The Dietrich Gamecast 047 - 12/31/12 - Game of the Year 2012

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they deliberate and decide on their top 10 games of 2012!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 046 - 12/22/12 - Pyongyang Racer

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss THQ's bankruptcy, North Korea's first video game export & Jorge's multiple racing wheels

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The Dietrich Gamecast 045 - 12/15/12 - Your Currency Is Bullets

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards, whether The Phantom Pain is a Metal Gear game, & we give our impressions of Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale and Dishonored!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 044 - 12/09/12 - Rayman: Oranges

Join Jessi, Jorge, Edward, Gabriel Santa Maria & Anthony Csikos for the latest video game news, their top 3 games of all-time & the return of Tech Time With Edward!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 043 - 12/01/12 - Grand Theft Deck

Join Jeremy, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss the new Keita Takahashi project, the Canadian-exclusive Wii Mini, & what is quite possibly the best video game bundle of the year!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 042 - 11/24/12 - Where's The U?

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Mitchell as they give their impressions on the Grand Theft Auto V trailer, Halo 4, Assassin's Creed 3, X-COM: Enemy Unknown, & The Walking Dead!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 041 - 11/10/12 - My Grandfather, The Dragon Priest

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss THQ's economic struggles, Star Wars: The Old Republic's move to free-to-play & Jeremy losing his voice!

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Borderlands 2

 8.5/10

Borderlands 2

Borderlands 2 takes place on Pandora which is inhabited by psychos and crazy monsters that just want to kill you constantly. Pandora is being policed by Hyperion, who wishes to mine the planet of the rare mineral Eridium, the resource that powers many of the game’s upgrades. Borderlands 2 allows the player greater customization, meaning you can change you suit and face depending on what character you are there are different customizations. You are able to find items that change your character’s appearance. Some items give you certain colours so that you can change your suit to look different, and the others give you certain logos that you can display on your character. The logo is in a certain spot depending on the camo you are using.

The gameplay is extremely similar to its predecessor whereas you can see your gun so it is easier to aim at enemies. You also have grenades that can be modified when you use a grenade modifier. you can switch weapons with the press of a button, you are allowed to equip four weapons at a time. There is also a character modifier which allows you to give your character a boost in their certain ability, shields are also back so that if you get into trouble but you're able to take cover your shields will automatically recharge. After you kill a monster or a bad guy, they drop loot that you can pick up. The loot varies from shields to money, guns, shields, health, ammo, or modifiers.

You are given a mini map that shows you where to go. When looking at a item on the ground it shows the player what that stats for that specific item are and what level you need to be to use it. Slot machines were introduced into the game so that you can spend your hard earned money in the hopes of finding a great weapon only to be disappointed and then continue to spend money. You are told when you can use your skill in the bottom right corner under that is your remaining ammo and grenade count. Which is very standard for a first person shooter.

The game feels more lively than the first with many different levels and designs which range from ice mountains to deserts and nice large green hills. You can continue to play and find new areas that you have not yet explored. The writing in the game is very humourous, and it is brought to life by the strong voice acting. Handsome Jack, the game’s villain, is constantly mocking you while on your quests which at times really gets on your nerves but in a good way making you want to kill him even more. There is also a great quantity of voice acting, which mostly eliminates repetition. There are so many different guns in the game that it’s almost impossible to find two that are exactly alike. This is great because then you can feel unique having a gun with special powers and attributes. There are 6 gun varieties that you can use in the game: submachine guns, pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, rocket launchers, and sniper rifles. There are eight companies in the game that manufacture the guns, each bringing their own special characteristics to their weapons. A certain company creates only elemental guns, another makes every bullet explode, or you can find a gun that you can throw like a grenade to reload it.

Borderlands 2 offers a split-screen mode which, unfortunately, is very hard to play because the vertical screen-split obscures the edges of your view. This causes the player to constantly have to scroll down when looking at their inventory. The online co-op is enjoyable and easy to use, so if you're stuck on a part in the game, you can get up to three buddies to come help you out. You can still trade equipment with other players that enter your game to see what they have found. The game also brings back the duel feature so you can battle your friends to see who reigns supreme. Combat is great, as the variety of different weapons allows many different strategies. These range from charging headlong into the battle with a shotgun, to hanging back and picking off your enemies with a sniper rifle.  

Though there is a new set of playable characters, the four main characters from the first game are back and they appear at different stages in the campaign. They become leaders of the rebels and try to help you through the game. It is often mentioned how the original characters were tricked during the first game which is interesting to learn if you were not satisfied with the ending in the first game. In this game you can choose one character from four and each one has a special power that only they can use. There is Zero, the assassin who can turn invisible and get behind your enemies for a devastating melee attack , Salvador, the gunzerker who can use two guns at the same time for a certain length of time, Maya, the siren who uses her special power that only sirens have to elevate enemies, rendering them useless, or Axton, the commando that can throw a turret into the middle of the battlefield to distract your enemies and give your team time to recover.

Borderlands 2 is a great shooter if you are playing with friends online or just by yourself. It is a huge game with tons of different guns and a huge variety of voice acting, which creates a sense of immersion into the game because the player isn’t hearing and seeing the same thing over and over again. You can play this game for hours on end and always find new quests and things to kill.

The Dietrich Gamecast 040 - 10/21/12 - The Songbird

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss Wii U voice chat, mountains of DLC & the legal troubles of the Black Eyed Peas!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 039 - 10/13/12 - People Who Live In Gymnasiums

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Mitchell as they discuss the Forza Horizon demo, Angry Birds Star Wars & the complete sales failure of NBA Baller Beats!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 038 - 10/06/12 - Feliz Guerras

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss the Medal of Honor: Warfighter beta, the NBA videogame rivalry & King George Washington!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 037 - 10/01/12 - Churro Man-Bat

Join Jeremy, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss McPixel, the Oculus Rift & Jessi's movie ideas!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 036 - 09/24/12 - Classy Clothes Penguins

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Mitchell as they discuss the shocking changes at Bioware, the Tokyo Game Show & the Tokyo Jungle!

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Review: Sleeping Dogs

                                                                 95%     

            Sleeping Dogs came out of nowhere and surprised all of us with its stunning graphics and gameplay. I was never bored playing this game due to the huge variety of activities present in the game’s version of Hong Kong. Whether you're racing or just beating up a rival gang, it is difficult not to find something entertaining to do in Sleeping Dogs. The real surprise, however, is the game’s enthralling story. The plot immediately hooks the player, creating real emotional attachments to the game’s cast of characters. The story really compels you to finish the lengthy series of story missions.

               On its surface, the game feels like the typical open-world gameplay popularized by titles like Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row The Third, or Red Dead Redemption. However, it is so much more due to the realism and riveting story. The protagonist, Wei Shen, is a undercover cop who is tasked with infiltrating the Sun On Yee, a omnipresent Hong Kong arm of the Triads. The game plays with Wei’s struggles to balance his relations between the police and the Triads.

            Character customization is a huge component of Sleeping Dogs. The game has three separate experience meters, which fill at different rates depending on how you choose to approach the missions. Points for the Police and Triads experience trees are gained by helping their respective factions. The third character development system, the Face Meter, is dependent on helping the citizens of Hong Kong, which can be achieved by eliminating gangs & helping out your fellow gang members complete tasks. The customization of your outfit gives you bonuses to help your character level up.

            The city of Hong Kong is quite large, containing four distinct districts. Navigating through the city is quite simple with the use of a genre-standard adaptive GPS system. The AI are smart enough not to damage themselves or others around them when disrupted by the player. The pedestrians also have frequent incidental conversations, helping to flesh out the universe. (talk about collectibles/collectible map & how they help and or hurt the game) the collectible map where it shows what collectibles you have collected and what you haven’t.  

             The hand-to-hand combat system in this game is spectacular. The combat is reminiscent of games like Assassin’s Creed and Batman: Arkham City. The game also combos called environmental kills which allow you to take out an enemy in one hit with elements of the world, such as dumpsters, telephone booths & car doors. These invariably come with savage, gory animations. These environmental kills help to immerse the players into the game’s setting, as the environment shifts from simple background to an essential part of the gameplay experience.

              However, the game is not without its flaws. The game suffers from camera issues. The camera always reverts to the middle of the screen, locking the perspective directly behind Wei. At times, this makes it hard to see your character while fighting as the camera will get caught on walls and level geometry. It also creates difficulties driving, as the fixed perspective makes seeing around corners a challenge.The game also lacks a traditional multiplayer mode but you are able to compare in game challenges with your friends or other people around the world with the in-game leaderboard system. Some challenges comprise of driving without crashing or completing a string of combo moves.

             Sleeping Dogs is a step forward in open-world gaming. The gameplay and atmosphere of the game is amazing, and it contains tons of stunning visuals and interesting plot points that can interest even those who play videogames infrequently. With a huge variety of activities and a visceral combat system, Sleeping Dogs is a must-buy.

95%

The Dietrich Gamecast 035 - 09/16/12 - Speaking of Casual...

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Mitchell & Jessi as they discuss the Wii U launch, comment on international espionage & bicker amongst themselves!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 034 - 09/09/12 - The Dalai Lama of Video Games

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Mitchell & special guest Gabriel Santa Maria as they discuss Steam Greenlight, the latest Roller Coaster Tycoon game, & whether Battlefield is superior to Call of Duty!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 033 - 09/03/12 - Poznan Style

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Mitchell as they discuss Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes, the problem with current shooter-development trends & the embargo-breaking antics of the Poles!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 032 - 08/25/12 - I'm A Green Party!

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss the closure of Sony Liverpool, the demos for NHL 13 & Madden 13, and the politics of fighting games!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 031 - 08/18/12 - Gamescom 2012

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Mitchell as they discuss all the breaking news from Gamescom 2012, as well as Onlive's bankruptcy & the unprecedented alliance between the Red & Blu teams in Team Fortress 2.

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The Dietrich Gamecast 030 - 08/11/12 - You Gotta Risk It To Get The Biscuit

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Jessi as they give their impressions of Persona 4 Arena, the origins of the podcast name & the latest evolution in Solitaire technology!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 029 - 08/05/12 - Turtle Recall

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss the recently leaked Playstation All-Stars roster, the teaser trailer for GRID 2 & what the new Grand Theft Auto V viral campaign says about the game's story.

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The Dietrich Gamecast 028 - 07/28/12 - The Fresh Prince of Peru

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Mitchell as they give their impressions of the Little Big Planet Karting beta, discuss the merits of educational Kinect games & struggle to choose their favourite Disney princesses!


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The Dietrich Gamecast 027 - 07/22/12 - "More Beef"

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & Mitchell as they discuss Mitchell's game-related vacation, the first Ouya exclusive & animal swimsuits!


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The Dietrich Gamecast 026 - 07/17/12 - Day Zed

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Edward as they discuss the latest Kickstarter sensation, the Android-based Ouya console, as well as the relevance of 3D in modern gaming and the merits of Street Cleaning Simulator.

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The Dietrich Gamecast 025 - 07/08/12 - Welcome Park

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Jessi as they give their hands-on impressions of the Playstation Vita, discuss the latest gaming news & eat mysterious candy!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 024 - 07/01/12 - Skulls of the Shotgun

Join Jeremy, Jorge, Jessi & special guest Cody Williams as they discuss the Wii U online service, the controversy over Windows 8 exclusivity & the anatomy of shotguns.

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The Dietrich Gamecast 023 - 06/24/12 - The Dance Is The Fight

Join host Jorge Gomez Jr. as he, Jeremy & Mitchell discuss Battlefield 3: Premium, the Summer of Arcade lineup & dance crimes!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 022 - 06/16/12- Super-Violence

Join Jeremy, Edward, Jessi & special guests Liam Menard & Julius Booth as they discuss E3, violence in video games & League of Legends!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 021 - 06/02/12 - Infinite Watermelons

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Cyber-Edward as they discuss lawsuits, premium DLC subscriptions & Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 020 - 05/26/12 - So Many Twenty-Twos

Join Jeremy, Jorge & Edward as they discuss the latest news from 38 Studios, Bungie & 22 Cans!


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The Dietrich Gamecast 019 - 05/19/12 - My Wii Sounds Like A Chainsaw

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Join Jeremy, Cyber-Edward, Jessi, Mitchell & Jorge Jr. for discussion of the financial turmoils of 38 Studios & THQ, the latest on NHL 13, and the return of Jorge`s Dreamscape!

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The Dietrich Gamecast 018 - 05/12/12 - (Toy) Arachnophobia

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It's the long-awaited return of The Dietrich Gamecast! Join Jeremy Matthews, Jessi Simmons, Mitchell Daunais & CYBER-EDWARD as they discuss the Penny Arcade expo, Ivy Bridge, console price cuts and Jessi's crippling fear of LEGO spiders!


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