King of the Hill or king of the mud? Gundam Age 1 Titus 1/144

Does the new Mobile Suit rule like an emperor or should it be dethroned before its reign?

AYT! This is my very, very first mech model kit review and my very, very first Gundam model kit review as well. (I'm soooo excited!)

Today I'm gonna review the 1/144 Gundam Age 1 Titus from the new series Gundam Age. Though I haven't seen the series yet but I have this vague idea that the story is based on the past Gundam V series just like the Gundam Seed and Seed Destiny which was based on the Gundam RX 72, Zeta and Double Zeta respectively and the Gundam 00 which I think was based on Gundam Wing.

                                                 Even the art direction has that kiddie feel.

Anyways, I love big-ass mechs that's why I picked this kit first before the other Gundam Age series model kits because of the bulkiness (that sounded wrong…) of the design. And the mobile suit has very unique armaments that I haven't seen from other Gundam or mobile suits before or other mech units for that matter which we will discuss later on in the review.

The name of the this Gundam I think is based on Emperor Titus Flavius Ceasar who--in Roman history--was the FIRST Ceasar who succeeded his father before him. I don't wanna go into details because that's what INTERNET AND WIKIPEDIA IS FOR!! THIS IS A MODEL KIT REVIEW GUNDAMMIT! (hehe). Anyways, onto the kit.

                                                         I can see a likeness there somewhere...

BOX, MANUAL AND PRESENTATION

The box art will surely make you stop, look and pick up your jaw from the ground. The cover is an awesome image of the Gundam Titus doing it's signature clothesline move in all its dynamic and action-packed glory. (I pity the poor shmuck in the background who got hit.) Kudos to Morishita Naochika who painted the cover. Most covers of the new line of Gundam kits were made by him even the MG kits. I'm not a big fan of shiny metal painted mechs but his rendition is so bad-ass that I wanted to paint this kit the same shiny color he did. (good luck to that…)

                                                   Face-smackin'-filled action like no other!

The sides of the box has images of the model in different poses and equipped with its battle armaments so you'd surely know what you're getting right off the bat. Short history of the mech is also found on the sides but unless you know how to read japanese, you'll probably just ignore that section.

                                           Shows some of the crazy poses you could do with this kit

As always with Bandai kits, the manual is very clear and cohesive when it comes to directions on how to build the model. Graphics, symbols, and arrows are extremely helpful even for beginner level modelers. Colored images of the kit in different poses and different views will serve as reference for the modeler to help him in building the kit and also show what the model will look like--more or less--when it's done.

                                   It's usually in black and white but I just wanted to post the colored side.

                                                    Okey, okey here's the usual black and white manual, geeez...!

KIT BUILD

Bandai Gundam kits are well-known for their high quality and colored plastic parts straight from the spruse. You don't need to paint them once you're done and most kits come with decals or stickers to further enhance it, but serious modelers like me usually doesn't settle with just the things that came with it.

                                                     No need to paint snap-on colored parts

The kit is also a breeze to build because it just snaps together easy which is what Bandai is also known for. No need for glues with these kits.

The Gundam Age 1 Titus is very fun to build and very easy to build as well. It took me 'bout an hour to finish it. It would've been faster if I didn't clean every part with a nail file but I wanted the kit to be ready when the painting session comes. The parts snaps perfectly together without exerting much force. I never encountered any trouble when I was building this kit. Even the small parts were easy to place.

The new line of 1/144 models from Bandai is now designed in such a way that the seam lines in-between parts are conveniently hidden and makes it look like it's one whole mold. And because of this, it's also easier to paint them without as much as masking or de-constructing most of the parts.

1/144 scaled Gundam model kits are usually easy to build especially the First Grades and most High Grade kits so I really didn't have any trouble with this one.

                                     My metallic gloss painted Gundam Age Normal-1 Titus

ARTICULATION, FEATURES, ARMAMENTS AND GIMMICKS

For a 1/144 model kit, this baby can do very dynamic poses without problems. It can mimic the poses from the show with ease. For a bulky model kit, the joints were designed in a way that it does not hinder the movement of a certain part. Though the small, ball jointed hip skirt tends to pop off every once in awhile when you're not careful in handling the figure but doesn't really pose any serious problems. The kit also has a shoulder articulation not found in most 1/144 kits that significantly enhances dynamic possability. You can pose the kit in many different ways which is very impressive given the armored nature of the model. I had experiences with past model kits that falls apart or a whole section of the model pops off with just the slightest movement but this kit is very solid and very sturdy and you can actually pose it doing a high kick without worrying of it stumbling over. Its knees are double jointed so you can pose him kneeling on one leg without looking awkward.

                                        A shoulder articulation that surpasses that of the 1/144 Astray frames

                                             These things tend to pop off if you're not careful

                                              Bend the knee without that awkward feeling...

Each skirt armor--both front and rear--has its own peg which does not hinder the leg's movement and adds more flexibility when posing the figure. Though it only comes with a pair of closed fists which is a bit of a let down to me because I was expecting at least 2 pairs of hands--one closed and one open--but it's not the end of the world. The hands however, are significantly larger than the hands on a 1/144 scaled kit but that's fine with me because it adds kick-assizm (Ha! I invented a cool word!) to the kit. Huge hands on a big-ass armored mech is a winner in all aspects!

                                                            Give me some o' that KICK-ASSIZM!

The kit does not come with any separate weapon whatsoever. No beam rifles, guns or beam sabers can be seen on the mobile suit but the model kit however, comes with a pink translucent spruce consisting of 12 beam spikes and 2 ring blades. These are the very unique armaments I've been talking about that I haven't seen on any mech. 3 beam spikes can be attached on peg holes located on both shoulder armors. You can either put them on one shoulder or both depending on your preference but based on the images on the manual, those beam spikes are used as a tackling attack. When the Titus tackles an enemy using his shoulder, those beam spikes comes out of the shoulder armor that becomes a skewer of some sort which then pierces the armor of the enemy and adds significant damage to the attack.

There are also 3 peg holes on each knee armors of the Gundam Titus as well. The beam spikes can be mounted on the knee armors which simulates the Gundam Titus' knee attack. You can also go all out by putting all spikes on both shoulder and knee armors for that added bad-ass look. Bandai didn't have to give all 12 spikes for all the armors but still they did. That was very kind of them (of course it was added to the price of the kit).

                                           Very unique armaments for a Gundam unit

The 2 ring blades are the Gundam Titus' main attack weapon. The rings can be mounted on both arms of the kit which then simulates the "clothsline-like" attack of the Gundam Titus. As I've said, I haven't seen the series yet but based on the images I've seen on the net and on the manual of the model itself, these spikes and rings are the Gundam Titus' means of offensive strikes which obviously makes it a heavy armored melee type fighter mech.

JUDGEMENT

The Bandai 1/144 Gundam Age-1 Titus is one model kit you really don't wanna pass up. It's a bad-ass looking' solid kit with very impressive articulation and very unique armaments plus with an affordable price tag, you really can't go wrong. A model kit worthy of being an emperor. Gundam Age-1 Titus, YOU RULE!

Now to cough up some dough to buy the Master Grade version...

                                               The awesomeness of MASTER GRADES!

Brought me to tears or was it just sand in my eyes? Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception

I've never been to the desert. The closest thing to a desert sand experience for me is the sand on the beach (pretty pathetic if you ask me). Might as well, really. If ever I get stranded in the desert I doubt I'd last 10 minutes. Probably be dead in 5 seconds.

BUT NOT NATHAN DRAKE! Oh no, no, no. Not the great Nathan Drake.  After hitching a ride on a plane via the front landing gear (Which is extremely crazy, by the way!), exchanging bullets with thugs while hanging outside the open cargo doors 30, 000 feet above ground, destroyed the plane in mid-air while inside it, parachuting via a large crate box, walking across the desert for days without food or water and STILL has enough strength to obliterate a small army.  WOW! He really had me up to my toenails there! And that's just a small part of the game! His actions would put James Bond's and Indiana Jones' adventures to shame.

                                                             Ya crazy sonovabitch!

When I found out that Uncharted 3 was under development and Naughty Dog was still spearheading the project, I knew the game would be epic. For me, no other game could surpass the action adventure movie experience only the Uncharted series could deliver. Unforgettable. Unique and literally an edge-of-your-seat experience. The hardest thing for me to do to these games was to put the controller down.

I know, I know. This review is a bit late (we're talking months here). Been pretty busy lately that I haven't got time to write reviews for the games I've finished. And I was busy doing some old school gaming like finishing Shenmue (fancy that!). But as they say, better late than never and I want to make a review of this game because this one is special, so there!

Now, enough of that crap and let's get on with the fun!

STORY

As always I won't go into details so as to not spoil it for those who haven't played this game yet. Is there any gamer who hasn't played this game? What the hell is wrong with you? Get your ass off the friggin' couch and go get this game  now! As in NOW! (though you may have to buy a PS3 first if you don't have one yet. Just a thought).

Anyways…

The story begins on a rainy day in London, England (why does it always rain in London?). Our protagonists--Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan--are making their way to a meeting in a local pub. The meeting was actually a trade off for Nathan's ring. The ring, as we all know, belonged to Nathan's great ancestor, Sir Francis Drake, and a certain Katherine Marlowe would like to pay a hefty price for the said ring. The ring was actually a key for a mechanism used by Sir Francis Drake to help him find the legendary lost city, the Iram of the Pillars. That was what Katherine Marlowe was after. Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan with the help of some friends--old and new--must beat her to it because immeasurable treasures await inside the legendary city (or so they thought). And that is where the adventure begins.

Now let's meet the characters:

Nathan Drake - Our main man! The protagonist in the whole Uncharted series. Confident, cocky, stubborn as a mule yet with a heart of gold and would gladly sacrifice any treasure to save the world (or save the ones he love). He is voiced by the ever talented Nolan North who has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bonafide leading man" (got that from Wikipedia).

Victor "Sully" Sullivan - American senior treasure hunter and Nathan Drake's good friend and mentor. He's interested in anything that has "treasure" written on it but still helps Nate in saving the world or doing something for the greater good. He sees Nathan as more of son than a friend which was made clear in the series' 3rd installment. He is voiced by Richard McGonagle.

                                          
                                          
Elena Fisher - Nathan Drake's love interest throughout the series (She seems to be his wife now). An American journalist, TV personality, and foreign correspondent. Tomboyish, confident, and compassionate. Cares deeply for Nathan and Sully. She can actually hold her own in combat and is sort of like Nathan's logical, think-it-over-before-rushing-head-on side. She is voiced by the beautiful and talented Emily Rose.

                                          

Chloe Frazer - Nate's old friend and one-time lover even before the events of Uncharted Drake's fortune. An Australian treasure hunter who was first seen in Uncharted 2 Among Thieves. This time around she helps Nate in finding clues to Sir Francis Drake's mission from the queen. There is no romantic relationship between her and Nate this time around, probably because she already knows who Nate really loves and the fact that he's already married. She helps Nate both professionally and as a friend. She is voiced by actress Claudia Black.

                                          

Charlie Cutter - A new character in this story. A British fortune hunter. Little is known about him except that he's Nathan and Sully's old friend as well as Chloe Frazer's. Don't be fooled by his rugged exterior though. He's almost as well-informed about ancient civilizations and languages as Nate (well, ALMOST). Though he's a lot useful in combat than finding clues. He is voiced by Graham McTavish (wonder if he's related to "Soap").

                                         

Katherine Marlowe - The main antagonist in the story. Threatening and manipulative. The British leader of the Hermetic order, a secret organization formed by Queen Elizabeth 400 years ago. She has been looking for the lost city--Iram of the Pillars--for 20 years ever since Nate was a kid. Nathan and Sully is always one step ahead of her that's why she's after them. She has an uncanny resemblance to actress Helen Mirren but that's probably just me. She is voiced by Rosalind Ayres.

                                          
                                        
Talbot - Katherine Marlowe's right-hand man and overall asshole. He's British, he's confident, and he's an absolute jerk. Fiercely loyal to Marlowe like a dog to his master. Uses a dart gun with a drug that lets him manipulate anyone he hits it with including Charlie Cutter and Nate. He's basically useless in a fight and would rather let you chase him than stand his ground. I really hated this guy from the very beginning and hated him even more when I was chasing him. It really felt good to beat him up in the last part of the game. I actually hated him more than I hated Katherine Marlowe which means that the mocap and voice actor Robin Atkin Downes really did a great job in bringing this character to life.

                                         

GRAPHICS

Since this is an Uncharted game we're talking about, I expected it to have excellent  visuals. And Uncharted 3 delivered it in spades. The graphics in the game are superb! It's as good as Uncharted 2. NAY, it was even better! When I saw what Naughty Dog did with the snow back in Uncharted 2 I knew they could pull off a desert sand visual. Sand was the main theme and visual in U3 and did not disappoint. The desert seemed so vast that you were afraid you might actually get lost. There was a time that I thought I was going the wrong way but the camera would angle itself to show you where you need to go so it's a bit impossible to get lost. The wind blown sand seemed so real that I was actually itching to cover my eyes.

The landscape is extremely detailed. I love it when the sunlight passes through the trees and leaves, and through the broken roof of a mansion or castle. From the walls and furniture of a broken-down Victorian mansion in France to the busy streets of Yemen and the ruins of a castle in Syria, the visuals were absolutely breathtaking. I spent a lot of time just standing on a roof of a warehouse in London and just looking down at the cityscape. I also did that on top of the stone walls of a ruined castle in Syria and just looked down at a distant town and again when dawn came and watched the sun come up. It was so beautiful that I didn't notice the thugs shooting at me from atop a ruined tower.

                                           This is what I do most of the time in the game--gawking.

I really find it believable when a game can accurately capture the time of day like in Chapter 5 where Sully and Nate were traversing a jungle in France and I actually knew that it was midday because of how bright the sun was and the direction of the casted shadows. I did not encounter a single slowdown from the game even in combat in the middle of a sandstorm. The game ran smoothly without tearings or pop-ups. I also love small details like whenever Nate ran close to a wall and he would put one hand against it and push himself away or when he covers his face with his arm whenever he gets too close to a large flame. Small details like these make us believe that the character is actually a living, breathing person that can feel heat or cold or pain.

                                      Really love the way the sunlight pierces through that broken roof.

                                                                       "oh crap."
                                         
Oh and let's not forget the ship graveyard chapter. The graphics was absolutely amazing! The details on the broken down ships were staggering. The rusted hulls, the metal beams sticking out of the water (looked so real it made me want to have a tetanus shot)--you can even see barnacles and corals where the metal beams and the sea waters meet. It looks so real even if you swim up close. And the sea water, my goodness, it seemed so real you can actually taste the salty texture. But the water did not end there. When I went out into the ocean in the middle of a storm, the waves were so big that I felt it might capsize the boat I was in.

                                        Overwhelming detail, isn't it? Now quit standing around!

                                              "I just jizzed in my pants but nobody'll notice"

Plus all cutscenes were done with in-game graphics which was extremely amazing! The facial expressions and the details on the characters' faces were superbly done. Though some characters need a bit more texture like Salim which I found a bit lacking in skin imperfections and dirt. But overall, the graphics in Uncharted 3 will actually make you stop and gawk at everything around you. Even in the middle of a burning mansion.

                                                What a pretty flawless skin for an arab.

                                    Nate:"What the hell's wrong with you! get me outta here, NOW!"
                                            Player:"But, it's beautiful!"

GAMEPLAY

OK, everyone knows that the Uncharted series is a third-person action adventure game. The action and puzzle solving is still as exciting as ever though not much has changed. You still need to take cover when being shot at. Pressing L2 will let you aim your weapon and then fire by pressing R2. Pressing R2 without pressing L2 will let Nate do blind firing behind cover. Tapping L1 will make Nate throw a grenade. On the other hand, when you press L1, Nate will aim the grenade resulting in a more precise throw. The thugs in Uncharted 3 though are harder to kill than in the previous game even in easy difficulty. You still have your normal thugs which are cannon fodder but as you progress, the enemies will become smarter and start to flank you. They will even wear body armor and shields which makes them even harder to kill. Nate still has his trusty melee but now he can dodge an enemies' attacks by pressing the triangle button when the game prompts you to. When an enemy attacks you, the game will go into a very short bullet time and a QTE will occur prompting you to press either the circle or the triangle button depending on the enemies' manner of attack. Those who have played the previous installments will feel right at home with the controls.

                                                            Now thems gots the cojones!

                                          American style gunfight! Shoot first, ask questions later.

Nate still needs to use his climbing and jumping abilities especially when solving puzzles. Some puzzles require him to scale walls or jump over chasms or shimmy across ledges. The puzzles in Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception aren't that hard but not that easy either. In some cases, you'll probably spend an hour trying to figure out what to do (I'm looking at you, Water Globe). Fortunately this is where Nate's trusty notebook comes in handy, and every now and then your companions will give helpful suggestions. I never got into a situation where I didn't know where to go because the camera usually position itself to show you where you are and where you're suppose to be. There are exceptions of course. There are times where you have to move quickly to escape a certain situation and the game doesn't usually show you the way (those are one of the exciting parts of the game. Really intense!). There was also an instance wherein you have to look at the stars in first-person view to find clues. These kind of approach makes the game interesting and non-repetitive.

                                                            DAMN YOU, WATER GLOBE!

The gameplay is still as exciting and as cinematic as ever which is what the Uncharted series were known for. There are times where you'll get frustrated because you either can't figure out what to do with a certain puzzle or the game sends wave after wave of enemies at you (especially in the later parts of the game where you'll have to kill the enemies twice!) without giving you time to breath but it does not hamper the overall experience of the game.

MUSIC/VOICE/SOUND

The Uncharted series were also known for its orchestral soundtrack and excellent voice acting. The opening music is still the same theme we've come to know and love (it was called Nathan's Theme, I believe). The music is appropriately played depending on where you're actually at. In Yemen, the soundtrack was Arab ethnic music. In London, it was more modern jazz and orchestral action music. Syria was different as well. The music made the places believable and lets you know that you've arrived at a different place and this place has a different culture. The music also added the feeling of danger and is appropriately used in intense situations like combat and escape scenes. There are times where you'll only hear the rustling of leaves, the sweet chirping of birds, or the fall of rain which adds realism to an already believable world.

The Uncharted 3's cast of voice actors were really incredible. They breathe life into the characters and made them real. Nolan North really made Nathan Drake a very unique and memorable character. He was so good that Nathan Drake was nominated for Best Character in the 2011 Video Game awards (though he didn't win. Still it was something to be proud of. Way to go Nolan!). The supporting characters were memorable as well. Emily Rose made Elena Fisher a very likable and solid character. Richard McGonagle made Victor Sullivan believable and real. Katherine Marlowe was very sinister and powerful thanks to Rosalind Ayres. These people made the characters really interesting and unforgettable and really helped in the development of the story. Never have I encountered an awkward dialogue or a corny line (much less a corny joke). It was as if you were watching actual people talking to each other naturally. And the best thing about it is that the voice actors were also the mocap actors which means that they were really the ones acting as their characters, just like what Andy Serkis did with other video games (you know who Andy Serkis is, don't you? HOBBITSES!) Which means that Richard McGonagle IS Victor Sullivan and Emily Rose IS Elena Fisher and …(GASP!) Nolan North IS Nathan Drake! WOOOOW!!! I would also like to commend the extra voices who lend their talents to make the pain grunts and terrified screams of the thugs I shot and also the guys who made the sounds of the ocean tides and the chirping birds and the gunshot sounds and rustling leaves. Very, very believable!

                                 Our main man Nolan North doing what he does best...contemplating.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

You really can't go wrong with Uncharted 3 Drake's Deception. Those who have played the previous installments will feel right at home. The game still gives satisfying challenges and will still surpass expectations. Newcomers to the series will have a very unforgettable and exciting ride (But I still recommend playing the previous games so you'll have a better understanding of what's going on). The anticipation and suspense will literally keep you on the edge of you seat. You'll have a hard time putting the controller down once you start playing. It's like reading a good book (if you guys do read books). The story alone will have you hooked plus the cinematic experience will leave you playing for months. And then there's also online multiplayer and co-op (which I won't go into details because unfortunately I don't play online multiplayer).

                                                         I heart Uncharted games!

Anyways, if you're looking for a high production, excellent quality game with top-notch story telling and awesome gameplay that'll keep you glued to your PS3 for months on end then put on your adventure gear and action boots and step into uncharted territory! (Oh and don't forget to put on your goggles lest you fancy rubbing sand in your eye.)

                                                            "Good thing I put on sunblock."

There's a zombie on your DS

Anyone who loves veggies, zombies and has a Nintendo DS should rejoice for the most beloved game everyone's going crazy about is hitting the Nintendo DS January next year!

You heard it right, folks! Plants vs Zombies is coming our way only this time on a portable console. Now you can take your peashooters and sunflowers anywhere and blow up zombies anytime!


Here's the link to the great news! http://www.ripten.com/2010/08/23/plants-vs-zombies-coming-to-nintendo-ds-in-january-2011-sam-n/

I'm really excited 'bout this game and so is the Missus.

Heavy Rain on a rainy day

I never knew I'd play this game sooner than I expected. I was planning on playing it right after I finish Final Fantasy 13 but as fate would have it, the second hand Final Fantasy 13 game I was going to purchase went to a 7-year-old kid and his genius dad that thought it was a great kiddie game for his son. I dunno. Maybe the kid is a better RPG gamer than I am, but still…(sigh). I guess I'm just overreacting on the fact that a 7-year-old kid beat me by a minute in buying the damn thing. As a consolation, I just told myself that God doesn't want me to play that game (yet).

Anyways, the alternative was this excellent PS3 exclusive I-dont-know-which-genre-to-put-it-in-suspense-detective-movie-game called Heavy Rain. I have read reviews and comments on the game from other sites, and most of them have very positive feedbacks. I knew the game was good because it was made by QuanticDream, the same company that made Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit for the PS2, but I never thought it would be THIS good. Sounds a little cliche? (Probably, but it's a hell of a way to start a blog.)

Now, before I go further, I would like to share a funny little thing that happened to me when my wife and I got home after I bought the game. As I popped the disc into my PS3 and blocked my ears from the outside world with my earphones, I suddenly felt droplets of water on the back of my neck. And as the opening cinematic of the game flashed on the screen, the droplets intensified (whoa!). As the sound of thunder pierced through my ears, I felt a rumble that came not from the Dualshock 3 controller but from under my feet up to my shoulders and then I thought…WOW! This is what I call interactive gaming! Then I saw a flash of light from right behind me and THAT'S WHEN I TURNED AROUND AND SAW (gasp!)…that the window was open and the rain was coming in and the back of my neck and shoulders were soaking wet (sigh). Hence the title of this post.

Now wasn't that  a "chilling" story? Hehehe… chilling story… hehe… hmmm. On to the game!

STORY

I'll try to be as spoiler-free as I can for those of you who haven't played the game. But I highly recommend that you do. At least a rental 'coz if you haven't played it then you're an ass… just kidding, please don't hurt me.

The story would probably be the main reason why you would want to play this game. It's an awesome story told through different perspectives of the four protagonists who are each trying to find clues to the true identity of the Origami Killer and save his latest victim in the process. It's like watching a detective movie but you're in control of the choices on how the story will progress.

Anyways, There are the 4 major characters in the game:

Ethan Mars - An architect, a father, and a husband who leads a perfect life. Is in his mid-thirties and, in my opinion, looks a lot like David Duchovny (complete with grizzle).

Madison Paige - A very sexy insomniac journalist in her late twenties who likes taking showers and walking half-naked in her apartment.  She looks a lot like Keira Knightley but with short black hair (and a bit bigger boobs).

Norman Jayden - A twenty-something up-and-coming FBI profiler who flew in from Washington to find the Origami Killer.  Oh and he's also addicted to a drug called Tryptocaine. To me, he looks like a clean-shaven hair-gelled Noah Wyle.

Scott Shelby - A local Private Investigator in his early forties "hired" by the families of the victims of the Origami Killer to solve the case. He looks like a John Goodman but with thinner hair.

The story begins with Ethan Mars who -- before the fateful mishap that turned his life into a living hell -- was a loving father to two sons, a perfect husband, and a successful architect with a beautifully furnished modern house (lucky bastard).

His life soon made a significant turn after a tragedy outside the mall. Ethan then finds his ass in a miserable rundown house on the low side of town, years divorced, and feeding insta-meal to his very energetic and optimistic (put sarcastic remarks here) son, Shaun. If that's not enough bad luck for you, he tries to cheer his son up by letting him ride on a carousel. But Ethan experiences brain blackouts, and suddenly finds out that the Origami Killer just kidnapped Shaun and would probably make him his 9th victim. Now he has to save his son before time runs out (that'll be four days depending on how hard the rain falls). God probably hates this guy.

Madison Paige gets entangled in the race to save Shaun Mars when she meets a badly beaten Ethan on a motel balcony while she was trying to write a story about the Origami Killer (Have I told you she's sexy and likes to walk around her place semi-naked? Oh, I did.).

Norman Jayden's story begins on the crime scene where the 8th victim of the Origami Killer's body was found. He uses a high-tech glove and sunglasses called ARI to highlight clues on the crime scene and then records them for further investigation and geo-analysis. I haven't seen him use it to look through someone else's clothing, though. That'll be cool.

Scott Shelby arrives at a rundown hotel trying to interview a prostitute whose son was murdered by the Origami Killer. He will try to talk to all of the families of the victims to help them get back on their feet and solve the case of the serial killer.

The Origami Killer's MO is disturbing. He kidnaps 10 year old boys. The victim's bodies would then be found 4 days later in some desolate wasteland near railroad tracks, drowned in rain water, face full of mud, with an orchid on the chest and an origami figure on one hand. Hrrrr (shivers).

The games' story is a dramatic thriller modeled after film noir. It's like a darker, grittier version of "Choose Your Own Adventure" but a lot more interactive. In this game, anything could happen. The main characters could actually die. Your choices will affect the progression of the story and will also greatly affect the ending. The sudden twist in the last few chapters of the game will make you scratch your head and say, "Wow! Didn't see that one comin'." Well, I kind of figured it out with the help of some previous cutscenes and evidences gathered by Norman Jayden but it was a thrilling ride. There are 52 chapters in the game and 17 endings all in all (holy smokes!). On top of that, there are also tons of trophies to look for, so this game is high on replayability (is there such a word?). I got most of the trophies but got only 6 of the endings and I ain't gonna stop there.

GRAPHICS

I was expecting great visuals from this game mainly because it was made with the PS3 in mind and it didn't  disappoint.To say that the game has stunningly beautiful graphics would be an understatement. The detail of the city, the fabric of the clothes, the imperfections on the skin, and the facial expressions are truly astounding! And the rain. THE RAIN!…It's AWESOME!

When a character walks into the rain, you could actually see them getting wet. When they walk over puddles of water, you could see splashes on the ground and reflections of the characters. You could see the water running down on walls or windows and even the characters' bodies (especially in the shower scene with Madison). The reflection of light on the skin and clothing, and the casting of shadows on objects is simply amazing. The animation is seamless and there are no pop-ups or distorted shadows. The faces of the characters are modeled after their actor counterparts with beautiful precision.

Though there are a few tearings here and there, some weird collision physics and some characters' faces are scary but it doesn't hinder the overall experience of the game. To me, the graphics was made with utmost care. The developers made sure that the graphic quality is done in the best way possible. The hyper-realism is almost perfect that it's simply orgasmic.

GAMEPLAY

If you've played QuanticDreams' past game called Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit then you'd probably have an idea on how the controls work. It's not your normal point and click kind of game like B. Sokal's Syberia. It's not an open world game either like GTA or Crackdown. The lack of open world exploration might turn off other players but the interesting gameplay would probably more than make up for the loss. You start playing right where a scene is taking place.

You actually control the character on a fixed camera 3D environment. You press the R2 button to make the character walk or run, and you use the left analog stick to move him/her to the direction you want. It's kinda tricky to orient the character on where you want him to go. There are times that your character would repeatedly bump himself on the wall. But that problem is only minimal. You use the right analog stick to look around while walking or standing. There's also a hint system. If you don't know where to go next, you can always press the L2 button and see what's in the character's mind at the moment. There isn't a button to put you in first person mode, though, but it's not the end of the world.

The interaction in the gameplay is pretty interesting, as it lets you explore the environment and allows you to find stuff to do. For example, if you are near an object of interest, a button/motion icon or multiple icons would appear, giving you choices on what to do next. The button icon may tell you to press it repeatedly to open a door. An arrow drawn in a circular direction tells you to rotate the right analog stick to either wind up a toy or twist open a door knob. When you're near a person, multiple questions would pop-up, giving you choices from talking to the person to helping her carry something or slapping her butt (I just made the last one up). There are also instances that you have to shake the sixaxis controller up and down or side to side like this one scene where Madison just finished taking a shower (I can't get enough of that shower scene, I don't know why). You have to shake the controller up and down to make Madison dry herself with a towel. There's also a scene where Ethan is brushing his teeth and you have to shake the controller side to side to make him move his hand. It's like playing Nintendo Wii but with both hands on one controller.

If you failed in executing the motion or button press, the icon would turn red and a cutscene would prompt to let you repeat the process or inform you that you've failed the process entirely. There are also instances that you'll have to press multiple buttons at the same time to succeed. It's helluva finger-bender. I even used one of my toes just to press all of them. Succeeding or failing on the motions or button presses depending on the scene would either prompt a new cutscene or affect the game progression and ending.

The whole game is like one big quicktime event. It really puts the "I" in interactive.

MUSIC/VOICE/SOUNDS

The use of sound and music in a scene greatly affects the overall experience of a game or movie. It heightens the emotion that the director wants the audience to feel and in Heavy Rain, the music is outstanding. It's one of the best I've heard so far.

In the opening sequence, I already felt the deep drama and seriousness of the game just by listening to the soundtrack, the sound of the bustling city and the sound of, um, heavy rain. The orchestral music they used during gameplay and cutscenes were really appropriate to what's happening. Like the car chase with Ethan. The music really helped in feeling the anxiety and pressure Ethan was experiencing.

But the best way to heighten the suspense is by employing the sound of silence. And Heavy Rain used it effectively. Watch the scene where Ethan was about to get caught by the police on the motel rooftop and at the last second he jumped off the ledge, and the chapter where Ethan must crawl into a dark tunnel with only a box of matches for light and the only sound you could hear was his breathing and the breaking glass underneath his body. That was friggin' awesome.

The voice acting is top-notch. It's at par with the Legacy of Kain series (one of the best voice acting I've heard in a video game). The voice of Pascal Langdale (Ethan Mars) was incredible. You can actually feel the desperation and the sadness in his voice. Especially when he realized that Shaun was missing. The feeling of terror and desperation was there while he was shouting Shaun's name on the streets.

The other characters, even the lesser, insignificant ones, delivered their dialogues effectively. Madison's voice was seductive but at the same time comforting. Norman's voice was resolute and has an air of confidence. Scott's voice was fatherly. Even Shaun made me believe he was a ten year old boy (creepy).

The script was great. I didn't hear any corny lines in the game as far as I can remember. However, there are moments when they would say a dialogue and the character would just stand there without any hand movements or any movement whatsoever. It doesn't ruin the scene, it just looks a bit awkward.

The sound effects was very appropriate. The typical splash of water, the sound of electric generators, the busy streets on a rainy day, and of course the sound of the rain -- all were delivered in a very believable way. The sounds they used are those you would hear on a typical rainy day on city streets. It's also very important to listen to the sounds in the game because they could actually give clues to certain predicaments. They can also help you find where Shaun is (spoiler).

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

Heavy Rain was a different ride from Indigo Prophecy in terms of story. While Indigo Prophecy delved into the supernatural-chosen one cliche (douche), Heavy Rain was more realistic and believable. Although they almost have the same type of gameplay, QuanticDream upped the ante with sixaxis controls, multiple simultaneous finger-breaking button pressing, a whole game made of quicktime events, and the feeling of watching a movie. What's more, the extras and unlockables like the chapter selection is a Godsend for a game that has multiple endings.

The game is a ride worth taking. If the gameplay doesn't interest you that much then the story probably will.

Heavy Rain will mildly strain your head without splitting it open. It will claw at your heart without tearing it and it will chill your body without giving you a cold. So if you're looking for a game with a different experience and a new level of interactive entertainment then step into Heavy Rain and get drenched.

Now I still have 11 endings and some more trophies to find…

At last! A deluxe generations Jazz!

I've been waiting a long time for hasbro to release a generations deluxe jazz and now my prayers were answered! Jazz is my most favorite autobot evar! Sadly Michael Bay killed him in the movie. Damn you Michael Bay!

Anyways, for more info and images on the Generations deluxe Jazz and other upcoming transformers toys, here's the link: http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/cybertron-convention-generations-scourge-jazz-thunderwing-pcc-dinobots-and-more-revealed/19409/

Enjoy!

Hello there!

Heya! Welcome to my realm! This is my first time writing a blog so please don't expect anything spectacular yet. It'll develop in time (it has to!). Anyways, In this blog I'll be posting reviews on video games I've finished playing (on any platform, hopefully), movies I've watched and toys I've collected and played or model kits I've built or modified. My reviews are my personal opinions and views (hmmm...redundancy). I do not endorse any company or developer or publisher or any of those things I don't know the words for. I'm just here to share my views on these things and let you share yours as well and you could also make suggestions on anything from what game I should try playing or what movie I missed watching or what baby food to buy or if I should get a tattoo on the front left cheek of my right foot so that we could understand what life truly means and we could be one with the universe and learn what it's really like to be truly happy! (isn't that great!?) . Ok, enough of that crap. I just hope you guys would have fun reading my posts as much as I had fun writing them. Feel free to put comments on my posts. I don't care if it's a creative critique, profanity or a violent reaction, just put a comment, dammit! Once again, WELCOME!