Has it really been over a month since my last update? I can't believable. So much has been happening. Where to start?
Courtney and I are in the process of buying a house. Funny enough, the last time I updated this blog was around the time that they poured the foundation for the house. And now the house is almost done. Less than 2 months. Our walk-through is just around the corner. Amazing. And very exciting. Now if only I could get jazzed up for the packing :(
Casper and I have returned to the well and are doing podcasts as Evan and Kyle, from Level Up: The Show. It has been great fun doing these characters again, plus a really good way to do improv in a safe and controlled environment. It also consistently reminds me of how much I love to perform, and how much I love it even more when I have an improv partner that is as giving and talented as Casper. And no, he didn't make me say that. There's just a certain level of comfort and rhythm that we drop into. Pretty awesome. Definitely check us out at Level Up Films, Level Up on Facebook, or search for Level Up Films on iTunes.
Just watch Battle: Los Angeles. I might take the time to do a full review but I don't really know if I want to devote any effort to it, to be perfectly honest. I mean, it's kind of obvious that the screenwriter and director didn't want to, so why should I?
I'm just being mean. The movie wasn't that bad. It just wasn't that good either. The producers certainly had brass balls calling their production company Original Film, considering that the movie was anything but. When it wasn't ripping off District 9, Aliens, Independence Day, and every other major science fiction movie of the last 2 decades, it was giving you a headache with its poor form of "documentary-style cinematography". Just because you use the most awkward camera angles known to man, quick pans and zooms, and the shakiest cam this side of the Bourne Trilogy does not a "documentary" style make. Maybe if Ridley Scott was at the helm, the movie might have been halfway decent. But not even a great director can make a turd of a script into gold.
My take? The movie is fun and harmless enough. If you're bored and some cash lying about, you have worse ways to spend your time and money. Just be prepared to be totally blown away by absolutely nothing in the movie.
On the flip side, I finally watched The Expendables and Tangled on Blu-Ray. I was highly entertained by both and recommend them. Oh and The Walking Dead, the series done on AMC. Fantastic.
Well that's it for me. The next time I post, I'll hopefully be in the new house.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
RetroGrade: Gunstar Heroes
In addition to my other reviews, I've decided to have an ongoing subset of reviews that focus solely on retro games. The difference is that I will try to review the game without the ruby lens of nostalgia, but with a modern, critical eye. What I hope to achieve is an assessment of games that hold the test of time. This will not be easy as I have a fondness for retro games but I think that it can be done given that I play the game today.
So first up, is the Sega Genesis game Gunstar Heroes. Since I do not actually own this cart, I played it on the Virtual Console on the Wii using the Classic Controller. This distinction is important as I cannot speak to how the game would look using the original hardware on a brand new LED TV, nor can I talk about how the controls would feel on the original controller in a modern context. In future RetroGrade reviews, I will make a point to mention the Title and the format that I played it on.
Title: Gunstar Heroes
Original System: Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Played on: Virtual Console, Wii
The Story
The story is pure Saturday morning cartoon. Colonel Red has kidnapped the Gunstar Heroes' older brother and is using him as a pawn in his plan to take over the world of Gunstar 9, the world the Gunstar family are sworn to protect. That's it. Cheesy? Yes. But does it fit the game? Absolutely. This is not a game that needs a lot of pathos or melodrama. This is a run-and-gun affair in the vein of Contra developed by the masters of shoot-em-ups Treasure. Thus, the story is perfectly fitting.
The Good
1. The Look - the game is sprite based with a very cartoon-y look. There is a lot of detail in the backgrounds and the animations are often hilarious. The closest game I can relate this to is Metal Slug for the NeoGeo.
2. The Controls - being that this is a shooter, precise controls are a necessity. I cannot say how this game would play today using either the 3 button or 6 button Genesis controllers, but this game plays very well on the Classic Controller and even the Gamecube Controller. The control scheme is simple enough with one button to change weapons, one button to fire, and one to jump. You can shoot in eight directions when you choose Fixed Shot mode which is very helpful in this type of game when enemies come at you from all sides. However, this comes with the added complication of making you unable to move when shooting. Free Shot mode lets you move around but only restricts you to 4 directions.
3. The Gameplay - a straight up run-and-gun game would get monotonous after long periods of play. Fortunately, the monotony is broken up by different level designs and one level in particular that is made up like a board game when each player rolls "dice" and have to complete challenges wherever they land. Also, the fact that you can carry two weapons at all times (eat that Halo) is kind of a genre staple. However, being able to combine to two weapons to become one uber-weapon are not and it works perfectly in this game. Their is something very satisfying when you combine the Homing Missile with the Laser to make an ultra-powerful Homing Laser.
The Bad
1. Slowdown - the impressive graphics and animation definitely take a hit when there are multiple enemies on the screen. It's fairly obvious that this game pushed the limits of what the Genesis could do and you can see the hardware sputtering when there is too much action. Is it a deal breaker? Not really. It almost feels like you are entering a John Woo movie when it starts slowing down like that and honestly kind of makes the enemies easier to hit. It still needs to be said that the game does not move at a consistent pace.
2. The Difficulty - the retro-gamer in me expects this level of difficulty. However, the modern gamer in me is not used to a game being this hard right off the bat. This game will punish you with hordes of enemies and stray bullets that you will have to track at all times. There are a couple sequences where you are going down a hill so fast and enemies come at you seemingly out of nowhere. You will die at this sequence. Maybe a couple times until you memorize the level. Is it unfair? Totally. Many modern gamers may get turned off by this.
In Conclusion
This is a very deceptive game. At first glance, it looks and sounds like a cartoon-y game meant for kids, what with the characters with the big anime eyes and the upbeat and fun music. But beneath this candy-coated veneer is a game that will throw endless hordes of enemies at you and punish you with its difficulty. This is not a game for the faint of heart. But if you are looking for a solid game with great controls and a really great example of 2D sprite graphics, this is a game you need to try.
So first up, is the Sega Genesis game Gunstar Heroes. Since I do not actually own this cart, I played it on the Virtual Console on the Wii using the Classic Controller. This distinction is important as I cannot speak to how the game would look using the original hardware on a brand new LED TV, nor can I talk about how the controls would feel on the original controller in a modern context. In future RetroGrade reviews, I will make a point to mention the Title and the format that I played it on.
Title: Gunstar Heroes
Original System: Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
Played on: Virtual Console, Wii
The Story
The story is pure Saturday morning cartoon. Colonel Red has kidnapped the Gunstar Heroes' older brother and is using him as a pawn in his plan to take over the world of Gunstar 9, the world the Gunstar family are sworn to protect. That's it. Cheesy? Yes. But does it fit the game? Absolutely. This is not a game that needs a lot of pathos or melodrama. This is a run-and-gun affair in the vein of Contra developed by the masters of shoot-em-ups Treasure. Thus, the story is perfectly fitting.
The Good
1. The Look - the game is sprite based with a very cartoon-y look. There is a lot of detail in the backgrounds and the animations are often hilarious. The closest game I can relate this to is Metal Slug for the NeoGeo.
2. The Controls - being that this is a shooter, precise controls are a necessity. I cannot say how this game would play today using either the 3 button or 6 button Genesis controllers, but this game plays very well on the Classic Controller and even the Gamecube Controller. The control scheme is simple enough with one button to change weapons, one button to fire, and one to jump. You can shoot in eight directions when you choose Fixed Shot mode which is very helpful in this type of game when enemies come at you from all sides. However, this comes with the added complication of making you unable to move when shooting. Free Shot mode lets you move around but only restricts you to 4 directions.
3. The Gameplay - a straight up run-and-gun game would get monotonous after long periods of play. Fortunately, the monotony is broken up by different level designs and one level in particular that is made up like a board game when each player rolls "dice" and have to complete challenges wherever they land. Also, the fact that you can carry two weapons at all times (eat that Halo) is kind of a genre staple. However, being able to combine to two weapons to become one uber-weapon are not and it works perfectly in this game. Their is something very satisfying when you combine the Homing Missile with the Laser to make an ultra-powerful Homing Laser.
The Bad
1. Slowdown - the impressive graphics and animation definitely take a hit when there are multiple enemies on the screen. It's fairly obvious that this game pushed the limits of what the Genesis could do and you can see the hardware sputtering when there is too much action. Is it a deal breaker? Not really. It almost feels like you are entering a John Woo movie when it starts slowing down like that and honestly kind of makes the enemies easier to hit. It still needs to be said that the game does not move at a consistent pace.
2. The Difficulty - the retro-gamer in me expects this level of difficulty. However, the modern gamer in me is not used to a game being this hard right off the bat. This game will punish you with hordes of enemies and stray bullets that you will have to track at all times. There are a couple sequences where you are going down a hill so fast and enemies come at you seemingly out of nowhere. You will die at this sequence. Maybe a couple times until you memorize the level. Is it unfair? Totally. Many modern gamers may get turned off by this.
In Conclusion
This is a very deceptive game. At first glance, it looks and sounds like a cartoon-y game meant for kids, what with the characters with the big anime eyes and the upbeat and fun music. But beneath this candy-coated veneer is a game that will throw endless hordes of enemies at you and punish you with its difficulty. This is not a game for the faint of heart. But if you are looking for a solid game with great controls and a really great example of 2D sprite graphics, this is a game you need to try.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Review: Marvel vs. Capcom 3
So I've had MvC3 for a little over a week now and have been playing it quite a bit. For those of you who have known me for a while (and let's face it, if you're reading this then you probably do) know of my affinity for Capcom fighters. What you may not know is that I'm not the biggest fan of the Versus series of games. Not quite sure why they've never really appealed to me. Maybe it's the fact that they're much more fast paced. Maybe it's because they focus more on air combo strings that require precise timing. Or maybe it's just the fact that they seem to be really flashy affairs that seem to take style over substance.
Be that as it may, I came into MvC3 with a very open mind. I have been enjoying the resurgence of 2D style fighting games recently, what with Super Street Fighter IV and BlazBlue leading the pack. So I thought I would give the Versus series another try. And without further ado, here is my review.
The Story
What story? From what I have pieced together through the game, there is some kind of powerful entity that is looking to destroy two Earths: Marvel and Capcom. As a result, the best fighters from each world must unite(?) to defeat said powerful entity. Except that they don't really unite since they spend most of the game beating the crap out of each other. So I guess it should be some kind of prize to face the big baddie on your own? Not quite sure how that works. In any case, you pick a team of 3 representatives from each universe and fight your way through other teams of 3 until you get to the last boss. Who is Galactus. And oh yeah. He gives the power cosmic to Dormammu and Akuma. But really, the two are just chump change, present just to whittle your energy bars down so Galactus "The Planet Eater" has even more of an advantage.
But yes, that's the story. To the best of my knowledge.
The Good
1. Simplicity - Much to the chagrin of many fighting game fans, Capcom made the decision to simplify the control scheme. Whereas the first few Versus games in the series followed the 6 attack button style of Street Fighter 2, MvC2 reduced it to 4 attack buttons and 2 assist buttons. This was simplified even further in this game with only 3 attack buttons, a "special" button that really just starts air combos, and 2 assist buttons. What this means is that instead of 2 punches and 2 kicks, you get 3 attack buttons that could be either or. And while this might confuse series stalwarts, I actually found the control scheme refreshing. Instead of trying to learn how to fight, I could focus on how to win. Much better.
2. Music - MvC2 had a soundtrack that you either loved or hated. It's odd elevator jazz pop struck a chord with some people and left others wishing they had ear plugs. MvC3 replaces that with stage music that recalls the specific levels from different games represented or the characters associated with those backgrounds. For instance, the Ghouls and Ghosts level features music reminiscent of that franchise. Awesome.
3. Characters - yes there are 20 less characters in this game than MvC2 but I think that the game is better for it. There were a lot of palette swapped characters in the previous game, with some other characters thrown in for fan service or as inside jokes but weren't really all that great. This game features a much more varied character group with more useful skillsets. This means that learning new characters is a lot more interesting this time around since each one is so unique and they all have their skills. Except for MODOK. He sucks. Oh and Sentinel. Completely overpowered. Just like MvC2.
The Bad
1. Graphics - I know I'll probably get some flack for this but I'm not a huge fan of the graphics. There is a weird, dark shadowy tinge to them that seems counter to the other games in the series, which tended to have bright sprites with less contrast. I liked the other games because they looked very cartoony/comic book-y. The art style in this one was heavy on the ink outlines and yet very 3D, which was an odd blend.
2. Lack of modes - The game has Arcade, Versus, and Mission mode. That's it. I don't exactly know what I was expecting but maybe a Tournament mode would have been nice. Or the ability to customize games better. Spectator mode on Live would have been great too. If nothing else, it would have added more to the replay value of the game and with only 4 unlockable characters, this game needs all the help it can get.
3. Learning Curve - Oddly enough, this might be the first Capcom game (actually Tatsunoko vs. Capcom maybe first but I haven't had the pleasure of playing that game) that may have more of a learning curve for veterans rather than newbies. The reason I say this is because of the aforementioned simplified controls. After playing fighting games for almost 2 decades that featured dedicated punch and kick buttons, it was weird going to this scheme. It took a while for me to adjust to it but once I did, I was in awe at how easy it was. But it still needed to be said. Those who were raised on Capcom fighters can't just jump into this game without expecting a period of adjustment.
In Conclusion
Overall, I like the game. It is very easy for newbies to get into and still offers the depth that veterans expect from a fighting game of this caliber. The selection of characters may be smaller than previous entries but the fact that they are more varied and balanced means that I'll actually have more viable choices than I did before. I'd say that this game perfectly bridges the gap between a game like Super Smash Bros. and more traditional fighting games like Street Fighter IV. If you're a fan of fighting games or are looking for a good game to dip your feet into, MvC3 is the game for you.
Be that as it may, I came into MvC3 with a very open mind. I have been enjoying the resurgence of 2D style fighting games recently, what with Super Street Fighter IV and BlazBlue leading the pack. So I thought I would give the Versus series another try. And without further ado, here is my review.
The Story
What story? From what I have pieced together through the game, there is some kind of powerful entity that is looking to destroy two Earths: Marvel and Capcom. As a result, the best fighters from each world must unite(?) to defeat said powerful entity. Except that they don't really unite since they spend most of the game beating the crap out of each other. So I guess it should be some kind of prize to face the big baddie on your own? Not quite sure how that works. In any case, you pick a team of 3 representatives from each universe and fight your way through other teams of 3 until you get to the last boss. Who is Galactus. And oh yeah. He gives the power cosmic to Dormammu and Akuma. But really, the two are just chump change, present just to whittle your energy bars down so Galactus "The Planet Eater" has even more of an advantage.
But yes, that's the story. To the best of my knowledge.
The Good
1. Simplicity - Much to the chagrin of many fighting game fans, Capcom made the decision to simplify the control scheme. Whereas the first few Versus games in the series followed the 6 attack button style of Street Fighter 2, MvC2 reduced it to 4 attack buttons and 2 assist buttons. This was simplified even further in this game with only 3 attack buttons, a "special" button that really just starts air combos, and 2 assist buttons. What this means is that instead of 2 punches and 2 kicks, you get 3 attack buttons that could be either or. And while this might confuse series stalwarts, I actually found the control scheme refreshing. Instead of trying to learn how to fight, I could focus on how to win. Much better.
2. Music - MvC2 had a soundtrack that you either loved or hated. It's odd elevator jazz pop struck a chord with some people and left others wishing they had ear plugs. MvC3 replaces that with stage music that recalls the specific levels from different games represented or the characters associated with those backgrounds. For instance, the Ghouls and Ghosts level features music reminiscent of that franchise. Awesome.
3. Characters - yes there are 20 less characters in this game than MvC2 but I think that the game is better for it. There were a lot of palette swapped characters in the previous game, with some other characters thrown in for fan service or as inside jokes but weren't really all that great. This game features a much more varied character group with more useful skillsets. This means that learning new characters is a lot more interesting this time around since each one is so unique and they all have their skills. Except for MODOK. He sucks. Oh and Sentinel. Completely overpowered. Just like MvC2.
The Bad
1. Graphics - I know I'll probably get some flack for this but I'm not a huge fan of the graphics. There is a weird, dark shadowy tinge to them that seems counter to the other games in the series, which tended to have bright sprites with less contrast. I liked the other games because they looked very cartoony/comic book-y. The art style in this one was heavy on the ink outlines and yet very 3D, which was an odd blend.
2. Lack of modes - The game has Arcade, Versus, and Mission mode. That's it. I don't exactly know what I was expecting but maybe a Tournament mode would have been nice. Or the ability to customize games better. Spectator mode on Live would have been great too. If nothing else, it would have added more to the replay value of the game and with only 4 unlockable characters, this game needs all the help it can get.
3. Learning Curve - Oddly enough, this might be the first Capcom game (actually Tatsunoko vs. Capcom maybe first but I haven't had the pleasure of playing that game) that may have more of a learning curve for veterans rather than newbies. The reason I say this is because of the aforementioned simplified controls. After playing fighting games for almost 2 decades that featured dedicated punch and kick buttons, it was weird going to this scheme. It took a while for me to adjust to it but once I did, I was in awe at how easy it was. But it still needed to be said. Those who were raised on Capcom fighters can't just jump into this game without expecting a period of adjustment.
In Conclusion
Overall, I like the game. It is very easy for newbies to get into and still offers the depth that veterans expect from a fighting game of this caliber. The selection of characters may be smaller than previous entries but the fact that they are more varied and balanced means that I'll actually have more viable choices than I did before. I'd say that this game perfectly bridges the gap between a game like Super Smash Bros. and more traditional fighting games like Street Fighter IV. If you're a fan of fighting games or are looking for a good game to dip your feet into, MvC3 is the game for you.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Update - 1/23/2011
It's been hectic. I was hoping that life was going to slow down at some point but apparently it had other plans. After returning from our Philippine vacation, life has been...tumultuous. Way too much to even get into but it involved lots of stress in all corners of our lives. Fortunately, 2010 ended with a whimper and not with a bang, which I'm very thankful for. It was just my sister and I watching movies until the year changed. Nice and relaxing and, most importantly, no stress.
In the middle of December, Courtney and I got to spend time in NorCal with my family. It was my god-daughter's 18th birthday and she had a debut. I love spending time with the fam and this was no exception. Even got to see a bit of San Francisco, and a bit too much of SFO.
Christmas was also kind of a laid back affair, with lunch for my sister's b-day at the Aria Buffet and then a Christmas lunch the following day as prepared by me and my lovely wife. The loot we got was pretty awesome with obvious standouts being Donkey Kong Country Returns and the Lost Blu-ray boxset.
2011 hasn't really been any more restful or stress-free. I've been doing training classes at work again which I absolutely love. However, that means I get to work odd schedules which really throws by body out of whack. In other news, Courtney and I are in the process of trying to buy a house. The back and forth between builder and lender is really frustrating but we love this place so we're really going all in.
If you haven't heard already, Casper and I have returned to our Level Up: the Show roots with Level Up: the Podcast. If you haven't given it a listen, please tune it at Level Up Films.
And today, we are going to be celebrating my birthday a bit early with some dim-sum. Hmmm...time to get me some shrimp balls.
Hopefully the rest of the year will start to slow down but I highly doubt that. At least no one can ever accuse me of leading an uninteresting life.
Or can they?
In the middle of December, Courtney and I got to spend time in NorCal with my family. It was my god-daughter's 18th birthday and she had a debut. I love spending time with the fam and this was no exception. Even got to see a bit of San Francisco, and a bit too much of SFO.
Christmas was also kind of a laid back affair, with lunch for my sister's b-day at the Aria Buffet and then a Christmas lunch the following day as prepared by me and my lovely wife. The loot we got was pretty awesome with obvious standouts being Donkey Kong Country Returns and the Lost Blu-ray boxset.
2011 hasn't really been any more restful or stress-free. I've been doing training classes at work again which I absolutely love. However, that means I get to work odd schedules which really throws by body out of whack. In other news, Courtney and I are in the process of trying to buy a house. The back and forth between builder and lender is really frustrating but we love this place so we're really going all in.
If you haven't heard already, Casper and I have returned to our Level Up: the Show roots with Level Up: the Podcast. If you haven't given it a listen, please tune it at Level Up Films.
And today, we are going to be celebrating my birthday a bit early with some dim-sum. Hmmm...time to get me some shrimp balls.
Hopefully the rest of the year will start to slow down but I highly doubt that. At least no one can ever accuse me of leading an uninteresting life.
Or can they?
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Death of an Icon: 2D Capcom Fighters
I was originally going to call this article "Death of an Icon: 2D Fighters" but I realize that that would do a tremendous disservice to the fine folks at Aksys Games/Arc System Works and SNKPlaymore, makers of Guilty Gear, BlazBlue and the King of Fighters games who are still pumping out 2D sprite based fighters that are fantastic to play. But as much I like playing these games, the fighting system just isn't up to the same caliber, in my opinion, as classic 2D fighting.
Now don't get me wrong. I love me some Super Street Fighter IV (SSFIV). I am actually surprised that Capcom was able to pull off the hit detection, speed, and combo system to a near flawless degree. It is a game that I hold in very high regard, right up there next to Street Fighter 2 Turbo: Hyper Fighting. But I will be the first to say that it's just not the same.
There is an incredible level of artistry in sprites. If SSFIV is like a Pixar movie, the very best of Capcom's sprite based work is like classic hand animated Disney. It just looks and feels different. Maybe it's all psychological but at times it feels like playing an animated movie. There's a level of fluidity that isn't too perfect, like that you'd get with polygons, where it seems almost too smooth. No. With sprites, sometimes you can see the individual frames, which gives the work a different feel.
I hadn't really thought much about this until the announcement of the newest entry in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. I must admit, I wasn't a huge fan of this series. The gameplay was too fast, too chaotic, and seemed to focus more on big super moves rather than pure combos. I don't mean to demean it in any way. Whereas I had many friends who were in love with the Vs. games Capcom was churning out, I was more into Street Fighter 3, a more methodical approach to fighting. To each his own.
But I must say that I was excited to hear that Capcom was bringing back the franchise after a 10 year break. Until I learned that it would be polygon based with cel shading, a la SSFIV and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. I don't care how much you try to texture map a polygon model, it's never going to look like a cartoon-y sprite. And that was one of the best parts about Marvel vs. Capcom. The sprites allowed the Marvel characters to stay very true to their comic book counterparts, 4-color shading and all.
The look also helped sell the chaos going on in the screen. It was so over-the-top that the cartoon look really lent itself to it. Seeing gigantic guns pop out or huge pink optic blasts were satisfying in their cartoon-y way. But alas, Capcom has decided to go another way with this franchise, as they did with Street Fighter before it. Could this signal the end of 2D Capcom fighters?
I hope not. As the previously mentioned games developed by SNK and Arc Systems show, great 2D fighting games can still be made for today's audience. I am secretly hoping that Capcom goes the way of Megaman 9 and 10 and goes back to making a very retro styled 2D fighting game. It could happen. Kind of like Disney trying to do another 2D animated movie in The Frog Princess. And maybe then, reports of the death of this icon may be greatly exaggerated.
Hmm...maybe they should work on a new Darkstalkers game.
Now don't get me wrong. I love me some Super Street Fighter IV (SSFIV). I am actually surprised that Capcom was able to pull off the hit detection, speed, and combo system to a near flawless degree. It is a game that I hold in very high regard, right up there next to Street Fighter 2 Turbo: Hyper Fighting. But I will be the first to say that it's just not the same.
There is an incredible level of artistry in sprites. If SSFIV is like a Pixar movie, the very best of Capcom's sprite based work is like classic hand animated Disney. It just looks and feels different. Maybe it's all psychological but at times it feels like playing an animated movie. There's a level of fluidity that isn't too perfect, like that you'd get with polygons, where it seems almost too smooth. No. With sprites, sometimes you can see the individual frames, which gives the work a different feel.
I hadn't really thought much about this until the announcement of the newest entry in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. I must admit, I wasn't a huge fan of this series. The gameplay was too fast, too chaotic, and seemed to focus more on big super moves rather than pure combos. I don't mean to demean it in any way. Whereas I had many friends who were in love with the Vs. games Capcom was churning out, I was more into Street Fighter 3, a more methodical approach to fighting. To each his own.
But I must say that I was excited to hear that Capcom was bringing back the franchise after a 10 year break. Until I learned that it would be polygon based with cel shading, a la SSFIV and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. I don't care how much you try to texture map a polygon model, it's never going to look like a cartoon-y sprite. And that was one of the best parts about Marvel vs. Capcom. The sprites allowed the Marvel characters to stay very true to their comic book counterparts, 4-color shading and all.
The look also helped sell the chaos going on in the screen. It was so over-the-top that the cartoon look really lent itself to it. Seeing gigantic guns pop out or huge pink optic blasts were satisfying in their cartoon-y way. But alas, Capcom has decided to go another way with this franchise, as they did with Street Fighter before it. Could this signal the end of 2D Capcom fighters?
I hope not. As the previously mentioned games developed by SNK and Arc Systems show, great 2D fighting games can still be made for today's audience. I am secretly hoping that Capcom goes the way of Megaman 9 and 10 and goes back to making a very retro styled 2D fighting game. It could happen. Kind of like Disney trying to do another 2D animated movie in The Frog Princess. And maybe then, reports of the death of this icon may be greatly exaggerated.
Hmm...maybe they should work on a new Darkstalkers game.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
My Apologies and Skimpressions
I have been very remiss in updating the blog. Work and life have been incredibly busy. For that, I apologize. I will be rectifying that quite soon, however. Like now.
I'd like to start a new article that will hopefully the start of a series called Skimpressions. Basically, instead of doing a full review, I want to give general impressions of games I've been busying myself with.
First game: Donkey Kong Country Returns
Ok. I'm over halfway through the game. First things first. If you are familiar with the series of Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES, then you'll be right at home. The only difference is that the graphics are fully rendered polygons done in real-time instead of the pre-rendered sprites on the originals. You will get a severe case of deja vu playing this game. It is fitting that it has been developed by Retro Studios since retro is what it is.
Also, this game is hard. Really hard. Like really REALLY hard. It's what I like to call "old school hard". The Wii has really been the home for old school games and remakes. Not only has the Virtual Console been a veritable treasure trove of classic gaming, games like NBA Jam and New Super Bros. Wii completely play like old school games with updated graphics. For a retro-loving geek like me, it is heaven. And we can add DKCR to the list.
I do want to make it clear how HARD this game is. So if you are a newer gamer who is used to tutorials and regenerating health and other such new nonsense that holds your hand through the game, this probably won't be the game for you. You will die. A lot. There will be time that you will totally feel like throwing the controller at the wall (remember to keep the wrist-strap on!).
So in short, if you loved the original Donkey Kong Country games or just love old-school platforming and up to the challenge, you should pick this game up. Well worth your time.
Well, that's it for me. Until next time.
I'd like to start a new article that will hopefully the start of a series called Skimpressions. Basically, instead of doing a full review, I want to give general impressions of games I've been busying myself with.
First game: Donkey Kong Country Returns
Ok. I'm over halfway through the game. First things first. If you are familiar with the series of Donkey Kong Country games on the SNES, then you'll be right at home. The only difference is that the graphics are fully rendered polygons done in real-time instead of the pre-rendered sprites on the originals. You will get a severe case of deja vu playing this game. It is fitting that it has been developed by Retro Studios since retro is what it is.
Also, this game is hard. Really hard. Like really REALLY hard. It's what I like to call "old school hard". The Wii has really been the home for old school games and remakes. Not only has the Virtual Console been a veritable treasure trove of classic gaming, games like NBA Jam and New Super Bros. Wii completely play like old school games with updated graphics. For a retro-loving geek like me, it is heaven. And we can add DKCR to the list.
I do want to make it clear how HARD this game is. So if you are a newer gamer who is used to tutorials and regenerating health and other such new nonsense that holds your hand through the game, this probably won't be the game for you. You will die. A lot. There will be time that you will totally feel like throwing the controller at the wall (remember to keep the wrist-strap on!).
So in short, if you loved the original Donkey Kong Country games or just love old-school platforming and up to the challenge, you should pick this game up. Well worth your time.
Well, that's it for me. Until next time.
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