Games of Christmas Past, Part 2

As I was saying, I've played a lot of great games over the years for various systems. Some were Christmas gifts, a lot weren't. There are far too many for me to go in detail about, so I thought I'd just mention a few for the various systems I played during the late 80s and 90s. And the cool thing is a lot of these games are readily available for download on the Wii Shop Channel, Playstation Network, or XBox 360 Arcade, and they're usually quite cheap. So if any of my very few readers are still looking for Christmas gifts for siblings, children, or themselves then these would all would be a great addition to anyone's library. I'll also just list a bunch worth checking out too. So, without further ado...

Nintendo Entertainment System

Super Mario Bros. 3 boxart. Image taken from Wikipedia.

Perhaps the most acclaimed video game for the NES was Super Mario Bros. 3. While the American Super Mario Bros. 2 featured drastically different gameplay and setting than the original SMB, Super Mario Bros. 3 was really the sequel fans of the original game were looking for. It took the platforming fun and colorful levels of the original and expanded on their example exponentially. There were countless new additions and gameplay mechanics to be found in SMB3, though the most popular was the addition of the new Super Leaf power up that transformed Mario and Luigi into their raccoon form pictured above on the box art. Inexplicably, the ears and tail of a raccoon allow the heros to fly for short periods of time adding a whole new world to explore amongst the clouds without the necessity of climbing on vines. Another new addition was the map screen that separated the various levels into stages that the player could go around, take shortcuts to or from, or simply skip over if they possessed the right item in their (also new addition) item inventory. When it comes down to the nitty gritty, it is hard to compare SMB3 to the original SMB. While they feature many of the same play mechanics, enemies, and a similar setting, there are so many new additions to SMB3 to make it stand on its own above perhaps all other Mario titles until the advent of three dimensional graphics in Super Mario 64. Even after 20 years and various reissues, SMB3 is still a fantastic game for its age that (if the more recent New Super Mario Bros. titles are any indication) can still be enjoyed by young and old(er) a like.

The other two, big Nintendo franchises also had their beginnings on the NES, but unlike SMB3 neither Zelda nor Metroid really hit their stride until their Super Nintendo iterations. They are both still great games, but they are difficult and have some frustrating play mechanics. If you like burning every bush in Hyrule with a candle to find the elusive dungeons in Zelda, or like falling into an unescapable lava pit in Metroid then by all means give them a play, but if not then give them a little time to appreciate their humble beginnings and move on to their more developmentally mature sequels.

Really there was only one other game series I can think of for the NES that really reached its pinnacle on that system: Mega Man.

Boxart for Mega Man 2. Image also taken from Wikipedia.

There is some debate as to what the best game in the Mega Man series is with most arguing for either Mega Man 2 or Mega Man 3. In all honesty, I can't choose which of the two I like better as they are both fantastic, but since MM3 really only builds on the foundation established by its predecessors, I'll only talk about MM2. The first Mega Man game was interesting on its own, but there were some obstacles and enemies that seemed nearly impossible to overcome (Yellow Devil anyone?). On top of its difficulty, there was no way to save progress, so players were just S.O.L. if they had too much trouble overcoming those enemies and obstacles. The sequel retained the same gameplay style, but was nowhere near as insurmountable as the first (though it was still very difficult), and it offered a password system that allowed players to not lose their progress when they turned the power off. These changes coupled with great level design, better bosses, memorable weapons, and fantastic 2 channel music made MM2 an instant classic both in the series and in video gamedom in general.

Some other games for the NES worth checking out, but nowhere near exhaustive are: The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Mega Man 1-6, Bubble Bobble, Super Mario Bros. 1-2, Castlevania 1-3, Ghosts N' Goblins, Mike Tyson's Punch Out, Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior 1-4, Star Tropics, Battletoads, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1-3, Excite Bike, Blaster Master, Contra, Donkey Kong, Gargoyle's Quest 2: The Demon Darkness, Duck Hunt, Paperboy, River City Ransom, Ninja Gaiden, Super Dodge Ball, Tecmo Bowl, and Tetris.

Game Gear

As I mentioned, I had a Sega Game Gear as a kid. I had quite a few games for that little system and most of them were Sonic games. I think all of Sonic's Game Gear titles were not as appreciated as they should have been thanks to the fact the Game Gear didn't perform nearly as well as the Sega Genesis even amongst Sega fans. My favorite Game Gear Sonic title was Sonic Triple Trouble.

Boxart for Sonic Triple Trouble. This image also taken from Wikipedia.

Really, STT isn't different than any other Sonic game, but, similar to my reasons for enjoying Mega Man 2, STT retains the difficulty of the series without making the Chaos Emeralds a complete pain in the butt to obtain. Unfortunately, STT and all the other Sonic Game Gear titles are difficult to find these days. They were released as bonuses in the GameCube version of Sonic Adventure, and some saw rereleases in Sega compilations like the Coleco Sonic, and, I think, some of the Plug and Play series (I can't find a good link explaining what the Plug and Play series are, but basically they are controllers that plug directly into a TV that contain numerous classic games. I don't know if they're still around or not, but Target had them when I worked there 4 or 5 years ago). If you can track any of them down, all of the Sonic Game Gear titles are worth checking out.

I never really spent much time playing the Sega Genesis outside of Sonic games at a friend's house, so I can't really comment on that system. Outside of the Sonic character directly competing with what would later become the the Mario franchise, the Genesis didn't have the clout of Nintendo's SNES when it came to iconic games. That isn't to say the Genesis didn't have fantastic games, because it did. I've come across Sega fans who've familiarized me with Ristar, Shining Force, Alex Kidd, Ecco the Dolphin, and Phantasy Star. I've played numerous of those titles now, and I can safely say they are enjoyable even if I haven't had the time to complete them. Most of these games are available on the Wii's Virtual Console and some may be available on XBox Live Arcade or PSN.

In my next post I'll discuss the awesomeness that was the Super Nintendo, its successor the Nintendo 64, and Sony's upstart Playstation.

Games of Christmas Past, Part 1

When I was six years old, my sisters forced me to sneak down the hall Christmas morning to spy out the presents under the tree. It was a dangerous mission that led past my parents' bedroom and the threat of my dad yelling "Get back in bed!" The deal was we children had to wait until 6:00 a.m. and not a minute before to go check out the loot, but we spent a good two or three hours awake before 6:00 making attempts to get past our parents' open door and sneak a peek at the presents. I was the smallest, so I obviously had the best chances of success.

My young mind formulated a plan. I would crawl out on my belly slowly, slithering snake-like until I made it to the stairs just before the living room where I would hide safely from the line-of-sight gaze my dad possessed of the hallway from his bedroom. I fully expected defeat on my journey. The Christmas tree lights were on, and I knew they would enable my dad to see my silhouette as I snuck toward the living room. I crawled forward as quietly as possible, and I don't know if my dad had fallen asleep, hadn't seen me, or allowed me to get that far and sneak a glimpse, but I made it to the stairs and had my first look at the presents waiting under the tree.

Most were wrapped, and stacked individually for me and both my sisters with our stockings placed alongside each pile denoting which presents belonged to whom. My eyes were drawn, however, to the one present that stood apart from the rest and wasn't wrapped. It was a large black box, and though I couldn't read at the time I recognized the Nintendo logo that I'd seen on commercials while watching cartoons (probably Ninja Turtles). The best way I can describe the elation I felt at the discovery was akin to the awe of Bilbo Baggins when he espied the Arkenstone in Smaug's horde.

My mission accomplished, I snuck back to my sisters' bedroom to report my findings. My return trip was much faster than the way out. I was debriefed upon my return.

"I think we got a 'intendo," I whispered in six year old "psghetti" talk.

There were some stifled exclamations of excitement on all of our parts. And when our clocks reached the agreed upon 6:00 a.m. we rushed out to the living room to see the loot. Sure enough, we'd been given a Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas by "that bearded fellow who goes 'Ho, ho, ho!'"

It wasn't until a few hours later we had it set atop our television in the kitchen (from which it would take many spills over its lifetime), and we were playing Super Mario Bros. My turns came and went as I failed with consistency attempting to jump over the VERY FIRST GAP in world 1-1. When we tried Duck Hunt I had to hold the Zapper right next to the TV screen in order to hit ducks, and I was at a total loss while playing Al Unser Jr.'s Turbo Racing. So for a while, all I could do was sit and watch as my sisters played, which really was still quite enjoyable.

We had a lot of fun with the NES. Our game library increased quite a bit after we each received fifty dollars from my Grandma for that same Christmas and we made our way over to Toys "R" Us. I remember purchasing the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game, and it was my video game primer. I learned how to time jumps and familiarize myself with different game mechanics through it, and when I finally picked up the controller to play Super Mario Bros. again I jumped over that first gap with relative ease.

We rented NES games we couldn't purchase, and through those rentals I first experienced Zelda, and probably a number of games I've thankfully forgotten. Outside Zelda, I discovered most of the "rad" games through playing at the houses of friends who often let me borrow their games. My friend Casey introduced me to Mega Man, Metroid, and P.O.W., and my friend Randall introduced me to the first Robocop game, and Gargoyle's Quest 2: The Demon Darkness. I'm also pretty sure one of them let me borrow Battletoads as well. All of which were great, though I didn't ever complete all of them (I STILL haven't completed the first TMNT game! It's so hard!).

The NES was only the first of a few game systems, and the included games were only the first of many games. Our family never had a Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis, so I was reliant on playing SNES and Genesis games at friends houses. Yet during the Game Boy, Game Gear disputes a few years after we received our NES I sided with Sega and Sonic over Mario. During the Playstation/Nintendo 64 era I jumped back to Nintendo until I realized it was plausible for me to own both of them after getting my first job as a teenager, and I've usually possessed two separate systems since then. It might be sad, it might be nerdy, but in some ways I don't remember my childhood as what year in school I was in, but what game systems and video games I was playing at that time. I played some great ones over the years! But that will be my post for tomorrow.

The Holiday Plan

I've been home all of three days and I've already finished up Metroid: Other M. I have a post about it in the works that I'll probably get up tomorrow or the day after. Next up on the list of my games to play is Batman: Arkham Asylum. From there I don't know exactly what I'll play. I have Bayonetta and Vanquish, but I may hold off on those until next summer in favor of Epic Mickey, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Regardless, I'll be playing a lot of video games over the next month and posting my thoughts and impressions about them here on the blog.

I also have a post on inFAMOUS that has been kicking around for a year that I'll try to get up on the blog some time over the next month.

So all of my nonexistent readers have some content to look forward to over the next month.

Metroid: Other M and the Vulnerable Female

Cover Image ganked from Wikipedia

Before I get started, I should just forewarn anyone (if anyone bothers to read it that is) who plans to play Metroid: Other M that this post is full of spoilers.

Metroid: Other M is Nintendo's second relaunch of the Metroid series, and takes place chronologically after Super Metroid and before Metroid Fusion. Samus Aran, the protagonist of the series, has evolved a lot over the last decade since the release of Metroid Prime and Fusion, and Samus occupies an interesting position in video gamedom as being one of the few, strong female protagonists the medium offers. Unfortunately, Metroid: Other M is a step backward for Samus.

Nintendo's decision to give fans of the series a look at Samus's past is well intentioned as she has always been somewhat shrouded in mystery. All that was really known about Samus prior to Other M is that the Space Pirates orphaned Samus as a young child and she was rescued by the Chozo. The Chozo trained her as a warrior and gave her one of their enhanced Power Suits. After leaving the Chozo, Samus became a soldier in the Galactic Federation under commanding officer Adam Malkovich, and eventually left in order to become a lone wolf bounty hunter. Other M explores Samus's past with the Federation, her "relationship" to her former CO, and the thoughts and emotions she has regarding the events of Super Metroid. However, Nintendo's intentions to explore Samus's past transforms Samus from the powerful, if reserved, character she was in the early 2000s into a far more vulnerable and troubled woman.

Samus's newfound emotional doubts and weaknesses and the presence of male characters that have remained mostly absent throughout the series, further problematizes Samus's in-game appearance and she falls prey to Laura Mulvey's notion of being an object of the male gaze (found within her essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema"). To be sure, Samus has always been objectified throughout her 24 year video game history. Ever since the first Metroid, the series rewards players for completing the various games within certain timeframes or completion percentages with a fan service shot of Samus without her armor and scantily clad.

Parting shots of Samus, from left to right: Metroid (1986), Metroid II: Return of Samus (1991), Super Metroid (1994), and Metroid Fusion (2002). Image ganked from Metroid Database

Yet Other M goes a step further thanks to the male presence within the game. Now players meet a Samus who is not only vulnerable, but also subject to male authority. Samus's finds her former CO, Adam, shortly after the game's onset who agrees to allow her to help him and his team of Galactic Federation troopers find survivors and solve the mystery behind a distress beacon sent out by a GF research "Bottle Ship." However, Adam's "condition" for allowing Samus to assist his team is that she follow all his orders unquestionably and only use her full arsenal of weapons and abilities when Adam allows her. Thus Samus, who by this point in the series timeline has saved the galaxy several times without the assistance or intercession of male authority, is disempowered by the presence of Adam who destroys the threat she imposes on the male hegemony both he and the player represent.

As if all that wasn't enough, Samus feels as though she disappointed Adam when she left the Galactic Federation and part of the plot involves her redemption in Adam's eyes. So Adam first disempowers Samus, then he becomes the male figure that the once fearless bounty hunter seeks to impress. Accordingly, Samus's character develops through her relationship with the male characters. Contrary to the depiction of Samus as a traumatized, vulnerable, and indecisive woman, the male characters are steadfast, confident, and strong. Samus (re)gains her own confidence through the influence and sacrifices of the male Galactic Federation soldiers. For example, for the first time in the history of the series, Samus hesitates when facing a resurrected Ridley although by this point in the Metroid timeline she has already defeated Ridley in numerous forms in previous games. In Other M, Samus has a flashback of the Space Pirate attack on her homeworld that implies it was Ridley that murdered her parents, and this memory turns Samus from the fierce, cold hunter she was in previous games into someone paralyzed by fear and trauma of loss.

Character artwork for Ridley as he appears in Super Metroid. This image also ganked from Metroid Database.

Were it not for the actions of Samus's friend and former comrade, Anthony Higgs, who nearly loses his life trying to protect her from Ridley's onslaught, Samus would be unable to overcome her fears and past in order to defeat the enemy she has already conquered on multiple occasions. Therefore, Samus is not only subject to the will of male authority, but she finds strength and solidarity in the male characters that allow her to develop and progress as a "stronger" character and once again become the galactic savior she was in times past.

There are two other female roles within Other M's story to consider as well, Madeline and Melissa Bergman. Madeline Bergman is the scientist aboard the Bottle Ship in charge of the research and development of biological weapons modeled after and cloned from the now extinct Space Pirates. These weapons include genetically and bionically enhanced Space Pirates, the eponymous Metroids, as well as a cyborg, called Melissa Bergman by her creator, whose artificial intelligence the researchers modeled after the evil end boss of Super Metroid, Mother Brain (OMG they have the same initials!).

Samus fighting Mother Brain at the climax of Super Metroid. Image taken from this place.

As one might expect, Mother Brain's advanced A.I. and telepathic capabilities lead the little female cyborg down a path of anger and destruction, and Melissa becomes the real threat to male hegemony in Other M through the power she wields as the telepathic controller of the various enemies aboard the Bottle Ship and the threat her powers pose to the Galactic Federation. It becomes the job of Samus and Melissa's creator, Madeline, to put a stop to this hegemonic threat. To be fair, it is Galactic Federation soldiers who actually kill the cyborg, but it was Madeline who shot Melissa with an ice beam making her vulnerable to GF attacks. Thus Madeline and Samus, who was protecting Madeline from Melissa at the time, become complicit in ending the danger Melissa represents to the galaxy and the male hegemony within the galaxy.

The depiction of Samus and the other females places Metroid: Other M firmly within the lines of sexist representations of women that the series has always somewhat resisted. Prior to Other M, Samus was a strong, if mysterious character even if she became objectified at the conclusion of almost every game. I say "almost" because there is one exception found in 2002's Metroid Prime. After completing Prime with a certain completion percentage, Samus removes only her helmet and not her entire Power Suit. There is no skimpy clothing or sexy pose to be seen under her armor; there is only a helmet-less and introspective Samus surveying the scene of her last battle against the game's final boss. Longtime (and most likely male) fans of the series have a tendency to consider the ending of Prime as the worst in the series because it does not objectify Samus in the voyeuristic way that previous and subsequent games have. Furthermore, there is no male presence in Prime that forces Samus into subservience. Seen in this light, Samus's depiction in Prime is her strongest as it presents her as an empowered female more than capable of surviving on her own and without a male presence in hostile environments. Of course, her role as a female avatar for a primarily male audience somewhat complicates Samus's presentation in Prime, but that is perhaps another topic for another post.

Robot Unicorn Attack

I really shouldn't be here right now. I should be working on a big paper for one of my classes. Yet I can no longer resist the urge to post about the crazy, cool game, Robot Unicorn Attack (RUA), and its even more psychedelic rehash, Robot Unicorn Attack Heavy Metal. They're both Flash games developed by Adult Swim Games and are available to play on iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and the Adult Swim website. And though it is (most likely) another rehash of the same game, it's also worth mentioning that Adult Swim just today released Robot Unicorn Attack: Christmas Edition for iPhone and iPod Touch.

In a hilarious twist, I actually stumbled onto RUA back at the beginning of September or end of August when a Facebook friend noted that entering the Konami code onto the BYU Physics Department webpage magically revealed RUA and allowed you to play it in your web browser. Some sneaky web designer or hacker actually embedded the code for RUA into the BYU website. Needless to say, after only a few hours someone caught onto the "problem" and corrected it. Yet the damage was done, and I was forever and irrevocably changed.

RUA has been a great way to relax and de-stress after doing schoolwork for hours upon hours, and most games will end in a few minutes making it very easy to play during a quick break. I can't definitively comment on the new Christmas Edition as I haven't played it, but I think it is safe to say all three versions are essentially the same game. The only differences occur in visuals and sound. They are also very straightforward and very easy to play without being "masterable." That is there is no ending or ultimate goal; the player simply controls their unicorns until they crash into something or fall into a pit. There isn't even a need to control the directional movement of the unicorns as they run on their own and the game auto-scrolls with them. All the player need worry about is jumping from platform to platform and dashing into stars/pentagrams/snowflakes. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not really as simple as it may seem as the auto-scroll gets progressively faster the longer the player keeps their unicorn alive. Also, Robot Unicorn Attack, like many other Flash games, is somewhat of a throwback to the old arcade games where points are all that really matter. The only way to rack up points quickly before the auto-scroll defeats you is by destroying stars in consecutive order. With each consecutive star destroyed the player receives 100 bonus points for the total number of stars they have destroyed without missing one. So destroying three stars in a row nets the player 300 points, and so on.

If anyone cares, I have two quick tips to getting higher scores. First is to destroy as many stars as possible and in consecutive order. It can be quite difficult at times but try hard not to miss any! Second is to never jump higher or longer than needed. Butterflies, Hell Butterflies, and Christmas presents mark the beginning of the next platform, so release the jump button when you see any of these floating items.

The first RUA was crazy enough on its own. The player controls a pretty robot unicorn that leaves rainbow trails behind it as it jumps and dashes over grassy, purple platforms floating in the sky with the song "Always" by Erasure playing in the background. Thankfully the player can silence Erasure if they wish and focus solely on racking up those points. The Heavy Metal remake puts the player in control of a red-eyed, flame-maned robot unicorn running through a hellish (and much more detailed) landscape. Though some slowdown can occur once you get moving too fast or surpass a certain score, RUA still plays exactly the same in this iteration. However, thanks to the more detailed backgrounds and platforms the player will find the speed seems about ten times faster than the original RUA. All of this coupled with "Battlefield" by Blind Guardian for the soundtrack make this iteration of RUA much more intense than its sissy(?) counterpart. Again, I can't comment on the Christmas Edition, but it appears to be more of the same only the robot unicorns now wear a pair of fake antlers and tread across far more wintry terrain. Here are some comparative images - linked so I'm not ganking illegally- for the perusal of my nonexistent readers:

The original RUA

RUA Heavy Metal

RUA: Christmas Edition

Even after describing it in detail RUA sounds very simple, and perhaps even stupid. Unfortunately I can't argue those points at all. It is simple and stupid, but it is ridiculously addictive! I'm not sure why...maybe it is its very simplicity, or maybe I just like games requiring quick reflexes, or maybe it is just the sheer insanity it quickly becomes! I can't account for it, but it is a great Flash game worth playing if only for a few minutes.

In other brief news, I'll have numerous video games to play in about 2 weeks when Christmas rolls around. Should hopefully have a lot to write about then.

SMB Crossover

I've been in grad school for about a month and a half now and I can say it was a good idea not to bring my gaming systems with me. I don't have time for anything but school and homework! Now a lot of the games I'm excited for are out or close to it, and I can't play them! Woe is me...

Regardless, when I need a break there are some excellent flash games out there to help me chill out and defrag a bit. My favorite being Super Mario Bros. Crossover. I guess I could be cheating by naming SMBC as my favorite since it is the original SMB, but who would have thought playing as other classic Nintendo characters would make an already great game better? The roster of playable characters includes Ryu Hayabusa from Ninja Gaiden, Link from The Legend of Zelda, Mega Man from (umm...) Mega Man, Bill from Contra, Samus from Metroid, and Simon Belmont from Castlevania. Mario is available as well but his physics seem a bit off to me, and who would want to play as Mario anyway? You can either play as one character, or choose between characters at the start of each stage. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, and some are more suitable for certain stages than others. For example, Mega Man is fantastic in underwater stages thanks to his pressure sensitive jumps that give the player a large amount of control not found in many of the other characters. Conversely, Mega Man is a poor jumper when not traversing the flood and has to employ his robotic dog Rush quite frequently to make it over even simple obstacles.

SMBC also has various difficulties, customizable controls, and a save option that give it even more replay value than even the original SMB. All-in-all it's a great game to play for a few minutes (or longer) and, thanks to the save option, move on. I highly recommend any SMB, or classic Nintendo fan check it out.

I'm a little more than two months away from going home for Christmas. Once there, I'll have four games on my plate: Metroid: Other M, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Epic Mickey, and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. I probably won't make it through all of them since I'll also want to spend time with friends and family, and also work on some other school/career related projects. At the same time, I decided to do my Master's degree in pop culture studies, and game studies in particular so my game time over the holidays might turn out as research too. w00t! for education!

Complete and Utter Failure

Well, here I am in Tempe, Arizona starting grad school and it has been over six months since my last promise to update. I am a complete and utter failure when it comes to updating this blog. But I've had a lot of time on my hands this last week, and I'm all caught up on everything for the time being, so I thought I'd go ahead and update with some new games coming out this Fall.

Now I'm 600+ miles away from my PS3, Wii, and Sony LCD TV and there are TONS of great looking games on the way that I won't be able to enjoy until I go visit the fam at Christmas. So I made a list of of the titles I've been eyeballing that are coming very soon. All images, as always, ganked from 1up.com.

Metroid: Other M

System: Wii

Developer: Nintendo and Team Ninja

Publisher: Nintendo

ESRB Rating: T for Teen

Release Date: August 31, 2010

Stepping out of the box, Nintendo co-developed the latest installment in the Metroid franchise with Tecmo's Team Ninja. As a result, Samus Aran now has an arsenal of melee attacks at her command allowing the player to get up close and personal with the game's baddies.

That's not all Nintendo has done with Other M. In a pretty bold design move, the developers have created Other M as a true 3D update to the series' 2D roots. The first-person perspective that dominated the Metroid Prime trilogy replaced by a fixed camera and a pseudo-sidescroll vibe. Of course, the team didn't scrap the first-person view entirely as the player will be able to switch to a stationary, behind-the-visor view on the fly simply by pointing the Wiimote at the screen. It sounds odd, but videos and hands-on impressions from gaming websites and magazines attest to the smoothness of the transition.

Not much is known story wise yet. All that we really know is that it takes place in between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, and that Samus finds herself taking orders from Galactic Federation CO, Adam Malkovich. Since anyone who has played Metroid Fusion already knows the fate of Mr. Malkovich, it is probably safe to assume that event could take place in Other M.

Aside from some pretty poor voice acting in the trailers, Metroid: Other M looks to be a fantastic addition to the series.

Epic Mickey

System: Wii

Developer: Junction Point Studios

Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios

ESRB Rating: Pending

Release Date: TBA, but should be coming very soon.

Before I get too carried away, I'd better explain that the image on the left is from an earlier build of the game and probably isn't very exemplary of the final look.

Epic Mickey is apparently the first step in Disney's scheme to revitalize the character that made the company what it is today. To do this, they handed development of Epic Mickey over to Warren Spector, the guy behind Deus Ex. As a result, Epic Mickey will apparently incorporate some of the sandbox style gameplay elements that Spector helped pioneer and were popularized by Grand Theft Auto III. While I can't say for a fact that the world of Epic Mickey will allow the player to roam the world at their leisure like most sandbox games, Mickey will have numerous ways to interact with the characters and environments he encounters.

Though removed from the final product, at one point there was a "Scrapper" version of Mickey that was a result of the player making mischievous and cunning choices when interacting with the characters and setting (I avoid the use of "evil" purposefully as the developers weren't intending for the character to completely give in to the dark side). Regardless of the choice to drop the alternate "Scrapper" Mickey, the player is still given the choices and the freedom to be a bit more devious than the happy-go-lucky mouse we've grown accustomed to over the last half century. The intentions for this being an attempt to return the character to his 1930s roots and to appeal to a 21st century audience. It's quite a move considering Mickey is such a nostalgic character to BILLIONS of people all over the world.

Despite the controversy that might arise, Epic Mickey is looking quite good. The story places Mickey in a world where forgotten characters from Disney's past make up the entirety of its inhabitants. Stumbling upon this world during his early career, Mickey accidentally created a monster that, over time, left the world on the brink of destruction. Now, decades later, Mickey must take responsibility for his mistake. Mickey will manipulate objects in the world with his paintbrush that allows him to use paint and paint thinner to create, erase, and battle enemies. So in a way it sounds like it will be a spiritual successor to Okami.

An interesting world, cool mechanics, complex character interaction, and what sounds like a decent story make Epic Mickey a top pick for me.

Valkyria Chronicles II

System: PSP

Developer: Sega

Publisher: Sega

ESRB Rating: T for Teen

Release Date: August 31, 2010

This could easily be the game that pushes me into finally purchasing a PSP. It is, obviously, the sequel to Valkyria Chronicles for the PS3. I've raved about the first game already earlier this year, and a sequel with the turn-based system is definitely welcome in my gaming library.

The story takes place about 2 years after the events of the first game and is set against a civil war that has erupted in the country of Gallia after the events of the first game. Tactical warfare ensues with some modifications to the original system. First off, many of the chapters are split into mini-maps due to the limited processing power of the PSP. But probably the newest, and biggest, addition to VC2 are new classes as well as branching class development. Basically this means that once a unit has reached a certain level, they can then "promote" to one of two classes. It's a system very similar to the class promotion found in Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones. The idea being to give the player more customization options for the characters they'll spend the game with. Characters that are much more important this time around.

Where the first game was very plot-centric, the sequel will focus much more heavily on developing the main and supporting characters of the army. While it doesn't sound like most of the characters from VC will return outside of cameos and unlockables, the new cast does look quite colorful and hopefully they will be as one of the chief complaints regarding the first VC was the lack of well-rounded characters.

All in all Valkyria Chronicles 2 looks like it will be another fantastic strategy RPG in spite of the technical downgrade.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

System: Wii

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

ESRB Rating: Pending

Release Date: Early 2011

This is more of an honorable mention than anything, but I always get excited when a new Zelda game is coming. The tentative release window is sometime in early 2011, but, if almost EVERY other Zelda game in the series is any indication, the release date will probably be pushed back.

While it is the first true Zelda game for the Wii, not much is known about Skyward Sword. Most of what is known is more technical than anything. First is the obvious return to cel-shading a la The Wind Waker, but this time with the "adult," "mature" Link gamers clamored for after The Wind Waker. Second is the controls will rely heavily on motion control. For instance, not only will the player control Link's sword with the Wiimote, but also his shield with the nunchuk. Bombs, bows, slingshots, and numerous new weapons and items will also make use of motion control.

The few details known of the plot state that Skyward Sword will take place chronologically before Ocarina of Time, and that Link will hail from a floating island and descend to Hyrule from there.

Aside from the new look and mechanics, it sounds like it will be a pretty typical Zelda game which is a disappointment in a way. Twilight Princess, while good, adhered so strictly to the series' conventions that it felt kind of stale. Hopefully Nintendo will imbue this new title with something more than the old Zelda formula.

Some more games on the horizon that I'm watching: inFAMOUS 2 (PS3), Spider-man: Shattered Dimensions (multi), Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3, Xbox 360), NBA Jam (Wii), Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS), and Okamiden (DS).

It's Coming

Seriously. I have content coming. Valkyria Chronicles completely destroyed my resolve to do much else for the last month. I played through it twice because I liked it so much. It single-handedly justified my purchase of a PS3, and I've had some interesting thoughts as a result of playing it that I'd like to write about in the not too distant future. In the meantime, I have an article about inFamous forthcoming (seriously, I actually have a decent chunk of it written), and then a discussion on avatars afterward. I also want to write up a few editorials somewhere during it all about the Final Fantasy series and perhaps a piece about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Hopefully no other video games will devour my time and attention the way Valkyria Chronicles did before I get all this finished.

Sidenote: It is kind of nice hopping into the current generation of consoles so late because I can get the great games that came out more than a year ago on the cheap. I just bought the first Uncharted and BioShock for a combined total of less than fifty bucks.

Sidenote 2, the sequel: The next Valkyria Chronicles game will be on the PSP. Guess I'll have to make another investment...

Blog Status Update

I was writing a review for Dragon Quest V when I realized my reviews don't tell readers anything that they can't find someplace else. Another problem is the fact that I only play the games I want to play which is a strength and a shortcoming in doing a blog. Any review I would write would already say, "the game is good," and "I like it," and "and the game is worth playing" because obviously I'd not play it if it weren't. I'm going to need to change the scope when I talk about a game. My "fix-it" scheme is vague right now, but I have some ideas keeping me awake at night.

In short: reviews have been nixed and I'm going to replace them with something similar, but different...I just need to figure that out...

As a result, I'm not going to talk about Dragon Quest V or Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon since it was nearly a year ago that I played them. They're not fresh in my head anymore. However, I will say Dragon Quest V is fantastic, and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon will only appeal to fans of the series/genre.

Soon I'll talk about inFamous.

Playing Valkyria Chronicles now, and it consumes me. More on that later too.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Blog Status Update

Not much to say for this entry.

I played New Super Mario Bros. Wii at my sister's house for a few hours tonight. Though it is quite difficult at times, it is fun. A lot of fun. I'll withhold criticism until I play it in its entirety.

I'm almost finished with all of my grad school applications, and I'll have a lot of content forthcoming. Here is a list of what to expect:

Reviews

• Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
• Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
• inFamous
• Flower
• Ghostbusters (PS3)

Articles

• The Final Fantasy series, and Final Fantasy XIII
• Retrospect: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
• Upcoming Games I Want, 2010 Edition
• Editorial: Separation Anxiety

I also have Valkyria Chronicles waiting patiently for me.

Soon...

The Best Game of the 00 Decade

Here it is! The best game I've played over the last ten years.

1. Okami

I'd been keeping an eye on Clover Studios' Okami for a few years before I finally had the disc in my PS2. That two year wait was worth it as Okami blew me right off my feet when I revived the first Guardian Sapling and watched as life and color erupted forth on the screen. I played constantly over the next week and a half. Everything the game has to offer - story, visuals, music, and gameplay - are all top notch. However, the most noticeable aspect is the sumi-e inspired visuals which give Okami a very distinct, water-color look that is absolutely breathtaking in motion, and the mesh of Eastern and Western classical music only adds to the effect. The gameplay offered one new system with the Celestial Brush that allowed you to manipulate "the very fabric of existence" in order to solve puzzles, battle foes, and help NPCs, and, though fighting most of the bosses multiple times throughout the game was somewhat tiresome, each boss fight was epic and intense. Finally, Okami's story, while serious in nature, is underscored by a quirky charm that keeps the player from feeling bogged down in all the darkness spreading across the world. I even found myself a bit choked up at the end, not only because it was touching, but because I was about to leave behind the world and characters I had grown so fond of behind. With the developer, Clover Studios, closing their doors after the the game's North American release I thought I would never again get to experience the joy of running full speed through Shinshu and Ryoshima again. However, thanks to some dedicated designers at Capcom, a sequel for the DS is in the works. I'm sure it won't be the same without the original creative talent behind it, but I'll take it if it means I get to experience the world of Amaterasu once again.

A Little Sidenote: Which version of Okami I prefer is a toss-up. The PS2 has tighter, more responsive controls, but after playing the Wii version with its brighter colors and widescreen support, I doubt I could go back to the PS2 version.