review « Anime Courtyard

May 16, 2012

Review: Minecraft 360 Edition

Posted by: Cybermario @ 4:32 am

The last title in the Arcade NEXT promotion has arrived, Minecraft 360 Edition. Developed by Mojang for the PC and 4jstudios for the console version. Without a doubt this is the title in this promotion with the biggest expectation among players, specially fans of the PC version of the game.
Being a Minecraft player on the pc for several months now, I cannot avoid having mixed feelings for this release, while i’m exited to see this finally on the Xbox 360, I can’t overlook and ignore the details that take away the magic and charm from the PC release.

Gameplay
Minecraft is a sandbox game in which your imagination dictates the limit, either if you like to build; houses, a castle or the hall of doom, you can do it. As this is release 1.6 it’s fairly outdated and things are different from the more updated pc version; there is no hungry bar, no pistons and some mobs are not in this release, giving it a nostalgic feeling a lot of player missed and enjoyed, if you wonder how Minecraft was during the beta, this is it.
Most of the features are present, game modes ranging from peaceful to hard, the use of seeds to generate worlds is also here. Sometimes you will end up with a world that has a bit of everything that you can call “perfect!” or others without snow or just a bit of sand (not good to obtain glass) so this is a bit of trial and error to get a good world to start playing.

The map limitations can be a problem when it comes to resources, especially for ambitious builders. Learning to build farms can help to obtain infinite resources such as wood and charcoal, definitely needed to avoid depleting the map of precious trees and resources, especially if like me, you like to build a lot of roads and have more than one house or base in your world.
Up to 8 players can co-op online, they can drop in and drop out at any time. This feature is quite good as it’s always enjoyable to build and play with friends. There is a downside and that is griefers, they can join and destroy hours of work, steal resources and what not, so be careful if you decide to go afk or you’re in for a nasty surprise.
The split screen looks great, I give you that, you need an HDMI cable or this feature will just not work, something to take in mind if you don’t own an HD cable and planned to co-op.
The new crafting grid lets you craft any recipe with one click if you have the necesary materials for it, certainly one of the more attractive features in Minecraft 360. Although i’m not a fan of it, it can’t be denied that this is a good feature for players discovering Minecraft for the first time, and does what it’s supposed to do very well.

Graphics 8/10
The translation from pc to the console are perfect and nothing is missed graphics wise, quality is good. You will notice the game feel a bit slower against the pc counterpart, if not in the framerate you will notice this when you try to turn around, mouse prevails as the king versus the analog stick.
Other than that, the amazing retro style is there and it’s all good.

Sound 6.5/10
Minecraft never had a great sountrack to begin with, the music is calm and relaxing but can get to you after a while as there are very few tracks, nothing impressive to comment about.

Downsides
Probably one of the biggest issues and a big letdown for many players of the PC version is the world size limit of 1000×1000. This may not tell you much if you are new to Minecraft, it means there is not an infinite world that generates as you explore the world, the world is just small and lacks the charm of the never ending adventure from the PC version.
For newcomers to the game or for players that will not build more than a house, a few farms and underground bases, but for true explorers and Minecrafters this is certainly not good. Another factor to keep in mind is if you planned to work on megabuilds, the game as of now with extremely limited resources will not allow you to work such projects. Creative may be added in future updates.
As this release is equivalent to the PC beta 1.6 biomes like swamps or jungles are not there, when they update the game your current world may not have these new biomes forcing you to start a new world from 0, for most experienced players this will not be a problem, it may for newcomers to Minecraft.
The new crafting grid and specially the tutorial, as much as it makes things easier, takes away the charm that was to discover what to do, how to survive the first night and learning the many recipes.

Extras
Here 4J Studios redeem themselves with nice awards including gamerpicture, avatar shirt, creeper hat and a clock. Very nice I have to say, it’s always good to have this fan service from the developers.

Overall
So, is Minecraft 360 Edition worth to play? Yes it is, the charm and addictive gameplay that made the PC version great are there, developers promised updates and hopefully issues like the world size limit may change. Is it better than the pc version? Definitely is not.
The game have a nostalgia air to it which make it appealing to old players and is a really good choice for casual players. If your pc can handle the game i will recommend to go for it, if you are new to Minecraft or don’t have a pc that can support the game, then this is the version you should choose.

Minecraft 360 Edition is available in the marketplace for 1600MSP.

Giving the game an 8 out of 10

~Mario

Tags: 4jstudios, Microsoft, Minecraft 360 edition, Minecraft Mods, Mojang, Notch, review, xbox 360 —

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May 2, 2012

Review: Fable Heroes (XBLA)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 2:41 pm

Lionhead Studios and Microsoft bring us the third title in the Arcade NEXT promotion for Xbox Live Arcade, Fable Heroes. This may not be what many fans expected and is somewhat different game to what we are used to seeing in a game of the Fable franchise. By the look of it, seems this game will be loved or hated by the fans of the Fable series.

Story
You play with puppets.. Yes, that’s it.. No story whatsoever, now let’s move on.

Gameplay
This is a side scrolling beat em up, you can either play local or via Xbox Live with up to 4 players. If you decide to play solo, the other 3 puppets are controlled by the AI, in the fashion of Left 4 Dead games, without the awesome sauce of course.
By default you can choose one of four different puppets; Reaver, Garth, Hammer and The Hero from Fable 3. Additional puppets can be unlocked by completing objectives. Apparently some of the puppets can be unlocked only when you play Fable: The Journey and viceversa, the gold you obtain in Fable Heroes may be transferred to Fable: The Journey.

Combat is not bad and has something for everyone, depending on your own style of play. This ranges from swords, guns, hammers and magic.
Most of the stages are pretty linear without room to explore or discover new areas, that’s it until you reach the end of the level and the road divides in two, leading you to a different route with mini game or a boss fight.
In each level you will find multiple chests in which you will find power ups; as money, slowing time for the enemy, a double that will help you fight, become a giant or a small self. But that’s not all, there are also chests in which you can obtain rewards or misfortunes.
At the end of each level your puppets go to a board game which will be able to roll dice to move on the board, the number of rolls depends on the gold you have earned at the end of each stage.
Each square on the board has different attributes, imagine monopoly or similar games without the penalty boxes. The main objective of the board is to power up your puppet, you get 1/5 options in each square, each upgrade is not free, you have to spend gold and some upgrades are pricey. So get on to grinding the minigames!

If like me, you are a completionist, you will spend a lot of time grinding for gold until you buy every single power up.

Controls if not bad are not really impressive, same can be told of the different attacks, X for a weak attack, Y for a strong attack. (Which is slow to cast, but can be upgraded) The area of effect attack is really effective at killing massive amount of enemies. (But this comes with a price, one of your hearts is depleted, so it cannot be abused.) If you are low on hearts you can die easily, don’t get cocky!

Graphics 8/10
The graphics are not bad, the cel shading cartoony style will remind you games like Costume Quest and Dungeon Defenders.
Of course Dungeon Defenders is hardcore mode and Fable Heroes is rainbow mode, clearly a game that was not designed with a mature audience in mind, a graphic style that is not bad but will keep away many hardcore gamers.

Sound 6.5/10
The music is cute, very casual, cannot say bad but nothing epic to comment really. As I said before seems it was aimed for a very young audience and not for a grown up player, after a while it can get boring. I wish they did something better like the music for Castle Crashers, that was catchy, with nice tunes and variety, alas was not.

Extras
The game comes with two avatar awards, one t-shirt with the game logo on it, not very impressive but ehh. The second avatar award is a mask from one of the Fable characters, this is not so bad actually. I love when developers give us this plus, although i wish there was more, can’t really complain when it comes to freebies for the avatar.

Downsides
Fable Heroes can be pretty linear, perhaps too much, without room to explore you really don’t have much interest in replaying a level at all, except exploring both paths at the end, aside of that, could have been better.
There is no story whatsoever, this really takes away not only the gold but the silver as well, i wish there was any story, there is none, bummer.
Dont force people to buy another game to unlock content, hated that in Castle Crashers and hate it on Fable Heroes, i refuse to buy Fable: The Journey just to unlock a few puppets. Gamers buying this game may not like Fable or may not even own a Kinect, more of a marketing tactic than a bonus for the fans.

Overall
So it’s enjoyable? I can say it is but do not feels like a Fable game. Definitely Fable Heroes is not for everyone, especially may not be for the fans of the series in search of a more mature and enriching gameplay experience.
The game is very casual, if you can get past the childish look of the graphics and the music, you may find the game enjoyable even if you are not a fan of Fable, as there is no story or plot behind the game you are not missing much if you are new to the fable universe.
Fable Heroes it’s available for the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points

We give the game a 7 out of 10

~Mario

Tags: Arcade NEXT, castle crashers, Fable, Fable Heroes, Lionhead Studios, Microsoft, review, xbla —

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April 20, 2012

Review: Iron Man Anime

Posted by: Cybermario @ 12:30 pm

Another Marvel Comics franchise crosses the sea and is presented in the format of anime, this time we speak of none other than Ironman. Yes, it is up to billionaire genius Tony Stark to fight villains in the land of the rising sun.
In this release of two DVD’s with a total of 12 episodes with action MAD House and Marvel brings to the fans.

The anime takes place right after the movie, in which Tony Stark decides to start his new project in Japan, an Arc Reactor. Promising to bring revolutionary technology that will provide free energy without pollution to all the world and Japan is the right place to start.
Being an outsider and having a black history as a weapons dealer this wont be an easy feat for Tony Stark and the Japanese will not have an open mind toward their plans at the beginning. This will not be the only challenge he will face in this his new journey.

Also he is introducing the world to the new armor “Iron Man Dio” which will be used by a new Stark Industries pilot, as Tony announces he is retiring as Iron Man and will not use his armor anymore.
But every utopian dream has an end, a terrorist group known as Zodiac steals the new armor and threatens to destroy the power plant, Tony is forced to use his armor again and fight this evil menace.

Animation 6.5/10
The Ironman armors CG animations are top notch and have great design quality, although the armor design may appear simple sometimes the artists wanted to give the armor an anime air to it which works like a charm.
Enemy mecha design is not bad but could have been better, they were inspired by enemies from the american comics but is hard to find a resemblance (there is none) unless you are a die hard fan to catch the reference.
Character design and standard animation is a mix of feelings for me, while some characters and animation sequences look nice, others are just bland.
Tony Stark looks much younger than the movies, he got a sweet face lift or OMG time paradox!

Tony stop, only Donald Trump can use such hair style & get away with it!

Sound 7/10
Opening with catchy rhythm but nothing that will get stuck in your head after a while, there are no lyrics and i get the feeling they tried to keep the intro in a western style like in U.S animations.
Other than that voice acting is very good, in the English track we have Adrian Pasnar (Heroes, Castle, Profit) lending his voice to Tony Stark. The Japanese audio is also quite good and my personal favorite with Keiji Fujiwara as Tony Stark, he also worked in the live action movie so he already had the mindset of how the main character should sound like

Extras
This 2-disc set contains all 12 episodes plus bonus features that was a delight to watch, these include: Re-Imagining Iron Man, 21st Century Hero: The Technology of Iron Man, Special Cross Talk with the different directors of other Marvel Anime shows that is so worth to watch and an interview with the actor Keiji Fujiwara.

Features
Audio; Japanese, English 5.1 Dolby Digital. Subtitles; English, English SDH

What they did right
The anime is full of fast paced action and good fights, the armor looks stunning and really fits so well in the anime genre.
The anime gives us a brief glimpse into the past of the protagonist, and the origin of the armor, which links to anime and movies in the same universe, events in this series could take place shortly after the first movie. This is good because if you did not see the movies this gives you a starting point to the origins of Iron Man.

Get her boy, save us all from Nanami!

What they did wrong
Let me start with Nanami, I’m honest.. I hate her. What could have been a good addition to the anime ended in a pale and poorly executed version of Louise Lane from Superman (yes I know, they are DC) and appears to be a shy fangirl that’s after Tony Stark all the time.
Nanami is constantly overwhelmed by Tony, and seems like Tony is always throwing bones to her, she really never unveils a mystery due to her ability at all and fails in the category of a poor support character at the most.
This journalist girl doesn’t have much charisma nor a personality to shine on her own. Other characters like her boss which is also a Jonah James wannabe or the photographer that’s always with her serve as a poorly executed comic relief characters in the end.

Final Thoughts
Iron Man Anime is not the best out there but is not bad either. There are details that can be improved or that could be done in different ways, this includes poorly developed characters that should not be in the anime at all (im looking at you Nanami …) that make some scenes boring, a poor contrast with the quality of fights.
By no means this makes it a bad anime but takes away the gold from the show, also classic and known enemies from the comics are msised and could have been a huge asset to the anime. Check it out and you may find it enjoyable, especially if you’re a fan of Iron Man comics.

We give the anime 6.8 rice balls out of 10

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

~Mario

Tags: Anime, Iron Man, madhouse, Marvel Comics, review, sony pictures —

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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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Older Posts »

What otaku crave!

May 16, 2012

Review: Minecraft 360 Edition

May 2, 2012

Review: Fable Heroes (XBLA)

April 20, 2012

Review: Iron Man Anime

April 17, 2012

Sumioni: Demon Arts Review (Vita)

March 22, 2012

Review: Yesterday (PC)