Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2013)

Developer: Magic Pockets
Publisher: Activision
(*Based on the 2012 TMNT reboot series) (*On Xbox360 and Wii + DS)

Title screen (the bros kick back)

There was a time long ago, four brothers with training from their father/master did battle against many evils of the shadows. One was the Shredder, who vowed to take down his arch rival many years long past. With that said in stone, they were caught up in a battle of unsurpassed hated for the others misdoings. Long story short, bad guys suck, Turtles rule.







Okay rewind a bit, this game is based off the (A) old comics "Tales of the Sewers", and (B) the classic beat em' up on every console in the late 80's/90's. I and many others grew up with these characters every Saturday morning with a cereal bowl waiting to see what would happen. Flash forward to now, I am still a fan of these four ninja turtles (+ their father Splinter). What's not to love? fun tales, life lessons, and the old hi-jinks.

Welcome to the upgrades menu!

(the good:)
First this game is a sidescrolling beat-em up, and it still works.
Second: It is still fun as you remember
Third: Fun boss battles (including the one liners)
Fourth: It is actually fun
++Bonus!: Levels are extensive, and allow for some exploration. Including the ability to scan your environment to find hidden items.
Each ninja can upgrade their skill setup, from offense to defense (including special moves)
A nice variety of enemies to dish out something sweet!

Level Map, from start to the final? battle

(the bad:)
(minus the fact that the brothers don't seem to have their cpu co-op timing together)
Some attacks don't seem to connect right away, it becomes a bit of timing it right.
There are too many invisible walls (ie: not all pathways you see can be explored, or health items can't be obtained close by and get lost due to a limit of how long it can be on screen).
Lives in levels cannot be transferred, but you can pickup more along the way.
Lives also can be lost, due to the AI co-op bros that are inactive or get battered mid-fights

First level, someone call the pest control number!

*Note in regards to this game(s) design setup
1) the Rage meter (left from turtle face icon + health bar) This bar will fill up on 2 levels, if used it will drain their power attack. If you build it up, it can be used on several enemies on screen. This can be maxed to level 3
2) The Health bar can be upgraded, at first its minimal but it will get he job done. As their quest continues, battles will get more intense, and extra health will come in handy
3) Small icons under the HP will display an amount of secondary weaponry you can carry. Some are limited, but can found in key areas of each level. Note: You cannot take them to each level, they can be used only for that level specifically. Once you leave the level, they are gone.

Health item(s)
Whole pizza: full health recovery
Slice: Partial recovery
Pizza Gyoza: Sliver of health added

Secondary armaments:
Smoke Bomb: can be used to confuse enemies on your turtle position
Whiteout: Partial blindness, no enemy can see you temporarily for a few seconds
Shuriken: These throwing stars can be anywhere, and handy in a tough fight
Scanner: This can be used to scan your surroundings. Listen to the Turtle you're playing as, they will give you a heads up on something nearby. **careful, you are left open to enemy attacks when scanning the area!

Bosses: From Fishface, Dogpound, to Stockman, and last but not least the Shredder. These fearsome foes are out to pummel the four brothers. They deliver some tough blows, so keep an eye on everyone's health meter.

Okay, the list makes it seem more cons than positives, but hear me out I think its on purpose. Difficulty for one, you will get pummeled a ton. But I honestly don't know why they let the AI co-op efficiency drop, it would make for a better game (then again it is meant to be played with friends). Online or offline, it is an extensive game that is worth of anyone's interest.

Don on the team's name YIAP!?

But what gets me, is the amount of hidden content that new TMNT fans might miss. For one, a lot of the jokes poke at the old stuff ( like the series does), in game its all over the place. Those moments where you wondered what the bad guys had to say, and they got more annoying. *yeah that happens, yup picture it, frame it. It is so surprising how much promise this game could have had if it were complete. I honestly want to recommend it to newcomers, because this nextgen needs something fun again.


Sure its not Final Fantasy level flashy, or Ninja Gaiden level of gore. But you know what, it never was about beating anyone up, it was about taking a stand for those who couldn't fight for themselves. And I think that's the best message anyone at any age deserves to agree on.

Meet the development team! www.magicpockets.com/
Official website for the new TMNT series www.nick.com/shows/ninja-turtles/‎

Prince of Persia - The Forgotten Sands (2010) Multiplatform

Before the end of the Prince's quest back home to Babylon, a far off land required aid to repair its lost battles. Lost to time, this land was once a prominent part of history, now lost to the sands, the Prince once again embarks on a quest to set things right.


With the help of a D'jinn, our hero reluctantly catches up with his brother Malick (who in turn is trying to recover the lost treasures from King Solomon's tombs). But there lies a power locked away within, and once tapped, the two must work together to put a stop to this essence before it corrupts the world (or one of them).

Like past entree's, TFS utilizes the heroes "sand" powers with the elements of "Earth", "Fire", "Water", and "Wind". All of these combined help the Prince find his way past various obstacles, and upgrade these abilities throughout his quest. Using XP points, gained by beating various enemies, or completing objectives, these can be used in the powers upgrade menu.

Every ability can be maxed to its potential, however once your enertia runs out, it must be refilled. By breaking containers left around, or by taking enemies down. This is only way your abilities can be reused,

The main goal of this chapter is to guide the title character from A to B. Unlike Warrior Within, there is no alternate ending, no way to change the pathway. (or is there?) It is up to you to find out where the story goes next.

www.princeofpersiagame.com/

Insert credits - Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3

 

From the beginning, the VS series was one of the most daring games for the arcade era. Marvel and Capcom banked on the idea, with the first game Xmen - Children of the Atom, then X-men VS SF. Both were hit titles, knowing they were onto something the series continued. When MVC hit arcades it really floored the fans, and newbies alike.

What was good about it?
Fun music, design, characters, and intense match-ups. Few games could match its speed, or concept. Save a few that kept within its own universe like SNK's KOF or Midway's MK, etc..

Late's 90's comics were going through an evolutionary phase. Marvel was phasing out its old universe, and pushing to rewrite its history with a new MU. So crossing over opens up pathways and branching out new ideas. It was a push to sell comics, but more demand pushed for more content. MVC2 pushed the arcade + home systems with a roster of 52 characters. Before it was tag team, now its a a trio set of teams vs one another.

Now some years later, battles are forged once more as Galactus sets his sights on Planet Earth. Crossing dimensions the heroes clash to save the universe! (oddly enough this would be considered episode II, since more join in)

**My issues with the original release were:
A) The game felt broken, and unfinished
B) Unlocking characters took a lot more time. But you were limited, the rest were only unlockable by paying Live or Network points.
C) Using the "X factor" was a chore, half the time the system would not connect with combos.
All in all, the "Ultimate" edition throws all the gunk away, and gives the game a fresh coat of paint.

I can't say enough about this directors cut of the game. It is a more solid edition, which the original should have been. It is so complex, it is tweaked to ever test the best players out there. And man so many Comic Cons or game have tourneys just to see what top tier teams there are. Just like the good old days!

Reminiscing aside, I share with you some combo videos for your pleasure!

Retro Rewind - Viewtiful Joe

2002 -
T'was many years ago, originally part of the Capcom V, until things seem to fall apart. It was meant to bring out a new exciting era in gaming at the time, being a cross multiplatform launch on all consoles (including PC). VJ was one of the proud, the tough, and the many that did not falter. But the amazing thing was, the team that developed this title turned out to be one of the most amazing crews around!

Thus is their little baby that grew into an awesome superhero.
Welcome to Retro Rewind - Viewtiful Joe

To introduce this game, all you need to know is that an everyday Joe was on a date with his girl Sylvia. Till all was well, and then during a film, the baddie kidnaps his girlfriend thus forcing him a date with destiny. Joe becomes... well he isn't a hero quite yet. Until players take this new hero on his journey, propelling him through his origin story! Until he meets Captain Blue (Joe's fav hero), a classic being of the silver screen.

Once gaining the powers of the V-Watch, the dazzling array of powers become a part of his psyche enhancing his strength, agility, and power.

During your quest, Joe will obtain unique powers, manipulating time, slow down, speed, and enhanced smack down powers. Mixing all of these techniques up in battle offers a variety of gameplay styles. But be forewarned Joe's powers have limits! Once your XP bar runs out (in the form of film reels) its back to "Normal Joe" until it recharges.

One major note about this game, is its difficulty curve. From the start you can choose between "Kids" (normal) or "Adults" (hard) mode. Progression is key when playing this fun super hero title. Some parts may frustrate you to no end, and others may surprise how well you've learned its play style. Or what I would call the "Ghosts n' Ghouls" formula.


**For those of you youngsters, this game was notoriously tough but would reward players with unique upgrades! King Arthur vanquishing monsters left and right, all the while staying alive. Only limitation was 3 lives, and armor that could take a few hits. www.hardcoregaming101.net/gng/gng2.htm‎
**Coin-OP TV made a special video (including commentary with gameplay)




What also made this series (Viewtiful Joe) unique was its art style + character design. Mixing it up with graffiti  + comic book inspired imagery, both go hand in hand in making it come to life. And the soundtrack is all around excellent, from edm to rock, and sometimes a call for orchestral. It is literally all over the place in sound design, and that is a sweet thing.


Alternate editions: VJ was released on gamecube, and ps2 ( including a version featuring Dante and Trish from DMC) *playable including special ex moves using the VFX system! Sadly this edition was only on the PS2, but fans that did get a chance to play it had a great time.



The Development team:
Clover Studio: A dream project team, from unique backgrounds in storytelling, music, and character design. For a few years, they created some unique adventures. *Okami is a prime example, as their last game (as the title company) *which is now known as Platinum Games.

*Last game:
*Okami is the tale of a wolf spirit, guided by a mission to bring color back into the world. With a paint brush, the lost colors and expressions return to the environment shaping her destiny. www.okami-game.com/‎

Until next time, stay Viewtiful!

Interactive storytelling - What we've missed (part 1)

*Note: I understand I am writing on a simple blog about my hobbies. Yes its out there, and I can take criticism. At least we get to share what we love and dislike about certain subjects in a responsible manner.
This entry I am going to share what I think have been letdowns in storytelling thus far.

Metroid Other M:
By the title you already know its an epic adventure, with drama, action, and suspense.
What did it miss?
For one, the music as a whole was a let down. Yes, there is a mix of orchestral and action oriented tracks. But they don't involve or engage the audience, it feels empty and abstract. Even some of the music cues don't even kick in unless its a cutscene. And we've known since day one there is always music surrounding Samus and her adventures. When has it been totally silent with atmospheric sound fx!? Metroid Prime emphasized that dynamic with their first person design.


Castlevania - Lords of Shadows (Part I)
Hits: Epic story, music, and characters
Music? It is all orchestral, there is mix of tension or suspense but that's it. There has always been an emphasis on all sorts of music with this series. In the past, Konami released several orchestral editions of game soundtracks in that format. But there was something there that was capable of capturing what made the series work. I honestly don't know why it feels so empty to me.

Misconnect on extending the tale:
I give the developers kudos for expanding this unique "prolouge" chapter for the series. But I find it a bit unfair not to include the rest of the game playable. In fact, it was in two parts, so those indulged with the adventure would have to buy both extra chapters separately, not a fair idea. On the positive side, Konami is planning to re-release a directors cut of the game (complete edition) and box set.
Upside, a finished game, downside, price gap.


Resident Evil 5 & 6
Awhile back it was about survival and horror, now its become a full on action/adventure game. Sadly not all of its fan following community loves the new direction. However, the games are expanding on the idea concept, but they are becoming a bit shorter. On the spin side, the alternative difficulty levels in each game push fans to their limits. But the main campaign needs more to expand on.

Oddly enough, both V and VI are broken up into chapters like a novel. Where each can be explored at your own leisure. Adapting with the times of random in-game saves, to avoid frustration. Awhile back, a save was a much needed checkpoint in case you had to drop playing and quit. For some its a helpful tool, and others would love to keep the ability to save on their own.

Metroid also shares this same concept design shift in gears. For years it has kept the save state open, giving players the choice to save at various save stations. Other M presented an issue, a massive bug would freeze the game. Metroid Prime 3 actually had real time saves (a big shift in gears).


Devil May Cry (alt punk rock Dante) or new DmC:
For longtime fans getting to see the series redone is both startling and an adventure. The downside?
This so called new DmC tosses away every conventional design the older series retained. Becoming a platformer, hack n' slash mess that it wanted to avoid being in the first place. Although not everyone is a fan of the change, at least it keeps the series going.

Capcom was in such a rush to release the game, the usual unlockables were made downloadable content instead. *Bloody Palace, Xtra missions with Virgil (etc)

To be honest, I wasn't a fan of the game for a few reasons:
1) The design: From the get go, the in-game world is constantly in flux. When the shadows creep in, the world gets darker. (*For one, Silent Hill had the right formula, it doesn't work so well here.)
2) Characters: Dante and Virgil are the main key guards of the series, with Mundus (yeah that baddie from DMC1) Everyone else are new fresh faces, although they retain key compromises of the series. Something about this new cast of characters keeps the series alive but its not the same story anymore.
3) Music: In past games the music was involved in pushing a player to keep going. Here its taken on a more aggressive sound (to match Dante's angst). It may not be for everyone, but its a fresh start. If the music was more involved, and didn't sound like it was stuck I repeat I would have liked it more.

Gaming Treasures - Castlevania = Circle of the Moon

CV-COTM (GBA 2001)
KCET team production

Go go Vampire Killa!
So the premise of this outside entry is set sometime after Symphony. There is a time of rest for humanity, with no resurrection of Dracula in sight. Until a Succubus, along with Death take it upon themselves to bring back the monster from whence he came. The catch? There are no more Belmonts... or is there?

Taking the helm are two hunters, along with their instructor. Like all classic tales, their leader is sent away with the two fledgling students donning a rivalry to claim the title of "Vampire Hunter". Both are equally powerful, except they must pass the test by surviving many perils and the Castle itself.

DSS system - a dual card system of elemental's with Greek Gods implemented. These will give their wielder unstoppable powers unless they are used simultaneously with one another. Once used, they can defend, or unleash massive offensive techniques. (Sadly this is the only game in the series to use this technique.)

Retaining a more tougher difficulty level, this game will push you to many limits. From bracing versus challenging monsters, and dealing with very limited supply of healing items (unless you overclock your experience points!!) What makes it worthwhile to replay is a multitude of unlockable modes, from gaining more XP by attacking, healing recovery, or being able to shapeshift into other creatures. Or a hidden "God Mode"! **which is unheard of in the CV series.

As of late, there have been no other titles quite like this one. Although the recent 3D titles have tried to use elemental powers, it doesn't work the same as the card system. It becomes more of an attachment then an actual skill to equip and become useful. It is highly possible that the system could return in some format. But as far as the series overall, it is a fun yet lost adventure not all gamers might have had a chance to play in the past.

For more into, visit my friends @ the Castlevania Dungeon website:
www.castlevaniadungeon.net/games/cotm.html‎

Beats in my head (SF to KOF) Musical lines

A major aspect of arcade fighting games is music, it defines a character, stage, or an event. From guest character, to an epic boss fight, or a hidden surprise. No matter the genre, from Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, KOF and many more they all had the backing of music to influence the gameplay design.

Over the years, many of these MMA games have pushed the boundary on concept, and a roster that would balance a players choice.The most daunting task of them all is the game's design itself. Whether pushed by a compelling story, or something short, simple and sweet.

In the beginning we were all motivated by a simple "beep, and boop" with the press start or insert quarters. After a time, it began to change, with so many new formats in sound design being developed. Capcom branded their sound type as CPS, SNK with Neo-Geo Sound format, and many more developers created their own unique sound variants.

Some examples - CPS (there are in fact 3 variant editions of their unique sound chip set):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wzjL1Q9vsI&list=PL284ACA21F2C23D24&index=1
*Street Fighter II - CPS1 Sound Test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2afWbk92XqY&list=PLD68B734F11F7F21B
*King of Fighters 94 OST - MVS Hardware

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSJaNKQ8pUE&list=PLu_f2AnvQFcAwM2oFt_X_AgdRBDq0OBlC
*Street Fighter Alpha/ Zero OST - CPS2 Sound Test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FKyvlbp2zU
*Street Fighter III - Kunai Hailstorm (Ibuki music video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekyQBUn5ASo&list=PL3BBF1AF862787907
*Street Fighter III - Sound Test (CPS3)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0Zxszpoq4E&list=PLeZ9k7Y7hmIzQ28Pc2LPudo3V1V5jWHTi
*King Of Fighters 99' OST (a bit more electronica + trance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc1aZC-GoVg&list=PL67D7EEA0BDFA634B
*King Of Fighters XI OST (Atomiswave)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go9wp03vR7g&list=PL1004ABA185398593
*King Of Fighters Unlimited Match OST (AW)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bw0GBH4_pU&list=PL0F343D351B65A43B
*King of Fighters XIII OST (KOF System) SNKP/Atlus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBNwrjlNnwY&list=PLDC5262E313E42E5D
*Super Street Fighter IV OST

So crank that volume and listen to some awesome tracks! Or find some you've never heard before!