Ground Control To Major Mario -- Super Mario Galaxy Mini-Review

Super Mario Galaxy is a wonderful experience, and as I ran, jumped, floated, crawled, climbed, swam, surfed, rolled, soared, and flung myself through its 30+ locales, I found myself wondering if this is, in fact, my favorite Mario game to date. Great gameplay, a refreshing yet nostalgic soundtrack, the best graphics on the Wii, and excellent level design make it at least the best game on the system.

It is not without its flaws, though. The camera can be restrictive in terms of total viewing area, and although usually quite smart, sometimes obscures the player's view by positioning itself behind parts of the environment. Another nit-picky gripe is that the levels sometimes blow by so quickly that players might be left wanting to explore more, and also that the small masses of land can feel like narrow, linear corridors through which players are guided on their way to the goal.

To keep this mini-review short and sweet, I'll leave you with this: Super Mario Galaxy is the best game on the Wii, and one of the best Mario games ever. Buy it.

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.

Helping Games: Free Rice

You hear a lot about the horrors that our beloved interactive virtual experiences visit upon society – school shootings, curbside beatings, subway assaults, theft, breaking-and-entering, drug use, child abuse, domestic violence, teenage promiscuity, truancy...homosexuality (“god” says that's a no-no)...suicide...

Yup, videogames cause all of those, just in case you haven't noticed.

If you really haven't noticed, then you haven't been paying attention, because that's just about all the mainstream, American dream press the videogame industry gets nowadays. Games are described as “violent shooters” instead of “sci-fi action” or “violent gore-fests” rather than “survival horror.” The negativity seems nearly insuperable, but there are ways for the industry to remove some of that taint.

I recently discovered a little website called Free Rice (www.freerice.com), and posted a news story about it. Basically, it is a multiple-choice vocabulary quiz that has no end, and for every correct answer, 10 grains of rice are donated to hungry people across the world. Over the past month, the project has been successful enough to deliver the equivalent of about 155 THOUSAND bowls of rice with just a few clicks per person.

This is the type of press that the industry needs. More importantly, this is the type of undertaking that the world needs. Forget the games industry; think of the many causes such initiatives could assist. It's so simple, no?

Some might argue that Free Rice is not really a videogame, because is actually more akin to a practice SAT exam (yeah...maybe that's true). Considering the breadth of content that is appearing under the umbrella qualification of “videogames,” though, why is it not? It has a goal, an input action, consequences, rewards, etc. It's even entertaining...to nerds (and gaming columnists).

Okay, so if Free Rice isn't technically a “videogame”...big deal. The point is that “real” videogames can reach just as far as Free Rice. Head shots in competitive first-person shooters can be worth fractions of pennies donated to the efforts to bring peace to war-torn areas of the world. Collecting certain items in MMORPGs can do the same for medical research...or anything. The possibilities are endless--the effort simply needs to be made.

Videogames are a powerful medium. Game-makers stand in a powerful forum. Gamers are a powerful force. We just need the right ideas to move us in the right direction, and the actions to back those ideas up.

(P.S. - Everyone, play the Free Rice game, will ya? It takes no time, and with many of us giving none of our time, we can do a lot. I currently have the site set as my homepage and I donate 100 - 200 grains of rice each time I open Firefox. Do it with me.)

Your Grip Is Key -- Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros' Treasure Review

Capcom has been making a habit of publishing unique and enjoyable videogames lately -- Okami and Dead Rising come to mind. That trend continues with Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure, a puzzle/adventure game that puts heavy emphasis on environment interaction, and makes very practical use of the Wii remote.

Zack & Wiki is the story of a treasure hunter named Zack and his magical flying monkey sidekick, Wiki. It's billed as an adventure game, but is more of a puzzle game that ate its Wheaties. Players actually choose the level they would like to attempt from a map screen, and are later allowed to re-play them in any order, any number of times. The storyline is fairly weak, and with little continuity between areas, the experience is ultimately something slightly different from the classic point-and-click adventures that its gameplay resembles at first glance.

Instead, Zack & Wiki is a completely fresh piece of software that introduces innovative ways of solving puzzles faced by its protagonists. Zack is directed around each level using the infrared pointer of the Wii remote. Players click with the A button, and Zack either scurries to the location or interacts with the object that was selected. It's very simple, and although the pointer is occasionally inaccurate, novice gamers will likely be attracted to Zack & Wiki because it is so easily accessible. Then the fun begins.

When Zack examines somethings, the view changes, and players are asked to manipulate the object using the motion sensing Wii remote. For example, pulling a lever is accomplished by reaching forward with the remote held vertically, then yanking backwards, just as if the player was really operating the control. Other manipulations include hammering, sawing, turning keys, etc. Like the game says, "Your grip on the Wii remote is the key."

There are a few gestures that can be a bit finicky leading to brief frustrations now and again, and the way the game displays the proper "Wii remote grip" before each and every manipulation is slightly insulting. Overall, though, playing with the various items and parts of the environment is very enjoyable. These new and interesting gameplay mechanics should be enough to satisfy veteran gamers just as much as the newbies.

One thing worth noting is that the puzzles in Zack & Wiki usually make a good deal of sense, unlike a lot of the ridiculously thought out sequences in PC adventure games. Unfortunately, the game still contains a few situations that can only be figured out after death is dealt, meaning trial-and-error gameplay is forced upon the player. The deaths are indeed humorous (surprisingly brutal in concept; very light in presentation), but that experimental approach to success seems very dated.

The music in Zack & Wiki also feels a bit dated. While the tracks are all suited to the game's theme and are varied enough remain interesting, it would have been nice to hear slightly more sophisticated sound quality. The graphics, on the other hand, do not disappoint (except for the intermittent dips in frame rate). The Wind Waker -esque cel shading is crisp and bright, perfectly befitting a pirate's adventure. As a matter of fact, the game's entire audio/visual presentation appears to borrow from the aforementioned seafaring adventure. It even features similar short, unintelligible, repetitive, and oftentimes annoying vocal expressions from most of its characters.

Zack & Wiki is clearly not flawless, but in the end, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Engrossing gameplay is the focal point, and the game delivers in that area. Additionally, I feel Zack & Wiki may very well open the floodgates of more innovative Wii games, acting as a primer for other developers to build from. Go ahead and try out Zack & Wiki, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Semi-Virtual Relationships: Games We Love

I've been doing a bit of thinking lately, and one thing my mind has come to dwell on is the comparison between interpersonal relationships and the relationships that people develop with their videogames. Of course there are very very obvious differences between the two, but let's suppress our urges to discard the thought for just a moment.

Gamers love their games, and they love them for a variety of reasons. I won't go around making blanket statements about that, claiming one motivation over another, but what I will say is that some gamers find some degree of companionship with select synergistic experiences.

One way this can happen is through the characters in the story. Just like in any good book, the audience is meant to form a type of bond with the personalities they are presented with. Over the course of the narrative, readers and players come to care for some characters and hate others. Either way, they come to understand them - their thoughts, behaviors, etc. - and have at least a slight connection with them. Clearly, this sort of "relationship" is more common in the realm of RPGs and other story-driven works.

Another way gamers can form relationships with videogames is via the feelings they experience while taking in the software's content. It is possible that the internal response to the game can effectively take the place of the game itself, and the player later relates to those feelings when the cue (the game) is recalled. It is as if the game, the feelings evoked by that game, and the relationship between the player and the game are all one and the same. These feelings persist well beyond the lifespan of the game itself (explaining why I still think Goldeneye is great, even though it sucks by today's standards).

That brings me to the idea of "firsts." We always remember our firsts. I fondly remember my first kiss, first sexual experience, first home run, first in-school suspension, first alcoholic beverage, etc. It stands to reason that there is a special place in every gamer's memory for their firsts, as well. Do you remember your first game? How about the first of a specific genre, or maybe the first to introduce you to that genre? Do you remember your first journey into the third dimension of the gaming world? How about your first gaming console? I imagine the answer to these questions is usually "yes."

We all remember our first loves. There is a mental pedestal reserved just for that memory to rest upon. Everything that comes later on is inevitably compared to that milestone, and even as time goes by, the perception of that relationship persists. This is not dissimilar to the high regard in which gamers hold their early interactive experiences. Even games that seem rather generic now may have had a greater significance at the time of their release. Take Halo, for example. The first game in the series was a basic FPS that happened to be one of the first big game experiences for an entire generation of gamers. You could walk into almost any dorm room and find it there, simply because it was the flagship Xbox title, and therefore an icon to rally behind. It's a hometown hero and it's a first love.

Another first love is the ever-popular Final Fantasy 7. I went out and bought a trusty suit of e-armor before even mentioning the title because it is so widely and fervently adored. If you have never played FF7, I recommend you go try it and note your feelings. Nowadays, the game looks, plays, and FEELS like crap. (the music is still good) Anyone who was introduced to the Final Fantasy series, the RPG genre, or the Playstation era by this game, however, is a lifelong fan. The relationship they have formed with this game can NEVER be broken. The added bonus in this case is that it is not only the first PS1 Final Fantasy installment and the first to be presented in 3D, but it also contains a wealth of characters to bond with and managed to elicit the emotional response of its audience in a variety of ways. It was the first game to outright kill a character in the player's party! If there is any piece of interactive entertainment that illustrates what I am getting at in this column, FF7 is it.

And there will be more. Gamers will inevitably fall in love with certain games, regardless of their quality or popularity - and that's ok. I just hope that we don't make ourselves out to be crazed social outcasts with cultish, electro-erotic tendencies...

Concept: Beauty In Simplicity -- Portal Mini-Review

Although the present gaming era is one of huge budgets and epic productions, there has been a sizable insurgency of simple yet fun gameplay-oriented titles.

These games are most readily available via digital distribution avenues such as Xbox Live Arcade or the good old internet, and are most often created by small, independent developers.

Games such as these, which are rarely technical marvels, usually thrive on the strength of one or two key gameplay concepts, which are either completely fresh ideas or are purposefully pushed to their limits, squeezing as much raw gaming utopia out of them as possible.

A recently released retail "box" included a gaming experience much like these simple flash titles or thumbdrive-sized downloads, but also happened to be created by a big-name development studio, and happened to run on a sophisticated 3D game engine.

The package, of course, is the critically-acclaimed Orange Box, and the specific game in question is the brilliant Portal. Portal, even though it is essentially a series of rooms that all set the same goal for the player (find a way to the exit), relies on a fresh new concept with nearly infinite possibilities. Yes, Prey made use of portals long before Valve's first-person puzzle game, but Portal has now given the player the freedom to navigate space in just about any way imaginable.

This game is not an exercise in "walk through portal A and exit portal B FTW"--it is a complex, thought-provoking process of flying through portal after portal, making use of elevation, momentum and general laws of physics to access areas that otherwise seem impossible to reach.

Just like other, more simple concept games, the joy of Portal lies in the manipulation of the tools and gameplay mechanics offered to the user, with all else becoming unnecessary. It is an idea-driven game, rather than a content-driven one, and it works. To me, >Portal could even be equated to the timeless classic Tetris in this regard.

Even without the excellent voice acting and dry humor found in the game, Portal stands as a great example of a well-developed concept driving a game to greatness. It is a joy to play, from beginning to end.

Like the song says, "This game is a triumph. I'm making a note here: huge success. It's hard to overstate our satisfaction."

Cleanin' Up -- Dewy's Adventure Review

Dewy's Adventure, from the same team that brought us Elebits, is a simple game. Some might even call it childish -- and I'd agree with them. What I wouldn't say, however, is that the game is solely for children. There's enough here to keep any open-minded gamer interested for at least a little while, despite its simplicity.

As explained in the game's opening segment (where the voice is borderline horrifying) this is the story of Dewy, a small water droplet who is on a mission to save his pristine world from the Black Water that threatens to destroy it. In the process, he must rescue the Eau -- the funny-shaped inhabitants of the land -- from the evil Don Hedron. The theme is somewhat reminiscent of the de-sludging and Pianta rescuing in Super Mario Sunshine, although the games play much differently.

Dewy's Adventure is a novel work, and players may get a sensation similar to the one brought about by the innovative Loco Roco. The game puts the Wii remote to good use, requiring players to tilt the device in order to move Dewy around his world. Imagine directing a marble sitting on top of the remote and you'll get the picture (Marble Madness for the modern gaming era). The point is to reach the end of each stage while freeing as many Eau as possible from the Black Water. It plays something like Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, except jumping is not controlled with a flick of the wrist, but instead with the 2 button (and there's more of it). Special gestures are reserved for actions such as creating a gust of wind (shake the Wii-mote up and down) or calling forth an earthquake (shake the remote side-to-side), as well as context-sensitive wagglings during boss battles and to interact with certain parts of the environment.

Being made of high quality H2O, Dewy can use the air temperature to his advantage. Players can raise or lower the temperature with the d-pad, after which it gradually returns to normal. While in the altered climate, though, Dewy takes on new identities as either a block of ice or a small cloud of water vapor. Each of these forms has its advantages. In ice form, Dewy is fast and lethal, with a more advanced attack than in liquid form. He can also travel safely across now-frozen bodies of water. In mist form, he can target his foes and fire bolts of lightning that either deal damage or leave them stunned and vulnerable.

The controls work well for the most part, but like that age-old classic Marble Madness, can take some getting used to. Players may find themselves falling off ledges more often than they'd like - especially on narrow pathways - but after a bit of practice (and tweaking the tilt sensitivity), the controls become more amicable. Soon, navigating obstacles, saving Eau, defeating enemies, activating switches, and collecting items becomes second nature. Unfortunately, it can also get a bit boring over time, and the game's extras do little to ease that.

Accessible from the Hotori Village, which acts as a hub world, are a handful of galleries for characters, music, and tips players have encountered throughout the game, as well as a place to view photos (read: screenshots) they have taken. It's nothing very exciting, and likely will not captivate anyone but the most impressionable of small children.

In addition to the main story mode, Dewy's Adventure also includes what is called Goody Mode. Here, players have access to a group of single- or multi-player games, as well as a level editor in which to create backdrops for those defeat-all-enemies, collect-all-stars, and time attack tasks. The level editor is a nice touch, but players will soon come to realize that the effort tends to outstrip the reward, as original levels just don't seem to play as well as the prefab ones. You can trade levels over the internet, though, so at least you can share your defeat with friends.

Graphically, the game has a whimsical storybook appeal to it, but nothing more. It is a simple visual representation with minimal assets and effects. The environments could have easily appeared on videogame hardware of generations past. As for the audio, it is nothing but simple, short loops and lots of repetitive character vociferations

Dewy's Adventure is not for everyone, but although the game seems to target the more youthful demographic, it has the potential to appeal to individuals from all age groups. Those gamers who are interested in new, offbeat titles might want to give it a try, but don't expect to be floored by any aspect of the production. I'd recommend a rental.

Renaming The Industry: Forgetting "Videogames"

"Videogames" are a form of art/entertainment that are still only in the equivalent of their toddler years. As such, the gaming industry has been met with varying degrees of neophobic reactionism not at all dissimilar to the earlier responses to television, rock n' roll, comics, heavy metal, certain genres of books, etc.

This, of course, is old news. I imagine that if you have been at all interested in "videogames" and have had access to the internet over the past decade, you've probably read this very sentiment hundreds of times before. Why? Why after so much attention has the issue not gone away?

I feel the mainstream perception of "videogames" has very much to do with the industry's origins as a child-focused endeavor, and even though the scope of the business has broadened widely since then, people are still stuck with outmoded points-of-view.

It may very well be that the cause for this retarded (defined as delayed or impeded) view of the industry partially lies in the also outdated terminology used to describe the medium. "Videogames" (and now you understand the usage of quotation marks) are no longer just a subset of toys and games. They are clearly distinguished from this crude classification by a number of more complex and meaningful characteristics - they are not just for kids anymore.

To remove the "toy" label from this product, a renaming of the medium is in order. How can we allow such a rich amalgam of productions to be identified so simply as "games"? The term "videogame," when broken down to its most simplistic definition, means 'a game that is characterized by its visual properties.' The content on the discs we insert into our consoles and computers every day are far more than that.

What then, should these pieces of software be called, if they are to be taken more seriously and treated with greater respect out there in the "real" world? Well, I have pondered this question for quite some time now, and being the type of person who takes a half-hour to name his role-playing game protagonists, it was an unsurprisingly difficult task.

The proposed name could be anything. From a simple made-up word to a carefully considered derivation from other terms, any combination of letters would suffice. I tend to gravitate toward a meaningful label, however, preferably alluding to some of the traits that define "videogames."

Follow similar conventions, the word "movie" arose around 1910, a shortened version of the phrase "moving picture," and the word "book" comes from the German term for beechwood trees. In order to rename "videogames," it first needs to be clear just what "videogames" are.

Videogames are:

interactive
sensory
stimuli
entertainment
software
art
thematic
narrative
expressive
psychological

Of course many other adjectives describe "videogames," and many other nouns incorporate them, but this list can serve as an example of some of the medium's most important attributes.

After the list, a necessary consideration is that the designated label must be able to stand alone, without the use of preambles such as "piece of" or "work of." Simple pluralization must also be possible, and it should not be a homophone or homonym of any existing word.

What I have come up with at this point is, well, nothing yet, but I am wracking my brain to invent the perfect term.

While I may not have the revolutionary lexeme that will propel gaming past prepubescence, I do have my own input combined with the mental prowess of all of my fellow gamers, who may, after reading this article, agree that a change is necessary. If you have any good ideas, don't hesitate to send them my way via a comment or email.

EDIT 11/04: I was just looking up Latin roots, and came up with "syn" (together) and "peritus" (experience).

Perisyn? sounds funny, doesn't it? Hmm...drawing board awaits...
Synper? Sinper? Syper? Sype?
Sype? (long i sound)

To me, the most important words are interactive and experience. Videogames are more than just entertainment, so I use experience. Their interactivity is what separates them from other mediums, so that descriptor is paramount. The word virtual may be useful, but I feel it sort of unnecessary because the act of gaming is real even though the content is fictional. Rather, the word thematic better describes their content.

The root for thematic is "tesme" (silent s). For our purposes "tem" would suffice, I guess.
The word participate could also take the place of interactive

I think sype is growing on me... "I'm going to buy a couple of sypes." "Sypers love Xbox." "Syping is a growing hobby in the US."

Is Silence Golden? Not Always

Throughout the years, I've become familiar with all manner of games, presented in a myriad of ways and told from many different perspectives. One particular method of delivering a gaming experience to the audience has always captured my attention, and that is through the use of the silent protagonist. At times, I feel this technique works perfectly, but on other occasions, it just doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense.

The silent protagonist was not always an intentional device. Back when gaming was young, and technology was...low, putting voices in videogames was barely an option to be considered. It wasn't until CD-based software that speech could be included on a grand scale. Now, the capacity of game media has grown so much that character voice-overs are a somewhat ubiquitous feature. Why, then, do developers still choose to keep certain lead characters silent? Furthermore, why are there games without voice-overs that still don't include even written dialog for the main character?

It is true that sometimes players are meant to feel like they are walking in the protagonist's shoes, but how effective can that be in the types of games that most often feature silent heroes? Putting a voice to a character may hinder a player's ability to properly identify with them, but oftentimes the plot itself is enough to do so. For some reason, silent protagonists tend to show up in games that rely on heavy narrative and storytelling.

Role-playing games are notorious for their silent heroes, and it just doesn't make much sense to me. Here is a genre whose main focus is to tell an epic tale, from beginning to end - like a novel. As such, character development is paramount in these games, so how does one justify skimping on the most important character in the game? You may argue that in silence, character development can still be achieved, but without a voice (be it spoken or written) these characters INSTANTLY lose a measure of personality and also distance the audience from more completely understanding their thoughts, motives, and behaviors.

Perspective is important. When you play Chrono Trigger, for example, or even The Legend of Zelda, you are essentially watching a story unfold before your eyes. The entirety of the game is viewed from a third-person perspective. There can be little fusion of identity if the player is never allowed to actually embody the character in question. The presence of the character in the player's visual field acts only as a barrier. I am me, Link is Link, and can I see where I end and where he begins. We are not one.

On the other hand, sometimes the idea of a silent protagonist is very effective. Gordon Freeman of the Half-Life series (and others like him) is a very loosely defined character, and is therefore very easy to "turn into." Gamers know only a few things about him, and the rest comes via gameplay - through interactions with other characters and participation in the game's events. The silent lead experiences and, more importantly, responds to it all no differently than the player does.

Perspective is still key. The first-person point-of-view is the most effective for use with a silent protagonist. Players share their eyes, ears, hands, feet, and, of course, voice. Again, the stimulus and the response for both the player and the character are equivalent. These games don't play like storybooks.

Of course there will be stories where the main character is actually a damn mute, but barring all of those games, I feel the silent protagonist should be implemented only where it makes sense. When the gamer is meant to become a character, a voice is unnecessary; when the gamer is meant to behold a character, he or she should speak.

If They Were Halo, They'd Be Kings

The massive anticipation is over. Halo 3 launch day has come and gone with great fanfare - big events, long lines, eager fans, master chief, etc. In the first 24-hour period alone, the game grossed over $170 million. To put that in terms of copies sold, it's roughly equivalent to more than 2.8 million. Of those, 1.7 million copies were pre-sold.

With Halo 3 riding high on the extreme marketing push made by Microsoft and Bungie, one has to wonder if it would have experienced such success without it. More so, it is interesting to ponder what games might have done just as well as Halo 3 had they received the same tender loving care from their respective marketing departments.

I have gone through a slew of recent releases, and come up with a pair of games that may very well have been this year's super-sellers had they been pushed down consumers' throats the same way that Halo 3 was.

Bioshock is arguably the best game of 2007. It received multiple "best of E3 honors, as well as "best Xbox 360 game" at the 2007 Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany. Also the third in a series, Bioshock is the spiritual successor to a pair of games that routinely land on critics' "top videogames of all time" lists - System Shock and System Shock 2.

It's rich storyline and excellent gameplay were apparently not enough to match the might of Halo 3, however. Halo 3 managed to sell more copies prior to release than Bioshock had done with more than 2 weeks of shelf time. As of September 10th, 2K's shooter was reported to have shifted 1.5 million copies.

Bioshock's Gamerankings and Metacritic ratings are both a full point higher than those of Halo 3, even though nearly twice as many scores have been recorded yet it's total sales pale in comparison.

Metroid Prime 3 is widely considered the best original Wii title to date. It is the third part of the critically acclaimed 3-D series in one of Nintendo's biggest franchises. This is beside the fact that the much earlier Super Metroid for the SNES topped EGM's infamous Top 100 Games of All Time, and has since appeared in the top 20 range of nearly every similar list since. Still, Metroid Prime 3 sold a mere 10th of Halo 3's day one numbers in the first week after release.

The advertising behind this sales performance? A downloadable Wii channel with videos and pictures of the game, along with Virtual Console releases of the first two games in the Metroid franchise. That sort of isolated advertising is not exactly what one would expect to lead to Haloesque sales...and it didn't.

So what would happen if all of these games had equal marketing muscle backing them? Well, I'm no Michael Pachter, but I imagine it would lead to greater sales and fan support. Either of these stellar sequels could have shared in the success of Halo 3, but-- Hey, look at that! The Halo 3 "Believe" commercial is on TV.

Master Of None -- Kengo: Legend Of The 9 Review

Kengo: Legend of the 9 is a game whose premise has massive potential, but unfortunately seems to have fallen just short in terms of gameplay. There are some very good ideas here, such as 9 different characters with interweaving stories, counter attacks, environmental kills, a tree of skill upgrades, and a handful of gameplay modes. Unfortunately the final product doesn't come together as perfectly as all those features might lead you to believe.

Right off the bat, I have to say that the progression through this game is ridiculously derivative. The whole "main mode" goes something like this: read story (narrated in Japanese), watch short dialog scene (in Japanese), fight group of nameless baddies (about 3 different levels of skill for these guys), watch meeting between protagonist and "boss" character, fight boss, upgrade stats and techniques, save, rinse, repeat. If you can get beyond that, the bland presentation, and the initial barrier of adapting to the pace of combat, then you can actually have a bit of fun with Kengo.

Basically, this is a street brawler with katanas, so if that's not what you're looking for, quit right now. This is not Ninja Gaiden, and feels stiff and mechanical when your thumbs start to go to work. Deaths might come easily in the beginning, but once you've conquered the first two levels, the other 6 are pretty much in the bag. That goes for the other 64 levels, too, because there are 9 different warriors to use, in total. The problem with that, though, is that they reuse all the same stages and enemies--even dialog--in different combinations along the way.

After each level, points are awarded and used to upgrade the samurai's stats and sword techniques. There is some depth to Kengo's combat that may not be immediately apparent, though. Using the proper attack against each type of defense makes things go much smoother. When opponents guard high, for example, vertical strikes will be more easily blocked, and horizontal slashes might be a better choice. Ultimately, details like this won't often mean the difference between success and failure. The various moves available in each of the samurai's three stances are only truly effective to a master of the game on the highest difficulty level. Otherwise, Kengo is what I would call a "controlled button-masher." Some strategy can be applied to players' approaches, but combat usually turns into an exercise in pattern recognition. Cut enemies until they block, then grapple and cut them. Or, cut them until they block, then grapple and throw them...then cut them. That's how winning is done!

The swordplay is admittedly simple (in the guise of complexity), but the game does reward more creative swordsmen with bonus leveling points, so using grapples and environmental kills is preferable (and looks cooler). The environmental kills are one of the better ideas infused into Kengo, allowing players to direct enemies towards walls, cliffs, carts, barrels, statues, etc., and then use those structures as the foundation for particularly bloody, instant executions. The fact that these even work on stamina-drained boss characters is a plus. The lock-on and counter attack systems are also done relatively well.

One thing Kengo could benefit from, however, is a smarter camera, especially in the more confined levels. It can get hung up in the crappiest of positions, and since the player has to focus on blades arcing toward his or her face, it can be difficult to adjust. Also, it'd be nice if there was a way to evade other than just running away. Something like the tumble in Ninja Gaiden would be a perfect fit.

There appear to be a ton of modes available in Kengo, but it's worth noting that only 3 feature actual gameplay. The others--including all Xbox Live competition--are just a spectator mode for the AI versions of players' improved characters. What's more, when you are watching a battle in either Live or Solo mode, there is no way to cut it short. I can't say I'm a fan of either of those decisions.

As for the playable portions of the game, Mission mode challenges players to satisfy certain winning conditions (like killing X number of enemies) in a set amount of time. Combat mode is a one-on-one showdown for one or two players, and is presented like a semi-3D fighting game. Best of all: no camera issues in this mode!

Kengo features pretty decent graphics and animations, with crisp character models (and shitty water), but the game's audio is not very friendly to the ears. The background music is insubstantial and unimportant, although era-appropriate. You might not even notice if it was removed completely. Sound effects are empty and generic. Sword slashes sound like they came off of an internet soundboard and enemies' footsteps are so overdone that, when combined with the whirring of the 360's DVD drive, could almost convince you that someone is making microwaved popcorn in the room with you. Oh, and the entire game is voiced in Japanese, with English subtitles, just in case you missed that part.

Overall, I had a fairly decent experience with Kengo: Legend of the 9. It isn't the best of games, but does manage to put a handful of good ideas in one package - even if it wasn't done as well as it could've been. The developers' hearts were in the right place, and for that, I'd say give Kengo a rent and a little bit of time.

Halo Hype: Nauseating

I think this article will be the first of a two-part series (can I call it a "series" if there are only two parts?), but I won't be certain until I reach the midpoint, so read on...

Anyway, Halo 3 is almost upon us ("us" meaning those not named Brendon), and the anticipation for the title is at fever pitch. This game's fan following is built not only on the merits and successes of past Halo games, but also upon marketing and the highly influential, ever-present "hype engine."

The internet is actually an instrumental tool used to keep this machine well-oiled. In the past 10 days alone, GamerNode has run about seven or eight stories about Master Chief's new adventure, and nearly every one had something to do with the Halo 3 launch, sales, or obsession. Let's take a look:

For one, Wedbush Morgan analyst and gaming prophet Michael Pachter has predicted that Halo 3 will sell over 3 million copies in it's first 12 days on the market. In addition, analyst Colin Sebastian has claimed that he believes the game will gross more $$$ in a single 24-hour period after launch that the record-holding Spider Man 3. How much? Over $200,000,000.

The game has already made some money. Due to early leakage and a broken street date, a PAL copy of the regular retail version (not the Legendary Edition with helmet and bonus discs) showed up on ebay a few days back. It sold for the equivalent of a whopping $206 plus $10 shipping. The incredible thing about this is that not only was the final sale price so insanely high, but the auction ended just five days before the game's official release. The winner would only be able to play (alone, mind you) for four days before he or she could've gotten the game for about $150 less in the store. O_o

Or maybe this person couldn't have gotten the game in a store, because it seems it may be sold out before it even releases! The Legendary (read: f*cking expensive) version is, anyway. For more than twice the price of the normal game, "collectors" get a small replica of Master Chief's helmet, a couple of bonus DVDs, a pretty box, and the game. $130 for this bundle...and it's already sold out! Wtf?

Not only that, but more retail outlets than ever before are holding special "Halo parties", beginning as early as midday Monday and climaxing when the clock strikes midnight. The games will be dished out and everyone will sprint, drive, ride, fly home to play them. At the Best Buy on 5th Avenue in NY, celebrities and Bungie employees will even be making appearances to play the game publicly on Monday afternoon, along with a few lucky gamers.

I was in the GameStop in Myrtle Beach last night and overheard some kids who were gawking at a particular piece of store signage. One said something to the effect of, "line starts at 9pm, I'm gonna be waiting for three hours to get my copy." The whole lot of them went into what was nearly a round of seizures over the aforementioned Master Chief helmet when the smug store associate revealed it to be sitting in the cabinet on the wall behind the desk (it was pretty shiny). To quote one of the pre-pubescent, borderline retarded children, "Halo helmet, Halo helmet, Halo helmet, Halo helmet..."

It seems the power of this franchise has reached a plateau that is almost beyond comprehension. While it turns children into zombies here in the U.S., the Westminster Council in London believes that Halo 3 will be a major catalyst for riots in the streets, and has cancelled all midnight launch events along London's Oxford Street, the largest shopping strip in Europe.

Finally, in what is probably the biggest example of the power this game holds over the gaming masses, a professionally-made, full-body Master Chif costume has sold on Ebay for over Twenty-One THOUSAND U.S. Dollars. No additional commentary necessary. Look.

So there you have it - the lead-in to the release of what will undoubtedly be a very good game (we can just ask Brendon for confirmation of this, since as of this posting he has already beaten the game on normal mode. It took 7 hours, if you're wondering). Wouldn't it be funny if it sucked? In any case, the question we must ask is this:

Objectively, is Halo 3 really amazing enough to deserve this sort of fervor and success, or is the unprecedented level of hype some sort of strange, nearly unexplainable phenomenon? What other very good, great, or even outstanding games could have done just as well with the right sort of marketing? What games are actually better than Halo...yet haven't enjoyed even a fraction of its success?

Next time, we'll examine this question...and its answer.

Feudal Lords In Mech Suits? -- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam Review

"Whoever conquers this planet gains the power to make anything possible!"

Koei must not have conquered that planet, because I'd imagine Dynasty Warriors: Gundam would be a better game if they could make it so. DW:G isn't exactly your typical Dynasty Warriors game, but then again, it really is. It's Dynasty Warriors with a fresh coat of paint, if you will. A new setting and a mech exterior is used as a facade for what is essentially the same kind of gameplay gamers have come to expect from the series over the past 10 years.

Unless your brain is on ice, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is the type of game that can induce mental fatigue after only 20 minutes or so of gameplay. It's unfortunately lacking any real innovation, save for the fact that it has taken the Dynasty Warriors franchise from steel swords and feudal armor to lightsabers, guns, and mech suits.

The cast, although very outspoken, is still somewhat devoid of character. They have mostly cookie-cutter personalities, and play a minor role in the actual progression of the gameplay experience. That's not even taking into consideration the nearly endless hordes of mindless drones dispatched to destroy the player -- the sort that do their duty without any question.

It's as if Koei figured that diverse characterization could be achieved by haphazardly slapping together as many different accents from around the world that they could find voice actors for. The only problem is that the voice acting is not very good. The exchanges between characters before each mission are almost painful to endure as characters spout off porno-caliber dialogue, with B-movie precision. The short comments made during combat are out of place, overdone, and a little annoying. As for the music, it's pretty much the same semi-intense synthesized loops playing the entire time.

Graphically, the game is nothing impressive. Character models, terrain, and maps are all minimally detailed, with only crudely defined textures. As a matter of fact, most sections of the environment are nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the area, save for a few that boast a landmark or two. This makes the map vital for determining your location. As for effects, there are only the most basic from the lighting and particle departments. The exceptions to this rule are the short cut sequences involving combat with NPCs and at the onset of missions. Here, the graphics are kicked up a notch, giving the player higher resolutions and better effects and animations.

The game features two solo modes: Official and Original. The difference between these two is the basis of the story, and the characters involved. For each mode, players choose from one of three characters to start, and embark on various missions filled with hack-and-hack-and-hack-and-shoot gameplay. Much of the game's action primarily boils down to mashing a button or two, and to be honest, it can get boring if you don't have the proper mindset.

Maps are divided, in a grid-like fashion, into fields. Each field contains any number of mobile suit soldiers that the player must defeat in order to control that particular area. Sometimes, special guard units show up and serve as a miniature objective for that section. Defeating guards instantly earns the player control of a field. By controlling a particular area, it weakens the enemy's strength in adjacent ones, allowing for strategic isolation of tougher zones. When goals are formulated and worked towards, a sort of flow can even be achieved.

Certain enemies and some destructible environmental objects leave power-ups that the player can pick up to aid them in the fray. These go into effect immediately, and produce effects such as speedy movement, increased defense, or health restoration. They can be helpful at times -- especially the speed increase (for those long treks across the map) and the bonus health. Otherwise, the ease with which enemies are mowed down doesn't require much aid. I mean, they don't even attack if the protagonist just stands still... I can only describe it thusly: O_o

At the end of each mission, points are calculated based on the number of enemies defeated, the number of fields taken control of, and the time spent doing so. Pilots and suits both advance in level during missions, and the resulting stat increases are reflected here. Melee, shot, defense, armor, thruster, and SP gauge all improve as the game progresses. Upgrades to players' suits and skill-sets also go into effect between missions, although these are added manually from a list of items previously collected on the battlefield. The most interesting part of character growth is that players can play through the game multiple times, gaining more and more skills and parts with each run. Since the Official and Original modes are so short (do I hear 4 missions?), those replays may actually be possible.

Dynasty Warrior: Gundam also features a versus mode allowing players to either fight against each other directly or to try to conquer a field of foes in the shortest time. This may extend the play time for some, but locating two players in close enough proximity (who actually enjoy the game enough) to meet up for a versus session could be rather challenging.

Finally, there is a Gallery section that lets players view art and biographies for the characters, mobile suits, and battleships that they have encountered in the Official and Original modes. There is even a section for listening to voice clips. Why anyone would do that, I am not sure.

Repetition is the name of the game in Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. Or maybe monotony? Or boredom? It features repetitive action, monotonous scenery, and boring dialog. It's simply a mediocre game, but it certainly has its place and draw. No hard feelings, guys.

"ERUPTING. BURNING. FINGER!" -Domon Kasshu, DW:G

Where Wii Goin'? Finding Our Way In The Game World

I believe in the Wii. I have faith in the console, its technology, and the styles of play that are possible with the tools available to the gamer. There is so much potential in that little white box that has yet to be tapped into.

Just prior to launch, my vision for what the Wii had to offer the gaming world was as follows:

Total immersion. It's sort of a vague idea, but when I think of the Wii and it's input method, I am always seduced by the idea of the player's hands existing as permanent fixtures within the game world. One might think, "but doesn't that happen already in FPS on Wii?" Well, yes and no. The hands are always there, but their function is strictly limited. My idea is that the actions of the gamer are represented in a one-to-one fashion on-screen. Consider the following as an example:

If a player should happen upon an object in a particular game and decide that they simply must interact with it, then reaching a hand forward could cause a congruent gesture by the in-game avatar - it would reach for the object. At this point, the item isn't picked up, but simply pushed around. Why? Well, the Wii-mote can also simulate grasping motions. The A and B buttons oppose each other just the same as do fingers and thumbs. Pressing the two in concert can translate to gripping any object in the virtual world. If an object isn't available, the result would simply be a fist - which has it's own separate implications. If something is there, however, there are multiple new options available, and all are viable with no further control-mapping required. If the object is small, then a twist of the wrist allows for examination. If it is a ladder, moving hand-over-hand allows easy ascent. A tree or rock face can be scaled in similar fashion. Large objects can be pushed or pulled to clear or block a path. The list goes on...

I can imagine countless possibilities when it comes to combat, and just as many for puzzle-solving situations. At the most basic level of combat, punching and grappling are now possible in a truly interactive way, and as I've already described, weapons can be manipulated to strike or shoot from all angles. At the same time, complex combat routines will arise from the very same set of controls. Environment interaction is a key possibility, as well -- weapon improvisation can become a fun and creative option for dispatching foes. As for general exploration, gestures as simple as turning cranks, placing items, and pulling levers can now provide the player with a feeling of accomplishment, when previously they represented the most mundane of activities. This level of interaction can essentially recapture much of the joy of gaming because it dissolves habituation to gameplay mechanics experienced by so many gamers.

The Wii has the potential to make everything fresh again.

It's true. Games that make a switch over from traditional control styles to fully-implemented Wii...ness present a brand new sort of experience to gamers. I know it because when I pick up games like Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition or Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, there is a short, unfamiliar learning curve to the controls themselves, as if I am a novice gamer again, just learning the mechanical aspect of gaming for the first time.

This is not a bad thing, though, because I can understand the situation; adapting to something new can take time. I enjoy the discovery of it all.

Over the course of the Wii's short history, my outlook hasn't always been the same. Early this year, during the yearly doldrums of the videogame industry, I questioned where the real support for Nintendo's console was -- where the true games were. Was every release to be a glorified tech demo, or a collection of casual minigames? Was the depth of the software pool to be restricted to the shallow end? I asked myself, "If the Gamecube had full-scale, 'feature-length' games, then why can't the Wii?"

Well, I see good things in the future. Games like the recently released Metroid Prime 3 and the upcoming Manhunt 2 remind me that "real" games can and will find their way onto the system, and future releases such as Capcom's Zack & Wiki and the thriller adventure Sadness tell me that innovative gameplay mechanics are indeed being experimented with in interesting ways (ways other than minigame overkill). Then of course there's Super Mario Galaxy. :-)

Maybe my hopes for the Wii will one day be fully realized, and I'll find myself exploring a vast, highly interactive game world. Until then, you can find me blasting space pirates, executing hunters, and manipulating select virtual objects.

Casual Or Hardcore? Or Middlecore?

The definition of the word "gamer" is pretty straightforward. It means, "one who plays games," usually referring to those of the audio/visual variety. Until recently, being a gamer meant that you were knee-deep in the industry, knew what games were coming, and had a good sense of what made a quality game. You probably owned two or more gaming systems and had a sizable collection of games. You were a gamer.

Nowadays, the term "gamer" is somewhat antiquated. Nowadays, a lot more people play videogames, but a lower and lower percentage of them fit the above description. Today's videogame market is divided into the "hardcore," who are essentially the "gamers" of yore, and the "casual." The casual gamer is an interesting type. They may sit online and spend time playing little flash games (you know, that PopCap crap), or they may come over and try out the latest Mario Party and the like. They are not really a big part of the more traditional culture of gaming, yet they are what is powering the industry forward.

Nintendo is an old company. Founded in 1889, they began as a Hanafuda card manufacturer, and then moved into the electronic games industry in the last third of the 20th century. They've been around the block, and most definitely helped kick-start the modern era of videogames.

It is ironic (or maybe not), then, that they are the same company that is "changing the game" from it's roots, as everyone and their mother is quick to point out. And it's mothers who are doing a lot of the new game playing. The casual market that has been catalyzed so strongly, first by the DS and now by the Wii, is largely made up of older game players and the previously alien female gamer.

That's not a big deal, really. I don't mind expanding the market to vast proportions. I would like to see the videogame industry eclipse the movie industry, even. It is a more complete form of entertainment, simply because of it's interactivity. Widespread acceptance is the next logical step in its maturation process.

What should NOT happen, however, is the dumbing down of content, or leaving the most dedicated fans in the dust of newfound successes.

What seems to be happening is that videogame companies, like Nintendo, are directing their primary focus toward this new market. Of course there is money to be made there, so they would like to pursue the new trend in full force, but it seems to come at the expense of the more in-depth works. New divisions are popping up within many videogame development companies, taking manpower from the more "feature-length" games, and established development teams are even being shifted to casual projects, going so far as to cease work on games that are already underway (Project H.A.M.M.E.R., for example).

The latest event to aggravate my ever-deepening casual games wound is the announcement of Nintendo's WiiFit. This is a personal fitness...application...for the Wii. It's not even a game anymore - it's exercise software, step aerobics, etc. Is this where things are going for Nintendo? Are other companies to follow? If this is the case, then they need to increase the development pool, making ROOM for both types of software. Both "real" games and these new pieces of casual software should be fully supported. Don't sacrifice one for the other.

Which brings me to the "hardcore" sector. The casual insurgency is mounting so much that there appears to be a sort of backlash against it. The "hardcore" game is taking up an incredible chunk of the rest of the market. The first-person shooter, war game, "hard-boiled" action game, etc. is what the in-crowd plays now, as if in retaliation against the casual assailant.

The phenomenon is similar to what has happened for ages in the music industry. A genre of sanitized content arises, thereby evoking a response from other musicians to cultivate a more rough, dark, "dirty" form of aural pleasure, and then the two groups remain at odds with each other over an indefinite period of time.

Hardcore gamers, raise your hands. Are you into the "casual games" movement. I'd wager you said some form of, "nah, not really." Well, casual gamers don't even consider themselves gamers most of the time, distancing themselves from the hobby that they take part in every time they do some Brain Training or fire up a party game. It has become a struggle, simply because the transition has been harsh and abrupt.

There is little room left in the middle for those gamers who take everything as it comes - those gamers who simply want a unique and compelling gameplay experience, regardless of the classification. While resistance to casual games is high for "hardcore" gamers, and resistance to "hardcore" games is high for casual gamers, there is still a middlecore that needs some attention, and would be happy to just play some good games.