Chris Ingersoll

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure

February 7, 2008

When experienced gamers see anime-style characters and a title that clearly denotes a main character and a sidekick, their brains usually leap to the conclusion of “cartoony mascot platformer” and then they frequently move on to the next box on the rack. In the case of Capcom’s Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure (Z&W), they would not only be dead wrong, but also missing out on one of the Wii’s finest third-party offerings to date.

In reality, Z&W is a point-and-click puzzler the likes of which the gaming world hasn’t seen for quite some time, with sharp, expression-rich cel-shaded graphics very reminiscent of Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Using the Wii Remote, you will direct Zack, a young upstart pirate working for the Sea Rabbits, and his magical mischievous morphing monkey companion Wiki through a series of two dozen stages. Along the way, you will have to outwit and elude Rose Rock goons (members of a rival pirate gang), cannibalistic Growlin’ Goblins, and restless pirate ghosts — not to mention fiendish traps and mind-bending puzzles. Some stages even feature puzzle-based “boss fights” that will tax you to your mental limits. Your reward for solving each stage is a piece of treasure coveted by the Legendary (albeit cursed) pirate Barbaros; he has promised to give you his legendary ship if you can reassemble his various pieces — your fondest wish come true!

As mentioned, the interface for Z&W is point-and-click at its core. Various items and contraptions will be highlighted as you direct the pointer over them, and almost all of them must be employed to succeed in the current task at hand. In addition to items you find on each stage, you can also create items from living creatures by shaking the Wii remote near them; this will cause Wiki to transform into a bell that will transform the creatures both to and from item form. Ringing the bell is also useful in other situations, such as collecting coins or exorcising guardian spirits. Thanks to the Wii remote, each item and contraption is used just like you would use it in real life: keys must be turned, saws pulled back and forth, umbrellas opened via their release button, etc.. You will have to master over one hundred items in order to solve all of the puzzles and collect all of the treasure.

Each obstacle you pass scores you an amount of HirameQ (HQ) points, a sort of measure of your intellectual ability; you earn less HQ if you fail at a given task or complete a step out of sequence, but not for taking a long time, so it’s advisable to think out your situation whenever possible. Some obstacles have multiple solutions possible. You can also pray to the Hint Fairy for advice by pressing the 1 button, although you will need to have purchased a Hint Idol from Granny in the Sea Rabbits’ Hideout first, and it will cost you HQ when you complete the stage. Running afoul of traps and enemies will result in a swift — and often hilarious — death for Zack; if you have a Platinum Ticket (also bought from Granny), the Hint Fairy can rewind time to before you screwed up and you can take another shot at it (at the cost of some HQ), otherwise it’s back to the beginning of the stage you go. Sometimes you will have erred in such a way that the stage becomes unsolvable; if you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation, the Hint Fairy will let you know (if you ask her). You can also restart the stage on your own at no penalty at any time.

Z&W features appropriate music for its various stages, which include a jungle, an ice zone, a volcano/fire zone, and a haunted castle among others. Sound effects bring every character, item, and contraption to life; while there is no voice acting, there are clips (in the original Japanese, “Zaku” in full effect) that accent emotions and give a little extra personality to the characters. Theoretically there is very little reading required in order to actually play the game, although the early game is filled with text explanations that will need to be relayed to anyone too young to read them. Fortunately, there is another in-game aid available for anyone who might not be able to handle the game on their own: a form of multiplayer in which up to three other Remotes can be used to point out and draw temporary lines on the screen. Only the 1P Remote can actually do anything, but this inspired decision can turn this puzzler into a group or family experience.

By the time your quest is over, you will have most likely logged over thirty hours playing Z&W; additional puzzles also show up in completed stages once you’ve beaten the main storyline for additional brain-teasing. Considering that a new copy of the title retails for a discounted $40, that’s a playtime-to-cost ratio rivaled only by epic RPGs. Unlike an RPG, however, you will be actively engaged just about every step of the way. The puzzles are always logical, although not necessarily obvious or intuitive every time. Sometimes the Wii remote’s gestures don’t respond quite like you want them to, but outside of that small problem there are few flaws to be found in this game. The Wii needs more third-party support of this superior caliber, and Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure deserves a spot in every Wii owner’s library.

Dragon Blade

January 16, 2008

Reviews / Wii / by Chris Ingersoll /

Dragon Blade is a simple hack ‘n’ slash adventure pitting a plucky young hero against teeming hordes to reclaim his mentor’s glory and rescue the kingdom. His only weapon is a magical sword containing the spirit of said mentor, an ancient fire dragon known as Valthorian. At first he only has basic swings and thrusts at his disposal, but in time he will be able to unleash the power of a dragon.

As Dal (the lad in question) progresses, he will battle the evil dragons and corrupt kings of old who claimed the shards of Valthorian’s Dragon Core. Each time Dal defeats one of the kings, his sword gains one of Valthorian’s attributes: claws, wings, tail, or fire-breathing head. Each form has its own abilities, and Dal will have to master them all in order to defeat the Dark Dragons.

Doing so is simply a matter of swinging or thrusting the Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the proper manner. Dal is fairly responsive and will do what you want more often than not as long as you’re not being frantic. The dragon forms offer you moves like titanic punches, earth-shaking ground pounds, furious claw swipes, and streams of fireballs. The gesture controls really pay off here, as they help to put you “in the game” as opposed to just hitting buttons. Each use of a form’s attack consumes Firepower (think MP), easily regained as you fell enemies, destroy objects, and stab your fiery blade into a boss’s scaly hide.

The battles against the massive Dark Dragons are easily the most impressive aspect of the game. Once you’ve softened them up, you get a Core Break Chance, a quicktime sequence a la God of War. Execute the commands in time to shatter the dragon’s Core and emerge victorious. After having to whittle your way through several layers of health bars (some more sensitive/vulnerable than others), these all-or-nothing sequences are a welcome respite and are among the game’s graphical highlights.

Dragon Blade is mostly combat; there are puzzles here and there, but those are generally solved by simple application of one of the Dragon Forms. Combat can be repetitive if you let it be, but fighting without losing a ton of health requires some actual strategy. Hitting the A button as an enemy is about to hit parries the attack and regains health, but striking them at the right time instead scores extra damage. You can also roll out of the way of blows too heavy to parry, or leap into the air to add oomph to your swing or get additional hits against large enemies. You can lock on to enemies, but this system doesn’t work nearly as well as it does in games like Zelda, partly due to the sometimes-abysmal camera.

You can tell that developer LAND HO! put a lot of effort into the gameplay, but also that this was pretty much their sole focus. Besides the camera, many shortcomings prevent Dragon Blade from achieving must-own –or even must-play– status. The most obvious are the graphics, which are bland and unimpressive, even by Wii standards. Some attention was paid to fire effects and the fights against the enemy dragons are awesome, but everything else quickly fades from memory. The enemy AI leaves something to be desired at times, as you can sucker them into attacking you “black ninja” style rather than in one overwhelming mob. The game is also plagued by invisible walls that keep you on a linear path. Finally, while the music and sound effects are decent, the only voice acting we get is Valthorian during the opening and closing cinemas. Every other time it’s just plain blocks of text.

I love Dragon Blade‘s mostly-original concept and well-executed gameplay, but the repetitive and at times monotonous nature of the adventure combined with the general “blahness” of the presentation make the game arduous to play for extended periods. The ending hints at a sequel, and I sincerely hope that it improves on these areas, because there is promise in this IP at its core (no pun intended). Fortunately, publisher D3 seems to be aware of the game’s shortcomings, as it retails for a bargain $30, less expensive than some DS titles. At that price, Dragon Blade becomes a worthy investment for those willing to overlook its flaws and give it a chance.

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008

December 12, 2007

Reviews / Wii / by Chris Ingersoll /

Every year THQ rolls out a new WWE wrestling game that often is nothing more than a glorified roster update. While the other systems may be receiving more of the same this year, the Wii is at least receiving something different: a brand new control scheme. It is also receiving gameplay content that seems like it belongs on an eight-bit console rather than modern-day gaming hardware.

The best word to describe the Wii’s version of Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 (featuring ECW) is “simple,” which is both praise and damnation. Developer YUKE’S has done everything in their power to provide a WWE gaming experience that feels immersive and that would appeal to the casual wrestling fan. To this end, they have largely succeeded… although they may have left the more devoted wrestling fans out in the cold in the process.

Almost everything you do in SDvRAW is accomplished with a wave of the Wii remote, often in conjunction with holding down one or two buttons. This will execute various strikes and grapples; several grapples are also interactive and can have several different outcomes depending on which direction(s) you wave once initiated. Don’t worry about having to remember which directions do what, as an HUD appears on-screen that tells you which directions are valid for your current situation. The HUD also tells you when (and how) you can perform favorite moves, finishers, and pinfalls. In addition to being able to simulate punches, chops, and even headbutts by making the appropriate gestures (in the appropriate situations), you can also regain some stamina by hitting the C button and performing your selected superstar’s signature taunt in the same manner.

While these controls work very well, they are not without their faults. The reversal system feels too random to be reliable, for instance, and “frantic waving” has unfortunately replaced “button mashing” when it comes to kicking out of pinfalls or just getting up off the mat. Perhaps the most significant drawback to this new control scheme is that they don’t cover every situation you might encounter in (and around) the ring. I still have no idea how to shift focus when faced with multiple opponents, and you basically have to discover for yourself that the Z button will allow you to cancel certain command input situations. The ten-page instruction booklet is all but useless in this regard, and there is no tutorial mode.

In fact, “there is no” is a recurring phrase when comparing the Wii version to it’s brethren, which is where “simple” becomes a double-edged sword. There is no preview option for entrances in create-a-wrestler mode, meaning that you have to actually have a match to see what the maddeningly-unhelpful descriptions of “Music 01” or “Superstar 05” translate to in the actual entrance, then back out (after finishing the match) and return to CAW mode to make changes, enduring auto-save screens and load times every step of the way. There is no real plot or story to “Main Event” mode; everything is done via static text messages on your cellphone, with no twists and turns to provide any interest, and basically all you do is challenge opponents and/or accept their challenges ad nauseum until you’ve won enough matches to earn a title shot, training and resting to recover stamina as necessary along the way. There is no rhyme or reason as to when the remote’s pointer activates menu selections and when the nunchuk’s c-stick does the navigating.

Perhaps the most glaring omission is the fact that there are no special matches to be found anywhere in this version. The only options you have for matches are singles, tag team, triple threat, “KO” (first to lose all their stamina loses, no pinfall or submission required), and “hardcore” (if you can call two chairs and falls count anywhere “hardcore”). That’s it — no ladder match, no cage match (neither traditional, Hell in a Cell, nor Elimination Chamber), no Royal Rumble… nothing. There isn’t even an option for an “I Quit” match, despite the much-touted “struggle submission system” of this year’s edition.

Most (if not all) of these omissions are present on the Xbox360 and PS3 versions — why did the Wii receive gameplay that comes from the late 80s? The unique control scheme can’t be blamed for all of this (although it is probably the root cause of the dearth of match types), can it?

Whatever the reason(s), the Wii version simply feels half-baked. The game will be fun for casual wrestling fans who just want to pretend to be John Cena as he takes on Triple H, and there is potential in the new control scheme, but the overall shortcomings in the actual gameplay will prevent this from being anything more than a weekend rental at best. Hopefully THQ/YUKE’S will be able to provide a full WWE experience next year.

Dementium: The Ward

December 11, 2007

DS / Reviews / by Chris Ingersoll /

Fans of first-person shooters and survival horror games haven’t had many opportunities to enjoy these genres when away from home. For all of its market dominance, the Nintendo DS has definitely been lacking in those areas, but publisher Gamecock Media Group and developer Renegade Kid are looking to change this with their latest offering, Dementium: The Ward. Dementium brings a mature attitude that is rarely found on the popular two-screened handheld, with an ESRB rating to match.

The game starts off with you waking up in an unlit room in a run-down medical facility of sorts, possibly a sanitarium, with no memory of who you are or why you’re there in the first place. If the monotone recording instructing you to evacuate doesn’t convince you to get moving, then perhaps the blood smeared all over the place will. Before you leave the room, you find a notebook with “WHY DID YOU DO IT?” scrawled across one of its remaining pages, suggesting that maybe you do belong here after all…

Are you a murderer? Well, even if you’re not, those patchwork zombies certainly are. And since you seem to be the only one left alive (and human), you might have to address more important issues than your missing identity — like survival.

Survival is an appropriate word for Dementium, as it plays more like a survival horror game than a “shoot anything that moves” FPS, despite its camera perspective. Ammuntion is limited, with your primary weapon mostly being a guard’s nightstick; sometimes, it’s better to just run for it rather than fight. As you progress through the ward, you can acquire firearms that allow you more accuracy and greater range — assuming you can shoot in the dark. Like Doom 3, Dementium requires you to choose between holding a flashlight or a weapon, meaning that if you want to defend yourself you probably won’t be able to see your target unless it’s right on top of you (or underneath you, in some cases).

This would be frustrating enough without having to handle the DS’s first-person control scheme (Metroid Prime: Hunters used a similar method). For the right-handed, you move using the D-pad and use your held item by hitting the L button; the R button switches between your flashlight and whatever weapon you last selected. Everything else, from looking around to accessing subscreens (notebook, map, inventory, and options), is handled via the touch screen. Lefties can reverse everything if they prefer, using the XYAB buttons to move instead.

If you’ve never attempted this method of control, then you may not appreciate how awkward this is. In order to properly manipulate the movement and attack controls, you want to be holding the left side of the DS as you normally would; however, since your right hand is occupied by holding the stylus, you’re stuck supporting the other side of the handheld on your leg or possibly little finger. No matter how you decide to tackle that problem, this makes the game somewhat physically uncomfortable to play for extended periods of time. This effect may be somewhat lessened if you have a DS Lite rather than the heavier original DS, but it is something to keep in mind.

Mentally, playing Dementium is also uncomfortable, but this time it’s mostly intentional. Your flickering flashlight barely illuminates streaks of blood and other signs of a zombie infestation in the gloomy halls, while an audible health indicator (in concert with an appropriately EEG-like display on the touch screen) constantly thumps away in the background. A suitably creepy piano score and a constant downpour of rain provide even more ambiance, while zombies groan, whistle, and make other unsettling noises to let you know they’re around before they start trying to eat you alive. You can jot down information that might help you solve puzzles in your notebook, which is a small comfort, but at the end of the day it’s just you against a hospital full of bizarre, mutant zombies… the origins of which might creep you out even more, should you discover them.

Unfortunately, there is also a demoralizing aspect to Dementium, which is its biggest failing. If you fall victim to the zombies, then you’re forced to start over from the beginning of the chapter rather than from your last save point. This can result in you losing a substantial amount of progress, which can and will make you throw up your hands in frustration. Additionally, while ammunition and health pickups do not regenerate when you re-enter a room, the enemies do, making backtracking undesirable — and probably suicidal.

The intense (and unforgiving) difficulty and control scheme form an imposing barrier to really enjoying Dementium, but in spite of that roadblock, Dementium is a solid gaming experience and an interesting change of pace from the usual DS fare. The difficulty made me abandon the quest as soon as I had to restart a lengthy chapter, my curiosity about the storyline being totally overcome by my intense frustration. Bear in mind that this game isn’t fit for general audiences; if you’re a fan of the survival-horror genre, then maybe you won’t mind the seemingly arduous challenge as much as I did. There’s a good game here for those willing to put up with its quirks.

Neves

December 11, 2007

DS / Reviews / by Chris Ingersoll /

Neves is a simple DS title that serves its purpose admirably. Essentially a digital version of the classic tangrams silhouette puzzles, Neves (which is “seven” backwards) gives you seven tiles and hundreds of shapes to form with them by using the DS’s touch screen to move, rotate, and flip them into formation.

There are three different ways to play single-player Neves. The simplest mode is “Silhouette”, which lets you screw around at your own pace until you figure out the solution. A step up from that is “Time Pressure”, which puts you on a three-minute clock; you get a silver award for completing the puzzle in the alloted time, and a gold for a minute or less. The hardest difficulty is “7 Steps”, which limits you to seven moves to complete the puzzle. A “move” for this mode’s purposes is defined as any manipulations you need to put one piece in its final location; as soon as you touch another piece, that’s another move, hence “7 Steps” for seven total pieces. These modes essentially correlate to difficulty levels, as the puzzles are the same throughout, and you get credit for completing a given puzzle no matter in which mode you do so. At first there is only one “room” of forty-nine puzzles available; completing it unlocks three more (with a varying number of puzzles per room), and there are twelve rooms in total.

Neves also features a two-player “Bragging Rights” mode that can be played off a single DS card. This is essentially a race to see who can complete three puzzles first. Finally, there is also “The Room”, which contains your stats and options.

As mentioned, Neves is inherently simple, with graphics that are literally polygonal — two identical triangles, one large trapezoid, one medium trapezoid, two idenitcal small trapezoid, and one pentagon are pretty much all you get. There’s also some jazzy music, but the game plays just as well without it (either muted or turned off via the Options menu). The touch controls work well, but occasionally get confused when the tiles overlap; this is really only a problem for “7 Steps” mode, and even then it’s a minor one.

The only gripe I have with Neves is that someone decided to charge full price for it. A game this simple doesn’t demand a thirty dollar price tag; there is literally only one programmer listed in the credits. This should be a “Touch Generations” equivalent bargain title, but for some reason it is not, which is a crime.

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