Release Dates for Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Rising announced

The new Tomb Raider reboot is slated for release on March 5th 2013. It was delayed from its initial Fall Schedule.

Metal Gear Rising has just the vague Early 2013 mark. Its made the people who made Beyonetta and Vanquish so well worth the wait.

Pre-E3 Announcements: Lords of Shadow 2, Star Wars, DEAD SPACE 3

The Sequel to the highly regarded 2010 release Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has been announced! And it’s slated for… 2013?! God damn it.

Also a new Star War. I’m not really interested in that universe but here’s the trailer:

EAHAS CONFIRMED DEAD SPACE 3!!! HOLY SHIT
No trailer though, but the game has been confirmed for showing at EA’s E3 Show! BRING IT ON

Hey We’re Back!

I’M FUCKING BACK BABY.
I’m sorry for who actually give a shit about this blog. I have not updated for.. wow almost six weeks.
I’m sorry again.. I was being down lately because life man. But then Max Payne 3 came out (check out the review below).. AND HOLY SHIT I LOVE IT SO VERY MUCH and it rekindled my interest for life again. Writing the review felt good (the summer break helps as well), so more will come.
Sign… it feels good to be back.
Oh and news are coming!

Max Payne 3 Review

Bring on the Payne

1- General Info
2- Gameplay
3- UI
4- Music
5- Single Player
6- Multiplayer

SCORE
For all you lazy bums out there that skip the review for the score..
Here ya go

9/10
EXCELLENT

GENERAL INFO
As we all know, Rockstar is one of the few game companies that strikes gold every time it releases a new game. Max Payne 3, which will be referred to as MP3 from now on, was developed by the Vancouver studios, famous for the amazing game Bully, which was released almost 6 years ago. You can buy it for your Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.
Hey.. the game isn’t open world!
Why yes, hypothetical reader, you are correct.. even though it is made by and published by THE company that redefined open world action games, MP3 is a corridor shooter. Which isn’t bad, since the game itself is pretty decent (4 stars remember?).
Bullet Time? Lame!
Skip to the Gameplay section, and I’ll explain why it isn’t.
Do I need to play MP1 and MP2 to understand the story?
Not really. Yes, playing the games help you understand the world that Max lives in and the payne (ah, beautiful puns) he’s gone through. He’s a bitter old man who tries to overcome his addiction and depression. Read more on the Single Player section.
Does the game have an online pass?
Nope! And hallelujah for that! You can wait for the cheaper used version and get the same game that everybody’s getting.

Now on to the next section!

GAMEPLAY
MP3 is a third person action game with a heavily integrated slow-down timer implemented as Bullet Time. Since the original titles were the ones that popularized the slow-down mechanic, it was obvious that this feature would be in MP3 at least in a modern fashion. Whereas in multiple recent titles, the time doesn’t just slow down. You can actually FEEL Max dodging the waves of bullets as he shoots down the goons. You can trigger Bullet Time by either pressing its designated button (default RS for the 360 and R3 for the PS3) or pressing the jumping dodge button (RB for 360, R1 for PS3).

The shooting itself is VERY satisfying. You have a great sense of the weapons in your hands as you mow down waves and waves of enemies. The weapons are your standard equipment such as the 9mm and AK-47.
New to the franchise, but a standard in this console gen, is the cover system. As with all titles you just press a button to take cover (X for 360 and Square for PS3). The thing that differentiates MP3 from other titles is that you cannot move from one cover to the other smoothly, as you have get out of your current cover, and then press the cover button again to go to the other point. Some may complain about this, but I think it’s a brilliant notion from the developers.
You see, you play as an old man. An old man who was one of New Jersey’s finest yes, but an old man nonetheless. If you press the dodge jump button and finish the jump and fall to the ground (yes FALL, you do not roll on the ground like it ain’t no thang) you STAY there until you move Max. Other gameplay designs is that Max is intentionally slower than your average protagonist, since you know.. he’s an old guy. His running and rolling to avoid gunfire are slow, but it adds to the fact that he’s… you know, an old guy.
All in all, the gameplay is a mix between Gears of War and Uncharted. Pure shooting with some platforming to get you to a new location.
Can I change the button layout?
Why yes of courses! You have 4 main control schemes, which in all honesty don’t differ from each other than Type 1 (default) and Type 4 (current gen shooter layout). I recommend the default one since it is much more comfortable playing MP3 that way.
Does Max regenerate health?
No. Part of the gameplay in MP3 is balance out your health bar and the number of “med kits” (painkillers in the game) you take to restore health. In Modes up to Hardcore, when Max “dies” while he still has a jar of painkillers left, he goes into the mode Last Man Standing, where Max goes into Bullet Time and you have to shoot the last guy who shot you, or it’s game over.

UI
(UI is short for User Interface)
The great thing about Max’s UI during gameplay is that it is reduced almost to bare minimum, and it is only used for necessity. This adds to the cinematic view that every developer strives to achieve nowadays and the MP3 developers succeeded beautifully in that.
There are only two icons on screen on single player: Max’s Health bar, and the Bullet Time Meter. A mini map is added in the multiplayer.

MUSIC
MP3’s soundtrack was made by the noise band HEALTH. The music adds a chilling intense atmosphere to to the story and shooting sections. The way the music was implemented throughout the levels is phenomenal. It may sometimes feel that a track or two is repeated, but it doesn’t detract from the created atmosphere.
Listen to this:

Full Music Playlist
Also, as always I encourage people to buy soundtrack music. Don’t pirate, and help people make money they deserve.
Amazon
iTunes

SINGLEPLAYER
You are Max Payne. You are an old man that has given up on the world. An old colleague tells you that there are jobs opportunities in Rio (Brazil) that would make him reduce some of his pain… and make some cash in the progress.
But things go wrong. Oh so wrong.
There is a terrorist organization that wants your client dead. You encounter the corrupt police force that controls the city. You fail miserably every single step of the way.
Now I know that sounds like a terribly cliched premise that was presented in stories almost hundreds of years ago, but the way it is presented and the way that Max commentary on things happening around him and his life is interesting and sometimes hilarious.
The best thing about the game is the way Max deals with his pains and accepts that he doesn’t need redemption for his actions… just acceptance.

You go through three stages of Max’s life here. The Search for Redemption, The Acceptance, and the Flashbacks. I don’t wanna spoil anything, but all I say is that the way it is presented is amazing and you should want to replay the game multiple times to let it fully sink in.
The best thing about the campaign is that, every new location actually feels new and the developers actually went out of their way and visited Brazil to make the most accurate and believable game locale. I don’t want to spoil the locations, because you do need to experience the for yourself.
But how long is the campaign?
11-12 hours. Is that all you care about really?
YES.
sigh…
Are there collectibles in the game?
Yes. In each level there are Golden Guns divided into three parts put in different parts of them. Also, there are interactive clues that add to the plot slightly, but the main draw is Max’s commentary on them.

Also, you complete different challenges in the game called Grinds, e.g. Shoot 100 Enemies Under the Belt. And there are divided into three stages: Bronze, Silver, Gold.
I am a returning Max Payne fan. Are there nods to the old games from the developers?
Oh, but if I tell you.. that would ruin the surprise now wouldn’t it?

MULTIPLAYER
(disclaimer: I only played a moderate portion of it, unlocking the basic equipment and abilities)
The one question that everybody asked when Rockstar announced that MP3 would have Multiplayer was, “but how is Bullet Time implemented?”.
Well, the way I understood it while playing was that it affects enemy players in your sight. He slows down, and you take advantage of that and kill the player.
Now that’s out of the way, let me break the Multiplayer down.
1- When You Start Playing:
Unlike any other title in the last few years, MP3’s Multiplayer DOESN’T throw you in the field immediately expecting you to understand the mechanics RIGHT NOW OR YOU FUCKING DIE.
No, it gives you a playlist named Rookie list specifically made for those starting to play Multiplayer, or just want to play a few matches in the beginning.
But wouldn’t that mean that people who played longer than I do can kick my ass in these playlists?
Nope. After you reach a certain level (lvl:7 I think) the Rookie List locks out on you so you can’t take advantage of those poor people just starting out.
2- When You Get the Hang of It:
Once, you realize that “hey I don’t suck!” and stop shooting people and look at the other options.. you notice the overwhelming feeling that you won’t understand all of this bullshit, but never fear! Here I am to save the day.
The basic customization options start after you score 50 kills.
A- Leveling Up:
Every time you complete a match, you level up. Do certain actions (like getting a kill streak) and you level up faster. Now that the obvious part is out of the way, there is a certain twist here.. Leveling up is represented as “collecting cash”. So the added meaning here is that, the richer you are.. the better equipment and abilities you have.
So what does “collecting cash” add to the experience other than having a fancy name? Well, during the match, you can loot bodies. It doesn’t matter wither you killed them or not, you can just loot the body. So you can “get richer” by stealing from corpses.
Is it Immoral? Yes. But is it cool? Oh hell yes.

B- Customization:
Once you have the ability to customize classes you’ll notice a small meter under your characters avatar. The meter represents your mobility in matches, such as regenerative health and how fast you are.
The tricky part of it is trying to find the balance between your equipment and your mobility. You an choose to be extremely fast but die faster. You can really slow and last longer during the battle. Or you can find the right balance for your playing style.
Obviously heavier weapons mean slower character and vice versa. The number of weapon on your possession also affects your mobility meter. Having armor, getting the added Health Burst all factor into that meter. Choosing the best strategy for yourself and/or for different maps can help you and may affect the outcome of the match.

C- Vendettas and Grinds:
Grinds have a part in multiplayer as well, though they differ in that they have one stage only. Vendetta is a beautiful concept that… have you ever played a multiplayer match where there is the ONE asshole who keeps killing you over and over again? We all did, so did the developers. In any match where a person has killed you more than three time, you can assign a Vendetta against them (X on 360, square on PS3). There appear on your mini map as an X mark, AND if you kill them younger extra cash! Now everybody loves that don’t they?

D- Game Modes:
Full list: http://www.gamesradar.com/max-payne-3-multiplayer-guide/?page=4

CONCLUSION
All in all, Max Payne 3 is a fresh change of pace in the stale genre that is the Shooter genre. Bullet Time is implemented brilliantly, the shooting is satisfying, and the Multiplayer ain’t half bad. I still stand by what I scored the game.. while people may complain that MP3 should be awarded a perfect score, it is not perfect. It is an amazing game, and the second best release this year, but it did not change the way we play Shooters or view games as a serious medium.
Also, please buy the game and don’t pirate it. Rockstar deserves the money, since they are one of the few developers that care about the quality of their productsn and the satisfaction of their costumers.