The News  Reviews
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Dead Pixel News Reviews |
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 08 December 2008 |
 No one fears failure. Failure isn't a real threat. It's a paper tiger that's conveniently trotted out to hide behind when you don't want to take action. Failure will growl and snap but deep down you know it's fangs are dull and useless. Failure is the security blanket of excuses. What you're truly scared of is ten times more frightening than the prospect of failure. You're afraid of success.
Success brings with it some uncomfortable partners. Like change. Its a force to be avoided at all costs. You'll do an absurd dance of denial and debate to try to sidestep it. You've been friends with her for months. You think about her all the time. All you need to do is tell her how you feel. How you really feel. One sentence would do the job. Three words would be enough. Thats all it would take. She wants you to say it. You can hear it in her voice. You can see it in her eyes. But you refuse to utter a simple phrase, and all because you're afraid that 'things will change'.
The designers at EA know all about the fear of change. They could've expanded on Red Alert 3 and made it an innovative, compelling, fun RTS. PCs are hundreds of times more powerful than when the original game came out. Graphics, AI, story. They have the power to make it all groundbreaking. But they don't. Change must be avoided. Instead, it's better to stick with the status quo. Remodel a few units, but keep the core game play untouched. There's no need to update the AI. The same 'tactics' that worked in 1997 will still work today. Even if it simply consists of building a few dozen tanks and sending them off to the enemy base. Supreme Commander may have pushed the envelope on the scope and depth of a modern RTS, but Red Alert 3 doesn't see any reason to take a step forward. Just friends is good enough. Anything more would be too scary.
There's another monster that comes with the fear of success. The loss of hope. Hope is too precious to be jeopardized. When you look at her, you hope that you have a future together. You hope that one day you'll feel the warmth of her in your arms as you hold her tight. You can imagine the soft curves of her body being traced by your fingertips. Her lips must be so delicate and sweet pressed against yours. As long as you have hope, that fantasy never has to end. Fantasies are a sure thing. She'll never leave. Even if she does.
Red Alert 3 wants you to believe that it will live up to its own hype. Maybe the next mission will have the huge battles you wished for. Maybe the next cut scene will make the high school play of a plot more palatable. But it never happens. Instead of trying to fulfill its promise, Red Alert 3 is content to shovel the same mission types and retreaded cut scenes at you. It was good enough in the original Red Alert. It was good enough in Red Alert 2. It's good enough now.
Wrong. Its not good enough. Not even close. Especially when all you need to do is to show up at her door, or make a phone call, or send an instant message. Instead of being content to live off of the crumbs of a near relationship, you have a chance at a gourmet meal. Don't hide behind the spectre of failure. Don't let the warm comfort of hope stop you from embracing change. Embrace her.
There is nothing on this earth more terrifying than success. Don't fear it.
Score 6/10
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 11 December 2008 )
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 29 November 2008 |
 One of the worst feelings in the world is when you realize you're number two. The 'Backup Plan', the 'Just in Case', the 'If All Else Fails', 'Second'. Because even when you do get to step up to the plate, its only a matter of time before you're back on the bench. It doesn't matter how good you are or how well you perform. You're only there because the first choice wasn't available. It was you or boredom.
That's Midnight Club L.A. It likes to pretend it's a glitzy blinged out arcade racer. It tries hard to impress with a lot of licensed cars and a pseudo representation of L.A.'s streets and highways. But as soon as you load it up and the poorly scripted 'story' starts, it's true nature shines through. Its really just a slightly ramped up version of the driving sections in GTA IV. And you're only playing it because you've already played through Nico's storyline twice.
Sitting across from the table from someone while they wait for their cell phone to ring is not the best way to enjoy a meal. It doesn't matter if you're funny or smart or know how to order the wine in French. Because you're the second choice. They'd happily trade you in for a cold sandwich with someone else. The pasta is bland and dry as you swallow because you know that all it takes is one phone call, and you're eating alone again. Look at those eyes. They're looking through you.
Being second sucks. You're always waiting for the hammer to fall when number one decides that they're ready to take over again. You can never get too comfortable because there's nothing stopping the door from slamming on you. What will happen when the first choice stops showing up at all? It doesn't really matter, because no matter what, you're number two. Someone else will go to the top of the list while you brush up on witty reparte.
Burnout Paradise is what Midnight Club wants to be. It wishes it could have Burnout's style and graphics and falls short imitating its gameplay options. MCLA's modes consist of 'Race from A to B', and 'Race from A to B to C'. Sure, you can plow through traffic like a madman, but it lacks Burnout's wild stunts or crashes. Adding in motorcycles and a race editor don't make up for the yawn inducing treks through the city. It wants to be more, but it falls short.
Being second sucks. Your phone only rings because someone else didn't pick up. You only get invited because someone else dropped out. You're only on the speed dial until they need the room. Midnight Club L.A. is only in the Xbox because Need For Speed Undercover wasn't on the shelves. You'd rather be playing EA's version of cops and robbers than Rockstar's. The cops that roam the streets in MC:LA act like after thoughts. The car customization tool looks like it was pulled directly from old versions of NFS. Nothing is terrible, its just 'okay'. But 'okay' is only good enough until the real deal is available.
Being second sucks. You wonder how it would feel to not get dismissed. No more sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when you hear the click of call waiting. What would you do if every call didn't end with 'my other line is ringing, I gotta go'. It must be staggering to have someone's full attention. Being first would be great. Intoxicating.
Midnight Club:LA doesn't do a lot wrong. The rubber band AI, uninspired gameplay, and lax graphics aren't it's biggest flaws. Its biggest flaw is that it's a second choice. And being second sucks.
Score 5/10 Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts) |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 December 2008 )
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Written by Administrator
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Wednesday, 19 November 2008 |
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 That guy is bad ass.
Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts) |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 21 November 2008 )
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Written by Hunter Red
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Sunday, 16 November 2008 |
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There's a certain kind of person that exists in this world. Sometimes we're aware of him, sometimes we know him, sometimes we are him. That kind of person who when you first meet him is an absolute bore. Nothing intriguing, a bit abrasive, purposely hard to get to know, generally repulsive. However, if you spend some time with this person, get him to open up a little bit, their true self can be revealed. With a little effort, a person like this can be found to be a deep, loyal, and truly gratifying friend. All of the attributes that I just mentioned can be said of THQ's latest release, WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009. I'll admit it, my first impressions of this game were not positive. I didn't see much of this game outside of being a roster update. However, the more I played it, the more I saw, and the more I liked. One of the many things I really like about this game is the single player experience. For a couple of years, I've been asking them to do exactly what they did this year. Rather than raving one story driven career mode, they split it up into a career mode and a separate story mode dubbed "Road to Wrestlemania". The Road to Wrestlemania mode contains story lines seemingly inspired by some of the most deep and compelling story arcs in the history of the WWE. Meanwhile, the career mode allows you to take any wrestler you want, even ones of your own creation, and collect every scrap of gold in the WWE. Throw in create a finisher, Highlight Reel, and the infamous Inferno match, and what you have with WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009 is a game you can continue to play all year long. All you have to do is give it some time, sink your teeth in, and let the game's greatness reveal itself. WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2009: A- Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts) |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 23 December 2008 )
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Written by Administrator
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Monday, 03 November 2008 |
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 I know exactly what I want to do. It's very clear in my head and it all makes perfect sense. I'm a smart guy. I know how things work and I know what I need out of life to make me happy. I know that I want to live in a small quiet studio apartment with a view overlooking the city. I know I want to spend my free time playing a sim style racer with real cars, real handling and real tracks. I know I want a girl who's smart , creative, beautiful, and smiles when she sees me. That's what I want out of life.
There's a problem, though. What you want and what life gives you never quite seem to match up. The more you want something, the farther away it gets. And as it gets more out of reach, the clearer it seems. Its an illusion that can trap you.
Sitting in that small studio apartment, instead of airy and open, it feels empty. Its everything I wanted and nothing that I need. The silence that I thought would be comforting just reminds me that there's nothing here. The view makes me realize that I'd rather be outside than in this box. I wanted a new home and ended up with a new place to sleep.
To entertain myself, I bought Ferrari Challenge for the PS3. It satisfies all my checkpoints for a perfect racing game. Extremely detailed depictions of cars. Tracks pulled from real world locations. Handling that mimics the best of Ferrari's creations. And I'm utterly disappointed. It looks great but lacks flair. It drives great, but there's something missing that leaves me feeling empty after finishing a race. There's no sense of accomplishment when you complete a challenge or gain a new car. I got exactly what I wanted, but I want more.
I look at the woman who I believed was the one that mattered, and I realize that her smile isn't meant for me. I could keep on trying to trick myself into believing that maybe, one day she'll see me in the same way I see her. And maybe one day she will. But not today. Not tomorrow. And as the days add up, it would only be a matter of time before I wouldn't be able to see the smile at all.
There's the problem. You have to see what's there and what's not. You have to understand that life only gives you so much. The rest you have to take from life. You can either despair over what might have been or you can celebrate what is actually there.
I like my apartment. It's a lot better than the hellhole I was living in before. And from what I'm told, this is a major accomplishment. It is. I'm glad I moved here. The view is great.
Ferrari Challenge isn't the greatest racer in the world, but it still manages to put a smile on my face when the AI makes it hard for me to pass, or when I put a custom paint job on any of the 50 different Ferraris I can acquire. Its not Forza 2, but it'll get me through the winter.
She'll probably never feel the same way I do. I guess I knew that from the start. But I saw her smile. I heard her laugh. I made her a little bit happier, if only for a little while. And in the end, that's what I want to do.
Score 6/10
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Last Updated ( Monday, 03 November 2008 )
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Bad Santa but not Christmasy.
