The McGinn Perspective - The Last of Us

I would just like to say for the record that i am extraordinarily excited about this post, as this time i will not be reviewing, instead covering some of the details that i noticed from the footage released for the game "The Last of Us" for the Playstation 4 console.

So what is this exciting new game, and who has brought it to us? Well "The Last of Us" is a survival horror game developed by "Naughty Dog Studios" and is part of the generation of games to mark the transition to the latest consoles. Now before anyone gets too worried, this game is going to appear on the PS3 as well as the PS4, so drinks all round in that respect.
However i would say that with many games made for both consoles, it is probably the safer bet to invest money in the latest generation and buy the game for that, simply to avoid performance issues which will become noticeable as they have already with many other games...*Cough* Skyrim! *Cough*.

Okay so on to the purpose of this blog, and i want to say right now that i will not be covering the storyline. Instead i will be analyzing certain features in the gameplay footage that was released not too long ago.

I will start off by saying that this is a Third Person Shooter, which is a class of games not held in the highest regard when realism is concerned. After looking at the gameplay, what becomes most obvious is that they have really worked well to make the character movements seem naturalistic, so you as a player cannot notice that transition between gameplay and cut scene. I don't think that i have seen enough to decide whether or not it works, but i have faith that it will show "Assassin's Creed" how it is done.
As far as graphics go the game seems  to be pretty sound, i personally will not be buying a next generation console for its graphics, instead i will be buying it for the potential of better quality gameplay and expanded possibilities. But it is nice to see that the developers have really worked hard to create a believable landscape, and it will be nice to see that the PS4 will be able to sustain such a high standard of visuals, as a PC would, without the constant lag spikes that frustrate me to the point where my moral limits are tested.

Okay so AI, that is the big story to tell about this game, as the AI represents a higher degree of capabilities present in digital games. During gameplay i noticed that the AI seems to adapt itself, for example: "You the player, are suppressing an enemy by, over the shoulder, firing at its cover, suddenly you run out of bullets, the enemy hears that you have ran out, and adopts braver tactics." I was pretty impressed when i saw the enemies could use tiny little situational details like that to alter their own tactics, assuming that this type of quality will be present throughout the entire game, it is much more than a simple gimmick. But it really goes to show how the enemies do not simply consider themselves cattle, to be killed and replaced, instead, they attempt to preserve themselves almost as if they are trying to survive you as much as you are trying to survive them.
A more impressive example is how enemy AI are able to initiate what appear to be interactive cut scenes at their own will, cut scenes that both interact with the environment, and other characters filling it. For example: "An enemy AI sneaks up behind you, the player, as you are engaged in a firefight with two other enemy AI, he grabs you and holds you up. While doing this, the other two enemy AI notice and start to shout 'Keep him still so we can shoot him!', at which point the begin to take advantage of the situation." The in game scenarios far to show how the enemy AI is able to be self-preserving and think about the best course of action, so we as the player, get real difficulty and challenge rather than receptivity, and seen as this is a survival game, challenge will be everything.

I am genuinely excited about this game for this simple reason, that the AI looks amazing, if anyone reading this is unaware of this soon to be released title, i would strongly advise that you give it a chance. Based on what i have seen you can look forward to a very strong story driven experience, with vast attention to detail. But above all, if you are a lover of true gaming challenge, then this is a survival game that stands a good chance at satisfying that need. But i guess we will have to wait and see.


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The McGinn Perspective - Firefly Review

Okay it has been long enough, i have recovered from the state of grief i was thrown into when Fox cancelled Firefly. And so now it is high time i reviewed it, as there is much to say. So what is Firefly? It stands as one of the most controversial Sc-Fi television shows in the world today, with its mix of classic Si-Fi and Western to create an unprecedented hybrid genre.

So first let me introduce you to the plot of the story if you are unfamiliar. The Firefly series focused on the crew of a Firefly transport ship called Serenity, and features their struggle to make their way in the "vers" as they would call it, by taking jobs where they come. Of course right from the pilot episode there was always more to it than this, like back stories for the lead characters, some of which tying into key events in the Firefly universe, that will ultimately impact the story.
What really stood out for me was that unlike other Sc-Fi stories, there was no sort of ultimate purpose, in the sense that the characters literally did what they did to keep themselves fed and their ship flying. Not giving the characters any cause makes for a sense of misdirection to be created for you, the viewer, that keeps you guessing and therefore interested.

It is no secret that Firefly was discontinued on the air, but this is a shame as it was a story designed to properly passe itself, never revealing too much at once, keeping the overall story shrouded in mystery. But even with key story elements being rationed in such small portions, you as the viewer can get so much from one episode. Tiny details in the dialogue or even brief sound effects go far to immerse you in this universe that Joss Whedon has created.
When looking at the scenery in some episodes it is easy to feel like they were limited in actual places off set where they could film, as sometimes it seemed pretty bland. But the story and the genre explain this very well, not making it more pleasant, but at the least acceptable.

As for the cast, there is a mix of some well-known actors and some not so well-known actors, but just the fact that there is a Terminator on screen must have done the show credit. The key point being that if you aren't familiar with one of the cast now, after watching it, you will be, with very little chance that you will dislike his/her performance. Even if you as a viewer are not interested in this form of television, or simply just not adventurous enough to trust a hybrid genre like this, you could still step back and admire the performance of some of the cast, as all throughout the series they are able to give a truly riveting standard of acting that few others could do.

But then of course we come to the black mark of this otherwise sparkly clean story, which is of course the instalment of the film "Serenity". The film was made as a result of fans acting out in anger after the series was cancelled, and acted as a way to tie certain loose ends in the storyline. From the beginning it was clear that this was never going to work, simply because Firefly held countless details and story elements, all designed to be spread out over entire seasons of televised episodes. All that planned content could never be packed into one film, regardless of how hard they may have tried.
Part of what made the film such a kick in the teeth for the fans was the fact that it changed the storyline completely, massive elements to the story had to be changed to suit the film, and so much planning for future seasons had to be discarded.Therefore certain characters met different outcomes than they would have had the series been able to continue. The most noticeable being the development of the character "River". Where as by the climax of Firefly we were only just getting indication that she could have been giving special abilities as a result of her being tested on, by the beginning of the film she becomes a mind reading ninja warrior. Though of course this isn't something that could be controlled by good old Joss, perhaps this film, made to satisfy the fans, would have been better off never being made. Basically, where as Firefly was good television all around, Serenity failed across the board.

Overall i found the Firefly universe to be utterly engrossing, and a brave step to push the boundaries of conventional television, however the film was a major problem. As much as i hate this fact, the film is cannon, no matter how much we, as the fans, wish it wasn't. It is because of this clear fact that the storyline we all came to love over the course of the series has turned soar.
But i would recommend the Firefly series to anyone who has a keen appreciation for Si-Fi, as even with only one series, Firefly is able to immerse you so well as a viewer. I would however, ask that you stay clear of the film if you do go on to enjoy the storyline.


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The McGinn Perspective - The Halo Series

Halo is a name that few Xbox owners wont know, as it has quickly become one of the most popular and well-known gaming franchises Microsoft has ever had in its pocket. Growing up i remember there being two major exclusive titles that Xbox owners would worship, first being Gears of War and the second being Halo.

Halo is a long standing first person shooter series, taking place in a science fiction universe, the key premise being that you have to fight aliens or some such bollocks.

Firstly i look at my key concern with the title as a series, which is its gameplay. I was drawn to the Halo series as everyone talked about it like it was the answer to some massively important question, but when i started playing i didn't see anything special. Sure some of the scenery and environments in the game looked pretty visually dynamic, to the point where i could even say that it was adventurous for its time. But the gameplay itself offered very little variety, this was excusable with "Halo Combat Evolved" but as the games progressed through the generations they seemed to remain fixed, never moving forward with the times. I would play a more recent installment into the series like "Halo Reach" and notice that the gameplay never differs from the standard point, shoot, reload, shoot. When considering how other shooters of this generation have been able to provide more variety, like for example a secondary fire on each weapon in the game, it feels almost unacceptable that Halo is unable to develop as well. My key argument with gameplay being that it is uninteresting now, and needs to be spruced up. I would any day chose a more modern shooter like "Resistance" for the PS3 over Halo, simply because its gameplay would have far more to offer me as a player.

The next feature that i found fault with was the story element, which with some of the more hardcore Halo fans is considered the best part. What i could say about the overall story is that it is simply bland, almost as if the writers themselves aren't interested. Part of the reason that the story element fails so badly is that the games do nothing to help explain it to the player, the first game simply dropped you into this fictional universe and expects you to understand all the goings on. Other games have done this but been able to quickly give the player an initial understanding of the storyline, and allow it to progress from there. But with every Halo game i play, the storyline seems to develop further, becoming more complex as it does, and then still do nothing to help the player get a full grasp of the basics. You know that this is a problem when a player can play through one of the games, entirely focused and paying full attention, and still have questions to ask that should have been answered during the course of the game. But generally i find that understanding the storyline is probably worse, as you cannot compare Halo to a true Si-Fi. Try as i might to take the story seriously it is rendered impossible by bad writing, extremely poor art design and twists in the story that aren't even noticeable.

So who do we thank for this gift to the world of gaming? Well we have Bungie Studios to thank for the initial creation of this franchise. So when noticing all the faults that i have highlighted is it fair to direct blame at them, i wouldn't say so. I would say that it is 343 Industries that have stunted the growth of this franchise. While it is easy for me to sit here and type away, bitching about this series like it has caused me deep emotional pain, it is important to remember that Bungie are legitimate game developers. As far as i am concerned "Halo Combat Evolved" was a good game, as with any it had its little problems, but it was with the times and was challenging enough to keep the gameplay interesting, so surely this isn't a black mark on Bungie's reputation?
I would say that 343 are to blame for Halo's obvious problems, but Halo has become one of Microsoft's most profitable enterprises so what the hell do i know.

Overall, i hold very little hope for the Halo franchise, mainly because most of its appeal is in its multiplayer, and i simply cannot respect a game that is held up primarily on multiplayer rather than its single player.
The key point is that of recent years Halo has become increasingly less popular, even with the recent installment of "Halo 4". So the developers need to get their act together and realize that Halo has been left behind by the very genre it belongs to.

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