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@steamboatgames-blog
New Blog
Current followers, it's been a while.
I didn't have the time or resources to properly do the blog as I wanted to for a while.
I have a new blog now and am also currently writing for a website.
Website URL: pixelvolt.com
new blog url: criticalhitgames.tumblr.com
Anyone still interested in following my writings, look for me there!
Sorry I was gone so long and thank you!
Opinion: The Case Against Sequels
We live in an age of sequels. Our market is oversaturated by two's and three's and so forth. I am completely fine with stories progressing but I feel too often they're only used to have a guaranteed audience to sell to- even if the end product is completely different from the roots of the series.
I'm not saying that sequels should stop coming out. No, not at all. I'm fine with the sequels and I'm absolutely happy with the overall story progressing. My problem is that entire games are made that differ from the previous game due to different gameplay and shoved into an existing IP, just to sell a little more units. If they just made a new game and put the new gameplay with it then it wouldn't disrupt an already established franchise and fanbase. This protects the core of the already established franchise and allows the new one to take flight and be what it wants to be.
Assassins Creed II is a great example of what a sequel should be.
In some cases, it might seem smart to make a sequel because they're related on a small level but again, if a new IP is made, nothing has to be held back or reserved. A good example of this is the Assassins' Creed series. Ubisoft was looking at the Prince of Persia games and wanting to make another or a reboot, or something along those lines. But they were smart about it ... They realized they could do whatever they wanted to if they made a new thing and that it wouldn't affect the beloved existing franchise at all. And Assassins Creed is huge! It borrows a few elements from Prince of Persia but goes in its own direction with it. And that's totally fine ... That's the point of a spiritual sequel. Borrow the ideas you want but run on new ground. This is the best situation for both franchises to exist in harmony.
A great game in its own right but not Resident Evil or Survivor-Horror.
Resident Evil 6 is a prime example of why I wish developers would take more care in making sequels or just make a new IP. Capcom obviously wanted to push new and different game mechanics but altered the Resident Evil series too much in the process. I get that Capcom wanted to make a more action-oriented third-person shooter and I'm completely okay with that. What I'm not okay with is the fact they had to make it Resident Evil 6. They made a game that, like RE5, had little to do with Resident Evil gameplay wise. Was it a bad game? No, not at all. Was it a bad Resident Evil game? Absolutely and without a doubt. Had they made a new IP, it could have been a new and exciting thing. They could have done whatever they wanted and more so- without upsetting or alienating any of its fan. A completely new IP would have done justice to the series and to the new game.
Why couldn't it be -for example-Zombie Outbreak? Zombie Outbreak is new. It has absolutely no ties to Resident Evil at all. It's got zombies in it. That's it. The rest would be completely up to Capcom and not up to Resident Evil at all. They could have done whatever they wanted to do and it all would have been new. No one would have complained if it was different from Resident Evil at all! They could have had all the third person action and, furthermore, they could have done whatever they wanted to do with the story too! It would have protected the pureness of Resident Evil and kept the original genre in tact as well.
Dishonored. A beautiful example of how exciting a new IP can be.
All I'm saying is that there is no reason we can't have the same games developers want to release with an original name and just have it be a brand new thing. I personally believe that more original franchises would put out more excitement each year. I've played Halo and Resident Evil and I loved them both. Make sequels and continue the story but please keep the game in the same spirit. Let's keep titles such as Halo Wars and Resident Evil 6 out of the Halo and Resident Evil franchises and make room for Halo 4 and Resident Evil 4.
Innovative but not too far off base.
Think about it.
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
The Walking Dead - 9.75/10
The Walking Dead is the perfect example of video games rivaling books and movies in terms of storytelling. It blends all the needed ingredients and then puts you at the front of it all.
Lee. That's you. And you're in the middle of Robert Kirkman's original zombie universe, but this universe is much different than most existing zombie universes. At first glance, it may appear to be similar or the same to other prominent zombie works, such as Dawn of the Dead or Resident Evil, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Kirkman hardly relies on the zombies at all. In fact, the zombie apocalypse is simply the setting. Zombies may cause or influence events but they are far from the main plot.
The story starts off with Lee heading to jail and that's when things take a change for the better (or worse). The Zombie outbreak happens at about the same time and his jail sentence takes an abrupt turn. He meets up with a girl, by the name of Clementine, and has the responsibility of keeping a young girl safe and leading a group of survivors.
The meat and potatoes to this game is the story itself. I can't say too much without ruining it for anyone but the story is a masterpiece, not just for video games but for modern stories in general. The main plot is woven effortlessly into five seperate episodes. The episodes average out to being a few hours a piece but due to the expert storytelling and pacing, the time will go by much faster than that.
The episodes are available at $5 a piece on XBLA and PSN or it can be purchased for $30 on disc. Keep in mind, the disc is $5 more total, if purchased new. The episodic forumla echoed 'Alan Wake' for me, in that, it feels just like you're a part of a developing TV series. It has openings and shows what's to come; It even catches you up with a 'Last Time' clip at the beginning of the next episode. The main difference, as far as the episodic style format, between the two is that 'Alan Wake' kept going, whereas for 'The Walking Dead', you had to wait until the next episode was released. I was fortunate enough to play it when they had all been released.
The gameplay and storytelling go hand in hand here. Telltale Games has blended them both perfectly. TWD is definitely not your typical game. It is essentially a point-and-click, but it won't feel like it once you get fully immersed in the story, which shouldn't take long at all. After about twenty minutes, I forgot that I wasn't doing much more than walking around and clicking prompts or engaging in QTE's. I was lost within the game and I was Lee Everett. And that's all that mattered to me until the credits rolled.
The graphics also do a wonderful job in convincing you that you're in this universe. They echo the style of the comics in almost every way. It feels like you were part of some sort of 'Comix Zone' experiment. It really goes to show that big-budget AAA graphics aren't needed to deliver great gameplay and tell a beautiful story.
When it's all said and done, what really mattered most was the story. The characters all feel real and the story sticks with you. You will feel for these characters and every decision will affect your emotions. In Episode Two, you are faced with picking who will get to eat, as there is a limited supply. There are children who are starving, men who have been working to build the barricade for protection, women who have been assisting with day-to-day things, and yourself, who needs it just as badly. And some will have to go without. In a normal game, this might not feel like too much of a big deal, but here, it is. Characters watch you. They remember things you say, things you do, and, just like in the real world, they will call you on it. It might not be today or tomorrow, but they will bring it up. There are several other decisions that stuck with days after completing the game. Some of them were even stronger and impactful than this decision.
What also adds to the stress and real-life feel is the timer. There's a bar at the bottom of the screen and it begins decreasing immediately in some situations. You don't have 10 minutes to think about what you want to do or check a guide online. The actions and decision making is fast paced. For a true experience, try not reloading any saves to see where you'd end up, with exactly how you played the game. I know I couldn't do it. There were a few times where I thought the decision I made was perfect and then moments later, something happened as a result of it, and I couldn't live with it. I had to go back. That's just how powerful your actions feel in this game.
Graphics- The visuals are done in the comic-book style which help with the feel of the game. It feels like you were dropped inside the comic book universe with the writing and the visuals of this masterpiece that Telltale Studios has crafted.
Sound: The voice acting makes the characters feel believable and sincere. You'll find yourself loving characters, hating characters, but most importantly, understanding characters. You might hate someone for doing something but you will absolutely understand why they did it. You'll instantly see why someone did something, even if you don't agree with it or like it.
Controls: The controls are tight and responsive. You will soon forget you're even holding a controller as it will feel like an extension of yourself early on. I experienced no major issues with the controls during my play session.
Story: I wouldn't feel right going into specifics in the story. Ruining the story for this game is essentially ruining the game entirely, in my opinion. Let's just say that the story will feel like a blur when it's all finished, but everything will stick with you. The good, the bad, everything. The stats that are shown at the end of each episode (and at the end of the entire game) are a subtle, yet beautiful touch to the series. It reflects how many people did what you did (or didn't do) and, to an extent, makes you think, "Should I have gone with the other choice?". The story to this game is absolutely something everyone should experience and the sooner the better; With how much praise this game has gotten and the internet being brutal at times, the likelihood of having it spoiled is pretty high.
Replay Value: This is the only negative point for me and it's not a bad thing. The main draw in this game is its story and they do allow you to make numerous choices but for the most part, different choices don't necessarily warrant multiple playthroughs. I feel like the best example of this is the movie 'Fight Club'. It was an incredible ride and the writing was absolutely wonderful but it's not the same after viewing it and experiencing it a few times. The story is enthralling but it won't feel as meaningful after a first playthrough. You'll think about it; You'll think about it for hours, days even but you may not jump to play again immediately following a playthrough.
All in all, The Walking Dead by Telltale Studios was a hell of a ride and it deserves every bit of credit it recieves. It was my personal GOTY even against games such as Mass Effect 3 and Assassins Creed III -and I've been a Mass Effect fan since Day One.
The Walking Dead receives a 9.75/10.
+Gameplay was tight and tied into the narrative nicely.
+The story is one of the my favorite stories. Period.
+Immersion. You'll feel like nothing else exists while playing this game. You'll just like you're in the middle of it all and this is all you've ever known.
-The replay value being a bit low and a few low points - compared to the rest of the overall story- in the story keep it from being perfect but it is worth every penny and absolutely worth experiencing and owning.
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
I've dreamed of this day since I first played Pokemon Stadium and Pokemon Snap. The thought of playing a 3D Pokemon game with a rear camera view had never occurred to me until then. Ever since then I yearned for a standard Pokemon game in this manner. My only fear was that it would be most likely be on console and that I couldn't bring it on the go, but it's finally here - er almost anyways- and that one fear is eliminated.
Expect tons of coverage on these as new information comes out for them and of course, I'll have quite a bit of articles and a review once they're released.
I'm Back
So I've had a lot of downtime and I apologize for that. I'm back up now and will have an active gaming blog again. I'll have a better idea of a schedule for the blog in a few weeks but it will be active again.
Also, in April, I will have another blog in addition to this one with a friend of mine. We will be doing a gaming blog and a gaming podcast. I'm also interested in doing videos such as Game Informer's Replays/Super Replays and Community Sessions, where we could play some games together. More details on that as they develop.
Are there any requests?
Let me know!
My contact information is at the bottom per usual.
I plan on having a review out soon, more editorials and articles, and of course interesting game news as I come across it. I spend way too much time reading on multiple gaming sites so I come across a lot.
You guys are all awesome.
I appreciate your patience.
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
Moving!
Hey guys!
So, I got a new job in Tulsa, Oklahoma; I'll be working longer hours but it shouldn't affect my blog too much. I will have downtime though for a month or so- and I sincerely apologize for that.
I currently live in Michigan and so moving 830 miles away will certainly take a minute to do. I've almost finished packing and now I just have finish my last week at work here so I can head out. When I get there it will still be a minute before I'm up and running again because I'll need to get settled in at work, find somewhere to live and catch up on some bills.
I'll get going as quickly as I am able to though so don't worry!
My estimate for when I'll be back and running like before is mid-June. That is a while but after that, I'll be up with no delays :D
Thank you for your understanding.
I'll be on here from time to time between then but I just won't be at full capacity like my normal online presence.
-josh
Got any questions? Shoot me an email -> [email protected]
Dishonored (PC/PS3/360)
From Arkane Studios and being published by Bethesda, Dishonored takes you on a first-person stealth driven journey through a world that cobbles elements from the past, present, and future into one steampunk mess.
The Empress, the woman your protagonist Carvo is life-sworn to protect, is dead and the authorities are jabbing a finger your way. Using cunning, espionage, a mixed bag of gadgets, and wee bit of the supernatural, Carvo can carve himself a path of relentless revenge or leave every single one of Dishonored’s enemies — right down to the bosses — injured but breathing.
Gameplay smacks with the essence of industry peers like Deus Ex (which shouldn’t be surprising given that this game’s lead designer had a hand in that title), but the unique style certainly draws the eye. That uniqueness may just help Dishonored leave a mark when it arrives later this year, especially when like fare such as Bioshock Infinite threaten to hog the limelight.
Hey guys ....
So I got super busy today. I worked 9 hours and had to pack for my vacation.
The two articles on the Mass Effect art book and strategy guide WILL go up but I couldnt do them today. I'm going to be able to get them up by Wednesday night for sure though.
I'm super sorry. Thanks for being so awesome and understanding though!
Got a lot more on the way over the next month!
-Art of Mass Effect universe article
-Mass Effect 3 Prima guide article
-Mario Kart 7 review
-Resident Evil Revelations review
-Kid Icarus Uprising review
I'll make a prettier post that sums all of this up later.
I love all of you! Thanks for reading!
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
This is definitely good, right? RIGHT?
Don’t you dare break my heart twice Bioware…don’t you DARE!
Mass Effect 3 - 9/10
Mass Effect has been a series that has been near and dear to my heart ever since the first Mass Effect launched. It was one of my favorite games on the 360 and is still among them. It was an amazing game that truly showed how far gameplay and storytelling had come. Bioware had created a masterpiece that might not have been perfect but it was almost as close as a developer could get.
Mass Effect has combined expert storytelling, deep character development, RPG elements/gameplay, strategic third-person shooter gameplay, and it was all wrapped up in a huge and detailed universe. Mass Effect made you feel like you were traveling across the galaxy; It made you feel like you were Commander Shepard. We all lost ourselves in Bioware's epic sci-fi universe.
Bioware had stated from the very beginning that their plan was to create a trilogy in the Mass Effect universe that would have consequences and effects, both good and bad, from the decisions made throughout each game. They stated that after each game, one could carry their character over and import their experience into the next chapter of the series. The series' major and overarching story was more or less going to end this way or that way but there were countless variables that would affect and alter each individual experience, making everyone's playthrough unique and their own.
As a longtime Mass Effect fan, I have seen the series evolve and change but the core of the series remained the same. The player was in the role of Commander Shepard and the goal was to save all sentient life from an evil threat. We were able to choose how we got there; We picked everything- from the gender of Commander Shepard all the way to who lived and died to how the galaxy was saved. The player truly was Commander Shepard. There were many great things about the Mass Effect games. The RPG elements, the combat, the story- It was all amazing but the best part about it was that it was woven together with the gamer choosing everything. We had a choice. We shaped the fate of the galaxy. It made you feel powerful; It made the entire experience personal from the very beginning ....
Here we are, almost five years later, with the fate of the galaxy on the line and a controller in our hands. Mass Effect 3 is the galaxy's last and final stand against the threat of the Reapers. This is what we have been working towards and preparing for since the original Mass Effect. This is what the series has been building up to; This is it.
Mass Effect 3 begins directly after the 'Arrival' DLC of Mass Effect 2 and Shepard is in a tight spot. For those who didn't play the DLC, Shepard had destroyed a Mass Relay in batarian space while attempting to rescue Dr. Amanda Kenson. The Reapers were about to come through that Mass Relay and if Shepard hadn't blown it up, the Reapers would have invaded much sooner than they did. This was the only choice Shepard had though because it bought everyone a little more time, but it came at the expense of thousands of nearby Batarians being killed. Admiral Hackett later tells Shepard that he understood why Shepard did what he did but that he still had to report to Earth for a trial.
Enter Mass Effect 3; Shepard is being detained on Earth and being held accountable for his actions. Before the trial can really start though, the Reapers start closing in on Earth's location. With the Reaper's existence made public and official, everyone turns to Shepard. Shepard is allowed to leave to rally support and lead the galaxy against the threat of the Reapers. Shepard escapes Earth, with the help of Anderson, on the Normandy. The mission? Take Back Earth and find a way to destroy the Reapers.
Shepard takes on countless missions in order to unite every race so that they can bring the fight to the Reapers. Old locations from past games make appearances along with some new locations. There are a lot of available squadmates but Bioware wasn't kidding about the suicide mission in Mass Effect 2. If someone died on the suicide mission, they will not make an appearance in Mass Effect 3. I'm sure Mass Effect 3 could be fun without importing a ME2 save file but that would certainly take out the personal touch and some of the experience. We've all had plenty of time to get that perfect save file ready -Shep at a high level, plenty of upgrades/resources/money, everyone survived at the end, etc- and I can personally say that it makes for a very rewarding and personal experience.
The story elements of Mass Effect 3 start off fantastic and the ride keeps going for almost the whole game. I use the phrases 'start off' and 'almost the whole game' for perfectly good reasons, but I'll get to that later. Going to get help isn't as simple as it sounds because the Reaper threat is everywhere and to get help from others, you have to help them first. It feels natural though and every instance feels realistic and completely logical. For example, it's not that the turians don't want to help you, it's that their planet is under seige. If you can get their diplomat out and help them draw away some of the Reaper onslaught, they are more than happy to help you. The game feels very natural though and none of it feels forced. Your galactic readiness is measured in the war room and you'll notice it increase as you add more war assets and support. There's a point in the game where you can set the final portion of the game in motion, whether you're ready or not. I would highly recommend that you get your galactic readiness as high as possible so there's at least a chance of victory. This is similar to the level of preparedness for the suicide mission in Mass Effect 2; The game doesn't require you to have everyone's loyalty or as many teammates as possible, but it's obviously recommended.
The gameplay of Mass Effect 3 is incredible; The combat has been improved even more and it's just a blast to play. I love the combat and look forward to encountering enemies. There's hiccups here and there such as having trouble getting into cover sometimes or getting stuck on a portion of the map occasionally ,but overall it's a solid and fluid experience. There's a few additions from Mass Effect 2 but overall the combat is familiar; It's mostly just polished and cleaned up. Every squad member has a signature power that can be selected and applied to an enemy with a tap of the D-Pad. These powers can be changed on the Normandy but the default chosen powers are also good choices. A few very welcome additions to combat are vaulting and diving. Shepard can dive out of the way and vault over obstacles- similar to Gears of War. Another new addition is the ability run and jump over gaps and use ladders. This makes the combat more fresh and diverse because battles aren't just fought over a horizontal plane anymore; There's times where there are enemies across and above Shepard and waiting in cover won't quite work. This opens up opportunities to naturally traverse the battle area and also makes battles even more strategic and tactical.
The multiplayer is welcome but not essential. It's a lot of fun to play the multiplayer though and it's much better than I expected. It's similar to firefight from Halo Reach (I don't know why IGN keeps comparing it to Horde Mode from Gears of War) but with an emphasis on teamwork. It takes the N7 Missions from the single player game and throws multiplayer in. There are ten waves of a chosen (or random) enemy that you and your teammates must fight off. There's ammo refill locations but other than that, it's up to you and your team to survive and fight off the onslaught of enemies. Sometimes there's an objective such as uploading data or hitting a switch but where it really shines is just surviving with some friends. It's *not* needed to complete the single player mode but it does help boost your galactic readiness level. There's customization with weapon packs and different classes/races to unlock. It can be a lot of fun but Bioware didn't make it mandatory to succeed in story mode.
Voice acting. Gosh, I don't even know where to begin. This voice acting is top notch - especially for a video game. Mark Meer's performance as MaleShep isn't as believable or memorable as Jennifer Hale's FemShep performance but overall the voice acting is incredible. Some characters worth mentioning in particular are Anderson, Hackett, and the majority of the squadmates. I especially think Keith David does a phenomenal job as Anderson; One of my favorite voice actors in the game as far as quality goes. The sounds of Mass Effect are just as incredible. I purchased the N7 Edition and so it came with a digital version of the game's soundtrack and let's just say, it's in my car and always playing. The music of Mass Effect 3 fits the circumstances, situations and the overall mood to the tee. Dikiciyan and Velasco did a great a job capturing the mood of this entire game. This is hands-down one of the greatest soundtracks in -at least- modern games. The composers deserve every single bit of praise they receive. I played this with my turtle beach on for most of my playthrough because I wanted to absorb every sound byte in this beautifully crafted universe. The sound effects are just as good. The weapons all sound extremely realistic; I always loved getting head shots on enemies with metallic heads because the *ding* that transpires on impact sounds so real. The sounds of Mass Effect work with the graphics to create the most believable fictional universe in existence.
The graphics of Mass Effect 3 are some of the greatest graphics that the Xbox 360 and PS3 has seen and probably will see this entire console generation. From rich landscapes to skylines that will just make you stop and look up; Mass Effect 3 is stunning. Facial animations look really good but the lip animations are a hit or miss. Sometimes when a character is speaking I would find myself looking away because the lip animation was just that bad; Other times I happily watched as lips lined up with words completely. Even when it doesn't work perfectly, it doesn't matter. Like Skyrim, there may be a few graphical glitches here and there, but the awesome far outweighs the bad. Explosions are another thing I looked forward to; I found myself hitting the power wheel sometimes just to freeze and stare at the heart of an explosion. Landscapes, characters, and combat related graphics all look phenomenal. There is the occasional lip animation hiccup but it is completely forgivable.
There's good and bad in every game and Mass Effect is -unfortunately- no different. Bioware has always been seen as a developer who knows exactly how to write and tell a great story and it has been the case with 99% of the Mass Effect trilogy. The problem is that 1% is pretty bad and it's the ending. Don't worry, I don't believe in spoilers but I will say that the ending is completely horrible and unforgivable. This is literally the only thing wrong with this entire game that is worth mentioning. Were it not for this, this game would be absolutely perfect in every single possible way. This game is a marvel in every way except the ending and when you see it, you'll agree. This entire trilogy has built itself on "What do you want to do? Choose your path." and we loved it; The other main concept this game built itself on was a remarkable story with characters that we all loved. It worked so why would Bioware change now?
Like I said, it's just the ending, everything else is perfect. The ending was horrible though and will leave a bad feeling in everyone's stomach. If it doesn't, then you didn't care about the story or the characters. If you even remotely care about the story and characters, the ending will greatly bother you. The ending makes no sense and insults the rest of ME3 and the other two games' stories and character development- and the fans of the series. All we can do now is sign petitions and beg Bioware to make some "Broken Steel" style downloadable content to fix an otherwise perfect game. If this is done then this review will be completely revised and redone accordingly.
Solid gameplay with a mostly great story are plagued by a horrible ending that doesn't do Shepard, his squadmates, or the fans justice. Other than the ending, this game is absolutely 100% perfect and should definitely be experienced. I just hope Bioware listens to the cries of the fans and fixes an otherwise incredible game.
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Concept: Take back Earth and the rest of the galaxy from the Reapers. Bring your squad across the galaxy to prep every single race for the battle against the Reapers. This is what we've been preparing for in the last two games. It's time to finish the fight.
Graphics: Mass Effect 3 is beautiful. The characters look real and the environments look fantastic. Everything looks as it should except for the lip animations don't always match up. It won't ruin the game but it may pull from the experience briefly.
Sound: The music is nothing short of epic and it fits and supports the mood perfectly throughout the entire game. The voice acting is some of the best you'll ever experience in a game this console generation. If you don't think Shepard's line delivery is up to par then play as FemShep; Jennifer Hale outdoes Mark Meer's performance on every level. The sound effects support the experience just as well as everything else; Guns and explosions sound so real. I gladly played this with my turtle beach on and cranked up.
Multiplayer: While not necessary to enjoy the experience, it certainly doesn't hurt. It's fun to break up single player sessions and even helps with the galactic readiness level in the story mode. Local Support would have been appreciated but this is a blast to play with friends over Xbox Live.
Controls: Shepard controls beautifully; There are no major control problems at all. Every once in a while, you may find yourself going into cover unintentionally or stuck on a wall but this is rare and easily fixed. The vaulting and diving control nicely too. Controls feel a lot like ME2 but also feel polished and tightened up a bit.
Replay Value: Extremely High.
The average length of the single-player game is forty hours and New Game+ mode is present as well. Due to the ending, choices won't feel as rewarding but multiple playthroughs are almost a given. Multiplayer will certainly add to the play time since it'll always feel fresh.
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Mass Effect 3 earns itself a 9/10.
The ending is a major letdown and definitely leaves a sour taste in your mouth but the rest of the game is a blast. The gameplay is the peak of the series and all of the story elements -before the ending- are incredible. Hopefully Bioware releases "Broken Steel" style DLC- A lot of fans will happily purchase it, myself included.
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N7 Collector's Edition Summary
The N7 Edition became a priority for me as soon as I heard about it. The problem was by the time I heard about it, it was almost too late. I checked Gamestop and many other retail stores before finally checking on Amazon. Lucky for me, they had not run out. I was able to preorder it and secure a copy. EA/Bioware can't be held too much at fault for the scarcity of the N7 Edition because it is supposed to be a limited offer. The marketing and advertising could have been a bit better however because a lot of eager fans were unable to purchase it. What transpired was ebay sellers buying multiple copies and selling them at inflated prices, but what's done is done.
The N7 Edition's retail price was $79.99 (USD) and it was a very good deal. It's been my favorite "limited edition" to date and I didn't feel ripped off at all. There was a lot of included content, both digital and physical.
All of the in-game content was welcome but the best part was the "From Ashes" DLC being included. It costs $10 (USD) separately which automatically made the rest of the N7 Edition a huge deal. The game itself costs $60 (USD) and the DLC would be $10 (USD) and so that means that for an extra $10 (USD) I got a plethora of goodies. The in-game content features weapons, additional constumes, a hoodie for Shep, and a robotic dog for Shep on the Normandy. The weapons are very nice; The included weapons were an N7 version of every gun- excluding the assault rifle- and they were the only ones I used in the game. The costumes are nice but I usually just use the default ones. The N7 Hoodie for Shep is pretty cool and I'll admit I had it equipped for his casual outfit. The digital soundtrack was also included and it's pretty cool of course. There's twenty five songs on it and they're all great songs. I kinda wish they would have included it on a disc but at least it's easy to download.
The physical goods were pretty cool; My favorite being the 'Art Book'. I'll admit, I thought it would be bigger but it was still pretty cool. I install all of my games to reduce console stress and load times and so I enjoyed looking at it during the install. There's an advertisement towards the back for "The Art of the Mass Effect Universe" book and it worked. I purchased that and will be writing an article covering that as well. The included art book was a nice freebie and I enjoyed it very much. The tin case is both good and bad; It's very high quality and the artwork is very cool, but the problem is the discs are extremely hard to take out. I was afraid they would break when I removed them every time I took them out. The lithograph of the Normandy and the N7 patch were cool but were not part of why I purchased the N7 Edition. They felt tacked on and just aren't as cool as the rest of the included content. The comic book is 'Mass Effect: Invasion' and it chronicles Cerberus' attack on Omega. A cool addition to the bundle but not the best included item.
My favorite parts about it are:
"From Ashes" Downloadable Content
N7 Weapon Pack
Mass Effect 3 Digital Soundtrack
70 Page Art Book
Special Tin Game Case - Featuring 'MaleShep' and 'FemShep'
It's a great deal though and I recommend it to every fan of the series. I realize they are hard to obtain but they are worth it. I can't really speak for any inflated prices from people reselling them but I can definitely say I would have paid $100 (USD) or so for this hands-down.
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Thanks for reading!
I'll see you guys next week with my review of Mario Kart 7!
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
A profile of William Higinbotham, the inventor of the first video game
Physicist William Higinbotham invented the first video game, Tennis for Two, at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island in New York in 1958, though he has rarely been recognized for his achievement. The Daily has a short profile of the man and his invention, which was developed at a nuclear lab, the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Ten years into his career, Higinbotham sketched out the concept for Tennis for Two in a few hours, then built it with the assistance of an engineer who also worked at the lab. The Lab began using the game on Visitors’ Days as a way to give technology good PR in the face of fears about nuclear energy, and Higinbotham continued to upgrade the game, giving it a larger screen and other options. Higinbotham was recognized as the inventor of the video game following a 1976 lawsuit involving Magnavox. Higinbotham’s game was also recently recreated at Brookhaven Lab, and it was exhibited there in 2008 on the 50th anniversary of its invention.
Updates
Hey guys!
So I finished Mass Effect 3 early Friday morning ....
There's things I loved about it and things I didn't like about it, but I'll go over the good and ugly in my review.
My review will be published on Tuesday, March 13th.
I normally publish reviews on Fridays but 'ME3' didn't come out until Tuesday, March 6th so the normal deadline would have affected the quality of my review. 'ME3' being a bigger game, I needed a week to play it and write my review.
I was also very blessed to be able to secure a copy of the N7 Collector's Edition. I tried to get it in a few locations but they were all out but luckily Amazon hadn't run out. I will go over the included extras in my Mass Effect 3 review. I'm not going to write a separate article for it but rather touch on it and go over the value or lack of. I also have a couple other extra articles that are being published the same day.
Yes. I couldn't resist. I love books, games, 'making-of' books/documentaries, and especially when they're all kind of combined. This book features art and concept art from the entire Mass Effect trilogy. I will go over this and do a bit of a review on it. I also purchased the Mass Effect 3 Prima Strategy Guide- Don't worry, I bought it after I beat the game. I don't usually need guides but I love to have them to look at. They're also especially nice for RPG games because if you want to see if there's additional quests that you may have missed, you can find out what and how to obtain them.
Well that's it for now.
I just thought I'd check in with you guys and let you know why I was a bit quiet over the last few days. I was working hard on my Mass Effect 3 playthrough so I could get you a quality review as soon as possible. And don't worry- I may have beaten it in three days but I wasn't rushing. My play time was around 35 hours and that doesn't include multiplayer; I just played A LOT in that three day period. I even pulled an all nighter Thursday night.
I also have a specfic article or two planned but they would deal with spoilers so I'm waiting a few weeks until the majority of the people that are planning on playing will have beaten it. So be on the lookout for those .... I'll let you know what and when as it approaches.
Until then, I'll see you guys on Tuesday!
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
c: Apologies!
Hey Guys ....
I just wanted to apologize; Normally I post more frequently :(
I haven't forgotten about you :)
I'm hard at work on Mass Effect 3. My review goes up on Tuesday and so I'm plugging away at it so I can deliver a complete, fair, and balanced review for ya.
I'm not giving any details on my experience yet because my reviews coming soon!
Have a good one!
I'll see you guys on Tuesday!
Any requests?
Message me or email me- Remember I have gamefly!
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
Lollipop Chainsaw gets June release date
Warner Bros. have announced a June release date for the upcoming high school zombie slayer Lollipop Chainsaw.
Pre-order Lollipop Chainsaw
Anyone looking for Mass Effect 3 info should head to Game Informer's Mass Effect 3 hub. They have a plethora of articles from 'How Mass Effect Began' to 'The Sound Design of Mass Effect 3'.
Check it out when you get a chance.
Game Informer's Mass Effect 3 Hub
I just finished Mass Effect 2 again in anticipation of Mass Effect 3. Everyone survived the suicide mission and I got the playthrough I want to transfer. I am so pumped for the imminent reaper invasion! I have the N7 Edition pre-ordered through Amazon and will include the extras in my review of the game on March 13th.
Are you guys ready? 12 hours until the invasion!
Stay Frosty-
-josh
STEAMB0AT- Xbox Live
[email protected] (Gmail)
gplus.to/joshnichols (Google+)
playfire.com/STEAMB0AT (Playfire)
*** Update ***
Amazon emailed me to tell me that they shipped it and they gave me the ups tracking number. I went on ups to track it and it is supposed to be at my house at 3:00 PM tomorrow! I'm so excited! Expect the full review on here on 3/13.
