Video Game Review: Star Trek Online

Are you a Trekkie? Have you seen every episode ever at least 7 times? Do you have fights with friends over how long a red shirt can survive in an episode? If you can't answer those questions, fear not because Star Trek Online does not require that kind of fan devotion.

Star Trek Online is a Massively Multiplayer Online game (MMO) that will be officially opening on Feb 2, 2010. Those that have pre-ordered the game will be able to play from Friday on through. Given the number of fans the universe of Star Trek inhabits, expectations are high.

The first question you might ask is the first thing I addressed here. Is it a uber-fan targeted game. And the answer is no. It is not focused on any 1 Star Trek series or movie, nor is it restricted to information and actions that only the ultimate fan might know. The MMO is actually more casual gamer based, and something anyone could enjoy from die hard fans to those with even no knowledge of Star Trek, if such a thing were possible.

With that main question out of the way, what is STO like? Is it similar to other MMO's? Is it worth the time? Is it a complete fiasco like Star Wars Online?

I would say that STO (Star Trek Online) is a decent MMO. In a way it's kind of like jumping into an episode of Star Trek, any of them, for a while. You really get the feeling that you are part of the Star Trek universe.

STO is similar to most MMO's in that you can modify characters in a dozen differnt ways. You can have aliens of your own creation, make a 8' gaint Vulcan female character, or a tiny Bajoran for that matter. You can select from a host of clothes and hairstyles, even adjust the length of fingers and/or scars and skin color if you wish.

There are 2 main character races in the game, Klingons and Federation. If you have pre-ordered the game and taken the option to sign up for the lifetime subscription (a limited time offer as of now) you also have the option to create a Borg character - so expect that to be an option in the future along with Romulans I expect. So far I have only played the Federation side of the game.

Once you create a character you go through a tutorial that places you right in the middle of the action. In STO you are told up front that this is the universe outside of the latest revisioned movie, you are in the original universe where Jame T. Kirk is Shatner and all the television shows are derived from. (We are told this by Leonard Nimoy's Spock no less) Thus you are in the middle of another Klingon-Federation war, with the Dominion, Romulans, Borg, and everyone else involved as well.

Within minutes of starting the game you get to become a Captain of your own starship. Don't worry that you are starting as a Ensign (the lowest rank officer) since whoever is in command is automatically Captain. The logic of this upgrade in position makes sense and feels organic.

The initial battles, on ship and in space, are pretty easy. Just enough to keep you busy enough to pay attention to what is the next button you want to mash. The ground game, where you get to roam with an away team and fight phaser to phaser or hand-to-hand, is decent but hardly the kind of battles you get in say WoW. Then again, the focus of the game is really not the ground game. It's primarily about space.

Focusing on the ground play for a bit, you get an away team that is initially just 1 other character. The character is similar to pets in other MMO's or NPC characters you have limited control over. They can heal you in battle, set up turrets and provide additional firepower, and other similar background tasks. So far the ground game is decent but not thrilling.

Space on the other hand is what it's all about. That is where the game excells. Even in the initial levels of the game you get the feel of running around and fighting the good fight just like James T. himself. The controls do take a bit of getting used to as a fight in space is 3-dimensional. So you can fly over, around, and under other ships in space. I only did it onece, but you can also bump inot another ship, though other space items like asteroids are not collidable.

There a lots of GUI controls when you are in space, but they are organic in that their use is logical, the size is not too large to interfere with the game, and the information is easily understood at a glance.

The graphics of flying through space are superb. You get a feeling of really being out there. That space is huge. And you get to do this via an over the shoulder view of your ship. It really works well. That alone would make this game worth the money.

But like any new MMO there are detractions. They aren't so much in the gameplay as in other places. The pacing of some missions are slow. Flying through space takes time (when you are in a planetary system or in the Warp zone to another galaxy). You don't just instantly pop up against whatever, you need to find it. When in a planetary system with gas and asteroids, it can take a couple of minutes to find what you are looking for if you are moving at less than top speed.

Another issue is the specializations. There are 3 - Tactical officer (warrior class), Science (magic user class), and Engineering (support/ranged class). You can be any of the 3 and you will have a set of bridge officers that will have at least one of each of these titles. This allows you to focus and enhance certain aspects of your ship and crew on the ground. But at least early on, you don't get a feel for what effect that really has on your ship or in ground battles. Yes there are buffs and weapon specializations, but the need for one or the other isn't clear early on.

The biggest issue I had is the rank and promotion system. You get skill trees instead of skill levels used in most MMO's. That system was a fiasco in Star Wars Online. In STO it's not too clear exactly what you want to take on as a skill, how high you should make it go, and what benefit you are getting from choosing one option over another. But you must take on new skills becuase your characters rank, and thus ability to gain more ships, better crew, improved weapons, ect are based on rank.

Overall playing STO is kind of like being the star of your own television show. You are the Captain in charge, you set the course to travel thru space and fight the good fight. It's the kind of game that I would not want to play for 3 days in a row (but likely would like all MMO's I own), but surely would play 3x a week for a few hours each time.

These are just the early impressions of playing the game for about 8 hours. This is very early in any MMO and so there is much more to evaluate. But as MMO's go, this is a great start and an indication of a solid game that is worth the time investment any MMO player knows goes with building a good character.

Video Game Review: Dragon Age:Origins

I've been feeling a bit down the last couple of days, likely getting a cold, so I decided to pickup the new Dragon Age: Origins game. The version I got was for the PC, though versions for Xbox and PS3 are available.

So far the reviews for the game have been excellent. Which both made me interested, but also cautious. Either this was fantastic or there was just way too much hype. Though the commercials were great, and add to the curiosity. But that's just marketing and not gameplay.

The big questions about the game are

Is it fun?

Does it have great visuals?

Is it open ended?

Is it smooth to play?

How is the sound?

Does the plot work with the gameplay?

Is it worth $50?

Let me answer all of that in the word, Yes. To be specific, I can say having cleared 10% of the game so far that it is addictive. It keeps you involved whether you are a hardcore gamer or just play casually in your spare time.

In terms of the looks, right off the bat you will be impressed. The images are very nearly the quality seen in the commercials. It moves smooth and is almost like a film as opposed to a game. The fluidity of motion of all the characters is very good. And scenes with background characters have high detail, many with character all having original faces and individuality that normally is just cloned. Even scenes of mass numbers of characters, all interacting at once flow and are visually rewarding.

At this point I should mention that you will notice quickly that the theme of the game is in many respects a take on Lord of the Rings. In fact in many ways it is a rip-off of that storyline. But when you get to see the first upclose image of a screaming Hurlock, you just won't care that it just as easily could have been called an Orc. The theme of the game many not be the most original, but then again this is a fantasy RPG afterall.

Another key factor in the game is the question of openendedness. It's something that has become more of a driving force in the industry, and something I always recommend. It adds to the replayability of the game and keeps things fresh.

Dragon Age is not quite open ended. It's more akin to Fable and Neverwinter in that it is open to your choices. By that I mean that most all conversations will provide a tree of choices that you can make in response. Depending on how you answer, and what you did in the past, the response of any character speaking with you can change. Adding to that is the class, race, and other factors found in the game. It's a nice touch and adds to the intrigue of the game.

My character is a Dwarven Noble, or at least he was. And already I can see how a couple of early choices that seemed somewhat neutral at the time, are going to kick me in the butt later on. Such is the nature of the entire game. So no single choice is generally horrible, but they all add up as the game mocves forward. But it does help to create a character that is truely what you wish to embody at the time.

I will further digress to another point of the game. As I mentioned I chose a Dwarven Noble. But there are several choices of race (Human, Dwarf, and Elf), either sex, and a choice of class (Noble or common). This adds a nice bit of diversity. Of course certain classes are restricted from certain races, but that's part of your choice. As you go further in the game it becomes clear that many of the base abilities are open to any class, but the bonuses and specializations are restricted.

Also, the game does a great job of covering the backstory of your character. The start of the game introduces who you are, early choices you make, and how you come to be in the main plotline. This gives you ample time to get familiar with various classes and the game mechanics. Its a simple device that has been used before, but in Dragon Age it works well and really gets you engaged in what is going on.

I've already discussed how smooth the game runs. No major glitches or skips. Moving from zone to zone will require a load screen, but that is relatively quick and otherwise smooth. As for the sounds, well they are spot on. Not too loud and never too mechanical, the sounds work well for what is going on. The voiceovers are a match to the characters, the background sounds make sense and are in the background, The sounds of battle are crisp and mean. Even the fire sounds nice and toasty.

A key point in a RPG, especially in fantasy realms, is the plot. As stated before this took generous helpings from Lord of the Rings (the books and movie not the online game). But the thought behind tying together the various aspects of this game shows through.

Your character makes sense in how they fit into this world. It makes sense the questions and answers they make with conversations. Answers are given that fit the personality and theme of the character and overall story. There is enough not said right away to make you want to know more. And you want to take the time to figure it all out.

From the outset the final battle, which I have not yet seen, is pretty obvious. The television commercial makes it clear that it will be a battle with a Dragon. The question of how you will get there, how powerful you will be, and who will be there with you are not nearly as clear. Plus there are all those pesky consequences of all the things you have said and done earlier to keep in mind.

So to combine the question of fun and whether it's worth $50, I think so. The game will suck up hours of time if you let it. While this is not a game like Oblivion that took months to finish (I think the fastest time was 6 months) it is hardly a game that anyone will finish in 5 hours. Thus in that alone you know you are getting your money's worth. You can see 2 movies in a theater for about the same price as this game. The game will have better acting, better visuals, be more engaging, and last longer than 10 movies, maybe more. Which says a lot of positives about the game and the designers.

And as aforementioned there is the fact that the game is replayable. So if you want to see how a mage, or a female, or an elf, excetra play through you can do so, and still get a unique experience though new eyes. Plus there is downloadable content available for the game already, so the experience can be added onto beyond the in box game (and I believe more will be arriving shortly).

If you are a gamer, Dragon Age: Origins is a game for you. If you love the look and feel of Lord of the Rings and that fantasy theme, this is your game. if you want to make choices and see unique outcomes as opposed to being a pacman, well you get the point.

I recommend this game to all my readers. It's just that simple.

Video Game Review: Tropico 3

From the onset, Tropico 3 looks just like it is. This is a sim(ulation) game. It's pretty straightforward on that as well. The concept of the game is what might catch the attention of those who love games like SimCity and other games in that genre. If you like The Sims, this is not for you.

The scenario of this game is pretty unique. Like in the other versions (which I have not played) you are the leader of a small tropical island (Cuba). You have control over what is built, and what resources are gathered. The goal is to accumulate people, and personal wealth via a Swiss bank account. The latter is for your retirement. You come to power in 1949 and the game goes until 1970.

The main campaign, which is single player, has a limited timeframe. This makes the campaign mode rather short, taking maybe a dozen hours on standard speed. You can speed up the game, which is recommended, but that will cut down the play time dramatically though you will not miss any major events.

The other problem with the campaign mode is that the events in the game are the same each time. So after a run through or 2, you can get a solid plan to take advantage of the events to come. Also the layout of the island remains the same in campaign mode, so ideal placement of businesses, farms, and other items can be worked out.

In terms of the look of the game, it is quite nice. Zooming in to individual characters is easy. They look crisp and detailed. The buildings have a 50's look and feel. The vegetation sways to the breeze, and all the native characters look tropical (ie Hispanic).

Obviously the imagery is a play on Cuba. Including the voice of the leader (for male characters). But the look of the character does not have to be a mimicry of Fidel Castro. The character creation is simple, but allows for a moderate selection. There are clothing choices and hair options plus a few other items that allow for a character that is not completely a cartoonish caricature of people in the tropics.

The character can be models in mannerism after a dozen famous, and not so famous leaders of small 3rd world leaders. Like Che of course. Or you can create a custom leader with a couple of good points, and of course flaws as well.

The play itself is pretty much old hat to anyone who has played SimCity before. There is not a lot of challenge at the default setting. Farming is the main export, but the city can be nation can be built up to be a tourist mecca if you choose. There is also the option to be a very Fidel-like leader in that you can create secret police, remove (kill) rebels or others that disagree with your leadership, or you can build churches and higher education facilities. You can also allow for immigration at several different levels from open to anyone to no one can leave.

The sound of the game is cute at first but it will quickly become grating. It is a pseudo tropical radio station with a decent but limited selection of quasi-instrumental songs. Occasionally this will be interrupted by a radio announcer declaring various events on the island, or the mood of the people, or international events. This too is limited and will often repeat. But at times it can be comical to hear about the "18th attack against our leader's hat". And occasionally it will provide information that is important like a coup attempt.

So visually the game is decent. The sound is good, if not repetitive. The gameplay operation is smooth and direct. The tutorial is simple but enough to give you most every option you need to know, and the rest can be figured out from there with ease.

But for me, in a sim game, the replay value is critical. This is where Tropico 3 fails. It's just not different each time. Yes the population will grow or act somewhat differently each time through, but they are a minor factor. A tweak or 2 and they are basically not an issue. And by the 3rd time through, the key elements of the game are figured out. So unless you want a challenge by doing something drastically different, you can be pretty assured of the results.

Tropico 3 is meant to be a light-hearted sim targeting Cuba and leaders of "banana" nations. It has a strong effect of making fun of people from the tropics, more laughing at than with. It is limited in replay value and is short on scope. It has decent looks, good but eventually annoying sounds, and a simple to figure out set of control maps.

I would not purchase Tropico 3 at the current price of roughly $40. I might buy the game at $10 in a bargain bin, or on clearance sale. And I might be more interested in the game if I were new to simulation games than if I were an old pro at SimCity.

Overall, avoid this game.

Video Game Review: 50 Cent Blood on the Sand

In the world of video gaming there is the latest release from former crack dealer 50 cent. In yet another attempt to create an image beyond the sell-out corporate minstrel, 50 cent has put out 50 cent: Blood on the Sand. It is a self-serving glob of software, styled in a 3rd-person shooter format.

There is nothing that can really be said about this game that is new or innovative. The screen is cluttered, the levels repeatitive. And on top of the monotony is the distraction of soundtracks from 50 cent. So the game is uninspired, rehashed, and targeted to hip hop culture so it can make a quick buck for the name it sports.

Honestly I've seen better video games based on movies. We all know most of those are crap made just to line someone's pocket. But here is a snippet of a review from Gamespot.com

"It is then that you commence shooting anything that moves. 50 and his chosen G-Unit companion (Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks, or DJ Whoo Kid) traverse a war-torn urban Middle Eastern landscape, slaying countless goons while pursuing one criminal figure after another. Though there are a few vehicle segments to vary things up, most of the locales kind of blur together in a blend of gunfire and earth tones."

This is from a review that garnered a 7.0 - hardly worthy of shelling out $60. Plus the rating of those poor souls that did buy the game so far is a depressing 6.4. If that doesn't say wait for the $5 bargin bin, if you must have this, I'm not sure what will.

Well maybe this can help. IGN reviewed it with these interesting statements

"Much of Blood on the Sand is utterly ridiculous -- explosions send bodies flying a hundred feet in the air and Fiddy waxes poetic with expletive-filled taunts while taking rocket-propelled grenades to the face...There's little if any challenge in slogging through the endless waves of enemies on your way to victory, but that's really not the point. After all, Fiddy is leading the charge, so victory is inevitable...If Gears of War 2's mantra was "Bigger, badder, more bad ass," then BOTS's should have been "Fiddy, Fiddier, more fiddier." Instead it's just one five-hour "Fiddy."

But the shock is really how the game came about to be in the first place. What might have been the inspiration you ask? Well according to 50 cent

"After performing for the soldiers, you look at the people there and you use your imagination to say, 'What are they actually feeling? What are they going through?'," he said. "It was an experience but the game itself, I brought some of those experiences I had in to it and that's why it looks the way it looks"

So the act of performing for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, who are fighting a war against religous fanatics that would see women illiterate and the freedoms of the Constitution obliterated, inspired a game where a band of ex-convict corporate minstrels chase down a diamond encrusted skull, killing almost everything in sight. It sounds like a bad Scooby-Doo episode.

Somehow I believe our soldiers, or the enemy, are hardly running around shooting people to hoard gemstones. The feeling of greed, somehow seems less important than the preservation of life and love of your comrade in arms. Then again, 50 cent believes in the ghettofabulous life of thugs. So it's always about money, even if it means selling-out.

Perhaps there were a few too many mind-altering substances available to 50 cent while he was overseas. Then again, a poorly educated criminal is not someone I'd expect to see more than an opportunity of greed from. Which the game essentially is.

Now I also believe that this will make enough money that yet another 50 cent name touting game will be created. I cringe for the reviewers that must play these games. It has to be a painful way to earn a living.