Report, edit, etc...Posted by Revelade on 2006-01-14 at 20:20:07
[CENTER]My Rating System:[/CENTER]
I rate games in three categories. What hits me first is the presentation. This would include the graphics, music and art design of the game. Next, what develops as I play is the plot. I especially like original and intriguing plots such as figuring out the bad guy was the main character, etc. Finally what I consider the most important is gameplay. I don't like repetition, but I do like strategy and originality. I rate from a singleplayer perspective.
[CENTER]N/A - does not exist, hence not available
1/3 - bad, it's disappointing and poorly done
2/3 - good, it's not amazing, but it does the job
3/3 - outstanding, it goes beyond expectations[/center]
A reflex game focuses on twitch and timing skills.
A logic game demands thinking skills.
A statistic game uses numbers to figure out who wins.
[CENTER]Table of Contents
Page 1:
1. Second Sight
2. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
3. F-Zero GX
4. Eternal Darkness
5. XIII
6. Resident Evil 4
7. Bomberman Generation
8. Super Smash Bros. Melee
9. Resident Evil
10. Soul Calibur 2
11. Phantasy Star Online Episode III
12. Donkey Konga[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1[/CENTER]
The cartoon design is decent and gets the job done. I wouldn't say the models have polygons like Metroid Prime or Halo, but it's standard.
The plot is where I believe the game shines. John Vattic wakes up in a mental hospital trying to recover his past. From there, the plot offers clues in later levels until the final climax is reached. I was disappointed with the ending, but I'm still impressed.
Finally gameplay is comprised on finding conflicts that can be handled through multiple ways such as weapons, psychic powers or stealth. A handful of simple puzzles such as finding a key for a lock is included as well. Enemy AI is sufficient as even if you do have lots of ammo, they can overwhelm you. It pays to play safe.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 3/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Statistic
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Compared to many of the games on the cube, FF:CC has clean visuals. Everything in the game boasts many polygons and has a fantastic art style. From huge bosses to the very weapon you hold, the game is detailed. The music sounds medieval in that it is lighthearted, but takes dramatic strokes. I'm impressed.
The plot seems lighthearted and pointless, but picks up during the end of the game. Unfortunately, I've met few players who have the patience to get there. Unlike other FF games, you are NOT the main character. Throughout your adventures, other people are off on quests as well. This allows you to choose your own character, customize them, up to 8. Everything is wrapped up quite well at the end.
Like all action games, you are against hordes of stupid enemies. It comes down to memorizing their pattern, attacking, avoiding, etc. There really isn't much strategy here. You go through dungeons, slash your way to the boss, beat him and get items. Then it repeats. It's repetitive, so taking breaks are recommended.
Multiplayer allows players to swap items, carry the chalice and combine spells. Swapping items is great because 3/4 of the equipment you can NOT use because some items are race specific. Carrying the chalice means you can't attack, but you do get to control where everyone goes. It also heals you faster, though it makes you slower. Finally combining spells is a matter of finding spell orbs, targetting the same area and timing button releases.
Unfortunately, the game REQUIRES a gameboy advance and cable for each player in multiplayer mode. Why an optional 4 controller mode was not included is beyond me. My thumbs were often sore after a good while of playing.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 2/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Cloud on 2006-01-15 at 00:19:37
this is a pretty good idea you got here. I half agree with you on these games. lol the reason would be i only played FF: CC and i agree that gameplay is horrible but plot is awesome 
P.S. I didnt really read the whole post so sorry if we're not soposed to
P.S. I didnt really read the whole post so sorry if we're not soposed to
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Revelade on 2006-01-15 at 20:28:08
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Each vehicle sports many polygons. You can see even the tiniest details such as scratches, burn marks, etc. The courses are great; Lightning in particular looks nearly photorealistic. The music uses electronic instruments, but provides an intense track that complements the fast-paced nature of the game. I'd say the art design is okay, but they use more 3d models, rather than 2d designs.
The plot is rather silly. Each character has a unique story, such as Phoenix, a cop from the future who's racing, to James McCloud, yup, Foxes son (beastiality?, EW). While there is variety, none aren't developed well, and the story mode focuses on Capt. Falcon. There is a story mode, but it's boring because Capt. Falcon does not change. He might as well be a piece of wood because he doesn't show much of his personality, compared to the villains. He reminds me of Solid Snake, because he virtually has no weakness.
Finally, the gameplay is fast and furious. You can choose from 30+ ships and race 29 of them in various tracks. Not only do you have to be first, but you have to use boosts, which deplete your health, avoid attacks from players and watch out for level hazards such as lava, getting off track or ramming into walls. The amount of things you have to do, BESIDES racing makes the game experience much more intense than say Gran Turismo. It's one thing to go fast, but it's another to stay alive.
Multiplayer uses the rubber band system, where the leader's maximum speed is slowed and the loser is boosted. Unfortunately, a maximum of 4 players/bots are allowed. This removes much of the tension between other racers.
There are many more features to unlock, such as newer cars, story levels and character movies. You can also buy custom parts to make your own racer and even customize the color and add logos to it. There's a lot to do here.
Overall, with a challenging difficulty, a good variety in racing and a lot of content, F-Zero is probably the best racer on the cube. I did get frustrated on a couple accounts like going on the last lap, only to have to restart because one wrong turn which made me fall off the course, but it adds to the challenge.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Each vehicle sports many polygons. You can see even the tiniest details such as scratches, burn marks, etc. The courses are great; Lightning in particular looks nearly photorealistic. The music uses electronic instruments, but provides an intense track that complements the fast-paced nature of the game. I'd say the art design is okay, but they use more 3d models, rather than 2d designs.
The plot is rather silly. Each character has a unique story, such as Phoenix, a cop from the future who's racing, to James McCloud, yup, Foxes son (beastiality?, EW). While there is variety, none aren't developed well, and the story mode focuses on Capt. Falcon. There is a story mode, but it's boring because Capt. Falcon does not change. He might as well be a piece of wood because he doesn't show much of his personality, compared to the villains. He reminds me of Solid Snake, because he virtually has no weakness.
Finally, the gameplay is fast and furious. You can choose from 30+ ships and race 29 of them in various tracks. Not only do you have to be first, but you have to use boosts, which deplete your health, avoid attacks from players and watch out for level hazards such as lava, getting off track or ramming into walls. The amount of things you have to do, BESIDES racing makes the game experience much more intense than say Gran Turismo. It's one thing to go fast, but it's another to stay alive.
Multiplayer uses the rubber band system, where the leader's maximum speed is slowed and the loser is boosted. Unfortunately, a maximum of 4 players/bots are allowed. This removes much of the tension between other racers.
There are many more features to unlock, such as newer cars, story levels and character movies. You can also buy custom parts to make your own racer and even customize the color and add logos to it. There's a lot to do here.
Overall, with a challenging difficulty, a good variety in racing and a lot of content, F-Zero is probably the best racer on the cube. I did get frustrated on a couple accounts like going on the last lap, only to have to restart because one wrong turn which made me fall off the course, but it adds to the challenge.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Snipe on 2006-01-16 at 13:34:28
QUOTE
[CENTER]Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
Genre: Action
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Compared to many of the games on the cube, FF:CC has clean visuals. Everything in the game boasts many polygons and has a fantastic art style. From huge bosses to the very weapon you hold, the game is detailed. The music sounds medieval in that it is lighthearted, but takes dramatic strokes. I'm impressed.
The plot seems lighthearted and pointless, but picks up during the end of the game. Unfortunately, I've met few players who have the patience to get there. Unlike other FF games, you are NOT the main character. Throughout your adventures, other people are off on quests as well. This allows you to choose your own character, customize them, up to 8. Everything is wrapped up quite well at the end.
Like all action games, you are against hordes of stupid enemies. It comes down to memorizing their pattern, attacking, avoiding, etc. There really isn't much strategy here. You go through dungeons, slash your way to the boss, beat him and get items. Then it repeats. It's repetitive, so taking breaks are recommended.
Multiplayer allows players to swap items, carry the chalice and combine spells. Swapping items is great because 3/4 of the equipment you can NOT use because some items are race specific. Carrying the chalice means you can't attack, but you do get to control where everyone goes. It also heals you faster, though it makes you slower. Finally combining spells is a matter of finding spell orbs, targetting the same area and timing button releases.
Unfortunately, the game REQUIRES a gameboy advance and cable for each player in multiplayer mode. Why an optional 4 controller mode was not included is beyond me. My thumbs were often sore after a good while of playing.
[CENTER]Rating:
Atmosphere - 3/3
Plot - 2/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
[right][snapback]405898[/snapback][/right]
Genre: Action
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Compared to many of the games on the cube, FF:CC has clean visuals. Everything in the game boasts many polygons and has a fantastic art style. From huge bosses to the very weapon you hold, the game is detailed. The music sounds medieval in that it is lighthearted, but takes dramatic strokes. I'm impressed.
The plot seems lighthearted and pointless, but picks up during the end of the game. Unfortunately, I've met few players who have the patience to get there. Unlike other FF games, you are NOT the main character. Throughout your adventures, other people are off on quests as well. This allows you to choose your own character, customize them, up to 8. Everything is wrapped up quite well at the end.
Like all action games, you are against hordes of stupid enemies. It comes down to memorizing their pattern, attacking, avoiding, etc. There really isn't much strategy here. You go through dungeons, slash your way to the boss, beat him and get items. Then it repeats. It's repetitive, so taking breaks are recommended.
Multiplayer allows players to swap items, carry the chalice and combine spells. Swapping items is great because 3/4 of the equipment you can NOT use because some items are race specific. Carrying the chalice means you can't attack, but you do get to control where everyone goes. It also heals you faster, though it makes you slower. Finally combining spells is a matter of finding spell orbs, targetting the same area and timing button releases.
Unfortunately, the game REQUIRES a gameboy advance and cable for each player in multiplayer mode. Why an optional 4 controller mode was not included is beyond me. My thumbs were often sore after a good while of playing.
[CENTER]Rating:
Atmosphere - 3/3
Plot - 2/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
[right][snapback]405898[/snapback][/right]
As much as i love Final fantasy i did not like cronicles.. I mean it was kinda boring and not like the other. See final fantasy 11 and 10 and 7 are just awsome. but 11 i don't want to pay for so.. sux for me.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Revelade on 2006-01-16 at 17:19:25
[CENTER]
Genre: Logic
Players: 1[/CENTER]
Graphics in this game vary from clean and polished to bland and boring. There are some detailed art designs in the autopsy book and the house has lots of detail. The ambience is haunting, but I wouldn't say it's something that is memorable.
The plot is where ED hits a home run. You have multiple individuals in different time periods trying to defeat or at least slow the (cheesy voice) Eternal Darkness. Some people die trying, others make it alive, but their backstories are very interesting. The ending disappointed me, but there's a secret ending that can be unlocked...
The gameplay consists of hacking away at stupid enemies or solving simple puzzles. The action part is just lame because the enemies just lumber at you and just want to have their heads chopped off. The difficulty lies in that some enemies do a lot of damage, but that's a cheap way to increase difficulty, rather than improve their AI. Puzzles range from lighting candles to finding cups.
Overall, I'd say the strongpoint of ED is in it's detailed plot. It took me 15 hours to finish it and I've got 2 more rounds to go to get the secret ending. Games that have decent plots are hard to come by these days, so I suggest picking this up.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 3/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
The first thing you will notice in this game are the unique cel-shaded graphics. While they aren't detailed, they fit nicely, because XIII is actually a comic. It's a refreshing take on the usual realistic, serious tone of most FPS games.
The plot involves a man with XIII tatooed on his body. He doesn't know who he is, or why he is framed for murder. His adventure takes him from a hospital to a military base. Along the way, he meets new friends, enemies and learns more about the truth behind XIII.
Gameplay involves the player going through the level doing anything from running and gunning to playing it stealthy. There are a number of tools to use, from grappling hooks to lockpicks. The game is designed to make levels as straight-forward as possible. The AI will hunt you down if you are closer to them. They are quite a challenge compared to Time Splitter bots. Multipplayer can have up to 8 players/bots and the bots again are no walk in the park.
XIII offers a refreshing graphic style, intriguing plot and a good variety of challenges, which is why I recommend it to those who might have missed it. The game can sell as low as nine dollars. There are a good number of levels and bonuses to keep you occupied.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 3/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1[/CENTER]
Wow. The graphics are incredibly detailed, from simple matters like Leon's hair, to environmental effects like flames or water ripples. The audio department isn't a slouch either. A pistol sounds weaker than a full-blown shotgun, like it should. Enemies call out orders to kill you. The music is just as haunting and nerve-bending as it was before, with drum pounding music in close fights or chilling, mysterious music at save rooms. I'm impressed.
The plot was a fish for me. When you summarize it down, it's about a good guy, saving a helpless girl, defeating an evil genius and escaping an exploding ending. That about sounds like every other action flick in theaters. Next, you have some odd situations like how Ada, a spy lady, does flips, kicks and stunts, while in a dress and high heels. Or how the US manages to send a single helicopter, not the army, Navy Seals or even the police, when the PRESIDENT'S daughter has been kidnapped. But, whatever, people don't care.
The gameplay ultimately ends up being going through locations, shooting at enemies, solving a puzzle several times, then face an interesting boss. First of all, while enemies are said to have better AI than previous REs, I wonder if it really matters if I can run around and knife them. Try doing that to any other RE zombie. Second, unlike old REs, the gameplay is focused on aiming at enemies, more so than solving puzzles, because all other RE games had automatic aiming, which makes RE4 a reflex game. Finally, the bosses are a treat because boss just aren't the same thing with some more hp/strength. Some bosses are beaten through careful aiming, others are beaten through timing button presses.
I do enjoy the presentation of RE4, but the story and plot fall short. The plot is REused, the gameplay is REpetitive and Leon's jokes are REvolting. While I do admire changing the gameplay from a franchise, I preferred it when they had more creative puzzles, over constantly aiming and blasting walking targets.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
Genre: Logic
Players: 1[/CENTER]
Graphics in this game vary from clean and polished to bland and boring. There are some detailed art designs in the autopsy book and the house has lots of detail. The ambience is haunting, but I wouldn't say it's something that is memorable.
The plot is where ED hits a home run. You have multiple individuals in different time periods trying to defeat or at least slow the (cheesy voice) Eternal Darkness. Some people die trying, others make it alive, but their backstories are very interesting. The ending disappointed me, but there's a secret ending that can be unlocked...
The gameplay consists of hacking away at stupid enemies or solving simple puzzles. The action part is just lame because the enemies just lumber at you and just want to have their heads chopped off. The difficulty lies in that some enemies do a lot of damage, but that's a cheap way to increase difficulty, rather than improve their AI. Puzzles range from lighting candles to finding cups.
Overall, I'd say the strongpoint of ED is in it's detailed plot. It took me 15 hours to finish it and I've got 2 more rounds to go to get the secret ending. Games that have decent plots are hard to come by these days, so I suggest picking this up.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 3/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
The first thing you will notice in this game are the unique cel-shaded graphics. While they aren't detailed, they fit nicely, because XIII is actually a comic. It's a refreshing take on the usual realistic, serious tone of most FPS games.
The plot involves a man with XIII tatooed on his body. He doesn't know who he is, or why he is framed for murder. His adventure takes him from a hospital to a military base. Along the way, he meets new friends, enemies and learns more about the truth behind XIII.
Gameplay involves the player going through the level doing anything from running and gunning to playing it stealthy. There are a number of tools to use, from grappling hooks to lockpicks. The game is designed to make levels as straight-forward as possible. The AI will hunt you down if you are closer to them. They are quite a challenge compared to Time Splitter bots. Multipplayer can have up to 8 players/bots and the bots again are no walk in the park.
XIII offers a refreshing graphic style, intriguing plot and a good variety of challenges, which is why I recommend it to those who might have missed it. The game can sell as low as nine dollars. There are a good number of levels and bonuses to keep you occupied.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 3/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1[/CENTER]
Wow. The graphics are incredibly detailed, from simple matters like Leon's hair, to environmental effects like flames or water ripples. The audio department isn't a slouch either. A pistol sounds weaker than a full-blown shotgun, like it should. Enemies call out orders to kill you. The music is just as haunting and nerve-bending as it was before, with drum pounding music in close fights or chilling, mysterious music at save rooms. I'm impressed.
The plot was a fish for me. When you summarize it down, it's about a good guy, saving a helpless girl, defeating an evil genius and escaping an exploding ending. That about sounds like every other action flick in theaters. Next, you have some odd situations like how Ada, a spy lady, does flips, kicks and stunts, while in a dress and high heels. Or how the US manages to send a single helicopter, not the army, Navy Seals or even the police, when the PRESIDENT'S daughter has been kidnapped. But, whatever, people don't care.
The gameplay ultimately ends up being going through locations, shooting at enemies, solving a puzzle several times, then face an interesting boss. First of all, while enemies are said to have better AI than previous REs, I wonder if it really matters if I can run around and knife them. Try doing that to any other RE zombie. Second, unlike old REs, the gameplay is focused on aiming at enemies, more so than solving puzzles, because all other RE games had automatic aiming, which makes RE4 a reflex game. Finally, the bosses are a treat because boss just aren't the same thing with some more hp/strength. Some bosses are beaten through careful aiming, others are beaten through timing button presses.
I do enjoy the presentation of RE4, but the story and plot fall short. The plot is REused, the gameplay is REpetitive and Leon's jokes are REvolting. While I do admire changing the gameplay from a franchise, I preferred it when they had more creative puzzles, over constantly aiming and blasting walking targets.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Revelade on 2006-05-02 at 20:32:19
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Graphics use a cel-shaded style. The singleplayer uses a lot of fruity colors. Anyone remember Lisa Frank? It can be scary. I suppose it does the job. The music makes me want to shoot somebody. It's like a circus on crack. The opening voice IS on crack.
Storyline? Some ship in space carrying IMPORTANT cargo is sacked and guess who has to save the day? You then have your crazy professor, but I'm surprised there is voice acting for the doc AND the charabombs (bootleg pokemon).
Gameplay is broken down into singleplayer and multiplayer.
When playing solo, you run around an area, bomb some stuff, solve some puzzles, fight the occasional charabomb stuff, then the boss. Not original, not involving and it can be annoying because areas constantly look the same.
Multiplayer is better. You can even play this solo. There's a bunch of options and maps. I found it repetitive sometimes. You spawn, blow up some blocks, dodge the other guys bomb, die, repeat. I haven't tried the other modes, but combat seems eh.
I was expecting a multiplayer partay, but the gameplay is like an overplayed song, again and again and again...
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
The graphics are clean and each character is modeled in their respective style. Mario goes for a friendly look, Samus, a more mysterious metallic look, Link, with his elvish clothing, etc. Effects like Samuses blaster and Link's spinslash are fun to see.
In the audio department, the sounds do their job. Everyone has their own voice sounds and the theme music is great. I find myself humming the tunes of Termina or Mute City often.
Like RE4, SSBM falters on its story. And yes, I do know nearly every fighter has a cheesy story and this is no exception. Nintendo characters want to beat each other up? Fighting some hands? This might not matter to most people, but if it's there, I have to compare it.
Here comes the large part on why I think SSBM does not work. First of all, the singleplayer is absolutely lacking. It might be fun to go on adventure mode the first five times because it's all new or nostalgic, but after doing it ten times, it feels like a chore, because you only have so many moves to work with.
The system lacks the depth other fighters have such as high-low attacks, power meters, etc. I'm sure people will throw me techniques such as wave dashing, but just to be fair, you have timing in other games such as guard impacting in Soul Calibur or parrying in Street Fighter.
Instead the game explores a different dimension in combat, movement. While Capcom and Namco games focused either on combos or strategic choices, SSBM has you mastering how to position your fighter to do actions.
The AI? Where do I begin? Level 9 computers can easily be beaten by exploiting weaknesses such as hanging out on the edges of levels, prompting them tol jump off to their doom. Of course since SSBM is a movement based game, it's harder to program this, but easy is the result. On the other hand, you have cruel melee, where the enemy beats you thanks to their numbers and overpowered stats, in order to make up for the pathetic AI.
So what could be the last problem after a pale singleplayer and stupid AI? This is problem that has been lurking in SSB as well - balance.
When you pit Donkey Kong against Shiek, it's obvious who will win. When you pit Fox against Bowser, again you already know who will win. There is no doubt, this is the only fighting game I've played that has this amount of terrible balance. Only a handful of characters are worth using, while others such as Pichi, DK, Bowser and such are jokes.
Unlockables? You mean new characters? A large majority of them are clones. These are nearly the same copies of other characters with some slight changes. Dr. Mario? Plays like Mario, which also plays like Luigi. Ganondorf? He's like a slower, but stronger Falcon. Taking a character, adding some more numbers to his weight, changing some looks isn't what we call a "new" character. It's starting to remind me of how bad the Mario Party series get milked. Those extra modes should have been unlockables instead of including them from the start.
Another problem I had was with multiplayer, or more specifically, wave dashing. Chances are, your friends who don't have SSBM won't know how to execute this important technique. It's like knowing someone has aim-bot in CS or maphack in Starcraft, but you can't do anything about it. It's only when you DON'T use it when things are equal. Is it really fair to know the only reason you can win is because your opponent LETS you win by not using wavedash?
One thing I do like about SSBM is that it has an automatic handicap system where it punishes the good players and helps the weak. A problem with this is that the characters are STILL imbalanced and that the handicap shows exactly how much you suck or own at this game. It would have been better to keep the handicap hidden, but here's something that made multiplayer not such a predictable affair.
In total, while the graphics were good and the soundtrack was catchy, the plot was made in 5 minutes and the gameplay suffers from a bland singleplayer, terrible AI and most importantly, unbalanced characters.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
Graphics use a cel-shaded style. The singleplayer uses a lot of fruity colors. Anyone remember Lisa Frank? It can be scary. I suppose it does the job. The music makes me want to shoot somebody. It's like a circus on crack. The opening voice IS on crack.
Storyline? Some ship in space carrying IMPORTANT cargo is sacked and guess who has to save the day? You then have your crazy professor, but I'm surprised there is voice acting for the doc AND the charabombs (bootleg pokemon).
Gameplay is broken down into singleplayer and multiplayer.
When playing solo, you run around an area, bomb some stuff, solve some puzzles, fight the occasional charabomb stuff, then the boss. Not original, not involving and it can be annoying because areas constantly look the same.
Multiplayer is better. You can even play this solo. There's a bunch of options and maps. I found it repetitive sometimes. You spawn, blow up some blocks, dodge the other guys bomb, die, repeat. I haven't tried the other modes, but combat seems eh.
I was expecting a multiplayer partay, but the gameplay is like an overplayed song, again and again and again...
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 2/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Reflex
Players: 1-4[/CENTER]
The graphics are clean and each character is modeled in their respective style. Mario goes for a friendly look, Samus, a more mysterious metallic look, Link, with his elvish clothing, etc. Effects like Samuses blaster and Link's spinslash are fun to see.
In the audio department, the sounds do their job. Everyone has their own voice sounds and the theme music is great. I find myself humming the tunes of Termina or Mute City often.
Like RE4, SSBM falters on its story. And yes, I do know nearly every fighter has a cheesy story and this is no exception. Nintendo characters want to beat each other up? Fighting some hands? This might not matter to most people, but if it's there, I have to compare it.
Here comes the large part on why I think SSBM does not work. First of all, the singleplayer is absolutely lacking. It might be fun to go on adventure mode the first five times because it's all new or nostalgic, but after doing it ten times, it feels like a chore, because you only have so many moves to work with.
The system lacks the depth other fighters have such as high-low attacks, power meters, etc. I'm sure people will throw me techniques such as wave dashing, but just to be fair, you have timing in other games such as guard impacting in Soul Calibur or parrying in Street Fighter.
Instead the game explores a different dimension in combat, movement. While Capcom and Namco games focused either on combos or strategic choices, SSBM has you mastering how to position your fighter to do actions.
The AI? Where do I begin? Level 9 computers can easily be beaten by exploiting weaknesses such as hanging out on the edges of levels, prompting them tol jump off to their doom. Of course since SSBM is a movement based game, it's harder to program this, but easy is the result. On the other hand, you have cruel melee, where the enemy beats you thanks to their numbers and overpowered stats, in order to make up for the pathetic AI.
So what could be the last problem after a pale singleplayer and stupid AI? This is problem that has been lurking in SSB as well - balance.
When you pit Donkey Kong against Shiek, it's obvious who will win. When you pit Fox against Bowser, again you already know who will win. There is no doubt, this is the only fighting game I've played that has this amount of terrible balance. Only a handful of characters are worth using, while others such as Pichi, DK, Bowser and such are jokes.
Unlockables? You mean new characters? A large majority of them are clones. These are nearly the same copies of other characters with some slight changes. Dr. Mario? Plays like Mario, which also plays like Luigi. Ganondorf? He's like a slower, but stronger Falcon. Taking a character, adding some more numbers to his weight, changing some looks isn't what we call a "new" character. It's starting to remind me of how bad the Mario Party series get milked. Those extra modes should have been unlockables instead of including them from the start.
Another problem I had was with multiplayer, or more specifically, wave dashing. Chances are, your friends who don't have SSBM won't know how to execute this important technique. It's like knowing someone has aim-bot in CS or maphack in Starcraft, but you can't do anything about it. It's only when you DON'T use it when things are equal. Is it really fair to know the only reason you can win is because your opponent LETS you win by not using wavedash?
One thing I do like about SSBM is that it has an automatic handicap system where it punishes the good players and helps the weak. A problem with this is that the characters are STILL imbalanced and that the handicap shows exactly how much you suck or own at this game. It would have been better to keep the handicap hidden, but here's something that made multiplayer not such a predictable affair.
In total, while the graphics were good and the soundtrack was catchy, the plot was made in 5 minutes and the gameplay suffers from a bland singleplayer, terrible AI and most importantly, unbalanced characters.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 1/3[/CENTER]
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Golden-Fist on 2006-05-02 at 21:21:20
Oh yeah. I made reviews popular again.
___
I didn't even know there was another bomberman game.
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I didn't even know there was another bomberman game.
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Revelade on 2006-05-08 at 00:05:58
Good you did because the boards were dragging for a while. I think I'll do a couple more reviews this month.
[CENTER]
Genre: Logic
Players: 1[/CENTER]
I picked this up a couple months ago at Blockbuster. They had a two get one free used deal, so I got Bomberman and Phantasy Star Online III and this was free. Too bad I got the player's choice version, which means that nasty yellow stripe. Popped it in and... wow.
These are the best graphics I have ever seen. Beyond RE4, Metroid Prime and even the 360 games. Of course it comes at a price, meaning backgrounds are 2D and camera stays still, but things like candles look photorealistic. The music works very well in this game. When things pop out of windows the game plays and intense music that really makes you want to get out of there. I don't know how scary Silent Hill is, but this scares the pants off of me, more than the graphics. Chris reminds me of an ape, Wesker, wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night is... odd.
Now we get to the plot. By now, it's been copied into dozens of movies, books and other games. However, from back then, I guess it was somewhat new. I found it funny how the engine just MANAGES to malfunction and how the chopper ditches the team. Also, I find it funny how Chris gets ditched and Rebecca's like a kid, she doesn't seem like a person who can take on zombies. There's letters and lots of mysterious rooms, items, puzzles.
Gameplay, UNLIKE RE4, involves scouring room to room, finding items, facing zombies, getting more items and fighting bosses. Another downside to the amazing graphics is the annoying door loading screens. However, these really add tension to the game. Right when I was about to see Lisa, I was holding my breath. Anyway, these puzzles aren't too hard, but sometimes, figuring out where to go is. There's a factor of worry that I get sometimes, such as running out of ammo, what's behind the closet or saving ink ribbons (for saving the game). It almost makes me not want to play it.
Overall, the plot, while still cliche'd works okay. The gameplay is slow, tense and requires conservation. The graphics look incredible and the music works extremely well to complement it.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 2/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Logic
Players: 1-2[/CENTER]
One of my favorite multiplayer games, I had to do this review.
Graphics are great to look at. Of course SC3 does it better, but at the time, this was the best looking fighting game I saw. You can unlock art galleries, concept designs and such. Music really feels epic and some of them are catchy. They are very good quality instead of the boop and beeps you hear from some games.
The story involves a man possessed by an evil sword, stealing souls from people. Then the sword is broken and other evil people try to get the pieces. It's cliche, but I don't expect much from fighting game stories.
The gameplay is fun on two accounts:
1. You must play with friends often.
2. These friends must be as skilled as you are.
Luckily I had a chance for this to happen, but not so anymore. There's 20+ fighters, each with 100 moves, each sporting 10 unique weapons and a handful of modes to try. The gameplay isn't so much about combos like in Capcom games or about movement in SSBM, but about strategy. What I mean by this is if you see your friend doing a high attack, first you have to think what counters that. Crouching! Then you have to do an attack while crouching. It's a combination of reflexes and logic, but I'll say it's logic because it plays a bigger role in determining fights.
There are people that say you can button mash and you might be effective with it. However, once you plan against button mashers, you can predict what they do and counter. Overall, this game looks great, sounds great, has a cheesy plot, but the depth is amazing. The AI can be easy, cheap or utterly random, but that happens I guess. It's a definite buy if you have the two conditions I said above.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 3/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Logic
Players: 1[/CENTER]
I picked this up a couple months ago at Blockbuster. They had a two get one free used deal, so I got Bomberman and Phantasy Star Online III and this was free. Too bad I got the player's choice version, which means that nasty yellow stripe. Popped it in and... wow.
These are the best graphics I have ever seen. Beyond RE4, Metroid Prime and even the 360 games. Of course it comes at a price, meaning backgrounds are 2D and camera stays still, but things like candles look photorealistic. The music works very well in this game. When things pop out of windows the game plays and intense music that really makes you want to get out of there. I don't know how scary Silent Hill is, but this scares the pants off of me, more than the graphics. Chris reminds me of an ape, Wesker, wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night is... odd.
Now we get to the plot. By now, it's been copied into dozens of movies, books and other games. However, from back then, I guess it was somewhat new. I found it funny how the engine just MANAGES to malfunction and how the chopper ditches the team. Also, I find it funny how Chris gets ditched and Rebecca's like a kid, she doesn't seem like a person who can take on zombies. There's letters and lots of mysterious rooms, items, puzzles.
Gameplay, UNLIKE RE4, involves scouring room to room, finding items, facing zombies, getting more items and fighting bosses. Another downside to the amazing graphics is the annoying door loading screens. However, these really add tension to the game. Right when I was about to see Lisa, I was holding my breath. Anyway, these puzzles aren't too hard, but sometimes, figuring out where to go is. There's a factor of worry that I get sometimes, such as running out of ammo, what's behind the closet or saving ink ribbons (for saving the game). It almost makes me not want to play it.
Overall, the plot, while still cliche'd works okay. The gameplay is slow, tense and requires conservation. The graphics look incredible and the music works extremely well to complement it.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 2/3
Gameplay - 2/3[/CENTER]
[CENTER]
Genre: Logic
Players: 1-2[/CENTER]
One of my favorite multiplayer games, I had to do this review.
Graphics are great to look at. Of course SC3 does it better, but at the time, this was the best looking fighting game I saw. You can unlock art galleries, concept designs and such. Music really feels epic and some of them are catchy. They are very good quality instead of the boop and beeps you hear from some games.
The story involves a man possessed by an evil sword, stealing souls from people. Then the sword is broken and other evil people try to get the pieces. It's cliche, but I don't expect much from fighting game stories.
The gameplay is fun on two accounts:
1. You must play with friends often.
2. These friends must be as skilled as you are.
Luckily I had a chance for this to happen, but not so anymore. There's 20+ fighters, each with 100 moves, each sporting 10 unique weapons and a handful of modes to try. The gameplay isn't so much about combos like in Capcom games or about movement in SSBM, but about strategy. What I mean by this is if you see your friend doing a high attack, first you have to think what counters that. Crouching! Then you have to do an attack while crouching. It's a combination of reflexes and logic, but I'll say it's logic because it plays a bigger role in determining fights.
There are people that say you can button mash and you might be effective with it. However, once you plan against button mashers, you can predict what they do and counter. Overall, this game looks great, sounds great, has a cheesy plot, but the depth is amazing. The AI can be easy, cheap or utterly random, but that happens I guess. It's a definite buy if you have the two conditions I said above.
[CENTER]Rating:
Presentation - 3/3
Plot - 1/3
Gameplay - 3/3[/CENTER]
Report, edit, etc...Posted by RedNara on 2006-05-08 at 14:15:27
Super mash brother gameplay is so low XD what are you talking about. I think that game is such a innotative fighthing game. Super Mash brother is the best game ever XD
Report, edit, etc...Posted by Dada on 2006-05-08 at 15:29:00
What are you talking about, Super Smash Brothers Meele is such an awsome game! 
Even though playing single player over and over again with each character can be kinda annoying, playing with your freinds and trying to see who the best person is can be the best part about the game.
Mario FTW!!!!
Even though playing single player over and over again with each character can be kinda annoying, playing with your freinds and trying to see who the best person is can be the best part about the game.Mario FTW!!!!