Gungnir review

This is why I just wasn't able to get into Gungnir, a game which right off the bat buries the player in waves of complexity. Though I've enjoyed previous installments of Sting's "Dept. Heaven" series (Riviera was pretty great), this particular entry seems to be crafted for hardcore SRPG buffs, a clan to which I cannot claim membership.

If you've ever played a "tactics" game before (Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre),  Gungnir will seem rather familiar. You navigate tiny sprite characters around a series of complex chess boards, all covered in varying terrain and an assortment of enemies. Most maps task the player with nothing more complicated than clearing the map of bad guys, accomplished by putting your tiny soldiers within range of the enemies and letting loose with their equipped weapon or magical spell.

Thankfully, Gungnir isn't an entirely by-the-books affair, with some  rather very interesting mechanics coming into play. The battlefields are littered with special squares, which can be captured by either the player or the enemy. Each captured square adds an additional point to the tactics meter each round, letting the player unleash devastating special attacks, or set up chain attacks with characters facing the same enemy. The game also gives a turn order for each unit on the map, which skillful players will be able to manipulate to gain a initiative advantage. There's even the option to permanently sacrifice a character's stats in return for letting them break the turn order, for use in truly desperate circumstances.

In addition to the intriguing gameplay, Gungnir also offers a fine level of visual polish, the cute 2D sprites being the highlight (and looking rather slick when played on the PS Vita's gorgeous screen). The game uses 2D character portraits to help advance the plot, though I was rather disappointed to see that these remain static regardless of the situation, main character Giulio wearing a cocky smile even as he laments the death of his friends. Additionally, the game's menus all benefit from some slick visual design, something that has always been a staple of the Dept. Heaven series. So, if you're a strategy RPG fan and a graphics design buff, you'll definitely want to check this one out.

The real problem is that the game is simply a chore for anyone but the most dedicated SRPG fans. Enemies are stocked to the gills with HP, and given the frequency with which attacks will miss or be blocked, taking down even a singular target is an ordeal lasting countless turns. Having your character jump from too high a platform means they'll be stunned for an entire round, while magic spells take so long to cast that the target has often maneuvered away from the impact site long before the fireball actually shows up. Even the treasure chests have mounds of hit points, and spending four in-game turns  simply trying to crack open some loot seems like an unnecessary hassle. With no apparent way to save mid-battle, Gungnir forces use of the PSP / Vita's sleep modes, preventing you from using other applications until the fight is finished. Not to mention that with battles this tedious, every defeat truly stings, and getting to the end of a 30-minute play session without any progress to show for it will be enough to convince many to stop playing entirely.

In short, if you're the kind of player who's sunk hundreds of hours into similar titles, you'll likely feel right at home with Gungnir. If you never made it past the windmill level in Final Fantasy Tactics, you  may want to stick to something a bit more user-friendly.

Via: Gungnir review

Read More

Motorstorm RC PS Vita Review

The thing I should explain about playing this game is that while it’s a Motorstorm by name, all of the vehicles in this game are meant to be tiny, little remote-controlled versions, and the gameplay has changed to reflect that. Rather than a traditional, from-behind, racing view, you see your car from some distance away, and you’re looking at the track from above. To reflect this, the controls have also been changed so that the right stick is your accelerate and reverse, and the left stick steers you to the left and right, independent from the camera angle. This achieves two things. One, it really helps you to feel like you’re controlling the car from outside of it, like you would be with a real RC car, and two, rather than a traditional Motorstorm, that game feels more like a modern revamping of the classic Off Road arcade cabinet from pizza shops across America. To me, this sort of fast-paced, easy-to-learn, arcade-y style was super fun, and because it was so smooth and polished, it was rare that I would ever get frustrated. The only real problems I had with the way the game works were that putting the accelerator on the right stick sometimes caused me to slow down without realizing it when my finger unconsciously moved the stick a little off-center, and that loose controls can sometimes cause your super-light RC car to flip over or get stuck somewhere on the track. This last problem though, is easily solved, as the R button is the designated car reset button, which places you right back on the track.

The audio in this game is also pretty good, with a unique soundtrack of slightly dubsteppy and never over-the-top electronic music, coupled with the high buzzing of an RC car engine and the enjoyable screeching of the brakes. The lack of any sort of announcer or crowd is welcome here, as it would be weird for an RC event to attract enough people for that to be natural, and it would probably take you out of the game sometimes for a generic crowd effect to drown out the focusing effect that wordless electronic music can sometimes have on your racing psyche. It would have been nice to have some more recognizable tunes, but in this case, I can’t really fault the game for what it’s got.

Finally, the features of this game are both a boon to its playability and a major contributor to its eventual downfall. This game is surprisingly deep for a free download. There are sixteen tracks that span the four totally different environments that act as something similar to “cups” in games like Mario Kart or F-Zero. Within each of these, there’s three different types of events for all eight vehicle classes. For traditionalists, there’s straight eight-vehicle races and speed laps. On top of this, there’s another fun event called Pursuit, in which you must overtake all the other vehicles on the track as quickly as possible. For all of these events, there is a three-medal completion system; depending on what medal you get, you unlock more events, as well as the occasional unlock of one of the game’s impressive roster of 164 vehicles. I also particularly enjoyed the way in which each medal has its own ghost in speed lap events, so that you know exactly where you stand at all times.

Unfortunately and unbelievably, however, Motorstorm RC completely lacks any sort of multiplayer outside of online leaderboards. There’s not even an ad-hoc option. It just seems super illogical for such a fun racing game to almost entirely leave out the concept of friendly competition, so much that it will knock this game, which did enough right to have been a clear 7/10, down to the less sexy 6.

Should you get this game? Of course. It’s free. Why not? Heck, it’s good enough that I’d even make a case for you to pay for it. It’s really fun, but just know that there’s no multiplayer, and wonder along with me at how such a solid game could have such a critical flaw.

[Reviewed on PS Vita]

Via: Motorstorm RC PS Vita Review

Read More

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 Review (PlayStation Vita)

As expected, the plot line loosely follows events that take place from Order of the Phoenix to the final chapter of Deathly Hallows, when Harry finally faces off against Voldemort.  Of course, being a Lego game, it’s told in a kid-friendly, comical style, with characters grunting and humorous situations arising.  Travellers Tales still knows how to get a chuckle out of the player without hammering a joke too far into the ground, as Lego Harry Potter easily proves here.

However, not all of the gameplay elements mesh.  While we thoroughly enjoyed taking part in duels with rival characters and using numerous spells in combat, some of the puzzle solving got a little tedious — like needing to calm down a freezing student by getting them some hot liquid (rather than sending them to get it themselves) or trying to solve a picture puzzle.  We know the team was just trying to throw in some diversity, but some of these segments really do drag on.

Even worse, you can’t rely on a friend to help you out this time around.  Possibly due to limited time in development (to get the game out while Potter was still relevant), this release doesn’t come with any sort of multiplayer option, so a friend can’t drop in or out (like in the console versions) to help you out.  This makes Lego Harry Potter a lonelier affair than it should’ve been, though fans will still be engaged by some of the activities.  Let’s hope that Lego Batman 2 doesn’t suffer a similar fate, yes?

The presentation has its ups and downs when it comes to fitting on the Vita.  On the bright side, the in-game action is entertaining, as you seek out hidden goodies and watch your characters interact with one another through the world.  The environments reflect those from Potter’s universe quite faithfully, and you’ll even recognize many of the characters, some of which you’ve even forgotten about.  The frame rate is fluid and the lighting effects sparkle, especially when you use one of your multiple magic effects.

On the flip side, the cut scenes look somewhat dated.  Instead of remastering them for the PS Vita (again, probably a time-cutting measure), they’re instead recycled from previous versions, running on what looks like low-grade playback.  Fortunately, you can skip over them and get right back to the game.

In terms of audio, it’s typical Lego, with some humorous grunts here and there and a very faithful inclusion of the Harry Potter movie themes.  This is sure to please fans.

While it would’ve been nice for Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 to include co-op multiplayer (even local) and some better pacing in certain levels, it remains a magical experience for PS Vita owners, especially those who need their fix of Travellers Tales’ Lego treatment.  Check it out and see if Harry still does it for you.

Via: Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 Review (PlayStation Vita)

Read More

ModNation Racers: Road Trip Review (PlayStation Vita)

Don’t get us wrong, ModNation Racers: Road Trip managed to survive the trek to handheld with most of its features intact, including being able to build your own racers and tracks and sharing them via upload, but without the community to be able to race against, it feels like a severe loss.  And the saddest part?  That’s not the game’s only problem.

ModNation Racers is the equivalent of most kart racers out there when it comes to control.  You choose your racer and hit a number of tracks in Career Mode, using occasional power-ups to gain the advantage over AI racers (or local racers through AdHoc), unlocking new components that you can use to make your racer and tracks even better.  And it’s pretty much rinse and repeat from there until you unlock everything, then let creation take over.

We admit, the track editor is pretty damn cool with the Vita screen.  Being able to touch and place components for each track is a snap, and then trying them out is always satisfying, just to see your world come to life.  And the upload feature is handy, if a bit long when it comes to time.

That’s one big issue that ModNation Racers: Road Trip hasn’t resolved on its trip to the Vita – loading.  The game takes forever to load between races, about a good 40 seconds or so before anything truly happens.  You’d think Sony would’ve learned from this through the PlayStation 3 version, which had a similar problem, but sadly, that isn’t the case.

But, really, the lack of multiplayer bugs us.  This would’ve been an ideal time for Sony to take advantage of the PlayStation Network and show us what good it would do, and instead, it balks on the feature save for quick sharing and local AdHoc racing.  That takes a lot of wind out of this game’s sails, and though it’s still fun to play solo, you can’t help but think this was a sorely missed opportunity.

The game is also a mixed bag when it comes to presentation.  Though the graphics do impress at times and the track design is intuitive, the frame rate jumps way too often, even when there isn’t much happening on the screen.  The drivers are still adorable, but don’t react often enough, particularly when they take over the lead.  The music’s not bad, but hardly anything you’d want to race to in real life, and the lack of humorous announcing is hard to overlook.

If you need to fill your racing fix and Wipeout 2048 isn’t getting the job done by itself, ModNation Racers is worth a look, especially if you have a creative penchant to make your dream tracks come to life.  However, with the missing multiplayer and the iffy presentation, this is hardly the smooth coasting to the finish line it should’ve been.  It’s back to the ModNation drawing board for these guys…

Via: ModNation Racers: Road Trip Review (PlayStation Vita)

Read More

Suimioni: Demon Arts review

What I got, however, was something completely different. The storyline revolves around a young hero with two spiritual animal beings who set out to save the lands from evil. A decent premise if I ever heard one, and one that would make me rise to the occasion any day, except the game itself struggles to make you care about any of that.

It controls like you would expect. Though there are several control schemes, the one that makes the most sense is strictly relying on the analog stick and face buttons for movement and combat. The game then lets you paint using the touch screen to either paint platforms for you or ignite your enemies in a blaze of fire. You can also switch the function of your brush to erase enemy projectiles, though it doesn't work on every single enemy. You also have the ability to summon either a giant bird or giant lion/tiger to your aid by painting a symbol; that will help you annihilate some of your enemies on screen. This is essentially a recipe for success, except that it falls apart due to some extremely bland gameplay.

The way Sumioni works is you're essentially going through bite-sized levels, some not even 30 seconds long, in hopes of eventually reaching the final boss. Various armed enemies occupy the stage, which are all easily dispatched with your sword, but there are also many hazards that you have to be wary of. The deceptively easy early stages make you think that the rest of the game is a cakewalk, only to realize that it will kick your ass again and again if you don't memorize enemy patterns and don't effectively use your brush. What's more, if you hope to get anything out of this $20 purchase, you better be on your A game, because earning anything less than three stars every level won't get you to the best ending of the game.

What I mean by this is some levels branch off and lead to another path, but to get to this path, you have to not only take minimal damage, but complete the level as fast as possible, earning you three stars. Like I said, the early levels are laughably easy until you keep progressing, only to learn that the game is unfairly hard. I don't mind a challenge, in fact, I welcome it, but this game crosses the line between challenging and being unfair due to gameplay. The biggest culprit in this is undoubtedly the controls. The jumping and attacking feels stiff and almost nonresponsive. It's easy to take care of peons that are constantly trying to slash you to death with a simple sword slash, but couple that with the stiff jumping and some relentless archer enemies, and you have yourself a fairly frustrating experience.

It's a shame because the way the game should work is actually good! The fact that you can replay the game multiple times to achieve multiple endings is a great idea. It gives the game some truly great replay value, coupled with the fact that each time you play, you're required to do better in order to reach the alternate stages and endings. It's a shame then that the gameplay mechanics just fall apart, and you're left with frustrating controls.

I think what's worse is that the $20 price tag is fairly unjustified. A game like Super Stardust Delta, which is only $10 for instance, has much more replayability, extras, and increasing difficulty which doesn't feel cheap and unfair, but rather relies on player skill. There are a few people that will enjoy Sumioni, and those people are generally gluttons for punishment. Again, it's not the worst game ever, but it has great ideas that unfortunately never come together into one cohesive experience.

Via: Suimioni: Demon Arts review

Read More

Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention review

The original Disgaea 3 (Absence of Justice) first dropped for the PlayStation 3 back in 2008, and though classic RPG fans were certainly enthused, the game's simplistic style wasn't a huge hit with gamers looking for a true next-generation experience to cram onto their HD televisions. However on the PS Vita, the game's technical limitations are much easier to forgive, the blocky maps and old-school sprite graphics looking right at home on the unit's gorgeous screen, letting players enjoy countless hours of content without hogging the television.

Disgaea 3's plot largely consists of the same silly anime hi-jinks the series has come to be known for, with the ridiculous student body of the underworld's "Evil Academy" rallying behind the demon boy Mao in his quest to un-throne his Overlord father. As always, motivations are lighthearted and silly (for instance, Mao's true motivation is vengeance for his destroyed game console), though to be honest this game feature probably the weakest plot of all the Disgaea titles, and the humor often has a tendency to fall flat. Still, the attractive artwork at least gives you something to look at while the squeaky-voiced avatars drone on, and you can always fast forward ahead to the gameplay if desired.

Truthfully, wasting any time talking about the storyline is a pointless effort. The real hook offered by the Disgaea series is the thrillingly complex turn based strategy, which allows players to develop their highly customized teams of warriors, utilizing unique environmental effects to maximize their destructive potential. The grid-based battle system lets players move their characters around like chess pieces, maneuvering within range of enemies to unleash one of their many special attacks or spells. Building atop of this are layers of complexity, including the ability to lift and throw characters, or set up powerful chain attacks.

However the most interesting aspect of combat are the game's Geo Panels, highlighted squares of terrain which offer buffs (and debuffs) when items known as Geo Blocks currently occupy a square of the same color. This simplistic concept lends itself to some seriously advanced strategy, especially since players can toss the blocks around (so that a group on enemies standing on red panels get a -50% attack debuff), as well as shatter the blocks to set up gigantic chain combos which rip through everything unlucky enough to be standing on a panel. Geo Panels are just one example of how much the game offers, all with varying levels of complexity. Thankfully, Nippon Ichi skillfully offers a game experience for players of all types. Novices will be content to slowly grind their way through the main storyline, while experts will enjoy breaking every one of the game's rules, subverting the various systems to help power level characters all the way up to level 9999.

Point is, the Disagea series is a perfect fit for portable consoles, especially since the game's randomly generated "Item World" dungeons offer countless hours of replay value. There's plenty of new content jammed into this release as well, including most of the previously DLC-only content, as well as some wonky touchscreen functionality you'll likely ignore. As the first true RPG on the PlayStation Vita, Disgaea 3 definitely has a lot of expectations to answer to. Thankfully, this largely flawless experience delivers.

Via: Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention review

Read More

Mortal Kombat review (Vita)

If you want the in depth review of everything there is to know about Mortal Kombat, as well as the included extras in the Komplete Edition, you can head on over here to our official Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition review. You'll find everything that's included in that version jam-packed into the Vita version. That's right — Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, and Freddy Krueger are all included, as well as the plethora of alternate and Klassic costumes. You still have the entirety of the Krypt to unlock (with bonuses), the extensive story mode to go through, as well as the original challenge tower to conquer.

Honestly, I haven't been more overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content that's included. What's more is that there are a bunch of Vita-specific extras. The biggest addition is the exclusive challenge tower that is supplemental to the original challenge tower. It fully utilizes the Vita-specific features, such as the touchscreen and gyro sensor.

The Vita challenge tower will have you complete 150 missions, and boy are some of them fun! Ever imagine playing a Mortal Kombat themed Fruit Ninja? With Test Your Slice, now you can! Of course instead of slicing fruit, you'll slice limbs. Awesome! Test Your Slice also allows you to earn Kurrency, which always helps with unlocking the extensive amount of unlockables in the Krypt. Test Your Balance is yet another Vita-specific mini-game in which you use the gyro sensor to balance various Mortal Kombat fighters. You can even use the camera on the back of the Vita for AR functionality by allowing whatever you're pointing the camera at to be the background of the level.

Let's face it, you're not playing Mortal Kombat for the mini-games, you're playing for the over-the-top, violent fights, and the Vita version doesn't disappoint in the least. You'll still get ultra smooth, 60 frames-per-second fluidity which makes the transition from console to handheld almost seamless.

The transition isn't without fault, however. The silky smooth framerate does come with a trade-off. When you transition from cutscene to actual combat, you'll see just how low resolution and blocky the characters are. It's normally not as bad when you're just playing an arcade match, but when you're playing Story mode, and you're seeing all these characters and how awesome they look in the "in-game" cutscenes, and then how they look in combat, its pretty much night and day.

It's a shame, especially when compared to the amazing visuals and smooth framerate from Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. That game, however, had some serious cel-shading going for it, which runs great on any system. With that said, it's easy to overlook the low resolution of the characters in Mortal Kombat when the gameplay is so damn amazing.

You're able to hop online and destroy your opponents, as well as adhoc battles that even allow you and a friend to challenge two other players in a tag team match. Literally all the modes you've grown accustomed to in last year's Mortal Kombat, you'll find in the Vita version.

If you own a Vita and love fighting games — nay, if you simply own a Vita, you should get Mortal Kombat. Not only is it the most complete edition of any of the previous releases, but it's hands down one of the best fighting games to date.

Via: Mortal Kombat review (Vita)

Read More

Gravity Rush review

In this adventure game, you play as Kat, a rascally young girl who finds herself in the city of Hekseville just when it needs her the most.  Turns out it’s infected with a group of gloppy-looking enemies (think Attack of the Killer Tomatoes mixed with Jell-O), and she needs to fight back.  Kicks are good, but simply not enough against this horde.  But then enters Dusty, a cat that grants Kat the power to manipulate her gravity for a limited amount of time.  By activating this ability, she’s able to change the scope of her gravity, like being able to walk on walls or ceilings, or even fly through the sky like a bird, then change mid-direction if needed.

 

 

This is just the start of Kat’s abilities.  Soon, she’s able to manipulate gravity enough to set up attacks on enemies and grab objects using an immediate statis field, whether it’s hurling objects at these creatures or taking things from one place to another (like furniture to your dream home… in the sewer).  The later attacks are quite cool, and she’ll need them in order to contend with the more dangerous enemies that lie ahead.

The gameplay in Gravity Rush can be a little disorienting at first, especially with the whole “float” effect once you first turn it on.  But it’ll take mere seconds before you get used to it and set up some remarkable moves, such as walking along the side of a cliff to get around obnoxious guards and executing a fun attack on a double decker creature using a park bench.  And it’s hilarious watching innocent civilians get caught in your temporal bubble, then get hurled off in the distance as you go flying.  Sorry, citizens!

We also like how the touch screen is used to point out objectives on a map or dodge incoming attacks, and how you can shift the Vita’s gyrosensors to detect where you’re going next on a map.  It’s nice to see these features get a fair shake here.

To go along with the innovative gameplay, SCE Japan has also crafted a worthwhile presentation for Rush.  The graphics pop to life like the best kind of anime, with startling animation that pops off the screen and a beautiful city that you’ll spend hours exploring, if only to find all the hidden gems and goodies throughout.  Likewise, the music plays a big part in the game — not going overboard with in-game events, but also avoiding becoming a nuisance.  It’s almost as if it’s just right.  There’s hardly any spoken dialogue in the game, but it’s not really necessary.

 

 

Overall, Gravity Rush just comes across as one of those games that looks gimmicky at first, but then completely takes you by surprise as you get caught up in it.  Unless you have a thing against motion sickness (and some of you do), this is a title you must add to your growing Vita library. 

Via: Gravity Rush review

Read More

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection review (PlayStation Vita)

Okay, so we’ve gotten that disappointment aside.  Does that mean that Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a failure as a result?  Not at all.  In fact, the port accomplishes quite a bit in its own regard, thanks to two classic MGS titles that haven’t skipped a beat, even years after their release.  Some notable extras help too.

 

The package contains two main games, both which originally appeared on the PlayStation 2 ages ago.  Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty returns Solid Snake to active duty, while also peculiarly bringing Raiden into the mix.  Then you’ve got Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, an epic sequel in its own right, taking place years before with Big Boss making the rounds, trying to keep America safe from a heinous plot involving — what else — Metal Gears.

Both stories are intact from previous releases, complete with weird situations and the occasional awkward moment with Snake.  But, c’mon, it’s Metal Gear, did we really expect anything less?

For the most part, Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater play very well on the Vita.  You’ll have no problem playing through the stealth scenarios, knocking out guards and completing objectives while taking part in epic boss battles, especially through Snake Eater.  However, there is an interesting, and not quite effective, change with inventory controls.  Rather than using your shoulder buttons to switch items, you actually use icons on the touch screen.  It’s hardly a broken system, but we wonder why Konami didn’t include a traditional set-up.  Oh well, it’s still Snake-infused fun.

As for the presentation, Konami has held up its HD end of the bargain rather well.  Though there are times the awkward camera angle or frame rate issue arises, both games look great on the Vita screen, complete with detailed animations and beautiful environments, especially in Snake Eater.  The switch to first-person view is still pretty swift too, though it can be jarring if you’re not prepared for it.  We also like the sound, between the quality Metal Gear voice acting we’ve come to expect (and we mean quality by Metal Gear standards, natch) and great musical cues.  Yes, the “Snake Eater” theme is still intact.  Revel in it.

While Metal Gear Solid HD Collection doesn’t offer the greatest of extras, there are a few worth digging into here.  The VR missions make the trip, as well as the first two MSX Metal Gear games, showing you just how far Snake has come over the years.  Oddly enough, some of the Subsistence pack-ins are missing, along with — yep — Peace Walker.  We honestly would’ve taken that over Sons of Liberty, given the choice.

If you already own Metal Gear Solid HD Collection on a console and can live without taking it on the go, you aren’t missing much.  However, if you’re seeking a stealthy companion for on-the-go play, this package is still quite sufficient, despite missing additives.  The action remains as grandeur as ever, and the presentation didn’t lose much in the transition.  Now if we can just get Konami to work on a few more handheld HD collections.  BUT NOT SILENT HILL.

Via: Metal Gear Solid HD Collection review (PlayStation Vita)

Read More

Canabalt (PS Minis) review

Canabalt is now available on PS Minis, which means you can enjoy it on your PlayStation 3, Vita, or PSP. Being able to use actual face buttons to jump is great, but there are a few shortcomings. The first is the lack of a leaderboard. You can't upload your longest run, and you can't see what other PlayStation fans have accomplished in the game. Instead, the game simply autosaves your best session. This is Canabalt in the barest sense, which is to say that it's still really good, but not as gripping as its browser and mobile counterparts.

Still, even despite the lack of a leaderboard, Canabalt for PS Minis is still a fun and exhilarating adventure across the rooftops of a crumbling city. This is the same game we've seen before. Your character — dressed in his finest business attire — runs automatically, and he has to jump across gaps onto other buildings, billboards, and scaffoldings. Canabalt is a one button game, but every press is pressure sensitive, so you really have to time your jumps properly and tap the jump button with just the right amount of force. I can't express the utter disappointment I felt whenever I stupidly tapped a button too hard and witnessed my character bonk his head on an obstruction, only to plummet to his death.

Canabalt is a lovely game to look at. The graphics feature a toned down minimalist art style that consists of several different shades of gray and blue. The whole thing has a nice pixelated look to it that any fan of retro games is sure to enjoy. Additionally, while the soundtrack may not be vast, the few songs that you can choose from prior to any of your runs are all created by Danny Baranowsky of Super Meat Boy fame.

While the PS Minis version of Canabalt may suffer from a lack of leaderboard integration, I found that it's quite enjoyable when played with another person. I sunk a bunch of time into the game while playing with a buddy — much more than I thought I would, actually. We took turns attempting to one-up each other, shooting for the highest score every time (we called it quits after I hit 17,000+). While I'm well aware that this is probably an odd way to play Canabalt, I found it to be an effective way to enjoy the game more. It added to that competitive vibe that's missing due to the lack of leaderboards, and I can only imagine how raucous things could get with a group of friends watching and taking turns playing.

Basically, I created my own competitive element for this version of Canabalt, and I thought the game was much more enjoyable that way as opposed to playing by myself. The "one more try" element really pushes the addictive nature of the game, and if you've got some buddies around, Canabalt is a great pass-the-controller affair. If not, it's still a neat little time waster that you can spend small chunks of time playing. It also costs, $3, which is pretty damn affordable and well worth it. So is this the definitive version of Canabalt? Probably not. Is it still one hell of a good time? Definitely.

For a bunch of nonsensical jibberish, follow @thesanchezdavid on Twitter.

Via: Canabalt (PS Minis) review

Read More

Resistance: Burning Skies review

The game’s events actually take place before other games in the series, so don’t go looking for Nathan Hale.  Instead, you’ll control firefighter Tom Riley, who becomes an unlikely hero battling against the first invasion wave of the Chimera.  After seeing his family off to safety and barely surviving an encounter, he finds himself teaming up with a rebellion faction to strike back – while at the same time striving for an opportunity to reunite with his loved ones.

While the campaign doesn’t tell the most compelling of stories, it does set the stage for plenty of firefights with Chimeran soldiers and big, bad enemies strewn throughout.  And though it lacks the tank and turret sequences of previous games, there’s no shortage of action in Burning Skies.  You’ll get a feel for the familiar weapons in mere seconds, switching through them with a helpful weapon wheel, so you can always have something on the draw.

The gameplay teeters between typical function with the dual sticks and face buttons and the touch sensors on the Vita.  Controlling your character with the sticks is quite smooth, and the face and trigger buttons react with very few problems.  As for the touch stuff, it’s a little tricky in spots.  Having to tap the touch sensors on the back of the system to run is kinda weird, though understood since Nihilistic, the game’s developer, didn’t want to clutter the main touch screen with too many functions.  Also, grenade throwing takes getting used to, as you have to drag the grenade icon to the trajectory you want to throw the grenade.  In the heat of battle, this might prove a little more difficult than it looks.

Other than those minor issues, the touch screen controls work great.  The melee function, which uses a cool fire axe, makes for perfect one-hit kills on Chimerans, and some of the weapon effects are cool, like having to wind up a crossbow with an explosive charge or using the Bullseye to lock onto an enemy.

Once you finish the campaign (which will take a few hours), you can log on to the PlayStation Network for online competition, in the form of deathmatch and Survival sessions.  Deathmatch is okay, but if you want pure excitement, go to Survival, as you’ll find the odds turning against you as fellow soldiers fall and turn into Chimerans.  If you survive the match, you win, plain and simple.  While there are hitches in frame rate and the time it takes to start a match, the online battles run efficiently enough that it shouldn’t be too much of a bother.

Visually, Resistance: Burning Skies may not have the muster to live up to previous PS3 efforts (it is a different development team, after all), but there are moments of sparkle that really light up the Vita screen.  Some of the weapon effects are outstanding; bigger Chimeran enemies really stand out; and explosions rock the screen.  Some of the human models could’ve been done better, but overall, this is a fairly good 3D shooter that holds its own on the platform.  If there’s any sort of problem, it’s with the audio, as the weapon effects aren’t as meaty as they could’ve been, and some of the dialogue is a bit weak.  On the bright side, the soundtrack is quite good.

Resistance: Burning Skies may not live up to the high standard of the original game, and does offer quite a bit of change from what Retribution did on the PSP.  But despite its flaws, it’s a pretty good debut for the genre on the PS Vita, and a precursor for better things to come, in the form of new Call of Duty and Killzone games.  If you’ve got an itchy trigger finger, these Skies should fulfill the need.

Via: Resistance: Burning Skies review

Read More