DAY 198 / GAME 198 Star Wars: Rebel Assault 2

DAY 198 / GAME 198

Star Wars: Rebel Assault 2

      In only two short years, LucasArts created a sequel to Rebel Assault that was leaps and bounds beyond it technically.  And of course, being a huge fan of the first one, I was on board like it was a YT-1300 freighter.
       LucasArts really did take this game big new places, it must have had a budget ten-fold the original Rebel Assault.  (Though I can't find anything to back that up.)  Where the first game used mostly early CG renders and a ton of still captures from the films, this one contains a ridiculous amount of new live-action footage and renders that are far superior to what we saw the first time around.  In fact, this was apparently the first time since Episode VI that anyone had officially shot any new footage in addendum to the Star Wars universe.

        Rebel Assault II came out when using live action footage in games was at it's height.  Though nothing compared to what we can do today, compression got better and average processing power was better and so being able to use higher quality video files for the game really made the overall experience much better.  Lucasfilm apparently loaned out all

the props and costumes necessary for production; everything you see in this game is from the original movies and nothing was made new for this game.  And although the acting and script is a bit campy at times, it was pretty awesome to see all this fantastic new Star Wars footage at a time long before Episode 1 when no one ever thought we would see any more.

        Plus, on top of it all, in a short couple of years, the quality of 3D rendered animation that could be produced was far and above what we saw in Rebel Assault 1.  Now we saw much more accurate renders of the ships and environments and the game could be taken to more exciting locations.

       One of the best parts about the whole game for me was the inclusion of a speeder bike chase.  It was as if any movie moments you wanted to enjoy in the first game, but didn't make it in were now included in this one.  Plus, it really went places we hadn't see before.  Lot of absolutely fantastic locations and even some new ships.  There's a great point in the game where you end up flying a stolen TIE fighter into an Imperial base and leading up to that you train in a hidden, foggy dangerous canyon.  Which both looks amazing and hails back to the first training level in the first game, where you fly a T-16 Skyhopper through Beggar's Canyon.

       On top of it all, Rebel Assault II actually included not only on-rails shooter sequences flying a ship, but also included a number of moments where you are controlling the live-action character as well from a third-person perspective.  It certainly wasn't the height of the game, but it was really neat to see.  

       Rebel Assault II was just chock full of amazing moments.  And since it was all pre-rendered it was full of fantastic scripted action and flight maneuvers that would be tough to accomplish otherwise.  This is another one of those games that was definitely 'of it's time' and was pitched at just the right time to get all the help it needed during production.  It's been a very long time since I've played this game, I'm actually quite curious to see if it will run on my new computer, after I un-pack my box of old PC games I'll have to give this one a try. 

DAY 197 / GAME 197 Rise of the Triad

DAY 197 / GAME 197

Rise of the Triad

      Shortly after Wolfenstein was released a sequel was on it's way.  Titled:  Wolfenstein 2: Rise of the Triad, it took the game to even more ridiculous places as you confront a Nazi cult hidden in Los Angeles.  A Nazi cult with mystical powers and a base that seems as if it was built by aliens.

    Rise of the Triad was absolutely over the top; possibly moreso than any other FPS game in the 90's.  The developers clearly had a blast making this game.  It was as if during production, if any idea was presented -no matter how ridiculous, they would make sure to include it.  So in the end, we've now got a game that includes a God mode, Dog mode and shrooms pickup.  The game also contains a ridiculous amount of platforming for an FPS game of it's time.  You often have to utilize anti-gravity springboards to shoot yourself across the level and leap from platform to platform in levels that are far from realistic.

   While reminiscing about this game one day, I tried to see if I could find it for download off of the Steam digital distribution service.  Instead, I discovered something possibly even better.  Turns out that completely under my radar, Apogee went and rebuilt the game ground-up about a year ago.  Set at a cheap price of $15, I was very tempted to give this game a try.  Shortly after I discovered it, it went on sale for only $3.  So of course I picked it up without a second though.  Turns out it was an absolutely fantastic and very faithful recreation of the original.  Nothing is left out and it really felt like the team just had a blast remaking it.  I highly recommend the remake to anyone who has enjoyed the first.

      Only in Rise of the Triad is there a pickup that makes you a God; completely invincible and wiping out your foes with magical powers from your hand.  A pickup that turns you into a dog and a pickup that creates a psychedelic effect.  It praises you for coating yourself in your enemies giblets and gives you all the ridiculous weapons to do it with.  It's silly and fun and gory, like a B horror movie you can play on your laptop.  

DAY 196 / GAME 196 Forza 3

DAY 196 / GAME 196

Forza 3

      I'm going to finish off this series of posts with the last Forza title I've played to date.  Even though they're up to Forza 5 now, (on the Xbox One) I have yet to get around to playing either it or the previous title (4).  Mind you, I really do want to play Forza 4 simply for the fact that it has portions that are voiced over by Jeremy Clarkson.  
    

       The Forza series hadn't made any wrong moves to date and Forza Motorsport 3 was no exception.  Graphics were refined, car lists improved, physics and handling better than before.  Turn 10 also added a number of new features to the game.  Features that really improved the existing gameplay platform.  This included a much needed (albeit seemingly cheat-worthy addition) rewind function; allowing you to rewind your race a short bit to correct for mistakes.  Which is a really nice feature when you're deep into a 15 minute long circuit and someone walks in front of the TV or the AI does something terrible.

My own in game photo capture

     Forza 3 also added a very detailed in-car camera.  This in-car camera contains a ton of interior car detail, which adds a new level of realism to this racing sim.  I've mentioned this before about Need For Speed: Shift, it's really fantastic to be seated inside a car you will more than likely never see the interior of in your lifetime.  And I can really vouch for the quality of the recreation, since the game contains a BMW 135i and the details are spot on with my own BMW 128i, which is virtually the same car.  In fact, when I was considering purchasing my BMW, one of the things I did was load up Forza 3 and purchase it in-game.  It was like having a second test drive, one where I could both take my time and let loose on a track setting.  

Another of my in game photo captures

      Forza 3 also enhanced it's in-game photo mode.  Allowing you to take high-quality pictures which use a higher poly-count car model and apply a number of rendering passes for reduces aliasing and increased control over depth of field and motion blur.  The results are near-photo realistic captures that you can upload to the Forza Motorsport site and download for your own use.  

        Forza 3 is quite possibly my favorite racing simulator to date.  I eventually picked up Gran Turismo 5 after it was finally released and I felt like Polyphony Digital strayed away from the focus of the series.  (Though I do miss the licensing tests, believe it or not.)  Forza offers a fantastic car selection, amazing controls and a great host of tracks.  If Forza 4 hadn't stuck at full price for so long, I'd probably have it by now.  I may have to jump on it sooner or later.  Though, the more I read about it, I feel like there's a lot in Forza 3 I haven't even seen yet.  I really should just go back and play some more.

DAY 195 / GAME 195 Forza 2

DAY 195 / GAME 195

Forza 2

      Forza Motorsport started something fantastic for racing sim enthusiasts.  Especially those who couldn't afford both a PlayStation and an Xbox, since Gran Turismo -the only other major racing sim at the time, was a Sony exclusive.  It was really nice to see a racing sim built from someone other than Polyphony Digital; a real fresh take on the genre.  One that as far as I'm concerned, does a much better job in the end.
         The Forza series also filled the Gran Turismo gap for me.  the time it took Sony to release a proper GT game for the PlayStation 3, a length of 5 years between GT4 for the PS2 and GT5 for the PS3 and a length of 9 years between Gran Turismo 3 and 5, since I actually skipped on GT4.  Sony spent forever to release a proper 'next generation' Gran Turismo, teasing us with GT:Prologue and GT:HD, during which time I spend in Forza instead.

         Forza 2 was phenomenal.  It really was a huge jump up in graphical quality from the original Forza Motorsport on the Xbox and though at first it didn't feel that way, (It wasn't as flashy as Project Gotham Racing 4.) the car response and race quality really stuck with me.  Not to mention the car selection, which not only included a wide range of high-end track cars, but also a huge list of stock road cars including two cars I had owned at the time; a Honda Civic Si and an Acura RSX-S.  There's nothing cooler than being able to whip around a track with no consequence in a car you're used to driving on the road daily.  Especially in the case of Forza, where the game is tuned quite well to properly represent each car's real-life handling.

        Forza 2 also featured a fantastic livery editing system.  You could really go far customizing your paint job, including a variety of vinyl shapes, symbols and manufacture decals.  Sometimes half the fun was spending an hour painting your favorite car to get it just right.  It also had a in-game camera system for taking rendered photos of your cars in the garage or at the track.  And although it wasn't as nice as the one in Project Gotham 4, it was still very good for showing off all the work you did.  

       I put in a ton of hours with Forza 2.  Much more than the first one.  The only things that kept me from putting in more time was getting stuck at a level of racing events that required you put in 30 minutes to an hour for one race.  One race that you could loose at the last second and have to do all over again.  I think it was Forza 3 that first included the 'rewind' system where if you made a mistake you could back the game up a few seconds.  This would have been really handy in a case like this.  

       There is something really special about the kind of place this game takes me.  Unlike any other racer, where you can make mistakes and still win, it takes a lot to recover from a slip-up in Forza.  If you want to win, you have to really learn proper racing technique.  You have to ride the line, learn to brake properly and accelerate with care.  In fact, Forza is one of the only games where I take full advantage of the analog trigger button for the throttle.  It's tough, but the payoff is fantastic.  Especially when you know you can win simply because both you and the AI are playing by the rules and you won because you were legitimately better.

DAY 194 / GAME 194 Forza

DAY 194 / GAME 194

Forza

      194 games into my list and I still haven't talked about Forza.  I remember when the first commercials hit the TV, I had never heard of Forza yet and to be honest, they poorly represented the final product.  In the commercials, they introduced a variety of racers and their cars.  If I remember correctly, they were quoted saying 'this is my ride' or something of the like and the cars and drivers were of a wide range from all over the world.  It seemed to me that the game would be about choosing a racing path, a type and car and focusing on that.  Upgrading and customizing your car, making it yours.  Something I've always wanted to play.  Because as much fun as it is being able to race a huge variety of cars, being able to choose one and focus on it feels even better.  Cars have personality and it would be nice to have a game that is just like how you take time to choose the car you drive in real life, or race in real life; becoming attached to it overtime and learning all it's specifics in handling.

     Unfortunately Forza was nothing of the sort. Perhaps instead they were trying to show off the world wide range of cars and tracks available.  I was going to say 'online worldwide competition and leaderboards' as well, but the first Forza was on the original Xbox, when online play wasn't quite what it was today.  (Then again, the box does say 'online enabled'.  So maybe that was the case.)  Either way, in the end Forza turned out to be something of a special racer.  In truth, Forza took over where Gran Turismo left off.  At least for myself.  It featured all the same major elements, accurate real-life tracks and locations, fully licensed cars from a wide variety of manufacturers, realistic car modification and very realistic car handling.

      I've mentioned before how much I love the racing game genre.  And that I don't favour either the arcade style games with their over-the-top physics or the racing simulator style games more that each other.  I have a love for all.  With that in mind there is something very special about Forza and Gran Turismo and it's rooted in it's use of real licensed cars.  There's something really great about being able to drive real cars; everything from cars you may actually own, to cars you will never be able to own.  To be able to take those things you wish you could do, but are impossible, like racing at Laguna Seca in a McLaren F1 or the Nurburgring in a Honda Civic Si coupe.  

       Forza went on to become much more focused and accurate in the end than Gran Turismo.  I adore the available cars, tracks and modifications.  Forza is one of those games that I put aside for a while and then finally sit down to play again.  Knowing I will be in it for the long haul because once I get started, it's a long time before I finally put it down again.

DAY 193 / GAME 193 Descent

DAY 193 / GAME 193

Descent 

      Descent was one of the many PC video games that I played on my computer, back when you had to actually run them outside of Windows.  It was also one of the many games I had that pretty much required the use of a joystick.  I just realized that I've never owned a joystick peripheral since this one broke back in the 90s during a heated X-Wing vs Tie-Fighter dogfight.  I guess that with the addition of an analog thumbstick on most all game controllers, the duty of a joystick for anything other than hardcore flight sims has been eliminated.  I kinda miss that unique interface though.  It reminds me of my first days of gaming.  Before I had a console, on a PC your choices were primarily limited to a keyboard and a joystick.  Even if the joystick really was just relaying the same information that the 4 arrow keys would on your keyboard.

      When playing Descent however, you really needed to own a joystick.  In fact, I've been meaning to get a hold of a copy off of GOG.com, but without a joystick I have a feeling I may not be able to properly enjoy it.  Descent was and is a very unique sci-fi flight simulator slash shooter game where you found yourself in control of a spacecraft loaded with weapons as you navigate various mines located on different planets throughout our solar system.  Since you are in space, everything is zero-gravity and as it's advertised on the box, this means you have full 3D travel in 360 degrees.  This also means that it's very easy to get disoriented since there is no visual horizon and escaping the tunnels while they self-destruct at the end of each level is extremely difficult.

          Descent was not over-complicated, flight controls were not very difficult and the craft actually handled more like a FPS game in no-clipping mode.  This meant you could strafe around enemies, focusing your weapon's fire and make minor adjustments to your course as you make your way through some tight mine tunnels.  It's a good thing too, because as I said the zero-g, no-horizon mines are confusing as hell to navigate, even with a fully rotatable 3D wireframe map.  Descent was also one of those early DOS games that featured multiplayer gaming via modem or in a LAN setup.  The kind of multiplayer gaming that was so rare because it meant lugging very heavy desktop rigs to your friend's house for a LAN party, or finding a time in which you could tie up the phone line along with a friend's for some messy modem fun.

        Amazingly enough Descent hasn't seen a sequel since Descent 3 in 2000.  Interplay has since claimed interest, but lacks the interest from publishers to continue the series any further.  Descent has also twice now had cancelled releases on Nintendo systems.  Once on the Nintendo 64 with 'Ultra Descent' and again in 2010 with the downloadable Wii-Ware version of Descent on the Wii.  Personally I think we're overdue for a new Descent game, or at least a rebuilt of the first one.  I think if they put enough effort into it, I'd buy a joystick again just to play it.

The exact joystick I gamed with in the 90s

DAY 192 / GAME 192 StarCraft

DAY 192 / GAME 192

StarCraft

      StarCraft is one of those games that I would have never played had I not been handed a copy by my friends back in high school.  I wasn't really any good at Real Time Strategy games and unlike most of my friends, I hadn't heard of Blizzard or Warcraft or Diablo at the time.
      But since Starcraft's best feature is it's multiplayer component, the more people you knew who had a copy and could play, the more fun it was.  And we spent a ton of time playing StarCraft.  

        StarCraft is future sci-fi RTS that features gameplay from three different forces.  Humans (Terran), the Protoss and the Zerg.  The Humans have a bit of a WarHammer 40k feel to them.  They trudge around in huge armor suits, mine resources in Colonial Marine style power loaders.  In fact, the whole game feels like it pulls a lot from james Cameron's Aliens.  A number of the Terran units even quote the movie from time to time when performing an action or when activated and Terran craft often resemble something out of the Aliens universe.  Then there's the Zerg.  The Zerg feel like a bit like the Zenomorphs from Aliens as well.  Very bug-like, functioning with a hive mentality and structures that look like they were built from their own excretions.  Gross, but man, sometimes it's really awesome to play as the monster race.
          Then there was the Protoss.  Kind of a Predator style race; a cross between the Zerg and the Terrans that were alien in nature, but more technology based.  In fact, their leading edge is that their tech is far more advanced than the Human race's.  

           Like Diablo, StarCraft's appeal is the hours of fun you'd have playing 4 player online matches.  Taking your time chatting as you set up your bases and prepare for battle, then unleashing your masses (if that's how you chose to play) against one another.  RTS games revolve around strategy, so there's a ton of fun involved in trying to outsmart the other players.  Trying to figure out what their plan of attack was going to be so that you could both defend and dominate the map.  Plus, being able to fit 4 players on a map, you could have team games which meant you could co-ordinate with other players adding another interesting element to the whole strategy of it all.  In fact, I'm not surprised at all that this game has continued to be popular for worldwide competition to this very day.

           StarCraft is one of those games that has very little competition.  At least in my mind.  There are few other sci-fi RTS games that compare.  As is so often the case with Blizzard game StarCraft is simply dripping with style.  The alien races and human forces that populate the battlefield are so full of character you hate to see them killed.  The ship designs, weapons and structures are gorgeous and are exactly the kind of works of art you'd come to expect from Blizzard.  In fact, I practically bought the StarCraft 2 special edition simply for the artbook.  Now I totally want to go back and install this on my new laptop.   Give it a go again for old time's sake.