Ubisoft at E3 2013

Mat Paget

So because we don’t have that big of a team, and I wanted to stay sane over the course of the week, I wanted to take it easy for this year’s E3, especially since I’m not actually going to be there. Instead of writing a bunch of words that no one will probably read, I’m going to post the trailers to some of our favourite titles that we are, and you should, definitely keep an eye on.

Ubisoft’s conference wasn’t fantastic. They did show a couple of games that looked genuinely fantastic, but the reason the majority of their conference was a bore is because they were saving their heaviest hitters for Sony’s conference. I’ve decided to throw some of the demos shown there into this article (eg. Assassin’s Creed IV and Watch Dogs).

Rayman Legends

(PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, Vita)

Watch Dogs

(PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, PC)

Rocksmith 2014

South Park: The Stick Of Truth

(PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag

(PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, PC)

The Crew

and here’s some gameplay…

(PlayStation 4, Xbox One)

Trials Fusion and Trials Frontier

(PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC) — (Smartphones)

Tom Clancy’s The Division

(Playtation 4, Xbox One)

Rayman Legends Has The Eye Of The Tiger

Mat Paget

Rayman Legends continues to impress with this trailer titled Mariachi Madness. To be honest, I’m still really sore over it being delayed. This probably won’t help it any, but it’s still really, really awesome.

Rayman Legends will be made available on September 3 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U.

The GameSparked Podcast Feb-12-2013

The GameSparked Team

The GameSparked Podcast contains naughty words, and inappropriate content. Viewer discretion is advised.

Come hang out with Myles, Mat, and Joe with this week’s edition of The GameSparked Podcast! Mat kicks things off this week with some of the controversial DmC Devil May Cry, as well as the criminal Omerta: City of Gangsters. Joe barely has time to explain his thoughts on No Time To Explain before diving headlong into the deep and twisted lore of Dark Souls. Myles is music to our ears when he talks about the Django Unchained soundtrack in addition to his trials with Dead Space 3 and very briefly touches on the imminent release of Aliens: Colonial Marines. Also this week on the podcast, Rayman Legends delays, novelty store personal massagers, and BEES, MILLIONS OF BEES! All that, and much more, in this week’s episode of The GameSparked Podcast!

LISTEN HERE

DOWNLOAD

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and RSS

Original Intro/Outro by Cody DeBoer

The DubSparked Remix by Kevin Madden

The GameSparked Podcast Jan-8-2013

The GameSparked Team

The GameSparked Podcast contains naughty words, and inappropriate content. Viewer discretion is advised.

The Team meets up after a long holiday break with a new episode of The GameSparked Podcast! Joe kicks things off with a thought provoking question before divulging his thoughts as the final member of the group to try The Darkness II, and afterwards shares his thoughts on the Wii U and Torchlight II. Mat convinces us all of the virtues of pizza nuggets before exploring both the large depths of the sea and the far reaches of space with the help of BioShock and the Dead Space series. Myles rounds out the episode by telling us about the film Django Unchained, how much he loves to cuddle with Snuggle Truck, and is rushed into what he wanted to say about Assassin’s Creed III. Also on the podcast this week; interruptions, disappointments, validations, and excitement. All that, and much more, in this week’s episode of The GameSparked Podcast!

LISTEN HERE

DOWNLOAD

Now Available on iTunes

Now Available on RSS

Original Intro/Outro by Cody DeBoer

The DubSparked Remix by Kevin Madden

[GOTY] Myles’ Top Six Picks of 2012… And More!

Myles Milligan
GOTY 2012

Hey there! I’m Myles. Most of you probably know me only for my striking good looks, as per the picture above, and by my award-winning personality on our weekly podcasts. However, one might be surprised to find out that I’ve been known to write a review, or even an article on occasion. It’s true — and since my early beginnings at GameSparked I’ve amassed a reputation for taking my sweet time with my written projects. But hey, just like Valve’s unofficial motto, I too am a firm believer that “you can’t rush art.” 

Anyway, this year has seen its fair share of great games. And for as many games that I’ve had the opportunity to play, I still can’t help but feel like I’ve missed a huge portion of titles that really hit-home for many others. Unfortunately for me, time is a commodity that I’m not regularly granted. So, for the limited selection that I have, I would like to share with you the 2012 titles that hold a special place in my heart.

Natural Selection 2

I remember walking by the booth for Natural Selection 2 at PAX Prime. Just a glimpse of it had me intrigued. I was eager to try it, but ended up having to leave and thought nothing of it afterwords. In later months, I was surprised when I activated a code for the game and realized that I would be doing the review on it. The game hit me with full force! Firstly, I was blown away with the aesthetic element of it. Just the overall attention to detail that radiated from the rendering was phenomenal. The concept, although not that original, was very refreshing, especially in a market that’s become saturated with zombies versus humans; with open arms, I will embrace aliens versus humans in a conquest for domination, any day. The fact that you can play either on the fronlines in first-person, or overlooking the battlefield as the commander is fantastic. If there is one thing that Natural Selection 2 does right among others like it, it’s the multi-surface traversal. It’s so fluid it feels like you’re sliding on butter on the ceiling.

As it stands now, Natural Selection 2 is a pay-to-play online multiplayer, and if you’ve been keeping up with our GOTY awards, then you know our feelings on them. It is my sincerest hope that Unknown Worlds eventually makes the decision to go free-to-play, so that this game will see its full potential.

Darksiders II

Having never actually played the first Darksiders, I came into the sequel with a feeling like I was swimming in unfamiliar waters. Luckily, I picked it up with a natural ease. Darksiders II has a great look and feel to it. It plays like a cross-breed between The Legend of Zelda, Prince of Persia, and Devil May Cry. I found myself quickly engaged in the story; it was dark (like the title implies), and very well-written. All the characters were memorable and extremely well voiced. Death is probably the coolest–easily the most condescending–protagonist that I played as this year, and he’s a straight up badass to boot! Also, this game was long. It took me somewhere around 35 hours to complete, so it is definitely worth the money when you consider the length. And even after completing the story, I found myself going back and still discovering places I had previously overlooked.

Vessel

Without a doubt, Vessel was my biggest surprise of the year– and that’s definitely not a bad thing. On the contrary, I was blown away by how such a seemingly mediocre presentation could reveal itself as a hidden jewel. The sense of wonder and fascination that I got from the world itself was great. I was particularly interested by the Fluros, which are these water-based machines built by your character to perform tasks for industrial purposes. In essence, these creatures are mindless drones, that can both serve to aid you, or even kill you whilst you strive to regain control over them. I like to tote about how the level of conveyance in this game is brilliant. And it is. By how it’s designed, it sets up the player to teach themselves how to play. “Man, I love that!” The puzzles were interesting and fun, and make the game seem longer than it actually is. Finally, reinforced by an awesome soundtrack by Jon Hopkins, this game instilled a sense of exploration that was so needed. With everything that Vessel had going for it, there was no way that it wasn’t going to make this list. 

The Walking Dead

“Hey look, another person who really enjoyed The Walking Dead!” Yeah, I know, this game has made so many GOTY lists, you kind of expect it by now. But it truly deserves to be here. In a saturated market, overflowing with zombies these days, The Walking Dead stood out as a cut above all others. Its story, coupled with the choices I made, affected me in such a way that every time I walked away from an episode a part of it clung onto me. Honestly, this is the closest thing to making tough choices as a vicarious father-figure that I’ve experienced in my life. It wasn’t easy, but, for Clementine’s sake, I needed to step up and make decisions that she sometimes didn’t like. Everything that culminated from all five episodes led to one of the most bittersweet endings in videogame history.

The Darkness II

I will be as so bold to say that this was the most talked about game on The GameSparked Podcast. There are those who absolutely love this game, and others who don’t feel so strongly about it… one person in particular comes to mind. I obviously fall within the first category. Coming off as a big fan of its predecessor, I was thrilled to hear that The Darkness II was set to release in early February. It did not disappoint. Oh, how I so missed that creepy, demonic voice of the Darkness. Seeing Jackie Estacado again, was like seeing a long lost acquaintance — still internally tormented as ever. In fact, seeing all the old, and even the new, faces was refreshing. I just love the grittiness and supernatural element of the story. Digital Extremes took a few different approaches with the sequel that I think really worked for it. The presentation, with it’s graphic novel look; it’s linearity, which gave it good pacing; and then its combat, quad-wielding made me feel like a god! I could go on and on about how much I love this game, but for your sake, I will simply end off by saying, “The Darkness II is one of the greatest shooters ever made!”

Hotline Miami
I picked up this title fairly late into the year, and subsequently wanted to punch myself in the face for not picking it up earlier. This is seriously a goddamn great game! “Ahh, I’m going to gush now.” Everything about this game is amazing, and it’s really hard for me to find something that I don’t like about it. The main menu itself looks great with its strung-out/blow-out title. It makes me feel like I’m high and in a really safe place. The amount of pixelated gore that’s exuded is a real art form, and that sounds weird, but it garners such a visceral reaction that I love. The story is raw and gritty, and it’s such a mass of loose threading that it leaves so many questions in my mind about what actually happened. I think its open ending really works to its favour. The gameplay is extremely challenging, and for some reason it doesn’t bother me; it merely serves to make me try harder. For a standalone soundtrack, I haven’t heard anything better. Even now, the eclectic mix of retro-inspired beats has an active spot on my playlist. If there was only one game I could recommend this year, it would have to be Hotline Miami.


An honourable mention to…


Snuggle Truck
This is another title that I wish I had picked up earlier. It’s pure, simple fun at its finest. Next to Clementine, I really care about those adorable stuffed animals!


My most anticipated game of 2013:
Rayman Legends
Ever since seeing this game at E3, Mat and I have been teeming with excitement for its release. Even after recently playing the demo, not an ounce of that excitement has left.


Finally, some people I would like to thank…

 Mat Paget
Thanks for being one of the best friends/colleagues/editors/”bosses” a guy can ask for. 

Jonathan Tay
Thanks for being a fantastic editor and an inspiration for trying to incorporate a certain panache in my writing.

Stephen Loney and Cody Penner
Thank you for starting the Fraser Valley Game Developers meetup. I swear, I will fight tooth and nail to try to make it out to the next one!

You, the reader
Thank you for supporting my work and having read through one of the longer, if not the longest, GOTY lists on GameSparked.

See you all in 2013!

Rayman Legends: The Future of Platforming

Mat Paget

To me, the present state of side-scrolling platformers is dismal. That’s not to say there haven’t been gems in recent years, but it seems that the genre in general is taking a path that just isn’t any fun. New Super Mario Bros. Wii started the trend of being able to “grief” your friends while playing. Although this was funny at first, it can be really annoying if one of the players decides to go rogue. And with the added feature of the Wii U’s touchscreen, they’ve brought “griefing” to the next-generation with New Super Mario Bros. U. But thankfully, there’s a light at the end of this narrow tunnel, and it’s coming from Rayman Legends.

Rayman Origins was a good game. It did allow players to “grief” each other, which was beyond annoying when playing with a group of friends, but it was also one of the best looking games of last year. Also, the game shone most when played as a single-player experience, as the platforming becomes extremely tricky in the second half of the game. It’s one of those games I would love to see more of, but the poor release date convinced me that this was a one-time thing. Fortunately for everyone, Rayman has earned himself another adventure. And the best part about this new entry is, surprisingly enough, the multiplayer.

Picking up the Wii U Pro Controller felt familiar, even though there were some noticeable differences from the Xbox 360’s controller. It is considerably lighter than the aforementioned controller, but that’s not why I’m mentioning it. The best thing about this controller is its D-pad; I was bummed out that I had to return home to inferior D-pads. The only thing that I didn’t like about the controller is how light it is; I like a bit of weight to my controllers. However, getting to the point, this game will benefit exponentially from the Pro controller’s D-pad.

Anyway, let’s jump into the gameplay. In my first demo, I played as Rayman, and the demo-guide played as Murfy, a fly-like character who helps Rayman along the way by utilizing the Wii U Gamepad. Murfy can cut ropes, knock down enemies, push and pull platforms, as well as use slingshots to shoot Rayman to new areas, or protect him from enemies such as dragons. The majority of this is done on the touchscreen, but at times you’ll need to rotate platforms, which is done by turning the controller itself. The way you’ll be able to work together with one person doing the platforming, and the other assisting on the Gamepad is absolutely fantastic in two ways. Less-skilled players won’t have to worry about holding their friend back, as Murfy doesn’t actually platform, but instead flies around. Also, no griefing between Rayman and Murfy.

The game not only felt fantastic to play, but it was also very pleasant on the eyes. It still shocks me at how beautiful it looks; I had no idea platformers could look this good. As good as the characters and platforming playground look, it’s the background details that are the most eye-catching. With dragons flying around, and even the details in the dungeon, it is a strikingly beautiful game.

But of course, you can see that for yourselves in any of the videos online. What many people have been asking about is the “Platforming Hero” level where you run through the level while a song is being played, and it seems like a platforming-rhythm game hybrid. How exactly does it work? Does it work? Is it just as cool if you’re not very coordinated when it comes to these types of games? These are all questions I’ve heard, and have even asked myself. Well, I can answer all of those questions, as I played through this demo several times just to experience that part “one more time.”

So, throughout the entirety of this level, you MUST be running. As the person controlling Rayman is running, the player controlling Murfy taps giant, pink eyes as they open throughout the level to play a part in the percussion. That’s where the actual rhythm-game part stops, as the rest of the music serves as more of a metronome than anything; it’s there to help you time your jumps and attacks. Experienced players will have no problem with the level, and will have an absolutely amazing experience. But unfortunately, players with little experience in the genre could have a rather frustrating time. I made it through the level without having to restart, but I noticed several other people becoming rather annoyed at some of the obstacles.

Seeing this hurt me a little. That level in particular is an amazing experience, and being a part of making it through the level without dying is an awesome feeling. However, thanks to the Gamepad, younger and inexperienced players will be able to play a part in this absolutely wonderful game. Everything I’ve seen of this game so far has shouted me to that this is the future of platforming. Not only does this make the purchase of a Wii U seem more appealing, but it also uses the Wii U’s unique features in really intelligent ways. One can only hope that when Rayman Legends hits stores, it is filled with the same kind of awesome moments that the demo featured.

In a Nutshell: Ubisoft at E3 2012

Mat Paget

This, and future press conference write-ups, will be written as events happen. Things may be missed, but I will do my best to cover as much as possible. 

Some excellent music, and dancers, start off Ubisoft’s conference with the likes of Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5, and Wild Wild West by the Fresh Prince. Oh, and Flo Rida makes an appearance (he’s from Florida). He demanded the attendees to put their hands up, and they followed his orders exceptionally well. This was all to reveal Just Dance 4.

And the conference begins! And the show is co-hosted by Ayesha, and Tobuscus (my little brother being the only one excited for this). He’ll probably do some wacky things during the show.

Far Cry 3 is the first game to be shown, and this time, you’re the hunter. There is an entire archipelago of islands to explore, and discover, and that’s only in the single-player mode. The demo starts off with you having some fun with a local girl. A topless, local girl. She says some things that seem mildly crazy, but hey, it’s a videogame. There’s a big Tiki vibe going on. And now, we’re set loose on the island, which looks absolutely fantastic. If you haven’t taken a tropical vacation, this game will fill that void. They just took down a guy by jumping out of the water, stabbing the victim, and leaving him in the ocean. More melee, stealth takedowns are being shown. 

And Far Cry 3 is another game that uses a bow as a weapon! The protagonist sure can jump, as he leaps and stabs guys all over the place. The protagonist is caught in a burning house — an obvious trap. He escapes, but not soon enough to avoid a firefight. More stabbing dudes in the neck occurs. Quite a bit more. And now tigers enter the fray, and take out whoever they feel like. Vos, the dealer in the new brand of insanity from last year, stabs the protagonist in the chest, and now he seems to be going insane. Vos pole dancing? Yep. Definitely insane. And that insanity comes out later this year.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist makes an appearance at this press conference, too. They show a new release trailer here, but you can check out more on that game over on our Microsoft at E3 2012 re-cap. And the host is extremely awkward. Hopefully, she doesn’t reach the intensity that was Mr. Caffeine.

The Avengers: Battle for Earth is shown. Wolverine fights Venom, Spidey and Storm face off against Magneto, and The Avengers watch from above. Unfortunately, no gameplay.

Up next is talking about Rayman Legends on the Wii U. Three people play the demo, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. For a 2D platformer, it truly looks like a next-generation game. Murphy is a brand-new character that is dedicated to the Wii U Touchscreen controller. His purpose is to assist Rayman in several different ways, including shooting him from a slingshot to reach other areas, and access collectibles. The gameplay is very similar to Rayman Origins, but also incorporates some tilt controls with the Wii U controller. There’s also a level where the player with the Wii U controller will be able to play along with the music like a rhythm game. Myles and I have had our minds blown. And that amazing presentation was Rayman Legends!

A new Ubisoft game is also coming out for the Wii U, but this one’s for Mature audiences. It puts players into a zombie apocalypse set in London, England. It’s definitely a zombie game. Plenty of zombies ripping people up everywhere, and even a suicide here and there. It’s definitely violent, too, as a Royal Guard cuts off a zombie’s head with a bayonet. This game is called Zombie U, and is a Wii U exclusive. No actual gameplay was shown. 

Ubisoft is now showcasing what we’ll be seeing on the Wii U, including games such as Rabbids Land, a new Your Shape Fitness game, Sports Connection, and Just Dance 4. It finishes off with Assassin’s Creed III.

A trailer for Assassin’s Creed III is shown, and it’s set during one of the battles. An eagle soars over head, AND MAGICALLY TURNS INTO CONNOR (the new assassin). He runs right into the heat of things, and starts murdering a copious amount of Red Coats. Not very assassin-like of him, but it’s par for the course for the Assassin’s Creed series. George Washington watches intently, and that’s the trailer!

Francois Pelland takes the stage to discuss Assassin’s Creed III, and show off some gameplay. The setting is New England in the 1700s, and deers are running from the assassin. The tree traversal looks fantastic, and seems to work extremely well. When Connor has his kill, a pack of wolves attacks him for it. Connor takes out his arsenal, which includes a tomahawk, a gun, and a bow (Year of the Bow, anyone?). Connor escapes the wolves’ bite, and makes his way to an encampment. He talks to a “patriot,” and I can’t help but notice that the models look spectacular. Connor makes his way to Fort Mathieu, and hangs one of the red-coated templars.

Once the Red Coats are alerted, a brawl takes place, and the combat system has become more cinematic than past games. Chasing a Red Coat who has escaped, Connor lunges, and finishes what he started with a tomahawk to the head. Connor escalates the fort, and causes a ruckus by killing Red Coats in various ways, ending with jumping off a higher platform, and finishing off his target with a cinematic bayonet kill. No real cities were shown during the gameplay demo, leaving us only to see the snow-covered forests. 

Myles and I have never been excited for an Assassin’s Creed game. But guess what? We are now.

From the makers of TrackMania, Ubisoft shows off ShootMania Storm! They’re showing a 3-on-3 match, but with a twist. One team has 1 player in the match to face off the other team’s 3. And just like TrackMania, this game is FAST! The game has a lot of intense, unique, and fast-paced firefights that are sure to keep everyone at the edge of their seats. ShootMania will be free-to-play on release.

Now, Ubisoft is showcasing the games they have released in the past with quotes from publications. Which is good, because everyone needs a pat-on-the-back, even if it’s from yourself.

Yves Guillemot, CEO and co-founder, enters the spotlight, and is going to reveal a brand new IP. In the game, there are places all over the world that are experiencing blackouts. Some guy put a virus into some kind of computer. There’s some kind of software that controls everything, and is being controlled by private companies. And we’re not people? We’re just data clusters. There’s a lot going on in this first trailer, and I have no idea what’s going on. Hopefully, they discuss this a bit more (I’ll post a video of the trailer below).

The game is titled Watch Dogs, and it’s an open world game. But the city isn’t only the setting, it’s also your weapon. Players will be able to control an entire infrastructure to use any way they like. And they’re showing some gameplay! You’re put into the shoes of a man in a trench coat. It looks like your typical open world game — mini-map in the bottom right corner. The world is teeming with life, from people walking on the street, to people waiting in line for a club. The man turns off all electronic equipment with a push of a button. He then proceeds to walk into the club. Did that waiter have a QR code for a head?

Anyway, the game is giving you options to hack into people, it seems. The man meets his friend, and they seem to get on each other’s nerves a lot. They discuss who the protagonist is “targeting.” I believe they’re talking about killing his target. The man can hack into everyone, and see details on them, including their phone calls. There is combat in this game, as the man beats one of the guards senseless with a night stick. Players will be able to control everything in the city, including traffic lights which can cause accidents. It’s also revealed that there is some gun play in the game, joined by a cover system. The man kills his target, and tries to escape the cops. The gameplay then switches to another character. Wow, that was a long, but awesome, demo!

The hosts make some more terrible jokes to close the show, and that’s the conference! Despite the absolutely groan-inducing comedy presented by Tobuscus and Ayesha, Ubisoft’s conference was a huge surprise, and turned out really awesome!