Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Merry TRON-mas Pt. 2: Tron: Evolution


Welcome to the second part of my holiday celebration of Tron. Hey, it may seem random, but it's kind of a special thing when such a (strangely) revered cult classic comes back in such a big way. Last time, I talked about my thoughts on the film Tron: Legacy, and despite the fact that I am a staunch endorser of seeing it, there certainly were a few things to gripe about. Part of this is due to a large amount of briefly explained plot points and devices that, to the uninitiated, can be a bit much to wrap your head around.

That's where Tron: Evolution steps in. This video game released prior to the release of the movie actually acts as a bridge between the events resulting from the first movie and the events of the second movie. Does Tron: Evolution make for a good companion piece to the film and (more importantly) make for a good game?

STORY
In the year 1989, following Kevin Flynn's discovery of the Grid and his following goal to create "the perfect system", he stumbles upon an anomaly that he deems a miracle. Out of the wastes of the vast virtual world comes beings called ISOs, essentially programs that evolved on their own and weren't written by a human User. Naturally, this new "race" emerging leads to tension with the system's basic programs and the Grid is threatening to be torn asunder by civil war. In a last ditch effort to maintain order, Flynn installs a new System Monitor named ANON (who the player controls), but the emerging of a computer virus called ABRAXAS gives System Administrator CLU a golden opportunity to declare war on ISOs and begin a purge to rid the system of abnormalities.

What follows is a fairly basic "shit gets real bad story" which has things happening around your character ANON whilst actual characters from the film do most of the heavy narrative lifting. I use that term lightly, however, because frankly the arc here is fairly by the numbers. It does fill in a lot of holes for those who still have questions following the movie, and Tron-philes will dig it, but as a driving force for the video game experience alone, it falls a bit flat.

CONTENT
The single player campaign in Tron: Evolution will only take you anywhere between 6 to 8 hours to finish and, despite some hidden galleries and audio files (much of which aren't truly even that interesting) to find, there's little reason to head back in after the final credits. Of course, the promise of further leveling up your program is enticing because your skills and upgrades go over to the game's multiplayer suite. In here, you'll find three game types and a handful of maps (with more on the way as DLC), and this can be a heck of a distraction. Becoming number one program on the Game Grids can lead to a lot more gameplay time out of Tron: Evolution, but all of that really depends on whether or not you like the way it plays, and this will undoubtedly be the most polarizing element of the package.

GAMEPLAY
If you're a fan of modern platformers like Prince of Persia, you'll be familiar with the way Tron: Evolution plays. That isn't to say you'll LIKE how it plays because, quite honestly, Tron does some stuff poorly which makes those games so much fun to play. For one thing, your character ANON is a speedster, and when performing acrobatic moves to traverse the glowing environments at a breakneck pace, the game is a joy to watch and play. However, too often does the game seem ill designed for such things, putting in too many extremely small platforms or oddly angled vaulting points that slow the game down and force you to make extremely deliberate movements lest you plummet into a pit for the thirtieth time in a row. It never gets extremely difficult, but you'll find yourself dying cheaply more often than you'd like.

This feeling of stilted momentum plays directly into the combat. Here, you'll be using basic disc throws and melee attacks to de-rezz all manner of viruses and programs. It's a very basic combo system that only expands by utilizing disc upgrades like exploding Bomb Discs, freezing Stasis Discs, draining Corruption Discs, and bludgeoning Heavy Discs. All these sub-weapons have different effects that work effectively on different types of enemies, and the game rewards you with damage bonuses for moving seamlessly through the battle arenas while using combat moves (moving through environmental pieces is also how you'll regain health and energy). The problem, again, is that too often does it feel like the game doesn't really WANT you to keep up a momentous pace throughout combat, using swarming tactics with enemies who don't really follow any logical pattern. This too often forces you into a defensive stance that slows fights to a rather boring battle of attrition. Again, just like the platforming, when you're moving through fights as intended, it's really fun and quite impressive-feeling, but it is a hit and miss affair. Hit and miss could also describe the few Light Cycle and Light Tank sections in the game, which break up the action, but lack a certain punch or excitement.

Alleviating all this is a constant feeling of getting more powerful as your program levels up. Using your XP (or MB as it's called here), you can purchase all manner of upgrades, many of which solely play a part in the game's multiplayer. As mentioned earlier, you can take your program from single player into any of the game's three match types (where you can in turn earn MORE MB for upgrades). You'll find standard deathmatch, control point, and "kill the carrier" style games. This, quite honestly, is the most like Tron that the game feels. Facing other players with discs and Light Cycles is quite honestly a pretty fun prospect, and it delivers some genuinely fun (if not imprecise) multiplayer. With a more free-form style, the platforming and combat actually feels much more natural, and although it is easy with a low-leveled program to feel like you're being overwhelmed, spending a little time in both single-player and multiplayer will eventually build a warrior that can rival Tron himself. It won't be for everyone, but multiplayer is my personal favorite thing about Tron: Evolution.

PRESENTATION
The graphical style in Tron: Evolution follows the stylings of the movie, and that's a good thing. The color coordinated and soft-glow look of the film translates well into game form, and everything just has a very clean and slick look to it. The environments might not be the most varied, but they look good, and characters look and animate extremely well. Just watching ANON sprint is entertaining.

On the sound side, we the score ripped form the film is definitely a highlight. Only a couple of the more iconic Daft Punk tracks are included, but the rest included here fits in perfectly with the dark and tech-y tone of the game. The sound effects here are also really responsible for driving home the action going on, and everything is bolstered by a decent voice cast. Olivia Wilde does a fine job, and Bruce Boxleitner is great in a limited role, but Fred Tatisciore who voices Kevin Flynn and CLU truly steals the show. He plays a particularly goofy Flynn, and the menace he gives off as CLU rivals that of Bridges in the movie.

THE FINAL VERDICT
Tron: Evolution is a game that lacks any one stand out area. Its presentation is good, but not great. Its gameplay is competent, but other games have done this style better. Its story fills in holes, but it doesn't really excite on its own. Overall, despite the great fun that can be had if one delves deep into multiplayer, it's hard to fully recommend the game on its own merits. If you're a Tron fan, get it. If you've gotten into the universe following Tron: Legacy, it certainly is worth checking out. However, if the phrase "END OF LINE" doesn't instill any sort of reaction besides confusion in you, then this probably isn't the game for you.

I give Tron: Evolution a 3 out of 5 for a competent platformer and a love letter for fans, but one that'll probably fail to excite those not already interested in the franchise.

And that's it. I am now OFFICIALLY on hiatus until after Christmas. I hope you enjoyed my little look at Tron here, and I'd urge you to do yourself a favor and go see Tron: Legacy before the year is over. I also urge you to have a great holiday season, be good to one another, and celebrate safely.

Until next time...

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Merry TRON-mas Pt. 1: Tron: Legacy

Yep, it's officially Christmas week (sorry readers of other faiths and denominations, I'm not certain enough about your holiday of choice to make a comment). Usually, that means peace on Earth, being caring and giving to your fellow human, lights everywhere, and of course tons of presents. This year, however, it also means resurrecting a 20+ year old cult classic for a 21st century make-over. It's Tron, and for those of you who aren't complete dorks, you're probably not too familiar with it outside of. Heck, it's something of a small miracle that it's getting all the attention it is being such a niche property. Toys, clothing lines, and of course, video games and the new movie. So is all the attention this neon-lighted bit of cinema merited?

Let's answer that by first taking a look at the new movie, Tron: Legacy.

SO WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?
Seven years following the events of Tron, the CEO of Encom Software, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), is delving deeper into the digital world of the Grid in an attempt to create "the perfect system". One faithful night, Kevin leaves his home and his son Sam to tie up some loose ends and is never seen again. Now in the present day, Sam (Garrett Hedlund) is a rebellious young man whose company has grown into a cold and calculating juggernaut without him. Following a yearly "prank" on the board of directors, his father's old friend Alan (Bruce Boxleitner) visits Sam with the news of a mysterious page sent from Kevin's old office and urges Sam to investigate. Investigate Sam does, only to find himself sucked into the virtual world of the Grid his father told him so much about as a boy. He soon finds himself fighting to survive the savage world run by a tyrannical system administrator named Clu (Jeff Bridges) and, aided only by a mysterious program named Quorra (Olivia Wilde), Sam must now find out what became of his father, what happened to throw the Grid into such chaos, and perhaps most importantly, how to escape the Grid alive.

SO WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS MOVIE?
The most obvious and immediate thing that jumps out about Tron: Legacy is its visual style, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Watching the beautifully coordinated lights, sleekly designed world and vehicles, and meticulously detailed nooks and crannies of this virtual world is quite literally a spectacle. The sequence that easily stands above the rest occurs early in the movie as Sam is thrust into the gladiatorial competitions of the Game Grid, and while watching the viscerally choreographed battles of the Disc Arena to the mesmerizing pace of the Light Cycle battle, it truly puts you in another world. This is all only punctuated by a positively awesome soundtrack by Daft Punk. It manages to retain the power of a fully orchestrated score while injecting the movie with a frenetic energy that drives almost every scene.

Tron: Legacy isn't only smoke and mirrors, however. The movie is directed with aplomb by rookie director Joseph Kosinski, who seems to recognize how to dynamically portray almost any scene. There are also strong acting performances by Jeff Bridges in dual roles and Garrett Hedlund does an admirable job in a weighty role. They manage to drum up considerable chemistry, and this adds a much needed human element to the artificial world.

SO WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?
Following the introductory Game Grid action sequence, Tron: Legacy languishes in some questionable pacing. Don't get me wrong, things happen and the story develops, but much of the explanatory exposition just seems ponderous after such a ridiculous opening to the idea of this digital world. Also, despite these explanations, it's easy to find yourself lost in the intricacies of the world (especially if you're unfamiliar with the first movie), and too often do you find yourself just wrapping your head around an idea when it's rapidly discarded in favor of what the movie is really trying to focus on. It ultimately leads to a bit of a sloppy climax that, although exciting in its own right, leaves just a bit too many questions unanswered. Also, although Olivia Wilde's "Quorra" is likeable, plucky, and energetic, she's not given enough room to grow or enough character development to truly justify her importance. It's not Wilde's fault, but in some parts I found myself questioning (except for a late movie revelation) what her purpose was.

ANYTHING ELSE?
Michael Sheen has an absolutely ridiculous role in this movie as a club owner named Zuse. He's out of the movie as quickly as he appears, but every frame of film with him in it is just utter absurdity, and I think you're either going to love him or hate him. Also, for fans of the first Tron, you're really gonna dig a lot of the callbacks to the first movie. You'll see an old school Light Cycle, the original Identity Disc symbol, Bit, and more before the final credits roll.

SO WHAT'S THE FINAL VERDICT?
Tron: Legacy seems to legitimize fan's fascination with the first film. It takes the visual style of the first, and actually adds heart, excitement, and genuine "legacy" to it. Not everyone may appreciate its hefty exposition and the baggage that comes along with its world, but from a pure visual standpoint, this movie should not be missed. De-rezz your brain for a couple of hours and enjoy the ride.

Next up: My review of Tron: Evolution the video game.
Until next time, Programs...

Friday, December 17, 2010

Fry Hopes: Fast Food's Ever-"Improving" Side Dish


As Robert Downey Jr. said in Tropic Thunder, "I gets excited about my foods, man", and all health and quality concerns aside, I absolutely love fast food. Anyone who has seen my physique or the way I inhale a medium-sized combo meal probably can guess this. As such, I always take note of the new items on the menus as my favorite grease vendors with the intention of trying them out at some point. There seems to be a trend, however, that's reaching its apex among fast food joints as of late, however, and that's changing or "improving" their french fries. It seems simple enough a change, but seeing as pretty much every fast food meal comes with these things, it really is a huge thing to consider and a pretty massive draw when a joint changes their fries.

Now, I don't claim to be an expert or a fast food historian or anything (although I'd say I probably know more than most in this area), but I have been alive long enough to see the rise and fall of many establishments crispy, salty side dish. So, complete dork that I am and seeing that my school semester is over, I have decided to go ahead and give a first hand timeline with my own personal experiences with and impressions of the various "improved" fries that take outs and drive thrus have sent out their respective windows and over their respective counters. Now we're not talking about a simple change of procedure here (a change of cooking oil, ceasing of trans fats, etc.), but actual fry metamorphosis. So, without further ado, let's take a closer look at these scorched potato delights.

IN THE BEGINNING...
When I was younger, French fries were just French fries. Sure, the quality of many establishments' may have been lacking, but as long as I could dump salt on top of them (a habit I've thankfully cut back on), they were an edible side to my the main dish of any meal. That was until 1997 when Burger King introduced a re-vamped fry. Claiming the new fry beat McDonald's in a taste test (McDonald's apparently being the standard for fries. Yeah, fuck you In N Out), BK was dolling out these things for free, which means on a weekly trip to the mall, an 8 (or 9) year old me tried out them out and instantly fell in love.

Maybe it was their claim and assertion that the fries were much better, maybe it was the fact they used Mr. Potatohead in their advertising campaign, or maybe they were genuinely better, but I was fascinated by the whole idea of "new" French fries. I was even beginning to notice fry quality a lot more, and became increasingly dissatisfied with what I found. Burger King managed crispy, yet fluffy textures in a great tasting fry, but most other establishments failed at even delivering one of these characteristics. McDonald's were good, In N Out's flawless, but what of other burger joints? Would this be the start of a new trend towards potato redemption? The short answer is yes, but not for a long while... and not for a long while. You'll understand in a minute.

NATURALLY FLIP-FLOPPING
It wasn't until 2004 that another fast food chain would make such a fundamental change to their fries. This time it was Jack in the Box with their thicker, potato-skin havin' Natural Cut Fries. In my humble opinion their was nothing really wrong with Jack's normal fries. Their ever-crispy and strangely brown-tinted fries were actually pretty tasty (and seeing as Jack has always had curly fries, only one of a couple of options), but I guess they weren't very popular? Anyway, the Natural Cut Fries were unique at the time. They were a lot more potato-y than most other fries and had a decent overall taste profile. The problem seemed to be that none of the places knew how the hell to cook them properly and, as a result, almost every carton of Natural Cut Fries was limp and soggy. Perhaps that contributed to the sudden disappearance of the fries some time this year without any announcement or anything. Now, Jack's fries are more a shoe-string variety, still having a bit of potato skin, and are, if anything, most similar to their original. It's just surprising that, after making such to-do about the change to Natural Cut Fries, to suddenly change them without word is just odd in this day and age.
Similarly, Carl's Jr. had the proper foresight to alter their God-awful French fries as recently as 2008. Now these fries combined the thickness and potato skin of Jack' Natural Cut Fries with a crispier texture similar to Burger King's fries, and they were good. Really good, actually. Maybe it was just a case of taking things by comparison, but I certainly thought these fries were going to stick. However, much like Jack in the Box, sometime this year Carl's changed their fries again. They're essentially the same, but lacking the size and thickness of their first inception. They're still good, but it's just another case of fixing something that isn't broken. Why both these places changed their fries only to change them back, and in such close proximity too is odd to say the least, but they revived a trend set by Burger King with mixed results.

LET'S DO IT AGAIN
So that brings us to today, and another fast food chain changing their fries significantly. Okay, perhaps not "significantly", but Wendy's has changed their's as of about a month back. Going with that "natural" trend that seems to be all the rage when re-designing your greasy snacks, they have potato skin still stuck on them and are seasoned with sea salt. Overall, they're pretty darn good actually, although like Jack in the Box, I'd assert that they didn't need to be changed. Still, you can't fault this "improvement" if it's good tasting.

And overall, that's the impression I'm left with when fast food places change their French fries. In the case of establishments like Wendy's and Jack in the Box, the change is mostly superfluous, but still produces an interesting, different, and typically tasty result. In the case of Burger King and Carl's Jr., the change was a necessity and now made it, at the very least, not a struggle to take in the carb-loaded crispies alongside your burger. Of course there's also places that don't need to change their fries and won't because... these places are pretty much the top of the fast food dog-pile or have their own corner of the market carved out.

I hope that, if nothing else, this little trip down the oily streets of fry evolution has given you new appreciation for the second part of your fast food meals. Heck, maybe it even rekindles memories or thoughts that've popped into your head when munching on an order or two of fries. If you have your own thoughts on french fries, fast food, or just want to tell me how crazy I am, go ahead and shoot me a comment.

I'll be back likely after the holidays with some more video game and movie reviews, and likely a surprise or two. Until then, have a happy holiday and be safe.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

i-Rix Review: Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

This here review originally was posted on my Giantbomb.com account. For that, click HERE

I honestly don't know why I keep doing it. Other than a few cart racing games, I'm really not a fan of the racing genre as a whole. Yet, whenever a new racer comes out, I find myself at least somewhat intrigued by it and, if I'm feeling extremely kooky, buying it. This is a choice I almost universally regret as I once again find myself not being compelled to continue racing. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a game that almost broke me. It's combination of real-life vehicles, unique duel style racing, arcade controls, and compelling online features almost had me whistling a different tune. However, the natural repetition of the genre, a lack of meaningful differences among vehicles, and some genuinely troubling mechanical inconsistencies makes this a very good racer, but still shackled by those limitations inherent with the name.

CONTENT

Hot Pursuit has a strange dichotomy of both having a lot of content, but not TRULY having a lot of unique stuff for you to do. There's the single-player that has you building up both your Racer and Police profile by taking part in a number of events. Depending on your performance in these, you'll gain more experience and unlock new weapons, new cars, and of course new events to play. The problem here is that this is ALL you do, and although you are unlocking stuff as the game progresses, you'll be doing the same three or so events for Police and the same three or so events for Racer throughout its entirety. This is somewhat alleviated by the AutoLog feature, which tracks your friends' times over the events they've completed. If they beat one of your times, the AutoLog will let you know so you can re-play the event in an attempt to beat your friend's time for more XP. AutoLog will also recommend events for you based on what your friends have been playing, and you can post photos and comments to let everybody know what you've been up to. Overall, its probably the most impressive feature in Hot Pursuit and one other games in other genres should adopt in the future.

And of course there's online play. Three events are featured for online; Race, which is just like it sounds like, Hot Pursuit, which pits a team of up to four racers against four cops to see whether the racers will make it to the finish line, and Interceptor, which pits a single racer who is tasked with losing a single cop. The events are broken up into different car classes, which ensures no matter where you are in the game, you should be able to jump into an event and have a good time. Ultimately, the online is an intense and really good time... if everything's working out. It's when some weird balancing problems and odd inconsistencies pop up when multiplayer can become extremely frustrating. It doesn't outright ruin it, but it is strange to see. More on that in the next section.

GAMEPLAY

Despite the real-world cars, the gameplay in Hot Pursuit is as arcade-y as one can get. You reach the highest of speeds in a few seconds, never needing to shift up or down and are aided by a constantly re-filling nitrous meter. You can drift around corners with just the tap of the brakes, and ramming and bumping other cars is readily encouraged. The controls feel silky-smooth overall, and it's a joy to get behind the wheel of some of the faster vehicles. There's nothing quite like hurtling down the road in a supercar and then flipping it sideways to burn around a tight corner.

Of course, there is more to Hot Pursuit than just driving. As a racer, you more often than not are not only trying to finish the race in first, but escape the cops, and as a police officer you're going to be trying to bust racers at all costs. This plays off of a simple health system that has cars taking damage whenever they're rammed from the side or the rear, or when they hit any number of hazards with the force to wreck them. Both Racers and Police also have a number of tools and weapons at their disposal in order to deal damage or escape it from other cars. Spike strips and EMP launchers are used by both sides, Racers come armed with electronics jammers and turbo, and cops can call in back-up in the form of helicopters and road blocks. All this seems extremely balanced, and they certainly all work as intended in the single player, but when they're thrust into the unpredictable world of online mutliplayer, they, like many of the game's other mechanics, fail to work as intended more often than I would've liked.

And that's my problem with this arcade-y Burnout style of gameplay. It all works when there are a strict stringent set of rules to work on, but throw in the human element, and there are just too many ways that the system gets "gamed". Too many times was I in awkward little circles with a Racer on his last legs, only to be defeated when I was gently nudged in the right place. Combine that with an inconsistent "wreck" trigger that has you being able to escape some genuinely harrowing collisions unscathed, but becoming wrecked in other less impactful crashes. It's also noteworthy to mention that cars don't necessarily drive all that distinctly, and even when you do notice the differences, it isn't really apparent on the car select screen how one car is going to drive compared to another. They also seem to have distinct "toughness" factors, but again, that's left up to the player to decide through trial and error. These "problems" can be overlooked, and genuinely the multiplayer and overall gameplay in Hot Pursuit is fine, and more intense and great than not, but these quirks really drag down the experience.

PRESENTATION

The graphical style in a game with such highly detailed machines is definitely important, so it's a good thing that the graphics in Hot Pursuit are gorgeous. The cars are all highly detailed even when severely damaged, and the environments you're zipping through have a very authentic and real-world quality to them. It's also worth noting a pretty stellar lighting engine is in effect here, which is particularly noticeable in night courses and when police lights bounce off the walls and ceilings of tunnels. The sound effects are all appropriate, from revving engines to screeching tires to metal on metal collisions. There's little voice acting, but what is here is well done (especially the lady who narrates what can only be described as the "car porn" descriptions to each of the game's cars), but the soundtrack falls a little flat, with only the dramatic orchestrated Hot Pursuit theme being noteworthy.

FINAL VERDICT

If you love driving and racing games, Need for Speed is a no-brainer. There's enough straight up aggressive style racing that'll get any racing fan excited. However, if you need a bit more incentive or are anything like me (meaning not a big fan of racing games), then you'll probably only be able to stomach so much of Need for Speed. The AutoLog is a great feature, but there are too many gameplay inconsistencies and just not enough variety for someone seeking more than just a straight driving experience.

For that, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit gets a 3/5 for me, but a recommendation to buy it if you're at all curious.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

2010 VGA's: The Trailer Reveal Countdown...


ANOTHER LIST?! Well... sometimes that's just how it goes down in the world of bloggin'.
Tonight, it was Spike TV's VGA's, a now yearly thing where Spike tries to act like they know what they're doing when it comes to relating to a video game-playing audience. Yeah, this thing kinda sucks, but there is ONE aspect that always almost makes it worthwhile, and that is the brace of games that get revealed. Not every one is a gem, sure, but most of these things are genuinely exciting. So, without anymore preface, I'm going to list, in ascending order, how I ranked the new shiz-nit that Spike was unveiling tonight.

13.) Deadliest Warrior: The Game DLC:
Ugh, just go away... please. Nobody wants to play this game, Spike, so just stop it.

12.) Forza Motorsport 4:
This really has no bearing on the quality of the trailer or the eventual quality of Forza Motorsport 4, but I just can't get excited about this game. I'm not a huge racing fan (as you'll probably hear about three more times in my review of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit), nor have I followed the Forza series up until this point. A fine trailer. A fine series. I'm just not a fan.

11.) Thor:
I'm plenty excited for the film adaptation of Marvel's mighty Thor, but this video game rendition seems a little bit too by the numbers to be something special. Don't get me wrong, it certainly had some cool moments and looked to be a prequel to the movie's plot, a move I'm always fond of. Still, without any discernible unique qualities, and without the hard edge of a comic book adaptation like, say, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it's probably going to be less than noteworthy when all is said and done.

10.) Mortal Kombat:
Mortal Kombat looks like it's going to be an extremely fun throwback to the series' roots, but this trailer was pretty damn lame. I mean, you have the return of Mortal Kombat, and now Kratos, the God of friggin' War is going to be included in the PS3 version. You'd think this would call for a trailer of epic-ness. Unfortunately it just wasn't, and that means its inclusion on the VGAs doesn't crack my top 10.

9.) SSX: Deadly Descents:
The return of one of my favorite franchises is definitely something I'm excited about (and more than a little surprised). This new, somewhat darker direction for the series is definitely looking intriguing with snowboarders taking a more cut-throat and dangerous approach to the slopes. The trailer was impressive in spots, but the lack of any real gameplay and some rather cheesy sections dulled some of my enthusiasm. Still keeping an eye on this one, however.

8.) Insane:
The collaboration between Guillermo del Toro and the video game industry is one that was highly anticipated, and I definitely was anticipating the trailer for the now-titled game, Insane, that is in the works. There was sure a heck of a lot of disturbing imagery, and its unsettling nature and ambiguous title (not to mention del Toro's name on it) makes me chomping at the bit to see what the heck this game is. The only downside? Coming in 2013. Really? 2013?! The fucking world could be ended at that point?! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ANNOUNCING A GAME FOR 2013 ALREADY?!

7.) Prototype 2:
Prototype was a game that really had a lot of potential, but eventually succumbed to unpolished flaws and its similarities to another super-powered series, inFamous. Prototype 2 looks to be taking that potential and amping up the crazy factor to eleven. It's good to see it changing and evolving, and the story elements alone made this new Prototype a stand-out.

6.) Resistance 3:
I'm quite the sucker for a trailer with live-action footage in it. That can pretty much explain Resistance's high placement on my list. Oh, and it also showed a ton of gameplay that looked pretty impressive, something that a majority of trailers failed to do.

5.) Portal 2:
Ah yes, one of a couple of series that Valve can actually release in a timely fashion. What can be said about Portal? I know it's a great game. You know it's a great game. This new one looks like it's really running with the co-op ideas, and those darn robots are just too darn charming. I expect another classic.

4.) Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception:
I've only played a little of the Uncharted games, but there's no denying their cinematic appeal. The more that this trailer showed, the more I just kept asking, "What the heck happened here?!". That'll undoubtedly be part of the fun of Nathan Drake's new adventure, and to most people (yes, even me) that's exciting. Many would probably put this as the highlight of the night, but for me, it just cracks the top 5.

3.) Batman: Arkham City:
Wow, this trailer. This was a ridiculously dark and brutal trailer that sets a heck of a stage for the next Batman adventure. Some people undoubtedly won't know who the heck Hugo Strange is, but it's not important. What's important is that Rocksteady knows its Batman, and isn't going to pull any punches when it comes to the sequel to my personal favorite game of last year.

2.) Mass Effect 3:
I absolutely love Mass Effect. Saying as much, there was no way that a Mass Effect announcement wasn't going to at least make it into my top 3. However, after all the speculation of Bioware's teaser, we finally see that... well really nobody ever knows what the heck they're talking about. This is Mass Effect, same as it ever was. The stakes may be higher and the locations different, but this is undoubtedly Mass Effect. I wouldn't have it any other way.

1.) Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim:
Often times, I've found myself asking... myself, "Self... when do you think we'll see another Elder Scrolls game?" Well tonight, we got our answer. On November 11, 2011, we will see the release of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and it sure had one hell of an epic trailer to go along with it. Did it show any gameplay? No. Does it really go too in-depth as to what's gonna be going on? No. Was it an awesome display of the kind of living history, high fantasy, and impeccable lineage the Elder Scrolls series has? Oh heck yes. That's why Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim makes it to number one on my list.

That's it, folks. Hopefully I'll be back here on my blog with a review or two, and I perhaps have a little something in the works at the moment... or maybe I'm just effing with you. Either way, here's to video games and to life.

Until next time...

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Top 10 Disney Animated Songs


Say what you will about Disney as a corporation or even about some unfortunate misogyny involved in their earlier projects, their animated films have shaped many childhoods for countless years now. A huge part of that has to do with the music included. I cannot recount the times wherein, even at my current age of 22, I found myself humming, singing, or straight up belting out my favorite Disney Animated Songs.

So that got me thinking, in my opinion (whatever it's worth), what are the top ten greatest songs that have been included in Disney's animated exploits over the years. To be clear, the man-child that I am insists on including even recent Disney films, so don't be surprised (and you shouldn't be since I'm telling you right now), to see a Pixar film in there or even a few of the more recent traditional Disney animated films included in this countdown.

But, I shouldn't delay this any longer. Without anymore preface, let's jump into what I consider the top 10 Disney Animated Songs.

*HONORABLE MENTION*
The Monster's Inc. Company Play "Put That Thing Back Where it Came From or so Help Me!":

This little end credits sequence from Monster's Inc. is still strangely one of my favorite moments of the movie (and it isn't even part of the movie proper. Go figure). A reference to a throw-away gag from the movie, eventually Mike Wazowski does make good on his word and deliver one heck of a production for his pals at Monster's Inc. It might have just missed on making it into the countdown, but it's still a great musical number from a great movie.

10.) The Lion King, "Be Prepared":

Sung (in part) by Jeremy Irons playing the most foppish of African lions, Scar, this little diddy is one of actually many villain-centric songs that absolutely rock. Never mind the illusions to Nazi fascism and the incredibly weird terrain shifts going on (where the hell is this song taking place, right on top of an erupting tectonic plate!?), this song brings the right kind of jaunty pace and instant sing-ability that makes a great Disney song. Who doesn't love to be evil? Well... I don't really, and maybe that's why, despite the awesome-ness of this song, it only reaches number 10 on my countdown.

9.) 101 Dalmatians, "Cruella de Vil":

Perhaps because of lackluster direct to video sequels or some absolutely God-awful live action adaptations, 101 Dalmatians is a Disney classic that really doesn't get the recognition it deserves nowadays. Besides its unique premise, it features top-notch voice-acting and animation alongside a charming cast of characters. More importantly, nothing demonstrates the greatness of this film more than the song devoted to its absolutely manic antagonist, Cruella de Vil. What really makes this song work, however, is the delivery. Combined with the animation, it's just too perfect. Does that make it the best? No. In fact I'd rank it number 9 on my personal countdown. On another note, I've heard Selina Gomez has done a cover of this. I don't have anything against Ms. Gomez personally... but I'd rather NEVER have to hear that version.

8.) The Princess and the Frog, "Friends on the Other Side":

(unfortunately Youtube doesn't have a great video for this :/)
The latest traditionally animated Disney film, The Princess and the Frog is unfortunately a film I haven't seen the whole of yet. However, in the little I did see, I saw this fairly awesome song and dance number performed by the film's antagonist (I'm sensing a pattern with this countdown so far...) Dr. Facilier, AKA the Shadow Man. For those big on voice actors, you'll probably recognize the voice of Keith David doing the singing here, which quite frankly meant this song was bound to be on the countdown in some capacity. Other than that, what can be said about it? This is just an incredibly slick and catchy tune that proves that, even in the modern day, Disney and its associates still know how this whole animated musical thing works. Good enough to sneak past a couple numbers, but still number 8 on my countdown.

7.) Aladdin, "A Whole New World":

And now for our first ballad of the countdown. Yes, although I am a man (barely), I do enjoy a Disney love song here and there. Aladdin was probably my favorite movie for a good while as a kid, mainly because of that crazy Robin Williams and a positively kick-ass pair of games on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Even at my young age, though, I recall actually liking this mushy tune. It's probably because it really is more about magic and wonder than it is about love, but I still maintain that this is a good duet to sing with a special lady friend (not that I'd... know anything about that... I'm so desperately lonely). "A Whole New World" is number 7 on the countdown.

6.) Pinocchio, "When You Wish Upon a Star":

Nearing the midpoint of this countdown, we have one of, if not the most iconic of Disney songs. Heck, it's even the song that they use for their logo before films nowadays so I don't think it's unreasonable to assume almost everyone has heard this song. Maybe it's just the strange relation I feel to Jiminy Cricket, but I've always found this to be a song I can come back to whenever I'm feeling blue. It's a weird thing, thinking about this now just makes me feel old since Pinocchio is a movie I haven't seen in years and it was out many many years before I was even born. Before I get to feeling any older or sissier, let's move on...

5.) Sleeping Beauty, "Once Upon a Dream":

Well... so much for getting less sissy. Yes, Sleeping Beauty is my favorite of the early Disney classics. Something about the taut runtime and mix of the super-girly and fairly masculine really appeals to me. As such, the constant theme is this song, "Once Upon a Dream". It's a sweet little tune with a good melody, but more than anything I like it because it's, for all intents and purposes, it's a pick-up line. C'mon. Think about the lyrics and tell me otherwise. Hell, the prince himself even uses it as such after this little number is over. That's pretty pimp. Pimp enough to make number 5.

4.) Hercules, "I Won't Say I'm in Love":

Hercules was a movie that shoulda really been better than it was. Unfortunately, I really don't have too soft a spot for it nowadays. However, when I was making my list here, no less than TWO songs from that damn film came to mine, one being Michael Bolton's "I Can Go the Distance" and the other being this song. As much as I love Bolton, actually having seen him perform live at a charity marathon I participated in, this is just the better song. There really isn't even anything distinctly Disney about this song, I could see it being the conflicted love song in any musical, really, and that's what I think really makes it. The interplay between the singer and the back-up singers is fantastic, and overall it's just a really fun song. Meg's big number reaches number 4 on the countdown.

3.) Peter Pan/Pirates of the Caribbean, "A Pirate's Life for Me":

Wow. This song. This song is awesome. The unique juxtaposition of the jolly singing and the, quite frankly, savage lyrics is perfect. Pillage and plunder? Burn down the town? SURE! DRINK UP, ME HEARTIES! It's intoxicating. Yes, it may be a tad irresponsibility for Disney to make such an awesome song about such activities, but who the heck cares if this is the result. Whether you know it from Peter Pan, from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, or from both, I defy you to dislike this song. It deserves nothing less than a spot in the top 3.

2.) Oliver and Company, "Why Should I Worry?":

Another movie that really doesn't live up to the quality of at least one of its songs is Oliver and Company. This wholly forgettable movie somehow featured what I consider to be one of the most awesome of Disney songs ever conceived of by Disney. That's Billy Joel you'll hear voicing and singing as Dodger, and what a great, swinging song it is. Heck, I like to ignore the fact that there's a film attached to this and just imagine that it's just a well-animated music video. Okay, that's kinda stupid, but don't let that diminish your enjoyment of the masterpiece that is this tune about street savoir faire. I still don't know what that means. What I do know is that "Why Should I Worry?" is number 2 on my countdown.

1.) Mulan, "I'll Make a Man Out of You":

This is the apex of greatness. Coming out of the second act of Mulan, we're hit with what can only be described as perhaps the most catchy, bad-ass, and overall amazing song that Disney can produce (I hope I'm not over-selling this one). This is the Disney equivalent of a Rocky training montage, and it is nailed to perfection. I feel like I'm doing it a dis-justice by talking about it, so I'll leave with this last sentiment. Listen to this song. If you're not singing along by the end, you are inhuman.

And speaking of inhuman, that brings us to the end of this inhumane (see what I did there?) exercise in self-indulgence. I hope, if you've gotten this far, that you enjoyed it, and I hope that you would share some of your personal favorites with me. I seriously like to hear how wrong I am about things. I'll just end this by saying that I love Disney, and I hope that that came through, above all else, in this countdown.

Until next time...

Friday, December 3, 2010

i-Rix Review: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood

This review made its debut on my Giantbomb.com account. That's HERE, by the way.

I'm of the belief that realistic expectations for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood would be low expectations. Here we have the third game in a still inconsistent franchise released only a year after the monumentally improved Assassin's Creed 2 with the crux of its marketing campaign being placed on a multiplayer component. It's true, AC2 was a gigantic step forward from the ambitious, but wholly disappointing Assassin's Creed, but the developers at Ubisoft risked souring that good will by dishing out a half-baked sequel to capitalize on its popularity. That's why it's not only surprising, but wonderfully miraculous that not only does Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood live up to its prequel's quality, but surpasses it in so many key areas that it is no stretch to call it the best in the series thus far.

STORY

For those unacquainted, the story of Brotherhood is a tad hard to summarize. Basically, you play as Desmond Miles, a former bartender in the year 2012 who comes from a long ancestry of Assassins, a secret organization devoted to safeguarding society through the act of savage neck stabbings. Using a special device called the Animus, Desmond must re-live the memories of his ancestors to gain their knowledge and abilities in order to combat their rivals, the Templars, in the modern day. Obviously, the story also revolves around the ancestor whose memories he is currently re-living. In this case, it is Ezio Auditore da Firenze of Renaissance Italy, an Assassin whose ascension was chronicled in the previous game. Ezio finds himself in some hot water when, following an attack on his villa, he must go to Rome to combat the full might of the Borgia papacy and restore the once great city to its former glory. The story here is certainly different than the previous game as Ezio is already established and is now focused on a single goal rather than the long multi-year journey of AC2, but it manages to stay fresh and interesting with its large cast of distinct characters and surprisingly savage and cutthroat tone. On the Desmond side, there isn't much development until the very end. When that end hits, however, it'll likely leave you both scratching your head and with your mouth a-gape in shock.

CONTENT

Brotherhood is a hefty game. The main-line story is relatively long at about 10 or so hours, but you can easily double or triple that with the single-player content alone. The game does a fantastic job of continually throwing more and more activities at you to the point where, just as you believe you're about to get to finish half of what's on your plate, suddenly it's stuffed to the gills with new stuff to check out. That's not to say some of it is repetitive, but the game does give you incentive for exploring the city and doing as many things as you can either with new toys or helpful gameplay buffs or just more story exposition. Throw in the city-building aspect of buying properties and the gathering and training of Assassin recruits, and it's easy to become immersed in the activity-filled Roman streets for hours on end.

This also doesn't account for the game's multiplayer, which in and of itself can be played for an immeasurable amount of times. Realistically, only three game-types and a handful of maps are included in the package as it stands, but the addictive and tense gameplay and constant player progression will ensure you spend at least a little bit of your stay in Italy with some other human players.

GAMEPLAY

By now, the gameplay of Assassin's Creed should be fairly familiar. The game retains its social stealth and acrobatic antics with a few tweaks. You'll still use a combination of Ezio's dexterity and the populated streets of Rome to locate, tail, and/or kill your targets, but Brotherhood seems to have done its darnedest to eliminate feelings of frustration or helplessness that were found in the previous games, heaping on tools and toys that just beg to be exploited. Among them are a slew of new ranged tools including a ridiculously deadly and silent crossbow, as well as a better use of the large weapons found in AC2. All these are aided by the fact that Ezio now has the ability to chain kills together while in combat, allowing you to clear entire swaths of guards with enough timing and skill. It's not too easy, but it's simple enough a mechanic that helps speed up fights without feeling cheap.

You'll also step into a handful of vehicles for some pretty unique and wholly entertaining missions for Leonardo Da Vinci. Poor Leo has been forced to create war machines for the Borgias, but as his best bro, you've agreed to destroy them and their blueprints to avoid their use in harming the innocent. As such, you'll go through standard stealth missions that will each end with Ezio commandeering and subsequently destroying said inventions. Although I was in no hurry to jump back on Leo's flying machine (even with its new bombing capability) I must say I got a kick out of a rocket-firing gondola and was delighted when I got the chance to step out from the shadows and into Leo's rickety wooden tank for one ridiculously fun segment.

Perhaps the biggest inclusion to Brotherhood's gameplay is the inclusion of the Assassin's Guild, a feature that isn't even introduced until about halfway through the game's story. Now, Ezio has the option of recruiting rebellious citizens of Rome and train them up to assist him in combat. This involves a type of strategy mini-game which has you sending your dudes and dudettes out on missions across Europe to build up their skill and strength. With each level, your recruits get more and better equipment until they finally reach the rank of full Assassin. Their real value, however, comes in their ability to be called in to assist Ezio at any time (provided they've been given enough time to cool down since last called and/or they aren't all off doing their own thing). With a simple button press, you can direct your recruits to a target to take them out silently, leaving you to do go on your merry way unmolested. They can also be called into fights to give you a little more muscle and, if enough are available, they can perform a guard-clearing arrow storm that is pretty devastating when used correctly. The one caveat is that your recruits can die if overwhelmed in combat or if given a difficult mission, but if you're like me and you don't make any overtly stupid decisions, you'll have a large brace of full Assassins by game's end.

It would also serve to talk about the multiplayer gameplay. Essentially, the multiplayer on offer is a sadistic version of hide and go seek. Using mechanics from the single-player, your job is to find and assassinate a given target while also evading your own pursuer. As such, games quickly escalate into a tense combination of trying to keep a low profile while still staying mobile enough to find your target and score a kill. Intelligently, the game awards QUALITY kills over QUANTITY of kills so while you could be super conspicuous and charge towards your target with abandon and kill them, you'll get far less kills than if you were to, say, hide with a group doppelgangers while your target passes you, then slowly tail them before calmly and quickly executing them and disappearing once again into the constantly moving crowds. Eventually, you'll earn more tools to help with your given play-style, but they don't change the game fundamentally. And fundamentally, the Brotherhood multiplayer is just plain fun.

PRESENTATION

Lastly, it's appropriate to talk about the presentation side of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. This is one good-looking game, although some effects seem to be more implied than actually fully executed (if that makes any sense). What I mean is that while textures aren't necessarily the sharpest, nor player models the sharpest, the way the game presents them is such that it never exposes any ugliness. Rome's size is remarkable and its look is equally impressive. Characters animate remarkably well, and it's Ezio's downright nasty fighting animations that steal the show. On the sound end, it only gets better. The period-appropriate music returns here with more haunting and ominous tunes that eventually explode into jangling chase music. The voice-acting is great from top to bottom with Roger Craig Smith putting in another exceptional performance as Ezio, giving the role both a learned gravitas while keeping the character's cheeky and suave nature intact.

FINAL VERDICT

What more can be said about Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood? I'd wager nothing, by the size of this review, but I shall close with this sentiment. If this is to be the height of the AC franchise, then I consider it a success. This is a game that is not only full to the brim with content, but makes itself thoroughly more enjoyable to play and advances its own story in the process. Was it necessary to revisit Ezio and Renaissance Italy? Probably not, but if this were indeed an attempt to cash-in on the success of Assassin's Creed 2, it was a heartfelt and incredibly well-executed one. It might be lacking for some originality, sure, but after over 24 hours poured into the single player alone, I could care less about originality. Throw in a superfluous yet remarkably well-executed multiplayer component, and you get a game that, while first looked like nothing more than a side-story, ends up towering above its predecessors.

The wisdom of our creed is revealed to us in these words; nothing is true... except that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood deserves 5 stars out of 5.

i-Rix Review: Fable III
















This here review was first posted on my Giantbomb.com account. If you wanna see that... then click HERE now....

I'll make no bones about it. Fable III is my favorite game of the Fable franchise. I'll also make no bones about the fact that I was absolutely underwhelmed when I played the first Fable, and thought of the second game as a much better, if not equally underwhelming experience. Fable III I feel finally nails what the series has been trying to do since the beginning, pulling the player into a timeless land where they actually feel as though their actions effect the world they live in whilst still providing an engrossing story thread. This doesn't, however, excuse the multitude of strange idiosyncrasies in the game's design, it's rushed final third, or the unmistakable feeling that this is honestly the best Lionhead Studios can do with the franchise as it is.

STORY

Fable III returns players to the mythical land of Albion, now many years in the future from the second game. As such, the last remnants of the old world are being extinguished in favor of a soulless industrial one. You're placed in the role of the Prince or Princess of Albion under your brother, King Logan. Both of you are the offspring of the Hero from Fable II, but frankly that doesn't play all that much into the game's world. What does is the fact that your brother is running Albion into the ground with an oppressive rule that has its citizens clamoring for revolution.
After an early game betrayal, you find yourself as the apprehensive leader of this revolution as you gather supporters and eventually take the crown yourself. The characters in Fable III are what drive it, and the likable personalities and silly British humor make your ascending to the throne an enjoyable one. It is, however, when the game attempts to push the gravitas of your plight when it fails greatest, and the final third or so is filled with far too little exposition for what should be the build-up to the game's "grave" conclusion.

CONTENT

Content is a bit of a problem with Fable III as well. Theoretically, all Fable games are supposed to have expansive worlds with ridiculous amounts of things to do. In reality, however, I've never found the displaying or encouragement of these activities to be the series' strong point, and that is in full effect with Fable III. If you take the main quest line straight on, you can conceivably beat the game in about 6-8 hours. If you do stray off the main path, you will find quite a few enjoyable side-quests many of which have small stories within themselves to follow.
That isn't to say all of them are winners, and in fact there are more than a few stinkers in the bunch, but it doesn't detract from the fact that most in Fable III are surprising. There is of course the return of property and business ownership which can become its own mini-game in and of itself, and but unless you are extremely meticulous about your property, it does little to stretch out the game. Overall, there's lots of content in Fable III if you're willing to dig, but the game itself isn't going to make or even seem to want you to dig for it.

GAMEPLAY

The actual act of playing Fable III was surprisingly my favorite part, and quite frankly this was because it's just such a breeze. Combat involves one button marked to your characters' three main modes of attack; melee, shooting, and magic. If you've played Fable II or any measure of hack-and-slash games, you're not going to be terribly challenged by the combat. It still encourages enough experimentation to make it exciting to play and watch.

The biggest change to this installment comes in the feeling of organic growth and "seamless" gameplay. Frankly, this stuff works... and yet doesn't work. From your character building standpoint, you now earn Guild Seals which are used to unlock abilities on the game's leveling tree; a literal pathway called "The Road to Rule". As you progress through the game, more gates unlock on the pathway, unlocking more abilities which, in turn, take more Guild Seals to unlock. This kind of literal menu application is also applied to the managing of weapons and clothes. Now, instead of accessing a menu, pressing start transports your character (NEARLY instantaneously) to The Sanctuary. This actual gameplay space has you running around rooms to physically pick out weapons and clothes, as well as providing a virtual space to view your trophies, achievements, income, and other character-centric stuff that would otherwise be stuffed into menus. This, surprisingly, works pretty well, and with some intuitive tools for saving outfits and assorting weapons, I found it much more desirable than the cluttered menus of Fable II.

Where this design choice utterly fails, however, is in the handling of the map. The map is located in the Sanctuary as well, and seeing as how often you need the map for marking quests down and for quick travel, the fact that you must Pause, wait for the Sanctuary to load, walk to the table with the map on it, activate it, search the map, and THEN finally perform your desired action is quite frankly a little difficult to stomach. The map IS decent enough for buying up properties (feeling a little like Godfather II in this respect) and the navigation driven by the "Bread-Crumb Trail" from Fable II makes it fine enough for finding your way around, but one question cannot be avoided; WHY IN THE BLUE HELL IS THERE NO SINGLE BUTTON ACCESS FOR THE MAP?! The "back" button on the Xbox 360 goes unused in this game. That is how I'm going to leave the matter...
Lastly, I'd be remiss if I talked about the gameplay, yet left out its biggest caveat. This would be the final parts of the game where you finally become king/queen. Obviously, Fable is a game of choices and how those choices effect yourself and others, and this is boiled down to its simplest concept in Fable III where, when you become king, literally 90 percent of the gameplay consists of simply making choices.

The rub here is that, without giving too much away, you need to form an army for Albion to safeguard against a growing threat, so you must juggle the keeping of promises to your followers and the need for money to keep Albion safe. It's actually a fairly interesting idea that, if better executed, could have made for a much more drama-filled finale to the game. As it is, however, it just feels half-baked and rushed and is frankly very little fun. Furthermore, on a first playthrough, there's little doubt that you're not going to end up with an ending that serves the character you played throughout the game, which only compounds the frustration of being ruler. I'd like to think that this was some grand scheme by Molyneaux and the dudes/dudettes at Lionhead; a commentary on the difficulties of ruling noble-y, yet realistically. A statement on how, in reality, people are better off being told what is good for them rather than bend to the whims of an unjust society. Sadly, I know that this was just poor choice of design and that they fucked up... sorry.

PRESENTATION

Finally, there's the presentation side of Fable III. Fable has never been a graphical marvel, and this game is no exception. Although there is some great detail in the more rural places of Albion and some genuinely cool architecture and lighting effects, player models look more than a little rough and suffer from recycled animations from Fable II. It also doesn't help that, despite this not being a great game graphically and Albion being split into sectors rather than being a cohesive world, the game still chugs at points and has issues with clipping and texture pop-in. The only consistently great thing about the presentation is the orchestral score, which is equal parts whimsical and sweeping, and the excellent voice cast. Fable III is a funny game, but I can't say that, had the game a different cast, it would have been just as good. Stand outs include Simon Pegg as the freedom fighter, Ben Finn, Ben Kingsley as the eccentric leader of the Dwellers, Sabine, and Stephen Fry as the insatiably corrupt Hero, Reaver.

FINAL VERDICT

Fable III is the definition of "bittersweet". It's a game that has great highs and indomitable periods of fun and fancy free. But for every one of these moments, there's always undoubtedly two or three moments where the game seems to fail in some small way. It's, in my mind, the most complete Fable game that Lionhead has produced since it first announced its ambitious new franchise many years ago, and yet it leaves one with the feeling that the developer really has no clue as to where it really wants to take the series. Fable III is a game that can be played, enjoyed, even loved on its own merits. The discriminating eye, however, may find just a few too many things to get hung up on. As such, it deserves 3 stars out of 5; no more, no less.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

i-Rix Review: Costume Quest (and the spirit of Halloween)


What happened to Halloween? As a child, it was always one of my top holidays to look forward to, but at a certain age, there just isn't much to do with All Hallow's Eve anymore, that is at least nothing that really has to do with the spirit of it. You can certainly dress up and go to a party or go to one of those theme parks where people pay twice as much for a ticket in order to walk around for several hours and be startled repeatedly, but that's not what it was all about. No, Halloween used to be about BECOMING someone, about letting your imagination run free and living in someone else's shoes for one night.

More than that, you had a mission; GET CANDY. So think about this. You dress up for one night and inhabit an entirely different persona with all that persona's motivations and mannerisms PLUS having the overwhelming need to go to the houses of complete strangers and ask for candy. Putting it this way truly points out why it is that this is a holiday that can only be properly celebrated by children.

Then there's Costume Quest, a game which cleverly allows you to completely side-step this notion and again experience what it was like to be a kid on that night of nights. Through clever writing, simple gameplay, and the most awesome of premises, Costume Quest is a game that captures the fun and whimsy of the lost holiday.

Costume Quest is the story of brother and sister twins Reynold and Wren. They've just moved to a new town and, barring some apprehension about being in an unfamiliar neighborhood, they're ready for their favorite holiday, Halloween. It's at this point that the player assumes control of one of the siblings, with the other sibling dressing as a giant piece of candy corn. This is important because shortly after embarking on their night's journey, the candy corn-ed sibling is abducted by one of many monsters who have invaded the town in an attempt to steal its candy. Luckily, Halloween is our hero's "thing" (and yes, that's all the explanation you get as to how their awesome powers work), and he/she is able to use one of a myriad of costumes to combat the invading menace. Joined by a noble trick-or-treater, Everett, and later a brainy wunderkind, Lucy, our hero must brave the town's landmarks, defeat monsters, and collect candy all in the name of saving their sibling.

What really sells everything in Costume Quest is its writing and presentation. Double Fine (the game's developers) have built a career on making funny and insanely clever games, and this is no exception. From the reverence and nostalgia-inducing charm they place into our little trick-or-treaters, to the hilarious puns and references thrown in, I was smiling the entire time I was playing this game. It doesn't hurt that the art style is thoroughly adorable, and though it might not be the sharpest looking game, the visuals never detract from the experience. Top that off with a soundtrack of Halloween-inspired tunes, and the candy coating of Costume Quest is thoroughly delicious.

That presentation spills over into gameplay as when our little tykes engage their monstrous foes, they transform into what one can only assume is the true visage of what they think they look like in their respective costumes. Costume Quest is a turn-based RPG with a bit of the Mario and Luigi RPG games thrown in as well. Each character can wear any of the games brace of costumes and, combined with a number of stat-boosting "battle stamps", can take on specific roles in battle. For example, the Knight costume with a health-boosting battle stat becomes the team's immovable tank while giving the Statue of Liberty costume a stamp that induces poison turns that character into a major support player with healing and de-buffing power.

You'll use these mechanics as you traverse three distinct areas in the town. This usually involves trick-or-treating or item collecting to oust monsters out of their hide-y holes in order to progress to the next part of the game. It becomes formulaic after a while and although some adventuring elements are present and a few side-activities, it's probably a good thing the game only lasts for about 6-8 hours.

And that would be my one complaint with the game, that their just isn't enough. The variety of costumes keep the game fresh throughout, but adding an extra wrinkle to combat could have gone a long way to making battles feel less formulaic over the game's campaign. Similarly, another side-activity or two could have made each town feel unique, but sadly you'll be doing the same thing three times and then the game ends. Luckily, all this is a moot point because of the game's heart, charm, and presentation, but one can't help but think that there could be more game here.

Regardless, Costume Quest is a game that reminds you why Halloween was great, and for a sentimental old softy like me, that's really all it had to be. Beyond that, it's a smartly written and funny game that isn't hard to get into and play, even if that fact becomes a bit of a hindrance towards the game's end. More than that, though, it's a game that anyone of any age could easily play year after year on Halloween and have just as good a time with it. That alone makes Costume Quest the sweetest thing I've played in months.

Costume Quest gets 4 pumpkins out of 5.

YOU wa SHOCK: Thoughts on the Fist of the North Star Demo

DISCLAIMER: This is actually a re-posting of a blog that I already wrote on my Giantbomb.com account. You can see that HERE, but I really just did this because I felt like I was severely neglecting this blog... that is all.


The demo for the new Tecmo/Koei game "Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage" is out right now (for XBLA anyway), and I assume if you're a fan of the manga and/or anime series at all you've probably already DL'd the demo yourself. I did so last night and actually played through each stage a couple of times and have come to a relatively brief conclusion. I like this. Yeah, it's Dynasty Warriors, a game series that I've flayed a few times in the past. However, I don't dislike Dynasty Warriors because I don't think it's fun to play. Dynasty Warriors has some great and well executed concepts that, when played with in moderation, are fun as all heck. The problem is that these base ideas haven't been fleshed out or improved upon despite a new version of the game coming out every year. So to be clear, I'll play and enjoy Dynasty Warriors, but I won't support the series year after year if they don't significantly improve on anything.
 You won't see this in the demo...
You won't see this in the demo...

But now this is becoming about Dynasty Warriors, and I wanna talk about the demo. In it is included two levels of gameplay from the game's story-mode (called Legend Mode here) with two characters to try out. Naturally there's Kenshiro, who you'd assume would be the guy they want you to try out first, right? I mean he's even first on the select screen, but selecting him will drop you straight into a boss fight against Kenshiro's bastard brother Jagi with no explanation of the controls. Granted, the game's control scheme isn't too tough to figure out, but I would have appreciated not having to get my ass handed to me to finally figure out all the ins and outs. If you're smart, you'll instead choose Rei (the angst-y mullet-ed one) and you'll get a tutorial alongside a level where you'll actually fight off waves of enemies and fight a boss as well. It's actually an overall funner level than Ken's, but one the demo doesn't make obvious should be played first.

Speaking of playing, the game plays pretty much how you might expect. You can string together light and strong attacks to build up your spirit meter which can then be used to unleash a special move (which will come complete with awesome freeze framed titles much like in the anime). You can also enter a trance state which doubles your attack power and modifies your special moves at the cost of draining your entire spirit meter. There are other intricacies like defending and other small little gameplay caveats, but the main idea is you punch guys in the face and they fall down, occasionally blocking and occasionally pulling out a special move to lay some smack down.
 Both these dudes are playable.
Both these dudes are playable.

This game, as stated above however, is still Dynasty Warriors. Although some things like making moves feel impactful, varied special maneuvers, and general feel of ebb and flow are greatly improved in this game. However, a lot of times you'll still feel like you're just button-mashing or flailing at falling enemies or crippled by an unresponsive camera. They're things that are easier to forgive given the game's reverence for the source material, but they don't make them any less inconvenient in this game as they were in Dynasty Warriors.

To wrap this thing up in a big paper bag, the demo is fun. Will the game be earth-shattering or change your feelings on Koei's never-ending "hit thousands of dudes" formula? Probably not. Still, if you're a fan of Hokuto no Ken or Dynasty Warriors (or both) it's sure to be a good time. For everyone else, the mechanics in here are different enough you may find yourself really liking the game. The only other thing for certain I can say is if you have any doubt about anything GO GET THE DEMO RIGHT NOW!

Friday, October 8, 2010

Top 15 Justice League Unlimited Episodes: Finale

This is the end, my loyal 6 readers. Seeing as this little exercise actually got some pretty undeserved attention on ComicVine.com (to which I'm extremely flattered and grateful... I'm grattered), I figure I should just finish it up now while I'm still writing relatively well. Let's finish this bad boy up...

4.) Episode 26: Epilogue
a953d558.jpg image by servewithchips
The world of Batman Beyond and its role in both the DC Animated Universe and in DC Comics in general is one that will always be polarizing. While some people seem to really like Terry McGinnis and his futuristic bat-exploits, some people will always find it just a superfluous extension to a popular character. Either way, "Epilogue" is an episode that, regardless of your feelings on Batman Beyond, you should enjoy. It really is more of a story about Bruce than it is Terry. It's really a testament to his humanity and how that is what makes him a hero. The gist of the episode is Terry is done being Batman, he doesn't want the responsibility and is done with feeling obliged to do Bruce's dirty work. He visits an elderly Amanda Waller in an attempt to gain some kind of closure on his life, but what he finds instead is a new purpose to continue being Batman. I won't spoil some of the best moments of this for you, as there are a few in which you're bound to choke up (if you're the sentimental type like me), but if you're Batman fiend then this is surely a must-see.

3.) Episode 31: Flash and Substance
the image
What a fun episode. It's Flash Appreciation Day in Central City and Flash has convinced Batman and Orion to turn out for the big Flash Museum unveiling. However, Flash's Rogues (including Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Mirror Master, and Trickster) have decided to use the big day as a chance to take the Flash down once and for all. It's the Rogues that really make this episode, as they walk a fine line between being poor washed-up schlubs and the formidable villains they once were. It's fun to watch them bicker about their various methods (nobody likes Captain Boomerang's giant rocket-propelled boomerang!!!), and I really credit this episode with turning me into a Flash fan... because he has awesome villains! Heck, Mark Hamill even voices the Trickster. Mind blown. But for as much as I've said about the villains, the Flash being shown for the truly unorthodox hero that he is is just another great aspect to this episode, which could have easily taken the top spot. BUT THIS IS JLU! So as it stands... it's only number 3.

2.) Episode 8: The Greatest Story Never Told
Booster Gold is the greatest hero you've never heard of, and I can't say I'd heard of him prior to this episode of JLU. However, after an epic half-hour, I'll never forget him ever again. Put quite frankly, this is a hell of a romp that combines the best of Justice League's comedic and action elements. The League has their hands full and needs every single member to help with the crisis, even Booster who they're none too fond of. Sadly, he's put on "crowd-control", but from his own natural curiosity and desire for fame and glory, Booster ends up having one hell of a wild night of super-hero-ing. Of course, in the end, nobody believes him (and half the people he meets think he's Green Lantern, for some reason). He even gets lambasted for abandoning his "crowd-control" post, but he does get his just rewards after all. I know I'm being especially vague about this episode, but that's only because I can't do it justice with just a description. Go watch this episode right now.

1.) Episode 2: For the Man Who Has Everything
How can you go wrong with an episode based on a work by Alan Moore? Episode 2 is based on an old Alan Moore Superman story by the same name, and is by far one of the most intense and emotionally arresting episode of any cartoon EVER. It doesn't follow the story to a tee, removing aspects like Jason Todd and the overt political dealings of Moore's story, but in its place is still a fantastic episode by any measure. It's Superman's birthday and Wonder Woman and Batman go to visit him. When they arrive at the Fortress of Solitude, they find Superman under the hypnotic trance of a plant growing into the Man of Steel's chest. The plant was given to him by Mongul, one of his greatest and most powerful foes, as a way to incapacitate him for his coming conquest of the world. The plant shows Superman his heart's desire, placing him in a state that he never wants to awake from, and so Wonder Woman must take on the far stronger Mongul whilst Batman tries to remove the plant from Clark.
We get an episode split into various parts, showing the extremely touching fantasies of Clark in which he is happily married with a family on Krypton, Batman trying to use all his intellectual know-how to get the plant off his friend, and Wonder Woman fighting for her life against a vastly more powerful opponent. These parts all geniusly meld into a story that will make you laugh, cry, and feel thrilled all in one sitting. It might not be the best representation of what the rest of the series has to offer, but if anybody wants a single example why the DC Animated Universe is a far more than just kid-stuff and deserves attention from audiences of all ages, this is it.

And that's it, my loyal readers. What has this top 15 countdown taught us?
  • Tons of heroes featured in one show is a recipe for success.
  • Heroes' exposition's awesomeness is equivalent to its dramatic delivery.
  • Girl fights can be awesome in a completely un-creepy way.
  • Sometimes the bad guys are just more fun.
  • Apparently turning into a pig is a constant threat superheroes must worry about.
  • Booster Gold is not Green Lantern.
  • Alan Moore's work makes great cartoon material (which he probably would hate).
If you stuck through all three parts, I'm greatly appreciative. If you're that crazy, then hopefully you'll be inspired to get into Justice League Unlimited because it really does deserve serious attention. From a completely biased and fanboy perspective, this is a fantastic series. Lastly, I hope you had as much fun reading this as I did writing it, because it was honestly a labor of love.
Until my next lapse in judgement, I bid you adieu.