Castlevania holds a special place in my gaming heart. Back in the NES days, I spent many an hour fighting evil in the first Castlevania, solving the puzzles of Simon's Quest, and enjoying the branching paths of the third entry. The series has had its ups and downs since then; and I certainly haven't played every title in the series, but I've managed to fight my way through most of them. None, however, completely captures my attention and respect more than Symphony of the Night does. It is the ultimate Castlevania title, and it will be a special day when (and if) Konami can trump this masterpiece.
The earlier entries in the series were some solid and fun action/platformers (with a sprig of RPG thanks to Simon's Quest), but it was cozying up to the Metroid formula that gave the series the edge it needed to make a more lasting impression. Recently, as I began playing through it once again, I was a little apprehensive that the pixelated visuals would get in the way of the classic fun I remembered. However, after chopping through some zombies and getting my equipment yoinked by Death himself, I was ready to scour the depths, heights and in-betweens of Dracula's castle.
Castlevania's music is always the first thing that grabs my attention when I begin a new installment, and going back to this old title was still an aural treat. It's a curious mix of metal, stringed orchestral, and even dirge-like themes sung by solemn choirs. Each main area of the castle has its own tune, and even the least memorable of the mix is still a standout tune. I would definitley enjoy listening to the soundtrack even when not playing the game itself - I like it that much.
As I said above, I was a little afraid the aged visuals wouldn't appeal to me quite as much as they used to; however, unlike most PSone era games that have aged very poorly, this title still holds that nostalgic feel that old 8-bit and 16-bit games hold. As a matter of fact, I made a point to turn off the smoothing option on my PS3 just to enjoy all those pixels. It's surprising how much detail and animation can be conveyed by all those little colored boxes when they're arranged just right. That said, the interior and the few exterior areas of the castle are still a joy to look at after all these years. You'll find your view sometimes obstructed by a creeping mist, and climbing to the heights of the castle rewards you with a view of clouds zipping by at breakneck speed (it's an odd effect, but still awesome to see). If you find yourself playing through this gem, be sure to look closely at the backgrounds - these are talented artists and level designers, so there's a lot of detail that a speedy gamer may miss.
Not only is it still nice to look at in that retro sort of way, but the game is fun as crap to play. On top, it's your straight-up action/platformer - attack, jump, block, it's all pretty standard. The game deviates from mere simplicity, however, by letting the player turn into either mist, a bat, or a wolf. Taking things up even another notch, the player can also cast magic spells that heal, throw fireballs, etc., by inputting combos with the d-pad a la Street Fighter. While it was nice to have magic at my disposal, I often found myself hacking away with the standard attack and utilizing the classic Castlevania secondary weapons (dagger, holy water, axe). Not to say the spellcasting didn't work or wasn't useful, it's just a matter of personal preference. Of course, I'd be doing the game a disservice by not mentioning the familiars you can obtain. In my playthrough I found a fairy, a skull, a small demon(my favorite), and a bat. I'd be hardpressed to say they're extremely useful; however, my fairy found a few secret areas, and my demon... well, he would stab things and yell "Die!", which I dare anyone to say isn't awesome.
Of course, this yummy cake of a game wouldn't be complete without character leveling and more items than you can shake a whip at (a weapon that is sadly omitted from this entry, by the way). There's just something inherently satisfying as you see those words, "Level Up", flash across the screen, and then picking up an item you've never seen before. And speaking of the latter, the game hands out new weapons and armor like candy. I was constantly going into my inventory to examine a new item, weighing the benefits of one attribute over another for the sake of more power or more defense. Honestly, after collecting so many different items, it did seem a bit like overkill as many pieces were similar in appearance and attributes; although, the useful pieces were always awesome and I enjoyed being able to customize my character to that extent.
If you haven't noticed, I really liked this game. The fact that the gameplay is still so enjoyable today is a testament to its stellar design; in fact, I'd venture to say this game is a timeless classic and can only pray that an eventual remake doesn't sully the experience for those new to the series. If you haven't tried this game, check it out on PSN and Xbox Live, or locate the original PSone disc for that true old-school feel. If a mix of platforming, action, and vampires named Shaft sounds appealing to you, this a great place to introduce yourself to one of gamings great franchises.
Random thoughts on video games and the industry.
Obligatory Gamercards
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Why Horror Games Don't Need to be Scary
After many an hour spent in Silent Hill through its various iterations, as well as other horror titles, I have a fairly high bar for what I believe makes a good horror game. Lately, though, I have come to realize that the bar either needs lowered, or that I need another bar for different types of horror games. I've come to realize that only very rarely will my standard for "supremely poo-producing" titles be met. Basically, I've come to realize that not all horror games need to be scary.
Let's start at the beginning (mine, anyway). The first Resident Evil genuinely scared me. It had creepy music, zombies, and it was freaking three dimensional! The fact that the game eventually turned into an action game much further in was overshadowed by the fact that I hadn't experienced anything like it before. It was all fresh, and it was all scary. The second and third entries in this series were still a little nerve-wracking, though the novelty was beginning to wear off.
Then along came a game called Silent Hill. A friend of mine was playing it one evening, and I was blown away by the flashlight mechanic. I soon picked up a copy for myself and knew there was something special going on there. It was the first time I actually began to view the game environment as a character in itself. The disturbing music, the Jacob's Ladder inspired empty wheelchairs and rust-covered walls, the sound effects... they all joined together to create a ubiquitous evil that followed poor Harry everywhere he (I) ran. The following two entries in the series were just as satisfying to me.
Of course, new Resident Evil games were popping up in the form of Code Veronica, the Gamecube remake of the original, the prequel Resident Evil Zero - the list goes on. I always became excited at a new RE announcement, and played each new entry happily; but something was missing. Didn't Resident Evil used to scare me? Because it surely didn't any longer. I'll admit, the first village in RE4 was a revelation in horror gaming for me. The sheer number of enemies, the decrepit houses, and let's not forget Leatherface, gave me chills I'd never had before while gaming. But once this opening sequence was past and I had fought scores of infected, the repetition of shoot, turn and run, turn and shoot and so on had taken most of the scare out of the game.
I should have seen it coming, though. Think about it: Up until Resident Evil 4, technology just didn't allow for too many bombastic moments, but the premise certainly hinted at a future full of spectacle. It began on a small scale - a mansion, claustrophobic underground laboratories, a small group of people slowly unraveling the various evils of the massive Umbrella Corporation. Isn't it only natural that a group of people bent on taking down such a corporation have a future full of explosions and, well, action? Umbrella isn't some unknown evil seething through every crack in the wall and gaping maw that used to be a street (ahem, Silent Hill). Umbrella is a tangible thing, run by someone, with an army infected henchmen ready to blow up, shoot, and sometimes bite anyone willing to stand against them. And with current technology, Chris and the gang can traverse larger environments and blow up whatever the hell they please. The great spectacle that will surely ensue once Umbrella gets taken down is now possible. Kudos to Capcom for all the creepy enemies and jump scares, but Resident Evil will likely always be more action than horror from here on out.
This isn't a criticism of the franchise, because I still love the hell out of these games, but more of an acceptance that good horror can still be derived from action-based games. This concept really hit me when I completed Dead Space 2 recently. I have heard many people complain that Dead Space 1 and 2 (as well as RE 4 and 5) just aren't scary. This is the camp that usually loves the Silent Hill games, and also the more recent Amnesia for PC. I'll be honest here - this is my camp, sort of.
Like I stated above, though, my recent revelation hit just after completing Dead Space 2. You know what happened right before the credits rolled? I laughed out loud, and was genuinely satisfied with the experience I just had. If you've played Dead Space 1 and 2, you'll know why I laughed at the end. I won't ruin it for anyone else. What I'd like to get across here, is that while these games certainly have a killer atmosphere and creepy enemies, the sense of impending doom I feel when playing Silent Hill 2 and Amnesia just isn't there; and I'm okay with that. While Amnesia delivers crushing melancholy and despair, Dead Space delivers quick thrills and a frantic struggle to stay alive.
It's the difference between your Eraserheads/Jacob's Ladders and Alien/Halloweens. All of those could be considered horror movies, though they deliver very different types of horror. Sure, I prefer the "smarter", slower-paced horror games; but I can't expect every horror experience to make me feel the same way. What we have, instead of "true" horror games and games that "just aren't scary", is variety - and I'm not about to complain about that.
Let's start at the beginning (mine, anyway). The first Resident Evil genuinely scared me. It had creepy music, zombies, and it was freaking three dimensional! The fact that the game eventually turned into an action game much further in was overshadowed by the fact that I hadn't experienced anything like it before. It was all fresh, and it was all scary. The second and third entries in this series were still a little nerve-wracking, though the novelty was beginning to wear off.
Then along came a game called Silent Hill. A friend of mine was playing it one evening, and I was blown away by the flashlight mechanic. I soon picked up a copy for myself and knew there was something special going on there. It was the first time I actually began to view the game environment as a character in itself. The disturbing music, the Jacob's Ladder inspired empty wheelchairs and rust-covered walls, the sound effects... they all joined together to create a ubiquitous evil that followed poor Harry everywhere he (I) ran. The following two entries in the series were just as satisfying to me.
Of course, new Resident Evil games were popping up in the form of Code Veronica, the Gamecube remake of the original, the prequel Resident Evil Zero - the list goes on. I always became excited at a new RE announcement, and played each new entry happily; but something was missing. Didn't Resident Evil used to scare me? Because it surely didn't any longer. I'll admit, the first village in RE4 was a revelation in horror gaming for me. The sheer number of enemies, the decrepit houses, and let's not forget Leatherface, gave me chills I'd never had before while gaming. But once this opening sequence was past and I had fought scores of infected, the repetition of shoot, turn and run, turn and shoot and so on had taken most of the scare out of the game.
I should have seen it coming, though. Think about it: Up until Resident Evil 4, technology just didn't allow for too many bombastic moments, but the premise certainly hinted at a future full of spectacle. It began on a small scale - a mansion, claustrophobic underground laboratories, a small group of people slowly unraveling the various evils of the massive Umbrella Corporation. Isn't it only natural that a group of people bent on taking down such a corporation have a future full of explosions and, well, action? Umbrella isn't some unknown evil seething through every crack in the wall and gaping maw that used to be a street (ahem, Silent Hill). Umbrella is a tangible thing, run by someone, with an army infected henchmen ready to blow up, shoot, and sometimes bite anyone willing to stand against them. And with current technology, Chris and the gang can traverse larger environments and blow up whatever the hell they please. The great spectacle that will surely ensue once Umbrella gets taken down is now possible. Kudos to Capcom for all the creepy enemies and jump scares, but Resident Evil will likely always be more action than horror from here on out.
This isn't a criticism of the franchise, because I still love the hell out of these games, but more of an acceptance that good horror can still be derived from action-based games. This concept really hit me when I completed Dead Space 2 recently. I have heard many people complain that Dead Space 1 and 2 (as well as RE 4 and 5) just aren't scary. This is the camp that usually loves the Silent Hill games, and also the more recent Amnesia for PC. I'll be honest here - this is my camp, sort of.
Like I stated above, though, my recent revelation hit just after completing Dead Space 2. You know what happened right before the credits rolled? I laughed out loud, and was genuinely satisfied with the experience I just had. If you've played Dead Space 1 and 2, you'll know why I laughed at the end. I won't ruin it for anyone else. What I'd like to get across here, is that while these games certainly have a killer atmosphere and creepy enemies, the sense of impending doom I feel when playing Silent Hill 2 and Amnesia just isn't there; and I'm okay with that. While Amnesia delivers crushing melancholy and despair, Dead Space delivers quick thrills and a frantic struggle to stay alive.
It's the difference between your Eraserheads/Jacob's Ladders and Alien/Halloweens. All of those could be considered horror movies, though they deliver very different types of horror. Sure, I prefer the "smarter", slower-paced horror games; but I can't expect every horror experience to make me feel the same way. What we have, instead of "true" horror games and games that "just aren't scary", is variety - and I'm not about to complain about that.
Monday, February 27, 2012
A Quick Ramble...
Greetings Ramblees... er, people who read my blog (over a thousand views now by the way)!
Apparently Frictional Games (the geniuses behind the bestest horror title ever, Amnesia) have graciously let thechineseroom (the geniuses behind the bestest art/stroll-taking/tear-jerker of a title ever, Dear Esther) develop the follow-up to Amnesia; and are set to release it into our nightmares before Halloween this year! If you've played both studios' latest titles you should understand why this is (or isn't, depending on your point of view) such an exciting project. And if you haven't played both Amnesia and Dear Esther, then you really need to. Really. Need. To. Seriously.
I for one would like to see more developers do this kind of thing, and perhaps even do some crossovers. For the heck of it, here are some ideas that will probably never happen.
Naughty Dog and Insomniac - Clank and Daxter: Smaller is Better, OR,
Ratchet and Jak: Meaner Than They Look
Bethesda Softworks and Nintendo - The Plumber Scrolls I: Super Mariowind
All FPS developers - Battle-Cry of Half Resistance: Fear the Halo-Call of HonorZone
*I didn't say they'd be GOOD ideas
Apparently Frictional Games (the geniuses behind the bestest horror title ever, Amnesia) have graciously let thechineseroom (the geniuses behind the bestest art/stroll-taking/tear-jerker of a title ever, Dear Esther) develop the follow-up to Amnesia; and are set to release it into our nightmares before Halloween this year! If you've played both studios' latest titles you should understand why this is (or isn't, depending on your point of view) such an exciting project. And if you haven't played both Amnesia and Dear Esther, then you really need to. Really. Need. To. Seriously.
I for one would like to see more developers do this kind of thing, and perhaps even do some crossovers. For the heck of it, here are some ideas that will probably never happen.
Naughty Dog and Insomniac - Clank and Daxter: Smaller is Better, OR,
Ratchet and Jak: Meaner Than They Look
Bethesda Softworks and Nintendo - The Plumber Scrolls I: Super Mariowind
All FPS developers - Battle-Cry of Half Resistance: Fear the Halo-Call of HonorZone
*I didn't say they'd be GOOD ideas
Monday, February 13, 2012
My Humble Attempt at Supporting Art.....Buy "Dear Esther"!
...or not. I mean, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. But, really, you should support this amazing project. Please, do read on...
I just booted up my Steam client to find that Dear Esther, originally a Half-Life 2 mod, is now finally to be released this valentine's day - tomorrow. I'll be honest, I didn't play all the way through the mod solely because I knew a superior treatment was being developed. In my short time with the mod, however, I was extremely impressed with the lone man's voice-overs and thought the music complemented the eerie setting and morose, but touching dialogue. Without question, I knew the "official" version would be worth the wait. And here it is.
For all you gamers out there, Dear Esther is basically an interactive walk through a mysterious island. By interactive, I basically mean you are able to walk around, and look around...and, well, I suppose that's about it. The exciting thing about this project isn't the gameplay, though. Come to Dear Esther looking for this: a dark, ambiguous narrative expertly told, and total immersion thanks to great graphics and a soundtrack that will have you weeping like mom during her "stories". Come to Dear Esther looking for this, and you won't be disappointed. Shadow of the Colossus, Flower and others have bore the "games as art" title proudly before - but Dear Esther is undoubtedly the closest I've seen to being more art than game, and this is just fine with me.
Just a note - all of my opinions are based on time with the mod and recent trailers and reviews I've read for Dear Esther. I haven't played it yet, so this isn't really a review. But, I think it's safe to say I know what's in store for me when I finally boot it up. If not, hey, I'll post a complete review and let you all know that I, Ye Old Game Rambler, was wrong.
Here are some links so you can judge for yourself, and perhaps you'll find it in your heart to support brave developers like this by purchasing a copy.
Developer website: Dear Esther
Game Informer review: Dear Esther Review
I just booted up my Steam client to find that Dear Esther, originally a Half-Life 2 mod, is now finally to be released this valentine's day - tomorrow. I'll be honest, I didn't play all the way through the mod solely because I knew a superior treatment was being developed. In my short time with the mod, however, I was extremely impressed with the lone man's voice-overs and thought the music complemented the eerie setting and morose, but touching dialogue. Without question, I knew the "official" version would be worth the wait. And here it is.
For all you gamers out there, Dear Esther is basically an interactive walk through a mysterious island. By interactive, I basically mean you are able to walk around, and look around...and, well, I suppose that's about it. The exciting thing about this project isn't the gameplay, though. Come to Dear Esther looking for this: a dark, ambiguous narrative expertly told, and total immersion thanks to great graphics and a soundtrack that will have you weeping like mom during her "stories". Come to Dear Esther looking for this, and you won't be disappointed. Shadow of the Colossus, Flower and others have bore the "games as art" title proudly before - but Dear Esther is undoubtedly the closest I've seen to being more art than game, and this is just fine with me.
Just a note - all of my opinions are based on time with the mod and recent trailers and reviews I've read for Dear Esther. I haven't played it yet, so this isn't really a review. But, I think it's safe to say I know what's in store for me when I finally boot it up. If not, hey, I'll post a complete review and let you all know that I, Ye Old Game Rambler, was wrong.
Here are some links so you can judge for yourself, and perhaps you'll find it in your heart to support brave developers like this by purchasing a copy.
Developer website: Dear Esther
Game Informer review: Dear Esther Review
Sunday, February 5, 2012
We Need a Trophy Room
Imagine yourself a professional bowler for a moment. You've been bowling for many years now and have built up quite a collection of trophies, as well as a handsome sum of money. While the money has either been spent or put away for Junior's bowling lessons, you have each and every one of your trophies displayed in a room built special for this purpose. You love your room. You love the trophies within this room. You may not go in there every day, but when you do it's nice to reminisce about the moments each trophy represents. Now imagine that, after earning so much money from winning tournaments, you had the opportunity to move into a much bigger, more attractive house. Your family wants to move, your friends and family want you to move - you basically have no choice but to move on. Unfortunately, for no other reason than "just because", you cannot take your beloved trophies with you. They must remain in your old house, into which no one will ever move. You can go back and visit them if you want, but the drive is a long one, and no one will be there to dust them off regularly. Basically, you'll probably never go back to visit them, despite all the work you put into earning them.
Okay, now step back into your own shoes - sorry, your pro-bowling days are gone now - and think about the above situation. It's a little silly, right? Why shouldn't the bowler be able to take his prized trophies to his new house? Simply put, he should.
Can all three of you readers see where I'm going with this? Sure you can! But I'll spell it out anyway: What happens to our achievements/trophies once the next generation of consoles releases? Should we even care?
Sure, not every gamer cares about these extra, perhaps meaningless, virtual trinkets; but many do, and I can see the possibility of losing these as a hot debate point for many gamers in the next year or so.
For my part, in the grand gaming scheme they really are worthless, and I would certainly still play and enjoy games withouth them. However, I still enjoy having something to take out of each game I play as a sort of reminder of what I did. Also, they offer their own unique challenges and actually change the way I play a lot of games now. I find myself being pushed harder to complete that FPS on veteran difficulty, complete more of the side quests in certain RPG's, and even pay more scrutiny to the levels as I search for that last collectable item - and all of these are due to the added replay value trophies/achievements add to games, which in the end means I'm getting more for my money. This alone makes tro&chi's (which heretoforth shall be my word for you-know-what's) worth having around. And, you know what? I think I would be a little upset if I had to leave them all behind once the next generation of consoles land on store shelves.
I don't expect the next Playstation or Xbox to be backwards compatible (though I would prefer them to be), but I think some sort of consistency is reasonable. And by this I mean being able to carry over our gamertags/PSN accounts, our tro&chi's, and perhaps even our downloadable games/DLC - the latter of which some of us have paid mightily for.
Here's what would make me happy: Let us carry over our accounts to the new systems (which I think is highly likely, anyway), and offer some space on the dashboard for a sort of library/trophy room for our past played games. It doesn't seem like much to ask - just as it may not seem like much to worry about one way or the other; but, hey, I earned those little digital bastards, and I wanna keep 'em!
Personally, I think this is really the only way to go if Sony and Microsoft let us keep our tro&chi's, as an ever-growing gamerscore would get a little out of hand in some cases, and (I don't know about anyone else) I'd rather start as a level 1 gamer once the PS4 is upon us - it just seems like the right thing to do.
Actually, now that I think about it, here's an even better suggestion for Sony and Microsoft: Gamerscores 30,000 and above net the player a year of free Xbox Live on the new system; and for Sony, gamers level 12 and above get a free year of Playstation Plus on the PS4. Get on it, ladies and gents!
Okay, now step back into your own shoes - sorry, your pro-bowling days are gone now - and think about the above situation. It's a little silly, right? Why shouldn't the bowler be able to take his prized trophies to his new house? Simply put, he should.
Can all three of you readers see where I'm going with this? Sure you can! But I'll spell it out anyway: What happens to our achievements/trophies once the next generation of consoles releases? Should we even care?
Sure, not every gamer cares about these extra, perhaps meaningless, virtual trinkets; but many do, and I can see the possibility of losing these as a hot debate point for many gamers in the next year or so.
For my part, in the grand gaming scheme they really are worthless, and I would certainly still play and enjoy games withouth them. However, I still enjoy having something to take out of each game I play as a sort of reminder of what I did. Also, they offer their own unique challenges and actually change the way I play a lot of games now. I find myself being pushed harder to complete that FPS on veteran difficulty, complete more of the side quests in certain RPG's, and even pay more scrutiny to the levels as I search for that last collectable item - and all of these are due to the added replay value trophies/achievements add to games, which in the end means I'm getting more for my money. This alone makes tro&chi's (which heretoforth shall be my word for you-know-what's) worth having around. And, you know what? I think I would be a little upset if I had to leave them all behind once the next generation of consoles land on store shelves.
I don't expect the next Playstation or Xbox to be backwards compatible (though I would prefer them to be), but I think some sort of consistency is reasonable. And by this I mean being able to carry over our gamertags/PSN accounts, our tro&chi's, and perhaps even our downloadable games/DLC - the latter of which some of us have paid mightily for.
Here's what would make me happy: Let us carry over our accounts to the new systems (which I think is highly likely, anyway), and offer some space on the dashboard for a sort of library/trophy room for our past played games. It doesn't seem like much to ask - just as it may not seem like much to worry about one way or the other; but, hey, I earned those little digital bastards, and I wanna keep 'em!
Personally, I think this is really the only way to go if Sony and Microsoft let us keep our tro&chi's, as an ever-growing gamerscore would get a little out of hand in some cases, and (I don't know about anyone else) I'd rather start as a level 1 gamer once the PS4 is upon us - it just seems like the right thing to do.
Actually, now that I think about it, here's an even better suggestion for Sony and Microsoft: Gamerscores 30,000 and above net the player a year of free Xbox Live on the new system; and for Sony, gamers level 12 and above get a free year of Playstation Plus on the PS4. Get on it, ladies and gents!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Review Quickie: Crysis 2 (PS3)
I've been drooling at screenshots of this for awhile, and as always, seeing it in motion is even more impressive. Most everything about the PS3 version of this game looks great, but most striking is the realistic lighting - sunspots and lens flares are like candy for the eyes. Later in the game, when the setting turns to night, is (pun intended) when the lighting effects really shine. The story is thankfully decent and intelligently written for a FPS (we need more of that, please). Set in a crumbling New York City, the game tries to feel somewhat open, and only succeeds mildly before ushering you into a building and down various hallways. This is only mildly disappointing, since the gunplay and suit powers are extremely good and always entertaining (I beat the game in ten hours and started again right away). Enemy types are few, but once again fun to take down. My biggest gripe is that I wish the game was a bit longer, and that there was a hulking, mean alien beast for a final boss instead of four, invisible and annoying grunts to take down before the credits rolled. Do yourself a favor: put down Modern Warfare for a day and play through Crysis 2's single player campaign.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Review Quickie: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Just a note: I'll probably do more of these quickies, so think of them as long twitters or whatever. Just want to get a few quick thoughts out there for the hell of it. Here we go:
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
I first thought this would be yet another God of War clone. Nope, folks, not really. First, it's lengthy. Second, its combat becomes deep and satisfying once played long enough - similar to God of War, but I actually enjoyed this title much more than GoW III. Graphics are stellar. Music is gorgeous. Platforming segments can be tedious thanks to strange camera angles, but this is a small complaint. Play this game to kill monsters and you won't be disappointed. Also, the ending packs quite a surprise and I can't wait to see what comes next. A brave move forward for Castelvania, and let's hope the next installment sets it apart from the GoW clone-isms.
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