GamePro: "…While it lives up to the high bar set by the previous installments, it can’t quite bear the weight of bringing the epic story of Kratos to a meaningful end. It’s still a finely crafted action experience that fully showcases the PS3’s immense capabilities but it isn’t the satisfying conclusion that fans both want and need."
We tend to shy away from announcements of announcements, but sometimes one catches our interest too much to ignore. IGN reports that Nintendo is holding a media summit on February 24 in San Francisco. The invite promises “a full day of presentations, demos and hands-on gameplay,” but doesn’t name specific games to be showcased. The latest issue of the Official Nintendo Magazine teased “something very special” for the March issue, leaving many to conclude whatever special surprises Nintendo has in store will be at this event.
2010 is shaping up to be a loaded year for Nintendo, with three of its top franchises set for new installments. Super Mario Galaxy 2, Legend of Zelda Wii, and Metroid Other M are all either definitely or possibly coming out this year. Nintendo also has yet to share details of its Wii Vitality Sensor, which it has been pursuing despite some skepticism from fans. The event could cover any combination of those games, or even something completely new. We’ll just have to see what comes of it later this month.
GB writes: "So, here we are with the second installment of the Top 10 Nintendo DS Games of All Time. I’ll be honest, the Top 5 was much, much harder to make, mostly because of the fact that all of the games in the Top 5 were very hard to put into order, since all of them are such amazingly great games. My opinion on how they should be ordered may change during the years, as some of them have new installments in the same series coming out, but I think I finally got my preferred order down pretty well. Also, I know that there are certain DS games that, in many peoples’ eyes, "must be" on a Top Nintendo DS Games List, and while I’ve never quite liked this phrase, I’d still like to remind other people that it’s "my list". I choose what goes where, based on what I liked, not based on what other people think. My choices may be different from the majority, but I, myself, speaking as a regular internet-goer, like lists that have surprising entries more, than lists that have predictable choices. And in case you haven’t read the first one, here it is. Without further ado, let’s go on."
Neocrisis: Review
Since the original Halo, the franchise’s installments have more or less been remakes with new maps, graphics, and campaigns. Little has been explored in terms of core gameplay enhancements. Since the original was outstanding, this hasn’t stopped gamers from gobbling up millions of copies worth of sequels. That’s partly changed with the release of Halo 3: ODST, a sequel (or expansion) to Halo 3. Forget about a graphics manifesto; with the exception of these few sentences, I won’t harp on visuals. They’re fine; this game is all about content and variety.
Furthermore, I won’t go into the nuts and bolts of ODST’s core gameplay; it hasn’t changed either since Combat Evolved, which again, is not a bad thing. Ultimately, ODST is a tough game to review. There is a huge amount of content to play around with. Nevertheless, if you already own Halo 3, ODST’s value is questionable. Because of a unique campaign, twenty-four multiplayer maps, and the new Firefight mode, I am personally having a blast with ODST.
Games Are Evil writes: "While the past installments in the Halo series revolve around such joyful activities as destroying orbital space stations to furthering the semi-confusing man-on-microcomputer love fest between Cortana and Master Chief, ODST focuses on the softer side of the equation. This new game from Bungie focuses on something that has never been a factor in any prior Halo title: atmospheric subtlety. To some hardcore fans this may sound slightly blasphemous, given the series’ history of in-your-face action, but not only does this core mechanic work, it thrives."
GrE writes, "After almost a decade of yearly King of Fighter installments, the development team has decided to step back and start from scratch. Instead of iterating on the same basic game engine, King of Fighters XII starts at ground zero, working on breaking the cycle of sequels, and reintroducing the franchise to the world. The real question is whether the newest monarch will continue to reign triumphant over the fighting game masses, or will there be a coup by a newer, fresher face?"
Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
Developer: SNK Playmore
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Arcade
Price: $59.99
Pros: Outstanding animations and vivid color palate
Cons: Does not have the depth featured in past installments.
Verdict: Rent the game for a weekend worth of fun.
After almost a decade of yearly King of Fighter installments, the development team has decided to step back and start from scratch. Instead of iterating on the same basic game engine, King of Fighters XII starts at ground zero, working on breaking the cycle of sequels, and reintroducing the franchise to the world. The real question is whether the newest monarch will continue to reign triumphant over the fighting game masses, or will there be a coup by a newer, fresher face?
For the uninitiated, the King of Fighters series has always been known for bypassing the traditional one versus one fighting style in favor of a three on three structure. In many ways, this is what has differentiated the game from its peers. Other developers started to take notice of the unique strategic scenarios that this could create and they began to implement this into their own titles. The perennial classic, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is a great example of a good use of this configuration. While they were far from the first to attempt three on three combat, SNK perfected it.
Looking back on some of the more storied installments in the series, veterans point at King of Fighters 98 and 2002 being the pinnacles of greatness. One feature that both of these games shared is large rosters of more than fifty characters. So this would lead you to believe that after several years of development and a considerable back library of sprites to draw from, that the current King Of Fighters game would have a gigantic cast, right? Wrong! Only twenty-two fighters make the jump to current generation consoles, leaving many fans, including this one, scratching their heads.
As part of the transition to true high definition, artists have been hard at work for several years, redrawing every sprite by hand. The painstaking process of rendering every frame of animation has cost SNK a tremendous amount of time and money, but in the end it proves to be worth it. Gamers with high-definition sets and a passion for high rez gaming will notice the intricate level of detail in each and every fighter, even while less seasoned console owners may look right past this value-added feature.
Another thing that is sure to attract the attention of graphics junkies are the magnificent backgrounds for each stage. Much like the characters themselves, a significant amount of thought and effort has gone into each arena. As expected, the number of frames involved in a backdrop animation is significantly less than each character sprite, but again the excessive attention to the nuances of each setting helps set the stage for the carnage that is bound to occur. It is also worth noting that the vivid color pallet used in each setting acts well to balance out the more muted color scheme implemented into the wardrobe of the combatants. The resulting contrast helps pop the fighters off the screen in an almost ironic 180? turnaround to the usual “bright characters, muted backgrounds” in many current-generation games.
The combination of high-resolution backdrops and hand drawn sprites would seemingly be a match made in heaven. Regrettably, these two elements do not combine into a glorious sum greater than the individual parts. If the game is played on a standard definition television screen, everything looks gorgeous, but as soon as the resolution is cranked up on a higher-def set, the cracks in the armor start to show. As the fighters look outstanding on their own, once they are overlaid on the vibrant backgrounds, suddenly they appear much more pedestrian. In fact, onlookers have gone as far as to say that the character models begin to look too pixelated.
Sure, when a character stands still on screen it becomes painfully obvious that there was an edge to the models, but the higher the DPI in the resolution, the more obvious it became. There is something to be said for the unique blending of old school and new school design techniques, but this seems more like an unintentional oversight instead of a conscious artistic decision. Maybe they should consider adding in some sort of a filter that could at least diminish the appearance of this culture clash.
Sadly, King of Fighters XII’s struggles don’t not stop there. There have been drastic modifications to classic character move sets, potentially rendering countless years of acquired muscle memory useless. If there was anything worth pulling away from the game, it is that developers may need to stay true to the legacy that your franchise has tried so hard to establish. It is one thing to slightly tweak a fighter’s appearance, but when you start making changes to how they fight, specific combos, or defensive styles, be prepared to hear quite a bit of backlash from the community.
If that heaping helping of disappointment wasn’t enough for you, the number of special moves for each character has been reduced to two. This sets the precedent for every combatant’s minuscule move list, which leaves something to be desired. While some may bemoan the fact that there are only two special moves, this does help balance out the combat, as suddenly most characters are poised to be a serious threat to your health bar, at any point in a match.
Despite all of the glaring issues littering King of Fighters XII, there are none more disappointing then the online multiplayer mode. It would be the understatement of the century to say that it was flawed, because it was more like watching a slide show than actually fighting. This is such a blatant and glaring misstep that it is borderline infuriating. If you were even considering playing King of Fighters XII online, save your dignity and don’t even bother. Don’t feel bad, because it doesn’t seem like the developers bothered to play it either. After all, there are numerous other multiplayer gaming experiences that would be more time effective, like playing chess… via parcel post! Kidding aside, hopefully this is something that can be fixed with a simple patch.
For all of the irritation that the online multiplayer inspires, it is good to know that the stellar couch-play aspect of the game has remained relatively unchanged:
I can specifically remember each and every strike that would change the flow of a match. The new counter attacking systems kept both myself and the competition on the edge of our seat. Battles were always a back and forth affair, that would ultimately end with both of us anxiously teetering in our seats, while frantically mashing at the controllers. With every victory the length of the series would be lengthened until the thought of best seventeen out of thirty-two seemed ridiculous. There was laughter, there were tears, but most of all, there was fun.
When there are two friends sharing a bag of chips and a couch, the game thrives. Too bad weekends cannot last forever… Once that second player is removed from the equation, the game as a whole begins to suffer.
At its core, King of Fighters XII is the same great game that you remember, only prettier. The combat is as balanced as it has ever been, and it provides a great multiplayer experience, as long as you are both on the same console. Unfortunately, in an age where you can purchase Marvel vs. Capcom 2 via Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Store for only fifteen dollars, it seems difficult to justify spending sixty dollars on what is ultimately a considerably flawed product. Maybe they should have just remade King of Fighters 2002 instead, because then there might actually be incentive to replay the game.
TGH writes:
"While most gamers got their first looks at the next installments in the "Metal Gear" saga at E3, many questions remained. Thankfully, in an interview released by Konami, Hideo Kojima has finally shed some light on the "PSP’s "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker," and even refers to the heandheld’s entry as a "MGS5-class game."
Big Boss’ latest foray into the world of tactical espionage action will primarily feature more replayability and offer more customization options then traditionally available in previous Metal Gear’s. "For example there’s heavy gear configurations that make a lot of noise, but that allow you to equip numerous weapons," Kojima said. "Or, there are other configurations that won’t…"
The Ace Attorney series consistently delivers funny, well-written stories, and Capcom’s latest game in the ever-expanding series, Ace Attorney Investiagtions: Miles Edgeworth, seems on route to follow in its predecessors’ footsteps. I recently finished playing through the first case in the Japanese release of Investigations, and while it tickles my nostalgia bone with plenty of nods to the previous Ace Attorney installments, it offers quite a bit new as well.
The game doesn’t change the basic “search for clues and talk to people” formula, but Capcom adds one very important thing that the last game in the series, Apollo Justice, was missing: a main character that you already know. Sure, the cameos in Apollo Justice were fun, but trying to extend the franchise by bringing in a new attorney isn’t as effective as Investigations’ exploration of the backstory of prosecutor Miles Edgeworth.
CGReviews writes:
"Every game that contains a massive world to explore must also have a hook. The last four installments of Grand Theft Auto hooked their fans by making the city fun to blow up, tear through and…well…rule. Assassin’s Creed’s hook was the ability to climb over everything–every nook, cranny and ledge could be scaled.
So, what happens when you combine the destructive sense of power of Grand Theft Auto with the scalable environments of Assassin’s Creed? Well, you get to run around in the greatest sandbox of all time. But the fun and games stops there."
