Steaming Pile of Poo...

Thats one way to describe Armored Core 4 for the PS3, well at least the demo. Granted the dem ocarries the warning "This demo is from early versions of the game...blah blah blah" but I dont see how they could actually improve this without making a new game.

The first thing I notice is how everything seems too dark, and too blue (ever hear of color balance?) and even playing this thing in 720p doesnt save it. Models look kinda blurry and blocky, the controls are absolutely horrid and finally its just not fun. Granted I'm not exactly into the whole Mech thing, but there are good Mech games like FrontMission, some of the old Gundams, but this isn't one of them.

This isn't saying that you guys won't like it, its just giving you a warning that you are about to play absolute crap. Waste of 950MB on my HDD, time to delete...

Too Watered Down?

Being extremely young when I had my first Atari 2600, and then progressing to later systems such as my NES, Gameboy, Gamegear, etc.. I can recount the numerous times I died and had to restart. One old example was in Batman for the NES, that one level with the electric power platforms you had to scale by jumping back and forth, and then the toxic chemical level. Oh the hours wasted on just that game. Then later, games like MGS1 and Tomb Raider had sections that made me want to rip out my hair and throw the controller halfway across the room.

What has happened to games with extremely difficult parts that seriously challenged the gamer? Sure there are games like God of War 1 + 2 and Ninja Gaiden that bring back memories filled with agony, but on the whole, it seems games have become slighty "dumbed down" in a sense. Not that games have poor stories, etc... but that games are being aimed more towards the casual gamer. I understand that gaming is a business and companies want gamers of all types to purchase their games, but when is easy too easy? For example read gamespot's review of God of War 2. In it, Alex Navarro complains that GoW2 becomes prone to button mashing, but only on the lower two difficulty levels. Well if you want more of a challenge, increase the difficulty, they made Spartan and Titan mode for a reason. Even with Ninja Gaiden, people complained that it was too difficult (I have yet to play this as I never owned an Xbox, but am looking forward to Sigma) as I have been told by Aaron.

Games with few checkpoints and save points are becoming scarcer and scarcer, almost a dying breed. I hope more developers will continue to make challenging games for us seasoned vets. I mean whats the point of beating a boss, if its only taken one attempt to beat him, lol. Personally, I would rather struggle and then finally defeat a difficult enemy so I can actually feel as though I accomplished something.

Have an opinion on this? Leave us some comments, we are interested in what you have to say.

State of the Union Address for 2007

Gaming is a hobby. Video games are not meant to be a way of life. Matt and I are both video gaming enthusiasts, but we have lives outside that sweet digital entertainment bubble. Much like the cinema or theater, video games are vicarious entertainment experiences. Games allow us, as gamers, to do and experience things we never could in real life. Gaming is a healthy, fun, and more recently, social experience for people of all ages.

In America, the Entertainment Software Rating Board, or ESRB, provides consumers with an easily understood system of ratings much like the movie industry. Obviously, the ESRB, much like ourselves, would not recommend a game like God of War or Grand Theft Auto III to a child. It is up to parents to supervise their children and decide what digital entertainment they feel is appropriate for them. Unfortunately, some of our fellow Americans fail to recognize video games are no longer "toys" meant exclusively for children. The Atari and Nintendo generations have grown up and come to expect games with a variety of themes and game play experiences to suit their own interests. If you are a parent and are concerned about the appropriateness of a title for you child, consult the rating. Should you still have questions, we suggest you contact the ESRB, consult game reviews, and if you are still on the fence, go ahead and give the game a rental. Rational Gamer applauds your proactive interest in your child's development and we wish all parents were as responsible as you.

Today, gamers have a choice between playing games on their computers, three new consoles, three older consoles, and two portable game consoles. Support for the Microsoft X-BOX and the Nintendo Gamecube have all but ceased with the close of the year 2006. God of War 2, released this past March, is largely considered to be the last big title for the Sony Playstation 2. While the annual sports, military, licensed property, and racing titles should continue to see life on the PS2, do not expect to see blockbuster titles for the aging system. Tomb Raider Anniversary appears to be the last large title for the PS2 and is slated for release at the end of May 2007.

Unless Matt and I (and any future staff) are bestowed with great personal fortune, do not expect us to cover much in the way of PC gaming. Gaming with the personal computer is extremely expensive and the genres available to the PC platform tend to be very limited in scope. We do not discourage PC gaming at Rational Gamer, but our discussions will primarily revolve around the home and portable gaming consoles.

As Matt already stated in his first post, we highly discourage fanboyism ( i.e. - the video game equivalent of Sophism) here at Rational Gamer. We will no doubt discuss this phenomenon at a later date, but the near zealot attitude towards Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo is absolutely absurd. Each of these companies exists for the sake of producing distinct video gaming experiences for profit. The technology of gaming may have changed drastically since the days of Super Mario Bros., but the goals of entertaining and turning a profit have not. These companies owe consumers quality hardware and software free of defects and to uphold their respective warranties should problems arise. These companies' obligations do not extend beyond these promises at the most basic legal level.

Matt and I understand the fundamental business realities behind the video game industry. We feel most adult (18+ years) gamers also understand the realities of the industry behind our beloved hobby. Neither of us hold any kind of allegiance with one hardware manufacturer. This is not to say we do not have our own personal favorites, but we appreciate good games when we see them regardless of the platform. We are not journalists. We are two game fans who are passionate about our hobby and enjoy discussing (sometimes sparring) over the latest games and gaming news.

We hope you enjoy our witty (and sometimes vulgar) banter on the latest gaming developments and trends. We don't claim to be gaming gods, but we like to think we're reasonable and so are you.

Happy gaming.

- Aaron

First Post EVER

Wow, so Aaron and I are finally joining the blogger community. Our mission is to provide relevant commentary on breaking news in the gaming world. We hate fanboys and you should too, not only do they make boneheaded comments but they often mislead casual gamers. Besides our commentary we will try to include game reviews and opinion articles. Heres to the start of some crazy times.