Gamesugar

March 28, 2010

Lazy Sunday – Katsup

Vanquish
It seems I missed a lazy Sunday post or two. I’m half certain that isn’t a very big deal because I don’t know why anyone would read them, but rather than self-loathing over that fact, the absence owes simply to the fact that we’ve happened to be busy with weekend events this month.

Luckily I found time to scowl at a few things while drinking my coffee this morning, and we can now return to our regularly scheduled programming – wherein my first question of the day is “What’s the deal with Vanquish?”

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I’d like to think a screenshot could merit at least half that many – but when it comes to images for Vanquish lately, I’ve tried my best and only come up with seven.

I really, really want to believe that this isn’t a generic “me too cause we can do it better but probably won’t” kinda thing – I’ll be sincerely shocked if that’s what releases in the end, but Platinum, you gotta give me more to work with here.

And yet there are games of more immediate concern.

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March 8, 2010

Review – The Challenges of the Edy Detachment

Valkyria Chronicles
The legend of Valkyria Chronicles’ sometimes crushing difficulty is a subject I’m well familiar with, but I was still surprised to take on the Shocktrooper challenge and find myself facing what seemed like the entire Imperial Army, gunning down poor Rosie before I knew what was happening.

When I first heard that this latest DLC would offer challenges from each soldier class within the game, I suppose I imagined it as a potential sampler for players who still haven’t caved to the peer pressure of the Valkyria faithful. For some reason this made me think that the game might go a bit easier on players, but rest assured that these six missions are every bit grueling enough to merit the word challenge.

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January 20, 2010

Catching Up With Phantasy Star Zero

Filed under: Editorial Rants — Tags: , , , — Christina Wilson @ 1:58 pm

Phantasy Star Zero
My first exposure to Phantasy Star came during University when I stumbled out of my room from an essay filled stupor, only to be pulled in by roommates who were huddled around a GameCube. Even though we were playing after the online access had been discontinued, the game still offered a memorable co-op experience that quickly became a ritual.

The single player campaign left more to be desired, and it feels like the challenge for Phantasy Star is finding a balance between a fleshed out single-player game that also offers the co-op experience I found so addicting.

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January 14, 2010

Bayonetta – Taking My Sweet Time

Filed under: Editorial Rants — Tags: , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 5:02 pm

Bayonetta
Given the number of times I’ve thrown words to Bayonetta during the game’s development, I fully expected to have joined the conversation she’s stirred about sex, audience reactions, sex, female identity, and more sex by now. The reason I haven’t is straightforward enough, and provides a chance for you to say I’m biased.

If I am indeed biased, it’s because I love videogames, and Bayonetta loves being a videogame – enough that we’re a good match and someone should go book the chapel by the time I write a proper review.

As for avoiding the extensive conversations going around the net, my problem is simple – talking extensively about any of those aspects would mean that I’d have to stop playing the game long enough to do so.

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December 13, 2009

Review – Valkyria Chronicles

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , — Jamie Love @ 11:45 am

Review Valkyria Chronicles
Not long ago I began to view Sega as a failed state.

Certainly the name would remain a cherished memory for gamers, but as a company Sega has squandered any notion of serious relevance in the current market. In my defence, I still argue that showing up at E3 with Sonic Unleashed, Golden Axe : Beast Rider, and a serious face, demonstrates that Sega suffers from a deficit of direction. And yet with Sega’s release of Valkyria Chronicles, I’ve found myself eating many of my words while experiencing a solid strategy RPG that titans of the genre could learn from, should they ever grow tired of cash grab ports and increasingly lacklustre sequels.

Equally as surprising that Sega has delivered such a well-crafted title is that the game emerges from a hurricane of restructuring that has seen several key names leave the company. Valkyria Chronicles was developed by Sega WOW, itself a new studio resulting from the merger of WOW Entertainment (House of the Dead, Vampire Night) and Overworks – WHICH… Wait for it – used to travel by the moniker of AM7 (Streets of Rage, Phantasy Star, Skies of Arcadia). And despite the time passed since the appearance of such titles and the great deal of changes Sega has undergone, Valkyria Chronicles’ overall design and unique charm strongly acknowledge that pedigree. The game simply shines with a character reminiscent of Skies of Arcadia, presented with the polish and core design gamers are expecting from current releases.

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