Gone 2 Europe 4 two months!

"Gone gone, forever on-
wards toward the flashing lights and sounds
of another realm"

See you in a few months!

Dear Reader, (there is only 1 of you right?)

I have finished Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, much to my chagrin it was cute and mildly humorous till the very end, but the story was complete and almost all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. I'm not too sure what I was supposed to do with the girl pirate, and I never found the mermaid. So even without those tidbits or add-ons I still give this game a 5 out of 5, particularly because it was on the DS. I've never enjoyed an RPG / Action game so much on a handheld.

Now I've moved on to Final Fantasy III, which has filled that emptyness inside that appears when you finish a good game. Having never played FF III before it is a real treat. I believe this is the first FF game where they introduced job classes, which are annoying when you switch back and forth, but add enough interesting aspects to the game that they become enjoyable. I'll have to wait until I return to give a full review.

However, dear reader, I do want to leave you with something to tide you over. Here are a list of my favorite webcomics, the majority of which are gaming related, and most of which are excellent wastes of time. Read them all from the beginning of the archives, you will enjoy them much more that way.

Hookie Dookie Panic
CTRL-ALT-Delete
Goblins
8bit Theatre
Penny Arcade
PVP Online
The Adventures of Dr McNinja
The n00b
Three Panel Soul - (from the creators of Machall)
Girl Genius
Looking For Group

Enjoy! and feel free to leave your comments :)

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass DS ... Plus More!

So many things to say, so little time. This post will be a brief overview of some of the key features of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass DS. I won't go into too much detail because so many others have covered the bases. What I will say is that as far as DS games go, the hype was well deserved for this little title. It's taken me about 20+ hours to poke through about 85% of the game, and everything that keeps the game cute and interesting is still prevalent.

Issues - the saving "anywhere" feature is deceptive, and though I'm sure it was an engineering limitation that prevents players from saving in the middle of a castle / dungeon, it would have been really nice to see. Instead, whenever you save, if you were in a castle, you keep any doors or switches that you've hit open, but you start back at the beginning of the castle again.

As for the gameplay and the cuteness (plus most of the original reliable weapons / tools) everything works well. As many other reviews have pointed out it's the stylus that makes this nugget of triforce goodness fall into the "legendary" category. Taking the ability to draw paths and making it integral to the game really expanded the puzzles and style of play that a portable Zelda game can offer.

Anyway, no more babbling. Go buy it, it's good, you won't be dissappointed, I'm not going to use any more commas ... I swear ...

As for the other stuff! Well, I've finished a few additional games and decided I'm going to start tracking them over there---------------------------------------------->
Each has a relative rating, but if you want details or to form your own opinion (which I highly recommend), take a look at any posts on said game, or click the title to get to the official site (that's what's usually linked there).

That's all for now, and may the triforce be with you ... (nerd thought .. I wonder if the triforce is like a focus for "The Force", Link woulda kicked Luke's ass anyway ...)

-JW

The Witcher ... now loading

Now is the time to take up your sword, to recall the holy grail of clickdom and to renew your vows as a knight of the RPG realm, now is not the time to be sitting and waiting for a load screen, which is exactly what I've spent a good 25% of my time doing while trying to enjoy the glorious world of The Witcher. It could be the install / setup I'm running, but my skepticism leans toward a common culprit; lazy programming. No pre-loading zones in the background, no free roaming cities, no flow.

What's really amazing though, is that despite this issue which could frustrate many players into seeking an alternate source of on demand entertainment, I am still playing.

I am just breaking out of the novice ranks, with my sword in hand I have successfully overcome the Beast of Vizima's outskirts and have defeated the evil leaders of the village. I met a charming girl named Vesna Hood (if you don't get the hilarity here, go back and try and find her at night in the village). I rescued a young boy with the powers of a seer. I helped a witch avoid being torn apart by a mob. Generally, amidst some drinking and monster slaying I had a pretty good time. Now I'm off to save the city from corruption and degradation.

I just hope I don't have to fight this guy any time soon... yikes!

Wish me luck!, oh and I'd still love some hints if you have any.

Which Witcher is Which?

Ahhh yes, it's like getting into a warm bath that soothes every aching gaming thought I've had while weathering through the last few months of gaming. This game has been given RPG of the year for 2007 with good reason.

The Witcher (Click here to visit the official website and possibly download a demo). Is a sweet return the days of Baldur's Gate and Diablo. I won't get into iteration wars here, suffice to say if you enjoyed one of those games your probably played all the sequels. That's the way it should be for the The Witcher.

To give you a taste of the story, which comes from a number of tales written by polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, the game gives you a well narrated action packed CG intro movie, in which you will probably come to appreciate the character Geralt, whom you play. You are then thrust into a future where you have no memory of who you are and get to avenge your past and carve out a new name for yourself in a dark and hostile land.

I'm only a few levels into the game so far, but there is more than enough depth to keep me interested, the plot so far has given me a taste of good things to come, and the adult aspects of this RPG lead me to believe we can only expect true to life characters throughout this tale's twists and turns.

I will keep this blog posted with updates on my progress, and all you veterans out there feel free to throw me a bone with helpful suggestions.

Here's to a beautiful dawn in the RPG gaming era.

What the Hellgate?

What the hell just happened?

I think I just finished Hellgate: London last night. I put emphasis on the "think" part because I'm really not sure. You see, like most people I was intrigued and drawn in by this gorgeous intro movie, but I think it was a sham, they sold me snake oil and took DAYS of my life away.

***Warning: Spoilers Below***
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So as you can see in the video above, there is a well laid path for an intricate and deep plot. A young daughter gets saved because she has a destiny. But in reality, that destiny doesn't turn out to be all that interesting. You get a small hint late in the game that the little girl's father (who you will see in a full intro movie from the game) sacrificed himself so that humanity's survivors could go into hiding, but this is where things start to unravel.

You see, to make the plot a little more unnatural and epic they included these "Truths". They give all these speeches about the virtues that will save humanity, that will allow you to fight the demons, to attack the Hellgate itself. But they are incredibly overdone and the "glamour" fades long before the end of the game. Even the final speech about "hope" seems more of a cop-out on the game's part than anything else, like saying "oops, well we can't build up to a really terrific ending (especially since that might stop us from making tons of sequels), so .. we'll just have to send you to battle in Hell ..."

Then on top of that .. well .. here watch this movie of the end of the game.

Now, have you seen everything? That's you, battling in hell, ouu scary! :p See I know this falls into myth and religion, and that Hell is supposed to be the ultimate "bad place", but really can't you get a little more creative? I mean your dealing with "the dark" which has supposedly destroyed thousands of worlds, why can't you be taken through what you've called a "Hellgate" (accept the fact that it's just some religious archetype that your culture or history provided) and end up on a more interesting wasteland of a world were the demons .. or "the dark" began, or are at least based out of.

On TOP of the poorly pieced together ending, the game isn't really over .. AT ALL .. in any sense of the world "over". They want you to keep playing on and on, until the expansion comes out .. then you can play some more. All the buildup leads you to a battle that you obviously cannot win, and Earth is still stricken with the plague of demons. I mean, there's really nothing good about this ending at all. You kill one big baddy, you lose your sorcerer, if you hang out in the hellgate entrance long enough you'll see that all the templars DIE, and the Hellgate is still there, just hanging out .. letting demons pour through it. They even put effort into developing the pseudo-science/magic of this universe and they don't even apply it to the hellgate (something which must be maintained, or powered, and can be taken down or turned off).

Anyway, I think the moral of the story is that my original fear is partly well founded. Gaming companies are being run as successful businesses, but the business has been inbred into the games. It's all about only putting in enough effort to sell the game, not develop something awesome. Even games like Gears of War ended this way. They only include enough cutscenes and content to keep you playing until the next add-on comes out for sale. I'd love to see how much they spend on advertising and how much is actually spent on the game. On top of this the online was very buggy on its initial release, which was supposed to be a huge part of the game.

For those interested, here's a movie of what looks to be the expansion. Here's hoping it's a little more content oriented.

Mmmmm PORTALicious

I recently read an interview on WIRED.com with one of the original bloggers. This guy looks like he's seen a lot, and done a lot, and missed his barber appointments for the last 10 years, but he made some vital points.

1. Blogging isn't about re-hashing some topic you're interested in, it's about searching for articles that already exist online about said topic, and linking to them.

2. Original BLOGS were just logs were people tracked URLs.

Now these points aren't an attempt at shooting myself and many other bloggers in the feet. I believe part of blogging is sharing an opinion or perspective, that someone else might not have seen before, and hoping that someone finds it funny, or interesting, or enlightening.

The problem with blogging about video games is that there are A LOT of people that do it already, and for the most part you can do a random google search and find out whether or not a video game is worth buying or playing etc. So why read? Well I guess here, and in many other blogs (but not all of them) I will try to stick to the habit of actually posting worthwhile links. That old somewhat scary looking guy had a point, or 10 ...

Useful Portal Links:

Fileplanet Free Maps - These are a fun, but hard, way to fill that empty hole Portal leaves in a wall somewhere (and in your heart) when you finish the game.

Portal Maps Fansite - There are a lot of maps here, and though they seem poorly organized, I'm sure there are some winners.

VG Cats Flash Portal Video - This one is only for when you've finished the game, it will make you laugh and reminisce and want to play it all over again ... maybe for some cake?


So, in case you haven't seen any other sites about Portal, played the game, or heard that the hype is reality, turn off your computer and go to the nearest shrine of video game provisions. Go buy this game, you'll get 4 other games with it in the Orange Box and you too can have cake .. maybe.

New Year, New Fear

To all the ladies out there who used to think of Heath Ledger as a heart-throb I have nothing to say except,

"...what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger." - Joker (Dark Knight 2008)

To all the guys. If you haven't seen this yet, please indulge yourself. It's decadent like a velvet chocolate cake with scary little leprechaun hallucinogens baked in.

Now if they can keep this new birth of the Batman series alive with as much grit and Gothic texture I'd love to see what they continue to do with Lazarus, The Riddler ... and all the other worthwhile villains of Gotham.

And now for something Completely Different!

Actually I lied. I justed wanted to quote Monty Python. This is another fear, relating back to a previous post about the BEASTLY nature of Hellgate: London. I'm sure given the thorough discipline of any high school computer geek you could zip through this game in a few all nighters, but it's taking a hell of a lot longer to get through it casually. I'm lvl 21, and I've beaten a number of big baddies, got some neat gear, and enjoyed it all so far, but I've yet to see another cut scene!

I fear that my most favorite form of video game reward has gone the way of genital piercing, companies only do it once and then lose the balls to do it again. Is it really that painful? (making cut scenes .. not piercing your nibbly bits) Sure it takes time, but you can often use it to market the game, and then the full version of these videos live on inside and out of the game as a vivid memory of awesome moments, forever immortalized in online music videos. I mean, if you've played Diablo do you think it would have been the same without the great story and well placed CG movies to drag you into hell? I really hope this fear is unfounded and I get rewarded with more videos as I finish the games I've enjoyed so far this year.

Back to the grindstone, lvl 25 hear I come!

Hellgate London is predictably a BEAST

Ok this is just a short post to warn any of you addicts out there craving a fix. Hellgate London is a ride that only the experienced gamer should be taking. Do not take this warning lightly. It will test the limits of your system, especially if you don't have a brand spankin new graphics card that supports Active X 10. On top of that they have really gone for a recreation of the Diablo and Diablo 2 realms so that they can keep you collecting, upgrading and crafting for ALL ETERNITY!

On the plus side I have a really cool rocket launcher and I'm only level 10 :)

But seriously folks, don't plug in unless your ready to face the time stealing, hot poker eyes from your girlfriend, parents wondering what happened to you for the last few months, unshakable "I need a fix" feeling that emanates from the Hellgate.

I am the incarnation of Aunt Flow

Once a month isn't that bad for a blog, .. or is it? I guess if it's something you dread, that changes your life irrevocably (like dear old Aunt Flow) then once a month might be considered too often.

Regardless we're here with a couple little tidbits for you dear reader.

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BIOSHOCK

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Recently I had the pleasure of playing this years premier first person shooter. I hesitate to call it just a first person shooter because it contained so much more than that. A lot of players and writers agree that the simple dedication illustrated in the art, style and story of Bioshock have made it a next_gen game.

From the moment the curtains open on a mysterious flight and a convoluted main character you are teased and coaxed into a world that is definitely not your own, or is it? Memories, or ghost sightings, friends or enemies, little children or horrible monsters? You are left to decide what is real and what is malleable. You can choose some of the outcome of the game, and even though it's a small choice the moral weight it carries lifts this game into a realm of great interactive storytelling.

Now as difficult as it is to put aside the fantastic plot, with its twists and seeming dead ends, to do justice we must look at the mechanics of the game as well. I don't want this to turn into some formal process, but the choice of weapons (which go back to the surreal 40's 50's style armaments) are key. Having the ability to upgrade these weapons for different effects, and also use different kinds of ammunition, adds so much to the game mechanics. On top of that, you have your Plasmids, which are tied very closely to the storyline. They may appear to be just another form of magic, but the science fiction that draws you into the story proves that ADAM is more than myth and magic. If that doesn't make sense to you, then take my explanation as just another attempt to make you go out and buy BIOSHOCK. You won't be disappointed.

2kGames Bioshock Website

We're BAAACK!

The future is an uncertain thing. It's like a liquid soup of destiny that can slip through your grasp as you reach for your goals, desires and dreams. However if you learn to cup your hands together you can dip into your future and drink deeply.

Here at Working Title, or www.3dgamer.blogspot.com we cup our hands together and bow our heads as a sign of respect and apology.

We had a small community of enthusiastic writers that wanted to create something fun, something worthwhile, something all about video games. But we reached out too far, we dug too deep and our attempt at a new and interesting source of gamer news failed.

So now I am probably the soul surviving writer that will continue on here.

I'd like to establish this as a PC gaming blog, but I know I will touch on more than that .. like awesome webcomics, other systems and all the delicious paraphernalia that feeds the typical geek's addictions.

Like Nintendo's "Blue Ocean" strategy that won them so much acclaim for the Wii, we'll cover a lot that's out there and maybe some stuff that's not, appealing to a market that's huge, because it doesn't exist ... yet.

For now I'll thank anyone that takes the time to, come and glance at old posts, and comment on new things that peak their interest. Hopefully you'll see some content that will make you want to return.

We have moved to B4NG.com

Dear visitors,

This blog has now been transfered to its own domain at B4NG.com, please go to http://www.b4ng.com for future updates and fresh content.

Thank You,

Working Title Staff

Gran Turismo HD Concept - Launch date and details

GT HD will be available as a free download for the PS3 system and will be made available on December 24th. It's essentially just GT4 with totally revamped graphics for the PS3 console, aka, 1080p visuals. Interestingly enough, it will be available for the North American market, unlike the original GT Concept titles from years back which were only available in Europe and Japan.

According to Sony and Kazunori Yamauchi, this title is intended to be a glimpse into the future of the Gran Turismo series.

Players will have access to the Eiger Nordwand course in forward and reverse which will be playable as a time trial. Meeting certain goals will unlock the first 10 cars of the game and players will get to unlock them again with some performance tuning. The game will also include the drift mode that was initially planned for Gran Turismo 4 but nixed on the final release. Drift Trial mode will score players based on drift angles, racing lines, and speed for each of the evaluation zones on the course. The point total for all the zones will go towards the player's rankings.

Players will be able to use the Playstation Network to upload lap times and view rankings based on car and mode as well as share replays. Sadly, online play will not be available on this title.

Sony has also provided a list of the available cars in game. These will be available stock and tuned.

• 1995 Suzuki Cappucino
• 1989 Mazda Eunos Roadster
• 2004 Honda Integra TYPE R
• 1996 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR
• 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe
• 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR
• 2005 Lotus Elise 111R
• 1994 Nissan SKYLINE GT-R Vspec II
• 1995 Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car
• 2006 Ferrari 599

Sadly, it seems that GT HD Concept is going to be nothing more than a tech demo showing off the visual prowess of the PS3 console. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot on the plate here, and this is probably just meant to hold off the crowds until GT5 is officially released. No word yet on the release of GT5, but considering the delays to GT4, I'd expect it to launch no sooner than the end of 2007 - if even that soon. Kaz is a perfectionist when it comes to the GT titles, and if GT4 is any indication, he will delay it as much as possible in order to release the best racing sim he can.

Besides that, I'm not particularly looking forward to GT HD Concept as it just doesn't have much to offer in terms of gameplay and replay value. I'm sure the lucky few hardcore GT fans that actually have a PS3 will be excited, but for everyone else... you probably won't be missing a whole lot. I'd say stick with your PS2, some component cables, and play GT4 in 1080i.

Since I am sitting here talking about Gran Turismo, I may as well forward you on to GTPlanet.net - the largest online community dedicated to the Gran Turismo franchise.

Microsoft Extends 360 Warranty

Merry Christmas, Xbox 360 gamers.

Effective immediately, Microsoft has extended the Xbox 360's inadequate 90-day warranty to a full-year for units purchased in the US and Canada. If you experience hardware issues (it happens) within the first year of ownership, you can have it repaired at no cost.

This warranty will also apply to those who have already purchased a 360 and are within the first year of the warranty period; good to know because I bought my 360 two weeks ago. What's more, this policy is retroactive--if you've paid Microsoft for repairs within the warranty period, you will be eligible for reimbursement of the repair charges. Customers who have paid for repairs within the first year can expect reimbursement cheques for the amount of their console repair in approximately 10 weeks.

Contest: Xbox Live Multiplayer Mayhem Month

Want to win free stuff? Maybe some Microsoft points or some Xbox 360 accessories? How about an HD TV and an Xbox 360 HD-DVD player or even a trip to Ubisoft Montreal to see how its all done? Most likely in an effort to take over the gaming world or destroy sales for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3, Xbox Canada is launching Multiplayer Mayhem Month starting Dec 26th. Every day for a month 10 Xbox Live Gold members will win prizes just for playing multiplayer games online. Since every Xbox 360 Premium package sold in Canada around this time is a holiday bundle, it comes with Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged which offers 1 free month on Xbox Live with a gold membership. Microsoft might be hoping that the contest will encourage gamers to sign-on with that free membership and give their Xbox Live service a try, as if the sale increases from Gears of War hasn't already been enough. But who can blame them for trying, we Canadians love free stuff!

There is a catch it, based on the contest website only Canadian gamers are being targeted. Also, it seems that specific games have been selected that you SHOULD be playing if you want to win, and Gears of War is not one of them. This is a smart move by Microsoft as it will encourage players to play some of the other titles online however people who bought the holiday bundle in Canada won't be able to participate heavily as most of the games listed are not sold with the bundle. So either rent them or buy them if you want to increase your chances of winning.

Good Luck!

Additional Kingdom Hearts titles on the way!

Why stop a good thing? Especially when it's making you lots of money? Tetsuya Nomura has announced that there are multiple titles in the works related to the Kingdom Hearts franchise for 2007. The game which is a combination of Square Enix and Disney characters has been a huge success for both companies. A sequel to Kingdom Hearts 2 hasn't been explicitly announced yet, leaving the opportunity for other types of media. Portable game? Comic? Movie? Card Game? Collectible Plates? The possibilities are endless.

Wii Opera Browser (Beta), available Dec 22

Nintendo announced that on Dec 22, the Opera Web Browser (beta version) will be available for download for free from the Wii Shop channel. Once downloaded, it will activate the Internet channel and allow users to surf the web from the Wii.

The final version of the Opera browser will be available at the end of March 2007, and will be free for all Wii owners to download through the end of June 2007. After June, users who haven’t already downloaded the Opera browser can go to the Wii Shop Channel to download it for 500 Wii Points.

The beta version is a flash-enabled browser that will allow users to use the Wii-mote to click links for navigation. An on-screen keyboard will be provided to help users fetch web pages. Users will also be able to zoom-in/zoom-out of content.

Also today, the Forecast channel goes live delivering current and future weather information.

Halo 3 ViDoc on Brutes now on Live Marketplace

The Halo 3 video documentary Bungie promised us this week arrived on Xbox Live Marketplace at 2am PST running approximately 7 minutes in length. The video showcased work-in-progress and the basic production process behind the Brutes in Halo 3. From this video it is obvious that the Brutes will play a strong, aggressive, and more realistic role in the third installment. The video basically goes over the concept artist discovering an appropriate look for the Brutes and the animators working towards movements that portray appropriate Brute behavior. At the moment the video is only available on the Xbox Live Marketplace but Bungie claims that a non-marketplace version will be coming shortly so hold onto you pants.

Update: The documentary can be viewed online here.

Linerider is sliding from your browser to your Wii and DS!

If you don't know what Line Rider is by now, you need to stay in more. Here's what you need to do to catch up on the Line Rider phenomenon. The uninitiated can head over to DeviantArt and play the original. You can also check out the brand spanking new update if you want. Then go to YouTube and watch a few of the thousands of Line Rider tracks that people have created. Then cry yourself to sleep know that your track will never involve Gandalf screaming "YOU SHALL NOT PASS".

Anyways, on to the current news. inXile has announced that they have acquired the rights to Line Rider, and that it will be appearing on the Nintendo DS and Wii in the future. The titles will retain the core features of the game, and add more to it. Making tracks on the DS using the touch screen seems very interesting, and more intuitive than the mouse. Waving the Wiimote around to make tracks just comes off as odd though.

One puzzling thing is that the game will be coming out in September of 2007. If one guy can code it in Flash by himself for a project, how hard can it be for a team of programmers?

Halo 3 Campaign footage this week

The recent weekly update on Bungie.net indicates that there is yet another treat for Halo 3 fans coming this season. Sometime this week, no actual date mentioned, there will be documentary footage on Halo 3's campaign mode released on Xbox Live on 720p resolution. The video will also be released online so non-Xbox users will not be singled out. Frankie, who made the update also confirmed a rumor surfacing around that Brutes will be playable in Halo 3, this rumor has been confirmed as false. Sigh...

[Source: Bungie via Joystiq]

NSFW: Zelda TV series + South Park = Madness

I'm sure most of you have at least heard of the old Zelda animated series. Well, it was chock full of amusing sexual innuendo. So much so that RobotBling over at GameTrailers.com did a little mashup of the cartoons with some unique South-Park-esque animations.

The video is NOT work safe. You have been warned.