Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA Sports
Release Date (US): February 28, 2012
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Genre: Sports
It's been a while since SSX was on the scene. Will this be a triumphant return or an unwelcome revival?
The story is topical to the current times. What happens is that Griff has ditched Team SSX and thus the team has no money. Griff and Team SSX are in a battle to conquer the 9 Deadly Descents around Earth first. To earn the funding that Team SSX needs, they live stream the runs and earn funding from the fans. So begins the race!
The Gameplay is classic SSX. The game introduces a new control scheme that moves all tricks to the Right Stick instead of the buttons, which works fine, and you can also change to the Classic controls if you so choose. SSX feels like it did back in Tricky and 3, so the gameplay will feel familiar to you if you played either. There are 3 event types, Race It is getting down the run before everyone else, Trick It is getting the most Trick Points using the Combo system to earn the maximum, and the Survive It events which tasks you with trying to survive until the bottom of the run. The Turbo and Tricky system is like SSX 3, you have the initial meter which gives you the basic tricks and finite turbo. Once the Turbo is filled once, you are Tricky, which gives you unlimited Turbo and makes your tricks more stylish. Once you fill up Tricky, you become Super Tricky, which ups your tricks even more. Tricky and Super Tricky are finite and will run out after a while and need to be built up again. The new addition here is Gear. You can equip different gear to help you survive the runs. Armor allow you to take a bearing, Wingsuits allow flight over a short length, Ice Picks allow easier turning on Ice, Headlamps allow sight in darkness, Pulse Goggles allow sight in whiteout, Solar Panels keep you from freezing, and Oxygen Tanks give you air in Thin Air conditions. Using the gear effectively is key to surviving and getting better times and scores. You can also Rewind the action to give yourself a second chance, but you lose Trick Points and the clock continues to run, so use them sparingly. There are 3 different modes of play, World Tour takes you through the story of conquering the 9 Deadly Descents and gets you familiar with all the characters as well. Explore mode opens up all the runs and allows you to take on any run on a Trick It, Race It, or Survive It to earn Gold Medals. Global Events allow you to participate in Online Events to earn Credits. Explore Mode and Global Events are the multiplayer components. In Explore Mode, you can collect and leave Geotags on the runs, you can collect other Geotags for Experience and Credits and leave your own. If your Geotags avoid being picked up, you get the full Credits reward. If other people on your Friends List has SSX, you can compete against their ghosts and upload your own ghosts for them to compete against. You get credits if you beat your friends' ghosts and if your ghosts can remain undefeated. The Global Events are online events that you can participate in or set up yourself. Events can be on any run in any event. The event can be open up to the whole world to compete or for just your friends as well. There are 5 tiers, and depending on how well you do, you get placed in a tier, the higher the tier you are in when the event ends, the higher share of the credits pot you receive. You can run it as many times as you like, it takes your best run, but you have to pay credits for each drop. The lack of any direct multiplayer is a let down, but not a deal breaker. The gameplay feels tight and as good as the series has ever been.
The music is pretty cool, and you can use your own songs during the game if you so choose.
Bottom Line: SSX is a triumphant return to the series, it is as fun as ever. Solid single player and the online features can keep you playing for a while. I say It's worth a Buy.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Retro Lookback: Toejam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron
Developer: Johnson Voorsanger Productions
Publisher: Sega
Platform: Mega Drive/Genesis, Wii (Virtual Console)
Release Dates (US): 1993 (Mega Drive/Genesis), June 4, 2007 (Wii)
Genre: Platformer
Toejam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron is the sequel to the original Toejam & Earl, but it is a radical departure from the first game. Does this make it better?
The story is a direct continuation of the first game. After Toejam and Earl fix their ship, they fly away from Earth and return home to Funkatron. However, they also dragged home Earthlings without their knowledge. Because of this, the Funkapotamous has gone into hiding and the Funk is fading away from the planet. Toejam & Earl must nab all the Earthlings and send them back to Earth in order to clear their names and save the planet.
The gameplay is completely different from the first game. Whereas the first game was a free roaming exploring game, Panic on Funkatron is a 2D Platformer. Because of this, there is less to explore and is more direct and linear. The main goal is to use the Jars to capture the Earthlings. Each Earthling takes different amounts of Jars to become trapped and are easier or harder to trap and do different amounts of damage with different attacks. Once the Earthling is in a Jar, you have to go and pick it up before the Earthling breaks out again. In order to complete each level, you must capture all of the Earthlings and make it to the end of the level. In order to help, there is an arrow that points to the closest Earthling, and once all are collected, it prompts you and points you towards the end of the level. There are also some Underwater section which are used to travel to other parts of the level. You have to avoid drowning by finding fish to replenish your oxygen, and also some bonus presents can be found. If you drown, it is an instant death, which is kinda harsh. Throughout the levels you collect presents which contain either Points to add to your score, Coins to use in Coin Slots, Funk Power to use, and a fe w Power Ups. Interacting with the environment is key, you find several presents with extra goodies and some Earthlings. Coins are used at Coin Slots which do various different things to the environment. Buttons act the same as Coin Slots, except don't cost anything. Funk Power is used to do a short teleport maneuver or to use the Funk Scan to see hidden secrets and items, each use of the Teleport or Funk Scan costs 1 Funk Power, and once it is depleted neither can be used. Mega Jars are sometimes in presents, this power up supercharges you jars for a finite number to capture any Earthling with one jar. Two special moves can be collected from Presents as well. The Panic move makes you invulnerable and you constantly throw jars for a short period, but the downside is that you constantly run for the duration. The Funk Vac is a sort of a power item, it sucks in all Earthlings present on screen and captures them in jars. Handy for when you are overwhelmed, but just make sure to pick up the jars afterwards! Both special moves are harder to come by, so use them wisely. There are a few bonus mini-games to play as well. The Hyperfunk Zone is a bonus area that is hidden throughout the levels. A door will appear for a short while and you jump into it before it vanishes. The Hyperfunk Zone is a place to get lots OD presents. What you do is that you automatically travel right, and you have to collect the presents and clocks to reach the end of the Zone and avoid the barriers and exit portals. This is a good place to stock up on inventory and earn points. The second mini-game is a dancing game. Throughout the levels you will find coin slots next to NPC with a boombox. You insert a coin and you initiate the mini-game. It is sorta a slim version of Parappa the Rapper. The NPC performs a set of moves in a rhythm and you must repeat as close as possible. You are graded on a gradual scale for each section. If it is Lame, you get no bonus, if it is Awesome, you get bonus items or points. The more awesome, the more you earn. The third mini-game is where you jump on certain fungus patches for points. You do flips in the air, and the judges score after a few jumps. If your score is high enough, you get bonuses. There is also a second objective on top of capturing the Earthlings. The Funkapotamous has special items hidden throughout the levels, and if you collect enough, you can coax the Funkapotamous out of hiding. You can complete the game with or without the required number of items, but you get the good or bad ending respectively. The game can be played in Single Player or 2 Player Co-op play. You can do a few things in 2 Players that a Single player cannot. If you both have uneven healths, you can high-five each other to split your health. Example, one has 90% health and the other has 10% health, a high-five will bring both to 50%. Also, when both players are traveling by bubbles or on high platforms, if one player falls off the screen, the player can press start and return to the other player. Either player can participate in the mini-games, but only one can at a time. There are two modes of play, the regular mode starts you off with 3 lives to share and you earn extra lives with certain point totals. If you lose all the lives, you can continue or quit, you have 3 continues to use. The other mode is Kid mode, where you have infinite health, but the game stops after level 5. Kid mode is sort of like practice for the regular mode.
The Graphics are bright and colorful, with different types of environments to play in. The Music is fitting as well, with funky grooves. Both the graphics and the music fit the game well.
Bottom Line: Toejam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron is very different from the first game, but it is still just as fun. The Platforming gameplay works nice, but the style of the first game feels more right. Panic on Funkatron is an entertaining experience, especially with a second player. I say it's worth a play.
Publisher: Sega
Platform: Mega Drive/Genesis, Wii (Virtual Console)
Release Dates (US): 1993 (Mega Drive/Genesis), June 4, 2007 (Wii)
Genre: Platformer
Toejam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron is the sequel to the original Toejam & Earl, but it is a radical departure from the first game. Does this make it better?
The story is a direct continuation of the first game. After Toejam and Earl fix their ship, they fly away from Earth and return home to Funkatron. However, they also dragged home Earthlings without their knowledge. Because of this, the Funkapotamous has gone into hiding and the Funk is fading away from the planet. Toejam & Earl must nab all the Earthlings and send them back to Earth in order to clear their names and save the planet.
The gameplay is completely different from the first game. Whereas the first game was a free roaming exploring game, Panic on Funkatron is a 2D Platformer. Because of this, there is less to explore and is more direct and linear. The main goal is to use the Jars to capture the Earthlings. Each Earthling takes different amounts of Jars to become trapped and are easier or harder to trap and do different amounts of damage with different attacks. Once the Earthling is in a Jar, you have to go and pick it up before the Earthling breaks out again. In order to complete each level, you must capture all of the Earthlings and make it to the end of the level. In order to help, there is an arrow that points to the closest Earthling, and once all are collected, it prompts you and points you towards the end of the level. There are also some Underwater section which are used to travel to other parts of the level. You have to avoid drowning by finding fish to replenish your oxygen, and also some bonus presents can be found. If you drown, it is an instant death, which is kinda harsh. Throughout the levels you collect presents which contain either Points to add to your score, Coins to use in Coin Slots, Funk Power to use, and a fe w Power Ups. Interacting with the environment is key, you find several presents with extra goodies and some Earthlings. Coins are used at Coin Slots which do various different things to the environment. Buttons act the same as Coin Slots, except don't cost anything. Funk Power is used to do a short teleport maneuver or to use the Funk Scan to see hidden secrets and items, each use of the Teleport or Funk Scan costs 1 Funk Power, and once it is depleted neither can be used. Mega Jars are sometimes in presents, this power up supercharges you jars for a finite number to capture any Earthling with one jar. Two special moves can be collected from Presents as well. The Panic move makes you invulnerable and you constantly throw jars for a short period, but the downside is that you constantly run for the duration. The Funk Vac is a sort of a power item, it sucks in all Earthlings present on screen and captures them in jars. Handy for when you are overwhelmed, but just make sure to pick up the jars afterwards! Both special moves are harder to come by, so use them wisely. There are a few bonus mini-games to play as well. The Hyperfunk Zone is a bonus area that is hidden throughout the levels. A door will appear for a short while and you jump into it before it vanishes. The Hyperfunk Zone is a place to get lots OD presents. What you do is that you automatically travel right, and you have to collect the presents and clocks to reach the end of the Zone and avoid the barriers and exit portals. This is a good place to stock up on inventory and earn points. The second mini-game is a dancing game. Throughout the levels you will find coin slots next to NPC with a boombox. You insert a coin and you initiate the mini-game. It is sorta a slim version of Parappa the Rapper. The NPC performs a set of moves in a rhythm and you must repeat as close as possible. You are graded on a gradual scale for each section. If it is Lame, you get no bonus, if it is Awesome, you get bonus items or points. The more awesome, the more you earn. The third mini-game is where you jump on certain fungus patches for points. You do flips in the air, and the judges score after a few jumps. If your score is high enough, you get bonuses. There is also a second objective on top of capturing the Earthlings. The Funkapotamous has special items hidden throughout the levels, and if you collect enough, you can coax the Funkapotamous out of hiding. You can complete the game with or without the required number of items, but you get the good or bad ending respectively. The game can be played in Single Player or 2 Player Co-op play. You can do a few things in 2 Players that a Single player cannot. If you both have uneven healths, you can high-five each other to split your health. Example, one has 90% health and the other has 10% health, a high-five will bring both to 50%. Also, when both players are traveling by bubbles or on high platforms, if one player falls off the screen, the player can press start and return to the other player. Either player can participate in the mini-games, but only one can at a time. There are two modes of play, the regular mode starts you off with 3 lives to share and you earn extra lives with certain point totals. If you lose all the lives, you can continue or quit, you have 3 continues to use. The other mode is Kid mode, where you have infinite health, but the game stops after level 5. Kid mode is sort of like practice for the regular mode.
The Graphics are bright and colorful, with different types of environments to play in. The Music is fitting as well, with funky grooves. Both the graphics and the music fit the game well.
Bottom Line: Toejam & Earl in Panic on Funkatron is very different from the first game, but it is still just as fun. The Platforming gameplay works nice, but the style of the first game feels more right. Panic on Funkatron is an entertaining experience, especially with a second player. I say it's worth a play.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Rant: The Retro Feel and the Current Gamers
I pretty much just spilled out on Twitter what I thought about Retro games and how current games and gamers just won't have the same experiences. I don't think I can word it any better, so these series of tweets are word for word.
"I miss when it was Nintendo vs Sega. They both had great consoles and games."
"If Sega can come up with the Dreamcast 2, it could spark that rivalry again. Great games came out the first time, this could happen again!"
"(In response to someone) Yeah... today there just doesn't seem to be the same enthusiasm or creativity..."
"It makes me sad that newer generations of Gamers won't have the same experience as they were back in NES/Genesis and stuff..."
"Old games... I like playing them, but it makes me sad at the same time. The times these games were made... May never be done again..."
"Gaming... It just doesn't feel the same as it used to be..."
"(In response to a possible 2nd coming that feels like it did back then) I wouldn't even know what direction that would go, what could be done? I don't even know if it would feel the same..."
"Yeah... Magic can't happen twice... Just, won't feel the magic again... Will be lost once everyone who experienced it is gone..."
"Yeah... People can share their experiences with others and the newer, but the true feeling just will cease to exist..."
"(In response to passing our experiences on to the younger gamers) Yes, I shall do the same if I ever have children... From the start... Or a young apprentice if I can't..."
It makes me sad everytime I think about this, gaming just doesn't feel the same as it did when it started, and it saddened me even more that newer gamers won't get to have these experiences...
"I miss when it was Nintendo vs Sega. They both had great consoles and games."
"If Sega can come up with the Dreamcast 2, it could spark that rivalry again. Great games came out the first time, this could happen again!"
"(In response to someone) Yeah... today there just doesn't seem to be the same enthusiasm or creativity..."
"It makes me sad that newer generations of Gamers won't have the same experience as they were back in NES/Genesis and stuff..."
"Old games... I like playing them, but it makes me sad at the same time. The times these games were made... May never be done again..."
"Gaming... It just doesn't feel the same as it used to be..."
"(In response to a possible 2nd coming that feels like it did back then) I wouldn't even know what direction that would go, what could be done? I don't even know if it would feel the same..."
"Yeah... Magic can't happen twice... Just, won't feel the magic again... Will be lost once everyone who experienced it is gone..."
"Yeah... People can share their experiences with others and the newer, but the true feeling just will cease to exist..."
"(In response to passing our experiences on to the younger gamers) Yes, I shall do the same if I ever have children... From the start... Or a young apprentice if I can't..."
It makes me sad everytime I think about this, gaming just doesn't feel the same as it did when it started, and it saddened me even more that newer gamers won't get to have these experiences...
Friday, March 2, 2012
Game Rant: Rhythm Heaven Fever
Developer: Nintendo SPD Group No.1 TNX
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date (US): February 13, 2012
Platform: Wii
Genre: Music, Minigame Collection
Rhythm Heaven Fever is a nice package of music, with easy controls to quickly pick up and play.
The Gameplay is all Rhythm, timed button press. All there is to it. It sounds simple on the surface, but a certain flow is needed to truly succeed. The only buttons used are the A and B buttons, and involve either tapping or holding and releasing them. The different minigames require different timing and controls, and have to be adapted to. Each of the minigames have their own thing and they are all enjoyable to play. The Remix levels throw in some of the minigames into one rhythm and have to have quick reflexes and a knowledge of what to do to change from one game to another effectively. The Remix levels flow nicely from one game into another. At a certain point, some of the minigames get a remix of their own as a 2nd version, which is fine, but I would like to see all the games being unique. You are graded on your rhythm, you earn a Try Again, OK, or Superb. To pass each minigame, at least an OK is needed. If a Superb is achieved, a medal is earned which unlocks extra content. Once in a while, a minigame that has a Superb rank will be able to be played for a Perfect. When a Perfect Chance comes up, you are given 3 chances before it goes away and have to wait for another chance. If a Perfect is achieved, you unlock music and reading material that gives a bit of insight on some of the games. Getting Superb ranks unlocks Rhythm Toys, Endless Games, and Extra Games to play. The Rhythm Toys are small diversions to play around with. The Endless Games are a test of endurance to see how long you can go. The Extra Games are extra minigames to play and are graded like the standard minigames. As you progress in the Single Player, you unlock 2 Player Games as well. This mode takes some of the games from the Single Player mode and adapts them to be played with 2 players. They work just like the Single Player games, except with 2 players. At the end of each minigame, your scores are both added together to get a Rank. Getting a Superb earns Duo Medals to play the 2 Player Endless games. The 2 Player Mode is a nice diversion, but I found the 2 Player Section to be a bit small. The gameplay overall is enjoyable, and I find getting into the rhythm to be satisfying.
The Music is good to listen to as well, it should being a music game and all. You can really get into the rhythm of each song in the game, and the music helps you to succeed in the minigames by going with the flow. It is nice to just sit back and listen to the music play in the audio player.
Bottom Line: This is a nice Rhythm Game, kind of harkens back to Parappa The Rapper a little I think. The game is fairly short, even though there are plenty of minigames, they only last about 1-3 minutes each. The replay value comes in the music, if you don't like the music, you won't be compelled to play the game a lot. I would recommend Renting. If you really enjoy the music, then Buy.
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date (US): February 13, 2012
Platform: Wii
Genre: Music, Minigame Collection
Rhythm Heaven Fever is a nice package of music, with easy controls to quickly pick up and play.
The Gameplay is all Rhythm, timed button press. All there is to it. It sounds simple on the surface, but a certain flow is needed to truly succeed. The only buttons used are the A and B buttons, and involve either tapping or holding and releasing them. The different minigames require different timing and controls, and have to be adapted to. Each of the minigames have their own thing and they are all enjoyable to play. The Remix levels throw in some of the minigames into one rhythm and have to have quick reflexes and a knowledge of what to do to change from one game to another effectively. The Remix levels flow nicely from one game into another. At a certain point, some of the minigames get a remix of their own as a 2nd version, which is fine, but I would like to see all the games being unique. You are graded on your rhythm, you earn a Try Again, OK, or Superb. To pass each minigame, at least an OK is needed. If a Superb is achieved, a medal is earned which unlocks extra content. Once in a while, a minigame that has a Superb rank will be able to be played for a Perfect. When a Perfect Chance comes up, you are given 3 chances before it goes away and have to wait for another chance. If a Perfect is achieved, you unlock music and reading material that gives a bit of insight on some of the games. Getting Superb ranks unlocks Rhythm Toys, Endless Games, and Extra Games to play. The Rhythm Toys are small diversions to play around with. The Endless Games are a test of endurance to see how long you can go. The Extra Games are extra minigames to play and are graded like the standard minigames. As you progress in the Single Player, you unlock 2 Player Games as well. This mode takes some of the games from the Single Player mode and adapts them to be played with 2 players. They work just like the Single Player games, except with 2 players. At the end of each minigame, your scores are both added together to get a Rank. Getting a Superb earns Duo Medals to play the 2 Player Endless games. The 2 Player Mode is a nice diversion, but I found the 2 Player Section to be a bit small. The gameplay overall is enjoyable, and I find getting into the rhythm to be satisfying.
The Music is good to listen to as well, it should being a music game and all. You can really get into the rhythm of each song in the game, and the music helps you to succeed in the minigames by going with the flow. It is nice to just sit back and listen to the music play in the audio player.
Bottom Line: This is a nice Rhythm Game, kind of harkens back to Parappa The Rapper a little I think. The game is fairly short, even though there are plenty of minigames, they only last about 1-3 minutes each. The replay value comes in the music, if you don't like the music, you won't be compelled to play the game a lot. I would recommend Renting. If you really enjoy the music, then Buy.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Retro Lookback: Sonic the Hedgehog CD
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team (Original), The Taxman (2011 re-release)
System(s): Sega Mega CD, Windows PC, Gamecube, PS2 (Japan and Europe only), PSN, XBLA, Steam, iOS, Android
Released in US: November 19, 1993 (Mega CD), September 26, 1996 (PC), August 16, 2005 (GameCube), December 14, 2011 (XBLA), December 14, 2011 (Android), December 15, 2011 (iOS), December 20, 2011 (PSN), January 19, 2012 (Steam)
Genre: Action, Platformer
Ah, Sonic the Hedgehog CD (from now on will be referred to as Sonic CD), probably the more different game of the genesis line up, but it is still a solid entry in the series. I'll admit off the top, Sonic CD is a Like It or Don't Like It game, it is a classic Sonic game, but it is a bit different from the other Genesis titles.
There is a story like the other games. This time, Sonic decides to explore Little Planet that comes over the lake every so many years, but then Metal Sonic capture Amy Rose (who were both introduced in this game) and takes her onto Little Planet where Sonic finds that Dr. Robotnik has chained down the planes and is attempting to conquer it. Sonic must rescue Amy and stop Dr. Robotnik to save the planet.
The Gameplay is classic Sonic with some twists, which is where the Like It or Don't part comes in. There is the standard run and jump gameplay that makes the games great, but there are new mechanics. Sonic's new move in Sonic CD is the Super Peel-Out, you press up and the button and hold it to wind up and release. The Super Peel-Out is faster than the Spin Dash, but leaves you open to harm. The Time Travel mechanic is the most prominent. You start each Act 1 and Act 2 in the Present, and throughout the level you will see posts marked Past and Future. If you touch a post and start running, you will see stars flash behind you, keep the speed up and you will time travel to the time. For Acts 1 and 2, there is the Past, Present, Bad Future, and Good Future, while Act 3 only allows Bad Future or Good Future. Weather you travel to the Good Future or Bad Future depends on a couple factors. The number of Time Stones you have, with 0 being a definite Bad Future and 7 being a definite Good Future, if you travel to the future with 1-6 Time Stones, it is a gamble as to which Future you get. A sure fire way to get a Good Future is to go back to the Past and destroy a Robot Generator find in each Act 1 and Act 2, and also the Metal Sonic holograms as well in each Act 1 and Act 2 besides the final Zone. In Act 3, you get to play Good Future or Bad Future depending on what you did in Acts 1 and 2. If both Acts were a Good Future, Act 3 will be a Good Future, but if one or both of the Acts were a Bad Future, then you will play the Bad Future Act 3. Since each level has many versions, the levels are large and a lot to explore, with each time period having a different layout, look, and soundtrack and either harder or easier. The Act 3 Boss will be harder or easier if it is a Bad Future or Good Future especially. The Time Stones I was talking about earlier, those act like the Chaos Emeralds except you get no Super Form if all are collected, but you get the good ending at least. To get the Time Stones, you mist have 50 Rings at the end of the Act and hit the Giant Ring a la Sonic 1. The Special Stage tasks you with hitting 6 UFOs scattered throughout the stage within 100 seconds. 3 of the UFOs have Rings and the other 3 have Speed Shoes. If you touch the water, you get a time penalty for as long as you remain there. Different panels on the ground have different effects on you, from popping you in the air to chopping your feet and losing Rings. If there is 20 seconds or less remaining, a UFO will appear in the center with a Time Bonus, and will continue to appear every time 20 seconds left is hit. There are 7 Special Stages for 7 Time Stone, each one being harder than the last. If you fail a Special Stage, it goes to the next one and you will retry it when you loop back around the order. The Boss Fights are a bit different as well, while they usually take less hits the the bosses of the other Sonic games, the way you beat them is different. One fight is more of a Pinball machine like deal and you have to get to the top to beat the boss. One isn't really a fight, but a race, you race Metal Sonic while Dr. Robotnik is closing in with a death lazer with an automatic door at the end, the winner is safe, but the loser gets hot with the lazer. The gameplay may be different from the other Sonic games, but I find it to be really enjoyable. The levels allow for exploration or pure speed, and the unique Boss Fights are a change of pace form the rest.
The Graphics look good, like the Genesis titles, but the Mega CD gave it the extra power for what I think are slightly better graphics, and FMVs for an Intro and an Ending. The framrate on the original release would sometimes studder, but on the 2011 re-release, it has been fixed to allow a smooth and constant 60fps.
The Soundtrack is my favorite of the series. There are actually 2 different aoundtracks for Sonic CD. The Japanese Soundtrack and the US Soundtrack. When Sega was localizing Sonic CD for the US, somebody must have decided to change the music for the western audience. The 2 soundtracks are almost completely different, with only the Past versions of each Zone overlapping. Each Zone in the game has 4 different tracks for each Time Zone, with the Present theme being the "standard" and the Past, Bad Future, and Good Future being remixes to accompany it. The Intro and Ending FMVs have songs as well with lyrics, and the Boss Fight themes. Both the US and Japanese Soundtracks are enjoyable to listen to. In the 2011 re-release however, due to licensing issues, the lyrics from "You can do Anything" and "Cosmic Eternity" on the Japanese Soundtrack have been removed. The US "Sonic Boom" still retains it lyrics.
The 2011 Re-Release also adds Tails as a playable character when you beat the game once as Sonic. Tails has all the moves from Sonic 3, being able to fly to places Sonic can't. You can also toggle between the Sonic 2 Spin Dash or the Sonic CD Spin Dash. Also added are Online Leaderboards for Time Attacks on each Act and for Total Score for the main game.
Bottom Line: Sonic CD is a Like It or Don't entry, but I find it to be the best Sonic game in the series. The unique features Sonic CD has sets it apart from the other titles. I recommend Playing It, and for $5 for the 2011 Re-Release, it couldn't be any cheaper!
Author's Note: I have some pretty good times for Sonic CD and Sonic Generations, I am open for some competition if you are willing.
Developer: Sonic Team (Original), The Taxman (2011 re-release)
System(s): Sega Mega CD, Windows PC, Gamecube, PS2 (Japan and Europe only), PSN, XBLA, Steam, iOS, Android
Released in US: November 19, 1993 (Mega CD), September 26, 1996 (PC), August 16, 2005 (GameCube), December 14, 2011 (XBLA), December 14, 2011 (Android), December 15, 2011 (iOS), December 20, 2011 (PSN), January 19, 2012 (Steam)
Genre: Action, Platformer
Ah, Sonic the Hedgehog CD (from now on will be referred to as Sonic CD), probably the more different game of the genesis line up, but it is still a solid entry in the series. I'll admit off the top, Sonic CD is a Like It or Don't Like It game, it is a classic Sonic game, but it is a bit different from the other Genesis titles.
There is a story like the other games. This time, Sonic decides to explore Little Planet that comes over the lake every so many years, but then Metal Sonic capture Amy Rose (who were both introduced in this game) and takes her onto Little Planet where Sonic finds that Dr. Robotnik has chained down the planes and is attempting to conquer it. Sonic must rescue Amy and stop Dr. Robotnik to save the planet.
The Gameplay is classic Sonic with some twists, which is where the Like It or Don't part comes in. There is the standard run and jump gameplay that makes the games great, but there are new mechanics. Sonic's new move in Sonic CD is the Super Peel-Out, you press up and the button and hold it to wind up and release. The Super Peel-Out is faster than the Spin Dash, but leaves you open to harm. The Time Travel mechanic is the most prominent. You start each Act 1 and Act 2 in the Present, and throughout the level you will see posts marked Past and Future. If you touch a post and start running, you will see stars flash behind you, keep the speed up and you will time travel to the time. For Acts 1 and 2, there is the Past, Present, Bad Future, and Good Future, while Act 3 only allows Bad Future or Good Future. Weather you travel to the Good Future or Bad Future depends on a couple factors. The number of Time Stones you have, with 0 being a definite Bad Future and 7 being a definite Good Future, if you travel to the future with 1-6 Time Stones, it is a gamble as to which Future you get. A sure fire way to get a Good Future is to go back to the Past and destroy a Robot Generator find in each Act 1 and Act 2, and also the Metal Sonic holograms as well in each Act 1 and Act 2 besides the final Zone. In Act 3, you get to play Good Future or Bad Future depending on what you did in Acts 1 and 2. If both Acts were a Good Future, Act 3 will be a Good Future, but if one or both of the Acts were a Bad Future, then you will play the Bad Future Act 3. Since each level has many versions, the levels are large and a lot to explore, with each time period having a different layout, look, and soundtrack and either harder or easier. The Act 3 Boss will be harder or easier if it is a Bad Future or Good Future especially. The Time Stones I was talking about earlier, those act like the Chaos Emeralds except you get no Super Form if all are collected, but you get the good ending at least. To get the Time Stones, you mist have 50 Rings at the end of the Act and hit the Giant Ring a la Sonic 1. The Special Stage tasks you with hitting 6 UFOs scattered throughout the stage within 100 seconds. 3 of the UFOs have Rings and the other 3 have Speed Shoes. If you touch the water, you get a time penalty for as long as you remain there. Different panels on the ground have different effects on you, from popping you in the air to chopping your feet and losing Rings. If there is 20 seconds or less remaining, a UFO will appear in the center with a Time Bonus, and will continue to appear every time 20 seconds left is hit. There are 7 Special Stages for 7 Time Stone, each one being harder than the last. If you fail a Special Stage, it goes to the next one and you will retry it when you loop back around the order. The Boss Fights are a bit different as well, while they usually take less hits the the bosses of the other Sonic games, the way you beat them is different. One fight is more of a Pinball machine like deal and you have to get to the top to beat the boss. One isn't really a fight, but a race, you race Metal Sonic while Dr. Robotnik is closing in with a death lazer with an automatic door at the end, the winner is safe, but the loser gets hot with the lazer. The gameplay may be different from the other Sonic games, but I find it to be really enjoyable. The levels allow for exploration or pure speed, and the unique Boss Fights are a change of pace form the rest.
The Graphics look good, like the Genesis titles, but the Mega CD gave it the extra power for what I think are slightly better graphics, and FMVs for an Intro and an Ending. The framrate on the original release would sometimes studder, but on the 2011 re-release, it has been fixed to allow a smooth and constant 60fps.
The Soundtrack is my favorite of the series. There are actually 2 different aoundtracks for Sonic CD. The Japanese Soundtrack and the US Soundtrack. When Sega was localizing Sonic CD for the US, somebody must have decided to change the music for the western audience. The 2 soundtracks are almost completely different, with only the Past versions of each Zone overlapping. Each Zone in the game has 4 different tracks for each Time Zone, with the Present theme being the "standard" and the Past, Bad Future, and Good Future being remixes to accompany it. The Intro and Ending FMVs have songs as well with lyrics, and the Boss Fight themes. Both the US and Japanese Soundtracks are enjoyable to listen to. In the 2011 re-release however, due to licensing issues, the lyrics from "You can do Anything" and "Cosmic Eternity" on the Japanese Soundtrack have been removed. The US "Sonic Boom" still retains it lyrics.
The 2011 Re-Release also adds Tails as a playable character when you beat the game once as Sonic. Tails has all the moves from Sonic 3, being able to fly to places Sonic can't. You can also toggle between the Sonic 2 Spin Dash or the Sonic CD Spin Dash. Also added are Online Leaderboards for Time Attacks on each Act and for Total Score for the main game.
Bottom Line: Sonic CD is a Like It or Don't entry, but I find it to be the best Sonic game in the series. The unique features Sonic CD has sets it apart from the other titles. I recommend Playing It, and for $5 for the 2011 Re-Release, it couldn't be any cheaper!
Author's Note: I have some pretty good times for Sonic CD and Sonic Generations, I am open for some competition if you are willing.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Off Topic: Rant on The Human Centipede
Foreword: This is my first time ranting on a film, so be gentle.
I saw The Human Centipede the other day, and I couldn't let that pass without commenting on it.
The Human Centipede is a Horror film from 2009, and not a very well put together one at that.
First off, the plot. It should be no secret now as to what the plot is, so I should just spill some details. The movie starts with 2 ditzy girls having their car break down in the middle of the woods. They then stumble around until they find a house in the middle of it. They are invited in, and are almost immediately held prisoner. They are held prisoner with another guy, and the The Mad Doctor (I don't know the names of the people, so bear with me) explains this "Human Centipede". All 3 people will be connected butt to mouth to form one long digestive track (just better hope you are the one in front). One girl tries to escape, and fails spectacularly. Once everyone comes to, the prisoners find themselves as The Human Centipede. The Big Bad then treats the Centipede as a pet while the Centipede can do nothing but comply. At the end, The Centipede tries to escape from The Mad Doctor, but it fails again. The front third commits suicide, the last third dies, and the middle is left to rot away slowly.
The characters, the girls are slow-witted, typical horror style victims. The Big Bad is just there to basically be the Big Bad. The other prisoner (A Japanese Tourist) does little as well. The police do the same, just exist. The best performance is by The Mad Doctor, watching he and his vision come to life and trying to keep it under wraps from the police, the best character of the film.
The setting could be a bit more original, Dark Woods and Creepy House. Exciting.
I could predict what would happen in this movie from minute one, and the characters had multiple chances to escape, yet they were too out there to notice or to perform with any intelligence. The Human Centipede itself is a sight to see at first, but the novelty wears off by the end of the film.
Bottom Line: The Human Centipede is not that great of a movie, and once the shock of seeing the Centipede wears off, It's a typical horror film. Only a very nitch group of people will find something in this. I recommend avoiding the movie, but if you are curious or like Torture or Horror, give it a Rent.
I saw The Human Centipede the other day, and I couldn't let that pass without commenting on it.
The Human Centipede is a Horror film from 2009, and not a very well put together one at that.
First off, the plot. It should be no secret now as to what the plot is, so I should just spill some details. The movie starts with 2 ditzy girls having their car break down in the middle of the woods. They then stumble around until they find a house in the middle of it. They are invited in, and are almost immediately held prisoner. They are held prisoner with another guy, and the The Mad Doctor (I don't know the names of the people, so bear with me) explains this "Human Centipede". All 3 people will be connected butt to mouth to form one long digestive track (just better hope you are the one in front). One girl tries to escape, and fails spectacularly. Once everyone comes to, the prisoners find themselves as The Human Centipede. The Big Bad then treats the Centipede as a pet while the Centipede can do nothing but comply. At the end, The Centipede tries to escape from The Mad Doctor, but it fails again. The front third commits suicide, the last third dies, and the middle is left to rot away slowly.
The characters, the girls are slow-witted, typical horror style victims. The Big Bad is just there to basically be the Big Bad. The other prisoner (A Japanese Tourist) does little as well. The police do the same, just exist. The best performance is by The Mad Doctor, watching he and his vision come to life and trying to keep it under wraps from the police, the best character of the film.
The setting could be a bit more original, Dark Woods and Creepy House. Exciting.
I could predict what would happen in this movie from minute one, and the characters had multiple chances to escape, yet they were too out there to notice or to perform with any intelligence. The Human Centipede itself is a sight to see at first, but the novelty wears off by the end of the film.
Bottom Line: The Human Centipede is not that great of a movie, and once the shock of seeing the Centipede wears off, It's a typical horror film. Only a very nitch group of people will find something in this. I recommend avoiding the movie, but if you are curious or like Torture or Horror, give it a Rent.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Game Rant: Twisted Metal
Release Date: February 14, 2012
Platforms: PS3
Genre: Vehicular Combat
Rating: Mature (M)
Ah, Twisted Metal. Just drive around and blow up all your competition before you get blown up. It's a simple formula, but it works. The newest iteration is no exception.
Twisted Metal is good old fashioned quick play fun. Nothing complicated, nothing too story driven, just quick fun. Speaking of Story Mode, there is one. It is broken off into 3 sections of 6 events each with a boss battle being the 6th event. Each section starts with an intro movie, a halfway movie, and an ending movie. The first section follows Sweet Tooth, the second section follows Mr. Grimm, and the last section follows Doll Face. When you select an event, you can choose any vehicle you want from the pool you have. You have a limited selection from the start, but you gain more as you progress which can then be used on all the levels from then on. On most events, you pick 3 vehicles, the 1st pick being the one you start the event with, and the other 2 being alternates. The other 2 vehicles can be swapped out for by driving into a Garage marked as a Green Wrench on the map. When a vehicle is in the garage, it will slowly be repaired so it can potentially be used again. Just remember, if the vehicle you are in control of gets blown up, it counts as a loss, so book it to a garage before you do! Some events however only allow one vehicle to be used, so you have to plan carefully. The events are varried enough to not feel monotonous throughout the story, but the dialogue can be a bit cheesy at times. The boss battles are pretty fun and provide a healthy challenge.
The Multiplayer mode is where Twisted Metal shines. You have the classic 2-4 player split screen play, but on this game, you can take the CARnage online! You can get in the game fast through the "Quick Multiplayer Action" option or you can go in and search for games. You can play in both Ranked and Unranked battles, with Ranked battles being more regulated and professional for XP rewards and unlocks, while Unranked battles being more flexible with the options for more customization. You kick off at Rank 1 and through Ranked battles you gain XP and Rank Up and earn more unlocks to use. Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are the standard blow up your opponents more than you get blown up affair. Last Man Standing and Team Last Man Standing give you or your team a set amount of lives and you have to outsurvive your opponents. Hunted marks one person as Hunted, and that person gets points for kills, while others have to kill the Hunted to become the Hunted themselves, while Team Hunted marks one person on each team as the Hunted, and your team has to protect your Hunted while destroying the opposing team's Hunted.
The new addition to the multiplayer mode is Nuke, a new Team Objective Based mode. The game is divided into innings. One team starts off Defending while the other starts off Attacking, which the teams switching roles after time expires or it the Attacking team is successful. The objective in Nuke mode is for the Attacking team to capture the Defending team's leader and bring the leader to the Sacrifice Launcher. The leader must then be kept inside the circle for sacrifice until the meter is full. Once it is filled, the leader is sacrificed and the Nuke is launched. The Nuke must then be launched into the giant statue walking around the stage. If the Attacking team is successful in hitting the statue with a Nuke, they get a point. The Defending team has to try and prevent the Nuke from hitting the statue until time expires for them to receive a point. Teams continue to switch off between Attacking and Defending until the score limit is achieved. Nuke mode is a fun addition to formula, relying on more teamwork than the other modes. Games can last for quite a while too.
The online experience is good, but there are still bugs. Sometimes you may not be able to get into the game right away or not at all, and sometimes get disconnected from the servers all together. Once you get into a game though, it is smooth and fluent throughout the whole game. Hopefully the other issues will be fixed in time, with the game being recently released and all.
And let's not forget the selection of vehicles available to slaughter the competition with. Each vehicle has 3 stats: Armor dictates how much damage it can take, Speed is the maximum speed it can achieve, and Special Weapons shows how effective they can be as well as listing what they are. Each vehicle has a Primary Special and an Alt Special which can be switched between. The Specials also charge so they can be used more, Bing able to have up to 3 uses stocked. All the Special Weapons are balances and can all be used effectively. The vehicles are all pretty square as well, anybody can win with any vehicle. Of course, there are the standard arsenal of weapons out in the field to use as well as a sidearm which you can customize.
Bottom Line: Twisted Metal is excellent for the Multiplayer, but if you are only interested in the Single Player, a Rental would be a better choice. If you like Multiplayer Action, it's a Buy.
Platforms: PS3
Genre: Vehicular Combat
Rating: Mature (M)
Ah, Twisted Metal. Just drive around and blow up all your competition before you get blown up. It's a simple formula, but it works. The newest iteration is no exception.
Twisted Metal is good old fashioned quick play fun. Nothing complicated, nothing too story driven, just quick fun. Speaking of Story Mode, there is one. It is broken off into 3 sections of 6 events each with a boss battle being the 6th event. Each section starts with an intro movie, a halfway movie, and an ending movie. The first section follows Sweet Tooth, the second section follows Mr. Grimm, and the last section follows Doll Face. When you select an event, you can choose any vehicle you want from the pool you have. You have a limited selection from the start, but you gain more as you progress which can then be used on all the levels from then on. On most events, you pick 3 vehicles, the 1st pick being the one you start the event with, and the other 2 being alternates. The other 2 vehicles can be swapped out for by driving into a Garage marked as a Green Wrench on the map. When a vehicle is in the garage, it will slowly be repaired so it can potentially be used again. Just remember, if the vehicle you are in control of gets blown up, it counts as a loss, so book it to a garage before you do! Some events however only allow one vehicle to be used, so you have to plan carefully. The events are varried enough to not feel monotonous throughout the story, but the dialogue can be a bit cheesy at times. The boss battles are pretty fun and provide a healthy challenge.
The Multiplayer mode is where Twisted Metal shines. You have the classic 2-4 player split screen play, but on this game, you can take the CARnage online! You can get in the game fast through the "Quick Multiplayer Action" option or you can go in and search for games. You can play in both Ranked and Unranked battles, with Ranked battles being more regulated and professional for XP rewards and unlocks, while Unranked battles being more flexible with the options for more customization. You kick off at Rank 1 and through Ranked battles you gain XP and Rank Up and earn more unlocks to use. Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are the standard blow up your opponents more than you get blown up affair. Last Man Standing and Team Last Man Standing give you or your team a set amount of lives and you have to outsurvive your opponents. Hunted marks one person as Hunted, and that person gets points for kills, while others have to kill the Hunted to become the Hunted themselves, while Team Hunted marks one person on each team as the Hunted, and your team has to protect your Hunted while destroying the opposing team's Hunted.
The new addition to the multiplayer mode is Nuke, a new Team Objective Based mode. The game is divided into innings. One team starts off Defending while the other starts off Attacking, which the teams switching roles after time expires or it the Attacking team is successful. The objective in Nuke mode is for the Attacking team to capture the Defending team's leader and bring the leader to the Sacrifice Launcher. The leader must then be kept inside the circle for sacrifice until the meter is full. Once it is filled, the leader is sacrificed and the Nuke is launched. The Nuke must then be launched into the giant statue walking around the stage. If the Attacking team is successful in hitting the statue with a Nuke, they get a point. The Defending team has to try and prevent the Nuke from hitting the statue until time expires for them to receive a point. Teams continue to switch off between Attacking and Defending until the score limit is achieved. Nuke mode is a fun addition to formula, relying on more teamwork than the other modes. Games can last for quite a while too.
The online experience is good, but there are still bugs. Sometimes you may not be able to get into the game right away or not at all, and sometimes get disconnected from the servers all together. Once you get into a game though, it is smooth and fluent throughout the whole game. Hopefully the other issues will be fixed in time, with the game being recently released and all.
And let's not forget the selection of vehicles available to slaughter the competition with. Each vehicle has 3 stats: Armor dictates how much damage it can take, Speed is the maximum speed it can achieve, and Special Weapons shows how effective they can be as well as listing what they are. Each vehicle has a Primary Special and an Alt Special which can be switched between. The Specials also charge so they can be used more, Bing able to have up to 3 uses stocked. All the Special Weapons are balances and can all be used effectively. The vehicles are all pretty square as well, anybody can win with any vehicle. Of course, there are the standard arsenal of weapons out in the field to use as well as a sidearm which you can customize.
Bottom Line: Twisted Metal is excellent for the Multiplayer, but if you are only interested in the Single Player, a Rental would be a better choice. If you like Multiplayer Action, it's a Buy.
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