Red Dead Redemption > Grand Theft Auto

Red Dead Redemption Preview
WRITTEN BY: MIKE PULLANO

In a little over a month Red Dead Redemption will hit store shelves and while buzz is growing for the title it won’t be welcomed with the same pandemonium that it’s Rockstar sibling is known for. However I think many gamers will be pleasantly surprised when they see how Red Dead Redemption takes sandbox games beyond its car jacking counterpart.

The Chosen Sun

WRITTEN BY: JOSH WILSON
It all started when I was only 12 years old, huddled over my Gameboy like it was an epic adventure novel, playing Golden Sun. The cartoon like animation of the characters, bouncing with every shift in intonation and the classic Gameboy score that was evocative of the cartoons shows I adored. The mythical battles were invigorated with clouds and plumes of color. Attacks punctuated with colossal swords, cataclysmic fireballs, and the onslaught of metaphysical deities and demi-gods. I went on to wring every drop of adventuring and awesomeness it could offer, and its sequel didn't was more of the same. Nowadays, I see how important it was for Golden Sun to have a great deal of cohesion between the story and gameplay elements.

Games that Need to Change - PART 2

Metal Gear Solid

Don’t get me wrong I’m a diehard Metal Gear fan. I could watch Solid Snake eat a bowl of cereal for 8 hours and be happy but then again I’m a weird guy. Sadly I think if Kojima & Co. wants to sustain the popularity of the franchise it needs an overhaul to bring in some of the younger gamers. I love the cut scenes as much as any other MGS fan but to be honest they need to be refined and interwoven into the game better to keep newer gamers from walking away during a 45 minute chunk of time without gameplay. No one told Kojima that the average attention span is less than 10 minutes. I thought Uncharted 2 was a great example of how a game could develop character relationships in game while utilizing short yet cinematic cut scenes to bring it all together. Not a single cinematic in Uncharted 2 broke 6 minutes. GENIUS!

When it comes to controls Metal Gear is one of the most advanced and complicated games on the market. There are so many controls, options, items and weapons available to the player that many of them go unnoticed. Watching an experienced MGS player at work is a thing of beauty but sadly most people would never know they can utilize half of those abilities or maneuvers. Kojima & Co. needs to bring all of their great control and gameplay options to the foreground so players can more easily execute them and feel like the badass that Snake really is. 

The Multiplayer Hater

By Andrew Drinnan

I don’t know about you, but I play video games for escapism.  It’s nice to be able to take a break from reality once in a while.  For instance, about a month ago I walked outside and stepped into a dirty diaper… that’s REALITY for you.  How wonderful.

Games that Need to Change - PART 1

Grand Theft Auto

One of the greatest selling franchises of all time and I’m telling it to change. I am such a pretentious asshole. With each GTA iteration the world becomes more vast and expansive but sadly it’s starting to lose some of its appeal. Particularly with sandbox games players feel the need to do anything and go anywhere.

Never has a game needed branching storylines more than Grand Theft Auto. And don’t tell me that GTA IV had branching storylines because having two endings based on one decision doesn’t count. Those aren’t branches, that’s a tree stump with a limb sticking out. If GTA could take a page out of the Mass Effect book and allow the player to control the dialog exchanges and where the story heads I think it would reinvigorate the already great franchise. 

WRITERS WELCOME

Looking for Work?

As you can see from the few postings and even fewer followers Automatic Restart is making its first appearance on the interwebs.

We are currently looking for ambitious gamers that want to take a swing at writing about the hobby that they love. If you are interested in applying to be a writer or would like more info e-mail us at:

automatic.restart@gmail.com

CONTROL ISSUES

More Control
WRITER: Mike Pullano

Let’s not kid ourselves, when it comes to games we all want more control. We want to run, jump, crouch, climb, swim and sprint all while switching weapons, shooting and doing player taunts. With games becoming ever more detailed and immersive we want to be able to control every aspect of our character.

There was a point in time when any good gamer had the finger dexterity of a concert pianist. However it seems that those days may soon be gone as more and more games seems to be taking the ‘context sensitive’ approach to controls. (Don’t get me started on Heavy Rain)