Toki, the arcade platform game from a whole two decades ago told the story of a man that had to misfortune to be transformed into an ape by an evil wizard, perhaps in an attempt to piss off evolution.
Silly plot aside (then again, most game plots back then were utterly bonkers) the game itself was a wonderful platform with a great system of power-ups and ideally balanced difficulty. It was hard enough to ensure you wouldn't finish it on your first few tries, makes sense what with it being an arcade game and all, but not so hard that you would simply move on to the next game that wasn't about to devour your whole allowance and/or soul.
Not surprisingly, then, Toki was a success in the arcade and console/home computers (where it was subsequently ported) markets. Twenty years after the fact, French-based developers Golgoth studio are working on a high definition version of the original, with all-new graphics. Head over to their blog to check out some screenshots and direct comparisons to the original.
I personally find the new graphics true to the original and charming in their own right, and the gameplay should still hold up as 2D platformers usually age quite nicely. If the finished game is priced smartly, meaning around $10/8 euros, this should be a must for fans of the genre.
(via JeuxVideo.com)
TL;DR version:
One of the arcades back in my hometown had a version of this game called Juju instead of Toki. It wasn't until much later that I would learn that this was the Japanese version of the arcade, but to this day I still haven't figured out which name is more ridiculously funny.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
[Video] Street Fighter 4 nonsense
With Super Street Fighter IV gathering a lot of hype lately, it seems there's been renewed interest in vanilla SFIV. While a great game, probably my favorite in the last couple of years, it's definitely not without its flaws, or certain completely unintuitive things. What's that, you may ask? Well, take a look at this video that's been popular around the Internet lately:
Suicidal Akumas, whatever they will think of next. It's not surprising that the Raging Demon wouldn't hit Bison there, since he's considered airborne during that part of his Ultra, but for Akuma to be hit on top of that? That's just silly.
TL;DR version:
I know that updates have sucked lately, but my life's been crazy nutso for the last ten days. Kindly bear with me until things get back to normal.
Suicidal Akumas, whatever they will think of next. It's not surprising that the Raging Demon wouldn't hit Bison there, since he's considered airborne during that part of his Ultra, but for Akuma to be hit on top of that? That's just silly.
TL;DR version:
I know that updates have sucked lately, but my life's been crazy nutso for the last ten days. Kindly bear with me until things get back to normal.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
[First Impressions] Brütal Legend demo
This article is indeed a bit delayed, given that the demo for this game was released last Thursday, but I have the national elections for making me leave town and not allowing me to play it for any amount of time. At any rate!
Fall 2009 was always going to be a crowded time as far as videogame releases are concerned. Many companies are preparing their heavy hitters for this time of the year, most notably Activision with their follow-up to 2007 smash hit Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2.
With that in mind, Fall 2009 doesn't sound like the best time for a small company to be releasing their brand-new game, but Double Fine Productions and its owner, Tim Schafer (of The Secret of Monkey Island, Full Throttle, Grim Fandango and Psychonauts fame) don't seem to care.
They're releasing their latest game Brütal Legend in the middle of October, or Rocktober as they like to call it, and hope that Jack Black (on whom the main protagonist Eddie Riggs is based, and also does voice overs for said protagonist) and several Heavy Metal icons such as Ozzy* or Lemmy Kilmister are enough for the game to find its own audience.
As for the game itself, it continues the recent trend for Schafer of doing away with his point and click adventure roots and exploring new grounds. This time, he's tackling the action adventure genre, with the action being reminiscent of such games as Devil May Cry or God of War, with added strategy elements, not unlike say, Overlord.
Judging from the demo that was recently released [*2], Brütal Legend seems to have what it needs to stand on its own during the videogame downpour that is going to befall us in the next couple of months. It's one of the most stylish and funny games out there, with the art direction really standing out. While the polygon count on characters is rather low, making them somewhat blocky, the actual designs are fantastic.
Voice acting also stands out, with Jack Black in specific being his usual entertaining self and providing with many hilarious catchphrases. I guess if you hate Jack Black in general, then you won't find him entertaining in this game either, but this shouldn't come as a surprise to you, right?
The soundtrack should be a treat for Metal fans as you'll be decapitating suckers and running over fools to the tunes of such classics as "Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath and "Painkiller" by Judas Priest. Hell, even the charmingly-named band Rotting Christ from own little country, Greece, appear on the game's soundtrack.
The game's writing, arguably the most important part in any Schafer game, is once again top-notch. From the introductory video (which has a strong Full Throttle) vibe until the moment the demo ends, you're being bombarded by devilishly funny lines, from the woes of being a roadie, to Eddie teaching a girl about French kissing.
You may have noticed throughout all these paragraphs that I haven't really mentioned anything about how the game actually plays. There's a reason for that, and that's because not unlike its predecessor Psychonauts, Brütal Legend doesn't have anything new to offer, gameplay-wise. It's a by-the-book action adventure, with features that will be instantly recognizable to fans of the genre.
That means that if you're the kind of person that only cares about innovative gameplay, this might not be the game for you. If, on the other hand, you like games that are solid on the gameplay department but at the same time try to do something new presentation-wise, you will probably be in for a treat when the game is released.
TL;DR version:
Roktober sounds about right!
* There's only one Ozzy
*2 Thanks for the two week delay, EA[*3]
*3 Hey, that rhymes
Fall 2009 was always going to be a crowded time as far as videogame releases are concerned. Many companies are preparing their heavy hitters for this time of the year, most notably Activision with their follow-up to 2007 smash hit Call of Duty 4, Modern Warfare 2.
With that in mind, Fall 2009 doesn't sound like the best time for a small company to be releasing their brand-new game, but Double Fine Productions and its owner, Tim Schafer (of The Secret of Monkey Island, Full Throttle, Grim Fandango and Psychonauts fame) don't seem to care.
They're releasing their latest game Brütal Legend in the middle of October, or Rocktober as they like to call it, and hope that Jack Black (on whom the main protagonist Eddie Riggs is based, and also does voice overs for said protagonist) and several Heavy Metal icons such as Ozzy* or Lemmy Kilmister are enough for the game to find its own audience.
As for the game itself, it continues the recent trend for Schafer of doing away with his point and click adventure roots and exploring new grounds. This time, he's tackling the action adventure genre, with the action being reminiscent of such games as Devil May Cry or God of War, with added strategy elements, not unlike say, Overlord.
Judging from the demo that was recently released [*2], Brütal Legend seems to have what it needs to stand on its own during the videogame downpour that is going to befall us in the next couple of months. It's one of the most stylish and funny games out there, with the art direction really standing out. While the polygon count on characters is rather low, making them somewhat blocky, the actual designs are fantastic.
Voice acting also stands out, with Jack Black in specific being his usual entertaining self and providing with many hilarious catchphrases. I guess if you hate Jack Black in general, then you won't find him entertaining in this game either, but this shouldn't come as a surprise to you, right?
The soundtrack should be a treat for Metal fans as you'll be decapitating suckers and running over fools to the tunes of such classics as "Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath and "Painkiller" by Judas Priest. Hell, even the charmingly-named band Rotting Christ from own little country, Greece, appear on the game's soundtrack.
The game's writing, arguably the most important part in any Schafer game, is once again top-notch. From the introductory video (which has a strong Full Throttle) vibe until the moment the demo ends, you're being bombarded by devilishly funny lines, from the woes of being a roadie, to Eddie teaching a girl about French kissing.
You may have noticed throughout all these paragraphs that I haven't really mentioned anything about how the game actually plays. There's a reason for that, and that's because not unlike its predecessor Psychonauts, Brütal Legend doesn't have anything new to offer, gameplay-wise. It's a by-the-book action adventure, with features that will be instantly recognizable to fans of the genre.
That means that if you're the kind of person that only cares about innovative gameplay, this might not be the game for you. If, on the other hand, you like games that are solid on the gameplay department but at the same time try to do something new presentation-wise, you will probably be in for a treat when the game is released.
TL;DR version:
Roktober sounds about right!
* There's only one Ozzy
*2 Thanks for the two week delay, EA[*3]
*3 Hey, that rhymes
Thursday, October 1, 2009
[Review] Fable II review
To coincide with the recent re-release of Fable II in the form of downloadable episodes (a trend I personally find very appealing), it felt like it's the appropriate time for a review of last year's Xbox 360 RPG.
It's worth noting that if you have a gold subscription on Xbox Live, you can get the first episode of Fable II for free. Read more about it here.
The original Fable * was arguably the most hyped game in recent history. Peter Molyneux, one of the most prestigious designers in the gaming market, made countless promises about the nature of the game and how it would reinvent many gaming conventions, even down to trees in the background growing as time passed.
Needless to say, they didn't. And neither did Fable live up to the hype. What we got instead was an admittedly fun Western-style RPG "light", in that it didn't over-emphasize on stat building and level grinding, with a simple combat system that was easy to learn.
Personally speaking, my biggest disappointment with that game was the use of the good/evil mechanic. It was completely superficial and ultimately extremely "videogamey"
Fast forward a few years later, and monsieur Molyneux was giving out promises that the sequel to the original game [*2] would be the real deal and live up to the hype built around the original, using high-def technology to build realistic worlds and all that jazz, as well as the ability to play co-op online with a friend. We were also promised a good/evil mechanic that would be far more realistic than the let down that was Fable in that department. Oh, and a dog to help you out with your quests.
So, did Fable II manage to live up to the hype built all the way back in 2004? Read on...
Things Fable II does right:
- Fable II environments are nothing if not gorgeous. The use of color in the game's graphics is amazing, and the filters used make it look almost like an animated movie. Until you actually look at the character models, but more on that later.
- Voice acting is solid throughout the game, and there's not a single accent that feels out of place with its setting. No mean feat, to be sure.
- Combat is more refined than the original, and overall quite fun in its own right. The fact that you don't have to obsess over numbers in order to get good at it is an added bonus. You press the right button at the right time and things die. Just the way it should be.
Things about Fable II that aren't that hot:
Gods, where to begin.
- I may have said earlier that the environments are wonderful, but boy are those character models ugly. They're only marginally better than the ones in Fable I and that's an original Xbox game that came out four years before Fable II! To add to the insult, not only is their polygon count really low, they are also badly designed.
- For all the NPC's scattered around in the land of Albion (the game's fictional setting), you'd think they'd bother to record more than a couple of lines for each one of them. It's honestly not uncommon to hear the same thing twice in a row.
- Most armor you get to wear and most weapons you get to use are butt ugly. This is seriously an important part in most RPG's as not only do you have to be a badass in these games, you have to look badass.
- The option to play online with a friend is great, but you're only available of choosing a pre-made "henchman" for your character, with no option of using your actual character.
- Interaction with said NPC's is still ridiculous and unrealistic, as with the first game. You can do the most abhorrent thing imaginable, and then dance for them a few times and they'll all act as if nothing ever happened.
- The Good Vs. Evil mechanic used in the game is still laughably bad and it's governed by completely arbitrary rules. You do good things and people will follow you all around (even when you're heading to bed with your wife for some quality time) because you're so awesome, while when you do evil things they will run away from you. Even when they haven't seen you do jack shit.
To make matters worse, there are no real hard decisions to be made in the game, you only get to play the role of the Good Samaritan or the Obnoxious Bully. Exciting.
Things I just don't get:
(SPOILERS)
My favorite example of how stupid this whole Good Versus Evil thing is:
Throughout the game you hear a legend about a beautiful woman that lived a long time ago and was cut to pieces by a jealous lover. Eventually, you meet this shut-in loser that has obsessed over this lady and wants to gather all her pieces in order to resurrect her. All's fine so far.
When you finish the quest, you're told that this guy has also cast a spell on her that will make her fall in love with the first man she sees. You're then asked to leave immediately before she sees you, as this guy claims she's the only woman that could ever love him. Even though he had never met her, and he had to cast a fucking love spell on her.
But wait, it gets better. If you decide to stick around and make sure this woman doesn't fall in love with this freak show, the game strips you control and decides that you want to marry her so it awards you with evil points. EVIL POINTS, for saving a woman from a deranged and delusional psychotic. Why not give you an option to let her go after you make sure she doesn't fall in love with the other guy? Hell, wouldn't it be more evil to let her fall in love with him?
PAVING THE ROAD TO HELL
TL;DR version:
I hope that when Molyneux and co. decide to share information on Fable III with us peons they finally try to sell it for what it is: a simplistic RPG with social elements that's perfect for casual fans of the genre and people with an allergy to spreadsheets.
* No, not the point & click adventure from the mid-90's that I'll finally sit down and play "soon", the first Xbox's Fable.
*2 Named Fable II as you clever types out there have probably already guessed
It's worth noting that if you have a gold subscription on Xbox Live, you can get the first episode of Fable II for free. Read more about it here.
The original Fable * was arguably the most hyped game in recent history. Peter Molyneux, one of the most prestigious designers in the gaming market, made countless promises about the nature of the game and how it would reinvent many gaming conventions, even down to trees in the background growing as time passed.
Needless to say, they didn't. And neither did Fable live up to the hype. What we got instead was an admittedly fun Western-style RPG "light", in that it didn't over-emphasize on stat building and level grinding, with a simple combat system that was easy to learn.
Personally speaking, my biggest disappointment with that game was the use of the good/evil mechanic. It was completely superficial and ultimately extremely "videogamey"
Fast forward a few years later, and monsieur Molyneux was giving out promises that the sequel to the original game [*2] would be the real deal and live up to the hype built around the original, using high-def technology to build realistic worlds and all that jazz, as well as the ability to play co-op online with a friend. We were also promised a good/evil mechanic that would be far more realistic than the let down that was Fable in that department. Oh, and a dog to help you out with your quests.
So, did Fable II manage to live up to the hype built all the way back in 2004? Read on...
Things Fable II does right:
- Fable II environments are nothing if not gorgeous. The use of color in the game's graphics is amazing, and the filters used make it look almost like an animated movie. Until you actually look at the character models, but more on that later.
- Voice acting is solid throughout the game, and there's not a single accent that feels out of place with its setting. No mean feat, to be sure.
- Combat is more refined than the original, and overall quite fun in its own right. The fact that you don't have to obsess over numbers in order to get good at it is an added bonus. You press the right button at the right time and things die. Just the way it should be.
Things about Fable II that aren't that hot:
Gods, where to begin.
- I may have said earlier that the environments are wonderful, but boy are those character models ugly. They're only marginally better than the ones in Fable I and that's an original Xbox game that came out four years before Fable II! To add to the insult, not only is their polygon count really low, they are also badly designed.
- For all the NPC's scattered around in the land of Albion (the game's fictional setting), you'd think they'd bother to record more than a couple of lines for each one of them. It's honestly not uncommon to hear the same thing twice in a row.
- Most armor you get to wear and most weapons you get to use are butt ugly. This is seriously an important part in most RPG's as not only do you have to be a badass in these games, you have to look badass.
- The option to play online with a friend is great, but you're only available of choosing a pre-made "henchman" for your character, with no option of using your actual character.
- Interaction with said NPC's is still ridiculous and unrealistic, as with the first game. You can do the most abhorrent thing imaginable, and then dance for them a few times and they'll all act as if nothing ever happened.
- The Good Vs. Evil mechanic used in the game is still laughably bad and it's governed by completely arbitrary rules. You do good things and people will follow you all around (even when you're heading to bed with your wife for some quality time) because you're so awesome, while when you do evil things they will run away from you. Even when they haven't seen you do jack shit.
To make matters worse, there are no real hard decisions to be made in the game, you only get to play the role of the Good Samaritan or the Obnoxious Bully. Exciting.
Things I just don't get:
(SPOILERS)
My favorite example of how stupid this whole Good Versus Evil thing is:
Throughout the game you hear a legend about a beautiful woman that lived a long time ago and was cut to pieces by a jealous lover. Eventually, you meet this shut-in loser that has obsessed over this lady and wants to gather all her pieces in order to resurrect her. All's fine so far.
When you finish the quest, you're told that this guy has also cast a spell on her that will make her fall in love with the first man she sees. You're then asked to leave immediately before she sees you, as this guy claims she's the only woman that could ever love him. Even though he had never met her, and he had to cast a fucking love spell on her.
But wait, it gets better. If you decide to stick around and make sure this woman doesn't fall in love with this freak show, the game strips you control and decides that you want to marry her so it awards you with evil points. EVIL POINTS, for saving a woman from a deranged and delusional psychotic. Why not give you an option to let her go after you make sure she doesn't fall in love with the other guy? Hell, wouldn't it be more evil to let her fall in love with him?
The Final Verdict is:
PAVING THE ROAD TO HELLTL;DR version:
I hope that when Molyneux and co. decide to share information on Fable III with us peons they finally try to sell it for what it is: a simplistic RPG with social elements that's perfect for casual fans of the genre and people with an allergy to spreadsheets.
* No, not the point & click adventure from the mid-90's that I'll finally sit down and play "soon", the first Xbox's Fable.
*2 Named Fable II as you clever types out there have probably already guessed
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