Game Narrative

The presence of narrative in video games has traditionally been considered an afterthought, more often than not just a reason to justify playing as a space marine fighting hell demons on mars, or a chivalrous knight battling dragons in medieval times. With the added challenge of presenting an engaging story, while simultaneously not dragging down the actual gameplay, developers often choose to forgo heavy narrative in favor of convenient allegory. But over the current console generation, story in gaming has taken a major step forward.

Games have become more complex in their ability to convey plot to an audience, often foregoing simple exposition for a more indirect approach. Valve Corporation’s, Portal builds its story through the schizophrenic ravings of a maniacal robot named GLaDOS, as the mute protagonist makes her way through a series of lab rat-style puzzles. Along the way, you find the paranoid scribblings of an unknown character in small alcoves, which hint at the facility’s sinister reality hidden behind its sterile white walls. You never get a clear picture of who you are or how you wound up there in the first place, with the only clues coming through the aforementioned alcoves and an escape through the bowels of the facility in the final chapter.

One of Portal's mysterious Rat Rooms.

While some developers prefer to take an unconventional approach to storytelling, others strive to replicate a more traditional cinematic experience. Bioware has a long tradition of well-written, narrative-focused games, dating back to Baldur’s Gate in 1998. Their Mass Effect trilogy, the third of which releases later this year, is a space drama in the same vain as Star Wars or Battlestar Galactica. The games build a vast universe (literally) with a plausible fiction and complex racial and political undertones. Mass Effect 2, in particular, features some of the finest characters in gaming, such as Mordin Solus, a fast-talking alien scientist who, if you are chummy enough, will perform his own version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Major-General’s Song,” and lecture you on the merits of safe sex (not at the same time, of course).

The Uncharted series by Naughty Dog, whose third release will also be available later this year, takes a page from comedic action-adventures like Indiana Jones and Firefly. The games are best known for their snarky protagonist, Nathan Drake, who channels his inner Malcolm Reynolds with sarcastic dialogue and dark humor in the face of treacherous gun battles and exotic locales.

Nathan Drake (left) and Firefly's Malcolm Reynolds (right) played by Nathan Fillion.

Each of these games illustrates how far developers have come since the days when a small yellow puck being chased by four ghosts was the pinnacle of gaming narrative. And the various methods each game uses to convey its story show just how difficult it is to deliver an immersive fiction while still keeping fun gameplay at the heart of the experience.

Mortal Kombat 9 Review

          This past decade has not been kind to the Mortal Kombat series. With additions like a cartoony, Mario Kart-style racing mode, a slow-as-molasses chess mode and DC superheroes performing “heroic brutalities,” America’s bloodiest and oft-criticized fighting game has seen its reputation take a nose dive. So with a return to the series’ roots of solid 2D fighting mechanics and cringe-worthy finishing moves, does Mortal Kombat 9 mark the return of Scorpion and Sub-Zero to fighting game prominence?

           

          Developer NetherRealm Studios, headed by MK mastermind Ed Boon, has a knack for taking a game disc and filling to the brim with as much content as possible. With a full-fledged story mode to go along with the traditional ten-match ladder, online and offline versus modes and a humungous 300 level challenge tower, Mortal Kombat is no lightweight when it comes to ways to play. Add in 500 unlockables like concept art and extra character outfits and fatalities, as well as Test Your Luck, which adds randomized elements like headless combat and infinite special meter, and you have no shortage of incentives to keep playing long after the story credits roll.

         

          All that content is great, but what is the point of it if the game is not fun. Fortunately, Mortal Kombat’s best asset, above all the flashy modes and extras, is its core fighting mechanics. The controls are responsive, and with each fighter having their own heft – Kitana glides across the screen with ease while Sheeva lumbers along, no one character plays the same. There is a real sense of impact when a fighter lands a hit, and with blood and damage persistently accumulating over a match, the characters really do look like they have been through the ringer after a tough bout.

           

          As good as it is, Mortal Kombat is not without its faults. While the story mode starts out strong, retelling the first two games with smooth transitions between cut scene and fight, by chapter 15 the story goes so far off the rails that it almost makes MK: Deception’s zombie Liu Kang look good. Another sore spot are the fights with Shao Khan and Goro, which force the use of cheap tactics like projectile attack spamming to win. They are neither fun, nor satisfying when you are eventually victorious.

Zombie karate apparently also requires chains with hooks on them.

           

          Mortal Kombat’s online mode features a matchmaking system, as well as a lobby system where players can chat and challenge each other. There is also King of the Hill, which attempts to replicate the arcade experience of the 90’s with a line of players awaiting their shot at the current champion, and a peanut gallery where spectators can cheer, taunt and vote on a fight’s quality. There were issues with player connection and matchmaking, however, often taking minutes before an opponent was found.

            

          The story and connection issues are hardly enough to spoil an otherwise top-notch brawler. With stiff competition from Street Fighter 4 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Mortal Kombat distinguishes itself, not as a mediocre-playing shock jock, but as a solid, tournament-ready fighter with enough bloody pizzazz to keep the experience fresh and exciting. 

Downloadable Games: Future or Fad?

With the introduction of larger hard drives and faster internet connections, downloadable games have seen their presence in the gaming industry grow considerably since the launch of the current generation of consoles. But with Sony hyping bluray as the evolution of DVDs since the Playstation 3 debuted back in 2006, is bypassing physical media truly the future of games?

Consider that since its launch in 2004, the Xbox Live Arcade has grown from a small collection of games, most of which were re-releases of classic games like Gauntlet and Ms. Pac Man, to a library numbering in the hundreds. And the Arcade hasn’t simply been a place for companies to cash in on older titles. Small and independent developers that lack the backing of a big publisher like Activision have found success there as well.

Developer PopCap Games has found success on XBLA with hits like Bejeweled (above), Peggle (below), and Plants vs. Zombies.

Being a longtime gamer, I understand that there is a certain fondness for having a physical copy of a game. And there’s an odd feeling of pride, seeing that vast collection of titles accumulated over a lifetime of gaming. But to be honest, how many of those games do you truly cherish? I wouldn’t give up my mint condition Twisted Metal II for anything, but I don’t extend that same sentimental value to something like Homefront.

Let’s say you don’t have an emotional attachment to a particular game, and you couldn’t care less about supporting a fledgling game developer. It still makes economic sense to go diskless. Buying a downloadable copy of a game is often $10 to $15 cheaper without the cost of printing a disc or manual. What’s more, you get it instantly, without having to use gas driving to the store. You can always download the game again if you delete it, and there’s no risk of scratching up the disk.

If only pictures had sound...

Why fumble around opening cases and exchanging disks when you could simply select the game you want from a list, and play. It may sound like nothing, but it’s just one more way downloadable games are cutting the fat out of the overall experience. They embody the streamlined, less-is-more attitude of the modern consumer; which is why downloadable games are becoming a larger part of mainstream entertainment than their traditional counterparts. How could an experience like Mass Effect, which requires hours of investment, compete with something so instantly gratifying as hearing Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” blaring as you beat a level in Peggle?

In Eyetoy Play, you must dance to free your soul from those horrible teletubbie things.

 From Nintendo’s Virtual Boy to Sony’s Eye Toy, the gaming industry has seen its share of short-lived, “next big thing” technology. But downloadable games offer practicality rather than flashy gimmicks, which has, and will continue to aid in its success. It may take some time, but eventually downloadable gaming will become the standard of entertainment consumption. 

SOCOM 4 Online Beta Impressions

With the upcoming release of the fourth game in the online-centric SOCOM series, Zipper Interactive has opened its pre-launch online beta to the public. Hardcore fans are all but demanding SOCOM 2 in HD, but Zipper has attempted to ease their concerns with the addition of a "classic" mode that mimics the SOCOM experience of old. Along with classic is standard mode, which brings the Navy S.E.A.L.s into the modern era of gaming, featuring health regeneration, respawning, and the ability to sprint.

You can aim down the sights of your gun if it's equipped with a scope.

Right off the bat SOCOM 4 distinguishes itself as a polished shooter. The character movement is fluid and aiming feels just right, not too quick or sluggish. The selection of weapons is standard fare for a modern shooter, but each one has its own feel. And with use, each weapon will upgrade over time, eventually allowing for attachments like grenade launchers and advanced scopes. Game connection is near-perfect. Only once did I get hung up in menus, waiting to join a game. Once in, there is virtually no latency, even in 16v16 matches. The one weak spot so far has been the game's audio. All the weapons have a flat, clanging sound when they fire, and the music is indistinguishable from any other shooter on the market.

Unlike previous titles, you carry two primary weapons.

The two maps available, Port Authority and Assault and Battery, are well designed with multiple stories for snipers and run-and-gunners, with objects like boxes and jersey barriers strewn about for cover. The action is frantic and reliance on teammates is key to success in the objective-based modes.

The two game modes I've played so far are Uplink and Last Defense, both in standard and classic. Uplink plays like a game of king of the hill, with each side constantly batting to keep supremacy of three key points on the map. Between the two rule sets, Uplink was more enjoyable on classic, forcing teams to stick together in order to safely capture the points. Last Defense is an attack and defend mode with one side protecting three data points. If those are captured, the attacking team pushes forward for an all out attack on the defender's base. Last Defense is best played in standard mode, with constant respawns causing every inch of ground gained to feel like an individual battle contributing to the overall war effort.

I'll be reviewing SOCOM 4 in its entirety when it releases on April 19.

Review: The Sims Medieval

After releasing the third game in The Sims franchise back in 2009, and its subsequent expansion Late Night a year later, Electronic Arts and Sims Studio have diverted from the traditional sims formula with their latest release.

While easily mistakable for "sims at the Renaissance festival" at a glance, Sims Medieval is far deeper and quest-oriented than any game in the series. Similar to Sims 3, you start out by either making a custom sim or choosing from a list of presets. Unlike Sims 3, however, you don't have a choice of career aspirations; you are the monarch of your own little kingdom. You choose two of several traits for your sim like "fun-loving," or the ever-wonderful "whale ate my parents." Then you select a mandatory fatal flaw (every king has to have a dark side, right?) like leaning too heavily on the bottle, or just being a plain ol' bastard.

Once you've got your ruler, the next step is to pick a quest. Quests are the biggest difference in terms of gameplay from the previous Sims titles. They add a constant feel of progression to Medieval and, while you always have a quest of some variety (and they are varied), you can stop at any point and do whatever you want without fear of failing that quest.

Some quests offer multiple ways to complete them.

In addition to quests, The Sims Medieval uses a resource system which allows the player to add buildings to their kingdom. Go off into the woods to chop down trees for wood, or into the local cave to mine for metal. When you've accumulated enough resources, visit your trusty builder and he'll put your hard work to use. You can erect common buildings such as a tavern or a barracks (among other structures), or save up your resources for a wizard's tower or marketplace. While building construction adds a personal touch to each kingdom, the layout of the land can't be changed, meaning if you wanted to build a tavern, the only place it could be built is in its predesignated spot on the map.

The Sims Medieval may use The Sims 3's engine, but they look and play nothing alike. Sure they both have a point-and-click system, but Medieval's interface has been streamlined so well that the experience is like comparing apples and oranges. Medieval does away with most of the sims upkeep like bathing and happiness, and in its place is a system that revolves around your monarch's ability to rule up to snuff. Do the villagers hate you for being too oppressive? Did you meet the deadline for that new peace treaty with the neighboring kingdom? Medieval's new system is all about you ruling a kingdom, not micro-managing your sims's moodlets.

Overall, The Sims Medieval provides an enjoyable experience. The quests keep the game fresh and the redesigned system which emphasizes being a ruler over mood management makes for a more fluid game. Far from a ho-hum expansion, Medieval provides an experience that is a genuine departure from previous iterations, and is sure to please series veterans as well as those who were turned off by the series' traditional suburban style or micro-management.