An interview with Mercenaries 2’s assistant director, Mark Domowicz. Mercenaries 2 will be out on the 5th September, so I’ll see you online then.
– Josh Pollard –
Homepage. I like to brainstorm.
-Zygos Games-
Out of the whole team here at Zygos I am the biggest Freezepop fan and you can imagine my excitement when we were given the chance to catch up with the bands lead singer Liz. Freezepop are unique in that they hold the record for the band that have been featured on the most music rhythm games. They appeared on Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, Guitar Hero: On Tour and Rock Band. Also add to that the band used to work for developer Harmonix. So anyway, here is the full interview with Freezepop!
Freezepop vocalist Liz speaks exclusivley to ZygosGames.com
The Interview
ZG- After featuring on both the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchise, which is your preferred game?
Liz - I am realllly bad at GH. RB is easier for me just because I can sing and not have to use any sort of hand-eye coordination.
ZG- Have you guys checked out Rock Band yet and if you have how you enjoying it?
Liz -I’ve only played a few times, but yeah, it’s fun!
ZG- Any news of you been on Rock Band 2?
Liz -We didn’t have any new material, so we’re probably gonna wait to have some stuff available as DLC.
ZG- Any scoops you can tell us about Rock Band 2?
Liz -I dunno. That’s really the Duke’s thing.
ZG- Have you found that franchises such as Rock Band have increased your popularity in the music world?
Liz- Why, yes!
- Which is your favorite track to play, Get ready to rokk (Guitar Hero), Less talk more rokk (Guitar Hero 2), Brainpower (Rock Band) or Sprode (Rock Band DLC)?
Brainpower, probably.
- If you could choose any track to be featured on Rock Band 2, what would it be?
Something new. Stay tuned….
You wanna see FP on Rock Band 2 or a future Guitar Hero? Are you a Guitar Hero or Rock Band person? Let us know by leaving a comment or heading on over to the forum!
We’ll be getting more information on future Rock Band and Guitar Hero titles soon only at Zygos Games.
-Sean Linley-
And so we enter the second week of Microsoft’s ‘summer of arcade’. After last week’s effort, Geometry Wars 2, a high standard was set for Braid: fortunately, it lives up to all expectation. In contrast to GW2’s simple ‘shoot everything on screen’ approach to gaming, Braid slows things down and gives you something to think about. Essentially, it’s a platformer, with a lot of emphasis placed on puzzle solving and a surprisingly involving storyline.
The game opens with our hero, the imaginatively named ‘Tim’ (he makes up for having a boring name by being able to travel through time), in silhouette against a rather impressive background of a city at sunset. The game’s art style is always striking and original- it looks like the whole thing was painted by hand, it really conveys the atmosphere of the game. The soundtrack is another great feature: there are a few memorable tracks, especially the song featured in world 2, which is in the trial version.
From the intro screen, you move into the game’s central hub, a small house divided into five rooms. It’s worth pointing out here that there is no title screen or settings menu to scroll through before starting- it’s a small detail, but it actually makes quite a difference. It contributes to the atmosphere of uncertainty the whole game seems to have- it never fully explains the story, and it doesn’t offer any explanation of the gameplay. I hate talking about ‘the good old days’ of the Megadrive, but it really reminds me of playing Sonic when I was a kid- there were always secrets to discover and it doesn’t hand everything straight to you.
It’s one of the issues I have with a lot of modern gaming: I really can’t stand the endless tutorials and tips. Assassin’s Creed particularly annoyed me with this- I seem to remember spending at least half an hour having the controls explained to me, and then having tips boxes still flashing up when I was trying to beat the last boss. It’s another minor gripe, but it makes the experience of Braid so much more involving. As you venture into each new world, you have to work out what each new gimmick is. The first world is just straight platforming with the ability to correct mistakes, but it becomes more complicated as you get further, such as objects being introduced which carry on forwards in time regardless of your actions. The developers could have had a text box pop up and explain it all to you, but it’s like they’ve actively chosen to leave you in the dark so it’s more fun when you figure it out.
The story is presented in a very similar way. Rather than having distinct cutscenes or story sections, each world presents you with a line of books at the opening of each world, which contain small fragments of Tim’s memory and his musings on the world. It never really forms a coherent story (I could describe Braid as a postmodernist videogame, if I really wanted to prove that I didn’t waste countless gaming hours doing an A-Level in English Literature) but it still draws you in. The ending is particularly interesting, and open to a lot of different interpretations.
So does the gameplay live up to the fantastic atmosphere created by the story and art style? Without a doubt, it does. The puzzles are very well though out, and have intelligent solutions. They aren’t always obvious, but they’re never too abstract. You’ll most certainly be challenged, but they are almost always solvable with a little thought. I admit that I did use a walkthrough twice, but upon learning the solution I realised I could have worked it out with more time. The time travelling mechanics are interesting in a very nerdy way, and it’s rewarding once you finally get your head around the laws which govern each world.
Unfortunately, what I have just explained is not what Braid is well known for. Stroll into any gaming forum and you’ll discover that the game sells for 1,200 points- and people aren’t happy about it. Whilst this is undeniably a complete and utter outrage, we should consider that Rayman: Raving Rabbids 3 will sell for £40 and probably took four and a half days to make. Braid’s developer, Jonathan Blow, spent three years and one hundred and eighty thousand dollars of his own money on this game. Suddenly £10 doesn’t seem like such an almighty sum. Despite this, if there is a way to criticise Braid, it’s through its length. Completing the main part of the game took me about four hours in total, and that’s realistically all you’ll get from it. There are a few hidden secrets, and a speedrun challenge, but it’s not really worth bothering with (unless you’re a bit insecure, and really need those extra fifteen gamerpoints for you to feel good about yourself.)
Ultimately, however, the best way to judge Braid is to just play the trial game. It’s a bit pointless writing this review for it, really- the game just continues on from the tone set by the opening. If you like what you see in the trial, then I honestly can’t recommend this game enough.
-Phil Tootill-
This week Josh and Tom talk about the big EA conference, Epic, EA and Suda 51 and finally the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany. What fun!
-Zygos Games-
Manhunt 2, if you’ve been in the gaming world should need no introduction. It basically got banned everywhere (except Holland who accepted the game uncut). Rockstar took a risk with Manhunt 2 and it’s one that won’t pay off.
Once on the main menu the soundtrack begins. It’s eerie sounding and helps to set the mood early on, even the PSP version sounds great. The game begins with you taking control of the lead character Daniel. The aim of the first few chapters is to break out of the hospital where your been kept. The opening levels act like tutorials which help you to get used to the games controls and mechanics.
The most enjoyable part of Manhunt 2 is the stealth and execution system. The basic idea is that you sneak up behind an enemy and execute him either using one of various weapons or environment kills. Environment kills are very similar to the execution kills featured in The Punisher for the PS2. My personal favourites are the grinder and electric chair. The censorship is heavily apparent in the execution kills but in fact, helps to sustain tension; however, it’s probably not too good for epilepsy sufferers. During the executions the graphics turn almost black and white and flash, so you can make out the killings while before censorship the graphics were solid and the blood was plenty. These execution kills are the “casual sadism” that the BBFC mentioned when they originally banned Manhunt 2, however, in the context of the plot the decision seems exaggerated. The problem with Manhunt 2 is that it’s very repetitive. The backdrop may change and so may the weapon but the game play is no different. You’ll find yourself sneaking around each level, pulling off executions, which as you progress offers less and less satisfaction. Manhunt 2 seems to be relying on its adult content to sell and looses out on variety and innovative game play.
Manhunt 2 also offers a shooting system and it’s the easiest system you’ll ever come to play. The auto-aim pretty much guarantees a head shot each time. There’s no work to be done here and unfortunately this takes away a heap of fun as you find that getting a headshot yourself is far more pleasurable than a simple auto-aim.
Graphically the game varies depending on platform. The Wii and PS2 versions are average unlike on the PSP where the graphics excel in comparison to most other titles for it. The background animations are great. The opening chapter for example sees you get urinated on by a fellow inmate; the background animation really helps to build the atmosphere of the game even more. The game consistently sounds great setting a tense atmosphere. To experience this game to the full you really need some decent speakers or head phones. The controls are very easy and fluent which helps the game to keep a good pace. It’s also worth mentioning the loading times; they are non-existent even on the PSP!
Manhunt 2 is a direct cross between Second Sight and The Punisher. If you liked any of those games the chances are you won’t be disappointed. Manhunt 2 doesn’t match up to the original and sadly the plot has been done before (I guessed the ending after the second cut scene) but there’s enough here to keep you entertained for a couple of hours, however, don’t pin your hopes on an exciting ending because which ever ending you gain (there are two endings depending on how you play), they will disappoint as will the game. It could have been so much more but Rockstar have seemingly taken a step to the side with the Manhunt franchise rather than forward. Sadly there is nothing new here. Manhunt is like the many sequels to the Saw movie, the reliance on adult content just isn’t enough.
Do you own a copy of the game? What do you think? Leave a comment or discuss in our forum
Manhunt 2 is available in the UK on Wii at the end of this month and is available in October on PS2 and PSP.
-Sean Linley-
I remember a few weeks ago when I was talking to Josh about what would happen if EA were to start publishing Epic’s stuff…well, it seems as though it’s about to start happening.
From the statement, there’s only a little bit of information about the actual new game, but Epic have said that it will be developed by their People Can Fly studio in Poland (the dudes who brought us PainKiller) and will be an “all-new action title for the PC, Xbox 360® video game system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system”.
What this means, is that we’re getting another shooter set in a gray / brown world with a hover board and a very good cover mechanic to boot. You know what, that was just a joke, but that actually sounds quite cool…
The decision to get EA to put out their games was one explained by Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games: “EA Partners gives independent developers like Epic the muscle of a global publisher like EA, along with the focus and flexibility of a smaller team committed to working with our individual needs.” Basically, to paraphrase: EA have a bunch of money and Epic want the best for their game.
Easy.
-Tom Rhodes-
Manhunt 2 is distinguishable from recent high-end video games by its unremitting bleakness and callousness of tone in an overall game context which constantly encourages visceral killing with exceptionally little alleviation or distancing. There is sustained and cumulative casual sadism in the way in which these killings are committed, and encouraged, in the game. - BBFC Statement 2007
In British video gaming history complete bans are uncommon. The last of which was that of the game
Carmageddon in the 90’s, however, the decision was over turned by the BBFC and finally released. The situation is very much the same for Rockstar’s Manhunt 2 Video Game. Late last year the BBFC finally granted Manhunt 2 permission to be released this year, this August on Wii and October for the PS2 and PSP. The sequel to the highly controversial Manhunt has been dubbed the most sadistic game ever made , Zygos Games will bring you a full review of Manhunt 2 before the British release and will be taking a look at why this game almost never reached British stores.
The Hunt Is On…
Manhunt 2 full review coming soon.
-Zygos Games-
Larian Studios isn’t a developer that I can say I’ve ever heard of, but looking at these screens, I may have to have a look into them. Divine Divinity 2 is an action RPG and is the sequel to 2 previous games, but you’re not here for a history lesson, so we’ll move on from that. From my research (oh yes, we research) the game’s coming out for the PC and the 360 in a simultaneous Q2 2009 release, which will be interesting, sort of. No seriously, the game does look really good. Supposedly, it features “An extremely varied and demanding quest structure [which] guarantees hours of fun and a high replay value”, which is definitely an essential component of any good RPG.
The basic story for the game seems pretty straight forward: you’re a Dragon Slayer, and as you progress through the game and level up you’ll rank up and become a master Dragon Slayer, which would certainly, I’m sure, be very cool. So how are you going to become a Master Dragon Slayer? Well to my knowledge, you have the ability to create a character, but I think you’re limited to a human character, but with the exception of the race, they’ll be fully customizable.
That’s true down to your arsenal as well, in which you’ll be able to choose from a myriad of weapons; long range and melee and of course you’ll be able to earn Ex p points and level up. However, this is all just standard stuff and I’m sure that Larian Studios will have a few surprises up their sleeves to get us all excited,but seriously, look at the screen shots. They’re the thing that all of us here in the office excited about DDII, because they look truly epic, and I mean that in the truest sense. Here’s a link [http://www.divinity2.com/p] to the official website of the game if you want to have a look at more images. Now though, I’m going to go and get my pre orders sorted out for the next few months. I think I want to buy 8 games between now and christmas, and that’s me limiting myself. Hell, we’ll have a “What to buy” list for all of you wondering how to spend their money for the next few months because it’s going to get pretty hectic pretty,but don’t worry, we’ll be there for you in this…awful (?) time.
-Tom Rhodes-
Soulcalibur on the Dreamcast was… oh my god you didn’t come here to learn about the previous 3 games or whatever so why would I talk about them like any other generic review, seriously, I’ve read loads of reviews that start off with “Soulcalibur for the Dreamcast was one of the best games evar lolhax”. Why? Really, why? Let me tell you some things before you read what I think of Soulcalibur IV, I have not played Soulcalibur III, I have played Soul Edge and Soul Calibur II briefly and I have very vague memories of Soulcalibur I for the Playstation.
So you boot up Soulcalibur IV, get a generic opening sequence, it shows off some of the characters and oh wait… what’s this? Yoda is in the game?! Marketing ploy! O rly? Yeah, Yoda is in the Xbox 360 version, but if you’ve been alive for the past couple of months and visited any gaming website at all you will have noticed, Vader is in the PS3 which is fucking stupid since you would think Yoda V.S. Vader would make an epic fight. The Apprentice, yeah the chav from the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” is also in both versions. So hold on second, you have Yoda who is an unbalanced arsehole who you can’t even throw when you fight against him with the Apprentice in the Xbox 360 version and then you have The Apprentice who is Darth Vader’s… um… apprentice, so Vader is going against his own apprentice? But not Yoda? What the hell?!
So what is the actual game like then? Well, from what I recall it’s like a Soulcalibur game, you have horizontal attacks, vertical attacks, kicks, blocks, counters, throws and those god damn annoying taunts. So let me use my first fight as an example, I picked Yoda because I like Star Wars (oh the marketing ploys!) and did his story, I’ll get to the modes later, I was expecting some awesome cutscenes but instead I get some wall of text which I immediately skipped because it started with “In a galaxy far, far away…”. The story mode is ass to say the least, each character has five fights each consisting of one to four enemies per stage, the enemies don’t even put up much of a fight not even the last boss. The end of the story is a 30 second long sequence, usually consisting of over the top voice acting and ridiculous bad dialogue, so there you have it, story mode. It’s a load of balls but who cares? It’s easy money. The next mode I tried out was the Tower of Lost Souls, oh how cringe worthy is that title? There are three options, Ascend, Descend and Tutorial. Ascend is basically 3 floors of fighting, the enemies get increasingly difficult and you can bring between one to three characters in the fight depending on which stage you are on. You can unlock treasure chests in these stages which you can use the Create a Character mode which I’ll talk about in a bit. Descend is survival mode, you can’t unlock this however until you reach floor 20 in Ascend mode, so that’s a bit silly. Tutorial is for the idiots who can’t play the game. Finally (I’m skipping Training mode, if you don’t know what that is then you’re a retard) there is Arcade, classic, still living in the 90’s, 1 on 1, no perks arcade mode. Well what can I say, there are eight stages and the difficulty is relatively higher, on the seventh stage you fight *MARKETING PLOY ALERT* The Apprentice or Yoda depending on who you are playing against, the last boss is some prick called Algol who likes to deploy cheap tactics when you think you are about to beat him, he looks like some ridiculous character that you would see in Bleach and he’s about as cheap as a person who doesn’t put their penny coins in the charity box when they pass by.
Since it’s the year 2008 Project Soul have been bullied into creating online play for the fourth game, well, it works like Virtua Fighter 5, I wish it was more like Dead or Alive 4 with a fully interactive lobby, but no it’s not, no complaints here. The online isn’t laggy from what I have experienced from all three people I have played against, most people like to use the same attacks against me and play as either Kilik or Kilik. I’ve never seen the fun in using the same attack all the time, it’s fun to win, it can be fun to lose, but to lose against some who has something wrong them where they can only hit one button is a tad stupid, yeah I’ve heard of blocking and countering, but have you heard of Kilik? The cheapest character in any game apart from *MARKETING PLOY ALERT OH MY FUCKING GOD* Yoda. This isn’t to say the online isn’t fun, its great fun when you are playing against real people like you’re friends, yeah I’ve had some laughs with the character creator…
Now, this character creator I keep going on about. Well, it’s possibly one the funniest things in a game ever, you really can make the most awesome character, the most stupid character or just make someone you really want kick the crap out of, I know I did. Yes, you can either alter an existing character such as Ivy, I know I also did that, or just make a completely new character and call him whatever you want, word of warning, you can swear in your character’s name but online it will block it out and replace it with “Custom”. There are a lot of options for your character in this game, I have made characters such as Solid Snake, Raiden, Harley Quinn and other characters such as my friends, Ollie in particular looks insane, Tom is also very accurate, the possibilities are endless yes, because there is only a set amount of clothing you can wear. One of the problems I had with the character creator is that if you want to make your character look really awesome, the chances are he’s going to have crap statistics, so in order to actually make a cool character you have to make him or her look like a complete and utter twat. Not very good. This shouldn’t put you off though; stats only come in play when competing in “Special” modes which are Special VS, story and Tower of Lost Souls… which are my favourite modes…
Yes, excellent character creation almost rivals Saint’s Row 2. Let me tell you something about this game, or something that I actually have to tell you about since it’s a policy reason, Soulcalibur IV looks awesome for the most part, the reason I say for the most part is simple, try and get a close look the textures on the back of Lizard man’s shield, try and get look at Yoda’s face, try and get a look at Ivy’s… what? Oh yeah whilst I’m here I want to touch on the subject of the females in this game, they are not that bad, there is nothing wrong with the females at all, yeah they have breast physics but do you think in real life they are strapped down and never move. The outfits are a bit revealing, some outfits *cough* Ivy’s *cough* are a bit too revealing, in fact, Ivy’s normal outfit is actually more revealing when she has no costume on at all, that’s what I’ve heard from rumours by the way I haven’t actually tested that out myself obviously… Physics aside, this game looks excellent, one stage in particular nailed the lighting effects, and there is never any frame rate issues which is surprising, it’s usually in every single game that comes out.
Going onto sound, the game has some of the best worse voice acting ever, Tira, yeah the emo bitch, she sounds horrendous. I don’t even need to back up my point if you have the game already but if you don’t, look up a clip on YouTube, you’re going to laugh. Yoda doesn’t sound like the real deal; they probably just pulled out some random Star Ward nerd from the street to let him do the voice over. Everyone else just sounds awful, it’s not the voices, the voices are actually OK, it’s the dialogue; you want to see bad acting watch Troll 2. Nightmare, Apprentice, Astaroth, basically all the cunts in this game pull off a surprisingly good performance. The main highlight in the sound department though is the sound of swords clashing against each other; I’m not saying it makes you really feel like you are hitting someone with a weapon, but its good enough.
I’m not the most hardcore fighting fan, but I’ll be playing this game for a while, I can’t play it in long stretches, but going on it to have a couple of fights every day or so is amusing, I can see how lunatics will want to play this game for years of end because they simply can, because you know, it takes skill to press forward and Y as Kilik. I am going to recommend this, only because there is no other good fighting games out at the minute, oh hold on, there is about 2 other fighting games out at the minute (that are actually good don’t get cocky). So, to me, it’s no Dead or Alive 4, but it’s got Yoda and Darth Vader so it must be good, “Oh it’s a marketing ploy”, get over yourself, chainsaws mounted onto guns are a marketing ploy.
-Josh Pollard-
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