When it comes to stealth games, it’s very easy to find yourself lost in the mechanics, taking every necessary precaution and being as careful as possible. I have a love-hate relationship with stealth games, but the ones I love I really love. I recently replayed Hitman: Blood Money for the first time in years. I was revisiting a franchise I consider one of gaming’s best in preparation for the upcoming release, Absolution, but also because I wanted to see how well I can handle a game of that nature. I’m not typically someone who goes out of his way to make sure every loose end is tied up in stealth games. I don’t prevent myself from getting caught or having anything come back to me when, once the mission ends, the game goes on regardless.
And yet, if the Hitman franchise has taught me anything, it’s that I, briefly, became a perfectionist. READ MORE
Sometimes I see people say they’re sick of games attempting an 8-bit (or 16-bit) style. I have to step back and think about what they are saying and why they are saying it. Developers often choose to design games, either just graphically or also mechanically, like the classics not because of a lack of budget but because that era represents a golden age in gaming history. Many developers find it appropriate to take their games back to that time and make their games have a retro look or feel. Sometimes it’s simply for nostalgic purposes, and others because they feel it is truly appropriate for the game they are creating.
It is a trend that continues to be an ever-present part of the industry and one that will most likely never die, and I couldn’t be happier. READ MORE
In 1994, Final Fantasy VI was released and quickly became one of the most popular and successful games in the franchise. It was remembered for many things, including its strong cast of characters and fantastic villain, but I remember it for being the first game that took a bold step forward and attempted something that, to me, had never been done before. The game’s central antagonist, Kefka, had actually succeeded in his plan and destroyed the world, killing off many people, animals, and plant life. This was a bold move, one that gave the player a reason to keep fighting and eventually defeat Kefka. Most importantly of all, it provided a post-apocalyptic world for players to explore. READ MORE
Check out part one of this feature here.
From this point forward, all of Goichi Suda’s projects would veer away from the same brand of craziness that was Killer7, focusing more on developing the gameplay. That’s not to say we never saw more of Suda51 trappings in his games, they just felt more subdued in comparison. Suda and Grasshopper Manufacture went on to create other projects after Killer7, but it wasn’t until 2008’s No More Heroes that we saw their real return to form. READ MORE
Usually in New Game+, I discuss components of games, gaming culture, and the industry as a whole that I find engaging and worth talking about. I’m going to do something a little different this time. To celebrate the release of Goichi Suda’s latest project, Lollipop Chainsaw, I feel it’s time to discuss the man behind such cult hits as Killer7 and the No More Heroes games. Not only am I a fan of Suda’s work, but I find the ideas that fuel these strangely compelling experiences absolutely fascinating. READ MORE
