reviews « Anime Courtyard

April 17, 2012

Sumioni: Demon Arts Review (Vita)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 8:56 pm

Developed by Acquire and XSEED Games we have got this new adventure for the PS Vita called Sumioni: Demon Arts. With an Okami dejavu and a creative use of the hardware capabilities of the portable, this game takes us back to the ancient feudal Japan, fighting armies, mythical beasts and what not. Does this title have what it takes to keep you entertained? Let’s find out!

Gameplay
Sumioni takes us back to ancient Japan, as we take contol of this demon ink like character named Agura in a side scrolling game for the PS Vita. After years of slumber Agura wakes up to destroy an evil force in the ancient Japan.
Controls feel good, by using the left analog you can move, x to jump and square to attack, simple as that and without a big learning curve, simple pick up and play. Sumioni makes use of the touch-screen in a very creative way, by using your finger you can draw ink lines to help you kill enemies, avoid deadly traps, reach higher areas and so on. You can also delete your lines with your finger but they disappear by themselves after a time.
Ink is not infinite, you get ink jars as you destroy objects, enemies and overall everything in the enviroment, as well ying yang symbols.

Although you can’t lose time by stopping to destroy everything in your path as some stages require you to dash through it fast.
By using ink you can draw symbols and with them summon beasts to aid you in battle and unleash powerful attacks, but that is not all, by drawing over an enemy it can set the ink on fire, damaging monsters, something i’m in love with!
Ink is not the only weapon you have at your disposal, you can use water to delete ink or to put out fire to avoid damage, just like ink you use water with your finger, pretty handy.
The game has a ranking system by using stars from one (poor) to three (excellent). Obtaining three stars will unlock new paths to advance and progress to get one of six different endings. I will elaborate more on this below.

You will find yourself fighting giants, archers, soldiers and destroying fortifications and castles, some levels can get really tough giving the player a good challenge and that is always welcomed.

Graphics 8.5/10
The graphics for Sumioni are delightful, specially if you like traditional Japanese art like that one well known scroll of the ancient Japan known as Sumi-e. Graphics are not bland blank and white but there are gorgeous and colorful backgrounds and effects, giving the game a very unique style. What else can we say but eye candy! Gorgeous, simply gorgeous!

Music 8/10
Just like the art the music is a mix of both, traditional and catchy modern tunes with sounds that are so typical of the Japanese culture and they complement gameplay to perfection.

Downsides
If any, Sumioni opening is composed of still images, although the art is pretty good all you see for over 3 minutes is an intro composed of images and lots, lots of text… usually I don’t mind but really this does not make you feel immersed or interested in the storyline that much, it can be quite boring.
Some bosses appear to be just upgraded versions of early bosses, more variety would have been beneficial in both variety and replay value, once you learn to defeat some of the early bosses, the improved versions are not so hard.
As amusing and interesting the use of ink can be, after a time you will find yourself using the same patterns or lines to move forward which tend to be repetitive after a while.
The stars system can be a real pain as you need to score perfect to unlock a new path, if you don’t do it you will never be able to see all the endings nor enjoy the full experience and this can lead to frustration. Nobody likes to finish a game under 25 minutes just because you can’t score perfect right?

Overall
Sumioni: Demon Arts although it’s not a excellent title, it is a good choice with interesting gameplay, if you own a Vita it’s worth to give it a try. This franchise promises a lot and maybe if they can improve and nail down their mistakes on this release they could bring us an amazing sequel.
Can’t say I hate the game as i’m in love with the art and the music, ingenious and creative ways to use the Vita hardware capabilities as i said before, but it was not the epic adventure I was hoping for. Download the demo and if you like it buy it, in the end you are the best judge.

We give the game an 8 out 10

~Mario

Tags: Acquire, bacon it's awesome, okami, Playstation Network, PS Vita, review, Sumioni Demon Arts, XSEED —

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March 22, 2012

Review: Yesterday (PC)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 2:15 am

Recently we had the pleasure to try a YESTERDAY preview build, now having played a full release, we are completely delighted and no need to say that we enjoyed it from start to finish.
As we previously mentioned in our previous article it’s good to see a classic genre that refuses to die in a market flooded with (sometimes) mediocre and monotone FPS’s. What does Pendulo and Focus Home Interactive have in store for you? Let’s find out!

Story
Mysterious deaths have been occuring in New York, homeless people have been found burned alive and with a strange mark in their hands. Henry White and his best friend Copper wander into an abandoned metro line to investigate, leading to truly shocking events. As time goes on a new character appears, the amnesic John Yesterday.
After a very suspicious suicide attempt in the middle of his investigation John lost his memory, in such condition John is determined to find his past, the mystery of a satanic cult and the link to the murders in Ney York.

Gameplay
Yesterday is a Point and Click Adventure game, an old and much loved genre that is a pleasure to play, specially with a good storyline like in Yesterday.
Controls are quite simple, all you need is your mouse, after all it’s a point and click game. You have a bar in the bottom displaying what’s in your inventory.

You obtain clues and new items as you interact with the enviroment. Many times you will see animated cutscenes enriching the gaming experience a lot.
Some puzzles are quite simple and others are hard to keep you busy for a time. The usual tip button is there, so if you are losing neurones by the minute this will help you to move on. Although if you ask me, it’s much more rewarding to solve a puzzle without cheating isn’t?
The story takes place in 3 different scenarios. You will find yourself venturing in an abandoned New York metro system, visiting antique shops in paris and in a place i suspect is the tibet, mostly appearing as flashbacks in John’s mind. The diversity of scenery in these 3 places is good. Giving the player the feeling of a horror thriller and a sort of indiana jones movie all in one game (Raiders of the Lost Ark anyone?), of course romance and good humor are present and will lighten the dark and bold thematic of Yesterday.

Without giving you much details and hoping i am not spoiling anything, get ready to see some dramatic and shocking twists in the characters as you progress and unlock some of the mysteries of the story, the cult and John’s memories.
The experience is quite unique and believe me, like me you may not want to get up from your seat until you finish the adventure due to the intricate and really interesting story of the game. This include 3 different endings, which endings you ask? sorry guys but no spoilers!

Graphics 8.5/10
Very colorful and detailed backgrounds. Animations are both a mix of GC and comic panels giving the game a unique and pleasant style to the eye. Character design is quite good, prety similar as in their previous title “The Next Big Thing”, if you played that game you know what to expect. The animated intro is shocking and intriguing, sucking the player into the experience right from the begining.

Sound 8/10
Sure, the game does not have a lot of music, and really doesn’t need it. Background sounds and effects complement the game to perfection, from gun shots to ambient effects, giving unease feeling and more. Although there is voice acting here and there

Downside
If any, you will finish the game yelling, no please… I want more! I know i do.

Overall
What can we say of a game like this? if you enjoy the Adventure game be sure you are in for a great ride with Yesterday! Catching graphics, a dark storyline with the right dose of humor and good gameplay, this game is one to remember.
Adventure games may not have a high replay value but this is one to keep in your collection and revisitng once in a while, you will not regret it. We can only hope to see more titles like this from the guys at Pendulo and Focus Home Interactive, kudos for an amazing game, Yesterday!

We give the game an 8.5 out of 10

~Mario

Tags: Focus Home Interactive, fps, Indiana Jones, PC, Pendulo, review, The Next Big Thing —

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March 14, 2012

Review – Beyblade: Metal Masters

Posted by: Cybermario @ 10:49 am

LET IT RIP! Yes we all know what that means (at least those of us into anime) it is another Beyblade videogame! This is the latest installment on the Beyblade franchise, we speak of Beyblade: Metal Masters for the Nintendo DS.
This anime is no stranger to the videogame world and has been present on almost every console, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, Playstation and many more.

Story
Beyblade: Metal Masters is the second in the Metal series of the anime, Ginak and his team of Beybladers are invited to join a tournament but something seems odd, it is held on a cemetery and many contestants are losing their energy and can’t use Beyblade anymore.
What is the mystery behind this fishy tourney? Find out by defeating rival enemies and making it to the finals!
How a villain plans to conquer the world by using Beyblades beats me, but hey everything goes in anime!

Gameplay
If you played previous Beyblade instalments you know the jazz, if not well the game mechanics are quite simple to be honest, imagine a sort of advanced spin (called Beyblade), and the goal is to destroy your opponent’s Beyblade or take it out of the ring, simple enough?
Beyblades can be highly customizable with different rings to get more power, speed or balance, it all depends on your gameplay style really. Also Beyblades has different special attacks depending the character you chose to play as, some are weaker than others but does not mean they are bad, as i said before it is up to you, your skills, gameplay style and the Beyblade you build in the end what really matters.
The game has a few game modes for you to play with, Arcade (the storyline), here you can fight against teams from the anime while you unlock additional characters to use in your team and new Beyblade parts.
Missions; which are more a sort of tutorial and battles to win in which you will unlock special attacks and new Beyblades for your collection for a total of 100 missions.

Multiplayer; you can play and battle against other players via local multiplayer which is a cool feature, it is always fun to play with friends.
There are a total of 24 achievements you will unlock by playing the game, a gallery to see your parts collection and some other little things but nothing impressive to comment.

Graphics 7.5/10
As usual the main issue with the graphics is the DS screen isn’t the best around, other than that the Beyblades looks great in 3D and the 2D style anime graphics are eye candy, this of course if you like this show.

Sound 6.5/10
Can say they could have been better, sounds are pretty basic and there is not much variety on the soundtrack.

Downsides
Arcade feels extremely short, this was a major letdown as i expected more hours of gameplay and of the storyline, developers should put a bit more of care. Even as a DS game aimed for a younger audience giving players a videogame that won’t end in the bookshelf after a week would be mroe than welcome.
There are no cutscenes, not even a cool opening video, something that could be good to have, as an anime fan i was expecting to see that as i turned on the DS, alas there was none.

Overall
Have to admit i enjoyed Beyblade: Metal Masters, i am a fan of the anime and like the franchise, the gameplay is good but extremely short. Although i liked the game this may not be a title everyone will enjoy, mainly fans.
If you like the show and love Beyblade then this game is definitely worth to have in your collection (specially the Special Edition with Beyblade included), otherwise you may want to stay away of it as you may feel dissapointed… LET IT RIP!

We give the game a 6.5 out of 10

**A review copy was provided by the publisher for this review

~Mario

Tags: Anime, Beyblade, DS, Konami, let it rip, Nintendo, review —

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March 13, 2012

Review – Modern Combat: Domination (PS3)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 7:09 am

Last year Gameloft decided they wanted a piece of the cake and joined the wave of companies releasing FPS games. They did a little game called Modern Combat: Domination, or as i like to call it, the poor man Modern Warfare.
This is not the first downloadable title to come out trying to compete with Modern Warfare or the Battlefield series. Titles such as Breach, Blacklight: Tango Down, and others have tried but does Modern Combat: Domination have what it takes to float or will it sink? All i know is.. i like pie.

Gameplay
There is no campaign at all, the game consists only of multiplayer matchmaking, with 5 maps and 3 different game types to pick from. You have the choice to play offline and play with an AI team. This is not bad, if you want to get a hold of the controls before you start taking on online matches but you will not gain experience or ranks.
There is a money system in which you gain more by performing certain feats, headshosts, melee, etc. Must say it is annoying how you need to buy everything back everytime you respawn, not the best system compared to other games of this genre (MW series, Battlefield, etc) with time, you get used to it.
Controls are easy to learn and they feel good, very responsive. I like to play with a Dual Shock 3 and not the Playstation Move, although the game is fully compatible and Modern Combat: Domination has been promoted to be played with the peripheal.
Pretty much, if you played any of the Modern Warfare games you already know the controls, 90% of the controls are exactly the same, feels like a copy and paste but hey… it works.
This is also compatible with the Playstation Move, feels and works like a charm specially if you have a sharpshooter, personally i enjoy playing with the dual shock and not the Move.

Graphics 7/10
If not spectacular, graphics don’t look bad for a game like this, with good textures and details of light and shadows they are not so shabby, for 10 bucks i’ve seen worse. Of course they cannot compete with major retail titles, then again quote me; it’s just ten bucks.
Aside from a few objects and barricades here and there you can’t find much to destroy in the maps, something titles like Breach did really well. A more destructible environment could have made this game a winner.

Sound 6/10
Guns and explosions sounds well… they barely sound, could be better and there is much room for improvement. Although not a must during a match there could be more music in the lobby or after a match.

Downside
OMG the lag… is unbearable when a host have a crappy connection, Modern Combat: Domination uses a similar system to Halo and other games in which a player must host the match. When a host leaves or the connection is lost and is weird to see how the match skip frames and seems we are randomly moved in the map, can be truly annoying.
When i’m close to an objective like “activate the missile”, i keep wondering “hmm ok.. how?” There is nothing on screen telling you what you have to press to complete the mission, if not a biggie it can be annoying.
Lack of new content, as much fun as the game can be, lack of new maps are a downside for me, more DLC could give Modern Combat: Domination higher replay value.

Overall
This title is a good and cheap option if you enjoy the FPS genre and objectives in the style of capture the flag and such, although there are better options out there with much more content, variety and replay value.
With this said Modern Combat: Domination delivers lots of fun and entertainment for just 10 dollars, for that price you really can’t ask for more.

We give the game a 7 out of 10

~Mario

Tags: COD, Gameloft, Modern Combat: Domination, Modern Warfare, Move, ps3, psn, review —

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February 29, 2012

Preview: Yesterday (PC)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 11:49 pm

In a market that is flooded with generic, repetitive and sometimes mediocre FPS titles, it’s good to see companies like Focus Home Interactive and Pendulo bring something different into the table with games such as Yesterday. Although an adventure game is not a new genre and they are not unveiling anything new, it’s a pleasure, to play a game that makes you think and not just rubbish button mashing.

Story
Yesterday has a nice intriguing and bold storyline, taking place in New York City, beggars and homeless people are disappearing and later found dead, burned with a mysterious mark on their hands.
In this adventure Harry White, Samuel Copper, and an amnesic, mysterious John Yesterday. They have to solve the riddle involving these deaths and the weird events around a cult, the truth is quite shocking!

Gameplay
Old good Point and Click Adventure game, that’s Yesterday. As you explore different areas by pointing and clicking you will get items, clues and dialogs to continue with the storyline, some items may interact with another, even the most useless item may be the key to advance or unlock a mystery.
What could be better than a game that sends you into a dark, old and creepy abandoned metro station in the first minute of gameplay? Seriously guys that’s so cool and nobody can deny that!

Controls are easy, after all it’s a point and click game that will require a mouse to move around 100% of the time. You have the Item bar in the bottom from which you select the different items you collect on the different stages, you can then try to combine them or use in the enviroment around you.
You can save anytime, letting you restart from that scene/chapter with a total of 4 different slots, so if like me you tend to save a lot this i really handy.
The classic “tip” button is also here, if you are stuck and are getting frustrated and can’t move on this is your best friend, then again what’s the fun on clicking it and missing the amazing “i did it!” feeling, without trying to solve the problem by yourself isn’t?

Graphics 8.5/10
You start the game with an amazing and shocking opening that will scare a few and will make others say “Omg! This is so cool!” They really plunge the player right into the mystery, after you boot the game!
The graphics are quite good and truly eye candy, if you played The Next BIG Thing you know what’s in store for you. They are colorful and very detailed, including a comic trip syle narrated story that if like me you like comics and manga, this will be of your liking.

Sound 8/10
Complementing the art and gameplay to perfection, from a comic relief to give you that uneasy feeling in certain areas as you explore and the storyline.

Downside
The game has a fantastic atmosphere, if anything i wish there was voice acting and not just text for the character dialogues, it could have been much more involving and appealing that way.

Overall
Loved the preview build and cannot wait for the full release of this title. Yesterday offers a fantastic adventure game and lovers of this genre will have a blast with it. I will not recommend Yesterday for a younger audience, the dark and bold thematic of the game may not be suitable for kids. However teenagers and above, yeah be my guest, you will not regret spending hours with this amazing game!
Certainly, the adventure genre may not offer a high replay value but Yesterday for sure gives you great gameplay with very good graphics and sound effects that’s worth trying and to own in your collection and revisiting after a time.

~Mario

Tags: Adventure, PC Game, Pendulo, Point and Click, preview, review, The Next Big Thing, Yesterday —

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What otaku crave!

April 17, 2012

Sumioni: Demon Arts Review (Vita)

March 22, 2012

Review: Yesterday (PC)

March 14, 2012

Review – Beyblade: Metal Masters

March 13, 2012

Review – Modern Combat: Domination (PS3)

February 29, 2012

Preview: Yesterday (PC)