals into my every minuscule decision throughout the game. Sure, there are games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect which loosen the lines of linearity by giving you a chance to make some character-shaping choices, but in Heavy Rain there were times where I was so on the edge of my seat reaching out in agony for my inhaler at the painstaking critical decision-making moments that I knew would alter my every coming footstep.

Snarkasaur: It really is heavy. There’s nothing particularly outlandish about the drama itself.  Anyone can pick up a mystery or thriller about some killings and find something similar, though I would argue that this one is certainly better than the average page turner. But the fact that we, as players, are allowed to step in and shape that drama is really something we haven’t seen too often. And even beyond that, we don’t even really know which choices are the most story-changing, at least not without venturing onto the internet and into spoiler territory.

Tigresa: Definitely, there are situations where you may not see the repercussions of your actions until later in the story, such as missing a clue along the way. That may leave you out of the running for discovering who the true killer is. I kind of wonder with games like this, and actually find myself having this discussion somewhat often… Is there a “true” ending amongst the twenty-two-some-odd endings in Heavy Rain?

Snarkasaur: I’m sure David Cage would get political and say no, of course not. Every ending is “your” ending because it was your decisions that shaped it. The rumor was that there were over 20 endings, though I know I personally got to witness four different ones for what I did.

Tigresa: Yeah, I believe there are 4-5 endings or situations that you get to experience per character, which is why the ending count seems so high. It’s arguable that the true ending would be where everyone survives and you uncover the killer and give that person what’s coming to them, but… I can’t necessarily stand behind that. I honestly felt like whatever I did was right and knowing how many possibilities there were, it feels like there really isn’t canon for a game like this, which I liked a great deal. Not to mention the fact that any of the four characters you control can die off at any given moment whilst the story continues. I really felt in charge of my decisions, despite them being mostly presented essentially in quick time form.

Snarkasaur: I’m sure there are some sycophants that would love the true ending to be the one where the killer gets away with everything, and incidentally that is an option, which further proves how unique this game is. And yeah, those quick time events, I’m still unsure if that decision, and the controls in general, hindered or helped the game as a whole. I’m pretty sick of quick time events, even in games I love.  On the flip side, I can’t honestly think how else this game could have been played.  I did find that the sixaxis motion controls weren’t actually bad at all.  They used them well in context, like to slap someone or slam a door or what have you. Making it feel like I was actually doing those things.

Tigresa: I’m half and half on this subject. The R2 button being used to walk and the left control stick being responsible for merely turning the direction of movement felt unintuitive at times, compared to the rest of the controls’ flow. I actually loved the quick time events in Heavy Rain though. They are nothing like any other game’s QTEs because the buttons follow the action on screen. You don’t have to look down or look at some predesignated location to see what button to press. If you’re about to slug somebody, the button to press on time will be floating over your fist so you don’t miss out on any of the action. I’d always be angry as all hell doing QTEs in other games because I found it difficult to watch and enjoy the action that I was playing out via button sequences.

Also! I thoroughly appreciate the depth of it as well, both with button presses and thoughts. If you press L2 at any time where dialogue isn’t going on, you can sift and listen in on your character’s thoughts. If the action or thought you are about to select is making the character nervous or they are in a heightened sense of the action — the buttons/thoughts will be shaky and harder to decide upon. That’s something I really dug in the depth of getting into the characters’ roles and experiences in the game.

Snarkasaur: I’m actually with you on both accounts there I think.  The walking and movement could have just as easily been done with an analog only, though it may have required some tweaking of the other controls.  The direction though, which is kind of what you’re talking about in regards to buttons shaking and item placement around the screen, was definitely well done.  And just overall I was very impressed with the way the cameras would focus or the screen would split to show different areas and actions happening at once.  It felt very movie-like in that regard, but without taking me out of it as a player like a movie often will.

Clearly the visuals help in that regard as well.  This was one of the best games that I’ve ever seen, if not the best, and it surprised me that it lived up to that given all the hype surrounding the graphic quality leading up to its release.

Tigresa: I watched some of the unlockable clips in the game that show you how the developers used motion capture for the lifelike facial expressions and movement in the face of all of the characters and was simply blown away. The characters in the game even look just like those of the actors they’re based upon! That’s just crazy. As mesmerized as I was about the lifelike expressions though, the graphics to me were definitely appealing and impressive — but surely not as good as others on the PS3 such as Metal Gear Solid 4 or God of War III.

Snarkasaur: I will say that at times it was that impressive, but it did lack the consistency of those other titles you just mentioned. There were times when the visuals looked downright bad. I remember one scene where one of the main characters is pulling a blanket up over his sleeping son and I almost laughed at how fake it looked. And then there was the nudity and the sex scenes, which were hardly up to form. I won’t even get started on how bad the kissing was portrayed. But the other times, often while just walking around and particularly during the load screens where players are forced to just stare into the eyes of one of the characters that they’re about to play were magnificent. Madison’s eyes are something I’ll never forget.

Tigresa: Are you a sucker for brown eyes?

Snarkasaur: I’m a sucker for female eyes.

Tigresa: You’re so easy! But I kind of want to bring up the voice acting now. So the game takes places in America, particularly Philadelphia. Though some characters, particularly Madison and Shelby, are voiced with the utmost quality, a high percentage of the main characters throughout the story are horribly awful and their obvious French accents hover over their American accent attempt. It leads to so many voice issues that just irk me to no end. It’s actually one of the biggest things that holds the score back from going any higher than the 9/10 that we’re giving it. Don’t even get me started on the childrens’ voice actors within the game. They all just sound like they have down syndrome. I really wish they just used American voice actors for all of the characters to solidify the “believability” of the game as a whole. Also I don’t know if you noticed, but I learned that according to the cast of Heavy Rain, there are about 672 new pronunciations of the word “origami” going by the voice actors.

Snarkasaur: “Origaaaami” being one of the most annoying I heard. And you’re completely right. It was bloody obvious for way too much of the game that these weren’t American voice actors. It got to a point, particularly with a few characters like Lauren, that I thought “maybe this person is an American immigrant?”  But I don’t think that was the intention and they just didn’t feel like importing U.S. actors. At times I was impressed that these same foreign voice actors were able to pull off fairly believable NY or Brooklyn or whatever accents that they were.

Unfortunately the other instances killed that illusion. And I can’t believe you said that about the kids. You’ve just insulted Sarah Palin and probably caused a political uproar. They were awful though. Beyond awful. The scariest parts of a mostly unscary game were when kids opened their mouths to speak.

Tigresa: Okay, on behalf of the rest of New York, I feel the need to clear this up for both you and anyone who reads this review. I know you’re talking about Norman Jayden — he does not have a Brooklyn/Bronx or any accent relevant to New York at all. At all! He just has a terrible American in general accent. The game takes place in Philly, though I’m not sure if it’s mentioned strictly in the game, in some interviews David Cage has said that’s the city it takes place in and the police badges on the uniforms of the police department are that of Philly PD.

Snarkasaur: Nonsense. You’re all the same over there. Violent and ill-speaking. My comment stands.

Tigresa: Were you able to guess the killer? Or were you left shocked towards the end when you (if you) discover yourself who the origami killer is?

Snarkasaur: Well, at the risk of spoiling some things, I thought I’d found out, then a certain scene told me differently so I guessed elsewhere, then it turned out to be my original hunch. Which was vexing because I felt it a rather bad narrative device to trick a viewer/player that way. The game had a few plot holes in that vein, but honestly, so does everything. There are very few perfect plots in the worlds of literature or cinema or gaming. Though this game may have had a few, it still stands as one of the best narratives in gaming in my humblest of opinions.

Tigresa: I find it interesting that you say “viewer/player” — but yeah, I can agree with you there. There are absolutely several plot holes that aren’t covered up well, as well as that one cheap plot device (and it is definitely very, very cheap and misleading) it’s definitely a very clever and exciting narrative. I was always on edge wanting to know more, find more, kill who I wanted to kill (or at least rough them up a bit), save who I wanted to save, etc. I find it interesting that the very main plot of the game can be averted, the whole origami trials to save your son. The story’s theme is “How far will you go to save someone you love?” But… You can do nothing at all, and coward out if you so desire. I’m itching to play through it again to see if the story takes an entirely different approach if you turn away at the very beginning of the opportunity presented to you to save your son.

Snarkasaur: I’ve already replayed a few scenes and am nearly shocked at times to see what I missed already, or what choices I could have made. It’s really something. Not sure what else to say about it. You’d almost have to be a fool to think that this game doesn’t change things even a little bit.

Despite knowing the killer and knowing how things can turn out, it all feels real enough that it will be like watching a favorite movie again or reading that crinkled old copy of a favorite book. I think it’s just that good.

Tigresa: There’s not a chance in hell that anyone who plays this won’t feel curious and desperate to know how certain situations play out in alternate ways and the always lingering “could have been” feeling that follows you throughout the game. The game is completely marathonable if you are wondering if it’s a possible rental, by all means, it’s absolutely beatable in a weekend, especially because you will find it hard to tear yourself away at certain points because you will just have to know more and see how far they will push the story, but you definitely won’t regret buying the full game as well if you do. There’s plenty to relive and bonus content to unlock — and the DLC thus far has proven entertaining (if not eerie as all hell, for me at least) with plenty more on the way. It’s a collectible surely worth going down in history for changing the possibilities of changing what a gaming experience “could be.”

There are most definitely much more than a handful of situation situations you will find your moral strings tugging away at you when making some dire life-changing choices. Though you’ll probably never find yourself in the shoes of any of these characters in real life, I think its played most fun if you play through your first playthrough making decisions you might make in real life. Then go wild in any subsequent playthroughs, your ending will feel more satisfying that way and you will be less likely to regret any choices you make along the way.

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Thanks for reading our meeting of the minds in our latest Two Brains at Spawn Kill! We hope you enjoy this review style and look forward to more in the future.

Doin It RIGHT: - Decisions will truly tug on your real life moral strings. - Countless possibilities to how the story can play out leaves the player with “what if” thoughts at every turn. - A video game changing experience that opens up amazing possibilities as to what games could really become or borrow from in to enhance gaming as we know it in the future.	Doin It RONG: - The voice acting ruins a near-seamless experience with some poor French actors attempting to pull off American accents. - Minor scattered plot holes. - Inconsistent visuals at times – Facial expressions are mind-blowing, but everything else isn’t at the peak level of the face depth.
FINAL SCORE: 9 / 10

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Snarkasaur: I enjoy them both, and possibly enjoyed Dante so much simply because it’s so similar to God of War, a series that I happen to have fanboy associations with.

Molotov Cupcake: I do as well. I’ve followed the series since its inception, and I’m always ready to get my hands on anything related to the Almighty Kratos. Unfortunately, as excited as I was for this game’s release, I don’t feel as though it truly lived up to my expectations. While it retains most of what I love about the God of War series, I felt that much of the finesse was sacrificed for some mediocre platforming and shallow branching paths.

Snarkasaur: It certainly had its issues.  I wouldn’t call it as polished certainly, but I think its aesthetic lends the game enough that I was able to overlook its foibles.  But I think it’s also important, despite its similarities, to look at it as its own game!  And in that I think it succeeds, if not as well as games of similar nature.

Molotov Cupcake: I agree — it should be judged on its own merits, but despite mowing through the unbaptized babies, taking down gelatinous gluttony monsters, and terrifyingly oversized bosses, I still was left feeling quite underwhelmed. The satisfaction I get from a hit connecting with a victim in similar games is far beyond what I felt with Dante’s Inferno. Plugging away at the same enemies who come in waves over and over that take far too many hits to die (even on Zealot) ceased to be fun for me and much more of a nuisance. I found myself putting the game away in favor of something that offered a little more payoff from time to time.

Snarkasaur: Odd.  I never had the impression that things weren’t dying for me.  I think maybe that might be due to our differing specialization paths though.  You went Unholy, if I’m not mistaken?

Molotov Cupcake: I actually struck a balance between Holy and Unholy as much as I could, eventually opting for Holy as I vastly preferred the ranged attacks just to keep the hordes of monsters off of me. I much enjoyed attacking from a distance, as I found that the dodging and my play style preference didn’t mesh too well. Maybe I had just gotten spoiled with Bayonetta’s fast-paced and unforgiving battles, so it felt much slower to me, but even in comparison to similar games in that vein, I just began to feel bogged down. Coupled with some truly uninteresting rope swinging and platforming, I was just disenchanted throughout most of the game. But there were parts I genuinely did enjoy, such as the ability to save wretched souls or to damn them. I felt like I was given a real choice about who to become, except for the awful absolving minigame, which felt way too out of place.

Snarkasaur: I went Holy the whole way through and even played on a higher difficulty, and it certainly does seem that the game is easier.  I think the Scythe as a main weapon is probably a flawed concept.  There’s a reason other designers have used it as a secondary one often enough.  Then again, maybe Visceral just didn’t program it quite right. You’re right about the platforming. For the most part it was dreadful, though after a playthrough or two it did become bearable. The absolving minigame was beyond dreadful. As soon as I got the ability to auto absolve, I chose it no contest even with the diminished souls that it returned.

Molotov Cupcake: Perhaps they were looking to inject a little diversity into what is otherwise cookie cutter gameplay made unique only through some of the fantastic boss battles. At least from the very beginning, you’re treated to some truly epic encounters. Obtaining your primary weapon (Death’s scythe) is an adventure in and of itself, and the boss battles were what kept me playing to see what would come up next — the same reason I fervently followed the developer diaries released on Xbox Live. It’s engaging to see what will be tossed at you next and I can definitely appreciate the game for that.

Snarkasaur: Yes I think the draw of the game is definitely the aesthetic, of which the boss battles are part of that.  We’ve seen Hell plenty in games, but never depicted in this uber-Christian sense. Though on that note, I did have some issues with the way they chose to hand us these seven circles of hell.  My main beef with the different levels and even with the boss battles were the continuity between them.  I suppose I wanted less violence and more of the other sins.  I expected to be given decisions about Lust or Greed or Gluttony in these places, instead of just Violence on every one.

Molotov Cupcake: I definitely agree. It did seem as though Violence took center stage. It would have been refreshing to see the other sins depicted as thoroughly as Violence, even if it meant breaking the “mold” of the genre, which I didn’t honestly expect, but each sin should have been treated differently. Since so many creative liberties were taken with the epic anyway, it would have been great to see more freedom given to explore the damned souls and to get better insight into what kind of torture they’re really receiving and gameplay to match each circle’s “personality.”

Snarkasaur: Right, and as far as the story went, I certainly didn’t have any issues there.  I liked their choices for bosses, and despite the minimum interaction, I enjoyed meeting the historical and mythical dudes and duddettes from the original poem.  I did take issue with the romance between Beatrice and Dante, but mainly because I know a little history about the actual Dante and how he loved a woman named Beatrice, but never even had a relationship with her.  I suppose I’d have liked to see him have a different motivation for his quest.

Molotov Cupcake: Romance subplots are simple, though, and something players can relate to. I know I appreciate them. Still, a little variety never hurt anyone. I suppose that’s my main complaint with the game — not enough variety and too much sameness for my tastes. As someone who willingly slogs through value titles and “bad” games, I can’t say I don’t appreciate games despite how similar they are to what I’ve seen in the past, but I do notice and treasure when they do something the same, but on the level of what I’ve seen before or better. I didn’t get that with this game. There were some truly great moments and the marketing (as scattershot as it was) certainly got my hype train rolling. I’m saddened to say that it didn’t strike the chord in me that I thought it would. But that’s definitely not to say it’s a bad game, or even close to one. Perhaps it just wasn’t for me — or I’ve just been spoiled by Kratos and the anticipation of that series’ final chapter.

Snarkasaur: I suppose we’ll have to differ on that point.  I do like video games probably way too much and tend to give them the benefit of the doubt in most cases, but I know when I’m engaged and when I’m just playing it for the sake of playing it.  I enjoyed my jaunt through hell, particularly because its depiction was the best representation, physically, that I think I’ve ever seen of the shadowy realm in a video game or even movie.  Combat and story aside, players have to appreciate the way this game looks.

Molotov Cupcake: I most certainly appreciate its look, and the work that went into lovingly recreating what Alighieri depicted in his masterpiece. Perhaps in the future, I’ll find much more to like, or even through another installment (do they have it in them to tempt fate with a sequel?). I suppose I am giving it the benefit of the doubt, however, in the fact that I will award this game a 7.5, simply because Hell has never looked so good. If this were any other location, I’d not be so kind.

Snarkasaur: A sequel certainly seems possible, though I find it an odd choice given the lack of violent images in purgatory and paradise.  I suppose its feasible Dante will decide that angels and spirits all need a good scything as well.  They’ve taken enough liberties, why not just go crazy!  As for my personal rating, I’m definitely not going to over-value the game, but my 8.5 /10 at least shows that I enjoyed the “hell” out of it.

Molotov Cupcake: And that’s all EA wanted, I’m sure. They’ve had some fun with their puns, now.

Doin It RIGHT: - Fantastic aesthetic that draws you in and keeps you playing. - Branching paths make the game difficult or easier depending on how you play. - Draws similarities from the same type of game, but flourishes with them.	Doin It RONG: -  Can be a bit of a slog through most areas due to their sameness. - Focuses too much on the circle of Violence. - It’s a bit stale in terms of gameplay — looks can only get you so far.
FINAL SCORE: 8 / 10

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The variety of available modes is one of the first standout features of Alpha 3. With the difficulty on the higher settings, the main “arcade” experience can be brutally hard, as it should be in the wishes of any Street Fighter fan. The two-player experience is extremely fun, as players new to the Alpha series can choose different fighting modes, one of which (X-ism) is more aligned with classic Street Fighter 2 balancing. Other fighting styles include A-ism, the Alpha standard, and V-ism, a mode that enhances a player’s ability to chain standard and special moves together for lethal damage.

Alpha 3 also introduced an incredible World Tour mode, enabling players to tour the world (if you will) fighting various characters under various conditions. These tasks may be as simple as defeating an opponent to as complex as defeating three opponents with only super combo moves whilst the player’s character is low on health. Completing these objectives unlock abilities that can be linked to that character, such as automatic blocking, infinite guard, and more. On top of that, characters built up during World Tour mode are playable in other many of the other modes.

The other gameplay modes include training, boss battle, survival, and more. Two-player battles can also accommodate multiple player characters, in both versus and cooperative (ie P1 and P2 vs C1 and C2, or P1 and P1 vs P2 and P2). Two-player back in the days of SSF2:Turbo was the only way to play, but Alpha 3 dramatically increased the available options for single players. These lend towards the game’s long life, as one player can play in various modes ranging from standard arcade style to fighting bosses to survival mode. In a time before online matches, these offerings meant a lot.

As is the case with many other Street Fighter titles, Alpha 3 is finely-balanced. Each character moves and attacks in a fashion that feels tight and cohesive. Ken and Ryu fans were given plenty of love with characters like Akuma, Dan, Sakura, Shin Akuma, and Evil Ryu. Many of the newer characters (and console-exclusive characters) were built with a specific player type in mind (heavy/strong, light/agile, acrobatic, and so on), and their particular tweaks and balances ensured they could still go toe-to-toe with some of the more popular and more agile fighters.

Alpha 3 is also the most impressive visually of Capcom’s strictly 2D Street Fighter offerings. The stages and backgrounds offered a surprising step up from Alpha 2, and not only did the character models themselves become smoother, their motion became noticeably more fluid. The soundtrack also upped the ante so far as sound quality. Though not mind-blowing by any means, many of the fan favorite tunes return in all their rad butt-rock glory.

In essence, Street Fighter Alpha 3 defines fighting games of the Playstation era. It is a smooth balance of speed and strategy. Though the graphics are dated by today’s standards, two-dimensional games tend to age gracefully, and this game is no exception. Street Fighter fans owe it to themselves to own a copy of Alpha 3, if not to check a popular franchise’s history, then to own the best Street Fighter game ever made.

Title: Street Fighter Alpha 3 Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Platform(s): PSX, PS2, PSP, GBA, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Arcade Release Date: May 5, 1999 (PSX)

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The beta begins on March 8th and you’ll be able to test your mettle against other racers around the world — just enough to sate your appetite for the retail release on May 25th. We have ten codes we’re just itching to give away to you lucky readers and entering this little contest is simple. Just tell us how you’d soup up your very own car in Blur. Would you add a ridiculous amount of nitro? How about rockets? Or maybe you’d like to shove on one of those cheeky little license plate frames that proclaim your other car is a Warthog.

Whatever the case, we want to know. Simply comment this post with your entry, and be sure to leave  a VALID e-mail address so that we can send you your code and instructions to redeem it. Note that this contest is open to 360 owners only — sorry, PS3 guys! You’re in our thoughts.

We’ll be picking the ten best entries here to win a code, so show us your moves!

Contest ends Tuesday, March 16th.

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