Platform: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/PC (Windows)
Genre: Platformer
Developer: Krome Studios
Publisher: Atari
Release: 22 September 2010
Rating: Teen
Price: $10
Blade Kitten is a side-scrolling platformer based on a webcomic of the same name. It's mostly standard stuff, but there are two twists to make it different: the protagonist Kat can climb walls and ceilings, and her weapon can move independently of her. These ideas don't quite mesh, but manage to create an interesting experience.
The levels are mostly linear, but there is a bit of Metroidvania*-style exploration via the two aforementioned features, so you can find hidden items and money. Unlike most games of that style, there's no real backtracking, which keeps the levels fresh.
The control can be rather floaty at times, and you're going to want a gamepad for the PC version, but it's not bad enough to be deal-breaking. The game is also really easy: Kit's health regenerates when you're not fighting, and there's no limit to your number of lives (unlimited lives is always an appreciated feature, though).
While Blade Kitten is very hit-or-miss, it's amusing, and it tries some new things in an industry that's become increasingly stagnant in recent years.
The game is available in the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live Arcade, and on Steam, for $10.Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
*For those uninformed, the term "Metroidvania" refers to the exploration-heavy gameplay style of the Metroid series and the Castlevania series (post-Symphony of the Night).
Showing posts with label xbox 360. Show all posts
Showing posts with label xbox 360. Show all posts
Friday, June 24, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Super Meat Boy
Platform: Xbox 360/PC (Windows)
Genre: Platformer
Developer: Team Meat
Publisher: Newgrounds
Release: 20 October 2010
Rating: Teen
Price: $15
Meat Boy was an interesting little platformer published on Newgrounds.com. It possessed an ungodly level of difficulty, but due to several design choices (levels are short, you respawn immediately, and you have unlimited lives), it never really got frustrating. It was a short, but fun, game. And then Steam and Xbox Live Arcade saw its successor: Super Meat Boy. And it's also really fun. Very similar to the original, Super Meat Boy features the same level of difficulty and the same "anti-frustration features." Is it worth $15, though, while the first game is free? Well, SMB is certainly a bigger game: it has more levels and several unlockable characters from other games (such as Commander Video from BIT.TRIP, and Tim from Braid).
Super Meat Boy's insane difficulty is offset by the typical humor of Newgrounds developers, which is a selling point for some people (myself, I don't find it that funny). And the game is fun, so what more could you want? Try the original on Newgrounds, and if you like it, pick this one up. $15 on Xbox Live or Steam isn't too bad a price for it. And I always say to "support the indie developers," so that answers that, I suppose.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Platformer
Developer: Team Meat
Publisher: Newgrounds
Release: 20 October 2010
Rating: Teen
Price: $15
Meat Boy was an interesting little platformer published on Newgrounds.com. It possessed an ungodly level of difficulty, but due to several design choices (levels are short, you respawn immediately, and you have unlimited lives), it never really got frustrating. It was a short, but fun, game. And then Steam and Xbox Live Arcade saw its successor: Super Meat Boy. And it's also really fun. Very similar to the original, Super Meat Boy features the same level of difficulty and the same "anti-frustration features." Is it worth $15, though, while the first game is free? Well, SMB is certainly a bigger game: it has more levels and several unlockable characters from other games (such as Commander Video from BIT.TRIP, and Tim from Braid).
Super Meat Boy's insane difficulty is offset by the typical humor of Newgrounds developers, which is a selling point for some people (myself, I don't find it that funny). And the game is fun, so what more could you want? Try the original on Newgrounds, and if you like it, pick this one up. $15 on Xbox Live or Steam isn't too bad a price for it. And I always say to "support the indie developers," so that answers that, I suppose.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Friday, April 22, 2011
Mass Effect
Platform: Xbox 360/PC (Windows)
Genre: Shooter/RPG
Developer: Bioware/Demiurge Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios/Electronic Arts
Release: 20 November 2007
Rating: Mature
Price: $15-19
It is hard to think of a game developed by Bioware that has not been excellent. While very different from their other fare, Mass Effect contains the same brilliant dialogue and world-building that all their games do. A hybrid third-person-shooter/RPG, Mass Effect shakes up even that formula, by emphasizing the RPG over the shooter aspects. Most are shooters with occasional RPG elements, but Mass Effect is more like an RPG that happens to have shooter combat.
The only complaint I have against this game is the awkwardness of inventory management. Swapping out weapons, armors, and upgrades can be rather annoying once you've built up a large stock, and the shopping system only services to make obtaining the items you want more aggravating.
Almost everything else about Mass Effect is excellent, however. A gripping plot, likable characters, an enormous and atmospheric galaxy to explore, and a well-made dialogue and choice system all make it a worthwhile game.
Mass Effect 2 is far more streamlined than this one, but one should definitely play the first game first, because every choice made here does affect the plot of the next game, giving an entirely different (and much greater) experience.
The original Xbox 360 version of Mass Effect costs $19, and the improved PC port costs only $15.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: Shooter/RPG
Developer: Bioware/Demiurge Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios/Electronic Arts
Release: 20 November 2007
Rating: Mature
Price: $15-19
It is hard to think of a game developed by Bioware that has not been excellent. While very different from their other fare, Mass Effect contains the same brilliant dialogue and world-building that all their games do. A hybrid third-person-shooter/RPG, Mass Effect shakes up even that formula, by emphasizing the RPG over the shooter aspects. Most are shooters with occasional RPG elements, but Mass Effect is more like an RPG that happens to have shooter combat.
The only complaint I have against this game is the awkwardness of inventory management. Swapping out weapons, armors, and upgrades can be rather annoying once you've built up a large stock, and the shopping system only services to make obtaining the items you want more aggravating.
Almost everything else about Mass Effect is excellent, however. A gripping plot, likable characters, an enormous and atmospheric galaxy to explore, and a well-made dialogue and choice system all make it a worthwhile game.
Mass Effect 2 is far more streamlined than this one, but one should definitely play the first game first, because every choice made here does affect the plot of the next game, giving an entirely different (and much greater) experience.
The original Xbox 360 version of Mass Effect costs $19, and the improved PC port costs only $15.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Friday, April 1, 2011
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness
Platform: PayStation 3/Xbox 360/PC (Windows/Mac/Linux)
Genre: RPG
Developer: Hothead Games
Publisher: Hothead Games
Release: 21 May 2008
Rating: Mature
Price: 2 parts for $8 each
Penny Arcade is the original--and best--gaming webcomic out there, and their video game, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, carries the same brand of black humor that makes the comic such a hit. While the gameplay is rather hit-or-miss (essentially Paper Mario as an Active Time Battle), the plot, characters, and humor are enough to make Rain-Slick worth playing.The game throws our heroes, Tycho and Gabe (and the player), into 1920's America, as supernatural detectives fighting against evil gods. It may sound dark, but Rain-Slick never takes itself seriously. What kind of humor can you expect? The final boss of the first episode is a giant wooden statue of a mime with an octopus head that attacks you by dancing. Yes, it's like that.
There is bad news about this game, and it is very bad. It was intended to be released episodically, in four parts, but only the first two were finished. While this leaves the series without a real conclusion, it still should not be missed.
On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness can be bought on the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, or Steam, for $8 an episode. The Steam version also has both episodes as a $12 bundle.
Play, save, and enjoy. See you next week.
--Kotaro
Genre: RPG
Developer: Hothead Games
Publisher: Hothead Games
Release: 21 May 2008
Rating: Mature
Price: 2 parts for $8 each
Penny Arcade is the original--and best--gaming webcomic out there, and their video game, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, carries the same brand of black humor that makes the comic such a hit. While the gameplay is rather hit-or-miss (essentially Paper Mario as an Active Time Battle), the plot, characters, and humor are enough to make Rain-Slick worth playing.The game throws our heroes, Tycho and Gabe (and the player), into 1920's America, as supernatural detectives fighting against evil gods. It may sound dark, but Rain-Slick never takes itself seriously. What kind of humor can you expect? The final boss of the first episode is a giant wooden statue of a mime with an octopus head that attacks you by dancing. Yes, it's like that.
There is bad news about this game, and it is very bad. It was intended to be released episodically, in four parts, but only the first two were finished. While this leaves the series without a real conclusion, it still should not be missed.
On the Rain Slick Precipice of Darkness can be bought on the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, or Steam, for $8 an episode. The Steam version also has both episodes as a $12 bundle.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)