Sleepy Gamer

For the next installment of the outstanding series of multiplayer-focused Battlefield games, it seems EA and DICE wanted  to make something different.  While the cell-shaded, cartoony look and 3rd person perspective are what first catch the eye, it’s the “free to play” business model, with revenue gained solely via advertising and microtransactions, that make it truly unique.

Despite what the game’s producers may say, the simple look and approachable gameplay do indeed offer a much more casual-friendly experience.  The incredibly low hardware requirements mean that most computers will be able to run it without a serious upgrade.  Five second spawn times, infinite ammo and limited weapon choice make it quite approachable for any gamer used to the mouse and keyboard.  The downside of this approachable nature is that character class distinction is rather lacking among the game’s three classes.  You seem to have more options in customizing your character’s appearance than actual gameplay abilities, with numerous store-bought clothing and emote options at your disposal.

On the flip side, battles are incredibly fun and frenetic, frequently occurring around the game’s flag capture points.  Death leaves you with just enough time to check your stats and catch your breath.  Before you know it you’re back in on the action, thanks in part to the game’s automatic spawning system that does a decent job sending you back relatively close to the action.  The AI system also does a good job of making sure you aren’t constantly ambushed by spawn campers, like in Battlefield 2 when your side was pushed back to a single capture point.  Vehicles, such as tanks, jeeps and planes, are present on most maps, but their awkward controls and tame firepower make them much less important than in the more realistic Battlefield games of the past.  The game also takes a cue from the Halo series, with automatic matchmaking, based on player skill.  No server lists to navigate and refresh, just quick access to instant action.

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So why am I excited about this release?  Well… it’s Street Fighter 4, duh.  Even though the number 4 suggests that this the 4th game in the series, it’s really the 12th if you count all the iterations of SFI, SFII, SF Alpha, and SFIII.  Don’t get me started on that crappy Street Fighter 2010.  History aside, this entry proves to be just as epic as its previous legacies.  Let’s just hope that Capcom doesn’t repeat history and release a Street Fighter 4 Ultra Special Hyper Championship Edition to further confuse the hell out of us.

To be honest, when the first SFIV teasers were unveiled, it really wasn’t my cup of tea.  What was the deal with all the ink swirls and why did they keep Chun Li’s thunder thighs?  But as you play the final game, you start to realize how genius this art style really is.  For the first time, you can vividly see and feel all the pain induced from every punch, kick, and fireball.  From their over-the-top facial expressions, to the contorting bodies, you know that they’re in for a world of hurt.  In previous games, the 2-D character models seemed very copied and pasted into each level.  But because of the new 3-D engine, each character appears more dynamic and is more well integrated into the scenery.  Literally adding a new dimension to the visuals.  If you preferred the more gritty 2-D nature of SFIII, you might be disappointed.  But I can assure you that the game-play will surely change your mind.

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The 8-bit video game era of the late 80’s and early 90’s was an important period in gaming.  Where intuitive game design and refined controls were still at very early stages of development.  It was a time of cheat codes, Game Genie, and Nintendo game tip hotlines.  Most of all, it was a time of rose tinted nostalgia.  And although it’s easy to see all the inherent flaws of those games now, it’s hard to forget all the moments of joy they brought.

Retro Game Challenge (or GameCenter CX: Arino’s Challenge, as it’s known in Japan) tries to recapture that magical feeling again by simulating the 1980’s through a series of fictional NES-era (Famicon) games.  By some odd twist of fate, you are sent back in time to 1984 to complete a series of game challenges by a Japanese game show host named Arino.  The time warp changes your character to a younger version of you and Young Arino is also there to offer guidance as your fellow couch buddy.  Each fictional game offers a linear set of 4 distinct challenges ranging from the very easy (beat level 5) to more moderate challenges (score 250,000 points using the same continue).  Arino also periodically buys monthly game magazines, complete with helpful tips and tricks, sneak peaks at upcoming games and release dates, and even phony EGM-style game editors like Dan Sock (Dan Shoe) and Johnny England (John Davidson).

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Out of all the games out this holiday season, this is what I’ve been pouring most of my hours into.  It’s gotten to the point in which other epics, like Fallout 3 and Little Big Planet, are simply neglected and collecting dust.  There’s something about the original Street Fighter II formula that makes it so fun and addicting.  Capcom must have an entire division that is solely dedicated to appeal to our nostalgic appetites.  These re-releases are certainly easy money for Capcom, but at least they know how to do them right.

HD Remix is the same game from 14 years ago except with a major face lift.  The original fighting game engine are still intact while all of the graphics have been redone with gorgeous high resolution sprites.  Udon Comics has done an extraordinary job recreating the characters in beautiful Hi Def.  The once pixelated and blocky textures are now smooth and extremely detailed.  Nothing is left to the imagination anymore since all of the character models are finely illustrated with minute detail.  There is an option to play the game with the classic visuals, but it’s definitely an eye sore to view those outdated graphics on the HD screen.

Although the detail in the character models and backgrounds are superb, the animation department is not up to par.  Because Capcom wanted to keep the core mechanics of the original game, all of the animation frame counts have been preserved.  Unfortunately, this results with every move looking jerky and abrupt when performed.  With the low resolution sprites, this problem was not nearly as noticeable in the original game.  But the upgraded visuals expose holes in the animation that doesn’t look as smooth as it should be.
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The gamble that Bethesda made in acquiring the rights from Interplay seems to be paying off. The fanatical outcry from the incredibly vocal Fallout fans has died down. The game is finally out and available for the masses to judge for themselves. And yet, as I log yet another hour in this wonderfully crafted, post-apocalyptic vision of Washington D.C., heading into the credits of my second playthrough, it’s apparent that the game lives up to every bit of the hype and then some.

Destroyed Beauty

There’s just something about the meticulous attention to detail of Fallout 3, how the environment was lovingly created and just as lovingly destroyed, that gives it that personality that is so rare to find in games. The Fallout series has always had a brilliant art style, mixing old 1950’s-inspired culture with the futuristic technology of tomorrow. With Fallout 3, Bethesda truly outdid themselves by presenting a world of hauntingly beautiful structures that spell a cautionary tale of nuclear war at every turn. Every corner of the game’s world is enriched in amazing little touches; torn-down walls, pieced together suits of armor made of shopping carts and old tires, tons of humorous, fake products and advertisements. There are even a handful of in-game radio station broadcasts with a wonderful selection of music from the ’40s and ’50s that help in immersing you in the alternate-history dystopia that the series is known for.

The characters themselves offer an incredibly rich selection of voice-acted dialog, whether or not you recognize the Liam Neesons or Malcolm McDonalds of the bunch. And just like Oblivion, there are naturally some repeats here and there (for example, three ghouls outside a vault all had the same exact voice and slightly different thing to say), but it’s never quite as noticeable, possibly due to the smaller amount of settlements and survivors that the Fallout setting lends itself to.

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If you’ve never played this game before, it’s Mega Man “X”, not 10.  Ironically, this game was released before Mega Man 7, but confusions aside, it was Capcom’s first Mega Man entry on the SNES.  With the X series, Capcom decided to reinvent the Mega Man franchise towards a more mature trend when entering the the 16-bit arena.  It’s no Resident Evil, but it did venture into themes of death, revenge, and salvation.  Did it dissapoint?  Does it still stand to today’s standard?  Read on.

Story

If you cared to read the manual, you’ll find that this game takes place in the year 21xx (whenever that is).  It starts as an archaeologist/scientist stumbled upon the remains of a robotic research facility.  From this excavation, he discovered X (the main protagonist) and brought him back to life.  With X’s help, they were able to develop a new generation of androids dubbed “Reploids” who can learn, adapt, and pretty much has all human traits.  But what happens when robots start thinking on their own?  Shenanigans!  Led by the sinister Sigma, now there are evil robots who’ve gone “maverick” and it’s your job to stop them.   Not the greatest story in the world, but this shouldn’t be what you should be focusing on.
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