February 22, 2011

[Review] Angry Birds PSP Minis

Posted by: Cybermario @ 6:07 am Share in Facebook

Some games show that without advanced graphics they serve the purpose of entertaining, Angry Birds did it in an exemplary manner, this game is more than fun, it’s highly addictive!
How many birds are needed to be sacrificed for a bunch of eggs? The answer too many! These birds will do anything they can to recover their eggs. With over 120 levels of excellent gameplay, Angry Birds arrives to the PSP and PS3 as a Mini.



Story
The story is simple, a bunch of hungry pigs decided to steal your eggs and have them as their next meal, this of course angered the birds and now they will do anything they can to recover the eggs.


Show those pigs how angry you can be, banzai!


Gameplay
Not an easy feat, the pigs have built many fortifications to ensure you cant recover your eggs; fortifications and castles constructed from blocks of wood, ice and stone.
The variety of challenges found in each stage is diverse enough to avoid the feeling of repetitive gameplay, with difficulty ranging from obvious and easy to complex solutions requiring a lot of thought.


Key to the difficulty of each level is the fixed amounts and types of birds you have to complete each state. You can’t just select the birds you want to use in each stage.
Some of the stages are all about physics; some levels are finished by using explosives to knock one or more balls all over the screen.


The moon, the stars, and a bunch of angry birds


Ranks for each stage are based on stars: 1 bad to 3 for a perfect run. Level rank also helps to unlock golden eggs. These eggs are also unlocked by targeting different objects throughout the game with a bird. These bonuses unlock even more challenging stages and puzzles for you to solve.
On the whole this game is very well executed.



Downsides
Unfortunately the PSP/PS3 version of the game has problems including lag issues when there’s alot of action on screen, nothing extreme to ruin gameplay but it would be nice if it was not there. Clearly the game was not optimized for the platform, a patch to fix this would be more than welcomed.


If you play on the PS3 the lag is less than playing over the PSP but the game doesn’t look that good on a HDTV. A release of Angry Birds HD for the PS3 would be an option here but I dont see that happening any time soon.
With more lag but looking better, the PSP is the way to go with this game.
Often the screen did not return to the slingshot making you wonder if something is wrong, to my knowledge a glitch not present in the IOS. However this is easily sorted by using the L and R buttons but really there’s no real reason for such thing to happen in the first place.
Something else I experienced was a freeze/crashed PSP. I would often let my PSP go to sleep mode and return to play later on only to find it crashed and unable to boot again.
All i could do was remove the battery to get it to work again.
So a word of advice, save, quit the game and then turn off your PSP to avoid this problem.


Different and complex fortifications to destroy


Overall
If the issues stated above could be fixed the game would be even better; these issues can be frustrating but not enough to ruin the game to a point it is unplayable.
Angry birds for the PSP and PS3 is an excellent alternative if you don’t own an Iphone or a mobile with Android, bringing hours of nice gameplay and addictive fun to your console.


We give the game a 7.5 out of 10


~Mario




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February 5, 2011

Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties d00d! Review

Posted by: Cybermario @ 3:07 am Share in Facebook

OMG d00d, Master Etna’s Panties has been stolen!!! so one more time you take the role of a Prinny and head into the adventure, this is the sequel to “Prinny: Can I Really Be the Heroâ€, poor cute and weakling prinnies once again are cannon fodder for our gaming pleasure.
Just as Nippon Ichi Software have us accustomed with games like Disgaea or ZHP, loaded with tremendous humor and challenge this sequel its no exception, something fans and newcomers to the series will enjoy.


Story
Dawn of Operation Panties D00d! a brilliant and magnificently silly plan only the prinnies could scheme. To lure the Phantom Thief and recover master etna’s panties, the not so brave prinnies will search all over the netherworld for valuable and rare treasures like a Soda Cup (NIS need to hook me up with one of these d00d) a necklace and other random objects you obtain by beating the bosses in the game.


Upgrade your base d00d! everything a hero needs.


Gameplay
This is a 2D side scroller platformer, using a Prinny Barrage turns the scenery into 3D, the game offers a good challenge, sometimes too much to be honest, some levels require you to run everything to perfection, any error is fatal especially with controls that feel rigid and inflexible.
This can be frustrating and you can end repeating part of the level in several occasions by committing a sightless error, for your good fortune the game offers enough checkpoints so you do not have to repeat the entire level from the begining, that would be much more frustrating.


Its easy to jump and fall from platforms due to the controls or being hit by enemies appearing right in front of you after a jump, leading to commit mistakes and ending dying. With 1000 Prinnies at your disposal is easy to leave aside the frustration of some levels that require absolute precision, but you die too much and the number decreases rapidly.


Husky Hip Pounds, Prinny Cyclone or Prinnikaze, you have combos and special attacks that facilitate advancing certain areas or fighting a boss much more easily, as you fight enemies and eat desserts your special attack bar fills and you can unleash some powerful attacks once in Break Mode.


special attacks, dont try this at home kids.


Boss fights are good and very old-fashioned with a dejavu feeling for 8 and 16-bit games, you stomp into the head of enemies, stun and attack with your sword, some of the bosses have complicated patterns but nothing practice and a lot of disposable prinnies cant overcome.


The game offer bonuses, alternate endings and things we’ll find out after we beat the game, such as Asagi Wars, new characters to use and more. Something Nippon Ichi Software do with many of their titles (nice fan service!) and its a nice touch, giving Prinny 2 replay value.


Asagi Wars: unlockable Side Scrolling shooter , awesome d00d!


Flonne and other characters from the series are here, the humor the game has to offer is something you may not enjoy if you do not know Disgaea and his characters, It may sound silly and chessy, so i highly recommend you to take a look to previous games (see Disgaea, ZHP, etc) to enjoy it to the fullest.



Overall
Prinny 2 may not be everyone’s cup of tea, casual gamers that dont like extreme challenges may not like it, as even in easy you will die a lot and players may feel frustrated, on the contrary if you dont mind challenge, the game offer just what you wanted. Excellent music, anime style graphics, comedy and a good array of unlockables make Prinny 2 a game with good replay value offering a lot of fun to the players.


Of course it’s a game people into anime or fans of the series cannot miss, all our beloved Disgaea characters are here, if you are not a fan of the series this may be a good time to start, thanks for reading and keep gaming d00d!


We give this game a 8 out of 10


cool art from Asagi Wars!


~Mario
Follow me on Twitter d00d!




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February 2, 2011

ZHP: Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman Review

Posted by: Cybermario @ 10:30 pm Share in Facebook

With wacky and irredent humor this game arrived to the PSP, Following Disgaea’s tradition NIS America brings another RPG grinder to our portable with many hours of fun.
Do not think disgaea is back with a different name because it is not, this game take elements of Disgaea, but has very different aspects regarding gameplay to stand on his own.


Story
A super baby that will save the world has been born as was foretold, this reaches the ears of the wicked Demon General Darkdeath Evilman and decides to kidnap the super baby, the world panics and only the strong and brave Absolute Victory Unlosing Ranger can save the super baby and the world!
but he is a slacker and get up late, in his haste to go to the legendary fight he is hit by a car and dies!…


…Before he died, a simple and wimpy bystander will be world last hope, you are asked to take the Unlosing Ranger belt to save the world in his place, bravely you fight the last boss and die.


Our hero dies, what will be of the world?


Just a second before you die you are transported to Bizarro World, a place where you will be trained in random dungeons to get stronger, and fight the final boss one more time, will you overcome all the obstacles and become a new Absolute Victory Unlosing Ranger?


Gameplay
Oh and believe me you will die A LOT! you have to grind a lot to earn money, weapons, and other items. Even if the game resemble Disgaea the way combat works and your strategy to beat dungeons is way different.


You will learn special techniques as you advance the storyline but the most common will be to use techniques from weapons and armor you get in the dungeons, and do not hold back, you can get any weapon or hat pretty easy, the ideal is to use the techniques, raise your level and more easily overcome the challenge in the dungeons.


A vast array of specials at your disposal, booya!


When you die the levels you earned stacks and even if you go back to level 1 yous stats increase, without having the need to level up a lot, reborn and re-training from 0 unlike the Disgaea titles, something i liked.


In this game you dont have a party to gang enemies with several characters, on the contrary if you are not careful this happens to you because the enemies can see you or even turn around when some enemy you attack cries for help, so using items and how you attack require strategy.



Every step you take and every attack drain your energy, if you run out of energy you will die, losing all the loot you picked in that dungeon, even your equiped gears. So avoiding a fight to finish a level may be required from time to time, you will find meat to recharge energy but not always so be careful.


Random generated rooms can be found sometimes, this can be a low gravity room, a toxic swamp, a treasure chamber or even a Rosen Queen store to buy items. Dont try to steal anything from them tho, ah but dont listen my nonsense.. please, try it. :)


shortly after you will have access to the shadowgram and do modifications to your body, by using weapons, armor and other things in the dungeons. These drops will serve as chips to increase stats and enhance your abilities, such as carry more items in your inventory.


Your get a secret base, and it is filled with useful stuff (including a Prinny wife d00d! oh smexy!) a blacksmith to repair your weapons or armor, the workshop to add chips to your shadowgram and much more. Other facilities unlock as you advance in the game.


Build and modify your own secret base


Some of them can also be called in the middle of the dungeons like the prinny wife cooking for you a special lunch to recharge your energy (a real life saver, love my prinny wife d00d! buying her a brand name bag soon).


Be careful of hidden traps!


Overall
Zettai Hero Project offers humor and a style we love from Nippon Ichi Software, an excellent title for fans and lovers of the genre that not mind spending hours gaining levels and items (grind, grind baby!). But the game is not for all the gamers out there, and sometimes the grinding can be boring and will discourage some people to finish the game.


If you liked Disgaea you will also enjoy this title and by all means go for it, it’s highly recommended, but if you dont like to grind in a game avoid it, this game may not be appealing for you. Thanks for reading and keep gaming!


We give this game a 8 out of 10


In loving memory of Jose Gaspacho, you will be missed.


~Mario
Follow me on Twitter!




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June 18, 2010

Been A Bit, Hasn’t It?

Posted by: Digma 2 @ 8:35 pm Share in Facebook

It has been forever and a day since I last said something on here… and for that, I apologize. I just felt like sharing some of my thoughts on a few things.

First, let me start off by saying I was pleasantly surprised with E3 this year, but equally disappointed. Microsoft had a very strong showing, with Kinect, the slimmed down 360, and… well that’s just it… I was excited with the hardware aspects of Microsofts presentation… but at the same time felt very unsatisfied. There was just something that didn’t really get me all excited… Nintendo on the otherhand, I have to say, was very impressive. I had pretty much given up on Nintendo, but that has all changed. Nintendo gave me something, truly Nintendo. After watching the presentaion, I was excited beyond belief. Several new titles I’m looking forward to. Oh yeah, and the 3DS. Going to be amazing. Sony… was like this movie release poster… it pretty much shows you what you already know… There was NOTHING, let me emphasize, NOTHING that Sony showed that made me the least bit excited. I was shocked to see that Gran Turismo 5 finally got a release date, but other than that… nothing thrilled me from that camp. And Ubisoft? That was just plain p-a-t-h-e-t-i-c. I could not believe how horrid it was. Overall, I was more excited about this year’s E3, than I was for last year’s.

Now on to another note… I WANT TO GO TO AX SO BADLY! Reason being… May’n? Nakajima Megumi? Horie Yui? Kitamura Eri? Could you have a better guest list? Plus there’s the sneaking suspicion that either Kanno Yoko or Sakamoto Maaya will be there with May’n and Megumi for their concert… maybe that’s just me. But yea, I hate that I didn’t find out that it was going to be THAT awesome until a month before, leaving no time for me to save near enough money to go. But, life goes on, and you always miss opportunities. -sigh- xD My anime viewing has dwindled quite significantly… I’m sooo far behind on series’ (And those reviews I was going to do… ugh!) So I have to play catch up sometime soon. Have been mainly watching though FMA, K-ON!!, Kaichou wa Maid-sama!, and Shugo Chara Doki! I finish Shugo Chara last week, and I must say I’m pleasently surprised by it. (I even started buying the manga D;) I first looked into the series I thought it was like really kidish… but it’s really not, and extremely good. Other than that, not been watching much. Been playing entirely way too much Final Fantasy XI though. Dx

So for now everyone, I must say oyasumi nesai!




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October 25, 2009

I’m now on Anime Courtyard’s Blog!

Posted by: Digma 2 @ 9:35 pm Share in Facebook


This’ll be short, but I just want to say that I’m now on Anime Courtyard’s blog, where I will be blogging about the anime I watch, the games I play, the music I listen to, post reviews, and gripe about life. As for today, I woke up, watched episode 3 of Nyan Koi! Series continues to humor me very much so, I really look forward to the rest. Also watched the first episode of 11eyes, which looks to be an interesting series, but at the same time I’m a little skeptical of it. But we’ll see what happens!


After my anime watchings, I loaded up my PSP with some music in preparation to head up to Indianapolis for the Indiana Pacers’ Fan Jam. It was a very cramped ride up there, but that was ok. I’m not going to go too much into detail, but the day overall could have been TONS better. Not a whole lot of excitement this year, and the moods of others generally made things annoying. Put on top of that all the rude, selfish people up there and I had my self a regretful day. Now I get to ride that into a full 12-hour day of work, so I’m absolutely waiting for it! (Sarcasm)


I look for tomorrow being a “Catch-up on anime day” at work. Being a Monday. . . hopefully it’ll be dead at work. I could only hope. Oh well, that’s enough for the day, I’m going to do some browsing and such for about 2 1/2 hours, then head to bed. Fun.


Oyasumi nasai


-Church



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