Game Reviews
Initially, I was surprised that Fruit Ninja Kinect received such mediocre reviews when it came out on XBLA this past summer, but after a bit of analysis (that's what smart people do, right?) I think I may have figured it out. This game was most likely reviewed by someone who sat at their house (or office) and played the game all by their lonesome (or with a group of coworkers) and complained that Fruit Ninja Kinect isn't worth its $10 price point because it brings little extra to the table compared to the $.99 iPhone version.
And for the most part, they're right - there isn't much new to this console game, aside from a bit more polish and some new multiplayer options. But really, that's where the game shines - the two multiplayer challenges (split screen competitive or merged-screen, 2-person arcade mode) are the perfect thing for a party setting. Especially with casual gamers, which if I'm right, are not the same people that gave this game those ho-hum reviews.
So let me set the record straight: Fruit Ninja Kinect is well worth its $10 price point, so long as you plan on using it when friends visit. I've never had a hankering to stand up, turn on my TV/Xbox, and work on my high score alone - that's something you'd want to do on your iPhone while you're sitting in the doctor's office. Instead, this is a game that you play in front of others, both competitively and cooperatively, for a fair amount of laughs. Also, here's our family's secret: we play the two person Arcade co-op but with one person, which basically means one person flails around trying to chop twice as many fruits as the regular arcade mode, and we all compete for the highest score. It's pretty damn fun, and we got our $10 out of this game several months ago.
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I wasn't planning on getting the Kinect when it launched, but I was at a local Best Buy and they were bringing some off the truck and I caved. I brought it home and set it up within minutes; luckily I have a large gaming area so we didn't have any issues with space. I've been running it through its paces over the past few days, and here are my thoughts on the experience.
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There's no denying that Ninja Theory has a knack for creating a story with compelling characters and luscious settings. Their 2008 debut Heavenly Sword showed their aptitude for a matured cinematic sensibility that was rare in the industry at the time. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is an evolution of that paradigm; the game excels at telling an engaging story, but inevitably falls short in gameplay body. Whether that should prevent you from playing the game, that's your judgement call.
Enslaved puts me at a conundrum. What takes precedence: a well developed, dynamic and engrossing story or straightforward, if lacklustre, mechanics? Like Enslaved, this reviewer can't appeal to everyone. I won't deny that the platforming controls are often time clunky and the combat is nothing spectacular, but by the conclusion of the game, what sticks are not its shortcomings but the journey you've just made.
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I started playing Enslaved: Odyssey to the West on Friday and couldn't put it down until I finished it yesterday. This title has been somewhat polarizing in the gaming world and I can safely say that I stand firmly in the "buy it" camp. Sure, the game has some control issues (there are times when I felt like I was controlling a drunk Taz instead of the main character), but once I got into the story I found myself completely enamored with the game.
Enslaved succeeds because it has a captivating story mixed with incredible character animations and pitch-perfect dialogue. In terms of storytelling, I'd contend that it could go head to head with the Uncharted and Mass Effect tales; and though it might lose out in terms of scope, it'd still give its big brothers a run for their money.
When you take a look at the game in a true macro sense, that each scene is less like a game and more like the unfolding chapters in an epic story, you can easily forgive its little shortcomings. That's what I did, and I loved every minute of it. no comments
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror game in the truest sense. That is to say, unlike most modern survival horrors, which eschew their traditional roots in favour of a more action-oriented direction, Amnesia: The Dark Descent revels in creating a slower, more psychological experience, with the emphasis firmly on horror rather than action.
For the most part, this is achieved by removing virtually all action elements from the game. As such, there are no weapons, and no combat, and instead, the game relies heavily on two mechanics which have been all but lost in most modern survival horror games; puzzle solving, and the creation of an atmosphere of intense vulnerability. Needless to say, Amnesia: The Dark Descent isn’t an action-packed game, but it is, however, one of the most chilling and unnerving games in recent years, and is an absolute must for fans of survival horror games.
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Barry Steakfries is a man I could fall for. He's athletic, he knows his way around a double-barrel shotgun and he's brimming with one liners. Coming back in the form of a twin-stick shooter on the iPhone, Mr. Steakfries must once again save the universe from the hoard of zombies that now infect different periods of history. With 5 different settings, each with 3 levels each (including a stage-ending boss), Age of Zombies does as much as possible to differentiate itself from the equally large hoard of twin-stick shooters on the platform. While it's not as universally charming or original as their Fruit Ninja, the PSP port grabs your attention with deadly efficiency.
Whether it be in the short campaign or in survival mode, you goal is to shoot every zombie in sight. While the on-screen controls make it a painless affair, it's the varying weapons you'll pick up that make it fun. From you everlasting pistol to the spraying flamethrower, it makes saving the world seem almost too easy. While it only took me a couple of hours (if that) to get through the story, the endless survival mode should surely be able to mitigate the abrupt ending. Leaderboards and achievements with Game Center and OpenFeint should incentivise you even further.
Killing zombies will probably never get old, which is fine because Barry Steakfries probably never ages. Halfbrick studios once again keeps it simple and fun but ultimately quick and painless in Age of Zombies. But with the studio's proven track record, it's hard to say no.
Age of Zombies is available now as a universal app (iPhone + iPad) for $2.99. no comments
Are your Spider-senses tingling? Mine are. That's because our friend Adam Morris has sent in this amazingly comprehensive review of Spiderman: Shattered Dimensions. Have a read and let him know if you agree or disagree in the comments. Thanks, Adam, and keep 'em coming, everyone!
Shattered Dimensions starts with the wall crawling hero in pursuit of Mysterio, who has broken into a museum in an attempt to steal the "Tablet of Order and Chaos", and of course Spiderman, being Spiderman, swings in to recover it. During the battle the tablet is split into many pieces and are scattered throughout different dimensions. Luckily each of these dimensions has it's own Spiderman on hand and throughout the game you'll play as Amazing Spiderman, Ultimate Spiderman, Noir Spiderman and Spiderman 2099. Each of these different versions brings new attacks, abilities and enemies, as well as its own unique visual style.
Unfortunately for Spiderman, the fragments of the tablet have fallen into the hands of some of Spidey's most notorious villains, extending and increasing their powers. Shattered Dimensions handles these villains really well with each one having its own cutscene at the start of the level; it really adds to the sense of drama within the game. But these enemies might not be the ones you are familiar with, as the game alters well known characters to fit with the style they are found in: Noir Vulture is now a cloak wearing cannibal, Ultimate's Deadpool is a game show host - heck, 2099's Doc Oc is a chick! This works extremely well, with each of villains new appearances fitting really well with the genre in which they are placed, most noticeably in the Noir Spidey's dimension, where enemies had to be changed to fit the time period they were present in.
While Halo: Reach chronicles the origin story of the series, it represents the culmination of a decades work by Bungie. In that time, Halo has become a cultural phenomenon, penetrating the minds of all gamers around the world. With all eyes on Bungie, it's time to see if their last hurrah lives up to expectations. no comments
Piyo Blocks 2 is an iPhone puzzle game similar to Bejeweled. It actually has the exact same game structure as one of my favorite Nintendo DS games, Zookeeper, and has quickly climbed the ranks to become one of my favorite iPhone games as well.
The overall game structure is familiar territory - match three alike tiles either vertically or horizontally. What sets this game (and Zookeeper) apart is that as tiles are being matched and disappearing, you can quickly match other titles simultaneously, and string together combos. Once you get a feel for the game's rhythm, you can easily string together monster 20+ combos for some insanely huge pointage.
Piyo Blocks 2 has a wide variety of gameplay modes: "Piyo" mode has you match an increasingly-large number of blocks for each color before advancing to the next level, "Hyaku" mode has you match 99 blocks of each color and advances your level after each one hits 99, "Time Attack" gives you four minutes to get as many points as you can, and "Three Seconds" requires you to match three blocks every (you guessed it) three seconds. The game also supports LAN or Bluetooth 2-player modes but I didn't get a chance to try those out.
Lastly, the game is part of the OpenFeint system, sporting leaderboards, online challenges and achievements. It also has an unlockable Turbo mode easter egg (click on nine birds at the menu screen) which throws a whole new spin on everything once you've mastered the pace of the game. There's an HD version on the iPad that is just monstrous, and I think it simply has too many blocks on the screen for its own good (try the demo before buying that one).
Overall, there isn't a whole lot to separate this game from my beloved Zookeeper, but I think that paying $3 to get it on my iPhone is well worth it.
Note: according to the game's developer they've pulled down the game from the App Store in anticipation of an update that should come in the next couple of days, which will include some new features. no comments
Like all men, Barry Steakfries loves to run, jump perilous obstacles, shoot monsters in the face and travel the world via breaking the time space continuum. For 99 cents on the app store, Monster Dash combines the simple Cannabalt survival platformer formula with an extra layer of strategy and skill.
While running across randomly-generated levels forms the core of the game, you'll be dealing with roaming monsters along the way. The left of the screen issues jump and naturally, the right side triggers the gun. While Barry will always have a shotgun at his disposal, its limited reach will only get you so far. There are 3 other weapons you can pick up along the way, each having their own unique killing properties. 3 is a little on the low side, but going by Halfbrick Studio's track record in update support, I trust there'll be more on the way.
Visually, the game will be a fresh breath of air to those accustomed to the sterile environment of Cannabalt. The sprites are lively and fun, as well as the revolving landscape. It also runs smoothly on my old school iPhone 3G, which is always welcome.
While I'll concede that Cannabalt is a post-modern classic, Monster Dash edges out to be a better game. The added depth and flexibility never comes in the way simplicity and Openfeint achievements will have you going that extra
