Existing comment:
PlayStation 3
Action: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
In Uncharted 2, the player takes the role of treasure hunter Nathan Drake in a globe-trotting adventure based on the fabled voyage
of Marco Polo in 1292. Creative Director Amy Hennig created an entertaining and elaborate story for this game, drawing from real
world events, as well as a long history of fictional swashbuckling adventures.
The visual experience of Uncharted 2 places the player in the heart of an interactive movie, with photorealistic art, seamless
animation, and convincing acting. The main character is carefully crafted and believable, inspired by fictional adventurers Indiana
Jones and Lara Croft as well as real-world action hero Bruce Willis and daredevil Johnny Knoxville.
Hennig is one of a number of influential women developers in what has traditionally been a male-dominated field. Her multiple
career experiences -- as artist, animator, writer, and director -- contribute to the success of this award-winning game.
Dialogue:
"On three: one, two, three..."
"... Current's too strong. We'll never make it."
Target: Flower
Flower stands apart from almost every contemporary game in its genre. Designer Jenova Chen described it as "an interactive poem" that explores the tension between nature and urban environments. The player becomes the wind, breathing life back into the world by flying through flowers strewn across the landscape. With every flower reached, more petals join the wind to create a vibrant dance of color.
The original idea for Flower was inspired by Chen's move from Shanghai to California. Growing up in a sprawling urban center, he had never experienced the green, rolling hills that he saw on the west coast. He wanted to develop a game that would give players the same experience, allowing them to bring nature into their homes in an interactive way.
Playing Flower inspires peace, wonder, joy, freedom, and even sadness in a way that no video game has ever done before.
Adventure: Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is an emotional rollercoaster. Director David Cage wanted to create an experience in which the player would play the story, rather than passively watch it unfold through cutscenes.
From the beginning, the player is thrust into a startling and traumatic narrative, switching between four main characters. The story centers around the "Origami Killer," a serial killer who leaves his young, male victims to drown in the rain with an origami figure in their hands.
The story has several endings and numerous ways to get there, determined by the player's actions and decisions.
The graphics are incredibly detailed... especially the characters, who convey emotion through subtle facial expressions and eye movements. Cage used motion capture with over 90 actors to create this effect, asking each actor to play every possible outcome of every scene.
A dark, gripping, and mature adventure, Heavy Rain seeks to push players into difficult and uncomfortable situations where their moral choices ultimately affect the outcome and lives of the people in the game.
Dialogue:
"Lauren Winter?"
"My name is Scott Shelby. I'm a private detective. The families of the victims of the "Origami Killer" asked me to investigate the murders. I came here just to ask you some questions..."
"I understand, Lauren. I know what you're going through."
Tactics: Brütal Legend
Brütal Legend transports players to a fantasy world of heavy metal music. Created by designer Tim Schafer as an homage to heavy metal pop culture, the game includes appearances from real world rockstars such as Ozzy Osborne and boasts a soundtrack with over one hundred classic songs.
The design team took inspiration for the artwork and characters from heavy metal album covers and posters, but added humorous, exaggerated elements to the often dark and twisted imagery. Actor Jack Black plays the role of main character Eddie Riggs, who must battle his way through a bizarre landscape to defeat the Emperor of the Tainted Coil.
The game combines a variety of mechanics... from fighting to playing guitar. However, as in all of Schafer's games, the story is a critical component, told through clever and often laugh-out-loud dialogue.
Dialogue:
"Uh... What is that sound?"
"It's a devil screaming!"
"It's an angel singing!"
"It's called... Heavy Metal."
"...to build an army big enough to take on the real Lionwhyte, we're going to need some more dudes." |