June 12, 2012

Indie Game: The movie Review

Posted by: Cybermario @ 8:11 am Share in Facebook

Indie Game: The Movie is a project that gives a spotlight and a very well earned recognition to independent (indie) developers around the globe. The movie focus and features 3 indie games that now are very well known among the gaming community; Super Meat Boy by Edmun McMillen and Tommy Refenes. Fez by Phil Fish and Renaud Bedard and the highly acclaimed Braid by Johnatan Blow.
This is a movie in which even if other games are not present, if you are a fan that aspires to work in the industry or are already a developer working in a project, you feel inspired and motivated by it and the stories that are included in the film.


Indie Game: The Movie



Their origin and how they did become gamers, inspirations, aspirations and frustations over the years working in their projects, putting all their hopes, effort and sometimes every penny in their pocket, is truly a documentary that will keep you interested from start to finish.
Something I loved of this film is how it portrays the developers of the games we play and love, as a gamer you feel immersed and identify with them. One thing is to read articles and interviews, how it’s how hard is to get an indie game out with a small to really a non existent budget, but visuals tend to be a thousand times better than any article you can read on the web, especially when it comes out of of the developers themselves and you can see their faces and those expressions of sadness with a tear about to drop, or a smile that you can see the total joy in the face of people is a unique experience.
Although i love the games and stories in the film, i wish there was more, feels like a lot of people into indie games were left out and deserved more time in the movie or at least an appearance, was cool to see the developer of The World of Goo. So somehow, i really wish there was more games and developers having a mention in this movie.


Indie Game: The Movie



Also if you allow me to say it, this film also shows us all the love and commitment people put in these games, the quality of gameplay some of these indie games offer. They show amazing creativity and replay value over AAA titles from big companies, that often end in Ebay or the used section of many game stores because people get bored and tired of the poor and generic content of the same.
Meanwhile a lot of indie games developed with love, sweat and blood can be revisited time after time because people devoted years of their lifes to release a quality product.


Indie Game: The Movie



Overall
Indie Game: The Movie was a real blast and I will recommend gamers and aspiring developers alike to check it out, it’s a film everyone into videogames has to watch, heart wrenching and inspiring at the same time.
Be sure to support the guys and buy this film really, maybe if they get enough attention and sales we can see a sequel and enjoy more stories from developers. Which I’m sure a lot of people out there would like to talk of their experiences. You can get this as a Digital Download in Steam and coming soon on Bluray and DVD, for more information head over at http://www.indiegamethemovie.com/ and support the project. Thanks for reading!




~Mario



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November 12, 2011

Review: The War of the Worlds (XBLA)

Posted by: Cybermario @ 8:24 pm Share in Facebook

Being a huge fan of Sci-fi, a title like this is something i was hoping to see for a long time, i was totally delighted with this. Other Ocean and Paramount Digital Entertainment bring The War of the Worlds to Xbox Live Arcade.
First, let’s clear something up for those wondering if The War of the Worlds is based on the movie by Steven Spielberg, back in the year 2005, the answer is no. I loved the movie but im glad to see this game is a direct adaptation from the classic novel by H.G. Wells. Sorry Tom Cruise fans, he is not in the game.


The War of the Worlds



Story
You play as Arthur Clarke, during these cataclysmic events you are trying to survive in search of your family. These events are a parallel history and take place at the same time of the movie from 1953.


Gameplay
The War of the Worlds is a side scroller and an interactive movie at the same time, the story really hooks you in from the beginning and you make your way throughout the ruins of the city with Patrick Stewart’s fantastic narration. The enviroment is tense and full of suspense, giving the game a very original vibe and feeling, assuming it’s what the developers wanted to achieve and i think they did it right. These elements encourage you to keep playing to the end.
The game truly captures the feeling of the classic movie adaptation and you will find yourself hiding and running away from drones, mechanical spiders and giant walkers. (Oh man, looks amazing when they vaporize people!) Truth be told, your character, cant do much at first except jump and roll, pretty much that’s it.


You can push boxes to put out fire or to kill small enemies, except for a couple times this is not something common in early stages of the game. Later on as you progress you will face challenges like puzzles that will require almost 120% accuracy, if you don’t want to die, sometimes more challenging than desired. You can also roll if you are caught on fire to put out the flames, make use of the red weed the aliens are spreading and so on. Did i say you can jump and roll yes? Okay, i wanted to be sure.


The War of the Worlds



Graphics: 7/10
I can say they did a magnificent work with the graphics, it really makes you feel that your’e watching an old film from the 50′s. Details are fantastic, especially watching some giant walkers in the background, the city in ruins, details that are worth looking at.
Scenery is supposed to be dark, showing devastation, but it can be extremely dark leading to uncalled for deaths or just leaving you without a clue of where to go next.


Sound: 9/10
Probably one of the strongest points in The War of the Worlds, as said before Patrick Stewart’s narration is top notch, but also the music, sounds effects and the BBC broadcasts really suck you into the mood of the classic sci-fi story in an awesome way, just wow.. kudos and respect to the developers for this!


The War of the Worlds



Downsides
Hmmm, sigh… The War of the Worlds has a few negative aspects that will take away the gold medal, they really break my litle geek heart. First the controls, they are too clumsy and not very responsive.
If you want to climb to a platform you have to be just below it, a little to the right or left and you do not get up, running, jumping, climbing… you have to be (as said before) 120% accurate if you want to complete the game, to the point that it can be frustrating.
I think i was vaporized 10-15 times in a level, before i was able to complete it, the timing is challenging and really unforgiving. Seriously i will take off my hat to people getting to the end of the game without dying and obtaining the achievement.


The War of the Worlds



Overall
As a homage to the classic novel and movie, The War of The Worlds truly hooks you in with the excellent narration, is described by the developers as a love letter, and it’s true, it’s undeniable and as a interactive movie the game delivers what it promises with quality.
This Xbox Live Arcade title is a love and hate relationship…first you love it, as previosly mentioned, the narration is amazing, graphically looks fabulous and you truly love that as a fan of the novel and the movies.
But as a platformer you may hate it, sadly this is where The War of the Worlds disappoints, lacking a lot of good elements and the only thing keeping you playing until the end is the narration and the thrilling story. I can recommend the game to hardcore fans or gamers that don’t mind a challenge that at times can make you feel frustrated.


We give the game a 6.5 out of 10




~Mario



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October 31, 2011

Review: MLB Bobblehead Battle

Posted by: Cybermario @ 4:09 pm Share in Facebook

It is October and it’s a good month for baseball, so why not grab a ball, a glove and go out to… nah why don’t we just turn on our Xbox 360 and play with MLB Bobblehead Battle from Konami? That’s right, this is the second installment in the MLB Bobblehead series for the Xbox Live Arcade and it’s a lot of fun!


MLB Bobblehead Battle



Gameplay
The second installment in the MLB Bobblehead series is here with the arcade style baseball we loved in the first game, but now there is a cool twist in the gameplay. I’m sure many of you will like!
First this feels less of a baseball title and more a “let’s go crazy and have fun” kind of game, much like Mario Superstar Baseball for the Gamecube and the Wii. The field is like a giant checkers board, well… sort of, with green (single) and orange (out) squares all over, 4 ramps that can send your ball flying away or slamming against one of the many walls in the field. So either you get a home run or the ball can fall in a green or orange square, this is a lot of fun and quite different from the first game.


MLB Bobblehead Battle



The layout of the squares change from time to time keeping the game interesting and fresh, you really can’t figure out where the ball is going to land! So it’s a gamble, even if you hit a really nice swing you can’t end landing on an out. Man i hate how the AI landed on a triple in my last game, grrr!
The game features trading cards (based on the japanese Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu games) and you can do all sort of crazy things with them like using a gigantic bat to increase your chances to hit the ball, special throws at the speed of light and much more.
Just like before all the league teams are available. Something special and worth mentioning is how you can edit the stadiums, i truly loved this feature and is fun to mess with, i like when developers let you play and customize things.
The features from the first game returns as well, letting you pick a quick game, season and more including co-op.
There can only be one! (Insert awesome swords battle here please) Just like in highlander, this game is a one versus one battle, the batter against the pitcher, there are no fielders at all, it’s one of many differences from a standard baseball title, giving it that special something gamers will enjoy.


MLB Bobblehead Battle



Downside
It’s my understanding this game is basically Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu , or at least it’s using elements such as the trading cards in the gameplay mechanics, so why not give us a US release for Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu for the fans of the japanese games? I love imports and having a Jikkyou game released for XBLA would have been awesome!
Aside from that, my only complaint for MLB Bobblehead Battle is the batter box, as a pitcher i have no problem with it at all, easy to use, but as a batter is a bit annoying to move the bat to actually hit the ball, this was the exact issue i had with previous MLB Bobblehead games and sad to see it did not improve. Would be better if it was more like in Nicktoons MLB.


MLB Bobblehead Battle



Extras
Again, no avatar awards or gamer pictures.


Overall
If you love arcade style baseball games and you enjoyed MLB Bobblehead Pros, this is an excellent title for you and a must have in your collection.
MLB Bobblehead Battle is extremely fun with lots of baseball teams to pick from, stadiums you can customize and much more. All in all it’s a fantastic choice to spend a good time playing. Available in the Xbox Live Arcade marketplace for 800 Microsoft Points.


We give the game an 8 out of 10




~Mario



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October 27, 2011

Review: MLB Bobblehead Pros

Posted by: Cybermario @ 11:20 am Share in Facebook

Hey guys it is America’s favorite pastime, no it’s not fast food… it’s baseball! Fans of the king of sports rejoice as Konami continues to bring fun to the Xbox Live Arcade with MLB Bobblehead Pros, a sweet baseball game that will for sure hook fans of the MLB. Now, don’t let the look of the character mislead you, thinking it’s just a kids game because the game has a lot to offer, gameplay mechanics are good and can easily rival major titles.


Story
Who needs one, it’s baseball… PLAYBALL!


MLB Bobblehead Pros

Strike three, you're out!




Gameplay
MLB Bobblehead Pros is an arcade style baseball game that has a lot to offer. If you loved classics such as Bases Loaded or Baseball Stars this is the right game for you. Konami brings a good baseball game with the Bobbleheads a lot of people seem to love, so arcade style baseball + Bobbleheads, that’s a winning combination there right?
The game features our favorite baseball teams from MLB, so really you can’t complain for a scarse selection of teams or players to play with. Same can be said of the different game modes; exhibition, quick game, season, including co-op modes to play with a friend over Xbox Live. The selection is rich and will not dissapoint.
Controls are very simple and easy to learn, game mechanics not so easy but i’ll cover that later. Pitching was truly enjoyable, there are predefined styles or you can use the analog to throw the ball in a specific direction.
As a batter you have to move a ghost bat with the analog and predict the direction of the ball to actually hit it, not bad but is not perfect either and i would like to see this improved. I definitely liked pitching much more, fielding, well it’s kind of buggy is all i can say.


MLB Bobblehead Pros

Select your favorite teams




When i noticed Power Pros was involved in the development that was a guarantee of a good baseball game. If you are familiar with the Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu series from japan, you know they have been around for a long time, this includes the Superfamicom (snes), Nintendo 64 and of course the Playstation consoles. So these guys know all about the genre.
I wonder why they did not release a Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyuu for the XBLA, but is understandable the Bobbleheads are more appealing for an US audience. Speaking of graphics they are not bad at all, the detail on the hair and face of the characters is good and they resemble the real players. People on the stadium have their own animations and it’s fun to watch if you hit a homerun.


MLB Bobblehead Pros



Downside
Lack of a tutorial… this is a bummer really, you go right to play without much idea of how things work. There is a digital manual yes, but it’s too long and really is a bit boring to browse all of it when you want to pick and play, having a tutorial would be more enjoyable.
Learning curve, the game mechanics are good but will take time to get used to them as they are not easy, as stated before this is not a kids game. Some people may feel frustrated as the game mechanics are not simple to learn, but once you do the game is enjoyable. Fielding has issues and aside of other bugs here and there they really arent a big concern and dont ruin the experience.


MLB Bobblehead Pros



Extras
No avatar awards or gamer pictures. MLB Bobblehead Stars Add-on available for 400MSP


Overall
Konami offers the fans of baseball a good choice with MLB Bobblehead Pros, if you love the king of sports and enjoy the Bobbleheads, the title has good graphics and definitely a good gameplay. If you dont mind the learning curve you will have a good game in your hands for hours of fun. Available for the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points.


We give the game a 8 out of 10




~Mario



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October 25, 2011

Review: Orcs Must Die!

Posted by: Cybermario @ 12:48 pm Share in Facebook

Tower defense genre seems to be in a hype lately with Orcs Must Die! and Dungeon Defenders. That is all good, it’s a nice refreshment from the current trend in videogames.
This game is a fine example of how indie developers are the source of some of the most fun and entertaining titles in the most recent times, and with Orcs Must Die! The developers from Robot Entertainment truly deliver tons of fun to the players!


Story
A Grand Wizard is the guardian of the dimensional rifts, he has slayed thousands of orcs and dies by sliping on Kobolt blood, cracked his head open, dies and now his apprentice must defend the rifts from the hordes of Orcs. As the master dies he realizes the world is doomed.
Geez master… Thanks for the vote of confidence! So yes; you the apprentice, a War Mage, and one of the last members of the order to defend the fortress and the rifts, from the never ending attacks of the Orcs!


Orcs Must Die!

Prepare your defenses, the horde is coming!




Gameplay
Orcs Must Die is a tower defense game with a good mix of hack and slash, and it works like a charm! You can use a sword staff or a crossbow to fight. While the sword staff is powerful and offers a nice AoE damage, personally i think the crossbow is a much better choice, not as powerful as the sword staff, but keeps you away and safe from the orcs, plus you can get points by performing headshots.


Now lets go to the even more fun part shall we? The traps! So what have we got to play with?
Floor Traps: these tar like pits slow the enemies, allowing other traps to reset and kill more orcs, also good if you decide to melee with your sword staff!
Spike Traps: tons of spikes come out of the floor stabbing orcs in an instant. One of the first traps at your disposal and a powerful trap.
Spring Traps: these do not damage the orcs but send them flying away, use them wisely to make orcs fall into the pits of acid in the fortress.
Arrow Walls: these traps fire tons of arrows, sending orcs to oblivion! You place these on walls and using them properly can make the difference between defeat and victory. Used in conjunction with Floor Traps it’s a killer combo!
Barrel Bombs: placing these and later making them explode to kill a lot of enemies in a single explosion, not bad but i barely used them.
Barricades: self explanatory, they block the path and force enemies to move in a different direction. A good way to use them is in conjunction with the Spring Traps, so orcs are forced to walk right into it and then fall into the pits.
Guardian Archers: not a trap but you can summon archers to help you defend the fortress, they cannot move from the place you summoned them, look at these as if they were attack towers if you want. You need to keep them alive as they can’t defend from orcs if they get near them.
Other traps include Blade Traps, Steam Traps, Push Traps and more, but i will not spoil them all for you, that wouldn’t be fun, right?


Traps can also be upgraded, but upgrading traps does not work the same like in Defense Grid or Dungeon Defenders (that you can upgrade traps while you fight). After each level is completed you earn skulls, you can earn from one to five depending how good was your defense, and then use such skulls to buy upgrades for your traps.
You can also use magic like the Wind belt to send enemies flying away, cool to throw orcs into the pits, Flame Bracers and a Snow Amulet.


There is not a unique way to get a victory, the amount of traps let you use your creativity and imagination, to beat each level in very different and unique ways. Levels are creative, and as you advance the defense becomes more complicated, as you have to defend 2 different areas at the same time. It can be hectic and challenging! Getting a victory feels rewarding in the most challenging levels. Nightmare mode… well, just wait to see it!


Orcs Must Die!

Send these pesky monsters flying into the pits!




Downside
As much as i liked this orc killing fest, there was a major letdown and that is the lack of co-op or multiplayer. A game like this will benefit tremendously if you could play it with friends. I dont know, maybe an expansion or DLC specifically for co-op could be created?
The obvious comparison would be Dungeon Defenders, the awesome mayhem it is to play with friends or people online. It’s a missing element in Orcs Must Die! We can only hope Orcs Must Die! will have a simialr feature in the near future.
It is just me or some Orcs don’t die when they fall into the pits? Probably was a problem on my end or a bug, not sure really.
Probably a bit repetitive but hey, it is a tower defense game and that is common for the genre.


Orcs Must Die!

War Mage: oh crap... dont tell me, they are behind me right?




Extras
Oh hell yeah! There are two DLC packs for the game, the first one named The Artifacts of Power including new weapons and traps. Vampiric Gauntlets, The Alchemist’s Satchel and The Shock Zapper.


Overall
Orcs Must Die! Is a game any tower defense fan must have in their collection, definitely a must buy! A title that offers countless hours of pure gameplay awesomeness.
Available for the Xbox Live for 1200 Microsoft Points and Steam for $14.99. Not a bad price for a game like this. If you want to see more of the game check out this fantastic interactive video the developers uploaded to Youtube.


We give the game a 9 out of 10!




~Mario



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