Category Archives: Games and Software

Dear Digital Extremes, Thank You

There are a lot of things people gripe about in gaming: day-one DLC, micro-transactions, digital verifications, etc. It is always easier to find someone shouting from the mountaintop about everything that’s wrong as opposed to anything that’s right. Well, after a long and arduous climb, I kindly asked that guy to sit down for a bit and let me shout a little positivity from his precious mountaintop.

Digital Extremes, the company that brought us Warframe, has and continues to provide the console world with a perfect example of how well free-to-play gaming can work. Though, many complain about “free-to-play” and “pay-to-win” games, Warframe finds the perfect balance. Any warframe, weapon, sentinel or kubrow can be assembled, found or purchased all in game. There is a fair amount of grinding required for particular items, but if you really want it, you’ll never have to worry about seeing another player with an amazing weapon that you don’t have access to. In a stroke of genius, the only things you actually HAVE to pay for are cosmetic. Purchasing new paint colors, ceremonial armor, weapon patterns and the like, which have nothing to do with battle capabilities, require players to purchase platinum with actual money. You would be surprised how difficult it can be to resist the urge to pimp your ninja. I’ve spent well over $100 over time and I’m probably in the low end of purchasing.

As far as DLC goes, everything is free. Well, i suppose to be more accurate, the updates are all free.  It is to be noted that these updates are always game changing. With no cost, Digital Extremes has added new warframes, new weapons, new mission types, updated maps, new events and a slew of visual and audio upgrades. Other free-to-play titles such as DC Universe Online and Blacklight Retribution can and do nickel and dime you for all their additional content. Warframe is up to version 15.5 (PS4 and Xbox One) and 15.8.1 (PC) and they’re consistently giving their community reason after reason to never put the controller down.

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I stand and salute Digital Extremes for its work with a free title. It has managed to build a game that expands from PC to the console world and stands as a prime example of how free-to-play can not only work, but can flourish. Thank you Digital Extremes. May you inspire others to not drop the ball in the future.

PS: Have you guys see the Archwing missions they added!?! Someone get these guys a license to make Gundam Wing games. Can’t you just see the same gameplay working for the Wing Zero!?!? OK, I’m done now. Enjoy your day.

Alex’s Top Game Boy Advance Rom Hacks

No matter where one stands on the idea of emulators, no one can ignore just how cool they are. I discovered this wonder about eight years ago and I’ve been an advocate since. While scouring the web in my youth, I discovered something even better than being able to play Pokémon on my laptop.

Budding game designers have often turned to altering existing games to create their own spin on classic games. Pokémon has probably been hacked the most, due to the general ease of doing so and the simplicity of the game itself, but beyond that there is so much more. I’ve collected a bit of a list of the coolest rom hacks that I’ve found so far. Note that I haven’t played every hack out there and I’m always open for suggestions.

In no particular order are my favorite Gameboy Advance hacks.

GBA Liquid Crystal

Pokemon: Liquid Crystal Version – This hack of Pokémon: Fire Red was probably my first experience in rom hacking that involved huge alterations. I’d played a few translations before, but never had I seen such an expansion. Liquid Crystal is a faithful remake of the Gameboy Color title of similar name with extra content. Players will be able to explore both Kanto and Johto regions in the excellent graphics of the GBA.

What made this hack great was the fact that it added the Orange Islands. After Ash’s journey in Kanto, there was still some time before Gold and Silver released. This led to a smaller arc involving a chain of islands. This season of the anime quickly became my favorite and I’ve always wanted to play in that region. Liquid Crystal allows trainers to do just that, even though it wasn’t finished the last time I played five years ago.

This isn’t the only Pokemon hack out there either, not by a long shot. However, this one always seemed so well-done that I chose to include it instead of detailing about twenty other amazing hacks. If you can’t get enough Pokemon, dive into the world of rom hacking.

Metroid_--_Zero_Mission_(box_art)

Metroid: Disturbance – Disturbance takes all the mechanics of Metroid: Zero Mission and forces the player to use them to the absolute best of their abilities. I found myself having to use the wall jump tactic early, just to get through the first 20 minutes. Enemies are tough and upgrades are scarce. In fact, many of the upgrades are acquired in a new order, creating new puzzles and challenges. It’s all really cool considering how short the Metroid games were on the console, so any expansion is welcome. Players who seek a challenge will love this hack!

Disturbance proves that there is still some fun to be had in the realm of 2D Metroid games. Now if only Nintendo felt the same and cut out Samus’ vocal chords. . .

GBA--The Last Promise v20 fire emblem hack_Jun23 4_33_03

The Last Promise Fire Emblem was probably one of the best games to come out on the GBA period. The animations are amazing to this day with excellent sprite art. Tactical matches are played in a grid and players will have to battle their way through overwhelming odds. However, the main twist to Fire Emblem was the permanent death mechanic and its challenging gameplay. Players can advance to the next chapter after losing a character, but there’s no way to get them back. Is the sacrifice worth victory?

The Last Promise takes the Fire Emblem engine and creates its own epic saga. Players will play as Siegfried, a knight at the precipice of rebellion. The challenge remains and while the story isn’t really anything new (at least as far as I’ve played so far) it is rather engaging, especially for fans of politics heavy fantasy.

I’m always hungry for more GBA Fire Emblem, so The Last Promise was the perfect fix. Excellent gameplay, awesome animations, and an abundance of characters make this one of the coolest hacks on the console.

Translations 
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Fortunately, for those that lack the Japanese skills needed to play every game, some die-hard fans have taken the time to translate some otherwise lost classics. These hacks merely change the language and otherwise leave the game alone.

GBA concept image

Mother Series: English Translation – While I’ve never had the chance to sit down and play Earthbound, I’ve always respected it. Basically it’s an RPG series with a huge following that puts a simple American boy against aliens, twisted cars, and other nightmares. The writing of these games are constantly praised as it is extremely witty and funny. Unfortunately, Earthbound is actually called Mother 2 in Japan, making it the only journey Ness got to go on for many gamers. Weird how RPGs on the SNES never were numbered right. . .

Thanks to hacking, the Mother series lives on! Not only has the third title been translated, but there’s also a translation of Mother 1+2 floating around the web. For some reason Nintendo holds on to Mother like Disney does its vaulted movies, as if they were too great to have available all the time. Occasionally, there will be rumors of Mother 3 coming to Virtual Console, but until that happens, this fan hack is a great way to experience something lost in time.

GBA Super Robot Wars J

Super Robot Wars J – Japan loves crossovers. Recently on the 3DS, players got to command all sorts of characters from Sega, Namco, and Capcom. Project X Zone was co-developed by Banpresto who were also behind the Super Robot Wars franchise. It’s common knowledge that giant robots are popular in media, especially anime. Therefore its strange that this vast series of fan service doesn’t get as much attention outside of Japan.

Basically, Super Robot Wars is a tactical RPG similar to Fire Emblem or Advance Wars. Players command robots, fighter jets, carrier units, and more all from any anime or comic they can cram in. There have actually been a few games of the series released in English, but they mysteriously lack any of the other brands like Gundam or Mazinger. This hack represents that lost opportunity.

While Super Robot Wars J is a bit wordy, the game itself is awesome. It’s pure eye candy on the Gameboy Advance.

GBA Fire Emblem 7

Fire Emblem: Sword of Seals – Roy always did confuse me as a character in Super Smash Bros Melee. The game claimed he hailed from Fire Emblem, but I only knew Lyn, Hector, and Eliwood. Little did I know that little Roy here was the son of Eliwood and he had his own game.

There’s really not much to say about this game other than its confusing numbering (Sword of Seals is actually Fire Emblem 6, but takes place after Fire Emblem 7, which was the first game in English on the GBA). The animations are awesome, the story is there when you want it and gone at the touch of the button, and the characters are usually interesting, if fairly static. I wished that I would’ve got to play this after Fire Emblem, but this hack has given me something I hadn’t even known about.

Conclusion – So that’s the world of GBA hacking in a nutshell. Will these hacked games ever be completely accepted by the gaming industry? Probably not, but companies like Valve and Chucklefish who embrace the hacking community to expand the lives of their creations are creating superb experiences. I don’t know if I’d have enjoyed Skyrim on PC at all if it wasn’t for the mods.

Some of the best gaming experiences of the past few years have come from hacks or mods. Goes to show that a game may not be available for purchase any more, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop playing.

 

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft – Amateur Open Tournament

Good Gaming has announced an official Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft – Amateur Open Tournament with Blizzard Entertainment. Players of all skill levels will get a chance to battle for over $10,000 in cash and prizes.

Hearthstone Tournament Promotional Video from Good Gaming on Vimeo.

To enter, interested contestants must be registered members of Good Gaming by December 18, 2014. For a limited time, Silver Memberships start at $5 and include a free entry ticket into the tournament and 1,000 Good Gaming Points, which can be used to access premium content on the site.
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The tournament consists of a series of Constructed Play Phases, each player in the tournament will be required to bring and declare constructed decks to be used throughout the single elimination. The tournament will take place in a best of five match style play tournament format.

The tournament begins on December 19, 2014 and will last through December 21, 2014. For those who can’t be there, watch it live on Good Gaming’s official Twitch channel, shoutcasted by eSports personalities Kevin Knocke and Ken Mitts.

Good Gaming is “an eLearning and social networking platform that empowers a new generation of eSports gamers to Game Better.” For more information on the tournament eligibility requirements, official rules and regulations visit Good Gaming.

The Hardest Video Games of 2014?

Instead of doing the usual “Best Video Games of the Year” list, the people at Console Deals listed the most difficult games of 2014: Watch Dogs, P.T., Dark Souls, Destiny, Five Nights at Freddy’s and Mercenary Kings. A couple of the games listed (P.T. and Dark Souls) I agree with, but Watch Dogs? I guess being able to practice my getaway skills (GTA) beforehand prepared me. I would definitely add Rogue Legacy to the list. The game is hard, but so very addictive.

What do you think about this list? Did Console Deals miss any games?
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Infograph of the Hardest Games of 2014
Hardest Games of 2014

The Twisted Story Behind Five Nights At Freddy’s

WARNING! SPOILERS ABOUND!

By now, most people know about this point and click indie game that almost always results in jump scares. If you don’t, the premise is kind of, different. Players take control of a nighttime security guard at Freddy Fazzbear’s Pizza, essentially a knock off Chuck E Cheese. During the night, the main attraction of singing and dancing animatronic animals come to life. Players are tasked with keeping them in check and making sure nothing bad happens. For a good look at what the game’s about without experiencing the scares yourself, check out Markiplier, Pewdiepie, or The Game Grumps’ videos.

The game has caused many, many screams from its players over the past few months. On the surface it’s just that, a quick game to show to friends to make them scream. For the longest time, that’s what I thought too; however, beneath this deceptively simple game lies a darker tale.

I never played the first game, even though I’ve seen all of it played and bested by Markiplier. I saw the game’s plot unravel as Markiplier discovered things for himself. I loved learning the story and speculating on what could happen next. When the trailer for Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 came out though only months after the first, I will admit that I was more excited than I thought I could be.

The game’s launch was barely a whisper on the internet, but it quickly turned into a frantic wailing from gamers everywhere. Almost overnight, YouTube became a flooded place of commentaries and reactions. I added to that flood as well with my own video, but I’ll save that for the end. Anyways, when the sequel came out a great debate rose on whether this game took place before or after the events of the first game. Fans are still trying to piece together the story. This intrigued me. I had already delved into the story of the first game, which was pleasantly twisted by Game Theory, but I wanted to experience the new story first hand or at least lay out the facts and try to make sense of it myself.

Thus, I will be attempting to make a timeline of the events. Be warned that there are a few points that could throw off my reasoning. I’m also going to sit on the side of the fence that claim this game is a prequel as evidenced by the check gained at the end.

Golden Freddy could be one of the original animatronics. It's also possible that the diner had suits instead of machines...
Golden Freddy could be one of the original animatronics. It’s also possible that the diner had suits instead of machines…

Freddy Fazzbear’s Family Diner

This diner is mentioned by name during the phone call of Night 5. It was the place where Old Bonnie, Old Chica, Old Freddy, and Old Foxy come from originally. The diner was closed down due to some event, which the company denies or at least is trying to divert attention from. During the diner’s use, a former employee lured five children into a back room, killing them and stuffing them in the suits of the animatronics.

During Night 2, Phone Guy brings up the old robots as they don’t attack during the first night. He says they’re from the old establishment, which at the beginning of the game seems like the restaurant from the first game, but is actually the diner. “The idea at first was to repair them… uh, they even started retrofitting them with some of the newer technology, but they were just so ugly, you know? The smell…”

The smell he’s referring to is the smell of the bodies that were inside the old suits that are talked about in the first game in the news clippings. Not much else is known about this diner.

I’m also going to assume that if another game is made, Freddy Fazzbear’s Family Diner will be the setting since there are some unanswered questions that are raised during mini games in FNAF2. There’s a segment that tells the player to “give life.” The graphics are crude in this segment, but it definitely looks like the Marionette is giving life to the Old Bonnie, Foxy, Chica, and Freddy. Why the puppet has this power is a mystery? What role did it play in the horror involving this company?

tumblr_inline_nf06k4KewR1r34222
Players will sometimes see the posters change. . .

11/7/1987 – 11/12/1987 – Freddy Fazzbear’s Pizza (Five Nights at Freddy’s 2)

This is the company’s finest establishment, filled with games, prizes, and of course pizza. The old animatronics were replaced with happier, sleeker models, which look friendlier than the old ones. These new models have a lot of money invested in them, adding facial recognition, advanced mobility, and access to a criminal database. A new Foxy was also going to be made, but the children kept messing up wires and pulling off parts. It became so frequent the staff didn’t bother to fix him anymore, letting the kids dismantle and assemble him as a game. This Foxy, later deemed the Mangle by the staff, has an obvious motive for wanting to enact pain, but for the longest time I couldn’t figure out why the new models wanted to kill the night guard so badly.

That is, until I thought about their access to a criminal database. In some shape or form, the player is a criminal and that’s what compels the new animatronics to attack. Jeremy Fitzgerald could be the original murderer of the children or he could be related to him. The robots could be seeing the resemblance and become mistaken. Either way, there’s a connection there. What’s even more interesting is that Jeremy is asked on Night 6 to attend a birthday party as the last event to be held.

Foxy Easter egg

The Bite of ‘87
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During the first game, the Phone Guy mentions this terrible tragedy that happened during 1987. It is not mentioned in the second game, so one can assume that it happened afterwards, probably on the birthday party mentioned above. A victim was bit by one of the animatronics, taking most of the person’s brain. It’s unclear which animatronic is to blame, but many believe it to be Foxy or Freddy.

This incident effectively ruined the company’s reputation. A lot of money was lost due to law suits and the investigations that took place. No longer were the animatronics allowed to roam during the day, as evidenced by the first game’s first phone call. That and the old animatronics from the diner had to be repaired on a low budget, which also explains the power outages.

I think the victim of the Bite of ’87 was indeed Jeremy Fitzgerald. On his assignment to watch the animatronics closely during the birthday party, he simply couldn’t hide behind the mask or use his flashlight during the day. This made him known as the criminal he is to the robots, who in turn were trying to protect the children. This idea also brings to light which robots were brought to the birthday party. Seeing as how the old robots were ugly and smelled bad, I’m assuming Fazzbear Entertainment would bring in the new models. One could also assume that The Mangle was left behind, due to its appearance. Those models were then probably apprehended by the police or forcibly dismantled, which would explain the need to repair the old ones.

Contrary to many gamers, Chica is a chicken... Let's eat!
Contrary to many gamers, Chica is a chicken… Let’s eat!

Freddy Fazzbear’s Pizza (Five Nights At Freddy’s)

This restaurant is much smaller than the last, a shadow of the glory days. The building clearly lacks the attention it needs, evident by the multiple rooms in disarray. Not only that, but only so much power is allowed per night, putting the night guard in quite the situation when the robots start to get restless.

I don’t think there needs to be a lot of detail put into this area, since the original game has been out for a while. Just know that the night guard here was fired for tampering with the machines. I also like the idea of this place being a nightmare for the victim of the Bite of ’87 or some sort of purgatory. However, by this point, the past events are more helpful for unraveling the plot. Much of the game’s backstory comes from the newspaper clippings that appear in this game, aside from Phone Guy of course.

If you're too nervous to play the game, I recommend Markiplier's playthrough.
If you’re too nervous to play the game, I recommend Markiplier’s playthrough.

Holes in the Timeline

While I’ve written that the original murders happened before the events of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 for the sake of this timeline making sense, it could have happened during the end of that week. Phone Guy tells the player on Night 6 that one of the suits was stolen and was used in, something. He doesn’t explain what the suit was used in previously, but he does say it’s the yellow one or Golden Freddy. This means someone could be using the suit after night six to murder children or at least recreate the murders. It’s also said on Night 4 of FNAF2 someone has tampered with the animatronics and their facial recognition is messed up. That person is fired during the day of Night 5 as a new position has opened up for Jeremy to take.

Another problem with my timeline is we have to assume Jeremy is a criminal. He could have just been caught up in the mess because the robot’s facial recognition was messed with. However, if he was, then there would be little reason for the New Freddy, Bonnie, and the others to attack. Therefore, I have to stick by the idea of Jeremy being a bad guy.

The Marionette is one of the few enemies in the game to lack an endoskeleton. What is this thing really?
The Marionette is one of the few enemies in the game to lack an endoskeleton. What is this thing really?

A third game could completely throw off my ideas. There’s still the mystery of the Marionette. It seems to be the most powerful being of the game, held at bay only by the music box. He also seems to be the one who tethered the souls of the murdered children to the animatronics. Makes me wonder if the Marionette is the fifth child most say is inside Golden Freddy. The previous diner could have also used suits instead of machines. Before that, Fazzbear Entertainment could’ve been using puppets, so the Marionette could be much older than the rest.

Either way, the foggy story details add to the depth of the game in ways that are much scarier than the jumping monsters. Researching this almost drove me insane, as certain details were vague, but overall it’s been awesome to speculate.

Maybe one day the creator of these games will clarify exactly what happened in the game’s back story. Until then, I’ll be waiting for another game in this vastly interesting series.

If you’d like to see my reaction to the game, watch the video below. Stay cool, everyone.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtqpDHCqw7Q&w=640&h=360]