There was a time long ago, before Rock Band and Dance Central, even before Guitar Hero, when rookie developer Harmonix came out of the gate swinging with FreQuency; a unique and interesting foray into the largely niche rhythm genre. That was 2001. Now it’s 2012, and Harmonix has released Rock Band Blitz, a downloadable game in the style of their earliest work. Is there a place in today’s video game climate for this return to rhythm’s roots?
Rock Band Blitz Review: Bright Colors and Shady Dealings
August 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Deadlight Review: A Shadow Of A Great Game
August 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment
When looking at this year’s XBLA Summer of Arcade line-up, it would have been easy to peg Tequila Works’ Deadlight as a promising outlier. It’s minimalist aesthetic reminds vaguely of Limbo, and its deliberate but smooth platforming challenges seem ripped from Out Of This World. In reality, though, this side-scrolling survival horror game is a mess, where involving and excellent aspects blend with bafflingly poor design decisions.
Error! Report #027
April 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Episode 27 of Error! Report is here! It is our longest episode yet and we celebrate with some Cards Against Humanity! We also discuss XBLA games like Fez and Trials Evolution. TV shows like Girls, The Killing, and Batman. Movies like Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog!
Error! Report 003: Late Night Ramblings
August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Shenanigans, news, and mini-reviews abound in this late but exciting, extended edition of Error! Report!
This week Clint talks about Another Earth, an indie film that is tough to explain; Nick gushes over Breaking Bad; Ryan talks about overweight ladies in bikinis; Matthew goes camping; and Cayci moves into a new place! Along with discussions on Game of Thrones, video games, and the future of television, you should stop whatever it is you are doing and listen!
Click the link below for the episode, from there you can listen to it on your web browser or download it for a future listen. We’re still working out getting it on iTunes so bear with us.
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Bastion Review
July 20, 2011 By 4 Comments
Bastion is beautiful; there is no getting around it. Not just in visual art, but narrative as well. Every action you take has a deeper impact in the narrative than you would ever think possible. Instead of reading millions of lines in a codex, the world is explained through an omnipresent narrator with one of the most intoxicating voices in a game.
Discovering the lore and unraveling the story of Bastion is part of the appeal to this game, so going into too much detail is blasphemy. You play as the Kid, who wakes up after an apocalyptic event called the calamity. The Kid is alone in the world, except for a voice looming over him, explaining the story as the game unfolds. Not just saying “The Kid goes right” but explaining why that path was chosen, or why another one wasn’t, along with illuminating the history of different enemies and environments. This narrator doesn’t just spout out lines of information; he speaks his mind and his opinions on events are ever present. The rest of this gripping tale is up for the players to figure out.
Bastion can cater to all combat types with eleven distinctly different weapons from pistols to spears. The Kid is able to carry two of these weapons along with a shield, and one special skill at a time. In addition, the Kid can also equip special tonics that act as buffs. Gameplay is from an isometric view, however Bastion employs a real time combat system. Some enemies even have the ability to hit the ground hard enough to loosen chunks of the world, adding a twist on player strategy.
Free 360-degree control is given to the player to move all along the level. When moving through the world it is rather linear, with paths rising and falling before you. However, the landscape opens up wide for battles against multiple enemies and adds branching paths that usually lead to dead ends.
While only one path can lead to the objective, the journey there never ceases to amaze the eyes. Vibrant colors leap off the screen and you feel transported to a world full of wonder. One level may take you through an abandoned burning town, the next you’ll be in a lush, green jungle. Each area feels different than the last, all while retaining a similar world palette.
If Bastion becomes too easy, just throw on some Idols, making the enemies stronger and faster among other effects. Triggering these Idols also gives increased money and XP to the player. Every item, tonic, and Idol has a unique story beat to it making them engaging and entertaining to experiment with.
If the story isn’t enough, Bastion also supplies many weapon challenges to tackle. These challenges help teach how to use specific load-outs to the best of their ability, as well as introduce more depth to the world. Three arenas also await those who dare accept the challenge. Don’t be deterred by the wave based mode, these arenas bring even more backstory and depth to the few characters in the game, making the content difficult to disregard.
Bastion is a must play game and an excellent debut title for indie developer Supergiant Games. While it isn’t without flaws, such as long load times and the rare frame rate dip, the pros far out weigh any con. Great story, music, and art all mold together into one excellent title that no one should overlook.
Score: 9.5 out of 10
Ms. ‘Splosion Man Review
July 19, 2011 By 1 Comment
Over the last several years, Twisted Pixel has created some of the best and more memorable games in the industry. Likewise, their name has become synonymous with delight, hilarity, and more notably, peculiarity. Since it’s release back in 2009, ‘Splosion Man has won the hearts of many with it’s simplistic yet maddening gameplay style and refreshing sense of humor. It’s hard to think that this not-so-average studio would find a way to out do themselves, yet they have once again exceeded expectations with this explosive (see what I did there?) new sequel.
In case you haven’t heard, the game begins right where ‘Splosion Man left off. Big Science has captured their fiery foe, and in the midst of celebration inadvertently created his female counterpart. But just because the two creatures bear a resemblance doesn’t mean the game is a clone of it’s predecessor as well. In fact, Twisted Pixel added a ton of new features while also including some of the familiar ones we love to hate so much. For instance, instead of beginning each level from the end of the last, the devs contrived three separate world maps similar to that of Super Mario World. Not only does this make it easier to navigate levels, but the player can now choose to move ahead to the next stage or repeat a past stage to retrieve a missed collectible, earn a better score, etc. You can even load a “ghost” version of yourself or a friend and attempt to beat their/your own score. Another new and unique feature is “The Mall”. This hub of sorts is filled with some pretty sweet extras, like concept art, videos, and avatar awards. These extras can be purchased with points that you earn for completing each of the levels, and vary in price depending on which reward you want to unlock.
Local and online co-op make a welcome return. This multiplayer campaign mode consists of a completely separate set of levels. And if that isn’t enough ‘sploding for you, a third mode suitably called “Two Girls, One Controller” has been implemented to cover all your ‘sploding needs. As you may have guessed, this mode requires the control of two different colored Ms. ‘Splosion Man creations using only one controller. You can choose to do this by yourself, or with a buddy, one hand on each side of the controller. The thought of controlling two girls at once may be compelling and fun, but mastering the technique may prove itself impossible. Just like in real life (I assume).
Level design is much more massive this time around. The use of new gadgets and a departure from the monotonous Big Science environment really take advantage of how vast and tricky the new worlds can be. But be wary, Twisted Pixel upped the difficulty quite a few notches. Those who’ve played through the first game should catch on quickly, but if you’re unfamiliar in the slightest prepare to have your patience tested.
Amidst the inevitable video game drought this summer, Ms. Splosion Man is like a frosty 16oz mug of beer. Believe me when I say that Twisted Pixel knows what they’re doing, and they made all the right improvements. This new installment in the the ‘Splosion series is without a doubt one of the top downloadable games you will play this year. Let’s just hope Twisted Pixel doesn’t go for a hat trick and surprise us with “Son of ‘Splosion Man”. Seriously, no one wants to think about Jamie Kennedy.
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The Good: You finally get your chance to play with two girls at once
The Bad: Way too many loading screens
The Ugly: You’re gonna need a lot of patience with this challenging platformer
Score: 8 out of 10
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Second Opinion by Clint Prentice
Ms. ‘Splosion Man is to Twisted Pixel’s zany platforming mascot as Ms. Pac-Man was to Namco. A wild new adventure that has many of the same parts, all put together in a prettier package with a bow on top. The changes from ‘Splosion Man to Ms. ‘Splosion Man are welcomed to a long time platforming players such as a world map and tighter controls (yet still loose in comparison to a title like Super Meat Boy), and there is a plethora of more ‘sploding fun awaiting gamers. Twisted Pixel has outdone themselves in presentation, this is arguably their best looking game to date. The problems only come in once you dig deeper into the later levels, finding yourself stuck in a “fun-strating” puzzle that may take you a multitude of attempts to solve.
Even though she was genetically created only a short while ago, Ms. ‘Splosion Man is particularly well learned in 90′s pop culture. From spouting Spice Girls and Britney Spears lyrics, to dancing the Carlton, Ms. ‘Splosion Man is packed full of great one liners and animations. If you get stuck on a puzzle, you have the option to cheat on the game by moving to the next checkpoint, only you’ll be taking more than just a time penalty. Ms. ‘Splosion Man’s booty gets bootylicious big and perhaps the most side-splitting song about bodonkadonks there is plays continuously for the rest of the level. If you’re looking for a fun, but difficult 2D platformer for this year’s summer drought look no further than Ms. ‘Splosion Man.
Score: 8 out of 10
