HANDHELD REVIEW THREAD! - See page 1 for guidelines

[Stevorooni]

Welcome to the Handheld Reviews, where you the user force your opinion upon everyone else!

INDEX OF REVIEWS:

PSP vs DS vs DS Lite vs GB Micro (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=322783&postcount=56) - Maxi


Nintendo DS

A
Advance Wars: DS (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=255948&postcount=30) - The Brett - 2/5
Animal Crossing: Wild World (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=247752&postcount=3) - FrozenSoul80 - 4/5
B
Battles of Prince of Persia (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=247823&postcount=5) - Mr M - 3/5
C
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (http://www.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=439375&postcount=75) - Mr M 3.5/5
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (http://www.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=439375&postcount=75) - Mr M 3.5/5
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=300576&postcount=47) - Mr M - 5/5
Contact - quatters 4/5 (http://www.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=478664&postcount=78) D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
LUNAR GENESIS (http://www.hyper.com.au/showpost.php?p=341543&postcount=61) - Tuki - 0.5/5
M
Meteos - AranchineD - COMING SOON!
Meteos (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=268879&postcount=42) - Mr M - 2/5
Metroid Prime Hunters - TomatoSplodey - COMING SOON!
N
New Super Mario Bros (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=324338&postcount=58) - Maxi - 3/5
O
Ouendan - KickyFunkFresh - COMING SOON!
P
Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon - Blue Rescue Team (http://www.hyper.com.au/showpost.php?p=350671&postcount=62) - Maxi - 3/5
Polarium (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=260336&postcount=40) - Späg - 2/5
Project Rub (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=287280&postcount=46) - Maxi 4/5
Q
R
S
StarFox Command (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=382292&postcount=73) - MartyMcFly - 4/5
Sonic Rush - Vicious - COMING SOON!
Super Mario 64 DS (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=247871&postcount=6) - Stevo - 4/5
Super Princess Peach (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=324339&postcount=59) - Maxi - 3/5
T
Tetris DS (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=251847&postcount=26) - gaselite - ?/5
Tony Hawk American Sk8land (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=255970&postcount=31) - Maxi - 3.5/5
Trauma Center - Vicious - COMING SOON!
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Zoo Keeper (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=324340&postcount=60) - Maxi - 4/5



Gameboy Advance

A
B
C
Castlevania Double Pack (http://www.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=439375&postcount=75) - Mr M 3.5/5
D
DOOM VS DOOM II (http://www.hyper.com.au/showpost.php?p=354137&postcount=64) - Mr M - Doom: 2.5/5, Doom II: 2/5
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
Sonic Advance 3 (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=247751&postcount=2) - The Brett - 4/5
T
U
V
W
Wario Ware - Jickle - COMING SOON!
Wolfenstein 3D - The Brett - COMING SOON!
X
Y
Z




PSP

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
Gitaroo Man Lives!! (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=378193&postcount=72) - Maxi - 4/5
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (http://www.hyper.com.au/showpost.php?p=376064&postcount=68) - Stevo - 4/5
H
I
J
K
L
Loco Roco (http://www.hyper.com.au/showpost.php?p=375924&postcount=65) - Maxi - 2/5
Loco Roco (http://www.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=439375&postcount=75) - Mr M 4/5
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
Smackdown vs Raw 2006 - BM2 - COMING SOON!
T
Tekken: Dark Resurrection (http://www.hyper.com.au/showpost.php?p=353609&postcount=63) - Tuki - 5/5
U
V
W
X
Y
Z




GUIDELINES

Subject to change as I figure this out, but here's some basics:


1) Try to have no more than 3 Reviews per game.

This thread would be pretty useless if there was 400 reviews for GTA:LCS and no other reviews.
We want a large varied list of games for people to look at, but also want a few different opinions.

2) Try to make your reviews UNDERSTANDABLE and READABLE.

That means English, try and get the spelling right (and I have no doubt made a typo somewhere in this post now that I have said that), grammar etc.
Try and split it up into paragraphs, and avoid using abbreviations... "Sonic rox sum1 shuld make anuther 1"

Remember, if it's annoying to read then people probably just won't bother with it.

They should also be YOUR OWN work. Copying and pasting from other review sites will not be tolerated.

3) Length

Doing a rough word count from Hyper, reviews should be at least 250 words (for a small review).
A standard review seems to be about 750 words. Try not to write so much that people get bored. ( like these guidelines? >_>)

4) Scoring

For now, to keep things simple, games will be scored out of 5.

To schmick things up a bit, I've made some graphic scores which you can use for each system.

Example:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/pspscores.jpg

Just right click the link below for the score you want and 'Copy Shortcut', then paste it into your review inbetween IMG tags.

PSP Scores

PSP 5/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp5.jpg)
PSP 4/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp4.jpg)
PSP 3/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp3.jpg)
PSP 2/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp2.jpg)
PSP 1/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp1.jpg)

GBA Scores

GBA 5/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba5.jpg)
GBA 4/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba4.jpg)
GBA 3/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba3.jpg)
GBA 2/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba2.jpg)
GBA 1/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba1.jpg)

DS Scores

DS 5/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds5.jpg)
DS 4/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg)
DS 3/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg)
DS 2/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds2.jpg)
DS 1/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds1.jpg)

Other handhelds (ngage or whatever... if enough reviews appear for an unpictured system, I'll make some dedicated score graphics

OTHER 5/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gen5.jpg)
OTHER 4/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gen4.jpg)
OTHER 3/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gen3.jpg)
OTHER 2/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gen2.jpg)
OTHER 1/5 (http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gen1.jpg)

5) The Index

I'll keep an index at the top of this post with links to each review post, in alphabetical order grouped by system to make finding a particular review easy.
I'll try and update it regularly (at least once a week) but to be safe, check the last couple of pages of the thread to see what reviews have appeared recently.

If I do get behind in updating it and you want your review updated in there, feel free to send me a quick PM.

6) Feedback

Feel free to comment on someone's review. Just remember that there's a real person behind that username and there's a difference between 'criticising' and 'insulting' ;)

[The Brett]

SONIC ADVANCE 3
Gameboy Advance

By Brett

Ah, Sonic. From the earliest beginnings on the earliest Sega consoles, to glorious promises for the upcoming Playstation 3 title, Sonic titles have always managed to generate considerable interest in only a way Mario can. The blue hedgehog has had his fair share of spin-offs as well (such as the recent Sonic Riders) but it is high-speed platforming where we want to see Sonic, and the Sonic Advance series has given old-school fans the hit they need.

So, what of Sonic Advance 3 then? On the surface, it seems like a pretty standard Sonic game- fast speed, other playable characters (Tails, Knuckles, Cream and Amy Rose) and lots of ring collection. But, Sonic Advance 3 is NOT your average Sonic game. In searching for words to explain it best, ‘surprisingly deep’ always comes to mind.

There is, of course, the times when all you have to do is hold forward, and everything seems to happen for you, but there are some great puzzles in this iteration. I’ve never felt more in control in a Sonic game than I have in this one. It’s fast, but you don’t ever lose the element of ultimate control, which I feel was one of the drawbacks of Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast.

At first, the layout is somewhat intimidating and different from other Sonic games. You play in Zones and Acts that you must enter in neutral zones at your discretion (which I thought would hurt the story’s flow), which works pretty well. The emphasis on this game, definitely, is team co-operation, however. A stage can range an entire spectrum of difficulty depending on who you pair up on a team. You’ll get the hang of it easily enough, and my favourite teams are Tails with Sonic and Knuckles with Sonic. Boss battles are a slight drawback- they’re occasionally frustrating but not particularly inventive, which is a pity considering the superb level design (which I believe is some of the best in any Sonic game).

The graphics are excellent too- very pretty, with some excellent animations. Especially if you play it on a Gameboy Micro (due to the better screen), you’ll definitely be impressed by the sharp visuals. In terms of options, it’s pretty standard fare- multiplayer battle, time attacks, as well as some great unlockable content such as soundtracks and extra boss levels.

I’d definitely recommend picking up this game if you haven’t played a Sonic game in a while. Retro Sonic gamers might be put off by the slightly different style of this game from the old ones, but you get used to it very easily, and it really shines as a whole new different style of speed platformer from the originals. However, if you’re slightly impatient this might not be for you, because some parts are very hard (even on easy difficulty) and the boss battles are a bit annoying. There’s plenty of game time to be had too, especially if you want to win the game on multiple difficulties and unlock all the extra content.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba4.jpg

[FrozenSoul80]

ANIMAL CROSSING: WILD WORLD
Nintendo DS

By FrozenSoul80

At a first glimpse of this game, one could very well start screaming “zOMG! IT’S TEH KIDDIE! KILL KILL KILL!!!11one” and begin having a seizure. But looking past the childish and cute exterior, you will find a very lengthy and very involving game.

There are no set goals to Animal Crossing. There are no real time limits or any real way to lose. So where is the challenge you might ask? Well, the challenge is, you make one up yourself. Animal Crossing is a very open and free game.

You start the game in a taxi, heading towards what will be your new place of residence. It is raining quite heavily and the taxi driver seems quiet odd. He talks just like a pirate! You talk a bit before the rain clears and you arrive in town. After stepping out of the taxi you are greeted by the Mayor. You are given some jobs to do by the local storeowner, Tom Nook. Once these jobs are done you are free to do as you wish.

The tasks and chores are really up to you. You could try your hand at making a garden. There are quite a few plants that can only be obtained through hybridisation. You might want to collect items for the museum. There are over 200 items to donate to the museum. Maybe you want to do a spot of fishing. There are over 50 different species of fish to catch. You might be the type that likes bugs. There are a wide variety of them too. But it doesn’t stop there. There are over 1000 items for you to collect, most of which are rare. You can make constellations, talk to neighbours, meet the various special visitors or, most importantly, visit other friends in other towns by use of the Nintendo Wifi Connection.

But, as perfect as the game sounds, it does have its flaws. People who have played the original see this version as too similar to the original. The holidays in this version seem to be boring as the only one that has any significance to the real world is New Years. There is no Christmas, no Halloween and no Thanksgiving. The graphics, although good for the DS, seem somewhat grainy and you have to look closely at an item to see any fine detail (especially for small items like bugs). Another letdown is the number of arseholes that are on Wifi. People (when invited in) can come into your town and chop down your trees and ruin your flowers. There have even been reports of hackers removing your town gate, meaning you can’t use Wifi again.

But, despite it’s flaws, Animal Crossing: Wild World is a very addictive game that, if you like games without a real end or a set purpose, will keep you coming back for more. I highly recommend a look at for people who have never played the original, but this can be safely skipped by those who have.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

[Stevorooni]

Can we get one for Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft general?

Well that would be up to the mods for those sections, I'm sure not gonna manage multiple threads in multiple sections! :P

I suggest everyone sends multiple PM's to each of those mods (especially Bob... send him HUNDREDS)


I'll mention something in the mod forum

[RunningMild]

BATTLES OF PRINCE OF PERSIA

Some reviews have dismissed this game as a cheap Advance Wars clone, so I'll start by saying that this isn't the case. PoP (as it will be called in this review) is a very different game, but since it is a turn-based strategy game, comparisons with AW are inevitable. So what makes PoP so different?

The first major difference is the kind of strategy this game employs. AW required you to capture buildings, manage your money, and build units. PoP takes a different approach, giving you a selection of units and throwing you straight into the battle. This allows the game to focus more on the battling aspect of turn-based strategy, and it requires much more planning and forward-thinking than AW.

To add depth, PoP employs a card system for giving orders and activating effects. This adds a Yu-Gi-Oh-style element of deck management and card collection to the game, and a significant portion of the game will be spent refining your deck and adding new cards. In battle, it's quite simple- you have a certain number of cards depending on your current hand size (your hand is replenished every game hour- a game hour ends when both players pass consecutively), and each turn you can play 1 card. You either activate it's effect (which can be almost anything), or give the number of orders written on the card (anywhere between 2 and 5). Orders boil down to 'move' and 'attack', so there will be times when you just need to command your units, and other times when it will be necessary to activate effects.

There are 3 armies- Persians, Indians, and Deavas- and each has 3 generals to pick from (including the Prince of Persia), plus their own exclusive cards to unlock. The General works as a regular unit, but also provides ATK and DEF boosts, increases the default hand size (4), and is required for certain card effects. The units themselves are classified according to size (Large, Medium, Small) and weapon (Sword, Missile, Pike). Each of these classifications works in a scissors, paper, rock format, and attacking with the right units can result in more powerful attacks.

Since this game focuses on battle, the act of battling has many intricacies- each unit has to face a certain direction, and attacks from the sides or back are more powerful. Terrain plays a part with certain terrain affecting ATK and DEF, but not as much as in AW. It's main purpose is to affect movement. There are other aspects of battle to take into consideration (including the actual ATK and DEF of the units), and while it seems daunting at first, it all makes sense when you start playing.

Playing the game is made easier by the innovative control system. Like Metroid Prime: Hunters, both halves of the controller do the same thing, so you pick a side and use the other hand to commandeer the touchscreen. It is an excellent setup that takes full advantage of the control opportunities the DS presents.

The game is not without it's problems. Graphics and sound do their job but are admittedly average, even for the DS (however, the 'rain falling from a top-down perspective' is an awesome effect). Also, there are far less game modes than AW. There is Campaign and Skirmish, and you can play multiplayer with wireless link-up or by passing the DS back and forth. Extra replay value is gained by trying to get all the cards and master all 9 generals (and they all require different strategies) but it doesn't have the sheer weight of options and unlockables as AW.

Overall, PoP is a great strategy game. It's not without it's flaws, and it's definitely not for all gamers, but if it happens to grab your interest, you'll be hooked until the very end.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg

[Stevorooni]

SUPER MARIO 64 DS
Nintendo DS

By Stevo


Some years ago, Nintendo revolutionised the platform game genre with the launch title “Super Mario 64” for their Nintendo 64 console. Never before had people seen a simple platform game transported to the third dimension, allowing more freedom to explore exotic worlds and opening up new opportunities for different types of gameplay.

Fast forward to a year or so ago and Mario 64 has made a reappearance on the Nintendo DS. A fair amount has changed, but is it enough to justify a repurchase if you have the original? Well lets have a look at what’s new.

Firstly there’s extra characters, no longer are you stuck with fatass Mario to play with, this time Luigi, Wario and Yoshi are all selectable. In the DS version you begin the game as Yoshi and have to rescue the others one at a time before you can use them.

As an added bonus, to save you from having to trek back to the character change room, Yoshi can automatically transform into another character in each level ‘opening screen’ once they are unlocked. You may also find hats for the other characters floating around levels, once worn you will automatically change into them. The reason for the constant character change is that certain objectives can only be completed by certain people due to their different abilities.

What are these abilities? Well Yoshi can swallow enemies, fart them into throwable eggs and can power up to breathe fire. Mario remains pretty much the same as before where he can get the winged cap powerup and can now turn into a fat floaty thing. Luigi has the ‘invisible walk through walls’ ability and can jump further and higher, while Wario can smash through obstacles and turn into heavy metal so he can sink to the bottom of oceans. These extra abilites are a welcome addition to the game (even if some are just recycled and stolen from Mario in the N64 original) and help to make each character unique.

Some objectives have remained the same as the N64 version, others have changed slightly to require a specific character to complete them, while there’s some completely new ones thrown in (30 extra stars to collect, 150 in total). There’s a few extra areas to get through (mainly when you’re rescuing another character), but overall the levels should look very familiar if you have played the N64 version.

There are also mini games to unlock, 36 in total. These are unlocked by stealing keys from helpless little bunnies littered throughout the worlds. The mini games are where this game’s lastability comes in, some are just darn addictive (curse you shell smashing game!) while others will frustrate the hell out of you.

Multiplayer is also available over Nintendo’s wireless connection if you have any friends with a DS handy. Games consist of running around an open level collecting stars and smacking your opponents to steal their stars before the timer runs out. Hours of fun.

The game has also received a graphical upgrade (as pointed out by Mr M :D). While some of the washed out bright colours have been replaced by grainier colours in the levels, the character models have been vastly improved, especially Mario and Bowser.

Now for the downside, mainly the controls. The DS is lacking an analogue stick, being replaced by the touchscreen. Some people have had no problems adjusting to the touchscreen controls, but personally I struggled, forcing me to use the D-Pad, which wasn’t really designed for 3D movement and tends to wreck havoc on your thumb after a long amount of usage. Also as I said earlier, a lot of the levels will look VERY familiar if you have played the original, so you may be able to make your way through the game fairly quickly if you know what you’re doing.

Overall if you haven’t played the original, then this game is well worth the money. If you were a diehard fan of the original the extras in this version would still make it very attractive, otherwise you might want to try before you buy.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

[AranchineD]

Sounds like fun.

I'll do Meteos for DS sometime soon, then.
________
vaporizer review (http://vaporizers.net/)

[RunningMild]

Some people have had no problems adjusting to the touchscreen controls,

Yes! I got a mention! :)

Good review to kick things off, but you forgot to mention that the graphics are miles better then they were on N64- in particular, Mario and Bowser, whose character models were taken from Gamecube games rather than N64.

[Stevorooni]

Cheers, added in a couple of sentences about it :D

[Jickle]

I'm do Wario Ware on GBA, purely because I want more people buying it.

[666]

sweet shit, bitches

[Maxi]

I'll do Tony Hawk American Sk8land for DS.

[TSplodey]

Dibs on Metroid Prime Hunters!

[Zinnwaldite]

Relax people i'm sure we can all handle multiple reviews of the same game! :P

Awesome thread.

[FrozenSoul80]

There's my first review. Go easy on me :P

[The Brett]

I'm do Wario Ware on GBA, purely because I want more people buying it.

I wasn't going to, but when I looked into your dreamy, dreamy eyes, I couldn't resist. It's lucky for you it happens to be a freaking awesome game, too.

FS: Might want to add a score at the end of your review, champ.

EDIT:

After my highly successful first review (I assume) I'll reserve this post for a review of Advance Wars: DS. Most games to be reviewed, if not all, so far, will recieve a score of 4/5 so I would like to give a review of a game that everyone seems to love but I just don't see what's so great about it. CONTROVERSY.

[The Brett]

After my highly successful first review (I assume) I'll reserve this post for a review of Advance Wars: DS. Most games to be reviewed, if not all, so far, will recieve a score of 4/5 so I would like to give a review of a game that everyone seems to love but I just don't see what's so great about it. CONTROVERSY.

[Jickle]

Incidentlly, if Arachined doesn't give Meteos a 5/5, I'll do a second review of it.

[FrozenSoul80]

FS: Might want to add a score at the end of your review, champ.


LOL, knew I was forgetting to do something :P

[Stevorooni]

Excellent guys, keep it up. :D

I'm gonna do Mario Kart DS sometime this weekend

[Vicious]

I want to review Sonic Rush for DS when I get a chance, best Sonic handheld since I could take Sonic and Knuckles 3 with me on the Nomad.

EDIT:
Oh, and Trauma Center. Yes, cutting people up under an arcade enviroment is fun. . . I mean surgery :shady:

[KickyFunkFresh]

I call dibs on Ouendan.

[TSplodey]

Just right click the link below for the score you want and 'Copy Shortcut', then paste it into your review inbetween IMG tags.
This handy bit only comes up on FireFox afaik. Definately not IE though. Just incase any IE users were a bit lost.

[Stevorooni]

This handy bit only comes up on FireFox afaik. Definately not IE though. Just incase any IE users were a bit lost.

huh?

:what?:

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/7569/iepic0no.gif

Appears in IE for me

[TSplodey]

Oh Im probably thinking of other cases like Pictures. IE made me go into properties for that. My bad.

[RunningMild]

My PoP review is coming this weekend.

Hell, if no-one else wants to do it, I'll reserve this spot for Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow!

[gaselite]

Tetris DS review I did for uni paper, may or may not get published, operating with 250 word limit

Ahh Tetris, one of the greatest games ever? In this reviewer’s humble opinion, yes. So simple, yet so utterly compelling, you can rely on Tetris as a game that you can come back to and plug away at for a long time to the point that, wherever you look, all you can see is those bloody tetrahedrons.
So it would seem to be a rather smart decision for Nintendo to bring the game to the DS. Wise choice, and it’s reassuring to see that it’s not a hastily put together game of Tetris, but a version with numerous additional modes and features.
The presentation is laced with nostalgia, featuring graphics and tunes from classic Nintendo games, which will either make you warm and fuzzy inside with the memories, or shit you to tears.
Oddly, the core single player gameplay has been changed somewhat. The game stops when you clear 200 lines, and with the ability to keep pieces in play by constantly rotating them, it’s not much of a challenge. Once you overcome that little hurdle, you unlock an endless mode, but this literally can be endless, and you can rack up insanely high scores if you can be bothered, but the threat of defeat is never as strong as it once was. Aside from the single player mode though, you have a touch mode, puzzle modes and the interesting bastard child of Tetris which they have dubbed Catch Mode. The big surprise here is the online multiplayer, which is a staggering amount of fun and fiercely competitive, making this one online game that is definitely worth playing.
At around 60 dollars, it’s a hefty price for such an old game, but you get a lot for your money and that classic Tetris tried and tested gameplay.

[The Brett]

Gase, remember to give it a rating out of 5 for quick reference on the first page.

Nice review by the way, the online multiplayer was something I wasn't even aware of and interests me greatly. What modes are available in it?

[gaselite]

sorry Brett, I don't give scores in my reviews, partly coz we don't have scores in the student paper, and partly because I want people to actually read my review ;) sorry once again, everyone else can attribute an imaginary score to it though >.>

multiplayer modes for quick wifi are 2 player vs without items, 4 player vs with items and push mode which is an intense tug of war mode which is played out on the same playing field. You get more control over the settings if you play people on your friend list though :)

[RunningMild]

everyone else can attribute an imaginary score to it though >.>

1/5? What's wrong with you? ;)

[The Brett]

Advance Wars DS

Nintendo DS

By Brett Walker

Hmm, nothing like a bit of controversy.

What to say about Advance Wars DS? Well, I bought this game on the heavy recommendation of the members of this forum, because it seems as though it's quite popular around here. The Advance Wars games for the GBA were always those kinds of games that I always looked over, and never really considered no matter how much praise they receieved. But, when I got my DS I decided to bite the bullet and grab it.

Is Advance Wars: DS a bad game? By no means. Is it a fun game? Well... that's definately debatable.

Things start off promisingly enough in Story Mode. You basically have to try and defeat the Black Hole Army on some island (not much of a story, but that's largely irrelevant as it was never a game I bought for that reason). Gameplay mechanics are initially quite interesting. It's not too complicated, but you get tutored quite well in the first few levels on the ins and outs of combat. The touch screen functionality isn't innovative, but it's definately nice to use to control your units.

Things begin to go downhill from there. Now, if you've played an Advance Wars game before, I can see why you'd love this. If you understand how to strategise in the originaly games, you'll appreciate the added layers to this title (tag team fighting and super powers). But, that's the thing- this game is ONLY really enjoyable to existing fans of the series. As a newcomer, the thing is damn near unplayable, even with a walkthrough.

The intricacies of battle do not lie in combat strategy. That's pretty straightforward. It becomes apparant not only due to basic inference, but also because the game literally tells you, what the best course of action is to take. Problem is, if you don't really understand how things work, it's very hard to actually implement the strategy. The issue lies in the fact that strategising comes not from battle, but from character management. You MUST understand the way certain units operate, which I guess is fair enough if you're a fan of things like card battle games, but I bought this expecting it to be a futuristic Age of Empires.

I guess you could say it's just not my cup of tea. I don't like this game out of personal preference. For newcomers, you basically have to learn not only how the game works, but also how the added features ON TOP OF the existing features work, all at the very same time. It often becomes a complete mess trying to organise everything you're trying to do, which is strange considering the small scale of the game and the basic layout.

To me, Advance Wars DS falls short as a game that loses out to me due to it being completely inaccessible. I did actually enjoy playing it, because it's an incredibly deep game with alot to offer. Problem for me is, I don't have tens or hundreds of hours of time to invest just to learn the basics. If I want to invest that amount of time, I would like to become a master at a game rather than simply sufficiently good.

Now, I know the reaction for many right now will be that I don't like this simply because I'm too lazy or "not smart enough to get it." Wrong. I "get" how this game is meant to work. It's just not the kind of game that I like. My kind of turn-based strategy game involves meticulous micro-management, where a large amount of discretion is required to be successful. Advance Wars doesn't so much require innovation in approach so much as it requires endless replay. You don't STRAGISE how you will take that certain airport before the enemy, you LEARN because you lost so many times before trying to do it.

It was fun, but there was no reward. I need a game to offer me more than victory. I want my victory to come from personal satisfaction that I overcame certain odds, rather than the fact I was able to stick to a battle plan that is required to succeed. The focus in Advance Wars is not on battling, and I emphasise this- it is on UNITS. You need to understand how your UNITS work in terms of strengths and weaknesses, not how you can employ them in a battle situation and coordinate efforts. Newbies to the series- I recommend borrowing this from a friend or waiting until the price is very low before giving this a try. Fans of the series- get it, you won't be dissapointed.

Multiplayer includes a completely pointless real-time combat mode that offers nothing, and regular battle hook ups. Multiplayer is much more fun.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds2.jpg

Please note that this review is intended not to explore the gameplay mechanics of Advance Wars DS, but rather highlight the things that impressed or did not impress me. It was written under the assumption that the way in which the game works is well understood by the reader, given the popularity of the game and ease of accessing other reviews. I agree that all the gameplay elements are well done (as you will read in other reviews) but there are a number of flaws that I believe exist in the game. It is only my opinion.

[Maxi]

Tony Hawk American Sk8land


This game is, in a word, gorgeous. Don’t listen to what people say about the graphics, this game is really pretty and it has absolutely beautiful animations. Ok, ok, I’m sorry for starting the review with graphics, let’s get to what’s really important.

This game feels really good. The only Tony Hawk game I played before this was THPS2. Now although that game was awesome, the main problem I had with it was that the levels were pretty bland. There were only two levels I’d actually play in it. This game improves on that, with me only not wanting to play one level, but I play it anyway because it’s still amazingly fun.

The controls in this game are, put simply, very easy. There really isn’t a whole lot to learn before you’re skating crazy style all over the wazoo. But, like all good games, it takes patience to learn all the intricacies and become “good” at the game.

This game also has a good soundtrack. Sure I can argue that Greenday shouldn’t be on there, and they should have used the original Search And Destroy, but hey, you can’t have it all. Also, the fact that you can record your own voice for when your little man (or woman) pulls off a nice trick or stacks it is great. Really, you can hear swearing in a single player game on a Nintendo system. SHOCK HORROR!!

You can also make your own board design. Using the touch screen to decide what you want your board to look like. You can also do this with graffiti. You get two board and two graffiti… errr… walls, to make your own. This customisation, however, is not as great as it may at first seem. There are only a limited number of clothing styles to choose from when creating a character, and by limited, I mean about ten heads, ten tops and ten bottoms to choose from (that is ten for male and ten for female).

So is this game worth getting? Well the single player game is over fairly quickly, even if you do all the missions, but Classic Mode and trying to find all of the gaps give it a fairly long life for those of you who want 100%. If you can play multiplayer, well I’m guessing it would be great. I haven’t actually played it yet because I don’t know anyone who has the game, and it only supports multi card play. So, if you enjoyed previous Tony Hawk games, I say this is a must have title. If you didn’t, well it’s really up to you. I got this game a couple of months ago and I’m still playing it, if that’s any help.


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg.5

[sidochrome]

RE: Brett's Advance Wars DS tragedy.

That is possibly the worst. 'Review'. Ever.

It's essentially an extended bitch of 'I don't like turn based strategy... still', based on the fact that you seemed to expect an RTS, without offering any information, comparison or educated analysis of the game.

I'm personally no fan of Advance Wars either, for the record.

1/5 for reinforcing the EB employee stereotype.

[The Brett]

Sorry sidochrome, I'll alter my opinion so it better suits what what you'd like to see. If I don't enjoy a game, I only thought it was fair for me to tell everyone exactly why, so one may use this as an oppositional argument. I considered writing the review based on how good the game was from a neutral standpoint, but I thought it would be more valuable if I based it on opinion, due to the enourmous praise the game receives, which I am sure is entirely earned. If anyone wants to know how this game works, go to the 10 000-post Advance Wars thread.

This coming from the guy who neg rep'd me in the EB thread for a sarcastic comment I had made, EVEN AFTER ANOTHER FORUMER HAD POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS SARCASTIC.

Coming soon: A picture of Sidochrome crying and masturbating in front of a mirror.

[sidochrome]

Yeah, I was upset the cat caught me.

http://www.ceilingcat.com/

Just to get you up to speed, my problem's not with your opinion, it's with your inability to express your opinion in a coherent and constructive way.

[The Brett]

I can see where you're coming from, and it's because I chose not to relate all of my concerns to the actual gameplay. They were more general statements directed at how the game works conceptually.

I wrote the review without the intention for it to be a review of how the game worked, but rather the levels on which I enjoyed or did not enjoy it. In the interests of time and space, I preferred to assume it was fairly easy for the reader to piece each notion I brought up with other reviews which go into it in more detail. I didn't think it's too hard to understand what I'm trying to say in the context of the gameplay, because my gripe isn't with that. The gameplay is fundamentally very good. It's just, for the reasons I stated, I didn't enjoy the it.

[TSplodey]

Up to 3 reviews per game remember Sido. Go write your own and give it the score it deserves. I should really get round to doing my Metroid one. I might do AWDS after as well then.

Also Stevo, I know its a pain, but can we have Half score pictures? Eg: 1.5/5 4.5/5.

[Stevorooni]

well I've been meaning to redo some of the images because the ds ones look a little screwey.

Maybe I'll just create a '+0.5' image you can chuck on the end of one of the other score images. A DS with only one screen perhaps? :P


and I've been meaning to redo my Mario Kart DS review since the forum crash but I've been very busy recently, but it should be up soon.


Keep up the good work anyway guys!

[Maxi]

Tony Hawk American Sk8land (http://forums.hyperactive.com.au/showpost.php?p=255970&postcount=31) - Maxi - 3/5
THAT SCORE IS WRONG!! I GAVE IT 3.5!! Go look at the pics, it has a .5 at the end!!

[Stevorooni]

Oops! Fixed now :D

[Späg]

Polarium
Nintendo DS

By Spag

If the DS was designed for one genre in particular, it would be the puzzle genre. There are quite a few puzzlers available on the DS and as a fan of puzzle games I set out and bought myself a couple of them. One of these games is Polarium, a game that is driven by simplicity; simple graphics, simple sound, and a simple concept. There is nothing wrong with this approach as the immensely famous and popular Tetris proves. A game does not have to be drenched in complexity for it to appeal to gamers. So does Polarium join the likes of Tetris in terms of gaming brilliance? Or does it fall short of such an accomplishment? Read on to find out.

The idea behind Polarium is to create horizontal lines of either black or white tiles. Clusters of tiles will fall down the screen as you play and by dragging the stylus over tiles, they will flip over from black to white and vice versa. Successfully create an entire row of one colour and that row will disappear. It really is that simple and it takes little time to become accustomed to the gameplay. The way to master Polarium is to be able to use single strokes to clear as many lines as possible. Thankfully, this is made possible through the boarder, which surrounds your playing screen. This boarder does not contain black or white tiles so it allows you to ‘exit’ the area of play in order to draw longer lines. You may find yourself drawing lots of smaller lines when you first start playing but you will soon understand the benefits of using a single, long stroke. If you are attentive enough, you will even realize that the clusters of tiles that form are not random and instead they are like templates. This means that you can memorize the stroke pattern needed for each cluster. Some are much easier then others due to varying cluster sizes and there are many combinations so learning all of them is quite a task. However, as the game progresses it becomes quite difficult to stay alive (not let the screen fill with tiles) so using your memory becomes vital. In fact, if you are good enough, you can draw the line before the cluster of tiles even hits the bottom. As soon as the cluster lands you can tap the end of your drawn line to flip the tiles and clear the rows. This is basically the crux of Polarium. There isn’t a lot more to it then creating rows of tiles in either dichotomy – black or white.

Polarium offers just three modes of play – the challenge mode (main mode), puzzle mode, and versus mode. Challenge mode is the main game whereby you play to earn the highest score and ranking as possible. The game manual challenges you to clear 1,000 lines but I never got more then about 300. Every 100 lines a pink line will hit the bottom, which will clear the screen which helps you for a little while. The game does get rather hard though and tiles start falling pretty quickly. You have little choice but to clear huge chunks if possible which is best done by learning how to clear each cluster in one line. The puzzle mode offers a selection of puzzle that will quickly rattle your brain. Sure, they start off easy but they start getting difficult in no time. The puzzle mode is a good change of pace and allows you to sit back and use your cognitive abilities to their full potential. What do you do in puzzle mode I hear you asking? It’s simple; you must clear a group of tiles in just one line. You are offered some hints if you get stuck (either where to start or what you did last attempt) and you will need them in the later levels. Puzzle mode also allows you to create your own puzzles for you to share with friends if you desire to do so. The final mode is versus mode, which needs no explanation.

Graphics are very simple in Polarium and it would be wrong to be critical of the game for a lack of colour or pretty graphics. Polarium is meant to be presented in this way as it’s all about simplicity. That said, the menu screens are a bit dull and a little bit of life wouldn’t have hurt. Sound is also very simple and again reflects the ‘simple’ ideology the game holds. Once again, a bit more variety would have been nice, especially after playing Meteos, which excels in this department with a trippy, spaced out soundtrack. I’ll throw Nintendo/Mitchell a bone though – they aimed for a simple game and they delivered a simple game on all fronts. Well, with an exception of difficulty level perhaps.

Polarium doesn’t have the same appeal as a game like Tetris or Meteos. I enjoyed Polarium but it never captivated me and after a week or so I found myself playing other games. It didn’t have that magic that will make it a classic game for years to come. Being fair though, few games to have such a magical flair and Polarium is a pretty good game. It offers simple mechanics that can be both enjoyed by those who want a quick fix of puzzling and those who wish to master the game. There are better puzzle games out there on the DS and as such Polarium is worth a look but ultimately is probably a game you should just rent or borrow from a mate. Spend your money elsewhere on a game like Meteos or Tetris DS.



http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds2.jpg

[BM2]

Reserving this spot for Megaman Maverick Hunter X for PSP.

I will get around to writing these reviews in about a week or two, after exams are over.

[Jay]

@ Spag

Just read your Polarium review, and having picked it up cheap at Game Rush a couple of weeks ago, I have to agree with you on most fronts. Engaging little game, but gets unplayably difficult too quickly. Puzzle mode is much more enjoyable, and haven't tried out the versus yet. Well-written too. It's always good to read literate, intelligent game reviews.

@ Stevo

I might have a go at 'Another Code' in a few days, just to belie my penchant for well-written reviews. I know it's an old game that no one really liked much anyway, but I finished it a few weeks ago and think it deserves some air time, so if I get all my exam correction done I'll give it a go.

[RunningMild]

METEOS

Here is a puzzle game that promised big things. It was made by Q Entertainment, the same company behind the excellent Lumines. And just as that game took advantage of the PSP's abilities with great graphics and CD quality music that was incorporated right into the game, Meteos takes advantage of the DS's unique abilities- namely, the touch screen, which is incorporated into every aspect of the game, not to mention a visual style all of it's own. But is this enough to maketh the game?

The first thing to mention about Meteos is the opening cut scene. Even when compared to Metroid's cut scenes, this ranks among the best graphics ever seen on a DS. Surprising, seeing as it's only a puzzle game, but a nice addition.

The game itself is reminiscient of Tetris Attack, but with one major twist- the tiles are swapped vertically, not horizontally. This will allow Tetris Attack gamers to jump right in, as the basic objective is to match up 3 identical tiles in a row. This causes them to launch into the air, lifting all the tiles above them, and it is possible to create many combos (ie. if a launched set of tiles don't reach the top, you can launch another set underneath to give them an extra push).

This gameplay mechanic is fully exploited in the environments, which have varying levels of gravity. Some also have other stipulations, including having it so only horizontal, not vertical, rows will launch.

After getting used to the basic mechanics, it soon becomes clear that the stylus is required for the highest scores and biggest combos. Using the stylus, you can pick one tile and drag it to the desired spot, rather than having to switch every pair of tiles along the way. This allows everything to be done much quicker, and if you get used to stylus control, you will find yourself doing twice as much in the same amount of time. It also makes it easier to activate weapons, which only have to be tapped with the stylus to begin a countdown to activation.

Sounds pretty good, right? Unfortunately, game modes is where the game falls over. You have a 1-player Adventure mode (most of your time will be spent here) which is actually very good and contains a lot of entertaining alternate endings, but once it's completed, what next? There's a mode where you can set the rules and play one game, there are timed modes where you try to get a high score (along with modes where you have to clear a certain number of meteos in the quickest time), and an endless mode called Deluge. Every Meteo launched in any mode will go towards the Fusion room, which is where you can unlock new planets, weapons and rare metals if you can pay the right amounts of certain meteos. Rare metals, once unlocked, are necessary to fuse new planets, so it builds up in that way.

The problem is, these modes aren't the kind that will hold your attention for too long. Deluge really isn't a good substitute for 'Endless' because it speeds up and finishes so quickly that you can't get a long, satisfying game out of it- well, not like Tetris anyway. The other modes, despite the extra stipulations, feel exactly the same as Deluge, which leads to quick boredom. There is a 2 player mode, but I never got to play it.

The biggest crime is that this game doesn't contain modes that would have actually given it the kind of shelf life that peanut butter enjoys. A puzzle mode similar to Tetris Attack would have gone down a treat, plus the game mechanics would have allowed for more than 1 solution for most puzzles. Also, a true endless mode like Tetris DX (the GBC one), where the game speeds up with every level (as opposed to speeding up with every meteo launched) would have been more fun and long-lasting, and as in Tetris DX, being able to choose the level at the beginning and trying to get the high scores for each of those levels would have provided the incentive to keep playing months after the Adventure mode was conquered.

But as it stands, Meteos lacks that quality that is essential for all puzzle games- being able to play for five minutes or five hours. Without the appropriate modes, five minute games are all you can expect once Adventure mode is finished, unless you really have to fuse every single planet, weapon and rare metal (and chances are you won't). Compared to Tetris DS- a puzzle game which you can play for days at a time and has multiplayer modes you can play over the internet- Meteos is simply not worth the purchase. Nice try Q, but you could do so much better!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds2.jpg

[The Brett]

My Wolfestein review is coming soon as well, I'm only a couple stages from finishing the game (jesus, what a treck) again.

[AranchineD]

Also, reserving this spot for Meteos.

Shit, you reminded me I was supposed to write one for it. I should get on it.
________
cheap easy vape vaporizer (http://vaporizer.org/reviews/easy-vape)

[Zinnwaldite]

I'm looking forward to a New Super Mario Bros review from someone.

[Maxi]

Project Rub

Project Rub is the kind of game that makes you think “what the hell is going on?” But in a good way of course. Right from the title screen with it’s weird and wonderful music, down to the very last level, you won’t know what hit you, but you’ll sure as hell be glad that it did.

This is a game that was designed purely for the DS, so the only controls are the touch screen and the microphone. These are put to good use as you try to impress the girl of your dreams. Yes, the whole point of Project Rub is to impress a girl. You do this by performing whacky stunts to get love points from her. Pass the stunt, and you get love points, fail and you’ll lose some points.

These stunts go from plain weird, with the first one trying to get goldfish out of a man’s stomach, to daringly dangerous, like trying to unicycle across a thin, winding bridge above two skyscrapers. Now these may not sound like they would be a lot of fun, but if you start playing, it’s a game you won’t want to put down until after you’ve finished it. The game just works. Everything from the music to the stunts, the graphics to the precision of the stylus works so well together that you will have a blast playing it.

However, this is where things get bad. The game is short. Really short. You will finish it in an afternoon, and then you’ll only ever pick it up every now and then if you’re a real pervert and want to unlock all of the outfits for the girl. What’s this? You can get outfits for her? Yes, and being a Japanese game, there is a schoolgirl uniform. However, to get all of the outfits, you have to play through all of the mini games again, and many people simply will not be bothered to do this, but if you are, it does add some length to the amount of time you will play it.

So, when it comes down to it, is this game worth your hard earned cash? Well that really depends on how much you pay for it. If you can pick it up for around $20 or less, than pick it up, for that price you can’t do much better. But if you see it for more than that, unless you really love mini games (in which case you would have already picked this up), then you should probably give it a miss. I should also mention that with my score, it is if you can pick it up for $20 or less. Subtract 2 points off the score if you can’t find it for that price.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

[RunningMild]

I reached 3000 posts lately, and when I tried to think of an appropriate milestone, I decided instead to do this Castlevania review I've been planning for too long.

This is a way of 'giving back' (if you'll buy that), because in doing this review, I hope to inspire everyone else to get those reviews in and make this a great thread once more.

So, without further ado, let us celebrate...

CASTLEVANIA: DAWN OF SORROW

This isn't your usual Castlevania review, purely because it is the first Castlevania game I have ever played. That means I will be judging the game on it's own merits, rather than typing 'Symphony of the Night' ten billion times. However, if popular opinion is to be believed, this game is excellent (stop whingeing Aubergine!), whether you're new to the series or a hardened veteran.

And it's not hard to see why, since this game wins in almost every respect. The hardest part of this review is trying to figure out what to rave about first, so I might as well start from the beginning.

In 1999, Dracula was removed from existence when his castle was sealed away in a solar eclipse, seperating Dracula from his source of power. Upon his death, his evil essence spread across the Earth one more time, and every child born at that moment inherited supernatural powers. Fast forward to 2035, and the castle has returned during a solar eclipse. One of those children has the chance to use the castle to become the new Dark Lord. Already, the story is a winner, providing a fresh new twist on the 'kill Dracula' premise, and along with the 'Aria of Sorrow' background, Konami have a winning story arc on their hands.

The protagonist, Soma Cruz, uses his dark powers for good. His mission is to enter the castle (at risk of becoming the Dark Lord himself) in order to stop the evil dark lord candidates, Dario and Dimitri, from obtaining absolute power. From the beginning, it is clear that the graphics are excellent. As far as 2D platformers go, you'll be hard pushed to find one with this much detail, richness in colour, and fluidity in animation. Screw the fact that the characters have no faces- the graphics are so good you won't care. There are even some scrolling 3D backgrounds, which makes it all the more appealing. The sound is also excellent, with appropriate effects, speech samples, and remixes of classic Castlevania tunes such as Vampire Killer and Bloody Tears (I may not have played another CV game, but I do a lot of research ;) ).

But as always, the gameplay is where the game is won and lost, and Castlevania wins. It starts with a Metroid structure- you enter a world which you can explore at yur own pace, and contains many out-of-reach areas which you unlock as you gain new abilities. Now throw in a bit of X Men Legends 2- the enemies are basically cannon fodder (initially), but killing them allows you to level up, giving you more powerful stats to kill progressively more powerful enemies. But the Soul system is the real kicker- killing enemies gives you souls, and each soul has a special ability. You can use these abilities as you please, or you can merge souls with weapons to create more powerful weapons. This will lead to many tough decisions with hard-to-get souls- do I want to use the ability itself, or upgrade my axe to a more powerful axe? Weapons can also be sold for cash to buy other weapons/items, so the game allows you to completely customise your combat/playing style in any way you see fit.

I have to mention that the game has multiple endings, but I think the game is designed in a way to always give you clues as to what's next. Even when you beat the boss normally and get the shithouse ending, the map clearly shows that there is another, fully accessible area, to explore. Exploring this area results in the acquisition of a new soul which will lead you to the other endings in the game. The game uses this carrot-donkey method a lot, but it's never completely impossible to figure out where to go next. This has caused some controversy so I had to mention it.

Once the game is finished, that's it, right? WRONG! Not only can you play the game on Hard Mode, but you get another version of the game called Julius Mode. This allows you to crack the whip as Julius Belmont as you enter the castle to hunt down Dark Lord Soma Cruz, and you can switch characters to utilise the special skills of Yoko and Alucard (returning from SotN). There are other modes, including Boss Rush and various 2 player modes that will extend the life somewhat.

Besides the graphical upgrade, the best part of Castlevania on the DS is the map. The map is always on the second screen, allowing you to check it any time at a glance. It shows where you've been, where you haven't been, and the locations of save points and warp points, allowing you to plot your course through the castle with extreme ease. The only soul that really takes advantage of the touchscreen is the 'Alura Une', where you attack the place you touch. The seals you have to draw to kill bosses are not needed, but don't exactly ruin the game either.

Overall, as Quatters once said, Castlevania is the best experience you can have on the DS. It is really that good. It spits in the face of all other handheld games for not being as cool. It has recently been re-released for a good price (though any price is a good price for this game), so stop reading this and buy it!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds5.jpg

[RunningMild]

Reviews of Doom and Doom II (GBA) coming when I get the games in my cold, dead hands.

[The Brett]

How the hell did you get those games? I've been looking forever, and been completely unable to find it (bar "cart only" eBay copies).

[Stevorooni]

Awesome Mr M, keeping the thread alive I see :D

Sorry I haven't been contributing to this recently guys, been hella busy.

I've also relaxed the rules a little."No more than 3 reviews per game" is now more of a recommendation, rather than a strict rule.

[Maxi]

Awesome Mr Maxi, keeping the thread alive I see :D
Fixed!

910

[Jickle]

METEOS
Meteos is simply not worth the purchase. Nice try Q, but you could do so much better!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds2.jpg

Clearly I've been playing a different version of Meteos for the past seven months to the one you played.

I won't write out a full review, suffice to say that Meteos is my favourite game on the system. I'll go through stages where I'll play it daily, even months after getting it. It truely is brilliant.

[RunningMild]

How the hell did you get those games? I've been looking forever, and been completely unable to find it (bar "cart only" eBay copies).

I actually bought some 'cart only' eBay copies. :D

[Maxi]

Just to give you all something exciting, hopefully this weeekend I will have up a review comparing the two DS models (fat and lite), a PSP, and a GBMicro.

Yes, I will be fair in my reviews, and won't slam any system because of any biased fanboyism, but I'll write it now and I'll write it again in the review, this review will not be based on the games, but on the systems themselves. You'll understand completely when it's done.

[RunningMild]

Just to give you all something exciting, hopefully this weeekend I will have up a review comparing the two DS models (fat and lite), a PSP, and a GBMicro.

Yes, I will be fair in my reviews, and won't slam any system because of any biased fanboyism, but I'll write it now and I'll write it again in the review, this review will not be based on the games, but on the systems themselves. You'll understand completely when it's done.

Sounds good. I'll have my Doom/Doom II ones up soon as well, whenever I get time to write them and when I decide what score to give them.

[Maxi]

PSP vs DS vs DS Lite vs GB Micro



So, the battle for handheld supremecy is in full flight. People have been arguing about which system is the best ever since they have been released. Well, now I'm here to put an end to the arguments. I will go through each system looking at the good points and bad points. Of course, a lot of this will come down to personal opinion, because that's what a review is, so don't try to slam me if you don't agree with something I've said.

Also, this review will only use games to help argue points, it will not actually be a review based on games, so that side of the argument is still open for those of you who want to try to add fuel to the fire.

So, on with the review!

Portability
First things first, these are portable systems. Obviously, that means you can carry them around with you and play wherever you are. Taking this into account, it's pretty obvious that the Micro is going to kick arse here. It's size means that it absolutely wipes the floor with everything, including it's closest competition in the DS Lite.

Yes, you can argue the point that it has a miniscule screen, but this doesn't really seem to bother me, and I wear glasses, so I guess I'm pretty qualified to say that. Also, the battery on this thing goes on and on. In my amatuer tests (me playing until the battery runs out), it is not quite as long lasting as the DS or the DS Lite, but it is much longer than the PSP.

The DS Lite comes in second here due to it's size and battery life. Also, the fact that it is a foldable design means that you can chuck it in your bag without fear of the screen being scratched to shit.

The PSP and DS are the two losers here, with the DS beating out the PSP due to the fact that it's battery lasts so much longer.

Playability
In this again, the winner is the Micro. Just. It beats the PSP for two small, yet significant reasons. The first is the weight of it, which really speaks for itself. The second is that the analog nub on the PSP is just in a really uncomfortable position. It makes the PSP more annoying to play than it should be.

But other than the weight and the analog nub, the PSP is a brilliantly designed system. Sure it is heavy, but that really doesn't seem to bother me all that much. I can still play for hours on end without a complaint.

The DS and the DS Lite, both being rectangular in shape are actually annoying to hold. The Lite starts to fix this problem with it's weight and more rounded edges, but it still isn't enough. My hands still get cramps while playing it. The reason the Micro is still easy to play even though it is boxy is the fact that it is so small, so it doesn't get in your way in the way that the DS and the DS Lite do.

Hardware
Really, the Micro doesn't stand a chance here. It's a generation old. It's already relegated to fourth place. So this is a battle between the PSP and the DS's. And what a hard fought battle it is.

The PSP is easily the stronger system. Technically it is a masterpiece. It puts so much brawn into a handheld that you won't realise that it is a handheld when you're playing it (OK, that's an exageration, you will know, but I'm trying to make a point here!). And that screen. It is absolutely beautiful.

The DS's implement a touch screen into them, and although the graphics are not as good as the PSP, they are still good for a portable. Also, the speakers in the DS are much better than the PSP's speakers. Sure, the PSP can have prettier games, but the touchscreen and microphone opens up so many possibilities for developers, but it has not been utilised to it's fullest in most games, and is relegated to tacked on gimmicks. The DS Lite is a better piece of tech though due to it's brighter screens, and just the general size of it, which lifts it miles above the DS.

Really, this is a battle between the DS Lite and the PSP, and it's a hard decision to make. You can really argue the point either way, but the truth is that the hardware really isn't going to make any difference if the game develepors don't use it, and because of that, I'm calling a draw on this one. Yes fanboys, this means you can keep arguing about it.

Value
This is where the real kicker comes in. How much will you get out of the systems for what you pay?

I think that this should be pretty obvious that the DS Lite wins this round. $200 for the system which can play all DS and GBA games. It is damn good value, you'd be stupid to try to argue the point.

The DS (which I'm not sure what it retails for) isn't as good value as it was before the Lite arrived, just because the Lite is so much better than it. If you're strapped for cash, then yeah, the original DS might be the way to go, otherwise you should just get the Lite.

The GB Micro although insanely cheap (between $60 and $80 new), really is not as good as you might think it is, because unless you have never owned a GBA model before it (either th eoriginal GBA or the SP), then there is really no point in it other than as a cool little gadget.

The PSP retailing for $400 (for the value pack) is... a bit over the top... For the system alone, it really isn't worth $400. I can't justify the price. I'm not saying that it's a bad machine, because it isn't. It's far from being bad. But really, $400 is a bit much. If they could take $100 off, then it would be a bargain. Hell, taking $50 off would be great. But really, $400 is too much Sony. If you have the money, then get a PSP, you won't regret it. But if you're on a budget, then get a DS Lite.

Overall
Time to tally up the votes for the systems.

DS Lite - 1:2; 2:1; 3:1; 4:0
PSP - 1:1; 2:2; 3:0; 4:1
GB Micro - 1:2; 2:0; 3:0; 4:2
DS - 1:0; 2:0; 3:3; 4:1

So there you have my professional (read: bad) opinion on the matter. The DS Lite comes first, I think rather unsurprisingly, with the PSP in second. I think the real surprise here is actually how well the Micro did, coming third, and it is extremely close to the PSP.

Anyway, as I said, this is all opinion, so don't flame me just because you don't agree.

[Maxi]

I'm doing Zoo Keeper. Will be up tonight or tomorrow.

And while I'm at it, I'll do NSMB, and maybe more.

[Maxi]

New Super Mario Brothers
There has been a big hullabaloo over this game since it’s been released. A new 2D Mario to celebrate 20 years. So does this game deliver?

Well, yes and no. But I think more no. Why is this? The game itself is not bad, but there is nothing new in it. You could play any other 2D Mario game and get the same experience. Really, Nintendo threw in a couple of new items and tasks, but nothing that really lives up to the innovation and greatness that we expect from a new Mario game, even if it is a throwback to the games of old.

The game plays like any old Mario platformer. Now this isn’t a bad thing, not at all. In fact, this is one of the good things. Of course, the controls have been tightened up, and it’s great to control Mario (or Luigi, it is named “brothers” after all). There are three new items in this game, a Koopa shell power up, a mini mushroom and a giant mushroom. The only problem with these is that there is no point in them except for specific areas, and so they are more of a gimmick added in than really good additions.

As you play the game, Mario is displayed on the top screen with the bottom screen displaying time, coins, Star Coins, a map and your spare item. The problem is that to use the spare item, you have to tap the touch screen. Why Nintendo couldn’t give this option a button press, I have no idea. This is an example of how not to implement the touch screen into a game.

The game is also extremely easy to clear. Not if you want to complete it a hundred per cent, with all the star coins, worlds and paths, but if you just want to rush to the end, you can do it in a couple of hours. And if you don’t really care about completing it 100%, well, there really isn’t much else to do. Sure, there are the added mini games, but most of these are extremely boring.

Now, most of the things I’ve picked on may seem like small things, and it may seem like I really dislike the game. It’s not that the game is bad per se, it is just that I expect so much more from a new Mario game. I know that I should be happy with it, but I can’t be that happy with a game that I don’t believe is the best it could have been, I really think Nintendo could have added so much to make this game the great game everyone really wanted.

The game is not bad by a long shot, but it really isn’t as great as new Mario game should be.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg

[Maxi]

Super Princess Peach

Super Princess Peach is a girls game. Not only is it a girls game, it is a little girls game. If this hasn’t put you off, then keep reading.

This in itself is not a bad thing. It actually adds a lot to the game. It gives it some character if you look at it like that. The game is not aimed at hardcore gamers, so it has a couple of little cutesy touches. The graphics look cute, the music is cute, the smiling clouds are cute, the enemies are cute… wait… cute enemies isn’t good. Why would you want to harm something so cute?

SPP is a pretty straightforward platform game. Get to the end of the level, and the “multiple paths” aren’t really that much extra, because they are usually just paths that lead to a Toad, of which there are three hidden in each level, and you will have to backtrack or you’ll end up in the same place anyway. Even the sub maps of each world are just a straight line.

The game is easy. Really easy. When there is anything remotely challenging, there is a hint box. Of course, you don’t have to use the hint boxes, which means that you can increase the difficulty somewhat, but it still is relatively easy without using the hint boxes.

But as I said at the start, the game is aimed at little girls, the kind of people who wouldn’t really be into playing games or would be relatively new to gaming, and so it really is understandable if you look at it this way. And if you have the right perspective, SPP is still an enjoyable game. Not great, and not a must have title, but it is still fun and worth having if you have some spare time.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg

[Maxi]

Zoo Keeper

Zoo Keeper is probably one of the cutest games you’ll ever play. Everything from the graphics to the music to the gameplay is cute. If you’re concerned about the gangsta’s in your neighbourhood beating you up for playing a cutesy game it’s probably best not to play this game in front of them.

But just because this game is cute does not mean that it is a bad game. In fact, it is far from it. Zoo Keeper is a puzzle game where you have to rescue the animals. The game screen consists of a box with the little animals inside it, with a timer that counts down. You have to get three or more of the same animal in a straight line to rescue it, and each time you rescue an animal the you will gain time. The gameplay is incredibly simple, and you have the choice of using the stylus or the buttons, but the stylus is so great to use that the buttons are pretty much redundant for this game.

There are different sub-games you can play, there is the basic story mode, where you have to catch a certain amount of each animal to move on. Then there is Tokoton 100, where you have to catch 100 of an animal to move on, with the game going on until the timer reaches zero. There is a Quest mode in which you are given tasks of catching certain animals while not catching others. And then there is a Time Attack mode in which you have six minutes to catch as many animals as you can.

You can also play multiplayer with the single game card, which is a best of three series. This is a great mode, with each player working on a separate screen, and when you catch animals, it will force the opponents time down and yours up, so the aim is to be the quickest at catching animals.

Overall this is a great game. It is one hell of a puzzle game which is simple to learn and is great for those quick burst pick up and play sessions or when you have a couple of hours to waste, and if you own a DS, you should really have this game in your collection.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

[Tukenstein]

LUNAR GENESIS - Nintendo DS
Crap, lame, awful, wanted to kill myself while playing - All words and phrases used by myself whilst playing this awful excuse for a game. The battle system is overly simple, so much so that it often makes the battles harder than they need be. What kind of crap RPG doesn't let you decide which enemy you want to attack? Huh? The answer is this one. And what kind of RPG drains your health while running? Huh? This one again. And what kind of crappy RPG makes you choose between XP and items? Lunar Genesis wins again. I honestly feel like bitch slapping myself for spending $80 on this shitty excuse for a game.
The story is equally stupid involving some fluff about searching for equality between humans and beast men. This isn't too bad, but the reason this guy goes on this journey is almost non existant. Apparently the protagonist had been sick and tired of beast men hating on humans for years, but he doesn't actually let anybody know about his patriotism until a certain part of the game effectively taking the character out of the character. And where the hell does a delivery boy learn to fight as well as he can?
Did I mention the battling system sucks hard?
Don't. Buy. This. Game. Ever.
.5/5

[Maxi]

Pokemon Mysterious Dungeon
Reviewed Blue Rescue Team (DS)

OK, I've played this game for a bit, and I can tell you right now it is nowhere near as bad as people say it is.

Seriously, if you go into it thinking it is a dungeon crawler (which is what it is) then you will have what you want. If you want more than that, then look elsewhere. By no means is this a bad game. It requires tactics in dungeons to get through. You can give your team tactics to use, and although limited, they do have an affect on the game. Of course, this being a videogame, they don't always do what you want them too, but generally it is pretty good.

The dungeon crawling can get a bit boring because it is pretty samey, but the tactics really help out here. You take items with you, and you will get hungry as you travel the dungeons. You have to eat or you'll lose stats, like attack and defence. Your HP also slowly comes back as you move around, but you can still get items that will refill your HP bar. Also, you can use a normal attack, which is relatively weak, but it is unlimited. You also have moves (like leer and ember) which have PP, like the old Pokemon games. This will run down as you use them, so you can only use them a set amount of times, but they are much stronger than your normal attack.

All in all, this is not a bad game if dungeon crawling and pokemon is your thing. If you hate either of these, then you won't like the game, but it's not exactly too bad of an addition to your game collection.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg

[Tukenstein]

Tekken: Dark Resurrection - PSP
I can't believe I'm going to say this, but, O_O... Wow... Just wow! This is how handheld ports should be. Hell, this is how any handheld game should be! Perfect game mechanics, near perfect characters (goddamn I hate Panda), game modes coming out the wazoo. This is the kind of direction the PSP needs to take, actually making new games from old ones (or just new games in general) rather than re-hashing old games and making them worse. But let's get back to Tekken.
The addition of two new characters is not just some tacked on addition with no effort involved, but rather two new actual characters. They both have their own individual new styles rather than being other characters with different bodies (I'm looking at you Smash Bros). All the characters also look extremely good despite the limited technology of the PSP.
Other new things that have been added to the game are the Tekken Dojo mode, where you fight your way through the ranks of several dojos to become uber overlord of all things everything, Gold Rush, where you get paid for each smack you lay down on an opponent, and even more customisations for your characters.
Unfortunately it isn't all candy and soda when it comes to T:DR. The controls can, at times, become frustrating to use, because of their smallness, making some of the more uber big combos harder to pull off. But as (I think) we've all heard there are going to be new add on controls coming out especially for Tekken. Yay!
Everybody go out and waste your money on this game. Now!
5/5

[RunningMild]

I have changed my mind. Doom and Doom II will be a single review, not seperate.

DOOM VS DOOM II (GBA)

Is there a gamer who's never heard of Doom? Of course not, but not everyone got to play it during it's PC heyday. Fortunately, for those who can't find a good download, the games were re-released on GBA to satisfy the next Doom-hungry generation.

But are they worth the purchase? Let's be honest, if you just want a shooter, no. But if you actually want a game titled 'DOOM'- well, that's what this review is for.

Let's start with the basics- the graphics and sound are not as good as the PC counterparts, and not very good by today's standards, but they do their job (plus the 2D sprites have a nice retro charm). The controls have been adapted well to the GBA, and there are 4 or 5 different layouts to choose from.

Now, let's start with Doom. The biggest shame is that it isn't a complete port of the original. No Cyberdemon or Spider Mastermind, not all the stages are there, and some sections have been removed from stages. This 'nip/tuck' approach creates some odd situations- by the time you get the Chainsaw, there are no enemies left to use it on (it's the end of the 'last' stage).

However, despite this disappointment, the gameplay is remarkably solid. The game's highlight comes in the second chapter, The Shores of Hell. When you're sneaking through those passageways, shotgun at the ready, with Pinky Demons jumping out of their hiding spots, you may feel a slight bit of fear. The level design is tight and very well done, the engine is nice and smooth, and the whole game is satisfying, if only as a 'blast from the past'.

After this, I was extremely excited about Doom II, for it is a complete port of the original- every weapon, enemy and stage is there, which, combined with the original's good gameplay, should result in a far more varied and entertaining experience.

The graphics in Doom II are miles better than in Doom (GBA of course), but unfortunately, the gameplay isn't up to scratch. The engine and controls, while not as tight as the first game, will feel natural after the first few stages, so that's no big problem. Actually, the game starts off really well, and once you get your hands on the double-barreled shotgun, you'll have an absolute blast. But it all falls down later on. Sure, there are more stages, but some of these turn out to be really tiny ones where you simply gun down a bunch of enemies before hitting the switch. It gets worse when the game abandons the well-designed, tense corridors for a bunch of lazy, wide-open expanses. If you get stuck in one of these levels, you'll have to trek around for eons before you start moving forward again. Progression also feels obscure and random, and the large level size ensures a lack of enemies. This results in a Turok-like situation, where instead of fighting exciting battles in claustrophobic areas, you're walking around and around through identical/repeated areas and looking at corpses from past fights. The game got so boring I gave up half-way through, and the lure of finally fighting Arachnotrons, Spider Masterminds, and the final boss weren't enough to keep me going.

Overall, if you're looking for some GBA retro goodness, I'd have to recommend Doom over Doom II. It appears that half a game of Doom is still better than a full game of Doom 2, which is a real shame (but a great testament to just how ground-breaking the original game was). Doom is much, much shorter than Doom II, but you'll have way more fun playing it.

OVERALL: Doom: 2.5/5
Doom II: 2/5


Next up: Loco Roco and Metal Slug Anthology (when it's released) for PSP.

[Maxi]

LOCO ROCO

I remember the first time I played this game. I loved it, the music, the look, the actual gameplay. This was the reason for me to buy a PSP. I was also trashed at the time. Maybe that's why I feel like this game hasn't delivered. I haven't played under the influence.

The game is cute. I can't argue that. No matter if you're playing sober or drunk, it is one of the cutest games you'll ever play. The Loco Roco's are cute. Everything about them, the blobs, the way the sing to the music, the way they cry Moja when there are enemies.

But once you get past the cuteness and look into the actual gameplay, you realise that there isn't much substance there. The levels all seem very similar. Sure, there are some slight differences, like ice will make you slide, but it's all too samey. The game will keep you entertained for a little while, but there isn't enough in there to keep you interested.

Add to this that there aren't too many levels, and you have a game that struggles to keep your interest for long. And there really isn't much else to do besides the main story. There are a couple of mini games, but these are fun for the first time you play them. And then there is the Loco Roco House, where you build a house from parts you find in the main story. As you can guess, this is pretty boring too.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp2.jpg

[RunningMild]

Loco Roco review:jawdrop:




:veryangr:

(How do I say 'Maxi sucks' in more than 10char?)

[The Brett]

HOW COULD YOU MAXI. HOW COULD YOU.

[Stevorooni]

I kind of agree with Maxi about Loco Roco being a bit boring. Although I can't really judge as I've only tried the demo (and the halloween demo that was recently released) but it wasn't enough to make me want to rush out and buy the full game.

and in other news....




Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

By Stevo

Around a year ago the GTA series finally made its 3D debut on a handheld console. Rockstar could have taken the lazy option and just ported a PS2 title directly, but thankfully with this title they decided to only reuse a familiar environment, and create a whole new game within it.

This strategy works in its own way.

Previous GTA games gave us brand new environments to explore and get hopelessly lost in while we scrambled for the map. In LCS, newcomers to GTA will have that same experience, while others who played GTA3 to 100% completion on PS2 ( * raises hand * ) will know the layout of the city instantly. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the game is set 3 years before the events of GTA3, Liberty City isn’t quite the way we left it. Bridges are half built, there’s crazy ferries where there were no ferries before, new buildings have appeared while others are still under construction. Half of the fun of returning to Liberty City is exploring it all over again just to see what has changed.

Along with some slight variances in the level design, some of the enhancements made in later GTA games have been added to Liberty City. Motorbikes are now available, as well as the ability to leap out of moving vehicles. Vehicles show reflections, and the draw distance is far better than what we saw in GTA3. Unfortunately not all enhancements (mainly those found in GTA San Andreas) made it in. Toni Cipriani cannot swim, he cannot climb walls, he cannot lose or gain weight or muscle and he cannot ride a bicycle. If you loved flying around in helicopters, planes and jetpacks you’ll also be disappointed, as in an effort to keep the framerate up, air travel is unavailable (unless you cheat in one particular mission, but that’s a limited opportunity).

Control wise you’ll find yourself getting frustrated and wanting to hurl your $400 handheld out the window. The PSP’s lack of a 2nd analogue stick means that the standard controls had to be altered. As a result camera control is a pain in the arse and drive-bys are more difficult to perform. It takes some adjustment, but I ended up grabbing this game for $40 on PS2 as well, just so I could play it properly with a dual shock.

Overall it’s probably the best you could expect for a portable 3D GTA game. If you can get past the dodgy controls, shorter missions, lack of storyline (nowhere near what was in GTASA – but the plot has never been GTAs strong point) then you’ll find a very enjoyable game. If you own a PS2 as well and can’t decide which version to get, you’d probably be better off with the PS2 version, unless you desperately need to play GTA on the go.


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp4.jpg

[RunningMild]

HOW COULD YOU MAXI. HOW COULD YOU.

Coming from the man who bagged Advance Wars: Dual Strike... :eyebrow:

[Maxi]

HOW COULD YOU MAXI. HOW COULD YOU.
I'm better than 1up and I refuse to take it down!

[Stevorooni]

I can't handle all this negative feedback! I'M REMOVING YOUR REVIEW

[Maxi]

Gitaroo Man Lives!!

I bought this game not really knowing what to expect. I've heard it was good, but I'd also heard it was a cult classic. Now being a cult classic doesn't always mean that it's good, so I had some reservations about this game.

It's pretty basic game play wise, as it is a rhythm game. You have two main sections, one where you're playing the guitar, and the other where you are dodging musical attacks. When you play the guitar, you have to use the analog nub to point in the direction of a bar, and then hold the circle button as the icons come to the centre of the screen. This may not sound like a lot to do, but when you're trying to move the nub and hit the circle button at the same time, it can incredibly difficult.

When you are in defense mode, you have to tap one of the four face buttons in time with the music as they come at you from four directions on the screen. This can get rather hectic when there is some fast music being played.

The music in this game is really good too. There are a different genres in there, and they all tie in with the enemy you're doing battle with. This is great and helps the replay value, as you can play a level with your favorite song when you want.

The only real problem with the game is that it is extremely short. There are only ten levels, and you can be done in a couple of hours. However, it has very good replay value just because it is so fun to play. As you play, you can also unlock items, which although they don't actually have any affect on the game, are cool to collect, and you can only get them all by getting an A rank in all of the levels.

This game is a must have if you own a PSP, and for the low price of $50, it's a bargain.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp4.jpg

[MartyMcFly]

* I Appologise for the length of this review, but i didn't think i could fully review it properly without explaining the ins and outs. I've tried cutting it down, but as you see it now is it. :?: Please don't Fart in my general direction or killz0r me. *

Starfox Command
Nintendo DS

by MartyMcFly

This game picks up where the last ("StarFox Assault") left off, the StarFox team has broken up, Peppy (a former Team StarFox Pilot) has been made General of the Cornerian Army, Fox forces Krystal to leave the team due to the fact he doesn't want her to be in danger therefore severing his relationship with her and a new threat faces the universe: "The Anglars". Planet Venom is thought to be deserted now, because of Team StarFox's actions, the Venom forces were annihilated. But a new danger emerges from the thought to be unlivable acidic sea of Planet Venom of all places, in the form of the Anglar Forces. Team StarFox is now broken up, so Fox McCloud decides to try and round up former members Slippy and Falco, Peppy has replaced Pepper in the position of General of the Cornerian Army, and so the adventure begins.

When I first saw this game on store shelves i was a bit hesitant to pick it up, thinking it would probably be in the style of the two previous StarFox Gamecube games, but after I was informed it was a throw back to StarWing and Lylat Wars, i grabbed it, payed for it and rushed home like a little kid for a few battles. Forgetting i was on a Lunch Break, this was much to the surprise of my Boss who didn't seem to appreciate the excuse that i had to defeat the Angular forces from Planet Venom, expressed to me by his 10 second silence then the confused response of "Are you doing drugs?".

Upon loading the game up i was given the four choices "Single Player", "Download Play", "Wi-Fi Battle"(!!!) and Options. I promptly stabbed impatiently at Single player and was greeted with another four options "Start", "Stage Select", "Gallery" and "Training". The game is played with the top screen having the 3D flying action and the bottom screen displaying a map with bars either side. The map displays your fighter, enemy fighters, Supply Rings and Power Ups. The right sidebar has your Bomb “meter” which shows how many bombs you have and a big B symbol (which will be explained later), and a U Turn Symbol. The left sidebar has a Loop-De-Loop symbol. The game plays with a set area which you can freely fly around in (No on-rails action), and you have to defeat certain enemies within your current time limit which I'll explain a bit more about later.

Over the four training levels it explained that in this game, the only was to control your fighter was with the stylus which works surprisingly well. Slide your stylus up the fighter dives, slide it down your fighter climbs, slide left: steer left, slide right: steer right. It might take a few minutes to get used to this style of control but it works extremely well.(Note: you can invert the up-down for all you weirdos out their :P). Barrel rolling is accomplished by sliding Left-Right-Left or vice versa, you'll keep rolling until you lift the stylus, which is accessible, but a pain in the buttocks when your in a serious dog fight and are dodging and weaving and then BAM!, barrel role straight into an enemy. Barrel rolling deflects most enemy lasers and rewards you with a time bonus for every laser deflected it also draws in bonus items and enemy cores. Boosting and Air brakes (or Retro-Rockets), are controlled by either tapping twice and holding anywhere on either the top or bottom half of the touch screen. U-turns and Loop-De-Loops can be done by simply touching their icons.

Fire lasers with B,A,Y,X,L, R, or any of the Dpad directions, depending on the character/ship used you can have None, Single or Multi Lock-On Lasers, where holding fire and targeting enemies Locks On to them, then releasing fires Lasers that chase the target(s). Dropping bombs is accomplished by dragging the “B” bomb symbol from the Lower screen's right side and dropping it in the desired location on the Map(Center Bottom Screen). There are no options to change the controls, apart from inverting the Y axis, so love it or leave it.

In single player, instead of just flying level after level, the game usually follows the sequence of Cut scenes, Battle Map, Battle and then repeat. Cut scenes are good in that they explain whats going on with characters, by cartoon 2d characters that appear when they're talking. And finally the return of the Babble-Babble type language used in the very first StarFox (StarWing), to convey speech.

The Battle map introduces a new element into the series, Turn based strategy. Although i tend to dislike turn based strategy, it actually blends right into the game and makes the game even more enjoyable. You start off with your main base, the starship “Great Fox” piloted by R.O.B the robot, located either top left or bottom left, which cannot move but can fire missiles that are collected on the battle map. You have to defend the Great Fox at all costs or “Mission Failed” will be displayed. You get a certain number of turns, and can draw flight paths for each of the available ships currently in your team. The Fog of War plays a big part in this mode, because every turn, you can scribble a bit of it away to discover hidden items (like missiles for The Great Fox, Extra time for battles and shield recharges), enemy bases(which are friendly bases that have been captured by a floating UFO thing that you have to destroy to reclaim that base), and enemies. Once you've finished drawing your flight paths and planning, you double tap the screen to watch the plan unfold, when you do this, enemies move to and will follow your fighters if you cross their path other wise they'll try to, as far as i can tell, Kamikaze into Great Fox ending the game.

Once the turn is finished being played out, you've presented with a screen which lists the battles pending, which you can select and fight one by one until theres none left and then you can have your next turn. These will give you a certain number of a specific type of enemy to destroy, once destroyed you must collected their “core”, a five pointed star, once you've collect the chosen cores (only the specific enemies have “core”''s, destroying other enemies in the battle area adds 1 second to you timer, yay :/ ) the battle ends, but if you've attacked an enemy base, then you'll have to do one final thing to “capture” the base, you have to barrel roll through a set course of red squares, every one increasing your speed until you tear through the floating enemy base, thus reclaiming the ground base as a friendly. Every enemy base can fire a missile which travels 1/3 the screen every turn, you can intercept these missile and can you can then chose this as an option when picking battles, it will just say “Missile x1” instead of an enemy. These are the only on rails battles in the game, where you have to chase a missile by barrel rolling through red squares getting a speed boost until you get close enough to target the missile and blow it up.

Every mission (Each mission has its own battle map), you start with 150 seconds, this decreases in every battle you fight, you can get more time by collecting Time Bonus' on the battle map, or in the actual battles (Via Supply rings), deflecting enemy lasers, destroying other enemies in the battle. This time carries though every battle in the mission, and resets to 150 for the next mission. You also start with limited turns on the battle map, but can earn extra turns. Your Turns add up over every mission and for every 5 unused turns you get a extra life.

The battles are fantastic and are truly entertaining, things blowing up around you enemy fire shooting all around, still manages a rock solid frame rate. The game looks on-par if slightly better than Lylat wars, although some times for some strange reason, things close up may just pop up, even though you can clearly see far enemies fine. Sound is great, everything sounds very StarFox, and i got such excitement from fighting my first battles on Corneria and having that Dramatic StarFox Orchestral Music play and then having my team mates chatter in Babble speak whilst i was chasing an enemy, it gave me a feeling i haven't felt since StarWing on the Snes.

Once I finished Single Player i was a bit miffed because it was quite short, maybe 2-4 hours, but on my first play through it gave options in the cinematics , to do other things but they were locked and i only had one choice. On starting single player again, these alternate paths are unlocked, and there are a total of six different endings!! I played through and instead of going to see Slippy, i chose to go looking for Falco, and the game then put me in Falco's shoes instead of Fox's, and i played through the game with Falco, and chose not to meet up with everyone and go it alone. So far I've unlocked 2 endings and look forward to unlocking the rest. As every pilot has a different ship with a different setup, for instance, Fox's Arwing II, has Single Lock On Lasers, High Shields and Single bomb Capacity. Where as Falco pilots the Sky Claw, has Multi-Lock On Lasers, Medium Shields and Multiple Bombs, you have to be strategical when planning who will face what enemy, the advantages and disadvantages of each ship to each enemy.

I then tried WiFi, eager to “pwn” some Arwing ass in my Sky Claw, i chose, regional, you can fight against up to 3 others. Waiting for my chance to select ship, i reached the select arena selected Corneria, of which there is only about 6, I clicked Next, then it started loading!? I thought be patient, maybe this is a good thing, maybe you can select your ship when you spawn ala Battlefield 2, the game started and it dawned on me, you can and will only be able to ever fly and battle against Arwing II's. This to me is the biggest disappointment ever, as i had big hopes of battling in the Sky Claw again Arwing II's and other craft. Every Arwing II has a different color scheme, instead of Grey/Blue, you get Grey/Red, Grey/Green, etc, not even a skin to make the Arwing II look a little different. WiFi was fun but i think it will end up being my least played WiFi Multiplayer game.


Overall this game is Excellent, if only for Single Player. With maybe a bit more development time, for the Multiplayer, this game could rise from Excellent to Truly Perfect, but as it stands, the Multiplayer is the biggest disappointment so far, for such a great Single Player mode, why did they skimp on Multiplayer, even more so, why go to the trouble of adding WiFi for such a sub par effort on Multiplayer? Maybe so that they could stamp that Blue “WiFi Compatible” logo on the box, and get everyones hopes up for some intense and interesting WiFi Matches.

I definitely recommend this game to anyone who has ever liked StarWing or Lylat Wars, likes Combat Flight games, or the continuation of the StarFox story. BUY IT!!!

Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 5/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replay Value: 3/5

Overall: Good Story, Excellent Single Player, Great Graphics/Sound, Sub Par WiFi Options

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

*4/5

*Not an average

[RunningMild]

move the nub



I almost lol'd there because it looks like 'move the noob'.

I expect to have a Loco Roco review up in the next 7 days, followed by reviews of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Harmony of Dissonance, once I've played them enough to properly review them.

[RunningMild]

Since I've completely lost the will to do big epic reviews, I might try smaller, bite-sized reviews that get straight to the point. Let's see if it works...

LOCO ROCO- PSP

This is a very unique platforming game for the PSP, where, using the shoulder buttons, you tilt the game world to move a blob or make it jump. You can also press O to split it up into little blobs or hold O to reunite them. It sounds very simple but it works extremely well, and the game keeps you enthralled with great level design.

It takes inspiration from two other big platformers. The first is Sonic. You can either speed through the level, through loops and over jumps etc (esp. on ice levels) or you can slow down and look for other paths which may contain more goodies. The second big platformer is Yoshi's Island. This game contains the same style of 'hidden caves' that look like walls but become caves when you enter them (a very small thing, but the similarity is unmistakable), plus the dancing objects in the background (trees etc) hark back to some of YI's livelier stages, not to mention the whole upbeat, singsong nature of the game.

The game is short on the first playthrough, but just like Yoshi's Island DS, most of the gameplay is derived from 100%-ing each level. There is actual incentive to do this, partly because the secrets are so ingeniously laid out (and looking for them is actually FUN zomg!), and partly because 100%-ing a level gives you points to spend on the claw machine (or the other bonus game if you want), and if you're not addicted to that claw machine, GTFO! :hand: Also, once you pass the game, you get Time Trial mode which is a fun alternative (and requires some real mastery of the controls and knowledge of the stage to complete).

It's a bit of a disappointment that the game isn't more inventive, as the final stage (and the Halloween download) show a slew of new ideas which could have been further developed throughout the game. However, the game is still great, and any faults in the gameplay are more than made up for with the fantastic presentation.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/psp4.jpg

CASTLEVANIA: HARMONY OF DISSONANCE- GBA

This is one of two games on the "Castlevania Double Pack". Set after Symphony of the Night, it follows Juste Belmont's quest to recover the remains of Dracula. Along the way, he has to figure out why his friend Lydie has gone missing and his other friend Maxim is acting weird.

First thing about this game- it's BIG. It is absolutely huge. The castle itself is pretty big, but later in the game it splits up into two parallel castles. This can result in some unneccessary backtracking, but most of the game is laid out well enough to avoid boredom, and there are lots of enemies to keep you occupied throughout.

Speaking of enemies, this is a very combat-oriented version of Castlevania. Sometimes it feels like Devil May Cry, in that you're making your way through nice (sometimes linear) environments, killing lots of enemies, and improving your technique with every battle. I personally enjoyed this approach (hey, killing stuff is good ;) ) but some Castlevania purists may feel that the level design has been 'dumbed down' a shade in favour of combat. The level design is still good, but there are quite a few long corridors which focus on fighting.

Another thing I want to mention is the destructible pieces of environment. I don't mean the old 'hidden rooms behind destructible walls', I mean the pieces which collapse into new platforms and ramps. Sure, there are only about 3 or 4 in the whole game, but when you consider what system this was on, they seem pretty darn impressive, and they weren't present in Aria of Sorrow.

The secondary weapon system is quite ingenious and simple. You have the traditional weapons (axe, knife and so on) but by activating a Spell Book (of which there are five), you can use a more powerful, magic-based attack. There are lots of combinations, but unfortunately it all seems pretty useless because the Holy Book is the best weapon by a country mile. Once you have the right spell books, the Holy Book gives you every attack you could ever need.

The other negative about this game is the bosses. They are FAR TOO EASY, and serve as more of a break between exploring than genuine challenges. Otherwise, this is a fun game which Castlevania fans should enjoy. If you have a very low tolerance for ploughing through corridors, you may not last through the game, but if you're like me, the enjoyable combat should be enough to keep you hooked.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba3.jpg.5

CASTLEVANIA: ARIA OF SORROW- GBA

The second game of the double pack is very entertaining, but also suffers from a few flaws that prevent it from being a classic.

AoS focuses on Soma Cruz in the year 2035. Unknown to him, he inherited some dark powers after Dracula's death. Now, he has been brought to Dracula's Castle (which is sealed inside the solar eclipse) and his dark powers are awakening.

This game relies on a soul system, where every enemy has a unique soul. If you obtain it, you can use it's power. There are four kinds- Bullet souls, which are activated by pressing up and B (usually projectile attacks), Guardian souls (activated by pressing R), Enchant souls (passive abilities) and Ability souls (usually gained after beating bosses, these are special abilities such as High Jump and Double Jump). Unfortunately, unlike in DoS where there was a huge variety across all the soul classes, nearly every soul in AoS is Bullet type, and of those, most are useless. This makes the whole thing feel pretty hollow.

Another thing is the game feels pretty short when compared to the colossal HoD. Fortunately, it makes up for this with the excellent level design. The game contains lots of great moments in terms of levels, as well as some really challenging sections and bosses that- gasp!- require skill to defeat! Easily the best boss is when Soma is forced to fight Julius Belmont. Not only is it an excellent fight that tests your skill, it's also a powerful piece of storytelling.

Unfortunately, as good as the game is, it also suffers from the curse of hindsight. While HoD is a pretty unique experience when compared to the other GBA/DS games, AoS feels like a poor man's version of Dawn of Sorrow. Sure, it may have been one of the best Castlevanias ever upon release (according to some reviews), but when comparing it to it's sequel, which featured more variation in the souls, the brilliant soul/weapon fusion system, and arguably superior level design, AoS feels shallow and bare-bones by comparison.

That may sound pretty negative, but it's also a bit misleading. At the end of the day, AoS is a very enjoyable game in it's own right, and Castlevania fans (or anyone who enjoys a good platformer) will find a lot to like.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/gba3.jpg.5

Man, that was fun. Next up: Yoshi's Island DS (DS), Killzone Liberation (PSP), Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (DS)

[BM2]

I'll be interested to see what you think of Killzone, because I got it a while ago expecting Syndicate-y isometric destruction only to discover that it required a hell of a lot more skill that I did not possess. So, with not enough time or willpower to learn how to play the game properly, I instead threw my efforts into Me & My Katamari (if it's "killed" by the controls, I have got to try the PS2 version, as the PSP version is excellent)... and Def Jam Fight for New York (brainless to the extreme, but I have a soft spot for mindless brawlers).

Actually, maybe I'm just not used to filling kids with lead Killzone-style after aiming for headshot kills in Syphon Filter (another truly excellent game). I'll give it another burl when I have the time.

[RunningMild]

I'll be interested to see what you think of Killzone, because I got it a while ago expecting Syndicate-y isometric destruction only to discover that it required a hell of a lot more skill that I did not possess. So, with not enough time or willpower to learn how to play the game properly, I instead threw my efforts into Me & My Katamari (if it's "killed" by the controls, I have got to try the PS2 version, as the PSP version is excellent)... and Def Jam Fight for New York (brainless to the extreme, but I have a soft spot for mindless brawlers).

Actually, maybe I'm just not used to filling kids with lead Killzone-style after aiming for headshot kills in Syphon Filter (another truly excellent game). I'll give it another burl when I have the time.

I want to play Def Jam: Fight For NY because it has Xzibit as a character. :P Though I haven't had the chance yet...

And in case you can't wait for the review, I think Killzone is ******ing fantastic. More on that later. ;)

[Quatters]

Contact
DS

By Quatters

Contact, it's one of those games that's different enough that you can't help but love it. While it's not too different from many action RPGs, there are little differences that do set it apart. It has a very quirky sense of humour, lots of internet and video game referenced humour, myspace gets payed out, there's MGS, hentai and Snakes on a Plane references as well. You'll always find little things to chuckle at as you play through the game. Another interesting perspective is that you're not the main character. There's three main characters on your side, Terry; they guy who does the adventuring, levelling up etc, The Professer; he who advises and recruits Terry into helping him, and you, yes you! You communicate with the Professer through your DS, and "assist" Terry, even though Terry is oblivious to your assistance. It's quite amusing with some of the conversations you have with the Professor behind Terry's back.
The graphics are also very nice sprites, though there's nothing that makes you say "wow!" they suit the game well. The game mechanics are also a little different from most RPGs. Instead of having a static level up system, each of your stats levels independently. Use lots of fire magic, and your fire spells will become more powerful, use swords and your slashing damage will increase. It's these little things that help customise your character. Also this is helped by the fact that Terry, your character (to an extent, more on that later) has different suits that he can wear which affect his stats and abilities. Fire spells can only be cast with the fire suit, locks can only be opened with the Shadow Theif suit and he can only cook with the Chef's clothes. Then there's the stickers Terry collects, four of which can be equipped at once, each affecting one or more of his stats, thus further customising Terry's abilities. How the combat is handled is also different from other RPGs. You need to enter "Combat Mode" with the B button. When Terry is in Combat Mode, he'll attack the target who is within range. This means if you want you can go and kill innocent villagers and animals, though their are side effects to your reputation. It's a much more relaxed system than other RPGs. Everytime you attack an enemy your special bar raises a little. When it's at enough levels you can use a special move, spells, weapon techniques etc, more powerful moves requiring more bars to use.
While it does have WiFi, it’s not a multi player game. What Contact’s WiFi entails is just connecting to a friend. This will unlock WiFi Island in game for you. WiFi Island allows you to finish some of the post game quests, receive some rare items and get stat boosts.
But if you’re looking for multi player action here, unfortunately there’s none.
Overall it's a very enjoyable RPG for the DS and one which I highly reccommend. The only negative I found was the ending was a little myeh.


4/5

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

[aubergine]

If you have any notes on the wi-fi maybe add that in too, quatters.

[Quatters]

I haven't tried it out so far, but have PMed all the HA members I know who have it to try and organise some WiFi. It looks as though it's not really a multi-player WiFi, but by connecting, you get bonuses in game, quests, stat gains and rare items.

[aubergine]

It's just that your review doesn't mention it even has multiplayer or whatever it is.

[Quatters]

Have updated it now.

[Quatters]

CHILDREN OF MANA (DS)

by Quatters

The Secret of Mana series is one that’s revered and beloved, despite the fact that bar the original game, all the others have been quite average. Children of Mana is no different, though I would place it as one of the worst of the Mana games. Certainly the worst I’ve ever played. Problems that plague the game are that while it’s an RPG there’s no real exploration. You have a single town, and then “warp” to the various dungeons. If these dungeons were rather expansive then it would not be such an issue, but unfortunately, the dungeons are amongst the simplest in design in the history of gaming. One of the main problems is that each dungeon is made up of levels. To complete a level you must drop the Gleam Drop into the Gleam Well. The fact that each level is quite small means that there are no way you will miss anything in the level unless you purposely go out of your way to rush through the level. There is a lot of combat in the game, which can please in some games, but the fact that the combat is quite boring. You just have basic attacks and a “Limit” attack which is hardly sufficient for a combat focused game. The combat also becomes frustrating due to the “bounce” system. Each time anything is hit, it will bounce, off walls, other enemies and your character. Which means fighting in tight confines means watching enemies you hit come bouncing back into you and off each other and the walls. If the storyline was brilliant then we could overlook these failings. Unfortunately this is another obstacle which Children of Mana has failed to overcome. Not only is it not interesting, but it’s contradictory in some parts. There is also a quest system in the game, where you purchase quests to complete, similar to Fable. Though unlike Fable, these quests are all the same. Each one may have a description, “I lost my glasses” “Kill all the monsters here” etc, but all each entail is clearing a certain amount of levels in a particular dungeon. The only way to differentiate between different quests is the reward received. But due to the fact that there are only a few different rewards that are given, it makes you quite annoyed at what a terribly underdeveloped system it is.
But the game does have some good points; there is the gem system, where your character has a gem frame where different gems can be placed, each with different effects so you can customize your character’s stats and abilities. Also when you select your character at the beginning of the game you can choose what colour they are, which though not something innovative and brilliant, it is a nice little touch. Unfortunately one good idea in a game with so many flaws is hardly a saving grace.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds1.jpg




p.s. Full WiFi "experience" has been added to my Contact review.

[Quatters]

Harvest Moon DS (DS)

by Quatters

Harvest Moon, a series people either love or hate and now it's on DS. If you've ever played a Harvest Moon (HM from now on) game you'll know what to expect. Grow and sell crops, raise animals and try to find yourself a wife. However HM DS manages to stay true to the formula while adding a couple of new things. First off the Harvest Goddess has been banished by the rather foolish spells of the Witch Princess, as have 101 Harvest Sprites, little fellow that help you on your farm. Your quest is to bring back all the Harvest Sprites and the Harvest Goddess. This is mainly achieved through normal farming activity, shipping X amount of items will bring back Bob, having X amount of chickens will bring back Sam. Once a Harvest Sprite has been brought back, it can get to work on your farm helping you out. This does mean there is a way of seeing your progress throughout the game, whereas in previous Harvest Moons you played until you got bored and had accomplished the marriage.
HM DS does utilise the touch screen. If you have Touch Panel Gloves equpied, when interacting with animals either talking/brushing/milking/shearing then you can use the touch screen to stroke the animals. While this can get tedious, you don't have to use the touch screen, you can just press the A button as normal. However if you put the work in by using the touch screen it will be more beneficial as their happiness will increase more, you can gather more milk/wool than by just pressing the button, sans "touching."
For those who own HM: Friends of Mineral Town and are hoping for a bonus, you're in luck. By keeping the cartridge in the GBA slot, you will unlock new music, plus the HM:FOMT girls will actually turn up in the Valley and you have the oppurtunity to marry one of them rather than the new Valley girls.
There are also new animals in ducks which are more productive chickens, but require a pond on your farm and also a cat, though the cat is completely useless as it can't chase off the wild dogs that your dog can. Also building construction is different. There are many more to build and are more expensive, meaning you will need to play longer to achieve everything. How the animals are housed also differs, you can have a maximum of 7 animal housing sheds, each housing 4 animals each. Bird sheds for birds and animal sheds for cows and sheep. So if you don't like the birds you can have a solely large animal farm without the wasted birdhouse.
Overall it's a very fun game, though one not everyone would enjoy. If you have played HM games before and enjoy them, I'd recommend picking this up as it expands on the GBA version in a number of ways. If you dislike the HM games than this won't appeal to you anyway.

4/5
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

[Kasplatza Red]

Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2

Players: 1 - 2
Genre: Rhythm / Cheerleading
Platform: Nintendo DS

Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! is a game revered by many as one of the best games on the system. It is also known as one of the wackiest, with stories like a racehorse catching a burgler, a giant mouse attacking the city (only to be beaten by a giant office worker), and of course, the obligatory meteor on a collision course for our fair planet Earth.

For those not in the know, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! is a rhythm game that makes excellent use of the DS's touch screen, having the player tap on 'beat buttons' in time with the music played. The character plays as a group of Japanese cheerleaders who are charged with cheering on different people in tough scenarios in order to overcome their challenges and emerge victorious. However, miss a few beats and you'll find that the road to success isn't always a smooth one, as in-game cutscene stories are affected by how well you're doing and can have distarious (but hilarious) results.

Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2! , or Ouendan 2 for short, is essentially more of the same, and then some, which won't bother fans of the first because there was barely anything to fix regarding the gameplay in the first place. The characters of the first game are back, but this time around will have to contend with a rival cheer squad who seems to be out to take their thunder. This essentially means that for half of the game's stages, you play as the original Ouendan cast, and for the other half, you play as the new guys. It doesn't add anything to the gameplay itself, but the short story interludes are a bit more interesting with the added rivalry.

Now, as many fans of the rhythm genre know, gameplay is nothing if there isn't an awesome soundtrack to go with it. Ouendan 2 has a more diverse range of styles compared to its predecessor, which may leave some fans dissappointed at the lack of J-Rock classics. However, the soundtrack will grow on you, and the final songs don't dissappoint you.

The difficulty has been toned down for the easier difficultues and cranked up for the harder ones, which makes the learning curve a lot steeper. However, if you're played and finished the first one, chances are you're bloody good, and will appreciate the challenge. If you havn't, beware.

It also seems as if the creators have adopted a few conventions that were established in last year's Elite Beat Agents (which ws a more americanized version of the game). The 3D world map and two-part final stage are nice additions, and makes the game feel more organized and better presented on a whole. Another welcome addition is unlockables, which include artwork and bonus songs (Monkey Magic TV Show fans will love what the game has in store for them). These are unlocked by combined total score (I think), and will have players glued to their DS's for longer than the first, trying to obtain every bonus they can.

Overall, Ouendan 2 delivers an excellent rhythm game experience no DS owner should miss out on.

Plus: Unlockables, More ouendan goodness, Monkies, Twice as many cheerleaders, wackier stories.
Minus: Steeper Learning Curve, some Ouendan 1 fans may be dissappointed at the soundtrack.

Final Score: 4/5
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg

Buy the Game at Play-Asia (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-9g-49-en-15-ouendan%2B2-70-1v6e.html)

[ChalkFacedGoon]

Pirates of the Caribbean

Players: 1
Genre: Action/Adventure/Seashanty
Platform: PSP

Last time we saw a Pirates Of The Caribbean game on PSP was Legend of Jack Sparrow, we could not help point out that Sid Meier's Pirates was in most cases a better game!...

World's end is a direct port of the Home Entertainment version, just with dulled down graphics and wireless multi player for the games three mini games, one which you will unlock later down the track. The game kicks off from the Prison scene in Dead Mans Chest (and Like EA Did with the LOTR Trilogy they practically cut out Sierras Attempt at Fellowship) Disney are doing it to Bethesda's Two Prequels by making a fresh new start... you get to play through the game as other characters apart from Jack Sparrow, you will be WIll Turner and Elizabeth... etc etc, the game features some mini games to through into the Mix like Pirate Dice and Pirate poker, they aren't all that good but at least it saves you from buying world poker tour ever again?

At World's end is likely to be the game that all sites will bag out, it doesn't have a great creative flair to it and will likely receive less than 70% on any game site, it is a shame because you can tell that Eurocom tried to make this the best Pirates game so far... and they did very well considering nobody quite digged Bethesda's prequels..

Try this game out, i really didn't think it was worth full price but it is a good and short game at least.

[oogi2000]

TOUCH THE DEAD // Nintendo DS

Dream On Studios’ derivative of Sega's House of the Dead has recently hit Nintendo DS owners in the U.S.A (with a change of title from Dead N’ Furious and some nice art from Arthur Suydam). However, will it share the iconic status of its inspiring forefather?

Well, not exactly. Touch The Dead’s graphics are pixel-rated affair, creating a particularly ugly looking game engine. Despite this, the enemies (predominately zombies) are rendered quite well, even if variance between zombies is little more than different clothing. The environments fare less well, with blocky furniture and bland textures on the menu.

The music is sparse and is typical survival horror fluff existing since Resident Evil hit the Sony Playstation. Sound effects are well done, such as zombie growls having a deep resonance.

One consistent criticism of Touch The Dead by game reviewers is the reload system. This involves dragging ammo from the DS’s right corner to the weapon situated in the left corner. Personally, I think this adds a tactical, if shallow, aspect to the game. Players are forced into determining if they should reload when a pack of zombies closing in on them or to make that one final head shot.

Overall, Dream On’s product is an enjoyable House of the Dead knock-off, which will keep shooting-craved DS owners entertained. Yet Touch The Dead’s game engine and derivative nature does it no favours.

SUMMARY
:) Zombies, zombies and more zombies!
:) Sound effects
:( Game engine
:( Derivative nature

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg

[aubergine]

Halley Joel Osment Sez "I Touch Dead People!"

[scoz]

To quatters

After your review on contact I spent 1 1/2 hours searching through the dank messy dungeon that is my local eb to get contact. It is one of the best rpgs on the ds at the moment (slightly behind final fantasy 3 and mario and luigi). It is refreshing that the best rpg I have played in ages is a japanese game that no one's heard of. It sure took the awful taste that children of mana and lunar genisis left in my mouth away. Also, I had to buy it becuase I heard that it has some link with the killer 7 / no more heroes guy.

Oh, and the electronic store level is AWESOME!!!

[RunningMild]

Yay, more handheld reviews!

As you can probably tell, I have cancelled my reviews for Yoshi's Island DS, Killzone Liberation, and Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin (the truth is that I haven't played them in such a long time that I couldn't properly review them anymore). But if you really, REALLY must know what I thought- Yoshi would have got about 3.5 or 4, Killzone would be between 3.5 and 4.5, and PoR a solid 4.5.

Now, I have a proper review- Wario: Master of Disguise. I was going to post my impressions in the Wario: MoD thread but I think this is more appropriate.

WARIO: MASTER OF DISGUISE

After a whole string of Warioware games, Wario is back where he belongs- platform games! But can he recapture the magic of his Warioland series of games? Read on to find out...

In the tradition of all the other Wario games, the premise of this game revolves around a hare-brained money-making scheme. Wario sees a TV show where a fat, bumbling idiot named Cannoli magically turns into the world's greatest thief. Wario concludes that if he steals Cannoli's source of power- a wand named Goodstyle- he can become the world's greatest thief and steal all the treasure he wants. So, he builds a device which allows him to enter the TV and steal Cannoli's wand, and so begins his quest to become a MASTER OF DISGUISE.

There are some things to like about this game. Firstly, the graphics are very good, full of colour and detail. Secondly, using the touchscreen to change disguises is an inventive concept which is fun to experiment with. By drawing certain symbols, you can switch to a corresponding disguise, and most of the puzzles are solved by working out which is the correct disguise and using it appropriately. You can level up your abilities by collecting gems left by enemies, and certain gems, held in rare treasure chests, will give you a whole new ability (ie. the springy boxing glove for Genius Wario, the submarine for Captain Wario, etc) which will be required to progress and solve new puzzles.

The other big touchscreen implementation is the mini-games that are required to unlock treasure chests. Every time you attempt to open a treasure chest, you are greeted with a mini-game which you must complete to obtain the sweet, sweet treasury goodness. Since there are only 5 or 6 different ones, they get a bit repetitive after a while, but they also increase with difficulty to maintain some sort of variety and challenge.

Now, the bad- the game is rather short (10 stages, plus 5 bonus 'time trial' challenges) and easy to complete. The easiness mostly comes from the fact that, while it is usually fun to explore, you will NEVER DIE (well, maybe once or twice...). This is compounded by a special ability you unlock with Arty Wario which allows you to draw hearts, allowing you to recharge whenever you want. Also the level design is slightly inconsistent. Sometimes you'll be exploring a stage and marvelling at the clever layout and puzzles, other times you'll be bored out of your brain as you trudge through corridors solving the most basic progression puzzles. The final stage is the most challenging and inventive in this regard, which is a bit of a shame as it feels like the game ends just as it kicks into top gear (maybe the challenge level is aimed at kids). Another thing is, even though the graphics are excellent, the sound is not. The music is dull and repetitive, the sound effects are serviceable but no more, and Wario only has one soundbite (cackling) which is repeated every time he finds something amusing. Another thing is, while the costume changing works perfectly most of the time, it occasionally screws up, which is very frustrating (it's not hard to figure out why it screws up, but it's still frustrating when it happens). Beware of Astronaut, Genius and Arty Wario- they have some weird, mystical connection to each other... :P

I've put in a seperate paragraph for the story/dialogue (text based) because it is large enough to warrant it. As far as the story goes, it is nice that the developers (Suzak) put some effort in, but I feel that they have overcomplicated things. Wario games are about collecting treasure and maybe one peripheral character (ie. the guiding spirit/treacherous bastard in Warioland 3), but MoD has two thieves competing with Wario, along with Goodstyle, a story about five Wishstones and a demon who is connected to all the aforementioned factors... it's not that it doesn't make sense, but it feels too unnecessary for a game that is supposedly aimed at kids. Plus, it leads to a lot of dialogue- and I mean A LOT. You'll be plowing through heaps of it, especially in the first few stages. It's a shame because, in those crucial first stages where the game is supposed to be getting your attention, you're being interrupted by too much boring, unnecessary dialogue and interruptions and such (the game gets a lot better around the 3rd or 4th stage when the characters shut up and let you explore freely).

There is a nice sense of humour throughout the game, especially from Wario. He constantly rubbishes the other characters, making fun of them and whipping out some funny one-liners such as 'Cry me a river!' or calling the Sphinx 'half-man, half-stupid'. But at the same time, a lot of the humour is aimed at kids. Wario's thief name is 'Purple Wind', which results in fart jokes being made every time the name is mentioned. The other main characters, Cannoli, Carpaccio and Tiaramisu, are all named after food, which is mildy funny if you get the references (but not as funny as Wario actually making fun of the names).

Overall, Wario: Master of Disguise is a middle-of-the-road kind of game. It has an excellent concept that shows lots of potential, but it is not fully exploited, and in the end the game feels like it is aimed at younger kids. This is a disappointment for those who grew up with those challenging Warioland games (rose-coloured glasses? Maybe). It is worth playing to experience an original, inventive, well-thought out example of how the DS can revitalise traditional genres (platforming in this case), as opposed to 'tacked on' touchscreen features that you find in so many other games. Just don't expect a long, involving experience.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds2.jpg.5/5

[TheMixta43]

MARIO KART DS

By TheMixta43

Mario Kart DS is the fourth title in the long running Mario Kart series, one of the many spin-off genres of the Mario Franchise. The basic premise of Mario Kart DS, and the whole Mario Kart series is to have popularised characters from various other Mario related games race each other in their own specialized carts.

The game play in Mario Kart DS is very like the other games in the series. You pick a character and race other characters to the finish line and several laps around it. There are a few things that the DS rendition does to make it unique to the other games. There are many modes and options to play with in Mario Kart DS. First off there is Grand Prix mode like usual, where you race against other CPU opponents in a variety of different circuits to eventually win the assortment of cups on offer. There are four difficulty levels with each one having eight cups on offer, with four tracks to each cup. That’s thirty-two tacks in the game, a solid number of tracks that should see you satisfied for a long while. As usual, there is the 50cc difficulty, the 100cc, the 150cc and a new addition (as far as I know), the 150cc Mirror. This is just the regular cups and tracks played backwards, going from the finish line back to the starting line opposed to the other way around. This is a pretty cool feature and a very difficult one at that in my opinion; I’m still yet to clear the 150cc mirror circuits.

The characters on offer are the usual lot as well as a few new surprises. There is Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad, DK, Wario and Bowser like usual. Then you have the extra unlockable additions, Daisy, Dry Bones, Waluigi and R.O.B the Robot, a nice surprise for anyone out there. Also even more options to choose from, your characters carts this time around. Your character has three individual carts and eventually is able to use every other characters cart as well. The carts are graded on Speed, Acceleration, Weight, Handling, Drift and Items. Each cart has a varied amount of stats in each category and players can pick one of the thirty-six carts at will to suit their playing style. Another way to further customize and personalize your cart is to add on your emblem you can make in the options menu. You can draw anything and it will show up in a little space on any chosen cart.

Also present in the game are the modes Time Trial and VS mode. Time trial is, of course, a single player effort to get the highest Lap/Track time on any given track in the game. Your ghost data is eventually save and you can compete against your previous efforts to better yourself in the future. Another nifty feature is that when you get a good enough time, you unlock the ghost trial of a Nintendo Staff Member, which will test you and bring out the best Mario cart player in yourself. Also, before I go on I must talk about the items. There are the usual items like Mushrooms, the Power Star, Red, Green and Blue shells, bananas and also a new assortment of different items introduced such as the Blooper that squirts your screen with ink, the Bullet Bill which can shoot you ahead of your competition and many more items also included.

Another old favourite is present, this being battle mode in which there are two ways to play this time around. First off you have your regular Balloon battle introduced in Mario Kart 64, where you can attack your opponents with the various items in the game or you can simply ram them with your brute strength if you are a heavy set character like Bowser. The new way of battling present in Mario Kart DS is called Shine Runners, based off the shines found within Super Mario Sunshine on the Gamecube. The aim of this battle is to collect more shines than your opponent and adds a bit more game play wise. Just to add there are six different battle arenas to play in this time around.

The final mode I must mention is the new Mission mode in which you have to complete various tasks set by time limits. There is a huge assortment of missions for you to complete, sixty-three in total. These range from driving through rings, collecting items and getting to a point in a quick enough time. Also, to conclude each of the levels is a boss. These boss battles add a lot to the game and provide to be very fun and definitely have that Mario boss feel to them. The Mission mode is a great addition to the game and you’ll be striving to get that three star ranking on each of the Missions and Levels.

The actual game plays whilst you are playing Mario Kart DS feels great just like the previous instalments to the series. The driving is really smooth and has that great arcade feel about it, the items provide a competitive feel to each race and the handling and just whole driving experience in general is fantastically set out and a joy to play. You can do turbo-charge drifts during the game by holding the R button and alternating between left and right D-Pad button presses. This adds a bit more variety to the racing game play and is a great addition.

The graphics and sound in the game is also a sight (and sound) to see (and hear). The characters look great, better than they did on the 64 renditions of the series in my opinion. It really does show what the DS graphics are capable of and sets a benchmark for future (or current now) DS games to follow. The stages also are very differed and look fantastic. The fact that they brought in stages from each previous Mario Kart game is a great little feature and they really made the stages look great. It’s very colourful and cute. The sound in this will be very familiar to anyone who has played at least one Mario game in their lifetime. It consists of happy little themes that seem to fit in with the given environment your in during the game whether it be a frosty snow land or a scorching desert, these themes really seem to capture these areas brilliantly. Also the voice samples and sound effect present in the game fit in great, with your character beeping their horn and talking smack to their opponent, it really shows how they make it a much better experience.

Mario Kart DS has proven of how much the DS is capable of, and has a whole lot of new features that should appeal to a wide variety of people out there. Also with the inclusion of Nintendo Wi-Fi online play, it makes for a much more competitive game when you are totally owning them noobs with your silly snaking strategies (as you can see I’m bitter because I’m not as good as them). This version of the Mario Kart series will leave you feeling great and if your wanting more, this game is the best of the series to come back to and play again and again. Mario Kart DS is a joy to play and I’m proud to say I own it; you should also have this privilege too. If you don’t already have it, just get it already!





http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds5.jpg/5

[TheMixta43]

SUPER MARIO 64 DS

By TheMixta43

Super Mario 64 DS is based off the original Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 that came out eight years prior to the DS port. The original was a revolutionary platform game that set the benchmark for games to follow back in the late nineties, with only a few games actually successfully equalling or topping this game in terms of greatness.
Fast forward eight years later and you have Super Mario 64 DS, a game that catches most of what the original made great and adds some new things as well.

The story in 64 DS differs a little bit from the original. It starts off as it did in the original; Princess Peach sends an invitation to Mario, saying she has baked a cake for him. Instead of Mario going into the castle himself, Luigi and Wario follow him this time around. After a while they don't come out and Lakitu informs Yoshi that they have disappeared and it's his job to seek them out. This time around, it's your job to save Mario, Luigi, Wario and Princess Peach on your own and eventually with your companions as you save them.

The game play is almost exact as the original was, except for a few new features and different controls. Not having the Control stick to move Mario (or the others) around feels very different and it having the D-Pad feels a little more fiddly and moving can be frustrating some times. Other than this, the other buttons are implemented perfectly into the game and are easy to memorize and utilize. The premise of the game is the same. There are paintings in which you can travel into and explore their worlds, fifteen different worlds throughout the game in total. Each world has eight stars to collect via different objectives in each level. These objectives usually need individual characters to complete which gives the missions a fresh feel each time. Throughout the whole game, there is one hundred and fifty stars to collect, opposed to the one hundred and twenty in the original. You'll have a hard time getting every secret star located throughout the game and never know where to look next. Like in the original, there are still ? Boxes found throughout the levels, which grant each individual character their own power up. Yoshi uses a flower to breath fire; Mario has his usual Wing Cap as well as a Flower, which makes him float, which can be used in many levels for many different things. Luigi uses his cap to turn invisible, like one of the caps in the original and Wario uses his cap to turn Metal, also like a cap in the original. You can also find different coloured caps throughout the level, which correspond with the certain character and let you transform into that certain character until you take damage again. This makes it easier than having to switch people every time you find a new star that can only be gotten by a certain character.

Bosses are also present too in this game, with the likes of King Bo-bomb in the first level, and a lot of others throughout the game. There is your usual Bowser fights which take you to the next level in the castle but new this time are the boss fights when you have to unlock certain characters. These new levels and bosses are really cool and probably the biggest thing that has been added; next to the new characters them selves of course. Expect the likes of King Goomba and King Boo people. The touch screen is only implemented as a map in the actual game but is used heavily in the unlockable mini-games throughout the main quest. As the different characters, you can find rabbits in the adventure mode which unlock certain mini-games for the rec room in the main menu. The mini-games are a great addition to the main game, and provide great replay value. They range from Betting games (such as card games, roulette and slots), Puzzle games that can make you think, arcade like games where you have to rack up points and just a whole lot of fun really. There is a huge range of games that will keep you busy for a fair while.

The graphics and sound in 64 DS are very alike to the N64 original, which is a good thing. Actually, the sound may be almost identical (only with new voice tracks for the various characters and maybe a few more additions) but the graphics have had a major overhaul. The actual environments in the game look beautiful as usual and have had a few touch ups to make them look tip top. There is a wide range of levels too which should appeal to everyone. Levels ranging from Fire, Sand, Ice, Grassy areas and a huge range of beautiful environments. The main graphical overhaul came with the character models though. Mario looks great, much better than he did in 64. Bowser also looks even better, probably the best in the game in my opinion. Also Luigi, Wario and Yoshi look great and the various enemies (especially the old and new bosses introduced) look even better.

Overall, Super Mario 64 DS is worthy of carrying the Super Mario 64 title in it and it does it good. Everything that was present in the original is found here. Sound may be a bit repetitive and nothing new, the whole D-Pad movement may not feel as good and not that many new levels may not appeal to a lot of players but trust me, this game is worth your money. One of the better titles on the DS today, this game is truly a masterpiece.




http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg.5/5

[TheMixta43]

PROJECT RUB

By TheMixta43

Project Rub is one of the first games to come out on the Nintendo DS and is essentially a collection of different mini-games integrated into a story. The game arguably shows off the DS’ touch screen capabilities like no other game did at launch and makes for a fun filled touching experience.

The games story mode is pretty much just a broad collection of exciting mini-games that always test you in different ways. The story mode is actually set out in a story though, which is a nice touch to a Mini-game collection like this. Throughout the story, your character tries to impress the girl that he has fallen in love with in many different, eccentric ways if you will. The mini-games themselves are great. There are too many to name but take the likes of tapping bulls into oblivion, bowling your character over a busy street into other people, blowing out huge candles threatening to tumble over your character, monocycling over a thin road over the sea with sharks threatening to take a you down with them and clearing a path of spiky balls for your character so he can, of course, ride down the big hill on a trolley. Yes these are very quirky, crazy mini-games that will be sure to please you (or make you feel sick) depending on how you like it. After you’ve finished the story mode, you can unlock the hard difficulty, which is aptly named. On hard, you have to complete more levels on less lives in each mini-game. If you can overcome hard mode somehow, hell mode sure is for you. Hell mode is just like hard mode except you only get one life. Harsh. I myself am up to Hell mode and still stuck on the second set of mini-games.

Once you finish any particular mini-game once in story mode it becomes available in Memories, a mode where you can go in and replay any mini-game you’ve completed.
The good thing is there is an extra challenge to this mode; you only get one life to try and complete ten different challenges in each mini-game. You get the amount of stars corresponding to the amount of levels you complete in each mini-game. This provides an extra challenge for anyone crazy enough to think it’s not hard enough as it is.
There are 182 stars to collect in total, with most mini-games having ten stars to get and others having only one star, as they are more like boss battles of sorts. The stars are used in the next mode I must mention, Maniac mode.

In Maniac mode you can dress up your lover in any attire you wish, whether it be a Santa outfit, an Angel outfit or just plain old naked (just pitch black skin all over)! You’ll have to work hard for that last one though, trust me. The way you can unlock the various outfits are many. You can collect the stars I’d mentioned earlier to get a few new parts to the costumes (divided into Head, Body, Legs and Feet). Also, you can collect Rabbits in the cut scenes to each mini-game. Here you have to tap a certain part of the screen and a rabbit will appear whether it is you tapping the hero’s fish on his shirt or the raging bull coming at you. There are 60 rabbits in total. There is also one other way to get extra costumes, inserting certain GBA games in the GBA slot. Games made by Sega such as the Range of Sonic games and a few others unlock parts like a Sonic wig, Ulala Wig and many more. Don’t worry; you don’t have to pay more money just to get these games to unlock everything but you will have to complete the Hell difficulty. You can choose which will cost more money. A few GBA games or a new Nintendo DS console after you smash your one in anger.

The graphics and sound in project rub are strange just like the game play. Saying this doesn’t mean it’s bad, it just means that it will greatly appeal to some and make others feel sick to their stomach. In the right conditions, it’s a great combination of Graphics, Game play and Sound but after the 9th or so hour you spend trying to complete just one more mini-game on Hell mode, it can grate on you and make you even angrier.
The graphics are very quirky, it’s kind of set out in a 2/3D environment which looks pretty nifty. The characters all have completely black skin with no feature other than the clothes they are wearing. Weird yes, but cool? I think so anyway. Pretty much everything in the game has to be weird; it can’t just be normal like most other games.
This is a good thing and a bad thing. The graphics do start to make you angry after a while which is never a good thing. This can also be said about the sound. The sound is probably weirder than the graphics and the game play put together! Sounds consist of people screaming at you and the music that plays usually people humming weird tunes. As with the graphics and to an extent, the game play, the sound is extremely cool at first but plays on your mind after a while and sends you into an inhuman rage.

Overall, Project Rub is a fantastic showcase for the DS. It shows that not all games have to make sense to be fun. It also shows that hard games make people angry. This is indeed a hard game and sure, you may finish normal mode in less than a day. Who knows, you might finish Hard the next. One thing is for sure though, you have to be some kind of super human to be able to complete this 100%, there is a lot of replay value as most of the mini-games are fun when your not getting angry with them after your 20th try. Project Rub is a great game at first but the more you play it the more it becomes a chore to complete everything and I don’t think anyone is motivated enough to go through essentially the same mode three times through just to say they’ve completed Hell mode. It is a great game with a lot of flaws, the biggest ones being the more you play the more you want to stop playing. If your new to the whole Nintendo DS thing this game is a great introduction to its revolutionary touch screen controls but if you’re a seasoned DS vet, think twice about getting this devilishly hard game.




http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds3.jpg.5/5

[TheMixta43]

Sorry about posting three reviews in a row but I've been bored, playing a lot of DS lately so I thought why not hey. Hope you enjoyed them and I may have do reviews of Pokemon Diamond, Dragonball Z Supersonic Warriors 2 and Nintendogs soonish. Expect a DBZ one first, and then Pokemon.

[TheMixta43]

DRAGONBALL Z SUPERSONIC WARRIORS 2

By TheMixta43

Dragonball Z Supersonic Warriors 2 is the first Dragonball Z games to come out on the Nintendo DS. With games on the GBA such as Legacy of Goku 1 and 2, Buu’s Fury and a few others. Some thought the first DS rendition of the DBZ franchise would follow suit and be a kind of Action RPG but this game is a direct follow up to the better of the two fighting games on the GBA, the original Supersonic Warriors opposed to that horrible game Taiketsu.

Seen as there are enough 3D DBZ fighting games already out on various consoles, Supersonic Warriors is a 2D fighting game that follows suit to early DBZ games on SNES such as Hyper Dimension and games like Ultimate Battle 22. Supersonic Warriors 2 reinvents 2D DBZ fighting games though, being kind of alike and very different to these games at the same time. The actual fighting in the game is great. You can pick from a wide range of characters from the DBZ universe such as favourites like Goku, Gohan, Vegeta and Trunks. Also, there are some characters that haven’t been in many games such as Broly, Cooler and Dr.Gero, which fans will love.
You pick your characters depending on their Dragon Point rank. Better characters have more DP’s so they are usually found fighting on their own while characters with fewer DP’s can team up in teams up to three people. Your dragon points eventually build up and soon enough you will have enough to have that team you always wanted. There is also a wide range of support characters to choose from. Think like Marvel vs. Capcom style of support characters except you can choose them and they take up DP and a place on your team. These characters range from the likes of Bardock to Hercule to Shenron himself.

Once you find the right combination your ready to start fighting. There are many stages to choose from that will be familiar to any DBZ fan. Once engaged in battle you can of course start fighting. Fighting consists of Light Attacks, Heavy Attack, Ki Blasts and, of course, your usual assortment of Super Ki Blasts different to each character. There are also team combinations also like the Marvel vs. Capcom series of games where I you can team up and unleash a devastating blast on your opponent. Unlike MvC though, you have to have the right combination of characters to pull off these fantastic moves and fans of the series will love some of the great moves you can do. Combinations like Freiza/Cooler/King Cold (Support) will work and team up together to take down their opponents but combinations like Gohan/Buu/Shenron obviously won’t do anything. You’ll have a great time pulling off all these moves and they look spectacular.

There are a huge assortment of modes in the game that will keep anyone busy. First off there is Z Battle mode, like an arcade mode where you pick a team and battle you’re way to the end. This is great fun at first but will become old quickly. You probably won’t be playing this for too long since Story mode is the most appealing one and will keep you hooked. Story mode is just what it’s name says, going through the DBZ story from each characters perspective. There is a lot of game play to be had here and there are also cool side “What If” stories to be had throughout it which provide even more enjoyment throughout the game. If these modes are not enough, there is Maximum mode, which provides a great challenge to any player out there.
If your done with these you can of course go into Free Battle where you can pitch any two teams against each other and battle it out. There is also a Practice/Tutorial mode where you can learn the basics and advanced techniques in the game and just practice to your hearts content. Another mode is VS Battle, one I’m yet to try but It’s just like free battle except you can play against friends who also own a DS and this game wirelessly. There is no Wi-Fi unfortunately but it was never expected seen as this was an early title in the DS catalogue.

The graphics and sound in this game are spectacular. Sure they might not meet the standards of the 3D games on PS2 and Wii but the 2D graphics provide a new perspective on the DBZ universe and it comes out looking great. The characters themselves look authentic and don’t try and mimic the anime exactly like the 3D counterparts. The levels themselves look spectacular and give the players a wonderful feeling as they are battling it out in them. The sound is also great. The music is your usually rocky soundtrack with a variety of original tracks to keep the action going non-stop. Also, the character voices sound great but nowhere near as good as other games utilising the voice actors. It still does great seen as it is a portable 2D game opposed to a 3D console game.

Dragonball Z Supersonic Warriors 2 is a great game to any one who has a DS out there. There is plenty of replay value with the immense amount of characters, stages and play modes and the game play itself will keep you coming back for more. This is by far the greatest 2D Dragonball Z fighter out today and any DBZ fan without it can’t afford to miss this gem.




http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b358/Stevorooni/ds4.jpg/5

[Vindik8or]

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Well I've just finished playing this through, and I would have to say that I have never played anything quite like it. It could only be called an adventure game, but it isn't really caught up in the sensibilities of a Grim Fandango. In many ways it has more in common with a book than a game.

Which brings me on a nice little segue to the gameplay. You hold your little DS on the side, like a novel (which also makes it a pain to use when you have it plugged into mains power) and you, naturally, control the action with the stylus on right-hand touch screen and your thumb on right shoulder trigger. It is actually a very comfortable method of control, however the way that some of the dialogue and puzzles were laid out across the two screens had me instinctively move the stylus to the top screen and immediately scold myself for being an idiot.

That said, the majority of minigames and puzzles are very simplistic, with most of the solutions either coming down to persistance (searching every single little thing), or having the answer handed to you. In many cases the use of the touchpad seams almost tacked on for the gimmick of it, and has you just scrabbling all over the screen looking for the hot spot. To make matters worse you keep getting interrupted by character dialogue when you don't get things exactly the way that the designer intended. A good example of this is where you have to resuscitate Mila after she has passed out. You're apparently supposed to move over one side of her face, and then the other, but as you scratch around on the touchpad trying to find the invisible hotspots Rosa keeps interrupting telling you you're doing it wrong. This is a pretty serious sin of adventure gaming, punishing players for not channeling the psychic essence of the game designer. Having the puzzle being unresponsive to your attempts to solve it is one thing, actively hindering your attempts is almost unforgivable. However I will forgive it, as the puzzles are less integral to the gameplay, and more of a pacing mechanic, or some novelty to keep you interested between the reams of text.

Which brings me to the dialogue, the very core of this game. This is very much a talking game, and the way that you interract with people is the real heart of the gameplay, and the quality of the writing is directly linked to the quality of the game. In many ways the dialogue system dissapoints - you don't get the tried-and-trued dialogue trees of traditional adventure games - instead you get a curious system of question lists and interruptions. The interruptions are especially strange as you end up with two options, often one of them implicitly right, and the other wrong and ending in a game-over. This is a little dissapointing, as it really could have lent some replay value to be able to play the game over again and take some more outrageous dialogue paths.

In fact the entire game-over mechanic reaked of a Japanese sensibility, again punishing you for not having a telepathic link with the designer and then sometimes throwing you straight back into the game right before your screw-up, or making you play the whole chapter from the start and having you look and see if you saved closer to the scrwe-up. It was altogether very disruptive. Then you have the dialogue and plot itself.

Altogether it is very engaging and well written, however it is hit-and-miss in places, and I'm going to put this down to the Japanese sensibility and perhaps too-faithful translation. There are a lot of strange things, like the overuse of ellipsis (...) where in places you have characters striking meaningful looks at one-another (the exact same animations you'll see them pull at other points in the game), and declare "..." at one another. The way that Kyle Hyde is always surprised by the telephone, even though it rings on the hour every hour, knocks at the door, and how he wonders "Hmm... who is that?" whenever he sees someone in the hall, even though you can see who the sprite is on your screen before the camera even zooms down the hall.

A lot of the characterisation is awkward too. Especially Martin Summers, who comes across as more of a charicature than a real character. I'm sure someone thought that making him bombastic was a character trait, but the did it wrong. Basically it comes across as the writer for his dialogue hit up a thesaurus and replaced all of his words, making awkward archaic sentences, rather than making him truly bombastic and using large words just to inflate his ego, or perhaps making him use complex words inappropriately. The personal idiosyncracies of each character often begin to grate on you by the end of the game as they are forced on you again and again each time you talk to them, and they just don't do justice to a real empathy and understanding that you establish with the characters by the end of the game. It is strange how at odds with itself this game is. It almost seems like one person wrote the dialogue and plot for the whole game, and then another came along and "spruced up" the personalities of each character.

Other small annoyances that comes with a game that has so much dialogue is that a) you need a better way to skip the scrolling of the text, and b) you need a reliable way to review all of the dialogue.

Overall the plot itself was very engaging, although towards the end it was really pushing the limits of my suspension of disbelief for the serendipity of it all. I am really torn between appreciating this story as a treatise on providence, and wanting it to be more possessed of a realist aesthetic where there are false leads, red herrings, and asides that make things more alive but don't drive the plot forward. This is very much and issue of personal taste, not a criticism, and I do have to mention that the way everything is tied together is masterful. It is a dark genius that can bring all of these loose threads together in this way. The concluding scene was quite dissapointing, though. I did not get to say goodbye to some of my favourite characters (Iris, Rosa, and Mila to be specific), and a few of the plot threads were left totally unresolved. A game that puts so much pathos and value into the characters really needs to let you leave them on an appropriate note, and this one does not.

All in all I really, really enjoyed this game. It may not seem like it by the amount of criticism I have levelled at it, but that is just a sign of how much this game has occupied my thoughts. Bad games do not cause me to think about them so damned much.

Read the ******en review/5