GameCube

Geist

September 30, 2005

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/geist/cover.jpg[/floatleft]It’s just a regular old day at Volks Lab. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and everybody’s just dandy. Oh yeah, there is also the business of a spirit running amok, inhabiting everything in sight and leaving destruction in its wake. It’s a good thing that spirit is you. Welcome to Nintendo/N-Space’s new first-person-something for the GameCube: [i]Geist[/i]. A tale of intrigue, conspiracy, death, and just a little bit of voyeurism.

Early previews of this game left many lost as to what exactly it was. Is it a first-person shooter? Is it an adventure game? What’s with the frame rate? These questions now have really good answers. Much like [i]Metroid Prime[/i], [i]Geist[/i] is played from the first-person perspective where you shoot thingsA

Star Fox: Assault

August 11, 2005

GameCube / Reviews / by Chris Rasco /

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/starfoxassault/cover.jpg[/floatleft][i]Star Fox[/i] is one of the few games I actually remember playing back on the N64, which is funny because despite the awesome library for that system, I only owned a half dozen games at any given time. [i]Star Fox: Assault[/i] is the newest in the franchise and the second game to come out for the GameCube.

[i]Star Fox: Assault[/i] takes place after [i]Star Fox Adventures[/i] (GC), and when Andrew Oikonny, the nephew of the late Andross, is kicked out of Star Wolf’s gang of miscreants, he takes control of the remaining Andross fleet and brings a revolution. Star Fox and his team spring into action to defeat Oikonny and his rebellion.

[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/starfoxassault/ss04_thumb.jpg[/floatright][i]Star Fox: Assault[/i] sports a single-player mode, a versus mode, and last but not least, a bonus game which happens to be the NES version of [i]Xevious[/i]. Single-player mode takes you through the story of the game but also allows you to replay each mission you have currently completed to earn high scores. When you have completed story mode, you will unlock survival mode which allows you to embark on a survival game that challenges you to finish every mission without saving.

Unlocking the bonus game is accomplished by completing story mode on Silver difficulty.

As you play through [i]Star Fox: Assault[/i], you will encounter a few different types of levels. Some levels will have you exclusively piloting the Arwing, and some levels will have you embark upon foot. Missions on foot, all range stages, will allow you to take advantage of the Landmaster, which is basically a light tank. Likewise, you can also truck around on foot. While on foot, Star Fox has a highly expansive arsenal of weapons with which to eliminate his enemies. These weapons range from a simple blaster all the way up to a Gatling Gun and even a Demon Launcher, which is only available in the versus mode.

From a gameplay perspective, there isn’t a whole lot new this time around. Piloting the Arwing is basically the same as it ever was. When setting up your character, you have the option of inverting the Y axis for your Arwing, Landmaster, as well as on foot. These settings are independent of each other, which I find very comforting since I know some people like inverted flying, but not inverted FPS/3PS viewing.

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/starfoxassault/ss08_thumb.jpg[/floatleft]After completing each mission in story mode, your score will be tallied up on the results screen. You will be awarded a score for the level based on your mission points (made up of your time bonus and enemy hits) and level difficulty bonus. You will also collect medals and badges for your accomplishments in this particular level. These are all tallied up for an overall score for your profile. You are also given a chance to save after each mission.

Versus mode allows you to play with two to four players in a split-screen melee. The number of options for versus mode is quite impressive and should make for a nice variety in a multiplayer gathering.

[i]Star Fox: Assault[/i] is not a terribly long game, but for me the inclusion of [i]Xevious[/i] has solidified its place in my collection (it’s sad, I know). The jumps in difficulty between Bronze, Silver, and Gold will keep a [i]Star Fox[/i] fan playing the game a few times to achieve maximum scores, and the multiplayer will give you and your friends a reason to come back for more.

Having some of my fondest childhood gaming moments with [i]Xevious[/i] makes this a no-brainer for me, but even without that stellar classic, [i]Star Fox: Assault[/i] is a worthy title to check out.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

May 5, 2005

GameCube / Reviews / by Lauren Rasco /

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/donkeykongjunglebeat/cover.jpg[/floatleft]For those of you who don’t know already, I am a huge [i]Donkey Kong[/i] fan. Huge. I mean, the biggest there is out there. So, with that being said, I was really excited when I heard about [i]Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat[/i]. I must admit that I was a little disappointed when I heard that the game play would involve the bongos from [i]Donkey Konga[/i], but nonetheless it was going to be the first true [i]Donkey Kong[/i] game on the GameCube. Perhaps my hopes were set too high, but I didn’t feel that this newest installment in the beloved [i]Donkey Kong[/i] series lived up to its potential.

To sum up the game for you real fast here: you play as Donkey Kong and you are on a mission to collect bananas, or beats. You climb up flowers, get tossed by monkeys, and swing on vines to maneuver your way through various levels. Once you beat two areas in the level, your beats get tallied up. They then become your “hit points” for fighting the boss. Once you do that, the number of beats with which you are left gets thrown into a hollow tree to determine the crest you receive. The more beats you have, the better the crest in the form of bronze, silver, and gold. You need crests to unlock higher levels.

[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/donkeykongjunglebeat/ss03_thumb.jpg[/floatright]Donkey Kong, how I love thee, let me count the ways… your large chest, your ability to rock at the bongos, the Neanderthal stare… There are so many things that I loved and enjoyed about all the previous [i]Donkey Kong[/i] games. The story was amusing, the levels were fun, and the pace was moderately slow. So, I think it’s only fair to start out with the things that I didn’t like about [i]Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat[/i]. The biggest bone I have to pick with [i]DKJB[/i] is that you went through the levels so quickly that you didn’t get to enjoy them. The pace was so fast that you didn’t even get to notice half the stuff in the level, not to mention how impressive the graphics were. The pace of the game also sets up for another mild disappointment; it only takes a few hours to beat the game. The game also got a bit monotonous at times, as there was not much difference from one level to the next. There wasn’t much of a story, so the game came off as shallow. Each kingdom consists of two levels and a boss. Even the bosses repeat themselves. As far as the actual game play goes, it was a tad irritating that trying to play without the bongos was a task in and of its self. To move, you had to tap the button over and over again, as if you were playing with the bongos. Controlling Kong with the bongos became frustrating at times too. Let’s face it, in a world where the slightest toggle on the analog stick can make or break a sneaky move in some games, a style of play where you beat on bongos to move about was a concept hard for me to embrace. Cone almost lost an arm out of my frustration.

Now with all that ugliness out of the way, let me get to the things that I liked. I liked that it was a fun, upbeat, simple game to playA

Resident Evil 4

January 19, 2005

GameCube / Reviews / by Elaine Garbarine /

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/residentevil4/cover.jpg[/floatleft]Capcom’s [i]Resident Evil[/i] series dates back to 1996 with the original release of [i]Resident Evil[/i] on the PlayStation. Since then, the series has expanded to include 11 games (spanning six consoles)-as well as two movies-and has helped to shape the survival horror genre as gamers know it. [i]Resident Evil 4[/i] is the latest installment in a franchise that borders on epic.

[i]RE4[/i] has the player assuming the role of Leon Kennedy (remember him from [i]Resident Evil 2[/i]?), who has been sent to Spain to rescue the president’s daughter, Ashley. Little does Leon know, this is hardly an in-and-out sort of job. He finds himself caught in the middle of some very strange happenings as he travels through an expansive game world. It needs to be said that the plot of [i]RE4[/i] is enjoyable and well-told with cut scenes (rendered with the in-game engine), letters, and notes to help drive the story. I refuse to spoil any of the game, so you’ll have to play through and discover for yourself. Happily playing through the game to unravel the plot is as enjoyable as the story itself.

[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/residentevil4/ss16_thumb.jpg[/floatright][i]Resident Evil[/i] games have become notorious for their controls and gameplay. Past games in the series have made use of a fixed-camera system which created a frustrating experience in character movement. In addition, the character would only run when a button was pressed and had to stop moving to wield a weapon. The control scheme in [i]RE4[/i] remains unchanged-what has changed is the camera position. The camera now moves dynamically with Leon, always positioning itself behind him. Changing the camera makes the controls become intuitive and easy to adjust to. Beyond the camera change, combat has also evolved. Instead of the clichA

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

January 4, 2005

GameCube / Reviews / by Elaine Garbarine /

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/metroidprime2/cover.jpg[/floatleft]With the amazing success of [i]Metroid Prime[/i] upon its release in 2002, it seemed natural that Retro Studios and Nintendo would develop a sequel. What gamers got was a sequel to end all sequels. [i]Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[/i] takes everything amazing about [i]Metroid Prime[/i] and expands it to make it better. [i]Echoes[/i] is bigger and better in every single way, proving definitively that Retro Studios and Nintendo do not disappoint.

The story is simple: you play a bounty hunter named Samus Aran who is regularly contracted to do various missions around the galaxy. Samus has been asked to locate and assist a group of Federation Troopers who have chased a group of Space Pirates to the planet Aether. As Samus enters the planet’s atmosphere, her ship is damaged. As she begins to explore Aether, she uncovers information about the Federation Troopers and ultimately finds that the planet is split into two dimensions, the Light World and the Dark World. These two dimensions are also caught in a constant state of war. Samus is asked by the Luminoth (creatures inhabiting the Light World) to help vanquish the evil Ing (Dark World creatures) and restore peace to Aether. This all seems simple enough until you realize that in order to go about helping the Luminoth,, Samus must travel back and forth between the Light and Dark Worlds.

[floatright]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/metroidprime2/ss13_thumb.jpg[/floatright]Firstly, this game is aesthetically gorgeous. Instead of simply updating the graphics engine used in [i]Metroid Prime[/i], Retro Studios made the decision to build a new engine from the ground up. The particle effects are better, lighting is exceptional, and character and environment animations are smooth and clean. Cut scenes are rendered using the in-game engine and are simply awe-inspiring. The Light World is lush and diverse with swamps, sandy desert areas, and a very high-tech fortress. All of these different areas are pulled together so well that it really drives home the point that this is a beautiful and diverse planet. The Dark World is caustic and unfriendly and contrasts the Light World so completely. The game runs in Progressive Scan mode, and it is really an amazing visual experience.

The graphics are not the only thing that got a facelift-the sound was also updated. Effects down to the sound of Samus’s power blaster have all been redone, along with a slew of new enemy sounds and a brilliant new soundtrack. I was a bit disappointed that there was no 5.1 surround sound, but the Dolby Pro Logic II still sounds quite impressive.

As we all know, graphics and sound will not a game make. Luckily, the gameplay in [i]Echoes[/i] is just as fantastic as the scenery. The player guides Samus from behind the visor in her power suite, which creates a standard first-person perspective. The controls are exactly the same as those in the first [i]Prime[/i], and the major complaint about them has always been the inability to free look while moving. The controls are tight, responsive, and well-suited for the game despite the need to stand still to free look. The core of the gameplay revolves around exploring this new planet to collect various power-ups for Samus.

The game has a number of new beams, suits, visors, and missile/beam combos to collect as well as some returning favorites. [i]Metroid[/i] veterans may be sad to hear that the Wave beam and the Ice beam have been left out of [i]Echoes[/i] in favor of two new beams. These new beams, properly called the Light and Dark beams, add a very interesting dynamic to the game. Apart from allowing the player to open certain doors, these beams help to open portals so that Samus can move back and forth between the Light and Dark Worlds. In addition, most creatures have a weakness to one beam or the other, which adds yet another level of strategy to the gameplay. My only gripe is that the beams now come with an ammo limit, which has never been done previously in a [i]Metroid[/i] game. I found that I would often forget about the ammo restriction and fire away finding myself out of Light ammo in the worst possible moment. Once you adjust, the ammo limit isn’t really all that big of a problem, and ammo upgrades can be found hidden around the planet.

I would like to avoid spoiling the joy of uncovering new power-ups, so I will avoid disclosing any of the other additions to which Samus will have access. I will say that the new suits are incredible to look at, and the new missile/beam combo attacks are amazing. The number of new items and updated classic items really create a drive to play this game and find that next cool thing that Samus can use. The other driving factor is the abundance of cut scenes that Retro has added. These cut scenes are beautifully rendered using the in game graphics engine, and they are so incredible to watch. They really help to tie the game together nicely.

[floatleft]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/reviews/metroidprime2/ss06_thumb.jpg[/floatleft]Beyond new power-ups, a new story, and gorgeous graphics and sound, [i]Echoes[/i] also boasts significantly more play time than [i]Prime[/i]. A first play-through of [i]Echoes[/i] will take anywhere from 18 to 20 hours without the use of a guide-possibly less if you are a [i]Metroid[/i] veteran. Even veterans should be warned, though, that this game is significantly harder than [i]Prime[/i]. The best way to describe the ramped-up difficulty is to say that the beginning of [i]Echoes[/i] is about as hard as halfway through [i]Prime[/i]. That is not to say that this game is impossible, but if you really hate playing the same boss over and over again, then you may want to reconsider this game.

There is one final thing to discuss concerning [i]Echoes[/i]: multiplayer. Retro Studios originally intended to include a multiplayer experience in the original [i]Prime[/i], but because of the time factor it was excluded. [i]Echoes[/i] now has a multiplayer mode which boasts the traditional Death Match as well as Bounty mode which entails stealing coins from another player every time you shoot them. Both of these modes are surprisingly fun to play, and using all of your [i]Metroid[/i] power-ups on human opponents is priceless. I found the multiplayer in Echoes to be a very refreshing change from the ridiculous amounts of [i]Halo[/i] that I’ve been playing recently.

The final verdict on this game is simple: buy it now. [i]Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[/i] is easily the best on the Gamecube to date. Every part of [i]Echoes[/i] is polished, beautiful, and engrossing. I was hooked from beginning to end despite the number of horrible deaths that Samus endured due to my inability to destroy certain boss characters. My recommendation is to grab this game, turn off the lights, turn up the volume, and prepare for and amazing experience.

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