D2: WARP’s Last Gasp Makes For A Curious Cure For Holiday Melancholy

Posted on December 30, 2011 by geelw

While the holiday season is usually packed with happy jolly tidings and the usual mass consumer craziness (that’s turned some shopping malls into pepper spray scented war zones), it’s also a time for reflection and a bit of moodiness about current and future events. Winter also brings in a bit of depression, as we humans are also prone to go gloomy when the lack of sun and warmth hits hard, sending some into a depressed state. Kenji Eno and WARP’s final console game, D2 has been my go-to holiday gift for myself ever since it was released on the Sega Dreamcast in Japan back in 1999. I’m not going to do a full review of the game (there’s an older one I wrote posted here), but I will say that the game manages to capture the feeling of being inside a bad winter dream that you can’t wake up from, yet one that you don’t want to simply because you want to see how it plays out. It’s definitely not for all tastes and in fact, can be baffling even when you piece things together into a more sensible narrative than what’s presented. On the other hand, the game also soars into unsuspecting territory a few times and packs an emotional punch where it counts. Continue reading →

Review: Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD

Posted on December 27, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Just Add Water

Publisher: Oddworld Inhabitants

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: A

It’s been far too long since an Oddworld game has appeared on a console, but it looks as if the drought is finally over in a huge way. One of the best original Xbox games finally returns and yes, makes an even more spectacular PS3 debut. After playing through Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD, I’m thinking a few of this year’s “Best of 2011” lists will need to be rewritten to add this gem. This outstanding remake features reworked HD visuals, lovely 60 frames per second animation, newly recorded voice acting and even better sound design than the original game. It also holds up incredibly well as a stellar single-player game thanks to a great story with an excellent plot twist or two, some fine and witty dialog and a great Oddworld vibe that’s still fresh today as it was back in 2005. Continue reading →

Review: Nano Assault

Posted on December 19, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Developer: Shin’en

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: A- (85%)

If there’s ever a proper Fantastic Voyage remake (and not some awful direct to video “update”) that actually rates a licensed game tie-in, Shin’en needs to be the go-to developer for the project. Nano Assault, their cool new game for the 3DS, drops you into a microscopic ship for 32 levels of arcade shooting against assorted mutated organisms and massive bosses in an attempt to shut down an alien virus before it wipes out the human race. While the game is pretty slim on the storytelling and a bit brief, it packs a killer visual punch and the shooting is excellent throughout. Continue reading →

Review: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Posted on December 9, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360, PC)

Developer: Bethesda Softworks

Publisher: Bethesda Softwroks

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Official Site

Score: A

At some point, if you happen to know someone who’s also playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you WILL get a phone call, email or text with some variation of the following: “Hey, can you help me out on this quest?” It’ll most likely be something you’ve already done and maybe bragged or shared a tale of woe about to your buddy, but you’ll find the results in their case may be slightly to very different. Sure, some of the basics will be familiar, but after that, it’s up in the air. Perhaps they got challenged to a drinking contest, woke up in a temple in a faraway city, had to help clean up the place (or not) and now have a big mystery to solve that sends them to a new town they’d never even seen before. Or maybe it’s the odd Argonian woman who desperately wants you to take that strange item off her hands, and now your friend has a creepy cube that looks like something from a Hellraiser film stuck in their inventory. Or maybe it’s about that strange note handed to them by a cryptic courier asking them to visit an unusual museum in a most unexpected place where a darker mission lurks. Or the paid assassins that assaulted them while traveling and after killing the thugs and looting their possessions, an odd letter is revealed that only brings up more questions than answers. And so forth and so on… Continue reading →

Review: Tekken Hybrid

Posted on December 1, 2011 by geelw

Platform: PlayStation 3

Developer: Namco

Publisher: Namco Bandai

# of Players: 1 – 4

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: B+ (80%)

One of the most underutilized features of the PS3 has been the ability to play Blu-Ray and game hybrid discs, which is quite strange in my opinion. Considering how licensed movie games could have a second life if bundled with the films they’re based on at a reasonable price point, it’s a no-brainer to me that MORE game/movie discs haven’t been produced. Tekken Hybrid manages to do a pretty decent job as a package, although a few more bonuses would have been cool to beef up the replay value somewhat. For $40, you’re getting the CG movie Tekken: Blood Vengeance, an HD version of Tekken Tag Tournament and a brief demo of the Japanese arcade version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 (all with optional 3DTV support), plus a few interviews with a few folks behind the games and film. While this package is geared more towards hardcore Tekken fans, those new to the long running fighting franchise can pick it up and have a blast, provided they’re not looking for online play or tons of bonus content (other than the newly added Trophies). Continue reading →

Review: Fusion: Genesis

Posted on November 27, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (via Xbox Live Arcade)

Developer: Starfire Studios

Publisher: Microsoft

# of Players: 1 (1 – 4 online)

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Official Site

Score: A (90%)

For a first game, Fusion: Genesis is outstanding, but what would you expect from four ex-Rare team members who got together with the express purpose of making great games? Starfire Studios’ beautiful, addictive and deep space combat game combines elements from shooters, MMO’s and RPG’s in a solid blend of twin stick action, loads of loot and a nice range of customizable spacecraft. It’s too bad this is a 360 exclusive, as what’s here would do well as a Games for Windows title or even a cross platform and handheld release. Nevertheless, if you have an Xbox Live account and want something deep and thrilling that won’t be over in a weekend and has replay value to spare, this one’s got your name all over it. Continue reading →

Review: The Hidden

Posted on November 24, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Nintendo 3DS

Developer: 1st Playable Productions

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 & Up)

Official Site

Score: A- (85%)

The Hidden is a nice little surprise from developer 1st Playable Productions and Majesco Entertainment, offering up some fun ghost tracking and shooting missions while getting you up and about in the process for a bit of exercise. While the game is definitely geared toward younger players, there’s enough to like here that even “core” gamers will want to take this one for a spin. The game’s big draws are its use of augmented reality, first-person shooting sequences and the fact that each person playing the game will have a unique experience thanks to using the 3DS cameras to capture actual locations as backgrounds for the action. While there’s no multiplayer modes to speak of, the game still manages to impress and you can expect a few passers-by to ask what you’re playing as you’re walking about scanning actual locations for ghosts to bust. Continue reading →

Review: Star Odyssey

Posted on November 22, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Sega Genesis/Mega Drive

Developer: Hot-B/Starfish

Publisher: Super Fighter Team

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: N/A

Official Site

Score: B+ (80%)

After 20 long years one of a handful of “lost” Sega Genesis games finally surfaces thanks to Brandon Cobb and Super Fighter Team. While Star Odyssey may not be the best RPG on the platform, as a piece of gaming history, it’s something that’s truly great too see and play. Thanks to Cobb’s dedication to seeing the project through (and a solid localization job), a few hundred lucky gamers can now play this long lost gem and see what might have been had this one shipped when it was supposed to. Granted, I’m sure it wouldn’t have set the gaming world on fire back in 1991 or ’92, but the Genesis never really got as many great RPG’s as the SNES back in the day, so what’s here makes for a mostly solid game with a few quirks that keep it from perfection. Continue reading →

Review: Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi

Posted on November 20, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3)

Developer: Spike

Publisher: Namco Bandai

# of Players: 1 – 2 (Online 1 – 2)

ESRB Rating: T Teen

Official Site

Score: B (75%)

Bigger, meaner, louder and faster pretty much sums up each new Dragon Ball Z game that hits consoles on what seems to be a yearly basis, but this year’s DBZ game, Ultimate Tenkaichi, while spectacular looking and a thrill to play, somehow drops the ball when it comes to character count. While there’s a character edit function here, it’s a bit limited and the overall number of playable fighters isn’t as impressive as last year’s Raging Blast 2. If you can manage to get over that disappointment (or could care lass about who’s in this game as long as it’s fun), what’s here is a total blast to dive into again and again as it still packs in many hours of exciting fighting action. A few elements, such as the emphasis on quick time events for some special attacks and interesting pattern-based boss battles that would feel more at home in a 3D platformer, may take a bit of getting used to for some younger players. But overall, there’s more than enough of the usual DBZ stuff here to keep you busy for quite some time. Continue reading →

Review: Sonic Generations

Posted on November 14, 2011 by geelw

Platform: Xbox 360 (also on PS3, Wii)

Developer: Sonic Team

Publisher: Sega

# of Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Official Site

Score: A

The Sonic Team (and Sonic) renaissance continues with another solid and hugely fun to play Sonic the Hedgehog game. While not flawless, Sonic Generations does a mostly stellar job of recapturing the nostalgia of the blue hedgehog’s early days while also giving gamers a Shake ‘n Bake of pretty much every major Sonic game (and a few minor ones) that’s come along since. Those well-versed in Sonic lore will be grinning ear to ear at the presentation, looking for references all over the place as they play through the game. Like the classic games it cobbles its levels and characters from, the overall experience is somewhat brief. However, just like the old days, this is one game you’ll blow through once and go back to over and over until you’ve aced every challenge and scored “S” ranks across every single map. Continue reading →