Nov 25, 2010

Kotaku

My acting teacher taught me a variety of things, such as how to cry on command and sound really excited about floor wax.

But more importantly, she taught me that the hardest roles of my career wouldn't involve emotional death scenes, historical research, or any kind of physical and emotional transformation.

The hardest roles would be playing the attractive, heroic leading lady.

Not because the scenes are demanding in the least. In fact, they're usually some of the easiest: Smile, look pretty. Shoot gun, look pretty. Play hard to get, look pretty. Pouty-lipped reaction shot. Repeat.

My acting coach meant that it's easy to fall into the trap of just going through the motions as the ‘pretty girl.' I mean, who cares about my character's subtext (the emotion underneath the words) as long as I had a low-cut shirt, flat abs, and body oil, right? True – and there's nothing wrong with sex appeal – but it's the job of real actors to take something superficial and give it depth.

This same concept applies to video game heroines.

In the original Tomb Raiders, Lara Croft needed nothing more than D-cups and 9-millimeters to satisfy her demographic. But now that the bar of characterization has been raised, what makes a good heroine?

Personally, I compare it to what I've learned in acting: Leading ladies have to be tough, but accessible. Beautiful, with a vulnerable, ugly side. A strong woman and a scared little girl at the same time. Not to mention outfits and overall style need to make sense. And what about throwing some humor in there? A sense of humor makes her relatable. In other words, female protagonists should be well rounded… and not just in the physical sense.

These high standards of mine are the reason I still don't have a favorite video game heroine. The funniest thing, however, is that each of my requirements have been met – only with different characters.

So, I'm breaking all the rules, throwing on my mad scientist goggles, and splicing together some Frankenstein monsters, to see if I can create my perfect female lead.

Monster #1 – The Witty, Complex Beauty

Elena Fisher's humor (Uncharted series) + Lara Croft's style & weapons (Tomb Raider series) + Bonnie MacFarlane's emotional strength (Red Dead Redemption)

No firearm compares to Nathan Drake's arsenal of one-liners, and while he's not the first wisecracking hero, he's one of the first to have a sarcastic female counterpart who can shoot the jokes right back. Elena's sense of humor could very well be the most lovable thing about her. Combine that charming personality with Lara Croft's short-shorts and pistols, and – well, talk about a firecracker!

You can't deny that Lara Croft's body is as classic to video games as Mario's red hat. I loved her style in Tomb Raider: Underworld, and frankly, I'd wear the same thing if I were chimney jumping like a spider monkey in a hot, sticky jungle. To top off a beauty like Lara with the quick wit of Elena, I'd add Bonnie MacFarlane's full range of emotions.

Bonnie is a real, relatable woman in a man's world. We see her as a protective landowner and a respectful daughter. We watch her take a liking to John Marston, which turns into a silent love, and eventually… we see her realize that love can never develop, as she kicks the dirt like a sad little girl.

While Elena's humor and Lara's style are good first steps toward creating a dynamic heroine, it's really the imperfections and heart of Bonnie that round out this Frankenstein monster.

Monster #2 – The Hot, Parkouring Zombie Assassin

Zoey's relatability (Left4Dead) + Faith Connors' acrobatics (Mirror's Edge) + Rubi Malone's fashion (Wet)

The Zompocalypse is going to happen. We've all accepted it.

While we know virtually nothing about Zoey from Left4Dead, gamers are obsessed with her. I realized it's because she is one of the most relatable female characters around. She's extremely normal – a girl you could easily run into on the street. I guarantee if the outbreak happened tomorrow, I would be Zoey personified… but I'd wish I had the skills of Faith Connors.

Imagine being a survivor among zombies with the ability to parkour. Talk about a game-changer! Faith's unique, real-life free-running ability given to a sharpshooter like Zoey produces a character that's only missing one thing: some sexy style.

Wet wasn't exactly Game of the Year, but its star, Rubi Malone, knows how to dress. Her style is practical, sexy, and gives off a "Don't screw with me" vibe. Why do I think my down-to-earth, Apocalypse-surviving heroine needs more than just jeans and a hoodie? It's the classic saying, "Look good, feel good," because hell, if I looked like Rubi at the end of humanity, my ass-kicking ego would be bigger than a free Lady Gaga concert.

Monster #3 – The Loyal, Independent Phasewalker… with a Sword

Lilith's Phasewalk (Borderlands) + Alyx Vance's complexity and independence (Half-Life series) + Lightning's gunblade (Final Fantasy XIII)

Video games are fictional, and the best thing about fiction is that you can give characters unrealistic features, such as incredible super powers. Lilith's Phasewalk in Borderlands allows her to turn invisible and slip out of danger, then reappear in the center of the battle with a shockwave of pain. Yet, this amazing power is given to a character that's hard to get close to. Imagine this power given to a strong, sassy, beautifully complex character like Alyx Vance.

Alyx, more than Gordon Freeman, is the face of Half-Life 2, giving us a real human with which to connect as we control a voiceless hero. Maybe I'm just a sucker for that wink of hers, but Alyx's personality is a breath of fresh air in the video game land of superficial beauties.

Lilith and Alyx? They're all about guns. So, we'll stick with what they're familiar with and throw in a sword. The Gunblades from Final Fantasy are undeniably cool, and the one wielded by Lightning is probably the most gorgeous of all. Lightning's weapon, Alyx's depth, Lilith's powers – yeah, I'd play that game.

There is an obvious shortage of multifaceted female protagonists. Even in Game Informer's "30 Characters Who Defined a Decade," only six were women. In our male-dominated world of games, I'd love to see more female heroes that break the shallow mold and show us their gritty, even ugly side. And hey, a few more funny girls wouldn't hurt, either.

So, those are my creations – what are yours?

Lisa Foiles is best known as the former star of Nickelodeon's award-winning comedy show, All That. She currently works as a graphic designer and writes for her game site, Save Point. For more info, visit Lisa's official website.

Nov 25, 2010

Kotaku's 2010 PC Gift Guide

DogFighter

There's no faster way to somebody's heart than to buy them a great PC game. With that (and this week's Black Friday sales) in mind, here are our picks for PC games to stuff in that special someone's stocking.

Whether you're looking for a strategy game, shooter, role-player or something completely out of left field, here are ten best PC games you could wrap up and surprise someone with this holiday season.

Civilization V

Rating: E10+
Genre: Turn-based Strategy

Ideal Player: History buffs with a desire to see their social lives and marriages ruined.

What's It About? You take control of a civilization in its earliest days, as you guide your people throughout human history advancing their knowledge, exploring new lands and taking the sword to your neighbours.

Bang For Your Buck: Civilization IV came out five years ago, and people are still playing it. In many ways, this game is better than Civilization IV. Need me to paint you a picture?

Read Kotaku's Civilization V review

Starcraft II

Rating: M
Genre: Real-time Strategy

Ideal Player: Anyone who has ever had any contact with the first Starcraft.

What's It About? The sequel to a game first released in 1998, Starcraft II takes you on a journey around the galaxy as the corrupt - yet strangely lovable - forces of humanity struggle to stay alive against an insectoid alien race that seems unstoppable.

Bang For Your Buck: While the game's singleplayer campaign is a fairly lengthy (considering it's only 1/3 of the overall game), it's multiplayer where most of a player's time will be spent. Get hooked on Starcraft II and there's precedent for you to still be playing in twelve year's time.

Read Kotaku's review of Starcraft II

Minecraft

Rating: N/A
Genre: Island Death Simulator
Ideal Player: Someone who isn't afraid to experiment with a game, really push at its edges to see what can be done with an open world and finite resources.

What's It About? Minecraft puts you on an island and lets you fend for yourself. What begins as a struggle for survival eventually turns into an expression of your mastery over your domain, as frantic races for shelter at night give way to days spent building shrines in your own image.

Bang For Your Buck: Minecraft will last as long as your imagination can power your daily routines. It's a game free of story or time limits, so if you can find something to do on the island that day, you've found another way to spend a day playing Minecraft.

Monkey Island 2: Special Edition

Rating: N/A
Genre: Adventure

Ideal Player: Someone who likes a laugh and isn't afraid of some (at times) abstract puzzles to solve.

What's It About? A shiny remake of a classic 1991 adventure game, the Special Edition of Monkey Island 2 drags one of the finest (and funniest) games of the 20th century right into the 21st. You play a pirate, Guybrush Threepwood, out on a quest for the treasure that can both make him rich and save his skin.

Bang For Your Buck: It can be completed in a week or two of solid play, but you're in this one for the story, the puzzles and the humour, not replayability. Besides, it's cheap!

Dogfighter

Rating: N/A
Genre: Combat Flight Game

Ideal Player: Flight sim fans who want the genre equivalent of a dirty one-night stand.

What's It About? Dogfighter is an aerial combat game that takes the thrill of dogfighting and drops it in an arena-style online combat setting, ala Team Fortress 2 or Call of Duty.

Bang For Your Buck: Depends how good you are! It's an online combat game, so as long as there are other people in the world up for a game, you've got yourself a game.

Just Cause 2

Rating: M
Genre: Sandbox Adventure

Ideal Player: The kind of person who loves the explosions and freedom of a sandbox game but hates all that stuff like story and realism.

What's It About? Just Cause 2 is about being dropped on an island and then running around for days blowing stuff up. There's something about an uprising against a totalitarian government amidst all the carnage, but you won't have time to pay attention since you'll be so busy blowing stuff up. Yes, this is a very "console" kind of game (it was also released on PS3 and 360), but the PC version's draw distance makes it such a pleasant experience we had to recommend it here.

Bang For Your Buck: Just Cause 2's storyline wears thin pretty quick, but there's enough to do on the game's islands with your own imagination (and arsenal of destructive toys) that it should keep you occupied for a few weeks.

Napoleon Total War

Rating: T
Genre: Strategy

Ideal Player: A history buff who isn't afraid to step down from the strategic level and get blood on the end of their bayonet.

What's It About? Napoleon: Total War is a game that puts you in control of one of Europe's major powers during the Napoleonic Wars. Economic planning, trade routes, supply lines, military manouvres, you have to take care of all that sort of stuff on a strategic level. Then, when push comes to shove, you can take control of your armies and fight out battles in real-time on the field.

Bang For Your Buck: Full games can take weeks. I myself have sunk over 180 hours into the game since its release, so yes, there is bang for your buck here.

Read Kotaku's Napoleon Total War review

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Rating: N/A
Genre: Adventure

Ideal Player: Someone who isn't afraid of having their pants scared off.

What's It About? Amnesia is an adventure game played in the first-person. Sounds like a pleasant Sunday's afternoon gaming, only Amnesia is a horror adventure game, and quite possibly one of the scariest video games ever made.

Bang For Your Buck: It's not a time-sink like some of the other games on this list, but there is avenue for replays if the player wants to enjoy it a second of third time with a little of the tension relieved.

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale

Rating: N/A
Genre: Role-Playing Game

Ideal Player: Fans of Japanese Role-Playing Games that would appreciate something a little different within the genre.

What's It About? Role-playing games are always full of silly little stores selling items. Well, in Recettear, you're actually running one of them, making the game a refreshing combination of retail management and role-playing game.

Bang For Your Buck: You can "finish" the game in around 10-12 hours, but if you really want to get out an explore and see everything Recettear has to offer, expect to invest at least 100 hours into the game.

Mass Effect 2

Rating: M
Genre: Role-Playing Game

Ideal Player: Anyone who has ever liked anything to do with spaceships, aliens or quests to save the universe.

What's It About? One of the year's best games is at its best on the PC, sharper graphics and a better control scheme making Commander Shepard's fight to save the galaxy a ride PC gamers will not soon forget. Mass Effect 2 blends role-playing with action-oriented gunplay, with a whole lot of entertaining chit-chat in between.

Bang For Your Buck: The main game can take anywhere from 15-25 hours to complete, but thanks to the open-ended nature of the game - and the fact many conversation options are limited to a "good" or "evil" playthrough - you'll want to play it again and take a different path to see all the stuff you missed.

Read Kotaku's Mass Effect 2 review

Nov 25, 2010

Review: Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem Is More Donkey Kong Than 2010's Other Big Donkey Kong Game

Kotaku

Review: Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem Is More Donkey Kong Than 2010's Other Big Donkey Kong Game Some other Donkey Kong game came out from Nintendo in November 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns, they call it. Yeah, sure. Like the essence of Donkey Kong is running to the right. The ape must stand defiant. Mario must run.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is the ~~third~~ fourth of the Mario Vs. DK games, which are all interesting puzzle games and the closest we get to sequels to the classic Donkey Kong game from the 1980s. Donkey Kong is the villain in these. The heroes in the last two installments and this new one are wind-up toy versions of Mario who must be marched to a goal in one puzzling level after another. They are mindless, Lemmings-like, entities that the player uses a Nintendo DS stylus to direct through dozens of tricky, treacherous levels, some filled with pits to be bridged, enemies to be avoided or Donkey Kong himself to defeated.

Ideal Player

People who like puzzle games that require both careful planning and quick reflexes, as well as creative gamers who enjoy making their own levels and sharing them online. Also, Mario buffs and Donkey Kong buffs.

Why You Should Care

In a world without new Lemmings games, the Mario Vs. Donkey Kong series has been the freshest way to direct mindless video game characters out of harm's way. A simple concept that, somehow, Nintendo still hasn't exhausted. This is Nintendo presenting puzzle gameplay in an intuitive and enjoyable fashion.

This Sounds Awfully Similar To Other Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Games. It isn't that different. Yes, it's more polished than the original Game Boy Advance and downloadable DSiWare sequel. Yes, it is full of all-new content. But the basic gameplay isn't shockingly different, not from the DS and DSiWare editions, which could kill the appeal for people who have sampled the series already. In level after level you are directing one or more Mario toys toward a goal. Once you let them start walking, you need to make sure they all survive. They won't stop.

Review: Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem Is More Donkey Kong Than 2010's Other Big Donkey Kong Game

Surely, There's A New Twist? The main twist here is that this new game is a lovely museum of classic Mario and Donkey Kong trappings. The game's levels are full of great Mario sound effects and music. Most importantly, they are ripe with Mario and Donkey Kong gameplay elements. Each batch of the game's levels introduces a new stylus-driven mechanic that references the series... for some levels you can draw ladders to help the Marios climb; in others you can plant both ends of the classic green warp-pipes. Harder levels require you to utilize several of these tools. There's a lot of nice nostalgia here marshaled for solid gameplay and aesthetic purposes.

What's With This Being Like The Classic Donkey Kong? Not only is this a game that features Mario(s) who are often climbing girders, but the nine boss levels are wonderful riffs on classic DK. Each is a two-screen-tall vertical challenge to get toy Marios to the top of a stack of ramps, atop which Donkey Kong stands, a captured Pauline by his side. He's tossing barrels at Mario! And we've got hammers. Oh, the memories. These boss battles are the game's high-point, a vast improvement from those of the past, which had been the series' weakest element.

And The Game Makes A Person Feel Clever? It does, because its levels are a delicate balance of being tricky but usually passable by no more than the second try. Completing the game unlocks harder versions of each level — and there are some special extra-hard levels tucked in the back as extras — but the default difficulty here is brain-tickling more than brain-cramping. I liked it and found some of the levels wonderful to sort through. But burn through them you can, which leads me to...

What Of The Online? Those who buy Nintendo DS games may already be aware of Nintendo's surprisingly aggressive efforts on the handheld device to support online play. In this case, as with Picross 3D and WarioWare D.I.Y., the emphasis is on gamers creating and sharing content. A player can create levels, download them or participate in themed challenges. Oddly, the names of the user-made levels I perused, of which there were plenty, were all blocked out with question marks. That has made browsing through levels more annoying than it should be. Aside from that, downloading levels is easy and a good extender of content.

Mario Vs; Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem In Action

Video shot of me playing the game for you.

The Bottom Line

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is a fun thinking-person's game for the DS that won't force you to think terribly hard, not on your first playthrough. It's a fun nostalgia trip for Mario and Donkey Kong fans as well as the best of the Mario Vs DK bunch. It might be best enjoyed by series newcomers, because those who've taken this tour twice before may feel they've played it before. Watch the video in this review and make sure there's enough new here for you before deciding to have some fun defying Donkey Kong.

Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS, released on November 14. Retails for $34.99. A copy of the game was given to us by the publisher for reviewing purposes. Conquered the game's 64 levels, its mini-games its boss battles, some extra levels, then unlocked the harder second play-through. Downloaded some levels, but only made one very bad one you don't want to play.

Nov 25, 2010

The Best Video Game Black Friday Deals and How To Get Them

Kotaku

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the parade! Delight in your dinner! Prepare for tomorrow's battle.

There are two types of people in the world. Those of us who want nothing to do with the bedlam, the insanity, the ferocity of Black Friday's plentiful, big deals. And those of you who live for the moment.

This survival guide is for the latter. In it we detail not only how to get through the day and it's crush of humanity, but also where to go for the best deals by console and how, if you hate going out on Black Friday, to still get some pretty great deals.

Prepare

Deal shopping is serious business. And Black Friday, Black Friday is like the Olympics of deal finding. If you're really going to go brave the human tempest that are the masses awaiting you at Best Buy, Toys R Us, any mart, then you better go prepared.

1. Eyes on the Prize: Pick a deal and stick to it and get there early. It might help to look over our Black Friday deals story and flip through our gift guides. If you're looking for one of the better deals, like a "door buster", expect to be in stiff competition. Get to the store before it opens, hours before.

2. Come Prepared: That means comfy shoes, maybe a bottle of water, loose fitting clothes. This isn't pleasure shopping, this is big game shopping.

3. If Things Go Bad: It's unlikely that things will, but if they do, if you get sucked into the vortex of a milling, screaming, shoving crowd, you can still come out unscathed. Make sure to stay calm. Work your way toward the outside of the flash riot by moving with the flow of bodies. Watch your footing, the last thing you want to do is go down. If you fall, pull yourself into a ball, protecting your face. Forget the deal, no amount of savings is worth being trampled for.

The Best Deals

DS
If you're in the market for a new Nintendo handheld, than Meijer has the best deal, offering a Limited Edition DSi holiday bundle, which comes with Mario Party and a red or green DSi, and a $30 coupon for $150. Amazon and Kmart also have the deal, but with a $25 coupon. Do keep in mind that the 3DS is coming to the U.S. early next year.

Game deals for the DS are pretty slim this year, with none of our suggested gift ideas for the platform popping up on sale. Instead there's a strong selection of old, often unwanted titles, at discount prices.

PC
The most common, and perhaps the best, deal out there right now seems to be for World of Warcraft Battlechest, which is running for $10 at quite a few stores. Of course online stores are offering plenty of deals for download as well. More on that in a bit.

PS3
There is quite a variety of bundles available for the PS3 this year. The best deal is pretty subjective, depending on whether you want movies, coupons or games with your console. Most of the deals are for the 160GB console and come with Uncharted 2, a fantastic game. Then you can decide between bundles like Dell's which also includes LittleBigPlanet, Tron: Evolution and The Karate Kid BluRay or Meijjer which includes Karate Kid and a $50 coupon. Another strong option is The GameStop deal which offers both the God of War Collection and God of War III discs. The one commonality among a majority of the bundles this year? They'll run you $299.99.

There are also plenty of good gaming deals to pick up for your PS3 this holiday. Some of our favorites include Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, which seems to be down to $35 at most stores, Fallout: New Vegas for $35 Kmart and Red Dead Redemption which is selling for $30 at Walmart. Another great deal? Call of Duty: Black Ops with a $30 coupon for $60 at Meijer.

PSP
We found that the Playstation Portable has quite a few good bundles available this year. The best seems to be at Meijer which has a PSP 3000 core holiday bundle with LittleBigPlanet, The Karate Kid UMD, a 1GB Memory Stick and a $30 coupon for $129.99. Do keep in mind that a new PSP seems to be looming, when considering buying the handheld.

There really aren't that many PSP games with deep discounts this year, it appears.

Wii
Meijer takes the Wii hardware category too, offering shoppers a chance to pick up the console for $149.99 Best Buy has the next best deal, offering the console with Wii Sports Resort for $169.99.

The best game deals for the Wii include Amazon and Target's $35 price for Super Mario Galaxy 2, GoldenEye for $39.99 and NBA Jam for $29.99 at Kmart and Toys R Us.

Xbox 360
I'm not a fan of the Xbox 360 that sports a mere 4GB of storage. You're going to quickly need to pick up an overpriced harddrive for it if you intend to do any serious gaming. So the best deal I've spotted this holiday is Toys R Us' $299.99 price tag for a 250GB console with a $50 Toys R Us gift card. If you're looking for a 4GB console, despite my warnings, quite a few stores are offering it for $199.99 plus a $50 gift card.

There are plenty of great gaming deals out there this holiday for the 360. You can pick up Fable III and Halo: Reach for $35 each at Target. Meijer has Call of Duty: Black Ops with a $30 coupon for $59.99. Assassins's Creed Brotherhood is on sale for $39.99 at Kmart, which also has Fallout New Vegas for $34.99. And my favorite racer of the year, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, can be picked up for $34.99 at Best Buy or Kmart.

Stay Home

The best way to deal with the glut of special, deals and sales and the violent, ham-handed folks they attract? Stay home! And with the always increasing popularity of online shopping you can still find some pretty sweet deals.

Here are some Black Friday digital deals worth checking out.

Amazon
Fable III $29.99
Fall out: New Vegas $34.99
Medal of Honor $29.99
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit $34.99
Halo Reach $39.99
FlingSmash with Wii Remote Plus $29.99
Infamous, PS3, $9.99
Killzone 2, PS3, $9.99
Red Dead Redemption, PS3 and X360, $28.99
4GB Xbox + $60 GC, X360 $199.99
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, PS3 and X360, $34.99
The Sims 3, PS3 and X360, $34.99
NBA JAM, Wii, $26.99
Madden NFL 11, Wii, PS3, and X360, $28.99
FIFA Soccer 11, PS3, and X360, $34.99
WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011, X360, $29.99
EA SPORTS MMA,PS3, and X360, $34.99
Super Mario Galaxy 2, Wii, $34.99
NCAA Football 11, PS3, $34.99
NHL 11, PS3 and X360, $34.99
God of War III, PS3, $39.99

Gamersgate
Game download store Gamersgate has 52 offers up on their site including some great gets like Torchlight for $9.99, Devil May Cry 4 for $9.95 and the Deus Ex Collection for $4.99

Steam
Online store steam has major daily deals through till Nov. 29. The deals change daily, but past ones have included Alpha Protocol for $7.50, The Deus Ex Collection for $4.99 and Borderlands for $9.99. They also have packs of games, letting you pick up multiple copies of the same game at deep discounts so you can hand them out to friends... electronically.

Of course all deals are incredibly subjective. What one person thinks is a great deal, another might think is horrible. And most of the ones you find on Black Friday are limited, so go into this knowing you may not come home with what you left seeking.

What are you planning on going out for?

Sources: WikiHow, Kotaku's Great Big Book of Black Friday Deals, Amazon, Steam, Gamersgate.

Photo: Getty Images