Kirby Star Allies Review

March 20, 2018March 20, 20181 Comment

Kirby doesn’t talk much, but when he does say something, it’s typically something cheerful. He is a very cheerful character, but gets serious when his planet is being attacked. He’s willing to lend a hand to any stranger that comes asking for help, never giving it a second thought. It’s all these reasons and more why Kirby is a lovable character. The pink puffball first appeared on the Game Boy in Kirby’s Dreamland. He then made the jump to color in the NES’s Kirby’s Adventure. Since then, he has appeared in numerous games, becoming a flagship Nintendo title. He makes the jump to Nintendo’s latest console, the Switch, in Kirby Star Allies.

The story in Star Allies follows a mysterious being unleashing dark energy objects called “Jamba Hearts” onto Planet Popstar. These hearts affect many of the inhabitants of the planet, including King Dedede and Meta Knight. Kirby awakens to the horror, and runs off, gathering friends along the way, to rid Popstar of the Jamba Hearts and stop the mysterious menace. The story isn’t too different than previous games in the franchise. But, one can always expect a great climax in Kirby games, and it’s no different in Star Allies. Is everything else about the game great? Star Allies is a fun platformer, bringing the Kirby elements that puts the series above the standard side-scroller. However, much like contemporary Kirby games, there are not enough innovations in Star Allies to call it an amazing game.

The Good

The Switch is Nintendo’s best system graphically speaking, meaning Kirby gets to shine in HD glory. The levels are beautiful with outstanding detail. Highlights include Castle Dedede and Reef Resort. Accompanied by a fantastic soundtrack, I was reminded of Kirby’s Epic Yarn, which featured lovely levels complemented by a wonderful soundtrack. The level design in Star Allies is often simple, but at this point, one does not expect much challenge from this series. Kirby then has to deliver in the “simply fun to play” category, and Star Allies succeeds in this regard.

Pretty levels would not be able to make up for substandard gameplay. Star Allies has the same level of high quality gameplay as previous Kirby games. If you’ve played Kirby’s Return to Dreamland or the more recent Planet Robobot, you know what to expect. The biggest feature of this game is the ability to turn foes into friends with the push of a button. When this happens, up to three characters (controlled either by the AI or human players) can follow Kirby. It’s similar to summoning a Helper in Kirby Super Star, but in this case, the allies bring with them a power first introduced in Kirby 64: the power to combine abilities.

It is a shock that this ability has been so rarely used in the games. Then again, it might lose its uniqueness if it appeared in every game. So, these “Friend Abilities” as they are called allow Kirby to mix his copy ability with the ability of an ally. A yo-yo on fire? The sword with an icy touch? Experimenting is always fun, and the Friend Abilities are nicely integrated into finding the Picture Pieces and Big Switches. As for the individual abilities, the usual ones return, along with a few new ones, such as the fun “artist” and “spider.”

Star Allies make good use of Kirby’s friends in three scenarios. One of them is making a bridge to help a Key Dee get to a door, another turning the characters into an unstoppable wheel, and the final one is the best: the friends riding together on a “Friend Star.” These Friend Star sequences are a blast, adding a high-octane feel to the game. The Friend Star is put to especially good use in the climatic boss battle. Since we’re on the subject, Star Allies continues the tradition of having an epic climax. In the final showdown scene, the player really gets a feel of Kirby’s determination to beat the opposing force.

For a couple of more positives, the game’s implementation of extra stages is a nice feature. The final extra stage has a nice tribute to Kirby’s Dreamland. (It’s a shame it wasn’t longer.) As already touched upon, the soundtrack is strong. You’ll hear the familiar themes, but also plenty of great new ones. The final few levels have some fast-paced themes to contrast the more softer sounds. One of the greatest examples of quality music is the beautiful Reef Resort theme, which once again evokes memories of Epic Yarn. This is the strongest soundtrack in a Kirby game since Epic Yarn.

The Bad

As it’s been made evident, Star Allies follows the Kirby formula closely, but often too closely. The game does not often feel that different from its predecessors. If this was the first ever Kirby game, it would be fantastic, revolutionary even. But the fact is that it’s not the first. Kirby has been the star of numerous platformers, so it’s near baffling that Star Allies doesn’t introduce more innovations. It is possible to keep the same formula while revolutionizing it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey did that for their respective franchises. Super Mario Odyssey was the same fundamentally as previous Mario platformers, but Odyssey took risks and delivered things that separated it from past games. Breath of the Wild kept the core aspects that have made the Zelda series appealing, while also reinventing them. These games did not stray from their fundamental concepts. Rather, these games built upon the concepts and gave us something familiar, but also brand new.

There is something I like to call the New Super Mario Bros. 2 effect. While New Super Mario Bros. 2 was a fun game and competently made, it made no progress in gameplay design from the previous two New Super Mario Bros. installments. It was essentially almost the same game. Hal Laboratory seems content on playing it safe with Kirby. There’s no reason why Star Allies couldn’t have been the revolutionary game for Kirby. The pieces are there – the epic climax, the Friend Abilities, the Friend Star- but these things are often sandwiched with an often too familiar atmosphere of normalcy. To give credit, Star Allies is not the New Super Mario Bros. 2 of Kirby. (That would be Triple Deluxe.) But, Hal seems to be in the NSMB2 mindset, which is delivering more of the same without reinvention. There are enough unique aspects of Star Allies to keep it from being called a copy of previous games, but more innovations would have been welcome.

While the friends are fun (and adorable) to have around, there are a couple of drawbacks. For one thing, you might find sometimes that they destroy an enemy you were planning to absorb. They also make already easy boss fights easier. Since we’re on the subject, the game reuses bosses too often. (You’ll be seeing Mr. Frosty more than once.) One more negative is the length. Kirby games are not typically that long, but one expects more from a $60 game. The story mode in Star Allies is about five hours, which is not terrible, but still on the shorter side. You can go back and collect the Picture Pieces and find the Big Switches, but since these are incredibly easy to find (players hoping for a challenging scavenger hunt will be disappointed), chances are you’ll find most of them on your first playthrough without losing much time. The game does feature some bonus sub-game modes, with perhaps the most notable being a boss rush called ‘The Ultimate Choice.’ So, there is some after-game content, but the main story mode needed to be a little longer.

The Verdict

Kirby Star Allies is not the revolutionary Kirby game as Mario Odyssey was to the Mario series. But, Star Allies is still a lot of fun. The levels are nicely designed, and accompanied by a stellar soundtrack. The power to combine abilities makes a triumphant return, which enhances the already solid gameplay experience. While the main story mode is almost always not that difficult (you’ll probably never see the game over screen, and have collected over 100 lives by the end), there is some challenge to be found in the climax. Plus, game difficulty is not the sole indicator of quality. Epic Yarn was even easier, and that game is a masterpiece. What Star Allies unfortunately lacks is innovation. There are some great, innovative aspects, but the game needed more. Also, one can beat the story relatively quickly, making the $60 price questionable. (Breath of the Wild and Odyssey are at least double the length.) But overall, I had a good time playing Star Allies. It goes down as one of the more memorable Kirby experiences in recent years.

8/10

Sonic Mania Review

August 28, 2017August 28, 20171 Comment

In recent years, Sonic as a franchise has been out of its prime. The last main game was Sonic Lost World, which wasn’t that great. To makes things worse, SEGA then released a new version of the series called Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, which was critically panned. Things started to look up last year in July when two new Sonic titles were announced. One of those titles was Sonic Mania. Similar to the underrated Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Mania was going to bring Sonic back to his Genesis roots. Mania took it one step further than Sonic 4, using the retro art style and sprites. The game saw release this year, and it ended up being a nice nostalgic trip reminding players why they fell in love with the franchise in the first place.

Mania has an impressive 13 zones. Eight of those are remastered while five are new. First, it was an interesting idea to remake old zones and even remix the themes. It’s nice to hop right back into Green Hill Zone and Flying Battery Zone. Stardust Speedway is iconic, but like in Sonic CD, it’s still a little uneven. Oil Ocean was intense, as it forces Sonic to watch out for the smoggy atmosphere that takes over the screen. So, it’s fun seeing some of the old zones back. At the same time however, it would have been great to see more original zones. In a new game, there should have been more original zones. Generations already had the idea of bringing back older zones. But, this isn’t a make it or break it deal as the old zones are still fun to play through, and the new ones are well made. Mirage Saloon Zone is a highlight.

Like the Genesis games, Mania puts an emphasis on speed. The player will be blasting through at many parts, but there’s also careful platforming. Getting squished is easy if one isn’t careful. The last zone, (not counting the secret final zone) Titanic Monarch, has plenty of platforming, forcing the player to slow down and carefully navigate the area. It’s a tough balance the Sonic games have to maintain, because on one hand the player wants to zoom through as the fastest video game character alive. On the other hand, just blasting through would make the game easy and quick. Mania nicely balances sonic-speed gameplay and platforming.

Boss battles in the Sonic series have been more on the challenging side. (Who could forget the Death Egg Robot at the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2?) It’s the same with Mania; each boss is well designed and provides a quality challenge. One highlight is the encounter with Metal Sonic at the end of Stardust Speedway. It’s fast paced and intense, especially if you’re not able to hold on to your rings. Another highlight is Heavy Magician at the end of Mirage Saloon, where it impersonates classic Sonic characters Fang, Bean, and Bark. Oh, one can’t forget playing a round of Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine against Eggman himself at the end of Chemical Plant Zone. Multiplayer is a nice feature, and Mania also has a competition mode, which is always welcome. The soundtrack is fantastic, from the remastered themes to the original ones.

Overall, Sonic Mania does a stellar job bringing back the original Sonic style of gameplay. It looks and plays like a Genesis title. It’s evident from the start that the developers care a great deal about the franchise. Though there’s too many old zones in comparison to new ones, they are almost all a blast to run through. Acquiring the Chaos Emeralds is a hard endeavor, so those wanting to get the true ending are in for a genuine challenge. If you’ve been absent from the series for awhile or just want some classic Sonic, Mania is worth the purchase. Sonic is finally back with a title worthy of his 25th anniversary, which looks to continue later this year with Sonic Forces.

8.5/10

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Review

August 27, 2017February 28, 20181 Comment

When one hears the name “Zelda,” one thinks of a princess, adventure, and dungeons. There’s also another word, and that’s “quality.” Since its inception in 1986, The Legend of Zelda has cemented itself as one of the greatest in the adventure platformer genre. Every main 3D console game has received critical acclaim, from Ocarina of Time to Skyward Sword. The small console ones have too been well liked. The latest game, Breath of the Wild, had been highly anticipated since its unveiling. It looked to be the first game in a long time to shake up the core gameplay. Sure, every game has its unique gimmick, but Breath of the Wild looked to overhaul a lot of key things. It’s one of the most ambitious games Nintendo has ever produced, and one of the company’s finest.

When talking about some of the core concepts about Breath of the Wild, Director Eiji Aonuma in an interview with The Verge, stated that “…from the very start of Breath of the Wild, we wanted to, and set out to, create a world that wasn’t only vast, but where everything was connected. So you really could freely explore the world, without these barriers or gaps imposed.” These comments sum up what makes Breath of the Wild unique among Zelda titles: the vast open world. It takes Termina Field from Majora’s Mask to another level. It is such a great concept: if you see something in the distance, you can actually run to it and climb it; it’s not just decoration for the background. One can spend hours running around the map. In fact, it’s possible to not even explore the whole thing if the player is just set on following the core narrative. Nintendo succeeded in delivering a world that encourages players to check every inch of.

The Zelda series is known for its epic storylines, and Breath of the Wild continues in like manner. Hyrule was ravaged by “Calamity Ganon” 100 years ago, and Link has finally awakened from his slumber. Now Link has to take back the four Divine Beasts, eventually battling Ganon and freeing Princess Zelda from her burden of sealing the villain at Hyrule Castle. It’s a similar storyline, but also different and engages the player from beginning to end. It really feels like you’re part of something big as you hear the backstory from Impa early in the game.

After talking to Impa, the core part of the game begins: going to different areas and freeing the Divine Beasts from Ganon’s control. It’s smart how Nintendo did this; each area is placed far away from each other on the map. This forces the player to explore Hyrule. So, if players for some reason had no intention of exploring, they would still get much sightseeing.

As for knowing where to go, there are yellow indicators pointing Link to his destination. This was welcome, because sometimes in Zelda it can get a bit confusing where to go next. Breath of the Wild is more straightforward than Ocarina of Time. However, it’s not linear like a Crash Bandicoot level. Instead, Breath of the Wild almost perfectly balances having the player figure out what to do and being straightforward. Yes, there is an indicator on the map of where to go. But it’s up to the player to maneuver around obstacles and plan how to traverse tall mountains. The only part I was confused about was getting to Goron City. Link would soon heat up upon entry without the right clothes. I would be burning up looking for the shop at the city, where I would purchase the right attire to actually be able to live in the area. That worked, but it didn’t feel like that’s what the game wanted the player to do. Or maybe it was. Either way, getting to the different areas tested the player’s ability to plan on the go.

The dungeons are of shorter length than the average Zelda dungeon. This is a good thing, because it can take awhile, almost 40 minutes even, to get to the next area. If the dungeons were super long as well, that would have been too much. The dungeons instead are just the perfect length. The length also doesn’t affect the level of brainstorming players must do in order to complete the dungeons. Zelda games are known for its dungeons and forcing players to consider how to use the tools at their disposal. Each dungeon in Breath of the Wild makes the player think, and every time a breakthrough would occur, it was a truly happy moment.

There’s a boss at the end of every main dungeon. Breath of the Wild isn’t the easiest game out there, and the bosses are evident of that. They are genuinely challenging. (One won’t forget facing Waterblight Ganon.) Arrows are a key aspect in facing these bosses, and that’s another thing making this Zelda game unique among other entries. Link can find arrows out in the open (of course, he can also purchase them) and also weapons. These weapons, from a woodcutter’s axe to tree branch, eventually break. It would be a shame to have everything break or run out in the middle of a boss battle; that’s why players want to stock up and carefully use different weapons throughout the game. This adds another layer of strategy as players trek through the 30 hour story.

As for Link himself, he plays similarly to previous incarnations. The biggest difference is that he can now jump. It’s a little strange to see him jump after all these years. (Then again, he’s always been able to jump in Super Smash Bros.) Another change is that Link has unlimited access to bombs, and can even stop some things from moving. These are nicely implemented for puzzles and boss fights. On the giant map there are many mini-dungeons called Shrines, which also serve as checkpoints Link can warp to. These are great because running back and fourth across the map would grow tiresome. Entering and completing these mini-dungeons are optional, but doing so will eventually give Link more stamina and hearts. Those things are important, so they’re a good incentive for players to complete the Shrines. Another new feature is cooking food. There’s a lot of food in the open to replenish hearts, and cooking adds special benefits. It’s an interesting feature that, once again, adds a layer of strategy.

The final boss battle is epic and provides a satisfying finale. The award to greatest Ganon boss fight still belongs to Twilight Princess, but Breath of the Wild’s was well done as well. (The final Light Arrow shot won’t soon be forgotten.) Actually getting to Ganon is one of the most well done parts of the game. Getting to the top of a ravaged Hyrule Castle with some of the classic Zelda theme playing was intense. Unfortunately, acquiring the Master Sword is optional. Characters make mention of it, but it’s a side quest. It should have been a main quest because completing the game without it just doesn’t feel right.

Overall, Breath of the Wild lives up to its grand presentation. The open world is one of the best, encouraging players to run around and see what they can find. The story is enthralling and full of memorable characters. The soundtrack is also great. There are many variations on the Zelda formula, but they never feel out of place or different just to be different. That’s because there’s a level of quality and class to the gameplay and story, as one would expect from a Zelda title. Link’s mission to take back Hyrule from Ganon is epic. Breath of the Wild makes the case for game of the year. Though, with Super Mario Odyssey coming out in October, Breath of the Wild is going to have big competition.

10/10

The Fall of Nintendo’s Core Gaming

March 19, 2016May 5, 20161 Comment

I’ve been a fan of Nintendo for about 15 years now. I’ve seen the way they they’ve changed their games from era to era, console to console. It’s also interesting to see the things that have not changed. The company is still the king of unique first party titles. They deliver bright, colorful, fantastical stories and worlds. When one thinks of Nintendo they think of mushrooms, princesses, stars and things related. In the distant past they’ve bordered on only having games for core gamers (the ones who go down to Gamestop and invest hours into each game) and also for the whole family such as Mario Party. The company kept a balance, but they didn’t forget that they were a video game company first and foremost in making quality single player (and multiplayer) experiences. What’s the purpose of a video game? Generally speaking, I believe the purpose is to challenge the player to complete some sort of quest. On another note, there’s also party games, racing games, fighting games and sport games, all of which the major companies have.

But the core thing is to generally challenge the player, young or old, and to throw them in an unknown world. The goal is to complete the adventure, whether it be saving the world, rescuing the princess, or becoming the world champion. Nintendo has delivered these things in different formats very well over the years. Of course as you probably noticed I used the term “distant past” to describe Nintendo’s practices. That’s because I believe the company has truly fallen short these past years.

Recently it was announced that the upcoming STAR FOX ZERO would be including a mode called “Invincibility.” Basically, it will make the Arwing invulnerable, granting players the ability to fast-blast the level. I couldn’t help but laugh and shake my head at this. Let’s think about it for a second: the game is literally giving you a cheat code. It’s telling the player that if this is too hard for you, here, take a pass. You might tell me that just because it’s there doesn’t mean I, or anyone else, have to use it. True. The thing is that it shouldn’t be there at all. A kid playing is given an option to defeat the level without overcoming anything. This defeats the purpose of a challenge to be overcome. The fact that it’s there encourages the easy way out when something seems too hard.

Let’s say you’re faced with an exam. It’s truly tough and you’re having a hard time completing it. Instead of the student learning to study harder, the teacher decides to give you the answers, guaranteeing a pass. Does this ever happen? Should it happen? Of course not. Things like “Invincible Mode” encourages no hard work. Back in the day you had games like Yoshi’s Island and Mario Sunshine. These games didn’t have invincibility modes. The players, whether they be kid or adult, had to learn to overcome each stage every time they got stuck. There was no “holding the player’s hand.”

If Zero was the only game with this type of mode I wouldn’t have too much of a problem. The thing is that this has been a practice of Nintendo for years now and has become a staple for the company. In New Super Mario Bros. Wii (7 years ago) after losing eight lives the game offers the player a “Super Guide.” Basically if they use it the game shows the player how to beat the obstacle. Instead of the player using their head, the game offers a cheat. Super Mario Galaxy 2, one of the finest platformers ever made, sadly utilizes this concept and takes it a step further. If the player chooses to gain the help of a “Cosmic Spirit,” it will literally possess Mario and propel him to the end on auto-pilot. In Yoshi’s Woolly World the game constantly reminds you that you have “badges” to help make the already easy game, easier. You wouldn’t find this stuff on the Gamecube.

This isn’t only limited to Mario games. In SONIC LOST WORLD for Wii U and 3DS it allows the player to skip segments after losing a number of times. You’ll pretty much never find this on any Playstaion or Xbox game. Of course, the actual Nintendo games are usually of quality despite having that Super Guide option. Even then, those quality games are becoming rarer since the company has put their attention elsewhere. Where did this begin? With the Wii.

The Wii was revolutionary for introducing motion control to the world of gaming. While on the onset it was a brilliant idea, it would be the start of Nintendo’s downfall. Why? Because with motion control Nintendo started to shift away from core gameplay experiences to things like Wii Fit. Now there’s nothing wrong with having a game like the Fit, (it does have great benefits) but the problem is that starting there is when the company began to be known not by its games, but by its gimmicks. This isn’t the main negative aspect however. The really awful aspect starting with the Wii is that Nintendo had become known for being squarely aimed at non-gamer children. Remember the game Transformers: War for Cybetron? It was ported to the Wii under the title “Cybertron Adventures,” a severely watered-down version. The Wii also featured the largest amount of shovelware and Z rank games to date. You wouldn’t find low budget entries like those on the PS3 or Xbox 360. Things like these alienated gamers from Nintendo. (Why should a Wii owner get a lesser version of the same game?) The company still hasn’t quite recovered from the Wii era.

Nintendo also seems to really dislike the internet and competitive scene. Leaderboards and player rankings have been virtually nonexistent. One would imagine with its latest console, the Wii U and its biggest fighting game to date, Super Smash Bros., they would implement a leaderboard system like how Capcom is doing it with Street Fighter V. But we didn’t get that. (At least Pokken features a ranking system, though not in-depth.) The servers are almost seamless on all PS4 and Xbox One games. The peer-to-peer system of Smash can often be full of lag, making some battles online almost unplayable. What could be worst however is how the company interacts with its fanbase, which is basically nonexistent. Their secretive policies in Mario Maker for example shows that they have no idea how to communicate with their own fans.

Nintendo is so out of the loop with how to market products that many people still don’t know that the Wii U is completely separate from the Wii. I was talking to someone not too long ago and when I inquired about the U he thought it was just another version of the Wii. The U is one of Nintendo’s worst selling consoles to date for this very reason. While it has stepped away from some of the failures of the Wii, it hasn’t reached the greatness of the Gamecube and its predecessors in delivering consistent, quality content. A running joke which is still going is a lack of third party support. Ubisoft have said in the past they wouldn’t release more exclusives until the system sold more units. Sadly, Nintendo has thrown itself into a hole which could take quite awhile to get out of. The sad thing is that they don’t seem to care!

The Wii U has been out for just four years and Nintendo is already prepping release for their next home console. This is their not so subtle way of saying the U was a failure. The company is so set on Miis and Ambiibo gimmicks that they’ve forgotten what gamers want to play. A prime example of this is the upcoming 3DS Metroid game, Federation Force. Instead of giving us the next Samus Aran installment after 6 years, we’re getting a 4 player co-op where she isn’t even a focus! (The first trailer received over 25,000 dislikes on YouTube day one.) The company doesn’t seem to understand that this is not something a fan wants to invest hours into.

From the NES to the Gamecube, the company was in its prime. Since the Wii the company has moved away from its earlier practices. The Wii alienated many people a couple of years in as it started to focus on other areas than delivering quality gameplay. That’s not to say every game was bad, because the console houses some truly fine additions. There’s more mediocre than positive however. The continuing usage of a “Super Guide” and “Invincibility Mode” shows that Nintendo isn’t in the same mindset as the Yoshi’s Island days. The Wii U doesn’t look to pick up as already the NX is being released in the near future. Nintendo was once a company which delivered consistent, fantastic games which made the player smile and challenge them to overcome obstacles. Now I’m inclined to say their competitors are better at being video game companies. The sales showcase this too, for Nintendo has been in decline since the Wii U has failed to sell as much as the PS4 and Xbox One. (To put this in perspective, it took the U 3 years to sell 10 million units, while the PS4 and Xbox One only 1 year!)

I don’t think Nintendo is going to regain the respect of gamers anytime soon. Maybe the NX will change things. (That’s the hope anyway.) If the company can start delivering quality content consistently from the start and slowly move away from its Mii, family party-centered practices it can happen. Again, there’s definitely nothing wrong with having gimmick or party-like games. Families should be playing together. The company however should put their focus in making challenging installments for the main buyers of a video game console, the gamers.

BEYOND: TWO SOULS Review

March 7, 2016March 7, 20161 Comment

BEYOND TWO: SOULS is a peculiar game. There have been very few of what is called “interactive dramas.” HEAVY RAIN is the other major one in recent times, but also there’s been Telltale’s THE WALKING DEAD Seasons. Those games offer many different paths based on the decisions the player makes. For the most part, that isn’t the case with Beyond. The only times when decisions really matter is in the climax. This is my first complaint: it would have been better as a movie. Then there’s many things wrong about the story later on. This is not to say Beyond is a bad experience, because for awhile Jodie’s story is really engaging. By the time the credits roll however the player is left feeling unsatisfied and contemplating why a good chunk of the game was even relevant.

The story follows a girl named Jodie Holmes and an entity which is linked to her named Aiden. One of the most interesting aspects of the plot is that instead of telling it the normal linear way, progression is almost always out of order. We jump for example from Jodie’s CIA days to the time she was a little girl. This system works, because it smartly provides bits and pieces into her life and how they connect. Looking back, it was also a good way to balance out action and the more subdued childhood life. The story is well thought out for most of the game.

Now like I said earlier I feel this game would have been better as an actual movie. Why is that? The game has us do meaningless things multiple times such as Jodie turning left and right on her bed. Later as she prepares for a date she takes a shower. (Thankfully that part is optional.) Truly, I do not understand how this stuff is relevant to the story. In The Walking Dead almost every decision you make has an impact throughout the entire game. In Beyond, often it doesn’t really matter what you pick. For example, way later in the story Nathan asks Jodie for him to talk to his dead wife and daughter again. You’re given the option to accept the request or decline. Even if you decline, Jodie still ends up doing it anyway.

It is possible for a game to feel like a cinematic experience and have actual gameplay. THE LAST OF US is naturally the perfect example. Its story watches like a 5-star movie and the gameplay is just as fantastic. The few instances in Beyond where there’s stakes in the gameplay is far too little to appreciate. In the chapter The Mission we have Jodie spying, stealthily taking out opponents, and using Aiden’s psychic abilities to progress. The idea of using Aiden in these type of circumstances was really neat, which is why it’s disappointing most of the game doesn’t utilize this concept. Instead, we get a chapter with Jodie being a rebellious teenager. That chapter you can remove and it won’t have any effect on the game at all.

The best chapter was The Condenser. It felt like a horror experience as we see Jodie go into this scientific building turned slaughter house as she battles these malicious spirit monsters. Their dimension, the “Infraworld” becomes the central part of the story in the climax. Nathan’s character goes a 180 here. I understand the idea, but at the same time it felt inconsistent. In The Condenser which is way after Jodie had him talk with his deceased wife and daughter, he tells her to destroy the portal so the monsters can’t escape into our world. Yet by the end he’s completely lost it, as in he’s created a new portal. It’s inconsistent. An even worst negative is also in the climax. Nathan eventually shoots himself, but then a moment later is seen with his wife and daughter. Jodie smiles at that and later tells Ryan that Nathan “found his peace.” So according to this logic, basically committing suicide leads to peace and is a moment to smile at.

Huh?

There’s even more wrong with the climax. The final two decisions comes down to this blue light and this dark light. Well obviously that would mean that blue is good and black is evil, right? Not quite. The blue light would have Jodie go “beyond” and she would turn into wind, stars, and the universe. What kind of lunacy is that? The black one called “life” would have her go back to the land of the living. Why this is colored dark the world may never know. Also, the trope of the military being shady is long overdone. They literally offer Jodie a deal, and then…they abduct her anyway? This entire sequence was painful to watch. The big plot twist with Aiden was done very well, even if the idea was explained rather quickly.

Instead of getting this we get playing snowball fights with kids

As a whole the story does succeed in showcasing the tough life Jodie has to live as an ~~X-Man~~ a child/teen/adult whom can command power. She is likable, which is especially necessary since she basically has to carry the game. Ellen Page did a great job voicing her. If there’s one thing that’s distracting however, it’s the constant usage of swearing. I really don’t think anyone talks like that in real life. The chapters vary in length; some can just be 10 minutes while some can go up to one hour. Because of this, the game is reasonably paced. The soundtrack is solid. The themes which play during the quick-time events add to the intensity.

Overall, BEYOND: TWO SOULS is an interesting experience. The story mode is well written most of the time. The game however features a lot of meaningless tasks and not enough of the intriguing gameplay mechanics. Going around in CIA mode taking out enemies with a psychic power, battling insidious entities, and driving around in a motorcycle provides the most entertainment, but those are sandwiched in-between a lot of exposition. A lot of the chapters however are very good, such as Homeless. But Jodie delivering a baby there, her playing with Barbie dolls, turning left and right in bed, why would we want to do this stuff? The game ends with a look at the future. The monsters are invading the world and Jodie is in this cool heroine outfit with a sword. That’s the game I would have rather played.

5.5/10

Super Smash Bros. For Wii U – A Retrospective

March 3, 2016May 18, 20161 Comment

The latest Super Smash Bros. released a little over a year ago. First of course the 3DS version came out, which was certainly fun. The big one however is the one that could be played on the TV screen, which was the long awaited Wii U version. You can find this game being played at some of the biggest fighting game tournaments on the planet, such as EVO and CEO. The series is endearing mainly because we get to see Mario, Link, Pikachu and thanks to Brawl even Sonic duke it out. Since Sakurai officially stated in the last Smash Nintendo Direct that there would be no more DLC or patches coming, I thought it would be good to take a fresh look at the game after all this time.

First, the Gameplay

The main reason why one buys a fighting game is for its gameplay. This of course can be applied for most games, but mainly fighting ones. (For example on the flip side, one buys Beyond Two Souls not for its gameplay, but for its intriguing story.) Smash has kept the formula identical from the first one on the 64 17 years ago. Even to this day, it’s remarkable how unique and frantic the gameplay is. Usually with 2D fighters the characters are closed in with little space to move. (Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Guilty Gear.) But in Smash the characters are generally portrayed small in comparison to the big environment. This gives the player freedom to move around and plan strategies as opposed to just button mashing. The concept of rolling adds another dimension. Another thing is the way a character wins. In the default mode, a character wins not by draining health, but by sending them out of the stage. (Basically a ring out.) The goal is to keep building up damage until one is able to use a powerful attack to send the opponent away. It’s a unique system, and a fun one.

The gameplay is so good that over the years copycats or games trying emulate the feel of it have surfaced. Some are okay (TMNT Smashup) but some are just bad. (PlayStation All-Stars.) Even with the okay ones, they’re never as good. So the question is why play an average game like Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion when you can play the real deal? Unless one is a big fan of a series, there’s virtually no reason to play any of the emulators.

After playing Smash for Wii U this long, I’m definitely inclined to say that it has just about perfected the formula. After going back to Brawl, Melee, and 64 over the last year, they just feel, for a lack of a better word, dated. I have immense respect for each individual entry and their unique differences. The latest version I feel however combines all the best elements of the entries and removes/alters the worst ones. Brawl for example introduced the concept of tripping. When it first came out it was noticeable, but now after playing Wii U it is supremely noticeable and just bad when going back to it. Interestingly, Brawl also plays slower than Melee. Wii U combines the quickness of Melee and and slowness of Brawl for peak efficiency. One could argue that Melee’s extremely fast gameplay makes it more of a hardcore experience, which could be true. There is no denying however that Wii U is the most easily accessible for newcomers. Characters don’t die as fast, and the addition of “Max Rage” gives a player down even a hundred damage a shot at making a comeback.

Character balance has always been a key feature in fighting games. Sadly some games feature at least one overpowered character which gives him/her an advantage over others. (Kratos in PlayStation All-Stars.) Smash Bros. has for the most part kept it well balanced. There are however some obvious imperfections. In Melee Pichu’s attacks literally harm the little guy, so there’s no reason why one would want to play as him when Pikachu basically does the same things with no aftereffects. In Brawl Meta Knight had some very overpowered attacks and recovery options which literally made him banned for sometime in competitive play. The new game, while not perfect in this regard, definitely is the best when it comes balance and improvements. For example, I’ve played Mario since 64, and it’s easy to notice the big differences between him in the previous three games and here. Simply put, he plays better. Like I said however, there are some things which aren’t perfect. Mewtwo is so severely light that a counter with Corrin at even under 50% damage is dangerous. (Thankfully, an unexpected balance patch fixed that.) Still, just about each character is on fair ground and brings something unique to the table, which is incredible considering the large amount of characters in the game.

All in all, while maybe not as intense as Melee, I think the gameplay here is certainly the most fun.

OFFLINE FEATURES

Smash and all other fighting games are made under the premise that you will be battling other people. A game however isn’t a complete package without features one can do by himself/herself. Classic Mode has been a staple in Smash since the very beginning. It’s a fun take on Arcade mode as the player battles through different characters and eventually comes face-to-face with Master Hand. Wii U might have the best one yet, if only because of the twist at the end: Master Core. This fight on higher difficulty settings gives an incredible challenge to even the most seasoned of players. Of course, Classic Mode can become repetitive after awhile, so what else do we have? Like in the previous two games, there’s a lot of fun modes such as Home Run Contest and Multi-Man Mode. Break the Targets also returns in a new form, but is actually far less engaging than previous installments, being basically Angry Birds.

Melee introduced another mode alongside Classic known as Adventure Mode. In the aforementioned game it was fun as it had the players go through dungeons & unique situations such as battling the ReDead in Hyrule, running into the Metal Brothers, and finally battling Giga Bowser. It was a fun sequence of events. Brawl however did something few fighting games have done: provide a cinematic story mode. The Subspace Emissary brought together the characters with incredible cutscenes and an engaging plot. (Which was written by Kazushige Nojima, the Final Fantasy VII writer himself!) This set the bar which few fighting games have raised since. Sadly, Wii U is part of those. Apparently Sakurai didn’t want to do another Subspace-like mode because “Cutscenes can be leaked to YouTube.” That was one of the silliest things I had ever heard. Going by that logic, not many games should have story modes. Instead here we get modes like Crazy Orders, Master Orders, and Smash Tour. The prior two, like Classic, can get repetitive. Smash Tour is only fun with a few others, otherwise alone it greatly drags on. Really, I don’t think anyone would have minded if those three things were replaced by a proper Adventure Mode.

ONLINE

Playing games online has been a staple for many years now, but it wasn’t until the DS when Nintendo started making use of the technology. Brawl was the first Smash to utilize online features. Sadly if you were looking to play with three others there would almost always be brutal lag. Plus, there wasn’t any kind of trophy or ranking system, which is sad when compared to the online of PlayStation and Xbox. The new game sort of fixes this with the addition of For Glory. For Glory is great in that it provides a fast way to have a one-on-one, doubles, or free-for-for all. Matches literally come usually less than a few seconds. Sadly again there’s virtually no ranking system. We can see our win percentage and our victories/losses, but there’s no way to compare. There’s no sense of leaderboards, which is a true shame. Nintendo really needs to embrace the competitive aspect and let go of the notion that this is a party game.

Later in the game’s life cycle a free update included the addition of Tournament Mode. This was greatly anticipated, because not everyone can make it to in-person tourneys. Sadly, Tournament Mode ended up being a disappointment. The main thing is that the way to win besides KOing the opponent off the stage is to do the most damage. This system has proven broken to the point where you’re not even sure sometimes if you’ve won. It can be fun once in awhile, but it’s just really a wasted opportunity. To add even more disappointment, the tournaments a player can host aren’t even real tournaments. If Nintendo had given more freedom to the players in this mode, the complaints would have quieted down.

The absolute worst aspect however of online is that lag is present. It isn’t there all the time, but you’ll almost certainly run into it on a daily basis, sometimes to the point where even the inputs are delayed. You won’t find this almost at all on Sony or Microsoft fighting games. Nintendo truly deserves a thumbs down for not providing dedicated servers. At the very least, playing online with friends always provides some of the most fun one can have.

CHARACTERS AND STAGES

The main appeal of crossovers naturally are having characters whom don’t normally interact come together. In the case of Smash, it’s a dream to be able to have Mario duke it out with Sonic. This game features the largest cast yet, and that’s not even counting the DLC fighters. The most impressive aspect as I mentioned earlier is that just about every character brings something unique to the table. From PAC-MAN’s mix-ups with his fruit selection to Mega Man’s onslaught of projectiles, there’s an amazing variety. It’s still not perfect however. The logic in having some of these characters in it is questionable. For example, Marth and Lucina literally have the same exact moveset. At least with Mario and Doctor Mario they’re at different speeds and have a couple of different attacks. That’s not the case here. One of Olimar’s alt costumes is Alph, and Bowser Jr. has seven different alt costume characters, but they don’t take up different slots. There’s no reason why Lucina couldn’t have been an alt to Marth; she’s the definition of wasted space. It’s the same with Pit and Dark Pit. How does Dark Pit get to be in the game and Dark Samus (a character whom has appeared in three games) just an Assist Trophy?

Despite some of these complaints, the cast is still impressive. It’s fun learning the different movesets, and then picking your main. There’s never been a fighting game with characters as diverse as in here. Now, let’s talk a little bit about the DLC characters.

Mewtwo, Lucas, Ryu, Cloud, Bayonetta, and Corrin are the downloadable fighters. Interestingly Nintendo had always been seemingly against the concept of DLC until recently. DLC has definitely worked out for this game. I do not understand why if Lucas and Mewtwo can be brought back, Wolf couldn’t make it. Corrin to me is still questionable, since Fire Emblem already has enough representatives while Metroid still only has one. (Zero Suit doesn’t count as a separate character in my book.) Having Ryu and Cloud definitely makes up for that. It’s intriguing how Smash has managed to acquire so many third party characters. At this rate, we’ll have Master Chief interacting with Crash Bandicoot in the next one.

How can I forget the Mii Fighters? We have Mii Brawler, Mii Swordfighter, and Mii Gunner. They’re fun little additions but I don’t think anyone would have minded if we got 1 real character over them.

On the outside the stage selection looks impressive. When you look at them individually however you can see that at least half of them are old. Hyrule Temple and Castle Siege are must-haves of course, but do we really need two Mario circuits? And Earthbound’s only stage is an old one? This aspect of the game appears more on the lazy side. This is not to deny the fact that there are some impressive new additions. Orbital Gate Assault always provides an intense amount of fun, and Palutena’s Temple surpasses Hyrule Temple for Smash’s biggest stage! (Not to mention the unique Great Cave Offensive.)

DLC also added a few new additions. 64 got an especially amount of love, bringing back Peach Castle, Temple, and Dreamland. While each stage we got was unique and fun, it seems like there could have been a lot more put there since the “extra” section looks like it can hold a bunch.

CUSTOMS

Customs might be the most controversial aspect of the game. On the outside the concept is fun: we get to see different versions of the attacks for the characters. (Mario can shoot a giant, slow fireball or a tiny quick one for example.) These are fun with friends, but the question ever since the backlash at last year’s EVO is should they be allowed in competitive play? I’m inclined to say no, because it’s virtually impossible to train against custom movesets. (They aren’t allowed on For Glory for example.) So while customs is definitely a fun thing, I don’t think anyone will really miss it too much if the next game didn’t have it.

COMPETITIVE SCENE

I’ve been a gamer for over 15 years, yet I’ve almost never been in actual competitive play, until this game. (I did however participate and win a local Brawl tournament back in the day.) So it’s been quite interesting to be part of tournaments such as KTAR, and soon APEX. It’s a shame Nintendo, or at least Sakurai, seemingly wants the game to not be in competitive play. There are tournaments all over, which shows just how much of a cultural impact the series has. I attend a bi-weekly tourney at a Friendly’s restaurant some minutes away, and it’s always great to test my ability against others. Even if you’re a casual player, I think it would be good to attend at least one tournament. It’s always a worthwhile experience.

Like all fan-bases, nothing is perfect. Almost at every tournament scene you will find people whom get “salty” and make it an annoyance to play against. Instead of helping out other players and giving advice, sometimes the very experienced and winners can have a superiority attitude, which is unfortunately found a lot on the Smash Ladder website. Despite these things, the community is still great to be a part of. What beats talking Smash?

Everything Else!

Brawl introduced the idea of creating your own levels to fight on in the form of Stage Builder. It was really neat, and Wii U took it another step since we can actually draw the stage out. This has led to incredible creations such as pixel art and remakes of older stages, such as Corneria. While I do miss the ability to add ice platforms, moving platforms, and ladders, the possibilities for drawing make up for it. The music selection is, as always, fantastic. We have a healthy mix of originals and remixes. The items are some of the best yet. We have for example Master Balls in addition to the normal Pokemon ones. (Seeing Goldeen pop out of a Master always brings quality laughter.) The most monumental item however must be the S-Flag, which completely changes the game every time it appears.

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Super Smash Bros. is one of the few games a people can go hours and hours playing without the fun level dropping. As a whole package it lacks in a few areas, but at its core the gameplay is some of the best, if not the very best in the genre. Almost every day I play online with my cousins and the fun never for a moment ceases. A little over a year later and the game has only grown. If you haven’t picked it up yet, it’s definitely one of the biggest highlights on the console.

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