This article was originally published in the November issue of Tek Lado Magazine
In the last 20 years, videogames have moved beyond the toy shelf into a global market surpassing the movie industry in annual sales. Some investors have even estimated the annual worth of the industry at more than $100 billion worldwide. Whether it's that 99-cent iPhone game you can't put down (we're looking at you, Angry Birds), the hours you've spent farming computerized cauliflower on Facebook or this year's top-tier shooter, gaming is everywhere and it's bigger than ever. With this added growth comes added responsibility, as the industry must constantly adapt for changing markets.
In 2007, the United States Census identified 3.4 million households as Spanish-speaking and the results of the latest census are expected to see this number grow. Game developers should take note of this growing demographic when localizing titles for North America. Localization includes everything from translation to, in some cases, changing cultural references or differences to suit the territory.
In recent years, however, language options have increased. Menus, in-game text and subtitles are often available in several languages. But a game offering multiple language tracks, a complete localization, is difficult to find. More than 75 million Wii consoles later, Nintendo's blue-oceans strategy of appealing to non-gamers has certainly paid off, but the issue of accessibility, especially in terms of language, remains.
Localization is a costly and laborious process. The idea of providing multiple audio tracks with several spoken languages is something many smaller studios might not be able to afford.
Take publisher Atlus, for example. The company's catalogue is a Japanophile's dream. Quirky Japanese games such as the Shin Megami Tensei series server a loyal audience and do it well. The company's focus on bringing Japanese games and offering them to an American audience with sharp, oddball localization has paid off. But Atlus isn't the biggest kid on the block. Can a company like Atlus afford to offer bilingual localizations for these games? Added to that, has the demand gotten high enough?
This fall, EA is working with Shinji Mikami (of Resident Evil fame) to bring Vanquish to gamers worldwide. Vanquish is a third-person shooter like Gears of War with an insane sense of speed and a delightfully high level of Japanese quirk. The game features several spoken language tracks, including English, French, Spanish, and Japanese.
In 2009, Ubisoft's holiday blockbuster, Assassin's Creed 2, offered similar language features. In fact, many gamers preferred playing the game, set in 15th-century Italty, with the Italian dialogue with English subtitles. (When in Rome...) But these are marquee titles with large budgets and the power of the EA and Ubisoft machine behind them.
Gone are the days when games could get by with bad translation as in the 8-bit era of "A winner is you," "I feel asleep" or "all your base are belong to us." The move from East to West is more thoughtful and the work being done in English localization continues to improve.
But the Spanish-speaking market is booming, and game makers and publishers who want to appeal to these gamers should do what they can to make titles accessible.
Platinum Games has made a name for itself offering unapologetically hardcore games like the monochromatic blood-feast Mad World, the hyper-sexual beat ‘em up Bayonetta, and the methodically paced RPG Infinite Space. Shinji Mikami, creator of Resident Evil and founding member of Platinum Games, has directed the company’s latest creation.
Set in the not-too-distant but typically dismal future, Vanquish pits the game’s chain-smoking, cybernetic suit-wearing protagonist, Sam Gideon, against an army of robotic soldiers on an Earth-orbiting space station. Gideon is sent to the colony after Russian terrorists have seized control and used the station’s power to destroy San Francisco. That’s right. Those robots are evil and they’re dirty commies! For most of my time with Vanquish I didn’t have a clue what was going on story-wise but I kept my mouth shut, followed orders, and left a trail of sizzling robots in my wake. The story-telling needs work, to say the least. But Vanquish isn’t here to be the next 2001. Its goal is to put you in the high-tech boots of a kick-ass robot slayer, delight your retinas with its insane sense of speed, and blow you away like an old Maxell ad.
Mechanically, Vanquish takes influence from games like Gears of War but, stylistically, it is a beast all its own. Its chaotic and kinetic nature combined with Eastern design sensibilities give the game its own identity. Sam’s Augmented Reaction Suit comes equipped with all manner of boosters, rockets, and jet propulsion doodads that allow him to knee-slide around enemies, slow down time, and glide toward cover. It’s a mechanic that simply never gets old and is a joy to use. Such a heightened sense of speed can be difficult to achieve outside of a racing game but Vanquish pulls it off spectacularly. Despite any of its short-comings, Sam’s frenetic agility is the game’s crowning achievement.
Along the way, players will find an arsenal of weapons, some of which are more fun to use than others. Upgrading their effectiveness and capacity is a must for any player wishing to bump up their scores, especially on higher difficulties. While some enemies are more susceptible to certain weapons, casual players will be able to get through with the trusty default assault rifle.
For the most part, the Red Army robots are a cinch to dispatch but in higher numbers they can quickly flank a position and take you down. The game manages to introduce a few unique enemies along the way but generally there isn’t much variety. Boss battles are epic set-piece moments which manage to turn up the already-intense action even higher. Unfortunately, several bosses make repeat appearances giving a frustrated feeling of déjà vu while their multiple forms and phases are a carryover of Japanese game design I’d hoped had been left behind long ago. Still, from a moment-to-moment perspective, the action is incredibly well done, making Vanquish one of the most satisfying shooters to come around in a long time.
The game is a bit on the shorter side. Most players will be able to blast through to the credit sequence in about six hours. However, a twenty-hour campaign isn’t necessarily the goal as levels are meant to be replayed. A score is tallied as you go, encouraging players to revisit stages again and again, reaching for a higher number. This arcade-style approach works for the most point-earning obsessives out there but the game fails to give players enough incentive for retreading old ground.
Vanquish suffers from a plot that not only makes characters’ motives unclear but the story gets muddled and bogged down with unnecessary melodrama. What the game lacks in charm it more than makes up for with incredibly tight gameplay. Vanquish is fast. Mind-numbingly fast. Sam moves at speeds so fast the visuals swirl in your brain and push your eyes back into their sockets. It’s kinetic motion at its very best and that’s really kind of the point. The shooting is satisfying and the action is downright jaw-dropping. It’s not meant to reinvent storytelling in games as we know it. Vanquish wants you to hold on for dear life and enjoy the ride. It’s just a shame the gameplay didn’t exist in a story that, at the very least, didn’t cause you to roll your eyes every few minutes.
Kirby’s Epic Yarn is the latest entry in Nintendo’s renewed love affair with the platformers of yesteryear combined with a modern twist. The game is a departure for the big N’s lovable but oft-neglected pink puff, eschewing the mechanics commonly found in a Kirby game for an all new set of abilities. The game’s visual style is its most-striking feature, basing its aesthetic on bits of fabric and string. The game’s charm is impossible to resist. The art evokes warm tingly feelings of childhood and offers enough sweetness to send you into diabetic shock. Levels are made up of swatches of cloth stitched together with string, buttons, and everything else from your Grandma’s sewing kit. It is, in a word, adorable. No scratch that. It’s beyond adorable. It’s order of magnitude cutesy. It’s little puppies frolicking with kittens. It’s bunnies crinkling their noses. It’s a baby’s first steps. It’s— well you get the idea.
The story begins...
Once upon a time, Kirby was out looking for some food and the evil Yin-Yarn sucked him up into his magical sock. (That’s right I said magical sock.) Once inside, Kirby discovered he’d been turned into yarn and lost his ability to gobble up enemies. But all was not lost for Kirby had a few new tricks up his stringy sleeve. Kirby could whip himself into the air, grapple unto buttons, and even turn into a yarn car! Along the way, Kirby met Prince Fluff, a resident of the magical world, Patch Land. Together, the two of them toppled enemies, traversed many strange levels, and defeated several inventive bosses bringing order to the kingdom.
If this review suddenly sounded like a storybook it can’t be helped. Kirby’s Epic Yarn brings with it many of the same qualities found in a really memorable children’s book complete with a soothingly-voiced narrator.
The yarn aesthetics don’t just work in favor of the visuals as the crux for the game’s level design and gameplay mechanics are reenforced by the string-based style. Kirby’s new abilities include the previously mentioned whip which allows him to grapple to buttons and swing toward higher ledges as well as new transformative powers such as turning into a parachute to float over long distances. Players can walk, hop, swing, and motor across levels collecting beads, the game’s currency, as they go. The platforming isn’t especially difficult, the only challenge being derived from finding hidden treasures which force Kirby off the beaten path and completing a stage with as many beads as possible. Throughout the game, Kirby will be able to transform into several vehicles including a sled, surfboard, and don’t forget the gigantic robotic missile-shooting tank. These moments are fleeting and work to break up some of the platforming. For the most part, these sequences work well except for Kirby's train form which could have used some more testing before shipping out the door.
The game doesn’t offer much by way of difficulty. Enemies are easily dispatched by a snap of Kirby’s whip and the platforming feels very much like Gaming 101. Soon, however, players might find themselves skipping past enemies because running into them, falling off a ledge, or anything which would ordinarily cause a player to lose a life and start over doesn’t apply here. Kirby’s Epic Yarn is devoid of fail-states. Meaning, there is no consequence in the typical video game sense of the word for falling or getting hit by an enemy. It’s a design choice which, on one hand makes it infinitely accessible to the game’s younger target demographic while making the experience feel somewhat neutered for the rest of us. I started to feel bored by the whole thing. The imaginative spark of the level design and art direction was enough to keep me going through the experience but, after a while, I started playing podcasts with my TV muted as I trotted along to the finish line. I felt like I needed to keep my mind active. There was no sense of urgency in my decision to play a new level or fight a boss battle because there was no challenge to overcome. However, it’s important to note this isn’t the game’s agenda. This is the perfect game to play with your kids or, at the very least, with somebody who doesn’t play games because they find the barrier to entry too high. It’s not here to punish you. Instead it wants to wrap itself around you like a warm fuzzy blanket, let you relax, and enjoy the experience without fear of frustration. While many gamers will find this off-putting there’s nothing wrong with this choice it’s simply a different one.
Despite the lack of challenge, the game offers some really unique concepts and ideas based around the yarn motif. Everything stays true to that core concept from the character designs, levels, and some fairly ingenious bosses. It all works in service of the art style and it’s unlike anything seen in a game thus far. It’s a shame the game feels somewhat light on content. At about six hours, it wasn’t so much about the time spent playing but more about this feeling I had when I was done that there was more I wished to see. Hidden paths, side-quests such as hide & seek, and decorating Kirby’s apartment with found furniture are a fun distraction but nothing quite earth-shattering. As I said, it’s the perfect game to play with your kids and co-op makes that even easier. Be warned, the co-op mode’s camera frustratingly lacks the necessary zooming-out feature of other multiplayer platformers such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii. As a result, the leading player will be constantly hitting the right side of the screen if their partner lags behind.
There are enough good ideas in Kirby’s Epic Yarn to make it an experience worth trying, regardless of whether or not you agree with its lack of challenge. It left me feeling conflicted. While I wish the gameplay had provided something more dynamic, it’s impossible to deny the game’s charm and relentless sense of imagination. The pleasure derived from the sucrose-sweet art style is immediate and makes the game undeniably enjoyable on a basic human level. It taps into the pleasure centers deep inside your brain reserved only for the idealized memories of childhood. This brand of nostalgia is something Nintendo has been dealing out for almost thirty years and they've become so good it's scary.
Costume Quest is the latest creation from developer Double Fine, makers of Psychonauts and Brütal Legend. This adventure RPG is the first in a planned series of upcoming downloadable titles for XboxLive Arcade and Playstation Network as the studio shifts its focus toward smaller games with smaller budgets in lieu of disc-based retail outings. Set amidst the haunting glow of jack-o-lanterns on Halloween night, Costume Quest begins as brother and sister, Reynold & Wren, embark on their annual trip ‘round the neighborhood collecting candy. Things quickly go awry as one of the siblings (depending on who you choose to play as) is kidnapped by a pack of candy-coveting monsters. Costume Quest relies on Double Fine’s quick wit and a charming sense of humor as sweet as the treats those monsters so desperately seek. An easy but rewarding combat system keeps the action moving while side quests and the occasional bout of exploring are, for the most part, a fun addition.
As you journey through the neighborhood, you’ll encounter fellow trick-or-treaters to join your cause as you rid the town of enemies and liberate homes of their sugary morsels. Knocking on a door will bring either a costumed adult with a witty line and a bowl full of candy (the game’s all-too appropriate currency) or a battle-ready monster.
Battles are a mix of turn-based combat with an active twist. Similar to the combat of the Paper Mario series, Costume Quest’s battles are handled by selecting between normal and special attacks, the latter needing to be charged up before use, and applying it to your enemy. Time-sensitive prompts increase the damage you can inflict as well as increase your defense.
Costumes play a large role in combat as the outfit you’re wearing changes your abilities. What may appear as nothing more than a cardboard robot costume becomes a gigantic mech that towers over the city, delivering missile blasts to any Grubbin foolish enough to stand in your way. Other costumes include a knight, perfect for shielding you from attacks, the Statue of Liberty, a healing class, and many more which you discover over the course of the adventure. In addition, Battle Stamps increase the options available to players creating a little more variety and depth.
Along your travels, you’ll come across Sadie, an enterprising grade-schooler. (Think Lucy’s psychiatry stand in Peanuts.) In exchange for candy, she’ll give you Battle Stamps which alter abilities such as inflicting poison and put a few new tricks up your sleeve during combat like hitting an enemy after a successful dodge.
The combat is a lot of fun although it can get very easy. As an RPG-novice I was surprised by what little challenge the combat presented. It would have been nice to see a higher difficulty curve but, as it stands, Costume Quest doesn’t offer much. If you’re looking for a game with punishing difficulty, go elsewhere, that’s clearly not the intention here. Still, what’s there is good and encourages experimentation. It’s not the most complex system ever devised but its fun while it lasts and at six hours the game ends before fighting feels repetitive.
Side quests and exploring make up the time between battles as you trick-or-treat your way to the top. Bobbing for apples, card collecting, and playing hide & seek with the neighborhood kids are a fun addition to the overall experience however I was disappointed to see a lack of variety in these missions. In each of the three main areas to explore, you’ll find yourself doing the same thing in each level: bob for apples, find rare cards, find hiding children, repeat. The side quests seem to lack the same imagination that powers the game’s style and story.
As the game nears its conclusion, certain problems arise. For starters, the game feels short and not because of some arbitrary limit on dollars spent versus hours played. What makes the game feel short is the rapid pace at which things wrap up. With only the three main areas to explore, you and your costumed cohorts reach the end just when things are starting to pick up. It would have been nice to see at least one more level. Still, in a way it’s a testament to the game that I was left wanting more. That feeling isn’t something you reserve for a game you dislike.
Before the final credits, one of the characters declares, “We should do this every year!” and I have to agree. I can honestly see myself making Costume Quest an annual tradition this time of year. It’s not the longest nor the most-challenging game but what’s there is a fun, charming, and worthwhile adventure. The battle system is engaging and the game carries an imaginative spark that, simply put, makes me want to keep coming back.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow seems like a risky move for the franchise. Previous attempts to bring the series into the world of 3D haven’t necessarily rendered the results fans have craved. After three successful 2-D titles on the DS, the series is having another go on consoles and developer MercurySteam has finally broken the 3-D curse. Lords of Shadow isn’t a perfect game but it’s certainly a good one which takes many liberties with the Castlevania license while crafting an appropriately epic story along the way. While elements of the gameplay take direct inspiration from other franchises, the game has more in common thematically with the likes of Tolkien than anything else. Gabriel Belmont has embarked on a journey following the death of his wife as a scourge of evil and darkness threatens to overtake the world. High stakes, to be sure, but all in a day’s work for a member of the Brotherhood of Light. During his travels, Gabriel will trudge through poisonous bogs, up treacherous mountains, and deep into the bowels of the underworld while battling all manner of skeletons, lycanthropes, vampires, and other creatures of Castlevania lore.
As I said, the story is quite epic, spanning various locations with incredible vistas, characters, and monsters. Gabriel is not alone in his quest as Zobek, fellow member of the Brotherhood, accompanies him for much of his journey though he only takes part in the action for a very short time. Zobek is voiced by none other than everybody’s favorite follically-challenged Trekkie, Patrick Stewart, who does his best with the source material. Problems arise with the storytelling as every chapter begins with a lengthy narration by Stewart which borders on the melodramatic. As the game can last up to twenty hours, players will find themselves constantly pulled out of the experience as the next chapter loads and another narration begins. It’s not all-bad but it made the experience feel somewhat disjointed. Despite the heavy-handed approach to some of the storytelling, the tale can be riveting. It's what kept me coming back to the game. The lengthy story is coupled with gameplay that is mostly satisfying making the journey toward the stunning conclusion all the more enjoyable.
Lords of Shadow is an action game in the same vein as God of War, taking much of its inspiration from the likes of Sony’s Spartan series, platforming reminiscent of Uncharted, and the occasional boss battle ripped straight out of Shadow of the Colossus. While elements of the gameplay might feel somewhat derivative, Lords of Shadow still feels incredibly rewarding, offering complexity, tactility, and weight to its combat. As players progress through each level, they gain experience points which can be traded for additional combos and other upgrades. Added depth comes by way of Light & Shadow magic. Gabriel can harness magical abilities, allowing players to regain health with Light magic and increase damage with Shadow magic active. It’s an extra layer that increases the complexity just enough to reward players looking for more depth in the combat. Meanwhile, players hoping to hammer on the square and triangle buttons will be challenged but can probably manage on lower difficulties just fine.
The game deviates from the “Metroidvania” design of recent Castlevania titles in favor of a more linear, stream-lined experience. It isn’t a bad thing, it’s simply a different direction which could turn off some hardcore fans. I didn’t find myself missing any of the back-tracking. The game isn’t trying to tell the same story or give the same experience as a game like Symphony of the Night. The closest thing to back-tracking is the game’s repayable design. As each level is completed it’s made available to go back, find all of the upgrades, complete on higher difficulties, and attempt various challenges such as beating a boss without using Light magic. Lords of Shadow wears its influences on its sleeve and while the gameplay is enjoyable, for the most part, it does stumble when the fighting subsides.
Occasional puzzles break up the action offering brief moments of lever-pulling, dial-turning, and color matching. The puzzle aren’t going to offer much in the way of head-scratching but at the very least they help to mix up the pace, avoiding the monotony of having the action constantly turned up to 11. However, Castlevania’s weakest points are the moments of exploration and platforming. Gabriel’s movement lacks the fine-tuned feeling we’ve come to expect from games like Uncharted, making certain sections of the game (yeah Music Box level, I’m calling you out) feel extremely frustrating. The problem comes from a lack of weight to Gabriel’s character. His model never feels as weighted as he could and problems abound when standing on moving surfaces. I often encountered an issue with moving platforms as Gabriel would inexplicably walk of the edge without any input from me. A tiny but annoying problem that, to me, illustrated some of the frustration and lack of polish present in the platforming.
I would be remiss if I didn’t take time to mention how beautiful the game looks. From a technical standpoint, the graphics are top-rate. But more importantly the environments and other design elements are, simply put, amazing. There was a moment in particular, as Gabriel stormed across the landscape, a huge gothic castle loomed in the distance, snow whipped at the screen, that I stood back for a long time and stared in awe. The design of Lords of Shadow could be arguably its strongest asset. I remember thinking several times that I hope everybody who plays the game makes it to the end so they can enjoy the views.
The game would have benefited from some editing. It can take a few hours for it to really hit its stride which could turn some gamers off. When an action game of this ilk takes so long to get down to business, more time could have been spent examining what’s absolutely essential. It may seem strange to complain that a game is too long but several levels in Lords of Shadow clutter up an otherwise great game. I would have much preferred a slightly shorter but more concise experience.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow takes inspiration from many great games. Is the combat better than God of War? Debatable. Are some of the boss battles greater than Shadow of the Colossus? No. Is the platforming as finely-tuned as Uncharted? Not really. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad game- far from it. It might not step out from the shadow of its influences, but Castlevnia is a good game that’s absolutely worth seeing through to the end and stands on its own accomplishments of design and story. In fact, in many regards it surpasses a game like God of War. Kratos would be wise to take an acting lesson or two from Gabriel. It’s a slow-burn, offering players an experience that takes more than 20 hours to see the first time through. The game is far more than a miserable little pile of influences, managing to bring a charm all its own offering themes, characters, and locations unique to the franchise. I hadn’t heard of developer MercurySteam before this game and throughout my time with Lords of Shadow I kept asking myself where on Earth they’d been hiding all this time.
Shibuya is the first iOS game from Never Center, the developers behind the App Store entry, CameraBag. The team is no stranger to the platform, which explains the fact that their first foray into mobile gaming is so well-suited to the strengths of the iPhone. Shibuya is a color-matching tile puzzle game. The idea will be familiar to anybody who has played Tetris, Lumines, or Meteos but Shibuya introduces some twists to that style of gameplay which will have even the most seasoned puzzle gamers scratching their heads.
Tiles of various colors will fall from the top of the screen in random order. Players must match up two or more colors in order to clear them away. By tapping on a tile, players can choose the order in which the blocks fall to the bottom. This allows for not only some serious combo opportunities, it soon twists your mind as you frantically race to tap colors into place. Players must think ahead, planning out the order of the colors while the music plays and the timer slowly clicks.
Shibuya can seem a little daunting your first play-through but don’t worry. While you get used to the idea of strategizing your tile order, the game makes things as easy as possible, generously offering a Slow mode to help get you started. Players will quickly master the easier settings, grasping the key concepts, as the game’s addictive qualities make their way into your subconscious.
The game is made up of two modes; Quickplay for two-minute rounds on-the-go and Endless where players see just how long they can last. In-game achievements with OpenFeint integration will keep the most-dedicated players testing their limits for a long time. Personally, I would have liked to see the game support the newly released GameCenter system but Never Center tells me they’re currently looking into it.
Shibuya’s great mechanics are reenforced by a charming, though sometimes sparse, art style and incredible soundtrack. Inspired by the Shibuya district in Tokyo, the game’s visual design mimics the neon lights, bright colors, verticality, and overall kinetic atmosphere of the neighborhood. After playing the game for so long, I did tire of seeing the same static background, wishing there were at least some options to mix up the look but the game’s edited approach to design keeps what really matters, the puzzling itself, front and center. It’s a testament to the design of Shibuya that it’s actually able to convey a sense of time and place in a small puzzle game. The licensed music from Millionyoung is not only a joy to listen to but really helps set the overall tone of the experience. The app thankfully provides a direct link to purchase the music direct from the iTunes Music Store, I highly suggest giving it a listen.
I would have liked to see more game modes and options, whether it’s a mode in which players must clear out a few blocks already placed at the bottom before moving on, or otherwise. In addition, as much as I love the soundtrack, I eventually wished I could play music from my iTunes library. After all, there are only five licensed tracks and the most addicted Shibuya players are likely to hear them many times. However, these are minor issues that come only from spending several hours with the game and, well, it’s tough to fault a developer for making a game I can’t stop playing.
As it stands, Shibuya is a touch-controlled narcotic with a beautiful art style, amazing soundtrack, and clever puzzle mechanic. I’m hesitant to bring up the issue of pricing because iPhone owners should simply try it regardless. However, at $1.99 it’s downright inexcusable not to get it considering how many hours I’ve spent in Shibuya knowing I’ve paid more for Vitamin Water. Put your headphones on, crack your knuckles, and enjoy.
There’s no denying I was a huge fan of the original Mirror’s Edge when it debuted for the PS3 and Xbox 360 back in 2008. The game represented a substantial leap forward in game design through the first-person perspective. Exploring the dystopian city through the eyes of Faith was breathtaking and the acrobatic parkour, while tricky at times, was incredibly rewarding.
Faith is a Runner, a courier of the future, relaying secret messages under the watchful eye of the government. Runners must leap, slide, and roll across the rooftops of the city, avoiding security forces.
While the first game was innovative, it was not without its flaws; most notably the combat and show-stopping bouts of trial and error. Mirror’s Edge for the iPhone tries to remedy some of the problems by shifting the action to a 2-D side-scrolling perspective, avoiding much of the complexity. Despite being a more bite-sized experience than its console predecessor, Mirror’s Edge manages to retain the overall essence of the franchise while bringing its own unique twist to the core mechanics.
The controls have been replaced by a much simpler series of touch-based gestures. Faith’s forward movement is set by a swipe either to the left or the right, swipe up to jump, swipe down to slide, and mid-air swipes will enable context-sensitive actions such as wall jumps or rolling for soft landings. It’s a good system which works almost all of the time. I had trouble getting Faith to stand up after a slide which usually screwed up my momentum.
The game draws several comparisons to Canabalt, another iPhone favorite, racing players along rooftops, gaining speed as they successfully overcome obstacles. Mirror’s Edge adds a layer of depth to the experience equipping Faith with her trademark abilities.
The production values are incredibly high and really take advantage of the iOS devices. The original art style is vibrant and remains intact as the city flies by without a hint of stuttering. Faith’s model can look a tad strange but EA has delivered a great-looking game which really pops on the new Retina Display. There’s smart, limited use of motion controls that are almost entirely optional. I would have enjoyed a little bit of voice work, especially for Faith, but considering this is on a mobile device I suppose it can’t be helped. However, developers looking to push for such a cinematic experience should remember all parts of the equation, including a voice for the main character if only in small doses. That being said, the soundtrack is spectacular. A remix of the theme “Still Alive” is the highlight of the game’s musical offering while the ability to play your own library is a welcomed addition. The game is extremely rhythmic. Players soon get into a groove, swiping against the beat of the music, sending Faith higher and higher.
The weakest moments come when Faith is constrained to an indoor environment. Without the city buzzing by in the background, the sense of speed gets lost and the indoor levels tend to include some of the more frustrating moments. It’s easy to get tripped up by the armed guards and making mistakes is costly as they riddle Faith with bullets while she has very limited means of defending herself. There are some takedown moves at her disposal and these work well, for the most part, but they occasionally let me down when I needed them most. Thankfully, a generous checkpoint system keeps these issues to a minimum.
The game is rather short, an initial play-through can be done in less than an hour. But the brevity is mostly understandable considering how fast you’re going through these levels. Faith runs at break-neck speed across the cityscape. In addition, the hidden courier bags and speed-run challenges will keep dedicated players coming back for more, ensuring more bang for your buck. Fans of the original who fear all of the intricacies have been taken out should take note there is still plenty of fun to be had for even the most seasoned Runners out there.
Some may be thrown by Mirror’s Edge and its $4.99 price tag but I look at it as if I were going out for something to eat. Sure, you can get something at McDonald’s for 99 cents but sometimes its worth going elsewhere and splurging on that $10 burger knowing a little more care went into making it. Mirror’s Edge uses the iPhone platform to its strengths. The visuals are gorgeous on the new Retina Display, the soundtrack is incredible, the touch controls work well, and the use of motion is not over-done. It might not be priced at the usual impulse snack-sized level iOS gamers have come to expect but it’s certainly a welcomed addition to the App Store and a must-have for anybody looking to show off what the iPhone can do.
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is a dirty, lens-flared romp through the neon-streaked streets of Shanghai. Set a few years after the first game, Dog Days reunites the two foul-mouth protagonists for one last “job” before both can retire for good. It’s a plot we’ve seen dozens of times and while the story of Kane & Lynch 2 isn’t going to win any awards, the visual design manages to set the overall experience a notch above some of the game’s weak spots.
Kane arrives in Shanghai where he’s greeted by Lynch who, since we last saw him, has moved to China, met a girl, and made some connections with various crime bosses of the underworld. The deal is all set but things quickly turn to hell and the duo have to shoot their way through a seemingly endless stream of thugs.
The gameplay of Dog Days is a typical third-person shooter with cover mechanics. Cover points are graciously thrown throughout environments and the mechanic works well enough. The problem with the gameplay is that, in 2010, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen many times before. As a result, the shooting feels mediocre, almost aggressively so. Kane and Lynch make their way through city streets, parking garages, nondescript high-rises, and more, taking cover behind all-too conveniently placed columns, pillars, crates, and boxes. The setting, however, is one of the game’s strongest elements. The streets of Shanghai are gritty and, through the game’s bold visual style, give the world a unique authenticity. In fact, the look of Kane & Lynch 2 is perhaps the game’s most pronounced saving grace.
Dog Days does striking things with visual design. The whole game looks as though it’s being filmed by a cheap hand-held camera. Think: YouTube. There’s digital artifacts on the video, bright lights cause lens flares, large explosions cause a buffering/stuttering to occur. The designers intentionally made something less-than beautiful and it works wonders for the overall experience. It’s a smart use of contemporary influences that never feels forced or out of place. In fact, I can’t imagine playing the game without it. The hand-held motif does include a shaky camera effect which follows the game’s protagonists. During my time with the game, I did note some pretty bad motion sickness, a problem I’ve never had before with games. There is, thankfully, a setting which turns on a steady-cam option so the shakiness goes away without sacrificing the game’s other visual elements.
There’s nothing about Kane & Lynch 2 that’s downright terrible but I often found myself wishing the visual style existed in a better game. It just refuses to evolve from a gameplay perspective. The reliance on cover-based shooting even takes a negative toll on the level design. The environments really begin to show their seems when you’ve entered yet another warehouse filled with a surprising amount of crates. It telegraphs the upcoming actions. If you enter a room with lots of cover, prepare for a fight. It’s indicative of the larger problem with Dog Days, it all feels like a huge waste of potential. Despite the visuals, the world feels vapid and empty. For instance, at one point the duo are shooting their way through an old train yard. But the level is static. How great it would have been to take cover behind moving trains, timing your progress forward to the movement of the incoming train-cars. I don’t want to stray too far into backseat game development but I would like to say, to me, it isn’t enough to simply be shooting in a train yard when, in terms of the level’s geometry, it’s exactly like the warehouse from before.
There is a short sequence later in the game where players shoot from a helicopter into the windows of a skyscraper but the gameplay is essentially the same thing as before: take cover, pop out when you can, shoot, repeat. Still, it was an attempt at changing the pace. That being said, the game barely has a chance of over-staying its welcome. The main campaign can be finished in under four hours. That’s right, four hours. Playing through the game with a buddy in co-op mode could offer some replay value but the levels don’t really offer anything that seems designed specifically for co-op. In many of the best co-op experiences, the game features elements built into the level to take direct advantage of the two-player feature. In Dog Days, a co-op buddy is just another gun. Again, I felt this was a missed opportunity. I was hoping to see some more parts of the game take advantage of co-op but mostly we just opened doors together at various checkpoints.
Multiplayer mode really shines with some clever twists on common game-types. The two most notable include “Fragile Alliance” where a team of criminals must work together to complete a heist and escape from the AI-controlled police force. The catch being that, at any time, your online buddies can turn on you, attempting to take more of the cash for themselves. There’s a risk vs. reward behind your decision to turn on your teammates and makes for some pretty tense sessions. The most fun I had online was with the “Undercover Cop” mode which is not unlike “Fragile Alliance” but with the added touch of one of the players being the titular rat. When the round begins, one of the criminals on your team is told they are the undercover cop and it’s up to them to eliminate the criminal team one-by-one without being detected. I enjoyed these modes but, again, couldn’t help feeling somewhat disappointed they were in a game that, often, felt so average.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my time with the game, far from it. Despite offering gameplay we’ve seen before, Kane & Lynch 2 still manages to be a fun experience, most of the time. It isn’t anything revolutionary but it’s simple brainless shooting fun and that could be enough for a lot of people. The game does significant things in terms of visual design which is why I think people should at least play through the game once. Just rent it, set it to easy, and blast through it over the weekend.
This fall, Sony and Microsoft are placing a huge bet on motion control. Following the success of the Nintendo Wii, the two gaming Goliaths are set to debut their answer to the Wii Sports craze. Sony’s Playstation Move, which uses a combination of controllers and the Playstation Eye camera, along with Microsoft’s controller-free Kinect system are offering unique experiences as each company tries to up the motion ante. But will this gamble pay off or will gamers be unwilling to invest in a new motion control experience?
When it was first announced at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, Sony’s Playstation Move didn’t exactly set the world on fire. A series of tech demos showed what the Move was capable of but the reception among many gamers was lukewarm. The product didn’t have a name, a release date or even an actual game to demonstrate its full potential.
What a difference a year makes. Sony has been busy developing the controller, along with several games, and pushed the Move front and center at this year’s E3.
Playstation Move works together with a few pieces of tech. The Move itself, a wandlike controller, isn’t a far cry from a Nintendo Wii Remote. It’s fitted with a lighted bulb at the end which can be tracked by the Playstation Eye camera. This tracking occurs in true one-to-one fashion. Swing your arm in real life and the motion is mirrored by the game in real time. Sensors inside the Move including accelerometers, a magnetometer, and a few more for good measure, increase the precision. (Think the Nintendo Wii on steroids and in high-definition.) But when it comes to the games, Sony is going after the mainstream Wii crowd and beyond.
The games for Move’s big debut are a blend of casual cash-ins, party games and efforts to appease the hardcore. Sony announced their answer to Wii Sports, a collection of events including archery, gladiator dueling, volleyball and more called Sports Champions. Sony thinks the improved visuals and added precision will make this a no-brainer impulse buy. But the real ace up its sleeve is Sony’s push for augmented reality.
Since the Playstation Eye camera is already pointed at the player, it can easily project gamers onto the screen, surrounding them with objects from the game. Upcoming titles such as EyePet and Start the Partymake good use of this. EyePet is like the Tamagotchi for the new generation. Gamers can feed it, groom it, and play with it as the cuddly little guy bounces around the living room. Start the Party is a collection of mini-games which project players on-screen and incorporates them into the action. Augmented reality is an exciting twist for Playstation Move that Sony should continue to explore.
Playstation Move launched in North America on September 17th. Players can purchase the Move system piece by piece or bundled in a number of packages. Playstation Eye owners can add a Move controller for $49.99 while the Navigation controller, Sony’s answer to the Wii Nunchuck, will run you another $29.99. A Sports Champions Bundle is also in the works which will include a Move, Playstation Eye and a copy of the game for $99.99. But some games require two Move controllers creating a larger gap in what could become a fragmented environment. The pricing and inconsistency of using two wand controllers is the system’s Achilles’ heel and Sony needs to fix the situation.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has been busy wiping the slate clean with Kinect. Kinect uses a series of cameras to track a player’s movements. No controller required. Three cameras coordinate incoming data and relay motions in real time. Players move their bodies and their on-screen versions mirror the real-world gestures. At last year’s E3, Microsoft stole the show after debuting Kinect, then known as Project Natal. A year later, new details have finally emerged as Microsoft announced a release date of November 4, 2010, and developers touted their upcoming games. Like Sony, Microsoft is planting a flag in Nintendo’s backyard, targeting many of the upcoming Kinect titles at the Wii’s audience.
Games like Kinect Adventures and Kinect Sports are a good introduction to the system. In Kinect Adventures players compete in several mini-games including a rafting ride down a raging river. Jump, lean, and stretch your arms to avoid obstacles, collect points, and pose for the camera. If it sounds tiring, it is. Kinect encourages players to get up and get moving. Kinect Sports is your typical mix of bowling, soccer, and other games. Kick, roll and throw the ball in the game world while you mime the actions in the living room.
From Harmonix, the makers of Rock Band, comes Dance Central. A game which finally gives players without a scrap of rhythm a chance to hit the dance floor. On-screen prompts show the next move as you mirror the action. The better you dance, the better it gets. In Ubisoft‘s Your Shape: Fitness Evolved players are projected into the game as they interact with virtual environments, burning calories along the way. But Kinect isn’t all dance parties and yoga classes. Described as a spiritual successor to Rez, Ubisoft’s Child of Eden is an electronic rhythm-based rail shooter. Beautiful visuals, an intense soundtrack and intelligent use of Kinect’s motion controls might make this the sleeper hit of the system.
Kinect also brings video chatting and voice recognition to the Xbox 360. Navigate the Dashboard with your hands (think Minority Report) and select a movie to watch. Pause the film by saying “Xbox pause” without the need to pry the remote from the couch cushions. The implications of combining voice recognition with Kinect’s motion-tracking could be huge for developers.
Microsoft has announced several ways to get in on the frenetic fervor. This holiday season, the Kinect sensor will come with a copy of Kinect Adventures for $149.99. In addition, they’re going to offer a console bundle with the newly refreshed 4GB model of the Xbox 360 for $299.99.
With Move and Kinect launching this fall, the two companies are using the opportunity to breathe new life into their consoles. Bucking the trend of a typical console cycle, both systems are getting a new start with peripherals rather than a complete hardware refresh. Whether or not the gamble will pay off is unclear but gamers looking to experience a new take on motion controls should double-down on Move and Kinect.
Singularity marks a departure for Raven Software, the team behind the recent Wolfenstein reboot, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance. The studio finally has a chance to work on an original property and the result is a game that borrows stylistic elements from their previous sci-fi laden shooter and relies on the team’s pedigree for crafting solid mechanics. The game begins as Nathaniel Renko, member of an American military outfit, is on a reconnaissance mission over the Soviet Union’s defunct island, Katorga 12. Singularity’s story portrays an alternate timeline that retells history as if the USSR never disbanded. The island of Katorga 12 was an all-important part of the country’s rise to power. A new element containing incredible power, dubbed E99, was discovered underneath the surface. If wielded correctly, E99 could even manipulate time itself. Like any dubious evil power, the Soviets sought to exploit it. Renko & Co. are marooned on the island decades after it was abandoned in the 1950s. Things quickly take a turn as you realize the past is finally catching up with them.
The effects of the experiments have taken their toll on Katorga 12 and its inhabitants. They’re now horrible creatures, mutated by the power of E99, and they’re coming for you. Singularity’s first impression is striking, taking influence from games such as Bioshock andMetro 2033, the world of Katorga 12 is detailed, haunting, and rich with character. Art-deco elements mixed with Red Army propaganda give Singularity a distinct look and sense of place. It's just a shame the early environments later give way to some generic industrial warehouses. At times, the world can feel a bit contrived. Backwards R’s and N’s on your objectives give the game a “Russiany” look, I suppose, but it’s forgivable when you realize it’s all in good fun. Singularity isn’t trying to be Tolstoy, more like a Hollywood blockbuster’s Russian counterpart. Jerry Bruckheimervich, if you will. Somewhere along the way, history is altered. An evil man has seized power and taken over the world. It’s now up to Renko to travel through time to set things right. Singularity sits on a foundation of solid first-person shooting mechanics. The ubiquitous pistol, shotgun, and assault rifle are naturally part of your arsenal but weapons which tie into the game's time-travel motif are the standouts. The Seeker, a rifle that fires bullets you control as they travel through the air is pure masochistic fun. Other weapons like the sniper rifle have the ability to slow down time so pesky headshots are a thing of the past. In addition to the fun weaponry, Singularity relies heavily on a time mechanic afforded by the TMD or Time Manipulation Device.
Those mad Russian scientists managed to wield the power of E99 and create a handy (and portable, no less) weapon that can either turn back the wheels of time or move them forward. Use the TMD to age locks into dust allowing doors to open, turn enemies into ash, and restore broken staircases to their former selves. The time mechanics are, unfortunately, limited. It would have been nice to see more freedom in who or what you can move through time but, as it is, the game has a set library of objects that are susceptible to time manipulation. Mild puzzles are also sprinkled in for good measure but don’t go beyond simply figuring out how to traverse the environment. I felt like the time mechanics had so much potential, I wished the game had more of an emphasis on these puzzles. As the game progresses, upgrades to the TMD keep the action fresh and the game incredibly well paced. In another nod to Bioshock, the world is littered with upgrade stations which allow you to trade in currency for enhancements to yourself, your weapons, or the TMD itself. While Singularity doesn’t offer the dual-wielding of TMD and guns as Bioshock 2 did for plasmids and weapons, the action doesn’t suffer. The steady upgrades ensure that, even though you’re fighting the same enemy types throughout, the methods are constantly evolving and keep things feeling new. As Renko leaps between the 1950s and the present, you’ll dispatch plenty of Russian soldiers along the way. The occasional boss battle against a gigantic monster keeps things leaning back into the realm of sci-fi. While these encounters offer some of the game’s more dramatic set pieces, it’s a shame they fall prey to the same “shoot-the-giant-glowing-spot” syndrome.
As a whole, Singularity isn’t a particularly long game. Most will get through it in a little under eight hours. It’s right in the sweet spot between offering just enough and overstaying its welcome. Fans of story-driven games will have a hard time putting it down. Bioshock-esque audio logs, notes, messages from the past which are rendered legible by the TMD, and a headache-inducing time twist really flesh out the narrative. In the end, a moral choice offers a variety of endings depending on which route you take. While the ending itself is interesting regardless of your choice, it was another area where the story felt contrived. None of your choices throughout the game up until that moment factor in to which ending you receive. It felt forced that suddenly the game introduced a moral choice when, all the while, you’d been doing what you thought was right. Despite being a single-player focused game, Singularity does offer a decent multiplayer offering. While the standard deathmatch pitting human soldiers against the monsters of Katorga 12 is a fun, class-based distraction, it’s not likely to pull you away from your current online game of choice. Extermination is another game mode that, once again, pits humans versus creatures but is more objective-based. As the soldiers, it’s your duty to restore beacon points and protect them while they charge. As the monsters, it’s your job to stop them. If a team works well together, Extermination can actually get quite addictive. Soldier classes range from the typical medic, spec-op, and heavy units while the creatures offer a little more variety. The multiplayer isn’t the main draw of the game but it’s worth putting in for a weekend and seeing what it has to offer.
Singularity isn’t the most original game but it still manages to do a few things very well. The world of Katorga 12 is not the next Rapture but it’s damn close. Added to that, a time-travel mechanic, great shooting, and mind-bending story all work to shape a rich experience that’s worth seeing through to the end.
Nintendo has a knack for creating simple yet absolutely addictive puzzle games. The original Picross on the DS was a clever play on Sudoku-style grid puzzling, with the added twist of pictures being produced by eliminating squares. Removing squares on the grid is based on a logical elimination based on numbers marking the rows and columns. For example, if a row of 5 squares has a number 5 attached to the end, then all 5 are safe and nothing is taken out. If the row were marked with a 3 then, naturally, 3 squares would remain and 2 must be eliminated. Finding out which squares, however, is the tricky part. The game continually adds levels of complexity, being sure not to overwhelm but still give players a challenge. Nintendo has taken things one step and one dimension further with Picross 3D.
No longer on a 2-D plane, the puzzles now have the added challenge of depth as players will chip away at a block of cubes, following the same rules of logic, to create little figures. It might sound confusing but thanks to a hefty tutorial the game is accessible and once you get sucked in there’s no going back. The game is more difficult than the original Picross in that some players may have a hard time wrapping their heads around the more third-dimension-centric aspects of the gameplay. The game lends a hand by providing sliders in order to cut into the objects in order to get a handle on the cubes. However, this proved to be one of the more difficult mechanics of the game to understand. By following the clues, being sure not to eliminate the wrong blocks, and completing puzzles, players are rewarded by a robot, dog, magnifying glass, and all manner of everyday objects. Speaking of puzzles, Picross 3D offers more than 300 and at $19.99 it’s easy to recommend the game as a great value that’s sure to occupy a lot of time.
The art style has taken a bizarre, pastel-focused turn that looks a bit cheap and juvenile. But, with gameplay mechanics as good as this, the game could have been in black and white and I really wouldn’t have cared. (In fact, Mario Picross came out on the Gameboy in black and white and it was just as much fun.) Customizable background images and music make the aesthetics a tad more tolerable but it’s worth mentioning Nintendo didn’t have to make the game look like a budget title.
The sliders that let you cut-into the blocks and examine the inside of the figures was a constant source of annoyance during the more difficult puzzles. Nintendo was smart enough to make players hold a button to chip away at a cube or mark it as safe. However, no such attention was paid to the sliders which often activated as I was trying to rotate the object rather than cut into it. I wish I could have held a button to activate it as I did with other elements.
I mentioned before that Picross 3D has a lengthy tutorial. It holds your hand perhaps a bit longer than it should. I appreciate the steady pace but it would have been nice to have the ability to skip ahead to more difficult levels. As it is, players have to progress through more than 100 Easy difficulty puzzles before getting a chance to take a crack at the Medium and Hard tiers.
Despite any minor problems I had with the game from an art-style or progression standpoint, these issues pale in comparison to the truly addictive nature of Picross 3D. The game is fun and has the uncanny ability to make you travel through time, unaware of how many hours are passing, as you keep tapping and saying “just one more.”
It’s not too often a game is able to completely surprise you. When Bioshock 2 was first announced, my initial reaction was a mix of resistance and skepticism. As a fan of the first Bioshock, I was wary of how a sequel could undercut the richness of the original. These things must be done delicately. The first Bioshock was not perfect. The plot-twists made the last third of the narrative lose steam, the shooting mechanics felt somewhat hackneyed, and the hacking mini-game brought the pace to a dead halt. That being said, the real star of Bioshock was the city of Rapture. It was a fully realized world unlike anything gamers had seen before. Going in to play the sequel, some of that initial charm and awe of discovery regarding Rapture is lost as it’s not an entirely new experience. However, the team behind Bioshock 2 has made some improvements to the gameplay, shooting, and pacing issues that really make this a worthwhile sequel. As I said before, Bioshock 2 took me completely by surprise. I went in expecting to find something that didn’t quite live up to the first game. In this review, it would be almost impossible not to compare the sequel to the original. It may sound crazy, because I know there are fans out there who hold Bioshock in the highest regard, but in many ways the sequel actually surpasses it.
Bioshock 2 is set ten years after the events of the original. Much has happened since the fall of Rapture and the end of Andrew Ryan. In his place, Sofia Lamb, Ryan’s philosophical opposite, has taken over. Rather than supporting Ryan’s belief of complete independence from the system, Lamb embraces a more socialist view of uniting as one for the greater good. Her daughter Eleanor has been bound to you. As a prototype Delta unit Big Daddy that’s been separated from his Little Sister, the quest to reunite with her takes him through some of the oldest parts of Rapture. Returning to the underwater dystopia feels good and familiar, like a song you used to love or your Mom’s home cooking. My early concerns that this would somehow feel like a cheap cash-in on the Bioshock name were gone within the first few minutes once I realized the world is interesting enough to keep players content with exploring through another ten-hour experience.
Bioshock 2 addresses many of the issues contained in the first. The original was great, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t perfect. Everything in the sequel feels much more streamlined. Shooting is vastly improved. Players can now duel-wield between plasmids and firearms, making the combat far more efficient, fun, and open to experimentation. But the shooting overall, the sheer mechanics of aiming and firing, is much sharper. It feels more like a competent shooter which is, I assume, one of the reasons they added the multiplayer component— but more on that later.
As the Delta unit makes his way through Rapture, he’ll come across Little Sisters with their respective Big Daddies gathering Adam, the city’s all-powerful substance that drove people to madness. Players must defeat these “Mr. B” bodyguards and determine how to deal with the Little Sisters. The first Bioshock dabbled with the same morality structure of killing and harvesting them for a lot of Adam or saving the girls for slightly less. Depending on the player’s decision, the outcome this time around is much more than a different movie at the end of the game. In fact, Bioshock 2 encourages the adoption of the Little Sisters as the game’s best mechanic of gathering Adam was easily my favorite part of the experience.
Occasionally, Delta unit is tasked with protecting his adoptive Little Sisters as they gather Adam. During this time, Splicers, the crazed citizens of Rapture, will be attracted to the location, gunning for the girls. Fending them off, setting traps, and utilizing the game’s enhanced weaponry was addictive and, simply put, a blast to play. These horde-esque moments punctuated the action and were a fun diversion from the Bioshock formula. A strategy begins to emerge as Delta unit preps for the next Splicer onslaught, it’s great.
The game shies away from actual boss battles and with good reason. I imagine many would be hard-pressed to find people who absolutely loved the final encounter in the original Bioshock. The closest players will find to a boss in this game are the numerous run-ins with the Big Sisters. If a Big Daddy was the thing to fear in the first game, the Big Sisters are the equivalent. While not as tough as the Big Daddy seemed in the original, Big Sisters are grown up versions of Little Sisters who have taken to wearing a similar set of armor as their former bodyguards.
On the subject of difficulty, I found Bioshock 2 to be a wholly easier game than the first. Playing both games on Normal difficulty was a vastly different experience. I consider myself a moderately good player, nothing spectacular. I was surprised to see the Playstation trophy icon pop up for never using a Vitachamber (the game’s respawn system) as the credits began to roll. Meaning I never died during Bioshock 2. Whether or not other players have the same experience isn’t certain but it needs to be said that perhaps this is a more mass-market design. The game has its difficult moments, that’s for sure, but I was often so overpowered that, by the end of the game, I could take on pretty much any situation without fear of losing my progress.
Exploration has also been given a more streamlined approach. Gone is the ability to travel back to previous areas and while many will see this as a negative, at the very least it keeps the narrative moving forward. One word of advice— be sure to explore all possible areas within a level before moving on as the game moves along a train-track that only goes one way. While it feels inflexible, I myself didn’t have a need to back-track in the original Bioshock unless the game required it. The structure in Bioshock 2 is just as enjoyable. I still found myself obsessively searching every filing cabinet, every corner, and every Splicer for goodies before moving on.
Unfortunately, the environments of the game aren’t as varied to the same degree with which Bioshock fans are accustomed. The first took players to gardens, frozen fisheries, and everywhere in between. The sequel tends to exist within a lot of similar-looking offices, hotels, and apartment buildings. That’s not to say these levels look bad or were lazily conceived, it just didn’t have the same sense of variety. This could be a result of simply being a sequel and some of the magic of discovery is gone.
There are a few issues that went untouched. For the life of me, I don’t understand the need to make me tap right if I want to use a health pack. In a way, I see the strategy involved of waiting until my health gets lower before using a pack and risking death or playing it safe. But the system allows for Eve to be refilled automatically once it reaches zero if the player has a hypo available. It just seemed like an anachronistic design decision I wish had been rectified when crafting the sequel. In addition, the story of Bioshock 2 isn’t quite as strong as it could be and often feels shoe-horned into the experience.
Not only were fans hesitant to accept a sequel could be a good thing, but online multiplayer also didn’t seem to jive with some of the Bioshock diehards. But yet again Bioshock 2 surprises.
Set years before the original Bioshock timeline, the multiplayer has its own narrative, piecing together the civil war that erupted during the Ryan-Fontaine rivalry. Players can enter into a variety of multiplayer staples such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, a Little Sister-centric version of Capture the Flag, etc. In addition, the game takes cues from online heavyweights and incorporates a leveling-up system with perks and better weapons.The online is a fun distraction worthy of a long weekend. It isn’t going to replace player’s online standbys like Battlefield Bad Company or Modern Warfare but once players are dropped into a game throwing plasmids and shooting at fellow Rapturians, it can be a lot of fun.
Overall, Bioshock 2 is full of surprises. In many ways, the streamlined structure, improved gameplay mechanics, and faithful double-dip into Rapture paid off. The pacing is pitch-perfect, allowing me to even consider it to be the superior game over the original. While I wish some moments had been retooled to allow for greater difficulty, the game is not without some challenge and the harder modes only encourage the brave to play through it again. I realize I'm probably in the minority when I say that I prefer Bioshock 2 to the original but, story aside, it's a better game in terms of mechanics and on the whole a far more enjoyable experience.
Almost a year after Resident Evil 5 debuted, Capcom is releasing two packs of DLC. The first episode, Lost in Nightmares, fared well in our review, harkening back to the glory days of creepy mansion romping, cryptic puzzle solving, and classic Jill Valentine lock-picking. The second round of DLC titled "Desperate Escape" demonstrate the dynamic shift in game design the Resident Evil series has undergone in the last few years. Unlike the nostalgia-inducing experience that was Lost in Nightmares, Desperate Escape is an extension of the reboot design pioneered by Resident Evil 4. The creepy hallway puzzling is replaced by lots of gunfire and hordes of not-zombies. The episode chronicles Jill Valentine and Josh Stone, in an unseen part of Resident Evil 5, as they attempt to escape the Tricell Facility.
Gamers who were unwilling to embrace the changes to the franchise will most likely not be pleased with this batch of DLC. The chapter offers an incredible amount of firepower for Josh and Jill to dispatch the crowds of Majini. While the scares aren't derived from the same feeling of vulnerability as seen in Lost in Nightmares, the experience is definitely tense. Hundreds of enemies are out for blood and the game continually ramps things up as players move forward. Just when gamers feel they've finally gotten a leg-up on the enemies, another wave comes pouring in.
The duo make their desperate escape through a set of incredibly detailed environments. The Tricell Facility, the surrounding docks, and warehouses, have a tangible quality of dirt and decay. There's a particularly great level involving an expansive area with rocket turrets that players won't want to miss. It changes up the formula just slightly but reenforces the core mechanic of the DLC's design: keep moving forward. As a fan of Resident Evil 5, this episode is a welcomed addition to the experience. There are, however, a few moments where the design borders on sadistic.
Playing the game on 'Normal' really is that almost-perfect blend of challenge with small bouts of frustration. Problems arise when some of the same AI issues that first appeared in RE5 return with a vengeance. Playing the game solo, without a human co-op partner, can get frustrating. Josh, your AI-controlled partner on your first play-through, will often get in your way or otherwise be quite useless. Many Game Over screens were the result of my co-op partner dying without much I could do about it. Particularly, during the final countdown sequence, trying to keep Josh alive felt like an exercise in futility. However, players can easily overcome these problems. Play with a friend co-op, or devise strategies to weather the storm of enemies. It's not the most difficult experience players are likely to have this year, but if the AI were a tad smarter it could have been much more enjoyable.
That being said, there's still an incredible amount of stuff to enjoy with Desperate Escape beyond Jill Valentine's new double-knee drop nutcracker melee move. Like the first DLC, it comes with additional characters for the Mercenaires mode, Rebecca Chambers and Josh Stone. Fans of Resident Evil 0 will remember Rebecca from her days on the Gamecube. While the experience is short, over in about an hour, there's a lot of action packed in. To give readers an idea of just how much shooting, exploding, and flash-grenading is abound, an achievement for killing 150 Majini is available and I unlocked it halfway through my first play-through. For under $5.00 it's still an incredible deal for fans of the game, hardcore RE fanatics, trophy hunters, or those just looking to blow stuff up.
