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November 17, 2011

Review: Worms Crazy Golf

Posted by: Cybermario @ 12:00 pm

One more time Team17 delights us with another fun and addicting title, it’s Worms Crazy Golf for the Playstation Network! This time the worms put their weapons aside and take a rest from the fights, grabing an iron and bringing addictive madness to the golf course.

Gameplay
The game features 2 game modes, Single Player and Hot Seat Multiplayer, (offline) they have different choices and customizations as previous Worms games have us used to.
Although there are no weapons, the game is not a simple golf game, you can change the trajectory of the ball midair and if the ball, hits some bystander worms, sheeps and other creatures around the golf course, you can get bonus points. When a worm dies you can listen to the classic sounds and watch the classic tombstones, this gives Worms Crazy Golf that fun touch we all love in a Worms game. The courses are good and with a good amount of variety.

Single Player: Career is basically the campaign, with 3 different golf courses to play (now 4 with the DLC), challenges and Trophy Room. Career is, five different challenge modes with 4 maps to unlock each one. Trophy Room is basically a gallery where trophies awarded by beating the different courses are kept (these are not the PSN Trophies).
Hot Seat Multiplayer: options include Set Golfers and Set Game Type. The first choice is basically the classics Worms editor, letting us create new worms, name them, dress them and of course the speech, and as this is a gold game we can also pick our iron, wedges, etc.
The second choice lets us pick one of the golf courses from the campaign and DLC, a quick game option will pick one at random if we decide to go with that. Multiplayer lets you play with up to 4 different worms locally. There is no online multiplayer as far i can tell.

Challenges are just like the bonus rounds you encounter in each golf course in the campaign, as i commented before there are five different challenges and i will explain them here with more detail, each had 4 maps and you have to unlock them all by beating the respective challenge.
Skill Shot: You have to destroy targets in sequence against the clock, don’t be fooled as this can be tricky and challenging (thereof being a challenge right… right?)
Time Attack: This one is a blast (literally!) as you have to destroy the targets before time runs out, just as i love to kick keflings, blowing up sheep gained a special place on my heart. The faster you eliminate the target the highest score you get.
Chip-In: You have to chip in (oh wow is how the challenge is called) on to the green zone around the hole to get more time, the more you get the better the score will be, you also get a bonus for hitting the sheep. It can be tricky specially for some shots, nonetheless fun!
Target:You have to land the ball inside the target around the hole, you have a limited amount of shots, if you are good aiming and using the right trajectory this one is cake, otherwise it may be a real pain.
Keeps Up: This one is very fun (not that others arent, just one of my favorites hehe) once you hit the ball you have to keep it moving, this is achieved by bouncing on land mines, sheep, rocks, using teleporters and by using the control pad to change the direction of the ball midair.

Graphics 8/10
Classy! The loved 2D look from some of the older games is here, giving the game that cool retro feeling from previous Worms titles. The graphics are colorful and detailed, the animations are cute. Using 2D instead of 3D unlike Ulimate Mayhem was a good move.

Music 8/10
Tunes in this game are not bad at all, giving Worms Crazy Golf a very relaxing pace that fits so well with the addictive gameplay. Killer combo.

Downsides
Ok the first complaint i have is.. Why not local plus online multiplayer? I love it when we can grab a second controller and play with a friend coming to play or when we have a party, it’s fun and makes it truly enjoyable.
But not always a friend can make it, or in my case my best friend lives in Indiana. (I’m in Mexico.) So it’s a real shame we can’t enjoy a good golf game, honestly i love the game but we need online multiplayer.
It’s a bit odd to have my worm speak Spanish from Spain, sure it is the same language, but i think it’s time for Team 17 to give us Latin or Mexican spanish, that sounds very different from the spanish they use in Spain. Specially, would be fun to listen to my worm using mexican slang.

Extras
A free DLC is available on the PSN Store, The Carnival Course. For some reason, i believe people stoped reading at “free” and ran over to PSN Store to download the DLC… I know i would.

Overall
Worms Crazy Golf retains the fun and addictive gameplay from other Worms titles, still addictive but this time with a relaxing gameplay. Certainly it’s a bit different from what fans of the Worms are used too, but believe me, with all the different courses, the challenges and all the collectibles to find, this one will not disapoint.
Available for the IPad, Iphone, PC and of course the Playstation Network.

We give the game a 8.5 out of 10

~Mario

Tags: Free DLC, IPad, IPhone, PC, playstation 3, psn, review, Team 17, team17, Worms, Worms Crazy Golf —

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November 12, 2011

Gundam Unicorn coming to Playstation 3

Posted by: Cybermario @ 7:48 pm

published by Namco Bandai and developed by From Software, a new Gundam title is coming to the Playstation 3, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn. Famitsu magazine reveals the game will be based in the first 3 episodes of the show (4 has been aired in japan). The developer team worked on previous Gundam titles, the popular Demon Souls and the sequel Dark Souls, so quality is guaranteed.

Making use of an updated control system from the Another Century’s Episode games and featuring a new “sub flight” system to transform the mobile suit into flight mode, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn is slated for release in spring 2012. Personally, cannot wait to see more of this game, and waiting for an US release, we can only hope!

Tags: Anime, Armored Core, Bandai, Dark Souls, Demon Souls, Famitsu, From Software, Gundam ACE, Gundam Unicorm, Mobile Suit, playstation 3 —

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October 31, 2011

Review – PAYDAY: The Heist

Posted by: Cybermario @ 3:20 pm

PAYDAY:The Heist developed by Overkill Software, comes to our consoles (or PC, whatever is your cup of tea) with an original concept that is certainly entertaining, this time we get to play as the bad guys, and oh boy… It is fun!
With a unique style that reminds us of a lot movies like Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs or Point Break. PAYDAY: The Heist offers very dynamic gameplay and action that is clearly influenced by Left 4 Dead (by no means this is bad at all), i like it.

Gameplay
This is a cooperative FPS featuring 6 different heists with a good variety of objectives, from robbing a bank, hunt down a traitor in the streets while you face the cops or even taking money from a meth lab and more. As stated before the L4D influence is undeniable, but instead of brainless zombies you have to deal with waves of cops and swat teams.
This is more evident if you decide to play offline teaming with the AI to complete a heist, just like in L4D the AI can heal you if you are injured. This option is not bad although an AI cannot beat playing online with other players. Co-op is the strong point in a game like this and you should aim to play online. Advice to grab a mic as communication is important to assign tasks and complete a heist smoothly, specially in harder difficulty.

Four difficulty levels ranging from Easy to Overkill, here comes something interesting, some of the latter heists dont let you pick easy or normal, you have to choose hard or Overkill. This sure gives you a nice challenge and believe me… hard will give you a run for your money, and good luck picking overkill!
There are four characters to choose: Dallas, Wolf, Hoxton and Chains. As far i can tell there are no differences between the characters stats wise, except of course the masks they are wearing. Dallas mask being my favorite.

With that said from the main menu you can check both, active and completed challenges and the upgrades you obtained throughout the game as your reputation level up.
As you obtain upgrades your choices before a heist increase considerably, so you can either pick to carry more cables to tie hostages, bags with extra ammo or meds, or obtaining boosts such as “thicker skin” to increase your health, accuracy and armor bonuses, etc.
There are three different categories of upgrades: Assault, Sharpshooting and Support. So you can build a character based in your very own game style, in the end the choice is yours.
The music score fits like a glove, with intense rhythm that keeps an atmosphere of tension in each heist.

Downsides
The lobby not always has a good amount of games to join, around 5pm i tried for a bit and gave up.. ending playing offline with the AI, this changed the next morning and was able to select from a fair amount of games. So give or take seems you can’t always find a game to join.
Are there plans for cross platform in the future? Having this on both Playstation 3 and Steam, this is an option that should be included, it would benefit the community increasing your chances to find games to join.

Overall
PAYDAY: The Heist offers tons of replayability and multiplayer feels just great, kudos and praises to Overkill Software, they did a game that really is a blast!
So really if you are a passionate gamer into FPS’s and like games in the style of Left 4 Dead or Team Fortresss you must give PAYDAY: The Heist a chance, im sure you will not regret it. Available for the Playstation Network and Steam for $19.99.

We give the game an 8.5 out of 10

~Mario

Tags: L4D, Overkill Software, payday: the heist, PC, playstation 3, Playstation Network, review, Sony Online Entertainment, Steam —

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October 1, 2011

Review: Rock of Ages (XBLA)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 11:00 am

There are two things I love, the first being tower defense games, the second is Monty Python films. This game developed by ACE Team and published by Atlus, mixes both in a unique and quite fun way, let me introduce to you the Rock of Ages!
A title somewhat different than what we usually see from Atlus, this new game is worth it or will it end as one of those titles that you bought and at the end will not replay? I don’t think it’s the case with this entertaining game which is available to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Story
As the story begins with our good Sysyphus which we know is a prisoner in Hades and pushing the rock up a steep hill for all eternity, if not..really guys? Come on! Read some books, wont hurt you!
Anyway, tired of having pesky and annoying devilings poke his ass with a fork, he plots to escape Hades with that same boulder he has been pushing for ages, brilliant, magnificent, and hmm kind of silly but hey it works!
Together with other souls who escaped from Hades, Sysyphus and his reliable boulder face new dangers as they flee away from hell, through five historical periods, from ancient Sparta to the medieval Europe and more.

Gameplay
Time to cut the cheese. If you have played games such as Mercury Hg, Monkeyball or Marble Madness, this is exactly what you get, a mixture of tower defense strategy with the gameplay from the listed games with unique results.
The objective is simple, use your boulder and avoid or destroy enemy defenses throught the map until you reach the enemy castle, destroy the gate and defeat the leader. Easy enough?
Here is where the tower defense factor kicks in, after your boulder reach the enemy castle, your men are carving a new one for the next round, during this time you get an aerial view of the map. Using a steering wheel you can choose your defenses and where to place them to defend your castle. Yes, the enemy also use boulders to defeat Sysyphus, if they get to him before you defeat the enemy, the level is lost.

There are three different game modes to choose from; War, this is the story mode featuring 23 different levels and 4 bosses to defeat. Time Trial, it’s self explanatory, you have to beat the level to earn Bronze, Silver or Gold. Without an enemy against you this mode is pretty much a race to the finishing line. SkeeBoulder, similar to time trial but here the goal is to destroy targets in your way to the finishng line, to obtain multipliers and to get a bigger score.
Visually, the game is exquisite. Mixing different styles of art, from the Greek art to the medieval art, as you progress through the different historical periods art of the characters and scenery evolves too.

All this and that “something” reminiscent of the Monty Python movies, including art and humor throughout the game, which gives it a nice flavor to Rock of Ages. Just like when the boulder falls from the edge yelling “AAAAAAAAAAAAAA~!” you can also select a different face for the boulder, from a lion, a funny face or even a smiley!
Co-op: Glad to see the developers decided to add both, offline and online multiplayer to the game. Offiline features a split screen and online you can challenge peolple over XBLA or the PSN (depends on your console) for total mayhem we can as well call “CoD: Boulder Warfare!” haha joking on that last comment, couldn’t avoid it.

Rock of Ages

Downsides
The tower defense factor is overshadowed by the fast pace of play, just like you jump and evade the defenses, so does your enemy. Rendering useless the time and gold spend in your defenses, making you feel it’s just a race against time to see who can finish and launch a boulder first.
Some levels have a difficulty which is more than you could wish, although the challenge is welcome, tends to be something that might discourage. Then again and looking at the bright side, who wants a game you can finish in a couple hours?
As funny as it is, gameplay turns out to be a bit repetitive after a while.

Overall
Definitely this is a great game with a very special sense of humor, especially if you like tower defense games with lots of strategy and even more if you love games such as Monkey Ball or Marble Madness. If this is the case this is a title you will crave for a long time. Most definitely a game that can be enjoyed with friends via online multiplayer which i believe is one of the strong points Rocks of Ages has to offer. With problems nonetheless, nothing to undermine gameplay and replay value, not a bad addition to your collection of games and it’s well worth 800 Microsoft Points.

We give the game an 8.5 out of 10

~Mario
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