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Because of the Game Boy Player Land blog I get a lot of emails asking me for suggestions of obscure games to try. A few times I've been asked to list what I would consider a true Hidden Gem of the console, and inevitably the first title that pops into my mind is Bubble Ghost. The game is so extremely original. You control a ghost who lives in a mansion. His goal is to guide his only friend (a bubble) from one end of the mansion of another by blowing, through each room with its own set of obstacles.
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The game is wonderfully paced. Each stage gets progressively harder as you're introduced to new obstacles and ways to get around them. For instance, early on you have to cross a candle. It seems no matter how you try to guide your bubble over it the flame is too hot and the bubble bursts. Once you figure out that you can simply blow out the flame of the candle, that particular obstacle becomes far easier to surpass. The game is full of fun challenges like this, which leads me to again mention that Bubble Ghost is an absolute must-have for all Game Boy enthusiasts. Seriously.
Thought that the Halloween month would be the perfect time to bring this topic up.
Gaming, like most entertainment media, is usually centered around conflict. Be it the two colors of Chess, mute crowbar wielding theoretical physicists against the oppressive Combine, or tetrominoes versus gravity, ours is a hobby always searching for good antagonists to toss against our Hiro Protagonist.
Now that our little Pongs and 2600s have grown up into PS3s and 360s and Grandpa has a Wii at the nursing home, the larger public conscious has honed in to the fact that us gamers have been shooting, stabbing, eviscerating, decapitating, exploding, maiming, impaling, jumping on, poking, and sticking our tongues out at a variety of things for decades. Our preference tends to go in waves; we've seen the loose Cold War allegories of space aliens, the patriotic duty to eradicate the Nazi regime, the ever present threat of technology turned bad in evil robots, the popular and topical terrorist scum, even the role reversal of revolutionary or anti-hero. With high-def digital representations of human faces to shoot/hit/punch/kiss replacing solid blocks of single color and a lot of imagination, our industry is now having to take greater care in literally choosing our targets for fighting.
EA's new Medal of Honor game recently came under fire for offering the ability to play as the Taliban against the U.S. military in the multiplayer element of the game, causing a name change to "Opposing Force." This is a pretty interesting development; while other games such as Counter Strike (released originally in 1995) allow you to specifically select 'terrorist' as the faction team to play on, in recent years our western mainstream media sensitivity has heightened so much that the U.S. military refused to sell the future Medal of Honor title at military bases. (As far as I could research, there was no such ban on Counter Strike or other similar games, past or current.)
Us gamers have mowed down countless men in uniform both online and off since before the days of Wolfenstein 3D, and while criticism of simulated violence is once again a hot political topic contested in court, the industry is always searching for the next perfect, generic, we-can-all-agree-to-kill-these-guys adversaries. Each classic set of virtual villainy has its baggage:
Space aliens can come in a wide variety of flavors, but often degenerate into cliched generic evil doers who have little connection to our reality and therefore become uninteresting. Or, they represent some human-themed agenda that reduces them to simply different people groups who are actually like us and we need to learn from (our generation can call this the 'Avatar Syndrome'. Our parents could have called it the 'Star Trek Dreck.')
The classic evil regime, such as rogue Russian militias, Nazis, terrorist factions, or demonic cults (or any combination!) can help with the overall 'obviously these are bad guys' mind frame, yet the recent push for realism in gaming demands that either this direction addresses our current world mentality in some fashion, or risks being dumbed down to nonsense or unattached silliness. The new Medal of Honor will likely fall somewhere in between these, as do the Call of Duty series.
With the ethical challenges opened by our rampant technology growth state, unfeeling robots and extermination-minded AIs are a ripe candidate for adversaries, even obvious given the very nature of our hobby. Yet while the meta-themes of humanity's own poor choices are often the real backbone of these narrative elements, the theme has waned in recent years because the very technology we would fear has become so comfortably entrenched into daily life. It becomes too much a stretch to wonder if our microwaves are really sentient machines planning world domination; more likely the burrito inside is the one with the sinister plot about to unfold.
Fantasy genres tend to give us good epic potential between worthwhile oppositions, but as with sci-fi, where there is an enormous potential for originality we are all too often given the same few characters, events, and battles repackaged with a different set of pointy ears, wings, or skin colors. The motivations behind our enemies are all too often either 'we didn't know you were actually doing this for the greater good' or 'wow, you're just an evil power-monger.'
I'm not griping about having to replay the same stories: we all know there's nothing new under, around, on top, or inside the Sun. Except Noby Noby Boy. But that becomes a particular challenge for game developers:
Who are we fighting, and why? Its a question most of us gamers have probably never really cared much about. Sure, we can get into a good story, maybe even invest in some of the characters, but more often than not the game simply has to point out that the other guy will shoot you if you don't shoot first. Most of the time we're fine with that. Some games are far more intriguing for making that mindless acceptance an introspective point to the game narrative (BioShock and the Metal Gear Series come to mind) but most games just except that gamers are more interested in the action in the conflict than the reasons for the conflict.
After all, it's just a game, right? Who cares?
Well, more and more people, in fact. Many of whom don't play games. It may have been fun to use good old Jack Thompson as a whipping boy, but now that his personal crusade has done about as much good for his cause as the actual Crusades, the vacuum created in his absence combined with the continuing mainstream acceptance of video games has brought our apathy of digital empathy to the limelight. Now gamers are being asked, as we blast away at the Locust Horde, slam sports cars off the road, and run over prostitutes in a stolen Hummer, what is the context behind our actions? And the common gamer answer of, "uh, I don't care, it's just a game!" is unlikely to hold up in the currently debated California bill that judges our industry's content as completely different than movies, music, and other media. An examination of the domino effect of that bill or the eleven other states that formally support it is way outside of the scope of this post, though I always welcome such discussions.
What piqued my thoughts on this actually stems from my gaming purchase last week. Without much thought about the related source material, I picked up Dead Rising 2 and Plants Vs. Zombies. It literally didn't cross my mind until I got home that I, a person who has absolutely no consistent enjoyment, fear, or real interest in zombies just bought two games in one day that featured said creatures as the antagonists.
You see, despite my absolute love of the Castlevania franchise and a few other 'horror' gaming staples, I've never really been a fan of werewolves, vampires, 'creatures of the night/darkness', or the undead. They just don't do anything for me; I have to overcome a certain mental apathy to them to enjoy the media containing them. Oh, there have been plenty of media featuring such things that I enjoy, but often that enjoyment is in spite of, or at least indifferent to them. The psychological underpinnings of a Silent Hill interest me far more than the camp-scare of a Fatal Frame, and I get much more out of the crisis survival piece of Left 4 Dead than the weird critters those survivors are pitted against. Which is why I'm beginning to theorize that zombies may be the perfect video game bad guy; if a person like me can have fun with pop culture's recent zombie fetish, it says a lot about their staying power.
And boy, is our pop culture going through a zombie phase. Resident Evil (films and games), 28 Days/Weeks Later, Zombieland, Romero's recent set, Planet Terror, Colin, Fido, Shaun of the Dead, World War Z, Monster Island/Nation/Planet, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Left 4 Dead, Dead Rising/2, Plants Vs Zombies, the list just goes on. We now have fast zombies, shambling zombies, biting zombies, mutating zombies, Nazi zombies, Hazmat zombies, zombonis, zombie meals with fries and a diet Coke. We're so obsessed with zombies we shoehorn them into completely different properties like Call of Duty and Red Dead Redemption. We even put them into space and call them strange names like 'the Flood.'
They seem like the perfect enemies, don't they? No nationality to object to, no reason to sympathize, no moral issue with destroying what's already dead to begin with. That last attitude is a far more recent development; whereas the dead and things related to them were once treated with a great deal of dignity, respect, and cultural or religious sensitivity, our modern era has come to view corpses as biological shells and meat bags we medically treat to last for three quarters of a century or so. Upon release in 1968, Romero's Night of the Living Dead was unnerving and shocking, and still remembered today as a landmark horror film that pushed past taboo. Nowadays, we watch open heart surgery on daytime television that includes a thoughtful text blurb about content that 'some may find objectionable', and news affiliates paste up graphic crime and accident footage that 'may offend some viewers.' I wonder sometimes if the Roman Coliseum had the same warning billboards over the entrance, but I digress. :p
The cultural acceptance of the zombie concept is no more obvious than my recent purchases, Dead Rising 2 and Plants Vs. Zombies. Many gamers are somewhat familiar with these games: one of these allows the player to use everything from projectile weapons to lawnmowers to crush, burn, freeze, dismember, and decapitate a zombie horde. The other is Dead Rising 2. And while the latter is certainly far more gory, graphic, and easily offensive, Plants Vs. Zombies makes the onscreen action of similar events so goofy, sanitized, and endearing that it's hard to remember both games contain themes of cannibalism, heads popping off, limbs falling off, and eyeballs hanging loosely. It's just so darn cute.
The kicker? Plants Vs Zombies is rated E10. And I haven't heard anything about Congress putting publisher PopCap up on the stand to defend itself. (Not to imply I think they should.) If the cartoony presentation of Plants Vs Zombies were replaced with a different art style and the trademark humor replaced with a dour presentation, the game couldn't get by on that rating even if it remained relatively bloodless. Compare that with Dead Rising 2, whose M rating would be guaranteed just due to the violent content alone. Please don't think I'm picking on either of these excellent games, just pointing out that zombies are so ubiquitously accepted in our culture that these extremes exist in the first place. Parents flipped at the Atari 2600 VCS version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, yet now mommy giggles at the crunchy eating sounds (complete with screaming) coming from the house in PvZ.
So for now, it appears that zombies have earned their rightful place as our bad guys of choice, standing in line with Nazis, Russians, Space Aliens, and Congress. They can be ultra gory to satiate bloodlust or be cleaned up and painted in day-glo colors to hook housewives into spending countless hours on the family PC. We have our safe villain of the day, until the next wave crashes over and we forget why zombies were so big before, because obviously Corporations were our worst enemy all along.
Me? I'm just glad we're past vampires as the 'in' thing. Oh, hello new Castlevania...
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I don't know what Capcom was thinking when they thought that gamers would want to suddenly have one of the biggest jerk in videogame history as their hero. But for some reason it totally works in Gargoyle's Quest. In this Ghosts 'N Goblins spin-off you control Firebrand. The game combines on over-world map RPG element with side-scrolling platforming levels. Luckily Firebrand can (kind of) fly and cling to walls. It's really quite awesome to see the amount of ability that his little 8-bit sprite is capable of.
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As is to be expected from most Capcom Game Boy releases, there's an impressive level of attention paid to the graphics (both sprites and backgrounds) as well as the music. It's easy to see that Capcom tended to favor original games on the Game Boy because they actually believed in the possibilities of the hardware. Gargoyle's Quest is definitely worth checking out for Game Boy enthusiasts that are fans of platformers or a bit of the macabre.
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Accessory Snapshot | Energizer Power & Play Charging Station
For the Sony Playstation 3 | |
Keeping your controllers fully charged is obviously important in today's age of wireless gaming. Of equal importance is having an organized, spot-on display within my Room of Doom. The Energizer Power & Play Charging Station was just what the doctor ordered for this gamer. I have never been a big fan of the USB method utilized by Sony to charge standard issue controllers and certain peripherals. Though thoroughly effective, it is not the most convenient process known to man. The Energizer Power & Play Charging Station eases this process considerably.  This handy, compact device can simultaneously charge up to four (4) standard DualShock 3 or Sixaxis controllers in around 2.5 hours. Two are easily docked directly into the station while two additional USB ports provide access to charge other peripheral accessories (i.e. microphone). The station alerts you to the charging status or each via the not so subtle lighting display (red = charging; green = complete). The performance is outstanding - I have not experienced any decrease in game play time as compared to controllers charged through conventional means. This excellence is also reflected in its overall design.
The oval, classic black chassis of the Energizer Power & Play Charging Station is nicely accented with a mirrored-silver front nameplate. The lighting indicators are extremely vibrant but not to the point of being offensive. The end result is an extremely clean, modern look that will not only compliment your Playstation 3 system, but will enhance your general display. Overall the Energizer Power & Play Charging Station truly delivers on all accounts by providing exceptional functionality in a sleek, contemporary presentation. Pros | Reliably charges up to four (4) USB devices at once | Compact yet stylish design compliments any Room of Doom | Cleans up that mess of mini USB cables hanging off your PS3 like umbilical cords | | | Cons | Plastic construction feels a little fragile | The base could be a bit heavier to provide better stability when docking a controller | Externally powered by an included AC adaptor, so you will need to free up a spot on that surge protector for this unit |
| | | Coming up next on the Accessory Snapshot:
The Pelican System Selector Pro |
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I know many of you assume that I'm only interested in Game Boy games, but the truth is I grew up on many different games from many different consoles. And yet I'm pretty sure I may be the only person out there who would say that A Nightmare On Elm Street is in my Top 10 NES games of all time. In fact, it's probably one of my favorite games of all time -- period! I say that because truthfully, I play it a lot. I mean a lot. I always have. It's just one of those sort of "comfort games" to me. I almost can't see what most people seem to think is so bad about it.
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One thing we need to get out of the way is that the game was published by LJN. That (apparently) turns off most people. I've never been bothered by LJN. Certainly they've made some bad games, but at the same time they've made others that I've enjoyed immensely. Major League Baseball on the NES is still my favorite baseball game of all time. And although I don't love it as much as A Nightmare On Elm Street, I am also a big fan of the Friday The 13th game for NES as well.
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So what is it that I like about A Nightmare On Elm Street so much? For starters: the music. The music is my favorite soundtrack of any NES game -- challenged only by Mega Man III. The score is a wonderful, moody piece that takes full use of the NES' sound capabilities and goes through various sections. It's somber, scary and awesome all at once. I could listen to the music all day long.
The game is also extremely original. There are two plains of existence in this game: the regular world and the dream world. This means each levels has two different ways of being experienced. You can choose when and if to wake up by finding coffee or loud music. Although the nightmare world is harder, it does allow you to experience it as one of the Dream Masters (ninja, athlete, wizard). It's this sort of open-ended choice of how to complete the game and as who that is extremely interesting for a "crappy LJN licensed title."
But above all that, the number one reason to love A Nightmare On Elm Street is the amazing 4-player co-op. This game rules with three friends. Growing up this was my party game. And everyone had a blast. Trust me. You need to give this one another shot.
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This month the Game Boy Player Land blog will be heavily focusing on the macabre. As a huge horror movie fan, I've always had a soft spot for horror-themed games. And though I've wanted to write about them in spurts all month, I thought it would make for a really fun October if I just saved all the posts up for this 1st annual Spooktacular. All month long I'll be bombarding the blog with posts relating to ghosts, goblins, witches and the like. This month on the Game Boy Player Land blog, everyday is Halloween.
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Continue reading Unloved #18: Fire N Ice
Last July, I went to Brazil to discover the country, meet friends, and have a great time. It gave me a great opportunity to learn about a different culture, different people, etc. But, as a video game collector, I HAD to check what's special about the Brazilian market. I first searched online and I found out that the main video game company in Brazil is Tec Toy.
Continue reading What Brazil has that you don't and probably never will
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Recently the really great blog http://isitaboutmygamecube.blogspot.com put a post about the GameCube Shmup library. Fellow blogger lisalover did a great job outlining them, though what's odd is that even though he likes all five he seems to rank them completely different than I do. So as much as I encourage you to visit his blog and check out his thoughts, I'd also like to offer you some alternate thoughts on all five of these gems. Now it should be noted that although there are other Shooter games for the Cube, the library is really rather small if you're a fan of classic 2D Shmups like myself. However, I honestly think all five of these games is absolutely must-own if you are a fan of the genre. And of course I can't picture playing any of them without an arcade stick myself.
Now on to the games...
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Chaos Field tends to be one of those games that you either love or hate. There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of in-between for some reason. Personally, I love the game. It has a fantastic techno soundtrack and features beautiful graphics that truly showcase the colorful bullet-hell patterns of the game. If you've never played Chaos Field then what you need to know about what makes the game so unique is that there are no levels to shoot your way through. Instead, Chaos Field is just a series of boss battles. Generally speaking this is what most non-fan gamers tend to hate about the game. But to me, this is what makes it so special. Shmups as a genre tend to be very zen-like in a strange way. Although they are often constantly high-tension games, the ability to control the situation by understanding bullet patterns is almost relaxing. In fact, fellow RFGen blogger Crabmaster2000 once wrote that Chaos Field was like Shadow Of The Colossus in space. With that in mind, I'm not sure any Shmup fan could not adore this one.
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What can I possibly say about Ikaruga that hasn't already been said a million times? Not much really. Of course everyone knows the gimmick about the white-vs-black polarities. Generally this is one of those games that everyone knows is a great game (regardless of the inevitable backlash that's starting to present itself). In fact most gamers will consider this one an essential title in any GameCube collection regardless of genre. So having admitted that I can't shed any new light on the game, I will surely just say that I do Ikaruga. I can't picture owning a Cube without this game myself. I still play it often, still find myself astounding by the graphics, and still think it's just as challenging as ever.
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Radirgy GeneriC has a huge cult following, as well as a bit of an interesting story. It was originally released in Japan and was actually brought over to the US as Radio Allergy toward the very end of the GameCube's lifespan. In fact, the game could have possibly been the last officially released GameCube game as the Wii was already in full swing. The US packaging was even set to have a "compatible with Wii" logo on the cover as a matter of fact. In spite of glowing reviews from gaming publications, the game ultimately never materialized in the US market. Indeed, I can't help but wonder how many promotional copies are out there, as obviously the reviewers had to have something to review. I also wonder if any copies were ever pressed. Certainly Milestone could have distributed them directly through their website. But perhaps they ended up in a landfill which has since been paved over. Oh well.
Radirgy is a great game, and it's certainly understandable why it would have such a dedicated following. It's definitely unique in its presentation with its cell-shaded appearance. As great as it is, I still don't rank it quite as good as Chaos Field, Ikaruga or Shikigami No Shiro II (I'll get to that one in a second). But that just comes down to personal taste. I just don't really enjoy the cell-shaded graphics as much for Shmup. I will say that the soundtrack is great, and I guess I should mention that if you don't want to spend the high premium for the GameCube import, the game was actually re-released (along with Chaos Field on the Wii's Ultimate Shooting Collection.
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Shikigami No Shiro II is by far my favorite GameCube Shmup. In fact, it's probably one of my favorite Shmups ever. The soundtrack is incredible, the graphics are stunning, and the variety is astounding. Indeed there are seven characters to choose from, each of which has their own shooting style and special weapons. What makes the game standout is that instead of spaceships, you control little flying people. The level of the detail put into these characters is insane. I personally use Fumiko the witch, and you can even see how her robe flows through the wind. I could go on and on about what a fantastic game this is, but ultimately I feel like you just won't get it unless you try it. There's certainly a small but dedicated following to the series. I myself plan to pick up the third installment that was recently released on the Wii myself based solely on the merits of this one.
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The GameCube version of the classic Star Soldier is actually an enhanced remake that was part of a series that Hudson released. Graphically, it's incredible. It certainly blows the original away, while retaining the classic gameplay style. But perhaps that's to its detriment. While I do think this is a game worth playing, it's also a lot less deep than some of the other Shmups I've mentioned above. However, the intention of these 2.5D Hudson remakes was that they were budget titles. At least in Japan they were. So while 3,000 yen was a small price to pay for what was essentially a prettier version of a simple Shooter, it's a bit pricier for the rest of us to import the game. Having said all that, the game is still certainly worth playing through and very enjoyable if you can track it down at a reasonable price.
Of course these are all just my personal opinions. As I mentioned earlier, lisalover had a completely different take on most of these. So what are all your thoughts on these titles? Oh! And one last thing -- if anybody wants to trade or sell me the Fumiko figurine at a reasonable price, please let me know!
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I've really enjoyed Halo Reach lately. Going through the campaign with friends is a lot of fun. Even better, the co-op Firefight mode is a perfect blend of do-or-die, cover-me-I'm-going-in tension, with our LAN crew covering each-others backs. Each of us tends to pick a specialty, like sniping, defending, or vehicles, and we enjoy combining our practiced strategies against the survival situations the AI aggressors constantly dish out. There is a great thrill that comes from a few friends teaming up to tackle such a challenge, especially when said challenge can be customized and tweaked to almost any preference.
I have yet to touch the traditional competitive multiplayer, the feature suite that many (if not most) in the gaming community consider the main, if only 'real,' reason to buy a Halo game. And I may not.
This can appear befuddling if you know my history. I was one of the original Halo CE LAN enthusiasts. A four television, 16 player Halo game party was a staple at my home for three summers straight. I could snipe, drop an opponent with an AR from mid-range in one clip, and splatter an entire opposing team if I got my hands on a Ghost. The skill level in our group of a dozen and a half friends ranged from 'Help! I can't stop staring at the wall!' to 'Look, I killed him from across the map by shooting the pistol at his toe.' We developed balanced teams, and had the gaming time of our lives.
Then Xbox Live happened. Now, I'm not knocking Live, and previous blog entries have gone into detail about what it brought to the industry, warts and all. But Live very nearly ruined Halo multiplayer for me.
Oh, I hung on for a few weeks in Halo 2. My victories, once placing me within the top four or five, slowly slipped into the mid range of the team, then lower. I wondered if I simply was not as good at the game as I thought, and that perhaps was part of it. But after awhile, and chatting with the 'l33ts' that pwned me, I realized a bit of the reason for the discrepancy:
Playing for a few hours (at most) a week simply would not allow me to compete with those who could play for twenty hours or more, weekly, sometimes in one sitting. Some of my LAN friends admitted to putting even more time into it. Before, we really only played when we could play together. Without the limitation of approximately equal game-time, the balance was forever shifting, and I would not, could not, catch up.
And would I want to? I mean, even if my Beloved, my kids, my household responsibilities, and my other social outlets somehow allowed me to have a full day's worth of game time a week, and I used it all to play games, would I want to play one game all the time? I have a backlog that hovers around a few hundred deep. I want to experience them, have fun with them, play them. Sure, I want to play Halo. And Alan Wake. And Demon Souls. And Super Mario Galaxy 2. And Contra III, Castlevania Bloodlines, Space Dungeon, Return Fire, Shining Force III, Raiden IV, Rondo of Blood, Tempest 2000, and Jenga. No, not video game Jenga. Real Jenga.
My point? I like to play a game, have fun, and move on when I want. Right now I love Firefight, in part because I know I can tweak the difficulty to an appropriate challenge with my friends, we can play out that beautiful survival tension, and be done. It's addictive, and I don't have to spend a part-time job's worth of hours just to maintain my ability to compete. The new 'Horde Mode' game-type, recently popularized (though not invented) by Gears of War 2, feels like it was catering to me. And with Left for Dead, Left for Dead 2, Borderlands, Lost Planet 2, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Castle Crashers, ODST, and now Reach, our LAN party is once again just as fun for those of us who only get a few hours of real game time a week. Some of us may miss a headshot, forget to reload, or accidentally drop a grenade at the foot of a teammate. But we're all having so much fun, it doesn't matter. And as a bonus, we don't have to reach for the mute control to avoid ridiculous language, singing, or random noises from online players.
I'm all for online gaming, and of course not everyone can set up a home LAN. But if you and a few friends have a way to make it happen, you may discover my favorite way to play modern gaming.
And still have time left over to play Tetris. Hey, I love me some Tetris.
Well, this one is much longer than the first episode, we cover some recent and some retro, and the audio, well, it's clear! Thanks to den68 for the iTunes logo! Here's the breakdown:
Introduction
Topic List
Our Gaming Past
What's New On RF Generation?
Anniversary Spectacular
Brand Old Game - Gate of Thunder
Top 5
Outro
Catch it here: http://rfgeneration.podomatic.com or subscribe to us on iTunes!
As always, we're happy to hear from you guys about topics, questions, comments, suggestions, etc. either here in the blog comments or in the RF Generation Podcast thread found here: http://www.rfgeneration.c...m/index.php?topic=10730.0
It's that time of the year again. The RFGen server account has run day again and we're asking for donations from our community to help with the server costs. As always, 100% of proceeds go directly to the server costs to keep the site up and running. Any prizes for contests are donated by the staff. Donation money is strictly used for paying the $85/month server bill.
It's the donations of the RFGen community that keep the site running on a daily basis. We've discussed the idea of having ads throughout the site, but as long as we can keep the site supported by members of the community we will continue to do so. All databases, collection tools, and forums are provided free of charge and are supported by our volunteer staff and the donations of the community, and we want to keep it that way!
We appreciate all who have helped out in the past and we thank all of you who continue to support the RFGen community. Without you there is no RF Generation.
You can follow this link to make a donation.
Thanks in advance and keep it on channel 3!
PS: Don't forget to PM myself or one of the staff when you give and we'll change your status to donor, which gives you some additional forum privileges 
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September's Together Retro title for the game club over at http://www.racketboy.com was Urban Strike. Now I had always heard of the Strike series, but I had never actually played any of the games. Nor was I even familiar with them beyond their titles. I had no idea how they actually played at all. Because of this I decided to first spend a little time with the Genesis version first in order to get a proper feel for how the game should play so that I might compare it to the Game Boy port. And in truth, I'm glad I did. I feel like playing the 16-bit version really helped me pick up on the vast subtleties that made the Game Boy port so impressive.
If you haven't played Urban Strike or one of the other games in the series, it's a little hard to explain. Basically you control a helicopter, and the game utilizes a semi-3D sort-of isometric view. Genre-wise I guess I'd call the game strategic action. Each level contains multiple missions that can be completed in any order that you wish. And strategy such as armor, fuel, and ammo-consumption all plays a big part in the game. However all of the action is real-time. It's interesting, and unique if not a bit on the sharp-side when it comes to the learning curve. However, once you put an hour or two into figuring out what exactly it is that you're supposed to be doing, it becomes apparent that the game is actually really great.
Once I felt like I understood the game itself (it took me nearly two weeks to beat the first level), I popped in the Game Boy port. Now remember, this game almost looked too good for a 16-bit game. So condensing it down to a Game Boy title was certainly ambitious. And although certain aspects definitely suffered (there's no music, and only minimal sound effects during actual gameplay; and of course the controls had to be modified to utilize only two action buttons. However it should be noted that although much of the graphics had to be a bit downgraded, much of the layouts, animations and missions are left very close to intact. It's actually extremely impressive to see these pseudo-3D scrolling effects on the Game Boy.
Below I've taken the liberty of doing some Genesis vs. Game Boy screen shot comparisons.
[img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/jSizql.jpg[/img] [img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/0jUem.gif[/img]
[img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/DFWxfl.jpg[/img] [img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/N0H8a.gif[/img]
[img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/WYkCpl.jpg[/img] [img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/WyVLD.gif[/img]
[img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/lsg0xl.jpg[/img] [img width=200 height=200]http://imgur.com/2E3HT.gif[/img]
[img width=300 height=300]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bigboxshots/3/924883_59653_front.jpg[/img]
Recently I've noticed that Gamestop is beginning to really condense their Game Boy Advance and Gamecube sections. As you might assume, this is a sad time for the Game Boy Player Land blog. And a sad time to be a fan of either library. I've noticed message boards blowing up with suggestions for games that we all must go out and grab before it's "too late." And yet, there's just one that keeps popping into my mind that I want to tell you all about.
Invader is a GBA Shmup that I've mentioned before. But the thing is, it's apparently very rare. At least here in the US. Even after all of Gamestop's recent price-drops, it's still $10. That's a hefty-price for a GBA cart that isnt' a first party title, or a Final Fantasy game. Indeed even Gamestop knows somethings special about this one.
Most websites claim that Invader was released in the US. But I have no proof of that. Indeed, the only copies I've ever happened upon here in the states are the European version. Copies that apparently made their way over here somehow, some way. And are indeed rare.
I'll tell you this though, friends: Invader rules. I can't say that it's the best GBA Shmup (because of Iridion II), but it's at least tied. And lucky for you the Gamestop website allows you to insert your zip code and see if your local store is carrying a certain game. So if it has Invader, you need to go get it. Trust me on this one, okay?
I just finished up the Halo: Reach campaign for the first time.
If ODST's narrative theme was co-operative survival (further punctuated by the addition of the Firefight mode) then Reach attempts, and largely succeeds, to embody foreboding loss. Even the extensive marketing blurbs "Before the beginning, you know the end," and "Remember Reach" try to pull at the heartstrings of players who have invested nearly a decade into the franchise. We know with a Star Wars Episode III certainty that all but a sliver of hope is lost, and the big campaign hook is to see and play out those final hours.
So it came as quite the surprise to me, a person who normally appreciates this type of theme and approach, that Reach is my least favorite Halo narrative. I'm writing this coming fresh off completing the campaign on Heroic with two friends, and this blog is based off my thoughts directly afterward.
Sporting vivid earth tones after three majorly purple hued games, the graphics and texture work are greatly improved. The enemy intelligence is remarkably challenging. Martin O'Donnell's masterful score once again captures the appropriate mix of energy, awe, and somber emotion. The weapon, grenade, and melee balance make the combat feel pitch perfect (always debatable, but it felt right to me.) The multiplayer alone sells the game, and Reach is by far the most extensive offering in this department.
Yet as much as I enjoy large-scale Halo LAN parties, and absolutely fell in love with the Firefight mode, at heart I'm a fan of the series because I very much got into the Halo universe itself. I love a good sci-fi yarn, and while the fiction of Halo doesn't offer anything new (indeed, much of it easily comes across as generic space marine warfare) the passion behind the product shines through. There is a great amount of affection given to the universe of Halo, brought to light through comics, novels, short movies, pretty much any available media. Even non canon comedy spin-offs such as Red vs. Blue and Odd One Out (from the Halo Legends compilation) help weave a multi-part construct that is distinctly Halo. The series has long outgrown video games and become a cultural staple, defended by some as ardently as Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, even if it is not quite as ubiquitous.
I don't try to justify the faults in the game or explain away the flaws. I've just found myself enjoying each game in the series, and feel more invested with every game, book, comic, or radio controlled Warthog.
I've come to realize that a big part of my enjoyment is from the retelling of the classic superhero mythology. In the original trilogy, Master Chief spent long stretches of the game time 'lone gunning' it. Marines were dropped off or assisted in larger skirmishes or assaults, giving the game an appropriate feel of being part of a larger army, but just as often it came down to you and MC, with the sweet whisperings of lady Cortana in your helmet. You were the last hope, and the fate of not just humanity but all life in the galaxy repeatedly depended on your success. Whether or not Halo is our generation's Star Wars, Master Chief is certainly our Superman: a being created beyond Earth, invincible yet mortal, alien yet human, selfless yet fallible, intelligent yet gullible. It is by design that our beloved Spartan 117 has a voice, and a smooth, certain, calming one. Halo games buck the FPS trend of the silent protagonist because we don't want to just be Master Chief, we want to believe in Master Chief.
Microsoft's marketing wisely noted this:
Now it doesn't really matter if you don't buy into all that and just play countless hours of multiplayer, because Halo's success has moved beyond campaign stories, online deathmatches, and even gaming itself. There is so much franchise material developed that it is now entirely possible to be an extensive Halo fan and never pick up a 360 controller. Between books, comics, movies, and toys, one can know the entire universe fiction and never touch an Xbox 360.
That being said, the first three Halo games wrapped the narrative around Master Chief and Cortana (and to a lesser extent, the Arbiter), and it was their story. The universe is strong enough to survive in their shadow to some extent; despite the 'expansion pack' debacle coloring ODST, the side story it told helped humanize the universe's events in the wake of the larger-than-life heroes. The effect was less jarring than it might otherwise have been because even though the game told the player that we were no longer Superman, the game played out largely the same as if you were; hiding behind cover healed 'stamina' instead of shields, and perhaps the enemies looked a little taller, but often the effect came across as playing a different Master Chief in a sort of detective film noir side mission. The separate levels of the other ODSTs mapped out a sort of playable short story compilation that helped give the game its own identity, one that the game's silent 'Rookie' protagonist couldn't project. Personally I felt it worked, if only because it was still Halo even if it sometimes seemed just a little derivative, and because your character still felt powerful enough to continue selling a bit of the Superman saving the world feel.
In Reach, there is another level of separation: the protagonist is a Spartan III, which should ideally bridge the gap between what should have been a tough but outmatched marine and technology-enabled super warrior. For those less familiar with the fiction (mainly told in the novel "Ghosts of Onyx") Spartan IIIs represent a more quickly produced, cheaper, more expendable variant of the Spartan program through the use of less intensive modification methods. Not as superhuman as Spartan IIs, the third generation nonetheless represent the pinnacle of military technology. Yet in Reach, the player feels even more vulnerable than in ODST. On the Heroic setting (developer Bungie's recommended default) only one or two hits from many weapons will drop a player, or at the very least all of their shields. While the technology for Spartan IIIs are supposed to favor less armor and more stealth, the effect is that the player feels less like a Superman and more like an expendable soldier on the front line. This is perhaps consistent with the story fiction, but it had an interesting effect on me personally:
Often I didn't feel as though I was playing a Halo game, but something more akin to Call of Duty or Medal of Honor. Almost the entire game takes place on the planet of Reach, a brown, grey, and earthen landscape spotted by brown, grey, and earthen industrialized complexes. It lends a more relate-able gravitas to a series known for its purple and pink colors and bizarre geographical architecture, and helps sell the idea of a more human note of urgency and despair.
It also at times takes the game only a few shades away from the feel of a generic war game. With more focus on the fate of humanity and less on the awe, the mystery, the alien connection to the conflict, ironically I felt less drawn into the plight of Noble Six and any emotion I was supposed to feel for them. This was most noticeable in an oddly backwards realization about my favorite cinematic in the game. Without giving away too much of a spoiler, at one moment a character is running with your squad, a shot rings out, and the character's head snaps back, dead in an instant from a random sniper shot fired from a random enemy from a random location. There is no long dialogue, no epic speech, no cries out to an ultimate nemesis. Just the true, indiscriminate nature of war. I appreciated the bluntness, as realism used properly helps the investment in the narrative.
The problem is that the moment made me realize, until then, I hadn't really cared that much. I hadn't felt the grand, epic stage on the canvas of the Halo story. It was another war game. Fun combat, great action, well made, just very little investment. For most games that's not a big problem, but for a game designed around playing out a big piece of the Halo fiction? That didn't seem right.
The story does pick up at about the halfway mark, eventually ties into the original trilogy, and ends as it should. But the sudden death of that character signaled that I had played for several hours and I hadn't really invested anything, something that had never happened to me in a Halo game before. Normally the story, such as it is, catches my attention enough that even beyond the fun of playing, I want to see the adventure out. I want to get caught up in the atmosphere and let it become my impetus to 'finish the fight.' And by taking away my Superman status and letting me play as another cog in the war machine- albeit a shiny, tougher than normal cog- I felt more like fodder than savior. And at least for me, that reduced the grandstanding nature of the story into what the series' critics always claim Halo really is; an unoriginal space marine simulator.
But then, that's the nature of a franchise. Much ink real and digital has been spilled discussing the nature of sequels. Once a media product is given an addition to its series, inevitably they will all be compared and contrasted ad infinitum. No series will make everyone happy every time, and every change will have fans and critics. I'm thrilled that Reach's campaign is being so well received, even if I still prefer the story in Halo 3, ODST, or even Halo Wars.
Am I being way too hypersensitive? Well, despite my negative tone, I did have a really fun time with the game so far. The campaign was by no means bad; just about every review I've read claims it to be the best Halo has to offer. And to be fair, Bungie made clear that they are moving on from Master Chief and, one last time, exploring other corners of the vast place they created. Reach is consistent with what it sells itself as and makes no excuses by pretending to be something it isn't. (Proven in part by the smart and limited use of vehicle and space segments that, in less talented hands, could have overtaken the gameplay instead of complementing it.) I was just surprised that, despite having fun, I didn't personally delve into this darker corner at the edge of the Halo Universe as deep as expected. It's still a great video game, and for that, fun is more than enough.
Now, about the rehab I'll need to be pulled away from the new Firefight...
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