Billy Mitchell be damned! The pretentious patriot has been bested in the age-old game of jumping barrels and dropping monkeys — but not by Steve Wiebe.
That's right, contrary to how all those old arcade cabinet games worked there is now a Player 3 plunking coins into the machine and saving princesses.
Visit Kotaku at THIS LINK and read about the new "King of Kong," Hank Chien.
On a side note, I've always been amazed Wiebe wasn't called out for neglecting his kids after that movie came out. I doubt if Chien had to deal with toddlers yelling to wipe their butts. Just sayin'...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Will you P.B. my valentine?
2K Games just showed me a little Valentine's Day love ... oh, and promoted the release of "The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom," downloadable on Feb. 17.
Milking Green Lantern
Get those udders ready — DC is about to milk us for all we're worth.
Over the past few weeks, DC has rolled out plenty of news on new series to look out for in the coming months. Already, most of the news has assured me my wallet will be hurting very soon, but that's been mostly because everything that's spinning out of "Blackest Night" has been pretty exciting and natural stuff. None of it has felt like an over-the-top cash grab ... until now...
Check THIS LINK to DC's Source blog and read about a new Green Lantern title kicking off in a matter of months, "Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors."
Yes, that's right. Five years ago, DC was skeptical about a single GL title being able to sell, and now they're trying to make us support three. Yes, we are being milked, and punished for our love of all Geoff Johns has given us.
The lineup will be as follows: "GL: EW" with Guy Gardiner and Kilowog. "GLC" with Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Ganthet. "GL" will (presumably) still feature Hal Jordan.
Is it just me, or does this seem like it's going to end up killing both "Corps" and the newborn "Emerald Warriors?"
With apologies to Peter Tomasi, who has done a masterful job on the book, "Corps" was selling so well, predominantly, because it was the No. 2 book on the road to "Blackest Night." Now, DC is not only taking away two of "Corps" more popular characters, they're being taken away right as the "Blackest Night" momentum is ending.
On the other side of the spectrum, other than die-hard fans like me, is anyone going to buy a book starring just Guy and 'Wog? Especially when "Blackest Night" had just ended?
I think DC is over estimating how much people love the Green Lantern family of titles vs. how much people loved "Blackest Night." And it's going to cost us. First, it will cost those of us who are willing to try all three books. When that ends, it will cost us one, if not two, of the three GL family books.
Cash Cow won't last long with this sort of milking, DC.
Over the past few weeks, DC has rolled out plenty of news on new series to look out for in the coming months. Already, most of the news has assured me my wallet will be hurting very soon, but that's been mostly because everything that's spinning out of "Blackest Night" has been pretty exciting and natural stuff. None of it has felt like an over-the-top cash grab ... until now...
Check THIS LINK to DC's Source blog and read about a new Green Lantern title kicking off in a matter of months, "Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors."
Yes, that's right. Five years ago, DC was skeptical about a single GL title being able to sell, and now they're trying to make us support three. Yes, we are being milked, and punished for our love of all Geoff Johns has given us.
The lineup will be as follows: "GL: EW" with Guy Gardiner and Kilowog. "GLC" with Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Ganthet. "GL" will (presumably) still feature Hal Jordan.
Is it just me, or does this seem like it's going to end up killing both "Corps" and the newborn "Emerald Warriors?"
With apologies to Peter Tomasi, who has done a masterful job on the book, "Corps" was selling so well, predominantly, because it was the No. 2 book on the road to "Blackest Night." Now, DC is not only taking away two of "Corps" more popular characters, they're being taken away right as the "Blackest Night" momentum is ending.
On the other side of the spectrum, other than die-hard fans like me, is anyone going to buy a book starring just Guy and 'Wog? Especially when "Blackest Night" had just ended?
I think DC is over estimating how much people love the Green Lantern family of titles vs. how much people loved "Blackest Night." And it's going to cost us. First, it will cost those of us who are willing to try all three books. When that ends, it will cost us one, if not two, of the three GL family books.
Cash Cow won't last long with this sort of milking, DC.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Will 'Fable III' make you 'super pissed off'?
It's quickly becoming clear that history will remember "Fable III" for ... something. It's going to be ambitious, that much is obvious. But, will it be an ambitious success or failure?
It's going to use Natal. And it's being made by Peter Molyneux, the developer who seems to be embracing Natal more than anyone else. And it's quickly looking evident that those Natal controls are going to make "Fable III" less of a sequel and more of an entirely new series.
Which is why I'm not the least bit surprised to read this quote on IGN.com: "We're making some announcements about Fable III and […] it's going to really upset people. I'm really scared when I go out and tell people what it is they're going to get super pissed off."
Let the speculation commence. IGN itself has started already at THIS LINK, which provides some hard evidence backing up all of those pissed-off guesses.
Then again, 'ole Pete loves running his mouth before a game comes out, and most of what he says turns out to be rubbish. So I guess we'll all see next week.
It's going to use Natal. And it's being made by Peter Molyneux, the developer who seems to be embracing Natal more than anyone else. And it's quickly looking evident that those Natal controls are going to make "Fable III" less of a sequel and more of an entirely new series.
Which is why I'm not the least bit surprised to read this quote on IGN.com: "We're making some announcements about Fable III and […] it's going to really upset people. I'm really scared when I go out and tell people what it is they're going to get super pissed off."
Let the speculation commence. IGN itself has started already at THIS LINK, which provides some hard evidence backing up all of those pissed-off guesses.
Then again, 'ole Pete loves running his mouth before a game comes out, and most of what he says turns out to be rubbish. So I guess we'll all see next week.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Master Quest (Part 3)
Don't worry, I have not forgotten about my quest to save Hyrule, even if real life has taken away plenty of time of late.
I've had plenty of time to get used to my adult body now, however, my biggest challenge remains the awkward GameCube controller. In fairness, some of the awkwardness is coming from the age of the controller itself. It tends to stick in a forward position, making aiming difficult and maneuvering slim edges VERY difficult.
But, I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself. To give you a sense of context, I've blown through the Forest, Fire and Water Temples, as well as mini-dungeons Bottom of the Well and Gerudos Fortress.
Surprisingly, I wouldn't call any of the three temples any tougher than their first-quest counterparts. Rather, they were all simply variations on a theme — with the exception of the Water Temple.
The Forest and Fire Temples are extremely similar to their previous incarnations, and if I didn't already think the first Forest Temple was a breeze, I would say this second one is easier than the first. The first version of the temple had a little more back-tracking, while this one had a couple more monsters, Six for one, half-dozen for the other. The only real surprise here was that I'd completely forgotten how to fight Phantom Gannon at the end of the temple, so it took me a while to get him to get out of those paintings of his.
One challenge at the start of the whole thing. Attaining that first key by lighting fires and shooting an arrow across the room to light torch number three proved devilishly hard. Still, that may have only been because, with the state of my GameCube controller, it took me a while to even figure out that shooting an arrow to light torch No. 3 was a possibility, let alone then taking the time to execute the move. But the rest of the Temple was pretty simple, and was the most similar to its' original counterpart since the Deku Tree dungeon.
The Water Temple, on the other hand, was very different from the original. Frankly, when playing through the original game on second and third play-throughs, the Water Temple was groan-inducing. I would cringe at the thought of how much tougher this "Master" Water Temple would be. As it turns out, the Temple was VERY straightforward this time around. Water-level changes were kept to a minimum, with very little back-tracking. In fact, the only problem was simply over-thinking. There are two small wings of the Temple which cannot be accessed until you already have the Boss Key, and they have very little redeeming value, only containing Gold Skultas. But the decoy existence of these rooms will make you think the Temple is more puzzling than it is.
Thus far, I would still call the "Master Quest" a must-play for any Zelda addict. But the game really has not been a challenge, just a variation on a theme. And so much has felt easier this time around outside of the dungeons, just because I've played the game so much. I currently wield Biggoron's Sword (possibly my favorite weapon of any Zelda game ever), and again wondered why I felt it was so tough to acquire 10 years ago.
But we will see. I'm about to head into the desert armed with the Eye of Truth, so hopefully Nintendo has a couple of super-tough dungeons awaiting me before I go after Gannon.
I've had plenty of time to get used to my adult body now, however, my biggest challenge remains the awkward GameCube controller. In fairness, some of the awkwardness is coming from the age of the controller itself. It tends to stick in a forward position, making aiming difficult and maneuvering slim edges VERY difficult.
But, I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself. To give you a sense of context, I've blown through the Forest, Fire and Water Temples, as well as mini-dungeons Bottom of the Well and Gerudos Fortress.
Surprisingly, I wouldn't call any of the three temples any tougher than their first-quest counterparts. Rather, they were all simply variations on a theme — with the exception of the Water Temple.
The Forest and Fire Temples are extremely similar to their previous incarnations, and if I didn't already think the first Forest Temple was a breeze, I would say this second one is easier than the first. The first version of the temple had a little more back-tracking, while this one had a couple more monsters, Six for one, half-dozen for the other. The only real surprise here was that I'd completely forgotten how to fight Phantom Gannon at the end of the temple, so it took me a while to get him to get out of those paintings of his.
One challenge at the start of the whole thing. Attaining that first key by lighting fires and shooting an arrow across the room to light torch number three proved devilishly hard. Still, that may have only been because, with the state of my GameCube controller, it took me a while to even figure out that shooting an arrow to light torch No. 3 was a possibility, let alone then taking the time to execute the move. But the rest of the Temple was pretty simple, and was the most similar to its' original counterpart since the Deku Tree dungeon.
The Water Temple, on the other hand, was very different from the original. Frankly, when playing through the original game on second and third play-throughs, the Water Temple was groan-inducing. I would cringe at the thought of how much tougher this "Master" Water Temple would be. As it turns out, the Temple was VERY straightforward this time around. Water-level changes were kept to a minimum, with very little back-tracking. In fact, the only problem was simply over-thinking. There are two small wings of the Temple which cannot be accessed until you already have the Boss Key, and they have very little redeeming value, only containing Gold Skultas. But the decoy existence of these rooms will make you think the Temple is more puzzling than it is.
Thus far, I would still call the "Master Quest" a must-play for any Zelda addict. But the game really has not been a challenge, just a variation on a theme. And so much has felt easier this time around outside of the dungeons, just because I've played the game so much. I currently wield Biggoron's Sword (possibly my favorite weapon of any Zelda game ever), and again wondered why I felt it was so tough to acquire 10 years ago.
But we will see. I'm about to head into the desert armed with the Eye of Truth, so hopefully Nintendo has a couple of super-tough dungeons awaiting me before I go after Gannon.
New 'Sonic' game revealed
It's an all-new Sonic. And no, I'm not talking about the restaurant on Route 9 across the street from Arby's.
Oh, how I love Arby's... where I was I?
Oh yeah, Sonic. Or should I say, Project Needlemouse. Or, should I now say, "Sonic 4!"
All the rumors were true, there is an all-new 2D old-school looking downloadable Sonic the Hedgehog game in the works, with a release window of this Summer.
Oh, how I love Jesus for this news. And oh, how I love starting sentences with "oh."
Follow THIS LINK to the official Web site for more news.
Oh, how I love Arby's... where I was I?
Oh yeah, Sonic. Or should I say, Project Needlemouse. Or, should I now say, "Sonic 4!"
All the rumors were true, there is an all-new 2D old-school looking downloadable Sonic the Hedgehog game in the works, with a release window of this Summer.
Oh, how I love Jesus for this news. And oh, how I love starting sentences with "oh."
Follow THIS LINK to the official Web site for more news.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Wii topples NES
This story pains my retro-gamer heart. Follow THIS LINK to IGN.com and read that the Wii has now sold more units than the original Nintendo Entertainment System.
I may just be Talkin' 'bout my Generation here, but sales shmales. The NES provided more cherished bright new world moments than all other gaming systems combined. It's just too bad all those soccer moms following the Wii trend managed to usurp the NES' economic crown.
Besides, the NES had something it seems we'll never get from the Wii — Kid Icarus. Yes, it's a small strand of pride to cling to, but I'm clinging, damnit!
I may just be Talkin' 'bout my Generation here, but sales shmales. The NES provided more cherished bright new world moments than all other gaming systems combined. It's just too bad all those soccer moms following the Wii trend managed to usurp the NES' economic crown.
Besides, the NES had something it seems we'll never get from the Wii — Kid Icarus. Yes, it's a small strand of pride to cling to, but I'm clinging, damnit!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
New format: Weekly Comic Report
As you have probably noticed if you are an avid reader of this blog, the format for posts has changed since the New Year. As such, the old weekly "Buy Pile Report" is no more. Instead, I'll focus my attention on one or two topics which are of special interest each week in the "Weekly Comic Report." (I know, creative name).
There will always be spoilers, so be warned.
First and foremost, what a week this was to be a comic fan, eh? DC delivers several of the more important "Blackest Night" tie-ins plus a couple of big Superman-family books and Marvel gives us more "Necrosha" and the finale to "Captain America: Reborn."
Which leads us to our first topic: Was "Cap Rebirth" -- er... sorry -- "Cap Reborn" the most anticlimactic story in the history of comics? Probably not. After all, us comic geeks have a penchant for hyperbole.
But, oh, let me count the anticlimactic ways: 1) This story did not need to be an over-priced mini-series, it could have simply been the next story in "Captain America" proper, kicking off with issue #600 to make it special. 2) Wasn't "Lost in time" one of the first widely-spread Internet explanations for how Steve Rogers would come back to life? 3) The outcome was spoiled by COUNTLESS other Marvel books before even issue #5 of 6 was released, including the epilogue chapter "Who Will Wield the Shield?" 4) After 50 issues or so of brilliant plotting -- both by the Red Skull and writer Ed Brubaker -- Skull's master plan to inhabit Steve Rogers' body was undone because Skull didn't count on Rogers having the will to fight back?
And that last point is where I find the most disappointment, because we spent four issues hemming and hawing, one issue watching Skull take control of Rogers and then in the space of mere pages, all those issues of plotting and scheming are undone before the reader even gets a chance to be afraid of Skull. Thanks to all the plot spoilers in other books, we didn't even get a moment to wonder if Brubaker was planning on keeping Skull in control of Rogers for a couple of story arcs.
And that brings me back to my first point of anti-climax -- if this story were carefully plotted and slow-roasted like the rest of Brubaker's run, we might have gotten to read the incredible tale of Skull doing some real damage as Steve Rogers for a while. How fantastic a few story arcs like that would have been! And wouldn't Bucky's eventual victory feel all the more rewarding?
Instead, to get in line with all the rest of the happenings with "Siege" and such, "Cap: Reborn" felt like it could not rush us to the finish line fast enough. And really, that's my problem with most of what Marvel has done over the past five years or so, and why I have been reading so much less from the "House of Ideas."
Secondly -- and I won't take as long on this rant, I promise. There have been PLENTY of "Blackest Night" tie-ins (I know, I've been buying most of them). And, I'm sure many of you have gotten so sick of reading the same old stories of "Character A has to watch Character B come back to life and deal with those emotions!" to the point where you've turned off to any of the tie-ins at all.
Well, you should know this: 1) "Green Lantern" and "Green Lantern Corps." are almost always required reading. 2) This week's "Atom and Hawkman" tie-in is very worth your cash, so go buy it.
The Atom's story, which focuses on Ray Palmer much more than his feathered friend, serves as a vehicle to flesh out the powers of Indigo light and allow the reader to understand how it works. Granted, it doesn't give us that highly-desired Rosetta Stone for the Indigo Tribe's language, but the most mysterious of all the lantern powers is now pretty well defined.
There will always be spoilers, so be warned.
First and foremost, what a week this was to be a comic fan, eh? DC delivers several of the more important "Blackest Night" tie-ins plus a couple of big Superman-family books and Marvel gives us more "Necrosha" and the finale to "Captain America: Reborn."
Which leads us to our first topic: Was "Cap Rebirth" -- er... sorry -- "Cap Reborn" the most anticlimactic story in the history of comics? Probably not. After all, us comic geeks have a penchant for hyperbole.
But, oh, let me count the anticlimactic ways: 1) This story did not need to be an over-priced mini-series, it could have simply been the next story in "Captain America" proper, kicking off with issue #600 to make it special. 2) Wasn't "Lost in time" one of the first widely-spread Internet explanations for how Steve Rogers would come back to life? 3) The outcome was spoiled by COUNTLESS other Marvel books before even issue #5 of 6 was released, including the epilogue chapter "Who Will Wield the Shield?" 4) After 50 issues or so of brilliant plotting -- both by the Red Skull and writer Ed Brubaker -- Skull's master plan to inhabit Steve Rogers' body was undone because Skull didn't count on Rogers having the will to fight back?
And that last point is where I find the most disappointment, because we spent four issues hemming and hawing, one issue watching Skull take control of Rogers and then in the space of mere pages, all those issues of plotting and scheming are undone before the reader even gets a chance to be afraid of Skull. Thanks to all the plot spoilers in other books, we didn't even get a moment to wonder if Brubaker was planning on keeping Skull in control of Rogers for a couple of story arcs.
And that brings me back to my first point of anti-climax -- if this story were carefully plotted and slow-roasted like the rest of Brubaker's run, we might have gotten to read the incredible tale of Skull doing some real damage as Steve Rogers for a while. How fantastic a few story arcs like that would have been! And wouldn't Bucky's eventual victory feel all the more rewarding?
Instead, to get in line with all the rest of the happenings with "Siege" and such, "Cap: Reborn" felt like it could not rush us to the finish line fast enough. And really, that's my problem with most of what Marvel has done over the past five years or so, and why I have been reading so much less from the "House of Ideas."
Secondly -- and I won't take as long on this rant, I promise. There have been PLENTY of "Blackest Night" tie-ins (I know, I've been buying most of them). And, I'm sure many of you have gotten so sick of reading the same old stories of "Character A has to watch Character B come back to life and deal with those emotions!" to the point where you've turned off to any of the tie-ins at all.
Well, you should know this: 1) "Green Lantern" and "Green Lantern Corps." are almost always required reading. 2) This week's "Atom and Hawkman" tie-in is very worth your cash, so go buy it.
The Atom's story, which focuses on Ray Palmer much more than his feathered friend, serves as a vehicle to flesh out the powers of Indigo light and allow the reader to understand how it works. Granted, it doesn't give us that highly-desired Rosetta Stone for the Indigo Tribe's language, but the most mysterious of all the lantern powers is now pretty well defined.
'God of War III' dated for March 16
Dear readers,
If you own a PlayStation 3, you may want to schedule a sick day for March 16.
Sincerely,
Kratos
If you own a PlayStation 3, you may want to schedule a sick day for March 16.
Sincerely,
Kratos
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
iPad: Gaming device?
So, it's finally official. Apple's iPad.
Ignoring most of its capabilities for a moment (this is a gaming blog, after all), my question hinges on Apple's assertion that this could be an online gaming juggernaut.
Obviously, given the growing success of the iPhone in the gaming world, Apple has some credibility to make these claims. My own brain won't let that credibility mesh with logic, though.
Here's my knee-jerk take: The iPhone works as a handheld gaming device because of it's size. It's just as convenient as a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, and the size allows the gamer to make use of the motion-sensing capabilities.
The iPad is just too big to be convenient as a portable gaming device. It's not big enough to be convenient as a mainstream gaming device, since the touchscreen surface cannot support both a touch keyboard and a big enough screen.
I don't know what kind of games can really be used on a device like this, since most of the games that work best on the iPhone would not gain anything by being larger. This strikes me as an instance when being in between two successful genres doesn't equate to being the best of both worlds.
Am I alone on this? I guess we'll all just have to wait to get our hands on it to make a final judgement.
Ignoring most of its capabilities for a moment (this is a gaming blog, after all), my question hinges on Apple's assertion that this could be an online gaming juggernaut.
Obviously, given the growing success of the iPhone in the gaming world, Apple has some credibility to make these claims. My own brain won't let that credibility mesh with logic, though.
Here's my knee-jerk take: The iPhone works as a handheld gaming device because of it's size. It's just as convenient as a Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, and the size allows the gamer to make use of the motion-sensing capabilities.
The iPad is just too big to be convenient as a portable gaming device. It's not big enough to be convenient as a mainstream gaming device, since the touchscreen surface cannot support both a touch keyboard and a big enough screen.
I don't know what kind of games can really be used on a device like this, since most of the games that work best on the iPhone would not gain anything by being larger. This strikes me as an instance when being in between two successful genres doesn't equate to being the best of both worlds.
Am I alone on this? I guess we'll all just have to wait to get our hands on it to make a final judgement.
No 'NBA Jam' news, afterall
My interview scheduled to happen today was canceled and cannot happen until Monday. I know, I'm as bummed as you are.
What I did find out is that the game will definitely be released in the fall as a physical disc, it won't be WiiWare. I asked about price and about the possibility of the currently-Wii-exclusive game making it to Xbox or PlayStation, but could not get an answer to either.
When I know more, I will pass it along.
Boom-Shakalaka (in a sad voice).
What I did find out is that the game will definitely be released in the fall as a physical disc, it won't be WiiWare. I asked about price and about the possibility of the currently-Wii-exclusive game making it to Xbox or PlayStation, but could not get an answer to either.
When I know more, I will pass it along.
Boom-Shakalaka (in a sad voice).
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
News on new 'NBA Jam' on the way...
Big news, sports fans!
...Well, it could be big news. I don't really know for sure yet. What I do know for sure is that I will be speaking with a representative for EA Sports on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming Wii remake "NBA Jam."
Boom Shakalaka indeed.
I shouldn't have to tell you, "NBA Jam" is a game near and dear to my heart. Just recently I was playing "NBA Jam Tournament Edition" on my old Sega Genesis — and yes, I was on fire. Hopefully I find out some good info on Wednesday, including the answer to my biggest question: When can we expect to hear about the game for Xbox Live or PlayStation Network?
For now, you can visit the game's official Web site at THIS LINK and vote for which players you want to see in the game.
Razzle Dazzle!
...Well, it could be big news. I don't really know for sure yet. What I do know for sure is that I will be speaking with a representative for EA Sports on Wednesday to discuss the upcoming Wii remake "NBA Jam."
Boom Shakalaka indeed.
I shouldn't have to tell you, "NBA Jam" is a game near and dear to my heart. Just recently I was playing "NBA Jam Tournament Edition" on my old Sega Genesis — and yes, I was on fire. Hopefully I find out some good info on Wednesday, including the answer to my biggest question: When can we expect to hear about the game for Xbox Live or PlayStation Network?
For now, you can visit the game's official Web site at THIS LINK and vote for which players you want to see in the game.
Razzle Dazzle!
'Mass Effect 2' Review
We have a review of "Mass Effect 2" up on the PoJo Web site (at THIS LINK), written by the Associated Press.
As you may have expected, the sequel was given a glowing recommendation.
As you may have expected, the sequel was given a glowing recommendation.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Master Quest (Part 2)
Well, I've had a weekend to dig my teeth into "Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Master Quest." What's the verdict, you ask?
Well, for any "Zelda" fan, this 2003 kinda-remake is a surprisingly rewarding experience. I recommend it, love it, and look forward to the day when our civil union will be recognized by the people of New York State. For anyone else, don't waste your time or money tracking this game down.
Here's the good: So far (I just turned adult and promptly won me a pretty Filly named Epona), the dungeons I've encountered are honest-to-goodness tougher and fresh, just as advertised. And, as advertised, the rest of the game is a spot-on recreation of the original "Ocarina of Time," no tougher, no easier.
The Deku Tree dungeon's layout is not changed too much, which initially left me worried I'd just spent $40 on a lemon of an experience. The main change here is an increased number of monsters, most of which take the form of the miniature Gohma pods.
But Dodongo's Cavern erased all of my fears, as the sequence of where you go in the level is completely altered, right from the beginning. In fact, if memory serves, the first place you have to go in the dungeon is to the walkways hanging overhead, a jarring and confusing change. The puzzles are not only tougher to figure out, but tougher to execute. Instead of simply needing to light every torch in a room to open a door (a classic "Zelda" cliche), this dungeon forces you to complete what I called a Torch Relay, in which you light a torch with your deku stick, but then have to put that stick away and light a new stick using the torch you just lit because the distance to reach the next torch you have to light is too great for one stick. On top of that, you'll have to fight monsters in-between torches.
Jabu-Jabu's belly is likewise turned on it's ear, but this time there is an even stranger twist: There are cows lodged in the walls which serve as switches. I could not make that up if I tried.
These new dungeon layouts also make it much harder to collect gold skultas. It seems the dungeons are filled with secret doors and ledges just out of reach of your current arsenal of weapons. And it also seems each time you encounter one of these rooms, there is that familiar skulta sound, letting you know you should remember to come back later in the game.
But, here's the bad: Despite the tougher dungeons, which are now tough enough to please any "Zelda" fan, the boss battles have not been made more difficult. The result is a slightly anti-climactic feeling for each dungeon, and a lack of any anticipation.
The main flaw, though? The GameCube controller. The familiar Z-Targeting is replaced by the "L" button, and while it may work very well for "Wind Waker" and "Twilight Princess," it just fails miserably here. Whereas "Ocarina of Time" boasted a fluid, natural camera and feel on the Nintendo 64, on the GameCube it almost feels like you are succeeding in spite of your limitations. Also, trying to play songs using the clunky GameCube C-button stick, or simply draw your side-weapons quickly, is sometimes difficult.
Still want to hear more? Well I plan on playing a little more tonight (after watching the Blazers/Hornets game, of course) so hopefully I'll have more to report soon.
P.S. Wasn't winning Epona difficult back in the day? I think Ingo has been getting rusty in the past decade.
Well, for any "Zelda" fan, this 2003 kinda-remake is a surprisingly rewarding experience. I recommend it, love it, and look forward to the day when our civil union will be recognized by the people of New York State. For anyone else, don't waste your time or money tracking this game down.
Here's the good: So far (I just turned adult and promptly won me a pretty Filly named Epona), the dungeons I've encountered are honest-to-goodness tougher and fresh, just as advertised. And, as advertised, the rest of the game is a spot-on recreation of the original "Ocarina of Time," no tougher, no easier.
The Deku Tree dungeon's layout is not changed too much, which initially left me worried I'd just spent $40 on a lemon of an experience. The main change here is an increased number of monsters, most of which take the form of the miniature Gohma pods.
But Dodongo's Cavern erased all of my fears, as the sequence of where you go in the level is completely altered, right from the beginning. In fact, if memory serves, the first place you have to go in the dungeon is to the walkways hanging overhead, a jarring and confusing change. The puzzles are not only tougher to figure out, but tougher to execute. Instead of simply needing to light every torch in a room to open a door (a classic "Zelda" cliche), this dungeon forces you to complete what I called a Torch Relay, in which you light a torch with your deku stick, but then have to put that stick away and light a new stick using the torch you just lit because the distance to reach the next torch you have to light is too great for one stick. On top of that, you'll have to fight monsters in-between torches.
Jabu-Jabu's belly is likewise turned on it's ear, but this time there is an even stranger twist: There are cows lodged in the walls which serve as switches. I could not make that up if I tried.
These new dungeon layouts also make it much harder to collect gold skultas. It seems the dungeons are filled with secret doors and ledges just out of reach of your current arsenal of weapons. And it also seems each time you encounter one of these rooms, there is that familiar skulta sound, letting you know you should remember to come back later in the game.
But, here's the bad: Despite the tougher dungeons, which are now tough enough to please any "Zelda" fan, the boss battles have not been made more difficult. The result is a slightly anti-climactic feeling for each dungeon, and a lack of any anticipation.
The main flaw, though? The GameCube controller. The familiar Z-Targeting is replaced by the "L" button, and while it may work very well for "Wind Waker" and "Twilight Princess," it just fails miserably here. Whereas "Ocarina of Time" boasted a fluid, natural camera and feel on the Nintendo 64, on the GameCube it almost feels like you are succeeding in spite of your limitations. Also, trying to play songs using the clunky GameCube C-button stick, or simply draw your side-weapons quickly, is sometimes difficult.
Still want to hear more? Well I plan on playing a little more tonight (after watching the Blazers/Hornets game, of course) so hopefully I'll have more to report soon.
P.S. Wasn't winning Epona difficult back in the day? I think Ingo has been getting rusty in the past decade.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Master Quest (Part 1)
My absence from this blog for a while was not without good reason. Following the restructuring of the PoJo and the restructuring of my job (which I explained a bit about when it happened), my schedule in all facets of life changed completely.
I'm not the same geek I once was... or, at least, I don't have the time to be the geek I once was. For instance, yesterday was my first chance to read the dozen or so new comics I purchased nine days ago. I still haven't picked up my buy pile for this Wednesday, believe it or not. And on the gaming side of things, I have a mile-high stack of recent games I still haven't had a chance to get to, like "Assassin's Creed II," "Shadow Complex," "Brutal Legend" and several others.
And all that makes it even stranger that the first video game I'm making time for in 2010 is almost a decade old. For the first time, I'm playing through the "Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Master Quest," which was released as a GameCube disc as a promotional perk for pre-ordering "Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker."
If you haven't heard of it, the "Master Quest" is a recreation of the N64 Classic (same graphics and all, despite the GameCube platform), with the differences being each dungeon is now laid out differently and with tougher enemies.
How did it come to this, you ask? Well, it started on Kotaku.com, where I read about Zelda Reorchestrated, where a loyal Zelda fan had just recreated all 82 songs (most of them very short jingles) and uploaded them all for free download.
As is the case with most video game music, the sounds make you remember all you loved about the game, and, with the good games, makes you want to go back and experience it all again.
I knew I had the urge to play "Ocarina of Time," again, for the first time in at least eight years, which is when it hit me:
I had always wanted to play the "Master Quest," but with so many other bright, shiny new games out there all the time, it was always hard for me to justify paying new-game prices to get a game I've already played through (the original version) several times. For a while, the best place to find the "Master Quest" disc was at GameStop used, and their prices generally ranged between $60-75, depending on which state you are in.
Last week, found a copy on ebay from a seemingly reliable seller for $40 after shipping. Knowing it would be tough to find a better price right now, and the game will only become more rare as the years roll on, I took the plunge.
I've carved out a little time in the schedule to play over the next two days, so check back real soon and I'll give you the very tardy inside scoop on whether or not the "Master Quest" is worth putting in the time and effort to give it a try.
I'm not the same geek I once was... or, at least, I don't have the time to be the geek I once was. For instance, yesterday was my first chance to read the dozen or so new comics I purchased nine days ago. I still haven't picked up my buy pile for this Wednesday, believe it or not. And on the gaming side of things, I have a mile-high stack of recent games I still haven't had a chance to get to, like "Assassin's Creed II," "Shadow Complex," "Brutal Legend" and several others.
And all that makes it even stranger that the first video game I'm making time for in 2010 is almost a decade old. For the first time, I'm playing through the "Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: Master Quest," which was released as a GameCube disc as a promotional perk for pre-ordering "Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker."
If you haven't heard of it, the "Master Quest" is a recreation of the N64 Classic (same graphics and all, despite the GameCube platform), with the differences being each dungeon is now laid out differently and with tougher enemies.
How did it come to this, you ask? Well, it started on Kotaku.com, where I read about Zelda Reorchestrated, where a loyal Zelda fan had just recreated all 82 songs (most of them very short jingles) and uploaded them all for free download.
As is the case with most video game music, the sounds make you remember all you loved about the game, and, with the good games, makes you want to go back and experience it all again.
I knew I had the urge to play "Ocarina of Time," again, for the first time in at least eight years, which is when it hit me:
I had always wanted to play the "Master Quest," but with so many other bright, shiny new games out there all the time, it was always hard for me to justify paying new-game prices to get a game I've already played through (the original version) several times. For a while, the best place to find the "Master Quest" disc was at GameStop used, and their prices generally ranged between $60-75, depending on which state you are in.
Last week, found a copy on ebay from a seemingly reliable seller for $40 after shipping. Knowing it would be tough to find a better price right now, and the game will only become more rare as the years roll on, I took the plunge.
I've carved out a little time in the schedule to play over the next two days, so check back real soon and I'll give you the very tardy inside scoop on whether or not the "Master Quest" is worth putting in the time and effort to give it a try.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
IGN uncovers the truth about Final Fantasy and Jersey Shore
Spotted this a couple of days ago and busted my sides laughing. If you've played plenty of Final Fantasy and have been subjected to the trash which is known as "Jersey Shore," then you must read THIS LINK.
Welcome to 2010
What? I'm only 19 days late! And it's ONLY been two months since my last post.
What do you mean you thought I died?!? That's a horrible thing to say!
Now that all that unpleasantness is over, get ready to start experiencing Gaming Geek Version 2.0. Or, as I'm calling it, Gaming Geek Vista.
No, wait ...
What do you mean you thought I died?!? That's a horrible thing to say!
Now that all that unpleasantness is over, get ready to start experiencing Gaming Geek Version 2.0. Or, as I'm calling it, Gaming Geek Vista.
No, wait ...
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
This week's comic expectations
Happy Election Day!
...
Yeah, I know, it's not so exciting. Unfortunately, that's not the bad news. The bad news is this week's comic books are almost as unexciting with just one "Blackest Night" book and (for as much as I can give a damn about them) No "Dark Reign" books. So what is there? Check out THIS LINK for the full list.
Care for an illustration on how slow it will be? Superman: World of New Krypton #9 is just about the biggest book out. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying just about everything from the Superverse lately, and Kal's ongoing troubles dealing with intergalactic politics is pretty strong of late. And yes, we're due for an update on Zod's condition and yes, it looks like we're in for an action-packed issue. It's just that this series is still very much working its way toward a climax and in no way is this a book we're all chomping at the bit for.
Oh well. There are other books to like this week from DC, just no Triple-A choice. Batman: The Unseen #3 of 5 and Batman: Widening Gyre #3 of 6 are both solid minis worth taking a look at. Cinderella from Fabletown with Love #1 of 6 is the beginning of a mini any "Fables" reader is going to be interested in. And if you enjoyed our heroic Chinese friends from "52," The Great Ten #1 of 10 could be a good choice for you.
Oh, and that "Blackest Night" tie-in I mentioned? It's only Doom Patrol #4, which definitely promises to be a fun ride from Keith Giffen & company, but if you're in the majority out there that knows very little of the "Doom Patrol's" universe, seeing ghosts from its past isn't going to do much for you.
All that said? The book I am most looking forward to is The Mighty #10 of 12, a maxi-series which has not let up on the gas pedal the last few issues as we're careening toward a conclusion. I know not many of you are reading this story, but I highly recommend it to any and everyone of you when it comes out in trade form.
I know what you're thinking right about now: "OK, DC fanboy, what about Marvel?"
Well, Marvel is equally quiet, with the lone exception of Captain America: Reborn #4 of 6. With Steve Rogers lost in time, Sharon Carter and Bucky are fighting to get their friend back to the land of the living. As many of you regular readers know, I've been a big fan of Ed Brubaker's run on "Cap" since the start. That said, am I the only one who feels like this mini is just one long drawn out conclusion? Of course Steve is going to be saved. At this point, I am only still interested in finding out where Bucky will stand in the future. Otherwise, I'd just as soon move on to reading more great stories from Brubaker about Bucky, Steve or anyone. Heck, I'd take a book staring Hydra Henchman #4 if it were a fresh storyline at this point.
So what else is there? Well, Astonishing X-Men #32 will look to make it two weeks in a row of not being horrible. Deathlok #1 of 7, Black Widow: Deadly Origin #1 of 4 and Psylocke #1 of 4 all begin mini-series with niche characters, so take your pick.
And...... that's it. Sad, huh? Oh well, at least I'll have time to get caught up on gaming. You know I haven't touched my Xbox 360 in five days? Sad, huh? Well, not as sad as what "Heroes" has become, but that's an entirely different story...
...
Yeah, I know, it's not so exciting. Unfortunately, that's not the bad news. The bad news is this week's comic books are almost as unexciting with just one "Blackest Night" book and (for as much as I can give a damn about them) No "Dark Reign" books. So what is there? Check out THIS LINK for the full list.
Care for an illustration on how slow it will be? Superman: World of New Krypton #9 is just about the biggest book out. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying just about everything from the Superverse lately, and Kal's ongoing troubles dealing with intergalactic politics is pretty strong of late. And yes, we're due for an update on Zod's condition and yes, it looks like we're in for an action-packed issue. It's just that this series is still very much working its way toward a climax and in no way is this a book we're all chomping at the bit for.
Oh well. There are other books to like this week from DC, just no Triple-A choice. Batman: The Unseen #3 of 5 and Batman: Widening Gyre #3 of 6 are both solid minis worth taking a look at. Cinderella from Fabletown with Love #1 of 6 is the beginning of a mini any "Fables" reader is going to be interested in. And if you enjoyed our heroic Chinese friends from "52," The Great Ten #1 of 10 could be a good choice for you.
Oh, and that "Blackest Night" tie-in I mentioned? It's only Doom Patrol #4, which definitely promises to be a fun ride from Keith Giffen & company, but if you're in the majority out there that knows very little of the "Doom Patrol's" universe, seeing ghosts from its past isn't going to do much for you.
All that said? The book I am most looking forward to is The Mighty #10 of 12, a maxi-series which has not let up on the gas pedal the last few issues as we're careening toward a conclusion. I know not many of you are reading this story, but I highly recommend it to any and everyone of you when it comes out in trade form.
I know what you're thinking right about now: "OK, DC fanboy, what about Marvel?"
Well, Marvel is equally quiet, with the lone exception of Captain America: Reborn #4 of 6. With Steve Rogers lost in time, Sharon Carter and Bucky are fighting to get their friend back to the land of the living. As many of you regular readers know, I've been a big fan of Ed Brubaker's run on "Cap" since the start. That said, am I the only one who feels like this mini is just one long drawn out conclusion? Of course Steve is going to be saved. At this point, I am only still interested in finding out where Bucky will stand in the future. Otherwise, I'd just as soon move on to reading more great stories from Brubaker about Bucky, Steve or anyone. Heck, I'd take a book staring Hydra Henchman #4 if it were a fresh storyline at this point.
So what else is there? Well, Astonishing X-Men #32 will look to make it two weeks in a row of not being horrible. Deathlok #1 of 7, Black Widow: Deadly Origin #1 of 4 and Psylocke #1 of 4 all begin mini-series with niche characters, so take your pick.
And...... that's it. Sad, huh? Oh well, at least I'll have time to get caught up on gaming. You know I haven't touched my Xbox 360 in five days? Sad, huh? Well, not as sad as what "Heroes" has become, but that's an entirely different story...
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
This week's comic expectations
Hey Guys, this has to be a short one ...
Yes, I know, I only just returned from a lengthy absence and now I'm already cutting things short, but it's not my fault! Honest! If it makes you feel better, I've spent more time shooting video and editing it for poughkeepsiejournal.com in the last two days than I have sleeping. In fact, I think I've spent three-times as long on video than I have in bed.
Anyway, Check out the list of comic book releases HERE.
Obviously what immediately jumps off the page are the three "Blackest Night" books, with the mothership, "Green Lantern" and "Titans," all three of which have been out of this world and the later two have been required reading.
But there is more to love. "Superman: Secret Origins" was an instant classic from issue 1 last month, so I highly recommend #2 to any DC reader. Also in the Superman universe there is the first issue of the "World's Finest" mini to take a look at.
And don't forget the new issue of "Justice Society!" Is Mr. Terrific really dead?!? (doubt it).
And before we leave the realm of DC, the first issue of the "Arkham Reborn" mini is also out this week, so I'd be remiss if I didn't remind you of how strong the "Arkham" one-shot was during "Battle for the Cowl."
Marvel's got some books of interest this week too, though (Boy, suddenly this isn't such a quick post!), including two of the "Dark Reign: The List" titles of "Punisher" and "Wolverine."
And while there are plenty more "Avengers"-family books this month, I'd say all eyes for Marvel are on the "Necrosha" one-shot kicking off that highly controversial storyline. I wish Marvel would just admit to their thievery and be done with it, but oh well.
Whew! Back to video editing!
Yes, I know, I only just returned from a lengthy absence and now I'm already cutting things short, but it's not my fault! Honest! If it makes you feel better, I've spent more time shooting video and editing it for poughkeepsiejournal.com in the last two days than I have sleeping. In fact, I think I've spent three-times as long on video than I have in bed.
Anyway, Check out the list of comic book releases HERE.
Obviously what immediately jumps off the page are the three "Blackest Night" books, with the mothership, "Green Lantern" and "Titans," all three of which have been out of this world and the later two have been required reading.
But there is more to love. "Superman: Secret Origins" was an instant classic from issue 1 last month, so I highly recommend #2 to any DC reader. Also in the Superman universe there is the first issue of the "World's Finest" mini to take a look at.
And don't forget the new issue of "Justice Society!" Is Mr. Terrific really dead?!? (doubt it).
And before we leave the realm of DC, the first issue of the "Arkham Reborn" mini is also out this week, so I'd be remiss if I didn't remind you of how strong the "Arkham" one-shot was during "Battle for the Cowl."
Marvel's got some books of interest this week too, though (Boy, suddenly this isn't such a quick post!), including two of the "Dark Reign: The List" titles of "Punisher" and "Wolverine."
And while there are plenty more "Avengers"-family books this month, I'd say all eyes for Marvel are on the "Necrosha" one-shot kicking off that highly controversial storyline. I wish Marvel would just admit to their thievery and be done with it, but oh well.
Whew! Back to video editing!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
'Borderlands' Review
Whew! Giving up every free hour I've had since finding the game in my mailbox Monday morning, my review of "Borderlands" is online at THIS LINK.
It's a little bit odd to review a game without having seen all there is too see, but even dozens of hours into my time in Pandora, there really is so much more to be found. This game is for MMO vets and loot lovers. Heck, I just read a feature on Kotaku.com in which Gearbox creative director Mikey Neumann said there are weapons even he hasn't seen yet, including one that shoots mushroom clouds. Mushroom clouds!
What I said in my review I really believe to be true, though -- I'm enjoying this game plenty, and it has been very hard to turn off, even as 2 a.m. becomes 4 a.m. becomes "I can get by on four hours sleep, right?" But, that said, I am really not that guy who loves grinding and leveling. It's my least favorite part of RPGs. I can only imagine what some of you out there are feeling over this game if you're just as much an MMO nut as a fragger.
What I do love about this game, though? The Skags. It's like shooting the Gatekeeper and Keymaster from "Ghostbusters." Don't worry, if someone asks if I'm a God, just call me Zeus.
It's a little bit odd to review a game without having seen all there is too see, but even dozens of hours into my time in Pandora, there really is so much more to be found. This game is for MMO vets and loot lovers. Heck, I just read a feature on Kotaku.com in which Gearbox creative director Mikey Neumann said there are weapons even he hasn't seen yet, including one that shoots mushroom clouds. Mushroom clouds!
What I said in my review I really believe to be true, though -- I'm enjoying this game plenty, and it has been very hard to turn off, even as 2 a.m. becomes 4 a.m. becomes "I can get by on four hours sleep, right?" But, that said, I am really not that guy who loves grinding and leveling. It's my least favorite part of RPGs. I can only imagine what some of you out there are feeling over this game if you're just as much an MMO nut as a fragger.
What I do love about this game, though? The Skags. It's like shooting the Gatekeeper and Keymaster from "Ghostbusters." Don't worry, if someone asks if I'm a God, just call me Zeus.
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