OrtizGames

Instead of posting anything about recent news over the past couple of weeks I have been busy avoiding all contact with the outside world, since I have simply needed a break. However, I can’t continue running forever and sooner or later I would have to come on and talk about the recent explosion that has happened this summer in the form of So Much Cool.

The first stage of So Much Cool came when I got my hands on Monster Hunter 2 Freedom for the PSP, which I will be reviewing promptly–as soon as I can stop playing World of Warcraft again, since I could not resist the grind and already have a new Warrior up to level like, 15. MH2F is an amazing game. I have been geeking out over it for the past two weeks. If playing online wasn’t such an ordeal (especially with my absolutely shoddy connection down here in Mexico where I get 4,000 ping in World of Warcraft–I mean, come on) I would be giving this game Grade A points. But I’ll talk about MH2F later this week.

Part 2 of So Much Cool was the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Sons of the Patriots. I have never seen the Internet this excited. Well, I have, but over a game, never. Post after post on blog after blog is about MGS4 and IGN’s perfect score rating for it. I, unfortunately, am not one of those lucky enough to have a copy of the game since launch date, but my good buddy Squall assures me after having beaten the game last night that it is spectacular. His only worry is that it is a great deal of servicing the fans, and he wonders whether a non-fan would appreciate the game in the same way.
Luckily, I’m not a hardcore MGS fan–I’m absolutely awful at sneaking and I have never owned the games–though I did try to play Squall’s MGS1 copy on my computer only to have it fail epically. I do know the entire storyline after having analyzed and researched the whole thing along with Squall, but I’m pretty sure there’s things I don’t know and I’m definitely sure it’s not the same as playing the game. So depending on how I react, we can make some safe assumptions about how accurate 10/10 may be.
I’ll be getting the game sometime in the last days of June, so we’ll wait and see.

The last stage of So Much Cool has been the release of the SPORE Creature Editor and the upcoming demo release on June 17. Details:

I don’t want to be an advertisment here, but download the demo on June 17, for your own sake. The Creature Creator is a ten dollar buy and it’s just indescribably awesome, but considering the demo is released in two days you might as well wait for something free, especially since you can already preorder the game from EA’s Online Store. Launch date for SPORE: September 7, 2008.
The game works on my computer–and not only works, but works on a decent resolution with pretty stellar graphics and I was able to make a lovely number of different creatures. I am just thrilled. I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to play the game on my computer. But Will Wright loves me, I keep forgetting, and would never let me suffer that way.

This is such an action-packed summer, and already up ahead are the release of the In-Game XMB for PS3, Killzone 2, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance 2, SPORE for PC and Final Fantasy XIII and XIII Versus.
Slap Gran Turismo, GTAIV and Metal Gear at the beginning of that, and this is my favorite year ever.

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And indeed, there are more FFXIII screenshots available.

I have to say, this game has me the worst kind of excited. The kind of excited where you’re so excited you barely feel it any more and any more news is just adding to the load of anxiety you have because you want to be satisfied so badly. But as it is, it doesn’t come out till December. Until then, I’ll be suffering from my Final Fantasy blueballs and losing myself in Assassin’s Creed.

Here’s a recent hi-quality scan of a couple of pages of the mag–the rest can be found by following the link. It’s exciting!

Final Fantasy XIII Magazine Scan – Click for Full Size

PS

I beat Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Honestly, it was such an awesome, fun experience. I recommend it to everyone who’s bought a PS3–no matter what genre you like. That game is solid.

Now I need to get all the achievements.

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And it’s not something wicked. Rather, it’s something really cool.

PS3 has a lot of things planned for this year, including a new XMB update that will finally give us the ability to play music, talk with friends and check downloads while in-game. The only thing we need to do is wait–the trouble with that is that most of us don’t want to. I want it all now.

Of course, I can’t afford it all. I still have Rock Band, UT3, NGS and Oblivion to buy, and then DMC4, GTA IV, Killzone 2 and Haze come out in the next few months. Couple that with the upcoming promise of MGS4 in June, LittleBigPlanet in September (not April as previously thought, sorry peeps) and both Final Fantasies in December… I am going to have one penniless year. But it’ll be well worth it.

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I haven’t been posting because I’ve been so wrapped up in relishing in the wonders of the PS3. But coming back I’ll be ripe with reviews and posts. I’ve got several games I want to talk about from a design perspective, among them the awar-winning Everyday Shooter, the incredible MMO EVE Online, the PS2 classic, Bully, and the downloadable PS3 game, Warhawk.

Tomorrow I take a flight back to Savannah, Georgia, where I can get back to drawing and designing with focus, and hopefully I can return to my one-post-a-day which I have been ignoring for almost two weeks now. Post holidays is the hardest time to write, because I’m so wrapped up in enjoying gifts. I simply haven’t grown up in that regard, I’m afraid.

I’m done at Xibalba Studios, which was a fun and interesting experience for me, and I also plan on writing a bit about something interesting about interactive design I realized while working there.

So just hold on tight, people–I’ll be back, and soon, once again filled with commentary.

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