Showing posts with label Max Payne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Max Payne. Show all posts

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Gamin' NEWS! This doesn't look very Max Payne-ysh to me...

As a matter of fact...



Man.. I still don't really like the direction of all this, no matter how good or fun it might turn out to be...
Why didn't they improvise a new IP simply`???....

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Gamin' NEWS! two old franchises are brought back


Let's check out the new videos just freshly released to two completely different long forgotten franchises brought back to life with our current modern technology.
And I'm speaking of Sega's SHINOBI and Rockstar's MAX PAYNE!
Here's a brand new Japanese trailer for Shinobi 3D from Sega.
The game's sheduled for November 17 in Japan, and a bit earlier (!!) on Nobember 11 in this part of the world, on 3DS.



Looking a bit nicer and better in motion than what we saw in earlier screenshots.
This game developed by Griptonite Games will tie-in both the earlier 16-bits Shinobi featuring Joe Musashi and the PS2 games featuring Hotsuma with a plot revolving around Joe's father (and protagonist this time around).

It seems the game will be a return to a more arcade-ysh direction, content to unlock, lots of platforming, etc..


Meanwhile, Rockstar Games just released this trailer for the upcoming Max Payne 3:





I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but as an old school fan of the Max Payne series and a hardcore fan at that, this isn't looking much promising to me. (see my earlier Max Payne 3-related posts for more on that...)


But, yeah.. so tired of the "Open world sandbox games are kids favorite genre these day so let's make another one and stick a well known IP on it to boost the sales"...
At least, it looks nice graphically, but what more is there to this game besides that?

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Gamin' NEWS! Good: Segas, Bad: DOAs, Ugly: Payne...


And here's some new news regarding upcoming games, straight from this year's TGS!
Also, other miscellaneous information.
First up, Sega shows some more of its upcoming titles.

Like Sonic Generations.
I already posted lots of stuff regarding this return in form to the Sonic series. But so few info about the handheld 3DS port. Let's check it out!



And it looks fantastic!
A good alternative to the main systems HD version for sure!
And it will even have some bonus content like Sonic 3's Mushroom Hill Zone!
Nice^^


And here's a look at Madworld's pseudo-sequel, Anarchy Reigns!
The solo/storymode to be precise, which will actually really act as a sequel to Madworld:



Cool stuff.
The game will be out in January, next year. And it's nice to see again all these faces back from Madworld, Jack, the Baron, etc...
Though I miss Madworld's creative art style. (in black and white, no colors thank you~)


Meanwhile at the TGS, Tecmo revealed the upcoming new entry in their long-running classic fighting game series, Dead or Alive 5!


This game will mark the first DOA entry without series creator Tomonobu Itagaki on board.
(well, second if you count that PSP port of one of the "minigames party" DOA...hum..)
Good... bad... Only time will tell.
Also,  with fighting games being all popular these last couple of years + finally a multi-console DOA, I'm guessing this game will be the starting point for many newcomers to the series.

Here's the trailer...




Looks cool..as far as early in-game gameplay footage go.
Dynamic cameras, really? Or was it just for show in this video?


Graphically it doesn't look that far from DoA 4... Wait and see!
And here's a teaser poster, worry not the gals will be back too:


The title is planned for a 2012 release on 360 and PS3.


And in case you forgot about Tecmo/Team Ninja's other successful franchise, the Ninja Gaiden series will also be brought back Itagaki-less in the aptly named Ninja Gaiden 3.



And this time no "Sigma" since this game will be simultaneously released on Xbox 360 AND PS3!


Finally, let's have a look at Rockstar ruining another game series I like.
I know, I know...there's lots of R* fans out there...
I already went large in details why I didn't like what they do to games nowadays, specially regarding a little game I liked in the past.
I know lots of kids think they're game are all cool and mature (hint: violence+bllod =/= mature, that's what kids think, not what the reality is for adults). But I'm so tired of their GTA-ization of non-GTA games...

ANYWAYS!
Here's Max Payne 3. A game that looks and feels nothing like both previous Max Panye games co-developed by 3DRealms and Remedy. Which was a noir-esque action movie-like experience.
Turned into a mindless cover-shooter based GTA-like generic mainstream title:



You know what? I could have easily accepted this new game if it was something new and original. And different IP.
Like this it just looks like they're trying to sell their random new product under a familiar and liked name....
Kinda how it would be if their last game, L.A.Noir, had been called, say, "Streets of Rage 4" for example.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Gamin' NEWS! Max Payne 3 continues to look awful


Remember this Max Payne 3 (above)?
Well, there's new infos + some new pics around.

So Rockstar, that already bastardized Red Dead (yeah, yeah.. I know you guys love it, but it doesn't have a thing to do with the arcadysh Red Dead Revolver) into a GTA mod will now be doing the same to the Max Payne series.
Now, listen to me. I wouldn't have a problem with these sequels they're turning into GTA-likes. Hell, if they were turned into original IPs or be spinoffs of GTA I wouldn't.
But they're simply using well known brands, established games that were successful to sell their new games.

Anyway - back to Max - this new game will follow-up the plot some years after MP2, as they said recently.
We'll be able to play with Max at various points, because time will have an impact on plot. A time-bending story?
I'm not sure what they're implying, if it's only the story that will be told in a non-linear way as past Max Payne games. Or if we'll actually affect the past and change the future or something...?

Anyway, here's new pics of an haired Max - that still doesn't look like Max nevertheless.



We'll be able to play with Sam Fisher/Splinter Cell's grandpa? Where's Max?!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Blog entry02 Somebody stop Rockstar Games!!

The internet's an hate machine, you know...
I usually try to stay positive, enjoy the stuff I enjoy, and the stuff I don't like simply not try nor do them.
I'm sorry guys and gals, but this time you'll have to endure my rambling a bit...
(well, technically no, just skip or don't read this article : P)


Ah.. Rockstar Games. One of the modern most loved studios/productions.
I find them a bit overrated.
*ducks hate mails from Rockstar fanboys*


Yeah, so they made up the fantastic-ly loved GTA gaming series. One of the biggest blockbuster series nowadays, alongside modern games such as Gears of War and God of War. (not from them, just illustrating modern gaming blockbusters)

I did like the original GTA (top down view). Played a bit but never cared to "finish" GTA 3. Not played any other GTA.
The open world's formula's nice, sure, if you like that type of game!
I'd much rather play a scripted level-based game like Half Life 1 over GTA.
It depends on your experience! I come from old school arcade games, I prefer that developers throw at us an experience that graduates in difficulty to deal with, having specific tasks to do and levels to explore. (this probably comes from my old school 2D running plateformers "origins").

I often find "Sand boxes - open world" games either boring or repetitive.
For example I never finished or played much GTA 3, even if at the time I really liked it.
I turned it on for an hour or so, played a bit, runned mayhem across the city...then turned it off. Enjoyable, but not "involving" for me. Alright, if you like that type of stuff, mindless blockbusters with tons of explosions, no doubt you played hours, I mean, days and months of GTA 3.
I found it was kind of mindless fun, not a fun experience for me (the keyword here is fun).
I tried once to play the game's missions, but I didn't really care about the gangsta story and the stealing cars deal.

Not for me!

But, you're gonna say to me, it sold thousands of copies! Everybody love it! It's a blockbuster, why don't you like it??
To each their own! I do prefer and find more substance in more indie flicks and B movies as I wrote in a little post some time ago.
So why should I like the current gaming gig or fashion?
Modern TV is reality TV, I prefer and enjoy more scifi for example. The ones that make us dream about, work our imagination (hey! I'm a cartoonist too! I prefer imagination!)
Modern music is, ugh, I prefer not to talk about it. I prefer current indie stuff like Jonathan Coulton or old school music like the ZZ Top, The Monkeys, Blues Brothers, etc..

You get the point, right?
Ok, back on Rockstar.

On the left Red Dead Revolver, on the right Red Dead Redemption.

So Rockstar, who owns the Red Dead game and franchise, as I discussed about it in my Red Dead Revolver Review, made a modern sequel called Redemption.

I will probably end up buying it or at least playing it.

But from the looks of it, the game lost some of my favorite aspects about the first one.
First of all, it isn't Spaghetti western anymore, this time around it's more based on American Westerns. You know the John Wayne type instead of the Clint Eastwood one.
That kinda makes me sad since there's so few of those in games (huh, strike that, there aren't, besides RDRevolver).
Then the music isn't taken from old Spaghetti westerns anymore (logic!) but it's a score (..good!) based on American Westerns. (oooh...)
Since the game lost all is original story/characters (Red no more), it was natural to keep at least one thing to justify this game title. The slowmo "Dead Eye" mode.
Last, the game changed, it isn't an arcade-y level based challenging game anymore, it's a "Sand box - open world" game as I put it earlier.

Seems like I may like it (fun well made western game afterall!) but at the same time I'm kinda sad...
Couldn't they change the name? part of it?

The game's receiving a lot of praise, great comments and great reviews, kids already talk about "the Game of the Year" for this one.
And everytime, the souvenir grows stronger.

I kind of think they just wanted to use the old franchise for it's well received reception and cult status, make a big mod and update of GTA 4 and slap it a western overlook.

On the top, the Real Max from Remedy's games, at the bottom the *charismatic* new look from Rockstar's sequel.

I can accept that kind of thing happening to a little bought and owned Capcom old west game.
But Max Payne... I cannot allow that...

Now Max Payne's suffering from the same fate!
Co-developed by 3D Realms (the Duke Nukem guys) and finnish studio Remedy Entertainment, Max Payne was a cleverly plotted dark 3rd person shooter. It had a great story, a great gameplay for 2001, graphics were ok, a great voice acting and was a memorable experience.
Unlike Red Dead, the game sold very well, had a cult status, many fans developed tons of mods... the game had such a big replay-value and an impact in gaming (like Matrix with the movies, it introduced bullet time in games).

Naturally Max Payne had a sequel.
Max Payne 2 was everything fans of the first one dreamed of.
It was beautiful, the gameplay even more tightly done, the story was as good as a good thriller...
I personally luuuuv the second game's plot. One of my favorite game stories ever!

Now they've changed Max Payne completely.
I'll just quote Rockstar's Sam Houser Sam Houser now:
"This is Max as we've never seen him before, a few years older, more world-weary and cynical than ever."

The game is supposed to be more realistic (yeah.. cause we totally loved this junkie cop with trippy dreams and bullet time-gameplay for his realistic aspect), darker and grittier (what? darker and grittier than the game that started with the death of a wife and newborn daughter?? on the streets amongst gangs and drug dealers?)...

They already announced a new gameplay and story like we've never seen...
I'm guessing "sand box - open world"..
An the story will progress from missions, no more comic book-like story with Max's narration over it and non-linear order.

Sure, the game will sell a lot more, be a lot more marketable for mainstream audience, but also totally lost it's roots from that!
It's like a deal with the devil, the Max Payne franchise will lose its soul to a more commercial success!

I'm tellin' you guys, I hate Rockstar games.
This game probably started as a GTA expansion or mod, was slapped in a Max Payne "fakeness", because a new GTA so close to GTA 4 wouldn't sell as much...


No thank you Rockstar Games.
I'd much rather stare at this fan made picture during 20 hours than see the crapfest you're making with this original gaming series and play 20+ hours of a spiritless hollow sequel.

At least we got Alan Wake from Remedy not long ago, that's a helluva more Max Payne than what Max Payne 3 will ever dream to be!