Monday, September 15, 2014

Writing and Development Assistance Day

Friend,

You've probably seen me blasting twitter all day with hashtags about game development and writing. I want to lead this blog post off by saying that yes, my offer to provide feedback and to answer questions relative to those tags is as simple as it sounds. Just drop a comment here, e-mail me at the_last_penfighter@hotmail.com, find me on skype by looking for the name Hexias, or drop me a line via twitter @MAWeeden.

I am giving myself to the gaming community today in an effort to restore a little goodwill and companionship to a community that has seen a lot of toxicity lately. So if you know anyone who is aspiring to write or develop video games (or books, comics, etc) please give them the contact information I have listed here and tell them that I am eager to help.

I am looking for questions you might have that relate to the development of YOUR games and IPs. Not mine. This day is not for me. The only gain here for me is to fulfill my selfish desire to get to know everyone I possibly can in the industry. Ask away! No question is too small!

My main skills are with content generation, gameplay design, character development, script writing, and story writing. But I might be able to help with other areas as well. Just ask!

I will be doing this until about 6:00pm Central Time (it is currently 11:21). That said, I will not close my inbox to anyone at any time in the future. I will just be ceasing my bombardment of twitter at that time.

See you around! And happy writing!

~Matt

You can also use the submission form to contact me found here (the submit button will send it to my e-mail): http://biosremnant.weebly.com/get-a-hold-of-us.html

Friday, September 12, 2014

List of Upcoming Games I Have to Try

Has anyone else noticed the massive list of games set to release this fall and winter? With the release of Destiny, we've officially started a cycle of releases that seems to guarantee we'll have something to play well into the spring and summer months of next year. This remains true even if some of them are duds!

Here is a quick hit-list of games that you probably shouldn't miss. I will attempt to do this without unnecessarily fueling any hype trains and without adhering to any of my usual biases. In this day and age I believe it is important for gamers such as myself to try and look at a game release objectively. With that in mind, here is my list in chronological order! (Be sure to bookmark so that you can keep track as well! Also, comment with any games you think I need to add to my list. Lastly, this information is up-to-date as of the publishing of this article. I will post notes or comments if I update it any further)

First up is Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor set to release September 30. This "nemesis" system they keep showing off has me intrigued. I've seen enough gameplay videos to see that this game will most likely play and feel like a fusion of Rocksteady's Arkham games and the Assassin's Creed franchise. Whether or not this is a good thing is up for debate but the system of creating, dispatching, and dominating your enemies based on how you - the gamer - wish to do so is tantalizing. Here's to hoping that the open-world aspects have plenty to offer as well or this might end up just being a quick novelty instead of a sturdy addition to my library.


Alien: Isolation, releasing on October 7, has me guessing at this point in regards to what the actual gameplay will be come launch, but as a massive fan of Ridley Scott's Alien I can't help myself but be a little biased. That said, at this point this game doesn't have a high spot on my list of priorities. I simply don't know enough about the style of play right now to make an informed decision about purchasing this game. Information might be out there, however, so I'll do some digging this weekend and see if I can't learn anything new.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel releases on October 14 and might be one of the safest bets of the month. After watching the videos they've released and reading what is coming out of Gearbox, it seems evident that this is another Borderlands game. Some might say "just another Borderlands game" but I'd respond by saying, so what? Some of the most fun I've had on my Xbox 360 was spent on Pandora. This game looks like it adds a few new twists to a formula that has proven to be successful. I'm not saying it can't fail, but if you liked the other Borderlands games then you probably shouldn't miss this one either.

The next game on my list is Civilization: Beyond Earth which releases for the PC on October 24. Some are calling this the "next Alpha Centauri" but I'm not willing to heap a pile of baseless hype onto that topic. It does appear to be 'Civilization on new planets out in space' but I haven't seen anything that shows the same level of tech and unit customization as I saw with Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. Another item that made that the original so good was the personality of each nation. It is difficult to say if Civilization: BE will showcase leaders as personal and different as the likes of Daedra Skye and Colonel Santiago. More importantly, it is no secret that some recent Civ titles have had their share of bugs or mistakes on release. Perhaps it would be best to see what happens a few days after launch before purchasing this title. (Still, it is Civ so I will eventually own this game. Even if I end up waiting for the expansion to fix any bugs.)

Some of you are going to roll your eyes about some of the games on this list.  Heck, even as I write the title Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (November 4) I can almost hear those eyes rolling about. I invite you, Doubting Gamer, to at least give this one a chance before you dismiss it out of hand.  Especially if you are judging it because you don't like Activision or you don't like previous entries in the series. Being honest, I haven't enjoyed a Call of Duty game since World at War. Objectively however there is enough here for me to be interested in at least giving it the good ol' college try. It remains to be seen if Sledgehammer will finally provide us with a proper campaign to play through, but the multiplayer reveals that they've done this year are enough to at least plant the notion in my skull that I shouldn't pass this game by like I did Black Ops II.


The next game shares a release date with another title in the same franchise. Bonkers, right? Assassin's Creed Unity comes out November 11 and is at the top of my list. I share a lot of concern with other gamers that the AC franchise has grown a bit stale in regards to gameplay and difficulty. That concern has been obliterated by the mentality of this title's developers and the risks they've taken to give us a story and associated game-play that they truly believe in. I also like the idea of them going back to some of the fundamentals of the first game including a return to assassinations being the focus of the game. I believe in what Alex Pedneault and the rest of the dev team are doing with this game enough to do even pre-order the collector's edition. Some would say that the joke is on me if the game sucks and they might be right. However, forming opinions takes research and thought. I've done both and refuse to be swayed by those who don't want anything to do with this title because they disliked other entries in the franchise.


Assassin's Creed: Rogue also releases on the 11th but I am not as excited about this one yet. Mostly because I am not convinced it clearly separates itself from the boring, all-too-easy combat and horrid stalking missions of previous entries. The notion of playing as a Templar has my curiosity piqued enough to want to give this game a fair chance. 



Halo: Master Chief Collection comes to the Xbox One on November 11 as well. What a busy week this one will be for my console! Anyway there isn't much time I need to spend on this one. I am a massive fan of Halo so it makes sense that I'd want to play all four core games with updated graphics and framerates (I'm still playing them on my 360). The multiplayer has me excited as does the access to the Halo 5 Multiplayer Beta  (set to release on December 29) and the Ridley Scott produced Halo: Nightfall series that comes with the collection. The only thing I want more than this collection is Halo 5 itself. 


Dragon Age: Inquisition will come out seven days later on November 18 and will find its way to my game shelf soon thereafter simply because it is a fantasy RPG. Sounds pretty biased and I'll admit that I definitely am subjective when it comes to dealing with this genre.  I did not care for DA: II that much but the first one left me wanting more. Hopefully this one is a good RPG adventure more along the lines of what I'm used to getting from other franchises boasting the name BioWare. Its new engine and open theme leave me with hope that I'm not too far off the mark in adding this to my list.






The last one on my list for now is FarCry 4, which also releases on the 18th. I had a great deal of fun playing FarCry 3 and I hope I'm not let down by the next installment in th3 franchise. The new setting looks to be even better and the open-world design and gameplay I came to enjoy from the last FarCry game seems to be in full swing. I have seen some gameplay videos that left me feeling that there isn't as much innovation as some might be wanting from a next-gen title. However just as with Borderlands, more of the same is more than enough for me with certain franchises. I didn't tire of the last one in the series until I'd found every last nook and cranny there was to explore. I believe the next one will hold me in a similar grip.





And that about does it for my list. I do want to point out that for the time being, I am almost exclusively playing games on my Xbox One & 360. Aside from Civilization, there isn't much I intend to get and put on my laptop. You will also note the absence of any indie games. The honest reason here is that I have had enough bad experiences getting excited about an indie game only to realize it wasn't what I was expecting. I have become a bit more cautious about these over the last couple of years. I'll definitely write up a piece about the indies that look good in the coming days.

If you are excited about a game, please let me know below!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

It has been since May, but I'm finally getting around to adding a new post. To say life has been busy would be an understatement. My wife, Angie, has been spending a lot of time away from home as she starts up a promising career with Banker's Life out of Saint Louis. The result has been some stress and tension around the home but nothing to really complain about. This is good for her and for us as a family.

Complaints instead are directed at the laptop of mine which suddenly and inexplicably ceased all function and perished before its time. Lousy good for nothing piece of ju--

Anyway, life goes on and with a new computer comes new opportunity. The start-up video game developer Bio's Remnant Gaming that I've done some work for throughout the year has an exciting venture in the makings and I've been lucky to have a chance to participate. We've finally got a website put together that more or less details who we are as a company and why we exist as well as some glimpses at one of our feature projects.

http://biosremnant.weebly.com/

The site is basically an "alpha" version that will be steadily upgraded and polished up as time goes on so check back often!

It is with great pleasure that I announce the game Dark Link as the main project for us over at Bio's Remnant. I've worked on the story concepts and characters for this game for some time now and couldn't be happier to see the copyright taken care of and the game officially in the works.

I will probably post osme nuggets and tidbits in my personal blog here at blogspot but expect to find more depth and more material at the Developers' Blog over at the official site.

Give me a follow for more game reviews, updates on the games I'm making, and what is going on with the fam. See you around!

~Matt

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Platformer fun! (Dust: an Elysian Tail & Deadlight)

During my little hiatus from my blog here, I downloaded two free games on my Xbox 360. Before I get into them, however, let me point out how awesome that is. Steam and Sony have been doing it for a while but I am more pleased to see Microsoft on that bandwagon considering I own a 360 and an Xbox One. This means that I could potentially have four free games every month!

Excited doesn't quite cover it.

Anyway, this post concerns the two games I've recently been playing thanks to this "More with Gold" offer that Microsoft has going. They are Deadlight by Tequila Works and Dust: an Elysian Tail created almost solely by Dean Dodrill. Both are 2D platformers but otherwise couldn't be more different. Aside from the fact that they are both fun and both several years old. (These reviews of mine are out of date, but I get the feeling that like me, many of you might have missed these gems as well)

Let's begin with Deadlight. This 2D survival platformer is set in a post-apocalyptic Seattle. Shadows (read: zombies) run amok in this grizzly setting and constantly chase after you as you jump, leap, grab, and puzzle your way from one dazzling level to the next.  Tequila Works definitely went the realistic route with their artwork which makes clambering over damaged vehicles, through eerily empty houses, or crumbling buildings all the more exciting.



The story suits the setting and is not one for the kiddos. Art stills with limited animation serve as the primary method of filling in the gaps between levels and they range from the brutal to the downright depressing. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead or post-apocalyptic zombie tales in general then you will not be disappointed. This game tends to focus not just on telling a gruesome story but in detailing how someone might survive under these conditions. I found the level of detail to be slightly wanting overall but far more than I would have expected from a 2D platformer.


But is it fun? A capital YES is there. Admittedly, it did take me a little time to become accustomed to the controls but once I did, I was jumping across rooftops, shooting the heads off of Shadows, and smashing through doors like a pro. I did find myself occasionally frustrated when trying to stand underneath a ledge or object and jumping up to grab it. It seems you have to be standing in the exact right spot or you might end up leaping from your position of safety or even further out of position. Those moments were scarce however and I found the entire experience to be enjoyable on the 360's controller.



Do not expect the puzzles themselves to be all that difficult. That said, there are definitely some moments that take quite a bit of trial an error. I died quite a few times in areas where you have to execute a string of maneuvers in order to effectively dodge the shadows, escape an environmental condition, and move on to the next area all at once. Thankfully this game comes with an excellent auto-save system that seems to know where the difficult moments will be. I rarely lost any significant gameplay due to a poorly timed jump or getting overwhelmed by Shadows.

Overall, this is a solid game. Its shooter elements are fun once you become accustomed to the control scheme but its strength is in the sometimes frantic platforming elements that can be tricky but rewarding to complete. If you missed this game, the time to rectify that mistake is now. You won't be disappointed.

Dust: an Elysian Tail is an entirely different can of beans.


The biggest similarity between these two games is that there is more to them than meets the eye. You would expect either to be a fun but relatively straightforward experience. This is not the case. Particularly with Dust. This game has RPG elements including a leveling system, extensive (for the genre, anyway) conversation options with certain NPC's, and long, full levels that require multiple trips to experience everything they have to offer. Couple that depth with an easy to pickup and incredibly fun and remarkably responsive combat system and you can be certain that you'll have plenty of hours of fun with this title. Also, it is beautiful.


The story is solid and definitely more than I expected. A lot more. There are moments of levity between Dust and his little flying companion but they are smothered by the deep story concepts of the central lot that deal with identity, death, war, and societal concerns. It is difficult for me to believe that aside from the music and a trace element here or there, this game was designed and created by one man. There is just so much to it and the combat really is as fun as I'm trying to explain.


You build up combos by hitting enemies - which happens incredibly fast if you use the whirling special attacks in unison with your companion's magic - and lose the combo bonus if you get hit by enemies. It sounds simple and plays simple but that in no way takes away from the fun. In fact, even as a gamer who plays more the story than the gameplay usually, I found the high-flying combat to be a welcome contrast to the at times pensive dialog and deep plot elements.



As a platformer, it is pretty straightforward. You have to jump just right from one spot to the next or hop down from one ledge to another but there is nothing special here. Really, the environment is best served as a tool to use in combat to help you gather up your foes and achieve higher combos to increase your XP and gold rewards.

Again, if you missed this one like you might have missed Dead Light then stop reading my blog and go play it. By no means will it be the best game you've ever played but you should find it a satisfying and even rewarding experience.

With that, I have more games to play and I'm sure you do as well. Still, if you find the time, please subscribe to my blog here for industry updates, game reviews, and posts about Bio's Remnant Gaming as we finally start to get our games out there. You can also find me at twitter @MAWeeden and can drop me a line at the_last_penfighter@hotmail.com

~Matt

Far Too Long

Friends,

Apologies for the lengthy hiatus from posting here. I have received quite a few emails inquiring about the status of my blog and whether or not it is dead. I can confidently report that this blog is still, in fact, very alive.

My lack of posting here is not an isolated occurrence. I am not really posting anywhere! Work with Bio's Remnant Gaming has been keeping me incredibly busy and much of what I am doing with them is done behind closed doors for now. I am certain that when some of the projects we have been developing finally see some light you will here plenty about what I've been up to.

In the mean time, I will be following up this remarkably brief blog post with commentary on the gaming industry as well as indie game development. Heck, I might even toss in a review or two!

Check back often!

~Matt