Tech-Gaming

Run, Wash, and Gun- Metal Slug XX Review

2010-03-18T01:00:00Z

I’ve always wondered: when someone starts a Laundromat, do they receive a free Metal Slug cabinet with their preliminary investment in washers and dryers? In my brief-but-well traveled lifetime, I have never used a coin-op laundry center that didn’t sport a NeoGeo MVS loaded with one of the games in the Metal Slug franchise. It was at these establishments, between rinse cycles, that I fell in love with Fiolina Germi and developed my hatred for General Morden. Despite the release of several home versions ported to everything from the NeoGeo to the Wii, I never saw fit to take my Metal Slug experience away from the washing machine. I’ve always had my doubts as to whether or not the series would have a leg to stand on in a home version, but I finally broke down and gave Metal Slug XX for the PSP a try.

Metal Slug XX is ostensibly a re-release of Metal Slug 7, which saw a release for the Nintendo DS over a year ago. In the series’ seventh outing, the Peregrine Falcon Strike Force team up with the SPARROWS, from previous Metal Slug titles, and the Ikari Warriors (yes, those Ikari Warriors) to once again stop General Morden from taking over the world with his army of would-be Nazis and creating his New World Order. At the end of the first stage, you defeat the mad general and give yourself a nice hardy pat on the back, but General Morden’s future army travels backwards in time, to the present, which is set 20 years into our future, to help Morden conquer Planet Earth. Kojima himself would have difficulty coming up with such a convoluted story, but it doesn’t really matter, because the all you need to know is this: you have a gun; there are hundreds of fragile Nazis that bleed when you shoot them; walk to the right until they are all dead.

It’s the same formula that SNK has been using for 1996, and to be perfectly honest, the charm hasn’t lost its luster, even after 14 years of running and gunning. The environments are beautifully hand-crafted and colorful. Each and every character, from the 6 playable soldiers to the most insignificant Morden infantryman, is meticulously animated. Each enemy sports dozens of fluidly drawn animations for a variety of scenarios: they taunt you when you die, they jump when you pick up a rocket launcher, they cringe before getting crushed by an elevator – there are tons of clever emotes to each enemy that go practically unnoticed, but go a long way toward keeping he game fresh throughout.

The main quest is seven stages long, but each stage forks into multiple paths, promoting multiple play-throughs. Even so, the game feels deceptively easy, thanks to the advent of unlimited continues. Without a limited supply of quarters as motivation, the urge to scream “I am invincible” and muscle through each stage is often too strong. In fact, some characters respawn with a powerful secondary weapon, which turns player-death into a power-up rather than a punishment. Players will lose any POWs they have collected when they continue, just as they did in the arcade, but after the last boss fell to the ground, I didn’t feel terribly motivated to go back to try rescuing any of them. When the dust settles, and the main quest has lost its sheen, Metal Slug XX offers a Combat School mode that tasks you to clear 50 balls-to-the-wall difficult missions; some are fun, others are irritating, but all of them seem arbitrary without an achievement system.

I still feel like Metal Slug belongs at the 7-11 or at a pizza parlor, but I suppose that is the beauty of handhelds. As arcade cabinets start share the same fate as the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Megas XLR (that is to say “thought to be extinct, but still alive and well in my garage”), I can’t in good faith disparage a title that allows me to take Metal Slug with me when I do my laundry, for the inevitable day when it will no longer be provided on location.

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony Review

2010-03-16T16:00:00Z

SeanNOLA's Take: For those in need of a history lesson, Lunar: The Silver Star was originally released for the Sega CD back in 1993. It was a revolutionary game for its time, being one of the first console RPGs to incorporate anime FMVs and voice acted in-game dialogue. That innovation alone was enough to make Lunar the first must-have title for the Sega CD, but early-adopters were surprised to find a very well-rounded title underneath the shiny veneer of new technology. We ooh’d and aah’d as we joined Alex on his journey through colorful destinations, like the floating city of Vale and Ghaleon’s moving fortress, the Grindery. The turn-based battle system incorporated a free-moving mechanic, where characters automatically moved around the battlefield to get closer to their target, which added a layer of depth to the combat that made each confrontation unique and engaging.

Some years later, the game was rebuilt, from the ground up, for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation. The anime cut-scenes were redrawn to include more than 16 colors at a time, and the sprites and environments were remade at a higher resolution. It was remade again on the Game Boy Advance as Lunar: Legends as a Cliff’s Notes version of the original story. Now, the game has been completely overhauled once again for the PSP, using digitally remastered video from the PlayStation version of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.

Series connoisseurs will notice that Silver Star Harmony boasts beautiful hand-drawn characters and environments, in isometric perspective for the first time, that are a vast improvement from the original chunky 16-bit characters. The dungeons are no longer made up of a series of repeated tiles; instead they are meticulously painted in fine detail, which has allows for new puzzles and encourages exploration. Random encounters are also a thing of the past, and have instead been replaced by goons roaming freely through the dungeons that will run toward and attack you if you are spotted. The turn-based battles remain relatively unchanged: combatants take turns attacking, and move freely about the battlefield. However, the fights in Harmony are much faster than its predecessors, so plowing through a dungeon full of monsters doesn’t feel as much like a chore as it used to.

Lunar vets will also be pleased to know that Harmony expands the story to allow the player to take control of Dragonmaster Dyne, the mythical Dragonmaster from a bygone era, and Alex’s greatest hero. For the first time, players will be able to witness the final battle of Dyne and the Four Heroes as the rescue the Goddess Althena, rather than simply hearing the story told through townies and yahoos that you come across during your quest. However, this extra content feels half-hearted and shoe-horned, and is arguably least interest part of the game.

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is hands-down the definitive Silver Star experience. The cutscenes have all been remastered, and although they fail to take advantage of the PSP’s widescreen, they look great. All audio has been rerecorded and sounds crystal clear, especially compared to the source material. The game is paced better than any contemporary JRPG I have played in recent memory, which is great if you want to get in, relive the Silver Star Story and move on to your next adventure. I suggest every JRPG fan, whether you are a fan of the original game or a newcomer, to pick this title up. If this is what comes from iterating on the same game ad nausium, then bring on the remakes: I can’t wait for Eternal Blue Harmony.

String Quintet- Racquet Sports Review

2010-03-15T20:00:00Z

One of the most beguiling features of the game business is the way innovation reverberates throughout the industry. Case in point: In 2009, Microsoft attempted to replicate Nintendo’s success when they announced Project NATAL, a device which permits a player to control a game through body movement. Months before the expected release of Microsoft’s peripheral, Ubisoft beat them to the punch with an affordable USB camera for the Nintendo Wii.

While we didn’t get a review copy of the first Wii title to integrate camera support- Your Shape featuring Jenny McCarthy, we were able to get our hands on the recently released Racquet Sports. The disk forgoes the strict regimens found in its motion tracking predecessor, instead focusing on recreating some of the casual activities found in games like Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort.

Unlike Your Sports, Racquet Sports doesn’t stubbornly require the use of the camera accessory. In fact, frugal gamers may purchase the disk without the peripheral for a reduced MSRP, and use their existing Wiimotes to control their on-screen athletes. Owners of the WiiMotion Plus attachment even receive a few supplementary shot variations, although they don’t radically alter Racquet Sports’ core mechanics.

Each of the recreations in Racquet Sports- tennis, ping pong, squash, badminton and beach tennis, share the same basic control tenets. Forehand and backhand strokes are initiated by a swing of the controller with a left or rightward sweep, respectively. To execute a drop shot that sends opponents dashing to the net, gamers depress the ‘B’ button while making contact. Like Wii Sports Tennis, players won’t control the position of their character; the game automatically moves athletes around the court. Shot trajectories are determined by a combination of player timing and an assessment of the player’s swing. While Racquet Sports’ system doesn’t allow the range of shots offered by Grand Slam Tennis, it also avoids the sporadic missed swings associated with the Electronic Arts title.

Racquet Sports feels radically different when using the USB camera, obliging players to alter their swinging actions. As the system has to interpret body motion, there is a small amount of lag introduced by the peripheral. While this doesn’t spoil the game, it does require players to anticipate their swings, particularly if they’re grown accustomed to the Wiimote-based input method. Gamers are also required to stand in a designated area about four feet in front of the camera, limiting the amount of superfluous physicality associated with Wii-based sports games. Generally, the Racquet Sports was able to discern controlled swings consistently, however, the game did seem to respond sluggishly to the downward-hand movement used to exit replay mode.

Although Racquet Sports has six different modes, each presents the game’s five sporting events with restrained variation. Training challenges players to hit the ball or shuttlecock in a designated square, while Quick Match rewards player will an assortment of unlockable items to accessorize their avatars. Party Mode sole disparity is giving players specific rules at the commencement of each match, such as switching their Wiimotes to the other hand.

Graphically, Racquet Sports meticulously evokes the both the charm and polish of the Wii Sports series. From the well-rendered locations which stimulate a sense of natural serenity, to characters which recall Mii’s with their rotund bodies and detached appendages, the game doesn’t veer far from the Nintendo canon. Fortunately, the title’s uncomplicated visuals allow Racquet Sports to keep its framerate high, permitting players to easily track the trajectory of every ball and shuttlecock.

With a limited amount of gameplay diversity, Racquet Sports is only an obligatory purchase for Wii owners who find elation on the virtual court. Since each of the title’s five games play similarly, with variations in physics and regulations, the game doesn’t feel as satisfying as Wii Sport’s Resort’s range of diversions. Had the title incorporated a healthy selection of mini-game challenges to offset the tedium of competitions, the game could have been easier to recommend. Nevertheless, for Wii owners eager to give motion-tracking a try, Racquet Sports is a respectable attempt.

New Releases 3/14-3/20: Full Spectrum Warrior Edition

2010-03-14T17:00:00Z

This week presents a spectrum of new diversions which range from Kratos’s muted hues and crimson splashes to the vibrant tones of the latest iteration of the Pokémon franchise. While most of this week’s releases can easily be categorized into either darker, more solemn titles or colorful, lighthearted amusements, there at least one outlier- Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon. The game combines imaginative character design with a gloomier palette as players explore a desolate world. Color us interested.

360
Dragon Age Origins: Awakening
Metro 2033
Perfect Dark
Resonance of Fate
Supreme Commander 2

PS3
Dragon Age Origins: Awakening
God of War III
Resonance of Fate

Wii
Build a Bear: Friendship Valley
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Hall of Fame Ultimate Hoops Challenge
Pizza Delivery Boy
Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space

DS
Build a Bear: Welcome To Hugsville
Infinite Space
Pokemon HeartGold
Pokemon SoulSilver
Sonny with a Chance
Spectral Force Genesis

PSP
No Releases

PC
Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight
Dragon Age Origins: Awakening
Metro 2033
Sol Survivor

DesertEagle's Pick: As a role-playing aficionado, I'm looking forward to tri-Ace's Resonance of Fate, which not only offers the mix of real-time and turn-based combat I yearn for, but also allows players to radically rework each protagonists' appearance. The dulcet tones of Nolan North are just icing on the cake.

TideGear's Pick: I'm definitely interested in Spectral Force Genesis and Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, but there was no mental debate this week! Infinite Space is absolutely my pick. Not only have I been waiting for this since it was announced, I've been waiting for a spaceship sim like this even longer. It seems accessible yet super deep, and I already know I love the aesthetic.

SeanNOLA's Pick: I am a little surprised that DEagle didn't mention God of War III; I can't really say that I'm looking forward to it, as Kratos has never really seemed that interesting to me, but I think it deserves a nod from at least one of us, seeing as how it IS a pretty major release. My pick of the week is Pokemon: Soul Silver. I haven't touched a Pokemon game since I polished off Blue 12 years ago, but for some reason I have been jonesing to force adorable animals to fight to the death for the past few months.

Role Playing Regality- Final Fantasy XIII Review

2010-03-13T19:00:00Z

After years of eager anticipation by series fans, Final Fantasy XIII has arrived, with a wealth of undeniable charms. From the title’s opening cinematic- with its sweeping shots of picturesque landscapes and nearly photorealistic characters, to a requisite epic final boss showdown, the game is overflowing with high-definition sumptuousness. Yet, the lauded Crystal Tools engine permits for more than just posh polygon pushing- it allows each of the title’s protagonists to convey emotions through the subtlest of motions. From the widening of an eye in amazement to a mouth taunt with restrained sneer, Final Fantasy XIII’s ability to convey the understated nuances of interaction are nothing less than incredible.

Equally adept is the game’s narrative construction, which lives up to the expectations set by the franchise. As a testament to the Final Fantasy XIII’s storytelling capabilities, I was affected by a character with only two lines of dialog in the title’s commencement. Although some players might scoff at the game’s propensity to drift into the melodramatic, Japanese role-playing aficionados will recognize the traditional tenors exhibited by the title. Like more recent entries in the Final Fantasy series, even seasoned players by be initially overwhelmed by the game’s argot. Fortunately, players can access an in-game databank, while returning players are given a helpful synopsis of proceeding events as the title loads.

Variety is constructed by Final Fantasy XIII’s shifting control of characters. Evoking FFVI’s mechanic, control varies across the title’s roster of six protagonists, which helps maintain the title’s brisk pace through its forty hour plus campaign. Sporadically, plotlines intersect and even flashback, displaying the game’s carefully crafted trajectory and exhibiting new facets of each character. While each of the title’s heroes are familiar archetypes- ranging from the dashing hero with the heart of gold to the young woman bursting with optimistic innocence, the game’s narrative tapestry focuses on the interaction between characters, rather than each individual’s timeworn personality.

Yet, arguably Final Fantasy XIII’s paramount aptitude is the title’s multifaceted battle system. At first, combat is woefully simple, requiring a strategy no deeper than selecting an ‘auto battle’ option to robotically strike foes, as the game’s Active Time Battle gauge fills. Soon, layers of new elements are added, each with an optional tutorial. Within a few hours, players are introduced to Paradigms, which are preset (and customizable) classes for each member of the party. By shifting paradigms mid-battle, teams can be given different goals, from maintaining a defensive stance and maintaining each characters' HP, to all-out aggressive attack. Players are encouraged to be actively involved in each enemy encounter- not only will the survival of boss battles require a healthy amount of Paradigm changes, but the speed and ferocity of each clash is used in calculating the game’s distribution of post-skirmish loot.

Final Fantasy XIII's cutscenes might represent the contemporary pinnacle of CG craftsmanship. Each is gorgeously rendered, and often eerily lifelike. Players that gaze into the eyes of each of the game’s heroes will not see the conventional empty mannequins that permeate most now-gen titles, but rather actors that appear consistently genuine. Close-up shots between characters feel extraordinarily intimate, not just from the rendering of each facial hair and curling eyelash, but from each scene’s polished staging and sense of movement. Almost as confident are Final Fantasy XIII’s in-game graphics, which except for infrequent drops in framerate and the occasional sporadic flat texture, look stunning. Aural purists will revel in both the game’s voice-overs and soundtrack, especially when the later swells into mounting orchestral pieces that frame the on-screen action expertly.

Despite an extensive array of virtues, some players might find a single significant impediment in Final Fantasy XIII’s expedition- the game’s linear nature. Those expecting familiar franchise rudiments such as speaking to townsfolk, minigames, and supplementary discovery will be dismayed to know that the first ten chapters of the game push players down preset pathways. During this extended duration, there are small alcoves for exploration, but they are limited to impasses that hold an item or a bit of currency. Once players are about twenty-five hours in, the game allows adventures to venture on a multitude of side-quests, and familiar exploratory elements surface. For some, these opportunities will arrive inexplicably late; others may be too wrapped up in the game’s other potencies to be concerned.

There’s little doubt that Final Fantasy XIII is a milestone; the game’s lavish visuals and captivating battle system look to remain unsurpassed for the foreseeable future. While some will admonish the game’s linearity, there are enough triumphant components for role-playing aficionados to relish in for weeks. After years of frenzied expectation, Final Fantasy XIII has arrived; players will be pleased to know that the title meets the expectations set by every minute of its protracted anticipation.

Plastic Fantastic- Toy Soldiers Review

2010-03-12T18:00:00Z

DesertEagle's Take: In the early 2000’s I was a perpetual pushover for 3DO’s Army Men console franchise. I naively purchased each successive game in the series, hopeful that the developer would craft a diversion that blended intense warfare with a robust dose of wholesome charm. Over the years, each entry failed to evoke the enjoyment generated by a set of simple, plastic soldiers, and I became convinced that no one would ever do the little green guys justice.

While the protagonists in Signal Studios recent release- Toy Soldiers, hail from the Great War rather the World War II era, this selection never impedes the title from becoming one of the greatest recreations of bedroom battlefields. In fact, the game’s selection of period is remarkably savvy, as it circumvents the current deluge of war games set in the 1940’s. Those worrying that the weaponry of the early 20th century is dreadfully antiquated and lacking the verve of a more contemporary arsenal may be surprised by Toy Soldier’s bombast. From domineering artillery to vile clouds of mustard gas, each ordnance packs quite a satisfying wallop.

Nearly as inspired as Toy Soldiers’ setting in the game’s core mechanic which skillfully fuses a tower-defense elements with a healthy dose of Beachhead’s invader-repelling confrontations. Gamers place a variety of turrets in predetermined locations in an effort to exterminate consecutive waves of hostiles. Determining each unit’s placement requires a bit of strategic deliberation, as each fallen foe rewards the player with currency that can be used to augment the player’s existing arsenal. Unlike the majority of TD titles, Toy Soldiers allows players to man any tower- gunning, shelling, sniping or gassing adversaries in a gratifying manner. This small variation completely changes Toy Soldiers’ dynamic, giving the musty genre a much-needed shot of adrenaline.

Fortunately, taking control of each defensive structure offers more than just an opportunity to exercise a restless trigger finger on assaulting antagonists. While the game’s does an admirable job at protecting your base, it’s no match for a zealous humanoid. Periodically, players can also control allied armor or airplanes, giving gamers a few gratifying moments to hit opponents with some old-fashioned shock and awe. Smartly, Toy Soldiers makes you struggle for success in each stage, especially when players confront giant, mechanical, troop-spewing bosses.

Although Toy Soldiers' $15 price may be intimidating, aficionados of titles which adeptly blend strategy with action will find more than enough gratification to justify the cost. While I would have liked to have seen a cooperative component in the game, the amount of polish, and originality offered by Signal Studios creation means that I’ll be returning to these minute militias with frequency.

TideGear's Take: Despite being a fairly new concept, the tower-defense genre has become over-saturated, leaving the quality entries to tread water in hopes of being noticed. While the setting and aesthetic of Toy Soldiers may not be an integral part of the gameplay, it's well-implemented and should capture the attention of many of the right people. Those who are roped in by what they see, will be rewarded with clever game mechanics under the surface.

Ever since I played Activision's takes on Battlezone, I've been a fan of strategy games that find a way to throw you amongst the crossfire. PixelJunk Monsters is a good example of a tower-defense game that does this right. It makes the battles feel more important to the player. In Toy Soldiers, the player is still basically an invulnerable flying camera as in many strategy games. The difference here is that to fully maximize your units' potential, you will often need to take control of whichever unit is most vital to your current success. The AI is competent, but seems to be a bit too conservative with what is actually unlimited ammo (though guns can overheat and need to be reloaded).

Being a tower-defense game, the enemy AI is mostly non-existent and seems to charge across preset routes, regardless of what may impede them. Toy Soldiers attempts to solve this issue by having units, like infantry and cavalry, use somewhat direct, but varied routes. This works to up the realism for the most part, but I would have liked to see close groups of enemies scatter when fired upon. Enemy aircraft, however, do attempt to avoid gunfire.

Overall, you will need to know when and where to place units, which units to take control of and when, and how to most effectively utilize your units. Friendly aircraft seem to only be flyable by the player (and not AI). While they can initially seem fragile and ineffective, they have agility, speed and powerful bombs that can turn a bad situation quickly when used adeptly. This is where the game requires the most of your reflexes, but it also seems more-or-less optional.

I consider Toy Soldiers to mostly be a success. The map design is quite clever, and new units are unlocked just fast enough to keep you going. I, like DesertEagle, wanted some kind of cooperative mode. Such a mode has the potential for excellence. There's obviously been a lot of love poured into the games visuals and sound. The contrast of blaring, blazing gunfire in a huge toy-set world is intentionally jarring as enemy units break into small plastic pieces. The warm, scratchy phonograph-cylinder music helps to remind you that this may be a game, played with toys, but World War I was a real war where real human lives were lost. If you're a tower-defense game fan, and want one that does things notably different, Toy Soldiers is a safe bet. Otherwise, you may want to wait for the $15 USD (1200 points) price to drop.

Cavernous Conundrum- Lazy Raiders Review

2010-03-11T19:00:00Z

Developing a successful game demo is not unlike fishing. Tantalize potential prey with a captivating mechanic, drawing their focus to the dazzling display in front of them. At the moment they are mesmerized by the bait, lure them in quickly. I was as weak as a walleye when recent release Lazy Raiders throw out its line. The title’s seductive synthesis of simple action along with pleasing puzzle elements is certain to be irresistible to fans of each respective genre.

Like Cameltry (also known as On the Ball and Labyrinth) gamers don’t directly control the game’s portly protagonist, Dr. Diggabone. Instead the move the entire stage, sending the archeologist rolling and bounding through each of the title’s eighty levels. Pushing right or left on the analog stick rotates the stage in the desired direction, allowing Diggabone to roll down hills and imperviously fall down any open shafts. Additionally, a tap on the ‘A’ button will instantly invert the map, turning the floor into a ceiling. Although this simple mechanic is perpetuated through the whole game, each level brings a variety of interesting obstacles- from color-coded keys which open corresponding doors, to volatile TNT boxes, and spikes.

Each map’s primary goal is to retrieve a golden pick. Additionally, players longing for leaderboard status will want to sweep each stage clear of treasure or alternately, complete the level as quickly as possible. Having multiple objectives for each level secures Lazy Raider’s replayability- often I found myself clearing the level, then instantly replaying in an attempt to secure a disregarded trinket. These motivations are also heightened by the aforementioned scoreboards which track both worldwide and rankings among your Xbox Live friends. Lazy Raider’s even tracks the net worth of all your archeological unearthings, giving players a keen sense of accomplishment through the game.

Easily frustrated gamers who typically avoid single-solution challenges should appreciate Lazy Raider’s difficulty. Not only are players given unlimited lives, but participants can instantly reset any stage with a press of the back button. Fortunately, Dr. Diggabone’s hearty girth allows him to be more than a one-hit wonder; touching any of the title’s impediments will flash the hero red, only killing him if the player maintains contact with the object.

Visually, Lazy Raiders shines thanks to its unwavering framerate and adorable art style. The game’s later levels not only require a bit of strategic planning, but also quick reflexes to navigate the labyrinthine environments and avoid abundant obstacles. Thanks to a speedy refresh rate, any Diggabone deaths are instigated by the player, rather than a languid display, or unresponsive input system. Although each stage takes about six seconds to load, the results are worth the short wait- each character and obstacle is drawn with noticeable detail from the craggy edge of a granite block to each shimmering gold artifact. Players that are tired of combing mazes with the game’s main hero may alternatively use their own avatars.

By adeptly combining uncomplicated arcade action with a robust dose of puzzling, Lazy Raiders has the potential to appeal to a wide swath of gamers. I encourage players remotely interested in either genre to give the title a try; they’ll likely find themselves defenseless against the game’s profuse charms.

The Tech-Gaming Podcast, World 2-4

2010-03-10T19:00:00Z

This week, we welcome Nathan Fouts, creator of Weapon of Choice and Shoot 1Up to our show. The developer shares his reaction to critics, surprising artistic influences, as well as discusses future projects. Role-playing fan will appreciate SeanNOLA’s Lunar: Silver Star Harmony impressions, while fans on wanton destruction might find welcome DesertEagle’s latest target of admiration. Not to be undone, TideGear gives up a healthy round-up of the latest iPhone diversions.

Don’t forget to send your questions for our next mailbag, and subscribe to the Tech-Gaming Podcast on iTunes. Commenters who leave their email address in this post, will be automatically eligible to win a free download code for Shoot 1Up.

Major League Baseball 2K10 Review

2010-03-09T18:00:00Z

When last year’s Major League Baseball 2k9 development duties were abruptly passed from Kush Games to Visual Concepts prior to the game’s release, it was like a wide-sweeping rooster change for a playoff-bound ball club. While some of the fundamentals were undoubtedly displayed, there were enough on-field gaffes to tarnish the most resolute fan’s admiration.

Just in time for spring training, MLB 2K10 has hit the field, showing a significant amount of progress garnered in the offseason. Although the game isn’t flawless- it still makes the sporadic, inexplicable error, 2K10 is undeniably enjoying. It’s also the first time the title has presented a real challenge against crosstown rival MLB: The Show, which is widely considered the top contemporary baseball diversion.

An essential element in any baseball game is an appealing and intense recreation of the showdown between pitcher and batter. Fortunately, 2K10’s confrontations are well-engineered, and often smolder with intensity. When on the mound, players select a throw from each pitcher’s repertoire, using the right stick to determine the ball’s intended destination. The actual pitch requires a two-step release: first players move the left stick in a specified direction, then they sweep the stick in prescribed movement once an on-screen reticle is filled. Flubbing any part of the gesture can lead to an under or overthrown, or even wild pitch; making each strike thrown feel like a small achievement. While pitching can be cumbersome at first, within a few games players will be throwing breaking balls with major league accuracy.

Hitting also utilizes the analog sticks for an ample variety of batting options. Swinging is recreated with the right stick, and offers players the ability to make contact with the ball, take a defense swipe, or aim for the fences with a power swing. If contact is made, the direction that the left nub is pressed can influence the ball’s trajectory, as players can send choppers through the midfield, drop one in the gap, or send a screamer down either side of the field. Hitting is appreciatively challenging on the game’s upper difficulty levels, and circumventing the homefests evident in 2K9.

Following a contemporary trend in sports titles, MLB 2K10 allows players to design a custom player, and guide his ascension from the Double-A minors into the big leagues. Virtual athletes are given experience points to spend on a wide variety of skills, and well as the ability of modify the name, likeness, and built of their player. Enjoyment of the My Player component will likely hinge on a gamer’s desired position on the team. Playing as a pitcher will present participants with adrenaline-filled trials, such as maintaining a modest lead, while catchers are often tasked with irregular pop-up catches. Regardless of a gamer’s position choice, each successful play is rewarded with points that can be used to bolster your athlete’s abilities.

Another prevalent facet of contemporary sports games is the ability to continually update the game’s stats to mirror their real-world counterparts. Players saw this in NBA 2K10’s NBA Today element, and MLB 2K10 offers this noteworthy component as well. Being able to jump right in to any current game, and play with actual team line-ups, and up to the minute stats is undeniably enjoyable and well worth the 20-30 seconds it takes for 2K10 to update every time it’s loaded up.

While MLB 2K10 does many things right, it might allow frustrate fastidious baseball aficionados. Playing through a nine-inning game without seeing the AI make at least a few dubious decisions is improbable. I’ve witnessed baserunning aptitude that recalled little league proficiency, fielders who seemed unaccountably distracted, and trades that should have been scoffed at. While these quirks can spoil the game’s sense of immersion, rarely are they so infuriating that gamers will want to stop playing. Hopefully, Visual Concepts will eliminate most of these idiosyncrasies next season.

One of these largest graphical flaws of the MLB 2K series has been its floundering framerate. Fortunately, this has been remedied in MLB 2K10; during play, the refresh rate rarely faltered, even when playing again online opponents. Generally, the game is visually pleasing with well-drawn stadiums and a healthy amount of animation routines, only being sullied by the bland crowds and occasional poorly rendered player face. Sonically, the game’s commentary by Steve Phillips, Gary Thorne and John Kruk is consistently amazing, and might fool listeners into thinking they are eavesdropping on an actual game.

Returning from a lackluster season, Major League Baseball 2K10 shows remarkable improvement, offering a worthwhile recreation of some of baseball’s essential elements. While the title still displays the occasional head-office and on-field glitch, these anomalies happen with a frequency that shouldn’t blemish a player’s appreciation of the game. If Visual Concepts can maintain this level of renovation through next season, the rivalry between 2K11 and Sony’s The Show could be as exciting as game seven of the World Series.

New Releases 3/7-3/13: Pixel Persistence Edition

2010-03-07T23:00:00Z

While sequels are an unexceptional occurrence in our pastime, it’s not often you see several franchises simultaneously run into the double digits. This week, iterations of both the Final Fantasy and Mega Man series have progressed into that territory, each continuing to broaden its fanbase into stratospheric proportions. We’ll see if these week’s new IPs, ranging from the Hudson’s entry into the survival horror market, to Ubisoft’s compilation of racquet-swinging recreations display the same longevity.

360
Final Fantasy XIII
Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition
Scrap Metal

PS3
Final Fantasy XIII
Mega Man 10
Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition
Yakuza 3

Wii
Calling
Max and the Magic Marker
Racquet Sports
Sam & Max: Season Two - Beyond Time and Space
The Daring Game for Girls

DS
Foto Showdown
The Daring Game for Girls

PSP
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Portable

PC
Assassin's Creed 2
Order of War: Challenge
Project Runway
Rise of Prussia
Sam & Max: Season Two - Beyond Time and Space
Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II: Chaos Rising

DesertEagle's Pick: After months of eager anticipation that was left me as jittery as a newborn Chocobo, I am ready to head Final Fantasy's XIII's call. Hopefully my adventures on Gran Pulse will also leave me enough time to try BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Portable- I love a good fight on the morning train.

SeanNOLA's Pick: The other day, I was crossing the street, and a bus sped by, just barely missing me. I think that bus may have actually killed me and sent me to Gamer Heaven, because the idea of walking into my local game shop at midnight and walking out with Final Fantasy XIII, Yakuza 3 and the Monster Hunter 3 demo seems too good to be true! (And yes, I am including a demo in my weekly picks. Deal with it.)

TideGear's Pick: Being a fan of Guilty Gear, I may need to pick up BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Portable for another bizarre fighting fix. As a hardcore stealth-genre fan, and owner of a great gaming PC, Assassin's Creed 2 is my pick this week.

Bullet Heaven- Shoot 1Up Review

2010-03-06T21:00:00Z

In their infancy, shoot ‘em up games (affectionately known as ‘shmups’) challenged players with defeating waves of enemy aggressors, while simultaneously dodging their intermittent attacks. As technologies advanced, the genre became increasing complex, allowing each new iteration of the shmup to bring an ever-increasing amount of enemy shots to dodge. By the late 1990’s the once-popular pastime had reached its awkward teenage years, and disavowed mainstream acceptance with its uncompromising hardcore inclinations.

With this stanch focus, ‘bullet hell’ shooters where born- diversions which required players to dodge clouds of enemy ammunition with relentless accuracy. Like many others who watched the shmup advance- I lacked the time, determination, and razor-sharp reflexes which were a requirement for success in this new bullet-busy realm. Worse, I felt the beloved genre was slipping into an extended stagnancy, as only a few titles introduced any new concepts into the shooter.

Shoot 1Up- the latest release from Mommy’s Best Games offers shmup fans the largest dose of originality seen since 2003’s Ikaruga. The title’s hook is astonishingly simple- certain defeated foes drop extra ships. Instead of banking those crafts for play once your current vessel is expired, they become part of the player’s on-screen arsenal. By using the left and right triggers, gamers can control the formation of the attack armada, empowering the game with a fascinating risk/reward dynamic. Players can dodge enemy attacks with a tight cluster, or expand their collection and fill the screen with a dazzling barrage of offensive firepower complemented by a powerful plasma auger.

One of the game’s other innovations is the inclusion of branching pathways in each stage, allowing gamers to remain in the conventional vertical shooting orientation, or even allow free-directional scrolling similar to the Thunder Force series. Shoot 1up’s power-ups are equally novel – a ghostly power-up provides gamers with a mirrored cluster of ships that are invulnerable to attack. Considering that formulations can be up to ship ships deep (and 60 in the game’s hyperactive cooperative mode), the game often displays a tidal wave of kinetic energy.

Yet only on the game’s ‘serious’ difficulty does the title ever approach the impenetrability typically associated with ‘bullet hell’ shooters. On the game’s less exacting levels of difficulty, Shoot 1Up doesn’t require the surgeon-like precision in order to see the game’s closing credits. As such, gratification comes from achieving high scores and the brief obliteration of every on-screen enemy rather than managing continues or finding the ideal attack pattern. While some might say that the title’s experience is too brief, I’d remind them of the game’s ridiculous one dollar price, or the length of some of history’s supreme shmups.

Visually, Shoot 1Up more closely resembles full-priced XBLA fare, rather than its indie-game brethren. Like Mommy’s Best's Weapon of Choice, the game is teeming with vibrant bio-mechanical creations, from gargantuan spiked protozoa to androids with plasma shooting breasts. Of course, there’s also the healthy amount of absurdity- from impaled dragonheads on the end of broadswords to killer whales undergoing extraterrestrial autopsy.

If there’s ever been a reason to venture into the 360’s Indie Game repository, Shoot 1Up is the reason. It’s an intensely gratifying shmup surging with innovation and polish, selling for a tenth of the price of equivalent diversions. Shmuppies rejoice, the title might just be strong enough to initiate a shooter resurgence.

Bravo, Team- Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Review

2010-03-05T19:00:00Z

2008’s Battlefield: Bad Company represented a pivotal moment for Stockholm-based developer DICE. While still offering the trademark multiplayer competitive elements the franchise was known for, it was the first entry in the series to offer a robust single-player game. While some initially assumed the campaign might be an incidental conceit to appease console owners, once the title was released many players found themselves unexpectedly satisfied by the experience. By combining the Battlefield franchise’s vigorous vehicular combat and intense firefights with an agreeable roster of endearing personalities, DICE had forged a gratifying FPS which resounded with a wide swath of gamers.

Nearly two years later, the boys of Bravo Company are back, with a new enemy, and a decidedly ‘Mature’ rating. Much like a sequel to an action film, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 offers an intensified experience that does little to expand our understanding of the game’s protagonists. Sargent Redford still evokes the John McClane/Roger Murtaugh trope with his, ‘I’m too old for this shit’ retirement-imminent mindset, while Haggard remains the pyrotechnic-loving simpleton. Like most summer movie franchises, this will probably matter little to those seeking escapism through a steady stream of ballistic barrages.

What the wisecracking soldiers lack in complexity, they make up for in utility. From skulking through sniper saturated compounds, racing though RPG saturated alleyways, to defending a fallen satellite from enemy attackers, the boys of Bad Company show an invigorating amount of gameplay variety. While the title’s waypoints are fairly linear, the game does encourage players to scour each zone for a salubrious amount of unlockable weaponry. Although your teammates rarely drop hostiles, their imprecision is an advantage; it signals were aggressors are without turning the game into pushover territory.

Bad Company 2’s recreation of contemporary weaponry is to be commended; it unequivocally surpasses all console peers, and will delight any firearm aficionado. Each rifle has a distinct personality articulated through vibration, firing speed, accuracy, sound as well as graphical display. SCAR-L’s fire with an assured, low-recoil precision while the game’s Barrett .50 cal (M95) delivers a satisfying wallop to distant foes. The game’s explosive loadout is gratifyingly embellished as M203 rounds and fuel barrels detonate with building-obliterating energy; it’s often difficult to resist the complete destruction of the game’s landscape.

Regrettably, a few quirks may prohibit players from becoming fully immersed in Bad Company 2’s single player campaign. Most noticeable is the title’s enemy triggers- following your squadmates ‘All Clear’ signal once a region is purged of adversaries, a few advancing steps will activate a new surge of foes. When used sporadically, this game mechanic can ratchet up the tension, yet with Bad Company 2 the technique is employed with such disarming frequency, that players will be able to reliably predict the trigger points. Likewise, players may observe a handful of improbable occurrences on the game’s battlegrounds; I’ve seen pistols transform in RPGs and tracer rounds penetrate thick concrete walls.

Some might consider the game’s thirteen single player missions a protracted tutorial for Battlefield’s rich multiplayer component. All the vehicular proficiency, ordnance aptitude and destructive propensity garnered in the central campaign will be useful in the game’s four rousing competitive modes. Here, the title strips sway any hand-holding advantages such as aim-assistance, requiring players to fight for every frag. Like the previous entries in the Battlefield series, players select from a variety of classes- ranging from assault, recon, engineer, and medic, each with an individualized loadout designed for their designated tasks in the combat zone. Each successful act, from eliminating enemies to healing allies, rewards players with a generous amount of experience, which is used to unlock a treasure trove of equipment and parks. New additions, from the ability to observe and mark hostiles with a button press, or in the case of enemy armor- a tracer dart, catapult the cooperative elements of Bad Company 2.

Although Conquest mode returns, tasking players with controlling specific territories, the real highlight of the multiplayer arena is the Rush variant. Here, attackers are required to destroy a series of crates embedded into defensive territory. A Team Rush deviation divides the standard twelve-on-twelve action into tight, four-man squads, requiring players to maintain a strict cooperative strategy in they want to be successful.

Visually, the game’s outdoor environments are typically meticulously rendered. The game’s lush forests rival the amount of foliage seen in the Crysis series, each displaying a variety of verdant flora. Likewise, Bad Company 2’s mountainous pathways are accented by lifelike gusts of sand, which realistically obscure the arid, winding trails. The title’s only graphical misgiving is the austere simplicity of the game’s indoor environment’s; most dwelling look woefully similar, and are drawn with only modestly detailed textures. From the staccato drone of helicopters to the characteristic ring of shell casings hitting the ground, Bad Company’s audio is flawless. The title’s sound designers deserve recognition for their achievement, as each sound effect- from the echoing clap of a sniper rifle to the whine of a chain gun is strikingly portrayed.

With the future of the Call of Duty series in limbo, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 deservingly inherits the military FPS throne. By blending a competent single player campaign with a brilliantly executed online competitive mode, the title’s two-pronged attack will undoubtedly secure Bad Company 2’s position as the new and rightfully reigning action-game king. Hopefully, the small quirks that slow Bravo Team's single player campaign will be excised before the squad's inevitable third appearance.

The Tech-Gaming Podcast, World 2-3

2010-03-04T21:00:00Z

To offset the chill of March’s glacial temperatures, we heat things up this week with a discussion of removed Yakuza 3 mechanics, Twitter spoilerbots, and a consensual disdain for “The Tester”. Additionally, we interview Aubrey Norris from SouthPeak Games, offer some iPhone chatter, and have some tantalizing trivia for may perplex the most erudite gaming geek. Don’t forget to send your questions for our next mailbag, and subscribe to the Tech-Gaming Podcast on iTunes.

Data East Arcade Classics Review

2010-03-04T16:00:00Z

The vintage vitalization theory is blissfully uncomplicated; it’s proposes that a retro compilation’s merit is measured by the number of its individual inclusions which have withstood the test of time. At one end of the spectrum, anthologies such as Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection or SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1 would rank high with their robust ratio of diversions which remain enjoyable nearly two decades after their original release. On the other side of things, there are collections like Temco Classic Arcade- a compendium of titles which hasn’t aged as gracefully.

Positioned between those two extremes is the recently released Data East Arcade Classics disk. About half of the fifteen games on the compilation reflect play mechanics that may seem woefully archaic to contemporary players, while the other half have resiliently resisted the ravages of time. Surprisingly, this has less to do with each individual title’s age, but rather how far each amusement’s particular genre has evolved.

For most gamers, Burgertime will be the most recognizable name of the anthology. The 1982 arcade classic tasks players with constructing several giant hamburgers, as a mob of angry foodstuffs chases the protagonist around a maze-like environment. What elevated the coin-op was its intriguing risk/reward mechanisms- players which allowed the sauntering snacks to come precariously close could complete their duties twice as fast. Fortunately, these mechanics remain intriguing twenty-eight years later; at the end of each game, I was eager to play again, in hopes of surpassing my last performance.

Nearly as charming is Burnin’ Rubber (known to Western audiences as Bump N’ Jump), where gamers shove opponents toward the fringes of the screen as they drive along a shifting roadway. Periodically, players are required to initiate a gargantuan leap to avoid breaks in the highway, adding another interesting facet to the gameplay. Although Burnin’ Rubber’s graphics are amusingly simple, the title’s unique blending of vehicular combat and driving remains remarkably gratifying and might serve as an inspiration for burgeoning developers.

Heavy Barrel and Magical Drop III represent the shooter and puzzle categories modestly. Both are entertaining, as each game offers an early rendering of the prospective genres. Heavy Barrel’s snags lay not in the recreation of its proprietary rotating joysticks, but by requiring the player to press the fire button each time a weapon is fired. After a half hour of play, my trigger finger was sore from hundreds of slightly cumbersome button presses. Magical Drop III's problems lay in it redundancy- most savvy gamers have likely played through dozens of similar, more sophisticated puzzlers.

Less successful are the disk’s sporting amusements and brawlers. Both Side Pocket and Street Hoop pale in comparison to today’s simulations of pool and basketball, while Crude Buster and Wizard Fire are filled with frustrating, unavoidable strikes from on-screen protagonists. On the other hand, Caveman Ninja incorporates some subtle platforming elements, and recalling yesteryear classics like Bonk and Adventure Island.

Generally, the emulation found on the Data East Collection is proficient; games plays at the proper speed, and each title’s sound effects and musical strains are faithfully mimicked. While the collection does reward success with medals and unlockables for each game, players hoping to adjust each game’s default settings are out of luck. One element of the disk that is inexplicable is the frequent and lengthy load times; especially since some of the games on the disk are as little as 12K in size.

While there definitely some filler on the Data East Arcade Classics, there’s also a healthy amount of games that will warm any retro aficionado’s heart. Considering the current purchase price of each emulated arcade classic runs between three and five dollars, getting fifteen games for $20 isn’t bad, as long as players are acquainted with a few of the disk’s titles.

Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing Review

2010-03-03T15:00:00Z

While Nintendo aficionados have been able to satisfy their diminutive racing urges with the illustrious Mario Kart franchise, owners of other consoles might have to travel back to 1998’s Crash Team Racing to unearth a proficient example of a kart racer. From Speed Freaks, Furious Karting to Madagascar Kartz, each iteration of Sony and Microsoft hardware has been swamped with tedious entries into the genre.

After playing the Xbox 360 demo of Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing, and experiencing the games uneven framerate and unpolished drifting mechanic, I assumed the final product was yet another entry into the mounting pool of karting tedium. Luckily, I was wrong- the retail version displays none of the blemishes of the earlier build, and proudly stands as the best casual racing diversion to be found on current-gen systems.

For better or worse, All-Stars Racing sticks closely to genre tenets. From vigilant throttling for a robust take-off, an array of defense and offensive measures, and a powerslide mechanic that offers a speed boost to dexterous drivers, the title will seem immediately familiar to kart racing veterans. Within a few laps, players will realize that the game exhibits a level of proficiency not typically seen outside of Mario’s adrenaline-fueled exploits. Each of the title’s vehicles handles flawlessly, allowing player to navigate the most treacherous courses with relative ease. As gamers careen around corners, a quick tap of the left bumper initiates a wieldy powerslide. If racers maintain the drift, they’ll fill a multi-stage boost, which can be used to rocket into an approaching straightaway, and pass any nearby competitors.

All-Stars Racing surpasses its challengers in the quality and quantity of content. Each of the game’s twenty-four tracks is well designed, and brilliantly incorporates recognized Sega motifs- from Super Monkey Ball’s ninety-degree turns, the speed and pinball-like ricochets of Sonic’s Casino Zones and even the dark forebodings of the House of the Dead franchise. Sega’s twenty- character roster also deserves commendation; some of the more obscure contestants are certain to delight gamers familiar with the publisher’s oeuvre.

Fortunately, the title’s faults are gratifyingly scarce. While the game’s lowest challenge level is subdued enough for younger gamers to enjoy, those with average reflexes are likely to find All-Stars Racing’s next two tiers nearly prohibitively demanding. Although the title’s offers splitscreen competitive multiplayer modes to complement its robust single races, Grands Prix, and absorbing missions, the battles lack a bit of verve. Notably absent from the game is any kind of cooperative facet.

Visually, the game dazzles with the shimmer of a fastidiously polished Chaos Emerald. Each track is exquisitely detailed with sharp textures and vibrant hues. Players can easily discern each uneven plank used along the Sonic-inspired track’s wooden curves, and even breakaway railings with a wayward offensive shot. Jet Set Radio’s Shibuya cityscapes are filled with clusters of divergent skyscrapers and collections of LCD screens hawking faux-Japanese products. The Samba De Amigo stages are bursting with vibrant celebration, as players wiz past swaths of swaying characters. While the framerate is typically fluid, occasionally a short-lived stumble can occur, although it’s seldom bad enough to hamper the action.

Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing serves as a reminder that there’s enjoyment to be mined from the kart racing formula. While the title offers little in the way of originality; steering a cast of memorable game characters through well-crafted environments remains undeniably enjoyable. As long as All-Stars Racing is a one-off celebratory title, and not the commencement of a yearly franchise, the game deserves an enthusiastic reception from racing fans.

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom Review

2010-03-02T19:00:00Z

I've discussed before the some of the effect that Valve's Portal had on the gaming world. Also worth mentioning is the effect it had on indie games. Portal proved that even a bunch of whippersnappers from DigiPen could revolutionize gameplay. Everyone got it in their heads that they could make the next big thing, regardless of budget or resources. Wonderfully, they're right. Indie gaming continues to thrive, and Portal was definitely an inspiration. The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom isn't quite the first to do what it does, but it's still a fairly new concept, and it does it quite well.

No one is perfect. We all have our vices. Mr. P.B. Winterbottom is no different. He hungers insatiably for the delicious pastry known as pie. So much so, in fact, that he seems to have stumbled upon a way to control time itself. With control of time, he can create parallel clones that act along side him. More P.B.s means more opportunities, and methods, for pie theft. Winterbottom thinks not of the repercussions of these actions, only that there are more ambrosial pies in sight. The misadventures that ensue, however, quickly take a toll on the townsfolk. The misadventures are charming and silly, and are told in well-drawn still black-and-white image form, with accompanying silent-film-style captions and film grain. The game's orchestral soundtrack is fantastically done, giving a feeling of foreboding mixed with mischief.

In each stage of the game, the player must help Winterbottom collect every pie present. Holding the right bumper records the actions of the player's P.B. Once the bumper is released, a parallel clone is spawned that infinitely loops through those actions. Each stage has a set maximum of clones the player can spawn. Clones can be destroyed at will, and automatically fade away if whacked or otherwise diverted from their course of action. Despite his physique, Winterbottom is no slouch. He can run and leap quite well. He also has an umbrella with which he can hit things, and fall more slowly. After that, he has to rely on the assistance of his expendable clones. He can hit clones toward pies with his umbrella, ride on and jump off of clones, and they can do the same to him. This means P.B. can not only travel more quickly, he can be in several places as once.

The game's puzzles are well designed around the core gameplay concept. The player will have to figure out, when and where to spawn clones, what to have them do, and when to destroy them in favor of new ones. Switches and buttons control everything from moving doors, to spawning pies, to popping bumpers for P.B. to jump off of. This means you'll often have to spawn clones and move in less than obvious ways. The game does a good job of switching up the gameplay by introducing new mechanics over time, like pies that only clones can grab, portals that limit where you can begin recording, etc.

I consider myself fairly good at puzzle games, and overall I progressed rather quickly, but the occasional stage had me stuck for a while. If you would go as far as to say you're a fan of action/puzzle games, then you'll probably be ok with the difficulty. At one point, I had to shut down the game and come back later. Luckily, I figured it out shortly after I returned, and it was indeed satisfying. As you progress in the main game "bonus shorts" are unlocked. These are stages that seem to be more about speed and spawning as few clones as possible. These stages are plentiful and feature leaderboard support, so if you get stuck in the main game, you don't have to quit the game altogether. Leaderboard support is unfortunately missing from the main stages, and I have to wonder why.

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom isn't my favorite game to use the parallel-selves time-travel mechanic (demo), but it's the best we English-speakers have gotten, and its a great game on its own. If you enjoy the demo, know that it gets even better.

Divergent Duality- Last Rebellion Review

2010-03-01T16:00:00Z

Arguably, the most important element of a role-playing game is its combat mechanic. Although a compelling narrative and attractive graphics may be able to lure players in, having a captivating conflict system will ensure a player’s attention is sustained until the closing credits roll. Frequently, the tedium of battle will surface in the waning hours of a game, tarnishing the title’s conclusion.

Recent release Last Rebellion puts this theory to the test. With dialog that shifts between fervent and flippant, cutscenes constructed with still images, and a deficiency of role-playing requisites (everything from side quests or outfitting your character with stat-enhancing armor and weapons has been purged), the title relies upon its combat to ensnare players. While some adventure aficionados may turn their nose up at the game’s spartan exterior, hard-core RPG fans may find Last Rebellion’s conflict compelling enough to warrant a playthrough.

The crux of title’s narrative emanates from an imbalance in two diametrical forces. Formival, the god of life, has brought to many creatures into existence, going so far as to revive a band of malevolent demons. Witnessing a perilous paroxysm in the beast population, humans seem the assistance of the Goddess of Death to eliminate the evil epidemic. The deity bestows two types of conquerors to cleanse the realm of vile villains: Blades, dual welding swordsmen who can destroy the physical bodies, and Sealers, who have the ability to secure a foe’s shameful soul.

The backstory grants Last Rebellion an intriguing premise- players control dual protagonists, who share a common pool of hit, magic and chain points. In execution both the reluctant hero (Nine), and the spunky prodigy (Aisha), must work to complement each other, lending the title a tinge of dyadic tension. Strategic-minded players will want to develop one of their characters into a physical striker, while turning the other protagonist into a magic-attack specialist as both traits are required to dispatch the game’s numerous foes.

When navigating the overworld, players will inevitably encounter wandering adversaries. Coming into close proximity with an opponent transports players to the combat screen, where gamers can ‘stamp’ a selection of each rivals body parts. Each type of creature has its own sequence, which players can exploit for damage-deal combos. Luckily, Last Rebellion provides partial clues to the ideal succession, grants the pursuit a subtle Mastermind-like feel. Once one of the characters marks foes, the other can conjure a magic spell that will target all the stamped appendages. Once dispatched, enemies can be mined for magic points and must be sealed, otherwise they may revive themselves.

With a wealth of variables to maintain, skirmishes require more resource management than a typical RPG. Players that are too aggressive with their stamping can easily run out of chain points, and have to wait for their powers to slowly recharge, leaving them in a potentially perilous situation. While CP charging posts litter region maps, access to the columns can be dangerous, as roving foes will pursue the player with infuriating determination.

Although Last Rebellion’s load screens and creatures are well drawn, the title suffers from a drab stiffness. Players accustomed to vibrant cutscenes, with dynamically animated characters will likely be disappointed with the game’s static drawings. While the game’s main characters are well vocalized, some of the performances presented by minor characters vary in quality, contributing to the game’s modest aesthetics.

Discerning role-playing enthusiasts will likely be troubled by Last Rebellion’s overall lack of polish and ambition. From the game’s uninspired presentation to its insipid overworld expeditions, the title can feel woefully underdeveloped. However, players seeking an adventure with a creative and fascinating battle system might be able to overlook the game’s shortcomings and lose themselves in Last Rebellion's inspired fracases.

Massively Mundane- Ragnarok DS Review

2010-03-01T15:00:00Z

Eight years ago, I couldn’t open a browser without my muscle memory kicking in and sending me straight to Newgrounds.com to navigate their vast library of sophomoric flash cartoons depicting Sonic the Hedgehog performing unspeakably violent, and often lewd acts to Mario in a non-Olympic setting. It was around this time that the entire site was papered with ads for Ragnarok Online, an anime inspired, free-to-play Korean MMORPG. Nowadays, these types of ads are commonplace and are largely ignored due to the sheer number of similar titles littering what would seem to be a very niche market, but at the time, the idea seemed novel. After almost a decade, Ragnarok has pulled in millions of players, and earned its permanent place in the MMO space, sporting a sequel, an anime spin-off, and now a game for the Nintendo DS.

Ragnarok DS (or “Ragnarok: Ragnarok DS,” as it is written on the box) attempts to take the sprite-based Massively Multiplayer Online RPG off of your computer screen and convert it to a story-driven Japanese-style RPG, custom tailored to the DS. You take control of a young adventurer named Ales as he sets off to become a real adventurer, like his father. Only moments after his opening monologue, Ales stumbles across a girl in the woods named Sierra: “don’t tell me you have amnesia!” he exclaims, setting the tone and keying the player into the fact that they are in store for yet another installment of Amnesiac Princess Theater. The game certainly dodges any chance it would have for an originality award, but I suppose it deserves some respect for being up front about it. By the time Sierra agrees to join Ales on his quest to be the greatest adventurer in the world for no reason other than because he woke her up from a nap, one has resigned to the fact that this will not be the game that catches the attention of the Peabody Awards Committee.

The nuts-and-bolts that make up Ragnarok DS are very contradictory; it seems like everything that the game does well is balanced out by something poor, to make certain that the experience remains vanilla throughout. The environmental textures and character sprites are very colorful and nicely drawn; however, in order to enjoy them, you need to be zoomed to the maximum level, which only allows you to see your character and anything within arms’ reach. If you zoom out enough to see what you are doing, even by just a little bit, the game becomes a pixelated mash of jagged blobs. The battle system is hopelessly adhered its MMORPG pratfalls: Basic attacks are performed by selecting an enemy and waiting for your character to exchange blows until the enemy dies or you need to run away to heal. You can break up the monotony of watching two-frame animations in a loop by activating special abilities, which require you to use the DS stylus to draw lines or circles, however, until you are several hours into the game, none of these abilities will cause any more damage than your standard attack, so get used to watching your soaps while waiting for bad guys to keel over.

It isn’t all bad though; the game is relatively responsive, and the developers had the good sense to allow the player to move using the D-Pad or the stylus, so your hand rarely needs to obstruct your view. Although the animations are extremely basic, the game never slows down, even when there are mobs of enemies on the screen. Ragnarok DS also offers a myriad of character customization possibilities. Each time a character levels up, they are given a set number of status points and skill points that can be used to upgrade Ales and Company any way you wish, and if you find a particular weapon that you enjoy, you can have it upgraded at the shops in town as well. There is a multiplayer mode that allows the player to team up with 2 buddies wirelessly to conquer a randomly generated dungeon, made up of perfectly square rooms. It’s not terribly exciting, but the option is available if you ever find yourself in the back seat of a minivan with 2 other kids, 3 DS units and 3 copies of the game.

I can’t help but think that Ragnarok DS was the result of a losing bet in the Gung Ho Online office. How else would they get the idea to take a wildly popular multiplayer game and port it to the most anti-social system on the market? If this were the result of an academic design project, I’d applaud them for their effort, but as a marketable game, I have to question their motives. Still, if there is a market out there for Massively Multiplayer RPGs that are neither Massive nor Multiplayer, but still conform to all the trappings of those two M’s, then this certainly caters to it.

New Releases 2/28-3/6: Singing, Swinging, and Shooting Edition

2010-02-28T17:00:00Z

Some of life's simplest pleasures can be found on a console near you this week. Whether your passion is nailing notes, curve balls, or truck loads of enemies, there's a diversion that will likely appeal to any gamer. With the commencement of spring training, it's little wonder that this Wednesday also sees the release of ten baseball SKUs.

360
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Lips: Party Classics
MLB 2K10
Toy Soldiers

PS3
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
MLB 10: The Show
MLB 2K10

Wii
Alice in Wonderland
Mega Man 10
MLB 2K10
Project Runway
SpongeBob's Boating Bash

PS2
MLB 10: The Show
MLB 2K10

DS
Alice in Wonderland
Deca Sports DS
MLB 2K10
Sonic Classic Collection
SpongeBob's Boating Bash

PSP
Dante's Inferno
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
MLB 10: The Show
MLB 2K10

PC
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
MLB 2K10
Silent Hunter 5
Supreme Commander 2

DesertEagle's Pick: I was pleasantly surprised by the the first Battlefield: Bad Company, and have returned to its single player game regularly. With the proficiency shown by the recent multiplayer demo, I am extremely excited for the series' sophomore effort.

SeanNOLA's Pick: A lot of interesting releases this week: the early edition of Mega Man 10 will be an easy pick-up for those of you with little to no attachment to their gamerscore, and what little I've seen of Alice in Wonderland on the DS looks intriguing. However, loyal podcast listeners will tell you that I have been chomping at the bit to get my hands on Lunar: Silver Star Harmony.

TideGear's Pick: This seems like DesertEagle's week to soar through tons of military action. Me? I'm conflicted. I'd like to believe that Silent Hunter 5 won't be impenetrably complicated, but I'd almost certainly be wrong. Toy Soldiers seems much more manageable, but will it be much more than a stylized RTS? Supreme Commander 2 seems more promising than the first, but the first left me pretty cold. As for Mega Man 10, I'd say it's my pick, but it doesn't seem as special this time around. Luckily, there's a good chance one or more of those titles will be good. We'll see!

Raw, Rough and Redeeming- Risen Review

2010-02-28T01:00:00Z

A reoccurring trope within role-playing games is the protracted tutorial, which slowly introduces players to a title’s byzantine array of options. Typically, this is where players garner the fundamentals of a game- from equipping weapons and armor, learning new spells, to managing hit points. Recent Xbox 360 release Risen wisely forgoes these clichéd lessons, requiring players to fend for themselves after regaining consciousness from a violent shipwreck.

Gamers will spend the first few minutes of the game looting corpses, searching for survivors, and desperately searching for a way to defend themselves from enemies that lurk just beyond the grisly shoreline. Inspiring moments like these happen sporadically in Risen, and help to elevate the title above its RPG brethren. Unfortunately, the periods in-between these flashes of eminence may display enough rough edges to sully a discriminating player’s appreciation of the title.

Foremost among these blemishes is Risen’s general lack of polish; small flaws are ubiquitous in the game. From perpetually spinning dispatched enemies, omitted line of spoken dialog, and half-second pauses when a weapon is unsheathed, the title is teeming with quirks. Mercifully, most of these imperfections are cosmetic, and do little more than tarnish the game’s sense of atmosphere. The single exception during my extended expedition came when the protagonist was caught in a looping animation, forcing a reload from the last autosave file.

Risen’s visual voyage has moments of unflinching repulsiveness, from cave walls textured with ribbons of solid lines to ore despots that resemble bloody gashes. Like Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the title focuses on creating a sweeping landmass overflowing with a multitude of flowers, structures, and creatures rather than producing a circumscribed location filled with reoccurring objects. Both Risen’s framerate and the fluidity of the game’s turning speed can fluctuate wildly, lending the title an uneven feel. Evidence that the game is a PC port is pervasive, ranging from the convenient ability to save at any time, to the title’s loading screens- which unabashedly display their standard aspect-ratio roots. Risen shines in its aural presentation, with resonant voice acting and a marvelous musical score.

Despite a laundry list of deficiencies, Risen’s gameplay can offer a refreshing reprieve from the usual trappings of the RPG genre. Most noticeable is the game’s handling of personalities; conversations, actions, and alliances have a tangible effect on how each character will treat you. Revisit a NPC you’ve encountered previously and their attitude will be altered by your actions. The mutable demeanor of characters lends Risen an open world feel that is only hinted at in other role-playing titles. Leading a horde of agitated foes into a nearby individual and seeing them defend themselves is not only perpetually amusing, but indicates the scope of the game’s artificial intelligence.

As players embark on the game’s myriad of quests, they may notice the game’s irregular trajectory- Risen starts with an open-ended adventure, funnels the player though a linear section, before returning to its free reign cadence. The title’s unconventional pace work well, giving players narrative and instructional direction after they’ve had an opportunity to immerse themselves in the game world. During the second phase, adventures will learn the intricacies of combat- an advantageous lesson, since dungeons can hold a degree of challenge for the ill-equipped or under-experienced player.

Risen’s blend of ranged, magic and melee combat is represented real time, requiring players to parry, dodge and strike with a right trigger, while shielding blows with the left. Initially, learning the rhythms and skills required to fight simultaneous foes can be taunting, but as gamers stick with the game, clashes become straightforward. I did wish Risen offered the ability to lock onto enemies- accidentally raising the ire of a NPC with an errant blow can be frustrating.

If RPG aficionados have the ability to overlook Risen’s PC port failings, they’ll find a rewarding diversion brimming with a both depth and accessibility. Fans of titles like Oblivion and Divinity II: Ego Draconis should give this dark horse a try; if there like me they’ll be plunging themselves in Risen’s realm into the far reaches of the evening hours.