By Aaron N
For some reason my favorite sports games have always been tennis games. Sure I like Madden, NFL Blitz, baseball, and basketball games, but tennis games have always been the most fun to me. At my first job we had "Virtual Tennis" in the game room and we would play it on our breaks. I remember playing the first "Mario Tennis" on the virtual boy, it was my favorite game on the system. So I knew I had to get the new one for the Nintendo 3DS. They have made plenty of Mario Tennis games since the virtual boy so I knew they had to bring some new aspects to this game. With sports games it is hard to make one stand out and seem memorable, so this was a tough task to put on this installment.
Graphics:
I am still amazed at how powerful the 3DS is. Granted I hardly used the 3D aspect, but the graphics still amazed me. The fluidity of the motion of the characters was astounding and they were on par with the Wii. When I did use the 3D it was a welcomed addition. I was worried that it would make the ball hard to see and get lost in the characters and the atmosphere but it didn't. The same goes for the last stage. The last stage is set in space and a lot of the court is see-through. But the graphics were so crisp that I had no problem seeing the ball. The graphics were really well-done and I feel that the 3DS has better graphics than the wii. They utilize the capabilities to the fullest and "Mario Tennis Open" showcases this.
Story:
There really isn't a story to "Mario Tennis Open." All you do is play through tournaments as either a singles competitor or a doubles one. After you win a tournament you get an invitation to the next tournament. There are eight tournaments and each one increases in difficulty as you progress. The increase in difficulty is extreme when you reach the final tournament though. It was frustrating at first, but then when you learn all the special hits, which I will get into more in the gameplay section, it actually becomes quite easy. This is actually more of a storyline than usual sports games have, but with Mario sports games you always get just a little bit extra.
Gameplay:
Like in actual tennis it basically is the first to four points to win a game and you have to win by two. It takes two games to win a set, but unlike actual tennis you have to win by at least two sets. In the earlier tournaments and rounds it is the first to win a set, but sometimes in later rounds and harder tournaments you have to win best of three sets or best of five sets in the final rounds. They have a few special strikes that I mentioned earlier. A special circle will show up at a certain spot on the court. The five special strikes are a slam, fire strike, curve strike, short strike, and lob strike. It is imperative that you have to learn how to utilize these strikes to win in the final tournament. I dominated the first seven tournaments without knowing how to use these. They took a simplistic formula that all tennis games have and added to it and made it incredibly fun and entertaining.
Sound:
Each character makes unique sounds and noises as the play. Also each strike sounds different. These are the little things that make the sound memorable for "Mario Tennis Open." But the part I liked the best is the music. The music is the generally the same for each round. The final round has a unique song to it that adds to the excitement and importance to the match. When you have a game point the music changes and gets more intense. It creates a great atmosphere that makes it go from a care-free game to an intense one in a matter of seconds, which is astounding.
Overall:
"Mario Tennis Open" is one of the more fun sports games I have played in recent time. It brings an overall product that makes me go back to play more for the sheer gameplay. It does what other games can't do with a lack of storyline and just on gameplay. I had a lot of fun playing this and I will continue to do so for quite some time.
Mario Tennis Open gets an 8.5/10
Your place for video games reviews and more!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Review: Super Mario 3D Land (2011)
By Aaron N
When the Nintendo 3DS came out, the one thing it seemed like it was missing was a must have game. Usually, when it comes to a Nintendo system, that game is a Mario game. So when "Super Mario 3D Land" came out it seemed like it finally had its game that was needed to help the system sell more. It was one of the first games I had for the 3DS and it was my introduction into a whole new world. But was it the introduction I was hoping for, or would this fall short of the hype?
Graphics:
You are never going to get a realistic looking Mario game, it's just not what the franchise needs. The cartoony graphics are exactly what works for this franchise and it will continue to work for years to come. It is amazing what detail and movement Nintendo can get out of this type of graphics. Now as I said before this was the first 3DS game that I played so the introduction to 3D was astounding. It gave depth into the graphics which opened up even more detail than previous games. Also, as with normal Mario games, the graphics gave it a fun feeling. The thing I like about cartoony graphics as opposed to more realistic graphics is that it is somewhat reminiscent of older games where graphics had to be that way. Realistic graphics definitely have their place in games, but it is for more modern and mature games. I'm not saying that Super Mario games are not mature, but they are definitely for a different audience than the Call of Duty series. I don't think the graphics could be any better than what they gave us, and it is definitely a great way to show us what the Nintendo 3DS is capable of.
Story:
The story of "Super Mario 3D Land" is a different spin on the usual Mario storyline. Yes, Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser as usual and you must save her. But this story is combined with the addition of another plot involving tree leaves. The game begins with a tree's leaves being blown off by a storm leaving none left in the Mushroom Kingdom. The leaves will be immediately recognized as that which gives Mario the ability to use the Tanooki suit. Now you must search out for the missing leaves and at the same time chase after Bowser. The two storylines converge at the end but it still is good to have a different twist to the usual redundant, albeit great, plot. After beating the game you unlock both Luigi and special stages. The special stages are basically the same levels only altered.
Gameplay:
The gameplay for "Super Mario 3D Land" is in the same vein as the recent "Super Mario Galaxy 2." You can move between levels on an overworld screen but when you get into the levels themselves they are very much 3D versions of classic mario games. The level gameplay is more like the original games where you jump on a flag at the end instead of collecting stars throughout the levels. There are secrets in every level in order to collect all the coins and special coins. The power-ups are the mushroom, the fire flower, and the tanooki suit. The tanooki suit is very similar to the one from "Super Mario Bros 3." Although you can't fly using it, the suit helps you float for a prolonged period. That is the main difference in the suit. Nintendo did a great job making all the levels have a unique feel to them. There is even one level where you play on giant sprites from the original game. You cannot expect anything other than a fun experience from the Mario franchise, and this one doesn't disappoint.
Sound:
The sound is always similar in every Mario game that comes out. You have the usual Mario voice and the attack sounds. But with every new game they create new music. The music has to feel like it belongs in a Mario game. Recently, they have altered the music slightly for the handheld games in comparison to the console versions. The consle versions have had an orchestral feel to it, while the handhelds had a more childlike feel to it. "Super Mario 3D Land" fits in the handheld mold. But as usual they had a different style of music to fit each level style. This helped to get the mood and feel of the levels across to the player. Nobody does this better than Nintendo.
Overall:
"Super Mario 3D Land" was a great introduction to the 3D landscape for me and it is indeed the must have game so far for the Nintendo 3DS. They created a new Mario game that also harkened back to past games, especially "Super Mario Bros 3." I would recommend this game to anyone who loves Mario and would like to see a good mix between "Super Mario Bros 3" and "Mario 64," which are considered two of the best Mario games ever made.
Super Mario 3D Land gets a 9/10
When the Nintendo 3DS came out, the one thing it seemed like it was missing was a must have game. Usually, when it comes to a Nintendo system, that game is a Mario game. So when "Super Mario 3D Land" came out it seemed like it finally had its game that was needed to help the system sell more. It was one of the first games I had for the 3DS and it was my introduction into a whole new world. But was it the introduction I was hoping for, or would this fall short of the hype?
Graphics:
You are never going to get a realistic looking Mario game, it's just not what the franchise needs. The cartoony graphics are exactly what works for this franchise and it will continue to work for years to come. It is amazing what detail and movement Nintendo can get out of this type of graphics. Now as I said before this was the first 3DS game that I played so the introduction to 3D was astounding. It gave depth into the graphics which opened up even more detail than previous games. Also, as with normal Mario games, the graphics gave it a fun feeling. The thing I like about cartoony graphics as opposed to more realistic graphics is that it is somewhat reminiscent of older games where graphics had to be that way. Realistic graphics definitely have their place in games, but it is for more modern and mature games. I'm not saying that Super Mario games are not mature, but they are definitely for a different audience than the Call of Duty series. I don't think the graphics could be any better than what they gave us, and it is definitely a great way to show us what the Nintendo 3DS is capable of.
Story:
The story of "Super Mario 3D Land" is a different spin on the usual Mario storyline. Yes, Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser as usual and you must save her. But this story is combined with the addition of another plot involving tree leaves. The game begins with a tree's leaves being blown off by a storm leaving none left in the Mushroom Kingdom. The leaves will be immediately recognized as that which gives Mario the ability to use the Tanooki suit. Now you must search out for the missing leaves and at the same time chase after Bowser. The two storylines converge at the end but it still is good to have a different twist to the usual redundant, albeit great, plot. After beating the game you unlock both Luigi and special stages. The special stages are basically the same levels only altered.
Gameplay:
The gameplay for "Super Mario 3D Land" is in the same vein as the recent "Super Mario Galaxy 2." You can move between levels on an overworld screen but when you get into the levels themselves they are very much 3D versions of classic mario games. The level gameplay is more like the original games where you jump on a flag at the end instead of collecting stars throughout the levels. There are secrets in every level in order to collect all the coins and special coins. The power-ups are the mushroom, the fire flower, and the tanooki suit. The tanooki suit is very similar to the one from "Super Mario Bros 3." Although you can't fly using it, the suit helps you float for a prolonged period. That is the main difference in the suit. Nintendo did a great job making all the levels have a unique feel to them. There is even one level where you play on giant sprites from the original game. You cannot expect anything other than a fun experience from the Mario franchise, and this one doesn't disappoint.
Sound:
The sound is always similar in every Mario game that comes out. You have the usual Mario voice and the attack sounds. But with every new game they create new music. The music has to feel like it belongs in a Mario game. Recently, they have altered the music slightly for the handheld games in comparison to the console versions. The consle versions have had an orchestral feel to it, while the handhelds had a more childlike feel to it. "Super Mario 3D Land" fits in the handheld mold. But as usual they had a different style of music to fit each level style. This helped to get the mood and feel of the levels across to the player. Nobody does this better than Nintendo.
Overall:
"Super Mario 3D Land" was a great introduction to the 3D landscape for me and it is indeed the must have game so far for the Nintendo 3DS. They created a new Mario game that also harkened back to past games, especially "Super Mario Bros 3." I would recommend this game to anyone who loves Mario and would like to see a good mix between "Super Mario Bros 3" and "Mario 64," which are considered two of the best Mario games ever made.
Super Mario 3D Land gets a 9/10
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
NintendoFest Announcement!
Geetings Everyone! Time Out Video Games would like to announce NintendoFest. NintendoFest is a celebration of Nintendo leading to the upcoming WiiU release on November 18th. Starting November 1st, we will be all about Nintendo here at Time Out. All of the written and video portions of this blog will be pertaining to Nintendo products. There will be written reviews, including our final non-retro review of a Wii game. Also the Monday before the WiiU comes out we will have a special Wii episode of TOVG TV. It will be our retrospective on Nintendo's revolutionary system. Then on the Friday before the release date, we will have a WiiU preview episode of TOVG TV. Included during the week before the release will be a new story every day about my experiences of launch time of past Nintendo systems, including a Wii story that is too crazy to believe. Then NintendoFest comes to a close with the WiiU review episode of TOVG TV after the system comes out.
I hope you all enjoy NintendoFest and I look forward to bringing you all the Nintendo festivities starting November 1st!
-Aaron N
I hope you all enjoy NintendoFest and I look forward to bringing you all the Nintendo festivities starting November 1st!
-Aaron N
Monday, October 15, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Wii-U Thoughts
Well there has been a buzz around the gaming community ever since the video conference by Nintendo detailing new information about the Wii-u. It was a polarizing conference to say the least, but it had a huge impact as it has been reported that Gamestop, Best Buy online, and Toys 'R Us online, among others, have sold out of pre-orders nationwide for the deluxe bundle. Nintendo had to do something to bring back hype for the wii-u after the largely considered disappointing showing at E3.
The conference showcased many important things. The first major news was a launch date, November 18th in North America. What is interesting is that North America will get it before Japan, this is very surprising to me. Coupled with the release date is the price for the system. They announced that two bundles will be available on launch date. The "basic" bundle comes with a white gamepad, a white system, an 8GB hard drive, and the wires for the system for $299. The "deluxe" bundle comes with a black gamepad, a black system, a 32GB hard drive, a copy of the "Nintendoland" game, plus extra wires and add-ons for $349. What disappointed me at first was that only the deluxe bundle came with a game. But with reports that games will be $60 each, $50 more for a game, more memory, and other add-ons doesn't sound too bad. The problem that comes though is that the system, albeit new, will practically have the same capabilities as the PS3 and Xbox 360, so that could cause a problem with the price.
Before the conference the main deterrent for me from purchasing the wii-u is that the games for it didn't seem enough to me. There were some games that seemed good like Pikmin 3, ZombiU, and New Super Mario Bros. U, but the others seemed either gimmicky upgrades to existing games or just plain bland. But the conference showed new games and surprises like Bayonetta 2 being a wii-u exclusive which is a major snag for Nintendo. It also reminded me of a game that ultimately persuaded me on the wii-u. They debuted a trailer for "The Wonderful 101." This game was shown at E3 under the name "Project P-100." The "Project P-100" showing was the game that stood out the most for me at E3. It is a unique game that seems just fun to play. It is not a launch title but it will come out during the launch window.
All-in-all, I thought that the video conference by Nintendo made up for their failings at E3. They showed many cool new features, such as the aspect of controlling your TV from the gamepad. Plus it reminded us of games and told us about new games that got some of us very excited. I'm not sure if it was just the conference or the fact that pre-sells were selling out that ultimately made me pre-order a deluxe bundle. But what I do know is that on November 18th I will hopefully be enjoying a new Nintendo system.
The conference showcased many important things. The first major news was a launch date, November 18th in North America. What is interesting is that North America will get it before Japan, this is very surprising to me. Coupled with the release date is the price for the system. They announced that two bundles will be available on launch date. The "basic" bundle comes with a white gamepad, a white system, an 8GB hard drive, and the wires for the system for $299. The "deluxe" bundle comes with a black gamepad, a black system, a 32GB hard drive, a copy of the "Nintendoland" game, plus extra wires and add-ons for $349. What disappointed me at first was that only the deluxe bundle came with a game. But with reports that games will be $60 each, $50 more for a game, more memory, and other add-ons doesn't sound too bad. The problem that comes though is that the system, albeit new, will practically have the same capabilities as the PS3 and Xbox 360, so that could cause a problem with the price.
Before the conference the main deterrent for me from purchasing the wii-u is that the games for it didn't seem enough to me. There were some games that seemed good like Pikmin 3, ZombiU, and New Super Mario Bros. U, but the others seemed either gimmicky upgrades to existing games or just plain bland. But the conference showed new games and surprises like Bayonetta 2 being a wii-u exclusive which is a major snag for Nintendo. It also reminded me of a game that ultimately persuaded me on the wii-u. They debuted a trailer for "The Wonderful 101." This game was shown at E3 under the name "Project P-100." The "Project P-100" showing was the game that stood out the most for me at E3. It is a unique game that seems just fun to play. It is not a launch title but it will come out during the launch window.
All-in-all, I thought that the video conference by Nintendo made up for their failings at E3. They showed many cool new features, such as the aspect of controlling your TV from the gamepad. Plus it reminded us of games and told us about new games that got some of us very excited. I'm not sure if it was just the conference or the fact that pre-sells were selling out that ultimately made me pre-order a deluxe bundle. But what I do know is that on November 18th I will hopefully be enjoying a new Nintendo system.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Review: Portal 2 (2011)
By Aaron N
When I first decided to purchase an Xbox360 I inquired about which game I should buy with it. I was told to buy the Orange box which consisted of Halflife 2, Halflife episodes 1 and 2, Team Fortress, and a little puzzle game called Portal. Naturally I first started playing Halflife 2 when I bought it. But then I started hearing more and more about Portal. It was a short puzzle game where you utilized a portal gun to create portals in the walls to move from one place to another. The goal was to get to the end of the test center. When I finally played the game I was astounded at how fantastic the game was even though it was based on such a simple concept. It's wit and complexity amazed me and had me play over and over again. Now we come to it's sequel Portal 2. Portal 2 promised to be longer and harder than the first one with more complex puzzles. Portal would be a competitor for game of the year. With all the hype and expectations surrounding this game, it would be hard not to disappoint.
Graphics:
The graphics are up-to-date for Portal 2. They are very realistic and the universe is very rich looking. The objects and concepts brought over from the first game are updated. The rooms look realistic and the portal gun effects are cooler looking than the first game. They add a few nuances to the effects. The concepts created for this game like the slimes were done very well. There isn't much more to say for the graphics as what makes the game are the other categories.
Story:
You play as Chell who is the testing woman at Aperature Laboratories. You wake up and are once again back in the testing facilities. You are led by a british robot named Wheatley who leads you around the testing facility trying to help you escape. He is not too bright though as he leads you right to the sleeping GLaDOS who is awakened and continues her quest to kill you. You stop her but in the process Wheatley takes control over her body and mind and becomes drunk with power. Since, as stated before he is not too bright, he can not handle so much power so it corrupts him. You are sent to the depths of the laboratory deep underground where you team up with GLaDOS who is now imbedded in a potato and must be carried around by you. As you make your way back up to Wheatley, you travel through a history lesson of Aperature Laboratories. You are taught about Cave Johnson by listening to PA announcements he made to the previous employees. Cave Johnson was the founder and orchestrator of Aperature Laboratories, he basically created everything. You must solve the puzzles on your way back up to the current laboratories where Wheatley is still in control and thinks he is running things better than ever before. The story is gripping and witty. It keeps you glued to the screen and engaged. I do not want to ruin the ending but it, just like the rest, is brilliant.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is virtually identical to the first game. The only differences are that they added some new elements to the puzzles and the puzzles are much more complex. Instead of playing through just test sites within the facility, you use buildings and old testing facilities. The puzzles are more disguised than in the previous game. It is remarkable how much smarter I felt as I advanced through the game. The puzzles increased in difficulty as you progressed and some of them naturally felt impossible to solve. But that is the brilliance of this game, you felt like you were solving the impossible. None of the puzzles feel tedious, they all are made with a point in mind. It is cliche to say but you actually do have to think outside of the box and think in ways you never thought possible. It was a very, very fun game.
Sound:
The music in this game was miniscule but what was important was the sounds. The sounds from the portal gun and the actions were crisp and unique. All of them sounded different and unlike anything. The most important aspect of the sound in this game was the voice acting. Wheatley was a funny and likeable robot at the beginning of the game, and while you start to have disdain for him when he turns bad, he can still find a way to make you laugh at his idiosy. GLaDOS continues to have a dry sense of humor and even as you are partnering with her she continues to want you dead. She never stops mentioning how you burned her in the first game. Finally Cave Johnson and his PA announcements are witty and intelligent. The humor in this game is intelligent and you can tell that they took time and effort into thinking of the universe and the history behind it. The sound in this game is the most memorable in a long time.
Overall:
Portal 2 is a perfect game. It combines intelligence, humor, and complexity like never before. It improved upon every aspect of gameplay of the first game and made it unique at the same time. It is my favorite game of 2011, and one of the best in a while.
Portal 2 gets a 10/10
When I first decided to purchase an Xbox360 I inquired about which game I should buy with it. I was told to buy the Orange box which consisted of Halflife 2, Halflife episodes 1 and 2, Team Fortress, and a little puzzle game called Portal. Naturally I first started playing Halflife 2 when I bought it. But then I started hearing more and more about Portal. It was a short puzzle game where you utilized a portal gun to create portals in the walls to move from one place to another. The goal was to get to the end of the test center. When I finally played the game I was astounded at how fantastic the game was even though it was based on such a simple concept. It's wit and complexity amazed me and had me play over and over again. Now we come to it's sequel Portal 2. Portal 2 promised to be longer and harder than the first one with more complex puzzles. Portal would be a competitor for game of the year. With all the hype and expectations surrounding this game, it would be hard not to disappoint.
Graphics:
The graphics are up-to-date for Portal 2. They are very realistic and the universe is very rich looking. The objects and concepts brought over from the first game are updated. The rooms look realistic and the portal gun effects are cooler looking than the first game. They add a few nuances to the effects. The concepts created for this game like the slimes were done very well. There isn't much more to say for the graphics as what makes the game are the other categories.
Story:
You play as Chell who is the testing woman at Aperature Laboratories. You wake up and are once again back in the testing facilities. You are led by a british robot named Wheatley who leads you around the testing facility trying to help you escape. He is not too bright though as he leads you right to the sleeping GLaDOS who is awakened and continues her quest to kill you. You stop her but in the process Wheatley takes control over her body and mind and becomes drunk with power. Since, as stated before he is not too bright, he can not handle so much power so it corrupts him. You are sent to the depths of the laboratory deep underground where you team up with GLaDOS who is now imbedded in a potato and must be carried around by you. As you make your way back up to Wheatley, you travel through a history lesson of Aperature Laboratories. You are taught about Cave Johnson by listening to PA announcements he made to the previous employees. Cave Johnson was the founder and orchestrator of Aperature Laboratories, he basically created everything. You must solve the puzzles on your way back up to the current laboratories where Wheatley is still in control and thinks he is running things better than ever before. The story is gripping and witty. It keeps you glued to the screen and engaged. I do not want to ruin the ending but it, just like the rest, is brilliant.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is virtually identical to the first game. The only differences are that they added some new elements to the puzzles and the puzzles are much more complex. Instead of playing through just test sites within the facility, you use buildings and old testing facilities. The puzzles are more disguised than in the previous game. It is remarkable how much smarter I felt as I advanced through the game. The puzzles increased in difficulty as you progressed and some of them naturally felt impossible to solve. But that is the brilliance of this game, you felt like you were solving the impossible. None of the puzzles feel tedious, they all are made with a point in mind. It is cliche to say but you actually do have to think outside of the box and think in ways you never thought possible. It was a very, very fun game.
Sound:
The music in this game was miniscule but what was important was the sounds. The sounds from the portal gun and the actions were crisp and unique. All of them sounded different and unlike anything. The most important aspect of the sound in this game was the voice acting. Wheatley was a funny and likeable robot at the beginning of the game, and while you start to have disdain for him when he turns bad, he can still find a way to make you laugh at his idiosy. GLaDOS continues to have a dry sense of humor and even as you are partnering with her she continues to want you dead. She never stops mentioning how you burned her in the first game. Finally Cave Johnson and his PA announcements are witty and intelligent. The humor in this game is intelligent and you can tell that they took time and effort into thinking of the universe and the history behind it. The sound in this game is the most memorable in a long time.
Overall:
Portal 2 is a perfect game. It combines intelligence, humor, and complexity like never before. It improved upon every aspect of gameplay of the first game and made it unique at the same time. It is my favorite game of 2011, and one of the best in a while.
Portal 2 gets a 10/10
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Video: Dark Knight Rises Game
I saw this video on Kotaku. It is a walkthrough from the IOS game created for "The Dark Knight Rises." I feel it is a great video that shows how vastly different games can be from their movie counterpart. If you have seen the movie you will understand how different it is.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Review: Lost Planet 2 (2010)
By Aaron N
The first Lost Planet really took me by surprised. I was not expecting what I played and it was an enjoyable concept. The idea of a sci-fi shooter that combined military with giant monsters and mechs were any sci-fi fans dream. While it wasn't the greatest game ever made, it still was a good all around game that seemed like it could be the potential starting point for a quality franchise. This came true when they released a sequel in 2010. This game boasted bigger monsters and more mechs than in the first game. So then it could only be better right?
Graphics:
The graphics for "Lost Planet 2" were quality but inconsistent. The cut scenes were tremendously done and looked very realistic and smooth. The cut scenes looked and played out like scenes out of a movie and they were the most impressive aspect of this game. The gameplay, which still looked good, lacked the smoothness and clarity that the cut scenes had. In some levels it was too dark to even see yourself, this really turned me off. Also at times there was too much on the screen to see yourself and it just become a mass of colors and flashes from your gun. The inconsistency reminded me of older Gamecube and Xbox games where the cut scenes looked drastically different than gameplay. This is a problem that most games no longer have and to stay up with modern gaming you can not have this problem. I wish that they could have stayed more consistent in this department.
Story:
The events of "Lost Planet 2" take place ten years after the first game. There is now civil war on the planet known as E.D.N III. While this war is going on you have to take on monstrous monsters known as akrids who inhabit the planet. Also the villainous group from the first game, NEVEC, are back to try to destroy the planet for their own gain. The game is broken up into six episodes, each one seemingly disconnected to the prior ones. This confused me very much and took away from gameplay. It would feel like the game would be missing a key cut scene in between. It would be revealed in the end that you were playing as different characters in each episode and they would all connect during the final episode, which was a great "wow" moment, but besides that moment I could not generally connect to any of the characters. Besides some of the oddly acting Spanish sounding characters I did not really care about any of the characters. I wish I could have played as them the whole time. Anyway, the plot that ends up being explained towards the end is that you must stop NEVEC from creating an even bigger monster that will make the planet go into an ice age and kill everybody on the planet. The plot makes sense in the end and when the entire picture is revealed I finally saw what they were trying to do. They wanted you to play as all the different characters in order to get more into the universe. But I feel like they could have done away with most of the confusion for almost the entire game if they explained the events better.
Gameplay:
The controls for "Lost Planet 2" are similar to most third person shooters. The addition of the mechs, known as VS's, give it a different dynamic and make it unique. Although I had some problems with controls on one of the mechs, I largely understood how to control the characters. As I mentioned earlier the game is broken up into six episodes. Each episode is then broken up into three or four chapters, which are then further broken up into areas. They stop gameplay after each area in order to tally up points. This doesn't allow gameplay to be smooth and seamless. It takes you away from the game a little. Also, the game is geared
towards four player co-op. There is a way to play as only one player with three computer players along side of you. But when I did this I ran into one problem in a boss level that was obviously made for multiple players and I found it impossible to beat with only one player so I had to move the difficulty down to easy. I did not like this. I like the idea of a four person online co-op but I feel like they could have done it and still made it possible for someone to beat it single player.
Sound:
Something was off about the sound in this game. Some moments would have no music in the background, then other moments would have epic music that seemed out of place. The music felt displaced and it seemed like it didn't know what it wanted to be. The voice acting was also off. Most of the characters, besides the aforementioned spanish sounding ones, lacked character. The characters all sounded the same and, coupled with the fact that they were all wearing masks, helped in the confusion of not knowing one character from the next. I wish more characters had a presence to them.
Overall:
The key thing that I feel was missing from "Lost Planet 2" was consistency. The game had some moments where everything clicked and I had a fantastic time playing, but it also had some dull moments that seemed to be just missing something. It was still a fun experience that had some memorable moments. But it felt like it just fell short of what it could have been.
Lost Planet 2 gets a 7.5/10
The first Lost Planet really took me by surprised. I was not expecting what I played and it was an enjoyable concept. The idea of a sci-fi shooter that combined military with giant monsters and mechs were any sci-fi fans dream. While it wasn't the greatest game ever made, it still was a good all around game that seemed like it could be the potential starting point for a quality franchise. This came true when they released a sequel in 2010. This game boasted bigger monsters and more mechs than in the first game. So then it could only be better right?
Graphics:
The graphics for "Lost Planet 2" were quality but inconsistent. The cut scenes were tremendously done and looked very realistic and smooth. The cut scenes looked and played out like scenes out of a movie and they were the most impressive aspect of this game. The gameplay, which still looked good, lacked the smoothness and clarity that the cut scenes had. In some levels it was too dark to even see yourself, this really turned me off. Also at times there was too much on the screen to see yourself and it just become a mass of colors and flashes from your gun. The inconsistency reminded me of older Gamecube and Xbox games where the cut scenes looked drastically different than gameplay. This is a problem that most games no longer have and to stay up with modern gaming you can not have this problem. I wish that they could have stayed more consistent in this department.
Story:
The events of "Lost Planet 2" take place ten years after the first game. There is now civil war on the planet known as E.D.N III. While this war is going on you have to take on monstrous monsters known as akrids who inhabit the planet. Also the villainous group from the first game, NEVEC, are back to try to destroy the planet for their own gain. The game is broken up into six episodes, each one seemingly disconnected to the prior ones. This confused me very much and took away from gameplay. It would feel like the game would be missing a key cut scene in between. It would be revealed in the end that you were playing as different characters in each episode and they would all connect during the final episode, which was a great "wow" moment, but besides that moment I could not generally connect to any of the characters. Besides some of the oddly acting Spanish sounding characters I did not really care about any of the characters. I wish I could have played as them the whole time. Anyway, the plot that ends up being explained towards the end is that you must stop NEVEC from creating an even bigger monster that will make the planet go into an ice age and kill everybody on the planet. The plot makes sense in the end and when the entire picture is revealed I finally saw what they were trying to do. They wanted you to play as all the different characters in order to get more into the universe. But I feel like they could have done away with most of the confusion for almost the entire game if they explained the events better.
Gameplay:
The controls for "Lost Planet 2" are similar to most third person shooters. The addition of the mechs, known as VS's, give it a different dynamic and make it unique. Although I had some problems with controls on one of the mechs, I largely understood how to control the characters. As I mentioned earlier the game is broken up into six episodes. Each episode is then broken up into three or four chapters, which are then further broken up into areas. They stop gameplay after each area in order to tally up points. This doesn't allow gameplay to be smooth and seamless. It takes you away from the game a little. Also, the game is geared
towards four player co-op. There is a way to play as only one player with three computer players along side of you. But when I did this I ran into one problem in a boss level that was obviously made for multiple players and I found it impossible to beat with only one player so I had to move the difficulty down to easy. I did not like this. I like the idea of a four person online co-op but I feel like they could have done it and still made it possible for someone to beat it single player.
Sound:
Something was off about the sound in this game. Some moments would have no music in the background, then other moments would have epic music that seemed out of place. The music felt displaced and it seemed like it didn't know what it wanted to be. The voice acting was also off. Most of the characters, besides the aforementioned spanish sounding ones, lacked character. The characters all sounded the same and, coupled with the fact that they were all wearing masks, helped in the confusion of not knowing one character from the next. I wish more characters had a presence to them.
Overall:
The key thing that I feel was missing from "Lost Planet 2" was consistency. The game had some moments where everything clicked and I had a fantastic time playing, but it also had some dull moments that seemed to be just missing something. It was still a fun experience that had some memorable moments. But it felt like it just fell short of what it could have been.
Lost Planet 2 gets a 7.5/10
Thursday, August 9, 2012
A Good Walkthrough Poster
This video was done by a friend of mine at work, so I thought I would help promote his stuff. He does some good walkthroughs on games like Bastion, Diablo 3, and more. Check it out if you need help with a game and he is still posting more so keep an eye out for more.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Retro Review: Ultraman:Towards the Future (SNES)
By Aaron N
It if wasn't obvious from my column that was all about Godzilla games, I love everything and anything dealing with kaiju and the tokusatsu genre. Basically anything dealing with giant monsters. My favorite character outside of the Godzilla series is Ultraman. There have been many Ultramen throughout the series. When I was younger the one game I always wanted but never owned was "Ultraman: Towards the Future" for the Super Nintendo. "Ultraman: Towards the Future" was based on the television series of the same name. I remember enjoying the game when I borrowed it from my friend. I recently finally acquired this game. So let's see if the game has stood the test of time, or if it is a product of nostalgia.
Graphics:
"Ultraman: TTF" is a sprite-based combat game. The sprites do not look too bad but they lack in comparison to similar games on the Super Nintendo. The movements of the sprites are minimal and when you do a move like jumping, the graphics are awkward and they look poor. Each level is set in a different place and the background changes to account for that. Although it still looks like a still picture in the background, it is very good looking. But you must compare it to other fighting games like Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat had moving parts in the background such as people cheering and moving. "Ultraman: TTF" lacks that movement. Although they are good looking backgrounds, they can be dull. For example, the Mars level is basically dust and red. They lack detail. The graphics aren't too much of a hinderance, but they are lacking compared to what games were capable of.
Story:
To understand the story to this game, I must explain the concept of Ultraman. Ultraman is a giant cosmic being from a planet consisting of ultras. He came to Earth and inhabits a human. When a giant monster threatens the Earth, the human changes into Ultraman to combat it. The problem is that Ultraman can only stay in Earth's atmosphere for three minutes. So you are basically playing through episodes of the show, although only the climactic fight scenes. Each level is three minutes long. The cutscenes in "Ultraman: TTF" are only of Ultraman looking up and flying away as he does in the show after each battle. They don't explain the plot in the game. I wish they did a better job with the cutscenes as newcomers to the franchise will not fully understand what us ocurring.
Gameplay:
"Ultraman: TTF" plays very similarly to other 2D fighting games. The only difference is that you can only play as Ultraman. You can punch, kick, jump, and block. As you use an attack, your special attack meter increases. There are four different special attacks, each increasing in power. But the only way you can defeat an enemy is by bringing its health meter all the way down and then hitting it with your most powerful special move. There are nine levels varying in difficulty, but I found that I could get pretty far by basically just using jump kicks and special attacks. As I said before there is a three minute time limit on each level because of the limit set in the television show. It is very simplistic in gameplay and it doesn't have much variety upon replaying it. I wish it wasn't so simplistic but I'm not sure there was much more it could have done.
Sound:
The sound in "Ultraman: TTF" is simplistic. The only vocal sounds are monster roars and Ultraman screams. He yells when he kicks or punches. The sounds are taken directly from the show, but they work because the simplistic sounds matches exactly with the shows portrayal of Ultraman. Each stage has a different theme song to go with it. They aren't very memorable but they do the trick. Once again I wish they tried harder in this category but it does a good job matching the feel of the show.
Overall:
Upon playback "Ultraman: Towards the Future" does not live up to my nostalgic expectations, but it is still an enjoyable game. It feels lacking in every category. It feels just good enough to enjoy, but not good enough to be great. They had a great concept so with a little more effort it could have been great. I still enjoy this game, but unfortunately not as much as I remember.
Ultraman: Towards the Future gets a 7/10
It if wasn't obvious from my column that was all about Godzilla games, I love everything and anything dealing with kaiju and the tokusatsu genre. Basically anything dealing with giant monsters. My favorite character outside of the Godzilla series is Ultraman. There have been many Ultramen throughout the series. When I was younger the one game I always wanted but never owned was "Ultraman: Towards the Future" for the Super Nintendo. "Ultraman: Towards the Future" was based on the television series of the same name. I remember enjoying the game when I borrowed it from my friend. I recently finally acquired this game. So let's see if the game has stood the test of time, or if it is a product of nostalgia.
Graphics:
"Ultraman: TTF" is a sprite-based combat game. The sprites do not look too bad but they lack in comparison to similar games on the Super Nintendo. The movements of the sprites are minimal and when you do a move like jumping, the graphics are awkward and they look poor. Each level is set in a different place and the background changes to account for that. Although it still looks like a still picture in the background, it is very good looking. But you must compare it to other fighting games like Mortal Kombat. Mortal Kombat had moving parts in the background such as people cheering and moving. "Ultraman: TTF" lacks that movement. Although they are good looking backgrounds, they can be dull. For example, the Mars level is basically dust and red. They lack detail. The graphics aren't too much of a hinderance, but they are lacking compared to what games were capable of.
Story:
To understand the story to this game, I must explain the concept of Ultraman. Ultraman is a giant cosmic being from a planet consisting of ultras. He came to Earth and inhabits a human. When a giant monster threatens the Earth, the human changes into Ultraman to combat it. The problem is that Ultraman can only stay in Earth's atmosphere for three minutes. So you are basically playing through episodes of the show, although only the climactic fight scenes. Each level is three minutes long. The cutscenes in "Ultraman: TTF" are only of Ultraman looking up and flying away as he does in the show after each battle. They don't explain the plot in the game. I wish they did a better job with the cutscenes as newcomers to the franchise will not fully understand what us ocurring.
Gameplay:
"Ultraman: TTF" plays very similarly to other 2D fighting games. The only difference is that you can only play as Ultraman. You can punch, kick, jump, and block. As you use an attack, your special attack meter increases. There are four different special attacks, each increasing in power. But the only way you can defeat an enemy is by bringing its health meter all the way down and then hitting it with your most powerful special move. There are nine levels varying in difficulty, but I found that I could get pretty far by basically just using jump kicks and special attacks. As I said before there is a three minute time limit on each level because of the limit set in the television show. It is very simplistic in gameplay and it doesn't have much variety upon replaying it. I wish it wasn't so simplistic but I'm not sure there was much more it could have done.
Sound:
The sound in "Ultraman: TTF" is simplistic. The only vocal sounds are monster roars and Ultraman screams. He yells when he kicks or punches. The sounds are taken directly from the show, but they work because the simplistic sounds matches exactly with the shows portrayal of Ultraman. Each stage has a different theme song to go with it. They aren't very memorable but they do the trick. Once again I wish they tried harder in this category but it does a good job matching the feel of the show.
Overall:
Upon playback "Ultraman: Towards the Future" does not live up to my nostalgic expectations, but it is still an enjoyable game. It feels lacking in every category. It feels just good enough to enjoy, but not good enough to be great. They had a great concept so with a little more effort it could have been great. I still enjoy this game, but unfortunately not as much as I remember.
Ultraman: Towards the Future gets a 7/10
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Video: Jonathan Coulton's "Still Alive"
Here is Jonathan Coulton singing the famous song "Still Alive" from the original Portal game. Jonathan wrote the song and played the background music in the game's version. He is a very talented musician who is known in the gaming community for his entertaining, yet different music. Check this out and enjoy, I guarantee the song will be stuck in your head soon.
Also, this is a hint at the column I am currently working on that will be posted in the near future. Try to figure it out.
Also also, if you haven't already go to Time Out's new facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TimeOutVideoGames. Please enjoy, "like", and share.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Review: Blacklight: Retribution (2012)
By Michael A
The first picture of Blacklight had me interested. The words ‘free to play’ on Steam compelled me to give the game a shot. The overcharged music and stylish graphics grabbed me by the throat and headbutted me into submission. From Perfect World, a company mostly known for its MMORPGS, and its purchase of Runic Studios (the makers of torchlight) and Cryptic studios (Another MMO company: City of Heroes, Champions online, and Star Trek online), this shooter came as a surprise to me. A pleasant, dubstep filled, explosive surprise.
Graphics:
Blacklight is a sleek game, with immersive maps, impressive and realistic character designs, and solid weapon effects. The HUD for the player is useful without being overwhelming, but the minimalism of it can prove a bit frustrating: a lack of a literal bullet count in the magazine of your weapon can lead to confusion on if the correct loadout was selected unless the guns are drastically different. Beyond that, though, everything is excellent. Colors are lush and well placed without being overwhelming. As said before, the character designs are very cool, with an impersonal futuristic look to all the helmets and armor. Even better, heavy armor looks and feels heavy. Guns are fancy and suitably high tech, and many objects, both player model and otherwise, have small glowing effects that reinforce a futuristic appearance without crossing into ripping off Tron. One weak point is that some of the bullet effects and grenade effects are less than amazing... But I will say that firing a minigun at ANYTHING is friggen sweet, with the bullet effects on this weapon being phenomenal.
Story:
Being an MMO in nature, there isn’t much to be had in terms of story. It’s a dystopian future where elite groups of agents war over various assets, both physical and digital. They have the support of powerful governments and corporations, and these battles sometimes happen right amongst populated areas with no one being the wiser. It’s kind of like a mini war in a Shadowrun or cyberpunk style setting. Otherwise, there isn’t much to be said on story.
Gameplay:
The primary form of gameplay is simple: Pick a game to join, or hit quick play to be shuffled off to a random game. Games go up to sixteen players, with a deathmatch game mode, as well as team modes including deathmatch, king of the hill, capture the flag, kill confirmed and more, played in an 8 on 8 format. From here, you have a fairly typical, fast paced shooter: It’s pretty frag-fest-y, like Halo or Call of Duty. Fast reflexes will put you above the pack fast. The maps are big enough, though, and the metagame important enough that a smart player can use his weapons and gear to play smart as opposed to a complete run and gun twitch fest.
The metagame I mentioned? It’s an account based leveling system, in which you earn exp and cp. Exp levels you up, unlocking new equipment. The other currency, cp, is used to actually activate gear, either for a short time (sampling), or permanently at greater cost. As one expects with a free to play game model, there is another currency, zen, that allows you to access things early and permanently for money. The plus? Very, very few things are zen exclusive, if you are patient.
These unlocks let you customize your armor(from light to heavy, from well equipped to barebones), your equipment (a utility backpack and up to 4 side items, including grenades, jammers, melee weapons and the like), and your weapon. The guns are set into loadouts of a primary and secondary gun, and you build the gun yourself. Yes, that's right: build it yourself. Want an SMG with sniper barrel and scope? Do it. I, for example, like a light machine gun with parts to increase long range accuracy. BAM, I have a rapid fire sniper rifle that isn’t helpless at point blank. This system is so well balanced, with only a tiny amount of ‘paper rock scissors’ in it that I must admit, it’s very impressive.
The last two major features are the depot and HRV. The depot allows a player to call for more equipment, from health and ammo refills, to big guns (minigun, anyone?) and finally, the hardsuit. Yes, you can get a freaking mecha in this game, and yes, it lets you kick butt. HRV is short for Hyper Reality Visor. Long story short, it’s a built in wall hack. You activate it at will, and it lets you see friends, enemies, objectives, everything just about, anywhere. Downside? You can’t shoot your weapons. Best hope no one is looking at you.
Sound:
Oh boy, the music. Let me warn you now: This game has some next level beats. It’s easy to laugh at the music, but the pseudo dubstep soundtrack actually really suits the gameplay and visual style: It’s just intense enough to get you pumped, but if it was any more eccentric of heavy, it would be obnoxious. Plus, you only really hear the music in the between match intermissions. otherwise, the sound is well executed: a player can tell one gun type from another based on the sound of it firing, with most weapons having a nice, satisfying bark. SMG’s have a harsh chatter, LMG’s an intimidating rumble, bolt action rifles giving a player scattering shout, and the rail gun commands players with an explosive roar. Absolutely lovely gun sounds.
The player automatic voices are useful in game, and the computerized narrator is suitably cold and digital, but a bit quiet. Other sounds, such as footsteps, bullet ricochets, and hardsuits walking are crisp and clean, though some of them could be heard from a slightly larger distance, particularly hardsuits. Nothing sucks more than the realization that if you can hear a hardsuit, it’s probably close enough to give you a backrub.
Overall:
Blacklight Retribution has everything a PC shooter needs to be happy: Fast paced action, some serious customization, free to play without being pay to win, and dubstep’s famous wubs, which have me and my gamer buddies laughing hysterically as we try to sing to it. I have no regrets to getting this game through steam, though the community sometimes frustrates me with it’s refusal to participate in objective matches, but this behavior plagues many fast paced shooters and PC games alike. If you’re looking for a good shooting fix for a few days, or are in it for the long haul, give Blacklight a look: It’s hard to go wrong for a price tag of free!
Blacklight Retribution gets a 7.75/10
8/10... If you like wub wub wub, like me.
The first picture of Blacklight had me interested. The words ‘free to play’ on Steam compelled me to give the game a shot. The overcharged music and stylish graphics grabbed me by the throat and headbutted me into submission. From Perfect World, a company mostly known for its MMORPGS, and its purchase of Runic Studios (the makers of torchlight) and Cryptic studios (Another MMO company: City of Heroes, Champions online, and Star Trek online), this shooter came as a surprise to me. A pleasant, dubstep filled, explosive surprise.
Graphics:
Blacklight is a sleek game, with immersive maps, impressive and realistic character designs, and solid weapon effects. The HUD for the player is useful without being overwhelming, but the minimalism of it can prove a bit frustrating: a lack of a literal bullet count in the magazine of your weapon can lead to confusion on if the correct loadout was selected unless the guns are drastically different. Beyond that, though, everything is excellent. Colors are lush and well placed without being overwhelming. As said before, the character designs are very cool, with an impersonal futuristic look to all the helmets and armor. Even better, heavy armor looks and feels heavy. Guns are fancy and suitably high tech, and many objects, both player model and otherwise, have small glowing effects that reinforce a futuristic appearance without crossing into ripping off Tron. One weak point is that some of the bullet effects and grenade effects are less than amazing... But I will say that firing a minigun at ANYTHING is friggen sweet, with the bullet effects on this weapon being phenomenal.
Story:
Being an MMO in nature, there isn’t much to be had in terms of story. It’s a dystopian future where elite groups of agents war over various assets, both physical and digital. They have the support of powerful governments and corporations, and these battles sometimes happen right amongst populated areas with no one being the wiser. It’s kind of like a mini war in a Shadowrun or cyberpunk style setting. Otherwise, there isn’t much to be said on story.
Gameplay:
The primary form of gameplay is simple: Pick a game to join, or hit quick play to be shuffled off to a random game. Games go up to sixteen players, with a deathmatch game mode, as well as team modes including deathmatch, king of the hill, capture the flag, kill confirmed and more, played in an 8 on 8 format. From here, you have a fairly typical, fast paced shooter: It’s pretty frag-fest-y, like Halo or Call of Duty. Fast reflexes will put you above the pack fast. The maps are big enough, though, and the metagame important enough that a smart player can use his weapons and gear to play smart as opposed to a complete run and gun twitch fest.
The metagame I mentioned? It’s an account based leveling system, in which you earn exp and cp. Exp levels you up, unlocking new equipment. The other currency, cp, is used to actually activate gear, either for a short time (sampling), or permanently at greater cost. As one expects with a free to play game model, there is another currency, zen, that allows you to access things early and permanently for money. The plus? Very, very few things are zen exclusive, if you are patient.
These unlocks let you customize your armor(from light to heavy, from well equipped to barebones), your equipment (a utility backpack and up to 4 side items, including grenades, jammers, melee weapons and the like), and your weapon. The guns are set into loadouts of a primary and secondary gun, and you build the gun yourself. Yes, that's right: build it yourself. Want an SMG with sniper barrel and scope? Do it. I, for example, like a light machine gun with parts to increase long range accuracy. BAM, I have a rapid fire sniper rifle that isn’t helpless at point blank. This system is so well balanced, with only a tiny amount of ‘paper rock scissors’ in it that I must admit, it’s very impressive.
The last two major features are the depot and HRV. The depot allows a player to call for more equipment, from health and ammo refills, to big guns (minigun, anyone?) and finally, the hardsuit. Yes, you can get a freaking mecha in this game, and yes, it lets you kick butt. HRV is short for Hyper Reality Visor. Long story short, it’s a built in wall hack. You activate it at will, and it lets you see friends, enemies, objectives, everything just about, anywhere. Downside? You can’t shoot your weapons. Best hope no one is looking at you.
Sound:
Oh boy, the music. Let me warn you now: This game has some next level beats. It’s easy to laugh at the music, but the pseudo dubstep soundtrack actually really suits the gameplay and visual style: It’s just intense enough to get you pumped, but if it was any more eccentric of heavy, it would be obnoxious. Plus, you only really hear the music in the between match intermissions. otherwise, the sound is well executed: a player can tell one gun type from another based on the sound of it firing, with most weapons having a nice, satisfying bark. SMG’s have a harsh chatter, LMG’s an intimidating rumble, bolt action rifles giving a player scattering shout, and the rail gun commands players with an explosive roar. Absolutely lovely gun sounds.
The player automatic voices are useful in game, and the computerized narrator is suitably cold and digital, but a bit quiet. Other sounds, such as footsteps, bullet ricochets, and hardsuits walking are crisp and clean, though some of them could be heard from a slightly larger distance, particularly hardsuits. Nothing sucks more than the realization that if you can hear a hardsuit, it’s probably close enough to give you a backrub.
Overall:
Blacklight Retribution has everything a PC shooter needs to be happy: Fast paced action, some serious customization, free to play without being pay to win, and dubstep’s famous wubs, which have me and my gamer buddies laughing hysterically as we try to sing to it. I have no regrets to getting this game through steam, though the community sometimes frustrates me with it’s refusal to participate in objective matches, but this behavior plagues many fast paced shooters and PC games alike. If you’re looking for a good shooting fix for a few days, or are in it for the long haul, give Blacklight a look: It’s hard to go wrong for a price tag of free!
Blacklight Retribution gets a 7.75/10
8/10... If you like wub wub wub, like me.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Very First American Legend of Zelda Commercial
This commercial is....well interesting for many ways. First it is interesting to see how gaming has evolved since then. The use of the "cool kid and nerdy kid" motif is in full effect here. The nerdy kid shows the cool kid the new game and gets the cool kid hooked. This is to show people that even the cool kids who didn't play video games would like it. Also, look at the nerdy kid! Do those kids even exist anymore? They have the most stereotypical looking nerdy kid in this commercial. Now I know they probably made him out to look this way and in real life he didn't, but it still stands out. These are the people video gaming was for back then. Now the industry is enjoyed by all. Then we have to talk about the rap song at the end. It seems so unnecessary and goofy, but it must have worked. Or it could have been that the game was great enough to overcome this commercial. Either way I hope you enjoy!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Column: Chasing the Ghosts of the King of Kong
By Aaron N
Arcades are very special to me. Many of my fondest memories are from arcades. This site is even named after my favorite local arcade that I used to frequent back in the day. So when it comes to video game documentaries about the classic arcade era of gaming there are two that will always be linked. One of these is "King of Kong: a fistful of quarters," and the other one is "Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade." "King of Kong" is argueably the more famous one of the two, but I recently watched "Chasing Ghosts" for the first time and I found that there are a lot of similarites between the two. Many subjects are touched on during both documentaries. But they also differ in more ways. "King of Kong" is a documentary that was released in 2007. It follows Steve Wiebe and his quest for recognition in the classic arcade community. This movie is where I first encountered Twin Galaxies. Twin Galaxies is the group that acts as a governing body for world records in video games. The figurehead for Twin Galaxies at the time was Walter Day. Walter Day's prescence in the history of world records, and video games as a whole, is astounding as he basically created Twin Galaxies and the idea of video game world records. His dedication for the industry is unmatched. So Wiebe embarks on a quest to get recognition of his new Dokey Kong world record when his video tape is disqualified. His nemesis in the video game world, as portrayed in the documentary, is Billy Mitchell. Billy Mitchell is widely regarded as the greatest classic video game player in history. He owns various world records including Donkey Kong and he was the first person to achieve a perfect game in Pac-man. This movies does a good job at placing Steve Wiebe as the protagonist, and Billy Mitchell, with other Twin Galaxies representatives, squarely as the antagonist. Steve Wiebe eventually receives recognition from Twin Galaxies by going to various competitions and showing that he wants to compete. It is an enjoyable documentary that shows a small upstart player trying to get recognition against the big machine in the video gaming world.
"Chasing Ghosts" was also released in 2007. This documentary is more about the history of the video game players that are seen in "King of Kong" and about Twin Galaxies. It talks more in depth and introduces you to the players from the famous Life Magazine cover picture from 1982. Walter Day actually organized the meeting between 16 of the top world record holders in various classic arcade games in Iowa in order to take the picture and have a convention of sorts. It then follows what the players have done since and tells of events that directly followed the magazine photo shoot. There were various tournaments and television shows featuring the various players. There was also a planned touring museum where people could come and play against the record holders in their game. Unfortunately nothing succeeded and the classic arcade boom ended. What was interesting was that many of the players ended up being in different situations than their bretheren. Many of them had to go to school and get jobs. Some of them are very well off without even mentioning the video game fame. While some of the others seem like they are stuck living in the past and can not get out of holes that have been dug for them. It is an interesting watch and really delves deeper into the history of video games.
Now time to compare the two documentaries. The main difference is that "King of Kong" is obviously made to be more entertaining than educational. The way it's made to be a "good vs. evil" story is a vastly different way of presenting the information than the straight educational route that "Chasing Ghosts" uses. What I was most disappointed with is that when I did some more research on the events of "King of Kong" I found out that much of the information is wrongfully presented. This is obvious also after watching "Chasing Ghosts". Billy Mitchell is presented in "King of kong" as an evil man who is very pompous and only out for himself. While his self-confidence and eccentric personality are still present in "Chasing Ghosts," it is dramatically less. He even says that one of the other players is the best video game player ever! The Billy Mitchell shown in "King of Kong" would never admit anyone was even close to in his league. Some of the other players are more similarly presented in both documentaries. I feel that after watching "Chasing Ghosts" I had more respect for Billy Mitchell and Walter Day because it showed what they did for the history of gaming. Walter Days' impact is shown in "Kong of Kong", but he is shown as more of a puppet of Billy Mitchell's than the orchestrator of it all. Now I am not saying that everything in "King of Kong" is misrepresented and wrong. It is hard to disprove what is on camera. It is still fun to root for Steve Wiebe because he deserves recognition and some of the actions of Twin Galaxies in "King of Kong" were undeserved. But I feel like things were embellished in the documentary.
Both documentaries are enjoyable to watch. Each one shows a different side to many people and events in the history of gaming. They should be watched together and not separate in order to get a complete understanding. They complement each other greatly as "King of Kong" delved deeper into some of the people that "Chasing Ghosts" didn't. But at the same time "Chasing Ghosts" explained the history that led up to "King of Kong." I would recomend both of them to anybody reading this.
Arcades are very special to me. Many of my fondest memories are from arcades. This site is even named after my favorite local arcade that I used to frequent back in the day. So when it comes to video game documentaries about the classic arcade era of gaming there are two that will always be linked. One of these is "King of Kong: a fistful of quarters," and the other one is "Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade." "King of Kong" is argueably the more famous one of the two, but I recently watched "Chasing Ghosts" for the first time and I found that there are a lot of similarites between the two. Many subjects are touched on during both documentaries. But they also differ in more ways. "King of Kong" is a documentary that was released in 2007. It follows Steve Wiebe and his quest for recognition in the classic arcade community. This movie is where I first encountered Twin Galaxies. Twin Galaxies is the group that acts as a governing body for world records in video games. The figurehead for Twin Galaxies at the time was Walter Day. Walter Day's prescence in the history of world records, and video games as a whole, is astounding as he basically created Twin Galaxies and the idea of video game world records. His dedication for the industry is unmatched. So Wiebe embarks on a quest to get recognition of his new Dokey Kong world record when his video tape is disqualified. His nemesis in the video game world, as portrayed in the documentary, is Billy Mitchell. Billy Mitchell is widely regarded as the greatest classic video game player in history. He owns various world records including Donkey Kong and he was the first person to achieve a perfect game in Pac-man. This movies does a good job at placing Steve Wiebe as the protagonist, and Billy Mitchell, with other Twin Galaxies representatives, squarely as the antagonist. Steve Wiebe eventually receives recognition from Twin Galaxies by going to various competitions and showing that he wants to compete. It is an enjoyable documentary that shows a small upstart player trying to get recognition against the big machine in the video gaming world.
"Chasing Ghosts" was also released in 2007. This documentary is more about the history of the video game players that are seen in "King of Kong" and about Twin Galaxies. It talks more in depth and introduces you to the players from the famous Life Magazine cover picture from 1982. Walter Day actually organized the meeting between 16 of the top world record holders in various classic arcade games in Iowa in order to take the picture and have a convention of sorts. It then follows what the players have done since and tells of events that directly followed the magazine photo shoot. There were various tournaments and television shows featuring the various players. There was also a planned touring museum where people could come and play against the record holders in their game. Unfortunately nothing succeeded and the classic arcade boom ended. What was interesting was that many of the players ended up being in different situations than their bretheren. Many of them had to go to school and get jobs. Some of them are very well off without even mentioning the video game fame. While some of the others seem like they are stuck living in the past and can not get out of holes that have been dug for them. It is an interesting watch and really delves deeper into the history of video games.
Now time to compare the two documentaries. The main difference is that "King of Kong" is obviously made to be more entertaining than educational. The way it's made to be a "good vs. evil" story is a vastly different way of presenting the information than the straight educational route that "Chasing Ghosts" uses. What I was most disappointed with is that when I did some more research on the events of "King of Kong" I found out that much of the information is wrongfully presented. This is obvious also after watching "Chasing Ghosts". Billy Mitchell is presented in "King of kong" as an evil man who is very pompous and only out for himself. While his self-confidence and eccentric personality are still present in "Chasing Ghosts," it is dramatically less. He even says that one of the other players is the best video game player ever! The Billy Mitchell shown in "King of Kong" would never admit anyone was even close to in his league. Some of the other players are more similarly presented in both documentaries. I feel that after watching "Chasing Ghosts" I had more respect for Billy Mitchell and Walter Day because it showed what they did for the history of gaming. Walter Days' impact is shown in "Kong of Kong", but he is shown as more of a puppet of Billy Mitchell's than the orchestrator of it all. Now I am not saying that everything in "King of Kong" is misrepresented and wrong. It is hard to disprove what is on camera. It is still fun to root for Steve Wiebe because he deserves recognition and some of the actions of Twin Galaxies in "King of Kong" were undeserved. But I feel like things were embellished in the documentary.
Both documentaries are enjoyable to watch. Each one shows a different side to many people and events in the history of gaming. They should be watched together and not separate in order to get a complete understanding. They complement each other greatly as "King of Kong" delved deeper into some of the people that "Chasing Ghosts" didn't. But at the same time "Chasing Ghosts" explained the history that led up to "King of Kong." I would recomend both of them to anybody reading this.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Review: NBA Jam (2010)
By Aaron N
NBA Jam is a classic game for any basketball fan. I don't think there is anybody who has never heard of the phrase "he's on fire." It was never a realistic basketball game, but as a kid I couldn't have enough of it. Some of my best gaming memories are from NBA Jam. So when Nintendo announced that a new version of the classic game was to be released for the Nintendo Wii, it had everybody talking. With updated graphics and a current roster of players, NBA Jam was ready to take you on a trip to simpler times.
Graphics:
The graphics for NBA Jam are exactly what we expected them to be, an updated version of the original games. The players look very much like the real athletes and they even had enough detail to put the different coaches in there on the sidelines, this impressed me greatly. The fans don't have a lot of detail to them, but that isn't necessary. The graphics aren't the best on the planet and do not match up to other NBA games released this year. But NBA Jam is unlike the other games and this shows with the graphics.
Story:
There isn't a story to NBA Jam. There is sort of a season you can play and this consists of playing random teams in a row until you have defeated all the teams in the game. Throughout it they have various legend teams scattered in between groups of current teams. It is fun to unlock different legends to play. This is how it was as well in the original, without the legends added in. There are other season type stories you can play, but the game is really just about playing a game of basketball and the lack of story doesn't hinder the game experience all that much.
Gameplay:
You play as two players of an NBA team. It is a two-on-two game setup and you only control one player and the computer controls your teammate. You can tell the computer where to pass and other actions, but you only have total control over one player. The goal of the game is to score the most points at the end of four quarters to win the game. You can change how many minutes are in each quarter but it usually averages two to three minutes each. This game introduces the alley-oop aspect. This makes it easy to score on almost every possession and cheapens the game a bit, but it is still fun to do nonetheless. The alley-oop play just calls for one player to press the jump button close to the hoop. He then jumps very high into the air and the teammate who has the ball can then pass it to him for an easy slam dunk. The slam dunks in this game are more outrageous than in previous installments, but that is part of its brilliance.
Sound:
The music in this game is very simplistic, but the game doesn't call for anything more. It is basically a looped song that sounds like it should be in the background of a rap song. The music doesn't add anything to the game nor does it take anything away from it. It is kind of just there. One thing that the classic NBA Jam games are known for is the announcer. He is the one who coins the phrases that made them so memorable. The announcer in this game is just as off-the-wall as in the originals. He has the feel of the original and the way he spouts out the classic catchphrases is great. They updated some of the lingo and I felt that it fit in very nicely.
Overall:
This game is a great, fun, and entertaining throwback that will have you playing for a while. But even though it's not the same as playing as BJ Armstrong, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, the game is sure to create a nostalgic feeling as you play it. They created a respectful homage to the past but also kept it entertaining for a new generation.
NBA Jam gets an 8/10
NBA Jam is a classic game for any basketball fan. I don't think there is anybody who has never heard of the phrase "he's on fire." It was never a realistic basketball game, but as a kid I couldn't have enough of it. Some of my best gaming memories are from NBA Jam. So when Nintendo announced that a new version of the classic game was to be released for the Nintendo Wii, it had everybody talking. With updated graphics and a current roster of players, NBA Jam was ready to take you on a trip to simpler times.
Graphics:
The graphics for NBA Jam are exactly what we expected them to be, an updated version of the original games. The players look very much like the real athletes and they even had enough detail to put the different coaches in there on the sidelines, this impressed me greatly. The fans don't have a lot of detail to them, but that isn't necessary. The graphics aren't the best on the planet and do not match up to other NBA games released this year. But NBA Jam is unlike the other games and this shows with the graphics.
Story:
There isn't a story to NBA Jam. There is sort of a season you can play and this consists of playing random teams in a row until you have defeated all the teams in the game. Throughout it they have various legend teams scattered in between groups of current teams. It is fun to unlock different legends to play. This is how it was as well in the original, without the legends added in. There are other season type stories you can play, but the game is really just about playing a game of basketball and the lack of story doesn't hinder the game experience all that much.
Gameplay:
You play as two players of an NBA team. It is a two-on-two game setup and you only control one player and the computer controls your teammate. You can tell the computer where to pass and other actions, but you only have total control over one player. The goal of the game is to score the most points at the end of four quarters to win the game. You can change how many minutes are in each quarter but it usually averages two to three minutes each. This game introduces the alley-oop aspect. This makes it easy to score on almost every possession and cheapens the game a bit, but it is still fun to do nonetheless. The alley-oop play just calls for one player to press the jump button close to the hoop. He then jumps very high into the air and the teammate who has the ball can then pass it to him for an easy slam dunk. The slam dunks in this game are more outrageous than in previous installments, but that is part of its brilliance.
Sound:
The music in this game is very simplistic, but the game doesn't call for anything more. It is basically a looped song that sounds like it should be in the background of a rap song. The music doesn't add anything to the game nor does it take anything away from it. It is kind of just there. One thing that the classic NBA Jam games are known for is the announcer. He is the one who coins the phrases that made them so memorable. The announcer in this game is just as off-the-wall as in the originals. He has the feel of the original and the way he spouts out the classic catchphrases is great. They updated some of the lingo and I felt that it fit in very nicely.
Overall:
This game is a great, fun, and entertaining throwback that will have you playing for a while. But even though it's not the same as playing as BJ Armstrong, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman, the game is sure to create a nostalgic feeling as you play it. They created a respectful homage to the past but also kept it entertaining for a new generation.
NBA Jam gets an 8/10
Friday, July 13, 2012
Dire, Dire Docks Music
This song has been stuck in my head on and off for about a week or two now. Anybody who played Super Mario 64 will have to remember this song. It is iconic and for most gamers, it brings them back to one of the most iconic moments in gaming. The first time seeing Mario jump around in 3D was unbelievable and it is hard to tell younger gamers today how important that was.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Review: Halo: Reach (2010)
By Aaron N
Bungie announced that they were going to make Halo: Reach their final game in the Halo saga. Now we know that this is only half true as Halo 4 is being made but by another company. But nevertheless Bungie hoped to end their influence with a bang and tell a story that took place before the original trilogy. With customization like never before seen in a Halo game, and a variety of types of characters to play as, Halo: Reach was poised to become the best game in the series. This is a tough task to pull off, but all signs pointed to this being very possible.
Graphics:
The graphics have improved with every Halo game. The detail put into the characters and the universe were the best I have seen so far in the series. There are slight tweaks in everything, including the look to the weapons and armor. It was nice to see familiar settings upgraded with better graphics. This game benefits from a High Definition television, which tells how top notch it is. Although some of the facial features and lip movements feel a little lacking. That is my only complaint in this department as I felt more into the universe than I have in a game lately.
Story:
Halo: Reach was described as being about the fateful mission of the Noble team. You take control of Noble 6 who is the newest and final member of the team. The story is dark and dreary at times as it is heavily foretold that the missions could very likely have a bad ending. This is present in the very first scene of the game where it shows your helmet in the ground with nothing around it before flashing back to your first mission with the team. They story delves deeply into each character, making them all have completely different personalities. It makes you care about every character in the game, especially every member of the Noble team. It is filled with heart-wrenching scenes and climactic moments. The final main fire-fight feels like a climactic scene. I will get into that more in the "Sound" section as it deals with the music, but my point is that each moment feels important. They story drags at the beginning though as it seems as if you are just moving from mission to mission. But when you start to get a sense of the overall story, and when they reveal how it connects to the main trilogy, you really start to get into the story. There is a bonus level/scene after the credits that is unlike anything I have played before. That scene, without spoiling it, made the game for me. It is my favorite campaign in any Halo game.
Gameplay:
The gameplay isn't much different than the typical Halo format. It is a first person shooter. You shoot your way through the levels, encountering stronger waves of Covenant forces as you near the end of each level, and each level being harder than the previous one. One thing that I did like in this game that seemed different was the space battles in two of the levels. There have been some space battles in previous games but these ones stood out to me. They reminded me of the levels in some of the Star Wars: Rogue Squandron games. They were drastically different in gameplay than the ground portions. It gave it that needed break from the norm in the middle of the game.
Sound:
I loved the music in this game. One of my major complaints in Halo: ODST was that the music didn't feel like a Halo game. The music in Halo: Reach got it right. They didn't outright use the classic Halo theme, but they made music that would have fit in the other games. Also, some times they had no music at all, which emphasized the moment. Now they did have allusions to the old music. This came more when the connection to the original series became apparant. This made the necessary emotional connection for me that made the ending so memorable. I mentioned earlier about the final fire fight and how it felt epic to me. As you fight the troops, the music gradually crescendos. They also splice in some of the classic Halo theme to show how close you are to the events in the original trilogy. It was a brilliant use of music and it created one of my favorite gaming moments. The one thing I disliked about the sound was the voices. The voice acting itself was good, but at times it was inaudible. This led me to be confused about events in the game and I couldn't understand what was going on at the beginning. I had to strain to understand them. But that is just one blemish among an otherwise perfect sounding game.
Overall:
Halo: Reach is my favorite game in the Halo saga. I felt invested in each character. The twists and turns in the game meant something for me. The ending, the connection to the original trilogy, everything in the second half of the game had me wanting more. There are a few flaws in the first half and with the sound. But it did not deter it enough to warrant too much of a deduction. I fully enjoyed this game and had a feeling of fulfillment at the end that left me satisfied.
Halo: Reach gets an 9/10
Bungie announced that they were going to make Halo: Reach their final game in the Halo saga. Now we know that this is only half true as Halo 4 is being made but by another company. But nevertheless Bungie hoped to end their influence with a bang and tell a story that took place before the original trilogy. With customization like never before seen in a Halo game, and a variety of types of characters to play as, Halo: Reach was poised to become the best game in the series. This is a tough task to pull off, but all signs pointed to this being very possible.
Graphics:
The graphics have improved with every Halo game. The detail put into the characters and the universe were the best I have seen so far in the series. There are slight tweaks in everything, including the look to the weapons and armor. It was nice to see familiar settings upgraded with better graphics. This game benefits from a High Definition television, which tells how top notch it is. Although some of the facial features and lip movements feel a little lacking. That is my only complaint in this department as I felt more into the universe than I have in a game lately.
Story:
Halo: Reach was described as being about the fateful mission of the Noble team. You take control of Noble 6 who is the newest and final member of the team. The story is dark and dreary at times as it is heavily foretold that the missions could very likely have a bad ending. This is present in the very first scene of the game where it shows your helmet in the ground with nothing around it before flashing back to your first mission with the team. They story delves deeply into each character, making them all have completely different personalities. It makes you care about every character in the game, especially every member of the Noble team. It is filled with heart-wrenching scenes and climactic moments. The final main fire-fight feels like a climactic scene. I will get into that more in the "Sound" section as it deals with the music, but my point is that each moment feels important. They story drags at the beginning though as it seems as if you are just moving from mission to mission. But when you start to get a sense of the overall story, and when they reveal how it connects to the main trilogy, you really start to get into the story. There is a bonus level/scene after the credits that is unlike anything I have played before. That scene, without spoiling it, made the game for me. It is my favorite campaign in any Halo game.
Gameplay:
The gameplay isn't much different than the typical Halo format. It is a first person shooter. You shoot your way through the levels, encountering stronger waves of Covenant forces as you near the end of each level, and each level being harder than the previous one. One thing that I did like in this game that seemed different was the space battles in two of the levels. There have been some space battles in previous games but these ones stood out to me. They reminded me of the levels in some of the Star Wars: Rogue Squandron games. They were drastically different in gameplay than the ground portions. It gave it that needed break from the norm in the middle of the game.
Sound:
I loved the music in this game. One of my major complaints in Halo: ODST was that the music didn't feel like a Halo game. The music in Halo: Reach got it right. They didn't outright use the classic Halo theme, but they made music that would have fit in the other games. Also, some times they had no music at all, which emphasized the moment. Now they did have allusions to the old music. This came more when the connection to the original series became apparant. This made the necessary emotional connection for me that made the ending so memorable. I mentioned earlier about the final fire fight and how it felt epic to me. As you fight the troops, the music gradually crescendos. They also splice in some of the classic Halo theme to show how close you are to the events in the original trilogy. It was a brilliant use of music and it created one of my favorite gaming moments. The one thing I disliked about the sound was the voices. The voice acting itself was good, but at times it was inaudible. This led me to be confused about events in the game and I couldn't understand what was going on at the beginning. I had to strain to understand them. But that is just one blemish among an otherwise perfect sounding game.
Overall:
Halo: Reach is my favorite game in the Halo saga. I felt invested in each character. The twists and turns in the game meant something for me. The ending, the connection to the original trilogy, everything in the second half of the game had me wanting more. There are a few flaws in the first half and with the sound. But it did not deter it enough to warrant too much of a deduction. I fully enjoyed this game and had a feeling of fulfillment at the end that left me satisfied.
Halo: Reach gets an 9/10
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Time Out Facebook Page!
I have recently created a facebook page for Time Out Video Games. Click here for the link http://www.facebook.com/TimeOutVideoGames. If you have ever read this blog please "like" it and pass along the word. It would be most appreciated. Thank you for your support and please keep reading.
Friday, July 6, 2012
All 120 stars!
This image was made by Kitsovereign over in DeviantART. The original posting can be seen here http://kitsovereign.deviantart.com/art/Stars-289648903. It is fun image that shows a picture for all 120 starts in Super Mario 64. They are jumbled up but another poster put them in order and put what each one stood for. That image can be seen here http://i.imgur.com/xpj6I.png. Once again credit to finding this goes to Kotaku. This really is a brilliant job done.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Column: Top Ten Star Wars Games
By Aaron N
Some of the best gaming experiences in gaming history have been from the Star Wars franchise. Back in 1977, George Lucas' space opera took the world by storm and became an overnight sensation. Merchandise was everywhere. T-shirts, toys, books, Star Wars has been on everything. So it was only natural that it would make a transition to video games. Fans would love to actually be able to play the awesome events of the series. Who wouldn't love to play as Luke Skywalker or Wedge Antiles in the assault on the Death Star from the first movie? Or take down an AT-AT with your tow cable? If there was one franchise that seemed to be made for gaming, Star Wars was it. From the original Star Wars arcade game to the recently announced "1313", there have been numerous games created. I originally planned to make a top five list, but since there are so many games and Star Wars has been an obsession of mine since I was young, it proved more difficult than I expected. So here is a list of my top ten favorite Star Wars games. Keep in mind that this isn't necessarily the top ten games but a list of my favorite games. So my top games may not be the best made games, but the games that I had the most fun playing.
Honorable mentions:
I have to give two games an honorable mention. The first is "Tie Fighter". "Tie Fighter" was a space flight simulator for the computer. It is basically the father to modern Star Wars simulators. The reason this gets an honorable mention is because unfortunately I never played this game so it would be improper of me to put it in my list. The second honorable mention is Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. This took the Nintendo 64's 3D graphics and built a simulator like I never played before. It really was a first step into a larger world for Star Wars games. It was fun to play through the timeline of the original trilogy and play an alternate storyline.
10. Star Wars Episode 1 Podracer
While the much hyped prequel movie did not have a favorable reaction from much of the Star Wars fanbase, it did create a pretty fun racing game. You were able to play as the various racers including Sebulba and Anakin Skywalker. It expanded upon the race that was shown in the movie and gave more tracks. Each podracer had a unique handling style which changed things up every time you played. Plus, what wasn't cooler than hearing Watto sing that Cantina song while you put your initials in for a high score. This game is filled with nostalgia for me and it had replay value that you could pick up for a quick race and enjoy.
9. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3
The latest installment of the Rogue Squadron series was a fun one for me. It had both in space and on-food battles. While the on-foot segments were somewhat lackluster, they still were fun and they brought about a difference in gameplay. They weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. The camera was awkward and the levels became repetitive. But I feel like they tried to bring something new and with that, plus the great already existing formula for space battles, it will always have a pleasant spot in my memory. Plus the best part of the game was that it featured a two-player co-op mode where you played through "Rogue Squadron 2". This is the part that we play the most.
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
"Knights of the Old Republic" was the first major Star Wars game that made use of the RPG formula. It also took us to the time period where the Jedi and Sith were at war. You could create your own character and play through the story. You chose who your squadmates were and even what your responses were to characters. Your actions, whether nice or mean, turned your character light or dark side. You could even choose the ending of the game. Regardless of which side you eventually choose, there is a twist at the ending that leaves you speechles. The fighting scheme in the game took me a little out of the gameplay. So, I didn't feel as invested in this game as others. But it is still an incredibly created game, and that is why it makes it into my top ten.
7. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Back when Nintendo Power first released their promo video for the Nintendo 64 it featured three games. One of those games was "Shadows of the Empire". It showed the very first footage of the Battle of Hoth, and in the level you flew a snowspeeder and used tow cables to trip the AT-AT. The footage was mindblowing for its time. The game itself took place in between Episodes five and six. Some of the first levels are still burned into my memory, such as shooting a Wampa on Hoth and the aforementioned AT-AT tripping. It featured space battles, ground battles, and even a weird battle with a squid like monster. There were some flaws in it but overall it was a great experience and one that I love to go back and play every
so often.
6. Star Wars Battlefront
Everyone knows that the gaming trend for the past decade or so has been first person shooters, so what's better than a Star Wars first person shooter? "Battlefront" is much more than a Call of Duty knock off. It was fun to be able to play as the troops instead of the force users. They would eventually put force users into the second installment of the series, but I feel like it was better without them. Battlefront was a fun game to play with friends. You could choose between different troops so it created some strategy. It was a fun game that put emphasis on the lesser thought of characters.
5. Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2
The second in the "Jedi Knight" series put you into the world of Kyle Katarn. He was a hero who would learn that he had the ability to use the force. You had to save the day of course. But what was so memorable about this game for me was that it was the first time I was able to use force abilities, like throwing the lightsaber among others. I feel like it paved the way for future games like "Force Unleashed", but it kept it more grounded than that game. In the grand scheme of Star Wars games, it may not be as memorable as I make it out to be. But for me, it was a trail blazer and for that I must recognize it in this top ten list.
4. Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
This was a fun little game that I first found in aracades about a decade ago. It consisted of a joy stick and a huge game cabinet, it was really a sight to see for the first time. The game itself had three different levels, each based on a movie in the original trilogy. Each level was split into two segments. For "A New Hope" it was the attack on the Death Star and the trench run. For "The Empire Strikes Back" it was the battle of Hoth and a fight with Boba Fett. For "Return of the Jedi" it was a ground battle on the moon of Endor and a finale fight with Darth Vader. The gameplay is generic, but the fact that you used the piloting-like joy stick was what hooked me it. It was as if I was actually piloting a x-wing! It's kind of archaic looking at it now, but for its time it was awesome.
3. Star Wars Arcade
Here is another arcade game on the top ten list. This was the first arcade game based on Star Wars. All it was, was the attack on the Death Star. The level was a quick in space part that led to the trench run. Then after you defeat it, you play it again only with a harder difficulty. The dificulty increases until you lose all your shield and your gaming is now over. I first played this game on a bonus disc for reserving "Rogue Squadron 3". It a fun quick game that for some reason I keep getting hooked on.
2. Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds
When I was a kid I loved playing Age of Empires 2, so what is better than that?...Star Wars edition! This came out after Episode 1, with an expansion after Episode 2. My brother and I could play this game for hours. We knew all the codes, including how to summon Simon the killer ewok. Simon was unstoppable! We were playing once when we were called for dinner, so we unleashed one or two simons onto each of our enemies bases. By the time we were done eating everything was destroyed and only a couple of Simons died, it was amazing. I think this is the Star Wars game I have played the most.
1. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2
This game had me hooked the first time I played it on a demo for the Gamecube at a local Toys R Us. It took everything great from the first game and improved upon it. I couldn't wait to play it when I finally purchased the Gamecube. They took classic events from the franchise and allowed you to play them. Plus the graphics looked tremendous compared to the Nintendo 64. This is actually the game that prompted me to write this article. I am disappointed that a fourth game in the series will not be made, but for now I can just play this game with friends. A few years ago my friends and I decided to take on the final level "Strike at the Core" two player style. It took us so many frustratingly attempts to finally beat it. The Millennium Falcon does indeed fly like a sleepy hut. But when we finally beat it, the satisfaction was tremendous.
So there you have it, my top ten favorite Star Wars games. I'm sure there are a few that you don't agree with, so in the comments post your top ten games if you have any, or even just your favorite games. Star Wars games will be made until gaming no longer exist, so this list is destined to change.
Some of the best gaming experiences in gaming history have been from the Star Wars franchise. Back in 1977, George Lucas' space opera took the world by storm and became an overnight sensation. Merchandise was everywhere. T-shirts, toys, books, Star Wars has been on everything. So it was only natural that it would make a transition to video games. Fans would love to actually be able to play the awesome events of the series. Who wouldn't love to play as Luke Skywalker or Wedge Antiles in the assault on the Death Star from the first movie? Or take down an AT-AT with your tow cable? If there was one franchise that seemed to be made for gaming, Star Wars was it. From the original Star Wars arcade game to the recently announced "1313", there have been numerous games created. I originally planned to make a top five list, but since there are so many games and Star Wars has been an obsession of mine since I was young, it proved more difficult than I expected. So here is a list of my top ten favorite Star Wars games. Keep in mind that this isn't necessarily the top ten games but a list of my favorite games. So my top games may not be the best made games, but the games that I had the most fun playing.
Honorable mentions:
I have to give two games an honorable mention. The first is "Tie Fighter". "Tie Fighter" was a space flight simulator for the computer. It is basically the father to modern Star Wars simulators. The reason this gets an honorable mention is because unfortunately I never played this game so it would be improper of me to put it in my list. The second honorable mention is Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. This took the Nintendo 64's 3D graphics and built a simulator like I never played before. It really was a first step into a larger world for Star Wars games. It was fun to play through the timeline of the original trilogy and play an alternate storyline.
10. Star Wars Episode 1 Podracer
While the much hyped prequel movie did not have a favorable reaction from much of the Star Wars fanbase, it did create a pretty fun racing game. You were able to play as the various racers including Sebulba and Anakin Skywalker. It expanded upon the race that was shown in the movie and gave more tracks. Each podracer had a unique handling style which changed things up every time you played. Plus, what wasn't cooler than hearing Watto sing that Cantina song while you put your initials in for a high score. This game is filled with nostalgia for me and it had replay value that you could pick up for a quick race and enjoy.
9. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 3
The latest installment of the Rogue Squadron series was a fun one for me. It had both in space and on-food battles. While the on-foot segments were somewhat lackluster, they still were fun and they brought about a difference in gameplay. They weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination. The camera was awkward and the levels became repetitive. But I feel like they tried to bring something new and with that, plus the great already existing formula for space battles, it will always have a pleasant spot in my memory. Plus the best part of the game was that it featured a two-player co-op mode where you played through "Rogue Squadron 2". This is the part that we play the most.
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
"Knights of the Old Republic" was the first major Star Wars game that made use of the RPG formula. It also took us to the time period where the Jedi and Sith were at war. You could create your own character and play through the story. You chose who your squadmates were and even what your responses were to characters. Your actions, whether nice or mean, turned your character light or dark side. You could even choose the ending of the game. Regardless of which side you eventually choose, there is a twist at the ending that leaves you speechles. The fighting scheme in the game took me a little out of the gameplay. So, I didn't feel as invested in this game as others. But it is still an incredibly created game, and that is why it makes it into my top ten.
7. Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Back when Nintendo Power first released their promo video for the Nintendo 64 it featured three games. One of those games was "Shadows of the Empire". It showed the very first footage of the Battle of Hoth, and in the level you flew a snowspeeder and used tow cables to trip the AT-AT. The footage was mindblowing for its time. The game itself took place in between Episodes five and six. Some of the first levels are still burned into my memory, such as shooting a Wampa on Hoth and the aforementioned AT-AT tripping. It featured space battles, ground battles, and even a weird battle with a squid like monster. There were some flaws in it but overall it was a great experience and one that I love to go back and play every
so often.
6. Star Wars Battlefront
Everyone knows that the gaming trend for the past decade or so has been first person shooters, so what's better than a Star Wars first person shooter? "Battlefront" is much more than a Call of Duty knock off. It was fun to be able to play as the troops instead of the force users. They would eventually put force users into the second installment of the series, but I feel like it was better without them. Battlefront was a fun game to play with friends. You could choose between different troops so it created some strategy. It was a fun game that put emphasis on the lesser thought of characters.
5. Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2
The second in the "Jedi Knight" series put you into the world of Kyle Katarn. He was a hero who would learn that he had the ability to use the force. You had to save the day of course. But what was so memorable about this game for me was that it was the first time I was able to use force abilities, like throwing the lightsaber among others. I feel like it paved the way for future games like "Force Unleashed", but it kept it more grounded than that game. In the grand scheme of Star Wars games, it may not be as memorable as I make it out to be. But for me, it was a trail blazer and for that I must recognize it in this top ten list.
4. Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
This was a fun little game that I first found in aracades about a decade ago. It consisted of a joy stick and a huge game cabinet, it was really a sight to see for the first time. The game itself had three different levels, each based on a movie in the original trilogy. Each level was split into two segments. For "A New Hope" it was the attack on the Death Star and the trench run. For "The Empire Strikes Back" it was the battle of Hoth and a fight with Boba Fett. For "Return of the Jedi" it was a ground battle on the moon of Endor and a finale fight with Darth Vader. The gameplay is generic, but the fact that you used the piloting-like joy stick was what hooked me it. It was as if I was actually piloting a x-wing! It's kind of archaic looking at it now, but for its time it was awesome.
3. Star Wars Arcade
Here is another arcade game on the top ten list. This was the first arcade game based on Star Wars. All it was, was the attack on the Death Star. The level was a quick in space part that led to the trench run. Then after you defeat it, you play it again only with a harder difficulty. The dificulty increases until you lose all your shield and your gaming is now over. I first played this game on a bonus disc for reserving "Rogue Squadron 3". It a fun quick game that for some reason I keep getting hooked on.
2. Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds
When I was a kid I loved playing Age of Empires 2, so what is better than that?...Star Wars edition! This came out after Episode 1, with an expansion after Episode 2. My brother and I could play this game for hours. We knew all the codes, including how to summon Simon the killer ewok. Simon was unstoppable! We were playing once when we were called for dinner, so we unleashed one or two simons onto each of our enemies bases. By the time we were done eating everything was destroyed and only a couple of Simons died, it was amazing. I think this is the Star Wars game I have played the most.
1. Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2
This game had me hooked the first time I played it on a demo for the Gamecube at a local Toys R Us. It took everything great from the first game and improved upon it. I couldn't wait to play it when I finally purchased the Gamecube. They took classic events from the franchise and allowed you to play them. Plus the graphics looked tremendous compared to the Nintendo 64. This is actually the game that prompted me to write this article. I am disappointed that a fourth game in the series will not be made, but for now I can just play this game with friends. A few years ago my friends and I decided to take on the final level "Strike at the Core" two player style. It took us so many frustratingly attempts to finally beat it. The Millennium Falcon does indeed fly like a sleepy hut. But when we finally beat it, the satisfaction was tremendous.
So there you have it, my top ten favorite Star Wars games. I'm sure there are a few that you don't agree with, so in the comments post your top ten games if you have any, or even just your favorite games. Star Wars games will be made until gaming no longer exist, so this list is destined to change.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Cool, But Fake, Zelda Box Set
This is a cool, but fake Zelda box set. This box was created by a fan to celebrate the anniversary of the original Legend of Zelda game last year. In this fake box it would have a series of game discs that have various Zelda games on them. The coolest part of it is that it looks like the treasure chests in the games. I would have loved to have had an opportunity to get this, but I think I would fail at being able to afford it.
For more information and pictures go to http://kotaku.com/5919106/nintendo-please-make-this-zelda-box-set-a-reality
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Video: Classic holiday N64 commercial
I am on a Nintendo 64 kick right now so here is another old commercial. This one is just plain goofy. If anyone reading this blog lived through the late 90s, this commercial fits right in. Plus some of the games they mention are some of my all time favorites. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Review: Diablo 3 (2012)
By Michael A
It isn’t often players wait around twelve years for a sequel to a game. Even rarer is for those games to endure, still touted as high quality and played almost religiously. Diablo 2 was one of those games that players would find themselves replaying: A frenzied binge leading to a new hell mode paladin or a gimmicky druid. After over a decade, though, Blizzard delivers upon another of its old franchises, giving us Diablo 3, and I for one am not disappointed.
Graphics
While hardly the most visually intensive game ever, Diablo 3 hardly disappointed. Upon very close inspection, a handful of minor details suffer, yet the models for characters, enemies and even equipment and weapons are interesting and well designed. Landscapes are different for each chapter, offering a strong nostalgia to the second game, from the first chapters dark woods to the familiar dungeon interiors of the other chapters. Spoiler free, the fourth act has some beautiful designs, though every act has at least one awesome sight, if not more. An easy game to enjoy looking at, really, with some fancy graphical effects here and there, but nothing that really jumps out as cutting edge. I will say, the sheer number of effects and models on screen at one time is impressive, considering the lack of slowdown.
Story
In my opinion, the Diablo series has always been a bit silly in terms of plot, but by this point it has been painted as its own unique setting. Fans of fantasy that is over the top will like the setting a lot, as well as diehards to blizzard. The plot hooks and script leave a little to be desired, with at least 3 separate occasions of a ‘twist’ coming that was so easy to see I couldn’t help but wonder how it came to be. Combine this with the fact that every main antagonist basically says “HAH! That wasn’t my REAL secret weapon! You are doomed!” with every completed mission, and you can see why I would call Diablo 3’s plot a pretty shoddy construction, especially in the fourth act. I am borderline offended at how stupid the ‘allies’ actions are in the fourth act, and the ending left me a little disapointed. A shame as, in my opinion, there are a lot of excellent ideas that were just written too poorly to really impress. But, lets face it: we came for the next category...
Gameplay
Diablo 3 delivers exactly what you would think: Hack and slash excellence. Varied monsters,ravening hordes, super bosses and cool loot drops: What more do you want from a hack and slash? The enemy system and loot system is virtually unchanged from Diablo 2 or its many progeny (Such as Titan Quest, Torchlight, or Dungeon Siege), maintaining the standard ‘blue for magic, yellow for rare, green for super rare’ patterns to both, more or less. Where Diablo 3 tries to be innovative is by breaking away from the traditional skill trees.
The skill system in Diablo 3 is a robust unlocking system. Every barbarian that hits level 30 unlocks the same skills. Same for every monk and every wizard and so on. By level 60, all characters have all skills unlocked. “But, Michael,” you ask, “Where is the customization? Doesn’t that mean we are all identical?” Technically, yes, but where other games, including Diablo 2, had the illusion of a huge number of skills in the tree format, ultimately it seemed only a handful of skills were viable past the first playthrough or the beginning sections, depending on the game. Heck, in D2, planning skill points was a freaking science, because any wasted points meant a massive disadvantage. In Diablo 3, you pick up to 6 ‘active’ skills, mapped to keys 1-4 and the right and left mouse buttons.
Then, every skill, by level 60, has 5 ‘runes’ to unlock, which significantly change the skill. My favorite example, the barbarians cleave. Basic skill is a wide, aoe swing of the weapon. With rupture rune, kills now explode, causing damage. With another rune, crit hits have a chance of knocking enemies back! A separate run causes a slow effect to targets, and, well... You get the idea. My barbarian build, for example, is about stunning and mobility, where my friends build, while similar in base skills, relies more on critical strikes. This system is incredibly robust, and only seems to get more interesting as the game gets harder. Not only that, but the lack of investing skill points ultimately means you can try out skills as you earn them and continue to tailor a unique combat style.
Sound
Smiting evil has rarely sounded so cool. The sounds that monsters, attacks and effects make are pretty cool over all, often giving the sensation that you are indeed fighting through hordes of enemies, or being bombed by fiery death. The music is pretty ambient, but overall not terribly memorable. The voice acting is painfully irregular. Some of the voice actors, including most of the player characters, are solid, but many NPC’s and villains have awful voice acting. I’m certain part of it is the simple fact that jerkbag demons have to trash talk you like a high school bully, but most of the voice acting was, indeed, painful. Some of it was literally unintelligible, mostly on the part of demons, both great and small.
Overall
Having never been a big fan of this kind of game, I have to say I thought Diablo 3 was fun. The character classes have unique play styles, the enemies interesting, and the grind as a whole enjoyable. The risk Blizzard took making the skill system an automatic unlock method as opposed to a points based unlock is something I greatly appreciate, considering how well it was done. Overall, I am very pleased with the fact Blizzard tried to find a few new ways to breathe life into a fairly mindless genre, instead of just make ‘Diablo 2+more.” It is a very fun game, but if you don’t like hack-n-slash, you aren’t missing out on a must-play.
Diablo 3 gets a 7.5/10
It isn’t often players wait around twelve years for a sequel to a game. Even rarer is for those games to endure, still touted as high quality and played almost religiously. Diablo 2 was one of those games that players would find themselves replaying: A frenzied binge leading to a new hell mode paladin or a gimmicky druid. After over a decade, though, Blizzard delivers upon another of its old franchises, giving us Diablo 3, and I for one am not disappointed.
Graphics
While hardly the most visually intensive game ever, Diablo 3 hardly disappointed. Upon very close inspection, a handful of minor details suffer, yet the models for characters, enemies and even equipment and weapons are interesting and well designed. Landscapes are different for each chapter, offering a strong nostalgia to the second game, from the first chapters dark woods to the familiar dungeon interiors of the other chapters. Spoiler free, the fourth act has some beautiful designs, though every act has at least one awesome sight, if not more. An easy game to enjoy looking at, really, with some fancy graphical effects here and there, but nothing that really jumps out as cutting edge. I will say, the sheer number of effects and models on screen at one time is impressive, considering the lack of slowdown.
Story
In my opinion, the Diablo series has always been a bit silly in terms of plot, but by this point it has been painted as its own unique setting. Fans of fantasy that is over the top will like the setting a lot, as well as diehards to blizzard. The plot hooks and script leave a little to be desired, with at least 3 separate occasions of a ‘twist’ coming that was so easy to see I couldn’t help but wonder how it came to be. Combine this with the fact that every main antagonist basically says “HAH! That wasn’t my REAL secret weapon! You are doomed!” with every completed mission, and you can see why I would call Diablo 3’s plot a pretty shoddy construction, especially in the fourth act. I am borderline offended at how stupid the ‘allies’ actions are in the fourth act, and the ending left me a little disapointed. A shame as, in my opinion, there are a lot of excellent ideas that were just written too poorly to really impress. But, lets face it: we came for the next category...
Gameplay
Diablo 3 delivers exactly what you would think: Hack and slash excellence. Varied monsters,ravening hordes, super bosses and cool loot drops: What more do you want from a hack and slash? The enemy system and loot system is virtually unchanged from Diablo 2 or its many progeny (Such as Titan Quest, Torchlight, or Dungeon Siege), maintaining the standard ‘blue for magic, yellow for rare, green for super rare’ patterns to both, more or less. Where Diablo 3 tries to be innovative is by breaking away from the traditional skill trees.
The skill system in Diablo 3 is a robust unlocking system. Every barbarian that hits level 30 unlocks the same skills. Same for every monk and every wizard and so on. By level 60, all characters have all skills unlocked. “But, Michael,” you ask, “Where is the customization? Doesn’t that mean we are all identical?” Technically, yes, but where other games, including Diablo 2, had the illusion of a huge number of skills in the tree format, ultimately it seemed only a handful of skills were viable past the first playthrough or the beginning sections, depending on the game. Heck, in D2, planning skill points was a freaking science, because any wasted points meant a massive disadvantage. In Diablo 3, you pick up to 6 ‘active’ skills, mapped to keys 1-4 and the right and left mouse buttons.
Then, every skill, by level 60, has 5 ‘runes’ to unlock, which significantly change the skill. My favorite example, the barbarians cleave. Basic skill is a wide, aoe swing of the weapon. With rupture rune, kills now explode, causing damage. With another rune, crit hits have a chance of knocking enemies back! A separate run causes a slow effect to targets, and, well... You get the idea. My barbarian build, for example, is about stunning and mobility, where my friends build, while similar in base skills, relies more on critical strikes. This system is incredibly robust, and only seems to get more interesting as the game gets harder. Not only that, but the lack of investing skill points ultimately means you can try out skills as you earn them and continue to tailor a unique combat style.
Sound
Smiting evil has rarely sounded so cool. The sounds that monsters, attacks and effects make are pretty cool over all, often giving the sensation that you are indeed fighting through hordes of enemies, or being bombed by fiery death. The music is pretty ambient, but overall not terribly memorable. The voice acting is painfully irregular. Some of the voice actors, including most of the player characters, are solid, but many NPC’s and villains have awful voice acting. I’m certain part of it is the simple fact that jerkbag demons have to trash talk you like a high school bully, but most of the voice acting was, indeed, painful. Some of it was literally unintelligible, mostly on the part of demons, both great and small.
Overall
Having never been a big fan of this kind of game, I have to say I thought Diablo 3 was fun. The character classes have unique play styles, the enemies interesting, and the grind as a whole enjoyable. The risk Blizzard took making the skill system an automatic unlock method as opposed to a points based unlock is something I greatly appreciate, considering how well it was done. Overall, I am very pleased with the fact Blizzard tried to find a few new ways to breathe life into a fairly mindless genre, instead of just make ‘Diablo 2+more.” It is a very fun game, but if you don’t like hack-n-slash, you aren’t missing out on a must-play.
Diablo 3 gets a 7.5/10
Monday, June 25, 2012
Video: Why so Serious Mark Hamill?
Here is the video I mentioned in my review for Batman: Arkham City. I know it's not fully video game but it is still awesome nonetheless. Enjoy!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Super Mario Marathon
Every year a group of gamers get together to play the major mario games. The catch...they can only proceed to the next level when a certain amount of money is donated. The money donated goes to Child's Play charity. This is their fifth mario marathon. It is fun to watch them play and they seem to be having fun with it.
So check them out at http://www.mariomarathon.com/ and donate. It is a good cause.
So check them out at http://www.mariomarathon.com/ and donate. It is a good cause.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Review: Batman: Arkham City (2011)
By Aaron N
Batman: Arkham City is the highly touted sequel to what many called the game-of-the-year, Batman: Arkham Asylum. "Arkham Asylum" came off the heels of "The Dark Knight" which amazed movie-goers in the summer of 2008. It allowed you to become the caped crusader like never before. It's gameplay of sneaking around was both simplistic yet complex in nature. "Arkham City" boasted new characters and a grand landscape that players hoped would surpass its predecessor.
Graphics
Batman: Arkham City's graphics were phenomenal. One pet-peeve I have always had when it came to video games, and even movies for that matter, was the animation of lip movements. They always seemed off to me. But "Arkham City" perfected this. Plus, I loved every character's updated look for the game. Joker's decreasing health was displayed magnificently, and I still love how much detail is put into the game. My favorite part was how Batman's cape and uniform became more tattered and worn out as time progressed. I know this was in the first game, but that much detail needs to be mentioned again.
Story
"Arkham City" begins with the politician Bruce Wayne, yes he's running for office, being kidnapped by Hugo Strange and put into Arkham City. Arkham City is a huge city that has been transformed into a prison in the heart of Gotham City. Now why they thought this was a good idea is beyond me, but it happened and there's nothing we can do about it besides have Alfred ship us a Batsuit and suit up. There are so many sidequests that I am only going to talk about the main story which is unfortunately, surprisingly quick. As Batman you defeat Two-Face in a courtroom and have run-ins with Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Ra's al Ghul among others, but there are two main storylines. One is with Hugo Strange and his bid to control everything. The other is a little bit more important and that is with the Joker. Batman's nemesis is dying and he infects Bruce with his poisoned blood. These two storylines co-mingle at times to give you a complex and at times confusing story. It concludes with a shocking ending that gamers are still questioning its legitimacy. Many die-hard Batfans and gamers alike will enjoy the story and will clamer for a sequel.
Gameplay
The gameplay was kept almost the same as "Arkham Asylum". You must sneak around the landscape and take out bad guys. Now each battle is different but that basically is it as fighting goes. You can upgrade your armor and weaponry so hand-to-hand combat is more possible, but sneaking is the best way to go. The gadgets are roughly the same, sans a few new ones. They keep the puzzles entertaining but you can get the rhythm down pretty easily. It is a formula that wasn't broken but I wish that it saw a few substantial upgrades.
Sound
This game begins and ends with Mark Hamill...that's it. He is the greatest Joker on the planet. He surpasses Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and even Cesar Romero, the man is a legend. Look him up on youtube if you can. It is a treat to watch him perform his Joker. In a video, he was asked at a panel how his Joker would say "why so serious?", and his version was so spot-on and spur of the moment that you can't help but be in awe. The man is a genius, period. The other voice acting was steller as well. It seemed that many actors were brought back from the animated series which was brilliant. They gelled very nicely and it felt natural. The background music emphasized the eery, dark atmosphere. The sound in this game is a complete package and top-notch. It was flawless.
Overall
Batman: Arkham City is a great gaming experience. The storyline is amazing and the effort put into this game is remarkable. But the short main story and lack of substantial changes make it fall short of its predecessor. But with a game as good as "Arkham Asylum" was, that is not much of a insult. I enjoyed it and I am hopeful for a sequel.
Batman: Arkham City gets a 9/10
Batman: Arkham City is the highly touted sequel to what many called the game-of-the-year, Batman: Arkham Asylum. "Arkham Asylum" came off the heels of "The Dark Knight" which amazed movie-goers in the summer of 2008. It allowed you to become the caped crusader like never before. It's gameplay of sneaking around was both simplistic yet complex in nature. "Arkham City" boasted new characters and a grand landscape that players hoped would surpass its predecessor.
Graphics
Batman: Arkham City's graphics were phenomenal. One pet-peeve I have always had when it came to video games, and even movies for that matter, was the animation of lip movements. They always seemed off to me. But "Arkham City" perfected this. Plus, I loved every character's updated look for the game. Joker's decreasing health was displayed magnificently, and I still love how much detail is put into the game. My favorite part was how Batman's cape and uniform became more tattered and worn out as time progressed. I know this was in the first game, but that much detail needs to be mentioned again.
Story
"Arkham City" begins with the politician Bruce Wayne, yes he's running for office, being kidnapped by Hugo Strange and put into Arkham City. Arkham City is a huge city that has been transformed into a prison in the heart of Gotham City. Now why they thought this was a good idea is beyond me, but it happened and there's nothing we can do about it besides have Alfred ship us a Batsuit and suit up. There are so many sidequests that I am only going to talk about the main story which is unfortunately, surprisingly quick. As Batman you defeat Two-Face in a courtroom and have run-ins with Mr. Freeze, Clayface, and Ra's al Ghul among others, but there are two main storylines. One is with Hugo Strange and his bid to control everything. The other is a little bit more important and that is with the Joker. Batman's nemesis is dying and he infects Bruce with his poisoned blood. These two storylines co-mingle at times to give you a complex and at times confusing story. It concludes with a shocking ending that gamers are still questioning its legitimacy. Many die-hard Batfans and gamers alike will enjoy the story and will clamer for a sequel.
Gameplay
The gameplay was kept almost the same as "Arkham Asylum". You must sneak around the landscape and take out bad guys. Now each battle is different but that basically is it as fighting goes. You can upgrade your armor and weaponry so hand-to-hand combat is more possible, but sneaking is the best way to go. The gadgets are roughly the same, sans a few new ones. They keep the puzzles entertaining but you can get the rhythm down pretty easily. It is a formula that wasn't broken but I wish that it saw a few substantial upgrades.
Sound
This game begins and ends with Mark Hamill...that's it. He is the greatest Joker on the planet. He surpasses Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, and even Cesar Romero, the man is a legend. Look him up on youtube if you can. It is a treat to watch him perform his Joker. In a video, he was asked at a panel how his Joker would say "why so serious?", and his version was so spot-on and spur of the moment that you can't help but be in awe. The man is a genius, period. The other voice acting was steller as well. It seemed that many actors were brought back from the animated series which was brilliant. They gelled very nicely and it felt natural. The background music emphasized the eery, dark atmosphere. The sound in this game is a complete package and top-notch. It was flawless.
Overall
Batman: Arkham City is a great gaming experience. The storyline is amazing and the effort put into this game is remarkable. But the short main story and lack of substantial changes make it fall short of its predecessor. But with a game as good as "Arkham Asylum" was, that is not much of a insult. I enjoyed it and I am hopeful for a sequel.
Batman: Arkham City gets a 9/10
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Video: First Super Smash Bros TV commercial
Here is a blast from the past commercial. I remember first seeing this commercial and it was highly entertaining. Right when Mario kicked Yoshi's shins, my favorite part, you knew something different was coming. And now after two sequels and countless copies, with Sony now in the mix, it is interesting to see where it all started. Sing it with me "I can't see me lovin' nobody but you...", that song was connected to this commercial in my mind for a long time.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Column: Nintendo at E3 2012
By Aaron N
The aspect of E3 that I look forward to watching the most every year is Nintendo. Some of the greatest moments in E3 history came from Nintendo. This year there was much hype surrounding Nintendo mainly because of the inevitable focus on the upcoming Wii-U system. But, like many others, I felt let down by Nintendo this year. There were plenty of positives that came out of E3 for them but somehow I actually am less excited about the new system than I was before it.
There are many reasons for this let down. Firstly I feel like Nintendo set themselves up for failure when they announced that they would be having three different press conferences. One would be before E3, the second would be the major press conference that they hold every year, and the third would come in the form of a press conference solely about the Nintendo 3DS. They did this because they were promising that they had too much information to be told in just one press conference. This became a problem because there did not seem to be enough information to warrant the three different conferences. One of the main things to be revealed, which was the Wii-U pro controller, was revealed in the pre-E3 conference online. Then with the third press conference being exclusively about the 3DS, it meant that the main televised press conference would not reveal much about that system. This is a problem because much of Nintendo's fanbase stems from the 3DS and they will be let down when they watch the major press conference and they only touch quickly on a few games. This also leads to another problem because they opened the big press conference to have major reveals for the new system. This brought expectations very high and could only lead to disappointments when they do not have many big reveals.
This leads me to the major televised press conference itself. It started out great with the announcement of Pikmin 3, which gamers have been begging for since the Gamecube. This started things out on a high note, but unfortunately as a viewer at home, things did not stay high. With the announcements of a new WiiFit game and "Sing", they continued to focus on the broader audience as opposed to the hardcore fanbase that they promised to focus more on with the Wii-U. They also showed some third party games that will be on the Wii-U. Games like "Batman: Akrham City" and "Mass Effect 3" would finally be on a Nintendo system. But instead of quickly going over games that have been out for almost a year, they spent about ten minutes showing how different their version of Batman was then what is out now. This was a horrible decision when they should be focusing on new ideas. They then proceeded to show two "New Super Mario Bros" titles. One for the Wii-U that did not show how the Wii-U would change gaming, and did not show much improvement in the graphics category. The other one came in the short 3DS segment and also seemed to downplay the Wii-U and it didn't bring anything new to the table besides even more gold coins. This would bring them to the big reveal that usually ends the press conference. I was most excited for the end because I expected this would be where they would bring out something big, maybe a new Star Fox, a Metroid, or something big to bring some excitement to an otherwise dull conference. But instead they showed a new game called "Nintendoland." Which is a theme park style game that will help you gauge the new system. It reminds me of what Wii sports was. This is a fine game but only if it comes with the system like the aforementioned sports game. This should have been shown in the middle of the conference as it underwhelmed me and much of the audience.
There were some positives to E3 from Nintendo. I am glad to see that the new Luigi's Mansion 3DS game got a launch date. ZombiU continues to stun people, and it's use of the Wii-U gamepad is unique. But my favorite thing was "Project P100". This game is a superhero game mixed with Pikmin. You control a group of heroes and they save the world. I am really looking forward to this game. But this brings about another problem as the most exciting thing to come from Nintendo debuted on television on SpikeTV during an interview. This should have shown at the press conference and it would have had people talking in a good way. I hope that Nintendo can learn from its mistakes this year because the Wii-U can definitely change gaming much like the Wii did, but they need to find a good way to promote it or else it will become more like the Gamecube.
The aspect of E3 that I look forward to watching the most every year is Nintendo. Some of the greatest moments in E3 history came from Nintendo. This year there was much hype surrounding Nintendo mainly because of the inevitable focus on the upcoming Wii-U system. But, like many others, I felt let down by Nintendo this year. There were plenty of positives that came out of E3 for them but somehow I actually am less excited about the new system than I was before it.
There are many reasons for this let down. Firstly I feel like Nintendo set themselves up for failure when they announced that they would be having three different press conferences. One would be before E3, the second would be the major press conference that they hold every year, and the third would come in the form of a press conference solely about the Nintendo 3DS. They did this because they were promising that they had too much information to be told in just one press conference. This became a problem because there did not seem to be enough information to warrant the three different conferences. One of the main things to be revealed, which was the Wii-U pro controller, was revealed in the pre-E3 conference online. Then with the third press conference being exclusively about the 3DS, it meant that the main televised press conference would not reveal much about that system. This is a problem because much of Nintendo's fanbase stems from the 3DS and they will be let down when they watch the major press conference and they only touch quickly on a few games. This also leads to another problem because they opened the big press conference to have major reveals for the new system. This brought expectations very high and could only lead to disappointments when they do not have many big reveals.
This leads me to the major televised press conference itself. It started out great with the announcement of Pikmin 3, which gamers have been begging for since the Gamecube. This started things out on a high note, but unfortunately as a viewer at home, things did not stay high. With the announcements of a new WiiFit game and "Sing", they continued to focus on the broader audience as opposed to the hardcore fanbase that they promised to focus more on with the Wii-U. They also showed some third party games that will be on the Wii-U. Games like "Batman: Akrham City" and "Mass Effect 3" would finally be on a Nintendo system. But instead of quickly going over games that have been out for almost a year, they spent about ten minutes showing how different their version of Batman was then what is out now. This was a horrible decision when they should be focusing on new ideas. They then proceeded to show two "New Super Mario Bros" titles. One for the Wii-U that did not show how the Wii-U would change gaming, and did not show much improvement in the graphics category. The other one came in the short 3DS segment and also seemed to downplay the Wii-U and it didn't bring anything new to the table besides even more gold coins. This would bring them to the big reveal that usually ends the press conference. I was most excited for the end because I expected this would be where they would bring out something big, maybe a new Star Fox, a Metroid, or something big to bring some excitement to an otherwise dull conference. But instead they showed a new game called "Nintendoland." Which is a theme park style game that will help you gauge the new system. It reminds me of what Wii sports was. This is a fine game but only if it comes with the system like the aforementioned sports game. This should have been shown in the middle of the conference as it underwhelmed me and much of the audience.
There were some positives to E3 from Nintendo. I am glad to see that the new Luigi's Mansion 3DS game got a launch date. ZombiU continues to stun people, and it's use of the Wii-U gamepad is unique. But my favorite thing was "Project P100". This game is a superhero game mixed with Pikmin. You control a group of heroes and they save the world. I am really looking forward to this game. But this brings about another problem as the most exciting thing to come from Nintendo debuted on television on SpikeTV during an interview. This should have shown at the press conference and it would have had people talking in a good way. I hope that Nintendo can learn from its mistakes this year because the Wii-U can definitely change gaming much like the Wii did, but they need to find a good way to promote it or else it will become more like the Gamecube.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Video: Project P100
The most
interesting thing to come out of E3 this year for me was an untitled
game codenamed "Project P100". This game was announced in a sit-down
interview on SpikeTV. It looks to be a unique game that blends many
different aspects of existing games.
Here is the video of the interview. Video courtesy of www.gametrailers.com and SpikeTV
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Review: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)
By Aaron N
One of the most anticipated games of 2011 was The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. "Skyward Sword" promised to change the Zelda series forever as it was set chronologically as the first story in the series. It would give us the origins to the main three characters, Link, Zelda, and Gannon, as well as give hints to the origins of other characters in the heralded series. It seems like making a Zelda game is a double-edged sword. On one hand you have a huge fanbase that will love the game. But on the other hand since you have made games like "Ocarina of Time" and the other Zelda games, it becomes a huge task to create something new and match the already high standards set by the previous games.
Graphics:
"Skyward Sword" ditched the realistic graphics of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in favor of more colorful and bright cartoony graphics. With that said this game was beautiful. They took the best aspects of cell-shading from past games like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and added a more mature look to it. The characters are stylized but not too stylized that it takes away from the visuals. "Skyward Sword" features weird and different characters so the graphics have to show that. This is where this game succeeds. Even when you enter the spirit realms where it consists of mainly black and white shades, the graphics stand out and it remains a beautiful game.
Story:
As I mentioned earlier, "Skyward Sword" takes place before every other Zelda game. In this game Link and Zelda are childhood friends, they are portrayed as just friends but also a possibility of a budding relationship that many of the other games are known to portray. You begin on a land in the sky called Skyloft. Here they worship a goddess who helped defeat the evil entity known as Demise. After passing the final trials you gain the use of your giant bird that you fly around the sky with. A hole in the clouds opens and Zelda is sucked through it and you must jump through the hole to the gound where no one has gone before. Here you go through three different areas, a forest, a volcano, and a desert. While you proceed you are confronted by Ghirahim who is also chasing after Zelda. You are given the Goddess Sword which is inhabited by a spirit known as Fi who guides you through the game. Eventually you follow Ghirahim to the Temple of Time, which is not entirely built yet. Zelda is pulled through the portal of time by Impa who has been guiding her through her quest. Before she goes through the gate, Zelda throws her goddess harp to Link. The whole story is guided by a prophesy that foretells a hero defeating the great evil and everybody has a part in the story that will unfold. After the temple's portal is destroyed and a battle with Ghirahim, you have to find three flames that turn the Goddess sword into the Master sword and you use the new christened sword to open up a second portal to the past. Upon passing through it you find Zelda who now reveals that she is the goddess reborn. In the present you fight a being known as "The Imprisoned" who is actually Demise breaking his seal. So in the past Zelda has to keep the seal active by going into a slumber. Link returns to the present where you must find the Triforce in Skyloft and use it to make a wish to seal Demise forever. After doing this you venture to the past again where Ghirahim kidnaps the awakened Zelda and plans to use her to revive Demise in the past. After a victorious battle with Ghirahim it turns out that you were late and enough of Zelda's life force was given to Demise and he reawakens ready for a final battle with the goddess' hero Link. You travel through a portal to another realm where you must defeat Demise and fulfill the prophesy. After an epic battle you deliver the final blow. But before Demise meets his demise he puts a curse on Link and Zelda's bloodline where Demise's evil and anger will be reborn. Thus creating Ganon and Gannondorf. Link and Zelda decide to stay on the ground instead of returning to Skyloft and they begin what becomes Hyrule. There are many more side quests and aspects to the story including an old woman who turns out to be Impa and Groose who goes from a bumbling jerk to a hero by the end of the game. The story is vaste and the biggest in the Zelda franchise. But it is told magnificently and it does not become confusing. It is a fitting way to tell the origins of everything in the franchise.
Gameplay:
Nintendo was proud to unveil the new gameplay for "Skyward Sword". The wiimote is used as a 1:1 aspect ratio to Zelda's sword. Your movements match up almost perfectly with what is on the screen. While mistakes do happen I was very pleased with how the controlls worked. The giant bird you have control over in the game, known as a Loftwing, takes the place of Epona. Flying is not a tedious task and it is a huge improvement over the sailing from "Wind Waker". When you venture to the place that will become Hyrule, you do not travel between the three areas. Instead you enter each through a hole in the clouds. The areas are not too big so going from one end to the other is not a long task. My only complaint with the gameplay and with the whole game actually is the harp. When you use the harp you do not play the song manually like you did with the ocarina. Instead it plays the song it is supposed to play. I feel like the harp did not add anything to the game and it muddles up the flow of the game. They could have used something else in place of the harp or if they were set on including a musical instrument, they should have made it more useful and engaging.
Music:
What can you say about Legend of Zelda music that hasn't been said before? There is a touring orchestra going around the country just playing Zelda music. It really has a following all its own. But I feel like they somehow raised the level for "Skyward Sword". As a whole I feel like the score of this game is one of the best ever made. The score is comprised entirely of orchestral music. The game's main theme was the Ballad of the Goddess, which turned out to be Zelda's Lullaby in reverse. The sheer fact that they took a great song, reversed it, and made an even better song out of it shows how great the music was for this game. There are plenty of memorable songs that I will be listening to for a while.
Overall:
While the hype surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was immense, the game did not fall under the pressure. It brought about a much needed beginning to the saga, and it added its own elements to the series. While the game is not perfect, it is quite a masterpiece. "Skyward Sword" will be talked about by gamers for years to come and it deserves its place in history.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword gets a 9.5/10
One of the most anticipated games of 2011 was The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. "Skyward Sword" promised to change the Zelda series forever as it was set chronologically as the first story in the series. It would give us the origins to the main three characters, Link, Zelda, and Gannon, as well as give hints to the origins of other characters in the heralded series. It seems like making a Zelda game is a double-edged sword. On one hand you have a huge fanbase that will love the game. But on the other hand since you have made games like "Ocarina of Time" and the other Zelda games, it becomes a huge task to create something new and match the already high standards set by the previous games.
Graphics:
"Skyward Sword" ditched the realistic graphics of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in favor of more colorful and bright cartoony graphics. With that said this game was beautiful. They took the best aspects of cell-shading from past games like The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and added a more mature look to it. The characters are stylized but not too stylized that it takes away from the visuals. "Skyward Sword" features weird and different characters so the graphics have to show that. This is where this game succeeds. Even when you enter the spirit realms where it consists of mainly black and white shades, the graphics stand out and it remains a beautiful game.
Story:
As I mentioned earlier, "Skyward Sword" takes place before every other Zelda game. In this game Link and Zelda are childhood friends, they are portrayed as just friends but also a possibility of a budding relationship that many of the other games are known to portray. You begin on a land in the sky called Skyloft. Here they worship a goddess who helped defeat the evil entity known as Demise. After passing the final trials you gain the use of your giant bird that you fly around the sky with. A hole in the clouds opens and Zelda is sucked through it and you must jump through the hole to the gound where no one has gone before. Here you go through three different areas, a forest, a volcano, and a desert. While you proceed you are confronted by Ghirahim who is also chasing after Zelda. You are given the Goddess Sword which is inhabited by a spirit known as Fi who guides you through the game. Eventually you follow Ghirahim to the Temple of Time, which is not entirely built yet. Zelda is pulled through the portal of time by Impa who has been guiding her through her quest. Before she goes through the gate, Zelda throws her goddess harp to Link. The whole story is guided by a prophesy that foretells a hero defeating the great evil and everybody has a part in the story that will unfold. After the temple's portal is destroyed and a battle with Ghirahim, you have to find three flames that turn the Goddess sword into the Master sword and you use the new christened sword to open up a second portal to the past. Upon passing through it you find Zelda who now reveals that she is the goddess reborn. In the present you fight a being known as "The Imprisoned" who is actually Demise breaking his seal. So in the past Zelda has to keep the seal active by going into a slumber. Link returns to the present where you must find the Triforce in Skyloft and use it to make a wish to seal Demise forever. After doing this you venture to the past again where Ghirahim kidnaps the awakened Zelda and plans to use her to revive Demise in the past. After a victorious battle with Ghirahim it turns out that you were late and enough of Zelda's life force was given to Demise and he reawakens ready for a final battle with the goddess' hero Link. You travel through a portal to another realm where you must defeat Demise and fulfill the prophesy. After an epic battle you deliver the final blow. But before Demise meets his demise he puts a curse on Link and Zelda's bloodline where Demise's evil and anger will be reborn. Thus creating Ganon and Gannondorf. Link and Zelda decide to stay on the ground instead of returning to Skyloft and they begin what becomes Hyrule. There are many more side quests and aspects to the story including an old woman who turns out to be Impa and Groose who goes from a bumbling jerk to a hero by the end of the game. The story is vaste and the biggest in the Zelda franchise. But it is told magnificently and it does not become confusing. It is a fitting way to tell the origins of everything in the franchise.
Gameplay:
Nintendo was proud to unveil the new gameplay for "Skyward Sword". The wiimote is used as a 1:1 aspect ratio to Zelda's sword. Your movements match up almost perfectly with what is on the screen. While mistakes do happen I was very pleased with how the controlls worked. The giant bird you have control over in the game, known as a Loftwing, takes the place of Epona. Flying is not a tedious task and it is a huge improvement over the sailing from "Wind Waker". When you venture to the place that will become Hyrule, you do not travel between the three areas. Instead you enter each through a hole in the clouds. The areas are not too big so going from one end to the other is not a long task. My only complaint with the gameplay and with the whole game actually is the harp. When you use the harp you do not play the song manually like you did with the ocarina. Instead it plays the song it is supposed to play. I feel like the harp did not add anything to the game and it muddles up the flow of the game. They could have used something else in place of the harp or if they were set on including a musical instrument, they should have made it more useful and engaging.
Music:
What can you say about Legend of Zelda music that hasn't been said before? There is a touring orchestra going around the country just playing Zelda music. It really has a following all its own. But I feel like they somehow raised the level for "Skyward Sword". As a whole I feel like the score of this game is one of the best ever made. The score is comprised entirely of orchestral music. The game's main theme was the Ballad of the Goddess, which turned out to be Zelda's Lullaby in reverse. The sheer fact that they took a great song, reversed it, and made an even better song out of it shows how great the music was for this game. There are plenty of memorable songs that I will be listening to for a while.
Overall:
While the hype surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was immense, the game did not fall under the pressure. It brought about a much needed beginning to the saga, and it added its own elements to the series. While the game is not perfect, it is quite a masterpiece. "Skyward Sword" will be talked about by gamers for years to come and it deserves its place in history.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword gets a 9.5/10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)