REVIEW - Portal 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

In 2007 Valve Entertainment released one of the best deals in video game history with their release of The Orange Box.  Said package was sold at the price of a single game and contained Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, Half-Life 2 Episode 1, Half-Life 2 Episode 2, and a small puzzle/platform game named Portal.  Portal received little media attention in the build up to the release of Orange Box, with most assuming that it was little more than an expanded tech demo thrown in as a little extra; and to an extent that was true.

Portal could be completed within about 4 or 5 hours, and was essentially a set of separate rooms, each involving a puzzle as to how to get from the entrance to the exit by using a "portal gun" that could project two separate portals onto walls, that then allowed the player to move between the two.  Initially this merely involved using the portal to move from one platform to another by aiming the portals at separate walls, but later would involve puzzles involving gravity (whereby portals would need to be set up to fling the player across the rooms) and also using them to move various objects around in order to solve the increasingly complicated puzzles.  It doesn't sound much on paper (hence why it didn't receive a great deal of attention before release), but with fiendishly addictive puzzles, and some hilarious dark humor courtesy of the increasingly evil robot in charge of the experiments - the infamous GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System) - who taunted the player throughout the game, as well as an incredible ending, it quickly became the sleeper hit of 2007, and developed its own cult following complete with plushy toys and fan made apparatus.  A sequel was inevitable.

Hello Again...

Portal 2 (Valve) has been released as a game in its own right, and is therefore a significantly longer, vaster piece of work than its short, simple predecessor.  Yet at the same time, as it is trying to justify a $60 price tag on its own, and also has significantly higher expectations than Portal.  While Portal was judged as a glorified tech demo bundled into an already healthy package of games, Portal 2 is a proper game that must be treated as one.

The puzzles are back, and they're a lot more complex!

Within minutes of starting the game, the player will discover that Valve have taken this responsibility seriously and have raised the bar considerably.  Instead of beginning simply in test chamber 1 as in the original game, Portal 2 begins with a dramatic introduction where, after discovering that the player's character (known as Chell) has been left in hibernation mode in the Aperture Science Facility for a long, long time, a dramatic escape from the area ensues accompanied by robot companion "Wheatley" (voiced by British comedian Stephen Merchant).  Although (like Portal) Portal 2 is slow paced through most of the game, frantic moments will occasionally pierce the slightly relaxing bubble of the game to great effect, pushing the plot forward and making one feel like one is playing a game, as opposed to just a set of puzzles.

Of course, Portal's puzzles have never been "just a set of puzzles" and that remains the case in the latest release.  Portal 2 brings in plenty of new mechanics, and often gels them together to create some very complex puzzles, and yet it does it in a way that isn't overwhelming.  Every mechanic starts with the basics, and then slowly grows puzzle after puzzle; so that eventually the player will find themselves faced with switches, catapults, paints, light bridges, boxes and moving platforms, but will not feel overwhelmed.  Starting off with such a large puzzle, and slowly working one's way through it over the course of twenty minutes is one of the most satisfying experiences that any game currently available can offer.

It is therefore correct to say that there is a lot more variety in this game, just as there needed to be.  Not only is there variety in the puzzles that one faces, but also in the environments in which these puzzles take place.  There are three different areas in which the testing takes place, but the story will also have the players trying to solve various puzzles outside of the testing chambers as Chell tries to escape from captivity and find her freedom in the real world.  Even within the chambers, the game is plot driven and there is a sense of constantly trying to look for ways out and how to outfox the omnipresent computer presences that are keeping Chell captive.

If anyone asks...and no-one's gonna ask...

Portal 2 is set in the future, with Aperture Science in disrepair

It is these computer characters that bring life to Portal 2.  In additional to the sinister GLaDOS (whose role twists and turns throughout the game) there is the grumpy voice recording of Aperture Industries CEO Cave Johnson, and then there is Wheatley -- the dim spherical robot who acts as a companion for Chell on the journey through the test chambers -- who might just be the greatest NPC of all time.  Not only does Wheatley act as a key character in the plot, his bumblings and japes provide yet more humor to an already very funny game as the player tackles the various tricky puzzles that the game contains.

Strangely, considering the fact that he is a machine, Wheatley provides a greatly needed human aspect to the game.  Between the silent Chell and the mechanical GLaDOS, the wide-eyed little robot bumbling around and screaming in terror at mundane things like falling on the floor, offers a new perspective to the world of Aperture Industries.  The contrast provided between fighting for your life one moment, and then in the next having Wheatley casually refer to "smelly humans", realize his faux pas and then spend the next few minutes assuring you of his love for humans ("Humans?  Love 'em!") is a valuable one that injects energy into a game that can sometimes drag.

The Gospel according to Wheatley

Wheatley may also please Catholic gamers with one or two lines indicating that the little robot might in fact be a Christian; notably when he turns on an enormous series of lights and declares, "Let there by light!" and then clarifies, "That's God...I was quoting God there..." - so even in the dreary apocalyptic future that Portal 2 paints, we can know that there is at least one Christian who takes a relatively literal interpretation of Genesis; even if it is a robot!

Apart from that, Portal 2 provides a vision of a world without humans and without God, and it isn't pleasant. Whilst the game is fun, one would certainly not want to be alive in the world of Portal!  As one delves deeper into the history of Aperture Science, the player discovers the destructive origins of the company that sought to create Utopia by treating subjects like lab rats.  Similar to the Bioshock series, Portal 2 shows the destructive havoc that is caused when certain people try to play God, create utopias, and strip the humanity away from their fellow citizens.  In this, Portal 2 offers a sound (if implicit) pro-human and pro-Christian message, showing that a respect for the dignity of each human being must provide a line not to be crossed by scientific developments.

This is Wheatley - you will love him!

Additionally Portal 2 is mostly free of objectionable content for any age, although young children may find the complex puzzles a bit too taxing.  The only difficulties parents might find are two or three crass terms, and also two moments where the computer system mocks Chell for being adopted.  Although the insults come from the game's main villain (and therefore cannot said to be a view endorsed by the game), the computer's declaration that Chell was abandoned by her mother and that that this was because Chell was an unloveable failure of a human being, may make the game unsuitable for young children who are themselves adopted.  The game explicitly rejects such a view of adoption, with loveable Wheatley later re-using the cliche of "Actually...some of my best friends are orphans..." after being caught making an insensitive statement, but it still may provide upsetting moments for some.

Portal 2 or Portal 1.5?

There is no doubt that Portal 2 is a superbly designed, well written, fun game - but does it provide value for money?  While the range of puzzles to be found in Portal 2 (both in the testing chambers and beyond) are vast and varied, one does sometimes feel that this is a game that is being stretched out in order to justify its full retail price. The single player campaign will stretch to 14 hours at the most, with veteran Portal players clearing the game in under eight hours, and a great deal of that is spent staring at walls wondering where to fire the next portal.  The co-operative campaign adds a few more hours to that if you have a friend willing to join you on a series of chambers, but apart from that there are no extra challenges or multiplayer modes on offer.

If I'm being polite I would say this game is "slim", if not I would say that this game is really not a full game at all, and has just been padded out in order to justify itself as a stand alone title.  While 2 is significantly better than the original game, it is nowhere near as tight as the first game, leaving the player navigating long stretches of industrial wreckage to get to the next set of chambers, or using a certain puzzle mechanic a few too many times so that it becomes dull.  While Portal may have used a style of puzzle four or five times, and then changed to a different style to keep the player fresh, Portal 2 will use that style nine or ten times; meaning that by the time the player has reached the 8th and 9th puzzles, one is beginning to feel the hand of repetition on one's shoulder.

The Co-op adds a few fun hours to what is a very short game.

An example of this is the gel mechanic introduced about half way through the game, which involves the player using various colored gels in order to achieve certain effects such as speed and bounce.  When I started the chambers, I thought it was an amazing idea and was looking forward to exploring it.  By the time I reached the end of that set of chambers, I was very bored and everytime a new paint chamber appeared, I could hear myself sigh with frustration.

This isn't necessary a terrible thing, as most games have elements of grind or repetition, but then most of those games can't be completed in a weekend.  If a game is going to be as short as Portal 2, then it needs to be fresh and original all the way through; yet if it wants to be allowed to have a bit of repetition and grind in it, then it should be a lot longer.  For instance, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Splinter Cell: Conviction are both about as long as Portal 2, but make up for it by having almost no repetition, constantly changing environments and almost zero boredom.  On the other hand, games like Red Dead Redemption and Final Fantasy XIII do have large chunks of grind, but then are easily twice as long as Portal 2.  It was on this combination of both shortness and grind that I felt was the big let down for Portal 2.


This is not to say Portal 2 is a bad game; not at all.  In fact it is an excellent game while it lasts, even with those areas that are a little dreary and repetitive.  For the most part, the puzzles are lots of fun and highly original, the characters are even more loveable than in the first game, and it once again ends superbly in a way that will leave you with a smile on your face.  Had this game been tightened up and edited by a few hours, and bundled with another Orange Box, it would be the perfect game.  As it stands, it is still a wonderful game, but one that cash-strapped fans might want to think carefully about before spending good money on purchasing.  A game that can be completed in a long weekend, has little else other than a single-player campaign and a co-op mode, and (due to its puzzle solving nature) is not particularly replayable, is one that has the potential to leave some gamers feeling a bit disappointed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Valve have almost succeeded in transferring the perfect tech demo of Portal to a perfect full game of Portal 2.  The puzzles are taxing and varied while avoiding frustration (for the most part), the characters are superb, and while the plot is typically slow, it is spiced up with a scattering of set pieces and stunning backdrops and environments.  This is no mere set of puzzles - it is a story of a woman's attempt to escape from captivity with puzzles weaved into the narrative, and in that sense Portal 2 is an excellent video game.  Unfortunately it is let down by dragging some aspects of the game out to the point of tedium, and then still falling short of value for money with a short campaign, a small co-op mode and almost zero replayability. Portal 2 is an excellent game, but one that struggles to justify a $60 price tag

From a Catholic perspective, Portal 2 provides the gamer with a vision of a future that has no respect for God or humanity, and it makes it clear that this new world is no Utopia.  The game's puzzle-based difficulty, a few crass terms, and some insensitive talk about adoption makes Portal 2 unsuitable for very young children.

The technical rating for this title is 8/10

The Catholic rating for this title is A-II -- adults and adolescents.

REVIEW - LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3)

Despite giving the first LittleBigPlanet a rating of 10/10, and declaring one of the best games for the PS3 (as well as suitable for all the family), I was somewhat sceptical of LittleBigPlanet 2 (Media Molecule) as I approached this title for review.  One would think that I would be excited by a sequel to a title that I loved so much, and yet I found myself wary that this new release was anything more than a cash-in.  The previews had shown graphics with little improvement of the (admittedly beautiful) graphics of its predecessor, there seemed to be no major new gameplay features to report, and there was little excuse for a new level pack, as the online community ships out plenty of quality levels every month.

Little Big Surprise

Well I was completely wrong about LittleBigPlanet 2 - it is no mere cash-in, and it certainly does not lack in any originality whatsoever.  Just as the original LittleBigPlanet was one of the best titles on any console of 2008, LittleBigPlanet 2 is set to be one of the best games of 2011, and probably one of the top five games on the PlayStation 3.  Yes, it's that good.

Sack-Thing in his/her many different forms.

If you haven't encountered the LBP series before, LittleBigPlanet 2 is (for the most part) a 2.5D platformer that takes places in the super cutesy LittleBigPlanet - a world of ideas, dreams and fantasies where anything can happen; it's like Disney but sweeter!  You play Sack-Thing - a little cuddly...thing that can be dressed up however you like with various costumes that you will collect on your journey.

That journey is structured around your character's attempts to stop an evil machine (known as "The Negativatron") from destroying Craftworld.  The plot is a lot stronger than in the first game, with some excellent and funny cut scenes scattered around throughout the game.  Consequently the plot moves with a lot more pace, and keeps the player feeling like they are playing through a story, as opposed to a series of connected levels.  Although the cut scenes are very good, and the characters are inherently likeable and memorable, the plot really just serves as a device to take the player from world to world.  Although the single player on its own is not particularly long, the worlds are varied and original; from factories to forests to outer space, and each world has its own character and style of gameplay.  It means that just as the game is beginning to feel repetitive, the world changes and a whole new plethora of gadgets, novelties and scenery appear, making it feel like a whole new game.

Levels are not all platformers, and are packed with mini-games

Hamstertron Attack!

It is this variety that is probably one of the best things about LittleBigPlanet 2. It is not just the different worlds that are varied, but the levels within those worlds are only highly varied, with variety seamlessly integrated into those levels as well.  The player will be happily jumping through a level that feels like a standard platfomer, when suddenly the level will twist into a pinball machine, or a basketball court, or a space-invaders shooter.  It is tempting to list the many different gadgets that the game throws at the player (my favorite was the Hamstertron 2000!), but the game's charm comes from the surprise with which these novelties are introduced to the player, and the seamless, polished way in which it is done, so I won't pack this review with spoilers!

This polished presentation is a theme that runs throughout every aspect of the game.  The game's graphics have not been technically improved over its predecessor, but the better use of backgrounds, color schemes, and the decision by the design team to make the whole game feel much more epic and larger has contributed to a game that is even nicer to look at than the first instalment.  The music however, is much improved over the first LittleBigPlanet and offers a whole selection of stunning musical scores that fit in with the levels and really beef up the atmosphere of the game.  The use of licensed music such as Ferry Corsten's "Rock Your Body Rock" for some of the space shooter levels, and Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven" for a disco cut off in the Renaissance spices up the already excellent score designed for the game.  Wherever one looks in this game, one sees quality, originality and effort.

Little Sackbot companions assist you in your journey.

Even the excellent gameplay from the first game has been tweaked a little bit.  Minor complaints from the first game, such as the brutality of the pseudo lives system has been made a little bit easier, meaning that the player is less likely to hurl their controller across the room when the levels become a lot tougher later on.  The controls can still be a little bit sticky, but the 2.5D, 3 level environments work a lot better, meaning it is a lot easier to keep one's flow as the player is moving around obstacles, and there is a lot less plummeting off ledges because the game had shifted you back a bit when you weren't looking.

LittleBigCatholic?

In the original LittleBigPlanet review, I argued that it was one of the most pro-Catholic games on the market, and while the Catholic elements aren't as clear this time around, it is still a game that does not even come close to troubling Catholic morals.  This instalment chose to emphasise a message of teamwork, with "The Alliance" being less of a Star Wars reference, and more of a group of friends working together as a team in order to defeat the forces of negativity that threaten to destroy their home.  Although the ending is not quite as jaw-dropping as that of its predecessor (which must be in the running for the best video game ending of all time), Stephen Fry's final monologue of how our hopes and dreams are valuable things that can bring beauty and life into the world are messages that any Catholic can support, and one that Catholic parents will want their child to witness.  As with the first game, LittleBigPlanet 2 contains some very dramatic scenes involving destruction of machines and mild peril, so while the game's content is inoffensive, parents of young or very sensitive children may wish to preview certain levels before allowing their children to play.

If the game trips up at all, it is on the question of the length of the single-player.  The single player campaign is fairly short, and an experienced gamer will breeze through it in less than 10 hours; although it is worth noting that the campaign is highly replayable and most gamers will happily play through it a number of time to enjoy the levels and to collect all the goodies scattered around the various levels.  There are also a large number of additional side missions that often require a second player (or even a third and fourth) to play, which can add plenty of hours to the gameplay if a few players find some levels that they enjoy playing.  Yet the single player is not quite a full game on its own.

You guessed it - the rabbit is loads of fun!

Where the game's life expands significantly is the level design and the level design online community.  The game offers a re-envisioned level designer with which to create one's own levels, which can then be shared online.  The designer is easy to use and comes with no less than 50 tutorials from the magnificent Stephen Fry.  The moderation of the online community is very intense, meaning only the very best levels will be available.  This means that that for the player, one does not have to scour through poor levels in order to find the good ones.  Although still in its beginnings, the LittleBigPlanet community is already churning out many excellent levels, and they are easy to access.  The previous title added somewhere in the region of 2.5 million levels via the online community, so there is plenty to choose from!  If the reader is happy to go online and download new levels, they will find a great deal of quality there, and will be playing LittleBigPlanet for a very long time, and this game would therefore be recommended without hesitation.  However, if the reader has no interest whatsoever in doing this, then they may wish to think hard about buying this game at full price, as the single player campaign on its own may prove unsatisfying.

Conclusion


If, like me, you thought that LittleBigPlanet couldn't get any better, you are wrong - it just got a heck of a lot better with LittleBigPlanet 2.  A beautiful expansive world, loveable characters, varied and polished game design, oodles of replay value, and a thoroughly enjoyable soundtrack all contribute to an incredible little title.  The single player is a tad on the short side, yet if one is prepared to experiment with the many levels available on the online community, then this will expand the game enough to make it a title you will want to come back to time and time again.

From a Catholic perspective, LittleBigPlanet 2 gets a big thumbs up, just like its predecessor.  A positive message of teamwork, self-belief and friendship means that this is a game that affirms many Catholic values and is suitable for both Catholic adults and children.  The title contains mild cartoon peril and occasional explosions, and a final boss that some children may find frightening.

The technical rating for this title is 10/10

The Catholic rating for this title is A-I -- general patronage

FEATURE - The PlayStation Vita: Hit Or Miss?

With E3 over, it is time to begin to look at how the videogame landscape has changed, and how the post-E3 landscape looks now.

To go through everything would be too long for one article, so I wanted to carry on with my series of looking at individual consoles and their prospects for success.  In the last feature I wrote a few months ago, I looked at the release of the 3DS and how likely it was that it would succeed when compared to the NGP (which we have now discovered will be called the PlayStation Vita.)

At that point in time, the basis for the Nintendo 3DS looked a little shaky, as did the potential for the NGP/Vita.  The 3DS risked appearing like just another upgrade for the DS with a 3D gimmick tacked on, and also appeared to have very few desirable games in the starting line up.  The PlayStation Vita risked following in the failed footsteps of its predecessor (the PlayStation Portable), being too expensive and fading into the shadows behind the Nintendo handheld.

Since then the Nintendo 3DS has sold well, but the lack of decent games has led many commentators to state that the 3DS could potentially be a big flop for the company, especially with the many complaints about the 3D device that have become louder over the last few months.  Yet at E3, Nintendo announced a new line of titles coming out imminently, many of which are impressive.  Although nothing particularly original, many videogame fans were salivating at the prospects of a new Mario (which uses 3D in a unique way), a new Mario Kart, a new StarFox (that uses the built in cameras for multiplayer), a new Luigi's Mansion and a beautiful looking remake of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - one of the most successful games in history.  The big concern over lack of games for the new console have now been abandoned; the 3DS now has games that we all want.  Additionally, the showcase of these games proved that the 3DS is a significant graphical upgrade from its predecessor, with many of these new titles showing off graphics that wouldn't look out of place on a home console.  The 3DS has therefore dealt with the problems that videogame writers were concerned about, could the PlayStation Vita do the same?

The answer to this is "yes...maybe."  To look at where the PlayStation Vita could fail, we need to look at why the PSP failed.  It is fair to say that the PSP wasn't a flop (I personally love my PSP, as do many others) but it was nowhere near as successful as the DS, which clearly won that round of the handheld war.  I'd put this down to three reasons:

1) Too Expensive
2) Lack of Interest in UMD Movies
3) Lack of Decent Games

In order for the PlayStation Vita to succeed, it would need to address these three issues.  We know that it will be the most powerful handheld on the market, and yes the touchpad at the back is a nice feature, and it looks oh so pretty; but that is irrelevant if it then goes onto make the same mistakes as the PSP.  So will it make the same mistakes, or have Sony learnt?

Well, on the issues of expense, they seem to have taken the message on board.  Sony announced at E3 that when this system is released later this year, the unit will retail at $250 ($299 for the 3G version), which is the same price as the Nintendo 3DS is current retailing at now.  Whether or not Nintendo will try and counter this by slashing the price for Christmas remains to be seen, but selling it at a competitive price indicates Sony's desire to make sure that people don't choose Nintendo's handheld just because it is cheaper.  Although I don't know the specs, it seems likely that the Vita will be more powerful than the 3DS, leading to Sony being able to say "Our handheld is more powerful, and yet it is the same price as the 3DS" which is a pretty good sales pitch.  With rumors initially circulating that the basic Vita could be selling for well over $300, $250 a unit is a solid price.

As for the UMD movies debacle surrounding the PSP, that seems to have been scrapped entirely for the Vita, which is a good thing.  Instead of selling it as a jack of all trades, Sony are focusing on the Vita as a high powered games machine.  Instead of having a "games player/movie viewer/mp3 player in one" we have the more convincing "PS3 in your pocket" that is definitely going to appeal to the gamers a lot more.  It leads into the possibility that Sony will try and sell this as "the handheld for the hardcore" which if successful, could do them very well.

Finally, the games...hmm.  Ok, this one they have fallen down on so far.  Yes, we saw the demos of Uncharted and LittleBigPlanet at E3, and they looked lovely; but so what?  Most people have Uncharted and LittleBigPlanet on their PS3s.  Why would one spend $250 to play it on a smaller screen?  They're nice games, but they won't do on their own.  Maybe I'm being too harsh; the 3DS had a poor launch range as well, but then Nintendo have announced amazing games at this year's E3, meaning that going into this holiday season, Sony are releasing a nice console with no significant games (as yet) while Nintendo now have a nice console with lots of great games.  Maybe Sony are planning to announce more titles nearer release, but it seems strange that they didn't announce them at E3.  Also, if they decide to wait until next year's E3 to announce amazing games, the console's war could already have been lost by then, as consumers swarm towards the 3DS and its range of lovely, unique titles.

So to conclude, we still don't know who is likely to win out in the handheld console war.  I personally prefer the Vita's hardware to the 3DS (I don't really get the whole fuss over 3D) and the price gives them a strong advantage, but it is undeniable that at the moment the 3DS has a clear lead on the issue of games.  If Sony can announce good, unique games (not just PlayStation 3 remakes) then I truly believe that the Vita can come out strong and win this war, but if they don't then they may find themselves in firm second place by this time next year.

REVIEW - Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (Nintendo DS)

Every gamer remembers the first time that a video game brought them to tears.  Was it the poignancy of "The Aeris Moment" in Final Fantasy VII?  The ending of Half-Life 2: Episode 2?  The brutality of that scene with Jenny in "The Darkness"?  Heck, even the storybook scenes of Super Mario Galaxy have been known to make the bottom lips of some gamers tremble!  The "game that made me cry" is one of those war stories that every gamer has, along with the tv/console/controller they broke out of frustration, and the story of the all night gaming session that only stopped when the sun came up.  For the record, in over 20 years of gaming only one game has made this reviewer crack - the scene where little Vivi has to kill a fellow Black Mage in Final Fantasy IX.  However, this changed when I played Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (Level 5)- now there are two games that have broken me...

Professor Layton - Part Three

That such an innocuous title as Unwound Future could stir such attachment to the characters and to the plot is a testimony to what an amazing puzzle game this is.  For the Professor Layton story is really designed to be secondary to the main aspect of the game, which is the solving of various puzzles.  The Layton series is well known as one of, if not the, best puzzle series on the DS, and for puzzles Unwound Future is certainly not lacking.  With over 160 in depth puzzles and with additional ones that can be downloaded over Nintendo Wi-Fi, Unwound Future is bursting at the seams with brain teasers, most of which will take more than a few minutes to solve, while some will have you chewing on your stylus for a good half an hour or more!

The story is excellent, if a little far fetched at times!

This is the third game in the immensely popular series.  For those not familiar with the Professor Layton trilogy, the games focus on the adventures of Professor Hershel Layton and his young side kick Luke, as they go around solving various mysteries that all seem to involve an inordinate amount of little puzzles.  In this title, they must discover the origins of a mysterious time machine, and locate a kidnapped Prime Minister.  As with all Layton titles, the story is bizarre, and its many twists and turns sometimes border on the ridiculous, but it is without doubt an entertaining tale.  Along the way the heroes will encounter various people (who will almost always request them to solve a puzzle), solve various side mysteries (which again involve solving little puzzles) and eventually come to solve the main title mystery (involving yet more puzzles.)  In short, if you like puzzles, this game is for you!

Yet even if you do not, you might still find this game to be a good purchase.  I am not the world's biggest puzzle fan, never do crosswords, and could not explain the rules of Sudoku with any certainty; and Professor Layton had me chewing on my stylus for hours without boring me.  The puzzles that are integrated within the game are varied, from maths puzzles and brain teasers, to unique puzzles such as constructing a machine gun out of a coin machine in a casino!  They are never repetitive, and with the help of various hint coins that are collected on the journey and that can be used to give hints about how to solve a puzzle, they never feel like they are entirely unsolvable.  The player is allowed to have as many attempts at a puzzle as they like, although one gets more points (or picarats) if one solves it first time.

A Beautiful Mind

Everything is very well drawn.

As I pointed out earlier in this review, the story is secondary to the joy of puzzle solving, but this doesn't mean the story and graphics suffer.  The graphics are beautifully animated, especially the cut scenes that are scattered throughout the game.  The character models are crisp, the whole game beams with color, and the game is enriched by a significant amount of well acted voice overs that make the characters really come alive.  The result is a very immersive game that leaves the player caring a great deal about the characters in question, and gives motivation to keep going even if one feels a little "puzzled out"!  Mix in a well orchestrated soundtrack and you have an absolute peach of a DS game that is not done justice by merely being described as a "puzzle" game.

The Unwound Future brings in new features for fans of the existing series, although the game's core is essentially more of the same.  New mini games such as feeding Luke's parrot and navigating Prof. Layton's car through a series of obstacles may sound innocuous enough, but there are enough levels and tasks within the mini games to waste a great many hours aside from the main quest.  I found some of the mini games a little tiresome, but I noticed that I still kept going back to them, keen to hunt out the rewards that they offered.  It results in a game that is by no means short, especially for a DS game, and there are well over 20 hours of gameplay here for the gamer who wishes to explore everything.

The character are all very likeable.

On what may be a downside, it is worth noting the difficulty of this game.  The game's cover may present itself as a children's game, and may indicate relatively easy puzzles - do not be fooled!  Almost every puzzle in this game is challenging even for adults, and if you are a parent considering buying this game for your youngster, you will need to be aware that this is a game that a child who has not yet reached their teens will certainly need help with from time to time.  The game does make a lot of the puzzles optional, so you can skip one or two that are particularly infuriating.  It also uses hint coins (as well as the new "Super Hint") to good effect, meaning that an impossible looking puzzle can be broken down.  However, it still means that this game requires a lot of patience, and the ability to contend with some very tricky puzzles, making it unsuitable for the very young.

Puzzled Gentlemen

You'll spend a lot of time with these screens!

From a Catholic perspective The Unwound Future is a highly commendable game.  Not only are the protagonists clearly on the side of good, attempting to prevent those who wish to alter the course of time for their own ends, but there is also a strong emphasis on the strength of politeness and good manners.  Layton and Luke are both directed by what makes a gentleman, and being a gentleman is seen as being the highest accolade that a man can aspire to.  In a gaming industry that can often be accused of glorifying undignified conduct and bad language, this central message of polite behaviour and good manners is a breath of fresh air.

Additionally, the game's message contains an explicit rejection of the principle that the ends justify the means.  In fact, it is over this principle that the main battle between good and evil is fought, and the idea of doing something evil to attempt to achieve something good is a difficulty that comes up time and time again, with the Professor being the key voice who rejects the principle.  Just like always being well mannered, it is important to Professor Layton and Luke that they do not only the gentlemanly thing, but the right thing.  By following this, The Unwound Future affirms basic Catholic moral principles.

Conclusion


From a technical perspecive, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is a triumph.  Puzzle games are often known for their lack of story and minimalistic graphics.  The Unwound Future breaks the mould and provides one of the most moving stories of the last year, along with an excellent soundtrack and high quality graphics.  With a multitude of puzzles and minigames to get lost in, The Unwound Future is a must have, both for puzzle fans, and even for those who would not normally consider the genre.

From a Catholic perspective, The Unwound Future also receives high praise.  The title both affirms a fundamental principle of Catholic philosophy - the ends do not justify the means - as well as promoting good manners, kindness, compassion, and all round decency.  It is also worth noting that with its puzzles that will challenge both teenagers and adults (although very young children will find the game perhaps too taxing unassisted), The Unwound Future is a great way to exercise the mind, and most will find it not only fun, but mentally beneficial.  The title contains two scenes of cartoon violence and destruction, as well as some emotional scenes that may be unsuitable for sensitive children.

The technical rating for this title is 10/10


The Catholic rating for this title is A-I -- general patronage.

REVIEW - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Superhero games have a poor reputation in the video game world.  Developers know that a great many video game fans are also comic book fans, and that therefore any game with a superhero on it will sell healthily - even if the game is below par.  This had led to a constant stream of (at best) poor quality titles that disappoint year after year.  Throw in the almost always dreadful tie-ins to any superhero movie that is released, and it has led over the years to mass cynicism about games with Batman/Spiderman/X-Men etc on the cover.

Batman:Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady) destroys this trend, and provides what may very well the best superhero game ever made.  Yes, it's that good!  It is to superhero games what Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was to movie tie-ins.  Which is convenient as the two games are very similar in style.

The Dark Knight Returns...again

You play Batman (surprise surprise) who has apprehended the Joker once again, and is escorting him to Arkham Asylum - the place where Gotham's most dangerous psychopaths are kept in high-security conditions.  Thankfully Rocksteady have resisted the urge to try to imitate Heath Ledger's Joker (which would almost certainly looked like a cheap rip-off), and have instead created their own version of the infamous character; and one that is more faithful to the earlier comic books.  Joker (voiced by the excellent Mark Hamill) is a genuinely funny character, and remains interesting throughout, and heads what is an excellent line of characters that brighten up the game.

Mark Hamill is excellent as Joker

Sure enough, within the first few minutes Joker breaks free and quickly takes over the Asylum with his gang of hoodlums, with Batman left trapped inside and wondering whether this is really what counts as "high-security" nowadays.  It is up to the Dark Knight (voiced by Kevin Conroy) to rescue the innocent people trapped inside (including Commissioner Gordon) and to stop the Joker from using the Asylum as a place from which to wreak havoc upon mainland Gotham City.  As it is based on the Grant Morrison graphic novel of the same name, you can see how this is pretty standard comic book fare, and the game does feel like you are playing through a genuine Batman story as opposed to a set of levels with a Batman theme thrown in as an afterthought.  The game's comic book roots means that the dialogue is often a little stilted and over the top, (expect lots of close ups of a snarling Batman staring into the distance and muttering, "Joker....") but it adds to the feeling that you are playing a Batman game in a genuine Batman world, and the story will keep you playing to see how it turns out.

At first glance the gameplay appears to be a standard third person beat-em-up, but as the game develops, the combat comes into its own and the "Batman" style of combat really begins to shine.  The game alerts the player as to when an attack by a henchman is being prepared by some white lines appearing about the henchman's head, allowing the player the block in time, and the system allows you to pick your next target before you've finished pummelling the present target.  This means stringing together combos is quite do-able, and the system as a whole feels very satisfying.  There were plenty of times I couldn't help but cringe at the slow motion punch (and a very expensive dental bill) being delivered to a henchman by ol' Bruce Wayne.

As Quiet as a Bat

He's behind you...

In addition to just 'biffing' various henchmen with various types of combos, the stealth aspects to Batman's character work really well.  The game allows you not only to take cover behind walls, but allows the player to use the Batclaw to launch Batman up to various stone gargoyles that are suspended as decorations around large rooms.  From there with a tap of a button, Batman can glide without a sound between gargoyles, and from there plan a variety of stealth assaults such as dropping down and stringing a henchmen up on the gargoyle, setting up a distraction, or just swooping down and putting the boot into the bad guy's chest.  Batman's "detective mode" assists in this by allowing Batman to see a unique infra-red meets X-ray display of his surroundings that quickly allows the player see through walls and objects, and to figure out how many enemies are in a room and how many of those are armed.  It even allows the player to monitor the henchmen's heart rates, so you can judge to what extent they are aware of your presence.  It makes the whole experience a little cleaner, and a lot less frustrating.  This is not just some crowbarred in stealth segment, it is an integral part of the game.

As Arkham Asylum progresses and the player finds themselves with more and more enemies - many of which are armed with health-draining machine guns - the stealth becomes absolutely vital.  While the combat is intuitive enough to allow the player to fight off a hoard of unarmed baddies using the game's excellent counterattack and combo system, once the guns come out you can forget just wading in unless you want to be riddled with bullets in seconds.  It is therefore vital to the game that the stealth aspects work well, and thankfully they do.  In addition to the gargoyles, Batman can set up distractions, arm explosives to catch guards unaware, take them out with the Batarang (Batman's boomerang) as well as whole set of other tactics that can be used to thin the herd.  As the player progresses through the game, new upgrades become available, which allow even more options in both combat and stealth, constantly breathing new energy into the mechanic.

It results in an experience that is lots of fun to play through as you soar about through parts of the environment, slowly picking out one guard after another as they become more and more distressed and frustrated at their inability to find you.  Then, when you finally swoop down from your perch and take out the final, panic stricken bad guy and the game rewards you with a slow-motion view of the final punch, it is difficult not to chuckle wolfishly with delight.  It's exactly what a Batman game should be all about.  The game's difficulty remains solid without being too tough, meaning that when you die, you will know that it is your fault, and not down to some perceived fault or unfairness in the combat system.  Some areas might take a full ten minutes to clear out, and it feels a lot more like Metal Gear Solid than I was expecting.

What a Croc!

Yet it isn't just stealth and action; Batman: Arkham Asylum manages to keep the action very fresh by implementing a whole slew of different areas throughout the game.  The boss segments are evidence of this; such as the periods with Scarecrow, who takes you into the depths of Batman's subconscious, and Batman must then sneak around the level, avoiding Scarecrow's sightline, until he can reach the Bat-signal and shine it in Scarecrow's face.  My personal favourite was the level with Killer Croc, where Batman has to tred carefully through a sewer level (yes I know, but trust me it's good!) trying not to alert Croc to his presence while Batman collects a necessary chemical.  Not only is the level extremely tense, but when the enormous Croc intermittently jumps out of the water and chases after you, leaving you to only flee and throw Batarangs at him as quickly as possible before he insta-kills you, it is a genuinely terrifying set of moments that is up there with the Resident Evil series.

Combat is more than just button-mashing.

Where the game does suffer is in terms of variety of environment.  Your main areas are the main Asylum, the gardens, some caves and the Mansion.  That's about it really.  Yes, there's a sewer level, and there's one or two areas of the asylum that differ, but generally you'll be walking around in dark gardens or dark laboratories or prisons.  Now granted this is a Batman game and it would be out of character for the developers to transport the player to some beach in California, so we know that most environments are going to be dark and a bit drab; but sticking the player on a pretty tight island and letting them know they aren't getting off it for the whole game feels a little bit restrictive.  This is by no means a free-roaming game and you will see the same environments time and time again.

Riddle me this!

Yet Arkham Asylum makes up for this lack of variety in a number of other ways; most notable the characters.  Although the two main villains are the unusual, but strangely likeable, Joker and sidekick Harley Quinn, there is also a whole band of others that follow along, such as the aforementioned Killer Croc and Scarecrow, the seductress Poison Ivy, and the Riddler - whose side-quest puzzles make up the primary side missions of the game.  These puzzles are usually discovery puzzles - trying to find a clue based on one of the Riddler's riddles and then pressing a button to acknowledge that you've found it.  It may sound dry, and sometimes it is, but working out the riddle, and then discovering what it is referring to is a fun process, and the clues will often make reference to other areas of the Batman mythology and other Batman villains, which will be fun for Batman fans in particular.  Although nothing outstanding, they provide a fun way of making sure that the player doesn't just rush through the game as quickly as possible, and for those completionists out there, they will add significant length to the game, as some of the locations are quite tricky.

Expect lots of Batman moodiness and scowling.

The story mode is a solid 12-15 hours if one takes little notice of the extra challenges.  If one does, then the game easily exceeds the 20 hour mark.  From there, there is also a "challenge" mode, whereby the player can unlock a whole set of challenges - either stealth or plain combat - similar in a way to Resident Evil Mercenaries mode.  How well you take out the henchman (with bonus points available for dispatching them in certain way) will determine your final score, which can be compared with friends and the wider online community.  I initially dismissed it as a tacked on mode, but when I tried it out I found myself surprisingly hooked by the whole thing, and it can easily hook one in for a number of hours.  The game is therefore very good value for money, even if the story mode might not be the most replayable mode in the world.

Arkham of the Covenant?

From a Catholic perspective, Batman: Arkham Asylum is up and down.  One of the notable things about the game is that henchmen aren't killed, but merely knocked unconscious.  This is a nod to Batman's surprisingly blood free past, and it is pleasing to see that the game follows in this tradition.  Batman has never been one for killing, instead choosing to knock bad guys out and bring them to justice.  It may not sound much, but when one is so used to headshots and over-the-top blood letting in videogames, to see a defeated bad guy lying dazed on the floor with stars around his head is a refreshing change.  Yet, even though it may share in the "BIFF!!" "POW!!" heritage of the Adam West Batman in that respect, the tone of the game is one very much one of the Christopher Nolan movies, and therefore this game is not one that is suitable for children or teenagers.  Although bloodless, the violence is significant and rough, with the fighting being close to beat-em-up levels of violence.  Additionally the game includes some scantily clad women, with a few fleeting instances of lower rear female nudity.  Throw in the issues raised in many of the villains' past, including abuse, disfigurement, psychosis etc, and you have a game that is really best played by adults only.

The themes of Batman: Arkham Asylum however are generally very positive.  Batman's mission is to rescue innocents, save lives, and to bring the bad guys to justice.  This is not a one man killing spree, but a rescue and arrest mission, and is therefore comfortably in line with Catholic concepts of justice.  The only other red flag I would raise is about the way the game treats mental illness.  Although it is made clear that Arkham Asylum is a place for the criminally insane, the game at time risks associating mental illness with violence and criminality.  Although the game does not come close to making this link explicit, it is somewhat clumsy in its treatment of mental illness, and it often appears that the game brackets people into two categories; either one is entirely normal, or clinically insane and a psychopath.  While I am sure the writers and developers had no intention of making any unfair generalizations, at times Arkham Asylum unwittingly comes close to re-enforcing some unfair and inaccurate stereotypes about mental illness.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a superb game, and an enormous surprise considering the track record of superhero video games.  Arkham Asylum is a well-crafted and thoroughly absorbing 3rd person action adventure.  The stealth aspects work very well, as does the combat system, and it is supported by a solid story mode, a slew of side missions and extra challenges, and some marvellous acting and character development that make this game a joy to play.  Arkham Asylum puts you into the role of Batman and allows you to do the things you have always wanted to do as Batman, and in a way that will draw in even those who aren't big fans of the franchise.  Arkham Asylum could do with a few more environments, and sometimes the game risks lacking in variety, but it takes little away from what is a truly excellent title.

From a Catholic perspective, this is a game that is acceptable for adults, but not recommended for gamers any younger than that.  The game promotes themes of justice and respect for innocent life, and provides a combat system that results in few dead bodies, and almost zero bloodshed.  However, the game's dark themes, instances of lower rear female nudity, some scenes of chemical mutilation, and the unsatisfying treatment of sensitive issues surrounding mental illness make this a game that parents will most likely wish to keep out of their youngster's consoles.

The technical rating for this title is 9/10
The Catholic rating for this title is A-III -- adults.

REVIEW - Dead Rising 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

How does one approach zombies from a Catholic perspective?  Do they have the inherent dignity of the human person?  Pope John Paul II failed to mention this in Redemptor Hominis, nor does a quick scan of the Catechism reveal any mention of our undead friends.  One may even question whether they are deserving of the same respect that we give animals, for at least animals are among the living.  Therefore is it possible to show that typically Franciscan love of animals towards the living dead?

Surprisingly, although theological minds such as St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas failed to take into consideration our moral obligations to those staggering across fields and crying out for brains, Dead Rising 2 (Capcom) decides to confront the issue head on...well, for a bit at least.

Love Thy Zombie?

Pandemonium is a constant state of mind in DR2

The game opens in a world in which zombies are now a facet of everyday life.  After the outbreak of zombies in the previous game, zombies have been largely contained (except for the occasional outbreak), those bitten by zombies can be treated by a daily dose of medication called "Zombrex", and there is even a gameshow by the name of "Terror is Reality" in which contestants zip around a stage on motorbikes attempting to run over as many of the undead as they can.  Consequently, this raises significant ethical issues and has lead to the formation of "Citizens for Undead Rights and Equality" (CURE) - a zombie rights group determined to stop what they see as the unethical treatment of our undead friends.  This plot device is abandoned relatively quickly for the usual "kill as many zombies as you possibly can" storyline, which is a shame as one can imagine that such ethical questions would be discussed if the dead did come back to life.  CURE is an interesting take on a well worn subject, and it is unfortunate that Capcom chose to abandon it so quickly

The plot as a whole focuses on typically grizzled all-American action hero Chuck Greene - a contestant on "Terror is Reality" who, having lost his wife to the undead in an outbreak in New Vegas, gets caught up in a fresh zombie outbreak in fictional Fortune City, along with his young daughter Katey.  They hole up in an emergency bunker situated within Fortune City, along with other survivors that include CURE member Stacey Forsythe, and an over-zealous security guard known only as Sullivan.  One of the more interesting aspects of the plot and gameplay involves Chuck's daughter who, instead of being the usual kidnap fodder that family members often play in games, has been infected by a zombie and requires a daily dose of "Zombrex" in order to prevent her from turning.  "Zombrex" is in short supply, which requires the player to be on the continual lookout for the drug, leading to many a frantic journey as the clock ticks down to Katey's daily dose.

So Much To Do, So Little Time...


The gameplay can best be summed up as a time limited game in an open world.  There are various story missions that need completing, various survivors that need rescuing, items that need collecting and all sorts of wacky additional side missions that add a whole new layer to the plot.  As it is almost impossible to complete all the missions in one sitting, the player is left with the decision of which missions to miss.  The game is never "over" unless Chuck dies, so the player is free to skip the main story quest completely, and the game will progress accordingly, with an ending to match.  Also, if one chooses to restart or replay the game, Chuck's levelled up stats will remain, making the game a lot easier to blunder through on the second or third time round.  So, if there is a side mission that was just too tough on your first play through, beef yourself up and try again in game 2.  It is a unique way of adding replayability, and quite a successful one.  The replayability is not just about collecting 100% achievements or just repeating the game, a second play can be an entirely different experience, and for this Dead Rising 2 is real value for money.

"Bash X to make the horrible people go away!!!"

Having read the above, the reader may be tempted to pose the question,"What about the Zombies??"  After all, this is what we are here for, right?  If it wasn't for the zombies, DR2 would just be "Lets Go To The Mall 2".  What makes Dead Rising so much fun is that all the rescue missions, all the collecting missions, all the Zombrex missions etc take place in an enormous mall packed full of the undead.  The zombies individually are not particularly harmful.  They are slow and unwieldy, and you can easily dodge and kill them, or simply push through them.  However, Dead Rising 2 compensates for that by bringing in the sheer amount of zombies it throws at the player.  This is no Resident Evil, where one might be facing off against four or five zombies at a time - Dead Rising 2 puts literally hundreds of the moaning dead on a screen at any one time, and it is very easy to get overwhelmed in the melee if you allow yourself to get crowded out by them.

Let's Go To The Mall!

Luckily you do not go into the melee unarmed.  The standout characteristic of Dead Rising has remained in Dead Rising 2 - that is, the ability to use anything in the mall as a weapon.  Want to go for the traditional crowbar?  That's fine!  Want to run into a sports store and clock various zombies with everything from dumbbells to golf clubs?  Go ahead!  Why not then nip into the next door toy store, distract the zombies with a buzzing toy helicopter, and then throw marbles on the floor so the zombies stumble into one another?  Yet the game doesn't stop there - combination of weapons are by far and away one of the most fun parts about this game, both for practicality and for general madness.  So, combining the sledge hammer and the fire axe will result in a weapon that will turn enemies into mincemeat with one easy swing for those who want efficiency, while those after a bit more humor in their game may turn to mixing the battery and the wheelchair for the electric wheelchair, or the can of spray paint (from the skateboarding store) and the traffic cone in order to make a device that creates a noise so loud that zombies heads explode when in its vicinity.

Someone is about the get hurt...probably a zombie...

As you may have grasped already, this is a game where there is lots with which to explore and experiment.  There are plenty of side minigames and missions, as well as lots of different stores and areas to explore that are by no means mandatory.  It is a game that at once encourages you to explore while also slapping an enormous time limit on the game that limits that exploratios, and it is for this reason that one will need a few plays to discover and see everything.

This is not too difficult to do however, as the game does not feature a great deal of grind and repetitiveness.  Apart from an early abundance of search and rescue missions, the missions remain fresh and interesting.  In addition to zombies, players will have to fight off various people who have not dealt with the outbreak particularly well, from the man who worships the zombies to the sheriff trying to hang as many looters as possible.  These "boss" missions are the hardest in the game, and often require a special trick in order to defeat them.  Due to their relative speed and ability to take enormous chunks of damage out of Chuck in no time at all, it can also be in these areas where the slightly clunky controls begin to show themselves - leading to some rather frustrating moments.  Add in some slow loading screens when replaying a scene, and boss fights can become tedious and frustrating very quickly.

Bite for a Bite, Tooth for a Tooth


One of the game's strong points is the excellent story.  Dead Rising 2 puts its tongue firmly in its cheek, and digs out every single zombie movie cliche available, but it is a joke that the gamer is in on, and the game's decision not to take itself too seriously means that we can have a plot that is fun and enjoyable, along with some very likeable characters.

Chuck's daughter Katey provides a nice human element.

It is also the main plot that is the most commendable aspect from a Catholic perspective.  While it would be tempting for the makers to focus on a game that is nothing more than "Yeh, zombies, kill 'em!", there is actually a real human aspect to Dead Rising 2.  The main thrust of the plot is getting as many people rescued as possible, by bringing them back to the safe house, by finding out who was responsible for the outbreak (it's a Capcom game, expect conspiracy theories aplenty) and by holding out until the rescue team arrives.  Add in the very loving relationship between Chuck and his daughter, as well as a whole range of very interesting characters who you will genuinely want to survive, and the game is surprisingly pro-life and even pro-family!  The aim of the game is not to kill zombies, but to save people, and it is for this reason that some of the more grotesque parts of Dead Rising 2 can be tempered.

In true zombie fashion Dead Rising 2 is indeed a gory and bloody game.  Although limited somewhat by the cartoon and functional graphics, as well as the comedic element in which most of it is done, Dead Rising 2 will still quite happily fill your screen with zombie blood and exploding heads on a number of occasions.  Take for instance the guitar/amp weapon combo - when one forms this weapon and plays the guitar, nearby zombie's heads will explode almost instantaneously.  As a Catholic game reviewer it is difficult to know how to approach such gore.  Apart from one or two instances, the gore and blood is always from the zombies and is always comic book hyperbolic gore that has barely any resemblance to reality.  It is certainly problematic for any Catholic, yet it is light years away from the realistic gore of a Call of Duty or a Saw, and it is for this reason Dead Rising 2's gore is not morally offensive.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Dead Rising 2 is a thoroughly recommendable game.  Knocking out most of the kinks from the first game, Dead Rising 2 builds upon a unique gameplay mechanic and makes a game that is one of the most fun games I have played all year.  Although only graphically competent, this allows more to be shown on screen, resulting in one of the most intense zombie games of all time.  Throw in some very likeable characters, tons of replay value, great customization and sandbox options and the ability to "rock" a zombie to death, and Dead Rising 2 is a game that is not only unique but also a delight to play.  Although it is let down by clunky controls, long loading screens, insubstantial music and an extremely strong similarity to the first game, Dead Rising 2 is still one of the best console titles out there at the moment.

From a Catholic perspective, Dead Rising 2's main problem is zombie gore - something in which the game delights.  The sometimes gruesome suicides of some of the bosses is also something that Catholic gamers should be aware of, and makes the game suitable for limited adult audiences only.  However, the extreme cartoon violence is tempered by a pro-family storyline that emphasizes self-sacrifice and love for one's fellow man (if not fellow zombie) that results in a surprisingly pro-Catholic zombie story!  Catholic gamers should also be aware of strong sexual innuendo, a few crass and crude terms and frequent alcohol use.

The Technical Rating for this title is 9/10


The Catholic rating is L -- Limited Adult Audiences.  Contains problematic content that many adults would find troubling.

REVIEW - Mass Effect 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Western RPG's have a lot of negative press surrounding them in the gaming community.  Often derided as the shallower, shorter and weaker cousins of the Japanese RPG, and with a less loyal fanbase, a Western RPG in hope of success has a lot of obstacles in its way.  The first major title to break down those barriers was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the Xbox.  Mass Effect 2 is the latest title to decimate the myth of Western RPG's being poor, and it does it with style.

First things first - you do not have to have played the first Mass Effect in order to be able to enjoy Mass Effect 2.  Granted, you will get a fuller experience of what is going on with various character histories if you have played the original, but the game does not assume that the player has played the first title, and will therefore fill in the gaps for any newbies.

The Lord is my Shepard

You play Commander Shepard (yep, that's how its spelt!) - a character who has no first name, gender, or particular look, until you assign him/her one.  A neat little feature is that, if you have played the original Mass Effect, you can import your old character into the new game from a memory drive, and continue with the same character.  The game will act off the various decisions you made in the previous game, which is a really excellent touch and shows that this is a genuine part of a trilogy and not just some cash-in sequel.  If you choose not to do this, then the game will ask you various questions with which to shape your character in standard RPG form.  Yet most of your character will develop later in the game, specifically through the normal route of the options the player chooses in various conversations, but also how the player responds to various situations.

If you choose to become evil, your facial features suffer...a lot!

The game's "moral compass" is split into two sets of behaviour - "Renegade" (i.e bad/evil) and "Paragon" (i.e good/peaceful), and the game will generally make it clear which one is which, allowing the player to mix up their morality however they like.  So, if someone is in your way, do you negotiate with them, or go in all guns blazing?  It's entirely up to you, and the game offers plenty of decisions to make.

However, there is not always the clear good option vs bad option choice system here - not all decisions are clear cut.  The gist of the plot (without giving away any spoilers) is that Commander Shepard (i.e you) is brought back to life after dying horribly, and now must unite with sketchy human supremacist group "Cerberus" who, despite their significant moral flaws, may be the only group capable of stopping the rise of the anti-life "Collectors" and the consequential subsequent destruction of the human race.  Shepard and Cerberus need to build up a team, and go into the homeland of the Collectors to destroy them and save humanity.  Although your aims are good, the means by which it is carried out are not always pure, leading to some superb plot developments and moral dilemmas.

The plot is very compelling, and has a whole host of different endings that are dependent on how you play the game and what decisions you make, which adds to the replayability of the title.  The moral choices that one makes are rarely black and white, with the developers choosing to go instead for various shades of gray.  It is usual to pick an option that will result in both Renegade and Paragon points, but with one more than the other.  This implies that one might not pick the "good" option, but has instead chosen the "better" option, or the "worse" option.

Gameplay works well and feels intuitive.

Does Mario Go To Mass Effect 2?

Games like this that offer open ended moral choices are difficult to judge from a Catholic perspective.   Mass Effect 2 allows you to be the savior of the universe, or the absolute personification of everything that is wrong with humanity, or somewhere in between.  How you choose will dictate what sort of game you play, and therefore in one sense, Mass Effect 2 is morally neutral.  Yet, I found that the game made it both easier and more rewarding, to choose the good options rather than the bad.  Characters are generally likeable, which means you will be tempted to be nice to them rather than shoot them, and the whole story seems designed in a way that invites you to be the savior of mankind as opposed to its enemy.

The first game generated a lot of controversy for the way in which it handled sex.  Mass Effect 2 is not plagued by the same controversy, and the sexual aspect of the game is toned down to the extent that it is almost non-existent.  It is possible to engage in intercourse with one of your fellow characters, but to do this requires the player to have said and done all the things that makes your partner more attracted to you.  It is something the most players will not have to deal with, and requires a conscious effort (and probably an internet walkthrough) to unlock such options.  Once unlocked, the subsequent cut scenes are not suitable for children, but contain little to no nudity and therefore does not exclude this game for Catholic adults.

Levelling up is easy, and very clear, even for beginners.

The characters are one of the best things about this excellent game.  The cast of Mass Effect 2 are not remotely stereotypical, most have very interesting back stories and are very likeable in their own ways.  You will genuinely care about these characters and want to get to know all of them better; something that is catered for with a host of character specific side missions.  All characters can be levelled up, not just Shepard.  This means that the player has to think carefully about who to take on a mission, taking into consideration not just the character's abilities, but also their levels.  A lot of work has gone into creating a whole world for the player to be immersed in, and for the hardcore there is an enormous encyclopaedia of all the races, technologies and characters which would take hours to read - although it won't appeal to most gamers, the fact that it is there shows how much effort has gone into this title.

The Illusive Voices

This process of immersion is helped by some tremendous voice acting.  The immense Martin Sheen voices The Illusive Man - the main NPC around whom the question "Is he good or bad?" continually hangs.  Alongside Sheen sits famous actors such as Star Trek TNG's Michael Dorn (Worf), The Matrix's Carrie Ann Moss (Trinity) as well as a whole host of big names that will have you pausing the game and checking Wikipedia to see if that voice is who you think it is.  Yet even those who names will not be familiar still do an exceptional job.  The voice acting of single line of dialogue in the game is top notch and makes the characters truly come alive.  Throw in a tightly written, exciting plot and this is an RPG you will be coming back to time and time again just to experience the different ways that the game can pan out, and it will have you drooling in anticipation for the completion of the trilogy with Mass Effect 3.

The game is stunning, especially on the PS3.

Graphically, Mass Effect 2 is without doubt one of the prettiest games of this console generation so far.  Although a lot of the combat is standard cover shooter fare, the enormous worlds in which they are set make them feel completely different.  Additionally, even the most random side mission on a planet in the middle of nowhere will have its own unique design, giving a sense of enormity to the world.  This graphical niceties extend everywhere, including to your ship - a ship so beautiful that I spent a long time happily exploring it.

Although Mass Effect 2 is pretty much perfect, I felt that there were a handful of missed opportunities dotted around this vast game.  For instance, while one of the most exciting things in the early part of the game was running of and doing various side missions for the members of my crew (so, picking up posher types of food for my hilarious chef), I was disappointed to find that these were not followed up later in the game.  Don't get me wrong, there are a good number of side missions in addition to the many main plot missions, but there are various things that the game introduces, and then seems to have decided to not follow up.  Also, while there are enough varied missions to prevent the gamer from getting bored, most missions are of a similar style - mostly involving a lot of cover to cover combat.  If you don't like shooting and cover to cover combat, then this game is not for you, no matter how much you may love the RPG elements of a game.

Conclusion


I give these criticisms mainly out of an attempt to give balance to this review.  The fact of the matter is that Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games ever made, and this comes from someone generally sceptical to WRPGs.  Its story is immensely compelling, the presentation is perfection, and the the gameplay is fun (if occasionally a little repetitive) and will have you wanting to come back and play this game time and time again in order to discover the many different ways this amazing title can be played, and to see how it connects with the other two instalments of the series.

From a Catholic perspective, Mass Effect 2 is not without its problems.  Although it has tamed down the sexual aspects from the previous game, the "copulation option" is still there.  Although there is no nudity, it is not for the faint of heart, nor for anyone who is not an adult.  The game deserves to be commended for offering the player a number of non-violent options, as well as the ability to play as a (mostly) good guy, but don't let the non-violence approach fool you - this game has the player killing a lot of people, no matter what options you choose.  This is a game that emphasises the "action" in an action RPG.  Although not particularly gory, there is blood present at a number of moments, as well as occasional distressing cut scenes of death.

The technical rating for this title is 10/10

The Catholic rating for this title is A-III -- adults.