Bastion

In lieu of indie developers Supergiant Games' latest release Transistor, let's take a look back at their original hit Bastion: an action RPG that tells the story of a kid surviving in the aftermath of the Calamity. Originally released for the XBOX Live Arcade, Bastion has since been ported to various platforms including PC, mobile phones, and web browser.

kids reads this in rucks' voice

The first things you'll notice upon starting up Bastion are the vivid colors, the rustic tune playing in the background, and the polished nature of the starting menu. These characteristics are present throughout the entire game and come with appropriate and impressive shifts in tone in certain areas and levels. 

Bastion tells the story of a kid who wakes up to find his entire world shattered by an event referred to as the Calamity. Buildings, people, and the very ground itself was ripped away into some kind of freak void. The people of Caelondia built the Bastion at the highest point of the city in the event any kind of catastrophe occurred. Now it's your turn to guide the kid to the Bastion, fix it up, and figure out what caused the Calamity. 

Of course, no talk about the game's narrative presentation is complete without talking about the game's "euphemistic and keen-eyed" narrator Rucks, voiced by Logan Cunningham (no, really). The game's reactive narrative holds hundreds of voice lines that can be triggered by various actions in various areas for a natural and fleshed out feeling. 

you can click to enlarge images

I've talked about games that build cultures and Bastion is definitely one of them. Bastion explores cultural themes like ethnic strife and even genocide alongside themes of forgiveness and rebuilding. Everything in the game gives you a glimpse at what life was like in Caelondia and the surrounding areas before the Calamity hit. The folk songs, clothing, and building styles presented to you convinces you that the Cael culture was strong. Cael customs and beliefs are revealed as the story goes on and Rucks explains various areas' history and purposes. Soon enough, the Bastion universe becomes so much bigger and livelier than it looks. 

The gameplay behind Bastion is smooth and chalk-full of different options you can choose from. New zones unlock new weapons and as you level up, you can upgrade those weapons to custom tailor them to your liking. The Distillery allows you to unlock and utilize all kinds of passive effects. You carry two weapons and a special ability, all of which can be swapped out at an armor found in various places in the game, lending itself to a flexible and dynamic combat system.

is that...?

Integrating Cael culture into gameplay, difficulty level is determined by the number of gods worshiped in the Cael pantheon. Gods are portrayed as retributive and malevolent in Bastion and only makes the game harder for the player. Simple idols give simple buffs: enemies hit harder, enemies are faster, etc. The more interesting idols give exotic effects: enemies become invulnerable for short amounts of time, enemies explode on death, etc. You are rewarded with more experience points and eventually you'll need to use the shrines if you're going to maintain a consistent difficulty level: your weapon upgrades become insanely powerful towards the late game.

Bastion is a game that has won numerous industry awards and for good reason. Everything from the menu to the ending is finely refined and tuned. The visuals and audio effects brings the world to life like never before. The talented and dedicated team at Supergiant Games gives players a chance to explore a unique world. Supergiant Games have witnessed incredible success out of their hard work and I wish them only the best in their future games. Besides, we're all expecting it at this point: Bastion is where it all began.

the start of something great

You can also download Bastion's rustic soundtrack straight from Supergiant Games' merchandise store! Check it out!

Dead Island: Epidemic- Early access

Dead Island: Epidemic is an upcoming free-to-play, self-proclaimed "ZOMBA" (Zombie Online Multiplayer Battle Arena) developed by Stunlock Studios, currently in an early access phase. You can check the game out on its Steam page.

die! get it? die! marketing!

Once upon a time, someone at Stunlock Studios ("We make innovative and competitive online games. It's pretty cool") said "People love MOBAS! People love zombies! Let's make a MOBA with zombies in it and call it a ZOMBA!" and everyone cheered and hugged each other as the best idea for a game rang forth. Another MOBA to compete along with League of Legends, Dota 2, Heroes of the Storm, etc.? It doesn't matter, silly! Adding zombies to the mix makes a whole new genre! ZOMBAS! The new way of the future! ZOMFPS! ZOMTS! MMOZOMPG! The possibilities are endless!
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So after I got over the fact that the developers or someone in marketing wanted to call Dead Island: Epidemic a "ZOMBA," I decided to take a look at the game. My good friend Hongda sent beta keys (Thanks!) and I'll admit, the game looked pretty interesting at first. That view soured quickly in the first hour of gameplay.

I've never played Dead Island myself, but I can deduce several things: it was a shooter, had zombies in it, and from what I hear, was mediocre at best. Playable? Sure. Enjoyable? Not so much. This same pattern is repeated in its ZOMBA manifestation. The game has you going through the basics of a MOBA: movement, attacking, skills, etc. but at the same time, the game has done so much to distance its self away from a MOBA. Keyboard movement, no last hitting, no concept of mana- the game feels more on par with an Action-RPG more than anything.

The first hour felt like the biggest waste of time I've encountered in a video game in a long time. The introductory mission and subsequent co-op mode is such a tedious grind. 

the game looks pretty at least

You pick a hero, party up with some people, head into the game; okay fair enough. Now bash everything by clicking on things over and over again. Skills don't use mana, so you might as well use them as soon as you can to maximize DPS, which is all that the co-op mode cares about. The supposedly unique PvPvPvE mode doesn't become unlocked until you grind yourself through a slow and uninspired set of levels. Also, there are no shops to buy any items because there's no last hitting- just bash away at zombies over and over again. After you figure out the level boss' pattern and bash him to death by clicking on him over and over again, you are rewarded with various materials that you use to craft weapons which carry over throughout your games. 

It becomes immediately apparent that Stunlock was hoping to involve a bigger audience by watering down traditional MOBA characteristics. League of Legends did this very well with the original Dota, but Dead Island: Epidemic is just a shell of a game. The claims that the game is unique and innovative are just plain wrong. The game has high production values and the game is playable- heck, you might even enjoy the first twenty or so minutes- but after that, the game has very little in store. There is little incentive for players to actually get further involved in the game as any strategy and cooperation requirements are burned to a minimum.

sort of like a wow raid boss

Dead Island: Epidemic tries to be everything at once and ends up being mediocre at everything. The game claims to be some kind of MOBA, but in reality it plays more like a shoddy ARPG reinterpretation of a Left 4 Dead game or Alien Swarm, both of which deliver team cooperation, strategy, action, and overall enjoyment much better. The first hour is a crucial period in which you have to hook the players in, not repel them. If the game can't do that, it's failed its purpose. After playing three co-op matches, I had no desire of learning strategy or theory crafting compositions or anything of the sort. I just wanted to be done with the co-op mode.

The game is going to be released as a free-to-play, so expect microtransactions. Lot's of it. I wasn't sure if they were headed the right direction the second I saw that you had to purchase consumable health kits with in-game currency coupled with the option to buy more of the in-game currency with real world money. One can only hope that they handle it well in the future. 

press the same keys over and over again

Dead Island: Epidemic is a finger-numbing and mediocre experience which offers little to the table in terms of gameplay. Everything the game tries to hype up with fanfare ends up becoming a tedious grind to some arbitrary reward with you sitting and thinking "was this really worth my time." But it's okay: Stunlock has their target audience figured out very well. They don't need to take $1,000 from one person; they only need to take $1 from 1000 people.

Of course, none of this is set in stone- this is only a beta after all. Major changes and tweaks can happen, but this beta alone has convinced me that Dead Island: Epidemic is not worth anyone's time. If you're looking for a game to play every once in awhile, maybe look at this game. However, I feel that any long-term investment in this game is going to be tragic and regretful in the future. The game might have gotten off the hook easier (and compete in an easier market) if it wasn't so bombastic in stating to the world that it shall be forever known as a "ZOMBA." Fuck that.

TF2- The competitive scene

The 2014 International Dota 2 Championship gives us a glimpse of what eSports could become in the future: it's own arena, millions of fans across the globe watching, casters screaming and shouting along with the ensuing action, fans in the stands cheering and waving flags, and a fucking huge prize pool (every gamer was stunned when the first International's prize pool of $1 million was announced; the current prize pool has already skyrocketed above $4 million). 

A lot of veteran TF2 players have been wondering just why TF2's competitive scene isn't as supported or prevalent as, say, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or Dota 2. After all, TF2 has been Valve's flagship game for sometime. Let's take a look at TF2's competitive scene and some of the hurdles I see it trying to pass.

6v6 tf2 wiki represent

1. The stale metagame
Both competitive formats (6v6 and Highlander) pretty much have all the plays written down: roll-outs, optimal sentry locations, and methods to push have all been figured out.  Variety does arise from different combinations of weapons, but for the most part the competitive community has long figured out which weapons are optimal, situational, and simply not used.

A system of picks and bans regarding weapons was proposed, but items themselves do not necessarily counter each other as much as the different classes countering each other (unless you're talking about the mediguns which arguably dictate the entire game dynamic- but even then, there are only four of them right now and that's just one class).

Class based variety may be locked down in Highlander where one of each class is in the fight, but 6v6 shows more promise in that the dynamic runs mobile, generalist classes and runs specialists when needed.

2. Games are boring to watch
The stale metagame lends itself well to this one. 

The first couple of times watching a game can be exciting, but after awhile even the casual observer will begin to notice repeated trends. Roll out, get an uber, push. Many of the fights are at the mercy of execution rather than some grand tactic or strategy and that's fine: that's inherent with TF2. 

Minor tactics such as positioning is crucial, but once you get past that, you'd better start landing those airshots and meatshots. Big airshots and crazy kill streaks, while exciting for a moment and worthy of a montage, are difficult to come by (let alone if the casters catch it on camera) and simply not enough to make the entire game fun to watch.

3. Difficulty of access
This is a big one.

The easiest way to increase prominence is to simply have more people play competitive formats of TF2. The best way of doing this would be to implement in-game lobbies that would allow for 6v6, Highlander, and maybe even custom formats to be set up. Despite TF2 personalities like eXtine and Sal pushing for in-game lobbies, we haven't gotten them. While there are some very neat third party lobby systems, most TF2 players do not know about them or are not motivated to try them; consequently, many TF2 players have never even tried competitive formats of TF2.

Most systems today can be a hassle as well. Wait times in lobbies can be excruciatingly long: just getting a simple game going can take as long as 20 minutes because nobody wants to play a particular class. 
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So how do we bolster TF2's competitive scene? Honestly, the developers can release as many new weapons as they like but the core metagame isn't going to change until some serious balancing or even potential reworks of weapons are done. The overall argument that TF2 was or wasn't designed to be played competitively is subjective and shouldn't be the focus of the debate. What we know is this: the game was originally balanced around nine classes for teams of twelve and the game definitely has a competitive spirit as much as it does a casual and laid back one.

why can i only wear one medal

Me personally, I just want a lobby system for TF2's competitive formats and some kind of progression system similar to Dota 2. Points can be earned to level up and every level up promises a new item with increasing rarity each time you level up. On top of that, I have always imagined a kind of trophy case for your TF2 profile where you get to show off medals and items from various tournaments and events.

I look at MvM as a good model for a competitive lobby setting: solo queue or party up, get sent to a server, and give people a limited amount of time to figure out who's playing what. In an MvM game, there is always a push for someone to play Engineer or Demoman and there is always a guy yelling "we don't need two snipers" or "why didn't you get this upgrade first." People will figure out over time that a competitive setting requires some core classes and if they lose they know who's fault it is. The emphasis on cooperation and team composition would also be taught through competitive play. 

Do I think competitive TF2 is fun to play? I've played a handful of games on lobby sites and I certainly found them fun. Do I think competitive TF2 is fun to watch? No. I feel that TF2 matches are boring to watch; the plays are repetitive and it's hard to get excited when the casters themselves are not excited. 

Competitive TF2 isn't about whether or not TF2 was intended to have a competitive scene or whether or not a competitive scene is viable: it's about winning a crowd. It's hard to work on that when the crowd itself is fairly small. If a competitive TF2 lobby and a competitive play progression system ever becomes implemented and is as accessible as an MvM lobby is, I feel that TF2's competitive scene would receive a greater amount of players and attention- it would breathe a new air of life into the game as a whole, too.

Factorio- Currently in alpha!

a game about the spacefuture

I was wandering around on various video game related YouTube channels when I came across an interesting looking game called Factorio. Made by a group of friends in the Czech Republic, Factorio has players landing on an alien planet and surviving by building self-replicating factories. The game has been in development for about two years now and there is a playable demo out. 

The demo showcases a tutorial for understanding the mechanics behind mining, crafting, and automation. Starting with just about nothing, you'll learn to build automated mining rigs, smelting furnaces, research various industrial and military technologies, and ultimately work towards a completely bad-ass, automated factory, complete with it's own Black Mesa-esque tram system.

Factorio is easy to get into but difficult to master. Mining rigs harvest resources, automated arms will move ore onto conveyor belts, and a second automated arm moves the ore into a furnace. This simple layout can eventually be turned into a sprawling mass of conveyor belts, arms, and various power sources. Walls and turrets can be built to protect your complex from alien attacks as you pollute the planet they so love.

i have no idea what im looking at

The graphics are reminiscent  of Sid Meir's Alpha Centauri or Stronghold, and gameplay similar to Minecraft's Tekkit mod pack. Multiplayer is currently in the works with a lot more content planned. The game maybe niche, but the demo alone has convinced me that this will be a fun game.

The developers have also registered a Steam Greenlight concept page. Projects like these thrive on the communication between developers and their audience- any feedback is sure to be appreciated. Factorio is a game worth keeping an eye on- go check it out!

Dota 2- Phoenix

SCREE! SQAWRK!

I've been playing a lot of Phoenix lately and the more I play the hero, the more I realize just how much damage Phoenix is capable of outputting. Phoenix is a ranged strength hero and acts as an initiator, tank, nuker and to an extent, an escape hero. His early to mid-game presence is powerful, especially in team fights. Phoenix is what I like to call a do-shit hero: as early as level two, Phoenix holds the potential to set up and secure kills.

Icarus Dive- This is your basic initiation skill: you press the button, select a point on the ground, and Phoenix swoops in, burning and slowing any enemy caught in his path. Also note that you can activate items and use your other skills while mid-flight. You can also stop your dive at any point by pressing the key again.

Fire Spirits- Primary damage source of Phoenix, Fire Spirits are not something to underestimate. Damage scales 40/120/200/280 over four seconds, so on paper, Phoenix has the ability to do 160 magic damage at level one and 1120 damage at level four Fire Spirits to a single target, not mentioning the AoE effect of Fire Spirits. On top of that huge amount of damage, the hits also reduce attack speed.

Sun Ray- Deals damage based on your max HP, this skill is best left to be leveled up last. After building some tank items, Sun Ray really helps Phoenix against enemy tank heroes. Don't forget that Sun Ray drains your health to use and that the skill also heals allies caught in the beam.

Supernova- Your very own panic button, if need be. You turn into an immobile collapsing star that deals damage over time to enemies in an AoE which stuns anyone caught in range after the star explodes. Phoenix emerges with full health, mana, and reset cooldowns for his minor skills. The star can only be destroyed via enemy hero right clicks.

Phoenix is superb in big team fights: Icarus Dive in, apply Fire Spirits to enemy heroes, and then Supernova on top of them. Supernova forces the enemy team to either back off or focus you down, and while that's happening, your teammates have a lot of room to act. His skills also make him a formidable ganker. Icarus Dive on top of an unsuspecting enemy and let your teammates back you up.

Phoenix also holds quite a fair amount of solo kill potential if you should choose to. Icarus Dive, Fire Spirits, and Supernova are very synergistic skills which throws Phoenix right in the middle of the action, all while dealing tremendous amounts of damage.

no cosmetics yet 0/10 would play

Items wise, I really like Tranquil Boots and Urn of Shadows in the early game. These two items provide Phoenix with some pretty neat HP regen and armor as well as even more utility in team fights. Wand is also a good pickup: if you're ganking and team fighting a lot, chances are you're going to be running into a lot of enemy spells and the burst health/mana can be the difference between you getting your ultimate off or not. Force Staff can offer further utility and survivability. Moreover, Phoenix is a good candidate for carrying a Mekansm as his skills aren't mana intensive and the bonus armor only serves to make him more tanky.

Towards the late game, I really like grabbing a Shiva's Guard and using it in conjunction with Icarus Dive. As well as survivability, Shiva's Guard also provides even more team fight power. Because items can be used mid-dive, you can activate Shiva's Guard, enter a dive, and catch many enemies within the Shiva's Guard blast radius.

That being said, Phoenix does run into problems when it comes to chain-stuns and silences that stop the casting of spells. You're also pretty much a sitting duck when your skills are on cooldown. Being out of position without your skills removes much of Phoenix's damage potential should a fight break out.

Phoenix is a really versatile hero. He can support the safe lane, go in the offlane, or even go mid depending on the match-up. Icarus Dive boasts a great range and can be used to force fights from quite a distance away. In the early game, pick up your Tranquil Boots quickly and look to use your Fire Spirits to harass the enemy, diving in on them when they are at low health. With some teammates as backup, Phoenix can easily play aggressively and place a lot of pressure on enemy heroes, and help to snowball your carries out of control.

TF2- RE: "Get your priorities sorted please."

Browsing the Steam Team Fortress 2 forums, I came across this post: 

"tl;dr version: TF2 is Valve's cash cow but they treat it like a decommissioned farm animal that is ready for the transformation from cow to beef, which is a thing that needs to change."

The post refers to the recent Spring Cleaning update Dota 2 received (fixed many major and minor bugs, balanced and tweaked some skills, and added some new interface changes) and laments about how TF2 has been relatively neglected. 

Team Fortress 2 is a mess right now, no doubt about it. There are some serious bugs in the game: invisible players, people showing wrong team colors, clipping issues, floating cosmetics, medigun beams flying everywhere, particles being stuck, wrong sounds playing, etc.

The game did make a lot of money last year in micro transaction sales, but I would wager that most of the income came from keys and MvM tickets and vouchers. Much of the focus in TF2 has been concentrated in MvM for awhile now with the scarce content updates being added in. Team Fortress 2 has aged really well, but that doesn't mean the game isn't aging. It's been 7 years now, and the game has changed dramatically. 

It's not that the developers don't care about the game, it's just that the game is old. Nobody wants to stick around on a project that can't exactly innovate new technologies or techniques in video game design. For the most part, TF2 is Valve's playground for testing out new community features and then applying features which work to games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive or Dota 2. 

It's fun, it's exciting, but TF2, for better or worse, is slowly being nudged out of the limelight- it's actually been that way for at least a year now. With the coming End of the Line update and the moonbase update, TF2 is still holding on. The communities that exist are still dedicated and active and the competitive scene is relatively healthy. And remember, there's always one thing you can do: keep playing.