I WAS going to review another game that I had in mind, but I was suddenly gifted a review copy of Anodyne and though "why not?" So instead of a game that everyone has heard on, might as well review a game inspired my the Zelda series, but remarkably, mixed the dark storytelling of the silent hill series before silent hill sold their soul to the devil that is commercialism. So Shadow The Hedgehog might as well relax until I finish bashing the hell out of this game-- metaphorically, after all.
Picture this: You are a player named Young Ying, and you are in a subconscious within someone's mind trying to restore balance within itself and must find your inner brother, Baird Yang.
Within the game, you travel to dark lands and eery places, while there's not really any jump scares like in most horror games, the atmosphere can be somewhat spooky. Like Zelda you start off with nothing until you find your weapon...A...broom... Then you move on to dungeons and reach the end of the game. Along the way, you also have to collect card to open doors to complete the game.
While being a Zelda clone might be a great idea, that also means the game has the similar issues as past Zelda games. For one, the game becomes liner as the Link to the past and you get lost and there's little-to-no-clues to where to go. While this dose help exploration and you can find Blood Fairies that can extend your life, you have to use a guide to just to figure out where to go.
Another issue that players would face would be the level design, while can be fair at sometimes, it can still push back and slap players in the face. For example, you will run across a maze near the end of the game, but to get everything, you have to come back after you beat the game and complete an outrageous challenge just to get ONE card.
While there are some silly, hidden cards in post-game, it feels that they're just in just for spits-and-giggles. There's only so little replayiblity in the game besides the achievements in the steam version of the game. In my opinion, the achievements are not worth it. While it is not easy to get that one achievement, the game has only few achievements in the first place.
If you played the devilish ROM-hacks of the Zelda NES, you would probably get a kick out of this game. If you're a newcomer to Zelda-Hill'ish game-types, I recommenced you to play the Zelda Gameboy series, as they are well implemented, as well as Wind Waker HD . Anodyne isn't a bad game at all, it's just it had ideas that it didn't execute very well because of it's identity crisis. I felt that if there was better programing, it would have run smoothly. Maybe if it stuck out as it's own game instead of feeling like a Zelda ROM hack, it would have been a great game.
Well, that review was short than expected. the game was short, so there was so little to say. now if you excuse me, I have to take cover since the horse-headed people have invaded planet earth and I'm ore than scared by these co-called people. It won't be long until I kill them and sell their corpses for glue, but too bad I just offended the furies of this world....
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Spelunky (360/ PC)
Like some people having a problem with judging a game for what it is Good, bad, or disappointing, I'm having a hard time to judge Spelunky since the game itself is a heavily luck-based rouge-like game.
The point of the game is that you are one of the many treasure hunters, sending him or herself into the mines to hunt down the legendary treasure of Kali. On your way, you discovered that a wise man has discovered that the mines change at random and that death, itself, is lost as death only ends up forcing you to restart from the start and that you're tuck in your own personal hell. Speaking of which, there are hidden levels LIKE HELL, that you have to get into for the true ending. Yes, like most castlevania games, it has a false ending, so to get the best ending and score, you have to rely on luck and good-luck with that.
While some to most of the deaths are partially on the player itself, the problem is part of it is how the game's random map spawns. For example, I found the game like to spawn the traps and bombs close to the sacrificial alters, or worse, when you set the traps off, they tend to hit the shopkeepers. When shopkeepers are set off, even by accident, they will hunt you down; Even if it means killing the damsels, other shopkeepers or other fiends that stay in your way.
Speaking of the damsels, you can set them as a the dumb, female bimbo; a creepy cross dresser who is gender-confused; and a stupid dog named Rufus, who acts like a doofus. I find them to be somewhat offensive characters, but from the look of things, they made them that way so sacrificing them wouldn't add any emotional weight and that's the problem. The game has a devalue character issue that lower all characters as cartoon-like, unlikable characteristics, which death less painful on purpose. Apparently, this game wants you to commit suicides just to count the death-meter.
However, this game is fun, but it is not exactly fair as other rouge-like games. Unlike games like Rouge Legacy, for example, the game dosn't get easier as you go. While you do unlock new character, they do not attribute since they do NOT have special abilities and there isn't a counter-measurements for unfair spawns. While tools like jet-packs, climbing gloves, and ropes can help you make it to the end, it depends if the game will have mercy and provide the items that you will need via shops and boxes.
In short, the game would have been better and easier to handle if it was an online game, as the multiplayer is only local co-op. Even though there are some advantages with local multiplayer, the game suffers from a lazy port, as it was originally for the Xbox 360 and then the steam release happened a year later. While the game dose support mods, it just lacks any change from the 360 version. The game suffers from what makes other Rouge-like games acceptable because it fears to let the player have an experience with itself.
I have to cautiously recommend this game, as if one plays Mario ROM hacks, this game makes the same mistakes as most game mod-ers that make the game too frustrating for those who do not know for what's coming for them. This is not a game for those with short tempers. Thankfully, I knew what I was getting into, unlike my friends who want to strangle a puppy.
The point of the game is that you are one of the many treasure hunters, sending him or herself into the mines to hunt down the legendary treasure of Kali. On your way, you discovered that a wise man has discovered that the mines change at random and that death, itself, is lost as death only ends up forcing you to restart from the start and that you're tuck in your own personal hell. Speaking of which, there are hidden levels LIKE HELL, that you have to get into for the true ending. Yes, like most castlevania games, it has a false ending, so to get the best ending and score, you have to rely on luck and good-luck with that.
While some to most of the deaths are partially on the player itself, the problem is part of it is how the game's random map spawns. For example, I found the game like to spawn the traps and bombs close to the sacrificial alters, or worse, when you set the traps off, they tend to hit the shopkeepers. When shopkeepers are set off, even by accident, they will hunt you down; Even if it means killing the damsels, other shopkeepers or other fiends that stay in your way.
Speaking of the damsels, you can set them as a the dumb, female bimbo; a creepy cross dresser who is gender-confused; and a stupid dog named Rufus, who acts like a doofus. I find them to be somewhat offensive characters, but from the look of things, they made them that way so sacrificing them wouldn't add any emotional weight and that's the problem. The game has a devalue character issue that lower all characters as cartoon-like, unlikable characteristics, which death less painful on purpose. Apparently, this game wants you to commit suicides just to count the death-meter.
However, this game is fun, but it is not exactly fair as other rouge-like games. Unlike games like Rouge Legacy, for example, the game dosn't get easier as you go. While you do unlock new character, they do not attribute since they do NOT have special abilities and there isn't a counter-measurements for unfair spawns. While tools like jet-packs, climbing gloves, and ropes can help you make it to the end, it depends if the game will have mercy and provide the items that you will need via shops and boxes.
In short, the game would have been better and easier to handle if it was an online game, as the multiplayer is only local co-op. Even though there are some advantages with local multiplayer, the game suffers from a lazy port, as it was originally for the Xbox 360 and then the steam release happened a year later. While the game dose support mods, it just lacks any change from the 360 version. The game suffers from what makes other Rouge-like games acceptable because it fears to let the player have an experience with itself.
I have to cautiously recommend this game, as if one plays Mario ROM hacks, this game makes the same mistakes as most game mod-ers that make the game too frustrating for those who do not know for what's coming for them. This is not a game for those with short tempers. Thankfully, I knew what I was getting into, unlike my friends who want to strangle a puppy.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Games of the (last) Year!
Thank god, it's 2014, as the last year wasn't very eventful. Sure, there where some good games at the start of the year, but the dry summer of gaming where ever so dull. That, and personally, it felt that fortune was not all on my side though that year. However, there where some games that stood out for better...and for worse.
Games of 2013
Disappointing Game of 2013: Dead Rising 3
- Dispute making improvements, the series has lost it's identity as the game looks extremely muddy, the pathways are just annoying fillers just to pad out the game, and the zombie killing tends to be a pointless level grind. Yes, the zombie killing is fun as you can craft anywhere at anytime, but as a sequel, It's a sequel like Home Alone 3 is to the last Home Alone movies as the humor and psychopaths felt last-minute and the story is farfetched. Now you know how the fans felt how disappointing Saints Row the 3rd was. *Angry yells in the background*
Most Surprising Game of 2013: Wonderful 101
- When the game was announced to be very short, we all had our concerns that this game might not review well. That was not the case. Why? Remember the makers of Okami, Viewiful Joe, and God Hand? Platinum Studios developers did past works on the games and honed their skills to make this game. Dispute the game being very hard and has it's small quirks, This is a Wii U game for the Hardcore gamer.
Worst Game of 2013: Ride to Hell: Retribution - 1%
- While I am tempted to list Garry's Incident as the worst game of the year, as the company did attack critics and, as well, written false reviews on Meta-Critic in bad English, Ride to Hell takes first place for ACTUALLY takes gamers to hell. The game functions, but the game is nothing but bugs, bad textures, bad voice actors, and that leads up to one bad experience for anyone. The sad thing that IT WAS an alpha and they forced it out the door...and Let's not mention the "sex" in this game, because it's lazy, it's sexist, and mostly of all, abysmal....
Best Soundtrack of 2013: Saints Row 4
- Yes, Even though the game might not be as big as GTA5, at least the soundtrack doesn't have old, thrown out stars like Britney Spears. While the game's soundtrack dose have old, licensed songs, famous from movies, It felt that it held up twords other sandbox games, especially GTA5 that uses pop-culture songs that anyone would grow sick of. Saints Row 4 might be a better version of Crack Down, but the soundtrack of the game makes you feel like a total bad-ass!
Best Story of 2013: A Wolf Among Us
- This is a dark, deep story based on the Fables comic series. Enter Ex-villein Bigbe Wolf. Now as a detective, Bigbe often makes hard decisions within his job, everyone knows that things are going to get real when a cereal-killer starts killing every fairy-tale character in sight. While, yes, your decisions might not determine the story as in past Telltale game , The Walking Dead (except in the Add-on, which will determine season 2! Just a heads up), The story will only get better later on.
Best Portable of 2013: Pokemon X/Y
- Was there any doubt? This game brings back what made pokemon the best portable series as well as bring a new fairy-type to counter the dragon-type. Pokemon X/Y has a simpler trade system, including wounder-trade, brings back the linear story path in pokemon, which critics missed, and introduced new pokemon, despite Pokemon getting stale over time. What can you say about pokemon?
Best Seller of 2013: GTA 5
- Well, we all saw this one coming, but the game is not known for the stupid story line, nor the abysmal soundtrack, but rather it's game-play and it's sales. While it dose continue that carp-tacular storyline since GTA4 and has a disappointing multi-player launch, the game is huge, has underwater exploration, parities this satire of the world that we live in today, and is the preferred "realistic" game to go into rampages. Personally, I feel that this game is over-rated and shows a point about "gaming" media of today, but that's a subject for later....
Now that the personal Games of that year, I can finally make an announcement: I have gotten over 300 views! Congratulations on helping me on this, and as a reward, I will be streaming on twitch! I also made an optional donation site though the new Patreon system. It's paypal...without PayPal, if that ever make sense. Instead of Indes, it works well for people who make content on Youtube, twitch, and other web sites as a giant tip jar. It IS optional, but your donations do help.
Games of 2013
Disappointing Game of 2013: Dead Rising 3
- Dispute making improvements, the series has lost it's identity as the game looks extremely muddy, the pathways are just annoying fillers just to pad out the game, and the zombie killing tends to be a pointless level grind. Yes, the zombie killing is fun as you can craft anywhere at anytime, but as a sequel, It's a sequel like Home Alone 3 is to the last Home Alone movies as the humor and psychopaths felt last-minute and the story is farfetched. Now you know how the fans felt how disappointing Saints Row the 3rd was. *Angry yells in the background*
Most Surprising Game of 2013: Wonderful 101
- When the game was announced to be very short, we all had our concerns that this game might not review well. That was not the case. Why? Remember the makers of Okami, Viewiful Joe, and God Hand? Platinum Studios developers did past works on the games and honed their skills to make this game. Dispute the game being very hard and has it's small quirks, This is a Wii U game for the Hardcore gamer.
Worst Game of 2013: Ride to Hell: Retribution - 1%
- While I am tempted to list Garry's Incident as the worst game of the year, as the company did attack critics and, as well, written false reviews on Meta-Critic in bad English, Ride to Hell takes first place for ACTUALLY takes gamers to hell. The game functions, but the game is nothing but bugs, bad textures, bad voice actors, and that leads up to one bad experience for anyone. The sad thing that IT WAS an alpha and they forced it out the door...and Let's not mention the "sex" in this game, because it's lazy, it's sexist, and mostly of all, abysmal....
Best Soundtrack of 2013: Saints Row 4
- Yes, Even though the game might not be as big as GTA5, at least the soundtrack doesn't have old, thrown out stars like Britney Spears. While the game's soundtrack dose have old, licensed songs, famous from movies, It felt that it held up twords other sandbox games, especially GTA5 that uses pop-culture songs that anyone would grow sick of. Saints Row 4 might be a better version of Crack Down, but the soundtrack of the game makes you feel like a total bad-ass!
Best Story of 2013: A Wolf Among Us
- This is a dark, deep story based on the Fables comic series. Enter Ex-villein Bigbe Wolf. Now as a detective, Bigbe often makes hard decisions within his job, everyone knows that things are going to get real when a cereal-killer starts killing every fairy-tale character in sight. While, yes, your decisions might not determine the story as in past Telltale game , The Walking Dead (except in the Add-on, which will determine season 2! Just a heads up), The story will only get better later on.
Best Portable of 2013: Pokemon X/Y
- Was there any doubt? This game brings back what made pokemon the best portable series as well as bring a new fairy-type to counter the dragon-type. Pokemon X/Y has a simpler trade system, including wounder-trade, brings back the linear story path in pokemon, which critics missed, and introduced new pokemon, despite Pokemon getting stale over time. What can you say about pokemon?
Best Seller of 2013: GTA 5
- Well, we all saw this one coming, but the game is not known for the stupid story line, nor the abysmal soundtrack, but rather it's game-play and it's sales. While it dose continue that carp-tacular storyline since GTA4 and has a disappointing multi-player launch, the game is huge, has underwater exploration, parities this satire of the world that we live in today, and is the preferred "realistic" game to go into rampages. Personally, I feel that this game is over-rated and shows a point about "gaming" media of today, but that's a subject for later....
Now that the personal Games of that year, I can finally make an announcement: I have gotten over 300 views! Congratulations on helping me on this, and as a reward, I will be streaming on twitch! I also made an optional donation site though the new Patreon system. It's paypal...without PayPal, if that ever make sense. Instead of Indes, it works well for people who make content on Youtube, twitch, and other web sites as a giant tip jar. It IS optional, but your donations do help.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Super Mario 3D World Vs. Sonic Lost World
If you expected me to review a Sonic game, I can't. Sadly, since the gaming split it's community apart, any observation would be pushed aside by hypocrites, as fans and critics often fight and clash because game sequels or new games just are too much of a step-back that they try to survive on nostalgia alone. However, we all know that Sonic was made based off Speed-Runs of the original Super Mario Bros., as admitted by Sonic's creator, Naoto Oshima. This means the best way to make a review for a Sonic game is to actually compare it to the newer Mario game.
Introducing Super Mario 3D World, a sequel to the acclaimed Super Mario 3D land with elements to the ROM-hack Super Mario 2 USA, Mario Bros. 3, and other past Mario games. While sonic just try to force the color mechanics with-in Sonic lost world with awkward controls, Mario 3D World blends the elements into a nice alcoholic drink which leaves a nice after-taste instead of bitterness.
The story starts as Mario and team find a new, clear pipe and fix it, finding a pixie queen which enplanes that Bowser is kidnapping them so he could use their power to rule their kingdom. So Mario, Peach, Toad, and our best friend, Luigi, must go out and stop Bowser. This game actually breaks the traditions of the "New" Super Mario Bro. by instead handing out levels like different cakes that would be found at a buffet...Just without the germs or bugs like in Sonic games, which also faced the linearity of Mario games. I think yatzee made a techno remix about it...
To progress in the game, not only that most of the levels need to be cleared, but you must also collect green stars to be able to go into Boss-forts, defeat the boss, and move on to the next world. The map is actually free-roam somewhat more than the illusion in Lost World. The new cat-power is a nice addition, even though it was made to cash-in from the cat-based Mem' on the internet.It helps reach new areas and even help collect hidden coins and Green Stars. Sonic DOSE have cut-scenes, but Lost World's mechanics was not well grounded and was only added in because of popularity.
However, even Mario games have small flaws, dispute the game was made by the same developers of the galaxy series. The camera controls where pointless, as those who played Mario games before often knew where to take leaps-of-faiths and when not to from experience. Another issue was the forced integration of the touch-pad, which can trow off the flow of the game at times. Not as bad as in Lost World, but the issue is still there. Hopefully, we can just play with the pro-controller after a patch is released from Nintendo, whenever they like to or not.
In the long run, even when Sonic might have the advantage in personality, he sadly has the disadvantage to gameplay, as Mario 3D World takes that advantage. Dispute how fun both Mario and Sonic games are in the past, I found Mario 3D World taking the advantage, and sales, over Sonic Lost World. It's nothing personal over the once popular Blue-Blur; like most 90's action heroes: time was NOT on his side. It's because people move on to bigger and better things! For example, a comic fan might like Spider-man as a child, but grow-up loving Batman since of either his One Percent personality from The Animated Series to his edgy side from the comic-book series.
Sorry that it took sometime because, even though I'm a critic, I'm also a human being too. I'm not as robotic as most fan-boys who just eat out of their parent's wallets. Even though that was a bit harsh, I wish you all a Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, thanksgiving, and so on....and so on...
Introducing Super Mario 3D World, a sequel to the acclaimed Super Mario 3D land with elements to the ROM-hack Super Mario 2 USA, Mario Bros. 3, and other past Mario games. While sonic just try to force the color mechanics with-in Sonic lost world with awkward controls, Mario 3D World blends the elements into a nice alcoholic drink which leaves a nice after-taste instead of bitterness.
The story starts as Mario and team find a new, clear pipe and fix it, finding a pixie queen which enplanes that Bowser is kidnapping them so he could use their power to rule their kingdom. So Mario, Peach, Toad, and our best friend, Luigi, must go out and stop Bowser. This game actually breaks the traditions of the "New" Super Mario Bro. by instead handing out levels like different cakes that would be found at a buffet...Just without the germs or bugs like in Sonic games, which also faced the linearity of Mario games. I think yatzee made a techno remix about it...
To progress in the game, not only that most of the levels need to be cleared, but you must also collect green stars to be able to go into Boss-forts, defeat the boss, and move on to the next world. The map is actually free-roam somewhat more than the illusion in Lost World. The new cat-power is a nice addition, even though it was made to cash-in from the cat-based Mem' on the internet.It helps reach new areas and even help collect hidden coins and Green Stars. Sonic DOSE have cut-scenes, but Lost World's mechanics was not well grounded and was only added in because of popularity.
However, even Mario games have small flaws, dispute the game was made by the same developers of the galaxy series. The camera controls where pointless, as those who played Mario games before often knew where to take leaps-of-faiths and when not to from experience. Another issue was the forced integration of the touch-pad, which can trow off the flow of the game at times. Not as bad as in Lost World, but the issue is still there. Hopefully, we can just play with the pro-controller after a patch is released from Nintendo, whenever they like to or not.
In the long run, even when Sonic might have the advantage in personality, he sadly has the disadvantage to gameplay, as Mario 3D World takes that advantage. Dispute how fun both Mario and Sonic games are in the past, I found Mario 3D World taking the advantage, and sales, over Sonic Lost World. It's nothing personal over the once popular Blue-Blur; like most 90's action heroes: time was NOT on his side. It's because people move on to bigger and better things! For example, a comic fan might like Spider-man as a child, but grow-up loving Batman since of either his One Percent personality from The Animated Series to his edgy side from the comic-book series.
Sorry that it took sometime because, even though I'm a critic, I'm also a human being too. I'm not as robotic as most fan-boys who just eat out of their parent's wallets. Even though that was a bit harsh, I wish you all a Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas, thanksgiving, and so on....and so on...
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Earthworm Jim 3D
Now that I mentioned THIS old hero, everyone wounder who's this Earthworm Jim is. No? TOO BAD, this character is a fine example of good game series that died off within time. Some say character like Mega-man die out, but since he's in the next Smash Bros., that shouldn't count...for now.
Back in 1995, Earthworm Jim was a hardcore platform shooter where Earthworm Jim must save What-Her-Name (yes, it's a hero parody game, So this is actually her REAL name!) from the clutches of Queen Slug-For-A-But. This game was later rebooted in HD for the Xbox 360, but I would recommend the Special Edition. However! Every version has a different special level, so it dose make collectors try every port of the game for sake. The game series also has it's own brand of humor, and even though it wasn't exactly the first animated game, it was one of the best during the time.
The series also spawned a cartoon series which lasted two seasons. It was a decently, hilarious cartoon that is both for the kids and the kid-at-heart. It also dose some curve-ball humor, but it keeps out of politics as it makes the series dated like in the Mario cartoons. However, it dose some pop-culture parody very well.
Afterward, Earthworm Jim II raised the bar by making the game more fast-pasted while keeping what made Earthworm Jim great. In Earthworm Jim II, Jim finally settles down with What-her-name, but then she gets kidnapped by his evil rival, Psycrow! The game becomes much more diverse as it dose bring new weapons as well as the new helper named Snot. Snot acts an upgraded hook-shot, enabling you to get into new areas Jim can go though normally. This game dose as an actual sequel is suppose to do.
Which leads to Earthworm Jim 3D, a game that tried to cash-in with the 3d collectithons like Banjo-Kazooie and Mario 64. But that's only part of the problem: The game was NOT even seventy percent done when it was released. A rushed project with many issues that prevented this game from even making returns. Not only that, but the developer team involved was completely amateur and the development got into an argument with the original team, like the Doom crew's issue, and got Doug and his crew fired and kicked. In the end, it was a complete, commercial failure.
The story is that Jim had an Cow-related incident, since it was a running gag in the cartoons, that sends him to the hospital. He gets stuck in a comma and you have to collect your marble and collect golden utters to open new areas and to face the memories of the bosses that Eartworm Jim faced in the past; like notes and jiggies from the Banjo series. We can tell that the staff from Animaniacs and EX-staff from Kids WB had a major fallout since they want to help make the game.
While it maybe not as evil as Superman 64, but it's more like the past example of Ride To Hell: Retribution; a legal means of torture! Beans pits and sand pit traps which make one trow a N64 controller out the window, bitter humor that is lack-luster, the bugs in small parts, but the worst of all, the least inspired boss fight in history, the marble collection bosses. They are terrible! It's the same copy-and-paste bosses just the boss is annoying as the last. **spoilers** Even the final boss, Jim's feminine side Jin, is just a simple edit over and the same lack-luster-nest!
The saddest thing is that game looked promising from the promotional ads left for events like E3 and the gaming expos. Sadly, Like Duke Nukem Forever, they could not live up to the expectations. What ever happened to such gameplay? Misplaced in the cabinet with the other gameplay, Did Psycrow snatch this as revenge tword Earthworm Jim, or was it because the Scottish fools wanted to cash in on the license? Hell, Even the level designer still in the game industry as he worked on Batmanc Arkam Origin and kept the game in his resume. I just hope it was worth it to him. Then again, if they worked him like how EA works their workers, then have at it, WB games....
Until then, we have to sigh as Earthworm Jim is forced to work with his stupid rival, Boogerman...Which I actually hope his kick-starter FAILS as we don't have to deal with this Nick-toon reject. People would actually defend anything bad these days. And before you say anything, at least I defend the good thing in life!
Back in 1995, Earthworm Jim was a hardcore platform shooter where Earthworm Jim must save What-Her-Name (yes, it's a hero parody game, So this is actually her REAL name!) from the clutches of Queen Slug-For-A-But. This game was later rebooted in HD for the Xbox 360, but I would recommend the Special Edition. However! Every version has a different special level, so it dose make collectors try every port of the game for sake. The game series also has it's own brand of humor, and even though it wasn't exactly the first animated game, it was one of the best during the time.
The series also spawned a cartoon series which lasted two seasons. It was a decently, hilarious cartoon that is both for the kids and the kid-at-heart. It also dose some curve-ball humor, but it keeps out of politics as it makes the series dated like in the Mario cartoons. However, it dose some pop-culture parody very well.
Afterward, Earthworm Jim II raised the bar by making the game more fast-pasted while keeping what made Earthworm Jim great. In Earthworm Jim II, Jim finally settles down with What-her-name, but then she gets kidnapped by his evil rival, Psycrow! The game becomes much more diverse as it dose bring new weapons as well as the new helper named Snot. Snot acts an upgraded hook-shot, enabling you to get into new areas Jim can go though normally. This game dose as an actual sequel is suppose to do.
Which leads to Earthworm Jim 3D, a game that tried to cash-in with the 3d collectithons like Banjo-Kazooie and Mario 64. But that's only part of the problem: The game was NOT even seventy percent done when it was released. A rushed project with many issues that prevented this game from even making returns. Not only that, but the developer team involved was completely amateur and the development got into an argument with the original team, like the Doom crew's issue, and got Doug and his crew fired and kicked. In the end, it was a complete, commercial failure.
The story is that Jim had an Cow-related incident, since it was a running gag in the cartoons, that sends him to the hospital. He gets stuck in a comma and you have to collect your marble and collect golden utters to open new areas and to face the memories of the bosses that Eartworm Jim faced in the past; like notes and jiggies from the Banjo series. We can tell that the staff from Animaniacs and EX-staff from Kids WB had a major fallout since they want to help make the game.
While it maybe not as evil as Superman 64, but it's more like the past example of Ride To Hell: Retribution; a legal means of torture! Beans pits and sand pit traps which make one trow a N64 controller out the window, bitter humor that is lack-luster, the bugs in small parts, but the worst of all, the least inspired boss fight in history, the marble collection bosses. They are terrible! It's the same copy-and-paste bosses just the boss is annoying as the last. **spoilers** Even the final boss, Jim's feminine side Jin, is just a simple edit over and the same lack-luster-nest!
The saddest thing is that game looked promising from the promotional ads left for events like E3 and the gaming expos. Sadly, Like Duke Nukem Forever, they could not live up to the expectations. What ever happened to such gameplay? Misplaced in the cabinet with the other gameplay, Did Psycrow snatch this as revenge tword Earthworm Jim, or was it because the Scottish fools wanted to cash in on the license? Hell, Even the level designer still in the game industry as he worked on Batmanc Arkam Origin and kept the game in his resume. I just hope it was worth it to him. Then again, if they worked him like how EA works their workers, then have at it, WB games....
Until then, we have to sigh as Earthworm Jim is forced to work with his stupid rival, Boogerman...Which I actually hope his kick-starter FAILS as we don't have to deal with this Nick-toon reject. People would actually defend anything bad these days. And before you say anything, at least I defend the good thing in life!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Vampire: The Masquerade -- Bloodlines
To be honest about myself, I have never played PC games until the later 00's with games like The Sims and the other bad games like Streets of Sim City and Sim chopper, but then I go back and forth because how the systems turn friendly and unfriendly tword the audiences, especially the bloody rivalry toward Work-full Sony and bloody lazy Microsoft, especially using Sony's game-play. Look's like someone became the corporate fat-cat. No offense meant to actually cool cats... Though they fight each other like white raciest twords the black raciest. What a bloody time of politics...
Speaking of blood and blood related issues, I just recently played though Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, a Duex Ex like game with undead characters, where you play as a new-blood rookie trying to adjust of being a normal vampire...instead of a stupid one. Later, you must help the Masquerade stay masked while honing your survival skills.
I must admit I have both games and I actually prefer Bloodlines over Duex Ex because you don't have to put one eggs in one basket. You can make change your own race, make yourself into a smart ass hacker or a big ass brute -- whichever you like. However, you are stick with one image piece, so custom characters weren't revolutionized until later on in the gaming industry.
Oh, right: before playing the game, you must get the "unofficial" official patch because the game is actually badly unfinished. You can blame action-vision, as they rushed the project out the door and even closed the developer company that developed the game. We can tell that they where too focused on modern military shooters than just fun, creative gameplay.
There's a reason the company is in trouble...but not as much as E.A. Luckily, they formed a new company and make THE Fallout series. here's the real kicker: How come they didn't make a werewolf spin-off? They have different breeds as well as their blood-rival were-wolfs which have their own colorful back-stories.
But moving on, while the game plays like Duex Ex, you can preform Blood Magick which drains your blood that is required to living. Then you have to get more blood from humans or just go down to the rat-buffet in the sewers, which is much safer in some scenarios for couple of plot-points in the game.
However, that leads to an odd difficulty curve within the boss fights, as if you are not prepared, you tend to either die or use Mega-Man like exploits to kill the boss. And there are A LOT of bosses, so come prepare. Thankfully, there's a magick trick where you use your blood as a boomerang to hit your target and, sometimes steal some blood from them. As much as Link uses them to steal hearts in the Zelda series. God, I hope Nintendo doesn't make him a vampire; They already made him a werewolf.
A smart move, even though it can be a issue for speed-runners, is they made the missions linear so to prevent sequence breaking for people who want to know details about the quest. Some missions are ok, but when you know all the back-story and can predict who and what, then things can get somewhat dull.
Another issue is the money system, as they are dated and, even with good bartering, has little pay-back. you can often sell the "evil" human's weapons, but you cannot stack weapons like in the fallout series, where you can carry a huge stack of weapons and sell. I know this game was made when the better-designed interface in gaming where starting to appear, but sometimes you just have to grab them all. (tm)
The last issue is the endings. Yes, there is more than one ending, but some are just a different rendition of the first one. While, yes, the main-ending makes you feel like a total bad ass, the others felt like they where rushed in the last minute. If you guys want the best ending, the only hint I can give you is do NOT trust anyone, some of the fractions aren't even truly trustworthy. While there is one or two ending that is at least different, it dose feel like it's sequel bait.
In the end, Bloodlines is the game that help those disappointed in Duex Ex: Invisible Wars and help remind people how most RPG should be. Those who like Duex Ex and want a good game with a Halloween-type setting, this is a game for you. However, this game is dark and not recommended to squeamish people who have the phobia to blood. Seems I have more scaring to do
...Mwahahhaha!~
Speaking of blood and blood related issues, I just recently played though Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, a Duex Ex like game with undead characters, where you play as a new-blood rookie trying to adjust of being a normal vampire...instead of a stupid one. Later, you must help the Masquerade stay masked while honing your survival skills.
I must admit I have both games and I actually prefer Bloodlines over Duex Ex because you don't have to put one eggs in one basket. You can make change your own race, make yourself into a smart ass hacker or a big ass brute -- whichever you like. However, you are stick with one image piece, so custom characters weren't revolutionized until later on in the gaming industry.
Oh, right: before playing the game, you must get the "unofficial" official patch because the game is actually badly unfinished. You can blame action-vision, as they rushed the project out the door and even closed the developer company that developed the game. We can tell that they where too focused on modern military shooters than just fun, creative gameplay.
There's a reason the company is in trouble...but not as much as E.A. Luckily, they formed a new company and make THE Fallout series. here's the real kicker: How come they didn't make a werewolf spin-off? They have different breeds as well as their blood-rival were-wolfs which have their own colorful back-stories.
But moving on, while the game plays like Duex Ex, you can preform Blood Magick which drains your blood that is required to living. Then you have to get more blood from humans or just go down to the rat-buffet in the sewers, which is much safer in some scenarios for couple of plot-points in the game.
However, that leads to an odd difficulty curve within the boss fights, as if you are not prepared, you tend to either die or use Mega-Man like exploits to kill the boss. And there are A LOT of bosses, so come prepare. Thankfully, there's a magick trick where you use your blood as a boomerang to hit your target and, sometimes steal some blood from them. As much as Link uses them to steal hearts in the Zelda series. God, I hope Nintendo doesn't make him a vampire; They already made him a werewolf.
A smart move, even though it can be a issue for speed-runners, is they made the missions linear so to prevent sequence breaking for people who want to know details about the quest. Some missions are ok, but when you know all the back-story and can predict who and what, then things can get somewhat dull.
Another issue is the money system, as they are dated and, even with good bartering, has little pay-back. you can often sell the "evil" human's weapons, but you cannot stack weapons like in the fallout series, where you can carry a huge stack of weapons and sell. I know this game was made when the better-designed interface in gaming where starting to appear, but sometimes you just have to grab them all. (tm)
The last issue is the endings. Yes, there is more than one ending, but some are just a different rendition of the first one. While, yes, the main-ending makes you feel like a total bad ass, the others felt like they where rushed in the last minute. If you guys want the best ending, the only hint I can give you is do NOT trust anyone, some of the fractions aren't even truly trustworthy. While there is one or two ending that is at least different, it dose feel like it's sequel bait.
In the end, Bloodlines is the game that help those disappointed in Duex Ex: Invisible Wars and help remind people how most RPG should be. Those who like Duex Ex and want a good game with a Halloween-type setting, this is a game for you. However, this game is dark and not recommended to squeamish people who have the phobia to blood. Seems I have more scaring to do
...Mwahahhaha!~
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Phatasy Star Online 2
Don't get me wrong Sega; you are still making games, but when it comes with Sonic, not even Mario nor Super Smash Bros. can save him from his demise. Even good characters like Earthworm Jim had to die off just for new characters to show off, even though I must admit that I do miss him. The thing is if you are too focused on a mascot games to be released annually and rushed, then you can expect not making good returns for your little company. However, I know they can make money of Typing of the Dead: Over-kill, if Steam stop over-posting old games just to sell the Steam-Box.
Speaking of which... The best way Sega is making money is the Free-To-Play games, especially games like Spiral Knights. I tried but the micro-transactions for play-time is a real buzz-kill and for it to recharge normally would literately take a day unless YOU BUY for more play time. No thanks, Sega! Until you make a game that you don't have to play for power, for the most part, then I won't play any of your games...hey, whats - ?!
Then, without warning, Phantasy Star Online 2 was released as a Free-To-Play game last year. A sequel successor to a cult-hit Phantasy Star Online for multiple ports from Dreamcast, PC, and the Nintendo Gamecube. Sadly, I never played on the DreamCast servers, but I played on the GamCube servers. Dispute the occasion cheating, Frozen Screen of Deaths, and the deleation of my character data, after finding a safe haven, I had fun. If you are wanting to try the game for yoruself, the final official version is the PSO:BB private servers ran by the fans of Phantasy star.
But, wait. I don't see that game anywhere! How are you playing it? Well, truth be told, I am playing in the Japan servers of the game which also means few English players, though there are a few that understood English...or just people like me who use the unofficial translator, which are ran by Gamespy's PSO-World personal programers. Though, I cannot condone these, as constant as translator tweak programs can sometimes be frowned by outer companies -- However, some games like Dragon-Ball Z online embrace such mods, so never-flipping-mind...
But back on subject! The game plays somewhat like the Spin-off, Phatasty Star Universe, which was underwhelming to some the classic PSO-fans. However, they refined the controls with Keyboard shortcuts that are shorted by pages because now you can change your class without any cost and as well as your side-class. In summery, It's old PSO meets refined PSU, which actually works very well. Thankfully, the game is compatible with ALL types of controllers from 360 to the PS2 USB controller but you do have to juggle from that and the keyboard as well. While this can get use to, some my find that annoying at first before they could adjust. Just make you set everything up as for shortcuts and the new implemented skill-trees.
As for the story, it faces the JRPG issue that it can drag itself out as it's more focused more of an episodic anime than just a normal MMO game. It could be OK to some, but the fact that everything from new stories, new areas, and new weapons take time to come sums up to face the same issues that Phantasy Star Universe has.
Let me help you sum the story up: Dark Flaz has escaped his tomb once again, but this time, gathered himself his own army of Ex-Arks to become the evil "rangers" to try to destory the Arks as part of his revenge upon the races. Speaking of races, the DUmen are back from the portable series later in season two (...OOPS, SPOILERS) and it's rumored that the beast race might return as well, but I have a feeling they'll be different this time around. There are some more nice additions as well which you have to see for yourself.
Is this the perfect game? Not entirely, as the Free-to-play part of the game is what drags it down, as well as other shenanigans. For one, there's new stage occurrences called Emergency Codes, which are where some of your experience during your main objective of the map. The problem is that you're at mercy when multiple code: attacks or duels which can leave with some awkward times.
While you can buy things from clothes, weapons, and techs, Ten-Star Weapons can only be bought with "10* weapon pass" which you can get with point that you have to actually spend money for. Usually, Normal weapons can be found by normal or by getting booster tickets from events to help find rare items, get more experience, get boost in mesta drops, or all the above! Sadly, sometimes the rare-boost tickets aren't that effective, so use them wisely.
If you want to enjoy the game, play this with friends and start your own clan! You can gain points from Team Client Orders so you can build your team and your abilities. You can also get more experience from Client Orders that you can send your assistant, known as machine partner, to run a few of these errand for you. However, they cannot do ALL the client orders as some do require your attention or they can only be done by players only.
Besides all this, I recommend trying this game. Bring your friends over, have them try it, play together, but beware of the spammers, prevs, morons, and fools by clicking on them and adding them to the blacklist system. Play this game as you would with Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon: play for at least one to two hours, assign Client Orders to your partner, then take a break to check on your town to discover your favorite character moved out and left with another man. There's one new tail for the bar-keeper!
...
Oh, before I forget: please help by fighting for this game to come to the west! By fighting for games like these, we show to foreign developers that we are interested in games like these! We managed to get Earthbound on the Nintendo Wii U's Virtual Counsel, so why not this game as well?!
Thanks....
Speaking of which... The best way Sega is making money is the Free-To-Play games, especially games like Spiral Knights. I tried but the micro-transactions for play-time is a real buzz-kill and for it to recharge normally would literately take a day unless YOU BUY for more play time. No thanks, Sega! Until you make a game that you don't have to play for power, for the most part, then I won't play any of your games...hey, whats - ?!
Then, without warning, Phantasy Star Online 2 was released as a Free-To-Play game last year. A sequel successor to a cult-hit Phantasy Star Online for multiple ports from Dreamcast, PC, and the Nintendo Gamecube. Sadly, I never played on the DreamCast servers, but I played on the GamCube servers. Dispute the occasion cheating, Frozen Screen of Deaths, and the deleation of my character data, after finding a safe haven, I had fun. If you are wanting to try the game for yoruself, the final official version is the PSO:BB private servers ran by the fans of Phantasy star.
But, wait. I don't see that game anywhere! How are you playing it? Well, truth be told, I am playing in the Japan servers of the game which also means few English players, though there are a few that understood English...or just people like me who use the unofficial translator, which are ran by Gamespy's PSO-World personal programers. Though, I cannot condone these, as constant as translator tweak programs can sometimes be frowned by outer companies -- However, some games like Dragon-Ball Z online embrace such mods, so never-flipping-mind...
But back on subject! The game plays somewhat like the Spin-off, Phatasty Star Universe, which was underwhelming to some the classic PSO-fans. However, they refined the controls with Keyboard shortcuts that are shorted by pages because now you can change your class without any cost and as well as your side-class. In summery, It's old PSO meets refined PSU, which actually works very well. Thankfully, the game is compatible with ALL types of controllers from 360 to the PS2 USB controller but you do have to juggle from that and the keyboard as well. While this can get use to, some my find that annoying at first before they could adjust. Just make you set everything up as for shortcuts and the new implemented skill-trees.
As for the story, it faces the JRPG issue that it can drag itself out as it's more focused more of an episodic anime than just a normal MMO game. It could be OK to some, but the fact that everything from new stories, new areas, and new weapons take time to come sums up to face the same issues that Phantasy Star Universe has.
Let me help you sum the story up: Dark Flaz has escaped his tomb once again, but this time, gathered himself his own army of Ex-Arks to become the evil "rangers" to try to destory the Arks as part of his revenge upon the races. Speaking of races, the DUmen are back from the portable series later in season two (...OOPS, SPOILERS) and it's rumored that the beast race might return as well, but I have a feeling they'll be different this time around. There are some more nice additions as well which you have to see for yourself.
Is this the perfect game? Not entirely, as the Free-to-play part of the game is what drags it down, as well as other shenanigans. For one, there's new stage occurrences called Emergency Codes, which are where some of your experience during your main objective of the map. The problem is that you're at mercy when multiple code: attacks or duels which can leave with some awkward times.
While you can buy things from clothes, weapons, and techs, Ten-Star Weapons can only be bought with "10* weapon pass" which you can get with point that you have to actually spend money for. Usually, Normal weapons can be found by normal or by getting booster tickets from events to help find rare items, get more experience, get boost in mesta drops, or all the above! Sadly, sometimes the rare-boost tickets aren't that effective, so use them wisely.
If you want to enjoy the game, play this with friends and start your own clan! You can gain points from Team Client Orders so you can build your team and your abilities. You can also get more experience from Client Orders that you can send your assistant, known as machine partner, to run a few of these errand for you. However, they cannot do ALL the client orders as some do require your attention or they can only be done by players only.
Besides all this, I recommend trying this game. Bring your friends over, have them try it, play together, but beware of the spammers, prevs, morons, and fools by clicking on them and adding them to the blacklist system. Play this game as you would with Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon: play for at least one to two hours, assign Client Orders to your partner, then take a break to check on your town to discover your favorite character moved out and left with another man. There's one new tail for the bar-keeper!
...
Oh, before I forget: please help by fighting for this game to come to the west! By fighting for games like these, we show to foreign developers that we are interested in games like these! We managed to get Earthbound on the Nintendo Wii U's Virtual Counsel, so why not this game as well?!
Thanks....
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