We recently had an opportunity to sit in on a conference call with some of the fine folks over at TOMY regarding the upcoming Naruto title, Path of the Ninja 2 for the Nintendo DS. Path of the Ninja 2 is based on the blockbuster Naruto franchise that is currently one of the top anime/manga properties on the market today. READ MORE
June 2008
I don’t know many guys my age that didn’t grow up playing with LEGO blocks. At work, frequent discussions break out about the colored little blocks (which just goes to show what type of work environment I work in). So to see so many of my favorite movie franchises get the LEGO treatment is a real joy. LucasArts could have stopped with Star Wars and I would have been a happy gamer. That Indiana Jones was the next franchise to hit our consoles is just gravy.
So how does LEGO Indy stack up against previous variations of the game? Very well is the short answer. Travellers Tales did a bang up job keeping the same visual simplicity as LEGO Star Wars while creating a whole new set of abilities that keep the experience fresh. It really gives me faith that LEGO Batman, which is due later this year, is going to be another blockbuster game.
At about 1/3 of the way through the game I can safely say that it is a worthy purchase. I’ll also direct you to Costco for your purchase, where it is much cheaper than any other store I’ve seen it at.
What is your favorite part about the game so far? Hit the discussion thread to see mine.
Shoot-em-ups are somewhat of a vice. It’s easy to sit down and start playing one for hours on end. The Castle of Shikigami series is obscure to western audiences, possibly because of the first two titles’ poor translation (think of “All your base”). Thankfully, the newest and superior chapter of the series, Castle of Shikigami III, hasn’t fallen victim to same fate as its predecessors.
The actual gameplay is pretty standard fare as far as shoot-em-ups are concerned. The player chooses from one of ten characters in normal mode, or two characters in Dramatic Change mode. The game progression is the same no matter what mode and which characters are chosen, but story events will change to reflect both characters in Dramatic Change mode, similarly if the game were played with two players. The controls are spot-on, and there’s several ways to fight enemies. There’s the normal rapid-fire shot, Shikigami attacks, and bombs. Each character’s Shikigami attack and bomb effect varies, from being homing shots or wide-area effects, and standard bombs to time stopping, respectively. Using a character’s Shikigami attack slows their movement a bit, but draws in coins that enemies drop; this is the key to racking up a high score. Additionally, a bomb can be sacrificed to activate High-Tension Max to increase point values temporarily.
Included in the game is a practice mode which allows the player to select a stage or stage segment and play through it freely, as well as boss attack mode, which pits the player against all 10 bosses in sequence on a single credit. There’s also a gallery mode which allows the review of artwork seen in the game’s story mode, as well as a “story recollection” mode. Story recollection allows the player to watch the in-game story sequences that have already been seen while playing through the game. The last option in the gallery is the jukebox, which goes without saying what it’s used for. I’d like to go on record by saying the game has a pretty slick soundtrack, so it’s a nice feature. The options screen hides the very enticing “extra options.” Once the game is cleared, regardless of which character and how many credits are used, this menu allows for tweaking of other game settings. These include more interesting tweaks like game speed and hitbox size.
Castle of Shikigami III is a worthy addition to any shoot em up fan’s collection, and plays very cleanly. It might feel like the barebones experience as far as games go nowadays, but it’ll provide hours of entertainment, to be sure. As far as story goes, it’s… uh… different. It’s not exactly clearly defined in the game nor in the manual. The in-game story sequences can be quite comical as the characters seem to enjoy breaking the 4th wall, referencing the fact that they’re in a game, or sometimes addressing the player directly. About the only thing the game is missing is the online experience. Granted the Japanese XBox 360 and PC versions didn’t have online play, but they did have an internet score ranking. This would have been a nice little extra just to see how your own skill measures up against the rest of the world. So in spite of the unclear story and the lack of online mode, it’s still quite solid. Be sure and check it out.
GTA IV is the story of Niko Bellic and his search for answers, money, and vigilante justice. GTA has always mixed genres, but GTA IV exemplifies the sandbox game type by being equal parts racer, third-person shooter, dating simulator, and playground – there’s even an option to turn off the story so that the plot and characters won’t bother you while you’re rampaging through Algonquin and trying desperately to avoid the NOOSE (Liberty City’s SWAT equivalent).
The story is worth following (a first for the series) so I won’t spoil it here. Suffice it to say you’ll despise Niko one moment for being so cold and vengeful and you’ll feel sorry for him the next. The guy’s been through a lot, and it’s hard to say that anybody else would feel differently in his position. Rockstar has created a sympathetic antihero, and that’s something to be applauded.
Gameplay is a mixed bag. Some things have been improved dramatically while others feel like a step backward from Saint’s Row (and if you really think R* didn’t study Saint’s Row like Volition studied GTA you’re mistaken). The gunplay is much improved over prior installments. Additions to your repertoire like blind fire, precision aiming, and the ability to take cover make Niko Bellic more useful in combat than Claude, Tommy, or CJ ever dreamed of being. Niko can also climb fences and jump over low obstacles. Small additions like this really make you realize just how limited our old sandboxes were, and the new Liberty City is better for it. A knee high wall shouldn’t stop me from chasing a drug dealer.
Driving is, after you get accustomed to the new scheme, also improved over previous entries. Gone are the days of A
Episode 1 is not for everybody; it is for fans of the Penny Arcade comic strip. Characters and writing style that are instantly familiar to a fan of the comic will leave newcomers confused and probably a bit turned off. Just like the paperback novels aren’t a good introduction to the Halo universe, Rain-Slick Precipice is not a good first taste of PA’s unique humor and characters.
Mechanically, Episode 1 is a by-the-numbers active-time-battle (similar to Final Fantasy VII – attack when your bar is full and your opponents do the same) RPG. One change from the norm, however, is item use. Episode 1 heavily encourages the player to use stat-affecting items thanks to a low inventory limit and a cache of readily available trashcans to knock over for another bottle of Dr. Hardd’s liquid armor or Ultra-Mild weaksauce. As things progress there will be a lot to keep track of: attack, item use, and special attack counters for three characters, support character ability counters, and blocking incoming enemy attacks can get a bit overwhelming, but the game never feels cheap, and remember: HP is restored after every fight. Fans of the comic will recognize PA’s iconic art style that includes the player-created avatar in cutscenes and characters such as demonic fruit juicers, evil mimes, and random gods that happen to have forsaken the 1922 city of New Arcadia.
The main party is also instantly recognizable as the player gets to fight alongside steampunk versions of Gabe and Tycho whose dialog is familiar, sharp, witty, and uproariously funny. The humor extends beyond just dialog, though. Every object that can be interacted with has its own custom description text, and each is at least worthy of a chuckle.
Episode 1, like the comic strip that spawned it, isn’t for little kids. It is rated M, and for good reason. Krahulik and Holkins have managed to transition their witty – although vulgar – humor from static images on the Internet to a moving, well-playing, and altogether funny game. Episode 1‘s only real shortcoming is the price. Fans of Penny Arcade will most likely look at the 1600 point ($20 USD) price tag and purchase right away, but Rain-Slick Precipice is currently the most expensive offering on the arcade, and the adventure clocks in at only around eight hours which is fairly short by RPG standards.
