Update: I have found that the pricing for 360 and the Wii U will be 49.99 as well and it will be day one digital download for PS3 only with the other two consoles following suit later.
Just a quick post today. It was recently announced that the amazingly good Resident Evil: Revelations that was previously released only on the 3DS will be coming to consoles, May 21st (my wife's birthday, she'll be thrilled) in the Us and the 24th in Europe. So far only the pricing for the PS3 has been announced, which is at 49.99, but it will be released for the 360 and the Wii U. Hopefully they will be improving the graphics and adding some stuff, because as of now you can buy it for 19.99 for a new copy at Gamestop for 3DS and 30 extra dollars seems steep for the privilege of playing the game on a tv with a controller. I will update as soon as the pricing is announced for the remaining 2 consoles. Let me know if you're excited to see it on console or if it was good enough as a handheld.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Starry Starry Knight: Black Knight Sword Review
I was incredibly excited to see that Grashopper Manufacture, Inc. and Suda51 was releasing a new game called Black Knight Sword, and even more so that it was being released to Xbox Live Arcade. If there's anything I love more than movies it's video games and above video games it's the ability to buy a game and play it without putting on pants.
I had been in a funk with video games lately only playing full retail games, which have several pros and cons. As far as the main pro for a retail game is the (sometimes) high production value on a retail game tends to be higher as there is more money put into development, the con is that this cost is passed directly to the consumer with most new retail games coming out in the $60 dollar range. The reason behind my retail funk is that most retail games aren't normally a pick-up-and-play affair, meaning any time you play you have to carve out a decent chunk of time to play. This is where XBL arcade games are great, sometimes I only have 10 or fifteen minutes to kill and these games are built with this in mind.
Now as for Black Knight Sword, it was released during the holidays, December 12th on Xbox, and while I had heard about it I didn't have the funds or the time to get it. This led to this week when I downloaded the demo (another great feature for XBL arcade) and within the first 5 minutes I knew I needed to get the full game. Not exactly a breaking the bank occurrence as it was 800 Microsoft points (about $10.) I have always had a high opinion of Grasshopper Manufacture, Inc. and have been a day one purchaser of their previous games, like the criminally underrated Lollipop Chainsaw, and Shadows of the Damned (the only game I've seen with an achievement with the word "Fuckin' " in the title) and knew I would not be let down.
The game starts with the tale of a beautiful princess whom is equal part beautiful and ruthless. In the same land as the princess there lives a sword spirit that opposes the princess. The sword spirit imbues your character with the powers of the black knight sword. You begin playing as a corpse hanging from a noose in an empty hotel room, falling from the noose and obtaining the sword and the black knight armor and powers, which leads you into a tutorial for movements and attacks. The controls are quite basic, a multi-directional attack, right trigger attacks with sword spirit and you unlock the use of magic with the "Y" button later.
The star of this game however is not the controls but the art. The game is done in the style of a paper puppet show. This game looks like the marriage and then odd baby of Castlevania and Monty Python art. With complete honesty when I mention something is like Castlevania it is high praise indeed as Symphony of the Night is my favorite game of all time.
Along with the paper art puppetry things are quite odd in this world too. The only real world enemies are wolves that you only see a few times, everything else is deformed and hideous, most enemies are brown wrinkled heads with appendages. Bosses are normally deformed animals like an enormous wolf with the head of what looks like Miyamoto-San (head honcho of Nintendo) wearing an eye patch, or an enormous spider wearing a gas mask and an abdomen made of a face that spits out smaller flying faces. Far and away the kookiest level has to be a level where you fight a 30 foot tall chicken. After defeating the chicken your character jumps on it and you play a flying(?) mission, akin to Galaxia shooting lasers and collecting powerups to battle an onion shaped head. During this level my wife walked into the room and stood bewildered and stunned (a condition I have deemed "Suda-Ed") by the crazy kookiness that is what I expect from Suda51 and Grasshopper. When she looked at me weirded into silence I looked back and said "Gotta love Japan."
The only downfalls I could find in the game was that one the story is almost nonexistent, with small stories being told along the way in rhyme but with nothing really connecting everything together. Second, the character you play as is silent, all previous efforts by Suda and Grasshopper have had great characters with funny personalities, and the silent black knight is devoid of this. Lastly, death makes you start the entire level over again making the last level a trudge, I got wiped out twice at the last boss and had play the massive last level again. These things are mere blemishes on a well made kooky game and should not stop you from playing. This game is a must buy, so go download it and have a great . . . Knight.
I had been in a funk with video games lately only playing full retail games, which have several pros and cons. As far as the main pro for a retail game is the (sometimes) high production value on a retail game tends to be higher as there is more money put into development, the con is that this cost is passed directly to the consumer with most new retail games coming out in the $60 dollar range. The reason behind my retail funk is that most retail games aren't normally a pick-up-and-play affair, meaning any time you play you have to carve out a decent chunk of time to play. This is where XBL arcade games are great, sometimes I only have 10 or fifteen minutes to kill and these games are built with this in mind.
Now as for Black Knight Sword, it was released during the holidays, December 12th on Xbox, and while I had heard about it I didn't have the funds or the time to get it. This led to this week when I downloaded the demo (another great feature for XBL arcade) and within the first 5 minutes I knew I needed to get the full game. Not exactly a breaking the bank occurrence as it was 800 Microsoft points (about $10.) I have always had a high opinion of Grasshopper Manufacture, Inc. and have been a day one purchaser of their previous games, like the criminally underrated Lollipop Chainsaw, and Shadows of the Damned (the only game I've seen with an achievement with the word "Fuckin' " in the title) and knew I would not be let down.
The game starts with the tale of a beautiful princess whom is equal part beautiful and ruthless. In the same land as the princess there lives a sword spirit that opposes the princess. The sword spirit imbues your character with the powers of the black knight sword. You begin playing as a corpse hanging from a noose in an empty hotel room, falling from the noose and obtaining the sword and the black knight armor and powers, which leads you into a tutorial for movements and attacks. The controls are quite basic, a multi-directional attack, right trigger attacks with sword spirit and you unlock the use of magic with the "Y" button later.
The star of this game however is not the controls but the art. The game is done in the style of a paper puppet show. This game looks like the marriage and then odd baby of Castlevania and Monty Python art. With complete honesty when I mention something is like Castlevania it is high praise indeed as Symphony of the Night is my favorite game of all time.
Along with the paper art puppetry things are quite odd in this world too. The only real world enemies are wolves that you only see a few times, everything else is deformed and hideous, most enemies are brown wrinkled heads with appendages. Bosses are normally deformed animals like an enormous wolf with the head of what looks like Miyamoto-San (head honcho of Nintendo) wearing an eye patch, or an enormous spider wearing a gas mask and an abdomen made of a face that spits out smaller flying faces. Far and away the kookiest level has to be a level where you fight a 30 foot tall chicken. After defeating the chicken your character jumps on it and you play a flying(?) mission, akin to Galaxia shooting lasers and collecting powerups to battle an onion shaped head. During this level my wife walked into the room and stood bewildered and stunned (a condition I have deemed "Suda-Ed") by the crazy kookiness that is what I expect from Suda51 and Grasshopper. When she looked at me weirded into silence I looked back and said "Gotta love Japan."
The only downfalls I could find in the game was that one the story is almost nonexistent, with small stories being told along the way in rhyme but with nothing really connecting everything together. Second, the character you play as is silent, all previous efforts by Suda and Grasshopper have had great characters with funny personalities, and the silent black knight is devoid of this. Lastly, death makes you start the entire level over again making the last level a trudge, I got wiped out twice at the last boss and had play the massive last level again. These things are mere blemishes on a well made kooky game and should not stop you from playing. This game is a must buy, so go download it and have a great . . . Knight.
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Disclosure: This review is sponsored by Grasshopper. I received free product for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own and no further monetary compensation was received.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Disney Inifity: Printing Money
Disney recently announced a new game called Disney Infinity. The game itself is not that new of a concept, especially if you have younger kids in the house. Disney Infinity is an action platformer title similar to that of Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, both in the play style and in the fact that the game is played by using an NFC reader to scan figures (purcahsed with the initial game and in separate packs) and playing as the scanned figures in the game. I think even though this idea is not the most original it is still genius. Adults collect everything Disney to recapture their youth that was squandered (guilty) and purchase the toys because kids (and everyone) likes Disney.
Earlier today Disney Interactive Studios announced pricing for the game and the figures which up until now was only speculated as "Really Fucking Expensive" because A: Its Disney and B: Skylanders shit was really expensive. So, the starter set, which includes the game, the NFC scanner base, and 3 Figures:Mr. Incredible, Sully, and Jack Sparrow along with the character's playsets, which equates to levels of play which are The Incredibles, Monster's University, and Pirates of the Caribbean respectively is priced at $75 in the us for consoles and a little less for 3DS. Just like Skylanders there are plenty of figures to buy separately, 20 to be exact, a 3-pack will be 29.99 or individually for 12.99. There will be power discs, which is different from Skylanders, that imbue your characters with special moves, they run 4.99, no news as to if these are packaged as single powers or multiple in a package.
Right now the only release date announced was the European street date of June 28th. Normally in similar situations the US date is a bit ahead of the UK so it will probably be the 25th as US release dates normally fall on Tuesdays. Seeing as this is 6 months out there is plenty of time to save up. I for one will be an early adopter, but only under certain conditions, there must be a Nightmare Before Christmas level, also Lion King is a must. I have seen the trailer for the game that does show Jack Skellington rendered in game so I don't think I'm too far off the mark but I want to play a full level as well. So, Disney, you know what needs to be done.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Lollipop Chainsaw: A test you can use to see if other people are worth talking to
This post was originally hosted at cheshirecatart by the great artist Devin Kraft. The review was originally posted back when the game was first released and I wanted to post it here now that I have my own blog.
The game starts with young Juliet Starling narrating to the player about how today is her birthday. She introduces us to people we'll see throughout the game; her sisters Cordelia and Rosalind, her mom (who,we are told is the reason that Juliet and her sisters wear their vaginas proudly) her dad, and her boyfriend Nick.
Juliet explains, in a series of photos and shower scenes, that her family is different from Nick's because they are zombie hunters. Nick is very early on bitten by a zombie and before he himself turns, Juliet decapitates him. With magic she is able to keep his head alive and attached to her waist band. Nick serves as comic relief (in an already comical game) and in several different situations can be used as a weapon against the zombie hordes. Her weapons, along with Nick's are upgraded by the cast of the game giving Juliet presents for her birthday.
The prologue exists mostly to introduce us to combat and the tone of the game.
The combat is simple:
As you progress thru the game you earn zombie medals in gold and platinum which you can use at the game store. Gold variety buys upgrades to either her base stats or for combo moves. Platinum medals buy costumes, in-game music and conceptual art.
The aforementioned tone is decidedly adult and at the same time juvenile but always funny. From a class mate that was rescued from a zombie horde randomly proclaiming his favorite president to be Warren G. Harding to the perverted Sensei Morikawa repeatedly falling face first into Juliet's cleavage. Although some humor is just funny without being rude or offensive, one of my favorite exchanges is in the first level between Juliet and Nick, it goes:
Juliet: I need to find Morikawa Sensei.
Nick: Who?
Juliet: Morikawa Sensei! He's my sensei.
Nick: You mean like a teacher?
Juliet: I didn't know you speak Japanese Nick!? (she then proceeds to speak in Japanese for a minute or so)
Nick: I don't know Japanese, just that one word.
Juliet: Oh Nick, your simple innocence is one of the reasons I love you! You're like a kitten. A kitten that doesn't speak Japanese!
The story does feel like it's being purposely perverse (in a very good way), like a lot of the comedic R rated movies coming out lately, it's reaching for that "hard R," or in this case a "hard M." It's in line with other Suda51 games, being unapologetically weird, with cursing and gorey fighting and has random uses of the words "dick" and "fuck" aplenty. Lollipop Chainsaw also contains one of my favorite mini games in which you drive a combine thru a field of zombies.
Leading up to the release of the game James Gunn (director of Dawn of the Dead and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy) was brought on and his addition helps to make a zombie masterpiece.
Graphically the game isn't out to win any awards, but it serves it's purpose. Their are several mediums used in the design of the game. Most of the game is done in a third person camera style, but has comic panels for level score and menus, as well as very flat 2-D transitions in levels that look a lot like moving paper similar to South Park but not crappy. Whenever a new character is introduced we are given a bio in comic book format, that gives us attributes and a list of "Likes" (things like badminton and shooting are clumped together with things like masturbation and wanting to meet Justin Bieber and then add his skull to the person's collection).
There do seem to be controversies around the game already about it being degrading, offensive, sexist, and weird. My argument to that is, "Isn't that what makes it fun?" Which is what it really breaks down to folks. The reason we play video games is to have fun. Why should we take a game like this seriously when it clearly doesn't take it's self seriously. Yes the game is short. There is replay value and not just for achievement hunters but for the great dialogue and all the many things that you miss the first time around.
In closing I do not believe in number scoring (because numbers are arbitrary), I will only recommend that you buy this game and love it for what it is. Always pay for the things you like so that the people making them can continue to do so.
Also, do yourself a favor and turn on the subtitles, you'll be glad you did.
---
The game starts with young Juliet Starling narrating to the player about how today is her birthday. She introduces us to people we'll see throughout the game; her sisters Cordelia and Rosalind, her mom (who,we are told is the reason that Juliet and her sisters wear their vaginas proudly) her dad, and her boyfriend Nick.
Juliet explains, in a series of photos and shower scenes, that her family is different from Nick's because they are zombie hunters. Nick is very early on bitten by a zombie and before he himself turns, Juliet decapitates him. With magic she is able to keep his head alive and attached to her waist band. Nick serves as comic relief (in an already comical game) and in several different situations can be used as a weapon against the zombie hordes. Her weapons, along with Nick's are upgraded by the cast of the game giving Juliet presents for her birthday.
The prologue exists mostly to introduce us to combat and the tone of the game.
The combat is simple:
- Strong chainsaw attack
- Pom Pom Attack (which serves to dizzy zombies for a beheading hit)
- Low chainsaw attack which de-feets zombies (get it?!?)
- Dodge
As you progress thru the game you earn zombie medals in gold and platinum which you can use at the game store. Gold variety buys upgrades to either her base stats or for combo moves. Platinum medals buy costumes, in-game music and conceptual art.
The aforementioned tone is decidedly adult and at the same time juvenile but always funny. From a class mate that was rescued from a zombie horde randomly proclaiming his favorite president to be Warren G. Harding to the perverted Sensei Morikawa repeatedly falling face first into Juliet's cleavage. Although some humor is just funny without being rude or offensive, one of my favorite exchanges is in the first level between Juliet and Nick, it goes:
Juliet: I need to find Morikawa Sensei.
Nick: Who?
Juliet: Morikawa Sensei! He's my sensei.
Nick: You mean like a teacher?
Juliet: I didn't know you speak Japanese Nick!? (she then proceeds to speak in Japanese for a minute or so)
Nick: I don't know Japanese, just that one word.
Juliet: Oh Nick, your simple innocence is one of the reasons I love you! You're like a kitten. A kitten that doesn't speak Japanese!
The story does feel like it's being purposely perverse (in a very good way), like a lot of the comedic R rated movies coming out lately, it's reaching for that "hard R," or in this case a "hard M." It's in line with other Suda51 games, being unapologetically weird, with cursing and gorey fighting and has random uses of the words "dick" and "fuck" aplenty. Lollipop Chainsaw also contains one of my favorite mini games in which you drive a combine thru a field of zombies.
Leading up to the release of the game James Gunn (director of Dawn of the Dead and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy) was brought on and his addition helps to make a zombie masterpiece.
Graphically the game isn't out to win any awards, but it serves it's purpose. Their are several mediums used in the design of the game. Most of the game is done in a third person camera style, but has comic panels for level score and menus, as well as very flat 2-D transitions in levels that look a lot like moving paper similar to South Park but not crappy. Whenever a new character is introduced we are given a bio in comic book format, that gives us attributes and a list of "Likes" (things like badminton and shooting are clumped together with things like masturbation and wanting to meet Justin Bieber and then add his skull to the person's collection).
There do seem to be controversies around the game already about it being degrading, offensive, sexist, and weird. My argument to that is, "Isn't that what makes it fun?" Which is what it really breaks down to folks. The reason we play video games is to have fun. Why should we take a game like this seriously when it clearly doesn't take it's self seriously. Yes the game is short. There is replay value and not just for achievement hunters but for the great dialogue and all the many things that you miss the first time around.
In closing I do not believe in number scoring (because numbers are arbitrary), I will only recommend that you buy this game and love it for what it is. Always pay for the things you like so that the people making them can continue to do so.
Also, do yourself a favor and turn on the subtitles, you'll be glad you did.
Original Artwork by Devin Kraft
---
Disclosure: This is a non-sponsored review. All product was purchased by me and the purpose of this review is based solely on my own interests. No product or monetary compensation was given to me by said company.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Weekend at Preppers: ZombiU Review
Being dissatisfied and disgruntled at the sub-par yet highly praised and completely overrated Dishonored I decided a foray back to the Wii U was in order. I decided on ZombiU created by Ubisoft who has put out some of my favorite games, which normally get pretty decent reviews. ZombiU isn't one of those games. I was completely surprised by this as I had been following the game since E3 last year and even with a market saturated in zombie games (zombies are the new WWII of gaming) I was really stoked to play it. This was the fact so much so that I had decided that ZombiU would be a day one purchase along with the Wii U. However I started reading up on the game, as I try to do before purchasing any game, because while the responsibilities don't last as long I akin games to puppies and study a game as I would any breed before I give it a forever home I my collection, and was amazed to see the game being blackballed by quite a few publications, e or otherwise, and was getting low scores.
ZombiU opens in a world already changed and ravaged by a virus that has infected a majority of the population and you play as a survivor against the odds. In the opening we are given an FMV that shows some of the disease's effetcson humanity both physically and psychologically. Your survivor is contacted by a voice that is coming thru speakers on a street and you see you are being watched by cameras as well. You're tasked with running to survive, this shows you some of the basics of movement and action buttons. Also, if you are slow to catch on, this shows another game mechanic, permanent death. Yes, in this survival horror game it is possible to not survive.
Assuming you live you're led, over intercom, to a safe house setup by the a man identifying himself as "Prepper." Prepper spent his past days prepping for the apocalypse following advise of a man named John Dee, who was an advisor to the queen who accurately predicted the zombie apocalypse. Prepper sets you up with a device he made called the "Prepper Pad." The Prepper Pad is a virtual stand in for the Wii U game pad. The pad shows you a map of your area, has a radar that you ping living/undead creatures to avoid zombie ass nibbles, and a scanner that you hold up to scan your area for item and infected as well. Also later the scanner is your scope for any weapons with a zoom. The pad is essential to the game and survival, it solves riddles, reveals hidden codes and gets updated throughout the story.
From here you become Prepper's lackey, but for the greater good of surviving. He send you to areas to gather supplies, ammo, weapons and food, and ultimately get saved. You're first mission is very basic and leads you to getting essentials for the game. You are tasked with finding the last guy Prepper tried to help who is stuck in a security window and has been zombified. He had a handgun and a cricket bat as well as a backpack they have dubbed a B.O.B. or bug out bag that stores all the things you find to survive. This also serves to teach you how to defend yourself against zombies, which is to savagely beat them to death with a cricket bat, which comes with feelings of satisfaction as their heads pop in a bloody mess. Unfortunately, as you soon learn this is the only defenseless zombie that cannot hurt you.
The graphics do seem a bit dated, while still THIS generation, there is some blocky textures. The colors are dulled hues, browns and grays, all but blood and explosions anyway, but who fucking cares?! It's a survival horror game the dull colors mask zombies, makes them harder to see,which serves the game well. There is tons of darkness and you have a sole rechargeable flash light that stands in the way of complete and utter blackness. You are alone, there is the voice that comes across the pad now and again of Prepper but the color and the environment really do help to help that feeling of desolation.
This game is a definite buy. It's been out just long enough that you shouldn't have to pay the $60 price tag anymore. This game is for anyone who likes their games difficult, misses Resident Evil 1 or 2's feeling of horror, and fans of zombies. This game is completely and utterly,first and foremost, survival horror, it never forgets that so neither should you.
ZombiU opens in a world already changed and ravaged by a virus that has infected a majority of the population and you play as a survivor against the odds. In the opening we are given an FMV that shows some of the disease's effetcson humanity both physically and psychologically. Your survivor is contacted by a voice that is coming thru speakers on a street and you see you are being watched by cameras as well. You're tasked with running to survive, this shows you some of the basics of movement and action buttons. Also, if you are slow to catch on, this shows another game mechanic, permanent death. Yes, in this survival horror game it is possible to not survive.
Assuming you live you're led, over intercom, to a safe house setup by the a man identifying himself as "Prepper." Prepper spent his past days prepping for the apocalypse following advise of a man named John Dee, who was an advisor to the queen who accurately predicted the zombie apocalypse. Prepper sets you up with a device he made called the "Prepper Pad." The Prepper Pad is a virtual stand in for the Wii U game pad. The pad shows you a map of your area, has a radar that you ping living/undead creatures to avoid zombie ass nibbles, and a scanner that you hold up to scan your area for item and infected as well. Also later the scanner is your scope for any weapons with a zoom. The pad is essential to the game and survival, it solves riddles, reveals hidden codes and gets updated throughout the story.
From here you become Prepper's lackey, but for the greater good of surviving. He send you to areas to gather supplies, ammo, weapons and food, and ultimately get saved. You're first mission is very basic and leads you to getting essentials for the game. You are tasked with finding the last guy Prepper tried to help who is stuck in a security window and has been zombified. He had a handgun and a cricket bat as well as a backpack they have dubbed a B.O.B. or bug out bag that stores all the things you find to survive. This also serves to teach you how to defend yourself against zombies, which is to savagely beat them to death with a cricket bat, which comes with feelings of satisfaction as their heads pop in a bloody mess. Unfortunately, as you soon learn this is the only defenseless zombie that cannot hurt you.
The graphics do seem a bit dated, while still THIS generation, there is some blocky textures. The colors are dulled hues, browns and grays, all but blood and explosions anyway, but who fucking cares?! It's a survival horror game the dull colors mask zombies, makes them harder to see,which serves the game well. There is tons of darkness and you have a sole rechargeable flash light that stands in the way of complete and utter blackness. You are alone, there is the voice that comes across the pad now and again of Prepper but the color and the environment really do help to help that feeling of desolation.
This game is a definite buy. It's been out just long enough that you shouldn't have to pay the $60 price tag anymore. This game is for anyone who likes their games difficult, misses Resident Evil 1 or 2's feeling of horror, and fans of zombies. This game is completely and utterly,first and foremost, survival horror, it never forgets that so neither should you.
---
Disclosure: This is a non-sponsored review. All product was purchased by me and the purpose of this review is based solely on my own interests. No product or monetary compensation was given to me by said company.
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