Sunday, October 26, 2014

Devil May Cry 2 HD (PS3)

I played all the Devil May Cry games in order because I had nothing better to do one month.  I am not usually one for games like this, I don't have the muscles for twitch movements and the like.  This was a very difficult series for me to get into but I made it through this game.

Devil May Cry is a series of games about a half-human/half-demon character by the name of Dante.  The story is honestly well written in all the other games but in this one, it is easily forgotten.  In fact, I don't remember much about this game at all.  I know it has all the over-the-top action that the series is known for and Dante is supposed to be a badass above all other badasses.

The gameplay of this was less than stellar, namely the difficulty.  I'm not huge on difficult games but this one compared to 1 and 3 is just a huge step backwards.  The game is really easy no matter what you do.  Now I don't see that as a terribly bad thing but many people will.  The combat works and the platforming and puzzles are bland, again this game was so forgettable I don't even remember anything about it at all.

I think to sum things up, if I can't remember much about this game.  It must not be a very good game in the first place.  My friends told me not to play this game because it tarnishes the series as a whole and I really feel it does.  I have only completed the first three games and did not want to move on in the series.  I'm sure there will be somebody that sticks up for this game but I honestly can't think of anything that redeems this game.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (NDS)

As the second Dragon Quest game I ever played, this was a good way to get acquainted with the series.  Having played other titles now, I can say that though they don't change the formula that much there is something about the series that is so endearing. Sure there are games with better graphics, battle mechanics, and stories but this series has so much going for it.

The game oozes nostalgic tones of RPGs in the NES/SNES days.  You can only save in certain places, random encounters, and very straightforward progression.  What sets this game apart is the story.  I feel that by splitting each section of the game across the various heroes that you meet is a great way to build the story.  You gain a connection to each character and their struggles.  The story does end quite well and I have to say it was intense to say the least.

If you have never played a traditional turn based RPG, this is a great place to start.  Battles are as simple or complex as you want them to be.  I never had a difficult time with just attacking everything, except with bosses.  Some players don't like this and feel that it makes the enemies all out to be cannon fodder.  I like this way better as I hate losing to small fry enemies.  The bosses should be the challenge but it falls to a matter of taste.

There isn't much else to say about this game.  If you want a classical RPG adventure full of dragons, magic, and random encounters.  This is the game for you.  Sure it doesn't have all the modern RPG staples but it is still a fun ride.  The story is well worth the time and some of the characters will stick with you.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Persona 4 Arena (PS3)

Coming off my initial playthrough of Persona 4 Golden, I purchased this game.  I thought it would be a good idea.  I love Blazblue and this seemed very similar.  I was only slightly disappointed by this game but not for the reason that I was thinking.

To begin, this is a fighting game that takes place after the events of Persona 4.  The premise being that the main character from Persona 4, in this case named Yu, has returned to Inaba for a vacation.  During this time, it appears the Midnight Channel from the previous game has returned and it is up to the Investigation Team to find out what is going on.

This story setup is not the problem.  The problem with this game is the story is incredibly slow and there is far too much text on the screen for a fighting game.  Now I don't mind Blazblue because usually there is a lot of fights.  In this game, it is the opposite.  During one story section, there is literally 40 minutes of talking and one fight.  The fights are fun but often are very easy.

I couldn't actually finish the story mode because there was just way too much text.  I feel disappointed in myself for this because I really wanted to like the story but I just could not get into it.  This was just so slow and really was not interesting.  I'm sure that I am the only one that feels this way but it is my opinion.

The fighting in this game is superb and fluid.  Every character is awesome and plays just as you would expect them too if you had played the RPG.  Even some characters from Persona 3 make an appearance and it just brings more for players of both.  It is great to finally be able to settle who would win a fight between Teddie and Aigis.

I must give a special nod to the music in this title.  Most of it is remixes from Persona 4 but it really makes you feel nostalgic if you played Persona 4 beforehand.  It really pumps me up and makes me want to play both titles whenever I hear it.

All in all, if you are a fan of Persona or Blazblue, you should buy this or the new enhanced version that recently was released.  They are solid games and worth it.  Although the story mode was incredibly slow to me and with little reward, it by no means should ruin the game for you.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Metroid II: Return of Samus (GBC)

Looking back on my time with this game, it brings back fond memories of playing through this whole games in a span of two days on a very long road trip.  I still remember where most of the items are and I remember the excitement of meeting my first Zeta metroid.  I've always been a fan of the series and this was just a continuation of my love.

The story premise is simple.  After the events of the first game, Samus Aran must go hunt metroids on their home world.  The story is very simple and to the point.  This game is meant to instill a sense of adventure and solitude.  You feel as if you are the first human to ever visit this place just as it should be because you are the first to visit.  Or at least the first to survive.

See, the planet SR388 is a dangerous place full of enemies and metroids.  Just about everything in this game is trying to kill Samus and it is your job to survive.  Most of the enemies are simple and have very predictable patterns.  Metroids on the other hand are difficult.  There are four types and they will destroy you very easily if you are careless. Why fight these things then?  Well, you can't advance without killing them.  The whole point of the game is to eradicate all the metroids.

The only part of this game that is a huge hindrance is the fact that there is no map.  Just like the first title, unless you are keeping a map, there is nothing.  It is incredibly easy to get lost in this game.  It is also easy to miss things that you need to advance.  Unless you know where to go, get ready to wander.  This does bring a sense of realism but mostly it is just a limitation of the Gameboy.

This is a great game and really should be played by anybody that likes Metroid.  Sure there are lots of times you will get lost but it is worth playing.  The battles are fun and exciting.  This is a great game to play on the run.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Persona 4: The Golden (PSVita)

As my second foray into the world of Shin Megami Tensei and specifically the Persona series, I was excited.  Persona 3 left me wanting a little bit more and that is just what I got.  This is a great game and encompasses everything that I want from an RPG.  The battle system is solid, the story is absolutely wonderful, and the characters are all memorable in their own way.

Let's start off with the gameplay, this game is cross between a life-simulator and an RPG.  You can venture into the various dungeons with your friends or just try to live a normal life as a high school student in Japan.  Well as normal as you can get with the fact that you are the only people that can solve a murder mystery where people are dying from unknown ways and you somehow can go inside the TV.  The combat is solid and venturing through the dungeons is never dull.  Sure there can be some grinding when you are looking for a certain item or when you need to level up a Persona to get a skill you need but it is always fun.

The story in this game is my key appeal.  Everything is fleshed out and you never feel like something is just glossed over or forgotten.  Each part of the main story involves the aforementioned murder mystery but there is more to the game than just that. Through the social link system, you learn more about your party members, family, and people in the game world.  Not only are most of these interesting but they give you in game perks from new Persona's to party member skills.  You can do as much or as little as you want.  I never felt forced to do a social link.

I consider this game a must own if you own a Vita.  Even if you don't like the anime style or even want to listen to all the high school angst, the game is just too good not to suggest to anybody with any interest in RPGs.  The battle system is solid to the point of hindering no part of the game experience.  Even the story will keep you guessing as several times I was second guessing what was going to happen.  It is very rare that I care about characters in a game but this game made me care about all of them. I don't care if you played this on the PS2, buy this game on a Vita and enjoy it.  The added content is well worth it.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

ZHP: Unlosing Hero vs. Darkdeath Evilman (PSP)

This game kind of came out of nowhere.  Despite the strange name, it is a very solid title and definitely worth playing for any fan of RPGs.  The premise is good, the gameplay is better, and the story ties it all together.  Even though it can be challenging at times, it is well worth the effort.

Let's start with the story.  It is a very simple story about an unlikely hero saving the world from an ultimate evil.  Being a Nippon Ichi title, it has the brand of humor that you would expect from them.  There are some deep moments and it does get intense but it stays light and whimsical through out.  I don't think this game would work better if the story was too serious.  It needs to be light to keep it interesting.

This game is in the rogue-like style of other titles like Izuna: The Unemployed Ninja and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.  You start each dungeon at level 1.  If you die, you lose everything.  Simple concept but this game has a slight twist.  Instead of losing all your levels in this game when you die, you store them.  The more levels you store, the stronger your base stats.  Not only does this make the game a little easier but it also adds some strategy to the game. There is also permanent stat boosts using the body modification section.  There is a lot to this game and it will keep a player busy for hours.

In dungeons, each of the main story dungeons has a gimmick.  Some may just be huge areas connected by a large desert land to a dungeon that lets you fall to the next floor just by walking off. The monsters are all unique but there is some palette swapping towards the end.  The player can equip items on the head, chest, left arm, right arm, and feet.  Each of these can be powered up more using the body modification and each one grants special abilities.  Some of these abilities are not helpful.  For instance, using a Prinny Hat grants the player the ability to explode in one hit when thrown.  If an enemy that can throw the player, reserved for the pig monster enemy, that is instant death.  The player has to be mindful of what they are equipping before they equip it.

I would highly suggest this game.  Not just because it is a hilarious game but because it is a solid title and definitely worth playing. The game can be challenging but the rewards are great.  If you like an even greater challenge there are challenge dungeons, one that has 100 floors you must conquer.  A great game that deserves to be played.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Fallout: New Vegas (PS3)

As a newcomer to the Fallout franchise with Fallout 3, I was so engrossed that I actually did just about everything in that game.  When this game came out, I couldn't wait to delve back into the world.  I have to say, I like Fallout 3 more than this one still but they are both great games.

First, I know everybody will say that the game is better on the PC.  Why did I play on the PS3, probably the worst version?  I played it on this because I wanted to.  I still had a great time despite all the flaws, so that just proves the game has a lot going for it.

The story of this game is kind of intriguing.  Definitely fit for a post apocalyptic setting.  My only gripe is that the main storyline lacks any sort of twists.  You pretty much know what is going to happen as it happens.  Even when you get to the actual Vegas part of New Vegas, you are not really surprised.  The story is great in the stuff that is not part of the main story.  All the little side stories that happen around the area are better than the main story which makes this all the more confusing.

The combat is the main draw.  In this game, they fixed the sights on the guns to actually go down the barrel when zoomed in.  This makes not using VATS all the time viable.  In fact, I rarely used VATS in this adventure.  I only ever used it for more precise grenades and difficult enemies.  I do not like some of the new enemies and miss some of the ones from Fallout 3.  All in all, the combat is great and definitely worth just playing this game just for it.

A major problem with this game is the stability.  Throughout the whole game and all the DLC chapters, there is always the fear of a crash.  You can mitigate this with disabling certain settings but I feel that doing this is playing the game as it wasn't intended to be played.  So I played with default settings and dealt with the crashes.  In all honesty, it only got bad in the last DLC chapter released.  There were times when I was getting 2 frames per second but only when certain enemies were on the screen and only in one area.  Everything else played decently well and did not hinder my enjoyment.

Sure playing Fallout games on non-PC platforms may not give you freedom of mods and textures and things like that.  I feel that games should be played as the developer intended.  These people put a lot of work into making what they did, what gives me the right to change what they did?  The game is fun despite the problems and I am grateful that I got a chance to play it.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Kirby Air Ride (GCN)

Now I get to remember all about my favorite kart racing game.  This game was one of the first games I ever played on my Gamecube and I still remember how many hours I spent in this game.  Going through every nook and cranny in City Trial.  Trying to do all the challenges in the normal racing sections.  Ignoring the top-down section completely until realizing that it is incredibly fun.

Kirby has always been one of my favorite characters in gaming.  The little guy is so simple and his games are usually as simple as he is.  This is game is no exception.  I actually prefer this to Mario Kart because Mario Kart is just too intense at times and the rubber band AI is just annoying.  This game is the polar opposite.  You are your own worst enemy.  The AI just serves as fodder.

The game is split into three sections, two of them I can't remember the names for but they are both normal racing modes.  The first one is just pick a kart and race through the tracks.  Racing in this game breaks down between figuring out the courses.  Each course has some kind of gimmick or some weird shortcuts.  It takes time to learn the best route through some but once you know it, it sticks with you.

The second section is the top-down racing part.  You are essentially a little kart on a tabletop course and you have to beat the rest of the racers to finish line.  I didn't play that much of this game type till much later but it does get hectic.  There are often course hazards and the items that you get are pretty fun.  A very simple mode that is good with friends.

The last section of the game is the biggest and buy far my favorite.  City Trial consists of a giant open map that players get to drive around and collect items or find new karts to ride.  The best part of this mode is finding that really good kart and just destroying the other players.  Each item you collect either helps or hinders your performance.  After a certain amount of time, you get to compete in a challenge at the end.  These can very from arena style fights to races to other challenges.  The kart you pick can help or really hurt your chances at these challenges.  For instance, if the challenge is to glide as far as you can and you are in a star that doesn't glide at all, you have no chance to win.  You don't know what the challenge is when you start, so it is very risk and reward centric.  Of course, if you get one of the two legendary kart, you pretty much can't lose.

This game came out at a weird time in the Gamecubes life and I wish it had been more popular.  I definitely think there should be a sequel.  City Trial all on it's own was just a huge blast to play.  Competing against others for good stars, finding the best items, or just blowing everything up.  It was so much fun to just wander around and have fun.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Bioshock Infinite (PS3)

This game is an interesting case.  I enjoyed the first Bioshock greatly and was less than happy with Bioshock 2.  Going into this game, I knew what I was getting but I didn't realize just how in depth they thought about the history and setting.  They took the time to look back at the time the game is set in and draw upon that.  Despite not being able to go back in time, they captured it and made the world feel alive.

Every area in this game feels alive and vibrant.  No matter what you are doing, there is something there that makes the town feel lived in.  Sure sometimes the combat gets in the way and there is often so much going on you miss some of the interesting pieces of the city.  This just leads to having great replay value.  Every time you play it, you will see something new or notice something you have never noticed before.

The combat in this game is as fluid and there are multiple approaches to each confrontation.  You can try to be stealthy, you can try to just blast your way through.  You can usually be succesful.  Some of the vigors that you get are useful in certain situations and will definitely fit different play styles.  You are never pidgeon-holed into a certain way to complete something.  This is good for me cause well, I am terrible at stealth.

The story is great and definitely fits the whole universe.  I only wish I could have spent more time in this world.  The game is rather short and at times feels rushed.  The last section of the game is decent and definitely better than Bioshock 2, it just doesn't hit the major climax like Bioshock does.  Even the twist wasn't that great.  The game does get very heavy in the end and definitely leaves the player thinking what happened.  A great game and definitely worth playing.  I wasn't originally going to buy the game but couldn't resist.  I am glad I didn't it.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom (Wii)

Fighting games have a strange effect on me.  Sometimes I love them and other times they are a huge pain to get through.  This game was strangely in the middle.  I love the characters and the combat system but unlocking all the characters was a pain.

To begin, this was my first attempt at playing a non Street Fighter game in my life at the time.  Since this game, I have now branched out and played numerous other fighters.  This game is a good gateway into the fighting game genre.  The combo system is simple, each character has some simple combos for beginners and it helps ease them into longer more complicated combos.

Each of the characters to me was new and most of them I had never seen before.  I had fun with this game and it was a nice gateway into the other fighting games that I played after.  I learned how to do some very basic fighting game things like quarter circles or cancels.  This is a great game for anybody that wants to have some fun.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Super Mario World (VC)

Having played this game on the original SNES, I had to play it again when it was re-released on Virtual Console.  It is one of the best platformers that I have ever played.  The controls are solid, the level progression is good, and nothing gets to the point of frustrating.  Sure some things are decently hard but you never feel like something unfair.

As a Mario game, it is pretty simple.  Get from the start to the finish, collecting coins, and trying your best not to die.  The feather power up was the new power-up for this game and honestly, I wish they would bring it back.  It is a great item and was really fun to play with.

The story is okay and by this time, if you had played the NES games, you knew what was happening.  The music is still memorable and by far the greatest in the series at times.  The ghost house theme and others still stay in my mind.  The bosses are fun but do get repeated after a certain point.

If you have a chance and have never played this game.  Play it.  It holds up today and is still one of the best platformers out there.  They should teach classes about this game for game developers, to show them how to take a basic system and make a great game.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Final Fantasy III (NDS)

One of the few games that starts out great, mellows out in the middle and then just falls completely flat at the end.  The job system is great but very exploitable.  The story is there but is not all that enticing.  As a fan of Final Fantasy, I had a hard time finishing this one.

Let's start out with the great parts, it has a good job system.  Each class has a use at times and it does help to switch around at times.  The big problem with this system is the fact that you gain job levels for spamming things.  I remember sitting in the starting area, grinding for hours using Defend to level my jobs.  It is necessary and I will explain that later.

The story has moments but sometimes if gets unclear where to go.  You will often find yourself in areas you shouldn't be in and the game lets you know.  It puts enemies there that will eat you alive.  The story is just a vehicle though, I had to remember that this was originally an NES title.  I appreciate the chance to play this in the US but they could have updated the story a little more so it didn't feel so dated.

Now the worst part and what really just ruins the whole experience for me, the last dungeon.  This is by far the most unfair, frustrating, and tedious experience in my life.  There are no save points in the last area of the game.  Why is this bad?  Lots of games do that.  Lots of games don't force you into an area that you cannot leave that has more than the last boss.  This game has 6 bosses, including the last boss.  Every encounter is a previous boss but beefed up.  To be fair, 4 of the bosses are there to weaken the last boss.  If you don't beat them though, the last boss is near impossible.  In fact, I think you can't beat it unless you do beat the four other bosses.  You have to do all of this without saving.  So if you die against the last boss, guess what.  You have to fight all the other bosses again.  This doesn't sound bad until you remember how big the last area is and that every fight is technically with boss enemies.  Even with max levels on the best jobs, I had a hard time with this.

I don't mind a little challenge but they could have done something to keep this game from falling so flat at the end.  It was just cruel and a poor design choice for this remake.  Having to repeat 2-3 hours of game every time you lose to the last boss and you will lose cause even in a weakened state, it is hard.  It just doesn't make for a good experience.  I would say buy this but only if you are a fan.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Secret of Mana (SNES)

It is very difficult for me to write this review.  In fact, I will make this short.  I cannot be objective about this game because it is my favorite game of all time.  The battle system, the story, the characters, and everything about this game are perfect.  I may be blinded by nostalgia but I simply cannot find fault with this game.  It is just so awesome that I could go on and on about this game for several pages.  But I won't.  Not like anybody reads this.

If you haven't played this game, give it a try.  This is a great game.  It is what inspired me to continue gaming.  I want to make a game like this at some point in my life.  This game influenced my childhood so much, I just can't let it go.

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Luminous Arc (NDS)

Witches everywhere and they are evil.  But really they aren't.  Some are?  I don't know.  This game has a plot that is quite silly at times, often makes no sense, but ends up being decent.  It doesn't make up for the clunky battle system and the strange glitches that show up.

First off, I love Strategy RPGs.  This game was hard for me to get through for one reason though, it was paced very poorly.  At one point you are fighting enemies that are giving you little to no experience and then you jump into battle with things that will just eat you alive.  It made grinding a chore and a necessity.  Luckily, using any ability gives EXP to a character so you can spam healing or buff spells to level up.

The glitches do really detract from the fun though.  From characters that take forever to path find to their destination to characters disappearing after using a buff on them.  Only for them to return but with the sprite looking like it is in debuff state.  It makes the game seem really weird.  The voices cut in and out as well.  It is very jarring.

This was a good start to a series that we never got the end of.  I never got the next game in the series but I would hope someday I could.  This wasn't a terrible game.  It had some good ideas and the story ended up being quite nice.  It just needed a little more time for some polish.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Final Fantasy X (PS2)

It is very lucky that the randomizer I use to pick my games to review picked this game.  The date of this review is the same day the HD remakes of X and X-2 came out.  I haven't played X-2 so this will only cover X.

I have always been a fan of Final Fantasy because it blended wonderful battle systems and great stories. This game is now the exception.  The combat system in this game is very simple and very good.  Being able to switch out characters without being punished is great.  It gives the player a lot more choices in combat and can lead into some interesting setups.

The other good things about this game is the Sphere Grid.  It lets you grow the characters however you want.  Especially Kimahri who is almost a blank slate with Blue magic.  Not happy that Tidus is a terrible character and can't do that much damage?  Have him go through Auron's grid.  Wish that somebody other than Rikku could steal?  Put them through her grid.  It leads to some wonderful mixes.

Now where this game falls flat, the story.  Many, many people tout this game as having the last best story in the Final Fantasy series (I disagree cause FFXII has a wonderful story).  I won't disagree that it is a story that is framed well but it also has some really grating moments.  The major story plot twist is predictable, in fact, I picked up on it quite early.  Secondly, the characters (minus Auron and Rikku) are bland and uninteresting.  This is one of the few games that I actually wanted to see the main characters lose.

While this is a good game in it's own right, this is not the best Final Fantasy game ever. I know I will gather some hate from this (although only like 3 people will see this) but I stick by it.  By the end of the game, I was just glad to see it end.  Although, I do wish they would have done more with Auron.  Auron was a great character.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Kirby's Dreamland (GB)

Kirby has always been my favorite simple platformer series.  This game is no exception.  Despite not having the ability system that the series is now known for, this game is awesome.  If you haven't ever played a Kirby game before, this is a good one to start with.

What is Kirby?  Simply put, Kirby is a simplistic platformer game that rarely challenges the player but is fun nonetheless.  In this series, you play as Kirby.  You have on goal, defeat King Dedede and get the snacks back to Dreamland.  You will run, fly, jump, and swim through various worlds.  The bosses are all fairly unique and fun.

One thing that I love about the series is the soundtrack.  Everything is upbeat and cheery.  Boss battle themes are intense but at the same time never make you feel dreadful.  This game is just a series about having fun and being carefree.  You never feel rushed in this game but every level builds on what you have learned in the past.  In all, this game is just a big, fun, happy adventure.

Friday, March 14, 2014

Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (NDS)

A deep, dark castle.  Very thin lighting.  Walking through a hallway, the eyes of the portraits following me.  It isn't a trick of the mind, they are actually following.  A crash of thunder and a flash of lightning.  All these things are what come to mind when I remember playing this game.

Castlevania is one of those series that I can get immersed in and really feel like I am in the castle itself.  This game is no different.  I enjoy the setup of this one quite a bit.  Taking place in a time where having Dracula around is not only convenient, it borderlines on destruction is great.  The characters are good and it fits into the timeline nicely.

Having essentially two characters to play as really does add to the puzzle solving that is a staple of the series.  It also introduces some interesting aspects to combat.  There are some frustrating fights, especially what you have to do to get the best ending but the switching gimmick and the two different combat styles are great all around.

This is a fun game and I wish that more games like it would come out.  From what I've seen with what Konami has done with the Castlevania series, I'm not too happy.  I don't mind them trying to expand their horizons but the Lords of Shadow series don't really appeal to me.  Give me more games like this and I would be happy.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA)

As one of the first Castlevania games I played on the Gameboy Advance, I was a little surprised.  This game wasn't terrible but compared to the high point of Symphony of the Night, it is hard not to be hard on this game.  For one, it is incredibly dark.  Like the contrast between character and some of the backgrounds is not different to the point that you lose where your character is.

The other thing that was annoying was the card system was not explained in the game.  I bought this game without the booklet so I had no idea how to use the cards until I looked them up later.  This game was great though.  As the first GBA Castlevania's it set up the groundwork for later titles.  It opened the door and I have to say, despite my complaints it was a decent game with it's moments.  If you get the chance, find this game.  It is worth a playthrough for any fan of the series.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Chrono Trigger (NDS)

A grand adventure should start small and build up into something that ends up being memorable but ends in an ultimate conclusion.  What I just said is exactly how this game goes.  You start at a simple point with a simple goal.  It quickly snowballs into a story that has lots of depth.

Let's start off by saying, don't get the Playstation 1 version of this game.  The load times absolutely kill this game.  You want to have the smooth transitions to battles to experience the game greatly.  Battles are great.  You sometimes don't have to even do them and they are great to miss.  It never feels like you need to grind and if you are smart you don't have to.

The part of this game that I enjoy the most is the character development.  Each playable character starts off with a secret or a quirk.  Learning what makes them tick is part of the great part of the game.  I have to commend Square Enix for the character Frog.  He is my favorite character in any RPG so far and I feel has inspired a lot of the ideas I've had for my own game.

I still enjoy the sequel to this game more and I am in the minority in this feeling.  This is still a very solid title and a classic that should be played by everybody.  It is a great game that shows how to pace a game and properly frame a story.

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Star Wars Rogue Squadron (N64)

PEWPEWPEW!  I don't remember anything about this game.  I remember it being kind of fun but I am terrible at things like this.  Star Wars is one of those things you usually have fun with but this one has issues.  The controls are not as responsive as they could be.  It does look good for an N64 game.  I could probably revisit this game at some point but I am just bad at twitch shooters at this.  I don't think this is actually a twitch shooter.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Dead Nation (PS3)

The premise behind this game is pretty simple.  Zombies are everywhere, kill them.  Keep killing them until they are all dead...well dead again cause they were already dead.  

I typically don't really like shooters like this because I am terrible at them.  Even on the easiest modes, I have a hard time.  This game was fun to play but there are other issues with it that make it not as fun.  For one, it is too dark.  I understand that making the game dark is what makes it challenging but it was simply too dark to do much with on my old TV.

Some of the scenarios and side things are frustrating or just downright silly.  I never really felt like doing them and I didn't really have to.  The story is okay but nothing to write home about.  The controls are solid though and there is some substance to the little things in this game.  It isn't a terrible game but if you have played a zombie game, this doesn't break any new ground.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (GCN)

Four swords!  This game should be better right?  I doubt it.  This game has issues.  If it weren't for all the collection stuffs, it would be a decent game but throwing the player back cause they are literally missing 10 pieces of things is kind of rude.  In fact, it is frustrating.  Nintendo should have looked at making the game less a collect-a-thon and more of a fun romp through the Zelda universe.  The items are okay but this game is really marred by the fact that you can fail so easily to lose a level.

As for the story, it is passable.  Sure this was the first time that Nintendo tried to use the Four Sword in full game.  It is okay but really the Minish Cap is the best game in this little storyline.  Vaati is a decent villain but this game just feels like a way to sell the GBA cable.

All in all, I can't really recommend this game that much.  It had some fun ideas but the whole thing is kind of flat and simple.  Tie that in with the frustration of having to collect an arbitrary amount of triangles just to win, it gets repetitive way to easily.  Worth playing if you are a fan.