Transformers vs. Transformers
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The other day my brother called me to talk to me about the new Transformers game. He was apparently blown away by some game footage and wanted my opinion. Now, I wasn't ready to buy into his enthusiasm, as hes also tried to convince me that the Resident Evil movies are great cinema with the same amount of zeal, but I had to admit I had heard some positive things about the game, mainly through podcasts (which I listen to almost religiously). I decided to supplement this with a short trip to Giantbomb.com for a little look while we talked. I had to admit, it looked really good. I was on board until my brother declared it the best Transformers game ever.
Whoa. Put on the breaks, there. The best ever? How many Transformer themed games had he played? One: Beast Wars (2000, PSOne). Now, I really hate playing the role of the elitist, and I really hate slagging on new games in favor of older ones, but I needed to set the record straight. I wont say that I didn't slip my thumb behind my bracers and rocked back on my heals as I lectured, but I did get up on a box (it was a shoebox) to tell him about what I had considered the best Transformers game. I am of course speaking of Transformers (2004, Atari) for the PS2. I picked it up at the Gamestop sale a week ago (along with quite a few others) and had a chance to relive some of fun, and while it did show some signs of aging (it did not look good on my 40" widescreen), there is still a strong element of fun there. As I preached the virtues of the game to my brother, (I could actually hear his eyes rolling in their sockets), I thought to myself: What if hes right? That's when I decided to compare them once and for all.
Transformers (2004)
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What you'll love about this game:
- The explosions: when you blast Decepticlones, they burst into a miniature lightning storm. Its very satisfying.
- The openness: Okay, so this depends on whether or not you consider a well designed, open environment a boon or bane to the gameplay. Its not truly open world, but rather you select a level, and there are a number of things to do while you are here. There are mini-cons to collect (they give your Autobot powers), as well as extras like art and music to pick up and sift through later. While you move around (there is usually a cinematic direction the first time you travel each level) you encounter roving bands of Decepticlones to blast. The game also operates on the of you can see it, you can go there principle, though its not taken to any great extremes (such as in the early PS2 GTA games).
-Transforming: You can transform at will, and there is very little that is more satisfying than driving at full speed over a jump, transforming just as you leave the ground and blasting foes as your Autobot smashes into the ground. Great fun.
- Giant Robots FTW: Tidal Wave. Youtube it and enjoy. Even when you know whats coming it is still a bit of a shock at the size of him.
-Mini-cons: While not totally old school, these little guys give the game a lot of diversity. While mostly weapon based, they will allow you to gain a shield and even glide. As they have to be mapped to one of the trigger buttons and certain mini-cons require different amounts of slots, there is a bit of strategy here.
What you'll hate about this game:
- The graphics: It is a nasty shock when you realize how much PS2 titles have aged. I'm not saying that they look as bad as a PSOne game, but I can guarantee that you will do a double take in disbelief if you played it over five years ago. This game was once thought of as one of the best looking of the generation. It was even compared to Xbox (the first one) for its graphical beauty. While you can still see the shadow of what it once was, it is still just a shadow. Not unplayable, but no longer pretty. If you can play it on the PS2 emulator for PC (and you have a rig meaty enough to run it) it might look better
- The Autobots: There are only three to choose from, and none of them look close enough to the originals. There is a slight resemblance, but not enough to tickle the fancy of a fanboy, I think.
- The Decepticons: While there are Decepticons to fight (see Tidal Wave above), they are usually reserved for boss encounters. What you will be blasting for 9/10s of the game are Decepticlones. No need to even explain the name on that one. But they at least blow up nice.
- The controls: This one may not bother you. While they will take a few minutes to get used to (especially for taking cover and closing in for melee attacks), you will likely get used to them eventually. Or stop playing the game because of them. One of them for sure.
Transformers: War for Cybertron
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What you'll love about this game:
- Visual appeal: This game looks great. From the environments to the Transformers themselves, everything in this game stinks of this-generation polish.
-Old school appeal: This game was designed to tickle the fancy of fans of the original cartoon series (generally known as G1). Many of the Transformers are recognizable on sight (in their robot forms, not the vehicle forms), and they even got a hold of Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus Prime. Even the transforming sound is the same. The story follows the events that happened up to the G1 cartoon, so anyone with a serious jones for original G1 story arcs (as each version of Transformers seems to have a different arc) can get it here.
-Transforming: It can pretty much be done anywhere, though there will be sections that you will do one or the other.
-The Transformers: not only do you get to play the Autobots, but also the Decepticons. So wicked.
-Giant robots: there are two giant robots in this game that you will fight. On the Autobots side is Omega Supreme (remember the one who changes into a city?), and on the Decepticon side there is Tripticon (I don't remember this one). While not as big as Tidal Wave (in my opinion), they are satisfying nonetheless, and make for better fights.
What you'll hate about this game:
-The explosions: This is purely personal. After watching every enemy in the previously mentioned game go up in a lightning storm of fury, it sucks to see them just, well explode. Not a big deal for many I expect, but still an annoyance to me.
-The ammo: There is ammo in this game, in the form of energon. You will run out of it and in turn have to resort to melee. This means that you will get shot at a lot and there is nothing you can do about it. Not bad, but not as good as it could have been.
-Old school appeal: If you love the new Transformers movies and hate the old stuff, you will loath this game. But then again, you likely have no soul either.
-Generic robots: Yes, you'll be spending most of your time fighting generic robots, though you will face actual Transformers more frequently than in the other Transformers game.
The verdict: Well I have to admit, some of my brothers hype was well placed. While nothing will ever replace the love I feel for the first great Transformers game, there is no doubt that the newest is a great title and should be sought out by all serious Transformers gamers. Once the price drops, that is.
It has been compared favorably and otherwise to everything from Braid to Ico. In truth, Limbo is a sum of several familiar gameplay components, wrapped in a dark, morbid, and mysteriously surreal narrative. What it is not, is for the faint of heart. Or wallet.
Gameplay consists of platforming, with only a jump and a contextual interaction button adding to the standard left and right movement. The sensitivity of the left analog stick determines walking, running, or creeping along, and that's it. No ducking, looking around, or direct combat. This streamline approach, rather than confining the experience, focuses the player on the two biggest features of Limbo: the environmental puzzles and the atmosphere. Oh, the atmosphere.
Limbo's palette is black, white, and grays, and nothing else. Instead of using this refined spectrum to construct high resolution and detail, the designers use the opposite extreme to grand effect. The visual filters and muted shades paint a dreamlike visual experience that is unique and immersing. Background and foregrounds are at a constant haze. Environments feature sparse lines and sharp angles that just barely convey a sense of open woods, labyrinthian underground tunnels, and complex industrial areas. Indeed, the world of Limbo only roughly sketches its home, then hands the pencil to the player's mind to draw the rest of the details. Where this could be easily viewed as pretentious or even lazy on the developer's part, the design is definitely purposeful, as the rest of the tools are clearly in the iron grasp of talent.
The animation is top notch, with subtle particle effects and little details emphasizing every action. Many clues are given for gameplay as well as narrative in the smallest of touches. The audio wisely follows the consistency of the visual design; sparse, light overtones occasionally punctuated by dramatic flair, and effects that will make the player much more squeamish than the persistent visual violence. I began playing with two friends watching, but before the hour mark I was alone. This brings me to an important point:
Limbo's content is not for everyone.
There is implied murder, torture, gore, drowning, dismemberment, and very dark themes. Without giving away spoilers, some actions will likely stun you in their graphic nature. This is not Mario. It is not Braid. It is a game designed around a certain theme, and that theme is played out fully. In the same manner that South Park may appear to target a young audience but is designed for adults, the same could be said for Limbo.
Though I personally feel games should always be based on their own merit, and there are flavorful and unique elements to the experience that is Limbo, everyone will compare titles. As mentioned before, Limbo imbues a desolate and lonely aura likened to the PS2 classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, comparative indie vibes to Braid (also an 'artsy' title criticized as derivative and overpriced), along with gameplay similarities to PC/PSX's Heart of Darkness.
And if the biggest sell for Limbo is the original atmosphere (and it most certainly is), the other is gameplay. Physics based puzzles and platforming challenges make up the bulk of the experience, with exploration and attentive observation yielding literal eggs for completion and achievements. A chapter select allows for easy access, and the game respawns the character only moments before each mistake, again putting the emphasis on puzzle solving and atmosphere. Some of the timing elements of the game are, true to the genre, mostly trial and error, and the designers were wise to avoid any life count or continuing limitations, allowing the player to simply keep at it until done.
Which brings out Limbo's only real 'fault' making the rounds of the critic circles at large. At fifteen bucks, is a game that can be completed in only a few hours worth such a premium? Limbo would certainly not survive the current expectations of boxed retail, and as a Live arcade download only title it is expected to compete with cheaper games containing more longevity. The almighty Castle Crashers, Braid, and even Ikaruga have fielded the same complaints, and review scores are bashed in light of perceived value.
I intend to write an article on the perception of entertainment value later. As for now, it comes down to this:
Limbo is original. Limbo is exceptionally well made. Limbo is, for a certain audience, wonderful. Limbo is fairly short, even abrupt by today's gaming standards. If you are interested, play the demo. It will tell you all you want to know: do I want more of this? Will the experience be worth the money to me, individually? Will I feel at a loss for paying this much for a few hours?
I know I, personally, have no regrets about purchasing Limbo. Indeed, I consider it a gaming experience to rival my top ten. But if you play the demo and are still not sure, Limbo probably is not for you, fifteen bucks or otherwise.
As an end note, I feel that the narrative played out in Limbo is terrifically realized, despite forum debates passed to and fro over the subjective nature of the story and its details. I thought it was rather clear in its intentions, and if it is not painfully obvious by now, I also feel it was a masterfully well done experience. If you are curious about my thoughts on the particulars of the story, feel free to PM me: I don't want to ruin or cheapen the experience for the curious by posting said thoughts in a forum.
Inspired in part by some of the guys over at the Racketboy.com forums, I've decided to enter into the wide world of gaming blogs. So, I am proud to introduce "Transitions: The Launch Games/End Games Blog."
One of the things that I've always found to be interesting about collecting games and learning about gaming history is the beginning and end of a system's life span.
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There is usually so much excitement and anticipation at the launch of a new system that gamers are overwhelmed with the choices put before them. If you are like me, you've usually been very limited in your purchasing power on launch day and have to very carefully pick just one game or two from the launch lineup. Often, the other launch games get forgotten as newer, more hyped, and often more advanced games are released. This blog will look back at those launch games and highlight titles that were released when systems hit store shelves (primarily in North America). Sometimes these launch games represent some of the untapped potential for a new system. Sometimes they were highly polished versions of games released for a previous generation. Sometimes they introduced a new franchise, other times they faded into obscurity. Whatever the case, this blog will highlight them.
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On the other side of the coin, this blog will also highlight those games which are released at the end of a system's lifespan. These are the games that come out when most people are playing games for the next generation of consoles and are thus frequently overlooked. Some of these games represent the pinnacle of development for a system, while other titles are cheap shovelware published as a quick cash grab. These "end games" also include those new games released by individuals and small companies well after a system's games have stopped appearing on store shelves. Games like Beggar Prince for the Genesis and the upcoming The Goonies 'R' Good Enough for the MSX are fascinating post-lifespan releases that bear further attention.
So, I hope you enjoy this blog. I can't make any promises about how often I'll update (I already spend plenty of time generating game related content for the Racketboy podcast), but I can promise that you'll learn about some games you may have never heard about, forgot existed, or didn't know much about.
Despite all the times that it was not lupus on House MD, sometimes it actually is. Lady Gaga recently disclosed that she has been tested for the disease, and she expects to be diagnosed with it. It has occurred in her family, and it is thought to be genetic. It is a manageable chronic illness, and though it is far from the worst you can come down with, you do want to stay on top of it. Lupus in an autoimmune disease, and can be deadly.
Article Resource: Lady Gaga tests borderline good for lupus
It could be bad for it to be lupus
Though lupus is significant, it isn't the worst of auto-immune diseases. It can be managed, but there's a chance it could be deadly. The five year survival rate for lupus patients is about 95 percent, and for 20 years it is about 80 percent. Typically, treatment is with immune-suppressant drugs and steroids. The drugs aren't cheap, but it won't send you running for paydayloans as quickly as other conditions.
Just what is lupus?
Lupus is a disease affecting the immune system. The immune system makes antibodies that kill germs, but a glitch within the system causes antibodies to forget the difference between germ cells and normal cells. Then the antibodies attack normal tissue, which causes issues including joint pain and fever, among others. As outlined by the Lupus Foundation, there are four types but one of the most common is systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE, which is also the most severe, which can cause problems in the kidneys, lungs, or heart, and increases chances of infection. The disease was named for the distinct red facial rash sufferers get. In the Middle Ages, this rash was referred to as being almost wolf-like, hence lupus, which means wolf in Latin.
How will this affect Lady Gaga?
Well, she only said she was borderline good, according to ABC. All that means is Lady Gaga might have it, and she may eventually need treatment. Lady Gaga has a video for her song Alejandro coming out quite soon, which a lot of individuals are anxious about. She isn't the only famous person to have gotten lupus, as Michael Jackson also had it. Some famous individuals have even died from it, like Ray Walston, Michael Wayne (John Wayne's son), previous President, though numerous say dictator, of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos, and it is thought to have also killed Louis May Walcott, the author of Little Women.
Read a lot more on this topic here
Lupus
Lupus Foundation
ABC
Ok all you MK fans this review will make you want to rush our and buy this game I guarantee it. So it's time for Ultimate MORTAL KOMBAT!!!!!!!! Please note this review may contain spoilers!
Firstly I'd like to say sorry for not being that active on the blogs 
This almost perfect port of the original arcade game came out on November 12, 2007 in the US, December 7, 2007 in EU, and December 13, 2007 in AU. It is still very popular online (wi-fi) today This game also includes Puzzle Kombat, but I wont talk about that that much sorry not a big puzzle fan. Ok anyways now time for the main part.
UMK3:
Story - 6/10
It's the same story as a MK3 Shao Kahn holds another tournament and fighters enter from all the different realms. Thats basically it for story I will say that each character has Endings that can be unlocked by beating the game and can be viewed anytime in the Extras section under Lost Treasures (more on the extras later).
Sound/Music - 10/10
The music and sound FLAWLESS VICTORY lol  , but seriously the music and sound are perfect in my opinion because i've played the original arcade game years ago, but I'm almost positive music and sound are dead on the original.
Controls - 8/10
Ok the controls are great don't get me wrong, but for myself there a bit difficult for me because of my disability, so be the judge for yourself. The default controls are as follows for UMK3 are as follows (I say for UMK3 because Puzzle Kombat is also included):
Y Button - High Punch
X Button - High Kick
B Button - Low Punch
A Button - Low Kick
L Button - Run
R Button - Block
Now i personally just have trouble reaching the Run button, but no big deal for me really expect when certain moves deal with the L Button but whatever you guys probably wont
Gameplay - 8.5/10
Ok your 8.5 why? Right? Well the reason is the A.I is so freaking cheap even on Novice, and no you can not change difficultly level (example, easy hard very easy, etc.) so unless your patient and want to unlock the endings for everybody (including the secret people Ermac, Mileena, Classic Sub-Zero, and even Human Smoke). Me personally i used my brothers Action Replay Card thats how frustrating it was/is so all i can say as i hope you are good with everybody, although you do get free play, so thats one plus i guess .
This game also has online capabilities both Wi-fi and Local it even has download & play but that sucks really bad for the UMK3 side because you can pick from i think only 3 people (maybe 4, but i don't remember I do know Reptile, Kitana, Scorpion are the three, but there may be 1 more. Anyway, Wi-fi is great because its worldwide and you can trade friend codes with people and battle. Also there is a rating system, and record keeping for online which keeps track of wins/losses and other stuff. I love the game because of the Wi-Fi, and I hope you will too! Oh and a Shout-Out to Link41 (Aaron) I want a REMATCH!! .
Last thing on gameplay is a great addition to it I think on the top or bottom screen (wihichever you set it to in the options). Anyway, they kindly list all the moves for characters including fatalities, friendship, animality, and babilities. They however do not include stage fatalities, where to stand for any finishing moves, shang tsungs morphs are not listed neither are Human Smoke's moves, combos aren't listed. I think its still a nice feature because i mean it'd be hard to fit all there moves on the screen so I'll cut them some slack .
Replayability 9/10
The only reason is for this because of Wi-fi. That's what I think saved this game from not being hated by MK fans because of the cheap A.I.
In closing I will say that Puzzle Kombat is a direct port of the one included on MK Deception so If you liked it then you'll probably play that too, but I don't. Wi-fi is not very active in this mode, but if you have friends that have it your in the clear.
I forgot to mention you can unlock many things in this, but there's alot so I don't wanna go into it. You can look it up though so no biggy
Well, I hope you like this review and I hope it will entice you to buy this great game.
Well I have had a few bad weeks not finding much, but I finally have another worthy post this week.
First up is a Auction / Church Flea Market I attended.
Nothing great at the auction, but found the follwing at the Flea Market.
Atomic Runner & Primal Rage for the Genesis, Blasto & Jade Cocoon for the PS1.
Pack of Game Boy cases, Game boy holder, an AWESOME wooden Nintendo
game holder with Super Mario 3 engraved in the wood.
And Racing Wheels for the Playstation, and the Gamecube.
All of this ran me $5 total.
[img width=639 height=420]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d163/focusricerocket/IMG_6904.jpg[/img]
The rest was from the flea markets I attended this week.
It seems every week there are more and more families getting rid of their old games.
Found a big Genesis lot.
System & Wires
2 Controllers
4 player adapter
Sega Mouse
Wacky Worlds Creative Studio & Lotus II loose.
The rest of the games are all CIB.
Wheel of Fortune
Frank Thomas Big Hurt
Contra Hard Corps
Battletoads & Double Dragon
NBA Hang Time
Star Trek Deep Space Nine
Taz Mania
Taz in Escape from Mars
Zero Tolerance
Family Feud
Nigel Mansell's World Championship
Aladdin
Sonic
Sonic 2
Sonic 3
Troy Aikman Football
ESPN National Hockey Night
The Jungle Book
Ms Pac Man
Pink Goes to Hollywood
Pitfall
All of this ran me $35
[img width=639 height=463]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d163/focusricerocket/IMG_6905.jpg[/img]
The next few items were from a bunch of different people.
Xbox 360 Spectral Force 3, PGR 3, The Last Remnant, Lego Indiana Jones/Kung Fu Panda 2 pack, Bullet Witch, Prince of Persia, $5 each.
An original GameBoy with Alleyway, Wave Race, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, F1 Race for $7.
NFL Football 94, and Eternal Champions for Genesis $1 each.
Namco Museum for Xbox $2.
PS1 Deathtrap Dungeon, Legacy of Kain, & Hexen 3 for $5.
Xbox Street Race Syndicate, PS2 Star Trek Encounters, Pinball Hall of Fame 3 for $5
Everything else was $1 each and in pristine condition.
PS1 Rayman, QBert, Risk, Rageball, Medal of Honor (New still Wrapped), Star Trek Invasion,
Dreamcast Sydney 2000 (New Still Wrapped), ReVolt (New still Wrapped), and Sega Bass Fishing.
NES The Bards Tale, NFL (w/instructions & play guide), & Hylide (w/ instructions & map)
NES Acclaim Wireless Remote, NES Flight Stick.
[img width=639 height=611]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d163/focusricerocket/IMG_6926.jpg[/img]
Last Guy just had 2 big boxes of things, picked up everything for $30.
Atari 2600 with original adapter to tv, works great.
Sega Master System, only came with system, prob doesnt work.
Atari Trakball, Atari Games: Combat, Donkey Kong, Casino, Pac Man, Atari 7800 game Ms Pac Man.
And a whole bunch of Sega Saturn Games, Almost all CIB.
2 NHL 97s, NFL Quarterback Club, Nights into Dreams,
NHL All Star Hockey 98, 2 Madden 97's, 1 new in wrapper, Iron Man/Heavy Metal,
Myst has back but no instruction, Xmen Children of the Atom,
Daytona USA, Quarterback Attack, Black Fire, World Series Baseball,
Fifa Soccer 96, & 3 games disk only, Sega Soccer 97, Madden 97, NFL 97.
[img width=639 height=447]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d163/focusricerocket/IMG_6925.jpg[/img]
Hopefully next week will be just as great.
BioShock 2. Halo 3 ODST. Super Mario Galaxy 2. New Super Mario Bros. Any Street Fighter after II. Every Madden after 2000 or so.
These games, other than representing new entries in their respective franchises, don't have much in common. But one thing I have heard about all of these games, either by critics or fellow gamers, is something along these lines: "this game is unnecessary."
The general mentality behind said comments usually indicate that the game does not offer enough updates, change, or innovation as to justify its existence, especially in light of previous games in its respective series. Some, such as the numerous updates to the Street Fighter series or Madden, are largely seen as simple tweeks or balancing, with occasional new characters or roster updates. Others, such as Super Mario Galaxy 2 and BioShock 2, are critically praised as superior gameplay experiences to their predecessors, yet are deemed as not really "needed" because of how well the first game performed or was received, and that the sequels were only market-driven extensions.
For this humble industry observer, the very idea that any entertainment product is 'unnecessary' because of previous similar product is not only humorous, but self-centered and destructive.
Imagine this same take on other entertainment:
Star Wars/Babylon 5/Stargate/Battlestar Galactica/Star Trek/Any other Sci/Fi with aliens represented as humans of other color or forehead wrinkles
Neon Genesis Evangelion vs. ANY OTHER SCI/FI Anime
Baseball/Football/Soccer/Basketball/Any other sport involving teams and vaguely spherical ball-like objects
Nascar/Rally/Cart Racing/Off Road/F1/Derby/Any other sport involving a vehicle and driver
This Band/That Band/That other Band/That Boy Band/All Rap,R&B,Techno,Classical,etc
Not only are all of these modes of entertainment highly derivative of other forms of entertainment, but to a non-fan they are often indistinguishable from each other within the same genre. Try talking about the differences of TOS, TNG, Voyager, DS9, and the movies to a non-trekkie and they'll just shrug; not only can they not distinguish between them but often they wouldn't care enough to try. I know plenty of people who can't distinguish Star Wars from Star Trek. Sacrilege to me, apathy to them.
Mention a 'strike' to a baseball fan and then a bowling fan. Watch what happens when you pretend to confuse the two. Somehow YOU'RE the dumb one for mixing up a term between two silly sports involving letting go of a ball. Aren't they pretty much all the same? (*ducks various thrown sporting gear*)
I'm not even getting into music, and how so many bands sound the same and yet sometimes something new and different can be so off as to be mistaken for noise.
The healthy purpose of entertainment is to at least give relaxation, and at most to edify. Why would I get upset over another Madden this year? Even if there are no serious innovations or updates beyond the new team rosters, if the sports fan buys it and has just as much or more fun with it as other entries, who am I to say that's not enough? Is someone else having fun? Am I a 'must be something new' Nazi to the point that I can't enjoy the bulk of current or even past games? Games that, while market-driven and mostly made with profits in mind, are still designed for the point of enjoyment?
This is not an attack on innovative progression. It is an acknowledgment that 'new' is not always better, and 'same' often has the right to exist alongside it. Striving for something completely groundbreaking and different, even improved, is admirable, and NECESSARY for the healthy development of our hobby. Trying to choke the gaming public with too much of the same will only lead to stagnation. The ol' industry crash of the early 80's will always be a reminder of that. (And epic mismanagement, of course.)
But video games are a much larger entertainment beast now. There is not only room for 'new' and 'same' to exist simultaneously, but often 'same' is needed to help fund 'new'. Those years of Madden sequels, much as they are criticized, paid for Dead Space, Mirror's Edge, and other original EA IPs. I have no interest in rehashed Pokemon, but that juggernaut helped keep Nintendo's name in the industry until my beloved DS released. Not to mention that shiny and awesome looking 3DS was built off the backs (money) of Mario Karts, Mario Golfs, Kirbies, and yes, Mario Parties.
Not only are sequels comfortable for us, they remind us of what we like and why we like it. I could probably enjoy Halo sequels for years, despite a core formula that is traditionally not altered much, not to mention it being another "generic" space marine FPS. You know, I LIKE that. I know what I'm getting, I know I like it, I want more of it. If they change things up a lot, I might like it more, but I might like it a lot less. Is is worth taking a chance? Sure. But why whine when a sequel is more of the same? If we liked the first, why are we griping that we were given more of what we liked?
We also need new. We need different. We need Katamari Damacy, Panic!, Vib Ribbon, mr. Bones, Seaman, Twisted, Odama, Kinect, Waggle, Move, NiGHTs, Yar's Revenge, Super Scopes, Bongos, Loco Roco, Patapon, Myst, and especially Shadow of the Colossus. We need something at least a little different, even if it fails. Even if it turns out to be not that fun. Even when new becomes the new derivative. Our industry adapts and shifts, or stalls and withers.
Different people enjoy different things, and the fact is that many of us will buy sequels and enjoy them, even if they aren't much different. Sometimes, it is because they are not much different. As much as I enjoy the Halo games, I think the Call of Duty series tend to be just above average games, but largely derivative of each other and offer little innovation between the respective entries. (Of course I recognize the same arguments leveled at Halo.) But they are both undeniable successes, and the sequels will undoubtedly follow in the same footsteps. Is that bad?
Apparently millions in the gaming mainstream don't think so. Why argue games should be so different if so many are enjoying these games? Are these millions of gamers wrong? I think that's the wrong question.
I think the more important question is, are these people having fun?
Or wasn't that the point?
Hooray for indie developers! Not only do they sink hours of their time into a game that possibly nobody will ever play, but they do it with such unselfish motivations. I certainly assume that Nathan Tolbert, the man behind the GBA title Anguna: Warriors Of Virtue spent so much time on his game not to be rich and famous, but instead to pay homage to games that meant a lot to him -- namely the Legend Of Zelda series obviously. And that's commendable. So many of us talk crap about weak games. We talk about what we would have done had we been the ones making the game. But how many of us actually sit down and spend the time to code a new GBA game. Well, not me. That's for sure. So I salute the Nathan Tolbert's of the world because they are the ones who now have the power to keep our dead consoles alive. You see, Anguna was released in 2008, the year after Nintendo themselves killed the Game Boy Advance.
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Anguna is a very impressive independent release. It certainly looks far more professional than many homebrew games. And there's an incredible amount of detail included. Obviously the graphics are well-done as evident by the screens pictured. But what's really great is all the extras -- there are numerous secondary weapons to pick up, maps to find, a fully working save-feature, and even a catalog of the monsters you've come in contact with. Furthermore the game features five full dungeons to complete. This is really a deep Adventure RPG considering it was a labor of love that was worked on in free time. I'm certainly not saying it's as sprawling as a Zelda game, but it's easily the most vast GBA homebrew game I'm ever seen.
[img width=300 height=200]http://imgur.com/OF8tf.png[/img] [img width=300 height=200]http://imgur.com/fUmkP.png[/img]
What's even greater about the game is the amount of post-release love the developer has devoted to it. There is a wonderful website kept at http://www.tolberts.net/anguna/ that hosts downloads of the game in both GBA and DS format, intakes bug reports, and even offers up maps and FAQs should you happen to get stumped.
If you're a Game Boy Advance collector you may want to order a physical copy of the cart as well while they're still available. Of course you could have the ROM for free, but a cart version not only makes a nice collectible, but it shows a bit of support for a hard-working indie developer. And I for one want to encourage game designers to continue to make new GBA releases. Speaking of which, I asked Nathan if he had any plans to make an Anguna sequel, and he basically said that he had been planning one for a while but couldn't find an artist. He's currently working on porting Anguna to some other consoles, but doesn't rule out another GBA release in the next few years. So head on over to http://www.tolberts.net/anguna/ and check out Anguna for yourself, and if you really enjoy it why not encourage Nathan to continue to help keep the GBA alive?
The True Holy Grails
of Video Game Hardware | | "The Majors" |
 We have already established that the term Holy Grail is a highly subjective adjective in the first part of this series, along with identifying systems 11-20 of those that 98PaceCar and I deem worthy of this lofty title. We now move on to the Top 10 - those systems that truly are the center pieces in any hardware collection. As in the past article, we limited ourselves to considering the standard release of a console (no crazy development units, clones, protos or LE/SE editions). As in any collecting field, the more obscure and rare and item is directly impacts its price. We did not list any suggested prices for any of these systems, but some descriptors will give you a pretty good idea of their value in terms of cold hard cash (along with availability). Most of the following consoles are unknown to the standard gamer. These are systems that basically should be targeted by only the most serious hardware collector and require substantial investment. Finding these at all will take considerable effort (for the most part). OK, let's get to it - the Top 10 Holy Grails for the hardware collector. The True Holy Grails of Video Game Hardware - The Majors.
| | | 10. Bandai Pippin @WORLD |  |
In 1995, Apple Computer Inc. joined the console foray by finishing the development of a system based on a scaled down version of their System 7 OS. Named the Pippin, Apple followed the 3DO Company's lead by licensing this technology to an outside manufacturer - Bandai Digital Entertainment. The Bandai Pippin @WORLD is the North American release of this console. It is estimated that only 5,000 of these were sold during its limited lifespan.
| | | 09. Funtech Super A'Can |  |
In 1995, Funtech Entertainment Corporation released the first original gaming system in Taiwan - the Super A'Can. Produced and sold exclusively in its native country, the console and controllers feel very fragile, constructed of thin plastics that belies its strong, dark grey outwardly appearance and extremely high price tag. Very few of these systems were sold, and it has been reported that Funtech Entertainment Corporation lost $6 million USD in this venture. This is a hard one to acquire since it does have a pretty strong cult following due to the obscurity of this system.
| | | 08. APF Imagination Machine |  |
In late 1978, a company by the name of APF Technologies released a simple cartridge based system similar to other consoles on the market named the APF M1000. The console itself could then be "docked" to the MPA-10 to create a hybrid computer. The combined unit became the APF Imagination Machine and provided the BASIC program language, keyboard, 9K of RAM and could be expanded to 17K RAM, color graphics and a built in cassette recorder. Finding a complete system is extremely difficult due to the fact that these are cherished by collectors from the era (both video game and computer enthusiasts).
| | | 07. Entex Adventure Vision |  |
Released in 1982 to a lukewarm reception, the Adventure Vision had only about a year lifespan on the market before it was pulled. The consoles that were sold were fragile and troublesome, so few have survived to today. This makes it difficult to find a working example and nearly impossible to find one for a low price. It's estimated that only 10,000 of the consoles were made. Few other consoles have the star power of the Adventure Vision. It's a well known grail item that any true collector will have at least heard of. The only downside to hunting for one is that you will often find yourself bidding against hand held collectors as well as console collectors, making the interested audience that much bigger. If you want to add an Adventure Vision to your collection, you had better be ready to break out the checkbook.
| | | 06. Casio PV-1000 |  |
Casio of Japan, known for their line of calculators, decided to cash in on the console videogame craze. In 1983 Casio produced the PV-1000 console. This Japanese exclusive was below average compared to the competition (Sega SG-1000 and the Nintendo Famicom) when it debuted and met its demise quickly. This is an extremely rare item and only recommended for the ultra-serious console collector. This console lacks the fanfare of the some earlier entries, but is actually more difficult to find due to its limited run.
| | | 05. Capcom CPS Changer |  |
In 1994, Capcom decided to follow SNK's lead in the Neo Geo AES and released the CPS Changer. Based entirely upon existing arcade hits, this system produced excellent quality and game play. This system is a new addition to a very lucky member of the VGCL team - 98PaceCar. Both of us have been hunting for this system for quite a long time and have only seen it available on Yahoo-Japan once or twice. Only 11 titles were released for this Japanese system. This system is extremely pricey - expect to be competing with arcade collectors as well when trying to acquire this treasure.
| | | 04. Bandai SuperVision 8000 |  |
Notable game developer Bandai was very involved in hardware development and manufacturing beginning in 1977 with its popular line of TV-Jack pong based consoles (six total releases within two years). Building on their mild success in this arena, the Bandai Super Vision 8000 debuted in 1979 and was the very first programmable game cartridge system released in Japan (before Sega and Nintendo). This system is one of the least known amongst collectors, but its place in history is unquestioned and is truly a milestone in any collection.
| | | 03. Daewoo Zemmix Turbo CPG-120 |  |
Korean based Daewoo produced the Zemmix CPG-120 console (Zemmix in Korean means "It's Fun") that was the pinnacle of its line of MSX based systems. This console was basically a MSX computer in a console casing. It was an NTSC based machine capable of playing MSX cartridge games. All Zemmix systems are expensive and rare, but this 'UFO' anomaly is a true grail for the hardware enthusiast. Be prepared to dig out and sell any gold fillings you may have - this console is a serious investment.
| | | 02. Katz Media Player KMP 2000 |  |
The Katz Media Player is the European release of the Bandai Pippin ATMARK (itself a rather obscure system). 98PaceCar and I have never seen one of these for sale in all of our combined years of collecting hardware. This may be a questionable entry to this list since there is some speculation if this system was actually sold for retail. I can not even guess what it would take to acquire one of these beasts. If you were married to Jessica Biel, expect to pimp her for a good two years straight to pay for this peach.
| | | 01. RDI Halcyon |  |
For the console collector, there are no systems that will match the rarity of the RDI Halcyon. If you are fortunate enough to locate one, it will be the centerpiece of any collection. Little is known about the true production of the system and it is a non-confirmed rumor that the system was even available at retail. Current information tells us that no more than 10 units were built for the investors of the company, all of them by hand. It doesn't get any better than this folks - welcome to the true holy grail of video game hardware!!
| |
Did We Miss Any Consoles from our Two Part Series?
| Happy Hunting!! |
I won't yet expound upon my views on the 'Video Games as Art' topic in full just yet. It is 2:15 a.m. and I need some sleep.
What I will proselytize is a free, twenty minute gaming experience I can honestly and wholeheartedly recommend to anyone:
(ALERT!! Turn UP the sound on your computer!! The music tells as much of the narrative as the graphics.)
Anyway:
http://armorgames.com/play/4850/small-worlds
Go there. Play. Yeah.
Wow.
My thoughts:
While the author has mentioned his desire to leave certain aspects of the experience open to interpretation, a brief glimpse across a few forums on the game highlight a common public construction of narrative consistent with my own. I don't wish to divulge further for fear of hampering the experience and direction of anyone else.
What I am most impressed with in this game is the delivery; the purposefully simple style and structure of the interactivity. Combined with deliberate musical cues and accentuation, a story forms out of the most basic of game elements and ends with a (likely) unexpected meditation. There is a holistic series of events here, and it may only come together after another play-through or two, picking up the visual and audio clues that were originally overlooked.
Of course, you might just whizz through it and apathetically wonder what I'm carrying on about.
You monster. ;P
Time is a precious resource, agreed? So this is how I intend to break apart my next hated gaming relic: The "Press Start" Title Sceen.
In the beginning, arcade games created the Start button. No doubt a simple solution to a need to seperate the coin up and demo sequence from the game itself. I'd like to think the conversation went something like this:
Old programmer dude: "So you put the coin in the slot and then the game starts."
Nonprogrammer business guy: "But what if the drunk customers in the bar haven't put their beer down yet? Maybe they need to pick themselves up off the floor after they try to stoop over to put their coin in?"
Old programmer dude: "Fine, I'll make a button they have to press in case they aren't ready. Thank god you have such amazing foresight into the realms of drunkeness. You definately deserve to take all the credit some day and discard me to the dustbin of history."
The transition to consoles was a natural result, whether on the console itself, or later migrating to the controller. At some point in time, this seemingly innocent convention began to stroll down a darker road... press start to access a menu.
Wait, whaaa? The name of the button is start. It says on the screen to press start, but when I comply I have to jump through another hoop before I can actually start playing? Wouldn't it be much simpler to just take me directly to the menu screen? Alright, l'll play along. After all this is a new convention so at some point developers will figure it out. Shouldn't take too long. Not like 25 years or anything...
Of course, we're still suffering from this ugly relic. So back to my first premise. Not only are the developers wasting my time by slogging through an extra screen that serves no purpose other than to make me push a button, they are spending time and resources to have their programmers and art staff create a useless screen. So who benefits? No one. So let's drive a stake through this thing's heart. Let's give the Start button some meaning again!
So are you with me, or do I just have too much time on my hands to think about silly nothings like this?
My sporadic blog entries have been indicative of my life's events as of late. Where I originally began writing again after a several year sojourn of busy fatherhood craziness in order to pick up the practice and train my atrophied creative skills, the craziness of fatherhood doesn't slow down.
Now I've come to stake my claim, to recommit to one of the few skills I believe I have the ability to develop beyond an acceptable, average level. It is a goal of mine, starting this day, to write at least a little every day, and this blog is to be one of the outlets by which I hold myself accountable for persistent development.
I debated this for far too long, surmising that this particular digital homestead has a pointed place and purpose, and many of the things floating about my inner cranium wishing to depart are not always (gasp!) directly video game related.
But as of yet, I am under no specific obligation as to the nature of the content I post here, implied as it may be to fall under the gaming umbrella. Should I write an op-ed piece, an article on some gaming trivia, anything within the expected spectrum this site caters to, it will (hopefully) automatically shuffle into place like a prepared tetramino. But at the moment, this is one of the few regular haunts I visit regularly that I can use to return to writing as an outlet, as a developing skill-set, and perhaps even have a bit of fair criticism for my own betterment.
I have far too many stalled novels, unfinished short stories, and even some crummy poetry that seem adamantly unwilling to write themselves. Should I ever wish to breathe life into them, I need to stop whining that my life is too busy and stressed, that I don't have the energy and resilience, and that the only blog I am writing should really be video game related because of its location.
On that note...
Resonance of Fate greatly appealed to me in a variety of ways. It has a bizarre East-meets-West art style. Mostly impressive pedigree in Tri-Ace. Steampunk setting (HUGE plus for me.) Good, moody soundtrack. Gunplay-based realtime combat as opposed to traditional melee. All things considered, I was more interested in this than Final Fantasy XIII, a series in which I own every entry.
Then I played it.
I consider myself a guy who can understand fairly complex systems within the realm of gaming. I've GM/DM'd pen and paper games, wrote my own combat systems, played way too much Final Fantasy Tactics/Ogre Battle, and even coded a few simple computer games.
I don't think I've ever stopped playing a role-playing game solely because of a convoluted combat system. I usually think of it as a fun type of challenge. Even Knights in the Knightmare appealed to me, in an esoteric what-the-...-O.K.-sure-we'll-go-with-that kind of way.
But in Resonance of Fate, when I had to keep replaying simple battles, even the tutorials, to try to understand what was expected of me, and still not really getting the idea, a mental warning flag popped up Windows 95 style.
Its not that combat in Resonance of Fate is grinding hard, like an old Phantasy Star. Its not multi-layered hit-and-miss hard, like a Shin Megami Tensei. Its not even endurance hard, like some bosses in a latter era Final Fantasy. No, this is something different.
In an attempt to bring a fresh feel to every battle, even against lower class enemies, the combat system requires:
juggling the movement and turns of three separate characters in real time,
two different types of damage that have to be stacked in correct order (plus magic),
an annoyingly and needlessly complex overdriving attack system that requires the characters to always walk between each other on their turn without firing,
turns that are lost if taken incorrectly,
Running around the combat area to retrieve pieces of your own battle gauge,
a day/night cycle,
correct application of range and capability of each weapon of each character (including status effects,)
and no guarantee that even if you are doing all of the above correctly, you will survive even normal random encounters without having to die a few times to know how to correctly defeat them.
If the above scenario sounds fun to you (it actually did once to me) then know that I enjoyed SMT Nocturne, Knights in the Nightmare, and the Etrian Odyssey games, and this one just broke me. Not the challenge per se, but its just tedious for the sake of being tedious. I tried to play it for several hours. It has all of these other great points going for it, I paid more for it than I would have otherwise because of my interest in it, and yet I finally gave it up. After so many hours of precious game time into it, I still wasn't having any fun, and that's when I had to call it.
No matter how much potential I saw in Resonance of Fate, the required investment was too much to ask from a game in which I simply did not enjoy playing. If it were a mere few hours long, I could have perhaps tried to endure, but for every battle to be that frustrating in a game the length of your typical RPG, well...
There are a lot of other games I'd enjoy actually playing.
Oh well. I hear Final Fantasy XIII has a nice 15 hour tutorial...
P.S.
Flash Gordon (1980) is now on Blu Ray. I want to buy it. But I'm not sure I know anyone I can convince to watch it with me. Our friends enjoy MST3K-ing campy movies, but man, the goofy camp of Flash Gordon makes Star Wars look like Saving Private Ryan.
I think I just convinced myself to go get it.
Now, you may remember a certain treasure haul I got a couple weeks back. You know, where I bought 567 games for $240. Well, the pictures didn't quite tell the whole story since there was just so much stuff. I've now had a couple weeks to sort it all out, and I took some new pictures to give you guys a better feel for my greatest find ever. Instead of taking a picture of everything, I just included the stuff that I'm keeping for myself, these do not include the games I'm selling. I'll most likely be posting the games I'm selling in the buying & selling board instead of on here.
The following pictures contain 320 games, of which I should be keeping almost all of them. There may be a few duplicates that I missed when I was sorting, but for the most part, these will all be staying in the collection.
Continue reading Treasure Hunt Chronicles 2010 - #6 Part 2
HEY EVERYONE!!! This is going to be the first entry of my brothers' and mine Game Hunt. Also I will be posting pictures of our collection on my collection page. My brother and I went out shopping for his birthday today (which his b-day is actually tomorrow). We went to a place we haven't been for a while and we used to go there all the time. This place usually has some pretty good deals, we know the guy personally, on a first name basis. We walked in looked around and then my brother waved me over to look at some stuff laying on the counter. And my eyes lit up!! Some of this stuff we have never seen before. Except for the Turbo Grafx Games. Keep reading down, I have posted info on each picture on the find. The Total Bill was $45.00 ON ALL OF THIS!!! (Except Time Gal was separate it was $25.00 in great condition). HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER!!!
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1863.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 1 - Is of all the games we bought for $45.00 *again* Time Gal is not apart of it.
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1864.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 2 - That is Mega Key, a cartridge/adapter used to play games on the mega drive or the sega genesis. This would be the crown jewel of our first posted game hunt. Digi Value $50.00! This item is not even on eBay!
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1865.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 3 - This would be the Second Crown Jewel. The MIRAI Adapter!!! This is an adapter for the Turbo Grafx to let you play Japanese PC Engine games on it!!! Made by Telegames, priced at $100.00!
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1866.jpg[/img]
Description: Picutre 4 - All Turbo Grafx games all are kind of pricey except for the Keith Courage. The other Titles are: Galaga '90, Ninja Spirit, J.J. & Jeff, Alien Crush. Also and Turbo Duo CD, that is actually pictured in the next one is Gate of Thunder! WHICH HAS 4 GAMES ON IT, it comes with the books for 3 of the 4 because on the back it tells you how to unlock Bomberman, which doesn't come with a book. The other games on this 'Pack-In' for the TG-16, is Bonk's Adventure and Bongs Revenge. Digi Price $15.00.
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1867.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 5 - Is of Time Gal, great condition for a paper box. Digi Price $25.00
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1868.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 6 - IS of the Japanese PC Engine Games, TWO of which are PC-Engine Super-CD (aka in USA would be the Turbo Duo). The Third game is a cartridge game for the PC Engine. Game Titles CD: A Ranma 1/2 game and the other is titled Dragon Half. The Cartridge is Ninja Warriors.
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1869.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 7 - Cartridge copy of Bonk's Adventure for TG-16.
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1873.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 8 - This is another Japanese find, the Super Famicom Game in box is Ranma 1/2 complete in box. The other is Sailor Moon a very very high priced Mega Drive game, sadly no instructions otherwise it would be work over $250.00 without manual $100.00!!!!
[img width=700 height=526]http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab172/niceguy1283/Video%20Game%20Collection/100_1874.jpg[/img]
Description: Picture 8 - Lastly, would be Just a picture of Sailor Moon!
Everything is in Perfect or Mint condition no damages! So in all Let's Total this out:
*Time Gal - Purchase Price $25.00, book value $25.00 So no ups there.
*Everything else $45.00
BUT - Mega Key - $90.00
- Mirai Adapter - $100.00
- American Turbo Grafx and Duo Games Total - $85.00
-Japanese PC Engine and PC Total - $50.00
-Japanese Super Famicom Game - Ranma 1/2 - $30.00 (Boxed eBay price)
-Mega Drive Sailor Moon - $100.00
-Bonk's Adventure TG-16 - $15.00 (unboxed eBay price)
-Other Stuff I'm not going total out, mostly common.
So, we found a Great Game Hunt!! And the Hunt will continue. Look out for more posts!!! Also once i figure out how to upload pictures to my collection page, I will show off some of the stuff we have!!!
"ALSO SORRY IF THE PICTURES DON'T SHOW!!! IF someone could help me that would be great!!!
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Continue reading Unloved #14: Spyborgs
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