Raj Agrawal

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Why Ubisoft Won E3 2012

June 16, 2012 by Raj Agrawal 1 Comment

E3 for gamers is like the ultimate game exhibition. It is the place where we get to know a little bit more about that one game that we’re going crazy about. And it usually lives up to the hype even if developers show but a little bit of a game’s new features. From the developers point of view, it’s a totally different playing field. For them, it’s a chance to show the investors and other members of the company that their interests are well placed. By garnering hype and attention for their games, they can prove to their investors that there is scope for profit in the future of a particular product. On the other hand, for console manufacturers, it’s an opportunity to get more people to buy their products. In such an aggressive environment, you have to really do something special to come out on top. And that is exactly what Ubisoft have managed to achieve this year, which is why for me they’ve won the event, and the hearts of many.

It was just yesterday that Ubisoft were the next EA. Take an old franchise, and grind it beyond death – that was the formula. Well, it still is. Assassins Creed, Splinter Cell, Far Cry are all receiving new additions this year. The difference is, unlike EA, they’re not just there for the heck of meeting the annual sales targets. All of these games look fantastic, and all of them might eventually end up becoming Triple-A-multi-million sellers. But most importantly, all of these seem like they will make great games.

Assassins Creed 3, takes a break from Ezio and Altair, and put us in the shoes of an all new protagonist, who is right in the middle of the events of the American revolution. Everything, from the locales, to the type of enemies, to the weapons and fighting style has been rethought very carefully in order to give that perfect balance between familiarity with the rest of the series, and making something unique.

asc3
Assassin’s Creed 3

Far Cry 3, while expected to simply eradicate the shortcomings of its predecessors, does much more, and looks to redefine the way we look at characters in a video-game. Vaas already is a popular name among the E3 attendees, and if the other characters can match the tenacity of the main antagonist, then the experience might be unparalleled.

Splinter-Cell-Blacklist
Splinter Cell Blacklist

Splinter Cell Blacklist, although not looking anything out of the ordinary, attempts to incorporate the stealth elements of previous games, and the action elements of its predecessor. Although Chaos theory might always remain to be the best Splinter Cell game of all time, it doesn’t hurt to have a good addition to the series.

Watch-Dogs
Watch Dogs

Which brings us to quite possibly the most exciting showing at E3; one which motivated me to write this article – Watch Dogs. Nobody expected it. Nobody believed that Ubisoft would be showing anything beyond the normal iterative fare. But they shocked us, and how!! Having powers is one thing, but being able to control an entire city is another, and the trailer on show does perfect justice to what the game might be. The potential is there, in spades, just the execution needs to be good, and we have a classic in the making!

Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo all had decent showings at this years E3. As always, the focus was mainly on them, since they have all the motivation to beat each other by showing off the best of the best. But Ubisoft clearly won this years event. The effort on display is commendable; they’re trying to reinvent themselves, and if companies like EA and Activision can take notice and try and do things differently, then the future of gaming might still be bright.

Filed Under: Gameology Tagged With: activision, far cry, microsoft, sony, ubisoft, watch dogs

The Best Trailers Of E3 2012

June 11, 2012 by Raj Agrawal 1 Comment

E3 2012 was a mixed bag. While it failed to provide a substantial number of new game announcements (which is always the case), it did give us plenty of awesome game trailers. Game developers are getting better at enhancing the cinematic aspect of their games, and it is evident from some of the trailers which have been showcased. So lets take a look at the best trailers on offer at this year’s E3, in no particular order.

Assassins Creed 3

This game already has me hyped, but the trailer took it to another level. Past AC games have concentrated on the battle versus the templars, but the third installment in the series adds liberation, freedom, independence, and other war related themes to the mix to make the scale even more epic. The scenes where our protagonist charges forward as his countrymen are retreating gives you that adrenaline rush, and when his war comrades get inspired by his acts, the feeling (similar to the one in Braveheart and 300) is chilling to the bone. Assassins Creed 2 was my favorite Assassins Creed game, and if AC3 turns out to be as good, i’ll be disappointed. I expect much more from it, and it looks like it might deliver.


Beyond: Two Souls

The Last of Us is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated games of year. The talented team at Naughty Dog studios plan to take the survival genre to the next level, and we can’t wait to have a go at it. But that wasn’t all Sony had to offer this year. Quantic Dreams, creators of the critically acclaimed Heavy Rain, give us Beyond: Two Souls, another epic story which might set the adventure genre on fire. With facial animations that even put L.A. Noire to shame, this game has blown everyone away at E3, and will definitely compete with The Last of Us for the title of the most anticipated game of the year.


Watch Dogs

This game was revealed as a shock surprise at this years E3, and already has everyone’s hype meter going bonkers. Think of one computer that can control an entire city, and one man that has the power to control this computer. Sounds like an awesome disaster in the making, and we cannot wait to play as the man who can control it all. With graphics to rival the best out there, Ubisoft seem to have another winner on their hand.


Far Cry 3

Insanity. Many whack movies try to personify it. Many of those movies, like Ichi the killer, have personified it successfully. But i haven’t come across a single game that has managed to successfully integrate it into its story, the only notable exception being, well, nothing! As such, Far Cry 3 looks like it might change everything. Instead of focusing solely on gunplay, this time around Ubisoft is trying to up the ante and really deliver madness served on a Dvd. And if the game is as good as the trailer, then Vaas might be edged in our memories forever as the first truly insane videogame villian.


Tomb Raider

We thought Lara Croft was done for. A perfect example of overusing a brand, the tomb raider games were really beginning to suck. Enter Crystal Dynamics, and we have at least two tomb raider games in recent times that we can happily tag as being actually good. Now they’re coming up with another game, and this time, it’s where it all began. The new Tomb Raider already has everybody in awe, and the new E3 trailer, named crossroads, takes my anticipation to almost strenuous levels. Whether it will deliver or not is a thing for the future. But one thing is for sure, it is a treat for the eyes.

Filed Under: Gameology Tagged With: far cry, Tegra, watch dogs

Why Dark Souls Is One Of The Best Games Ever Made

November 5, 2011 by Raj Agrawal 4 Comments

What is the best part about playing a video game? Is it the thrill of watching the visual effects of a plane crash through a building and the amazement of the graphical destruction caused by the building crashing down to pieces? Is it the Hollywood style action sequences which keep the adrenaline rush going till you eventually want to jump out from the window to try and catch that ledge? Is it the thrill of racing or playing in a football game which one might not be able to achieve in real life? All of these can qualify as perfectly valid reasons for playing video games. But for me, they’re a bit too superficial. My reasons for playing games are much more basic. For me, its all about failing and trying again to correct myself. The possibility of death and the chance of life after it really intrigue me. I love a challenge, and I love to be rewarded for playing well and punished for being stupid. And in that regard, I feel Dark Souls is the best game i’ve ever played.

dark souls 1
!

Improving on something like Demons Souls can be quite the challenge. Although the game did not have to create a name for itself from scratch like Demons Souls did, still when you set a standard, its always a challenge to better it. And the fact that Dark Souls has bettered its predecessor in almost every aspect speaks volumes about the developers determination to excel and make a name for themselves. But most of all, it commends their ability to make a great game. And Dark Souls is more than just a great game. It’s a love letter to all of the gamers who want a challenge, and who want to play something unique. And its not everybodys cup of tea. If you have never played demons souls, and if you’re a Call of Duty fan (I’m not trying to stereotype anybody, but if you haven’t played a difficult game before, then you wouldn’t be able to keep up with the sudden bump in difficulty levels), you’re going to get frustrated and probably regret spending $60 on this game. If you do like a challenge, and if you’ve played games like Far Cry and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., then you’re going to feel right at home.

dark souls 2
This will pierce you to no end

You will die a lot in Dark Souls, but every death is a lesson to be learned, and every time you correct you’re mistakes, as the game itself puts it, there will be “Imminent Elation”. And considering the fact that you’re going to die a lot of times, the satisfaction you’re going to get will be unparalleled. Another thing I love about such games is the epic boss fights, and Dark Souls has plenty of those, and almost all of them will have you frustrated enough to break your controller. This is one game which really personifies the idiom – “Patience is the best virtue”; you cannot go all swords blazing , or else you will die, which you will even if you don’t, but to a much lesser degree.

dark souls boss fight
You’re in for surprises. Lots of ’em.

Today, death in video games is handled very loosely. Games like Prey refrain from letting the player die in order to sustain the immersion. But I think death add layers of depth to immersion. When you have tried your best to reach the end of a level, the last thing you want to do is die, and this is where the prospect of death become nerve wrecking. Back in the old days, many games like Contra only granted a specific amount of lives to the player; lives gone, game over. These days, even the toughest of games will only spawn players at a check point infinitely. Hence, it becomes important to make the player earn his way to the next checkpoint. And no games exemplifies this more than Dark Souls. Realistically speaking, it may not the best game i’ve ever played. The experience that it gives is quite unlike anything. As the maiden in black from demons souls puts it,

Let strength be granted so the world might be mended, so the world might be mended.

That is exactly what you need in Dark Souls, along with a life worth of patience. After all, the true value of success can only be adjudged after a lot of failures, and any game which tries to personify this has to be good.

dark souls 3
Prepare to Die

Filed Under: Gameology Tagged With: dark souls, demon souls, far cry

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