There are two games that were released last year that many people said were very similar but I have different overall opinions of. Those games are Prototype and Infamous. My opinions of these games seem to hinge on one thing: Getting from point to point in the cities these games take place in.
I love getting around in Prototype. Running around on the city streets for miles and miles without stopping, plowing through huge groups of people like they were a stack of cardboard boxes, and scaling the side of giant skyscrapers with relative ease all add to the overall freedom of movement in this game. However my favorite part of getting around in this game is the drifting. Jumping off the top of the skyscraper and gliding through the air over several city blocks appeals to me on a basic level. There are times while I was playing Prototype where I wasn’t doing anything in particular, just drifting around this obvious copy of New York City.
I had nearly the exact opposite experience getting around the city while playing Infamous. First of all, you can’t run very fast in this game, so running down the city streets is rather tedious. You’re better off going the direct way, which involves scaling buildings. Not running head on up the side of a building like I was a Jamaican sprinter, but having to find foot holds and hand holds on ledges, masonry, access ladders, and flag poles to drive yourself upward and onward. This isn’t a bad thing, in fact having to find your way like this when faced with time constraints and certain death can be a refreshing challenge.
The problem comes with the henchmen that are sent after you. On every rooftop, every billboard, every outdoor garden in this city sit these enemies in red hoods. Most henchmen in video games aren’t that much of a threat and neither are these except for one thing. These henchmen are brilliant skillshots. It doesn’t matter if you’re three feet away, or three buildings away, if these henchmen spot you they will shoot you, and they will always hit you. These henchmen ruined Infamous for me. Whenever I wasn’t actively playing out a mission, these henchmen would pop up and slowly drain my health away. There came a point where I could choose to either meticulously go through this city and eliminate these henchmen or just endure them and neither option really appealed to me.
Assassin’s Creed 2 has the same kind of building climbing mechanic that Infamous has but also incorporate something Prototype has: freedom. Yes there are henchmen in AC2 but most henchmen stay on the ground and are rather easy to elude if you go vertical. Even the rooftops henchmen you do encounter are easily dispatched. While you can’t fly over several city blocks like you can in Prototype, you can scale up beautifully recreated pieces of Italian architecture that evoke a similar response in another part of the brain.
The free running mechanic is what Assassin’s Creed 2 is built on and this mechanic is pulled off masterfully. I do wish the fighting mechanic was a bit more polished, but perhaps that is something Ubisoft will work on for AC3.
Assassin’s Creed 2: B+
Hunter Red For Senate In 2030
Hunter Red is sitting in his office working on Project Carole when his phone starts to ring. Hunter picks up the phone and says-
Hunter- Hello.
Voice On Phone- He Hunter, this is Crystal Motoko from SLCMetropolitan. Do you remember meeting me at the charity dinner for the Kinneas Medical Institute?
H- The only person I remember meeting at that dinner is the bartender. The rest of the night is a blur.
Crystal- Well, I’m calling in regards to our Sexiest Man in Salt Lake issue.
H- Do you want me to write up a piece for it?
C- No. We took a poll in our office and you were found to be the sexiest man in Salt Lake.
There is a short pause.
H- Did Robin put you up to this?
C- Who?
H- Robin, my girlfriend.
C- You have a girlfriend?
H- Yes, I talk about her on my blog.
C- You have a blog?
There is a short pause.
H- So, SLCMetropolitan is seriously going to name me the sexiest man in Salt Lake.
C- Yes.
H- Because your staff believe I am the sexiest man in Salt Lake.
C- No.
H- So why are you giving me this title?
C- We want to start grooming you.
There is a short pause.
H- Like a monkey?
C- (Laughs lightly) Oh goodness no. We want to start preparing you for political office.
H- What, Satirist is Chef?
C- No, senate.
H- The Utah State Senate?
C- No, the US Senate. We think you would be ideal to replace Orrin Hatch when he retires in 2030.
H- You think he’s going to live that long?
C- With the advances pioneered by the Kinneas Medical Institute, yes. So, you up for revealing your hot body to the women of the world?
H- I don’t think you’re up for it.
C- Why?
Hunter places his hand over the phone and says-
H- Robin.
Robin- (At her desk outside in the common area of the R.C.O.A. office) Yes?
H- Do you have those nude photos of me you took.
R- Yes I do.
H- Do you have Crystal Motoko’s email address?
R- Yeah, why do you ask?
H- Could you send a nude photo of me to Crystal. I’m on the phone with her about SLCMetropolitan’s Sexiest Man in Salt Lake issue.
There is a short pause.
R- Do you want me to sent the one that does or does not show your junk?
H- Not.
R- Okay, I’m doing that now.
Hunter takes his hand off his phone and starts talking to Crystal again.
H- Okay, Crystal should be sending you a nude photo of myself now.
C- Okay, let me go check and see- Ah there it is.
There is a short pause as Crystal reads the email.
C- (In an obviously shocked tone) Oh. Oh dear. That’s not- I mean- That’s simply- (Dry heaving noise) Get it away!
A dial tone is heard signifying that Crystal has hung up the phone.
H- That’s what I thought her reaction would be.
Hunter goes back to work. He picks the newspaper and says-
H- Looks like Scott Brown has done good for himself.
END SCENE
Patrick Klepek = Chris Wallace?
People have been critical of Fox News’s interview style. People have said it’s too conciliatory, not in any way aggressive, and generally kind of suckupish. There are people who will argue that this journalism style is contained to Fox News and does not occur in any other media source. I submit this video as evidence to the contrary.
Red Tweets About Team Conan
Conan went out like the true class act that he is. It takes a truly strong man to not be bitter in his situation. #TeamConan Sat, Jan 23, 0005
I don't believe in saying goodbye, so I'll say see you later Conan. Be it September, 2011, or whenever, definately see you later. #TeamConan Sat, Jan 23, 0006
Also, hello Letterman. #TeamLetterman Sat, Jan 23, 0006
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1 comment:
I think I'd rather be the sexiest interviewer in the Italian Senate, personally.
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