All Reviews » anonymous

Punch-Out!!

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:02:58 +0000

Intro
The Punch-Out!! Nintendo Wii game falls under the Sports (Boxing) genre and it was released on the 18th May, 2009 by its publisher, Nintendo. The game is rated as E for everyone meaning that it may contain minimal violence, some comic mischief or mild language, and it is suitable for players who are more than 10 years old by ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board), while the game’s developer is Next Level Games. In the game, you will be playing the role as a young up-and-coming 17-year-old fighter Little Mac (the favorite underdog from original Punch-Out!! games of the 1980s) from the Bronx who, with the help of his trainer Doc Lewis, trying to find his way up through the rank by taking on a wide range of boxing opponents with different style of attacks such as Glass Joe, King Hippo, Von Kaiser, Great Tiger, Soda Popinski, Bald Bull and Aran Ryan, plus these boxers was designed in cel-shaded 3-D, complete with comedic fighting animations and back stories. With only 5 feet 7 inches tall and 107 pounds in weight, he will be fighting big size opponents with powerful punches.
The Punch-Out!! Wii game offers player with up to 13 types of opponents for you to challenge inside the ring, where 12 of which are characters returning from the previous games of the Punch-Out!! series. Each of the opponents comes with various style of attacking for you to learn and also learn how to counter the attacks. Some of the boxers include Glass Joe, a French fighter who has a weak chin and if you managed to throw in a few well-placed shots he will be defeated easily. King Hippo is a huge and powerful boxer who can be defeated with the right combinations to the head and body, along with the right timing going for the knockout counter attacks if you manage to survive his onslaught. Von Kaiser is a dangerous opponent with childhood difficulty history, thus turning himself into a mean fighter who eagerly punishes his enemy in the ring. Bald Bull is also one of the favorites among the boxer who have many vintage moves such as a terrifying charge attack. Aran Ryan is a crazy Irishman who uses his head to attack, and Bear Hugger is a 400-pound Canadian who likes maple syrup and tiny woodland rodents. The only new challenger in the game is Disco Kid who has flashy fighting style.
In terms of controlling, you can throw punches by using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers, while you can control hooks and jabs by combining motion control with control-stick movement. It can also be played with the classic NES-style controls by turning the Wii Remote sideways and use the 1 and 2 buttons along with the cross pad to throw hooks and jabs or to dodge attacks. In addition, players can also acquire special “Star Punches” which enables Little Mac to take more Health from opponents with just a single punch, plus using multiple stars in a single punch for more extra-powerful attack. Every boxer throughout the game has various weak points, and if you managed to hit them at a perfect time, this will enable you to collect bonuses. For instance, player can throw a leaping uppercut in the mouth of Disco Kid during his taunting pose for you to earn a star punch and this move will definitely rattle your opponent’s spine. Once you have been crowned as champion, you need to defend the title against your previous opponents that you managed to defeat. This challenge is much more difficult as the fighters will be using new strategies to try and defeat you for instance, Glass Joe, who previously has a rather weak chin, will enter the ring with a protective helmet, thus forcing you to only attack him with body blows, plus he becomes significantly stronger, along with a few new punches he learned and changing the timing of his old moves.

Apart from the single-player mode, the game also features a two-player mode where players can enjoy playing against friend and see two Little Macs squaring off against each other. The winner and the one who managed to produce enough punches will be transformed into an oversized Giga Mac and have the feeling of maneuvering one of the single-player opponents, rather that dodging attacks from opponents, plus releasing furious punches or, even taunting the other Little Mac in order to earn a star. There is also the Exhibition mode that provides players with three challenges to earn un-lockable goodies, where some of the challenges are fairly easy to earn, while many of them are much more difficult. Although the challenge is difficult, but it is still worth the effort and rewarding to the players involve, thus you will try new strategies in the process of defeating your opponent.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:26:23 +0000

After the development of The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena along with eight other games in development had been dropped on July 29, 2008, StarBreeze Studios confirmed on September 24, 2008 that The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena was nearing its completion, with Atari announcing in October 2008 that they would be publishing the game. The game was subsequently released on April 7, 2009 to North America and April 24, 2009 to Europe under the genres of first person, action-adventure and stealth, with an ESRB rating of M for Mature. It was developed by Starbreeze Studios in collaboration with Tigon Studios for the Xbox 360 platform. The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena was supposedly developed as a remake because Microsoft could not make the Xbox 360 backward compatible with Escape from Butcher Bay in an attempt to get the Escape story to a larger audience before progressing further. It is said that the graphics have been improved with the addition of a multiplayer mode as well as an expanded version of the single player mode to include Riddick escaping onto a mercenary ship called Dark Athena. The voice and likeness of the title character belong to Vin Diesel who was also involved in the production of Assault on Dark Athena.

Reviews
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is made out of several disparate components of varying quality, making it difficult for players to come to grips with such a release. The main attraction of the game is the slick retooling of 2004’s Escape from the Butcher Bay which holds up beautifully, exquisitely building tension before settling into a satisfying, smouldering pace. Not only that, the other single-player component offered is the sequel to Butcher Bay, Dark Athena. When compared to its predecessor, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is positively limp, monotonously falling into a rut of predictability that the original always avoided. To add to the inconsistent puzzle, there is also an interesting but uneven suit of multiplayer modes that is mildly fun in spurts but too awkward to standout. In terms of the Butcher Bay, it has been freshened up a bit and looks surprisingly spiffy on a high-definition display, showing its age as the stiff character models move awkwardly and exhibit scant expression, as well as the low-definition textures which betray the graphic engine’s last-generation roots. However, the remade original impressively still stands tall, partially because few games have tried to duplicate its blueprint. Not only is that, the numerous gameplay elements are also well balanced. In the game, players play as the gruff criminal Richard B. Riddick whose main goal is to break out of Butcher Bay, the intergalactic equivalent of Alcatraz; a menacing, unforgiving and nearly inescapable prison. In order to do so, Riddick will require a quiet command of multiple talents, and correspondingly, a number of different gameplay devices to guide him out.

“The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is a difficult game to judge. The first half of the game, Escape from Butcher Bay, certainly shows its age, but is still an innovative game. The sequel, however, comes off as a poor imitation. It’s far more frustrating and seems more shooter than anything else. It’s not a terrible game for a sequel, but it’s inferior to Butcher Bay. If you played the original back in 2004, then there’s little reason to pick this game up. However, if you never played Riddick’s first adventure it (and its modest follow-up) are worth checking out.” (IGN, 2009)

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:20:20 +0000

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, also known as Night at the Museum 2 in some parts of the world, was officially announced on April 7 2009. It was released on May 5 2009, in advance of Twentieth Century Fox’s highly-anticipated theatrical release of the same name. The game comes under the genre of action and has an ESRB rating of E10+. It is developed by Amaze Entertainment and Pipeworks Software, and published by Majesco Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox for the Xbox 360. In the game, Ben Stiller reprises his role in the film as the voice of Larry Daley. Featuring the same scenes as in the movie, the gameplay will require Larry to explore certain exhibits in the museum. Larry will also need to swing from hooks using a rope and a flashlight to activate different contraptions. In order to start a battle, Larry will have to lead his enemies to a certain painting or statue and activate it for the object to attack. In addition to that, Larry will also have the ability to pilot vehicles such as the Lunar Lander, a Pitcairn Autogyro and Rexy the T-Rex.

Reviews
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is a rather short game that features the prominent likeness of Ben Stiller. The game is said to be blandly innocuous with very awkward platforming but offers up a few clever gameplay mechanics which provide for doses of amusement. In the game, Ben Stiller’s character, Larry Daily the protagonist leaves the confines of the American Museum of Natural History for the expanses of the Smithsonian where Pharoah Akhmenrah’s evil brother, Kahmunrah is threatening to do evil things using the power of a magical tablet that brings museum exhibits to life. The game lasts for about two hours or so, during which Larry befriends Amelia Earhart, battles Al Capone from atop a skeletal T-rex, pilots a lunar module, and meets an electrifying Ben Franklin. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian also tries to incorporate an educational counterpoint by adding in random historical facts which appear during loading time. There is also a voice-over option which players can activate while exploring the galleries for a virtual field trip. However, younger players might get confused between fantasy and reality as there is an inconsistency between the information conveyed throughout the game. The main objective of the game is to gather the pieces of Kahmunrah’s table that has been scattered around in fragments, earning a different special power for every one you find. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian features scenes which are easy to figure out but cute and cleaver enough to appeal to the game’s younger target audience. Some of the other sequences attempt at injecting some variety into the game, but they are all of an inconsistent quality especially in terms of platforming. Not only that, the controls are said to be imprecise, causing a frustration jaunt across a series of aircraft while the vehicle-based missions prove to be as frustrating. The game also has poor ho-hum sound effects and week cartoonish visuals that are prone to slowdown and make matters worse.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is surprisingly self-aware (and I don’t mean the few times where the fourth wall is broken). It knows it’s a licensed game, and doesn’t try to be more than a light, entertaining little collection of gameplay moments. Because of this, and because it actually uses the Smithsonian as a proper set piece, the game actually ends up being fun. Not exhilarating, not mind-blowing, but surprisingly solid. Good job, Pipeworks, you made a game that’s educational, simple, and, best of all, never outstays its welcome. (IGN, 2009)

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:12:18 +0000

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 was officially announced on 28 August 2008. It was released on 18 December 2008 to Japan, 21 April 2009 to North America, 24 April 2009 to Europe, and 23 April 2009 to Australia under the genre of Action role-playing game/ hack and slash with an ESRB rating of T for Teens. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 is developed by Koei and Omega Force, and published by Namco Bandai for the Xbox 360 platform. The sequel to Dynasty Warriors: Gundam which was released in 2007, is a tactical action video game based on the Gundam anime series. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 follows in the style of previous Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors games with is action-oriented hack and slash with some tactical elements. However, there are unique gameplay mechanics and twists to Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 which sets it apart from the core Dynasty Warriors series, with the biggest difference lying in the core content. Instead of using characters and story from the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 draws their material from across the various Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. Not only that, the player’s choice of pilots and mecha was also designed to be independent of each other to enable the use of any combination of man and machine. There is also a change in gameplay as players are now given more ranged combat options as compared to other Dynasty Warriors games. However, melee combat remains the focus of the game. Besides that, the units in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 are also much more mobile, using its thrusters to dash, jump in mid-air, and even fly in some fights. In the Official Mode, there are 4 playable characters in stages set within the continuity of the Universal Century Timeline which coves the stories of Mobile Suit Gundam, Zeta Gundam, Gundam ZZ and Char’s Counterattack. The developers also claimed during the earlier stages of its development that the Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 will include three times the number of mobile suits playable as compare to that of the first game. In total, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 has 62 suits of playable units.

Reviews
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 is said to be a repetition of its predecessors as it features the same gameplay: attacking brain-dead mechanical foes by half-heartedly pounding on the attack button ad nauseam. Similar to other Koei Warrior games, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 offers a seemingly enormous amount of content which does not provide any value at the end of the game as its gameplay is relatively repetitive. It is said that Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 asks a lot from its players, including a deep familiarity with the Gundam universe, as those who do not will be stymied by the nonsensical storylines of each character. Fortunately, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 has a lot to sift through, with each playable character possessing his or her own tale, providing opportunity for you to take dozen of hours guiding every character through every mission granted the patience and curiosity.

“Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 seems like it barely takes a step forward past its predecessor. In some cases, it even takes a step back. If you’re a hardcore fan of both the Dynasty Warriors brand and the Gundam universe, you’ll undoubtedly purchase a copy even without my blessing, but I beg you to reconsider. Sure, there’s nothing “wrong” with the game as far as I can tell — it still runs fine and there’s plenty to do. But it’s the same gameplay as the past five KOEI games I’ve reviewed. It’s just not worth buying again.” (IGN, 2009)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:04:09 +0000

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was officially announced on 15 July 2008 together with “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”. It was released worldwide on 1 May 2009 to coincide with the release of the film under the genre of action-adventure with an ESRB rating of M for Mature, for the Xbox 360 platform version. Incorporating Unreal Engine 3 technology, X-Men Origins: Wolverine was published by Activision, distributed by Activision Blizzard and developed by Raven Software for the Xbox 360. The 2009 action-adventure game is loosely based on the film of the same name, in which players take control of James “Logan” Howlett (codenamed Wolverine) and for the first time in a video game, discover the character’s origins. It is said that X-Men Origins: Wolverine takes influences from other action-adventure games such as God of War and Devil May Cry, with the Uncaged version of the game featuring a large amount of blood and gore. In terms of the storyline, it comprises of a combination of the Wolverine backstory which is being explore in the movie of the same name as well as original story created by Raven Software. The lead developer, Dan Vondrak claims that roughly 90% of the movie storyline is featured in the game. That portion makes up only less than half of the overall video game story, while the remaining balance is exclusive to the game. However, the primary storyline is the back-story of Wolverine who uncovers his origins from his birth in the 19th century, his military service and eventual recruitment to Col. William Stryker’s Weapon X program, and eventually his confrontation with Weapon XI. The game is set in locations including Africa which is implied to be Wakanda, due to Stryker’s interest in meteorite desposits in the regions, Alkali Lake, Project Wideawake and New Orleans.

Reviews
X-Men Origins: Wolverine is said to give players new insight into how much damage indestructible, razor-sharp claws can do to a human body. It revels in gore, with decapitations, eviscerations, and mutilations drenching the screen in blood. However, it may also be derivative, a cakewalk and at time buggy. Fortunately, the sheer visceral impact of the extreme violence is enough to cover that up. The decent gameplay in X-Men Origins: Wolverine helps to back up the violence in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. It is said that the game’s environment, especially its indoor ones are plain-looking, featuring various corridors and laboratories which lack real distinctiveness. However, the characters in X-Men Origins: Wolverine fair a bit better, sporting good animations although lacking a little in the detail and sharpness departments.

“Should any of the criticism I’ve launched keep you from playing X-Men Origins: Wolverine — Uncaged Edition? No, this is an awesome guilty pleasure. Usually, I’ll sit down to review a repetitive game that’s filled with the same attacks and just tear it apart because the repetition sucks the fun out of the experience. X-Men Origins has repetition in spades, but it’s the kind of repetition Wolverine/action game fans are going to love; I mean, can you get sick of literally slicing someone in two and watching the blood explode across the screen? Can you get sick of hoisting a bad guy in the air and savagely stabbing him in the gut over and over again? Can you get sick of watching Wolverine get beaten down to his adamantium skeleton only to sit there and marvel as his muscle and skin grown back in real time? I can’t.
The story is convoluted, the bosses are boring and the whole experience isn’t that deep, but this game sure is fun.” (IGN, 2009)

The Godfather II

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:50:27 +0000

The Godfather II was officially announced in August 2008, although the development of this sequel was hinted as early as 2007. It was subsequently released on 7 April 2009 to North America and 10 April 2009 to Europe under the genres of action-adventure and sandbox, with an ESRB rating of M for Mature. The Godfather II is developed by EA Redwood Shores, incorporating the Godfather engine, and is published by Electronic Arts for the Xbox 360 platform. The game is based on The Godfather Part II, a 1974 crime drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and co-written by Coppola and Mario Puzo. It is played from a third person perspective and contains some stratge aspects as the player’s character battles rival families and take over businesses to ultimately become a “Don” ruling over many cities. Reprising his role as consigliere Tom Hagen is Rober Duvall in both voice and likeness as he did in the first game. However, as Al Pacino who played Don Michael Corleone in the film did not provide his likeness or voice, the character itself was changed significantly in the game. The game features similar gameplay elements as the original game, with a few expansions and improvements. Similar to the prequel, The Godfather II is a third-person shooter game which takes place in an open world, with both story-based and side missions involving gunplay, hand-to-hand fighting and driving. In contrast, The Godfather II features a “Black Hand 2.0” control scheme in which players can grab, knee, kick and head-butt enemies. As for the weapons in the game, each of it including handguns, shotguns and machine guns have their own level and statistics. Not only that, players are also able to purchase licenses to use higher level weapons with more skill.

Reviews
The Godfather II is said to have been reduced to an uninspired, repetitive open-world action game with out-of-context movie quotes and a handful of recognizable characters scattered throughout its forgettable story, as compared to its mediocre, mindless action flick movie. It is also apparent that the game had been released in an unfinished state and is riddled with performance issues and bugs. In the game, players play as Dominic, an important member of the Corleone family who somehow managed to make it through the epic movie trilogy without ever wandering into camera shot despite apparently being involved in a number of key scenes. As one of Michael Corleone’s most trusted men, Dominic is groomed to head up his own family and after a brief introductory sequence set in Cuba, the game proper gets under way in a diminutive New York where players are instructed to set about making a name for themselves.

“The Godfather II places an interesting spin on the second film in the acclaimed series, adding emphasis on both strategy and action elements to give you a sense of what it’s like to create and control your own empire. Multiplayer also puts a creative spin on using your henchmen to gain money and even items for your soldiers. However, players of action or strategy games of any variety will blow through this title thanks to the lack of difficulty in the single player campaign, and probably will only turn to the multiplayer once they’ve beaten the game, since they won’t need to increase their henchmen’s skills. It’s still fun and has almost all of the elements of a great game, but until a harder difficulty level is added (which, fingers crossed, would occur with a future download or patch), The Godfather II falls a tad bit short.” (IGN, 2009)

Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:26:02 +0000

Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity is a puzzle game that was released on April 6, 2009 with an ESRB rating of E for Everyone. It is published and developed by Deep Silver, featuring a real famous physicist, Professor Heinz Wolff. Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity is a game that enables you to draw blocks and balls and have them react to real-world physics. It is a game that aims at providing fun in a virtual environment that utilizes realistic physics as its core mechanics. In general, Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity is an “Incredible Machines” style puzzle game that requires you to simply place 2D blocks and balls in the environment and have them react in order to push a button placed in a strategic location. However, it is said that the Wii version feels too shallow to be a full retail product and seems like it would be much better suited as a budget WiiWare title. There are strategic layouts throughout any given puzzle in Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity that requires you to place blocks of various shapes, sizes and weights. The gameplays objective is to arrange them in such a way that when you hit “Play” a ball or cart will drop out of a designated spot on the board and run into anything you have placed in its path, setting them in motion. The level is completed when the level button is hit, and thus player progresses to the next level. Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity lays out an idea that works relatively well with the opportunity to whip up some crazy puzzle designs from the game’s creators. The solutions to every level are not restricted as Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity employs real-time physics instead of predetermined behaviours. Although the problems associated with Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity are small, but they are plentiful. It is also said that Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity never reaches its potential as players can tinker around with the gravity in sandbox locations. However, players are not able to create their own puzzles.

Reviews
In Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity, the most famous natural phenomena is turned from a curse in everyday life into something that seems warm and fuzzy in the safe confines of a video game. Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity provides you with a virtual playground that allows you to mess around with mass and momentum with a display of physics that more or less mirrors real life. However, the puzzle is said to be too mundane to maintain player’s attention. There are 100 levels in Professor Heinz Wolff’s Gravity which play out like a dimunitive Domino rally.

“Gravity has the right stuff to be a sleeper puzzle game, but it stumbles a bit with a design that’s a little rough around the edges. It feels too light on content for its pricetag, at least on Wii. The design seems better suited for the DS platform’s pick-up-and-play experience, but the technology isn’t quite up to the game’s potential.
The Wii and DS games share the exact same level designs and bonus games, but the Wii version ends up the real version to play since it has far more processing power to handle the physics engine. On the DS, if there are more than eight sizable parts on the screen the framerate tends to dip noticeably, and it definitely affects some of the more complex puzzles and sandbox areas that are unlockables in the product. Even with better tech in the Wii version, the game seems a little too pricey for the 30 dollars the publisher’s asking for; the 20 bucks for the DS edition seems like the more comfortable pricepoint.” (IGN, 2009)

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:19:58 +0000

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, also known as Night at the Museum 2 in some parts of the world, was officially announced on April 7 2009. It was released on May 5 2009, in advance of Twentieth Century Fox’s highly-anticipated theatrical release of the same name. The game comes under the genre of action and has an ESRB rating of E10+. It is developed by Amaze Entertainment and Pipeworks Software, and published by Majesco Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox for the Nintendo Wii. In the game, Ben Stiller reprises his role in the film as the voice of Larry Daley. Featuring the same scenes as in the movie, the gameplay will require Larry to explore certain exhibits in the museum. Larry will also need to swing from hooks using a rope and a flashlight to activate different contraptions. In order to start a battle, Larry will have to lead his enemies to a certain painting or statue and activate it for the object to attack. In addition to that, Larry will also have the ability to pilot vehicles such as the Lunar Lander, a Pitcairn Autogyro and Rexy the T-Rex.

Reviews
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is a rather short game that features the prominent likeness of Ben Stiller. The game is said to be blandly innocuous with very awkward platforming but offers up a few clever gameplay mechanics which provide for doses of amusement. In the game, Ben Stiller’s character, Larry Daily the protagonist leaves the confines of the American Museum of Natural History for the expanses of the Smithsonian where Pharoah Akhmenrah’s evil brother, Kahmunrah is threatening to do evil things using the power of a magical tablet that brings museum exhibits to life. The game lasts for about two hours or so, during which Larry befriends Amelia Earhart, battles Al Capone from atop a skeletal T-rex, pilots a lunar module, and meets an electrifying Ben Franklin. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian also tries to incorporate an educational counterpoint by adding in random historical facts which appear during loading time. There is also a voice-over option which players can activate while exploring the galleries for a virtual field trip. However, younger players might get confused between fantasy and reality as there is an inconsistency between the information conveyed throughout the game. The main objective of the game is to gather the pieces of Kahmunrah’s table that has been scattered around in fragments, earning a different special power for every one you find. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian features scenes which are easy to figure out but cute and cleaver enough to appeal to the game’s younger target audience. Some of the other sequences attempt at injecting some variety into the game, but they are all of an inconsistent quality especially in terms of platforming. Not only that, the controls are said to be imprecise, causing a frustration jaunt across a series of aircraft while the vehicle-based missions prove to be as frustrating. The game also has poor ho-hum sound effects and week cartoonish visuals that are prone to slowdown and make matters worse.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is surprisingly self-aware (and I don’t mean the few times where the fourth wall is broken). It knows it’s a licensed game, and doesn’t try to be more than a light, entertaining little collection of gameplay moments. Because of this, and because it actually uses the Smithsonian as a proper set piece, the game actually ends up being fun. Not exhilarating, not mind-blowing, but surprisingly solid. Good job, Pipeworks, you made a game that’s educational, simple, and, best of all, never outstays its welcome. (IGN, 2009)

Klonoa

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:06:58 +0000

Intro
Klonoa was officially announced on 6 March 2009 as a Wii remake of Klonoa: Door to Phantomile, a 1997 PlayStation game. Before that, it had already been released to Japan on 4 December 2008. The game was later on released to North America on 5 May 2009 and to Europe on 22 May 2009. Designed by Hideo Yoshizawa, Klonoa falls under the genre of platform games and has an ESRB rating of E10+. Klonoa was developed by Paon and published by its original publisher, Namco Bandai Games. A wide array of fully rendered modern visual effects in real time were added to the remake of the game’s graphics, together with several other features such as the reversal of levels, unlockable costumes for characters and Japanese and English voice acting. The side-scrolling platform game is viewed from a “2.5D” perspective. In the game, players play as the protagonist, Klonoa in a two-dimensional fashion although the game is rendered in three dimensions, resulting in the ability for paths to curve and take corners. Not only that, players can also interact with sme of the objects outside of the path. In the game, players have to progress through “Visions” which are the levels by which the game is divided into, by following a path with defeatable computer-controlled enemies and puzzles that must be solved. At the end of every act 2 levels, players will have to defeat a boss in order to proceed. There is also a boss at the end of the Final Vision. Klonoa uses his weapon, the “Wind Bullet” to defeat enemies. The “Wind Bullet” is a ring that fires a burst of wind that lifts the enemy above his head if he is hit by it. Once the enemy is lifted up, Klonoa is then able to throw the enemy into another enemy or even utilize the former to execute a double jump. In addition to that, Klonoa can also perform a “Whirlwind” which temporarily slows down nearby enemies, during which Klonoa can float in mid-air for a short duration to increase the jump length if the jump button is held down. Environmental factors also help Klonoa to move by launching him up or forward when there are localized tornadoes and springboards to allow players to overcome obstacles. In addition to that, Klonoa also has the ability to change his outfit into a modernised version of his original outfit in Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.

Reviews
Klonoa is a remake of its original version that was released for the PlayStation more than a decade ago. It features updated visuals which look impressive and inviting even when compared to modern releases. Although it features a simple gameplay, Klonoa maintains its tight controls and clever level design, giving rise to a rewarding adventure that is a pleasure right from the beginning to the end. Although Klonoa has an abrupt ending that makes it too short and easy for its own good, the game is still well-made and has an exciting platform.

“For anyone that says the pure platformer is dead, I’d tend to agree to a certain standpoint, which is why Klonoa feels like a breath of fresh air on a system that normally spits out mini-game collections and crappy sports packs once a week. Klonoa is a remake of the original, and it follows the template brick for brick, but for newcomers to the series it’s a must-play entry into the world of platformers. For returning fans, there’s still a nice bit of nostalgia to it all as well. I got a kick out of the original 12 years ago, and it’s been great coming back to the series. The visuals look crisp, though there’s better on Wii in the form of titles like Galaxy and Nintendo’s own Wario platformer, but it runs at 60 frames a second, and the core gameplay more than justifies the franchise’s reentry into the gaming world. It’s well worth the $30, and a great platformer with plenty of difficulty ramp-up to appeal to everyone. Welcome back Klonoa. Hopefully you get to kick your feet up and stay for a while…” (IGN, 2009)

Excitebots: Trick Racing

Mark — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:02:05 +0000

Intro
Excitebots: Trick Racing was unexpectedly announced on 26 February 2009, together with three other Nintendo Wii games under a release list. The game was released on 12 June 2009 to Japan and on 20 April 2009 to North America, under the genre of Racing, with an ESRB rating of E for Everyone. It was developed by Monster Games and published by Nintendo under the Excitebike series. Excitebots: Trick Racing is the fourth instalment to the Excitebike series and is the sequel to Excite Truck. The game features animal-themed vehicles and can be bought packaged with or without the Wii Wheel. Besides that, there are also short minigames during races in which there are pie throwing, bowling and soccer games. Players in-game achievements and scores are also tracked. In terms of gameplay, Excitebots: Trick Racing has modes which include six-player races as well as alternative games like poker which can be played anonymously or with friends using Nintendo’s Friend Code system. Not only that, players are also able to place bets on themselves with in-game tokens of which can be exchanged for unlockable items such as new paint schemes, statues and other various items. The playmodes included in Excitebots: Trick Racing are Excite Race, Super Excite, Mirror Excite, Poker Race, Minigames and Super Minigames, which is an unlockable “Hard Mode” for the Minigames.

Review
As compared to its predecessor, one can only think about them in terms of children’s toys. Excitebots: Trick Racing provides the active imagination element that Excite Truck lacked as transforming robot cars is deemed creative and complex on a whole different level. Not only that, Excitebots: Trick Racing also features an improved version of Excite Truck’s solid racing controls and sense of speed, with a sprinkle of dizzying array of wacky items, tricky stunts, and goofball challenges that make for hectic and hilarious races. Unfortunately, the action can sometimes feel a bit helter-skelter while the controls aren’t exactly pin-point accurate. In Excitebots: Trick Racing, animal bots are the stars of the show, with each robo-creature having a few different attributes that indicate, for example, how long its turbo lasts or how well it grips around turns. The bots are fairly balanced, which is particularly welcomed in online races in which players are able to see a wide array of bots lined up at the starting line. However, about half of the bots must be unlocked with the stars that you earn while racing. Each both can be decked out in 11 different colours as well as an expensive special outfit. Not only that, the bots are also amusingly animated.

“Excitebots Trick Racing is a great racing experience that I sincerely hope gets more attention and recognition than Excite Trucks ever did. Monster Games’ previous effort was fantastic, but this unofficial sequel is better in just about every regard. Not only does it play better — the controls are tighter and the challenges awesome and surreal — but it’s got more options. Collectibles. A very robust and engaging online mode complete with a great betting system. You can even send instant replays and with tracked-on bets to friends. The trick system is enjoyable. And all the big air and breakneck speed of Excite Trucks is back, plus some. My biggest gripes relate to level variety. There are 20-something tracks but most of them fall under five regions or so and start to blend together. The lack of WiiSpeak support online is a disappointment. Same goes for SD Card-based music playback. And I definitely do believe that single-player-only gamers are given the short end of the stick where unlockables are concerned because they are going to have to spend much more time with the title than those who make and win bets online.” (IGN, 2009)