VGA 101 Update – Gallery: Pier Solar Reprint Edition (Plus!)

Posted on November 30, 2012 by geelw

Well, that was fast – A game I’ve wanted to play for ages is finally in the library here: Pier Solar and the Great Architects for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive along with the Enhanced CD for the Sega-CD/Mega CD. This isn’t the original print or the Posterity Edition, but the WM Reprint version in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Nice. I need to dig out one of my Sega-CD’s from under the TV set in the home office (oh, that will be a pain, but worth all that weightlifting), but I do have one of my Genesis systems out nearby (Actually, a Japanese Mega Drive), so I can at least start up the game (perhaps this weekend provided I have time).Yeah, yeah – I wanted to support Watermelon’s HD Kickstarter project, but I could only afford to either pick up this set now and play it or sign up for Kickstarter, donate and wait. I’m hoping the HD version of Pier Solar does well enough that it gets a reissue or even better, pops up on PSN (hell, a Vita version I’d kill for – or at least elbow someone gently in the head for)…

As for the other stuff? Well, it was cheap, so I picked them up. Sorcery (which should have been completed so that it shipped WITH the PlayStation Move as a launch title for the peripheral) was $10 and Heavy Rain was a few dollars more. Prometheus I bought to see the edited/deleted scenes and special features. I liked most of the film, but there are a few dumb lead characters and one part of the ending that should have been handled better. Otherwise, the film looks spectacular and ends up answering some questions and leaving others pinging around in the brain.

Video Game Appreciation 101: Recent Acquisitions (Part Whatever)

Posted on November 30, 2012 by geelw

OK, quickly now, as I’m still buried under a few Wii and Vita games I need to review: Blades of Time for the PS3 and Thor: God of Thunder for the Nintendo DS, both picked up this week dirt cheap. The former is a sort of sequel/reboot/update to developer Gaijin Entertainment’s poorly received X-Blades, a perfect example of great (in fact, spectacular) visuals and gameplay that’s somewhat lacking in depth. Blades of Time looks better, has tighter gameplay, an awesome time winding feature for combat and puxzzles, some really cheap enemies and yet, scored low to average on nearly every site that reviewed it. Granted, lead character Ayumi talks WAY too much to herself for a good chunk of the game and for those expecting a simple hack ‘n slash, the game can be really tough about a third or so of the way in. Nevertheles, it’s worth a buy if you like fast-paced action games and ton of monsters to kill. Oh yeah, that compass you whip out to find your way around (and hidded treasures) is pretty sweet as well.

As for Thor on the DS? It totally SMOKES the PS3 and 360 versions thanks to developer WayForward Technologies being true gods of 2D programming. Parallax galore, a fun, fast combat system, upgradable gear and amazing use of the DS’ dual screen format (the best bosses are two screens tall!) makes this one an excellent buy for any fan of classic side-scrollers from the 8 and 16-bit era. It’s too bad neither game got the totalrespect they deserved… but I guess that’s one reason I’m still doing what I do here. Go check them out sometime!

Updates: Incoming, Now Playing And So Forth And So On…

Status

Hokay – I’m swimming in games as of late with more on the way as noted on the other DAF blog), but I’ll be updating a bit over the weekend. Nintendo Land, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (Wii Edition) and if I can get through it without dropping dead from fright, Zombi U will get posted along with a few other things. I need to figure out what December’s banner will be as well, so suggestions are welcome. I have games popping up every few days now, so the holiday backlog will continue… eek. But hey, it’s certainly a great time to be into the hobby, that’s for sure!

Review: Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (PS3)

Posted on November 27, 2012 by geelw

Platform: PS3

Developer: Blitz Games

Publisher: Disney Interactive

# of Players: 1 – 2 (Co-op)

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: Single Player: D+ (65%)/ Co-op B+ (85%)

Rather than cut and paste my Wii review of Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two from earlier with a few HD-themed edits, I decided to get a little more creative… to a point. Yup, this is what happens when you stay up to long playing one version of a game after another, folks…

More Epic song? OK, I’ve got one-
In HD, Mickey’s hot as strong sun
The shadows here? They can’t be beat
with detailed backgrounds that are quite neat.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two looks great on the PS3, with some gorgeous cartoon colors, more detailed backdrops, better draw distance and some great use of shadows that give areas a lot more life than on the Wii version. It may seem like a small thing, but the care that went into elements such as the bucket-carrying brooms casting shadows on the walls (and yes, recalling the Sorcerer’s Apprentice sequence in Fantasia) add to the overall game experience. Granted, lovely shadows and backdrops don’t make a great game, but for the most part, the game doesn’t disappoint on the visual front…

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Hmmm, We Seem To Be Back (Or: Oh, What The???)…

Status

I guess my double secret probation is over. Of course I get this sudden surprise after I’ve already set the moving trucks out. Yeesh. Well, I may as well go through with the rest of the insanely complex process given all the time and money I’ve just spent. Yeesh… that’s progress, I suppose.
Back in a bit – you can catch up on the posts you missed HERE on the old DAF blog.

Video Game Appreciation 101 (Random Import Version): Bing Bing! Bingo

Posted on November 19, 2012 by geelw

Mention Bingo to the average younger gamer and you’ll probably get a blank stare for a few seconds until they remember either that goofy song about a farmer and his dog or recall passing a local senior center or church with a photocopied sign or fading poster announcing weekly play sessions geared towards more mature gamblers looking to rake in a few extra bucks. Of course, leave it to Japanese developers and publishers to do something wacky and fun with what’s basically seen as an old folks’ time-sink here in the US.

Released in 1994 for the Super Famicom in Japan by KSS, Copya Systems’ Bing Bing! Bingo was an offbeat blend of mini-games makes for an interestingly wacky diversion as it presents Bingo from seven different perspectives across an island vacation paradise of sorts. Granted, if Bingo had big-eyed ladies in skimpy outfits and a spandex clad hero called Bingoman as part of the draw, I’d bet those churches and union halls turned into minor vice dens for the elderly would be packed with hipsters and of age young folks looking to rake in those bucks a few winning cards at a time.

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Review: Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Posted on November 19, 2012 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo Wii

Developer: Junction Point Studios

Publisher: Disney Interactive

# of Players 1 – 2 (Co-op)

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: Single Player D+ 6.5/Co-op: B+ 8.5

Like the piles of scattered Disney memorabilia you traverse through between maps, Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is a beautiful mess. As in beautiful when it works and a mess when it doesn’t. Of course, that’s both a good and bad thing, but we’ll get to the constructive criticism below the jump. As a co-op experience, the game in a great deal of fun as Mickey Mouse and Oswald The Lucky Rabbit team up to battle enemies solve puzzles and track down a seemingly endless supply of collectibles as they tackle the task of repairing an earthquake-ravaged Wasteland. There’s less darkness here and a much richer color palette, making this one of the better-looking Wii titles this year. But both single player and co-op have a few technical and gameplay hurdles that can sap the fun down a bit. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 (and presumably Wii U) versions can probably be patched up to a more stellar experience, I’m gathering Wii owners will be stuck with a flawed game that could have been greater than it is as it currently stands.

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Review: Skylanders Giants (PS3)

Posted on November 19, 2012 by geelw

Platform: PS3

Developer: Toys for Bob

Publisher: Activision

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10+)
Official Site

Score: B+ (85%)

As a sequel to the last year’s hugely successful Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure, Skylanders Giants does exactly what it should and well enough that the kids it’s aimed squarely at won’t even notice its handful of mostly minor flaws. The goal of the game is to get kids to bug the heck out of their parental units to buy more Skylanders figures to use on that now USB-connected Portal of Power and the gameplay is fun enough to get you to plunk down those hard-earned dollars even if you don’t have kids and happen to be interested in trying this one out just for fun. Despite the still sluggish economy in some sectors, Activision and Toys for Bob have more of a cash calf to the original’s cash cow status that’s well worth a play.

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Review: Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2

Posted on November 18, 2012 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo DS (also on Nintendo 3DS)

Developer: Cerasus Media

Publisher: Rising Star Games

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: B (80%)

Match-3 puzzle games have a certain healthy reliability to them and while it adds a few new twists to the formula, Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2 is a pretty solid budget game for entry level to veteran genre fans. While it’s not packing fancy HD visuals or flashy special effects, there’s a nicely addictive feel to the gameplay that makes for a game worth replaying multiple times. Featuring three game modes, 100 levels and an interesting resource gathering mechanic that really needs to be expanded on in any future games in this series, CoE2 makes foe a rather cool gift for puzzle fans of any age.

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Review: Thundercats

Posted on November 17, 2012 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo DS

Developer: Aspect Digital Entertainment

Publisher: Namco Bandai Games

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10+)

Official Site
Score: C (70%)

There’s a decidedly old-school mentality to Aspect Digital Entertainment’s Thundercats that makes it somewhat compelling despite its flaws. It’s not innovative in any respect, but doesn’t need to be because it works well enough for what it’s aiming for. Then again, if you’re only looking for a side-scrolling beat-em up with timed stages, colorful but straightforward visuals and a ton of unlockable artwork and music, you’ll appreciate what’s here a great deal more than some snooty critic who demands innovation in every modern game they play. What’s here is fairly simple, definitely not for casual players (trust me, it’s a total ball-buster in parts) and packed with plenty of cheap enemies and bosses. while far from gaming perfection, it’s very reminiscent of plenty of quarter muncher beat-em-ups that crowded arcades in their heyday.

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