MLG were lucky enough to attend the Global Game Jam hosted by Mobile Pie to see the behind the scenes workings of how a rag tag group of video game creatives make a game in 48 hours.
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Author Archive
MLG Meets: Rising Star Games
February 12th, 2010 by xeroxeroxero
We speak with Yen Hau of Rising Star Games about Way of the Samurai 3, upcoming projects and the state of the Japanese video game industry.
MLG Meets: Ralph Baer – The Father Of Video Games
January 28th, 2010 by xeroxeroxero
The father of video games takes some time out to answer questions.
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Broken Sword: The Director’s Cut Review
January 27th, 2010 by xeroxeroxero
The classic point & click adventure from Revolution Software gets a make-over for its iPhone outing. We revisit the world of George Stobbart and relive his mysterious adventure on the Apple platform.
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PC Gaming Is Dead, Long Live PC Gaming! Part 2
January 21st, 2010 by xeroxeroxero
PC Gaming Is Dead, Long Live PC Gaming! Part 1
January 6th, 2010 by xeroxeroxero
It’s a long held belief that the hardest of the hardcore gamer, rocks a PC. Near infinite expandability, game modding to the point that entirely new games can be fashioned out of others (e.g. Portal) and an always on community linked directly to the greatest online gaming experience available; the untethered internet. But PC gaming has seen a serious decline in press coverage recently from the major blogs and gaming sites out there and for one very good reason; the ‘PC gamer’ is very much a dying breed.
It was, with the widespread use, integration and acceptance of the internet and a rapid increase in bandwidth from broadband suppliers, almost inevitable that PC gaming would flourish beautifully for a moment and then die, like the Christmas trees we threw on the compost heap last week. With the transfer of goods comes piracy and it is this that has left the bigger publishers reluctant to put out IP with the lead skew being the personal computer. There have been attempts to counter the illegal sharing of games across the internet of course, though most have been unsuccessful and even detrimental to the growth of gaming in this sector. Digital Rights Management has gamers up in arms with boycotts, the threat of any other DRM except Steam is apparently just too much for many spoilt by the freedom to do with their games whatever they please. The ability to play on dedicated servers has also traditionally been a great benefit for PC fans, however this feature is quickly being removed as an attempt to control large and significant portions of several titles, with the heavyweight that is Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 being widely panned by critics and PC gamers as having this method of multiplayer being the only way to play one of the most anticipated games for WASD heads across the globe.
But look beyond piracy and there are further problems; society at large is still not particularly comfortable paying large quantities of money for non-physical products, yet for many PC gamers digital delivery services such as Direct2Drive are the only way to access most titles, with major outlets such as Gamestation and Game having an extremely limited choice of titles available. Speaking of which, the issue of choice may well have been null for years, with seemingly only real time strategy and first person shooters getting any real attention in the PC charts. The nail in the coffin though is the potential to upgrade machines I mentioned earlier. Being able to purchase and easily install the latest tech is a fantastic thing, enabling games to be created that simply aren’t possible on current home console technology. However this is ultimately a double edged sword as it negates the PC being a standard platform, designers wanting to appeal to a traditional PC gaming audience must decide whether to risk poor reviews of visuals but create a game a majority of people can play, or create a high end showpiece that only the elite can access. With a modern console the specifications are set, designers work within them to get the best whilst any person with the hardware can run any product available for it.
The market is then, for all intents and purposes, on its last legs. With FPS and RTS titles now truly possible on console, it seems that PC gamer numbers are dwindling as fewer and fewer people reinvest in gaming rigs, newer players skipping PCs altogether in favour of their Wii, 360 or PS3. In Part 2, I’ll tackle what can and, most importantly is being done to revive the PC arena and why, in some regards, PC gaming could well be the future of video games…
Top 5 Games To Impress Women
December 10th, 2009 by xeroxeroxero
Revving your engines at traffic lights, burping the alphabet and downing pints of lager. Three things secretly all members of the fairer sex are impressed by. The same is true of feats of gaming prowess… when done right! The problem of course is finding which games to play, as the average non-gaming lady doesn’t care about achievements, unlocks or high scores, as they’re just meaningless neologisms when not observed within a very specific context… don’t you know. Presented herein then are my picks to impress…
Ikaruga – Everyone understands skill. No matter whether you have any interest in the sport / hobby / sexual activity
being performed in front of you, when you see raw talent, it’s obvious. This is no more true than with Ikaruga, even to an observer unfamiliar with the difference between black and white in the game, it’s evident just how much skill is needed to play, as the title requires accuracy, a calm head on your shoulders and patience by the bucket load. If you can make it past the first level or two without losing a life, you’re a hero. And the ladies will recognise that.
Flower – Men are thoughtful, sensitive creatures, it’s just not easy for us to eloquently express our feelings all that often. Thank fuck then for Flower! A flight game at its heart, but on the surface an exploration of man’s 
desire to enforce regularity and order to a wild, biological world he can’t possibly tame, this art piece will have the ladies thinking you’re in touch with your feelings and comfortable with your own sexual identity enough to play a game about flower petals. When you’re rolling in vagina your mates won’t dare think about taking the piss, and they might just fire up this contender for GOTY 2009.
RockBand / Guitar Hero: World Tour – Most men are so close to genius here but they make one fatal flaw; a real man knows that singing is the way to a ladies heart and not the frankly annoying ‘click clack’ sound of plastic buttons on make believe guitars. Whilst your friends think getting a 500 odd streak on that DragonForce track is awesome, the ladies will be all over the bloke growling through Smells Like Teen Spirit. Take a leaf out of Uncle Fista’s book and sing like a gravelly angel.
Silent Hill 2 – Much like horror movies, horror games come with a certain element of ‘bravery’ to watch. Humanity’s willingness to suspend its disbelief and become enraptured in a world of harmless entertainment is incredible, and boys, you should be using this to your advantage. ‘What’s that love, you’re scared? Cuddle up next to me…’ – BOOM! See also BioShock, Fatal Frame, Dead Space, or anything with a psychological edge that manages to rise above the usual schlock. It’s all well and good you being scared at Resident Evil, but it’s mainly the fear of losing progress that is frightening and if the lady of your affections is watching, her investment won’t be nearly as much as yours.
Metal Gear Solid 4 – A complex narrative, a confusing, bizarre plot, meta game elements and 
philosophical musings on the nature of war; in the same way as Lost or Heroes is something to share with a partner, as is one of Kojima’s finest hours. Why? Knowledge is power, and as we all know, power is the best aphrodisiac. You’ll need to know about political subtext, have a few fancy phrases like ‘breaking the fourth wall’ to hand and be intimate with the entire series inside out, but MGS4 is an excellent way to display intelligence and passion for a subject in one title.
There we are then, five sure fire games to impress the ladies, or your money back. Have I missed any out? Any game that you know of more potent to woo the women off their feet? Well don’t keep it a secret, let the world know in the comment box below…
FIFA 10 Review
November 19th, 2009 by xeroxeroxero
Want to know a lesser known bit of gaming trivia? Over the last 16 years, EA has brought the world over 40 football titles. With all that practice, you would have to assume that the company is getting pretty close to producing the ultimate version of the ‘beautiful game’. But while this years title is thoroughly accomplished and well presented, it isn’t without its faults, and there really is still no clear cut decision for those wondering whether to roll with FIFA or Pro Evolution Soccer for their football title of choice this year.
If you’ve been around the FIFA series or any EA Sports title over the last 5 years, you’ll know that presentation is paramount. Ironic then that you are dropped into an incredibly raw and rootsy feeling one-on-one between you and the ‘keeper, at night, in a random stadium. Whilst initially off-putting it’s actually a rather thoughtful and brave move on behalf of the developer, and serves as a visual metaphor for what the team has aimed to achieve with FIFA 10. The theme this year seems to be portraying not just a great game of football, but the inherent ‘feelings’ behind the world’s favourite sport. Dumping you into a playing field in a South American ghetto comes across at first as a bit of a waste of the FIFA license (an excuse for pomp and ceremony if ever there was one), but it’s actually very fitting, as it’s environments like this from where true passion for the sport comes from.
Likewise, the animation isn’t particularly flashy, but through modesty comes it’s inherent brilliance. The game never feels it needs to show off particularly, yet on the pitch, players move and react incredibly realistically and from afar, with the oh-so-officially branded HUD removed, you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a real match. Players call for passes, indicate that they’re open, jostle for position, and generally move very convincingly across the pitch. Sound also plays a key factor, and once you’ve managed to tune out the commentators prattling on about things that may or may not be occurring on the turf, the atmosphere of football is beautifully captured. Something instinctual occurs at the back of your mind when you hear a fellow player shout ‘MAN ON!’ and it’s this that FIFA captures so well. Likewise, sound changes depending on the kind of environment you are playing in and the team you’re playing as, which all lends to the feeling of verisimilitude. Player models themselves are a little disappointing, still retaining their mannequin-like appearance, but to be honest you need to be pretty close to the action to notice.
With the aforementioned lack of visual flair, the player at home is left to focus on formulating strategies, spotting weaknesses in their opponents’ game, and capitalising on them, because if you don’t, your opponent will. The game doesn’t mess around, even on the default settings, and if you haven’t played a football game for a while, you quickly realise that brushing up on your skills is the only way to progress. Which brings me very neatly to my first real complaint, accessibility. This was my first FIFA title since 2001, and for all the criticism that is laid at the door of EA in its approach to sports games, it has to be said that this is nothing like those earlier titles. If you’re new to the series, the game doesn’t do a particularly good job at telling you how to play it, it simply assumes from the offset that you know what the offside rule is, why you’d want to field a 4-4-2 formation, and why playing at home is better than playing away. For those reading that feel that these are common knowledge, go and pick up a copy of Madden 10, and you’ll experience what I’m talking about, it’s exactly the same feeling of bewilderment, frustration, and apathy that any gamer faces when a title doesn’t explain how to get the most from it. The sheer number of options you are given will most likely put off newer players, and as always the game is best when it’s at its simplest, two players, on a couch, in an exhibition match.
The ultimate test of a sports title is whether you can draw, or even lose, and still feel as if you’ve had a good time, and I’m glad to say that FIFA 10 is definitely one of those titles. A 0-0 result can often feel just as satisfying as administering a whitewash, especially when it’s a hard won fight to the ninetieth minute. In fact the greatest praise I can give is that the game made me care about the team I was playing as, I genuinely felt emotionally invested, at least on a very basic level. There’s a Manager mode, Create A Pro mode, and Live Season, in which real world happenings affect the virtual world game, but this latter option comes at a price, and you’re not missing out on anything spectacular if you do decide not to lay down the space bucks. Additionally, it highlights a very prominent conundrum. For all the realism portrayed here, a true sports simulation is almost antithetical to design conventions in gaming. Some teams are simply better than others, so when I stand up to Manchester United with Bristol City, it’s always going to be an uphill struggle, with my team simply not having the statistics based skills to regularly beat such an opponent. It leaves you wondering whether the interception to the pass you just made was your error, or an inevitability. But, if I’m honest, most people interested in picking this up are probably after that level of authenticity.
FIFA 10 is not a ground breaking title because it simply can’t be, it is always going to be anchored to the sport it is representing. What it does bring is a product that feels honest, a corporeal representation perhaps of the changes EA has made to it’s general design philosophy. The big question now is quite simple, but a design nightmare: where does the series go from here?
MLG Rating: 8 / 10
.detuned Review
October 29th, 2009 by xeroxeroxero
.detuned is a music based title recently released on Playstation Network for PS3. Will it be music to your ears, or a melodic mistake?
First impressions of .detuned’s presentation are not good. When you boot the ‘game’ up you are presented with an early PS2 era loading screen; a ‘loading’ bar, in white, on a black background. Get with the fucking program SCEA Santa Monica; it’s 2009, we require small, cylindrically arranged flashing circles to tell us to sit still and be patient.
But wait. This isn’t developed by Sony at all, but rather by .theprodukkt, an upcoming German developer heavily involved with independent games creation and the ‘demoscene’, a community of game artists that create programs that respond to music with or without a level of interactivity. If you’re still unsure what that is, think the visualisation options on Windows Media Player, but much, much more complex. So then… weird company name… a developer from Germany… independently produced… yep, looks like we’re in for an art game! But don’t be down-heartened, I’m here to tell you it’s good, when approached in the right way.
It’s not stuffy and it’s not pretentious, it’s just arty and theres nothing necessarily wrong with that, but while I’ll defend the existence of art on consoles to the bitter end, this is certainly not a ‘game’. There aren’t really rules to follow, nothing to collect or destroy, no story, and barring exceptionally easy trophies, nothing to achieve. But what there is after the relatively small download, is something that wouldn’t feel out of place in a gallery of modern art. Unlike most ‘demoscene’ experiments, .detuned is interactive; a man sitting in a chair in an electric blue landscape is your play thing, as is the music that accompanies the scene. By ‘pumping’ the R2 and L2 buttons, different effects can be placed on the avatar, and on the score, with effects ranging from inflating the man’s head and slowing the beat, to splitting him into four and ripping all the bass out of the song. You can add modifiers to this with the analog sticks, in order to make the most interesting visuals possible, but that’s pretty much it. The controls are very precise, and the range of motions actually quite disturbing. Convulsing in the chair as if experiencing a fit is accurately grotesque, and each play through can truly feel like the equivalent of a bad drug trip. One effect in particular affects the sound in such a way to be audibly more ‘real’, more present in the room if that makes sense, another changes the soundscape entirely differently, making it incredibly depressing and almost offensive to listen to.
.detuned is exactly what you make of it, literally and figuratively. With just one song to play around with and the aforementioned lack of objectives, you can see all the piece has to offer in half an hour. For the kind of person that this is an issue for, this title is not for you, you’ll be wanting something with a little more in the way of direction or a conclusion that is more than simply the final bar of a tune. To those with an inquisitive nature and an interest in games being something more than just Space Invaders, you’re best bet is to take advantage of the hard drive nestling inside that PS3, rip some songs and experiment with those in game, approaching it as a ‘toy’ to have on with company over. Something to have on in the background while entertaining and as a discussion point for the tech-savvy art crowd at a dinner party, this is where .detuned shines the brightest. Further proof then that, at the moment, PSN clinches it if you’re looking for an experience totally like no other. It joins Noby Noby Boy, Flower and Tori-Emaki as innovative but smaller products we can hold up as incredibly creative titles, pioneering a new wave of digital entertainment, blurring the line between kinetic art and video game.
Ret-Ruh-Roh!
February 20th, 2010 by xeroxeroxero
An exploration of the negative aspects of retro gaming and retro gaming journalism.
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