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Updated as often as I can manage

Tuesday, January 10, 2006
I just finished Call of Duty 2 for 360 (look, I have the achievement to prove it!), and the kinder, bloggier me wants to tell you what I thought.

Call of Duty really surprised me. I don't really like WW2 games in general, though I mostly blame it on Medal of Honor. I don't like the stupid overbearing storyline (though this is a topic for another time). I don't like the way you're in a squad that either doesn't do jack and relies on you to do everything or shoots everything before you even see who they're shooting at. I don't like overly scripted events like D-Day, where you walk through a series of scripted explosions designed to look cool but cause no damage (kinda like a ride in Disneyland). And I don't like going over the same battles again and again and again.

Call of Duty really nails most of these. I love the way you flip between three different campaigns. I love the way objectives are always varied, but they're logical and always simple -- no silly curveballs that require you to learn some insane new skill. I love the weapons, particularly the way each campaign has a different set and feel (bolt action rifles in Stalingrad a la Enemy at the Gates -- brilliant!).

One thing that Call of Duty's Soviet and British campaigns do exceptionally well is keep you going in the right direction. It is a remarkably linear game, but you don't feel it in those missions because your forward path is always the logical and obvious one. There are also some absolute standout moments in those campaigns. I loved the pipeline stuff in Stalingrad. Spotting targets for your artillery from the roof of that African town was awesome. And charging across a desert valley by running behind your tanks was a jaw-dropping moment for me -- I simply couldn't believe that the soldiers actually had to do that!

I think the game loses its way in the American campaign though. You take an arbitrary path through various buildings, and it's not obvious where you should be or why you're going this way to your objective rather than the other. Plus, I've seen some weird, weird things with AI. For instance, on top of Hill 400 you're supposed to be defending a bunker you just captured off the Germans. So fine, you're there fighting off Germans... but whenever they break through your line, they don't attack the bunker, they start shooting you from behind. So basically, it looks like the Germans are DEFENDING the bunker and you're attacking them, which is really dumb and stick out like a sore thumb in an otherwise superb game.

But they deserve special praise for the way they've handled the squad. They've found a great balance between keeping you busy in control and making your squad more than a set of useless goons. You pick your advances. They back you up. And if you wait too long, they'll charge ahead. It's a subtle but very effective system.

And the game is a class act throughout. Love the blurred screen and quotes when you die. Love the way that there's blood, but not in a gratuitous way. And I love that there are no stats. I really wasn't a believer of Call of Duty, but now I am. Now I hope they turn their attention to the Pacific Theatre and give us missions set out there... island-hopping with the Americans... fighting through the Malaysian jungle with the Brits... maybe even some Chinese resistance to the Japanese. Why not?

Posted at 5:26 AM

Saturday, December 31, 2005
I realise that I haven't blogged in forever. I also realise that when I blog, I tend to moan and complain a lot. So as a nice change, this is going to be a really happy blog, because to be honest it's been a really good year. I realise -- especially given what I do -- that much has gone wrong in the world this year, but I wanted to focus on the brighter side of life. So, without further ado, here are 12 reasons why 2005 ROCKED:

I GOT A JOB

Well, I always had a super-steady freelance gig at CNN. But in January I left the freelance ranks and became a full-time associate producer and writer, which is the main reason I don't blog as much anymore. It's worth it though, because I genuinely love the job, the people I work with and the company. No, really.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

It may be on life support, but 2005 was the year I discovered Arrested Development, and thanks must be given for that because it is an unbelievably good show.

E3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made a long-awaited return trip to the US for a vacation with Haneal and Mukund, and first on the agenda was E3. This was an incredible experience for all the games that were there (Zelda!), the systems that were unveiled (Xbox 360 and PS3!), and the people I met. I have a lot of friends in the game industry, so E3 was a great time to meet them all -- some for the first time in the flesh (Patrick, on the left) and seeing some again (Cameron, on the right).

VIVA LAS VEGAS

And then there was Vegas. There is little unclassified information I can reveal about Vegas. However, we stayed in awesome rooms at Caesar's, my uncle got married in the Little White Wedding Chapel, the food was unreal, and we rocked the so-called #1 Nightclub in America.

LIVERPOOL WIN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Laugh all you want, but this may well be my moment of the year. I cannot begin to tell you what this means to me. Never mind that it was a match for the ages, WE WON THE EUROPEAN CUP! I may be a massive Liverpool fan, but not being born in Liverpool and missing on the glory days meant there was always an awkward gap between me and Liverpool's honours. But this triumph was all mine.

BATMAN BEGINS

What a movie.

I LOVE JAPAN

I really do. Going to Japan is special for me, period; going with my family, going to all our old haunts, visiting Hakone and going to DisneySea was awesome.

NEW STUFF IS COOL

I actually got everything I wanted this year. And I mean everything. A new phone (Nokia 6670), camera (Sony Cybershot T9) and iPod (video) were just the beginning. I also now sport a Blackberry. I got the house media server to cross the 1 TERABYTE barrier. I got an Xbox 360. And, as the picture proves, an unbelievably gorgeous 32" Samsung LCD HDTV.

AUSTRALIA IS A HOSTILE PLACE

CNN sent me to Australia for a fascinating course on Surviving Hostile Regions. The whole thing was brilliant -- being sent off for a week with your colleagues really helps you realise that you're working with good people. The course itself was very interesting and full of useful information (like first aid -- hence the mock injury), the scenarios were good fun, and Australia's a great country. I even got to eat Krispy Kreme and Wagamama!

I HAVE A CAR

My wonderful amazing grandfather bought me a brand new Toyota Prius in September. Too bad I didn't actually have a driver's license then. It's a long story, but I failed parking when I applied for my license six years ago, then thanks to university and laziness never re-took the test. When my grandfather announced he was buying me the car, I applied to re-take the test... but then my instructor didn't show, so I had to postpone. Then I was sent to Australia, so I had to postpone again.

I LOVE JAPAN 2

In the meantime, I took a second trip to Japan with a colleague to see Liverpool, the EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS, play in the World Cup Championship in Yokohama. And guess where they stayed? MY HOTEL! Japan is always good, but this was an especially good trip: Liverpool, Mt. Fuji outside my window every morning, insane shopping, and a mall next door with a Starbucks, Pompadour and Mario Kart Arcade.

I HAVE A LICENSE

And when I came back? I had my driver's license. I LOVE driving. I'll sound stupid saying this, but I never thought I'd enjoy it as much as I am. I'm pretty much taking the car out for no reason just so I can drive around!

2005 -- which for the most part has also been the Chinese Year of the Rooster, my own sign -- has been awesome. Here's to a good 2006. Happy New Year everyone!

Posted at 6:03 AM

Sunday, September 11, 2005
As soon as I saw that Lik-Sang had their Game Boy micro in, I called my local store.

"Do you have Game Boy micro?"

"Yeah... but we only have one colour..."

"..."

"Only Famicom."

"!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I ran down there and picked up mine with Dr. Mario & Panel de Pon. Famicom fans will get a real kick out of the box it comes in:

There are plenty of impressions of the unit elsewhere, so I'll be brief here: I'm not a huge GBA player anymore, but this combo of a tiny GB + Panel de Pon is perfect for me. I get the puzzler I regard as the finest of all time in a form small enough to slip into a pocket along with my other gadgets, so I can get my fix anywhere. While I doubt it'll join my phone and Blackberry in the short list of things I have to take everywhere, I can definitely see myself packing it instead of or alongside my iPod if I'm in need of entertainment on the subway, waiting around, etc.

The finish is pretty nice, a smooth and shiny metal. The button labels (B, A) seem to be printed on top of the buttons, so those might rub off with time (ditto the Happy Mario! logo on the back). One cool little feature: The Start and Select buttons flash when you put the machine to sleep, and they're also the indicator lights for charging.

Posted at 1:15 AM

Sunday, July 10, 2005
I just got around to finishing Conker: Live and Reloaded. I'm a big fan of the original Bad Fur Day, so this is a good game, but man Rare dropped the ball in many ways (yes, this is another blog where I take something that isn't all that bad and complain about it like it was the worst idea since Gizmondo).

Part of the problem is that it's five years later, and Rare is trying to pass Conker off as a current-gen game. The original Conker is a 9.5 game for me, definitely. It's not just about the movie parodies; Conker is a quite brilliant video game parody too. The entire game was Rare's rather vicious reaction to the stream of 3D platforming collectathons starring cute animal mascots that "Twelve Tails: Conker 64" was supposed to be a part of.

Thing is, I don't think the joke resonates anymore. Back then, that sort of platformer ruled the roost, especially on the N64. Now games like Tak and (sorry Gaz) Ty take a back seat. It's hard to appreciate the genre being mocked in levels like Barn Boys when it's simply not around anymore.

The gameplay is also stale in parts. Some things that cut it five years ago don't today. The latter part of the game is a shooter, and sports the full-on dual analog set-up needed for a shooting game. But the actual SHOOTING is extremely basic -- enemies don't really react to where they are shot, they're invincible for a split second after being hit, and if they get too close you've got a knife in the gut.

They've also tried to make it harder, which is a noble goal, but how they've pulled it off is lazy as hell. Rare have added this annoying new enemy that hides inside a metal shell. The shell has spikes that spring out on command. To kill it, you have to run up to it, hit it, and then run away. Now repeat it five times, because you need to hit it six times to kill it. Oh, and there's rarely just one around, so you've got to do it again, and again, and again. It's just sloppy and annoying.

Also sloppy: Loading. Load times in itself are minor. But every freaking little thing seems to prompt the LOADING... screen to come out of hiding. The most gratuitous was right at the end of the War chapter. First you have Conker and the General rambling on. Loading. Then a quick scene, less than ten seconds long, of Rodent in a crater. Loading. Then a quick scene of a couple of Tediz dying. Loading. More Tediz dying. Loading. Back to Conker and the General. The hell? Half of those cutscenes are the same length as the loading screen. What sort of payoff is that?

The weirdest thing is what they've done to Conker's multiplayer mode. On the N64 Conker had a variety of creative and really distinctive multiplayer games that just didn't work on the N64. There was Beach, where one team mans guns on a fortress trying to stop an unarmed team from getting past them. It was fresh and unique, and there was a good deal of strategy. But it's the sort of thing that doesn't work in split-screen, which is all the N64 had (how do you sneak past someone when they know perfectly well where you are?). There were also modes like Raptor, where a team of cavemen had to steal raptor eggs from under the dinosaur's noses, Race, Tank, a Resevoir Dogs-inspired bank vault Heist, and so on. They were basic fun, but the main feeling you got was how they'd totally work on a more powerful console with more players online (where nobody can see your damned screen!). Yet for some utterly bizarre reason Rare ditched that entirely and created a new multiplayer mode from scratch. I'm convinced that an entirely different team worked on this, given the total difference in style (what's with this Future War nonsense?) and form. It's also totally broken, which Patrick can tell you about better than I can.

Still, I have to give credit where it's due. Conker in single player at least is still Conker, which is a great game. Get past the bowel jokes and you'll see that it's fresh and creative, always giving you something different to do. And I have to say that my favourite chapter in the original, Spooky, has been improved the most. It's been given a total visual makeover and the difficulty has been bumped up, so bravo for that.

I can't help but think though: Conker's Bad Fur Day took a few years to make. It's taken four years from that to get to Conker Live and Reloaded. Was that really necessary? Surely they could have come up with an entirely original Conker title by now?

Posted at 9:21 AM

Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Because I am the sort of person who thinks mobile phone backgrounds are very important, I very quickly made up little phone-sized images of that night in Istanbul to proudly display. As I looked at the picture of Stevie G hoisting the European Cup, I remember thinking "This is probably the best background ever. I wonder what would have to happen for me to change it."

Well, yeah, we have an answer to that now.

I think the best question to ask is what the hell happened? Something isn't right here.

Midway through the season Liverpool tried to talk to Gerrard, but he said to wait until the end of the season. At the end of the season Gerrard said he wanted to stay. Now, suddenly, he's off.

On the one hand, I can see why this was all Gerrard playing Liverpool. He almost moved to Chelsea last year. He stalled during the year. And despite being famously quoted as saying "How could I ever leave after a night like this?", in other interviews and quotes Gerrard was noncommital -- "We'll sit down in the summer etc etc". He's always had his eye on a move.

On the other, this could be Liverpool's doing. Gerrard did seem keen to stay, and honestly what Liverpool fan WOULDN'T be after winning the European Cup, but it's also true that Rafa Benitez needs money to rebuild the team and the only asset worth anything is Gerrard. Rafa also balked at paying Michael Owen £100,000 a week last year and argued Liverpool would be better off without him; while it's hard to argue that from a goalscoring perspective, Rafa did deliver the European Cup. Despite the goodwill that's earnt him, publicly forcing out the man who embodies Liverpool more than anyone won't do Rafa any favours. Frustrating him and making him storm off petulantly works fine.

But what if this was neither side's plan? What if this was a genuinely bungled attempt by both sides? If so, Liverpool have screwed up bigtime. How they could go this long without tying up Gerrard is shocking. That's why I believe something else to be behind this. I just refuse to believe that they screwed up negotiations so badly that Gerrard walked away, apparently for good. Knowing that they pissed him off because they wanted to -- or Gerrard ran off because he wanted to -- makes more sense.

How do I feel? Very very torn. On the one hand, if Rafa says this is for the best, it's for the best. I have the utmost faith in Rafa Benitez, especially after winning the European Cup without Michael Owen last year. But on the other, this is Steven Gerrard. He's Liverpool's lone world class player, arguably Europe's best midfielder, period. He's been the heart of the team, and the creator of more memorable moments this season than any player in Liverpool's recent history. And it hurts the most coming after he spearheaded such a great success.

And what does it say to Liverpool's summer signings when Liverpool's world class player, the inspirational European Cup winner, is gone? Though admittedly the same argument could have been made last summer when Owen left, it leaves the European Champions looking a bit... well... like a lame duck. It's kinda like Porto last season. Yes, they were the defending European Champions and should have been treated with due respect, but let's get real -- without Mourinho, Carvalho and Deco (to name three) they were an empty shell of a team, European Champions in name only. You'd have been stupid to go to Porto last summer and it looks like you might be stupid to go to Liverpool dreaming of European glory this summer.

It also begs the question: Why? Why would he leave the European Champions for a lower payday at Chelsea? Yes, Chelsea are more likely to win -- but Liverpool have also proved themselves able to win, and as a Liverpool fan you'd figure winning anything at Liverpool would mean more than winning a few more at Chelsea (or maybe I'm just crazy like that). Alternately he could go to Real Madrid, where the situation goes from bad to worse every year. At least there you can respect his decision to play in a foreign country for one of the few teams more famous and more successful than Liverpool.

I'm not sure I like what's going on, to be honest. All I can hope for is that it's sorted out soon.

Posted at 1:43 AM