DEFIANCE at Playstation Experience (LDN UK 2003)
Note: This is an updated and edited version from the one that I posted on a lot of boards
*Apparently, this was not the E3 Demo, but the latest demo (as I wrote in my other posts) - thanx for correcting me Dan ^^ *
The Playstation Experience is an anual event that takes place in London UK for fans to try out new games that won' t be released for a few months, have tournaments, live music etc.
This is my feedback after playing the demo! ^__^
Got to Earl's Court early and went straight to the [Quest] section...luckily there where a few booths forLoK: DEFINACE so I got in there straight away ^^
I started in a Sarafan keep, and got all the way to some really gorgeous looking underwater caverns.
Graphically~ lovely work, the models really do surpass SR2, I can tell that much pushing of limits for the PS2 have been done. I was really stunned by the detail in Kain's model.
There was a lot of pressure with the gameplay time coz ppl where beginning to queue up behind me, so I couldn't really have a full look around at all the pretty scenery.
Took some time to get into some butt kicking, but I must say I was impressed by the combat system! The telekinesis stuff was a real welcome treat~ pushing those Sarafan all over the place or into me and a well defined juggling combo!
The telekinisis itself could be used for a manour of things i.e, moving inanimate objects, things off the wall and enemies in and out of a battle situation. So, the telekinisis gift will probably prove to be a big element in puzzle solving, not to mention in the battle.
One thing tho, the automatic targeting system became a lil difficult sometimes. Whereas the automatic targeting was good, I couldn’t find a way to change who was being targeted (like u can in SR2).
So if ur trying to tactically telekinetically move enemies around, u can’t... Maybe that was just me being crappy with the controls?
Tho I've been told that the combat system's still got a way to go!
Argh I couldn’t do any feeding combos either, the Blood Reaver was doing all the feeding. No biting on the neck for me! Tho I did get the projectile blood feeding from the chained wenches heh.
This was difficult for me to perform due to the fact that there was no targeting to indicate when the enemy was in their 'wavering' state and fit for feeding. Apparently, this is being added.
There where nice moves and good fluidity~ I think I'm really gonna enjoy the combat system in this game. It's got some great pluses on the SR2 combat system. Kudos to the team ne!
What I could hear of the dialogue was major sweetness! It's so refreshing to hear Simon Templeman all over again in Kain's role. Nice dialogue too....but I had to literally put my ear next to the speakers and look like an idiot to catch anything. So I didn't really get a lowdown on the sound FX.
The other thing was the glitches...with the crash meshes for example, but that's only really to be expected with a demo. The other was a terrible glitch involving a door (on all the machines) which really stopped me from progressing futher quite a few times.
Overall, I was SO pleased and if that's the demo, I friggin' can't wait for the final game!
*goes around huggin CrystalD*
Other games that caught my attention - CastleVania Lament of Innocence. That was really really nice, smooth graphics, nice models and DMC-like gameplay. But even tho it was in 3D (shudders at the N64 one), it really did work this time, and kept the spirit of CV 100%! I was quite dubious about this one coz it was 3D, but I was pleasantly surprised ^__^
Hideo Kojima was there, and did a 10 min talk about MGS3, he was answering questions from the crowd, but it was a lil hard to get as it was thru a translator and there was so much friggin noise from the crowds there.
Anyway after that they played a new MGS3 trailor, not the E3 one~ and it really was ace! If anything...it makes the gameplay look a lil more involving and much more interesting. The outdoor environment seems to be shaping well.
Mwahahah...and in traditional Kojima-san style, after the end title, there was a gag -
Snake/Big Boss, emerging from the water dressed as a crocodile!!! XD
The best game to get my attention had to be Resident Evil Outbreak. Wow..! It's just turned the series on its head! The team work is a really really big thing in it. Hahaha I was playing with 3 other ppl and we all found ourselves shouting out to each other things like *Who's got the key!? Open the friggin door quick!! Don’t go into that room it’s full of Zombies. You have the gun right!? Kill the bastards!!*
Unfortunately, we didn't work so good as a team, but I did manage to help someone - giving them my handgun (the only handgun) just before I died! heheheh, the really nice touch was the infection process, and then even being able to play as a zombie for a few mins before u eventually cop it. Mwah~ I had my revenge on one of the other players for not helping me when I was getting attacked by zombies.
Saw some guys who did a GREAT session of cooperative gameplay, but only one of them survived to finish the demo!
Here are some photos of me playing LoK: DEFIANCE. I hope that the screen shows it resonably! Enjoy!
[Gallery]
*Also, you COULD actually play Raziel's demo, but only after you had finished Kain's demo. it seems that this demo was compiled of the first two levels of the game - thanx Ben Lincoln for passing on this info*
Another nice touch was that when Kain was in automatic targeting mode, his dodging animation was that he turned into mist for a split second. Indeed a very nice touch!
One line I did catch tho was Kain saying "It seemed that Mobius had made this almost too easy for me", showing that the integrety of the storyline is intact, and a major thing to look fwd too.
If anyone in CrystalD is reading this, I just wanna say that I am amazed with the quality of LoK: DEFIANCE, and over the past years I know how much effort you've all put into it. It'll be a pleasure to play it!
Also...special thanx for Amy Hennig, for creating such a wonderful storyline; and Dan Cabuco (not to mention the whole concept art team) for bringin' life to these wonderful characters. And finally, to everyone in CrystalD who's working in this. You all considerably rock!! :D
