BLAST PROCESSING! Volume 2, Issue 1

[Steve T Power]

We're back!

Like lambs to the proverbial slaughter, the prodigal sons return and with them comes a brand new episode of Blast Processing! Join Steve and Jon as they talk Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Rage, Dark Souls, Steve Jobs, High Def Remakes, and a round of Whiskey shots (purely celebratory, of course). (Rated M for Mature)

Listen with prejudice! Comment accordingly!

[alexwagner]

Great EP!

Are you guys going to cover games that were missed due to the break? How often are you looking to put these out?

[Steve T Power]

I shall see what I can do for sure. With the fall being pretty stacked, I'll try and squeeze some stuff in. Any requests?

We're "aiming" for one a week.

[alexwagner]

Shall have a look over my shelf Steve and get back to you!

Heads up on the NFS: The Run demo also that's out the 18th. I've got a feeling this will be a fantastic racer!

[alexwagner]

Maybe some mini reviews on some of these?

Renegade Ops
Forza Motorsport 4
Gears of War 3
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Dead Island
Driver: San Francisco
Resistance 3

[Steve T Power]

Maybe some mini reviews on some of these?

Renegade Ops
Forza Motorsport 4
Gears of War 3
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Dead Island
Driver: San Francisco
Resistance 3

We do talk a little about Space Marine (SPICE MAH-REEN!) on this week's episode (basically we all agree it's better than Gears 3 ) and we get into Gears 3 a bit. I also share my thoughts on Forza 4. That'll be up for your listening enjoyment this upcoming Saturday I think.

I'll try and squeeze some Dead Island into next week's for ya if I ain't too busy with Dark Souls

[alexwagner]

Thanks mate!

I've decided I'm taking the plunge and grabbing Dark Souls

[Steve T Power]

Thanks mate!

I've decided I'm taking the plunge and grabbing Dark Souls

You will either be enthralled or enraged...

[alexwagner]

Thanks mate!

I've decided I'm taking the plunge and grabbing Dark Souls

You will either be enthralled or enraged...

Ended up getting Arkham City though curiosity will get the better of me and I will also grab Dark Souls in the near future. Also Steve I know you own GT5 just wondering do you think it's worth grabbing post patch? This new 'Spec 2.0' patch seems to have been met with good impressions. How much better is it now compared to the game that shipped? Intrigued now as it's cheap!

[Steve T Power]

Thanks mate!

I've decided I'm taking the plunge and grabbing Dark Souls

You will either be enthralled or enraged...

Ended up getting Arkham City though curiosity will get the better of me and I will also grab Dark Souls in the near future. Also Steve I know you own GT5 just wondering do you think it's worth grabbing post patch? This new 'Spec 2.0' patch seems to have been met with good impressions. How much better is it now compared to the game that shipped? Intrigued now as it's cheap!

Honestly, I haven't bothered. Sorry Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsports is my master now. I keep thinking I'll fire it up and give it a whirl, and every time I do I just get so crestfallen (Gran Turismo 2 is still probably my most played game of all time.) Forza started with a very strong first outing (honestly, it beat out GT4 in the fun-factor department) and has just continually evolved over time into the brilliant, deep as you want it to be package that it is today, while GT has essentially remained unchanged throughout its lifespan. It just throws more cars and tracks into the mix. GT5 was so chock full of half cooked ideas (one awesome next gen tier of cars, and a whole boatload of up-scaled Ps2 models? Really?) and blemishes (incredibly UGLY shadow flicker and some really hideous texture work at times) that I bailed pretty early. I wanted to LOVE it, but Yamauchi-san and the guys at Polyphony were maybe a little too directionless (happens when your game director is busy racing Nissans on the Nurburgring instead of designing a freakin game!) and a little too ignorant of what the competitors were doing (One play of Forza 3 or NFS: Shift could have shown them that other racing games were evolving past them). GT5 is a solid racer, the mechanics are as sound as always, but in a world where other choices exist, it no longer has the crown in my book, which makes me incredibly sad, as I've always been one of the series' biggest boosters.

ASIDE: Having over 1000 cars doesn't mean an iota when were looking at over a hundred variations on Supras, Skylines, Civics, and Lancers. Come on guys...

[alexwagner]

Thanks for your thoughts Steve. I keep hearing that despite it's improvements it's simply just not that fun to play.

Speaking of racers I also tried the NFS: Th Run demo. The only complaint I have are probably the visuals by no means a bad looking game but a step back from Hot Pursuit. The handling has also swung back towards a more sim feel. Overall though it works and I had fun. Judging by the amount of content being touted I'm certain that this game will be reviewed well. I remember reading impressions of the Hot Pursuit demo and people didn't like it at all and it ended being received very warmly which I think will be the case here. I think Black Box are an underrated developer.

[Steve T Power]

Thanks for your thoughts Steve. I keep hearing that despite it's improvements it's simply just not that fun to play.

Speaking of racers I also tried the NFS: Th Run demo. The only complaint I have are probably the visuals by no means a bad looking game but a step back from Hot Pursuit. The handling has also swung back towards a more sim feel. Overall though it works and I had fun. Judging by the amount of content being touted I'm certain that this game will be reviewed well. I remember reading impressions of the Hot Pursuit demo and people didn't like it at all and it ended being received very warmly which I think will be the case here. I think Black Box are an underrated developer.

The automotive hardcore still cling to it like captains to a sinking ship, but I AM automotive hardcore, and this behavior just boggles my mind. Every time the "GT has better physics" argument comes out, I think about the last time I slid into a wall in Gran Turismo and just sort of "bumped off of it", or used an AI opponent as a guardrail to get around a tough curve, and how much better Forza simulates the feeling of impact, or how easy it is to kick out the back end of a rear wheel drive vehicle with over 400 horsepower, or how much that physical contact with opponents can truly ruin your day. They say that GT is the more proper, less forgiving driving "simulator", and yet I feel like it's light years more accessible than Forza once you get on the track, and the cars are predisposed to driving in a straight line. The tuning is polar opposite though, with GT being a good "catch all" combo of accessibility and depth, while Forza basically allows you to auto tune for a set car class (the easy way), or really get under the hood (which can utterly DESTROY a good car if you don't know what you're doing).

The latest episode just went live, there are some more thoughts on Forza in there! Hope ya enjoy!

[alexwagner]

Your points are sounds Steve. I enjoyed GT 1/2 not based on it's merits as a simulator as I remember stage 4 turboing the GTO and Skyline and just bouncing of walls to win races but I think because it filled a void that exsisted at the time. There were many intangibles it got right I even remember the excitement on visiting used car dealers on certain days to find awesome rare cars. That was a superb little touch.

I tried the Forza 4 demo and wow it sure is pretty. Next May this hardware is going to be 7 years old there's life in the old dog yet! With the leaps Turn 10 are making Forza 5 is going to be insane!

[Steve T Power]

The big talk now is new hardware unveil at E3 2013, and new hardware in stores that holiday season. If they're already in the trenches with some final specs and dev kits, then I believe it. Either way, I've heard that Turn 10 have shifted their development over to the "xbox next" outside of the guys focused on DLC. So I'd say 2013 or 2014 will see Forza 5 on next gen hardware.

Conversely, I'm thinking Sony still has at least another 2 years of PS3 left in em.

[alexwagner]

Yep! If it was 2012 the rumours would be far stronger. I think Microsoft will launch first again as it definitely helped them this generation. 2013 is a lock in my opinion for the next XBOX. With the WIi U having been out for a year and reaching only parity (graphically) add to that Sony holding off (hardware wise) E3 2013 is perfect timing to launch new hardware...the door is wide open.

Also Steve another title for EP 3 I just remembered was Infamous 2. Did you or Jon play through that?