Ask The Dalf #2

Some say that he was born with an extra finger on his left hand just so he could play Guitar Hero better, and that every time Uwe Boll makes a game-based movie he dies a little inside. All we know is that he’s called The Dalf…

Is a new edition of ATD coming?
Is that a hip new name that you’ve give to this little feature? Fine, we’ll run with it. Is a new edition coming? Hmm, I’m thinking sooner than you think.

Mr. Bryan are you going to do Video Reviews!!
Err, I have absolutely no idea who you could be referring to, and please stop shouting at me. That’s the problem with the youth of today - too aggressive. Video reviews will come to NoobFeed eventually, but don’t hold your breath for a timeframe. In fact do.

Are you going to be at E3 next year?
Unfortunately not. I can just about afford diesel to get to and from work. Hopefully we will be there in future years though, when NoobFeed has expanded and we’re one step closer to our ultimate goal - world domination.

What in your opinion is the best FPS ever made that was not released in this gen?
Well you said ‘in your opinion’ so I’ll share my personal favourite as oppose to going with the general consensus. It’s pretty close actually between: GoldenEye 007, Unreal Tournament and my eventual winner, after much deliberation - Call of Duty 2.

That game evoked so much emotion in me and really drew me in to the action and suspense that was unfolding as I progressed through the story. Not to mention; the multiplayer was pretty darn addictive too.

Have you ever played any game from the Command & Conquer series, and if yes, which one is your favourite and why?
Command & Conquer: Generals was my favourite, probably because it was set in modern day and I could relate to it more than the others. It also had a killer expansion in Zero Hour that completely opened up the way you approached and played each game. I still play it with a friend occasionally, destroying and embarrassing him in the process of course.

I’ve been waiting for Gran Turismo 5 for way too long now; do you think we’ll see it before the end of the year?
My guess is yes, but it seems only 34% of you seem to agree with me according to the latest poll. Sony executives have been quoted as saying time and time again that the game is almost ready, they could keep improving it forever, or they could throw it out now, but it’s all about the timing. My guess is we’ll see it just before Christmas this year; they’d be fools not to take advantage.

In terms of gaming, which one do you think is the better genre for the gamers to exercise their mind (and why). Same question goes for the worst game genre too.
I’m sorry for such an obvious answer, but I’d definitely go with the recent spurt of brain training games that we’ve seen on the market over the past few years. While a lot of them come down to memorizing or practicing certain exercises, as oppose to actually increasing your brain power to the extent they claim; they do a better job than anything else available.

The worst type is a little more subjective, but I’m gonna say rhythm games. While they give you a better sense of timing and exercise in a physical sense, whether it be your fingers, or whatever; many of them can become monotonous. Guitar Hero for example has you sitting in front of your TV watching these coloured markers coming at you over and over again, and if you watch somebody play it most of the time they appear to be in some sort of zombie-like state.

In games what is most important to you, gameplay story or graphics?
Gameplay is absolutely essential. Without fun and engrossing gameplay you don’t really have a starting block. It’s pointless having a game with an amazing story or graphics if you’re not having any fun playing it. What makes Tetris an all-time classic and still fun and addictive to play to this day? It’s certainly not the story or the graphics, let me tell you.

In terms of story and graphics; I’d say it totally depends on what genre you’re looking at. If we were talking about an action-adventure game then I’d obviously say story, because if the game isn’t really heading anywhere, no matter how great it looks; then it doesn’t really have a point to it. On the other hand you have genres such as racing; where they focus much more on the gameplay and graphical elements as oppose to a gripping story, and rightly so.

When you just rent a game, do you get the time to see what a game is really all about? Does it make you wanna buy it then? And is such case, why don't just try the demo?
It obviously depends how much time you dedicate to the game you’ve rented. I’ve rented many games and completed them entirely in a couple of days, and at that point there really isn’t much more you can uncover. Generally once I’ve exhausted everything I possible can from it then I really see no need to buy it, unless it harbors some fantastic multiplayer value.

In terms of trying the demo, I’m fully behind doing that as it takes away a lot of the risk of renting the game and finding you’re not enjoying it early on. There’s nothing worse than spending your cash on a game and then finding out you despise the thing, only to be stuck with it for an entire week. I have found if you ask nicely though a select few stores will allow a quick swap for something more to your liking.

Renting is definitely something I approve of. If you only intend to play a game with the sole purpose to complete the main portion then it would be pretty insane not to rent. You’re getting the exact same experience, only it’s costing you a lot less money. Obviously there are time restraints, but if you’re enjoying the game then you usually find you complete it pretty quickly anyways. If you’re not enjoying it then you’ve saved yourself some money.

My PS2 is broken and I’m saving money for a console. Which one do you recommend me to buy? PS3 or 360?
Each of them have their strengths and weaknesses, it all comes down to personal preference. All I can advise is you do your homework on both the hardware and software for each and then make your decision accordingly. It’s no use listening to someone else say “this is better, get this,” because everyone is different. When it comes to consoles we can only make our own minds up, because while we may occasionally be swayed to buy a game, which has a generally short lifespan, your console choice affects you for a whole lot longer.

Just who do you think you are?
I’m Dalf. Thanks for all your questions; as long as they keep coming I’ll be sure to keep answering them.