Punch, Kick, Slash, Cast -- Final Fight: Double Impact Review

Some classic games are best left in the past, never to be heard from again. The pair of side-scrolling action titles in Capcom's Final Fight: Double Impact are not that type of game at all; with this downloadable double pack, old-school fans will love to revisit Final Fight and Magic Sword, and newcomers will get a glimpse of early-90s awesomeness without the usual downers associated with arcade cabinets, and with some added features for the online gaming era.

The two games are represented in-game as virtual arcade cabinets, and players can either go solo, create a local or online multiplayer game, or simply drop into an existing session with a random partner. There's also an option to search for games that meet specific progress and difficulty criteria before jumping in. Along with online leaderboards, achievements/trophies, remastered music, and multiple display options to accommodate both arcade purists and HD gamers alike, these updates make Final Fight: Double Impact more than just a flashy, two-game emulator, and a viable purchase at ten dollars for PS3 and Xbox 360 owners.

No matter what the packaging, though, it really comes down to the games, and the two included here are rock solid.

Final Fight is one of the most acclaimed beat-em-up titles of all time, and a standard by which many later games in the genre have been measured. Mayor Mike Haggar's daughter is kidnapped, as required by the late-80s/early-90s beat-em-up bylaws, and he, Cody, and Guy beat the crap out of every thug in Metro City until she is safe. These three heroes cover the big-and-strong, "Arnold Schwarzenegger," small-and-quick, "Bruce Lee," and somewhere-in-the-middle, "Jean-Claude Van Damme" archetypes and each have a distinct feel about them. In fact, much of what makes Final Fight so effective is the way players can feel every punch, kick, axe handle, throw, suplex, piledriver, and of course, spinning lariat.

Even with a simple two-button control scheme, pummeling the colorful cast of lowlifes never seems to lose its appeal, but Double Impact doesn't think twice about reminding players just how difficult that can be. This is the arcade version of the game, which was obviously designed to rob kids of their hard-earned allowances. That means that the difficulty is not scaled back like in the SNES port, and players will be surrounded by mobs of knife-wielding maniacs, bull-charging fat men, and Andre the Giant lookalikes all the time, not to mention the game's six tough bosses residing in each area. Luckily, players have unlimited continues this time around, like an endless stream of quarters keeping Haggar and company fighting until the very end. Some might consider that a flaw because it removes the tension of the original arcade game, makes this reproduction far more beatable than ever before, and shortens the duration of a single playthrough. Final Fight is indeed a short game, but if replaying it hasn't gotten old in 21 years, I don't think it's going to anytime soon, especially with Double Impact's enhanced co-op component.

The other game, Magic Sword, may be less of a household name than Final Fight, but is just as enjoyable to play. This side-scroller takes place in a fantasy world where players take control of a barbarian known only as "The Brave One," and must battle to the top of the 51-floor Dragon Keep to destroy the evil Drokmar. Eight cpu-controlled allies can join The Brave One on his quest, but only after being rescued from prison cells and only one at a time. These warriors run the traditional fantasy gamut -- knight, thief, priest, wizard, amazon, ninja, etc. -- and each have unique skills and attacks specific to their class standard. Enemies are varied and plentiful, as well, including eight boss characters, although strategy generally remains the same throughout the adventure; it's straightforward hack-n-slash all the way.

The size of Magic Sword is impressive for an arcade side-scroller from 1990, and will provide players with more novel playing time than Final Fight. Even with a number of secret paths that allow The Brave One and company to bypass multiple floors at once, making it to the top will take some time, and is the most likely reason for players to employ Double Impact's option to save either game at any point. The diversity of characters and character abilities, and constantly swapping them out for one another throughout the game is a particularly captivating aspect of Magic Sword, and the lesson that treasure chests don't necessarily require keys, but will respond just as well to tempered steel is always entertaining.

The two games included in Final Fight: Double Impact are both 20 years old, but still manage to carry the same appeal as when they were first introduced. Of course the technology behind video games has advanced since 1989, so one can't expect ultimate control precision or impressively complex AI routines, but for classic arcade fun, Final Fight and Magic Sword both deliver, especially when played with a friend. A solid remake, for sure.

Chainsaws And Parkour; What Could Go Wrong? -- Shank Preview

I had never played a game billed as a "cinematic brawler" prior to stepping into an off-the-beaten-path hotel room at the Sheraton adjacent to the Hynes Convention Center in Boston during PAX East this weekend. Shank, from Klei Entertainment has left me quite optimistic about such a prospect, though, thanks to its smooth mix of platforming action and bloody side-scrolling brawling.

"Brawling" may not be the best term, although it's the company's preferred description, because Shank is really a whole lot less brawling and a whole lot more stabbing, shooting, and chainsaw massacre, with some abusive, manhandling grapples, throws, and slams folded into the mix. In between all of this, integrated in an effort to create a different gameplay cadence for each level, is plenty of jumping, swinging, wall climbing, and sliding down poles at all angles. This platforming aspect, although not Shank's primary focus, is a noticeable distinction between Klei's game and similar side-scrolling beat-em-ups.

Also impressive at this stage in development is the game's combat, as it should be, considering the sheer amount of fighting players will be doing in Shank. Face buttons make Shank, the game's protagonist, jump, shank, chainsaw, and shoot, with grapples and "pounces" mapped to the right shoulder buttons. A grapple in Shank is a close-range grab, from which the player can continue to stab and saw enemies, or opt to throw them across the screen onto others. A pounce does the same, minus the throws, but only after Shank makes a long-range leap that pins opponents to the ground. In either tie-up, he can momentarily break from his onslaught to shoot oncoming foes, without ever letting go of his current prey. Klei CEO Jamie Cheng also demonstrated the special uses of grenades and parries, which are mapped to the left shoulder buttons. Besides simply throwing grenades at enemies, Shank can also stuff the pineapple-shaped, explosive delights right down their throats after grabbing them. Blocks and parries defend the player, and open up opportunities for free attacks and the initiation of melee and ballistic combos.

Chaining attacks, explained Jamie, is an important aspect of Shank. Not only do combos increase one's effectiveness in combat, but the myriad ways in which the different moves can be linked together seems like something that players will make their own game out of, always trying to be more stylish fighters and simply do more badass things with the tools they have at their disposal. One such badass maneuver is Shank's cross-handed, bi-directional gun-slinging move, where players can seamlessly gun down at enemies approaching from behind while maintaining steady fire at their original target. By simply tapping the control stick backward as they fire, players will cause Shank to aim one gun behind him and continue shooting in both directions. He also has the ability to shoot at angles, which played a part in the one boss fight available during the hands-on demonstration.

The never-before-played meat-packing plant level culminated with a fight between Shank and a hulking, maniacal, chain-wielding butcher, who would easily snatch Shank out of the air to counter any grapple or pounce, and who took minimal damage from Shank's regular attacks. The key here was to get the brute to sink his morning-star-like meat hooks into hanging carcasses by shooting them down from the ceiling before he made his attack. Shank could then charge, grapple, and deal massive damage from the clinch, rounding out a Zelda-esque, pattern-based boss encounter with a quick button prompt and a bucket of blood, in all its graphic-novel-style animated glory.

I enjoyed my time with Shank, and look forward to playing more when the game is released for XBLA, PSN, and PC this summer. Especially for nostalgic, NES-era Double Dragon (and ilk) players, this is certainly one to watch.

The Ship Is Thy Shepard -- Flock! Review

GamerNode - Flock! is an interesting and novel puzzle game from Capcom and Proper Games, in which players must use a small flying saucer to herd a variety of farm animals across vibrant, elaborate, and hazard-ridden landscapes toward the Mother Flocker mothership to be abducted for who knows what otherworldly reasons... and points.

These hapless creatures flee from the Flocker's ever-shining cone of light, no matter what pits, predators, or other obstacles may be waiting in the opposite direction. The key to meeting the abductee quota in each of Flock!'s 50+ levels is to carefully avoid these things. This won't be easy, however, as the animals aren't exactly organized, and often end up either scattering wildly or getting stuck on whatever it is that the player is trying to avoid. At times, the critters' degree of responsiveness feels almost equivalent to the marbles in those old, tilt-controlled wooden labyrinths.

In addition to simply chasing the animals around, the Flocker can make use of tractor and depressor beams to alter terrain and manipulate environmental objects. For example, a player may need to pick up a gate and use it to bridge a small gap, send a boulder rolling down a hill to break through a fence, or stuff a bale of hay into a pit to create a path for the animals. Each of the four species behaves in different ways and have different abilities. Cows stampede through fences, chickens fly across gaps, pigs absorb mud, and sheep shrink when wet (wool, get it?). These traits are all useful in their own ways, and must eventually be used together to successfully complete certain levels.

Sometimes the power of love needs to be called upon, as well, making male animal follow females single-file, or bringing a couple together in order to... increase the population. Unfortunately, after extended Flock! sessions, the game begins to feel just a bit empty and slow; despite the differences between the animals and the suite of environmental hazards, a sizable portion of the game feels repetitive and borderline chore-like, and the introduction of new gameplay elements occurs at intervals that are too wide. Perhaps as an XBLA/PSN title, this issue is a lesser concern than in a full retail game (although the caliber of many downloadble titles is fast approaching and even exceeding that of their retail counterparts), but the sort of bite-sized gameplay that players will inevitably partake in with Flock! seems to lend itself far better to a handheld gaming system than to a home console at all.

The monotonous nature of Flock!'s levels is theoretically curtailed by the inclusion of a level editor and the ability to share creations with other players via XBL. Thus far, the pool is fairly shallow there, so the creativity of the Flocking masses has yet to shine through, but the editor itself is very user-friendly and makes it easy to put together nice creations. Players only have access to the items that they've unlocked in the single-player campaign, though, so any budding designers will have to play through that first.

An alternative to the single-player mode is a cooperative multiplayer romp that makes the game more interesting and fun, thanks to that extra human touch. Players can split duties, get in each others' way, or simply go mess around with helpless [animated, PETA-don't-sue-me] creatures and boulder physics.

Much of the fun of Flock! comes from the obviously humorous and playful nature of the game's overall concept and its animal stars... not to mention the animations that accompany their untimely demise at the hands of killer moles, fish, shadow-lurking monsters, and the player's own Flocker beams. The audio/visual presentation as a whole is very appealing; the patchwork landscape, plush toy modeling, and hand-drawn GUI art are all just as quirky as the sci-fi/bluegrass soundtrack, and silly animal sound effects. The only complaint in this department is that players will be listening to the same tunes over and over again, as there are very few songs to accompany the action.

This Lemmings-inspired puzzler is unique and charming, and can be very fun for a short while. As an XBLA title, it is solid, but its lack of depth and gameplay variety prevents it from becoming a heavy hitter. The game needs more, just not more of the same old stuff.

Voracious Simplicity -- The Maw Review

GamerNode - In an industry where many games rely on formulaic design and re-treading the same old beaten paths to be successful, it's very comforting to know that creative, original games do still remain. One such example is The Maw, an Xbox Live Arcade game that follows no established rules, instead setting out to define it's own style of rather peculiar fun.

The Maw is a third-person platformer where players guide Frank, a recently liberated ex-con alien, and Maw, a purple, cycloptic blob with a razor-sharp smile worthy of its name, through eight short levels, on the road to freedom. The sans-narrative tale begins when the prison ship the two soon-to-be friends were held on crash lands on an unnamed planet, thus freeing both from the clutches of their captors.

Very early on, Frank finds a remote energy leash that lets him latch onto Maw, as well as other critters, enemies, and obstructive objects throughout the journey. The actions associated with this leash mechanic range from moving boulders out of the way, to hurling explosive creatures at enemies, to uprooting annoying sentry guns, to tossing hapless victims into the Maw's gaping...Maw. All the Maw cares about, really, is eating; it is up to Frank to feed it. This causes Maw to grow, and to gain special abilities like fire breath, laser eyes, electro-zappers, and balloon-like floatation. These abilities, in turn, allow the dynamic duo to progress through simple puzzles leading to each level's goal.

Controlling Maw is not as easy a task as it may sound, however, as the basic 3D controls are somewhat imprecise. Players don't so much direct the Maw as much as simply let it tag along behind Frank. As a result, one might find him/herself running around in circles more than should be necessary in order to get the Maw to go to the exact locations desired. This often comes into play when trying to eat individual Yums (one type of Maw prey) or attack enemies/objects. A better route may have been to map the fussy camera to the D-pad and give players direct control of the Maw with the right analog stick.

Otherwise, the commands available to players work fairly well. Frank grabs the Maw with X, and everything else with B. Depending on what is in tow at that point, commands differ, but are all accomplished with simple, single-button input. This comfortable simplicity to a degree (but not entirely) redeems the game of its navigational woes. Yes, you will have fun playing The Maw.

The game's more endearing quality is undoubtedly its presentation. The bright and colorful 3D graphics are not what one might expect from the cutting edge HD era, as they are not terribly impressive from a technical standpoint, but they do fit the game's theme perfectly, and just about all aspects of the visuals are oozing with character. The style is reminiscent of a Pixar film, or DoubleFine's classic gem, Psychonauts.

The audio, too, fits the bill, with a score that sounds as close to semi-humanoid alien pop music as I could possibly imagine, mixed with jazzy synth-instrument tracks and borderline elevator music. The songs blend into the action so well that one might question whether they are plain and forgettable, or simply so perfectly matched with the gameplay that they become impossible to separate. Character noises and sound effects are silly and simple, again befitting the title.

The Maw is a simple, yet enjoyable game, with charm to spare. It may not be enamoring enough to ignore its gameplay flaws and the fact that it's not terribly deep, but despite those setbacks, it is still a refreshing change of pace that is worth playing.

The Count | Top 5 Anticipated Original Games Of 2009

GamerNode - The "Top X Anticipated Games of 20XX" has become an annual requirement for just about everyone in videogame journalism nowadays; this article proves that I am apparently no different in that regard. To be at least somewhat unique, I've decided to split the typical top ten list into two parts this year: sequels and original titles. Moving on from the predictable list of sequels, here is my list of the most anticipated original IPs of the coming year:

Trine (PC, PSN)

Trine is a very interesting puzzle/platform game set in a beautiful 2.5D fantasy world. Players take control of three different characters to overcome obstacles and beat back an army of undead, often manifesting objects out of thin air to solve physics-based puzzles, or using a Bionic Commando -like grappling hook to swing across large chasms. The burly, hammer-wielding Warrior, the deadly accurate and agile Thief, and the platform-conjuring Wizard can be swapped out at any time, depending on the task at hand. Little else is known about Trine, but from what I've seen so far, it definitely looks like a keeper.

Prototype (PC, PS3, 360)

If the sole purpose of gaming was to make players feel empowered, then Prototype may very well be the most successful work of electronic entertainment of all time. In this game, Alex Mercer wakes up in a morgue, defying death from the outset. He has no memory of his past, but has been endowed with supernatural strength, speed, and agility, as well as the ability to absorb the skills, knowledge, memories, form, and appearance of the people he kills. From instantly learning how to maneuver a helicopter or tank, to unlocking the secrets of his and the virally infected New York City's history, consuming victims like this can prove to be very useful. Radical Entertainment claims that there will be over 750 unique superpower combinations in this sandbox of destruction. What's more, Mercer can easily pull off a T-1000 impression, impaling enemies with spikes or clubbing them to death with weapons made from his own "biomass." I want what he's got.

Alan Wake (PC, 360)

Alan Wake, the newest offering from Max Payne creators Remedy Entertainment, looks to redefine the way we look at videogame horror. Billed as an action thriller, this grisly game is the story of author Alan Wake, a novelist whose frightening fiction begins to creep off the pages and into his life. The funny thing is that most of the plot for his story came from his own dreams to begin with. Drawing influence from the Silent Hill and Max Payne series, Alan Wake is set in what the developers claim is a 38-square-mile portion of rural Washington, in a town that the titular protagonist comes to realize plays host to more than its fair share of paranormal and otherwise terrifying activiy. Themes of dreams, reality, light and darkness are prevalent here, as Alan's level of consciousness can be ambiguous, and even when he is awake, the various sources of light found throughout Bright Falls are his main sources of protection. That, and a .44 magnum.

Brutal Legend (PS3, 360)

Tim Schafer is one of the few videogame designers whose every thought somehow seems to transform into gaming gold, so it should come as no big surprise that his studio's first project since Psychonauts scores high on the "do want" list of many gamers. Jack Black will lend his voice and likeness to this comedic action/adventure game about a roadie who must raise an other-dimensional army to save humankind from eternal servitude...to demons. In an open world where everything is fashioned out of heavy metal (music, not steel), this Tenacious D -like character can be truly heroic, and with each subsequent mission, his hard-rocking warband grows stronger and larger. From what we know so far, Brutal Legend is set to be one of the most over-the-top absurd games out there, befitting both Schafer and Black -- and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Heavy Rain (PS3)

After Quantic Dream's last game, Indigo Prophecy, it's hard not to put Heavy Rain at the very top of my most anticipated games list. Billed as a game made for adults, this story-driven adventure aims to affect players on a mental and emotional level like no other. Heavy Rain is a malleable film noir thriller in which decisions players make will have serious repercussions in the game world, be those consequences immediate or long-term. Much of the gameplay will focus on this thoughtful interaction with the images on-screen, rather than dexterous controller manipulation. The heavy themes involved will play out via the game's already-stunning visuals and audio. For anyone seeking the next step in gaming, Heavy Rain may very well be the ticket.

'Twill be a good year:

There are a lot of really exciting new IPs on the way in 2009. This list just represents a small portion (arguably the most intriguing, so please do argue) of that bunch. Games like inFAMOUS, Dragon Age: Origins, Darksiders: Wrath of War, Alpha Protocol, Flock, and many others are very promising, too, making 2009 look like yet another great year to be a gamer.

The Downloadable Wayback Machine -- Mega Man 9 Review

To everyone who thought the 8-bit era died out over 15 years ago, Capcom and the Blue Bomber have just made a compelling argument to the contrary. Mega Man 9 has arrived on all three current generation consoles' respective download services, emulating and doing justice to the classic Mega Man style we've come to know and love.

Mega Man 9 picks up right where Mega Man 6 (the last NES entry in the series) left off in terms of both gameplay and audio/visual presentation. Capcom has even gone so far as to create a promotional Mega Man 9 box art image in the traditionally abysmal style the series is known for. The end product is a game that feels as authentically 80s as one could hope for, maintaining the integrity and enjoyment of that challenging era of gaming, while still appealing to the modern gaming crowd.

The plot is simple; eight evil robots are wreaking havoc, so of course Dr. Wily is the prime suspect. The mad doctor goes on television to simultaneously absolve himself of any guilt and accuse the benevolent Dr. Light of this treachery. It's Mega Man's job to destroy the fiendish machines, save the world, and clear Dr. Light's good name.

Just like its predecessors, Mega Man 9 initially gives players very few tools to work with. Mega Man can run, jump, and shoot, and one must learn to be patient and incredibly precise with these abilities in order to successfully traverse the game's highly hazardous stages. Many jumps require perfect planning and execution to avoid Mega Man's early demise, and his enemies always seem to be positioned to do the most harm possible.

In terms of level design, Mega Man 9 has again stayed very true to the Mega Man games of old, but also includes a number of platform elements that keep things interesting as players progress from the first stage to the last. Still, these additions fit so seamlessly into the Mega Man framework that veterans will feel like they are visiting an old friend. The only gripe here is that certain types and combinations of enemies tend to repeat more often than one might prefer.

At the end of each physically trying stage, players are faced with a super-powered boss robot and rewarded for their subsequent victory with that enemy's special weapon. Defeating these hunks of junk is usually incredibly difficult with the Mega Buster cannon alone, but by using the various boss weapons to exploit each robot's weakness, success becomes far more attainable. It's like an eight-way game of rock, paper, scissors, except the player is completely ignorant of those relationships at the outset and must figure out the proper way to proceed on their own.

Mega Man 9 is yet another in a string of Capcom-authored love letters to old-school gamers, and this one is especially mushy. The game's difficulty may lead some to categorize it as "tough love," but at the end of the day, the game encapsulates everything that made the franchise great in the late 80s and early 90s and recycles it for the current generation. With a $10 price tag and add-on content already becoming available, Mega Man 9 is a worthy addition to any gamer's digital library.

One Word Review | Mega Man 9

This is One Word Review, a concept that I shamelessly lifted from my friend Creighton over at Nerdology (it's okay, he said I could). The idea behind OWR, as we like to call it, is that videogames are so often rated, reviewed, and discussed to exhaustion that it is sometimes a relief to read a succinct, definitive description of a game--a single word that sums up the most prominent characteristics of the gaming experience. That's the idea, so here goes:

Re-childing

Better, Faster, Stronger -- Bionic Commando: Rearmed Review

Xbox Live Acrcade and the PlayStation Network have seen a number of remakes in recent months, with publishers like Capcom leading the way in revitalizing relatively ancient properties for distribution during the current era of gaming. The most recent of these restorations comes in the form of Bionic Commando: Rearmed; fans have pined for this for ages.

Developer GRIN has done a fantastic job at updating the classic NES title while still remaining true to the game's original content. Anyone who has played Bionic Commando in the last 20 years will instantly feel at least a small sense of nostalgia when they see the 3D version of the game's map or receive the first radio transmission from HQ.

In essence, Bionic Commando: Rearmed is just that--a rearming of the original title with a fresh new look, slightly tweaked controls, and a few added features. The 2 1/2-d high-definition visuals look wonderful, and controlling the titular claw-armed soldier feels better than ever.

BCR is an action-platformer in which players must guide supersoldier Nathan Spencer through a series of missions on his way to rescue a comrade in distress. On this quest, he has the help of a grappling gun-equipped arm that acts as both an offensive tool and Nathan's primary mode of transportation. Throughout all of his military training, Nathan apparently never learned how to jump, so this cybernetic appendage is a huge boon.

The bionic arm allows Nathan to grapple ledges and other solid structures, then pull himself toward/over them or use the length of the grappling claw's chain for Tarzan-like urban jungle swinging. The mechanics take a bit of getting used to, but end up being a great deal of fun once mastered. The claw is also useful for removing certain obstacles and for grabbing heavy barrels to launch at enemy soldiers.

A number of swappable weapons, from a simple pistol to a devastating rocket launcher, also help to clear Nathan's path of soldiers, tanks, turrets, and other opposition. In addition to these primary foes, coming into contact with enemy unit icons on the map leads to a Commando-style top-down shooting sequence. Unfortunately, there are only a few of these that repeat themselves with each confrontation.

Boss fights in BCR are big and impressive, and have been re-worked for this version of the game. Each is unique, and forces players to use the bionic arm in creative ways in order to succeed.

Other additions to BCR include 3D puzzles that must be navigated to hack into the enemies' lines of communication, timed challenges, and local competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes. Unfortunately, there is no online multiplayer, which is both puzzling and disappointing.

Bionic Commando: Rearmed is one of the better remakes of one of the better games of the 8-bit era. If you are looking for a fun platformer with unique and inventive gameplay, I'd recommend picking this one up for 10 bucks.

Flyin' High -- 1942: Joint Strike Review

Firing up 1942: Joint Strike on the Xbox 360 conjures up fond memories of virtual journeys through the Pacific Theater, when Capcom's original arcade version (and subsequent ports) of 1942 gave us an early dose of classic top-down vertical shooting action. With Joint Strike, that core experience has been carefully maintained, but expanded upon and brought up to speed for the XBLA and PSN generation.

This sixth entry into the 19__ series focuses on multiplayer action, where the titular joint strike attacks let two players work together to vanquish foes quickly and efficiently. Any of the three joint strikes allows players to deal critical damage to whatever lies between them, making communication between wingmen a key ingredient for success.

Other than this unique tag team mechanic, Joint Strike remains standard, yet enjoyable, shooting fare. Players choose one of three planes to pilot up against the game's five stages. In each of these missions, hordes of land, sea, and air units attack from just about every direction in a variety of formations. A massive boss craft awaits at the end of each level for players to pick apart piece by piece while avoiding a healthy arsenal of machine guns, cannons, missiles, flamethrowers, etc. Through all of this, Backbone has managed to keep each level feeling fresh without also feeling artificial.

The good guys have a number of weapons at their disposal, as well. Each plane begins the game with what can best be described as a pea shooter, but can later pick up machine gun, spread shot, and laser power-ups, each of which has two levels of destructive power. The time-tested screen-clearing bombs that gamers have grown to love are also available in limited quantities.

Players must make good use of these tools of the trade, because on any of the game's four difficulty levels, there are exactly zero continues. Each difficulty level grants a different number of initial lives (more are earned by racking up points), but no coin insertion will keep the game going once those run out. Game over means it's back to stage one, which is so unforgivingly retro it hurts...especially on Wing King difficulty.

1942: Joint Strike is a sweet, albeit short gaming experience for fans of classic top-down shooters. Those who have friends to play with will obviously have the most fun with the game, but even solo pilots will find plenty to enjoy here.

The Lessons Of Braid: Time And Life

Gamers needn't read reviews for the new Xbox Live Arcade game, Braid. This masterpiece is a must-buy, and costs less than a third of the price of most games on the console. It's a no-brainer; start your downloads.

Braid is one example of exactly where videogames should be headed. Like the finest works of literature--poetry, short stories, novels--the game allows the audience to extract meaning from the collection of artwork, words, and gameplay, interpreting the content in a variety of ways. Though there were certainly very specific topics that designer Jonathan Blow aimed to address with this phenomenal game, each player may come away from it with something slightly different from everyone else--personalized lessons and meaning.

This game is one about life, love, relationships, identity, introspection, and time, and the following is but one set of lessons to be drawn from it, as experienced by but one gamer:

Time and Forgiveness

As I discussed in my column entitled Second Chances, Braid's time-manipulating gameplay mechanics grant players the ability to take back what has been done and try again--to have our mistakes forgiven. As perfect as that may sound, and as much as we may like to do so, we can't un-live the events of our lives. However, what we take away from each trial, each error, is the knowledge to do things right--lessons that serve us in the future. While there may be no second chances--no going back in time--in real life, we can still substitute the un-successes that remain in memory with new approaches to similar circumstances that arise in the present moment.

Time and Mystery

Reversing the events of the past in our own minds does little to prevent the march of time from continuously moving forward. Dwelling on these memories can cause us to miss out on present events, becoming completely oblivious to them as they play out. They fall beyond our reach because we are trapped in retrospection. As the time-immune items and enemies of Braid will tell you, turning back the clock in our mental space or finding forgiveness for our actions gone awry, some things will never be forgotten, reversed, or redone. They are written in permanent ink.

Time and Place

In Braid's fourth world, time only moves forward as Tim, too, is moving forward. Likewise, regressing causes the rest of the world to rewind. Doors can only be unlocked from one direction, as well. If we hang on to the past, revisiting the times and places in our memories, no progress can be made and no growth sustained. Only while moving forward through our lives will the world around us also evolve. Barriers/obstacles can never be surmounted by approaching them retrospectively, but taking positive steps towards them with solutions in hand will grant us passage.

Time and Decision

Our actions leave permanent impressions on the pages of existence. Even after reversing time in this portion of Braid, a shadow of what we have done remains, and repeats those actions over again--affecting the world in both its past and present states. Our actions are not forgotten, but besides serving as reminders and lessons in our own mental spheres, they also continue to produce consequences in the present, oftentimes playing parts in lengthy chain reactions--undercurrents to the rest of our daily lives.

Hesitance

In one's own mind, everything surrounding a particular event, person, place, etc. can be isolated and "protected" from the influence of reality. This prevents us from ever making progress with that particular topic. When we become entrapped by those memories, we are crippled as well--prevented from advancing through life in a healthy way. As we move away from the subject matter that we have made stagnant, we become liberated, allowed to move forward uninhibited. In order to be free, we must discard the parts of ourselves that have become paralyzed.

By no means do my words encompass the full gamut of what Braid has to offer; it will say different things to different people, and the only way to truly understand is by playing it. If you have played the game, do you agree with me? Do you have your own interpretations? Do you think there is more? Do you think there is less? If you haven't played the game, you must.

Fun Mother Flocker -- Flock Preview

Capcom had a little game called Flock on display at this year's E3, and I had the opportunity to stop by and try my hand at the charming physics-based animal herding puzzle game coming to Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, and the PC later this year.

The premise of the game is simple: use your little flying saucer and its tools to direct a number of animals into the Mother Flocker spacecraft, earning points for meeting and/or exceeding your quotas and for performing other fun actions on your way to fulfilling those goals.

Simply chasing behind the sheep, chickens, and other animals will prod them along, but sometimes a little more effort will be required to either clear a path or otherwise make it possible for the animals to reach the Mother Flocker. A tractor beam can lift up boulders and other objects, which are then used to take out other obstacles or begin chain reactions, and another beam is used to flatten out high, impassable grass.

Animals can be lost to the hazards of the level very easily and in a variety of ways. Falling off the edges of the islands on which these collections take place, tumbling into random holes in the ground, getting eaten by vicious moles and other predators, etc. are all ways to diminish one's chances of meeting the animal quotas for a given level. The good part about that, though, is that the animations are funny, and that you are rarely in danger of losing too many of your herd because male and female animals can be mated on special blocks of land in order to replace lost creatures.

There will be other special abilities as well, such as brief flight for chickens or the propensity of male animals to follow females in a straight line (and avoid obstacles in the process). As the levels progress, the difficulty will increase, and the more players will need to rely on these sorts of skills -- and their own puzzle-solving abilities.

When all of the initial levels have been completed, the game has only just begun. The incorporated level editor and sharing system make for unlimited expansion to Flock, allowing players to download and try out the creations of other users anywhere the internet can find them.

To put it simply, what I saw of Flock looks like a fun-filled experience, and what I heard about the game promises to make it a lasting one. This modern-day lemmings will be available by holiday '08. Hopefully I'll be able to pull myself away from it more easily then than I could on the show floor this week.

Not Quite Lost In Space -- Aces Of The Galaxy Review

GamerNode - If you are looking for some classic 3D space shooting action or a quick cooperative gameplay session for yourself and a friend, then look no further than Sierra Online and Artech Studios' Aces of the Galaxy, which delivers a healthy dose of both, in a visually impressive package.

Aces of the Galaxy offers players everything one might expect from the genre, and does so with gusto. It reminded me of Star Fox 64 (a good thing), featuring three types of weapons, a wide variety of enemy ships, and and choose-your-own-path type of level progression. What it most noticeably lacked were large-scale boss fights and anything more than a nominal storyline.

Each eight-stage trip through Aces of the Galaxy is unique because by activating warps within each level players are given the opportunity to choose one of three different planets for the next round of dogfights. There are 25 of these planets, in total, with three distinct themes: fire, ice, and asteroid (unsurprisingly characterized by a sea of planetary flotsam).

The action is fast-paced and intense, almost turning into what I would call a 'junior 3D bullet hell' during its most frantic periods. Players have an arsenal consisting of a rapid-fire chain gun, multi-target cluster missiles, and heavy-damage torpedoes, as well as the ability to scan for invisible enemies and slow down time for short durations. Each weapon can be upgraded via power-ups that are scattered throughout space, and they make a significant difference in enemy-obliterating efficiency.

Unfortunately, these upgrades do not carry over from one level to the next, and are often difficult to notice until the last minute, due to all of the semi-psychedelic activity going on at any given moment. Another small gripe is that the game doesn't include any sort of true large-area attack, such as bombs, to take out wads of enemies at once; torpedoes only inflict splash damage to ships within a very small radius of the primary target.

One very important addition to Aces of the Galaxy is cooperative play, which comes in both local and Live flavors. Throughout my experience with the game, however, I could not find a single online multiplayer match. I would assume that it is fundamentally the same as local play, with the ability to talk to one another and plan strategic assaults, but if nobody is out there to play with, this mode is effectively useless (For now? Forever? Who knows?). Local co-op, on the other hand, is great fun, and can potentially consume hours on end.

In a nutshell, Aces of the Galaxy is a well-made and enjoyable 3D space shooter. Although it lacks a few desirable components and may not have great story depth or especially unique design, it is good for its pure arcade-style gameplay and can be played over and over, in short bursts or at length. Add a friend and the game becomes that much more appealing.

Shoot It! -- Assault Heroes 2 Review

Sometimes you just want to kick it old school, and that's exactly what Wanako Games allows you to do with their Xbox Live Arcade sequel, Assault Heroes 2. The game takes classic top-down shooter action and expands upon it nicely, making this one 800 MS point download that is well worth the investment, regardless of its flaws.

Assault Heroes 2 invites players to assume the role of a stereotypical space marine sort of character, then jump into a heavily armed off-road vehicle and traverse a variety of battlefields, blasting the bejesus out of anything that moves. For some quick, nostalgic, arcade shooting action, this game gets the job done.

The focus is mainly on vehicular combat; the game serves up trucks, tanks, helicopters, and mechs on a silver platter for the player to commandeer during each and every stage of the assault. However, these modes of transport will only hold up so long under the heavy fire that your enemies are sure to rain upon you, and could almost be considered large and extravagant mobile suits of armor. After absorbing enough damage, even the mightiest of tanks will shatter like an eggshell, leaving the player to fend for him- or herself on foot.

Offense is the most enjoyable part of this experience, thanks in part to the traditional dual-analog setup that it employs. The left stick controls character movement, while the right stick directs his fire. Keeping the two completely independent of one another allows for precise aiming control and the ability to gracefully dodge enemy barrages while simultaneously dishing out a firestorm of your own. Strangely though, there are what you might call 'blind spots' in the right analog stick's range of motion. Rotating the stick, you will find that the line of fire will 'snap into place' as it approaches each of the four cardinal directions. That means that eight separate angles are lost to the player, and the precision aim I spoke of earlier is partially negated.

There are several weapons available in the game, which can all be upgraded by collecting the appropriate power-ups scattered generously throughout each area. Unfortunately, of all the weapons (minigun, missile launcher, flamethrower, ice gun), players will find that only the minigun is really necessary to blast through to the end, especially after a few upgrades. The other three guns feel underpowered and far less useful by comparison.

If you have friends, you can team up to mow down the hordes of soldiers, tanks, aircraft, and the like either locally or on Xbox Live. I'd recommend making sure your partner has some skill, though, because you'll be sharing your lives, a la the old TMNT games. I'm not particularly fond of this style, and would rather go it alone when my teammate can no longer hack it. (It's mean, but it's the truth) One thing that would be nice for everyone involved is a checkpoint system, that way dying wouldn't mean replaying an entire stage because you were killed by its massive boss character or the last foot soldier before the end point.

Despite its flaws, Assault Heroes 2 is a fun and functional arcade shooter that just about anyone can enjoy. Its simple control scheme feels good, and the ability to blast away with your buddies is a definite plus. Nice, high resolution graphics and crisp audio round out the package, and although it is brief, the game is definitely worth the price of admission.

You Got The Sunday Paper In My XBLA -- Word Puzzle Review

Have you ever opened up your favorite newspaper and headed straight for the crossword puzzle, jumble, cryptoquip, and word search residing somewhere in the middle? I have, and working on the four of those could be pretty enjoyable on a boring morning. Word Puzzle is basically like a full book of just one of those four (arguably the least stimulating one) - the word search.

For a whopping 800 MS points, players enjoy finding words on the traditional letter grids, as well as on irregularly-shaped arrangements and four-sided 3D boards. The game has a variety of play modes, although the goal is invariably "find the words" in any given situation.

The Arcade mode is somewhat of a joke, because while there are special bonuses for finding words in rapid succession and there is a [much too lengthy to be of any significance] time limit on each set of words, the game highlights the first or last letter of each. To put it plainly, this mode's utter lack of any challenge whatsoever makes it simply a waste of time. (Well, I rescind my statement. Those who don't know how to read will find this mode slightly challenging)

Survival mode is the cream of the Word Puzzle crop, and can actually become difficult during the final stage. The point in Survival mode is to locate all of the special 'bomb words' before the timer runs down. The best part is that the words are no longer tipped as in Arcade mode. Finding the other words on the list is unnecessary, because once the highlighted ones are crossed off, the player has successfully passed the level. Each of the eight three-puzzle areas comes complete with an extra bonus game where players must find as many words as they can within about 10 seconds.

Free Play mode is, again, valueless. Players choose a board style and game type (either themed words or synonyms/antonyms) and then go at it at their own pace. It gets old fast, and worse yet is that after a short stint of phonetic spelunking, words begin to recur often. This applies to all game modes.

Multiplayer exists in both local and online flavors. Players can compete in a single-grid race to locate the most words from a given list. The winners' bragging rights are minimal, but I'm sure some crazed competitive gamer will find a way to glorify these sorts of victories.

There isn't much more to say about Word Puzzle. It is your Sunday newspaper's word search with a little extra incentive and competitive play thrown, but the gameplay isn't as good. Plus, it will run you about $10, which to me is totally unacceptable. A one-week rental of a feature-length Xbox 360 title would certainly be more satisfying, and would leave you with enough money to buy yourself a snack or two.