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January 24, 2012

Review – Mutant Mudds

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 1:32 pm

Review Mutant Mudds
In addition to exterminating dinosaurs and raising the undead, meteorites can also unleash irritable mud creatures on an unsuspecting world. Unlike other catastrophes however, this one can be dealt with by any child equipped with a super-soaker.

Such is the premise of Renegade Kid’s new addition to a growing eShop library of digital offerings for the 3DS, one which gives such a shout-out to the glory days of the Nintendo Entertainment System – from the visuals to the occasionally infuriating platforming – that you may just feel obliged to blow in the empty cartridge slot before playing.

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January 22, 2012

Sweet’N Low – My Haunted Weekend

Filed under: Editorial Rants — Tags: , , , , — Jamie Love @ 2:08 pm

The Hidden Sweet N Low
It’s a well established fact that ghosts are jerks – they move furniture around while you’re away, drive your electric bill up by playing with the lights, and though I realize you may not want to hear it, they do sometimes stick things in your mouth while you’re sleeping.

Within the videogame medium, ghosts have an equally dickish reputation, from the boards of Pac-Man to the haunted houses of Super Mario Bros. But this weekend I had a chance to catch up with perhaps the worst yet via The Hidden, which released for the 3DS back in November.

The augmented reality game asks players to walk around areas in the real world while the 3DS camera is used to layer blob-like phantoms on the screen – the game seems hesitant to call these creatures ghosts, but they fit the ghostly bill. The player’s task is to scan and destroy these creatures, which will have you spinning around as if grabbed by a seizure as these ghosts quickly twitch out of your field of vision while throwing some form of ectoplasm excrement at you. The player must somehow meet the challenge of calmly readjusting their perspective to keep these critters on screen without throwing the 3DS into the nearest ditch.

The game is hilariously terrible, perhaps the champion of such pursuits on the handheld to date – one of those interesting ideas that has no room to evolve beyond the “hey isn’t this neat for five minutes” factor.

The real long-term humor stems from the game stressing players be mindful of their surroundings, but at the same time making it necessary to visit new Wi-Fi areas to discover more ghosts and progress the game. The Hidden absolutely encourages players to find new destinations in which to play, and thereby look like a complete ass in public, which is just a little bit wonderful despite the awful act of playing the game.

If you still owe any of your frenemy’s an xmas gift, this might just be the ticket.

January 21, 2012

Cats, Unicorns, and Other Games of Interest

Filed under: News Feed — Tags: , , , — Jamie Love @ 12:07 am

The Difference Engine
Back in December I was fortunate enough to attend the Women in Film, Games and New Media Conference at the TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. Along with a keynote from journalist Leigh Alexander and an afternoon of talks on media, technology, and the gaming space, the event also featured games from the second round of the Difference Engine Initiative.

The DEI brought together women from different disciplinary backgrounds for a series of sessions that saw each produce their own games, and I’ve recently been informed that these projects are now available online, you can find them right here in fact.

On that note, I’d like to give two thumbs up to TypeCat, a game that uses cat memes to teach players how to spell like an Internet champion, and Unicorn Justice Fighter / Unicorn Robber Baron, a game I believe merges my love of both Unicorns and Tron – those two games have certainly succeeded in robbing me of time this week.

Definitely consider taking some time to check out all the projects, once again by clicking right here.

You can also watch video from the conference, including Leigh’s keynote, by means of this handy link right here.

January 20, 2012

Demo Report – Resident Evil: Revelations

Demo Report Resident Evil Revelations
Waking up in the cabin section of a derelict ocean liner, Jill Valentine expresses a feeling of déjà vu, which I certainly share in as the opening of the Revelations’ demo feels very much like a homecoming, stirring some equally pleasant and terrifying memories. The gloom of ruined rooms is occasionally broken by the shimmer of essential supplies, and also the continual arrival of humanoid biohazards that are largely featureless, save for the spiky limbs slapping out at players before these creatures close in for a more intimate attempt at feasting on Jill’s blood.

Clutching the 3DS and lurching forward through the ship is a very intimate experience, bringing back unnerving sensations and a slower pace of traditional horror the mainline series has largely moved away from in the pursuit of high-grade action. Entering a dining hall where food is rotting on tables and a strange vapor hugs the floor finds me several shades hesitant about the prospect of moving forward any further, and it’s rather terrific being gripped by that feeling of apprehension again.

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Review – VVVVVV

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 8:46 am

Review VVVVVV
There’s something very heartwarming about indie games on Nintendo hardware. Seeing Cave Story across several Nintendo platforms was like an endorsement from gaming royalty for instance – a nod from the company that built those first pixilated worlds out of thin air and inspired so many to follow in that pursuit.

As such, Terry Cavanagh’s PC indie title, VVVVVV, is a welcome sight on the 3DS’ eShop, but I wouldn’t want any idea of indie fan-service to undermine the move, given that the game’s level of polish and play earn placement on the list of eShop offerings worth the investment of player’s time and money regardless of how many people worked on the title.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with why, let’s fill in some blanks below.

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January 19, 2012

Review – Zen Pinball 3D

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 9:02 am

Review Zen Pinball 3D
Zen Studios has long been offering a digital distribution plan that even the most curmudgeonly anti-dlc advocate would have a hard time complaining about – still, I won’t say it’s impossible for such a person to exist. Available on both Xbox LIVE Arcade and the PlayStation Network for some time now, Zen Pinball offers a package that can be added to as players see fit. Anytime you find yourself board with the tables you own, you can browse, sample, and purchase additional tables at your leisure. I approve of a system by which there’s always the means to refresh the experience while only parting with a few dollars rather than buying an entirely new game.

Said tables vary in theme and license, ranging from generic space opera motifs to tables based on Marvel franchises, and the majority of these offer a wide range of point objectives and shiny neon Vegas styling to seduce the senses. The key ingredient in my continuing addiction is the way the game consistently ranks you against others, urging you to play just a little bit longer to defeat friends and strangers alike.

Zen Pinball 3D carries this exact experience over to Nintendo’s handheld, which would seem to leave little to discuss here. Still, I’m sure we can find something to talk about, so please do read on.

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January 18, 2012

Demo Report – The Darkness II

Demo Report The Darkness II 2
If you recall my lengthy diatribe on the matter of The Darkness, and the urgency with which it demands to be played, you might guess that The Darkness II is a subject in which I am greatly invested. I very much need for this title to deliver, and for that reason the question of whether Digital Extremes is equipped to succeed Starbreeze is a puzzle I have been pondering since the day of this title’s announcement.

The demo sets up the premise of the sequel and offers little else in the way of narrative—it provides a capable teaser, and then moves directly along to the matter of vicious tentacle murder.

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