Chris Massey

Harvest Moon: Magical Melody

May 29, 2006

Since the first game for the Super Nintendo, the [i]Harvest Moon[/i] series has grown in popularity. You either know it as a classic favorite or as that one game where you plant vegetables. The series is back for another go with [i]Harvest Moon: Magical Melody[/i]. [i]Magical Melody[/i] hopes to take the series back to its roots after [i]A Wonderful Life[/i] bored fans to tears, while adding in a few new things along the way. Fans will appreciate a lot of the things added into the old formula and still have fun the same way that they did with previous titles in the series. The repetitive nature of the series will continue to drive away most gamers, but fans can expect one of the best games in the series yet.

[i]Magical Melody[/i] begins with your character moving into town to take part in a farming program. After purchasing a plot of land, you are greeted by three little elf creatures, who take you to a petrified statue of the Harvest Goddess, turned to stone because people no longer believe in her. It’s up to you, as well as your rival, to collect as many Happiness Notes in order to revive her. While this is the overall main goal of the game, you are still charged with building up a successful farm, marrying one of the many men or women in the town, and generally leading a successful life. Notes are gathered by doing general tasks within the game, so collecting almost comes naturally (or sometimes by accident) and doesn’t really hinder the main focus the series is known for.

All of [i]Magical Melody[/i] is sort of a tribute to the entire [i]Harvest Moon[/i] series as a whole. You could probably look at the game as being fan service to those faithful enough who have played since the first game on the Super Nintendo. All of the characters within the game are composed directly from previous games in the series, although there are a few completely new characters and some seem like re-tooled versions. You are given a choice to play as a boy or a girl, but those who choose to play as a male will be able to choose from ten different guys, all of which are drawn directly from [i]Harvest Moon[/i] for the SNES or [i]Harvest Moon: Save the Homeland[/i]. Female players also have ten choices, and although some of them are technically new to the series, they all are obviously crafted after characters from [i]Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town[/i].

Some new things have been added that are drastically different from previous games. The most evident addition is the ability to build your farm in a number of different locations around town, each having different advantages and disadvantages. This leads the series into a kind of free-form feel, and takes away a bit of the linear game play the series is known for. Once you get enough money, you can essentially purchase much of the town’s land and build as many different farms as your feel, designating one area to animals, another to growing crops, or just setting up a vacation home up in the mountains. It is certainly one of the better updates the series has seen over the years, and actually adds in a bit more strategy into the game.

Of course, all of the staples of [i]Harvest Moon[/i] have made a return in [i]Magical Melody[/i]. The game returns to the traditional formula of days lasting a few real-time minutes, as opposed to [i]A Wonderful Life[/i]’s twenty-four real-time minutes to every day. Crops, animals, and just about everything else have reverted back to the traditional game play, and really, [i]Magical Melody[/i] seems like a completely different game from its predecessor, [i]A Wonderful Life[/i]. Fans will no doubt have few issues with what’s to be had in [i]Magical Melody[/i], but those who haven’t been turned on by the series so far will have little reason to try again with this game.

Another contributing factor to the fact that only fans will be attracted by this game is the graphics and art style, which, quite honestly, look to be straight out of a child’s picture book. To put it bluntly, the look of the game may very well turn off many people. Things look reminiscent of a more refined Animal Crossing, and characters take on the, what’s called in anime circles, chibi look (that is, they look like children with huge heads and very separated legs). Fans will probably not be phased by the looks of the game, or if they are, they probably will not think much of it. The game still remains the same as always, even with the quirky graphics style. Just don’t expect to get your friends hooked on the series when they take a look at [i]Magical Melody[/i]. It will probably only end in pain.

Overall, this is a perfect game for fans of the series. It takes everything from past games in the series and reinvents the formula to give us something new. Again, [i]Magical Melody[/i], combined with the graphical presentation of the game, will probably not convert those who look at the game with eyes rolling upward. Even so, if Natsume hasn’t gotten those people hooked on the series yet, they probably will never do so, and know that appeasing the fans will be enough. In the end, [i]Harvest Moon: Magical Melody[/i] is a game for the fans, and acts as a tribute for those fans. And those fans will no doubt find a lot to love in this new installment.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

May 29, 2006

PC / Reviews / by Chris Massey /

If there has been one game more anticipated than almost anything out there this year, it’s [i]The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion[/i]. Originally slated for a late 2005 release, many were disappointed when [i]Oblivion[/i] was held back from the Xbox 360’s launch, including PC users who suffered along with next-gen owners. The wait has been worth it, though. Stunning graphics, deep enriching storylines, and stellar game play make [i]Oblivion[/i] recommendable to nearly any play style. Not only will fans see a huge step up from its predecessor, [i]Morrowind[/i], but [i]Oblivion[/i] is an amazing experience open to almost anyone, fan or otherwise. [i]The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion[/i] is easily one of the best games of 2006, and may just be one of the best games in years.

[i]Oblivion[/i] continues [i]The Elder Scrolls[/i] story from [i]Morrowind[/i]. However, even if you haven’t played [i]Morrowind[/i] or any of [i]Oblivion[/i]’s other predecessors, the game is fairly accepting to new players (although some references will be lost). The story follows the player after being locked in prison and a sudden visit from Emperor Uriel Septim embroils you into a complex plot to destroy the empire of Tamriel, starting with the murder of the Emperor. Not long after, you are dumped out into the land of Cyrodill, intent on locating the heir to the throne. The story of [i]Oblivion[/i] is rich, detailed, and just as powerful as any movie you would see in theaters.

However, the truly beautiful thing about the game is the freedom given to do whatever you feel. Don’t feel like rescuing the heir to the throne? Then give one of the game’s numerous factions a try, like the Thieves Guild, which specializes in pickpocketing and pulling daring heists, or join the Dark Brotherhood to focus on your inner murderer. If those don’t appeal to you, then you can go about exploring over two-hundred dungeons strewn across the region. Even exploring the game’s impressive landscape can lose a player for hours. There is almost no limit to what you can do in [i]Oblivion[/i], and the fact that the game doesn’t confine you to one particular story lets you do it all at your own pace.

In addition to the non-linear play style, [i]Oblivion[/i] is also unique in that there are dozens of different ways to play the game. While the game is mainly an RPG at heart, you can choose to craft your character into a warrior and fight in Roman gladiator-style matches, or focus on stealth and make your living picking pockets. To many, [i]Oblivion[/i] may not feel like an RPG at all, and even those who are not particularly fond of traditional RPGs will probably find something to love. A lot of games try to pull off a number of different “sub-genres” within a certain genre, but whereas many of those games fail for not balancing out the game play between all the different modes, [i]Oblivion[/i] succeeds in incorporating action, stealth, exploration, and many other styles where others have been put to shame.

Certainly one of [i]Oblivion[/i]’s strongest points goes to the character creation system, which is just about as detailed as you can get. There are ten races to choose from, ranging from humans to humanoid leopards and lizards. What really sets [i]Oblivion[/i]’s character creator from other games’ is the amount of detail you can put into shaping and manipulating the face. There are so many options to choose from that, truthfully, some people may neglect the broad scope of it all and simply skip over any facial manipulation whatsoever. On the other hand, though, I’ve heard of people getting lost for hours developing the perfect character. Of course, one of the drawbacks of such a detailed creation system is that, since the game lacks online play, no one else will probably ever see your masterpiece (or abomination depending on your shaping abilities). Even so, how can you argue with such an advanced creation system?

Being an RPG, you’ve probably already guessed that your character levels and grows throughout the game. It’s in this area that [i]Oblivion[/i] shines once again. Where the character creator is ideal in deciding how and what abilities your character will have, it is in the field where you gain experience and advance in those abilities, shaping your character even further. Running constantly will raise the athletics category while battling with a sword or knife will raise your blade skill. Successfully picking locks will increase your security skills while using destruction and restoration magic is key to any starting mage raising their magic attributes. As these skills increase, they will also gain new ranks such as journeyman and master, giving your character even more benefits. Possibly one of the only complaints about the leveling system is that as you level, the world around you does so as well, although this may be essential to keep the game challenging in the long run.

Yet another bright spot on [i]Oblivion[/i]’s virtually spotless resume is the radiant A.I. possessed by the Non-Playable Characters (NPCs). As you pass by people, they turn to look at you, maybe even throwing in a “hello” or “get out of my way” while they’re at it. Conversations generally wear thin pretty quickly, but one of the amazing things about [i]Oblivion[/i] is that the NPCs react with one another, and you may even hear people talking about a heroic deeds of a certain individual (in other words, yourself). Every NPC has their own schedule, sleeping at night and walking around town during the daytime, making the scope of the game that much more impressive when considering how many thousand NPCs there many be strewn throughout the game. There are still some minor issues with the intelligence (since when are people happy to speak with you after waking them in the middle of the night?), but it is still one of the best examples of computer A.I. this side of video gaming.

Now let’s talk graphics, and you probably already know this game has got the goods. [i]Oblivion[/i] is a true artistic masterpiece both on the PC and Xbox 360, and everything is detailed to its fullest. The natural environment contains lush grass and great textures, while torches flicker with life in dim caves. The in-game clock allows you to see [i]Oblivion[/i]’s environment during all times of the day, and character models look fantastic, looking genuinely human with their shimmering eyes and lifelike facial movement. However, there are a few flaws to be had. While textures look terrific up close, the distant mountains and plains actually look pretty ugly; Crayola crayon ugly at times. Also, characters models may spasm out of control from time to time, which just looks plain awkward. These are generally unnoticeable, though, and really don’t hinder the game in the least.

You’ve no doubt heard the talk that this game is a beast on the PC. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that a great computer is going to be needed, and case in point: the system requirements are really quite hefty, and that’s not even getting into the recommended specifications. This is probably where the 360 version of [i]Oblivion[/i] wins out, as even the best PC systems may produce some issues and crashes. However, my computer contains an Nvidia GeForce 6600 GT video card, 1 Gigabyte of RAM, and a 2.0 Gigahertz AMD processor (all of which roughly meet the required system specs.) and the game runs pretty smoothly at medium settings. Most reports also say that a really spectacular computer will win out graphically against the 360, but still be ready for some bugs in the PC version. One thing the PC version does have a leg up on, though, is the modding community, which is already pumping out modifications that change some of the issues with the PC version (such as the complaint of a console-like interface), something the console version of [i]Oblivion[/i] just can’t do. Either way you go, however, [i]Oblivion[/i] is great on either system; just be sure you know what you’re getting into with the PC version.

When it all adds up, [i]Oblivion[/i] is a must-have game that will suit almost anyone’s tastes in gaming. The game is a thing to behold, whether it be on the PC or on the next-gen Xbox 360. There just isn’t a whole lot wrong with [i]Oblivion[/i], and everything you would think could go wrong is executed perfectly. The fluent presentation of different game play styles makes it accessible to all reaches of gaming, and the scope of the game will have you occupied for hours upon hours. [i]The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion[/i] lives up to every expectation the series has presented, and is simply one of the best titles to come out this year. I know it’s only May, but we could very well be looking at the next Game of the Year.

Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots

May 3, 2006

PC / Reviews / by Chris Massey /

[i]Rise of Nations[/i] was one of the best RTS games ever put out on the market, and earned the best game of 2003 from magazines and websites alike. So it’s only natural that the makers of the game would want to profit on an expansion pack. As many people have found out throughout the years though, expansions are merely simple add-ons that do little from placing in a few new maps, units, and possibly fixing any major bugs still in the original game. Amazingly enough though, Big Huge Games have outdone themselves with [i]Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots[/i], which is, in my opinion, one of the best and most comprehensive expansion packs ever made.

[i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] does what you’d expect an expansion pack to do, which is add in new units and other content. In most games, this would translate into a few new units or vehicles, which may even be cheap knockoffs of previous units in the original release. [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] adds in its fair share of this kind of content, but each new addition is fresh and a nice addition to the original game itself. Of course, [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] also adds in new game play features, and in the end, almost seems like a completely new game instead of an expansion.

The first thing [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] does is add in new nations into the already current 18 nations. Additions include the Persians, the Native American Lakota tribes, and the superpowered Americans, as well as the Dutch, Indians, and Iroquois. Like the previous nations, the new nations all have their own special powers. Some of these powers are actually fresh ideas in the [i]Rise of Nations[/i] formula, like the Lakota who receive food for every citizen they have, and the Persians who can have two capitals at once. Of course, you still have the usual powers, such as economy boosts, cheaper unit upgrade, and the rest most [i]Rise of Nations[/i] players have come to know.

There are also a couple new units in the game, mainly unique units put into the new nations. The Americans have Marines at the barracks, while the Indians and Persians have War Elephants. The nations also have powers that apply to historical terms, such as government research being completely free for the Americans, due to their declaring independence in the 1700’s. There are also three new wonders to build, like the Hanging Gardens, the Forbidden City, and the Red Fort. Like the nations, the new wonders also have their host of unique powers not seen in the original RoN. Another new feature introduced in [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] is the Senate, which lets you research two different paths of government; the Democratic path which consists of a Republic, Democratic, and Capitalist society, and the more frowned upon governments, like Despot, Monarch, and Socialist governments. Each form of government has different advantages, and even if you become a Capitalist government from a Monarchy, you can still keep the powers from your previous government.

Now for most people, this may seem like enough to warrant a purchase, as it is the common content you usually see in an expansion. But if that isn’t enough, [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] goes even farther by adding in new Conquer the World campaigns that expand the Conquer the World feature from the original [i]Rise of Nations[/i]. You still have the original Conquer the World campaign that has you competing against every other nation for world dominance, with some tweaks to include the new nations introduced by Throne and Patriots of course. Throne and Patriots adds in four new campaigns, each with new goals. You have Alexander the Great’s campaign, and Napoleon’s campaign to defeat other monarch nations. Then you have The New World, which is one of the most interesting campaigns. Here, you have the European and American nations competing with one another and the Native Americans to control all of the newly discovered North America and South America. There is also the Cold War, which has you playing as the Americans or Soviets in an attempt to defeat the other and rule the free world. The most interesting thing about the Cold War is that you can choose any path, either going peaceful against the Soviet menace, or completely decimating the United States with nuclear missiles.

[i]Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots[/i] is one of the best and comprehensive expansions I have ever played. It goes far beyond what the usual expansion does by adding in enough content to make it almost like a completely new game. The deal is even sweeter thanks to the fact that [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i] costs the same amount as your average expansion pack. If you’re an avid player of the original [i]Rise of Nations[/i], then there is every reason for you to purchase [i]Thrones and Patriots[/i]. With its great updates and new features, it is possibly one of the most quality expansion packs ever made.

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence

April 9, 2006

DS / Reviews / by Chris Massey /

Ten years ago, [i]Resident Evil[/i] crept up on the Playstation and has since developed a loyal fan base and several sequels (not to mention prequels and remakes). Last year’s [i]Resident Evil 4[/i] took the game’s fixed camera and classic control style and threw it out the window, and while this was a welcome change, some may feel like the original game play mechanics will never see the light of day again. [i]Resident Evil: Deadly Silence[/i] aims to rectify this by reintroducing the original [i]Resident Evil[/i] to the Nintendo DS. With a faithful translation of the original game and brand new features, fans should find a lot to love here on the DS.

Being a remake of the first [i]Resident Evil[/i], [i]Deadly Silence[/i] needs no introduction among the faithful fans. Everything from the original Playstation classic has made its way onto the DS’s tiny screens. The S.T.A.R.S. alpha team has crashed after being sent to look for Bravo Company, and after finding their dead, mutilated corpses, are chased into a mansion and trapped. In the process, Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield are separated, letting [i]Deadly Silence[/i] retain the separate storylines of the original game. This feature allows for two different play experiences, with Jill’s campaign being easier while Chris’s being more challenging.

The controls of [i]Deadly Silence[/i] may be hard to get used to at first. For the most part, the game controls very similarly to the original Playstation version. With fixed camera angles in tow, it can be very hard to maneuver your character, especially if a zombie is bearing down on you. While the fixed camera angles are designed to conceal enemies until you turn the corner in order to surprise you, it can also be very frustrating combined with the weird controls to back away from these surprises and before you know it, you’re zombie chow. However, once you begin to get into the game, the controls can actually become a little less convoluted as you get used to them. If you’re coming into [i]Deadly Silence[/i] from [i]Resident Evil 4[/i], though, be prepared for frustration.

Since this is a faithful port, there are also a few things from the original [i]Resident Evil[/i] that aren’t exactly executed well. Ink ribbons make a return, the items which are required to save your game. While the game does have a fairly good supply of these, it can be annoying if you happen to be save-happy like I am, so you’ll have to learn to reserve your saving habits. Another thing of annoyance is the limited inventory space that each character has as well as the weird storage system the game gives you to hold the things your characters can’t. You will probably end up backtracking a whole lot just to make space for a little key you found.

[i]Deadly Silence[/i] also makes use of the Nintendo DS’s features, albeit briefly. The game offers you two modes of play: “rebirth” mode and “classic” mode. Classic mode is the stripped down basic [i]Resident Evil[/i] game, while rebirth mode adds in touch screen and microphone options to the many puzzles, making them a little more interactive. Sometimes entering a room will randomly start a barrage of enemies that you will have to slash using the touch screen, which seems a bit gimmicky. Still, those who dislike it can always go with classic mode to avoid it. In addition, there is also a Wi-Fi mode that lets up to four players play against each other or cooperate together. It all makes the original [i]Resident Evil[/i] much more enjoyable, and the unlockables strewn throughout the game makes this a very long game.

The graphics stay true to the original game as well, and look every bit as primitive. Characters take on the bloated body segment appearance all too familiar with early Playstation games, while the individual rooms have questionable textures for this day and age, although both of these issues are fairly excusable. However, one of the inexcusable things in the game is the terrible voice acting straight out of 1996. Complete with some brief full motion video, the dialogue and voice acting are ridiculously bad, almost so much that it will make you laugh. The voices can actually be very unintentionally hilarious, which, mixed with what is supposed to be a serious survival horror game, ruins the story a bit.

Overall, [i]Resident Evil: Deadly Silence[/i] is perfect for DS owners looking for some horror on the go. [i]Deadly Silence[/i] packs all of a classic Playstation game into a tiny cartridge and will leave fans with not only a faithful translation but with some extra tidbits along the way. People unfamiliar with the series or coming in from the seminal [i]Resident Evil 4[/i] may have a frustrating time with the control system, but those willing to give it a go will probably find peace with the fixed camera and control style after playing through it a bit. With all the nostalgia and new content added into the mix, [i]Deadly Silence[/i] is a great handheld game that will last for quite a while.

Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

March 19, 2006

Reviews / Xbox / by Chris Massey /

Every year, there are a number of games that come out and catch the attention of gamers, usually due to massive commercialization or it being an anticipated sequel. Then there are the games that receive so little attention, but turn out to be one of the better games released in the year. [i]Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy[/i] falls into this category. With its unique take on third-person shooter game play and great depth, it’s a shame that many people will miss out on this game that, in truth, may outshine some of the bigger titles being released this year.

When you first play [i]Psi-Ops[/i], you start out with next to nothing, aside from a weak little pistol. One might think at first that [i]Psi-Ops[/i] doesn’t really do anything differently than other third person shooters like [i]007: Everything or Nothing[/i] or [i]kill.switch[/i] do. Don’t worry though, because [i]Psi-Ops[/i] offers up one of the most unique game play functions seen in a third person shooter that really makes the game enjoyable. Like the title suggests, throughout the game you will learn various psychic powers to use at your will.

The game follows the story of Nick Scryer, who possesses a number of different psychic powers. However, in order to infiltrate a powerful terrorist organization with psychic powers, his memory has to be wiped. This memory wipe makes him an average soldier, no psychic powers or anything. As the story progresses, you will regain all of your psychic powers, run into members of the terrorist organization, and remain in the dark for the most part. The game doesn’t have “conspiracy” in its title for nothing. While not as bad as [i]Metal Gear Solid[/i], you really won’t know what’s going on until the very end of the game.

As mentioned, you will slowly regain all of the psychic powers you once possessed. There are a number of different psychic attacks, all of which add to the greatness of the game play. Telekinesis, the first trick you’ll learn, allows you to pick up objects, while remote viewing lets you step through walls into other rooms to survey the surroundings before barging in. Mind drain refills your precious psi energy, while mind control lets you take over the minds of unsuspecting enemy soldiers, and pyrokinesis lights up your enemies with fire. Of course, you can’t just use these powers as you please. Every power (save for mind drain) uses up your blue colored psi energy. Luckily, numerous psi containers lying around levels are there to refill your energy.

All these powers make [i]Psi-Ops[/i] a pretty versatile and open-ended game. You can take out your enemies numerous ways thanks to your powers. For instance, to take out a group of enemies, you can use your telekinesis to throw crates and crush them, or throw a tank of oil at them to blow them into oblivion, or pick them up and throw them from the edge of a platform. Or you could sneak up behind them and mind drain them to pop their head, as well as refill your psi energy. Or you could take over a soldier’s mind and have them do the dirty work for you, or simply walk them into a lethal pool of acid. The point is; you can do almost anything you want in [i]Psi-Ops[/i], and take it the way you want to go.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a third person shooter without the guns. Unfortunately, this is where [i]Psi-Ops[/i] falls short. With all the powers at your disposal, you’ll often find yourself killing enemies with your psychic powers over getting into a firefight. Even then, it doesn’t help that the gun selection is fairly bland. There are only a small handful of different guns, and while the guns aren’t completely useless, it’s just much simpler to take someone out with telekinesis. Even so, this doesn’t hurt the game for the most part, but it may have you question if this is a third person shooter or not.

The enemy A.I. is a little hard to talk about. Enemies are fairly smart and will open fire the second they spot you. Meanwhile, civilian scientists and workers without weapons will strike the alarm button, and go cower in a corner while reinforcements come to deal with you. However, Nick’s powers are so powerful that dealing with one or two, even three soldiers is pretty simple work. Things can become complicated when large groups start to converge on you, such as when the civilians strike an alarm, but even then your powers can deal with them with ease. The game usually provides you with a large number of first aid and psi energy containers, so it shouldn’t be too hard to stay alive unless you are astronomically outnumbered.

The physics in [i]Psi-Ops[/i] look great. They have a sense of real life movement, especially when you pick up a dead body with telekinesis or throw a crate at a soldier. The graphics look fairly good as well. Some of the facial expressions are a little exaggerated, although I suppose that’s to give the character’s face the sense of fear or anger without them seeming too bland. [i]Psi-Ops[/i] looks best on the Xbox, although the Playstation 2 version is only slightly lower in quality. In the end, it doesn’t really matter which system you get it on. Both versions work great.

The sound quality is fairly adequate. Like the character’s face, the dialogue between characters may seem a little exaggerated. Some lines will probably floor you, sounding like they come from an old television program. For the most part though, the dialogue is tolerable, and by no means the worst we’ve ever seen in a game. [i]Psi-Ops[/i] is fairly quiet when you’re not in combat. The music catches up when a firefight starts up, or when you enter a boss fight. Overall though, you probably won’t pay too much attention to the music since it only picks up when you need to concentrate on killing soldiers.

[i]Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy[/i] is quite possibly one of the best games to come out this year. It’s a little on the short side, and there isn’t much else besides the single player storyline, but it can be fun to play through again, and with three different difficulties and the number of psychic powers, it can stay fun for a good while. The guns are slightly downplayed in [i]Psi-Ops[/i], but the mind tricks make up for that in full. It’s just a shame that this will become a sleeper hit, with not as many people knowing about it, because [i]Psi-Ops[/i] is a great game that’s full of action and does something new and unique with the third person shooter genre.

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