Platform: GameCube
Genre: Action-Adventure
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release: 24 March 2003
Rating: Everyone
Price: $20
While most people name Ocarina of Time as their favorite in the The Legend of Zelda series, I personally name The Wind Waker. It took the excellent gameplay of Ocarina and brought it into a new setting with a very different feel to it. While many people complained about the supposedly "kiddy" cel-shaded graphics of the game at the time, they have aged very well, and it remains rather beautiful to this day.
As for the gameplay, it's a Zelda game, so if you've played any of the other 3D games in the series, Wind Waker is pretty much the same. The twist this time is that you need to use the eponymous Wind Waker, a baton that lets you control the weather, so that you can sail from island to island. While many people complained that the sailing was boring and monotonous, I found it rather relaxing, and the simple challenge of navigation provides a nice break from the standard dungeon-crawling. As for the dungeons, enemies are a bit weaker than usual in this game, but the dungeons themselves are larger and more complex, so it evens out. There are also a lot of side-quests (almost every one of the numerous islands has at least one), so there's a lot of game in this game. It plays very well, and that's really the most important piece.
The story is simple as video games go: hero wants to rescue his kidnapped sister, and ends up wrapped up in the traditional save-the-world quest. The setting is a series of islands within the "Great Sea," which is refreshing, as this is only the second time the Zelda series has left the traditional setting of Hyrule.
There's one other thing I need to bring up: don't be fooled by the cartoony visuals and lighthearted feel. When you think about it, this is one of the darkest installments in the series. (WARNING: If you don't want spoilers, even minor ones, then please skip this next paragraph.) About halfway through the game, it is revealed that the series recurring villain, Ganondorf, actually won the last time he attacked the kingdom of Hyrule, and in a last-ditch effort to stop him, the gods flooded it all. That's right: the ocean that you've been sailing? It's the post-apocalyptic kingdom of the previous games. Now that is pretty dark.
The Wind Waker is an exemplary installment in the really damned good The Legend of Zelda series, and $20 at GameStop is a pretty good deal for anyone who hasn't played it already.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Friday, July 29, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release: 26 January 2010
Rating: Mature
Price: $12-13
Goichi Suda is the foremost auteur game developer of today. The man is an insane genius, known for occasionally sacrificing fun for the art. While this is not usually the way to go, I have to accept that with Suda, it's certainly worth it to see just what goes through his head. No More Heroes and its sequel can be considered the first time that he was able to find a good balance between the art and the fun. And yes, they are awesome for it.
The first No More Heroes told the story of one Travis Touchdown, a complete nerd who managed to somehow become the eleventh-best hitman in the country. So he decided to take out the ten above him, aiming for the top. Despite being about assassination, the game managed to be hilarious, parodying everything from sandbox video games to anime to life in America. It also constantly poked fun at games that rely on sex or gore to sell, by taking both to a ridiculous level (enemies die with about three gallons of blood spurting out, and sexual innuendo can be found in nearly every line). It was a ton of fun, but way too short, and with a lot of repetitive grind.
No More Heroes 2 removes nearly all of the grind in addition to increasing the length of the game, remedying both issues. It also tweaked many aspects of the combat, making it feel a bit more fluid overall. On the flip-side, while keeping the sense of offbeat humor, it took a turn down gritty and dark, which makes the tone rather inconsistent. When Travis' best friend is murdered, he vows revenge against his killer, and has to climb the ranks again (this time from #51) to get to him. While still not perfect by any means (the two missions played as ally Shinobu include some very awkward platforming), NMH2 is altogether a brilliant example of the hack-and-slash genre, with colorful and cartoony visuals (which purposefully clash with the game's theme), an interesting story, well-executed boss fights, and altogether fun gameplay that manages to use the Wii's control scheme rather well. Check it out if you can. It'll cost $13 for a new copy, or $12 used.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release: 26 January 2010
Rating: Mature
Price: $12-13
Goichi Suda is the foremost auteur game developer of today. The man is an insane genius, known for occasionally sacrificing fun for the art. While this is not usually the way to go, I have to accept that with Suda, it's certainly worth it to see just what goes through his head. No More Heroes and its sequel can be considered the first time that he was able to find a good balance between the art and the fun. And yes, they are awesome for it.
The first No More Heroes told the story of one Travis Touchdown, a complete nerd who managed to somehow become the eleventh-best hitman in the country. So he decided to take out the ten above him, aiming for the top. Despite being about assassination, the game managed to be hilarious, parodying everything from sandbox video games to anime to life in America. It also constantly poked fun at games that rely on sex or gore to sell, by taking both to a ridiculous level (enemies die with about three gallons of blood spurting out, and sexual innuendo can be found in nearly every line). It was a ton of fun, but way too short, and with a lot of repetitive grind.
No More Heroes 2 removes nearly all of the grind in addition to increasing the length of the game, remedying both issues. It also tweaked many aspects of the combat, making it feel a bit more fluid overall. On the flip-side, while keeping the sense of offbeat humor, it took a turn down gritty and dark, which makes the tone rather inconsistent. When Travis' best friend is murdered, he vows revenge against his killer, and has to climb the ranks again (this time from #51) to get to him. While still not perfect by any means (the two missions played as ally Shinobu include some very awkward platforming), NMH2 is altogether a brilliant example of the hack-and-slash genre, with colorful and cartoony visuals (which purposefully clash with the game's theme), an interesting story, well-executed boss fights, and altogether fun gameplay that manages to use the Wii's control scheme rather well. Check it out if you can. It'll cost $13 for a new copy, or $12 used.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Friday, April 29, 2011
.hack//G.U. vol.1: Rebirth
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Action/RPG
Developer: CyberConnect2
Publisher: Bandai
Release: 24 October 2006
Rating: Teen
Price: $20
While the first .hack series was decidedly mediocre, the G.U. follow-up trilogy is an excellent series of action RPGs. The premise of a game-within-a-game as a setting is brilliant. .hack takes place within an MMORPG called "The World." G.U. picks up several years after the origial series, in the sequel: "The World:R2." The aesthetic is steampunk this time rather than high fantasy, and it works very well. The cast is mostly new, but has many old characters returning--with new avatars in the game.
The plot is excellent, though following it in its entirety requires playing all three G.U. games and watching the tie-in anime ".hack//Roots," which functions as a prologue for the games (you can understand the games' plot without watching the anime, but it does answer a few questions).
As for how G.U. plays, it functions somewhat like a standard RPG, with towns and party members, and all the trappings. Combat, however, is in real-time, and is quite fun. There isn't very much variety in the dungeons, and the whole series reeks of repetitiveness, but the gameplay is still fun, and the plot is gripping enough to keep you playing.
While the first of the three, Rebirth, is very much flawed (swapping weapons mid-combat feels sticky, for example), the sequels improve on it. I would say that the third volume, Redemption, is the best gameplay-wise, but the story there isn't quite as good as it is in the first two (with a few plot twists coming completely out of nowhere). Averaging them all together, though, the G.U. trilogy is a landmark example of a fun, engaging action RPG.
Start off with the first volume, which GameStop offers used for $20.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action/RPG
Developer: CyberConnect2
Publisher: Bandai
Release: 24 October 2006
Rating: Teen
Price: $20
While the first .hack series was decidedly mediocre, the G.U. follow-up trilogy is an excellent series of action RPGs. The premise of a game-within-a-game as a setting is brilliant. .hack takes place within an MMORPG called "The World." G.U. picks up several years after the origial series, in the sequel: "The World:R2." The aesthetic is steampunk this time rather than high fantasy, and it works very well. The cast is mostly new, but has many old characters returning--with new avatars in the game.
The plot is excellent, though following it in its entirety requires playing all three G.U. games and watching the tie-in anime ".hack//Roots," which functions as a prologue for the games (you can understand the games' plot without watching the anime, but it does answer a few questions).
As for how G.U. plays, it functions somewhat like a standard RPG, with towns and party members, and all the trappings. Combat, however, is in real-time, and is quite fun. There isn't very much variety in the dungeons, and the whole series reeks of repetitiveness, but the gameplay is still fun, and the plot is gripping enough to keep you playing.
While the first of the three, Rebirth, is very much flawed (swapping weapons mid-combat feels sticky, for example), the sequels improve on it. I would say that the third volume, Redemption, is the best gameplay-wise, but the story there isn't quite as good as it is in the first two (with a few plot twists coming completely out of nowhere). Averaging them all together, though, the G.U. trilogy is a landmark example of a fun, engaging action RPG.
Start off with the first volume, which GameStop offers used for $20.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Friday, March 18, 2011
Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project
Platform: PC (Windows)
Genre: Action/Platformer
Developer: Sunstorm Interactive
Publisher: ARUSH Entertainment/Apogee Software/3D Realms Entertainment
Release: 21 May 2002
Rating: Mature
Price: $6
With Duke Nukem Forever finally on the horizon, now is the perfect time to become reacquainted with some of Duke's old adventures. Following the success of Duke Nukem 3D, Manhattan Project returned Duke to his side-scrolling roots. It is a well-made 2.5D action platformer, albeit slightly repetitive. The level design is rather well-done, however, ranging from New York's sewers, to the streets of Chinatown, to the city's rooftops, and manage to keep things interesting.
Most of the bosses are uncreative (being little more than souped-up versions of normal enemies), every level has an annoying keycard puzzle, and enemy placement can border on unfair at times, but the gameplay is tight and fun, so it's easy to look past Manhattan Project's faults.
Duke himself is the same humourously chauvinist character we've come to know and love, helping to push the game (and all of his games, in fact) from "average but fun" into "hilarious and awesome."
As a whole, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project is the same flawed-yet-fun kind of game we have always expected from Duke (and can likely expect again in Forever), and it's hard to lose when it's only $6 on Good Old Games.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action/Platformer
Developer: Sunstorm Interactive
Publisher: ARUSH Entertainment/Apogee Software/3D Realms Entertainment
Release: 21 May 2002
Rating: Mature
Price: $6
With Duke Nukem Forever finally on the horizon, now is the perfect time to become reacquainted with some of Duke's old adventures. Following the success of Duke Nukem 3D, Manhattan Project returned Duke to his side-scrolling roots. It is a well-made 2.5D action platformer, albeit slightly repetitive. The level design is rather well-done, however, ranging from New York's sewers, to the streets of Chinatown, to the city's rooftops, and manage to keep things interesting.
Most of the bosses are uncreative (being little more than souped-up versions of normal enemies), every level has an annoying keycard puzzle, and enemy placement can border on unfair at times, but the gameplay is tight and fun, so it's easy to look past Manhattan Project's faults.
Duke himself is the same humourously chauvinist character we've come to know and love, helping to push the game (and all of his games, in fact) from "average but fun" into "hilarious and awesome."
As a whole, Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project is the same flawed-yet-fun kind of game we have always expected from Duke (and can likely expect again in Forever), and it's hard to lose when it's only $6 on Good Old Games.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Friday, March 11, 2011
Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale
Platform: PC (Windows)
Genre: Action/RPG/Simulation
Developer: EasyGameStation
Publisher: Carpe Fulgur
Release: 10 September 2010
Rating: n/a
Price: $20
One thing that always bugged me when playing RPGs was how shopkeepers would never just give you stuff, even though you were trying to save the world. Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale made me realize why. The game puts you on the other side of the counter, where there's no point to saving the world if you're left broke afterward.
Having been saddled with an enormous debt by her missing father, Recette converts her house into a shop, to sell items and equipment to the townspeople and to adventurers passing through. To make the money you need to meet the weekly payments, you'll have to buy, sell at a profit, and hire adventurers to escort you into various dungeons.
The gameplay combines standard trading-simulation game mechanics with top-down action-RPG dungeon-crawling, and it works surprisingly well. There are several adventurers to befriend and hire, each with a unique play-style, and hundreds of different items to find and sell.
That's pretty much all there is to Recettear, and it can get very repetitive after a while. But so many things about the game, from its lovable characters, to its brightly-colored world, to its whimsical story, are all so charming and downright fun.
For the amount of play I got out of Recettear, $20 on Steam was a fantastic deal.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action/RPG/Simulation
Developer: EasyGameStation
Publisher: Carpe Fulgur
Release: 10 September 2010
Rating: n/a
Price: $20
One thing that always bugged me when playing RPGs was how shopkeepers would never just give you stuff, even though you were trying to save the world. Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale made me realize why. The game puts you on the other side of the counter, where there's no point to saving the world if you're left broke afterward.
Having been saddled with an enormous debt by her missing father, Recette converts her house into a shop, to sell items and equipment to the townspeople and to adventurers passing through. To make the money you need to meet the weekly payments, you'll have to buy, sell at a profit, and hire adventurers to escort you into various dungeons.
The gameplay combines standard trading-simulation game mechanics with top-down action-RPG dungeon-crawling, and it works surprisingly well. There are several adventurers to befriend and hire, each with a unique play-style, and hundreds of different items to find and sell.
That's pretty much all there is to Recettear, and it can get very repetitive after a while. But so many things about the game, from its lovable characters, to its brightly-colored world, to its whimsical story, are all so charming and downright fun.
For the amount of play I got out of Recettear, $20 on Steam was a fantastic deal.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Friday, March 4, 2011
Kingdom Hearts II
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Action/RPG
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix/Buena Vista Games
Release: 28 March 2006
Rating: Everyone 10+
Price: $18
One wouldn't think that a game about Disney characters could be in any way dark. The Kingdom Hearts games prove that not only can it be dark, but epic in scale. The first Kingdom Hearts was a mediocre action-platformer. Its follow-up, Chain of Memories (essentially Kingdom Hearts 1.5), was not very good either, relying on a rather annoying card-based system. Two less-than-stellar games, and it was easy to write Kingdom Hearts off as a failed experiment.
Then came Kingdom Hearts II.
With a renewed emphasis on the action rather than platforming, KH2 gave the series the kick it needed to become actually good. And it was great! All of the Kingdom Hearts games since have been very much worthwhile, though none more-so than II itself.
As for how it plays, you use your ship to travel from world to world, exploring different Disney settings (re-visiting the ones from the first game, and adding several new ones), killing both Heartless, and the new villains, the Nobodies.The controls are solid, though the action can decline into button-mashing at times. However, there is a good amount of tactical variety, as you not only have your main weapon, the Keyblade, but elemental magic, summon spells, combination attacks with your party, and super-forms.
The plot is also well-made. We start off with a new protagonist, with events seemingly unrelated to the previous games. Then plot twists take place and we see where we are in the grand scheme of the overarching plot. One year after the events of the first game, the evil Heartless from the first game are still around, but a new enemy--Organization XIII--has surfaced as well. We return to our original hero, Sora, and take on both of these threats. I will not spoil anything further, but trust me when I say that I fully enjoyed watching the story unfold.
As a whole, if you like action/RPG hybrids, or have enjoyed any of the other games in the series, then give Kingdom Hearts II a shot. $18 well-spent
.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action/RPG
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix/Buena Vista Games
Release: 28 March 2006
Rating: Everyone 10+
Price: $18
One wouldn't think that a game about Disney characters could be in any way dark. The Kingdom Hearts games prove that not only can it be dark, but epic in scale. The first Kingdom Hearts was a mediocre action-platformer. Its follow-up, Chain of Memories (essentially Kingdom Hearts 1.5), was not very good either, relying on a rather annoying card-based system. Two less-than-stellar games, and it was easy to write Kingdom Hearts off as a failed experiment.
Then came Kingdom Hearts II.
With a renewed emphasis on the action rather than platforming, KH2 gave the series the kick it needed to become actually good. And it was great! All of the Kingdom Hearts games since have been very much worthwhile, though none more-so than II itself.
As for how it plays, you use your ship to travel from world to world, exploring different Disney settings (re-visiting the ones from the first game, and adding several new ones), killing both Heartless, and the new villains, the Nobodies.The controls are solid, though the action can decline into button-mashing at times. However, there is a good amount of tactical variety, as you not only have your main weapon, the Keyblade, but elemental magic, summon spells, combination attacks with your party, and super-forms.
The plot is also well-made. We start off with a new protagonist, with events seemingly unrelated to the previous games. Then plot twists take place and we see where we are in the grand scheme of the overarching plot. One year after the events of the first game, the evil Heartless from the first game are still around, but a new enemy--Organization XIII--has surfaced as well. We return to our original hero, Sora, and take on both of these threats. I will not spoil anything further, but trust me when I say that I fully enjoyed watching the story unfold.
As a whole, if you like action/RPG hybrids, or have enjoyed any of the other games in the series, then give Kingdom Hearts II a shot. $18 well-spent
.Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Devil May Cry 4
Platform: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/PC (Windows)
Genre: Action
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release: 5 February 2008/8 July 2008
Rating: Mature
Price: $16-18
Devil May Cry has always touted some of the best brutal action combat in games (except for 2, but we don't talk about that one). The formula was perfected in DMC3, and 4 simply expands that even further. If you've seen my Top Ten Replacement Protagonists, you'll know that the new lead, Nero, has replaced recurring protagonist Dante in this game, and frankly, I thank Capcom for that. Because while controlling Dante for the second third of the game is fun as ever, Nero's "Devil Bringer" ability makes pulling off combos much easier. Which was really the main problem that 3 had.
Ever played God of War? While a great game in its own right, its combat is--when you think about it--little more than a dumbed-down version of Devil May Cry, with the emphasis on combos and damage-avoidance ripped out. And to be honest, the style-obsessed, combo-heavy combat is what makes DMC so great.
Devil My Cry 4 is by no means perfect. The level design can be rather obnoxious at times, and there is a large amount of backtracking (though given that DMC originally grew out of Resident Evil, that's little surprise). But the combat is just so much fun that the level design is simply a minor complaint.
The game is also brutally difficult. At least there's an Easy mode, for those who can't master the higher difficulties.
All three versions of DMC4 are great, but I have to recommend the PC version, since it has slightly fancier visuals. And a new difficulty mode, "Legendary Dark Knight," which multiplies the number of enemies, and is a nice challenge for those that have already mastered the game.
All three versions of Devil May Cry 4 are available on Amazon: the PS3 version is $16, the Xbox 360 version is $17, and the PC version
$18.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
P.S.: I apologize for the lateness, but things came up. I think I will start uploading them in advance so they can update automatically.
Genre: Action
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release: 5 February 2008/8 July 2008
Rating: Mature
Price: $16-18
Devil May Cry has always touted some of the best brutal action combat in games (except for 2, but we don't talk about that one). The formula was perfected in DMC3, and 4 simply expands that even further. If you've seen my Top Ten Replacement Protagonists, you'll know that the new lead, Nero, has replaced recurring protagonist Dante in this game, and frankly, I thank Capcom for that. Because while controlling Dante for the second third of the game is fun as ever, Nero's "Devil Bringer" ability makes pulling off combos much easier. Which was really the main problem that 3 had.
Ever played God of War? While a great game in its own right, its combat is--when you think about it--little more than a dumbed-down version of Devil May Cry, with the emphasis on combos and damage-avoidance ripped out. And to be honest, the style-obsessed, combo-heavy combat is what makes DMC so great.
Devil My Cry 4 is by no means perfect. The level design can be rather obnoxious at times, and there is a large amount of backtracking (though given that DMC originally grew out of Resident Evil, that's little surprise). But the combat is just so much fun that the level design is simply a minor complaint.
The game is also brutally difficult. At least there's an Easy mode, for those who can't master the higher difficulties.
All three versions of DMC4 are great, but I have to recommend the PC version, since it has slightly fancier visuals. And a new difficulty mode, "Legendary Dark Knight," which multiplies the number of enemies, and is a nice challenge for those that have already mastered the game.
All three versions of Devil May Cry 4 are available on Amazon: the PS3 version is $16, the Xbox 360 version is $17, and the PC version
$18.Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
P.S.: I apologize for the lateness, but things came up. I think I will start uploading them in advance so they can update automatically.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Odin Sphere
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Action
Developer: Vanillaware
Publisher: Atlus
Release: 22 May 2007
Rating: Teen
Price: $15
Sometimes I miss the days of 2D video games. I mean, there are a lot of things you can do in 2D that just don't work as well in 3D. With most console developers having jumped into 3D for the most part, the only place to really get a good selection of 2D games is on the portable systems.
Odin Sphere on the PlayStation 2 is one of the exceptions. Developed by Vanillaware, who have more recently made Grim Grimoire and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Odin Sphere features overwhelmingly beautiful hand-drawn artwork. It's lovingly-rendered, and looks one hundred times better than any given 3D game on the system. The drawback to this is, of course, loading times. But really, it's an even tradeoff, given how damn good the gameplay is.
It's a typical side-scrolling action game, but with some features that set it apart from the crowd:
*Five playable characters, each with a very different play style.
*An interesting leveling system that increases your maximum health as you use healing items and improves your special powers as you absorb the 'ammunition' for them (It may sound like Final Fantasy II, but it works so much better).
*A gripping plot based loosely on the Norse myths of Ragnarok.
*And a unique crafting system with 26 potions to create, one for each letter of the alphabet.
If you own a PS2 and haven't already played Odin Sphere, you're really missing out. Despite its monumental and sometimes frustrating level of difficulty, the game is charming and unique, a shining example of just what cane be done with games.
Plus, GameStop offers used copies at a price point of $15, so you have even less excuse to pass it up.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action
Developer: Vanillaware
Publisher: Atlus
Release: 22 May 2007
Rating: Teen
Price: $15
Sometimes I miss the days of 2D video games. I mean, there are a lot of things you can do in 2D that just don't work as well in 3D. With most console developers having jumped into 3D for the most part, the only place to really get a good selection of 2D games is on the portable systems.
Odin Sphere on the PlayStation 2 is one of the exceptions. Developed by Vanillaware, who have more recently made Grim Grimoire and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Odin Sphere features overwhelmingly beautiful hand-drawn artwork. It's lovingly-rendered, and looks one hundred times better than any given 3D game on the system. The drawback to this is, of course, loading times. But really, it's an even tradeoff, given how damn good the gameplay is.
It's a typical side-scrolling action game, but with some features that set it apart from the crowd:
*Five playable characters, each with a very different play style.
*An interesting leveling system that increases your maximum health as you use healing items and improves your special powers as you absorb the 'ammunition' for them (It may sound like Final Fantasy II, but it works so much better).
*A gripping plot based loosely on the Norse myths of Ragnarok.
*And a unique crafting system with 26 potions to create, one for each letter of the alphabet.
If you own a PS2 and haven't already played Odin Sphere, you're really missing out. Despite its monumental and sometimes frustrating level of difficulty, the game is charming and unique, a shining example of just what cane be done with games.
Plus, GameStop offers used copies at a price point of $15, so you have even less excuse to pass it up.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Pennypincher's Corner I: Cave Story
Platform: PC
Genre: Action-Platformer
Developer: Studio Pixel
Publisher: Studio Pixel
Release: 20 December 2004
Cave Story is notable in that it was made by one person over the course of five years. It was a labor of love, and it shows. Cave Story is brilliant, and is in fact more well-made than many AAA titles. An updated version is available for download on WiiWare, but the original PC version of the game remains free.
As for the plot, the main character wakes up in a cave with amnesia, and saying anything more would be a spoiler. Half the fun of the game is simply figuring out what happened that lead up to the events occurring in-game. A brilliant cast of characters and lots of nice world-building make it a very worthwhile plot, as well.
Gameplay? Excellent. Comparisons have been drawn to Metroid, which is rather appropriate; the biggest difference from Metroid is in difficulty. Cave Story starts out rather easy, but quickly becomes downright brutal. And if you want the good ending, you have to work for it (you will not get the good ending your first time through, so don't worry about it and just enjoy the game).
While flawed (but isn't every game?), Cave Story is a game certainly worth experiencing. It can be downloaded here.
--Kotaro
Genre: Action-Platformer
Developer: Studio Pixel
Publisher: Studio Pixel
Release: 20 December 2004
Cave Story is notable in that it was made by one person over the course of five years. It was a labor of love, and it shows. Cave Story is brilliant, and is in fact more well-made than many AAA titles. An updated version is available for download on WiiWare, but the original PC version of the game remains free.
As for the plot, the main character wakes up in a cave with amnesia, and saying anything more would be a spoiler. Half the fun of the game is simply figuring out what happened that lead up to the events occurring in-game. A brilliant cast of characters and lots of nice world-building make it a very worthwhile plot, as well.
Gameplay? Excellent. Comparisons have been drawn to Metroid, which is rather appropriate; the biggest difference from Metroid is in difficulty. Cave Story starts out rather easy, but quickly becomes downright brutal. And if you want the good ending, you have to work for it (you will not get the good ending your first time through, so don't worry about it and just enjoy the game).
While flawed (but isn't every game?), Cave Story is a game certainly worth experiencing. It can be downloaded here.
--Kotaro
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