posted by Jinny on February 18, 2008 9:38 AM in Video Game Review
Today we meet a brand-new member of The Weekly Geek family. She is an experienced writer and The Weekly Geek's business manager. As a gamer who has just recently been inaugurated into the "hardcore" ranks, I believe she is going to provide a new perspective that is refreshing in this world of cookie-cutter game reviews and news. She hates the girl-gamer stereotype and is currently forming a vast army to rid the world of cliché Please welcome Jinny to The Weekly Geek! -- Chris
Strategy games, being the games of my people, have always held a special place in my heart. What self-respecting Korean doesn’t remember the countless nights of playing Starcraft until the sun comes up? Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is quickly becoming my Starcraft, as I play it twice daily during my lengthy bus commute. Having been so engrossed in my battles against the Lazurian army, I’ve almost missed my stop on numerous occasions. This being said, I normally suck at video games. I don’t play video games because I’m good at them, but because of the immense joy they bring me. If you’re looking for a review of this game that cites plotlines from previous versions, compares gameplay with the introduction of new units, and refers to a buttload of gaming history, these are the reviews for you. I’m hoping to bring you a fresher perspective because I am literally the new kid on this figurative block.
Days of Ruin is the first in the series that I have had the pleasure to play, but fear not, because your dutiful servant has done some research on the previous games for adequate background. Thanks, Wikipedia, even if you are run by the ‘Lord of the Universe.’ From what I understand, the game introduces an entirely new set of characters. Will, our protagonist, wakes to find most of the world annihilated. While he is anxiously scouring the area for other survivors, he encounters The Beast and his minions, who threaten to kill him. Good fortune is soon bestowed upon Will, as Captain Brenner, leader of the 12th battalion (aka Brenner’s Wolves), and his second-in-command, Lin, come to his rescue. I found myself fully engaged in the first battle despite its ease. Upon completion, Brenner and Lin inform Will about the disastrous meteor and how it caused a dark cloud of dust to block out the sun entirely. Having taken notice of the gaming community’s sensitivity to spoilers, I will not “give away” any more of the plot, but it is meaty and delicious. Enjoy! If you’re really that curious, you can read about it here. Let it be known that I wasn’t the culprit who corrupted your virgin eyes because everything I have said happens in the first 10 minutes.
The game is friggin’ HARD! When I finally got to the 11th level (26 levels total), I found myself failing miserably and having to replay each level at least twice to be successful. I beat level 14 by the skin of my teeth and experienced the most epic battle between my G-boat and an enemy G-boat. My strategy? Starve them out! I destroyed all their rigs so enemy units couldn’t re-supply. Also, it took a while for my itty-bitty brain to figure out that I shouldn’t attack large, menacing tanks with little dudes on bikes. The battle scenes were entertaining to watch and for my first few hours of playtime, I sat through each and every cut scene. I haven’t had much of a chance to delve into the multiplayer aspect of the game because…I have no excuse, especially since local multiplayer games only require one DS game card! Friend codes are not a requirement for online multiplayer because you can play against random challengers. I think, however, I’ll skip getting my ass handed to me by strangers until I hone my skills somewhat.
The tone of the dialog seems a bit too buoyant to deal with the dark subject matter of a post-apocalyptic world. Personally, I think the dialog works to suit Will’s naiveté because he is still, in fact, very much a child. His difficulties with swallowing the travesties of war have led me to question my own moral misgivings on the subject. I'll save that for another post, that is, if Chris ever lets me write again.
With Days of Ruin being the fourth game in the Advance Wars franchise, I wonder if they'll release more titles. I don't have such a big problem with franchises, if they put out a good product and don't rehash the same game with new, fancy packaging as a mere distraction. I'll keep my fingers crossed and get cracking on playing the first three games in the meantime.
Score: 4.5/5 Buy it! Hell, any game that makes use of the word “modicum” should automatically be inducted into some list that exists somewhere comprised of worthwhile games to play. That fact alone is solid enough for this game to stand on its own wordsmith-y legs.
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posted by Chris on December 27, 2007 4:07 PM in Games, Geek Culture
I have many fond memories of unwrapping completely excellent gifts at X-Mas time, you can even see my look of glee at the acquisition of Teddy Ruxpin on an article posted earlier today. I remember the X-Mas when I first got an NES, I literally cried. It's neat to think that many a future gamer experienced similar moments this past week, and today I stumbled across this excellent post at DS Fanboy with a fantastic gallery of kids unwrapping Nintendo DS systems at X-Mas. This one of the red cheeked Bruce Lee fan (or something. Seriously, what is that kid wearing?) is my favorite.
Link via [DS Fanboy]
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posted by Chris on December 13, 2007 8:27 AM in Video Game Review
Back in my day, our video game console playing machines only had 8 bits! If we were lucky! We had to walk up a hill both ways through the snow just to get to a store that even sells video games! Most stores just sold chalk, and that's how we liked it! Kids these days, they just don't know what true video gaming is all about! Why, back in my day when we played Contra, we got our asses handed to us and we liked it. Hey! You over there! Pay attention! Get off my lawn! Etc! So forth! Old people words! Contra 4 for the DS reminds me of the glory days, back when games taught you a lesson! None of this Super Mario doodad shootin' Wii remote shakin' bull honky. That's right, I said bull honky! No, video games need to be hard core! Video games need to hate you with every fiber of their being! Even if they don't require quarters to operate anymore, they need to act like they are sucking you dry of every last cent you own! Contra 4 is just as punishing as I remember the series ever being, with a ton of additions that make me all warm and fuzzy inside. Ahh, nostalgia. Those were the days...
It's Contra's 20th anniversary, can you believe it? After a long string of horrible sequels, Konami along with WayForward technologies decided to un-crap the crapfest that had ensued over the past two decades with a return to the classic. Contra 4 is nostalgia pandering at it's best. Imagine the SNES heyday, when every game seemed the most polished piece of artistic perfection you had ever seen. The games themselves compelled you to complete them, just to experience the whole thing. Landscapes are pixellated masterpieces, animations are crisp and smooth, and the music is driving and cheesy, just like you remember it. Contra 4 wants to be the definitive version in the series, and arguably it is. Few things have changed about the controls: they are just as tight as the original, with the addition of a grappling hook to reach the top DS screen. The grappling hook feels like it's always been in the series, which is a great credit to the developers. They did a fantastic job.
The 20th anniversary brings us not only an excellent game in its own right, but unlockable versions of the NES original, along with the sequel Super C. The unlockables just keep coming in the form of playable characters, art galleries and even an interview with the creator.
It's interesting to me to play this game right after completing Super Mario Galaxy. Both are incredibly nostalgic feeling to me. Both tackle this nostalgia in different ways. While Super Mario Galaxy holds your hand on a guided tour of a familiar setting, Contra sticks to the formula. One hit kills you, and you only have a couple lives. Run out of lives and you only have a couple continues to progress with. Lose all your continues and start over. It's true that video games are too easy these days, and Contra proves it. It's on par with the difficulty level of the NES original, which is to say it is an incredible challenge. Sure, you may play a game from this generation and call it a challenge, but you are pretty much assured to complete the game. Even on easy mode Contra 4 is difficult. That's not to say it isn't any fun, it's the kind of difficulty that compels you to try harder. Just like the original, you can even bring a friend to join in your suffering (though your friend needs a copy of Contra as well).
The art is fantastic, the music is nostalgic, and the new boss battles are inventive and exciting. The massive amount of unlockables and extra games brings replay value to a new high, and for my money you can't get any more fun than getting horribly mangled in Contra.
And yes, you can use the code.
Score: 5/5 The best Contra yet, and a jewel in the DS crown.
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posted by Amy on November 6, 2007 11:44 AM in Video Game Review
Flipper Critters is a pinball style game with storyline, mini-games, puzzles, and quests. Sounds pretty promising, eh? I certainly thought so. I was looking forward to seeing what the game had to offer.
Shininess: I’ll come right out and say it. Flipper Critters is definitely lacking in shininess. It looks like they tried to duplicate the art style in Animal Crossing and failed. It is no where near the same quality. It’s grainy and jagged where it isn’t blurry. As far as the music is concerned, the soundtrack reminds me of the “build mode” music from the Sims: generic, upbeat, elevator, background music.
Funness: The controls for Flipper Critters are relatively simple. The L button or control pad controls the left flipper and the R button or the A, B, X, or Y button controls the right flipper. The stylus is also used to raise ramps, lower fences, remove obstacles, etc. However, there is no mention of using the stylus for this purpose in the instruction booklet. I played for a long time, frustrated that I couldn’t get anywhere, until I figured it out myself. It can be difficult to use the stylus to remove an obstacle while your ball is in motion and then hit the appropriate flipper button. I found myself using my thumbnail most of the time.
Flipper Critters has a storyline, I think. In the beginning there is something about your friend, Bull, being sad and having to save him. But before you can save him, you have to help other friends, and so on. The dialog is dull and doesn’t always make sense. Luckily, you can skip most of the conversations if you wish. As you play the game, characters will say stuff that you either completely miss because you are focused on the game or you read and lose track of your ball. You really shouldn’t have to choose between game content and game progression.
The mini-games are only available after you win them in Story Play mode. This is one thing that really annoys me in games. You can’t just sit down and play for fun. You have to advance through Story Play mode if you want to unlock the mini-games and pinball levels in Fun Play mode. Guess what? I got stuck in Story Play, so I have one level and zero mini-games playable in Fun Play. That makes Fun Play not so fun.
Flipper Critters can be downright frustrating. The “puzzle” aspect is figuring out how to accomplish the next quest objective. Most of the time I could only figure it out through trial and error, whacking the ball around and seeing what happened. Then came the “fun” of trying to place the ball exactly where it had to go in order to advance. I truly feel the accuracy and skill needed to fulfill the quest objectives and progress is beyond the average player and, especially, the target audience of children (based on the cartoon styling, E for Everyone rating, and $14.99 retail price).
Worthiness: Would I recommend Flipper Critters? Only to a die hard pinball fan who must play every game available. Would I recommend it for anyone else? No. It’s too hard for kids and uninteresting, when it’s not frustrating, for everyone else.
Score: 1/5 Run away!
Are you a die hard pinball fan? You can find Flipper Critters in our store!
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posted by Qais on September 10, 2007 11:11 AM in Games
When news of a Guitar Hero DS port first reached my horribly deformed ears I reacted in the way I suspect many people reacted, with utter confusion. I hear the kids these days are saying something along the lines of "WTF". How could you possibly port Guitar Hero, a game that relies on having a fair amount of room at your disposal in which to rock, to the DS, a system that is best played while on the bus crammed between two smelly hobos so fat they defy description. Somehow, the developers at Vicarious Visions, the company I suspect we will grow to hate immensely for releasing this, intend to deliver portable illusory rock god status right into your hot little hands.
However the big news isn't that the DS is getting a Guitar Hero port, it's that you won't use your stylus, one of the main input devices for the DS, with the game. Adrian Earle, design manager for Vicarious Visions, reported that they're developing a new peripheral for the DS on which to tap furiously thus irritating the ever living fuck out of everyone around you. Keep in mind the tapping bit is simply speculation on my part, I'm hoping for some kind of light emitting theremin control so that next PAX there will be rows of enraptured gamers, twiddling their fingers over light emitting boxes, thus fulfilling my "the future is now" wet dream.
In addition to the intriguing prospect of a new peripheral, Adrian Earle informed the folks at GAF that they won't be adapting the graphic style of Guitar Hero to a cartoonish 2-D style, instead keeping the iconic Guitar Hero look. I only hope they can reproduce the Guitar Hero feel as well.
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posted by Chris on June 20, 2007 8:47 AM in Games
After making my tea this morning and sitting down to check my email, I see something glorious. What is this? Konami sent me an email? I'll just open it up here. HOLY AWESOME MERCIFUL CRAPCAKES. CONTRA 4 FOR THE DS.
This isn't just a crappy Contra knockoff, this takes place right after Contra III for the SNES (known as one of the hardest games of all time). Dual screen action. 2D sidescrolling. Contra. On the DS. What is this here? It also says there is co-op. And a grappling hook? Those are like two of my favorite things ever!
When I die my tombstone will say "enjoyed co-op and grappling hooks. RIP".
I have only one real worry, and that is that it is being developed by "WayForward Technologies" who have only made stuff like Spongebob games and crap. This has the potential to be either REALLY COOL or completely lackluster.
Contra 4 for the DS is slated to release in "2007" whatever that means. Full press release after the jump. What do you guys think? Hot or not?
continue reading "Holy Crap! Konami Announces DS Contra"
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posted by Grant on May 22, 2007 12:24 PM in Video Game Review
Today's Freelance Review comes to us from BFeld13.
If you'd like to submit a freelance review, please check out how right here.
Overview
Hotel Dusk: Room 215's story is that of a gritty noir novel, with a hard-boiled ex-cop, missing paintings and amnesia. You play Kyle Hyde. He's searching for his double-crossing ex-partner in the NYPD and has stopped for the night at Hotel Dusk in the southwestern desert. By the end of the night, Hyde will discover what happened at Hotel Dusk. You do this by helping out the guests at the hotel, all of whom are somehow linked to Hyde.
continue reading "Freelance Review - Hotel Dusk: Room 215 for Nintendo DS"
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posted by Nevery on January 3, 2007 11:55 AM in Games
Have you ever watched one of those old 1970's black and white detective films? Did you want to be a part of the oh so wonderful story? Yeah... Me neither! However, now you have your chance to solve mysteries in a detective type story line for the DS. Hotel Dusk takes place in 1979 LA where you take the role of Kyle Hyde, an ex-cop turned salesman trying to track down a missing friend. Clues lead to an eerie, old hotel rumored to have one very strange room – a room where wishes are granted. You check into the hotel and have to solve the mystery by meeting people and collecting clues. Now, don't get me wrong, it looks cool but my character is a salesman turned detective going to a hotel that grants wishes... Doesn't this sound like a bad porn story?
More pictures after the jump
continue reading "Hotel Dusk: Room 215 DS Preview"
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posted by Chris on February 9, 2006 11:13 AM in Geek Culture
In a matter of weeks: DS owners will sample free games simply by visiting their local game retailers; players will enjoy live, real-time Wi-Fi voice interaction with their portable game play; the 1 millionth DS owner will log onto Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, Nintendo’s wireless gaming service; and a new lighter, brighter DS will make its debut in Japan.
Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing, announced the new DS features during his keynote address today at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences’ D.I.C.E. conference in Las Vegas.
“Nintendo DS was the only video game system that exceeded expectations in 2005, simply because it dared to be different,†Fils-Aime said. “By further enriching the ways in which players can compete, play and sample new games, that process is accelerating in the opening weeks of 2006.â€
DS Download Service: Starting next month, Nintendo will offer all DS owners free downloadable game demos and other downloadable content at thousands of participating retail locations around the United States. An in-store kiosk will beam wireless demo versions of games and other downloadable content into a players’ Nintendo DS system. Users simply stop by the store with their Nintendo DS, click “DS Download Play†on their system and choose one of a variety of DS games they want to sample. The game will download automatically and users can play all they want (even if they leave the store) until the Nintendo DS is turned off.
Sequentially, players can try out as many games as they want, letting them test drive the wide array of games that can only be played on Nintendo DS. The first DS Download Service stations will include free demos of Tetris® DS, Brain Age™: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day, Mario Kart® DS, Meteos™, True Swing Golf and Pokémon® Trozei, along with a Metroid® Prime Hunters video clip. The selection of games and other downloadable content at DS Download Service kiosks will refresh quarterly.
Metroid Chat: The new Metroid Prime Hunters game for Nintendo DS will give gamers the ability to chat directly with one another before and after matches played via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Players in North America simply click the chat icon and say what they have to say. The microphone of the Nintendo DS picks up voice communication and transmits it to the people on their friend list. Players can use the chat function before a match to agree on settings or after a battle to relive their glories. This Teen-rated first-person adventure arrives March 20 and promises to open a dramatically fun new facet of gaming to Nintendo fans.
Nintendo DS Momentum: Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection now boasts more than 20 million different connections, representing more than 850,000 unique users worldwide. Nintendo DS has enjoyed extremely strong sales worldwide, selling more than 14.4 million units worldwide through December. The Japanese sell-through of the existing Nintendo DS hardware exceeded 5 million within 13 months, which made Nintendo DS there the fastest-selling video game launch ever. In addition to Metroid Prime Hunters, Tetris DS also launches March 20. Using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, up to four players can compete in wireless two- or four-player Tetris DS battles against friends or strangers, near or far.
Nintendo DS Lite: The lighter, brighter Nintendo DS system goes on sale in Japan next month. Nintendo DS Lite is about two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter. Its availability in other regions will be announced at a later date
I guess this means I should probably buy a DS to replace my stolen one.. Attn Nintendo: If you see this my DS was stolen. I'm open to having one sent to me to review your download service.
--Nevery
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posted by Chris on January 26, 2006 8:45 AM in Geek Culture
This is not a "take this with a grain of salt" moment.
Today on the Nintendo Japan website, the DS redesign was announced. It is retailing for about $150 US (whatever that is in Yen) and looks completely logical. It doesn't seem to have a GBA slot, it's slimmed down and looks like an iPod. The DS has a very mature iPod-buying audience so this makes complete sense. No surprises here. Move along.
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/news/060126.html
--Frodo (frodo@weeklygeekshow.com)
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