Monthly Archives: April 2011

Gamestop, You Bastards Made Me Real Mad Today!

My day began in a sleepy stupor, being asked by my sister to accompany her to the Gateway Center Mall in The Bronx. At first I refused since I was tired. But when I became fully awake, I decided to go with her. So I’m thinking that maybe I should try to see if the Gamestop there would probably have Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. I’ve been searching quite a bit for that game. Yeah, I could get it online, but I still don’t have the means to buy stuff online (and by “means” I mean a method of instant payment via debit or PayPal). So I go to the Gamestop and look around. From the looks of things, the small Gamestop has an even smaller PS2 section, and nary an old used game in sight. While passing by the Wii section for the hell of it, I see the case for Sin & Punishment: Star Successor on the shelf. The price: $19.99! I’m like “Whuh! Shit, if they don’t have DDS, I’ll go ahead and get Sin & Punishment.” So, after waiting for some hood lookin’ chick to finally sell all her games, I as the clerk if they have Digital Devil Saga. Since it’s a pretty old PS2 game, I told her exactly that. She looks in the drawer of used PS2 games. “No, we don’t have it.”

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Review in Progress #7 – Legacy of Kain : Soul Reaver (PS1)

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Status : Game complete, not 100% explored, but well above 90.

My first experience with the Legacy of Kain series took place about a year ago. I already had Blood Omen and both Soul Reaver 1 and 2, but never had the time to give the series a chance until a fateful replaying of Eternal Darkness : Sanity’s Requiem. In the mood to play something else developed by Silicon Knights, I gave Blood Omen a shot despite being put off by the horrendous load times. Somewhere down the line I fell in love as I realized that Blood Omen was essentially a western take on the Zelda formula, with a boatload of secrets, places to explore and overhead camera (Soul Reaver switches to the standard 3D view). Sure the combat was choppy at times, but there was a certain morbid charm to the whole experience. I felt let down when I discovered that only the first Blood Omen was developed by Silicon Knights and never felt the urge to continue the series.

If theres one thing I remember from oldschool Eidos, its pushing boxes around all day. Glad to say Soul Reaver keeps the tradition going!

That is until playing Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light with a friend having the Kain and Raziel character models turned on. I was pretty pissed off that I was stuck with Raziel, since he’s the character that corresponds to Lara who I happened to be controlling. Looking back, I’m still pissed I was stuck with Raziel… Here, my story comes full circle as that the puzzles in Guardian of Light were quite fun, and the game itself was developed by Crystal Dynamics, the same company who carried the Legacy of Kain torch post Silicon Knights. I just had to give the game a shot while waiting for my big April releases to start shipping. Continue reading →

Video Game Music w/ the James Episode 4 : Blood Omen : Legacy of Kain

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When I travel outside of New York City (games typically sell at terrible rates over here), I often have a big event where me and whoever I’m out of state with raid video game stores that sell old games for cheap prices (NES carts for like 2 bucks for example). No joke, I usually come out with like 15 – 20 games and a bill of 100 bucks or less — not bad at all.

It was during one of these raids that I picked up Blood Omen : Legacy of Kain, first in a series that I’ve heard much about, but never had time to play. I decided to play through the entire game one day, a feat for those accustomed to the relatively short loading screens of today. You had to load for everything : screen changes, access to menus, loading the memory card window so you can save, fuck I hated it at first, but then I settled into the atmosphere and great music provided by the game.

Essentially a Zelda type adventure in a darker universe, Kain can learn attack spells, transformation abilities and even use a decent arsenal of weapons. There is a lot of blood flying around the screen because drinking blood functions as healing for Kain. Some of the themes and environments encountered are just plain creepy, and I always feel bad drinking the blood of those poor guys and girls chained up on the walls just so I might make survive a couple more rooms. But enough reminiscing about the game, I’m here to talk music.

I gotta admit, Kain can be an asshole, but not without reason. I would probably be a dick to everyone too if I got jumped and brutally murdered within minutes of starting my adventure too. This track playing in the wilderness outside Kain’s crypt uses a more exotic instrumentation for a medieval style forest. A staple in the fantasy game genre, here the forest seems a lot more distant and unwelcoming. It’s also pretty relaxing too, so this track works out on multiple levels. Continue reading →

Gamer Review: Gitaroo Man

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And this cover is the most normal aspect of the game.

Ah, the rhythm game. Nowadays, everyone knows the “Modern Music Genre” games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band. But there is a certain sense of sadness that washes over me when I remember the pre-Guitar Hero days. The sense of experimentation and new-ness that permeated the then-small genre is all but gone now, replaced by big plastic instruments and woefully similar sounds.

This is, of course, not to say that I don’t like them. I have had many a good time playing Guitar Hero (it’s almost a tradition to go a few rounds with my friends in III every year on my birthday), but consider the trailblazers of yesteryear: Parappa the Rapper, Space Channel 5, Samba De Amigo. So much creativity in every one of them, be it through strange play styles or just plain odd music choices. Today, we are going to talk about one that has both: a strange and challenging gameplay style and a selection of songs that must be heard to be believed. I am talking about the early 2000s cult classic, Gitaroo Man.

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The Breakdown – Okamiden

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Hello Fellow Fishes. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s time I bring back The Breakdown. Before starting The Wired Fish, I used to do reviews of games on DeviantART. My last review was The Conduit, which I reviewed July 27, 2009. At the time it was my only platform to do any form of blogging. But now, things have changed, and I have more tools at my disposal for writing something with a bit more pizazz. One thing that I stand by still is my review format. I detailed at one point how it works on dA, so go ahead and read it to get an idea of how The Breakdown works. To put simply, there is no overall score, only individual ones. And it is impossible for a section to get a perfect 10.

Anyways, onto the show at hand: Okamiden. This sequel to Okami’s been a long time coming. First appearing on the PS2, and then The Wii (complete with IGN’s Stamp of Approval), Okami was an amazing experience that I would never forget. Unfortunately, the game didn’t really sell well. It did garner a cult following though. What made matters worse for the possibility for a sequel to Okami is that 1) Clover Studios shut down, only to independently reopen as Platinum Studios. and 2) ReadyAtDawn, the guys that handled the conversion of the game from PS2 to Wii, went back to work to make another God of War game for the PSP. So things looked pretty grim for Okami fans. Then one day, Capcom revealed that Okamiden was being made, and it was for the DS. I, unlike many, welcomed the fact that it was a DS game, as now there is some tactile feedback with the celestial brush techniques (I’ll be getting to that later). So, Was all that worry for an Okami sequel worth it? Or did Chibiterasu piss on all of our hopes. Hit the jump to read the full review. Continue reading →

Angry Birds actually NOT the most downloaded game on PSN

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Apparently Lazard Capital Markets’ Colin Sebastian has had to correct a previous statement of his. The analyst now says that Angry Birds “was the most downloaded paid game through the PSN for January and February 2011”.

Phew, I know I’m probably not the only one who may be a little relieved hearing this. It was quite mind-boggling to think that in only three months Angry Birds sold better than every other paid game available on the service, especially since many have been out for years. I know it’s generally bad for analysts to provide incorrect information, but in this instance I’m really glad they were wrong.

Via: Destructoid, Develop

Review in Progress #6 : Pilotwings Resort (3DS)

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Well, this one took a week longer than anticipated… Pilotwings Resort is one of those games that you can clear in 10 hours total playtime, but the kind you can only play in 20 minute to half hour bursts. Not because it’s a bad game, but it gets really taxing on the eyes, especially if you’re like me and play the whole time with 3D turned on.

The logo remains classy as ever!

In fact, let’s start by talking about the 3D effects since being the 3Ds and all, it’s the first feature that comes to mind. The extra visual depth makes Wuhu Island a marvel to look at the first time, and makes the various landmarks and locations you visit feel all the more tangible. The ruins, volcano, and caves here and there add personality to the island. Toward the end of my goal to get a 3 star ranking on each mission and unlock the Diamond Class, I had to turn off the 3D effects because it was getting distracting when it came down to just a few more points for the 3 star.

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Angry Birds is the most downloaded game on PSN

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This is the face of evil.

According to Colin Sebastian, an analyst for Lazard Capital Markets, Angry Birds is the the most downloaded game on PSN. Let’s reflect on that for a second…think of your favorite PSN/PSOne game. Angry Birds has outsold it, and in only three months at that.

Update: The analyst made an incorrect claim, his statement is clarified here.

There are plenty of reasons that could explain why Angry Birds, which arrived on PSN in January, has been purchased so much in such a short amount of time. The low price of $3.99 in a digital service where the common price points are usually $9.99 and $14.99 definitely didn’t hurt. Add in the hype that’s been spreading like wildfire, along with a recent sale bringing the game down to half the price, and it’s not surprising that the game has sold plenty. But Angry Birds becoming best selling game on PSN, especially with all the quality PSN and PSOne titles out there, really irks me.

This isn’t to say that Angry Birds is a bad game. While it’s not a game that I’m extremely fond of, I do recognize what it has managed to accomplish and can see why so many people like it. However, the developer’s recent egotistical views and comments have made it very hard to respect them. I understand that Rovio made a hugely successful game, but that’s still only one big success. The studio definitely needs to stop letting it go to their heads.

Via: Destructoid, IndustryGamer

Persona 4 Anime in the Works

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After the recent tease, it’s finally been confirmed…Persona 4: The Animation is happening. The official website is up with some information on the series, along with a trailer you can view further below.

Seiji Kishi, director of Angel Beats!, will be directing the anime with AIC ASTA behind the production. Shoji Meguro is credited for the anime’s music, but it’s unclear as to whether he’ll be providing new tracks or if the music from the game will be used. You can also see four of the main characters on the site if you’d like to familiarize yourself with the cast.

I can’t help but notice that the main character’s name is now listed as Yu Narukami on the website. I actually prefer the name he was given in the manga, Souji Seta, but maybe that’s just me. Nitpicking aside, I enjoyed Persona 4 very much and think it was a fantastic RPG for the PS2 era to end on. I’m just hoping the anime will do the game the justice it deserves.

Sources: Siliconera, Propelanime

Gamer Review: Crash Twinsanity

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I'm sure I saw a Hentai like this once...

Crash Bandicoot. Merely saying the name will send many a gamers’ mind on a trip back to the 90’s, that golden age of platformers. From Croc to Spyro, the PSOne era was a cavalcade of platform hopping, level running, thing-collecting goodness. But not a one of these were as famous as Crash Bandicoot. Tight controls and an overabundance of personality made Crash stand out from the crowd, and even to this day, many will proclaim Cortex Strikes Back and Warped (the second and third games in the series respectively) to be among the finest games ever made in that venerable genre.

The story was simple enough. Doctor Neo Cortex is trying to take over the world, and thinks he’s found the perfect plan for acquiring help: to genetically modify a bandicoot named Crash. But Crash, as is typical of a heroic marsupial, decides instead to impede Cortex’s plans. With help from his brilliant sister Coco, and his magical tiki mask guardian Aku-Aku (it was the 90’s, don’t ask) Crash stands in the way of Cortex’s plans time and time again.

Luckily (or unluckily) Cortex has help on his end, in the form of a colorful rogues gallery of mutated monstrosities including: Tiny, the not so small mutant tiger, Ripper Roo, a clinically insane blue dog in a straight jacket, and Dingodile, an Australian dingo-crocodile hybrid with a penchant for flamethrowers. Cortex also had a revolving door of right hand men including the brilliant Doctor Nitrus Brio, a meek biochemical engineer with bolts in his head who becomes an off-and-on again ally to Crash, and Doctor N. Gin, a short unstable little scientist with a nuclear missile lodged in his head. Later on, an evil tiki mask (and evil younger brother to Aku Aku) named Uka Uka joins the fray, and brings even more strange underlings into the mix.

It was these memorable personalities that made the Crash games so fun to play. But, time marches on, and like most of the idols of that lost time, Crash faded into obscurity. His license was sold off and original developer Naughty Dog moved on to other things, such as Jak and Daxter and, more recently, the Uncharted series. But unlike the others of that era, Crash still survives, and his games are still coming out with appreciable regularity. As one would suspect, several of the games after the sell off sucked horribly, but something unusual happened in 2004. Travellers Tales, then the ones developing the games (not to mention existing in a time before they became slaves to the “Lego” series of games) released Crash Twinsanity to extremely low expectations.

And what was the response? The game was…actually kinda fun. Actually, it was pretty damn good (well, according to some reviewers). Crash wasn’t back to set the world on fire, but he did have the privilege of starring in one of the more solid and entertaining platformers of the post-Playstation era.

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NOA Registers The Last Story Domain

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Oh? Well, fresh of Xenoblade getting localized and set for release in Europe, Nintendo of America register the domain for Mistwalker’s The Last Story. When going to www.thelaststory.com, the URL redirects you to Nintendo’s site.

for those not in the know, The Last Story is made by Hironobu Sakaguchi and his company, Mistwalker. His company made Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360. Cry On was 360 bound, but canceled. Here, familiarize yourself with The Last Story.

via Destructoid

Twisted Metal Gets A Release Date

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I’ll just cut to the chase and tell you that the latest Twisted Metal game is coming out this year on October 4th. I’ve been waiting quite a bit for some Twisted Metal action. I would’ve gotten Black when I was younger, but I was still a scared little punk. I would’ve gotten Head-On, but I didn’t have a PSP at the time. So now’s my chance for some awesome Twisted Metal action.

With the characters shown, it looks like series mainstays Axel and Mr. Grimm are back. Black’s Dollface is featured as well (but we all already knew that). And there’s some helicopter action to be had. And ofcourse Calypso is back to be the sly ass he always was.

Grand Knights History Screenshots

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Coming courtesy of a Famitsu preview, we have some screenshots of Grand Knights History. Looks like Vanillaware’s artstyle gonna feel right at home with the PSP. Screenshots after the jump

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Weekly Gaming Reflections 1 : Moondiver, Genesis Classics, Tactics Ogre, Vindictus

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When it comes to gaming, the scope of possible discussions are limitless. Periodically, I discuss music, review some contemporary games and write articles based on more current releases. Of course, I have a periodic classic gaming project to accompany Video Game Music w/ the James in the works, but what about everything else?

Weekly Reflections is meant for those games that I don’t have room to cover entirely, but feel like talking about, because as much as I love writing about my 3DS and my Pokemans, that’s not everything I play in the course of an average week, and some of those other games deserve at least a shout-out.

This week on PSN a game by the name Moon Diver came out. A Strider-like action game by the guy responsible for the original Strider, additions to the old formula include a RPG like leveling up system, spells scattered throughout the levels, multiple characters to play as and coop abilities. I’m in the process of a 4 player run with some friends, and it seems that while it’s a really cool game, and the music is great, the multiplayer in particular was poorly done. Trophies and progress made in multiplayer sessions apply only to the first player, the camera doesn’t expand to accommodate when one or two players move outside the boundaries, and if you happen to fall off screen, you respawn somewhere a little bit in the center of the screen, and if there’s nothing below when you respawn, you just keep falling down bottomless pit. Thankfully you don’t take much if any damage, but it’s annoying. On the other hand, single player is a blast with a camera that actually follows the player making exploration (needed to find some of the spells) a little more possible. Also, the game tries to artificially jack up the difficulty part of the way through by spamming laser turrets that kill a character in one or two shots.

The most frustrating part of any 4 player experience.

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3DS Week 1 Impressions (Steel Diver, Super Monkey Ball 3D, Pilotwings Resort)

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It’s been almost a week since the arrival of my Nintendo 3DS, a handheld which has been generating quite the buzz both positively and negatively. During the course of the week, I have been able to play three releases : Super Monkey Ball 3D, Pilotwings Resort and Steel Diver.

Since I’m lazy, 3DS image grabbing isn’t yet my forte, video quality of the games I see played on Youtube look like shit and this is gonna be a short article anyways, I’ll spare the images this time or throw in a few boxart shots. Like always, I’m going to try to take the middle-ground.

While I won’t entirely call the naysayers full of shit, it’s ridiculous to encourage the necessity of a “killer app” at a system’s launch. Of course the games are going to vary from mediocre to garbage with a couple of gems in between, but hasn’t it been like that for the release of plenty of other consoles? From the negative testimony it seems that reviewers need to pull their head out of their asses and give credit where it’s due : sure we’re not looking at grade A material, nor are they entirely shitty. They do what they have to do and that is to showcase the early power of the 3DS.

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