Video Juegos

Quantum's main character, Syd, can perform most of the moves that you'd expect in a third-person shooter these days. You can make him take cover by pressing a button, and then pop up or take a quick step out and use any one of the three weapons that he has equipped at the time. He can also make use of blind fire or sprint to get close to an enemy and use a melee attack. So cover is a big deal in Quantum, but it can also cause some headaches because some cover objects can be destroyed by enemies or bosses, forcing you to run and look for another spot and fire safely from afar. The one massive boss that we saw in the demo had a charge-up projectile attack that can take out cover in a single blast.

Also, at some point in the game, Syd meets up with a female character named Filena who helps him out, and though she is controlled by the AI, you do have an opportunity to throw her through the air like some kind of human dart. Unfortunately, if she gets "killed" (an accurate description would probably be knocked out), you have to run over and revive her.

The presentation started with Nier, the game's titular character, inside a building, talking to one of the game's non-playable characters. What's interesting about this first scene is that it's framed in a 2D perspective. We were told that the game will occasionally switch perspective for certain types of events. After exiting the scene, Nier made his way outdoors into an absolutely massive environment with rolling hills and trees sprinkled off in the distance. It's here that we were told that Nier will feature a full day and night cycle and that there will be some weather effects, such as wind gently blowing through the leaves on the trees. It's clear at this point that Nier will have much more in common with Western-style RPGs in that it seemingly has a greater emphasis on exploration than most typical Japanese RPGs. In fact, we're even told that Nier himself has been designed to appeal more to a Western audience.

After venturing through some parts of the environment, Nier made his way indoors, where we had our first glimpse of some combat. The first enemies that appear onscreen are tiny, shadowlike creatures that Nier dispatched rather quickly with a few swipes of his sword and a special attack that he had to charge to execute. Interestingly, while fighting a second wave of these creatures, a magic book--that appeared to the side of Nier--started firing fireballs at the enemy, which showed how Nier will be capable of using some magic attacks later in the game. For the most part, the action seems pretty fast-paced and more in line with something like Devil May Cry than most other action RPGs.

It's still way too early to make any formal assessment of what's going on in Nier and what it attempts to do, but we'll see more of the game before its 2010 release.

How far are you prepared to go to save someone you love? This is the central question of Heavy Rain and one that the protagonist, Ethan Mars, is compelled to answer. After Ethan's son goes missing and is presumed to be the latest victim of the mysterious Origami Killer, he vows to do whatever it takes to rescue his boy. Besides Ethan, you also take control of three other seemingly unrelated individuals that have been drawn into the case: private investigator Scott Shelby, FBI criminal profiler Norman Jayden, and insomniac Madison Paige.

Though it takes a little while to pick up, Heavy Rain is an immersive interactive drama that sucks you in and doesn't let go. As you control each of the four characters, onscreen prompts have you press buttons in sequence, move the right analog stick in specific directions, shake the controller, and more to interact with the scenes. Each input is proportionally difficult to the task being performed, and when a character is scared or stressed, the floating prompts tremble accordingly. This unconventional control scheme does a fantastic job of grounding you to the characters and their emotional states. Your actions approximate theirs, and the often short amount of time you have to react to new situations mirrors their own reaction time. There is plenty of action to be found in the form of brutal and violent brawls, heart-pounding chases, and deadly gunfights, but even such mundane tasks as brushing your teeth or rocking a baby to sleep are surprisingly engaging, and help to strengthen your bond with the characters.

Unlike other games that make extensive use of quick-time events, Heavy Rain does not track your progress in terms of success and failure. There is no right or wrong way to play; thus, no matter what your outcome is, the game will move forward and adapt to the consequences of your actions or lack thereof. Though the overall narrative framework is unyielding, your performance throughout the game can have a variety of effects, ranging from subtle changes in how a scene plays out to much bigger adjustments. Entire events may not occur because your actions and choices caused the plot to branch in a different direction. It's even possible for key characters to die, thus eliminating any subsequent contributions to the story that they might have made. No matter what happens in your play-through, the adaptive plot of Heavy Rain becomes a deeply personal sum of your experiences.

The unveiling was a brief gameplay demo--really more of a teaser--clocking in at around 10 minutes. The first revelation was the complete return of the first game's crew. B Company is back in full force with Marlowe, Sweetwater, Haggard, and Redford all coming back for more. The team is introduced in a snowy mountain village near the Russian border, though the reasons for their visit to this locale were never disclosed.

The demo began with a bit of banter between the members of B Company. They're trying to decide how to infiltrate the village, but they quickly notice Sergeant Redford sneaking way off in the distance. Just as they're trying to figure out what he's up to, Redford plants a knife in the neck of an enemy soldier. This elicits a disgusted reaction from the group, likely because they know things are about to go pear-shaped.

And that's exactly what happens, with every enemy soldier coming after them. The team pushed forward through the Russian village using the familiar combination of assault rifles, barrel-mounted grenade launchers, and any other destructive weapon they could get their hands on. The action was similar to what made the first game so exciting--that is to say, lots of destructive elements. And the scale of the destruction has expanded on the micro and macro levels. Surface penetration means cover will chip away when you spend too much time behind a crate, and entire buildings seem like they're much quicker to come tumbling down compared to the stubbornly resilient building frames in the first game. At one point, we saw an entire radio tower come slowly toppling down to the ground.

Another change we noticed is the level of tension during firefights. The music is a lot more dramatic than the tunes accompanying you during the first game. It began as a slow, pounding rhythm with a deep bottom end. Then, the music picked up as the team moved from the on-foot section to an on-rails vehicle sequence that forced them to shoot ATVs, trucks, and helicopters trailing them on snowy mountain roads.

The demo was quick, but it left us impressed. We wish we could have heard more dialogue between the members of B Company since those absurd exchanges were one of the first game's most shining attributes. We're not sure when we'll get a taste of that, but we do know that EA is planning to unveil its multiplayer plans at E3. Stay tuned for more.

The lesson delivered by Dante's Inferno is one every person should keep in mind: Do not, under any circumstance, make a deal with the devil. You will lose, and you may not be handy enough with a scythe to hack your way out of the mess you create. In this case, Beatrice thought too highly of her husband Dante's moral character. Worried that he would lose his life while liberating heathens during his holy crusade, she comes to an agreement with Lucifer. If he stays faithful, the devil will ensure that he makes it home alive. If he loses control with a seductive slave girl, though, Beatrice will forfeit her own soul forever. The story is told using three distinct styles to chronicle Dante's descent into darkness to rescue the eternal spirit of his betrayed wife. The CGI and in-game cutscenes are expected, but it is the series of sparsely animated cartoons that stand out. These fill in the backstory of Dante's actions during the crusades and go a long way toward developing his character. The story has few surprises, but the manner in which it slowly puts Dante's entire life into perspective makes for an interesting setup for his adventure.

And the adventure does start out on a strong note. The first few hours have an epic scale that makes the descent from the earthly plain into the pits of hell feel like a momentous transition. Pathways crumble underfoot, threatening to spill you into the bubbling lava below; gargantuan creatures loom in the distance, tossing out taunts as you make you way through their defenses; and horrible abominations are introduced every few minutes. The vile enemies you battle are modeled on the circles of hell, and they do an impressive job of embodying these contemptible sins. Lust, for instance, is populated by prostitutes who were all too willing to sell their bodies while they were alive, and they are punished by having their souls sold in the afterlife. The typical anatomy of these women of ill repute is grossly exaggerated, and though you'll certainly want to avoid their disgusting makeshift lassos, their presence makes for a disturbing trip to the land of the damned.