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The Gathering 08 games round-up
The Gathering is a yearly event hosted by the Xbox team for members of the Xbox Community Network (XCN) and some members of the gaming press. The event provides attendees the chance to get hands on time with some of the forthcoming releases on Xbox 360, and a chance to talk to the developers and PR folks. The XCN consists of a number of sites from across Europe, and so the event also provides an opportunity to meet some of the other members. This year, The Gathering was held in a pleasant hotel a few miles outside of sunny Reading, which is actually the same town as Microsoft’s UK HQ. As you would expect there were plenty of games to sample, and so we’re going to get straight to the point and talk about the games played.
Gears of War 2
Starting the event on arrival day, which happened to coincide with the Gears of War 2 launch day we kicked things off with some Gears of War 2. Some of you will no doubt already be enjoying Gears of War 2, and are probably very familiar with the game by now so we won’t go into much detail here, other than mentioning that playing Gears of War 2 via LAN is great fun and made all the better by being able to gloat in your opponents faces after a successful chain-sawing. Sadly there is a tendency to lose the tactical edge due to the fact that your opponents can hear you discussing strategies, but still, it’s great to get stuck in using this method. The new Horde mode is certainly an excellent addition to the game and in this case, we split up into teams to see which team could survive the longest without continuing – on the games medium difficulty. It’s very much a full on mode that requires good communications, a keen eye and strong team element. Being a one man hero really has no place here because if you run off and try and go it alone, it’s likely that you’ll get killed. In fact, being able to revive the fallen (within a time limit) is a great feature because it means that the group really has to work well together and stay close to each other. Gears of War 2 is certainly much improved from its predecessor in the multiplayer mode and whilst very familiar, the additions to the multiplayer are worthy ones indeed. Maury Mountain and Matt Hancy who are artists from Epic were on hand to co-ordinate the games and it was great being able to shoot up members of Epic Team who can be more relaxed now the game is finished and in stores.
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Lara is most certainly back, as Tomb Raider: Underworld looks like it’s going to be the best of the series to date. The game engine is much improved from Legend, which means Lara looks even better, alongside her surroundings which are extremely convincing and true to their real life counterparts. Crystal Dynamics, the developers have really put a lot of hard work and love into the game, and although the core gameplay remains similar to past games, there’s a real sense of genuine exploration that offers much gratification when you make new discoveries or get things right. It’s this element that has worked well for the series and continues here, although it is always amusing to see our lovely heroine fall to her death on occasion – or lots of times depending on who’s playing. Having already played the demo and the game at another event, there’s not much more to add that hasn’t already been said HERE, however to reiterate; Lara’s animation is incredibly detailed and although not entirely realistic in some instances, the sheer number of different moves and neat touches is incredible. One interesting note is the fact that the game is going to offer a real challenge both in the action and puzzle solving departments, for those players who opt to play in a less aggressive manner. For example, using the non lethal weaponry such as the tranquiliser gun might save some endangered species, but in the process places a time limit on your puzzle solving. As you would expect, victims are going to wake up at some point, and with the scarcity of ammo being an issue means that you’re not going to want to continually pump more rounds into the same enemy. What is also going to add to the challenge are the options to change the game difficulty at any time. This is not just restricted to the usual easy/normal and hard either, because you can tweak other facets of the gameplay too such as enemy’s and Lara’s base health.
If you’re a fan of the past games or are looking for a title that incorporates action, and puzzle solving then this should be on your shopping list when it releases on the 18th of November (21st for Europe). What’s worth noting here is that Tomb Raider: Underworld is a very accessible game and one that has been tailored to suit the needs of casual and the more experienced gamers.
Prince of Persia
Prince of Persia is playing very well, however the art style offers a stark contrast to games that opt for a more realistic approach – it’s certainly very different from the norm, yet at the same time isn’t the same as games like Naruto or Crackdown. There’s a deliberate rough edge to the graphics which helps prevent the game from falling into “cute” territory. The gameplay is very refreshing because it seems the developers have focused on allowing you to follow your own pace and not punish you should you make lots of errors, which in turn allows you to get better at the game without the interruption of restart procedures. As you navigate the levels you’ll become more accustomed to just flowing through the obstacles that you face. The controls are very simple for jumping and climbing, and what is really impressive is the inclusion of Elika and how she is very much a part of these actions. She almost becomes an extension of the main character even though you have no direct control over her as such. The animation is also of a high standard and it’s great seeing how they have incorporated the two characters together as they leap, jump and work as a team to progress. The animations are excellent and help maintain the smooth flowing nature of the game.
Prince of Persia offers you the choice to explore areas of your own choosing, so once on the main map screen you get to choose which path to follow rather than have your hand held. It’s a good concept and adds some variety to a game which could have simply dictated to players. This is the overall feeling gained from playing, that Prince of Persia isn’t a game that’s overbearing and restrictive. You have choices in where you go and how you fight.
The combat itself is of a more methodical nature compared to a game which requires mad button mashing. Here you’re presented with various attacks using the face buttons, with the Y button being the only time you’ll have some sort of direct control over Elika. This unleashes her supporting attacks, and what’s great is being able to chain moves together and co-ordinate your sword swipes and her attacks in unison. If Elika is grounded, then you have to move in and help her, risking your own life in the process. However you might feel to begin with that she’s maybe not worth dying for, however you do miss out on the benefits of having her as an attack partner if you take this stance. The enemies themselves can change their status during a fight as well, which means they become immune to certain attack types. This then requires you to mix up your fighting and adopt different techniques and strategies to win. The counter system is very dynamic (press the RT to block just as an attack strikes) and allows you to gain the upper hand with neat combos if you get the timing right. Fighting is a very intimate affair and has not been designed to recreate huge battles with multiple enemies. The idea is to allow you to focus your combative skills and get creative rather than simply trying to kill everything for survival’s sake only. It works well within the context of how the combat system has been employed. The combat feels very much like a continuation of the flowing nature you feel within the navigation elements, and is equally engaging in its own right.
The story seems to be an interesting one at that, and draws you in from the off by placing the characters in a mysterious predicament; and as you progress, things become clearer and your emotional attachment to them grows as a result. There are humorous and serious elements on offer here, and as you progress through the game, you’re going to develop a distinct and unique bond with Elika. This delves beyond the fact that she is the sexy side kick that you need to work with in order to aid your progression through the game, although she is that too. What is also neat is the fact that you can press the LT at anytime outside of scripted scenes to engage in banter between the two characters. The developers have recorded lots of optional dialogue (spoken on the fly rather than pausing the game or entering a cut-scene), which not only fleshes out the characters but enables you to gain further insight into who they are. The fact that the two characters are thrown together by fate adds an intriguing element to how they develop their relationship.
Prince of Persia is certainly a game worthy of playing for those of you who enjoy action, exploration and navigation based puzzles. The game offers a challenging experience that you can take at your own pace and develop your skills. If you’re a fan of the previous games, then you’ll find some familiar elements that have been fused with invention to provide something that feels quite new. However there are quite a number of similarities in design to Ubisoft’s other game, Assassin’s Creed. Prince of Persia is due for release on the 2nd of December in the US and the 5th in Europe.
Left 4 Dead
Left 4 Dead was one of the most popular games of the entire event and was set up for co-op over LAN with four players. Valve must be very proud of their efforts because they have turned a popular pastime (killing zombies) into their own unique blend of fast paced first person shooting action. The game uses the Source engine and much like Gears of War 2 Horde mode, requires a very strong level of teamwork. The basic premise of the game is to survive by going from point A to B as a team however, the zombie hordes appear very quickly and act extremely aggressively. The speed at which some of them can move is also frightening and certainly makes playing the game one hell of a roller coaster ride. The fact that the game is in first person, really does add to the tension because you can never be sure if zombies are going to suddenly launch at you from behind and try to rip you to pieces. The level we played was quite dark and moody, and made good use of lighting (each character has a flashlight for those darker moments). The game by design is very simple and extremely easy to get into; you basically grab a weapon and then panic (alongside the other three players in the same boat as you). What’s really good is the fact that the weapons are as powerful as you’d expect them to be, yet due to the sheer number of zombies that can attack at any time means that you’re left very vulnerable but not to the point where you’re dead within five seconds. You can find supplies like health and ammo as you progress through the levels, but naturally with three other players on the team, some co-ordination is required. If you do fall foul of a zombie attack, you can be helped or revived but not to full health, so managing resources is certainly a key component here.
Left 4 Dead most certainly puts you on edge by combining the fear factor of games like Resident Evil, but the claustrophobic and gritty nature really places you into the predicament of the characters who are just normal people trying to survive by any means. It’s really hard to say that this is a gory game, because the fast pacing and darkness really doesn’t give you time to take note of the finer details. Maybe this is a good thing, and highly deliberate, as Left 4 Dead is not prettiest game on Xbox 360, but that’s not to say the game professes to be so. If you’re looking for a game that is fun to play, easy to just jump into and have some flat out carnage, then this is certainly well worth checking out. It releases on November 17th in the US and the 21st in Europe.
Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts
Banjo Kazooie is a very different direction for the series which has previously relied heavily on being a more traditional adventure platforming game. There are familiar elements in that you have to hunt around for items such as the jigs, but this has been fused with the element of design and then racing or challenging. It’s a good concept if you let go of the fact that this is a new Banjo Kazooie game, that’s not afraid of doing something a little different. Naturally the first thing that hits you is how lovely the game looks, there's a real vibrancy about the levels and it’s great to wander around the highly interactive worlds performing various tasks to accomplish your goals. There is a story here involving past enemies such as Gruntilda and her minions as you battle for supremacy of Spiral Mountain. The Lord of Games is not happy with your squabbling and so it’s up to you to save your habitat from being redeveloped. The story certainly adds some classic RARE humour as well as some cohesion to merely wandering and collecting stuff for your vehicles. Playing game in this respect provides the classic exploration and solving puzzles that you would expect. However it’s the design aspect that really pushes the game into a new realm full of possibilities. You have over 100 pieces/parts you can use to design your vehicles to suit the challenges ahead of you. The freedom and creativity you can have is pretty slick especially as it means that players will all have their own specific preferences. It’s very easy to make the blueprints and with a little practice you should be able to create something special and something that brings the duo some success.
The game does sound rather complicated and for some gamers there might be areas that become too taxing, well this is not a problem as the game caters to those who want to get stuck into the challenge aspect. It’s a good feature, that keeps everyone happy, but the rewards for those of you who take the time to get creative is certainly a good incentive to get your hands dirty. What is neat is via the game's extensive multiplayer where you can compete or team up with others to complete the challenges, you can actually share your creations with friends. Other gamers can actually steal your blueprints unless you lock them, although naturally this allows you to help out your fellow players, which is likely as there will be plenty of willing candidates no doubt.
Banjo Kazooie is certainly a game that offers gamers a welcome break from shooting up zombies, humans and aliens, and although you’ll get to tackle Grunty’s Gruntbots, it’s a different sort of combative gameplay. Rare has a great history for making challenging and well thought out games, and it looks like Banjo Kazooie on Xbox 360 is going to carry on their impressive tradition. Once fans of the series get to grips with the game, they should find an experience that offers genuine good times. Banjo Kazooie arrives with a smiley face in stores on the 14th November in Europe and is in US stores now.
Resident Evil 5
There’s been a lot of hype and exaggeration about Resident Evil 5 and we’re not talking about the size of lead character Chris Redfield’s muscles. Initially the outrage from some groups over the game’s depiction of a white man, shooting up Africans was blown out of proportion. Although then we we’re introduced to the rather sassy looking Sheva who aids Chris on his journey to discover the secrets of the Umbrella corporation and origins of the viral strains developed by the company. Africa is as good a place as any, and provides a stark contrast to the European setting we witnessed in Resident Evil 4. From the off Resident Evil 5 is an extension of Resident Evil 4’s successful formula of creating a faster paced action game compared to the earlier games. Right off the bat the shanty town level pits you against enemies that will try and swarm you and put you to the floor, despite those overbearing muscles. You’ve got to avoid the close quarters attacks as well as the long ranged objects that are thrown in your direction. It’s very familiar turf but with a shift in focus to the parts of the older games where you teamed up with another character. For the single player game, players are going to be Chris’ character, but using the new co-op the joining player takes on the role of Sheva. Like past games, she’s not some hapless beauty that needs her hand held, and feels just as aggressive and determined as past leading ladies such as Jill and Claire. This co-operative element as a predominant feature works well and takes away the isolation of previous games and replaces it with a more strategic element. Naturally the two of you will solve puzzles and navigate obstacles together, which places a huge importance on the secondary character. If Sheva is killed then, yes it’s game over, so being aware of her status as well as your own is crucial. There seems to be a shift in games recently towards adding more players alongside the main character throughout play. We’ve had the dog in Fable 2, we’ll have Elika in Prince of Persia and now Sheva in Resident Evil 5. Obviously this element is not a new one, but it’s interesting to see that developers are expanding this area for this generation of games.
Resident Evil 5 feels very much like a hybrid and culmination of the other games in the series, and in context of new players into the fold and Xbox 360 owners, is going to be a fresh experience. Sadly the control scheme in the demo did not allow us to change the Y axis for shooting (obviously this is unique to the demo version) which made this aspect more cumbersome than it should have been. The pacing of the characters still retains the realistically slow jog which highlights the fact that you’re not going to get anywhere fast by playing chicken. You’re going to have to stand your ground here and get good at using/managing the game’s weapons. The game does not pause when shifting through the inventory, which adds a more subtle layer of tension to all the in your face action the game throws at you. This might be something that new players could struggle with at first, because combined with some rather stiff movement, you’re going to be on the receiving end of smacks, slashes and the odd bite here and there. Sheva is also going to be calling out for some assistance at times, although she is pretty decent at not obscuring your view and getting into too much into trouble, heck she is even pretty useful at taking down some of the incoming foes. There’s no real free roaming element here, although you’re able to wander through buildings and open /close certain doors, things like small bushes are still going to block your path, which a shame. You’re going to have to use you’re brain cells to work out how to progress forward, a mechanic that has been used since the very first game in the series. Although from playing, this seems to be more logical than finding some far away key in a desk for a door miles away.
Graphically the game is looking fantastic and it’s something that you can’t really escape from. The artists have done a grand job of getting the look of the environments just right, portraying hot and humid areas full of brightness to more confining colours when indoors. There’s incredible levels of details, although don’t expect a fully interactive game world.
Resident Evil 5 is going to be an awesome game for any one who has played Resident Evil 4, you’ll jump in and feel right at home from the offset. For those of you who have played the earlier games, especially Resident Evil Zero, you’ll find the similar co-op mechanics to be a welcome one. The game is due out next year and looks like it should offer a tense and methodical slice of survival horror. We most certainly can’t wait, and we’re told that a demo should be made available prior to release, as this has proved helpful for their other titles like Lost Planet and Dead Rising.
Street Fighter IV
The classic fighter makes a very welcome return, and with Namco’s Soul Calibur IV making a grand entrance earlier this year, there is high anticipation for Capcom’s 2D/3D fighter to perform. After playing the game, it’s safe to say that for veterans of the older games, this is a perfect addition to the series. Parries have been removed and the classic cheesiness returns as you out think your opponent, although we’re sure that the hardcore will find that some characters remain over powered compared to others. The art style is really what grabs you here and proves that the formula Capcom used with the previous 3D Street Fighter EX is certainly worth mixing with the 2D artwork that helped make the series as distinctive as it is. There’s a character for everyone here and with the addition of some new blood in Crimson Viper, Abel, El Fuerte, and Rufus means that there’s more variation than before. The classic characters return and it’s excellent seeing them in this exaggerated form, true to how you would expect them to look.
We think Street Fighter IV is only let down by the current controller, and although some gamers are going to use solid arcade sticks, the quarter circle special moves and supers are a real pain using the d-pad which is a control method favoured by many players. Although the cheesy mapping of supers to the shoulder buttons is an option, this isn’t the true way to play and can lead to divisions in gamers. This was clearly prevalent in the Street Fighter games on Xbox although these provided a host option to fight easy or natural.
If you’re a fan of the series or a newcomer looking for a colourful fighter with over the top characters, then Street Fighter IV should be on your shopping list for next year. Street Fighter IV should be the perfect game to settle disputes to see who is the toughest.
Halo Wars
Ensemble’s Halo Wars was a bit of a let down for us simply because the demo was from TGS 08 and offered very little depth or challenge. Whilst it was nice to be able to see familiar characters in a new form, the lack of any decent tactics meant that the demo was merely a showcase for the basic premise, which for anyone who has played an RTS game will know anyways. As expected the control interface is pretty well suited for controller, but without having any sort of pressure in game, it was hard to actually determine whether the ease of use would be effective.
For fans of Halo games, this is going to be a tough call because at the end of the day, the game is an RTS and not the shooter the series is well known for. So although there’s certainly much familiarity with the game’s characters, the style of play might not be what appeals to the masses of FPS fans. However, as a starting point for getting into RTS games, then this is probably going to be as good a place as any as you tackle the Covenant hordes. From the demo at least, our only gripe was the fact that there seemed to be very little movement from characters during engagements other than the Spartan characters. Other units tended to just sit there and shoot rather than animate like you’d expect them. Hopefully this will be fixed for the full game when it releases at some point next year.
You’re in the Movies
We’re going to be totally honest here and say that we’ve been a little sceptical over Microsoft’s keenness to make the Xbox 360 a more family orientated machine. For hardcore gamers and those of us that rely on the system for our usual fixes, the inclusion of these games seems like simply following a trend, or tapping into the success that Nintendo has enjoyed with its more casual approach. Sure we have the XBLA which offers less intense gaming pleasures, yet with peripherals such as the camera and one button controllers for Scene It we’re seeing more party games appear on the system. Rock Band and Guitar Hero games have helped push the console away from a more solitary experience in the home, to something everyone can enjoy at the same time. Well, You’re in the Movies is another game that offers an all encompassing approach for family and friends, and with this game in particular even potentially challenges the likes of Wii Fit and games that burn off those calories. Whether this is a selling point for this game is another issue, however after playing the game it’s clear to see that burning off calories and having fun at the same time is certainly a step in the right direction.
You’re in the Movies is a very fun game and really makes excellent use of the camera, which for many folks is probably gathering dust somewhere. The basic premise of the game is to act silly in front of the camera either alone or head to head with three other players; taking part in various challenges. What’s unique here is the fact that the game could simply be a series of mini games that players challenge each other in; yet cleverly the game takes the footage from the mini games and places them into a movie at the end. This means, while you catch your breath back after the energetic bouts you’ll be able to laugh at yourselves as the movie rolls. The game is said to have some 30 different movie variations, yet with different players, the actors are naturally going to produce different performances. You’ll be performing various actions like pulling silly poses, disco dancing, running on the spot to escape chasing monkeys and pulling on imaginary ropes as fast as you can to name but a few. It’s all very active stuff, and what’s really cool is performing the tasks head to head with another player. After each round the scores are tallied so that when game finally ends you’ll see who deserves an Oscar for their performance. You’ll even get a ceremony where you can give your best acceptance speech. It’s all tongue in cheek stuff and certainly highly entertaining with other players. We like it and it’s pretty much a given that people who do not play traditional video games are going to get masses of enjoyment from this highly accessible game. Overall we came away very impressed with this game simply because it’s fun in its purest form. You’re in the Movies is due for release on the 18th of November in the US and 28th in Europe. The game will also be sold as a standalone title or bundled with the camera.
Lips
This is another title that presents a more family orientated experience from the Xbox 360. Karaoke is extremely popular (especially in Japan) and so it makes sense that whilst Microsoft continues to vie for the attention of the Japanese audience that they make a game tailored to their tastes. That’s not to say Lips isn’t inclusive, because naturally the tracks available are a heady mix of popular tunes that should appeal to people from across the globe. Lips allows one or two players the chance to sing co-operatively or head to head using the snazzy wireless microphones. The words appear on the screen as does the pitch indicators which show how well you are performing compared to the original vocal track which plays low in the mix. We’re not sure if you can mute the original vocals fully, but we’ll assume you’ll be able to adjust the volume. From what we could tell, yes we we’re too chicken to get up on stage in front of lots of other guests and start singing Lips offers a fun and exciting game for those of you who feel comfortable blurting out songs. Whilst others games allow you to perform with instruments, Lips’ focus on just vocals might seem like a step backwards, although Sony’s Singstar manages to do very well so why not. If Microsoft can offer some good support with updated track packs via downloadable content, then there is no reason why Lips shouldn’t be a successful title. One feature that does set the game apart from its peers is the fact that you can plug in a USB device or iPod and transfer song over into the game, although we’re not sure how this works in terms of the lyrics being displayed. Lips is due for release on the 18th of November in the US and the 21st in Europe.
The Rest
The Gathering also showcased some other games although some of them like Bionic Commando we did not get enough play time to form an opinion on. We were also shown some of the New Xbox Experience, but considering we’ve already covered this HERE via the beta there’s nothing more we can add. Sadly we did not manage to get some hands on with EA’s Need for Speed Underground which looks like an interesting game to rival Rockstar’s Midnight Club LA. Or Naruto: The Broken Bond, although there’s a demo available on the Live Marketplace for this if you’re interested in loud mouthed spiky haired hi-jinx. Talking of Rockstar we were unusually treated to a demonstration of the PC version which for an Xbox 360 site kind of rubbed our noises in it a little. Yes, the PC version is far superior in practically every area and also includes a pretty slick movie maker mode which unfortunately our beloved Xbox 360 can’t handle apparently.
The Gathering'08 certainly proved to be an eventful showcase of Xbox 360's games as there are some great games available now and in the near future and so it’s good to see that Xbox 360 continues to expand its already excellent library of titles. With a well organized event and some cracking games to play, The Gathering continues to be a great community based event for those in attendance and their audiences. Now all you guys have to do is decide which games you're going to play, because right now and in the near future, there's so many great games to choose from...decisions decisions!
Posted By: Robert Cram
Date: 2008-11-11
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