Some mini-game reviews...
Jan. 31st, 2013 06:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brendalaI recently got a hold of some new games and game demos. So I thought I'd share my thoughts here....
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
==
I had planned on doing a full review of this game. However, during my playthrough, a glitch screwed up my save file and rendered the game unplayable. This happened just as I was approaching the final level. So I had to start over from the beginning because, like the first Epic Mickey, this game employs a mandatory auto-save system. So I couldn't start over from an earlier save point. The auto-save thing was something I complained about when I reviewed the first game. And the sequel proved me right by wasting my time and rendering 20+ hours of playtime completely pointless via a save file glitch.
As for the game itself....it was pretty good. I played a little Mickey/Oswald co-op with my sister and it functioned relatively well (though it could get confusing with the split screens). And Oswald's AI in single player mode was mostly competent. And the sequel fixed all the camera issues present in the original (I never once cussed out the camera while playing Epic Mickey 2).
I'll do a full review once my rage dies down enough for me to replay the first 3/4th of the game again
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
==
I borrowed this game from someone and only played the Sly Cooper storyline because he's the only character I cared about (seriously, why the hell is RAIDEN the only Metal Gear character there and what's up with his godawful outfit!?!?). And I don't understand why Lara Croft isn't on the roster when the Tomb Raider games were so iconic in the early days of the playstation. I mean seriously! No one remembers characters like Noriko or the crappy game she came from! But EVERYONE remembers Lara Croft. I just hope that the terrible new reboot (the one that turned her into a wimp who only exists so male players can exercise their rape and/or White Knight fantasies through her) didn't have something to do with her being left out.
Anyhoo, the gameplay was weird. The objective of the game wasn't to "kill" your opponent so much as "smack them around until the clock runs out and whoever lands the most punches wins". I had no idea what I was doing and still managed to beat the game while only being defeated once. So, if you want a fighting game that's easy and/or you just REALLY want to see Parappa The Rapper, Kratos, and a fat blonde princess beat the crap out of each other, Playstation All Stars is the game for you.
Ni No Kuni (DEMO)
HOLY SHIT THIS GAME IS PRETTY!!!!!
===
The demo had two levels (a forest and a dungeon). They both had the warm, fuzzy feeling of a classic old JRPG. And the cell-shaded Miyazaki designs are GORGEOUS in motion. The gameplay was alright. The fighting system was a bit strange at first, but you get used to it pretty quick. And I like how they used a crop of unknown VAs to play the leads (I think this was dubbed in the UK). As much as I adore actors like Yuri Lowenthal and Wendee Lee, it's nice to hear a new voice in my games every once in a while. Especially when those voices have sexy authentic European accents. ~_^
And finally, saving the best for last.....
Sly Cooper 4: Thieves in Time (DEMO)
===
I'll start off with my only complaint upon seeing the new game for the first time:
The new character designs for the female characters SUCK!!!! The new art style isn't all that different from the first 3 Sly Cooper games. However, for some odd reason, they opted to tone down the cutesy, Disney-esque look of the characters and it ends up making them look really generic and boring. And two main female characters got stupid new fanservice outfits that don't fit their personalities. The cop/love-interest Carmelita now wears a mini-skirt and corset-top to work (she previously wore a jacket and sensible pants). And Bentley's dorky girlfriend Penelope now dresses like The Bride from Kill Bill for no apparent reason (she used to wear baggy overalls because she functioned as the team mechanic). Their personalities appear to be intact (thank goodness). But I'm not digging how these girls now look like they were redesigned by sexually frustrated Furry fanartists.
Anyhoo, onto the gameplay....
It was PERFECT! They didn't change the basic control schemes that worked in Sly 2 and 3. So the gameplay felt natural and fun and no gimmicks appear to have been added to it.
The VAs for the main trio have returned (and they sound fantastic). And they actually created a believable and clever caveat to the Time Travel element of the story. Basically, Sly and his gang need to time travel to stop a villain who is messing up the past. But the time machine Bentley cobbled together needs an item from the era they want to go to in order to work. For example, in the demo level, the gang finds out they need to visit Japan in the 1700s. So Sly needs to break into a museum that is showcasing ancient Japanese relics and steal a sword. I'm looking forward to playing the finished game and I can't wait to get my hands on it!
Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
==
I had planned on doing a full review of this game. However, during my playthrough, a glitch screwed up my save file and rendered the game unplayable. This happened just as I was approaching the final level. So I had to start over from the beginning because, like the first Epic Mickey, this game employs a mandatory auto-save system. So I couldn't start over from an earlier save point. The auto-save thing was something I complained about when I reviewed the first game. And the sequel proved me right by wasting my time and rendering 20+ hours of playtime completely pointless via a save file glitch.
As for the game itself....it was pretty good. I played a little Mickey/Oswald co-op with my sister and it functioned relatively well (though it could get confusing with the split screens). And Oswald's AI in single player mode was mostly competent. And the sequel fixed all the camera issues present in the original (I never once cussed out the camera while playing Epic Mickey 2).
I'll do a full review once my rage dies down enough for me to replay the first 3/4th of the game again
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale
==
I borrowed this game from someone and only played the Sly Cooper storyline because he's the only character I cared about (seriously, why the hell is RAIDEN the only Metal Gear character there and what's up with his godawful outfit!?!?). And I don't understand why Lara Croft isn't on the roster when the Tomb Raider games were so iconic in the early days of the playstation. I mean seriously! No one remembers characters like Noriko or the crappy game she came from! But EVERYONE remembers Lara Croft. I just hope that the terrible new reboot (the one that turned her into a wimp who only exists so male players can exercise their rape and/or White Knight fantasies through her) didn't have something to do with her being left out.
Anyhoo, the gameplay was weird. The objective of the game wasn't to "kill" your opponent so much as "smack them around until the clock runs out and whoever lands the most punches wins". I had no idea what I was doing and still managed to beat the game while only being defeated once. So, if you want a fighting game that's easy and/or you just REALLY want to see Parappa The Rapper, Kratos, and a fat blonde princess beat the crap out of each other, Playstation All Stars is the game for you.
Ni No Kuni (DEMO)
HOLY SHIT THIS GAME IS PRETTY!!!!!
===
The demo had two levels (a forest and a dungeon). They both had the warm, fuzzy feeling of a classic old JRPG. And the cell-shaded Miyazaki designs are GORGEOUS in motion. The gameplay was alright. The fighting system was a bit strange at first, but you get used to it pretty quick. And I like how they used a crop of unknown VAs to play the leads (I think this was dubbed in the UK). As much as I adore actors like Yuri Lowenthal and Wendee Lee, it's nice to hear a new voice in my games every once in a while. Especially when those voices have sexy authentic European accents. ~_^
And finally, saving the best for last.....
Sly Cooper 4: Thieves in Time (DEMO)
===
I'll start off with my only complaint upon seeing the new game for the first time:
The new character designs for the female characters SUCK!!!! The new art style isn't all that different from the first 3 Sly Cooper games. However, for some odd reason, they opted to tone down the cutesy, Disney-esque look of the characters and it ends up making them look really generic and boring. And two main female characters got stupid new fanservice outfits that don't fit their personalities. The cop/love-interest Carmelita now wears a mini-skirt and corset-top to work (she previously wore a jacket and sensible pants). And Bentley's dorky girlfriend Penelope now dresses like The Bride from Kill Bill for no apparent reason (she used to wear baggy overalls because she functioned as the team mechanic). Their personalities appear to be intact (thank goodness). But I'm not digging how these girls now look like they were redesigned by sexually frustrated Furry fanartists.
Anyhoo, onto the gameplay....
It was PERFECT! They didn't change the basic control schemes that worked in Sly 2 and 3. So the gameplay felt natural and fun and no gimmicks appear to have been added to it.
The VAs for the main trio have returned (and they sound fantastic). And they actually created a believable and clever caveat to the Time Travel element of the story. Basically, Sly and his gang need to time travel to stop a villain who is messing up the past. But the time machine Bentley cobbled together needs an item from the era they want to go to in order to work. For example, in the demo level, the gang finds out they need to visit Japan in the 1700s. So Sly needs to break into a museum that is showcasing ancient Japanese relics and steal a sword. I'm looking forward to playing the finished game and I can't wait to get my hands on it!
