Smite preview - hands-on with Hi-Rez’s third-person MOBA
Lanes, creeps, bases, heroes - these are the defining characteristics of the MOBA (what's a MOBA? click here to find out!) formula, and while this framework is pretty static, the gameplay experience is dependent far more on strategic team play and player input instead of map or creep variety. So how can new MOBAs hope to compete with a well-established title like League of Legends or DotA? Well, all Hi-Rez Studios did was change the camera angle.
Smite, Hi-Rez’s upcoming MOBA, abandons the isometric camera view for a third-person angle - think Monday Night Combat but with swords, magic, and skull-crushing hammers instead of shotguns and sniper rifles. While this may seem like a simple tweak initially, the third-person view completely changes the gameplay dynamic.
For starters, every attack - including normal attacks - requires user input. You can’t just right click on a creep to begin auto-attacking, you have to physically position your character within range, aim, and initiate an attack. Nothing is a sure hit in Smite because everything is a skill shot. When it comes to character-specific abilities, pressing a hotkey brings up a silhouette of the chosen ability so you can plan the placement of skills like frontal cone-based attacks or crowd-control abilities. Combat here is extremely fast-paced and exciting.
At the core, Smite’s fundamentals are nothing new. Teams of five must push lanes, down defensive towers, and overrun the enemy base while taking out Phoenix defenses - powerful fiery turrets - and the base’s boss, a tough high-level minotaur that can decimate an ill-equipped team in seconds. It’s pretty comical when you interrupt a successful enemy push and wipe them while they’re duking it out with your base’s minotaur.
Naturally, engaging in team battles and clearing out creeps rewards players with experience points for leveling up (with the cap set at 20) and currency, which can then be spent on items to build your character, as well as up to three abilities with long cooldowns (akin to League of Legends’ Summoner abilities). There’s a sprint, mana regen, health regen, AoE buff or slow, and more, and all of these must be purchased from within a match instead of being equipped beforehand.
Above: Odin fights a cyclops (find out more information on the heroes in the gallery above)
And while Smite’s map is similar to the typical MOBA arena (three lanes, jungles in between, and a base on each end), the third-person view has a dramatic effect on map awareness. You can’t see through walls, so you’ll never know what’s on the other side of a lane if your team’s not communicating. When in the jungle areas, a heavy fog blankets the zone and reduces visibility. Team communication and paying attention to your minimap and is more essential than ever, especially when making team battle pushes or trying to gank junglers.
As for characters, Smite’s heroes are gods based on actual mythologies, including Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Chinese, and Hindu. We had a chance to play around with Ra, the ancient Egyptian sun god who uses light-based damage abilities and support buffs, as well as Odin, who is exceptionally good at stabbing people until they are dead. Every character has three main abilities, an ultimate, and a passive skill, all of which can be powered up as the player increases in level.
With 15 characters already in the mix and plenty more on the way, Smite will have an admirable casting lineup once it hits open beta (which is said to be coming "soon-ish"), and it seems poised to become our next MOBA obsession.
Kinect: Star Wars Review
These are not the games you're looking for.
If you're an adult and a Star Wars fan, then you should knowKinect: Star Wars isn't made for you. Your dreams of wielding a lightsaber and the all-powerful living Force have to be put on hold, because control issues and want for polish make the core game a chore to play. The additional modes don't help much, either. With the exception of podracing, these forgettable modes make…interesting use of the license, but feel largely targeted at a younger audience.
The rich Star Wars universe has expanded far beyond the films, and Kinect: Star Wars makes good use of the galaxy's vastness. Your character is tasked with assisting fan-favorites C-3PO and R2-D2 as they comb through the recently recovered Jedi Archives. The moment you hop into the game you're immersed in the world, with scenery changes regularly accompanying menu selections. Having your droid companions also helps set the tone for Kinect Star Wars, as their lighthearted quips and arguments with one another feel true to the setting.
From the start you can jump into a number of modes, but the campaign story makes up the core of the experience. Here you relive the lives of a Jedi Master and her padawans during the Clone Wars. You and a friend start out with basic jedi training, learning the ways of the Force from a terribly voiced Yoda. From then on the campaign plays out like a Star Wars "Greatest Hits," tossing in approximations of notable movie scenes such as the speeder bike chase, the second Death Star attack, as well as a number of lightsaber duels. It strings them together in a decent enough Star Wars yarn (something that feels like it could be out of the Clone Wars cartoon, in fact), but it can be hard to get all that immersed when it has uneven visuals, occasionally broken animations and random polish issues like syncing issues where sound clips and voices don't match up
Even more troublesome than graphical issues, though, are Kinect Star Wars' campaign control woes. Lightsabers are swung by moving your right hand, while Force controls are mapped to your left hand. A number of other moves combining these powers or allowing you to jump round out your Padawan's arsenal. The problem is that in the throes of battle, Kinect: Star Wars regularly screws up inputs. Failing due to a lack of skill is one thing, but dying repeatedly because a critical jump, block or saber swing isn't recognized is incredibly aggravating. When your jedi bumbles in the battlefield due to a failure of the game, it's hard to feel very special. In fact, it's hard to feel anything other than a very un-jedi like sense of anger.
Kinect: Star Wars doesn't aid player immersion with constant gameplay interruptions, either. In the campaign you are largely on rails, either moving from arena to arena as a jedi, or just aiming guns or doing minor course adjustments when controlling vehicles. The vehicle parts work well enough, and let you play at length, but the jedi segments constantly remove player control. The resulting gameplay feels awkward, with regular moments where you play for only a few seconds before it wrestles control away from you. Even when it does hand control over to you it's to do the same thing over and over; fighting enemies (and often the controls) in an arena before it marches you to the next. Every game is repetitious in its design, but Kinect Star Wars' stifling pacing doesn't do anything to mask it.
Even when it recognizes inputs perfectly, any part with a jedi in Kinect: Star Wars is frustrating because of its neutered version of the Force. While basic enemies can be grabbed and tossed about (assuming you can actually target a specific foe with the finicky controls), most enemies simply stumble or shake off even the hardest Force push. Canned spots in the campaign provide a moment where you feel like a super-powerful jedi, but most of the time the Force feels all but useless.
Even if the campaign is a bit of a bust, Podracing is great. Here you can play single races or jump into a story-based mode called Destiny. The story itself is a bit silly and obviously targeted at a younger audience, but it does provide a bit of context for all the races, as well as give you a sense of progression. The controls work well in this mode, and it does a good job at encapsulating the thrilling sense of speed from the Episode I podracing scene. While it's hard to play for long because you have to hold out your arms the whole time, it's easily the best gameplay in all of Kinect: Star Wars.
The rich Star Wars universe has expanded far beyond the films, and Kinect: Star Wars makes good use of the galaxy's vastness. Your character is tasked with assisting fan-favorites C-3PO and R2-D2 as they comb through the recently recovered Jedi Archives. The moment you hop into the game you're immersed in the world, with scenery changes regularly accompanying menu selections. Having your droid companions also helps set the tone for Kinect Star Wars, as their lighthearted quips and arguments with one another feel true to the setting.
From the start you can jump into a number of modes, but the campaign story makes up the core of the experience. Here you relive the lives of a Jedi Master and her padawans during the Clone Wars. You and a friend start out with basic jedi training, learning the ways of the Force from a terribly voiced Yoda. From then on the campaign plays out like a Star Wars "Greatest Hits," tossing in approximations of notable movie scenes such as the speeder bike chase, the second Death Star attack, as well as a number of lightsaber duels. It strings them together in a decent enough Star Wars yarn (something that feels like it could be out of the Clone Wars cartoon, in fact), but it can be hard to get all that immersed when it has uneven visuals, occasionally broken animations and random polish issues like syncing issues where sound clips and voices don't match up
Even more troublesome than graphical issues, though, are Kinect Star Wars' campaign control woes. Lightsabers are swung by moving your right hand, while Force controls are mapped to your left hand. A number of other moves combining these powers or allowing you to jump round out your Padawan's arsenal. The problem is that in the throes of battle, Kinect: Star Wars regularly screws up inputs. Failing due to a lack of skill is one thing, but dying repeatedly because a critical jump, block or saber swing isn't recognized is incredibly aggravating. When your jedi bumbles in the battlefield due to a failure of the game, it's hard to feel very special. In fact, it's hard to feel anything other than a very un-jedi like sense of anger.
Kinect: Star Wars doesn't aid player immersion with constant gameplay interruptions, either. In the campaign you are largely on rails, either moving from arena to arena as a jedi, or just aiming guns or doing minor course adjustments when controlling vehicles. The vehicle parts work well enough, and let you play at length, but the jedi segments constantly remove player control. The resulting gameplay feels awkward, with regular moments where you play for only a few seconds before it wrestles control away from you. Even when it does hand control over to you it's to do the same thing over and over; fighting enemies (and often the controls) in an arena before it marches you to the next. Every game is repetitious in its design, but Kinect Star Wars' stifling pacing doesn't do anything to mask it.
Even when it recognizes inputs perfectly, any part with a jedi in Kinect: Star Wars is frustrating because of its neutered version of the Force. While basic enemies can be grabbed and tossed about (assuming you can actually target a specific foe with the finicky controls), most enemies simply stumble or shake off even the hardest Force push. Canned spots in the campaign provide a moment where you feel like a super-powerful jedi, but most of the time the Force feels all but useless.
Even if the campaign is a bit of a bust, Podracing is great. Here you can play single races or jump into a story-based mode called Destiny. The story itself is a bit silly and obviously targeted at a younger audience, but it does provide a bit of context for all the races, as well as give you a sense of progression. The controls work well in this mode, and it does a good job at encapsulating the thrilling sense of speed from the Episode I podracing scene. While it's hard to play for long because you have to hold out your arms the whole time, it's easily the best gameplay in all of Kinect: Star Wars.
Podracing is easily the best mode.
The other modes, outside of Podracing are largely forgettable for adult fans. The Duels of Fate mode allows you to go through a series of one-on-one fights. However, instead of the exciting lightsaber duels we all remember from the films, you have to slog through painfully slow, dragged out fights that suffer from input problems. Then there's Rancor Rampage, which allows you to take direct control of a rancor and smash through recognizable settings. The rancor's controls are a bit much for even skilled players, and make moving the monster a laborious affair. Still, it isn't hard to see younger kids playing this for hours on end, smashing through the world and terrorizing the populace. If nothing else, it's a lot of fun to watch someone else play -- whether or not they've having a good time themselves. Also important to note is that all modes outside of podracing can be played with a second player – a nice inclusion since the game is targeted to families and kids.
While the other modes are worked into Kinect: Star Wars under the context that they're files in the jedi archives, Galactic Dance Off is just shoe-horned in. In what could be the most blatant abuse of the license since the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, this mode tasks you with dancing for points and stars. Earning stars allows you to unlock additional songs, most of which are pop hits that have been reworded into ridiculous Star Wars-ified versions. It's disappointing and alienating as a fan to see the likes of Han Solo breaking it down in the very carbonite chamber he was hurt in, or to watch as Leia happily dances before the sadistic Jabba the Hutt (not to mention should children be dancing with a bikini-clad woman who fears for her life?). The mode works fine, and is an okay dance game, but just seems like an egregious use of the license with limited fan appeal.
Motorstorm RC Review
Vita's pocket rocket is a blast on PS3.
MotorStorm RC isn't a MotorStorm game. Well, of course it is – there's a big MotorStorm logo on the front of the box – but it's nothing like any of the games that have appeared in the series before. True, many of the hallmarks of previous games are present and correct – a generous smattering of mud and dirt, an abundance of race-tuned off-road cars and a bass-heavy soundtrack that'll test your ability to keep your bowels in check if you crank the volume up to maximum. But as a racing experience it has more in common with ancient top-down racer Micro Machines than it does with its predecessors.
Importantly, that's a good thing. Rather than lazily port a bastard child of games gone by, developer Evolution has started from the ground up and created a game that is interesting on two counts: firstly, it's snackable gaming at its finest, serving up minute-long thrill rides one after the other.
First things first: the premise. The gas-guzzlers and explosive, behind-the-wheel action the series has worn like a badge of honour have gone, replaced by radio-controlled cars and circuits most of us could squeeze into our back yards. It's not fancy and in all honesty it isn't the game to show off the PS3 in terms of visual grunt, but as a stripped-back racer it delivers a fun, compelling arcade experience with the kind of confidence you'd expect from a team that been making MotorStorm games since the launch of the console.
The structure of MotorStorm RC will be familiar to series veterans and there's still an over-arching Festival of Speed theme, broken into four areas – Monument Valley, Pacific Rift, Arctic Edge and Apocalypse. Aside from name and general themes though, tracks in MotorStorm RC share little with their big brothers; the lush jungles of Pacific Rift are more garden shrubbery in RC, and Arctic Edge's icy blizzards are more a light dusting of the white stuff.
Visually, MotorStorm RC is no slouch, but it doesn't look quite so good on a big screen as it does on the Vita. There's not a huge amount of contrast between the different locales and on occasion there's a touch of noticeable slow-down when a lot of cars slam into each other around the same corner. One benefit of playing on a larger screen, however, is that it's easier to make out obstacles, so you're less likely to clip a corner and flip out.
Importantly, that's a good thing. Rather than lazily port a bastard child of games gone by, developer Evolution has started from the ground up and created a game that is interesting on two counts: firstly, it's snackable gaming at its finest, serving up minute-long thrill rides one after the other.
First things first: the premise. The gas-guzzlers and explosive, behind-the-wheel action the series has worn like a badge of honour have gone, replaced by radio-controlled cars and circuits most of us could squeeze into our back yards. It's not fancy and in all honesty it isn't the game to show off the PS3 in terms of visual grunt, but as a stripped-back racer it delivers a fun, compelling arcade experience with the kind of confidence you'd expect from a team that been making MotorStorm games since the launch of the console.
The structure of MotorStorm RC will be familiar to series veterans and there's still an over-arching Festival of Speed theme, broken into four areas – Monument Valley, Pacific Rift, Arctic Edge and Apocalypse. Aside from name and general themes though, tracks in MotorStorm RC share little with their big brothers; the lush jungles of Pacific Rift are more garden shrubbery in RC, and Arctic Edge's icy blizzards are more a light dusting of the white stuff.
Visually, MotorStorm RC is no slouch, but it doesn't look quite so good on a big screen as it does on the Vita. There's not a huge amount of contrast between the different locales and on occasion there's a touch of noticeable slow-down when a lot of cars slam into each other around the same corner. One benefit of playing on a larger screen, however, is that it's easier to make out obstacles, so you're less likely to clip a corner and flip out.
Handling is sharp and responsive, and the balance of control and challenge is just right whether you're driving a big rig or lightweight buggy. What's neat is that the cars don't feel like the heavyweights in previous MotorStorms, but more like the feather-light radio-controlled cars many of us messed around with when we were kids. They can be twitchy and unpredictable on rough surfaces, forcing you to play the game in a different way than you would a traditional racer. Driving full throttle isn't always the best option and clipping a raised apex could flip your buggy on its lid. Get it right, however, and the feeling of sliding around a banked curve at full whack is incredibly satisfying.
Of course, there's more than just one kind of car in the game: racing trucks, rally cars, dune buggies and more all feature. Indeed, the difference between how the cars handle is one of MotorStorm RC's highlights and tackling the same race in different vehicles can dramatically change the outcome. While the buggy is fast and nimble, it flips easily and will always come off second-best in a shunt, so wouldn't always be your first choice in a race against other cars. The weight of a racing truck means it's better around corners, but take it out on a track with jumps and you could be penalised.
Races are split into four types: the standard Race is just that, a first-to-the-finish-line dash around the circuits; Hot Lap pits you against three ghost cars in order to notch up a killer time; in Pursuit you must overtake all other opponents; and Drift dishes out points for driving with style (the more you powerslide the more points you earn). The higher your podium finish, the more medals you're awarded, which unlocks new tracks, challenges and vehicles.
There are 48 challenges in total. While this may sound like a lot it's entirely feasible you'll breeze through at least half of these on your first go grabbing at least a gold or silver medal, which is enough to open up more tracks and challenges to keep you going. There's always something new to see though; drift challenges, for example, don't open up until you're about halfway through the game and offer a much stiffer challenge, and the game has plenty more to offer.
What really brings the challenges to life are the live leaderboards; often you're not just competing against the cars on the screen, but also the lap times of your friends, or if you want to look at the bigger picture, everyone who's playing MotorStorm RC across the world. You can instantly see where you rank on certain challenges and that's a tremendous incentive to shave precious milliseconds off your best time. Furthermore, every time you rack up a hot lap it gets posted on your friends' leaderboards and vice-versa, so competing against pint-sized onscreen opponents really is only part of MotorStorm's picture. The PSN version also includes split-screen multiplayer for up to four players, which is a blast. However, the lack of an online multiplayer component definitely hurts the game's longevity.
Xenoblade Chronicles Review
One of the Wii's first and last epic JRPGs is the best thing to emerge from this troubled genre in the past five years.
It's always possible to innovate within a comfortable and well-established template. Nintendo is traditionally the master of this art, secreting gems of novelty within game designs that are often a decade or two old, perfected through years of iteration. Just because a game conforms in many respects to the conventions of its genre, that doesn't mean it can't do anything new, and it certainly doesn't mean that it can't be wonderful.
So yes, in Xenoblade Chronicles, you play an orphaned young hero who, for reasons unexplained, is the only one capable of saving the world from a mysterious evil. (He doesn't have amnesia, though, thankfully.) Yes, there is an ultimate weapon with untold power. Yes, you wander a giant world in a party of three, following a story punctuated by enough cutscene to make the Godfather Trilogy look comparatively brisk. But this is also one of the freshest and most innovative Japanese RPGs of the past decade. It feels more modern than anything else in its genre.
You see, although Xenoblade Chronicles honours many positive JRPG traditions, it's not afraid to dispense with other, more tedious ones. It's impressively non-linear, letting you wander from the story to explore its gorgeous world, toddling off in search of side-quests and extra-mean monsters to kill and caves to loot. It has fast-travel. Its story, which initially seems a little predictable, is actually a deep and varied tale that spans some 60-odd hours without ever feeling painfully drawn out. There are no random battles and the combat system is brilliant, a mix of real-time and command-based fighting that feels like an updated Final Fantasy XII mixed with a splash of White Knight Chronicles' chain system.
So yes, in Xenoblade Chronicles, you play an orphaned young hero who, for reasons unexplained, is the only one capable of saving the world from a mysterious evil. (He doesn't have amnesia, though, thankfully.) Yes, there is an ultimate weapon with untold power. Yes, you wander a giant world in a party of three, following a story punctuated by enough cutscene to make the Godfather Trilogy look comparatively brisk. But this is also one of the freshest and most innovative Japanese RPGs of the past decade. It feels more modern than anything else in its genre.
You see, although Xenoblade Chronicles honours many positive JRPG traditions, it's not afraid to dispense with other, more tedious ones. It's impressively non-linear, letting you wander from the story to explore its gorgeous world, toddling off in search of side-quests and extra-mean monsters to kill and caves to loot. It has fast-travel. Its story, which initially seems a little predictable, is actually a deep and varied tale that spans some 60-odd hours without ever feeling painfully drawn out. There are no random battles and the combat system is brilliant, a mix of real-time and command-based fighting that feels like an updated Final Fantasy XII mixed with a splash of White Knight Chronicles' chain system.
The game world is littered with two things: shiny collectibles to nab for loot and questing, and wandering animals that can be either engaged in battle or safely ignored – unless they're particularly aggressive. Get in the way of a Level 74 troll on your way to an oasis and you'll be flattened in seconds, but you can practice your team combos on relatively docile animals and then strip their corpses for loot to sell or use later. Everything, from exploration to item-collecting to battle victories, earns experience points that strengthen your team. Side quests are totally optional, but you'd be a fool to pass them by. They give you an excuse for forays into the furthest corners of the map, letting you fully absorb the scale of this adventure.
When you're not following the story, Xenoblade Chronicles is equal parts fighting and exploration. Once in a battle, basic attacks happen automatically, but those won't get you far. Keeping control of one character in the party, you select from an ever-widening selection of Talents – special moves, essentially – that recharge over time. Let the party tank draw all the monster aggro, and you can get behind them for a deadly backstab. Knock a monster off balance, and another party member will smash it to the floor with another appropriate move. Occasionally, mini-QTEs let you cause a bit of extra damage, earning plaudits from your team-mates. It's fast-paced, tactical and really engaging.
You're constantly working together with everyone else on the battlefield, watching to see what they do and reacting dynamically, guiding them on what to target and when to run away. Work in harmony with teammates for long enough and you can unleash a chain attack, matching Talents from each character to devastating effect – the only way to cause significant damage to the biggest, baddest beasties. It's always possible to dash off and regroup if you find yourself in a tough skirmish (unless it's a boss battle). But dying in itself isn't really a problem; you simply reappear at the last landmark you passed, all loot, health and stats intact.
But it's the weapon at the centre of Xenoblade Chronicles' story, the Monado, that really gives the battle system its edge. The Monado is an ancient weapon that gives its wielder, the aforementioned gifted orphan, the ability to see the future. In cutscenes, this is a great plot device; young Shulk, our hero, spends much of the story struggling with his ability to see the future and his inability to change it. For every time one of his visions enabled him to save the life of a valued friend, there's another occasion where nothing he can do makes a difference.
In battle, though, the power of the Monado lets you see a devastating attack before it happens, giving you a stylish warning. The screen greys out and the action quickly turns to slow motion, showing a boss cutting through your party with a deadly special move; you then have some time to warn your teammates, putting up a magic shield, getting them out of the way or incapacitating the enemy, allowing you to change the future and keep on fighting. It's a dramatic-looking and well-implemented feature, and innovative too.
A lot of Xenoblade's appeal comes from its unique world. Essentially, it's set on the fossilised bodies of two giant robots (stay with me), who were locked in an eternal battle until time finally took its toll, freezing them in place. One of these robots, the Bionis, is colonised by humans who live on expansive patches of fertile land across the titan's frozen limbs. Look out across the scenery, and you see greenery and fauna stretching out into the distance; look up at the sky, and you can make out the shape of gigantic robotic arms jutting out above you. It's a breathtaking setting, one that allows for amazing, natural outdoor environments as well as indoor caverns and structures with a sci-fi tinge.
The other fossilised titan is home to menacing, evil robots, the Mechon, who have recently taken to descending upon the human colonies and eating the inhabitants. The plot initially centres on the battle against this invading force, fought by young Shulk and his fellow survivors from Colony 9. There's actually rather a lot of gore and drama in Xenoblade, despite its rather cuddly looks. The first high-profile grisly death occurs about three hours in and it's definitely not the last. It's hardly Dragon Age 2, admittedly, but it doesn't shy away from violence and death.
Despite this gorgeous setting, though, there are many, many moments where you'll wish that Xenoblade Chronicles was running on a more powerful console. There's no denying that it looks like a game from four or five years ago. Character textures are fuzzy, there's a lot of clipping and only the far-reaching outdoor environments truly impress. It's amazing how quickly you get used to it, but the Wii really struggles to do justice to the game's excellent artistic direction. It's also a real shame that nobody bothered to lip-sync the English dialogue, which mars the otherwise very good localisation.
Despite this gorgeous setting, though, there are many, many moments where you'll wish that Xenoblade Chronicles was running on a more powerful console. There's no denying that it looks like a game from four or five years ago. Character textures are fuzzy, there's a lot of clipping and only the far-reaching outdoor environments truly impress. It's amazing how quickly you get used to it, but the Wii really struggles to do justice to the game's excellent artistic direction. It's also a real shame that nobody bothered to lip-sync the English dialogue, which mars the otherwise very good localisation.
It's testament to the game's quality that it still draws you in so deeply. There's more imagination evident in the monster and environment designs than in most entire JRPG epics of the past five years or so. And brilliantly, because Xenoblade Chronicles has been localised for Europe, the voice acting is all charmingly British-accented. Shulk sounds like he's just come out of finishing school, his best mate Reyn sounds like a plucky Londoner, and other characters contribute accents from Yorkshireman to Welsh. Only the Especially Evil Robot Bad Guys miss the mark with their way-over-the-top Cockerney guffawing, which makes them sound like robot Cockney pirates. (Which, come to think, is pretty cool in itself.)
The likeable voice acting makes it easier to form lasting relationships with the characters, who are better-written and more believable than most. Their relationships with each other really make sense; rather than a band of random people thrown together by circumstance, your party really feels like a band of brothers (and sisters). They talk constantly during battles, encouraging each other and yelling awesomely British battle calls ("Get stuck in!" "Nice one mate!" "Come off it!"). If anything, they talk too much, but at least they're not the sterile pretty boys that we've come to expect from Japanese RPGs.
That's what's really at the core of Xenoblade Chronicles' brilliance: it defies your expectations. After the corridors of FF XIII, the openness of this world is a revelation, as is the unselfconscious plotting. It's got a lot of action and some moments that pack an emotional punch, but none of the pompousness and melodrama of less accomplished Japanese epics. I'd forgotten that JRPGs could be anything other than depressingly linear and a heavily over-written; we've grown to accept it as a feature of the genre, one we have to live with. Xenoblade Chronicles shows us that things don't have to be this way, that there's still room for innovation in this struggling genre.
There's so much more to this game that I could tell you. I could talk about the gem crafting, skill trees, talent arts and myriad collectibles that deepen the experience – things that are there to play with if you want, but that don't bog down the game in reams of detail. I could talk about the thoughtful little touches that make it such a pleasure to play, like the ability to fast-travel and the comprehensive but easy to understand inventory system and the story memos that give you a gentle, optional reminder of where you have to go and why.
It's a proper epic, too, with hour-and-a-half long boss battles that take place in several parts, more than 50 hours of story, and an abundance of side-quests. It keeps your attention throughout by offering such a selection of things to do, never forcing you along a rigid story path.
Warriors Orochi 3 Review
Omega Force pays tribute to its fans with the richest and best Warriors title to date.
The Warriors games have always played fast and loose with history, but they've also been constrained by it. Omega Force's decision to adhere to a certain degree of historical accuracy has meant that the game's more fantastical elements have been kept in check. That all changed with the release of the first Warriors Orochi game, which brought characters from the Samurai Warriors and Dynasty Warriors franchises together. Now the third in the series is here and the developer has really decided to cut loose. The result suits both creator and product: this is the craziest, most comprehensive and almost certainly the best Warriors game to date.
For those who have only ever experienced overwhelming victory in the Warriors games, the opening may come as a surprise. On a volcanic battlefield, an enormous Hydra destroys your army, leaving just three generals alive. Teetering on the brink of defeat, you're rescued by a mystic named Kagura, who offers you the opportunity to travel back in time and amass an army capable of beating the Hydra. Your main objectives, then, are to ensure that certain generals survive the battles they previously died in, so that you can recruit them to your cause.
You won't be able to save them all, however, as some are destined to fall in battle, though by completing certain side missions you can unlock a new version of the original mission, this time with the chance of rescuing the officer in question. It's a neat structural change that affects the way you approach the game and rewards the completist. These additional quests are well worth taking on, as there are plenty of strong characters that can only be saved in this way.
Indeed, there are plenty of characters, full stop. The game boasts well over 120, in fact, and they're not just taken from the two main Warriors franchises, with newcomers from Tecmo and Koei's other IP. Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa is obviously the biggest draw, but you'll also encounter characters from Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and Warriors: Legends of Troy. Not all are created equal, however, and the sheer volume of the cast presents some balancing issues. Dead or Alive's Ayane is a strong choice but Lianshi from Dynasty Warriors 7 seems bewilderingly powerful, able to decimate crowds from a safe distance, even on the higher difficulty settings.
Such minor issues can be forgiven in light of what such a substantial roster brings to the game. The three-character setup offers thousands of potential officer combinations, allowing you to adopt a team that really suits your play style. Growth points awarded after a successful mission can be spent on levelling preferred characters, or bringing new recruits up to speed, or even building up the power of allies you might use for specific tasks. For example, Shuten Doji's amazing musou power makes him worth keeping on your team even if you don't like his fighting style; you can stroll up to an enemy general with a full gauge, swap him in and let rip before switching back and gobbling up those glowing rewards with your officer of choice.
Away from the battlefield, you can forge deeper bonds between compatible officers. Each character has special relationships with certain others, and these can be improved from Normal to Close and finally Intimate, offering new interactions within the Camp, while the frequency of their support attacks in battle will increase. It's genuinely quite a thrill to witness a close tie impacting battle: when a fellow officer rushes in to help when you're taking a beating, you know your efforts in building that relationship were worth it.
For those who have only ever experienced overwhelming victory in the Warriors games, the opening may come as a surprise. On a volcanic battlefield, an enormous Hydra destroys your army, leaving just three generals alive. Teetering on the brink of defeat, you're rescued by a mystic named Kagura, who offers you the opportunity to travel back in time and amass an army capable of beating the Hydra. Your main objectives, then, are to ensure that certain generals survive the battles they previously died in, so that you can recruit them to your cause.
You won't be able to save them all, however, as some are destined to fall in battle, though by completing certain side missions you can unlock a new version of the original mission, this time with the chance of rescuing the officer in question. It's a neat structural change that affects the way you approach the game and rewards the completist. These additional quests are well worth taking on, as there are plenty of strong characters that can only be saved in this way.
Indeed, there are plenty of characters, full stop. The game boasts well over 120, in fact, and they're not just taken from the two main Warriors franchises, with newcomers from Tecmo and Koei's other IP. Ninja Gaiden's Ryu Hayabusa is obviously the biggest draw, but you'll also encounter characters from Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and Warriors: Legends of Troy. Not all are created equal, however, and the sheer volume of the cast presents some balancing issues. Dead or Alive's Ayane is a strong choice but Lianshi from Dynasty Warriors 7 seems bewilderingly powerful, able to decimate crowds from a safe distance, even on the higher difficulty settings.
Such minor issues can be forgiven in light of what such a substantial roster brings to the game. The three-character setup offers thousands of potential officer combinations, allowing you to adopt a team that really suits your play style. Growth points awarded after a successful mission can be spent on levelling preferred characters, or bringing new recruits up to speed, or even building up the power of allies you might use for specific tasks. For example, Shuten Doji's amazing musou power makes him worth keeping on your team even if you don't like his fighting style; you can stroll up to an enemy general with a full gauge, swap him in and let rip before switching back and gobbling up those glowing rewards with your officer of choice.
Away from the battlefield, you can forge deeper bonds between compatible officers. Each character has special relationships with certain others, and these can be improved from Normal to Close and finally Intimate, offering new interactions within the Camp, while the frequency of their support attacks in battle will increase. It's genuinely quite a thrill to witness a close tie impacting battle: when a fellow officer rushes in to help when you're taking a beating, you know your efforts in building that relationship were worth it.
Upgrading your weapons also proves a satisfying and worthwhile aside. Even the weaker weapons you collect on the battlefield can prove useful, offering bonus attributes ranging from elemental attacks to character buffs. If you've got at least two weapons, you can spend some of the fruits of your square-button labours on fusing them. The weaker one will be destroyed in the process, but you can transfer any powers it held – along with any additional attribute slots – to the new, improved weapon. Again, the sheer range of possible combinations encourages experimentation until you happen across a blend of abilities that allows you to tackle even the toughest enemies with ease.
Intriguingly, there's no English-language dub this time. Veteran Warriors fans may be delighted to hear that, but I was always a fan of the hammy voice acting, partly because it was a useful way of conveying important information during battle. Though the characters sound more authentic speaking in their native tongue, the upshot is that you need to pay closer attention to the text that pops up during battle. The decision can perhaps be explained by the amount of dialogue present, even between levels. Check your current officer info and they'll often deliver a brief monologue offering their thoughts on the last battle, or showing their mind-set going into the next. As well as adding extra flavour, this also helps the player bond further with their team members. By the time I was ready to fight the Hydra once more, I'd grown quite attached to my squad, to a greater degree than any other Warriors game I've played.
The multiplayer matchmaking setup still leaves much to be desired, but the ability to customize any of the battlefields you've unlocked adds substantial longevity to an already content-rich title. On top of the costumes, wallpapers, weapons and other rewards you're showered with after every completed mission, you'll receive additional elements to add to your favourite combat arena. Better still, any edited battlefields can be shared online with other players. It's another generous inclusion from Omega Force in a game already stuffed with modes and options.
Anomaly Warzone Earth Review
11bit's exciting take on tower defense finally hits Xbox LIVE.
Already a smash hit on PCs and mobile devices, Anomaly Warzone Earth is a unique approach to the tower defense genre, offering a new, almost reverse take on the crowded genre. Now, Anomaly Warzone Earth is finally available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, bringing its unique take on tower offense to a brand new console audience. For the most part, the game delivers on the action and original gameplay of the PC and iOS versions of the game, offering nicely balanced action, and unique real-time mechanics.
For the uninitiated, Anomaly Warzone Earth posits itself as an almost opposite take on the tower defense genre. You begin each mission by navigating your units through the city streets, being mindful of the enemy towers and units that have been placed at key points throughout the map.
For the uninitiated, Anomaly Warzone Earth posits itself as an almost opposite take on the tower defense genre. You begin each mission by navigating your units through the city streets, being mindful of the enemy towers and units that have been placed at key points throughout the map.
While you may be mostly taking on stationary units, the action in Anomaly Warzone Earth is pretty intense. You'll constantly be juggling various power-ups like health, smoke screens, decoys, and even area-leveling bombs while switching up your path on the fly to avoid attacks and bottlenecks. At the end of each mission, you're ranked on how well you did, earning gold medals for completing goals quickly and efficiently.
In Anomaly, you don't have direct control of your units, save one. The commander is the one unit that you can navigate through the map and his role is one of support for your other units than to attack your enemy buildings. You have no means of attacking when using the commander, but can be used to gather power-ups strewn throughout the map and draw fire from enemy towers.
One of the biggest obstacles that strategy games face when being ported to a console is the control scheme. Most strategy games aren't created with controllers in mind, and feel quite unwieldy as a result. Fortunately, Anomaly Warzone Earth's gameplay bucks this trend and feels quite comfortable.
Anomaly boasts a surprising amount of action and intensity for a strategy game.
The game's mechanics, which require you to map out your path and adjust it on the fly all while controlling your own commander avatar to gather power-ups and perform decoy tasks, feel immediately comfortable on the Xbox 360's controller, and never overwhelming. That's not to say that the game isn't challenging, as you'll often find yourself in some pretty intense situations that require quick thinking, rerouting, and item use, as well as some more long-term focuses like unit upgrades.
Anomaly Warzone Earth takes place in the future, when the world has been invaded by alien forces, bubbling off pieces of major cities and taking the area over for their own purposes. Commanding the 14th Platoon, you make your way through the war-torn streets of Baghdad, using a variety of units, including heavily armored (but slow) APCs, powerful but poorly defended missile launchers, shield generators, and more. As you earn currency, you'll be able to purchase new units and upgrade the ones that you have with better stats.
The game's story isn't great, doing little to separate itself from other alien invasion type stories. The voice acting sounds like a bad Jason Statham movie, and the score tends to get pretty repetitive, making for a pretty lackluster sound presentation.
In addition to the 14 mission campaign, there are some extra modes, unlockable once you complete the game. Tokyo Raid and Baghdad Mayhem feel mostly like survival modes, where you navigate the streets taking on enemy emplacements and earning power-ups while trying to last as long as you can, while Tactical Trials is the main new feature, giving you six different VR-style missions set in the game's universe. These feature a new GUI, sporting a wireframe look as opposed to the demolished streets and wrecked buildings in the campaign. The new missions are goal oriented and can be pretty fun, but don't really offer a lot of depth. Mostly, they work as a nice side bit from the main campaign.
Enemy heavy paths will result in you rerouting your units on the fly.
Graphically, Anomaly Warzone Earth might not be the best looking game on Xbox LIVE Arcade, but sports a decent amount of bells and whistles to keep it from being a uniformly monochromatic experience. Desolate yellow sands and destroyed buildings are broken up by some good looking explosion effects and bright primary colors that help determine enemies and units in the background.
Even though the game's story leaves something to be desired, Anomaly Warzone Earth succeeds on several fronts. Even though the game has been adapted from several platforms, it still feels immediately comfortable on an Xbox 360 controller. Additionally, the game's refreshing take on tower defense and strategy as a whole makes for a pretty unique experience. If you got your fill from the other versions of the game, the Tactical Trials mode might not be enough to pull you back in. That said, if this is your first time in Anomaly, you'll find an engaging and unique strategy game with plenty of action.
Diabolical Pitch Review
Swing and a miss.
Here's the deep, dark secret about Diabolical Pitch: There's a huge separation between its disarming swagger and the harsh reality of itself. Grasshopper Manufacture's latest release, an experimental Kinect shooter with wacko themes, carries itself with confidence. Diabolical Pitch knows how inexplicable it truly is, but it doesn't just revel in its own absurdity. It's aware of what's cool about its aesthetic, too, and makes the most of it.
When it tries to translate that out-there entertainment to its motion-based gameplay, Diabolical Pitch fails. The result of rudimentary mechanics and inaccurate input is a limp action game that's equal parts interesting and frustrating.
This leaves little room for excitement.
When it tries to translate that out-there entertainment to its motion-based gameplay, Diabolical Pitch fails. The result of rudimentary mechanics and inaccurate input is a limp action game that's equal parts interesting and frustrating.
This leaves little room for excitement.
For a brief time, Diabolical Pitch's entertaining ideas and progression system deserve attention. What's not to love about throwing baseballs at evil, anthropomorphic animals' heads?
The gestures involve aiming with your weak hand and pitching with your strong arm. Firing wildly works, locking on helps, and playing co-op presents cool new opportunities for group or team-based kills. Pitching balls rapidly and on point builds combos and earns money. In turn, players can purchase new abilities, character buffs, and combo bonuses in the form of collectible cards.
Diabolical Pitches, the screen-clearing special moves, are the main draw, though. These hilarious and extravagant methods of overkill include chucking a ball the size of a mini-van or using electric balls to fry groups. The gameplay and unlocks play well into each other's hands, which creates an enjoyable cycle of playing, earning, and replaying to place higher on the leaderboards.
You made this happen five seconds ago. Wait, watch, continue.
Eventually (and this doesn't take very long) Diabolical Pitch starts struggling to stay interesting. It rarely crosses the threshold to "bad," but the novelty of lighting bipedal elephants on fire starts to wane as Diabolical Pitch refuses to change.
Jumping and ducking to evade enemy attacks is only a slight diversion from the waves of enemies appearing in unsurprising patterns. By the time you've earned enough to own a respectable number of bonuses, there's little reason to carry on using them.
This is where the aesthetic starts to drift from the gameplay. As a player, it's not enjoyable to endure the mundane, repetitive interactions in a world so rich with ridiculous things going on. Baboons riding UFOs in a space amusement park? Incredible. But the sad truth about Diabolical Pitch is that it's nothing more than whack-a-mole with deep-cutting control issues.
There they are. Get 'em before they walk at you to death.
Kinect feels like an afterthought, which is strange considering Grasshopper build Diabolical Pitch around it. There's only a basic correlation between player actions and the on-screen result. Aside from aiming and throwing, every other motion, such as jumping, ducking, or catching, triggers something you watch. Worse, the Kinect detection just isn't ideal. The aiming reticule wanders off-screen or in inappropriate directions against the player's control, sometimes. Sometimes it flat-out doesn't recognize a jump or duck, which can kill the main character and send you back to the beginning of a stage. Sure, they're only a few minutes each, but it still sucks to have to restart for reasons out of your hands.
Ultimately, the inconsistency between thematic presentation and gameplay structure leads to a sterile, unremarkable game. It's certainly worth seeing in some capacity, if only in the free XBLA trial. The dark but vibrant art is a strong complement to the themes, which must have been borne out of a what-if meeting where nobody was allowed to say "no."
Diabolical Pitch has more fun with itself than most of us will have with it, which is likable enough for those who aren't looking for anything more.
The Pinball Arcade Review
Boring name, great game.
It's difficult to appreciate the authenticity of The Pinball Arcade's real-life tables if you're not a pinball nerd. Not a Pinball FX nerd, mind you. The sort of players who discovered or reconnected with the classic real-world arcade game via modern video game pinball probably won't understand the importance of these Williams, Bally, Gottlieb, and Stern boards.
Perhaps this is the greatest asset in the Pinball Arcade arsenal. Although its digitized ports don't do much to shake up the genre, they contribute to what's becoming a growing trend and worthwhile new obsession on Xbox Live Arcade. It's bringing back the origin of species to show fans new, old, or undiscovered why pinball rules.
Perhaps this is the greatest asset in the Pinball Arcade arsenal. Although its digitized ports don't do much to shake up the genre, they contribute to what's becoming a growing trend and worthwhile new obsession on Xbox Live Arcade. It's bringing back the origin of species to show fans new, old, or undiscovered why pinball rules.
This genie is a jerk. Smash him with balls.
Given their heritage, the Ripley's Believe It or Not, Black Hole, Theatre of Magic, and Tales of the Arabian Nights machines don't share the luxury of modern pinball boards. At times, the dense, garish imagery obscures the ball locations.
In digging through the menus and discovering the original ads and information about each, it's clear this was always the case. A lesser developer prioritizing accessibility over preservation may have cleaned this up a bit. Farsight Studios is clearly committed to the history, even if it means an imperfect gameplay experience at times.
Even then, the issues are microscopic. There are only three camera options, none of which are static; tracking the ball can be disorienting. The ball slips by the flippers or through the sides withsuspicious regularity, which gets frustrating. Quests end with unceremonious praise. Such issues only stand out because there aren't any upsetting issues worth addressing in Pinball Arcade.
The Black Hole table has a miniature table inside the main board.
After all, these tables are awesome. The joyous warbling and ding-dong sound effects, appropriate physics, and through instructions for each table meet the mandatory minimum expectations.
Meanwhile, the inner-workings of the complex table designs present a deep and satisfying challenge for players dedicated to completing elaborate goals. Each table has an advanced tier for hardcore players who seek additional goals -- hitting holes, ramps, and objects in a time limit, for example. The usual stuff, as expected, since these are the tables that inspired what we now understand as the basics.
Welcome back.
Colors! 3D Review
The perfect download for artistic 3DS owners has arrived.
There's nothing quite like an amazing painting application to while away the hours with - and luckily for 3DS owners, that app has arrived in the form of Colors! 3D. Available now on the 3DS eShop, Colors! allows players to create 3D paintings on their system by drawing on up to five different layers. With thorough tutorials to help get you going, Colors! is exceptionally easy to use - so anyone from infrequent doodlers to serious artists should be able to enjoy and reap the benefits of this download.
Colors! 3D has an incredibly easy to master interface, and lets you switch between layers on the fly by pressing left or right on the Circle Pad, thereby allowing for different depths for different sections of your drawing. You're also able to re-arrange or even delete layers as you please. Pressing up or down on the Circle Pad lets you zoom in or out, so you can create as detailed of a painting as you please. Accessing the painting tools is as easy as holding down the L button. There you'll find three different brushes to choose from (with the ability to adjust each brush's size and opacity), as well as a full color palette and both a dropper and an eraser tool. Learn to manipulate your tools just right and you should be able to create just about anything your creativity and artistic prowess permits.
Aside from being an impressive painting application, there are several little touches that make Colors! 3D especially noteworthy. Manipulating the different layers to create 3D images is more fun than it should be, and a complete blast to mess around with. The ability to undo absolutely every line you've drawn during any given painting session - all the way back to your first smudge of ink - is also a welcome inclusion, as is the ability to watch a video of the entire creation process once your picture is complete.
You can't tell here, but those clouds are doing crazy cool things with 3D.
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13
Tiger Woods 13 still presents a decent golf game, but there isn't much new here, and many added features like Kinect support come with problems.
The Tiger Woods series is struggling to find its way. After sticking with the troubled superstar over the past few years of scandal and an extended slump, EA Sports doesn't seem to know what to do with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 on the Xbox 360. This could have been a very good golf game, but its identity has been watered down with gimmicky Kinect support, a lame mode where you play as Eldrick Tont Woods from tyke to today, and extortionate downloadable content. Gamepad swing mechanics have been nicely overhauled, and the new Country Club mode promises to help the game establish an online community, but taken together, all the new features don't add up to anything meaningful.
There isn't much new in Tiger Woods 13. The look and sound of the game haven't improved much over earlier releases, although there do seem to be more nifty shadow effects on courses and a few more commentary lines from main booth jockey Jim Nantz. The core game is essentially brought forward from last year in its entirety. All the main modes of play are back for another round. You can play one-off matches, set up a golfer and begin a pro career, head online for multiplayer tournaments, head to The Masters again, and so forth.
The most significant addition is Tiger Legacy, where you play as the great one in various stages of his life, from childhood to the present day and beyond. Sadly, Tiger's life was extraordinarily tedious, if this game is to be believed. EA does nothing of interest with this feature. All it does is provide different Tiger player models to look at while you shoot your way through boring challenges like dropping balls into a backyard wading pool, hitting target scores in rounds, helping Tiger break Jack Nicklaus' record for victories in the Majors, and so forth.
A much more notable change comes with the gamepad swing mechanics. Standard button pushing has been tweaked pretty extensively in the new Total Swing Control for the gamepad. It works a fair bit like the left-stick-oriented control scheme from last year, but with more options and more attention paid to things like the tempo of your swing and foot position. In other words, it's a little harder to nail long drives that split the fairway, or make accurate approach shots that land you a couple of feet from the cup, especially when you nudge the difficulty above pro. But you get used to the changes quickly.
While this is a superior system, one that offers you a great deal more control in all aspects of making shots, it isn't so dramatically better that it makes the game a must-buy. That said, it does offer the best putting mechanics in the history of the series. Putting is spectacularly accurate here. The thumbstick perfectly tracks your motions when pulling back and pushing forward, letting you make some jaw-dropping 50-footers, or at least put up some valiant attempts and get close to the cup. Say good-bye to the annoying old days of cursing out your thumbs when a putt inexplicably came up too short or wound up running 20 feet too long because the controls let you down.
Kinect support is offered here for the first time, but it comes with a lot of irritations. Most notably, it really helps to use a stick or a shortened golf club like the ones made for the Wii to help guide your movements. A lot of effort is required to take shots, especially when driving. So if you don't have something to grip to help your balance, it's easy to wind up off-kilter or possibly even pull muscles by practically corkscrewing your body into the living-room carpet. Still, the motion-sensing gizmo can be almost breathtaking at times. When you slam a drive down the fairway it almost feels like you've really just slammed a drive down the fairway. Approach shots, playing out of the rough, escaping the sand, and so forth all require some serious touch as well. Get out of a tough spot, and you feel like doing some authentic Tiger fist pumps.
Yesterday
Yesterday's unsteady narrative is disappointingly brief, though solid puzzles and nice visuals make it a pleasant diversion.
In the opening seconds of Yesterday, you see bloody pentagrams scrawled on the floor, hear tortured screams, and spot references to alchemy, the Vatican Secret Archives, and the Spanish Inquisition. It's a heavy-handed way to tell you something foul is afoot, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that a Dan Brown novel is underway and a middle-aged symbology professor is right around the corner. Instead, you meet a pair of nonprofit volunteers who venture into an abandoned train station to offer aid to the homeless. Though the people they find there and the revelations that follow offer a welcome counterweight to the cliched intro video, Yesterday struggles to find narrative balance over the course of the not-so-lengthy adventure.
The characters are also inconsistent. Some are dull tropes (an eccentric mountaintop hermit), while others are interesting personalities (a disheveled bum who speaks with equal parts clarity and delusion). The relationships you explore as the amnesiac protagonist show some promise, but Yesterday ends before any of them can grow more complex. Fortunately, the rich colors and pleasing artistic style make exploration enjoyable, and the puzzles you encounter strike a decent balance between accessibility and challenge. These elements help buoy Yesterday above its narrative disappointment, making it an appealing adventure for the point-and-click crowd.
And point and click you do, though Yesterday doesn't like to make things too tough for you. Your cursor changes to indicate objects you can interact with, and the menu bar at the bottom of the screen offers a button that highlights these hot spots, should you miss any. There's also a hint button that refills frequently, but the dialogue and environmental cues generally do a nice job of guiding you in the right direction.
Your first challenge is to make your way into the aforementioned train station, overcoming the barriers that clearly indicate that someone doesn't want you there. Picking a lock is never as easy as it seems, because who carries lockpicks these days? This area, and a few others that follow, trip themselves up a bit by presenting elements that aren't used until later puzzles, leaving you to futz around with a phone before moving on, for example. Regardless, Yesterday still settles in to a good rhythm of exploration, assessment, experimentation, and solution.
Amid this cycle, you often engage others in conversation. This amounts to little more than clicking through topics until you've heard everything the character has to say, though there are a few occasions when you move beyond simple talk. Quick little games, like a chess-based quiz, are a welcome splash of diversity, though your fate never really hangs in the balance.
Conversations are also enjoyable because of Pendulo Studios' distinctive art and animation style, most recently seen in The Next Big Thing. Vibrant colors and expressive character models make the characters feel lively, though the inconsistent voice acting doesn't always complement the art well. The protagonist has a rich voice, but his performance is overly sedate, and some of the other recordings feel oddly rushed and truncated. The villains make a good show of it, fortunately, and the dialogue reveals some of the most interesting aspects of the story.
Yesterday's narrative jumps around in time as the leading man tries to unravel the mystery of his past. Heading back in time is no problem, but it's a jarring shift to leave the past for the present and try to remember what was going on and who knows what. For the most part the sensation is one of barreling along a track, not derailing completely, and this unsteadiness makes finally figuring it all out both rewarding and relieving. Once the whole intriguing truth is revealed, you feel like you have your narrative footing at last and are eager to forge onward.
Unfortunately, this is when Yesterday quickly draws to a close. The grim finale comes hot on the heels of the climactic reveal, giving you the sense that things are wrapping up just when they were starting to get good. The characters you've been trying to get a handle on have finally revealed themselves, but it's too late. This disappointment lingers, but most of the game is spent exploring nice environments, meeting some strange folks, and solving a bunch of enjoyable puzzles. Whatever you wish it might have done better, Yesterday does enough things right to make for an amusing adventure.
Ridge Racer Unbounded
Ridge Racer Unbounded is a dramatic departure for the series, but one that's filled with some gloriously destructive, fast-paced racing.
Ridge Racer Unbounded is, as its name suggests, Ridge Racer without limits. Your cars are no longer simple drifting machines, but tools of destruction, and the fictitious, urban tracks of Shatter Bay are your calamitous playground. Cars leap, streets explode, and buildings crumble, all while your competitors are turned into fiery, slow-motion heaps of wreckage. This is no mere update to the series. It is a declaration of change, one that confidently throws out the tried-and-true but rapidly aging formula of Ridge Racer to create a blend of all-out destruction and high-speed racing that's tremendously exciting, if not entirely original.
It's easy to see where Unbounded's influences lie: the crumbling cityscapes are lifted from MotorStorm: Apocalypse and Split/Second; the slow-motion takedowns are those of Burnout; and the fast-paced multiplayer action is akin toBlur's. But it's thrown together with a great deal of care. Your cars are varied, plentiful, and oh so shiny. You can pick from all manner of machines, some faster and lighter, others stronger and better in the drift. All have a unique look that mimics real-world classics, yet they retain the pseudo-futuristic style that Ridge Racer is famed for.
Their handling is a blend of old and new too. Drifting still plays its part, but gone is the on-rails feel of old, replaced with a much more dynamic and exciting system that rewards careful timing of the hand brake and judicious tweaks of the steering to make it around corners. Overdo the steering, and you slam straight into a wall. Undercook it, and you won't even make it around the bend. Put simply, you can't coast through drifts anymore. This makes them more challenging, but the rewards for such skilful manoeuvres are greater than before.
The boost bar that fills during drifts isn't just for bursts of speed; it's your primary weapon of destruction. Competitors can be turned into twisted heaps of metal with a well-timed boost to the rear, resulting in spectacular--if overly long--slow-motion wipeouts of flame and shrapnel. Buildings that stand in the way of a straight path down the track are ripe for your boosts too, exploding with a vigour that propels you out the other side in a display of broken glass and rubble that would be worthy of any great action movie.
Such displays of destruction are not only a treat for the eyes, but a key to your success. For every car you wreck, building you destroy, or lamppost you topple, there are points to be won. Even if you don't take a podium place during an event--though there is a bonus for doing so--your time on the circuit isn't wasted: the points you earn from destruction go towards increasing your overall racing level, which opens up new districts (tracks) in Shatter Bay, new cars, and new events. They include Domination races that reward destruction, Shindo races that reward pure racing skill, Drift Attacks that reward your ability to go sideways, and Frag Attacks that reward smashing your opponents into a wall.
Districts you unlock give each event a new lease on life, such is their variety. The dusty, crate-filled roads and tight turns of the Docks area soon give way to the towering concrete skyscrapers of the inner city, with drift-friendly roads, explosive trucks, and mesmerizing jumps making them a joy to race through. The outer city brings with it highways and tight tunnels for close-quarters shunting, while the addition of nighttime races adds more beauty to the already finely crafted and detailed tracks. A minimal HUD consisting of just a speedometer ensures you're given an unobstructed view of the city; finer details like position, lap times, and score are cleverly overlaid onto the environment itself.
There's a case to be made for the cleverness of the multiplayer too, which shuns a traditional lobby-based system for something altogether more personal. A track-creation system lets you craft circuit events to place within a city hub of your very own. You can set a score in any of your events and send it out to the world as a challenge, or grab a group of would-be competitors and go head-to-head in action-packed online races. It's a shame the track editor isn't a little easier to use, due to its flaky camera navigation and confusing tools for placing tunnels, but the resulting circuit designs already add a great deal of longevity to a game that has no shortage of tracks right out of the box. That's not to mention the sheer joy of fragging other players just as they're about to reach the finish line in first place, leaving them to wallow in a fiery mess of machine.
And really, that's what Unbounded excels at: balls-to-the wall, explosive action. Truth be told, it's Ridge Racer by name only and a massive departure from previous games in the series. But there's so much to like here, so much joy to be had fragging your opponents, so much creativity to be poured into the track creator, and so much stupid satisfaction to be had from blowing stuff up that you'd be doing yourself a great disservice to dismiss Unbounded just because it doesn't handle like you're used to, or because Reiko isn't there to mentally undress during loading screens. Ridge Racer Unbounded is much more exciting than that, and much more compelling than anything that has come before. There's no point in looking back. Instead, celebrate the fact that you've got a brighter, sleeker, and more explosion-filled Ridge Racer. It's one hell of a ride.
FIFA Street review
Should casual fans check out FIFA Street over FIFA 12? (Hint Hint: We think you should)
Posted by: Shaleen Das
Soccer is an interesting sport. To outsiders, it's nothing more than tireless passing and fake injuries, but in reality, it's true craftsmanship with a perfect amount of showing off. FIFA Street, the epitome of nostalgia, cashes in on this concept with excellent gameplay from its older brother, FIFA 12. EA Sports has hit the nail on the head once again, but the real question is: will casual fans will pick up Streetover FIFA 12 and other soccer titles?
The latest soccer addition utilizes FIFA 12's engine in an outstanding manner, replicating the core experience while introducing Street's off the wall gameplay. The backlot-style action is fast-paced and stacked with insane goal scoring, headlined by an excellent control scheme. Players can use the analog sticks to perform tricks, while using the buttons to shoot, steal, and run. The layout is welcoming to soccer newcomers, but still offers a learning curve to perfect juggling and dribbling. The entire concept is smooth and exhilarating, making goal scoring an even greater time.
FIFA Street's branded name may turn off fans who see it as just "another soccer title," but that's just where Street shines. EA and its Canada team have focused primarily on creating a pick-up, backlot experience that strays off the beaten path. From alleyways to midtown gyms, FIFA Street maintains this goal and emphasizes it. These backdrops look gorgeous, and while players' faces look a little less than stellar, their in-game voicing highlights this style of gameplay.
Unlike most sports titles, FIFA Street is stuffed with content. World Tour mode acts as a classic "single-player" where you and your squad can take your talents across the globe, earning new uniforms and moves. As your skills improve, you can begin to tackle your opponents at higher difficulties, which offers better equipment, and makes perfecting moves and scoring more worthwhile. From World Tour, your squad can battle others online via Xbox Live in head-to-head matchups and tournaments. Online play also includes several modes that are unique in and of themselves and are worth investing time into.
Overall, FIFA Street offers a distinct style of futbol from its relatives. Street's presentation resonates throughout the experience. The pace is frantic, and the goals are insane. Frankly, it's never been this fun. Add in one of sports games' best engines and a load of content, and you'll find yourself knee deep in Street's soccer action. Whether you're a casual soccer fan or a connoisseur, FIFA Street will satisfy you in every way. Lets just say you'll be fist-pumping after every goal.
Posted by: Shaleen Das
Soccer is an interesting sport. To outsiders, it's nothing more than tireless passing and fake injuries, but in reality, it's true craftsmanship with a perfect amount of showing off. FIFA Street, the epitome of nostalgia, cashes in on this concept with excellent gameplay from its older brother, FIFA 12. EA Sports has hit the nail on the head once again, but the real question is: will casual fans will pick up Streetover FIFA 12 and other soccer titles?
The latest soccer addition utilizes FIFA 12's engine in an outstanding manner, replicating the core experience while introducing Street's off the wall gameplay. The backlot-style action is fast-paced and stacked with insane goal scoring, headlined by an excellent control scheme. Players can use the analog sticks to perform tricks, while using the buttons to shoot, steal, and run. The layout is welcoming to soccer newcomers, but still offers a learning curve to perfect juggling and dribbling. The entire concept is smooth and exhilarating, making goal scoring an even greater time.
FIFA Street's branded name may turn off fans who see it as just "another soccer title," but that's just where Street shines. EA and its Canada team have focused primarily on creating a pick-up, backlot experience that strays off the beaten path. From alleyways to midtown gyms, FIFA Street maintains this goal and emphasizes it. These backdrops look gorgeous, and while players' faces look a little less than stellar, their in-game voicing highlights this style of gameplay.
Unlike most sports titles, FIFA Street is stuffed with content. World Tour mode acts as a classic "single-player" where you and your squad can take your talents across the globe, earning new uniforms and moves. As your skills improve, you can begin to tackle your opponents at higher difficulties, which offers better equipment, and makes perfecting moves and scoring more worthwhile. From World Tour, your squad can battle others online via Xbox Live in head-to-head matchups and tournaments. Online play also includes several modes that are unique in and of themselves and are worth investing time into.
Overall, FIFA Street offers a distinct style of futbol from its relatives. Street's presentation resonates throughout the experience. The pace is frantic, and the goals are insane. Frankly, it's never been this fun. Add in one of sports games' best engines and a load of content, and you'll find yourself knee deep in Street's soccer action. Whether you're a casual soccer fan or a connoisseur, FIFA Street will satisfy you in every way. Lets just say you'll be fist-pumping after every goal.
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown Review
Batman's adventure hits iOS devices. How well does Arkham City Lockdown stack up to its predecessors?
Batman: Arkham City roared onto the console scene last year, taking the industry by storm with outstanding gameplay and a thrilling narrative. Months later, Warner Bros. and NeverRealm announced an iOS Batman adventure titled Batman: Arkham City Lockdown. Flash forward to today, some folks have finished the entire Arkham City experience and are looking for something new to feed their hunger. Does Lockdown answer fans' calls, or prove to be a Batman poser?
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown is simple game at heart: a melee fighter that features swiping motions, like EPIC's Infinity Blade II, and is set in Arkham City. Your job, as Batman, is to rid the streets of thugs and Batman's greatest villains. Players will direct Batman in a linear path across the city, taking down several different types of these bad guys. Every area you clear features a boss battle with foes like Two-Faced and Penguin. While on your journey, players will be able to upgrade Batman with new gadgets and abilities.
From a presentation standpoint, players want to see Arkham City — the same city they fell in love with last year. NeverRealm captures these locations quite well — back alleys and smoke-filled streets have that eerie, Arkham City feel. What made the console versions so brilliant, though, was the ability to soar across the city. Sadly, Lockdown limits you to a linear story and strangles you to similar locations. Nevertheless, enemies within these environments respond like you'd expect, and boss battles open and close with epic voice-overs.
Lockdown features the notorious Unreal Engine, and ironically features the same fighting mechanics as Infinity Blade. Combat is smooth and enjoyable at first, but after a handful of fights, it becomes tiresome and "noobish." Enemies attack in exact patterns, and countering their moves is as easy as a tap on the screen. Like presentation, Lockdown's mechanics struggle with variety. Luckily, the game flaunts impressive graphics; it's not Infinity Blade II worthy, but still pretty.
Overall, Batman: Arkham City Lockdown struggles to grab your attention. At first glance, you'll find it to be tasteful, detailed, and filled with content (i.e. Wayne Tech upgrades), but after you spend some time with it, you'll most likely grow bored. As an iOS game, Lockdown is definitely an above average title, but in terms of the Batman name, it's nothing to brag about. If you're a fan of Batman and have $5.99, give this one a shot, but for most of you, either wait until the price drops or steer clear of this one.
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City review
Does a different perspective, different mission, different outlook, and different play style make for a better game though?
While Capcom’s Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City wasn’t my most anticipated game of 2012, it was definitely on the list. The trailers, the concept, and the coop / multiplayer aspects were quite compelling and alluring. As a Resident Evil fan, I was excited to relive a familiar time period in the series — the initial outbreak in Raccoon City.
You play as the ‘bad guys’ — Umbrella security agents. Your task is to cover up the evidence of any connection to Umbrella and the incident involving zombies. ‘Covering up’ includes burning physical evidence, deleting digital data, and killing any survivors found. What I love about this concept is that for once you play as a faction that knows what Umbrella is up too. You see a hunter and your character identifies it as a MA-121. Instead of being surprised by a zombie outbreak, you understand it, have the skills to enhance it, and have the ability to cure infection. For once, you don’t play as a Chris, Leon, or insert S.T.A.R.S. member here.
The negative aspect of playing as an Umbrella agent is that by knowing what you’re against and what’s going on, you lose a lot of the fear element. As a player, it’s difficult to grasp the severity of the outbreak when your squad is reprogramming a Nemesis. The co-op aspect of the game also takes away from the fear element. It’s hard to catch the few ‘scary’ moments when the event starts by someone that isn’t you.
Despite what I just said, the cooperation play is the best aspect of REORC. To play through the game with three friends is ideal. I had the most fun when playing with friends or at least other humans. The AI for your squad is downright awful. Charging into hordes of zombies, not moving at all, walking over trip mines, and just standing in fire until they die were popular tactics of my single player squad mates. I thoroughly enjoyed the times my mates would get infected so I could just shoot them in the head.
There is a general consensus among myself and other reviewers about the bad AI. While I fully admit the AI is terrible, the game is designed to be played cooperatively. Playing Left for Deadsingle player can be just as painful. In a squad-based game you need to have squad dynamics to be efficient. The penalties for death are not grave enough (pun intended). Losing your sprays and grenades to get all your ammo back isn’t a bad trade off. As long as one human player is alive, the game stays in motion. For some reason, you can revive a player who was previously infected and / or brutally mangled with no limbs left. To revive someone costs nothing but time.
For the campaign mode, there are six different characters you can play as. Each character has two unique passive abilities and three unique abilities. However, you can only use one of the three unique abilities at a time. Both the passive and active abilities have three levels that you can upgrade with experience points. Experience points are universal, so while you play one character you can unlock other character abilities with the same experience. Different guns can also be unlocked, which any character can use once you unlock them.
While I admittedly love the setting, the plot still fell short of my expectations. Since the Resident Evil series often uses the same characters in each of the games, they don’t have to catch you up too much on their past. In REORC, these are six brand new characters and there is literally no backstory. While I never expected too much in this department, I would have liked more than the small blurb when you're highlighting the character you want to play as. Without giving away spoilers, the twists in the game were somewhat predictable. I feel like Capcom could have done so much to flush out these characters and have some development during the game.
With all that said, there are many things I enjoyed about the setting. REORC takes place during the events of Resident Evil 2 and the outbreak in Raccoon City. Due to this time period, Leon and Claire are integrated into the story. The scenery looks like an updated Raccoon City from RE2, you fight classic enemies like hunters and lickers, and you even visit the Raccoon City Police Department. There is even an easter egg that I picked up on is when coming across a piano which plays “Moonlight Sonata” like the piano in the original Resident Evil. I will forever associate that song with the Resident Evil series.
The gameplay itself is a bit clunky. While the cover system is easy to get into (you just run into what you want to take cover against), I found it to be too easy at times. While running away from stuff, I would often go into cover, giving whatever was chasing me a few easy hits on me. I didn’t like that I wasn't able to vault over smaller objects. Shooting felt similar to other third person games. You always have a sidearm and one other gun. You will often drop guns for new ones on the ground for the sake of having ammo to fire. I felt this gave a slight ‘survival horror’ feel to the game.
Headshots, as they should be, were extremely effective versus zombies. The other B.O.W.s (Bio Organic Weapons) were hard to determine just how much your attacks were doing to them and often took clip after clip to take down. The Hunters and especially the Tyrants were quite the ordeals to bring down. Melee attacks are weak, but they open the ability to instant kill zombies / humans which make them strong. Effectively using melee attacks will leave you completely unscathed, even when surrounded by a horde of zombies.
The campaign mode was fairly short; somewhere around eight hours. The multiplayer may have potential, but it wasn’t able to grab my attention. The same experience points you gain in the campaign is also gained in multiplayer. The unlocks you get in single player pass over to multiplayer and vice versa. So if you pick up the game without ever playing you have to rely on the standard guns and you won’t have any powers. After a match or two though, you will be caught up. Only one person can play a single character at a time, so spread out your powers instead of having one fully upgraded character — unless you are playing with three friends.
In conclusion, if you are a die-hard Resident Evil fan or someone who knows a handful of friends who want to play the game, I’d say pick it up. If you don’t have internet connection or plan on playing through the entire game as a private single-player experience — I don’t suggest it. The game excels as a multiplayer and cooperative game, and I feel it should only be played as one. I enjoyed my experience with the game, but I would have rather had it more polished with a slightly more fleshed out story. I don’t feel like I got what I anticipated so long for. The length of the campaign was disappointing, as well. There is already free DLC promised, so let’s see what direction the future of this game takes. At least we can all go back and watch those kick ass trailers. The trailers were so good...
With all that said, there are many things I enjoyed about the setting. REORC takes place during the events of Resident Evil 2 and the outbreak in Raccoon City. Due to this time period, Leon and Claire are integrated into the story. The scenery looks like an updated Raccoon City from RE2, you fight classic enemies like hunters and lickers, and you even visit the Raccoon City Police Department. There is even an easter egg that I picked up on is when coming across a piano which plays “Moonlight Sonata” like the piano in the original Resident Evil. I will forever associate that song with the Resident Evil series.
The gameplay itself is a bit clunky. While the cover system is easy to get into (you just run into what you want to take cover against), I found it to be too easy at times. While running away from stuff, I would often go into cover, giving whatever was chasing me a few easy hits on me. I didn’t like that I wasn't able to vault over smaller objects. Shooting felt similar to other third person games. You always have a sidearm and one other gun. You will often drop guns for new ones on the ground for the sake of having ammo to fire. I felt this gave a slight ‘survival horror’ feel to the game.
Headshots, as they should be, were extremely effective versus zombies. The other B.O.W.s (Bio Organic Weapons) were hard to determine just how much your attacks were doing to them and often took clip after clip to take down. The Hunters and especially the Tyrants were quite the ordeals to bring down. Melee attacks are weak, but they open the ability to instant kill zombies / humans which make them strong. Effectively using melee attacks will leave you completely unscathed, even when surrounded by a horde of zombies.
In conclusion, if you are a die-hard Resident Evil fan or someone who knows a handful of friends who want to play the game, I’d say pick it up. If you don’t have internet connection or plan on playing through the entire game as a private single-player experience — I don’t suggest it. The game excels as a multiplayer and cooperative game, and I feel it should only be played as one. I enjoyed my experience with the game, but I would have rather had it more polished with a slightly more fleshed out story. I don’t feel like I got what I anticipated so long for. The length of the campaign was disappointing, as well. There is already free DLC promised, so let’s see what direction the future of this game takes. At least we can all go back and watch those kick ass trailers. The trailers were so good...
Tales of Graces f review
Namco Bandai delivers a fresh dose of JRPG action, but does the game's immature plotline sully the experience?
I am a rather big fan of Namco Bandai's Tales series, ever since I first played Tales of Destiny II (aka Tales of Eternia) on the original PlayStation. At that time, it was my favorite game — a combination of Super Nintendo RPG aesthetics with the colorful anime graphics and voices to which I was addicted. One day, I found myself playing on my father's giant television, while my stepmother watched bored from an armchair, waiting for Wheel of Fortune's timeslot so she could banish me to the basement and watch the big colorful wheel spin around in peace. During one of the game's particuarly cliched "let's save the world" speeches, my stepmother felt it necessary to try and speak with this disgusting creature occupying her living room rug.
"These are the kind of games you play?" she asked.
"Yeah, I love RPGs," I confirmed with a dumb grin, not taking my eyes from the television. "Why?"
"I just figured you'd play something more mature."
The point is that the newly-released Tales of Graces f for Playstation 3 isn't the kind of game you'd want to play within sight of your b**** of a stepmother. Though the game continues to provide an addictive mixture of old school RPG gameplay and attractive modern gloss, it also remains bogged down by an overall lack of maturity, the plot advanced by a variety of unoriginal characters and some cringe-inducingly bad dialogue. Though diehard JRPG fans will likely still find something to like, the cliched narrative and overly linear design is definitely a major step backwards for the series.
Asbel attempts to name his new amnesiac friend: "Tiger Festival."
The awkward lowercase 'f' in the game's title apparently stands for "friendship," with most of the game's central characters having been childhood companions until a great tragedy caused them to all go their separate ways. If this was a Stephen King novel, they'd all return as adults to help destroy an evil 1958 Plymouth Oldsmobile with their newfound psychic powers. Instead, we're treated to the kind of predictable story formula perfected by the Shonen Jump school of plotline, with each minor character development obvious to anyone who's ever sat through an episode ofNaruto. The plucky hero finds that his unerring optimism is the solution to all problems, the good guy turned stoic badass rediscovers the value of friendship, and the mysterious girl who speaks only in monotone learns what a smile is. The overwhelming sweetness of the plot burns through your gut like a saccharin overdose, and the fact that first five hours of the game follows the cast's adventures as adorable ten year olds, doesn't help.
The "power of friendship" theme is more than a bit juvenile.
Once the timeline jumps seven years away from the Toon Disney tones of the game's outset, things start to get a bit darker. However, the plot remains bogged down by a serious lack of ambition, where even the character destined to turn to the dark side is clearly marked by his sinister black cloak. Not to mention that any excitement this plot twist might've provided is easily diminished as the game returns to focusing on the mundane diplomatic problems of this fictional nation.
It's interesting to see how the characters have changed after the time jump.
Additional character development is provided by Tales' trademark "skits," minor voice-acted scenes which help you get a feel for each character. These scenes are oftentimes comical, and a few inspired genuine chuckles (one female character was particularly upset about the group's willingness to escape the belly of a giant monster through the butthole), then again, the character's are all too cliched for any of their interactions to be worthy of attention, and there's really no need for the game's twenty or so variations on the "Cheria denying her feelings for Asbel" skit.
Skits are a fun way to learn more about characters, though the majority are instantly forgettable.
Luckily, the game's thrilling mechanics are a fine distraction from the anime-inspired antics, adding layers of depth to an otherwise forgettable experience. The Tales series is well known for its frantic real-time battle systems, and Graces features perhaps the best implementation of this ideal that I've seen yet. Players are still encouraged to string together massive attack combos using a combination of special skills, though gone is the TP (Technical Point) meter these "Artes" once drained. Now players can launch attacks at will, using their character's Chain Capacity points to pay for the onslaught. CC points refill quickly during battle, and moves like blocking or dodging attacks help them refill even faster. These tangible bonuses for defensive maneuvers add some serious depth to the battle system, while the CC point system lets players actually enjoy the wealth of cool battle abilities their character's accrue, without forcing them to spend every last bit of Gald on mana potions.
Shiny visual effects make the combat particuarly beautiful.
The game's character building aspects are also particularly engaging, with the new "title" system standing out as the most exciting feature. By progressing through the story and fulfilling various objectives, characters will earn new equippable titles, each of which grants access to a mixture of five stat buffs and special abilities. As characters earn experience in battle, the titles similarly rank up, giving permanent access to the contained title skills. Though managing the system can feel a bit haphazard (forgetting to switch up your title will have you investing points into skills you may not particularly want), it is definitely more interesting than your standard EXP based system, and there's a definite thrill to unlocking a rare title and gaining access to its unique powers.
Just one of the game's many addictive "collection" elements.
A feature not implemented as well is the game's dualizing system, which lets players jam items together to create ever-rarer swag. Though this feature seems fun to play with, players will quickly discover that most combinations result in nothing more than stupid trinkets to be sold to merchants. The most interesting combinations involve rare crystals, which either augment the stats of weapons / armor or transform them entirely. Unfortunately, there's no real excitement to any of it. You jam a strength crystal into a sword and it does more damage, you jam two strength enchanted swords together and you get an equippable crystal which augments strength. Keep doing this forever and you'll end up with a bunch of random crystals and overpowered items, none of which required much planning or skill to assemble.
Limited "dualizing" options hold back this item creation system
However the real problem with Tales of Graces seems to be its linearity, misguidedly choosing to lead players by the hand throughout the majority of the adventure. To be honest, some of the hand holding does help to streamline a notoriously cluttered genre, and it's nice that a simple press of the R1 button brings up your next destination / objective, but the game takes things one step too far by creating invisible walls in front of areas you're not meant to explore yet. Railroading the player in this manner is a definite game design sin and exposes just how linear the entire experience is.
Don't you dare cross this bridge! NO EXPLORING ALLOWED.
Following in Final Fantasy's misplaced footsteps, Tales of Graces f features no world map, leaving players little room for exploration until the very tail end of the game. As a result, the game design feels overwhelmingly claustrophobic. The game's multitude of towns and dungeons all seem to have been built within eyesight of each other, and the sense of adventure is greatly diminished when the other side of the world is less than five minutes away from the town you grew up in. The game's sidequests are perhaps the most obvious example of Tales' lacking depth, each town offering nothing more than a static bulletin board-style listing of these supposed quests. Though a few of these sidequests have some minor story sequences to accompany them, the majority of them are faceless "Find Two Apple Gel!" style objectives, with the imaginary requesters of these items existing only as faceless text boxes.
If you're a fan of giant empty roads, you're in luck.
As mentioned, though Graces is a bit more cohesive than previous titles, in stripping out some of the clutter they've also done away with many of the advancements 2008's Tales of Vesperiaattempted. For instance, Vesperia's boss battles often included some minor environmental set-pieces to interact with, like targetable bridge controls which could be destroyed to halt the appearance of additional enemies. Though these elements were awkwardly implemented in the previous game, it's disappointing to see the feature abandoned entirely.
Stop looking for depth and start hitting stuff.
More disappointing though is just how quickly Tales Studio has done away with mature thematic tones that Vesperia was exploring , the best friends adventure that is Tales of Graces barely deserving of a T for Teen content rating. Vesperia's Yuri was a rather intriguing protagonist, especially when cast against the character Flynn, the obvious "white knight" character who seemed an homage to the tired RPG heroes of old. Asbel Lhant, the protagonist of Tales of Graces f, is basically Flynn with a different haircut. Seeing Graces again embrace it's fuzzy roots is definitely a disappointment, though it's hard to expect more of a series largely known for its cute anime-style character skits and schoolgirl outfit DLC costumes.
Some lines are particuarly cringe-worthy...
That being said, even with all of its flaws, Tales of Graces f is still an honest-to-god JRPG, a genre which is desperate for attention. Though the game fails to deliver anything truly noteworthy, its mediocrity is polished to such a fine sheen that fans of the genre will likely forgive the various missteps. In short, if you've not yet tired of helping plucky teenagers save the world, you'll likely enjoy this game. Though if you're looking for something with a bit more grit, you'd be better off loading up a new Skyrim campaign.
Asbel attempts to name his new amnesiac friend: "Tiger Festival."
The "power of friendship" theme is more than a bit juvenile.
It's interesting to see how the characters have changed after the time jump.
Skits are a fun way to learn more about characters, though the majority are instantly forgettable.
Shiny visual effects make the combat particuarly beautiful.
Just one of the game's many addictive "collection" elements.
Limited "dualizing" options hold back this item creation system
Don't you dare cross this bridge! NO EXPLORING ALLOWED.
If you're a fan of giant empty roads, you're in luck.
Stop looking for depth and start hitting stuff.
Some lines are particuarly cringe-worthy...
Angry Birds Space Review (iOS)
In space, no one can hear you obliterate piggies
When you have a popular franchise, there’s always the risk that it’ll be “run into the ground”, or to the point that the developer runs out of ideas and makes rehashes of levels, or useless add-ons or possibly even tie-ins with other promotional products, like movies. As great as the Angry Birds is, it was running dangerously close to this point, not only with the countless sequels but also with the over-merchandising. Seriously, you can buy stuffed animals now. Thankfully, Rovio has managed to eke its way out of this trap with the release of Angry Birds Space, a game that takes the traditional play method and turns it on its head, thanks to some great new additions.
The goal still remains the same as far as the series is concerned. You’ve got a certain number of birds, each with their own abilities, to clear a stage with, obliterating all the randomly placed pigs in as few turns as possible. However, rather than just taking the usual Angry Birds route and pitting them in outer space scenarios, Rovio has really gone the extra mile with the concept.
For instance, gravity plays a tremendous part here. Each planet seems to have its own gravitational pull, either pushing outward or sucking inward, and you’ll have to adjust your trajectory accordingly, as the birds lean into this gravity, forcing them to change route. Some planets are pretty easy to figure out, while others require you to work out some sort of plan to hit your target. It’s an idea that works really well.
But that’s not all. Along with diabolically designed stages where the environment really plays a part, Rovio also introduces some new birds that are quite useful in later stages. The “ice” bird, for instance, freezes up anything within a short perimeter, while the new “homing” bird can zoom in on a specific point in the stage, provided the player taps it at the right time. Both of these really get the job done, along with the other returning birds. And if you get stuck, you can now call upon the Mighty Eagle, who’s offered free at first but then costs a buck for around 20 uses, however you choose. And you still earn feathers are rewards for using him, instead of stars.
For $.99 (or $2.99 if you’re going the iPad route), Angry Birds Space offers some very good value, with two planetoids and dozens of stages to cover. If you feel like continuing, you can add a dollar more and access a third one, filled with even greater challenges to overcome. It’s a shame it wasn’t originally included, but it could’ve been a lot worse when it comes to pricing.
The gameplay is pure touch screen magic, utilizing the traditional rules of Angry Birds but making the new elements fit in so well. And what’s more, you can probably figure out an alternate solution for each stage, even if it looks like something’s going to work in your favor to start with. This might make you want to try it again, even after you beat it, just to see how you fare.
As for presentation, Rovio sticks with what works. The galaxy design of the game doesn’t go too far overboard on frills, but the level design is top notch and the animations are quite cute. The sound effects aren’t bad, featuring a 2010-like soundtrack that really soothes you and plenty of squawking birds. You know, the Angry Birds stuff.
Have the Angry Birds worn out their welcome? Well, millions of players still get hooked to the series, and something tells us that Angry Birds Space will continue to do the job. But at least this is an excellent sequel, loaded with a great new approach and enough content to make up for the cheap price – and that’s including the additional in-app purchases. Like the gravity on a planet, it’ll certainly draw you in – even when you think you’ve had enough of the Birds.
Kid Icarus: Uprising review
After 20 years in exile, Kid Icarus is back! But does this clumsy shooter do justice to the classic character?
Copywriters that are often considered the low men on the totem pole, working long thankless hours in order to craft the descriptive text for laundry detergent ads. But while crafting sales copy isn't the most glamorous position, it does take skill, as evidenced by the PR fact sheet accompanying my review copy of Kid Icarus: Uprising for the Nintendo 3DS:
"The game's simple, intuitive play control has players hold the system in their left hand, while the right hand uses the stylus on the touch screen for targeting. The controls are simple enough to be grasped quickly, but offer layers of depth and strategy for advanced maneuvers."
Many men have lied to my face, but few have done it with such pretty words. The sad truth is that Kid Icarus' controls are far from simple or intuitive, and are in fact so awkward that they practically render the game unplayable.This is a tragedy, because Kid Icarus: Uprising is an otherwise thrilling game, its design problems seeming to stem largely from the limitations of the hardware for which its been designed.
In case you haven't noticed, the 3DS lacks a second analog stick. This means that the console is ill-suited for a variety of genres, say: twin-stick shooters, or 3rd-person action games lacking fixed cameras. Why Nintendo subsidiary Project Sora took a look at the device, and immediately thought to develop a game which is mix of both genres, is a goddamn scientific mystery. Though it seems obvious that their chief motivation was to take advantage of the 3DS' unique visuals, the portable's control scheme just wasn't meant for this type of game, giving us a very apt example of why you shouldn't put graphics ahead of gameplay.
As Pit, the titular "Kid Icarus," players will wrestle with two uniquely frustrating control modes, each stage beginning with a short aerial sequence before moving onto the lengthier on-foot areas. The flight segments are undoubtedly the most exciting part of Uprising, frantic Star Fox-style rail shooting which takes full advantage of the dazzling 3D visuals. Here, players control Pit's movements with the Circle Pad, dodging enemy fire while firing back with the L Button, aiming their stream of fire on the touchpad. Again, it's like trying to play a twin-stick shooter without a second stick, and though directing your fire with the stylus is a fun novelty, it doesn't really make up for the fact that you're glued to the included plastic stand.
Let me be perfectly clear when I say that the stand is not optional. Though I'd initially dismissed the stand as some sort of crutch for those not used to holding their portable systems like a jackass (I perfected the notorious PSP claw grip during the hundreds of hours I sunk into Monster Hunter Freedom), I quickly found that with my right hand busy with the stylus, my puny left hand could barely hope to support the entire weight of the device alone. Playing without the stand is like trying to ride a bike without a seat, it can be done, but you'll quickly tire of getting your ass pounded.
It's the on-ground segments which highlight just how bumpy this ride is. Once Pit's wings run out of juice, the game devolves into 3rd-person tedium, frustrating camera controls complicating even the simplest maneuvers. It feels a lot like trying to control a lazy Devil May Cry clone with a trackball, and though the levels are loaded up with secret areas, vehicle combat segments, massive bosses, and piles of sweet, sweet loot, none of it makes up for the clumsiness of the controls. Though Pit is supposed to move with the grace of an angel, using the stylus to spin the camera around never feels intuitive, and has you constantly stumbling into the enemy's line of fire. The dash maneuver is especially troubling, letting Pit supposedly dodge enemy attacks with a flick of the Circle Pad. Unfortunately, the move is so easy to trigger that it almost seems as though its primary function is to help accidently push Pit into the game's many bottomless chasms.
At least we know where he got his name.
What sucks is that Kid Icarus has so many awesome things going on, but the core gameplay is too broken for them to matter. Dozens of unique weapons are available, all of which can be combined into even more ridiculous armaments. There's also tons of special powers and stat buffs to collect, letting players customize Pit by fitting these variously sized powers onto a customization grid. Even more thrillingly, the collected powers and gear can all be used in the game's intriguing multiplayer mode, where two teams of three each wage war across a variety of battlefields, working to destroy the opposing team's angel. Though the online mode offers even more cool loot to collect, after struggling with the bizarre controls throughout the lengthy single-player campaign, it's hard to muster up excitement for this online experience. Not to mention that multiplayer arena combat isn't really a great fit for the 3DS's tiny screen.
To be honest, Kid Icarus isn't a complete failure. As mentioned, the flight segments are incredible, combining the best of traditional rail shooters with the flair of a Universal Studios theme park ride. Additionally, Project Sora has done a fantastic job of bringing a long-forgotten Nintendo character back to life. Pit is equal parts Link and Woody Allen, a handsome young warrior with all the self-confidence of our favorite neurotic Jew. Nintendo fans will also appreciate the game's frequent nods to nostalgia, bosses talking about how much they've changed since the NES days, with some of the game's returning monsters storming into battle with their terrifying original 8-bit music playing alongside. The presentation is excellent, even hilarious at times, though one can only polish a turd for so long.
In short, Kid Icarus: Uprising is a game designed for some wonderful alternate universe, where the 3DS has a second analog stick and a depth effect that doesn't require your head to be positioned at exactly the right distance from the screen. Instead we're stuck in this crappy little dimension of ours, where you need a plastic stand to play your portable game, and Sarah Palin is considered a legitimate presidential running mate. There are brief moments where it all comes together, where the 3D visuals are perfectly aligned, Pit hilariously bickering with the enemy as you thrillingly weave between a crowd of bullets, gleefully opening fire on the boss. But more often than not, the game's ambition is limited by it's own hardware. It's definitely a game every 3DS owner should experience at some point, if just for the brilliant flying segments alone. Though at $40, Kid Icarus is too much of a novelty to justify paying full price.
As a side note, the game does support the Circle Pad Pro attachment. Not to fix any of the control issues, but to allow left-handed players to experience the awful controls for themselves. Haven't our nation's lefties suffered enough Nintendo?
Copywriters that are often considered the low men on the totem pole, working long thankless hours in order to craft the descriptive text for laundry detergent ads. But while crafting sales copy isn't the most glamorous position, it does take skill, as evidenced by the PR fact sheet accompanying my review copy of Kid Icarus: Uprising for the Nintendo 3DS:
"The game's simple, intuitive play control has players hold the system in their left hand, while the right hand uses the stylus on the touch screen for targeting. The controls are simple enough to be grasped quickly, but offer layers of depth and strategy for advanced maneuvers."
Many men have lied to my face, but few have done it with such pretty words. The sad truth is that Kid Icarus' controls are far from simple or intuitive, and are in fact so awkward that they practically render the game unplayable.This is a tragedy, because Kid Icarus: Uprising is an otherwise thrilling game, its design problems seeming to stem largely from the limitations of the hardware for which its been designed.
In case you haven't noticed, the 3DS lacks a second analog stick. This means that the console is ill-suited for a variety of genres, say: twin-stick shooters, or 3rd-person action games lacking fixed cameras. Why Nintendo subsidiary Project Sora took a look at the device, and immediately thought to develop a game which is mix of both genres, is a goddamn scientific mystery. Though it seems obvious that their chief motivation was to take advantage of the 3DS' unique visuals, the portable's control scheme just wasn't meant for this type of game, giving us a very apt example of why you shouldn't put graphics ahead of gameplay.
As Pit, the titular "Kid Icarus," players will wrestle with two uniquely frustrating control modes, each stage beginning with a short aerial sequence before moving onto the lengthier on-foot areas. The flight segments are undoubtedly the most exciting part of Uprising, frantic Star Fox-style rail shooting which takes full advantage of the dazzling 3D visuals. Here, players control Pit's movements with the Circle Pad, dodging enemy fire while firing back with the L Button, aiming their stream of fire on the touchpad. Again, it's like trying to play a twin-stick shooter without a second stick, and though directing your fire with the stylus is a fun novelty, it doesn't really make up for the fact that you're glued to the included plastic stand.
Let me be perfectly clear when I say that the stand is not optional. Though I'd initially dismissed the stand as some sort of crutch for those not used to holding their portable systems like a jackass (I perfected the notorious PSP claw grip during the hundreds of hours I sunk into Monster Hunter Freedom), I quickly found that with my right hand busy with the stylus, my puny left hand could barely hope to support the entire weight of the device alone. Playing without the stand is like trying to ride a bike without a seat, it can be done, but you'll quickly tire of getting your ass pounded.
It's the on-ground segments which highlight just how bumpy this ride is. Once Pit's wings run out of juice, the game devolves into 3rd-person tedium, frustrating camera controls complicating even the simplest maneuvers. It feels a lot like trying to control a lazy Devil May Cry clone with a trackball, and though the levels are loaded up with secret areas, vehicle combat segments, massive bosses, and piles of sweet, sweet loot, none of it makes up for the clumsiness of the controls. Though Pit is supposed to move with the grace of an angel, using the stylus to spin the camera around never feels intuitive, and has you constantly stumbling into the enemy's line of fire. The dash maneuver is especially troubling, letting Pit supposedly dodge enemy attacks with a flick of the Circle Pad. Unfortunately, the move is so easy to trigger that it almost seems as though its primary function is to help accidently push Pit into the game's many bottomless chasms.
At least we know where he got his name.
What sucks is that Kid Icarus has so many awesome things going on, but the core gameplay is too broken for them to matter. Dozens of unique weapons are available, all of which can be combined into even more ridiculous armaments. There's also tons of special powers and stat buffs to collect, letting players customize Pit by fitting these variously sized powers onto a customization grid. Even more thrillingly, the collected powers and gear can all be used in the game's intriguing multiplayer mode, where two teams of three each wage war across a variety of battlefields, working to destroy the opposing team's angel. Though the online mode offers even more cool loot to collect, after struggling with the bizarre controls throughout the lengthy single-player campaign, it's hard to muster up excitement for this online experience. Not to mention that multiplayer arena combat isn't really a great fit for the 3DS's tiny screen.
To be honest, Kid Icarus isn't a complete failure. As mentioned, the flight segments are incredible, combining the best of traditional rail shooters with the flair of a Universal Studios theme park ride. Additionally, Project Sora has done a fantastic job of bringing a long-forgotten Nintendo character back to life. Pit is equal parts Link and Woody Allen, a handsome young warrior with all the self-confidence of our favorite neurotic Jew. Nintendo fans will also appreciate the game's frequent nods to nostalgia, bosses talking about how much they've changed since the NES days, with some of the game's returning monsters storming into battle with their terrifying original 8-bit music playing alongside. The presentation is excellent, even hilarious at times, though one can only polish a turd for so long.
In short, Kid Icarus: Uprising is a game designed for some wonderful alternate universe, where the 3DS has a second analog stick and a depth effect that doesn't require your head to be positioned at exactly the right distance from the screen. Instead we're stuck in this crappy little dimension of ours, where you need a plastic stand to play your portable game, and Sarah Palin is considered a legitimate presidential running mate. There are brief moments where it all comes together, where the 3D visuals are perfectly aligned, Pit hilariously bickering with the enemy as you thrillingly weave between a crowd of bullets, gleefully opening fire on the boss. But more often than not, the game's ambition is limited by it's own hardware. It's definitely a game every 3DS owner should experience at some point, if just for the brilliant flying segments alone. Though at $40, Kid Icarus is too much of a novelty to justify paying full price.
As a side note, the game does support the Circle Pad Pro attachment. Not to fix any of the control issues, but to allow left-handed players to experience the awful controls for themselves. Haven't our nation's lefties suffered enough Nintendo?
Sine Mora review
This time-sensitive shooter is hard as hell, but undeniably fun.
Seeing as how we won’t be getting another good “bullet hell” shooter for the next few months (Rising Star Games will release Cave’s Akai Katanaover the summer), fans of the not-so-traditional shooter line are searching for anything to bide their time with. Fortunately, the lunatics over at Grasshopper Manufacture (and I say that with a positive spin) have finally released its long-awaited Sine Mora this week on Xbox Live Arcade. With a manic story, an interesting new time-stopping/rewinding mechanic and a challenge that’s perfect for die-hard “shmup” fans, it’s definitely a game worthy of your attention.
The game revolves around a group of furry-like animals that are trying to stop an evil force from wasting the planet in an act of genocide. But rather than take itself seriously (or, dare we say it, take the Star Fox route), Grasshopper injects the conversations with bits of humor and a whole lot of cursing — which explains the game’s Mature rating. The story is passable for what it is, but you can always skip through it by holding down the left trigger button, getting to the shooting action you crave.
And what action it is. Sine Mora delivers enemies in droves, from laser-shooting wall turrets to big glow worms that spew radioactive goo to huge bosses that fill the entire screen, threatening to cut you with an enormous buzz saw or trying to whip you into a frenzy with their tentacles. You’ll need every ounce of firepower you can get your hands on, or you’ll die real quick. There are also interesting segments where you’ll have to move quickly, such as hiding out in a field of garbage to avoid being fried by guarding lasers. (Beware, though, as it moves quickly through the walls.)
Rather than relying on a traditional shield system, Sine Mora gives you a countdown timer. Each second ticks away in real time, and you also lose seconds depending on how much damage you take. You can always refill the clock by killing enemies or picking up extra icons. In addition, you’re able to slow down time in instances, avoiding an otherwise impossible field of gunfire or getting close enough to a boss to do some real damage without a quick retaliation. It’s this tactic that makes Sine Mora stand apart from other shooters, and it gets real tricky in the later stages when everyone is literally out to get you.
Along with a traditional Story Mode, Grasshopper and Digital Reality (the game’s publisher) have also included an Arcade Mode, where most denizens of “bullet hell” shooters will dwell. Here, you’re introduced to an even bigger challenge, with unrelenting boss attacks and all sorts of gunfire. It’s just what the doctor ordered when it comes to fulfilling your fix. What’s more, online leaderboards let you challenge against other players, so you can see who comes out on top and try to match them.
The game also includes a great Boss Training mode, so you can find weaknesses quicker on the enemies you unlock, as well as a Score Attack mode, which is self-explanatory. That’s really about it, but, honestly, that’s more than the traditional shooter offers. We’ll take it.
Sine Mora looks better than most shooters, thanks to devoted 3D level design (even if it plays in a 2D way), beautiful ship details (the bosses are incredible) and a fast frame rate, even when everyone is literally shooting at you. Likewise, the music has its own little special flair to it, soothing the ears and making this troubled world a little more believable than it would stand on its own. The sound effects are made up of explosions and pilot jibber-jabber, but it fits the game in its own charming way.
With its huge difficulty scale and limited continues, Sine Mora won’t be a favorite on everyone’s list, but if you’re a fan of “shmups” or just need something to get through the breezy first days of spring, this game is for you. Featuring a number of modes, online leaderboards, and enough action to get your bullet fix with, it’d be a sin — or rather, a Sine — to be without it.
What the heck is a Sine, anyway?
Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 Review (PlayStation Vita)
Do the Hogwarts gang conjure up magic on Sony’s handheld?
If you’ve seen one Lego game, you’ve seen them all, right? Well, not as of late. Travellers Tales has been tweaking its last few titles to provide a little more depth, such as Lego Pirates of the Caribbean and Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars. And with Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroespromising to be the biggest one yet, we’re pleased to see the team isn’t running aground on the usual ideas. Now it’s made its debut on the PlayStation Vita with Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, a game that may be several months late in catching up on the magician’s popularity, but still deserves a shot when it comes to fans of either Lego or Potter (or both).
As expected, the plot line loosely follows events that take place from Order of the Phoenix to the final chapter of Deathly Hallows, when Harry finally faces off against Voldemort. Of course, being a Lego game, it’s told in a kid-friendly, comical style, with characters grunting and humorous situations arising. Travellers Tales still knows how to get a chuckle out of the player without hammering a joke too far into the ground, as Lego Harry Potter easily proves here.
However, not all of the gameplay elements mesh. While we thoroughly enjoyed taking part in duels with rival characters and using numerous spells in combat, some of the puzzle solving got a little tedious — like needing to calm down a freezing student by getting them some hot liquid (rather than sending them to get it themselves) or trying to solve a picture puzzle. We know the team was just trying to throw in some diversity, but some of these segments really do drag on.
Even worse, you can’t rely on a friend to help you out this time around. Possibly due to limited time in development (to get the game out while Potter was still relevant), this release doesn’t come with any sort of multiplayer option, so a friend can’t drop in or out (like in the console versions) to help you out. This makes Lego Harry Potter a lonelier affair than it should’ve been, though fans will still be engaged by some of the activities. Let’s hope that Lego Batman 2 doesn’t suffer a similar fate, yes?
The presentation has its ups and downs when it comes to fitting on the Vita. On the bright side, the in-game action is entertaining, as you seek out hidden goodies and watch your characters interact with one another through the world. The environments reflect those from Potter’s universe quite faithfully, and you’ll even recognize many of the characters, some of which you’ve even forgotten about. The frame rate is fluid and the lighting effects sparkle, especially when you use one of your multiple magic effects.
On the flip side, the cut scenes look somewhat dated. Instead of remastering them for the PS Vita (again, probably a time-cutting measure), they’re instead recycled from previous versions, running on what looks like low-grade playback. Fortunately, you can skip over them and get right back to the game.
In terms of audio, it’s typical Lego, with some humorous grunts here and there and a very faithful inclusion of the Harry Potter movie themes. This is sure to please fans.
While it would’ve been nice for Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 to include co-op multiplayer (even local) and some better pacing in certain levels, it remains a magical experience for PS Vita owners, especially those who need their fix of Travellers Tales’ Lego treatment. Check it out and see if Harry still does it for you.
Yakuza: Dead Souls review
These aren't your grandpa's zombies
What could be a more perfect way to introduce the sometimes shambling, sometimes sprinting, baseball bat-swinging, molotov cocktail-hurling zombies of Yakuza: Dead Souls than to show the black and white, age-old variety on a small television screen in a Tokyo apartment, the fictional walking dead staggering toward the viewer as the real life, full-color equivalent stumbles into the very room? Dead Souls hammers out a single, obligatory “What the hell is going on here?” line of dialogue — the kind far too many other sources of zombie fiction stretch into tedious, cliche expositions — and gets on with the show. The game only pauses the action when you come up from the sewers or out of the quarantine zone for air, and even then your time in a safe and friendly Kamurocho is dwindling as the invasion spreads over more of the city. Dead Souls is all about the zombies — and it’s damn sure going to give you them.
The game divides the story into four interlocked chapters, each one focusing on a different character: first Shun Akiyama, then Goro Majima, Ryuji Goda, and finally Kazuma Kiryu. For an action RPG with a zombie spin, Dead Souls requires at least 15 hours of your time. If you’re interested in all the game’s secrets, just consider my run-through: Clocking in just shy of the minimum, I finished the game with a 21% overall completion. I survived, beat the bad guys, and went home, and I only experienced a small portion of what Dead Souls had to offer.
That said, the game can be played two different ways: Gamers looking for a satisfying zombie fix should stick to the main path, while those bent on exploring can chat up the locals, gain extra experience and cash through substories and leisurely trips around the district, and roam the quarantine zone until their trigger finger falls off. My lone excursion into the quarantine, free of any main objective, had me running wildly through the streets, fending off endless waves of zombies, hitting dead ends, and helping a few stragglers — and those substories made me an action movie star and the patron of a restaurant in need of a good gunslinger. There I spent a few minutes eating some apparently delicious pork and miso soup before trying desperately to find my way out again. A quick look at an old email (one of the handful you’ll receive from a mysterious female researcher) told me which spots on the map were usable exits, and I made a dash for it — after about an hour’s detour, of course. Even with the mini-map and larger, more detailed version in the menu, this ever-expanding section of the city could use more passageways in and out.
The game actually seems to serve the dramatic difference in play style. After finishing the game, players can begin a Premium New Game, which retains all clear data (minus substory progress and some additional data), or try Premium Adventure, a mode that lets players explore without dealing with the story. Considering how cut-scenes consume about half the play time, those are great options. Although once you see how many zombies, mutants, and prototypes (think super-charged lab experiments) you’re up against normally, you won’t be pining for better action.
The story itself is delightfully cheesy but surprisingly well-executed, due in no small part to the likeable characters. Sure you’ll risk your neck darting in and out of the quarantine zone just to find Shun’s chubby assistant a couple of asprin, and yes, you’ll go toe-to-toe with a total rip-off of the Lickers from Resident Evil and later dish up the best calimari this side of the galaxy, but the story is hilariously good and so well put together that it rivals a grade-A horror film.
As for gameplay, Dead Souls sends more enemies your way than you could count — and that’s why the game does it for you, with a running tally of all regular zombie kills present on the upper right of the screen. The game tracks all other kills (of mutants and prototypes) via in-game achievements, which keep you feeling good about your extermination skills right up through the final boss fight.
The game introduces different forms of zombies (these are your mutants) that react uniquely in combat, and mixed in with the regular undead, they keep the action intense and varied. On their own, their special abilities or behavior feel contrived, but combined with everything else the crisis tosses at you, they manage to skirt above routine.
Dead Souls doles out generous allotments of ammo and health. You’ll really never, ever run out, and even if you do because of limited inventory or another reason, supply caches litter the city, enemies drop all sorts of goods, and your standard gun comes with unlimited ammo. Some of these weapons are good enough, or can be modded until they are, that you’ll gladly fall back on them in a pinch. Like in Resident Evil 5, you’ll have to switch weapons in real-time. Thankfully, all your inventory needs are handled on the actual menu screen, so you can break from the frenzy to do crucial tasks like healing yourself or your partner.
In certain scenarios you’ll team up with another character — either a minor addition to the cast or a major player, like one of the four protagonists. At first this system seems like a mess. One or two characters die like there’s no tomorrow, and unfortunately, early in the game, the item you need to revive an incapacitated partner is hard to find. Thankfully, by positioning their command on “Back me up,” you’ll prevent them from making stupid decisions and getting themselves killed. For bigger fights, the “Do as you will” command also works, but when you’re navigating tight corridors and closed spaces, forcing a partner to cover you from behind will ensure better survival. However, you won’t get a gameover if your partner or someone you’re protecting dies, and that’s possibly the most useful feature you could ask for in a mandatory co-op segment.
The “Normal” difficulty setting manages to put you in seemingly unwinnable situations and get you out alive with a surprisingly low need for continues, especially once you become familiar with the flow of combat. Aside from a misplaced forklift puzzle that would have been better off disposed, the game never pulls any cheap tricks or leaves you stranded. It often gives you a chance to stock up on items and save before you barrel into an extreme fight, and when you do poorly, it offers you the option of temporarily bumping the difficulty down a level.
The biggest detriments to the game are the weapon controls and the camera. Players can switch on the fly between four methods of weapons combat: shooting blind, shooting while strafing, shooting in-place using a targeting receptacle, and executing Heat Snipe attacks. You’ll realize immediately, through the in-game tutorial, how useless the first type is. If a zombie darts out from the pack, the character moves too clumsily to target it in time. The best proven way to attack is to shoot while strafing, which makes it easy to nail zombies coming from any direction. Shooting in-place with the L2 is dangerous when you’re surrounded, but a decent choice if you have the luxury to pick off enemies from afar. This method also gives you a more precise aim but is not practical in most combat situations. Lastly, the Heat Snipe is good for dealing mass or added damage. By building up your Snipe Gauge, you’ll be able to fire at explosive barrels, gas caps, and even enemy weak points, so visualizing how this ability can facilitate tougher fights takes little work of imagination.
But oh, the camera. Whenever you’re turning rapidly in multiple directions, or enemies rush you or knock you down, the camera rears its ugly head. Too often enemies will swarm the character and prevent him from successfully getting back up and away from danger simply because the camera won’t adjust the way you need it to. It’s especially frustrating when fast-moving enemies are zipping around the room and you can barely turn quickly enough to aim at them — and even when you do, the jumpy camera, which hugs too closely to the character, will flip you in the opposite direction.
The system needs refinement to make combat easier in hairy situations. Trying to grab melee weapons in a hurry, too, is a futile effort (half the time the character can’t seem to locate the object when zombies are encroaching on his personal space). Thankfully these issues don’t diminish the overall enjoyment of gameplay, and most of the time you can manage without too much of a hiccup. But these flaws can seriously bring down the experience.
What Yakuza: Dead Souls does best is concoct an authentic zombie experience that keeps the pace alive and the zombies never quite dead. Mowing down zombies is more fun than it’s been in a long time, and most of the bosses hit good notes, as well. Relatively free of glitches and high on convenience, even with a fundamentally problematic design with the camera and controls, Dead Souls offers a lot or a little depending on your desired investment — but it’s a memorable ride.
Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure review
Kinect Rush contains more UPs than downs
Pixar is probably my favorite film studio. From WALL-E to Toy Story, they craft tales that are visually stunning and capture the minds of adults and children alike. Having loved Kinect Disneyland Adventures so much, I was very excited when I learned about Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure.
I live in a household where my 55 inch television is dominated by my 3-year old son and his love for Cars, Cars 2, Toy Story, Muppets and anything with trains. I get around this by buying the video games of movies/shows he likes — I have the Toy Story 3 game, Cars 2, Kinect Disneyland Adventures, and Once Upon a Monster. Now, I can add Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure to that list.
Kinect Rush places you alongside some of your favorite Pixar characters from the moviesRatatouille, Toy Story 3, Cars/Cars 2, UP, and The Incredibles. In the game, you start out by putting yourself into the game. The Kinect sensor will scan your body and create an avatar of you in the game. That avatar affects how you look in each of Pixar's different movies — the color of your car, toy, super hero, etc.
It's a nice idea, except it doesn't really work all that well. I was wearing a blue shirt, I have a slight tan, and I have brown hair. The game made me brown, with black hair, and a purple shirt. No matter how many times I tried, I could not get it to resemble me. Also, there are no options to create yourself without scanning. It's really frustrating that all it would have taken was skin tone and hair options, yet they're nowhere to be found. It's disappointing, especially when compared to how Kinect Disneyland Adventures handled their character creation.
Accurate?
Once you're in the game, you are put into a Pixar park. There are other kids running around, and there are five different sections of the park — for each of the five Pixar movies present in the game. You become the characters in the game through role-playing, essentially. For example, you walk up to the Cars area. You talk to another kid who asks you if you want to play Cars, then the two of you start pretending that you are in the world of Cars. Each kid you come across plays as a different character from whatever movie you are playing in.
The better you do in a level from the Cars area, the more points you get towards unlocking more levels in that area. You also unlock special moves that you can perform with your body. These special moves help you in that movie's area; you perform the move at certain points to collect tons of coins or other bonuses. Each of the five movies has their own progression bar that you can unlock things in. It is worth noting that it'll be harder to get the best rating on each level if you don't have the special moves; also, playing through each level once won't be enough to unlock everything, as there are only three levels in each area. This encourages you to play multiple times.
The gameplay itself is fairly simple, but it works well for the game. This game is geared towards kids, after all. All of the motions I performed were picked up accurately with the Kinect. The problem is that you perform the same six or seven moves in every game. You jump, crouch, pump your arms up and down, run in place, make a throwing motion, climb, and pretend like you're pushing off the ground with your arms to go faster. Over, and over, and over again. Those are your basic moves.
The Cars area is the only area that doesn't use those, outside of jump. In Cars, you hold your arms in front of you — like you're holding a steering wheel — and you act like you're driving a car. It controls really well and was probably my and my son's favorite area of the game. Up is probably the most boring of the five areas, but that's really a testament to how immersive the other areas feel. Asobo Studio and everyone involved did a really good job of recreating the feel of each movie. Whether you're sliding along an ice bridge made by Frozone or dodging the attacks from Charles Muntz's dogs flying planes, it all places you in the middle of those movies.
There's also a wonky bug; in one level for Toy Story, you are skydiving/falling with style out of an airplane. You're going through air balloon-type things, and shafts, and dodging objects. Some of them you need to enter and go through. Well, I missed one. And I got stuck on the outside of the shaft, unable to fall anymore, because of an invisible wall. Obviously, they didn't account for anyone missing the opening. Which is weird because kids aren't going to be able to do everything perfect. Needless to say, I had to restart.
That tube on the right... that's what I missed.
Two players can also play together, and the detection is just as good as when one player is going solo. There's some teamwork aspects, but mainly it's just two players doing the same thing at the same time. When you're trying to fly or balance, it can become a little crowded, so those with small playing spaces might not have as easy a time.
Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure accomplishes what it sets out to do — it provides a way for children to interact with their favorite characters from some of the best animated films ever made. The controls aren't flawless, but they're pretty accurate. It's easy to pick up and play. Repetition is the game's biggest flaw — well, that and a character creation system that is a disappointment. If you absolutely love the characters in the game and wanna go adventuring with them, this is a perfect game. There's not a lot of challenge for adults, but kids will have a blast. It's hard for me to recommend it over Disney's other Kinect game, Kinect Disneyland Adventures, but it's a quality Kinect title that has more UPs than downs.
Ninja Gaiden 3 review
Ryu Hayabusa gets bloody in this long-awaited sequel
Not everyone is going to be accepting of the fact that Ninja Gaiden 3exists without the assistance of former Team Ninja leader Tomonobu Itagaki. For the longest time, this producer defined what the hardcore ninja experience is supposed to be, and since his hasty departure from Tecmo Koei’s camp, many were wondering how the legendary Ryu Hayabusa would fare without him. Well, now that the game’s here, we can honestly say that, yes, it is a different venture for him, but that doesn’t mean it sucks. In fact, this ninja is still as sharp as ever, mind a slight misstep or two.
The third chapter follows Ryu as he carves his way through an enemy army, before coming face-to-mask with an evil alchemist who has a trick up his sleeve in the way of sorcery. Following a fierce battle, Ryu finds his arm infected with a strange demonic force. Desperate to get back to his normal self – and save the world in the process – Ryu sets out on his most difficult task yet, stopping this madman and his mutant army.
Yeah, the story goes off the rails at times, but that’s just part of the fun. One minute, Ryu finds himself in a test facility, facing off against mutating creatures and narrowly escaping death by jumping across chasms; the next, he comes face to face with a robotically enhanced T-Rex, charging at him from all directions and then, just when you think he’s disposed off, popping up again. This is probably the most lively we’ve seen the Ninja Gaiden series be, even if it’s slightly unbelievable.
To make the gameplay feel a little more fleshed out, Tecmo added a few things to the sequel. For instance, you can now climb up walls using your daggers, and while it takes a bit of practice (one hand needs to be firmly planted or you’ll lose grip), it’s an interesting new technique. You can also call upon occasional dragon ninpo to clear the screen in an explosion of brightly lit fire, or use your demon arm to cut some enemies to shreds in a hurry. There are quick-time events too, though they aren’t nearly as annoying as we’ve seen in previous games. In fact, some are pretty damn slick, particularly when you’re getting the jump on a surprising enemy, stabbing him without looking.
The controls retain the same hack and slash action we’ve gotten used to. While we’re a bit sad that you can’t chop off limbs like you could in Ninja Gaiden II, there’s still plenty of blood to spill, which is a good thing. And while things do get slightly repetitive (you’re stuck with the main sword at first, though more weapons are coming via DLC), it’s still quick, ninja-enabled fun, so if you’re a fan of that, it’s still intact.
Graphically, Ninja Gaiden 3 may not have evolved much from the previous game, but parts of it still look quite fantastic. Both the indoor and outdoor environments look great (particularly the dusty deserts of Saudi Arabia), and the animation is razor sharp, right down to Ryu’s cool little “ghosting” ability with some attacks. There are times the frame rate drops a bit when the combat gets somewhat heavy, but never to the point that it becomes lackluster. And the camera manages okay, though there are slight occasions it gets stuck behind a wall. No biggie.
As for the dialogue, it’s acceptable. Not to say it’s not cheesy at times, as enemies repeat the same thing over and over (“Damn ninja!”) and the alchemist is a little too show-offish for his own good, but we’ve heard worse.
Along with a main story mode, which will take you a few hours (maybe longer on Hardcore difficulty), you also get some pretty good online content. A co-op mode has you team up with a fellow ninja for various Spec Ops-style missions, relying heavily on teamwork. There’s also a cool little four-on-four team deathmatch kind of mode, which may not be heavy on strategy, but still packs plenty of bloodshed. Nothing wrong with that.
So maybe Ninja Gaiden 3 doesn’t raise the bar like some fans may be expecting it to be, but overall, it’s still a worthwhile sequel, especially when it comes to its crazy boss battles (I'm telling you, that T-Rex is NUTS), great online compatibility and an above-average presentation. What it lacks in the “Itagaki touch”, it more than makes up for with some impressive “slice-and-dice”.
Mega Man X (iPhone) review
The blue bomber makes his first major appearance on the iPhone. Does this remake stack up to the original?
The recent handling of the Mega Man franchise has been baffling to many a fan, with many wondering if Capcom is somehow upset with their unofficial mascot. In just two years the legendary publisher has not only cancelled two major titles starring the blue bomber (Mega Man Universe and Mega Man Legends 3), though also chose to drop this fan-favorite from the Marvel vs. Capcom roster, considered by many to be a cardinal sin. And though Mega Man did manage to sneak his way into the PS Vita version of Capcom's Street Fighter X Tekken, this overweight "original box-art" version of the character was more a mockery than a faithful rendition.
Regardless of their intentions, Capcom has managed to piss off plenty of longtime Mega Man fans, and with series creator Keiji Inafune now gone from the company, one has to wonder who will help to restore the beloved character's legacy? This is why Mega Man X for the iPhone is a bit of a relief, a lovingly re-made version of the SNES classic. Though it suffers from many of the same control stumbles we've come to expect of any iPhone game with more than a single button, it's definitely encouraging to see a real video game on our mobile device, and to know that Capcom hasn't given up on Mega Man completely.
The core Mega Man series has always been a bit hit or miss, with the franchise having perfected itself on its second outing (Mega Man 2) before quickly becoming saddled with a series of awkward design choices as it continued onward. Thankfully, Mega Man X helped set the fledgling series back on track, both adding some grit to the series to appease the grunge-loving children of the 90s, as well as evolving the core mechanics by adding the dash and wall-jump abilities (and removing that ridiculous slide). Though X definitely hasn't aged as well as some SNES classics, it's still an enjoyable experience, and the iOS version does a fairly decent job of replicating the original.
The first thing that Mega Man fans will notice of this remake is that all of the original sprite graphics have been replaced with redrawn visuals which cater to the iPhone's high-resolution retina display. This means the game no longer maintains the original 4:3 dimensions, the game rescaled to make full use of the iPhone's screen dimensions. The result is a noticeably zoomed-in version of the original, and with much of the top and bottom of the screen missing, Mega Man X can feel a bit claustrophobic at times. Still, it's a fine enough tradeoff for full screen gaming, and seeing (almost) all the game's original graphics redone is a fine novelty onto itself.
As mentioned, the game's largest flaw is not entirely its own fault. Apple has still yet to endorse any official gamepad accessory for their beloved mobile device, forcing developers of traditionally-controlled games to jam a ridiculous mess of virtual buttons onto the already crowded screen. To be fair, Mega Man X does an excellent job of keeping your fingers largely out of the play area, though there are moments where enemies will be conveniently hidden behind a thumb, resulting in some rather cheap hits.
Action is controlled by a virtual d-pad in the bottom left of the screen, and the fire and jump buttons to the bottom right. It works fairly well, up until the point where any tricky maneuvering is required, at which point some frustration begins to build. Dashing proves to be the most trick menuver to maser, requiring players to awkwardly press down on the d-pad, something tough to time with a directional press or a jump. Being that the game often requires use of dashing to make it over pits of lava or avoid a boss attack, these mistimed dashes can sometimes lead to a rather disappointing game over.
Thankfully, despite the sometimes frustrating controls, the game is largely accurate to the original. Stage and enemy layouts all stay true to the SNES game, meaning that players who remember where each e-tank and armor upgrade are hidden won't need to resort to purchasing them as DLC. Not everything remains faithful however, and longtime Mega Man fans will definitely notice a few things missing. Gone is the iconic airship that once dropped Vile onto the ruined highway stage, and the original game's environment changing mechanic has been abandoned (so destroying Chill Penguin no longer frosts over Flame Mammoths stage, and so on). Additionally, since forcing the player to hold down the shot button would only add to the "oh god I can't see the screen" problem, Mega Man's gun is now set to charge up automatically, a fine solution (though it's a bit annoying that there's no way to turn off the damned "gun charging" SFX that now plays throughout the entire game).
Despite this, none of the changes are particularly gamebreaking, and the additions more than make up for it. Along with new graphics, the sound all seems to have been redone (possibly plucked from the PSP remake, though this is unconfirmed). This replication of the original soundtrack is definitely appreciated and stands out as one of the most polished aspects of the package, though true VGM fans will want to consider the arranged soundtrack available in the DLC shop. Also new to the game is a ranking mode, letting players compete on the GameCenter leaderboards in a Score Attack and Time Trial mode, adding lots of replay value to this already enjoyable platformer.
Again, the only struggle players will experience will be with the controls, and Capcom can hardly be faulted for making do with the limited touch-screen space available to them. Still, though the game is fun it isn't mind-blowing in any respect, and though dedicated fans of the Blue Bomber will likely enjoy his first true iOS outing (not counting the lazy Mega Man 2 port), the best version of the game is still Mega Man Maverick Hunter X for the PSP.
In summary, more real video games on the iPhone is a good thing. Though an original game would've been preferable, this solid tribute to a classic entry is definitely a step in the right direction. Though if you were looking for a reason to forgive Capcom for canceling Mega Man Legends 3, this definitely isn't it.
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 review
Pleasantly streamlined gameplay and awesome video game references around every corner make up for the weak story in this great JRPG
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is a strange game. It's a JRPG that looks and plays like JRPGs are supposed to, but it's also very streamlined, focusing less on deep gameplay elements and more on an almost convoluted storyline that slowly starts to make more sense the longer you stay with the game. Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is also a great game. But it's not great for a lot of the reasons that many JRPGs are great--it's great because it boldly tries to do different things, and while it doesn't always succeed, it's still a completely exhilarating experience thanks in large part to its video game awareness.
You play as a group of young ladies destined to protect their home land of Gamindustri from the evil Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime, or ASIC. While the first Hyperdimension Neptunia was based on the video game console wars, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 revolves entirely around piracy in the video game industry. It's an interesting plot idea, but unfortunately, it can be a bit overwhelming and confusing trying to understand everything that's going on in the game.
You play as a group of young ladies destined to protect their home land of Gamindustri from the evil Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime, or ASIC. While the first Hyperdimension Neptunia was based on the video game console wars, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 revolves entirely around piracy in the video game industry. It's an interesting plot idea, but unfortunately, it can be a bit overwhelming and confusing trying to understand everything that's going on in the game.
The main issue with Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is that character dialogue drags on for way too long. This is problematic because it can get boring having to read walls of text. The strange thing is that I switched to the Japanese language option for one dialogue scene and noticed that the characters were speaking, but when I switched back to English and watched that same scene, I had to read a bunch of text due to the lack of voice acting. The fact that some of these scenes feature spoken dialogue while others force you to read is strange, and it really is a bummer that the entire game doesn't feature English voice acting.
Despite that inconsistency, and the fact that the story in Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 can be overbearing and uninteresting due to its delivery, there are several reasons to care about a lot of the characters showcased during the game's plot sequences. Some characters are more entertaining than others, but the most interesting are incredibly enjoyable to watch. Nisa (named after developer NIS America) was my personal favorite, and hearing her over-the-top delivery as she professed herself the heroine of Gamindustri made for some truly enjoyable moments. There was also IF (named after developer Idea Factory), who struggled to deal with the fact that she was working alongside a bunch of loonies and emotional saps. These are just two of the many fourth wall-breaking characters that made the story in Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 fun to sit through, warts and all.
Despite that inconsistency, and the fact that the story in Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 can be overbearing and uninteresting due to its delivery, there are several reasons to care about a lot of the characters showcased during the game's plot sequences. Some characters are more entertaining than others, but the most interesting are incredibly enjoyable to watch. Nisa (named after developer NIS America) was my personal favorite, and hearing her over-the-top delivery as she professed herself the heroine of Gamindustri made for some truly enjoyable moments. There was also IF (named after developer Idea Factory), who struggled to deal with the fact that she was working alongside a bunch of loonies and emotional saps. These are just two of the many fourth wall-breaking characters that made the story in Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 fun to sit through, warts and all.
Gameplay and progression in JRPGs is usually pretty straightforward, and this is definitely the case in Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2. Still, it should be noted that this game is far more linear and streamlined than most other titles in the genre. The game's overworld map will always point you to your next direction, no level grinding is necessary at all throughout the story's entirety, and customization is incredibly simple. Some JRPG enthusiasts may not take too kindly to the simplistic nature of Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2, but I found it refreshing as I always knew what to do next and never got tied down to any one stage due to grinding.
Dungeons are small, and getting through them doesn't take more than a few minutes at a time. There are conveniently-placed save stations, so you know when a major boss or cutscene is coming. Ingredients that you can use to craft items are scattered throughout these micro dungeons, and there are even hidden health items that you can discover by pressing the Circle button to locate any nearby treasures.
Enemies are seen roaming the dungeons, and while many of them are easy to get around, you'll want to battle them to ensure that you're leveling up and obtaining new skills. Battles are turn-based, and you have a number of attacks at your disposal. As you increase in level, you obtain attacks that act as combos, which you start by pressing a specific button and then string together by pressing different buttons as indicated by your attack menu. There are also special attacks you can perform, and these are highly damaging ordeals that are especially effective against stronger foes. You also have healing commands and items at your disposal, and as you encounter stronger enemies, you can bet you'll be using everything to your advantage.
Dungeons are small, and getting through them doesn't take more than a few minutes at a time. There are conveniently-placed save stations, so you know when a major boss or cutscene is coming. Ingredients that you can use to craft items are scattered throughout these micro dungeons, and there are even hidden health items that you can discover by pressing the Circle button to locate any nearby treasures.
Enemies are seen roaming the dungeons, and while many of them are easy to get around, you'll want to battle them to ensure that you're leveling up and obtaining new skills. Battles are turn-based, and you have a number of attacks at your disposal. As you increase in level, you obtain attacks that act as combos, which you start by pressing a specific button and then string together by pressing different buttons as indicated by your attack menu. There are also special attacks you can perform, and these are highly damaging ordeals that are especially effective against stronger foes. You also have healing commands and items at your disposal, and as you encounter stronger enemies, you can bet you'll be using everything to your advantage.
Of course, you can't just spam away at your attack menu and expect to get by. You have an SP meter that decreases as you unleash combos and special attacks. It should be noted that battles never get too tough, and taking out enemies becomes a bit easier once you figure them out, but the SP meter does create a nice balance so that battles aren't completely one-sided in your favor.
By JRPG standards, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 isn't a very long game. It can easily take about 15 hours to play the game from start to finish. There is a guild where you can take on sidequests, but all of these are pretty mundane and require you to either fetch certain items or defeat a set number of specific enemies. It's nothing too imposing, really, but it isn't all that interesting either. It's a bit of a shame that you're forced to complete these if you want to view the game's different endings, but if you really want to see everything Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 has to offer, you'll have to tough it out and get to fetching and hunting.
Visually, this is your standard JRPG fare, which is to say that Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2doesn't look bad, but its graphical presentation isn't all that excellent either. It simply gets the job done and provides different dungeons for you to explore and some anime-style story sequences. The same can be said about the game's soundtrack, which has a few decent songs, but nothing too impressive. Thankfully, the character dialogue is great (when they're actually speaking), and though the story is too convoluted for its own good, the voice acting is at least pretty great.
By JRPG standards, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 isn't a very long game. It can easily take about 15 hours to play the game from start to finish. There is a guild where you can take on sidequests, but all of these are pretty mundane and require you to either fetch certain items or defeat a set number of specific enemies. It's nothing too imposing, really, but it isn't all that interesting either. It's a bit of a shame that you're forced to complete these if you want to view the game's different endings, but if you really want to see everything Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 has to offer, you'll have to tough it out and get to fetching and hunting.
Visually, this is your standard JRPG fare, which is to say that Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2doesn't look bad, but its graphical presentation isn't all that excellent either. It simply gets the job done and provides different dungeons for you to explore and some anime-style story sequences. The same can be said about the game's soundtrack, which has a few decent songs, but nothing too impressive. Thankfully, the character dialogue is great (when they're actually speaking), and though the story is too convoluted for its own good, the voice acting is at least pretty great.
It would be easy to say that Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is just another JRPG that plays great, looks OK, and sounds decent, but in reality, the game is much, much more than that. Yes, that's a pretty basic breakdown of its built-in "game-ness," but there are plenty of elements that make the game stand out, and they're all rooted in how well it parodies other video games. Whether you're encountering a mouse named Pirachu who constantly shouts out "chuu!" much like the iconic Pokemon mascot, battling Mario-inspired green pipes, or taking on a giant head that's very similar to that dude from Brain Age, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is rife with awesome, "holy sh*t!" moments.
The game doesn't just parody other titles, though. References to video game consoles are everywhere, too. Whether you're visiting the towns of Lastation, Lowee, or Leanbox (which upon doing so causes one of the characters to remark that she better hold on tight to her purse because she doesn't want to get robbed), Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is an abundant little bag of enjoyable video game references. That said, the game makes it a point to parody aspects of pop culture, as well. Chirper, for example, is the game's version of Twitter, and you can see what different townspeople and even your teammates have to say. Also, Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune is totally on Chirper as a cameo character. And in case you're wondering, it's as awesome as it sounds.
The game doesn't just parody other titles, though. References to video game consoles are everywhere, too. Whether you're visiting the towns of Lastation, Lowee, or Leanbox (which upon doing so causes one of the characters to remark that she better hold on tight to her purse because she doesn't want to get robbed), Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is an abundant little bag of enjoyable video game references. That said, the game makes it a point to parody aspects of pop culture, as well. Chirper, for example, is the game's version of Twitter, and you can see what different townspeople and even your teammates have to say. Also, Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune is totally on Chirper as a cameo character. And in case you're wondering, it's as awesome as it sounds.
Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is a great game that would have probably only been a really good game had it not been for its awesome awareness and video game parodies. As it stands, the game has all the tools to be an enjoyably paced JRPG that's a bit on the short side and fairly streamlined. But it's all of those references--from Mario to freaking Twitter--that really make it stand out amongst the crowd of overly saturated, poorly constructed JRPGs out there. This game is something special. If you give it a chance, be aware that it will likely take about two hours for things to really pick up, but when you get through that barrier, Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 is an outstanding little JRPG that's both fun to play and hilarious to witness, and it should not be missed by video game aficionados and fans of the genre.
Oh yeah, Inafune's also a freakin' special attack in the game!
Oh yeah, Inafune's also a freakin' special attack in the game!
Asura's Wrath Review
CyberConnect 2's latest is like nothing you've seen before.
Asura's Wrath is not like any game you will ever have played before. This is, self-evidently, an excellent thing – and a rare one, if you've been playing games for a long time. It is an attempt at a new kind of interactive entertainment, one much closer to living, breathing anime than traditional action game. It delivers a story that's up there with the best gaming has to offer in terms of visual spectacle, but in doing so, it stays very close to the conventions of film, and rather shies away from actually being a game.
The game's story spans 12,000 years and follows the story of Asura – a demi-god betrayed by his fellow gods and thrown out of heaven. He loses his wife and daughter to a power-plot dreamed up by the other deities, and finds himself resurrected centuries later through the sheer force of his anger. As he comes back to life and sees what a mess of the world his former comrades have made, his rage gets stronger and stronger, leading to some incredible scenes of over-the-top, fantastical violence. You'll see some astonishing things: the Earth exploding into a gigantic laser-shooting maw, a sword so long it can cleave the Moon in two, and Asura regularly punching people so hard that they literally go into orbit.
The game's story spans 12,000 years and follows the story of Asura – a demi-god betrayed by his fellow gods and thrown out of heaven. He loses his wife and daughter to a power-plot dreamed up by the other deities, and finds himself resurrected centuries later through the sheer force of his anger. As he comes back to life and sees what a mess of the world his former comrades have made, his rage gets stronger and stronger, leading to some incredible scenes of over-the-top, fantastical violence. You'll see some astonishing things: the Earth exploding into a gigantic laser-shooting maw, a sword so long it can cleave the Moon in two, and Asura regularly punching people so hard that they literally go into orbit.
It is best described as an interactive anime box-set. The game is split into 18 episodes (with a secret unlockable one at the end) of about 20 minutes each, each one book-ended by gorgeously illustrated bumpers and adorned with credits just like a real television show. There's even a narrated preview before each one that hints at what's about to happen. Each of these episodes features completely different gameplay, dependent on the scenario.
So in one episode, you might be headbutting a giant turtle to death, where in the next you're shooting giant squid in space in an on-rails shooter scenario. Next, you may be engaged in an epic Dragonball Z-style one-on-one confrontation on the moon. In one episode, the objective is to stop Asura from staring for too long at the generous assets of a hot-springs attendant. I'm not making that up, that really is a level.
Asura's Wrath's presentation is faultless. The style, which is a synthesis of bizarre science-fiction and Japanese mythological imagery viewed through a pen-and-ink, comic-book filter, is unique and striking. It's beautifully directed; the animation is often up there with the best in Japanese film. It's awesome scene after awesome scene: a fleet of spaceships exploding in the sky, a space weapon shaped like a giant Buddha made of light, a face-off between six-armed Asura and stylish, mask-wearing rival Yasha in a smoking crater.
The static illustrations that feature between episodes are gorgeously detailed too – as you might expect from a studio (CyberConnect 2) whose staff are suffused with passion for manga and anime. Asura's Wrath is, in my opinion, one of the greatest achievements in Japanese animation in a very long time. Its story – bonkers and entirely nonsensical as it is, towards the end – is what keeps you playing; you always want to know what's going to happen next. But – and this is a very big reservation – it often forgets to be interactive. About 70% of the time in Asura's Wrath, you're watching rather than playing. You're lucky if any given episode features more than three or four minutes of actual gameplay.
There's no getting away from the fact that Asura's Wrath is mostly cutscene. Even when you're nominally involved in the action through QTEs, failing them often makes no difference to what actually happens in the scene; all it does is lower your overall performance rating at the end of the episode. It's not boring, for the same reason that Metal Gear Solid 4 isn't boring: these are some of the best, most ludicrously insane cutscenes you will ever see. But where Metal Gear Solid 4 has hours of gameplay inbetween its self-indulgent cinematography, Asura's Wrath does not.
It's a shame, because in the rare moments when Asura's Wrath is just being an action game, it's very good fun. Light and heavy attacks change depending on context, and there are cool-looking, satisfying counters and finishing moves for each enemy type. The aim, in action scenes, is to build up enough rage to initiate Burst mode, which throws you into a QTE sequence that advances the story. There's a cool symbiosis between gameplay and theme in Asura's Wrath: there's no better genre than the action game for a story about a very, very angry man channelling his rage into all-consuming destructive power.
The static illustrations that feature between episodes are gorgeously detailed too – as you might expect from a studio (CyberConnect 2) whose staff are suffused with passion for manga and anime. Asura's Wrath is, in my opinion, one of the greatest achievements in Japanese animation in a very long time. Its story – bonkers and entirely nonsensical as it is, towards the end – is what keeps you playing; you always want to know what's going to happen next. But – and this is a very big reservation – it often forgets to be interactive. About 70% of the time in Asura's Wrath, you're watching rather than playing. You're lucky if any given episode features more than three or four minutes of actual gameplay.
There's no getting away from the fact that Asura's Wrath is mostly cutscene. Even when you're nominally involved in the action through QTEs, failing them often makes no difference to what actually happens in the scene; all it does is lower your overall performance rating at the end of the episode. It's not boring, for the same reason that Metal Gear Solid 4 isn't boring: these are some of the best, most ludicrously insane cutscenes you will ever see. But where Metal Gear Solid 4 has hours of gameplay inbetween its self-indulgent cinematography, Asura's Wrath does not.
It's a shame, because in the rare moments when Asura's Wrath is just being an action game, it's very good fun. Light and heavy attacks change depending on context, and there are cool-looking, satisfying counters and finishing moves for each enemy type. The aim, in action scenes, is to build up enough rage to initiate Burst mode, which throws you into a QTE sequence that advances the story. There's a cool symbiosis between gameplay and theme in Asura's Wrath: there's no better genre than the action game for a story about a very, very angry man channelling his rage into all-consuming destructive power.
Another major shortcoming is longevity: Asura's Wrath is barely six hours long, which is very light for a full-price game. Replaying episodes on higher difficulties is a possibility, but because the story is what you're playing for, you won't want to have to sit through all the cutscene twice. Whichever way you look at it, a game that essentially constitutes maybe two hours of gameplay if you take out all of the cutscenes and timed button-pressing is going to have a tough time selling itself for the same asking price as, say, Skyrim. And even within that short runtime, there's a little too much repetition in the enemies and boss fights to be entirely forgivable.
What we have in Asura's Wrath is a game that's stylistically almost perfect, but lacking in substance. I enjoyed it immensely – and so will you, if you've any weakness at all for mad Japanese action – but if I had paid £40 (or $60) for it, I doubt I would look upon it so warmly. As an episodic download release Asura's Wrath would be brilliant, but as a premium-priced game it can only be recommended with strong reservations.
What we have in Asura's Wrath is a game that's stylistically almost perfect, but lacking in substance. I enjoyed it immensely – and so will you, if you've any weakness at all for mad Japanese action – but if I had paid £40 (or $60) for it, I doubt I would look upon it so warmly. As an episodic download release Asura's Wrath would be brilliant, but as a premium-priced game it can only be recommended with strong reservations.
FIFA Soccer review (PS Vita)
FIFA Soccer on the Vita — the only time it's okay to use your fingers in soccer
There's a right way to do a sports game, and then there's a wrong way — FIFA Soccer usually does things the right way. So with their first entry on the PS Vita, EA Sports went to a game that hits the mark. FIFA Soccer is a shining example of how sports games should play on the Vita, and it's a hell of a strong launch title.
This is the FIFA game that you've come to know and love. All of the features that you're accustomed to are there. The amount of depth is really impressive for a handheld game. I'll start with the graphics — the hi-def player models and animations are just a sliver shy of the quality of the PlayStation 3 version. Animations are smooth, and there's never any slowdown in the framerate when I go in for a slide tackle — even if I am getting yellow cards for them.
The commentary is cut back a little from FIFA 12, but it's just enough to give an authentic feel to the game. The crowd really gets into every goal I score, probably because they're few and far in between. Speaking of authenticity, FIFA Soccer boasts 500 licensed clubs with their true rosters. I'm an LA Galaxy fan, but playing against Manchester United just isn't fair. Donovan deserves better than a 3-0 loss because of my abilities.
The controls are very responsive, but what really makes you know you're playing on a Vita is the touchscreen controls. Really quick note, if touchscreen controls aren't for you, you can turn them off in settings. Let's say you want the front touchscreen off but the rear touch panel shooting on — you can do that. A problem I always have with soccer games is the auto switching to defenders — it screws me over, big time. Now, you can tap on the screen on the defender you want; it's as simple as that.
You have the choice of using the touchscreen for passing, as well. It allows you to find open spots in the field, but I find that I'm faster using the traditional face buttons. For free kicks, you can use swipe and curl motions on the touchscreen to aim and curl your shots. The best touch feature, however, is the back touch pad shooting. I struggle to score goals in soccer game — which, I guess, is like most soccer teams. I always hold the shoot button down for too long, thus kicking the ball over the goal. Now, picture the rear touch pad as the goal. Tap where on the touch pad (goal) you'd like to aim for and it goes there. Hold your finger down longer and the power of the shot will increase, visible by a dot on the screen showing where in the goal you're aiming and how much power you're putting into it. Don't get the dot to red, or you're going to kick the ball over. It is a genius scoring method that gives you precise control over your shots — and I love it. It'll be tough playing a soccer game on a console again.
Modes include Career, allowing you to play 15 seasons as a manager, player, or player-manager; you can play in tournaments that you set up; you can create yourself in Be A Pro mode, increasing your skills and becoming a soccer legend. Head to head mode is also available, letting you play against other people, provided you have 3G or a wireless connection. I only had a chance to play one match against another person, but the game had frequent slowdowns in the action due to lag — and I have really good internet and had an excellent connection. Head to head also brought out some problems with penalty calling (I got tackled like 40 times, had two of my players injured, and they didn't receive a single yellow card, but I got two), and whenever I'd try to score, it was lag for a second. Also, an online league would have been nice — maybe next year.
One of my favorite aspects of the game is the presentation, specifically the main menu and before every game. You are on an open soccer field, controlling a player and trying to score. It's just goofing around and having fun with the touch screen scoring and stuff, but it's so much fun. It also gives you a little practice, and practice makes perfect. I know it's a weird thing for me to enjoy, but I could just sit there for 10 minutes and work on my skills.
Overall, FIFA Soccer on the PS Vita has made an impressive debut. There's a ton of depth and replay value included in this game. There's great ideas and utilization of the touch screen, with some working a lot better than others, but they're all optional. You can customize the controls and options to fit you. Head to head play can be a little laggy, and online leagues would've been amazing, but it's hard to complain a lot when so much is offered in the other modes. There's room for improvement, but this is really impressive for a first entry to the Vita.
You can see Shaleen Das (Developer) on Facebook @
https://www.facebook.com/lord1954man?ref=tn_tnmn
Fishing Resort review
If you fancy the sport of fishing, chances are this game might just be the hook you're looking for
The last game I played by Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka was Ivy the Kiwi? for the Nintendo DS. That game was a fine on-rails 2D platformer that featured slick touchscreen controls, a wonderful soundtrack, storybook visuals, and all the appeal an indie game fan like myself could want in a game. Yuji Naka is back, but this time he's at the forefront of Fishing Resort, the latest family-friendly Wii exclusive.
I'll admit that I was terrified at the idea of playing a fishing game. I've never been a fan of fishing as an activity, and I've never actually gone fishing myself. When I started playing Fishing Resort, however, I was surprised at how much attention was put on the act of fishing.
You start out by selecting a character and editing him or her. There's no Mii support, which is odd, so you're stuck using Mii-like characters instead. Once you pick a character, it's off to the game's first tutorial. Thankfully, this is a short sequence that teaches you the basics of fishing. There's really nothing to it. Simply press the A button, tilt the Wii Remote back, and then launch forward to send your line into the water. After that you have to play the waiting game in the hopes that the fish will bite.
Reeling in your game is simple, too, but there are different layers that make it pretty fun. Once you see and hear that fish bite, you need to give the Wii Remote a quick upward flick. After you do that, you must rotate the Nunchuk rapidly to simulate the act of reeling in the fish. You'll see a tension meter at the top of the screen, and when it starts to enter the red, you have to ease up on the reeling so you won't break the line. Additionally, the game prompts you when you need to tilt the Wii Remote to maintain control of the rod and the fish.
There are certainly a few intricacies that keep the gameplay of Fishing Resort from being overly simplistic. That element carries over to the game's world. There's a surprising amount of things you can do. You can talk to other characters and fulfill certain tasks such as fetching their loved ones and delivering items. You can enter competitions and catch certain types of fish that are requested on bulletin boards. You can also get on a kayak and head out to deeper water to see what type of fish await you.
Additionally, you can visit different resorts such as beaches, lakes, and swamps. These different places make for a nice change of scenery, and there are different fish within every resort. Not every locale is open to you right away, so you'll have to be sure to catch plenty of fish and complete objectives to earn points and increase your rank. Points can be used to move to different resorts, rent kayaks, participate in bulletin board events, and upgrade to new fishing gear.
Unfortunately, despite these neat little nuances, Fishing Resort is exactly what its name implies: a fishing game. Chances are if you don't like fishing games, or don't care for fishing in general, you probably won't find much enjoyment in this title. Though it's definitely deep at a certain level, there are a bunch of moments where nothing is happening. You'll be waiting for that fish to bite, but you'll get nothing for long stretches of time, or you'll lose fish and realize you need to upgrade to a new tackle box with better equipment.
Fishing Resort has a nice, cheery look to it that's on par as far as what you would expect from a fishing game on the Wii. There are smooth visuals and nice colors, but there's nothing particularly outstanding about the game's graphics. The same can be said about the sound design. There's plenty of calming, natural sound, but nothing will blow you away. Then again, this is a fishing game that's actually kind of relaxing, so you can't really expect it to blow you away.
Ultimately, Fishing Resort does a good job of providing fishing fans with a slow-paced yet entertaining experience. There are online rankings for individuals who take digital fishing seriously, and about 200 fish for those who want to challenge themselves and collect every creature in the game. Fishing Resort is a niche game, and while it's certainly good at catering to its niche, it's a game that most Wii owners probably won't care for. I had some fun playing the game, but I can't say Fishing Resort was a memorable experience. It's simply a fishing game that works, and some people will probably like it.
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition review
Finally, a fighting game that’s also a party for one
“Who plays fighting games for the story?” As gamers, we often ask that rhetorical question when addressing the genre’s requisite narrative. Few people actually care about the story modes of fighting games because they tend to be glorified versions of the corresponding arcade modes, and most of us prefer to play with friends locally or online rather than by ourselves and against a computer. But really, why shouldn’t a story mode be important to a fighting game? When it comes to genres, conventions are king. No one expects a racing game to offer cerebral gameplay or an RPG to skimp on plot and characters. But sometimes games purposely reach beyond convention, and our expectations change as the genre does. Mortal Kombat 9 is one of those games.
The developers at NetherRealm Studios conceived the brilliant idea of combining the plots of the first three Mortal Kombat games into one cohesive retelling. The approach meant fiddling around with original events, but the average player either wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t be bothered by the modern amendments to games that were made in the early to mid-nineties. Reboots and remakes are common terms in today’s world.
The various pieces of the story mode fit together smoothly, the perspective shifting from character to character, each chapter allowing the player a few rounds with one before moving on to another. The good part is that this type of story mode forces you to familiarize yourself with everyone in the roster, not just your favorites. Even players who are weak with certain characters, such as brutish contenders or leggy women, will develop a better handle them, learning their moves in order to advance in the game. The downside is that, after diligently taking the time to assimilate to a different style, players must switch over to another character and study a whole new skill set. Plus, if you’re really, really bad with a character, you don’t have a choice in playing as them.
Fortunately, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition offers a range of difficulty settings and options, and with the occasional exception of big bosses, players shouldn’t find themselves stuck on any match for too long—granted they openly alter their technique. That’s the real advantage of Mortal Kombat. You’ll need to control your own fighting style to survive wave after wave of opponents, especially for the challenging one-on-two matches, which break up any monotony in gameplay and make combat much more intense. The training modes (the regular tutorial, Fatality tutorial, practice, and tag team practice) are useful but not nearly as effective as simply teaching yourself to respond intuitively to your opponent’s distinct attack patterns. There’s a strategy for even the most formidable and spammy foes.
Another big bonus is how the moves list automatically adjusts the directional movements of combos based on which way your character is facing. This minor but convenient feature, along with the game’s variety of move types, makes the entire experience much more approachable for novice players. And for series veterans, the game contains a lot of depth—from breakers to enhanced moves, air and ground throws, X-ray moves, tag attacks and assists, Fatalities, Babalities, and more. The total possibilities make combat flexible and interesting.
As for content … whew, where to even begin? Even the basic form of the game has a smorgasbord of modes and options to pick from. Solo players can choose to engage in the Arcade Ladder with one character or two (Tag Ladder) or test their Luck (matches with special conditions), Might (all about timing and strength), Sight (basically a shuffle, where players determine which cup or skull contains the hidden object), or Strike (similar to Might, only players must destroy a specific block). They can also enter the Challenge Tower, a series of different challenges that award currency upon successful completion, or take the fight online. Two to four players can compete in a versus mode, Team Ladder, or online match.
Players can spend their accrued currency in the Krypt, unlocking everything from alternate costumes to concept art to new fatalities, and view their collectibles (along with character models and bios) in the Nekropolis. And if your television can handle stereoscopic 3D … well, there’s that, too.
Those who purchase the Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition will receive the DLC characters Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, Freddy Krueger, and the PS3 exclusive Kratos free of charge, along with a download code for the 1995 Mortal Kombat live-action movie (a nice complement to the early parts of the game), so you can see how cheesy Raiden looks and how awesome the main theme song is. (After the movie, check out the hilariously bad, 54-minute animated extra, Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, originally released on VHS and Laserdisc.) This version comes with a code for the thirteen-song Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors album, as well.
As enjoyable and loaded with content as Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is, the game isn’t without problems. Arcade mode, particularly, is glitchy and sparse, with only one line of opening dialogue for characters and the odd effect, like vanishing blood. Although L1 is normally used for tag outs, triangle and circle also execute the same function when pressed in tandem, but anyone whose right thumb naturally rests in proximity to these two buttons will start tagging his partner in unintentionally.
The scroll on the moves list is slow, and some combos are difficult to string together. When asked to use Johnny Cage’s power combo in the tutorial, I tried in vain to perform the move before finally plugging in a more responsive controller, which allowed me to complete the combo on my first attempt.
Despite these complaints, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is undoubtedly the definitive game forMortal Kombat fans and an excellent choice for fighting game enthusiasts in general. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to make someone very Toasty ...
SSX review
SSX will not only entertain you with silly tricks, it will be fighting for your gaming time
The SSX franchise has experienced numerous highs throughout its lengthy tenure, most notably on the original Xbox. Flying down snow-packed mountains, and landing death-defying tricks offered hours of insane gameplay. The series also landed one of the best in-game music tracks in history, headlined by Run DMC's "It's Tricky." As you can imagine, nostalgia instantly kicked in when EA announced a new SSX title. Despite notable changes in the series' direction, the newest SSX offers an impressive snowboarding experience for newcomers and old-schoolers alike.
Those who were lucky enough to experience any of the older SSX titles are quick to question if thisSSX holds true to form in terms of gameplay. Luckily, the core mechanics have been unchanged. For instance, tricks still revolve around the right analog stick and trigger, while characters' movements are controlled by the left analog stick. Landing tricks have been slightly changed, in that you no longer have to point your board in a landing position. Instead, all you have to do is release the trick before you hit the ground, and you'll automatically land smoothly. It can be argued that this addition simplifies the game, but it actually diverts your attention to other details (tricks, course layout, death drops). In a nutshell, it's the fun and exciting gameplay you've come to know and love with the SSX name.
While gameplay mostly remains unchanged, EA made it clear that SSX was taking a more serious approach in terms of story and survival. The game offers a somewhat worthwhile narrative: TheSSX crew is battling against a former member to concur the world's deadliest descents to remain in business. The game's core focus, though, revolves around these nine descents, ranging from ice to tree-stricken areas. Standard races and "trick-offs" are still present, but the descents serve as boss battles to open up new mountains. Sadly, this change creates several problems. The idea, ambitious at best, quickly becomes a chore due to difficulty. Some of the descents are downright tough to complete and can leave you frustrated in a flash. The challenges also throw off the game's pace — switching from fast, exhilarating racing to "what's around the corner that'll kill me" style racing.
Visually speaking, SSX has never looked better. Mountain vistas are drop dead gorgeous, which is impressive in that they're must larger in scope compared to past titles. Everything from trees to grind rails are detailed, creating one of the most realistic environments in any snowboarding title. Ironically, the lifelike setting coexists quite well with the wacky, arcade-like gameplay SSX offers. Characters, many of which return from the most recent installment, also look incredibly well. EA should be applauded for their attention to detail, as hours of hard work can be seen in every inch of snow and every falling tree limb.
Aside from the World Tour mode (main story), SSX presents several different modes for players to indulge in. Thankfully, these modes compliment the vast mountain ranges strewn throughout the world (Siberia to Australia) extremely well. In addition, EA's social plug, seen in recent titles like Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, introduces friendly competition; you and your online friends can battle it out for high scores on each range. SSX offers a hefty amount of content for $60, including witty achievements worth obtaining for bragging rights.
Overall, SSX is an experience that longtime fans will embrace, and newcomers will surely fall in love with. Yes, EA has clearly changed direction in their approach to the series, but they've kept the core concept that's pushed the series to coveted heights. SSX will not only entertain you with silly tricks, it will be fighting for your gaming time. To sum up the game in two words: "It's Tricky!"
Order Up!! Review (PS3)
You don't need to be a chef to appreciate Order Up!!
As someone who grew up in the food industry, I was definitely eager to get my hands on the new PS3 cooking sim Order Up!!. In the game you work your way through the culinary business turning restaurants into five star dining establishments. Despite the hard-working nature of the food industry, Order Up!! has a goofy feel to it - in a good way.
After dropping out of a plane, you begin work at a local fast food joint. Right of the bat the light-heartedness of the game shines through the cartoonish look to the humorous dialogue. Working at a fast food joint, you learn the basic tutorials of the game under the tutelage of a greasy, pimply-faced teenager aspiring to become a restaurant manager - his likely end goal. After you learn the ropes you get the no-so-impressive end-of-day earnings of...debt. With all of your expenses and little earnings you decide to quit and start up your own restaurant - with the help of a hefty loan. This is just the beginning.
You start off with a run-down "restaurant", or at least attempt to turn a run-down building into one. Starting off you don't have much; you get a limited menu, minimal skills, and few dollars. Combining these, you will quickly earn your way to a five star restaurant - or at least that's the goal.
A typical day's work includes preparing meals, managing chefs, and serving customers. Table by table the rotund, quirky and, most importantly, hungry customers pile into the restaurant. After taking the order, it's your job to prepare the meals. This usually involves preparing the basic ingredients for each meal. Depending on the order it could be anything from slicing vegetables, boiling pasta, and cooking burgers, etc.
Order Up!! is less about mastering the PS3's Move motion controls and focuses primarily on cooking as quickly and accurately as possible. Preparing each ingredient varies on what it is, but each of them is judged on a scale of poor, OK, good, or perfect depending on how well you perform the action. Slicing tomatoes requires you time your cuts precisely, preparing guacamole requires you smash the avocados, etc. Each ingredient requires different motion controls. For instance, cooking a burger requires you to flick up on the Move wand to flip the burger.
In addition, Order Up!! judges you on quickness. It's not quickness for serving customers overall, but quickness in preparing each ingredient. For each item there is a bar that will determine how well the action is performed. When peeling lettuce, you are require to flick the Move wand four times to the right. Doing it quickly will land you in the "Perfect" zone. By slacking off, you could get a good or an OK.
For a time management game, I hardly felt the stress of managing my time. Like I said, it's quickness for each ingredient, not the entire clientele, which is part of the reason the game lacks an overall sense of urgency. Sure, if you take a REALLY long time customers will get impatient, but it's almost non-noticeable - and you can hire a clown to help keep customers in high spirits. The other time management objective has to deal with the individual meals of the table's order. The second you complete a meal, it begins to get cold on the counter. This could be a challenge if not so easily avoidable by saving the last ingredient to each meal in the order until last.
To help you out with your meals, you can hire additional chef's assistants to take care of the actions you don't enjoy or can't manage. Assistants usually have a select area of expertise, so use them wisely. Using them in an area they are not experienced in will likely result in a "good" rating.
As an added tipping bonus, some customers may require spices on their meal. This can be discovered by looking at each meal and listening for their requests or unlocking the hint for 1 coin. Either way, the bonus will provide a nice add-on to the check.
After you complete a day's worth of work, usually between 4-6 tables' worth of customers, you can enjoy your earnings, which is determined by the tips left for each customer. Obviously, the better you prepare the meals (speed, accuracy, etc.) the more tip they will leave. Using your earnings you can hire additional chefs, upgrade your appliances, purchase new recipes from the farmers' market and spices from the black market, and eventually purchase new restaurants. For what many would consider a "casual" game, there is actually quite a bit of unlockables to strive for.
To be eligible for these new restaurants you must have a five star rating in the previous one. To unlock stars for your restaurant you must perform certain goals. By accomplishing these goals you are rewarded a star. Objectives range in anything from giving your restaurant a fresh cleaning to impressing the finicky food critic (of which you must prepare his meal perfectly and quickly).
After unlocking new restaurants you will be introduced to brand new meals. Depending on the style of restaurant the orders vary, but the motions tend to stay the same. You will be shaking the wand up and down, turning it in circles, flicking it up, etc. While the individual actions may not be unique, the new environment is a welcomed change after spending a couple of hours in the previous restaurant.
In addition to what eventually becomes mundane meal preparing, there are a couple of mini-games that pop up. These will include things like flicking rats off the counters, shaking the controller to wake up your sleeping chef, and putting out fires if you cook food for too long. These are brief, unnecessary additions that aim to keep the game fresh and you on your toes.
If you are the kind of gamer who enjoys to play with others, Order Up!! does offer multiplayer modes in the form of split-screen co-op and competitive turn-based multiplayer for up to two players. Anyone who has worked in a kitchen knows that more than one set of hands can sometimes be too much. Luckily, that isn't the case for Order Up!! which actually handles the co-op quite nicely. The extra set of hands is quite beneficial. If you are running slow on a certain ingredient, your friend can flip the skillet to prevent a fire. As for competitive multiplayer, well, let's just say sometimes things in the kitchen can get a little heated.
Overall, Order Up!! is a well-made casual game, and will appeal to most time-management fans. The visuals are pleasant, the presentation is unique, and the controls fit the experience. AlthoughOrder Up!! is made with Move functionality in mind, the game is played just as effectively and enjoyably with the PS3's six-axis support. While the game mechanics are functional and the PS3 Move wand works well with the game, it does involve a lot of repetition; but then again, what time management game doesn't?
For time management fans and PS3 owners, Order Up!! is definitely a must-have, as it is one of the few, solid cooking/time management games available for the system.
FIFA Soccer review (PS Vita)
FIFA Soccer on the Vita — the only time it's okay to use your fingers in soccer
There's a right way to do a sports game, and then there's a wrong way — FIFA Soccer usually does things the right way. So with their first entry on the PS Vita, EA Sports went to a game that hits the mark. FIFA Soccer is a shining example of how sports games should play on the Vita, and it's a hell of a strong launch title.
This is the FIFA game that you've come to know and love. All of the features that you're accustomed to are there. The amount of depth is really impressive for a handheld game. I'll start with the graphics — the hi-def player models and animations are just a sliver shy of the quality of the PlayStation 3 version. Animations are smooth, and there's never any slowdown in the framerate when I go in for a slide tackle — even if I am getting yellow cards for them.
The commentary is cut back a little from FIFA 12, but it's just enough to give an authentic feel to the game. The crowd really gets into every goal I score, probably because they're few and far in between. Speaking of authenticity, FIFA Soccer boasts 500 licensed clubs with their true rosters. I'm an LA Galaxy fan, but playing against Manchester United just isn't fair. Donovan deserves better than a 3-0 loss because of my abilities.
The controls are very responsive, but what really makes you know you're playing on a Vita is the touchscreen controls. Really quick note, if touchscreen controls aren't for you, you can turn them off in settings. Let's say you want the front touchscreen off but the rear touch panel shooting on — you can do that. A problem I always have with soccer games is the auto switching to defenders — it screws me over, big time. Now, you can tap on the screen on the defender you want; it's as simple as that.
You have the choice of using the touchscreen for passing, as well. It allows you to find open spots in the field, but I find that I'm faster using the traditional face buttons. For free kicks, you can use swipe and curl motions on the touchscreen to aim and curl your shots. The best touch feature, however, is the back touch pad shooting. I struggle to score goals in soccer game — which, I guess, is like most soccer teams. I always hold the shoot button down for too long, thus kicking the ball over the goal. Now, picture the rear touch pad as the goal. Tap where on the touch pad (goal) you'd like to aim for and it goes there. Hold your finger down longer and the power of the shot will increase, visible by a dot on the screen showing where in the goal you're aiming and how much power you're putting into it. Don't get the dot to red, or you're going to kick the ball over. It is a genius scoring method that gives you precise control over your shots — and I love it. It'll be tough playing a soccer game on a console again.
Modes include Career, allowing you to play 15 seasons as a manager, player, or player-manager; you can play in tournaments that you set up; you can create yourself in Be A Pro mode, increasing your skills and becoming a soccer legend. Head to head mode is also available, letting you play against other people, provided you have 3G or a wireless connection. I only had a chance to play one match against another person, but the game had frequent slowdowns in the action due to lag — and I have really good internet and had an excellent connection. Head to head also brought out some problems with penalty calling (I got tackled like 40 times, had two of my players injured, and they didn't receive a single yellow card, but I got two), and whenever I'd try to score, it was lag for a second. Also, an online league would have been nice — maybe next year.
One of my favorite aspects of the game is the presentation, specifically the main menu and before every game. You are on an open soccer field, controlling a player and trying to score. It's just goofing around and having fun with the touch screen scoring and stuff, but it's so much fun. It also gives you a little practice, and practice makes perfect. I know it's a weird thing for me to enjoy, but I could just sit there for 10 minutes and work on my skills.
Overall, FIFA Soccer on the PS Vita has made an impressive debut. There's a ton of depth and replay value included in this game. There's great ideas and utilization of the touch screen, with some working a lot better than others, but they're all optional. You can customize the controls and options to fit you. Head to head play can be a little laggy, and online leagues would've been amazing, but it's hard to complain a lot when so much is offered in the other modes. There's room for improvement, but this is really impressive for a first entry to the Vita.
You can see Shaleen Das (Developer) on Facebook @
https://www.facebook.com/lord1954man?ref=tn_tnmn
Fishing Resort review
If you fancy the sport of fishing, chances are this game might just be the hook you're looking for
The last game I played by Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka was Ivy the Kiwi? for the Nintendo DS. That game was a fine on-rails 2D platformer that featured slick touchscreen controls, a wonderful soundtrack, storybook visuals, and all the appeal an indie game fan like myself could want in a game. Yuji Naka is back, but this time he's at the forefront of Fishing Resort, the latest family-friendly Wii exclusive.
I'll admit that I was terrified at the idea of playing a fishing game. I've never been a fan of fishing as an activity, and I've never actually gone fishing myself. When I started playing Fishing Resort, however, I was surprised at how much attention was put on the act of fishing.
You start out by selecting a character and editing him or her. There's no Mii support, which is odd, so you're stuck using Mii-like characters instead. Once you pick a character, it's off to the game's first tutorial. Thankfully, this is a short sequence that teaches you the basics of fishing. There's really nothing to it. Simply press the A button, tilt the Wii Remote back, and then launch forward to send your line into the water. After that you have to play the waiting game in the hopes that the fish will bite.
Reeling in your game is simple, too, but there are different layers that make it pretty fun. Once you see and hear that fish bite, you need to give the Wii Remote a quick upward flick. After you do that, you must rotate the Nunchuk rapidly to simulate the act of reeling in the fish. You'll see a tension meter at the top of the screen, and when it starts to enter the red, you have to ease up on the reeling so you won't break the line. Additionally, the game prompts you when you need to tilt the Wii Remote to maintain control of the rod and the fish.
There are certainly a few intricacies that keep the gameplay of Fishing Resort from being overly simplistic. That element carries over to the game's world. There's a surprising amount of things you can do. You can talk to other characters and fulfill certain tasks such as fetching their loved ones and delivering items. You can enter competitions and catch certain types of fish that are requested on bulletin boards. You can also get on a kayak and head out to deeper water to see what type of fish await you.
Additionally, you can visit different resorts such as beaches, lakes, and swamps. These different places make for a nice change of scenery, and there are different fish within every resort. Not every locale is open to you right away, so you'll have to be sure to catch plenty of fish and complete objectives to earn points and increase your rank. Points can be used to move to different resorts, rent kayaks, participate in bulletin board events, and upgrade to new fishing gear.
Unfortunately, despite these neat little nuances, Fishing Resort is exactly what its name implies: a fishing game. Chances are if you don't like fishing games, or don't care for fishing in general, you probably won't find much enjoyment in this title. Though it's definitely deep at a certain level, there are a bunch of moments where nothing is happening. You'll be waiting for that fish to bite, but you'll get nothing for long stretches of time, or you'll lose fish and realize you need to upgrade to a new tackle box with better equipment.
Fishing Resort has a nice, cheery look to it that's on par as far as what you would expect from a fishing game on the Wii. There are smooth visuals and nice colors, but there's nothing particularly outstanding about the game's graphics. The same can be said about the sound design. There's plenty of calming, natural sound, but nothing will blow you away. Then again, this is a fishing game that's actually kind of relaxing, so you can't really expect it to blow you away.
Ultimately, Fishing Resort does a good job of providing fishing fans with a slow-paced yet entertaining experience. There are online rankings for individuals who take digital fishing seriously, and about 200 fish for those who want to challenge themselves and collect every creature in the game. Fishing Resort is a niche game, and while it's certainly good at catering to its niche, it's a game that most Wii owners probably won't care for. I had some fun playing the game, but I can't say Fishing Resort was a memorable experience. It's simply a fishing game that works, and some people will probably like it.
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition review
Finally, a fighting game that’s also a party for one
“Who plays fighting games for the story?” As gamers, we often ask that rhetorical question when addressing the genre’s requisite narrative. Few people actually care about the story modes of fighting games because they tend to be glorified versions of the corresponding arcade modes, and most of us prefer to play with friends locally or online rather than by ourselves and against a computer. But really, why shouldn’t a story mode be important to a fighting game? When it comes to genres, conventions are king. No one expects a racing game to offer cerebral gameplay or an RPG to skimp on plot and characters. But sometimes games purposely reach beyond convention, and our expectations change as the genre does. Mortal Kombat 9 is one of those games.
The developers at NetherRealm Studios conceived the brilliant idea of combining the plots of the first three Mortal Kombat games into one cohesive retelling. The approach meant fiddling around with original events, but the average player either wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t be bothered by the modern amendments to games that were made in the early to mid-nineties. Reboots and remakes are common terms in today’s world.
The various pieces of the story mode fit together smoothly, the perspective shifting from character to character, each chapter allowing the player a few rounds with one before moving on to another. The good part is that this type of story mode forces you to familiarize yourself with everyone in the roster, not just your favorites. Even players who are weak with certain characters, such as brutish contenders or leggy women, will develop a better handle them, learning their moves in order to advance in the game. The downside is that, after diligently taking the time to assimilate to a different style, players must switch over to another character and study a whole new skill set. Plus, if you’re really, really bad with a character, you don’t have a choice in playing as them.
Fortunately, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition offers a range of difficulty settings and options, and with the occasional exception of big bosses, players shouldn’t find themselves stuck on any match for too long—granted they openly alter their technique. That’s the real advantage of Mortal Kombat. You’ll need to control your own fighting style to survive wave after wave of opponents, especially for the challenging one-on-two matches, which break up any monotony in gameplay and make combat much more intense. The training modes (the regular tutorial, Fatality tutorial, practice, and tag team practice) are useful but not nearly as effective as simply teaching yourself to respond intuitively to your opponent’s distinct attack patterns. There’s a strategy for even the most formidable and spammy foes.
Another big bonus is how the moves list automatically adjusts the directional movements of combos based on which way your character is facing. This minor but convenient feature, along with the game’s variety of move types, makes the entire experience much more approachable for novice players. And for series veterans, the game contains a lot of depth—from breakers to enhanced moves, air and ground throws, X-ray moves, tag attacks and assists, Fatalities, Babalities, and more. The total possibilities make combat flexible and interesting.
As for content … whew, where to even begin? Even the basic form of the game has a smorgasbord of modes and options to pick from. Solo players can choose to engage in the Arcade Ladder with one character or two (Tag Ladder) or test their Luck (matches with special conditions), Might (all about timing and strength), Sight (basically a shuffle, where players determine which cup or skull contains the hidden object), or Strike (similar to Might, only players must destroy a specific block). They can also enter the Challenge Tower, a series of different challenges that award currency upon successful completion, or take the fight online. Two to four players can compete in a versus mode, Team Ladder, or online match.
Players can spend their accrued currency in the Krypt, unlocking everything from alternate costumes to concept art to new fatalities, and view their collectibles (along with character models and bios) in the Nekropolis. And if your television can handle stereoscopic 3D … well, there’s that, too.
Those who purchase the Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition will receive the DLC characters Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, Freddy Krueger, and the PS3 exclusive Kratos free of charge, along with a download code for the 1995 Mortal Kombat live-action movie (a nice complement to the early parts of the game), so you can see how cheesy Raiden looks and how awesome the main theme song is. (After the movie, check out the hilariously bad, 54-minute animated extra, Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, originally released on VHS and Laserdisc.) This version comes with a code for the thirteen-song Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors album, as well.
As enjoyable and loaded with content as Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is, the game isn’t without problems. Arcade mode, particularly, is glitchy and sparse, with only one line of opening dialogue for characters and the odd effect, like vanishing blood. Although L1 is normally used for tag outs, triangle and circle also execute the same function when pressed in tandem, but anyone whose right thumb naturally rests in proximity to these two buttons will start tagging his partner in unintentionally.
The scroll on the moves list is slow, and some combos are difficult to string together. When asked to use Johnny Cage’s power combo in the tutorial, I tried in vain to perform the move before finally plugging in a more responsive controller, which allowed me to complete the combo on my first attempt.
Despite these complaints, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is undoubtedly the definitive game forMortal Kombat fans and an excellent choice for fighting game enthusiasts in general. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to make someone very Toasty ...
SSX review
SSX will not only entertain you with silly tricks, it will be fighting for your gaming time
FIFA Soccer review (PS Vita)
FIFA Soccer on the Vita — the only time it's okay to use your fingers in soccer
There's a right way to do a sports game, and then there's a wrong way — FIFA Soccer usually does things the right way. So with their first entry on the PS Vita, EA Sports went to a game that hits the mark. FIFA Soccer is a shining example of how sports games should play on the Vita, and it's a hell of a strong launch title.
This is the FIFA game that you've come to know and love. All of the features that you're accustomed to are there. The amount of depth is really impressive for a handheld game. I'll start with the graphics — the hi-def player models and animations are just a sliver shy of the quality of the PlayStation 3 version. Animations are smooth, and there's never any slowdown in the framerate when I go in for a slide tackle — even if I am getting yellow cards for them.
The commentary is cut back a little from FIFA 12, but it's just enough to give an authentic feel to the game. The crowd really gets into every goal I score, probably because they're few and far in between. Speaking of authenticity, FIFA Soccer boasts 500 licensed clubs with their true rosters. I'm an LA Galaxy fan, but playing against Manchester United just isn't fair. Donovan deserves better than a 3-0 loss because of my abilities.
The controls are very responsive, but what really makes you know you're playing on a Vita is the touchscreen controls. Really quick note, if touchscreen controls aren't for you, you can turn them off in settings. Let's say you want the front touchscreen off but the rear touch panel shooting on — you can do that. A problem I always have with soccer games is the auto switching to defenders — it screws me over, big time. Now, you can tap on the screen on the defender you want; it's as simple as that.
You have the choice of using the touchscreen for passing, as well. It allows you to find open spots in the field, but I find that I'm faster using the traditional face buttons. For free kicks, you can use swipe and curl motions on the touchscreen to aim and curl your shots. The best touch feature, however, is the back touch pad shooting. I struggle to score goals in soccer game — which, I guess, is like most soccer teams. I always hold the shoot button down for too long, thus kicking the ball over the goal. Now, picture the rear touch pad as the goal. Tap where on the touch pad (goal) you'd like to aim for and it goes there. Hold your finger down longer and the power of the shot will increase, visible by a dot on the screen showing where in the goal you're aiming and how much power you're putting into it. Don't get the dot to red, or you're going to kick the ball over. It is a genius scoring method that gives you precise control over your shots — and I love it. It'll be tough playing a soccer game on a console again.
Modes include Career, allowing you to play 15 seasons as a manager, player, or player-manager; you can play in tournaments that you set up; you can create yourself in Be A Pro mode, increasing your skills and becoming a soccer legend. Head to head mode is also available, letting you play against other people, provided you have 3G or a wireless connection. I only had a chance to play one match against another person, but the game had frequent slowdowns in the action due to lag — and I have really good internet and had an excellent connection. Head to head also brought out some problems with penalty calling (I got tackled like 40 times, had two of my players injured, and they didn't receive a single yellow card, but I got two), and whenever I'd try to score, it was lag for a second. Also, an online league would have been nice — maybe next year.
One of my favorite aspects of the game is the presentation, specifically the main menu and before every game. You are on an open soccer field, controlling a player and trying to score. It's just goofing around and having fun with the touch screen scoring and stuff, but it's so much fun. It also gives you a little practice, and practice makes perfect. I know it's a weird thing for me to enjoy, but I could just sit there for 10 minutes and work on my skills.
Overall, FIFA Soccer on the PS Vita has made an impressive debut. There's a ton of depth and replay value included in this game. There's great ideas and utilization of the touch screen, with some working a lot better than others, but they're all optional. You can customize the controls and options to fit you. Head to head play can be a little laggy, and online leagues would've been amazing, but it's hard to complain a lot when so much is offered in the other modes. There's room for improvement, but this is really impressive for a first entry to the Vita.
You can see Shaleen Das (Developer) on Facebook @
https://www.facebook.com/lord1954man?ref=tn_tnmn
Fishing Resort review
If you fancy the sport of fishing, chances are this game might just be the hook you're looking for
FIFA Soccer review (PS Vita)
FIFA Soccer on the Vita — the only time it's okay to use your fingers in soccer
There's a right way to do a sports game, and then there's a wrong way — FIFA Soccer usually does things the right way. So with their first entry on the PS Vita, EA Sports went to a game that hits the mark. FIFA Soccer is a shining example of how sports games should play on the Vita, and it's a hell of a strong launch title.
This is the FIFA game that you've come to know and love. All of the features that you're accustomed to are there. The amount of depth is really impressive for a handheld game. I'll start with the graphics — the hi-def player models and animations are just a sliver shy of the quality of the PlayStation 3 version. Animations are smooth, and there's never any slowdown in the framerate when I go in for a slide tackle — even if I am getting yellow cards for them.
The commentary is cut back a little from FIFA 12, but it's just enough to give an authentic feel to the game. The crowd really gets into every goal I score, probably because they're few and far in between. Speaking of authenticity, FIFA Soccer boasts 500 licensed clubs with their true rosters. I'm an LA Galaxy fan, but playing against Manchester United just isn't fair. Donovan deserves better than a 3-0 loss because of my abilities.
The controls are very responsive, but what really makes you know you're playing on a Vita is the touchscreen controls. Really quick note, if touchscreen controls aren't for you, you can turn them off in settings. Let's say you want the front touchscreen off but the rear touch panel shooting on — you can do that. A problem I always have with soccer games is the auto switching to defenders — it screws me over, big time. Now, you can tap on the screen on the defender you want; it's as simple as that.
You have the choice of using the touchscreen for passing, as well. It allows you to find open spots in the field, but I find that I'm faster using the traditional face buttons. For free kicks, you can use swipe and curl motions on the touchscreen to aim and curl your shots. The best touch feature, however, is the back touch pad shooting. I struggle to score goals in soccer game — which, I guess, is like most soccer teams. I always hold the shoot button down for too long, thus kicking the ball over the goal. Now, picture the rear touch pad as the goal. Tap where on the touch pad (goal) you'd like to aim for and it goes there. Hold your finger down longer and the power of the shot will increase, visible by a dot on the screen showing where in the goal you're aiming and how much power you're putting into it. Don't get the dot to red, or you're going to kick the ball over. It is a genius scoring method that gives you precise control over your shots — and I love it. It'll be tough playing a soccer game on a console again.
Modes include Career, allowing you to play 15 seasons as a manager, player, or player-manager; you can play in tournaments that you set up; you can create yourself in Be A Pro mode, increasing your skills and becoming a soccer legend. Head to head mode is also available, letting you play against other people, provided you have 3G or a wireless connection. I only had a chance to play one match against another person, but the game had frequent slowdowns in the action due to lag — and I have really good internet and had an excellent connection. Head to head also brought out some problems with penalty calling (I got tackled like 40 times, had two of my players injured, and they didn't receive a single yellow card, but I got two), and whenever I'd try to score, it was lag for a second. Also, an online league would have been nice — maybe next year.
One of my favorite aspects of the game is the presentation, specifically the main menu and before every game. You are on an open soccer field, controlling a player and trying to score. It's just goofing around and having fun with the touch screen scoring and stuff, but it's so much fun. It also gives you a little practice, and practice makes perfect. I know it's a weird thing for me to enjoy, but I could just sit there for 10 minutes and work on my skills.
Overall, FIFA Soccer on the PS Vita has made an impressive debut. There's a ton of depth and replay value included in this game. There's great ideas and utilization of the touch screen, with some working a lot better than others, but they're all optional. You can customize the controls and options to fit you. Head to head play can be a little laggy, and online leagues would've been amazing, but it's hard to complain a lot when so much is offered in the other modes. There's room for improvement, but this is really impressive for a first entry to the Vita.
You can see Shaleen Das (Developer) on Facebook @
https://www.facebook.com/lord1954man?ref=tn_tnmn
The last game I played by Sonic the Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka was Ivy the Kiwi? for the Nintendo DS. That game was a fine on-rails 2D platformer that featured slick touchscreen controls, a wonderful soundtrack, storybook visuals, and all the appeal an indie game fan like myself could want in a game. Yuji Naka is back, but this time he's at the forefront of Fishing Resort, the latest family-friendly Wii exclusive.
I'll admit that I was terrified at the idea of playing a fishing game. I've never been a fan of fishing as an activity, and I've never actually gone fishing myself. When I started playing Fishing Resort, however, I was surprised at how much attention was put on the act of fishing.
You start out by selecting a character and editing him or her. There's no Mii support, which is odd, so you're stuck using Mii-like characters instead. Once you pick a character, it's off to the game's first tutorial. Thankfully, this is a short sequence that teaches you the basics of fishing. There's really nothing to it. Simply press the A button, tilt the Wii Remote back, and then launch forward to send your line into the water. After that you have to play the waiting game in the hopes that the fish will bite.
Reeling in your game is simple, too, but there are different layers that make it pretty fun. Once you see and hear that fish bite, you need to give the Wii Remote a quick upward flick. After you do that, you must rotate the Nunchuk rapidly to simulate the act of reeling in the fish. You'll see a tension meter at the top of the screen, and when it starts to enter the red, you have to ease up on the reeling so you won't break the line. Additionally, the game prompts you when you need to tilt the Wii Remote to maintain control of the rod and the fish.
There are certainly a few intricacies that keep the gameplay of Fishing Resort from being overly simplistic. That element carries over to the game's world. There's a surprising amount of things you can do. You can talk to other characters and fulfill certain tasks such as fetching their loved ones and delivering items. You can enter competitions and catch certain types of fish that are requested on bulletin boards. You can also get on a kayak and head out to deeper water to see what type of fish await you.
Additionally, you can visit different resorts such as beaches, lakes, and swamps. These different places make for a nice change of scenery, and there are different fish within every resort. Not every locale is open to you right away, so you'll have to be sure to catch plenty of fish and complete objectives to earn points and increase your rank. Points can be used to move to different resorts, rent kayaks, participate in bulletin board events, and upgrade to new fishing gear.
Unfortunately, despite these neat little nuances, Fishing Resort is exactly what its name implies: a fishing game. Chances are if you don't like fishing games, or don't care for fishing in general, you probably won't find much enjoyment in this title. Though it's definitely deep at a certain level, there are a bunch of moments where nothing is happening. You'll be waiting for that fish to bite, but you'll get nothing for long stretches of time, or you'll lose fish and realize you need to upgrade to a new tackle box with better equipment.
Fishing Resort has a nice, cheery look to it that's on par as far as what you would expect from a fishing game on the Wii. There are smooth visuals and nice colors, but there's nothing particularly outstanding about the game's graphics. The same can be said about the sound design. There's plenty of calming, natural sound, but nothing will blow you away. Then again, this is a fishing game that's actually kind of relaxing, so you can't really expect it to blow you away.
Ultimately, Fishing Resort does a good job of providing fishing fans with a slow-paced yet entertaining experience. There are online rankings for individuals who take digital fishing seriously, and about 200 fish for those who want to challenge themselves and collect every creature in the game. Fishing Resort is a niche game, and while it's certainly good at catering to its niche, it's a game that most Wii owners probably won't care for. I had some fun playing the game, but I can't say Fishing Resort was a memorable experience. It's simply a fishing game that works, and some people will probably like it.
I'll admit that I was terrified at the idea of playing a fishing game. I've never been a fan of fishing as an activity, and I've never actually gone fishing myself. When I started playing Fishing Resort, however, I was surprised at how much attention was put on the act of fishing.
Reeling in your game is simple, too, but there are different layers that make it pretty fun. Once you see and hear that fish bite, you need to give the Wii Remote a quick upward flick. After you do that, you must rotate the Nunchuk rapidly to simulate the act of reeling in the fish. You'll see a tension meter at the top of the screen, and when it starts to enter the red, you have to ease up on the reeling so you won't break the line. Additionally, the game prompts you when you need to tilt the Wii Remote to maintain control of the rod and the fish.
There are certainly a few intricacies that keep the gameplay of Fishing Resort from being overly simplistic. That element carries over to the game's world. There's a surprising amount of things you can do. You can talk to other characters and fulfill certain tasks such as fetching their loved ones and delivering items. You can enter competitions and catch certain types of fish that are requested on bulletin boards. You can also get on a kayak and head out to deeper water to see what type of fish await you.
Unfortunately, despite these neat little nuances, Fishing Resort is exactly what its name implies: a fishing game. Chances are if you don't like fishing games, or don't care for fishing in general, you probably won't find much enjoyment in this title. Though it's definitely deep at a certain level, there are a bunch of moments where nothing is happening. You'll be waiting for that fish to bite, but you'll get nothing for long stretches of time, or you'll lose fish and realize you need to upgrade to a new tackle box with better equipment.
Ultimately, Fishing Resort does a good job of providing fishing fans with a slow-paced yet entertaining experience. There are online rankings for individuals who take digital fishing seriously, and about 200 fish for those who want to challenge themselves and collect every creature in the game. Fishing Resort is a niche game, and while it's certainly good at catering to its niche, it's a game that most Wii owners probably won't care for. I had some fun playing the game, but I can't say Fishing Resort was a memorable experience. It's simply a fishing game that works, and some people will probably like it.
Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition review
Finally, a fighting game that’s also a party for one
“Who plays fighting games for the story?” As gamers, we often ask that rhetorical question when addressing the genre’s requisite narrative. Few people actually care about the story modes of fighting games because they tend to be glorified versions of the corresponding arcade modes, and most of us prefer to play with friends locally or online rather than by ourselves and against a computer. But really, why shouldn’t a story mode be important to a fighting game? When it comes to genres, conventions are king. No one expects a racing game to offer cerebral gameplay or an RPG to skimp on plot and characters. But sometimes games purposely reach beyond convention, and our expectations change as the genre does. Mortal Kombat 9 is one of those games.
The developers at NetherRealm Studios conceived the brilliant idea of combining the plots of the first three Mortal Kombat games into one cohesive retelling. The approach meant fiddling around with original events, but the average player either wouldn’t notice or wouldn’t be bothered by the modern amendments to games that were made in the early to mid-nineties. Reboots and remakes are common terms in today’s world.
The various pieces of the story mode fit together smoothly, the perspective shifting from character to character, each chapter allowing the player a few rounds with one before moving on to another. The good part is that this type of story mode forces you to familiarize yourself with everyone in the roster, not just your favorites. Even players who are weak with certain characters, such as brutish contenders or leggy women, will develop a better handle them, learning their moves in order to advance in the game. The downside is that, after diligently taking the time to assimilate to a different style, players must switch over to another character and study a whole new skill set. Plus, if you’re really, really bad with a character, you don’t have a choice in playing as them.
Fortunately, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition offers a range of difficulty settings and options, and with the occasional exception of big bosses, players shouldn’t find themselves stuck on any match for too long—granted they openly alter their technique. That’s the real advantage of Mortal Kombat. You’ll need to control your own fighting style to survive wave after wave of opponents, especially for the challenging one-on-two matches, which break up any monotony in gameplay and make combat much more intense. The training modes (the regular tutorial, Fatality tutorial, practice, and tag team practice) are useful but not nearly as effective as simply teaching yourself to respond intuitively to your opponent’s distinct attack patterns. There’s a strategy for even the most formidable and spammy foes.
Another big bonus is how the moves list automatically adjusts the directional movements of combos based on which way your character is facing. This minor but convenient feature, along with the game’s variety of move types, makes the entire experience much more approachable for novice players. And for series veterans, the game contains a lot of depth—from breakers to enhanced moves, air and ground throws, X-ray moves, tag attacks and assists, Fatalities, Babalities, and more. The total possibilities make combat flexible and interesting.
As for content … whew, where to even begin? Even the basic form of the game has a smorgasbord of modes and options to pick from. Solo players can choose to engage in the Arcade Ladder with one character or two (Tag Ladder) or test their Luck (matches with special conditions), Might (all about timing and strength), Sight (basically a shuffle, where players determine which cup or skull contains the hidden object), or Strike (similar to Might, only players must destroy a specific block). They can also enter the Challenge Tower, a series of different challenges that award currency upon successful completion, or take the fight online. Two to four players can compete in a versus mode, Team Ladder, or online match.
Players can spend their accrued currency in the Krypt, unlocking everything from alternate costumes to concept art to new fatalities, and view their collectibles (along with character models and bios) in the Nekropolis. And if your television can handle stereoscopic 3D … well, there’s that, too.
Those who purchase the Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition will receive the DLC characters Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, Freddy Krueger, and the PS3 exclusive Kratos free of charge, along with a download code for the 1995 Mortal Kombat live-action movie (a nice complement to the early parts of the game), so you can see how cheesy Raiden looks and how awesome the main theme song is. (After the movie, check out the hilariously bad, 54-minute animated extra, Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, originally released on VHS and Laserdisc.) This version comes with a code for the thirteen-song Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors album, as well.
As enjoyable and loaded with content as Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is, the game isn’t without problems. Arcade mode, particularly, is glitchy and sparse, with only one line of opening dialogue for characters and the odd effect, like vanishing blood. Although L1 is normally used for tag outs, triangle and circle also execute the same function when pressed in tandem, but anyone whose right thumb naturally rests in proximity to these two buttons will start tagging his partner in unintentionally.
The scroll on the moves list is slow, and some combos are difficult to string together. When asked to use Johnny Cage’s power combo in the tutorial, I tried in vain to perform the move before finally plugging in a more responsive controller, which allowed me to complete the combo on my first attempt.
Despite these complaints, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is undoubtedly the definitive game forMortal Kombat fans and an excellent choice for fighting game enthusiasts in general. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to make someone very Toasty ...
The SSX franchise has experienced numerous highs throughout its lengthy tenure, most notably on the original Xbox. Flying down snow-packed mountains, and landing death-defying tricks offered hours of insane gameplay. The series also landed one of the best in-game music tracks in history, headlined by Run DMC's "It's Tricky." As you can imagine, nostalgia instantly kicked in when EA announced a new SSX title. Despite notable changes in the series' direction, the newest SSX offers an impressive snowboarding experience for newcomers and old-schoolers alike.
Those who were lucky enough to experience any of the older SSX titles are quick to question if thisSSX holds true to form in terms of gameplay. Luckily, the core mechanics have been unchanged. For instance, tricks still revolve around the right analog stick and trigger, while characters' movements are controlled by the left analog stick. Landing tricks have been slightly changed, in that you no longer have to point your board in a landing position. Instead, all you have to do is release the trick before you hit the ground, and you'll automatically land smoothly. It can be argued that this addition simplifies the game, but it actually diverts your attention to other details (tricks, course layout, death drops). In a nutshell, it's the fun and exciting gameplay you've come to know and love with the SSX name.
While gameplay mostly remains unchanged, EA made it clear that SSX was taking a more serious approach in terms of story and survival. The game offers a somewhat worthwhile narrative: TheSSX crew is battling against a former member to concur the world's deadliest descents to remain in business. The game's core focus, though, revolves around these nine descents, ranging from ice to tree-stricken areas. Standard races and "trick-offs" are still present, but the descents serve as boss battles to open up new mountains. Sadly, this change creates several problems. The idea, ambitious at best, quickly becomes a chore due to difficulty. Some of the descents are downright tough to complete and can leave you frustrated in a flash. The challenges also throw off the game's pace — switching from fast, exhilarating racing to "what's around the corner that'll kill me" style racing.
Visually speaking, SSX has never looked better. Mountain vistas are drop dead gorgeous, which is impressive in that they're must larger in scope compared to past titles. Everything from trees to grind rails are detailed, creating one of the most realistic environments in any snowboarding title. Ironically, the lifelike setting coexists quite well with the wacky, arcade-like gameplay SSX offers. Characters, many of which return from the most recent installment, also look incredibly well. EA should be applauded for their attention to detail, as hours of hard work can be seen in every inch of snow and every falling tree limb.
Aside from the World Tour mode (main story), SSX presents several different modes for players to indulge in. Thankfully, these modes compliment the vast mountain ranges strewn throughout the world (Siberia to Australia) extremely well. In addition, EA's social plug, seen in recent titles like Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, introduces friendly competition; you and your online friends can battle it out for high scores on each range. SSX offers a hefty amount of content for $60, including witty achievements worth obtaining for bragging rights.
Overall, SSX is an experience that longtime fans will embrace, and newcomers will surely fall in love with. Yes, EA has clearly changed direction in their approach to the series, but they've kept the core concept that's pushed the series to coveted heights. SSX will not only entertain you with silly tricks, it will be fighting for your gaming time. To sum up the game in two words: "It's Tricky!"
Order Up!! Review (PS3)
You don't need to be a chef to appreciate Order Up!!
As someone who grew up in the food industry, I was definitely eager to get my hands on the new PS3 cooking sim Order Up!!. In the game you work your way through the culinary business turning restaurants into five star dining establishments. Despite the hard-working nature of the food industry, Order Up!! has a goofy feel to it - in a good way.
After dropping out of a plane, you begin work at a local fast food joint. Right of the bat the light-heartedness of the game shines through the cartoonish look to the humorous dialogue. Working at a fast food joint, you learn the basic tutorials of the game under the tutelage of a greasy, pimply-faced teenager aspiring to become a restaurant manager - his likely end goal. After you learn the ropes you get the no-so-impressive end-of-day earnings of...debt. With all of your expenses and little earnings you decide to quit and start up your own restaurant - with the help of a hefty loan. This is just the beginning.
You start off with a run-down "restaurant", or at least attempt to turn a run-down building into one. Starting off you don't have much; you get a limited menu, minimal skills, and few dollars. Combining these, you will quickly earn your way to a five star restaurant - or at least that's the goal.
A typical day's work includes preparing meals, managing chefs, and serving customers. Table by table the rotund, quirky and, most importantly, hungry customers pile into the restaurant. After taking the order, it's your job to prepare the meals. This usually involves preparing the basic ingredients for each meal. Depending on the order it could be anything from slicing vegetables, boiling pasta, and cooking burgers, etc.
Order Up!! is less about mastering the PS3's Move motion controls and focuses primarily on cooking as quickly and accurately as possible. Preparing each ingredient varies on what it is, but each of them is judged on a scale of poor, OK, good, or perfect depending on how well you perform the action. Slicing tomatoes requires you time your cuts precisely, preparing guacamole requires you smash the avocados, etc. Each ingredient requires different motion controls. For instance, cooking a burger requires you to flick up on the Move wand to flip the burger.
In addition, Order Up!! judges you on quickness. It's not quickness for serving customers overall, but quickness in preparing each ingredient. For each item there is a bar that will determine how well the action is performed. When peeling lettuce, you are require to flick the Move wand four times to the right. Doing it quickly will land you in the "Perfect" zone. By slacking off, you could get a good or an OK.
For a time management game, I hardly felt the stress of managing my time. Like I said, it's quickness for each ingredient, not the entire clientele, which is part of the reason the game lacks an overall sense of urgency. Sure, if you take a REALLY long time customers will get impatient, but it's almost non-noticeable - and you can hire a clown to help keep customers in high spirits. The other time management objective has to deal with the individual meals of the table's order. The second you complete a meal, it begins to get cold on the counter. This could be a challenge if not so easily avoidable by saving the last ingredient to each meal in the order until last.
To help you out with your meals, you can hire additional chef's assistants to take care of the actions you don't enjoy or can't manage. Assistants usually have a select area of expertise, so use them wisely. Using them in an area they are not experienced in will likely result in a "good" rating.
As an added tipping bonus, some customers may require spices on their meal. This can be discovered by looking at each meal and listening for their requests or unlocking the hint for 1 coin. Either way, the bonus will provide a nice add-on to the check.
After you complete a day's worth of work, usually between 4-6 tables' worth of customers, you can enjoy your earnings, which is determined by the tips left for each customer. Obviously, the better you prepare the meals (speed, accuracy, etc.) the more tip they will leave. Using your earnings you can hire additional chefs, upgrade your appliances, purchase new recipes from the farmers' market and spices from the black market, and eventually purchase new restaurants. For what many would consider a "casual" game, there is actually quite a bit of unlockables to strive for.
To be eligible for these new restaurants you must have a five star rating in the previous one. To unlock stars for your restaurant you must perform certain goals. By accomplishing these goals you are rewarded a star. Objectives range in anything from giving your restaurant a fresh cleaning to impressing the finicky food critic (of which you must prepare his meal perfectly and quickly).
After unlocking new restaurants you will be introduced to brand new meals. Depending on the style of restaurant the orders vary, but the motions tend to stay the same. You will be shaking the wand up and down, turning it in circles, flicking it up, etc. While the individual actions may not be unique, the new environment is a welcomed change after spending a couple of hours in the previous restaurant.
In addition to what eventually becomes mundane meal preparing, there are a couple of mini-games that pop up. These will include things like flicking rats off the counters, shaking the controller to wake up your sleeping chef, and putting out fires if you cook food for too long. These are brief, unnecessary additions that aim to keep the game fresh and you on your toes.
If you are the kind of gamer who enjoys to play with others, Order Up!! does offer multiplayer modes in the form of split-screen co-op and competitive turn-based multiplayer for up to two players. Anyone who has worked in a kitchen knows that more than one set of hands can sometimes be too much. Luckily, that isn't the case for Order Up!! which actually handles the co-op quite nicely. The extra set of hands is quite beneficial. If you are running slow on a certain ingredient, your friend can flip the skillet to prevent a fire. As for competitive multiplayer, well, let's just say sometimes things in the kitchen can get a little heated.
Overall, Order Up!! is a well-made casual game, and will appeal to most time-management fans. The visuals are pleasant, the presentation is unique, and the controls fit the experience. AlthoughOrder Up!! is made with Move functionality in mind, the game is played just as effectively and enjoyably with the PS3's six-axis support. While the game mechanics are functional and the PS3 Move wand works well with the game, it does involve a lot of repetition; but then again, what time management game doesn't?
For time management fans and PS3 owners, Order Up!! is definitely a must-have, as it is one of the few, solid cooking/time management games available for the system.
Motorstorm RC PS Vita Review
A fun and surprisingly deep freebie, unless you like racing against people
I was skeptical at first about playing this game because it is offered totally free on PSN, and seems merely to be some sort of expensive commercial to promote the Scion iQ. What I didn’t realize is that it’s a fully featured game that’s already made something of a splash in the UK, and that Scion is merely sponsoring its free Vita release and adding in their cute little car as a cute little bonus. It has sixteen tracks, eight categories of vehicles and various satisfying game types, and indeed, I played Motorstorm RC for a good long time beyond what I needed to properly review it, just because I was enjoying it.
The thing I should explain about playing this game is that while it’s a Motorstorm by name, all of the vehicles in this game are meant to be tiny, little remote-controlled versions, and the gameplay has changed to reflect that. Rather than a traditional, from-behind, racing view, you see your car from some distance away, and you’re looking at the track from above. To reflect this, the controls have also been changed so that the right stick is your accelerate and reverse, and the left stick steers you to the left and right, independent from the camera angle. This achieves two things. One, it really helps you to feel like you’re controlling the car from outside of it, like you would be with a real RC car, and two, rather than a traditional Motorstorm, that game feels more like a modern revamping of the classic Off Road arcade cabinet from pizza shops across America. To me, this sort of fast-paced, easy-to-learn, arcade-y style was super fun, and because it was so smooth and polished, it was rare that I would ever get frustrated. The only real problems I had with the way the game works were that putting the accelerator on the right stick sometimes caused me to slow down without realizing it when my finger unconsciously moved the stick a little off-center, and that loose controls can sometimes cause your super-light RC car to flip over or get stuck somewhere on the track. This last problem though, is easily solved, as the R button is the designated car reset button, which places you right back on the track.
The audio in this game is also pretty good, with a unique soundtrack of slightly dubsteppy and never over-the-top electronic music, coupled with the high buzzing of an RC car engine and the enjoyable screeching of the brakes. The lack of any sort of announcer or crowd is welcome here, as it would be weird for an RC event to attract enough people for that to be natural, and it would probably take you out of the game sometimes for a generic crowd effect to drown out the focusing effect that wordless electronic music can sometimes have on your racing psyche. It would have been nice to have some more recognizable tunes, but in this case, I can’t really fault the game for what it’s got.
Finally, the features of this game are both a boon to its playability and a major contributor to its eventual downfall. This game is surprisingly deep for a free download. There are sixteen tracks that span the four totally different environments that act as something similar to “cups” in games like Mario Kart or F-Zero. Within each of these, there’s three different types of events for all eight vehicle classes. For traditionalists, there’s straight eight-vehicle races and speed laps. On top of this, there’s another fun event called Pursuit, in which you must overtake all the other vehicles on the track as quickly as possible. For all of these events, there is a three-medal completion system; depending on what medal you get, you unlock more events, as well as the occasional unlock of one of the game’s impressive roster of 164 vehicles. I also particularly enjoyed the way in which each medal has its own ghost in speed lap events, so that you know exactly where you stand at all times.
Unfortunately and unbelievably, however, Motorstorm RC completely lacks any sort of multiplayer outside of online leaderboards. There’s not even an ad-hoc option. It just seems super illogical for such a fun racing game to almost entirely leave out the concept of friendly competition, so much that it will knock this game, which did enough right to have been a clear 7/10, down to the less sexy 6.
Should you get this game? Of course. It’s free. Why not? Heck, it’s good enough that I’d even make a case for you to pay for it. It’s really fun, but just know that there’s no multiplayer, and wonder along with me at how such a solid game could have such a critical flaw.
Shoot Many Robots review
Many robots died for the sake of this review. So enjoy it.
It’s not too often you see a game inspired by the likes of Metal Slug orContra that really brings something new to the table. That’s because developers usually try to channel in the “classic” feeling of the game without implementing any ideas of their own, worried that it’ll change the nature of the game too much. But leave it to Demiurge Studios to show a little boldness with Shoot Many Robots, a game that combines retro-fitted run-and-gun shooting with the modern day appeal to make it stand out in today’s offerings.
Robots have overrun the world, and they’re wreaking havoc on any remaining humans that stand in the way. This includes P. Walter Tugnut, a survivalist who finds his home compound surrounded by the little buggers. Unwilling to simply stand back and let them take over, he grabs his gun and does what he does best, blasting them to pieces while keeping a steady supply of ammunition — and beer — to keep him alive.
As I stated earlier, Shoot Many Robots really knows how to nail down the feeling of an old-school shooter. The controls here work very naturally and even come with a function where you can hold down the left trigger to stop in your tracks and aim with precision. What’s more, a melee attack has been included, which not only knocks robots back before they get too close for comfort, but also deflects bullets at those who fired them at you — always nice to have, especially when you’re surrounded.
Shoot Many Robots adds an appealing customization shop, which can be located in the convenience of your trailer. Here, you’ll not only find an array of new weapons to keep robo-apocalypse from happening, but you’ll also be able to dress up your character in many ways. Think you’d mess with a guy wearing a Scottish hat and a ballerina tutu, as he’s carrying a shotgun? Ha, hardly.
Along with weapons, Walter can also call upon alcohol to stop the dwindling of his health, though there’s only so many bottles he has on him. Thankfully, the game comes with checkpoints, so you never run desperately low, save for the later levels in the game.
The single-player campaign is suitable, and the game also comes with a survival mode, so you can challenge waves of enemies and see how far you get on the leaderboards. Obviously, in a case like this, it’s “the more, the merrier." Shoot Many Robots pleasantly supports co-op for online and local with up to four players. The sessions can get truly chaotic, especially when the screen fills with enemies, but it’s all in the name of fun — and this game provides a lot of it.
Though the graphics probably won’t win any awards, Demiurge has packed them with just the right amount of Southern hospitality. The character animations are good, particularly the robots; the background settings really paint a bleak picture without getting too serious; and the cel-shading seems just about right, save for a couple of moments when characters go too dark. This is a well put together shooter.
Mass Effect 3 review
Does all this build up, all these choices, all these replays, all this moral dilemma, all this romancing really have to come to an end… yes, sadly it does.
It only took two days after Mass Effect 2 was released that I’ve been anxiously awaiting Mass Effect 3. I am blatantly biased due to the Mass Effect series being hands down one of my favorite IPs of all time. I have a male and Fem Shep game, a paragon game, and a renegade game — each with numerous play throughs. With that said, my expectations for the final installment of this trilogy were high — ridiculously high. Was the fanboy inside me satisfied? Read on.
At this point, Shepard has done things and seen stuff, more than anyone should. His / her resume includes becoming the first human Spectre, defeating the Reaper Sovereign, and surviving an alleged suicide mission. However, despite his impressive active duty, the universe still doesn’t take him seriously about the whole ‘commander who cried Reaper’ ordeal. Then again, how does one prepare for a Reaper assault?
Shepard’s answer is through unity. This is the main plot of ME3. Shepard is newly reinstated into the Alliance after being on house arrest for temporarily joining with Cerberus. Anderson is convinced that Shepard is the only one who can unite all the races together to stop the Reapers. He / she has defeated Reapers in the past and is perhaps the only one how knows how to. Now add an ancient pre-Prothean super weapon to the mix, and the universe has some hope.
I hate using this cliché gaming term, but the only way to describe the action and environments ofMass Effect 3 is “epic.” I described the gameplay to a friend as, “You know how intense the last levels are in most RPGs? Well that is every mission in ME3.” It’s true. For example, in an early mission, you are on a moon of the Turian home world, Palaven. There are Reapers in the background, large scale warfare, Palaven burning in the background, fighter ships whizzing by overhead, in-depth dialogue, and a last ditch effort vs. Reaper troop action. My words don’t give it justice but when you are standing there in this mission, you have to take a moment to just look around and say ‘holy sh*t.’ Now multiply this by every mission and you have one epic game.
The actual action and gameplay is an improvement from ME2. While similar, the tweaks have made the combat more smooth. The cover system may take a little getting use to — I know I vaulted over some walls I shouldn’t have, which put me into certain death. You’ll get used to the mechanics in no time; the first real mission gives you a slight tutorial on cover by firing a huge turret at you.
Visuals and action won’t blow you away alone — you need sound. Mass Effect 3 delivers on this front. Besides the overly disturbing altered trash-lid sound that triggers every time there is a Reaper present, sound effects keep you on your toes for all the sci-fi action present. I also found the music and score fitting for the missions, down time, and the over-the-top moments.
While the story follows a direction that we’ve all been expecting, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep you guessing. A feature of ME3 I personally enjoyed is how you interact with all of the living crew mates from the past. Sure, only a handful of them are able to join your crew, but they are all there at some point if they survived the other games. Their interactions actually have impact on the story and aren’t there for the sake of nostalgia. If a certain character died in a previous game, certain missions will be completely different compared to if you had saved that character. This applies to some of the paragon and renegade choices as well. ME3 expands on all successful NPC character development themes that the series is known for.
I played through the game on Xbox 360 and had the Kinect connected the whole time. After playing though the demo with the Kinect, I thought I would be all over using it during the game. This did not end up being the case. I like the option of having it there, but as a seasoned MEplayer, I was just too set in my old ways and play style; on my ‘Insanity’ playthrough, I turned off crew-auto casting and did it all myself. Pulling up the radial menu to temporarily pause the game to aim the abilities is too valuable. The out of combat commands are gimmicky and completely unnecessary. With that said, it is a fun option and I like that it is there, even if I didn’t use it.
Throwing a multiplayer mode in on the last of a trilogy was a real ballsy move. If it was bad it could have thrown a stigma on the series. Thankfully, the multiplayer is pretty fun. It’s similar to ‘horde’ modes in other games. There are 10 waves and one bonus extraction wave. Every three waves presents a challenge: such as killing high profile targets, hacking a computer, and gaining intel from four servers. Each wave, the enemies get harder and more abundant, and there are three difficulty settings — bronze, silver, and gold. You will fight against Cerberus, Geth, or Reaper troops (nerf Banshees).
You and three friends (or strangers) fight for galactic peace. In the multiplayer, you make a character based off the standard six playable classes. Each class has four characters you can choose from: male and female humans with identical powers and two alien racers with unique powers. You can have multiple characters and switch them between matches. The multiplayer helps you with both war assets and Galaxy at War Readiness rating. Once you reach level 20, you can ‘promote’ your character, which gives you 75 points for your war effort — this resets your class back to level 1 and advances your multiplayer level by 10. So while I want to say that the multiplayer isn’t necessary for your single player game, the multiplayer is necessary for your single player game.
So all the stuff I’ve talked about thus far has been the ‘good’ in ME3, now I’ll switch to the ‘bad.’ As I said, I played on Xbox 360, so these might be unique issues to the system. During many of the loading screens, I was fearful of the game crashing. These were usually the mid-level loads. The loading icon would appear in the corner and everything would freeze. Most the time the game would snap out of it, but three times the game completely froze. The game auto saves often, so this was never a huge set back but an annoyance. This might not be the case on PC or PS3.
On the topic of annoyance, the whole disk swapping issue was frustrating. Usually when a game has multiple disks, you switch at one point and it’s over with — not in Mass Effect 3. I’m convinced that anything Cerberus-related is on disk two. Anytime you assault a Cerberus base, “Please Insert Disk 2,” then as soon as you’re done and follow the main missions, “Please Insert Disk 1.” This may seem petty on my part, but it definitely irked me. Again, this wouldn’t be the case on PC or PS3.
Compared to ME2, the crew size for missions was low. While I said I enjoyed the interaction with previous characters, I wanted more options for those I could do missions with. This definitely didn’t break the game for me — but it is just a preference.
As per any ME game, the side quests on the Citadel were tedious. Trust me, I do them all. I love learning new story elements and getting my war assets up, but you can never take a quick trip to the Citadel. After every mission, I also talk to everyone on my ship so I don’t miss any of the dialogue or reputation bonuses. While this isn’t so bad on a first run through, it makes future run-throughs tedious. A great feature in this game is the mini map. It literally tells you if there is something for you to do and where they are on the map. Bravo for this feature. This doesn’t work for conversations though. Sometimes you will get a heads up from a crew member or you will receive an email — but not always.
Galactic exploration is a slightly new mini-game that has tragic repercussions. They dumped planet scanning (thank the goddess) but now you have to enter Reaper controlled space, find where the goodies are, scan, attain, and then dodge the Reapers going in to murder you and your ship. I found this to be addicting though somewhat repetitive.
As a whole, I felt the new content was lackluster. The new character, James, is not that involved as far as Mass Effect characters go. His background is fairly mainstream and uninteresting. I never used him due to my love for the previous characters. Mass Effect 2 succeeded in introducing new characters where ME3 completely lacked in this department. Diana Allers’ role on the Normandy is unnecessary in my opinion. The series already has an established media person with Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, why bring in another character for this? I’ll admit though, I liked Traynor more than Chambers.
I won’t touch this topic too much, but the ending didn’t suffice my grandiose expectations. I feel a bit cheated with the results, and I defiantly question the ‘why.’ There is some popular theorycrafting going on that could make the ending quite experimental and venturesome from BioWare, but even in this case it is not complete. That’s all I’ll say for now — a review isn’t the right place for spoilers.
For the most part, the things I “didn’t like” are honestly nit-picking. Over all, Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game that should be played by ANY fan of the series — multiple times. Even if you haven’t played the previous two games, I could see Mass Effect 3 being amazing enough to be a stand-alone game, though having experienced it as a trilogy make it so much better. Seeing the impacts of the choices you’ve made in the last two games is pretty amazing. I enjoy conversations with friends and coworkers regarding our varied ME3 experiences depending on our different choices. I’m already on my second playthrough and still playing the multiplayer despite my 100% readiness. As far as sci-fi space RPG's go, Mass Effect is still king of the genre.
[Reviewed on Xbox 360]
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations review
A massive roster and two generations of storylines make this Naruto title a must have for fans
I was skeptical at first about playing this game because it is offered totally free on PSN, and seems merely to be some sort of expensive commercial to promote the Scion iQ. What I didn’t realize is that it’s a fully featured game that’s already made something of a splash in the UK, and that Scion is merely sponsoring its free Vita release and adding in their cute little car as a cute little bonus. It has sixteen tracks, eight categories of vehicles and various satisfying game types, and indeed, I played Motorstorm RC for a good long time beyond what I needed to properly review it, just because I was enjoying it.
The thing I should explain about playing this game is that while it’s a Motorstorm by name, all of the vehicles in this game are meant to be tiny, little remote-controlled versions, and the gameplay has changed to reflect that. Rather than a traditional, from-behind, racing view, you see your car from some distance away, and you’re looking at the track from above. To reflect this, the controls have also been changed so that the right stick is your accelerate and reverse, and the left stick steers you to the left and right, independent from the camera angle. This achieves two things. One, it really helps you to feel like you’re controlling the car from outside of it, like you would be with a real RC car, and two, rather than a traditional Motorstorm, that game feels more like a modern revamping of the classic Off Road arcade cabinet from pizza shops across America. To me, this sort of fast-paced, easy-to-learn, arcade-y style was super fun, and because it was so smooth and polished, it was rare that I would ever get frustrated. The only real problems I had with the way the game works were that putting the accelerator on the right stick sometimes caused me to slow down without realizing it when my finger unconsciously moved the stick a little off-center, and that loose controls can sometimes cause your super-light RC car to flip over or get stuck somewhere on the track. This last problem though, is easily solved, as the R button is the designated car reset button, which places you right back on the track.
The audio in this game is also pretty good, with a unique soundtrack of slightly dubsteppy and never over-the-top electronic music, coupled with the high buzzing of an RC car engine and the enjoyable screeching of the brakes. The lack of any sort of announcer or crowd is welcome here, as it would be weird for an RC event to attract enough people for that to be natural, and it would probably take you out of the game sometimes for a generic crowd effect to drown out the focusing effect that wordless electronic music can sometimes have on your racing psyche. It would have been nice to have some more recognizable tunes, but in this case, I can’t really fault the game for what it’s got.
Finally, the features of this game are both a boon to its playability and a major contributor to its eventual downfall. This game is surprisingly deep for a free download. There are sixteen tracks that span the four totally different environments that act as something similar to “cups” in games like Mario Kart or F-Zero. Within each of these, there’s three different types of events for all eight vehicle classes. For traditionalists, there’s straight eight-vehicle races and speed laps. On top of this, there’s another fun event called Pursuit, in which you must overtake all the other vehicles on the track as quickly as possible. For all of these events, there is a three-medal completion system; depending on what medal you get, you unlock more events, as well as the occasional unlock of one of the game’s impressive roster of 164 vehicles. I also particularly enjoyed the way in which each medal has its own ghost in speed lap events, so that you know exactly where you stand at all times.
Unfortunately and unbelievably, however, Motorstorm RC completely lacks any sort of multiplayer outside of online leaderboards. There’s not even an ad-hoc option. It just seems super illogical for such a fun racing game to almost entirely leave out the concept of friendly competition, so much that it will knock this game, which did enough right to have been a clear 7/10, down to the less sexy 6.
Should you get this game? Of course. It’s free. Why not? Heck, it’s good enough that I’d even make a case for you to pay for it. It’s really fun, but just know that there’s no multiplayer, and wonder along with me at how such a solid game could have such a critical flaw.
Shoot Many Robots review
Many robots died for the sake of this review. So enjoy it.
I was skeptical at first about playing this game because it is offered totally free on PSN, and seems merely to be some sort of expensive commercial to promote the Scion iQ. What I didn’t realize is that it’s a fully featured game that’s already made something of a splash in the UK, and that Scion is merely sponsoring its free Vita release and adding in their cute little car as a cute little bonus. It has sixteen tracks, eight categories of vehicles and various satisfying game types, and indeed, I played Motorstorm RC for a good long time beyond what I needed to properly review it, just because I was enjoying it.
The thing I should explain about playing this game is that while it’s a Motorstorm by name, all of the vehicles in this game are meant to be tiny, little remote-controlled versions, and the gameplay has changed to reflect that. Rather than a traditional, from-behind, racing view, you see your car from some distance away, and you’re looking at the track from above. To reflect this, the controls have also been changed so that the right stick is your accelerate and reverse, and the left stick steers you to the left and right, independent from the camera angle. This achieves two things. One, it really helps you to feel like you’re controlling the car from outside of it, like you would be with a real RC car, and two, rather than a traditional Motorstorm, that game feels more like a modern revamping of the classic Off Road arcade cabinet from pizza shops across America. To me, this sort of fast-paced, easy-to-learn, arcade-y style was super fun, and because it was so smooth and polished, it was rare that I would ever get frustrated. The only real problems I had with the way the game works were that putting the accelerator on the right stick sometimes caused me to slow down without realizing it when my finger unconsciously moved the stick a little off-center, and that loose controls can sometimes cause your super-light RC car to flip over or get stuck somewhere on the track. This last problem though, is easily solved, as the R button is the designated car reset button, which places you right back on the track.
The audio in this game is also pretty good, with a unique soundtrack of slightly dubsteppy and never over-the-top electronic music, coupled with the high buzzing of an RC car engine and the enjoyable screeching of the brakes. The lack of any sort of announcer or crowd is welcome here, as it would be weird for an RC event to attract enough people for that to be natural, and it would probably take you out of the game sometimes for a generic crowd effect to drown out the focusing effect that wordless electronic music can sometimes have on your racing psyche. It would have been nice to have some more recognizable tunes, but in this case, I can’t really fault the game for what it’s got.
Finally, the features of this game are both a boon to its playability and a major contributor to its eventual downfall. This game is surprisingly deep for a free download. There are sixteen tracks that span the four totally different environments that act as something similar to “cups” in games like Mario Kart or F-Zero. Within each of these, there’s three different types of events for all eight vehicle classes. For traditionalists, there’s straight eight-vehicle races and speed laps. On top of this, there’s another fun event called Pursuit, in which you must overtake all the other vehicles on the track as quickly as possible. For all of these events, there is a three-medal completion system; depending on what medal you get, you unlock more events, as well as the occasional unlock of one of the game’s impressive roster of 164 vehicles. I also particularly enjoyed the way in which each medal has its own ghost in speed lap events, so that you know exactly where you stand at all times.
Unfortunately and unbelievably, however, Motorstorm RC completely lacks any sort of multiplayer outside of online leaderboards. There’s not even an ad-hoc option. It just seems super illogical for such a fun racing game to almost entirely leave out the concept of friendly competition, so much that it will knock this game, which did enough right to have been a clear 7/10, down to the less sexy 6.
Should you get this game? Of course. It’s free. Why not? Heck, it’s good enough that I’d even make a case for you to pay for it. It’s really fun, but just know that there’s no multiplayer, and wonder along with me at how such a solid game could have such a critical flaw.
It’s not too often you see a game inspired by the likes of Metal Slug orContra that really brings something new to the table. That’s because developers usually try to channel in the “classic” feeling of the game without implementing any ideas of their own, worried that it’ll change the nature of the game too much. But leave it to Demiurge Studios to show a little boldness with Shoot Many Robots, a game that combines retro-fitted run-and-gun shooting with the modern day appeal to make it stand out in today’s offerings.
Robots have overrun the world, and they’re wreaking havoc on any remaining humans that stand in the way. This includes P. Walter Tugnut, a survivalist who finds his home compound surrounded by the little buggers. Unwilling to simply stand back and let them take over, he grabs his gun and does what he does best, blasting them to pieces while keeping a steady supply of ammunition — and beer — to keep him alive.
As I stated earlier, Shoot Many Robots really knows how to nail down the feeling of an old-school shooter. The controls here work very naturally and even come with a function where you can hold down the left trigger to stop in your tracks and aim with precision. What’s more, a melee attack has been included, which not only knocks robots back before they get too close for comfort, but also deflects bullets at those who fired them at you — always nice to have, especially when you’re surrounded.
Shoot Many Robots adds an appealing customization shop, which can be located in the convenience of your trailer. Here, you’ll not only find an array of new weapons to keep robo-apocalypse from happening, but you’ll also be able to dress up your character in many ways. Think you’d mess with a guy wearing a Scottish hat and a ballerina tutu, as he’s carrying a shotgun? Ha, hardly.
Along with weapons, Walter can also call upon alcohol to stop the dwindling of his health, though there’s only so many bottles he has on him. Thankfully, the game comes with checkpoints, so you never run desperately low, save for the later levels in the game.
The single-player campaign is suitable, and the game also comes with a survival mode, so you can challenge waves of enemies and see how far you get on the leaderboards. Obviously, in a case like this, it’s “the more, the merrier." Shoot Many Robots pleasantly supports co-op for online and local with up to four players. The sessions can get truly chaotic, especially when the screen fills with enemies, but it’s all in the name of fun — and this game provides a lot of it.
Though the graphics probably won’t win any awards, Demiurge has packed them with just the right amount of Southern hospitality. The character animations are good, particularly the robots; the background settings really paint a bleak picture without getting too serious; and the cel-shading seems just about right, save for a couple of moments when characters go too dark. This is a well put together shooter.
Mass Effect 3 review
Does all this build up, all these choices, all these replays, all this moral dilemma, all this romancing really have to come to an end… yes, sadly it does.
It only took two days after Mass Effect 2 was released that I’ve been anxiously awaiting Mass Effect 3. I am blatantly biased due to the Mass Effect series being hands down one of my favorite IPs of all time. I have a male and Fem Shep game, a paragon game, and a renegade game — each with numerous play throughs. With that said, my expectations for the final installment of this trilogy were high — ridiculously high. Was the fanboy inside me satisfied? Read on.
At this point, Shepard has done things and seen stuff, more than anyone should. His / her resume includes becoming the first human Spectre, defeating the Reaper Sovereign, and surviving an alleged suicide mission. However, despite his impressive active duty, the universe still doesn’t take him seriously about the whole ‘commander who cried Reaper’ ordeal. Then again, how does one prepare for a Reaper assault?
Shepard’s answer is through unity. This is the main plot of ME3. Shepard is newly reinstated into the Alliance after being on house arrest for temporarily joining with Cerberus. Anderson is convinced that Shepard is the only one who can unite all the races together to stop the Reapers. He / she has defeated Reapers in the past and is perhaps the only one how knows how to. Now add an ancient pre-Prothean super weapon to the mix, and the universe has some hope.
I hate using this cliché gaming term, but the only way to describe the action and environments ofMass Effect 3 is “epic.” I described the gameplay to a friend as, “You know how intense the last levels are in most RPGs? Well that is every mission in ME3.” It’s true. For example, in an early mission, you are on a moon of the Turian home world, Palaven. There are Reapers in the background, large scale warfare, Palaven burning in the background, fighter ships whizzing by overhead, in-depth dialogue, and a last ditch effort vs. Reaper troop action. My words don’t give it justice but when you are standing there in this mission, you have to take a moment to just look around and say ‘holy sh*t.’ Now multiply this by every mission and you have one epic game.
The actual action and gameplay is an improvement from ME2. While similar, the tweaks have made the combat more smooth. The cover system may take a little getting use to — I know I vaulted over some walls I shouldn’t have, which put me into certain death. You’ll get used to the mechanics in no time; the first real mission gives you a slight tutorial on cover by firing a huge turret at you.
Visuals and action won’t blow you away alone — you need sound. Mass Effect 3 delivers on this front. Besides the overly disturbing altered trash-lid sound that triggers every time there is a Reaper present, sound effects keep you on your toes for all the sci-fi action present. I also found the music and score fitting for the missions, down time, and the over-the-top moments.
While the story follows a direction that we’ve all been expecting, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep you guessing. A feature of ME3 I personally enjoyed is how you interact with all of the living crew mates from the past. Sure, only a handful of them are able to join your crew, but they are all there at some point if they survived the other games. Their interactions actually have impact on the story and aren’t there for the sake of nostalgia. If a certain character died in a previous game, certain missions will be completely different compared to if you had saved that character. This applies to some of the paragon and renegade choices as well. ME3 expands on all successful NPC character development themes that the series is known for.
I played through the game on Xbox 360 and had the Kinect connected the whole time. After playing though the demo with the Kinect, I thought I would be all over using it during the game. This did not end up being the case. I like the option of having it there, but as a seasoned MEplayer, I was just too set in my old ways and play style; on my ‘Insanity’ playthrough, I turned off crew-auto casting and did it all myself. Pulling up the radial menu to temporarily pause the game to aim the abilities is too valuable. The out of combat commands are gimmicky and completely unnecessary. With that said, it is a fun option and I like that it is there, even if I didn’t use it.
Throwing a multiplayer mode in on the last of a trilogy was a real ballsy move. If it was bad it could have thrown a stigma on the series. Thankfully, the multiplayer is pretty fun. It’s similar to ‘horde’ modes in other games. There are 10 waves and one bonus extraction wave. Every three waves presents a challenge: such as killing high profile targets, hacking a computer, and gaining intel from four servers. Each wave, the enemies get harder and more abundant, and there are three difficulty settings — bronze, silver, and gold. You will fight against Cerberus, Geth, or Reaper troops (nerf Banshees).
You and three friends (or strangers) fight for galactic peace. In the multiplayer, you make a character based off the standard six playable classes. Each class has four characters you can choose from: male and female humans with identical powers and two alien racers with unique powers. You can have multiple characters and switch them between matches. The multiplayer helps you with both war assets and Galaxy at War Readiness rating. Once you reach level 20, you can ‘promote’ your character, which gives you 75 points for your war effort — this resets your class back to level 1 and advances your multiplayer level by 10. So while I want to say that the multiplayer isn’t necessary for your single player game, the multiplayer is necessary for your single player game.
So all the stuff I’ve talked about thus far has been the ‘good’ in ME3, now I’ll switch to the ‘bad.’ As I said, I played on Xbox 360, so these might be unique issues to the system. During many of the loading screens, I was fearful of the game crashing. These were usually the mid-level loads. The loading icon would appear in the corner and everything would freeze. Most the time the game would snap out of it, but three times the game completely froze. The game auto saves often, so this was never a huge set back but an annoyance. This might not be the case on PC or PS3.
On the topic of annoyance, the whole disk swapping issue was frustrating. Usually when a game has multiple disks, you switch at one point and it’s over with — not in Mass Effect 3. I’m convinced that anything Cerberus-related is on disk two. Anytime you assault a Cerberus base, “Please Insert Disk 2,” then as soon as you’re done and follow the main missions, “Please Insert Disk 1.” This may seem petty on my part, but it definitely irked me. Again, this wouldn’t be the case on PC or PS3.
Compared to ME2, the crew size for missions was low. While I said I enjoyed the interaction with previous characters, I wanted more options for those I could do missions with. This definitely didn’t break the game for me — but it is just a preference.
As per any ME game, the side quests on the Citadel were tedious. Trust me, I do them all. I love learning new story elements and getting my war assets up, but you can never take a quick trip to the Citadel. After every mission, I also talk to everyone on my ship so I don’t miss any of the dialogue or reputation bonuses. While this isn’t so bad on a first run through, it makes future run-throughs tedious. A great feature in this game is the mini map. It literally tells you if there is something for you to do and where they are on the map. Bravo for this feature. This doesn’t work for conversations though. Sometimes you will get a heads up from a crew member or you will receive an email — but not always.
Galactic exploration is a slightly new mini-game that has tragic repercussions. They dumped planet scanning (thank the goddess) but now you have to enter Reaper controlled space, find where the goodies are, scan, attain, and then dodge the Reapers going in to murder you and your ship. I found this to be addicting though somewhat repetitive.
As a whole, I felt the new content was lackluster. The new character, James, is not that involved as far as Mass Effect characters go. His background is fairly mainstream and uninteresting. I never used him due to my love for the previous characters. Mass Effect 2 succeeded in introducing new characters where ME3 completely lacked in this department. Diana Allers’ role on the Normandy is unnecessary in my opinion. The series already has an established media person with Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani, why bring in another character for this? I’ll admit though, I liked Traynor more than Chambers.
I won’t touch this topic too much, but the ending didn’t suffice my grandiose expectations. I feel a bit cheated with the results, and I defiantly question the ‘why.’ There is some popular theorycrafting going on that could make the ending quite experimental and venturesome from BioWare, but even in this case it is not complete. That’s all I’ll say for now — a review isn’t the right place for spoilers.
For the most part, the things I “didn’t like” are honestly nit-picking. Over all, Mass Effect 3 is an amazing game that should be played by ANY fan of the series — multiple times. Even if you haven’t played the previous two games, I could see Mass Effect 3 being amazing enough to be a stand-alone game, though having experienced it as a trilogy make it so much better. Seeing the impacts of the choices you’ve made in the last two games is pretty amazing. I enjoy conversations with friends and coworkers regarding our varied ME3 experiences depending on our different choices. I’m already on my second playthrough and still playing the multiplayer despite my 100% readiness. As far as sci-fi space RPG's go, Mass Effect is still king of the genre.
[Reviewed on Xbox 360]
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations review
A massive roster and two generations of storylines make this Naruto title a must have for fans.
I've always been a fan of the CyberConnect2's Naruto Storm games. Not only were they the first game to truly nail not only the anime aesthetics, they were also the first to offer completely simplistic yet exhilarating combat, that delivered on the promise to make it feel like you're playing the anime series. The latest venture, dubbed Generations, gives fans not only a crash course into the original Naruto storyline, but the more grown up Shippuden storyline as well. Does this mash-up of generations make this the ultimate Naruto game?
Yes and no. Generations is an odd end-result of a line of games that were both extremely fun and informative (when recapping the story) and completely approachable by anyone willing to pick up a controller and take a stab at it. Ultimate Jutsu's were only a button press away, stylish air dashes and substitutions were pulled off with ease, and each and every battle was a spectacle to watch. The first two games also had a nice sense of exploration and had players venturing through Hidden Leaf Village in Storm, and even surrounding areas in Storm 2. So where does Generationsstand in all of this?
Right in the middle.
The combat is still as simplistic as ever. With one button, you can pull off incredible and fluid combos that will have your character kicking your opponents ass from one side of the arena to the next. There are absolutely no button input combinations a-la Street Fighter, instead, pressing the action button with various directions will yield different combos. It's a neat system that helps make the game feel more like the anime. A ranged button will throw shurikens and kunais at your enemies, and your Jutsu button will activate your aura to either execute a super move, or an ultimate move.
If you're at all used to any of the previous Storm games, chances are you'll feel right at home here, but rest assured there are a few tweaks. The biggest one is a substitution meter. In essence, previous games relied on a precise block button input, right as you're about to get hit. This will turn your character into a stump of wood, or whatever element they represent, and pop up immediately behind the attacking character. This was a great system which allowed for players stuck in combos, to quickly change the flow of combat and get an upper hand. The problem here was that this could be used over and over by both characters, resulting in a substitution duel, rather than an actual fight. The new substitution meter only gives a certain amount of substitutions each character can pull off, until it's replenished. It's a welcome addition that doesn't make that system feel cheap.
You can still select up to two support characters to take along to the fight with you, but you still can't switch to them mid-combat, instead you can call upon them to jump in and perform their offensive or defensive move. Call upon them enough and your Support Drive will fill up, meaning they'll jump in and help regardless of you pressing their button. Another sweet addition are the Ninja Info Cards. These can now be tied to your profile which not only personalize it, but each card grants a certain buff in game. These are especially useful when taking the fight online.
Where Generations differs greatly from it's predecessors is the presentation. I was excited to hear that both the original and the Shippuden storylines were being included in the game, as I was really hoping to play through them in a similar manner as Storm 2. I wanted to once again explore the lands that the world of Naruto takes place in, and once again experience the battles that made the series so heart pumping. Instead, the game decided to go completely back to basics. The story is now even more abridged, with a ton of key fights not even present in each story, but the exploration was completely taken out. Now, each story is essentially a short anime cutscene, and then a bunch of voiced over stills, followed by a short fight. Was I a bit disappointed? Definitely.
The exploration wasn't the only thing that was cut. Some of the key fights that don't appear in the game, were actually some of the most exhilarating ones from the previous games. Where is the fight with Naruto against Gaara, where Gaara unleashes his Jinchuuriki, and then Naruto is forced to fight the giant beast that resides within him. Or for that matter, I also miss the mid battle cutscenes that resulted in a few QTE instances, which always had some epic animations associated with it. Instead the game is completely stripped bare down to the essentials, which results in short fight after short fight, with some exposition thrown in between. With that said, the other characters you can play as in Story mode offer some truly great back stories that were not touched on previously in Naruto games, such as the tale of Zabuza and Haku.
I think what also bothers me the most about the game is that despite the minor tweaks to the fighting mechanics, I could almost not distinguish this game from it's two predecessors. Though there are 38 stages, a lot of them are exactly the same ones we've been seeing in the past games. It's tough to improve on something graphically that already looks so damn impressive, and this I understand, but at the same time, I shouldn't be feeling like I'm playing the same (or very similar) game I've played before. But then again, I can't even imagine how Call of Duty players feel like year after year. I said it.
Don't get me wrong however, Generations is still an extremely fun game. The fact that it's devoid of many of the features that I've grown to love in the series does not negate the fact that the fighting is still incredibly fun. There are still a ton of things I love about Generations. For one, the sheer amount of characters that you unlock (yes you heard right, unlock!) throughout the game are all fun to play as. Sure there are a few versions of Naruto and a few versions of Sasuke, not to mention young and older versions of his friends, but luckily each of these come with varied movesets, that don't resemble their counterparts. The total number of playable characters is a massive 72, along with 15 more characters that can only be used as support.
You can take the fight online like I mentioned previously but this experience is hit or miss, or at least it was in my attempts. When trying to set certain parameters for finding other people to play, I would usually time out, or by the time I was presented with other players, it said they're room was already full. Quick Matches yielded better results here and there, and when it actually did work, it was a blast! Though be prepared to know your Jutsu's, people are truly relentless online.
There is also a ton of collecting to do in the game. Each fight nets you a Ryo (currency) bonus, which you can use to spend on items in the shop, such as different substitutions, new Ninja Info Cards, or titles which you can adorn your cards with. It's not all amazing stuff, but those into collecting everything will have tons to do in Generations.
I've already mentioned that the game is damn near impossible to distinguish from its anime counterpart, save for the extremely fluid animations, but it also sounds amazing. Fans of the show can use the original Japanese voices or the American dub as well, and the soundtrack is brimming with Naruto goodness. Honestly, these songs range from epic Asian influenced combat songs, to somber and moving tunes which only enhance whatever the current scenario playing out is.
I don't have to tell Naruto fans twice, as they've had this game pre-ordered for months I'm sure or already have it in their systems now. Outsiders that want to break into the Naruto franchise might actually have the best chance with Generations. Though I've stated that some key battles were left out of the main storylines, you can still get a gist of what the storyline is about, and walk away with a general understanding of the series. Though Generations won't impress the hardcore fighting fans with it's simplistic combat, it's still fun enough for anyone to pick and play, and have a great time with. Believe it! (Sorry, I just had to)
Journey review
Your dream trip awaits.
AMAZING
Some game companies boast a long resume, talking about their gaming accomplishments over the years and the staying power of the franchises they’ve created. Others, however, prefer a smaller palette of games, though ones loaded with the kind of significance that’s hard to shake. And that’s thatgamecompany in a nutshell. These guys have only cranked out so many games over the years, but their PSN efforts — namely the hypnotic flOW and the breathtaking Flower — have created ripples that few other developers can match. With Journey, they complete their current trifecta.
Like their previous efforts, Journey doesn’t compromise the player with unnecessary goals or even a scoring system to worry about besting their rivals. Instead, it’s a trip into an imaginary world — like Flower but so distinctively apart from it. You play a strange, robed creature without the ability to speak, working his (or her?) way across the desert in an attempt to reach a glowing mountain in the distance. There isn’t much story to go on, but as the title indicates, the focus is on the journey, not the destination.
Journey has the kind of compelling level design that easily puts other games to shame. It’s challenging without ever getting to the point of being frustrating. If you should become “stuck” trying to figure out your way around something, like a pair of platforms that require a bridge, the solution is pretty easy to find. And even if you wander too far off, you can always look up for the mountain to get back on the right track. There’s never a point where you need a restart. That would delude the point thatgamecompany is trying to make.
The gameplay is simple, yet wonderful. Your character’s main ability doesn’t even involve a weapon, but rather jumping and gliding. To do that, you’ll need to summon a song — something along the lines of Journey’s theme — in order to get cloth to join you. The longer your cloth, the more enhanced your abilities become. It’s still temporary, but you never run out of refill points, which is fine by us. Some occasional puzzles require you to use your gift of song to activate points, but again, it never gets to the point you become confused.
Honestly, Journey has some of the most natural co-op gameplay we’ve seen. That’s because it doesn’t situate the players with goals, or even the need to stick together. Fellow players join you at random, and you can travel as a duo or split apart, depending what you’re in the mood for. While this sort of gameplay doesn’t require teamwork to get through a stage, it’s fun traveling along with a friend, if only to take in the dazzling sight this trip provides.
Like its previous games, thatgamecompany surrounds Journey with a rich soundtrack. It’s not the kind of pre-recorded music that simply sits there and doesn’t interact with the game. Instead, it lends itself to it, and even combines with your character’s summons in a very creative manner. It’s a naturally flowing track list, one we wouldn’t mind hearing again sometime soon.
If Journey has one incredible factor working in its favor, it’s the visuals. Thatgamecompany has really gone all out creating a mesmerizing world here, whether you’re wandering around in orange-lit desert climates or swimming around in a gorgeous blue-lit underworld. The character animation is unbelievable, especially when your nameless figure goes flying on carpets, which ripple right along with them. You’ll find yourself stopping often in this game, merely for the sake to look around — and for good reason.
If Journey has any sort of Achilles heel, it’s the replay value. Once you’re done, the only thing left to do is go back and look for secret glyphs, unlock all the Trophies, or encounter more random players. However, this is the sort of game you can easily turn back to just for the sake of relaxation, or checking on something you might have missed the first time around. So that’s hardly a setback for picking the game up.
Kudos to thatgamecompany. It continues to evolve with each game it makes, rather than caving in to general game designing convention and “what the masses want”. Journey is their best effort to date; it is an outstanding trip into a fantasy world that never gets old. Its pacing may not be for those seeking something more action-packed, but even they are likely to get sucked in at some point, drawn in by the sights they see. This is a game everyone can enjoy — and should.
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