Video Game Review: Thomas Was Alone [PS Vita/PS3]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Thomas Was Alone
System: PS Vita/PS3 (crossbuy) [also on PC and Mac]
Genre: Puzzle platformer
Publisher: Mike Bithell
Developer: Bossa Studios, Curve Studios (Vita/PS3), Mike Bithell (PC/Mac)
Release Date: April 23, 2013

At first glance, Thomas Was Alone doesn’t look like much. There’s a black background, a few blocks and some ledges. Hardly anything visually stimulating.

Yet here is a game that will have you hooked from the very first level.

It all starts with the narrator. British humorist Danny Wallace, who earned a BAFTA Award for his performance, is there to narrate every single one of the game’s 100 levels. Through his voice, he gives every block in the game a name and personality.

There’s Thomas, the titular character, a red rectangle that is trying to make sense of the world around him. Soon he meets Chris, a short and stout orange square, and he is a particularly grouchy character. Later, Claire is introduced. She is a large blue square, one who is insecure but takes some great pride in helping others. A tall and thin yellow rectangle named John also enters the picture, and he loves to show off his high-jumping abilities.

These are only but a handful of the characters we are introduced to in Thomas Was Alone, and all of them are different-sized squares and rectangles. Sometimes a level will require you to use a few of them together in order to solve puzzles, while others only use one character.

Every level has the same basic end goal: to move the blocks to their appropriately-sized exit portals. Since each character has its own ability (i.e. Claire can float in water, John can jump really high), these specific traits must be taken advantage of in order to make progress. Most puzzles can be solved by using some variation of stacking blocks and using each other as a platform, and very few of the game’s levels actually present a real mind-bending challenge.

However, it is this simplicity that only enhances the game’s ambiance. Combined with the glitchy, minimalist soundtrack, Thomas Was Alone is a laidback experience, perfect for when you just want to relax after a long day.

It’s rather amazing that a game so basic in concept can achieve so much thanks to good, quality writing. It’s hard not to be enchanted with Wallace’s witty quips about isolation, loneliness, companionship and artificial intelligence. If you had told me beforehand that I could get attached to a few blocks, I would have called you crazy. While sometimes I wish the game did have more of a challenge, the setting and overall charm makes this an easy one to recommend.

8/10

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Video Game Review: Gears of War: Judgment [Xbox 360]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Gears of War: Judgment
System: Xbox 360
Genre: Third-person Shooter
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Developer: Epic Games, People Can Fly
Release Date: March 19, 2013

No matter what happens to the Gears of War series in the future, Judgment is always going to be an outlier of sorts. After Epic Games released the fantastic conclusion to its trilogy in 2011, it seemed the book had been shut on the series, at least until the next console generation. Since the sequels were released with 2-3 year gaps in between, it came as a bit of a surprise that a fourth entry was to be released just over a year after the last.

Gears of War: Judgment is a prequel that takes place 15 years before the original trilogy, so it basically has free reign to try out some new ideas. Some work, some don’t.

This time around the campaign has been reduced to a series of brief, arcade-style missions, and most of them can be completed in a matter of minutes. The main emphasis is on getting a high score and acquiring ribbons based on how well you are playing. Each mission has a 3-star system, and the more kills you get, the faster the stars fill up. All of this is tied into an overarching XP system that lets you level up and customize your selected character.

Within each mission is an option called Declassification, and their purpose is to provide an extra challenge by changing the environment settings, restricting you to a certain weapon loadout, increasing the amount of enemies, and so on. By accepting this option, the stars fill up faster, and you can gain more XP. Some of these tweaks are interesting, but I never found it too difficult to get three stars without accepting these bonuses.

There is also an extra chapter set during the Gears 3 timeline that offers the traditional series gameplay. While this add-on can be finished in an hour or less, it’s nice to at least have that option to play the familiar way.

With such a focus on high scores, the campaign offers little in the way of a well-developed or exciting plot. The four main characters — Baird, Cole, a Russian vet and a female ex-journalist — are on trial for treason, and each chapter of the campaign shows their different recollections of the questioned event. Unfortunately, there are very few, if any, memorable setpieces, and the dialogue is sparse and devoid of any of the trademark goofy humor the series is known for. Those looking for the Gears campaigns of yore will be greatly disappointed.

However, even though the campaign does feel lacking in many ways, I did have a lot of fun with it. The combat system is as smooth as ever, and the 4-player co-op is an absolute blast. It’s easy to drop in and out of other players’ campaigns, and if you get a good group together, it’s one of the better co-op experiences on the 360.

The competitive multiplayer mode has also received a major overhaul. Gone are old favorites such as Horde, Guardian, Warzone and Wingman. In their place are two new modes — OverRun and Survival — as well as Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All and Domination.

Both OverRun and Survival switch things up a bit by allowing players to select different character classes for both COGs and Locust. COGs have four options: Engineers who can repair fortifications, Medics who can heal squadmates, Soldiers who can provide ammo, and Scouts who can spot enemies from afar. On the Locust side, there are eight types of monsters that can be controlled, ranging from Tickers all the way up to the vicious Corpsers (similar to the Beast mode found in Gears 3).

In OverRun, the COGs and Locust square off in a 5×5 battle with the goal being to either defend or destroy three objectives. This takes place on a very large map, and after every round the objectives are moved to a new location.

Survival mode is this game’s answer to Horde, as it is basically a stripped-down version (no fortifications) where you are supposed to protect an objective while facing several waves of enemies. It’s an interesting twist on a tried-and-true concept, but it really just made me wish there was also a standard Horde mode.

For those willing to indulge, there is still a lot of depth to multiplayer, even with the lack of familiar modes. I have a feeling some favorites will be released as DLC in the future, but as for now there is still enough substance to satisfy most Gears vets.

I have to give credit to the developer, People Can Fly, for trying something new with Gears of War: Judgment. The weak narrative and arcade-style campaign will bother some, but the bite-size missions are addictive, especially when played co-op. The new multiplayer options are also enjoyable, even if it would have been nice to have at least some of the old favorites ready from the start. While certainly a lesser Gears title, it’s still a good one, and it has me excited to see what the next console generation brings to the series.

7.5/10

Month in Review [April 2013]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

April was a busy month for me, but it was also a good one. I’m happy that I finally sat down to read another book, even if it was the weakest I have read from Bukowski (one of my favorite authors). I also played through a few video games, watched some great films, and even started a new TV show. Here’s the rundown:

In order of viewing: (including my ratings)
1) The Dark Knight Returns: Part 2 [2013] - 8/10

2) He Got Game [1998] - 6/10

3) Winnebago Man [2010] - 9/10

4) Spring Breakers [2013] - 7/10

5) Evil Dead [2013] - 8/10

6) Trance [2013] - 7/10

7) I’m Not There [2007] - 5/10

8) 28 Weeks Later [2007] - 5/10

9) The Elephant in the Living Room [2011] - 8/10

10) Y tu mamá también [2002] - 9/10

11) Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father [2008] - 9/10

12) Blood Simple. [1984] - 8/10

13) Killer’s Kiss [1955] - 7/10

14) Kansas City Confidential [1952] - 7/10

15) 42 [2013] - 7/10

16) Mud [2013] - 8/10

17) Shotgun Stories [2007] - 8/10

Video Games Completed:
1) Tomb Raider [Xbox 360, 2013] - 8.5/10

2) Guacamelee! [PS Vita, 2013] - 8.5/10

3) Gears of War: Judgment [Xbox 360, 2013] - 7.5/10

TV Shows Watched:
1) Girls [Season 1] - 7.5/10

Books Read:
1) “Pulp” by Charles Bukowski - 6/10

Movie of the Month: I’m starting to notice a trend here — my 50 Movies Project has been incredibly prosperous this year, with most of my “movies of the month” being from it. This month is no exception: Y tu mamá también blew me away, and it is easily one of the highlights from this month. Other contenders were two emotional documentaries: Winnebago Man and Dear Zachary. The former was surprisingly heartwarming, while the latter was absolutely devastating. Both are stellar films.

Dud of the Month: I’m a huge Bob Dylan fan, but I had a really difficult time getting into I’m Not There. The cast was phenomenal, but the scattershot narrative was just too much. I also found 28 Weeks Later to be a very underwhelming sequel.

Got a favorite from this list? What’s the best movie you watched last month?

Poll Results: Favorite Video Game Era

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

If ever there were a poll to warrant a tie, it’s this one:

THE RESULTS:
- 32 & 64-Bit: 4 votes
- Current Generation: 4 votes
- 8-Bit: 3 votes
- 16-Bit: 3 votes
- 128-Bit: 2 votes
- Early Arcade: 1 vote
- First Generation: 0 votes
- Second Generation: 0 votes

Honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if we had a four-way tie for this one. There are so many great games from *every* era, and it really is hard to pick just one favorite. It’s interesting that the current console generation ended up in a tie for first — hopefully the next batch of systems is even better.

This Week’s Poll: Last week, John from the excellent movie blog, The Droid You’re Looking For, shared a post in which he ranked the movie decades from best-to-worst. This question seemed like an excellent followup to last week’s poll about video game eras. So, movie lovers, what is your favorite movie decade? Do you agree with John in saying that the 70s are best? Are you more of a silent era fan? How about the great film noirs from the 40s and 50s? Let’s hear your thoughts!

Have a great week, folks!

Video Game Review: Tomb Raider [Xbox 360]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Tomb Raider
System: Xbox 360 (also on PS3 and PC)
Genre: Action-Adventure
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal (multiplayer)
Release Date: March 5, 2013

One of my biggest pet peeves in gaming is when a game scatters dozens, sometimes hundreds, of collectibles throughout the environment in an effort to boost replay value. The Grand Theft Auto series, in particular, is notorious for this, but this is a common practice in open world games. I usually don’t bother to go back through and find these random trinkets, but I made an exception for this year’s Tomb Raider reboot.

You see, in Tomb Raider, it’s actually *fun* to explore the world it presents. A novel concept, right?

In this reboot, a young Lara Croft and a team of archaelogists/adventurers have embarked on an expedition to find the lost kingdom of Yamatai, an island off the coast of Japan. Little is known about the island, other than that it causes death and destruction for those who near it. Sure enough, upon arriving to the area, the crew’s ship crashes in the midst of a violent storm, and the group becomes stranded on the island.

As one might guess, it turns out that they aren’t alone on Yamatai. A violent cult of “Sun Queen” worshippers inhabits the island, and they don’t take kindly to visitors. As Lara navigates through the island in an attempt to find a way off of it, the cult members are there nearly every step of the way. They are a huge problem at first — especially since young Lara has never encountered such violence at this point of her life — but by the end, they become nothing more than mere nuisances.

The evolution of Lara Croft from an ambitious archaeology graduate to cold-blooded adventurer is marvelous, and quite frankly, it’s one of the biggest reasons to play this game. Not only is her transition to a hardened explorer believable, she also looks anatomically correct for once. Crystal Dynamics did an excellent job developing Miss Croft, humanizing her while showing the immense suffering she receives along the way.

The other major player in the game is the island of Yamatai itself. This is a gorgeous island full of wild life (including boars, wolves and rabbits, all of which can be hunted), and there is so much of it ready to be explored. The island is incredibly well-designed, as anyone with a sense of adventure will surely be curious enough to climb the various ledges in hopes of seeing where they lead. While the story is a fairly straight-forward affair, there are plenty of opportunities to traverse the wide-open world in order to find relics, documents and other historical items scattered about. Hell, I found myself visiting every nook and cranny of the island just for the beautiful views they might provide. Seriously, this is one gorgeous-looking game, easily one of the best from this console generation.

As this is a tale of survival, much of the gameplay revolves around Lara doing what she needs to do to survive and get off the island. A convenient XP system allows her to “level up” by killing enemies, hunting animals and finding treasure. These experience points are in turn used to improve her current capabilities, such as adding a rope gadget to her bow, or adding extra ammunition for her guns. What’s great about this feature is that every improvement is shown on screen. If you add the rope gadget, for example, it will appear on top of the bow and remain visible while harnessed on Lara’s backside. This attention to detail is very impressive, and it only adds to the sense of realism within her character.

Also on the island are a handful of optional tombs that can be explored, and each one presents an interesting little puzzle. Some of them are real head-scratchers, but the reward at the end is always worth the trouble. Each tomb has its own chest full of goodies to help Lara, often including treasure maps that show locations of collectibles in the area.

Miss Croft also has the unique ability to use her “survival instinct” — with the quick press of a button, the environment turns gray, and any items of interest are highlighted in yellow. This is similar to Batman’s detective mode in the Arkham games or the Eagle Eye vision in Assassin’s Creed, and it comes in handy quite often. At times, it perhaps makes things too easy, but it can be avoided altogether for those who want a bigger challenge.

The single player campaign lasts anywhere from 10-15 hours, and it plays out much like an Indiana Jones movie. There are several big adventure scenes that will leave you breathless, but at the same time, there’s nothing “new” here in terms of storytelling or action setpieces. If you have played any of the Uncharted games, you will know what to expect, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Tomb Raider also features a multiplayer mode, but it is merely tacked-on and mostly irrelevant. The online features were dead on arrival, as the community has dwindled rapidly, making it difficult to find matches less than a month after its release. I played online for a couple hours, enough to get a feel for the three different modes, but it did not leave a lasting impression. This has always been a series to play for the single player campaign, and this reboot is no different.

While it’s still quite early, Tomb Raider stands as one of this year’s biggest gaming highlights so far. As far as adventure games go, this is one of the better ones, and it also happens to be a technical marvel. This series received a much-needed breath of fresh air with this reboot, and I’m curious to see where Lara Croft goes next.

8.5/10

PC Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 14

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Out of the Park Baseball 14
System: PC (also on Mac/Linux)
Genre: Baseball Simulator
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: April 15, 2013

I have been an avid supporter of Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) for years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how they come up with new ways to re-invigorate the game year after year. The latest, Out of the Park 14, is no exception.

For those unfamiliar with the series, OOTP is essentially a text-based baseball simulator. It is ridiculously deep with every kind of statistic imaginable. If you can think of it, you can do it in the game. Every season in baseball history can be played, complete with accurate rosters and player ratings, and fictional leagues are also available. You can act as owner, general manager and manager if you like, micro-managing even the slightest details. Different lineups and depth charts can be set for matchups against right-handed pitchers and lefties. Team finances can be controlled, including ticket prices. It’s mind-boggling exactly how many options are available.

This is a simulator with no end date — you can keep playing for hundreds of years, if you like. I have one saved game that I import to the newest version of OOTP year after year. I started it in 2010 and I am now in the year 2034, using one team and playing nearly every single game manually. At this point in my game, guys like Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria have been in the Hall of Fame for years. Now I find myself getting attached to fictional characters, especially players who I personally scouted and drafted. Even when they don’t pan out, I have a hard time parting with them. Maybe I’m getting too sentimental in my in-game old age.

This year, I decided to start fresh with a new campaign to try out all of the game’s new bells and whistles. First, here’s a quick rundown of what happened in my simulated 2013 season:

The Tigers beat the Dodgers in seven games to win the World Series. The Tigers were down 3-1 but went on an impressive run once their offense started clicking, scoring a combined 32 runs in the last three games.
No World Series MVP was announced for some reason, but my guess is that it would have went to outfielder Andy Dirks, surprisingly enough. He hit .381 with 4 HR and 12 RBIs, including a monster 3-HR game. Miguel Cabrera (.367, 3 HR, 8 RBI) and Prince Fielder (.423, 2 HR, 10 RBI) would also be strong candidates.
Detroit manager Jim Leyland promptly retired after winning the World Series.
Other playoff teams: Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, Oakland, Atlanta, Washington, Cincinnati, San Francisco.
The AL East was the most competitive division. Every team finished with a winning record, and the gap between first-place Tampa Bay and last-place Baltimore was just six games.
Detroit and Atlanta tied for best record at 97-65.
The Houston Astros finished with the worst record at 58-104, with the Cubs (64-98) not far behind.
Nick Swisher suffered the most unfortunate injury, a fractured skull, and it caused him to hang up his cleats for good.
In an amusing tidbit, middle reliever Al Alburquerque, shortly after being traded from Detroit to Seattle in a package deal for closer Tom Wilhelmsen, strained his back in what he called a “wood-chopping” accident. It was later revealed that his injury happened during a weekend rendezvous with a 23-year-old massage therapist.
Reds prospect Billy Hamilton spent most of the season in the big leagues, but he struggled at the place, only hitting .226 (.281 OBP). He did swipe 83 bases, though.
Jurickson Profar (.260, 16 HR, 64 RBI) and Adam Eaton (.305, 7 HR, 52 RBI) won Rookie of the Year.
Justin Verlander (19-9, 3.32 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and Jordan Zimmerman (18-9, 2.51 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) won Cy Young awards.
Prince Fielder (.333, 39 HR, 147 RBI) and Bryce Harper (.325, 33 HR, 107 RBI) won MVP awards. I imagine there was another hotly contested debate from sabermetricians, as Mike Trout put together another stellar season, leading all of baseball with 10.7 WAR.

During my season, a few new additions really stood out to me. One was the Player Development Tracker. Twice during the season — once at the All-Star Break and once at the end — I received updates as to how my players’ attributes were changing. Some of my young guys were improving, and their star ratings went up a half point, while a couple underachievers had their overall ability lowered a bit. This was a much-welcomed feature since it provided me a better idea of when my prospects might be ready.

I also loved the new playoffs screen. It is much more detailed than ever before, and it shares extensive information (including player stats versus that team during the regular season) for each matchup.

The new trade log feature is also slick and well-designed. Now it’s easier than ever to look up all trades made during the season, complete with the player stats up to that point.

One of the more puzzling additions that I’m not sure I’m sold on yet is the inclusion of performance-based achievements. These are modeled after the like-minded systems used by the Xbox 360 and PS3, but they feel out of place in a baseball simulator. I guess it’s cool to be able to see when my last walk-off win happened, but I wish more information was available as to how some of these achievements are even triggered. In my World Series-winning season, I didn’t even unlock a single gold achievement, which makes me curious as to what exactly it would take to do so. As far as I can tell, there isn’t a full list of available achievements in the game.

Other improvements include a better player origin system, more intelligent trade AI (including the option to block a player from being offered to you) and a recoded scouting feature. What’s amazing is that after playing every single game of a full 162+ game season, I’m still discovering little tweaks and new things to do.

I did encounter one bug during my playing time that could have been disastrous. I won an achievement after finishing a game, and the popup would not go away, causing the program to lock up. Luckily, I was able to use the keyboard to close and save my season, but I was scared that I might have lost everything. On the plus side, this problem has since been patched, which shows the dedication that this close-knit group of developers has for their game.

Out of the Park Baseball 14 is another winner, full of extraordinary depth and infinite replay value. I know I will be playing this all the way through the regular season and likely through the winter as well. If you have any interest in the more analytical side of baseball (i.e. stats and micro-managing), this is the game you’re looking for.

10/10

(A copy of this game was provided for review.)

Video Game Review: Guacamelee! [PS Vita/PS3]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Guacamelee!
System: PS Vita (crossbuy with PS3)
Genre: Action/Platforming (Metroidvania)
Developer: Drinkbox Studios
Release Date: April 9, 2013

If there’s one video game genre I enjoy most, it’s what is commonly referred to as Metroidvania. These are typically 2D side-scrolling affairs that invite exploration of a large in-game world. As the game progresses, new abilities are unlocked that allow you to reach previously inaccessible areas.

Drinkbox Studios — creators of the brilliant (and criminally overlooked) Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack — have taken the Metroidvania genre and given it a fresh twist with their latest, Guacamelee!. Here is a game steeped in Mexican folklore with a beautiful artstyle. It is also an adventure that does not take itself seriously. At all. (This is not a bad thing)

You play as Juan Aguacate (translation: Juan Avocado), a downtrodden Mexican farmer who is trying to rescue El Presidente’s daughter from the evil Charro skeleton. Juan receives a huge boost to his efforts when he discovers a magical lucha libre mask. This grants Juan an impressive array of wrestling-related powers, as well as the ability to switch back-and-forth between the land of the living and the dead. Now rejuvenated, Juan hits the road to save the princess and restore order to his beloved hometown.

Of course, the world is not safe, and there are plenty of enemies that stand in the way of Juan’s goal. Poncho-wearing skeletons, large armadillos and bomb-throwing cacti are just a handful of those ready to annihilate our hero. Never fear, for Juan is combat-ready with a number of powerful attacks at his disposal. Defeating enemies earns him cash to purchase even more abilities, including options to suplex, slam and otherwise destroy his opponents.

As the game progresses, Juan gains a whole slew of new ways to reach other areas. The genre staple of the “double jump” is soon added, as well as ways to rapidly dash across the screen (both vertically and horizontally) and turn into a completely different object (I won’t spoil it for you, but the secondary character is great). As you move throughout the world, you’ll notice areas that can only be accessed with certain abilities. Thankfully, these are pointed out on a map once you find them, so it’s easy to go back and explore with your newfound powers.

Combat is generally well-done. Certain enemies will be color-coded, meaning you can only damage them by using a specific type of attack. This adds some welcomed strategy to what at first seems to be a pretty basic combo-based system. Every now and then the game forces you to clear out an area of respawning enemies, but these moments are actually quite fun, and I grew to anticipate stumbling into them.

While I love the general combat system, I did run into some issues during boss fights, especially the last two. Boss battles basically amount to remembering their attack patterns and fighting back when applicable, but their attacks often feel cheap. It’s not uncommon to get hit by a boss, fall backward and then get hit again while recovering. This led to some severely frustrating moments where I was just a hit or two away from finishing off a boss, only to lose thanks to these cheap shots.

As such, it should go without saying that Guacamelee! is a pretty challenging game. It takes some of the punishing old-school gameplay that worked so well in the 16-bit days, with the end result being a real sense of accomplishment for clearing out some of the harder areas.

It’s not just combat that presents a challenge, however. Much of the game revolves around general platforming gameplay, and many areas have puzzles that can be tricky to solve. Oftentimes, finding a room with a treasure chest or other powerups will require some slick maneuvering that involves pressing different attacks at just the right time. A little bit of dexterity goes a long way here.

Guacamelee! is a relatively short game, and can be completed in anywhere from 4-8 hours (depending on how much you explore). Beating the game unlocks a hard mode, and the PS3 version offers co-op play, but that’s about it. For me, the overall experience was satisfying enough to justify its short length, but this could be disappointing for those expecting a long Castlevania-esque adventure.

I would be remiss not to mention the game’s unique brand of humor. The constant Easter eggs, tongue-in-cheek billboards and wisecracking dialogue are all incredibly amusing, and discovering hidden secrets is a real treat. During my adventure, I even found an abandoned room with just a QR code inside. I won’t spoil what it said, but it made me laugh. And, of course, all of this is aided by a gorgeous artstyle and an infectious soundtrack.

Guacamelee! is an excellent new addition to the Metroidvania genre, and it represents yet another strong showing from Drinkbox Studios. While I had some issues with cheap boss tactics, and others may be disappointed by the short length, I did greatly enjoy my time playing through the game. These guys are on a roll, and I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves next.

8.5/10

(A copy of this game was provided for review.)

Video Game Review: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch [PS3]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Today we have a guest video game review from Max @ Impassionedcinema!

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
System: PS3
Genre: JRPG
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: Level-5 and Studio Ghibli
Release Date: January 22, 2013

An English translation for the highly anticipated Level-5 and Studio Ghibli collaboration, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, has been a long time coming. What more could gamers of JRPGs ask for? Level-5, best known for their work on Professor Layton and Dark Cloud, has been a long-time fan favorite in Japan. While famed anime studio, Studio Ghibli, has been known for their outstanding animated films, taking audiences to worlds we’ve never seen before. On paper it sounds as though failure is not an option. In the end though, how did it hold up?

Ni No Kuni follows the story of a boy named Oliver. Oliver lives with his mom in the quant town of Motorville, where you guessed it, the residents are obsessed with motor vehicles. One fine day, Oliver is asked to sneak out of his house late at night in order to try his friend’s new car that he built. Catastrophe occurs and Oliver’s mother suffers heart complications while trying to save Oliver from an accident. Depressed over the loss of his mother, Oliver locks himself away until he is summoned by his doll, Drippy, to save an alternate world. Saving this parallel universe might allow Oliver to save his mother.

There’s enough story in Ni No Kuni to fill a novel, but how does it play? Level-5 has imagined the gameplay of Ni No Kuni to be a hybrid of Pokémon and the Tales Of… series of games. Oliver and his companions control familiars in combat that share the same health bar, but have different attributes in attack, defense, magic, etc. Battles are initiated by running into the world map avatar of the enemy and conducted in real-time.

Collecting familiars is still as rewarding as it was in Pokémon all those years ago, but the payoff and percentage of captures are poorly balanced. Most players will be satisfied leveling and grinding their starter familiars till the end game. Most of the world map battles can be summarized as repeatedly tapping the attack prompt to overpower your enemies. If you aren’t powerful enough yet, expect to spend at least an hour grinding up your familiars. Casting spells is also troublesome. If your character is waiting to cast a spell, but another familiar on the battlefield casts before, get ready to enter the queue again. This is especially troublesome in the late game when trying to craft items by stealing from enemies. Most of the time they will be dead before you can even cast the spell.

The other problem is that tougher battles will likely be determined by how fast you can block as opposed to anything else. Most of the villains will have tell-signs before they summon a deadly spell and with those five seconds canceling an attack and setting up a block can be the deciding factor. Blocking has always been an underutilized aspect of JRPGs, but with battles playing out in real-time, it’s a race to set up the block. About twenty hours into the game, your companions are given the ability to set up their block by pressing a button on the controller. This is right after one the most difficult battles in the game. Why couldn’t Level-5 given you that ability far earlier?

Up until this point, there’s been a lot of focus on the chunky battle system. Rightfully so though, because when the playtime of Ni No Kuni will likely exceed 60 hours, it should be fair and enjoyable. Luckily, the overall presentation should be enough to guide players to the end. Ni No Kuni is simply one of the best looking JRPGs ever created. While actual anime sequences become few and far between after the beginning of the quest, the character design and worlds exemplify the artwork from Studio Ghibli. It’s almost as if Oliver is another hero in the long legacy of Ghibli greats and the story could easily fit into the overall catalog of great films. The score of the game is composed by Studio Ghibli veteran Joe Hisaishi. While Ni No Kuni suffers from having only one piece of music for battle sequences like most JRPGs, it’s always exciting to visit a new town to see the spectacular art design and music come together.

Although the battle system leaves a lot to be desired, Ni No Kuni was the first JRPG I’ve completed this generation of consoles. Whether it was the hope that there would be a satisfying ending (there wasn’t) or seeing what Studio Ghibli had concocted for the next villain or town, Ni No Kuni held my interest to the end. When a game is entertaining enough that the final quest gets put off until the last possible moment, it has done something right. While Ni No Kuni isn’t the masterpiece Western gamers were waiting for, it is the masterpiece they needed. It has proven that JRPGs that don’t bear the name Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest can still be successful outside of Japan. Even more incredible Ni No Kuni is a console-exclusive to PS3. For an exclusive title to sell as well as it has is an incredible achievement. If you can look pass the mechanic problems of the battle system, Ni No Kuni is a recommended play-through for all RPG fans.

4/5 Stars

Written by Max Covill of Impassionedcinema.com

Month in Review [March 2013]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Who else is happy to see April? This may be my favorite month of the year (and not just because it has my birthday). March was a pretty good month for me, too, as I saw many more films than in February. Unfortunately, there were also more duds than usual.

In order of viewing: (now including my ratings)
1) Rosetta [1999] - 8/10

2) My Neighbor Totoro [1988] - 9/10

3) Porco Rosso [1992] - 8/10

4) Kiki’s Delivery Service [1989] - 8/10

5) Somebody Up There Likes Me [2012] - 5/10

6) Leaving Las Vegas [1995] - 8/10

7) 2010 [1984] - 5/10

8) Undefeated [2011] - 9/10

9) Ruby Sparks [2012] - 6/10

10) Celeste and Jesse Forever [2012] - 6/10

11) Searching for Sugar Man [2012] - 8/10

12) Do the Right Thing [1989] - 9/10

13) Smashed [2012] - 8/10

14) Showgirls [1995] - 3/10

15) The Dark Knight Returns: Part 1 [2012] - 8/10

16) Nobody Walks [2012] - 3/10

17) Holy Motors [2012] - 8/10

18) Oz the Great and Powerful [2013] - 6/10

19) Belle de Jour [1967] - 9/10

20) A Bronx Tale [1993] - 7/10

21) The Warriors [1979] - 8/10

22) Bad Boys [1983] - 6/10

23) Alice [1988] - 6/10

24) Stoker [2013] - 8/10

25) Spider-Man 2 [2004] - 6/10

Video Games Completed:
1) Dead Space 3 [Xbox 360, 2013] - 7/10

2) Fallout: New Vegas: Dead Money DLC [Xbox 360, 2010] - 5/10

3) Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath HD [PS Vita, 2012] - 8/10

4) Virtua Tennis 4 [PS Vita, 2012] - 8/10

Movie of the Month: This is tough. Three of the five movies I watched for my project were all phenomenal, but I think My Neighbor Totoro is still my favorite of the bunch. I cannot recommend that enough, even for those who don’t normally enjoy animated films.

Dud of the Month: I had to experience Showgirls for myself, and yeah, it was just as bad as everyone says. Poor Elizabeth Berkley. It wins by default, though Nobody Walks sure gave it a run for its money.

What’s your favorite of this group? Anything catch your eye?

Video Game DLC Review: Fallout: New Vegas: Dead Money [Xbox 360]

Posted by Eric @ The Warning Sign

Fallout: New Vegas: Dead Money
System: Xbox 360 (also on PS3 and PC)
Genre: Action RPG
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Release Date: December 21, 2010

Every now and then I get the urge to go back to the Fallout universe. Something about that post-apocalyptic wasteland drives me in and doesn’t let go for hours at a time. Although I have exhausted Fallout 3, I still have an unfinished campaign of Fallout: New Vegas sitting on my hard drive, with many of the DLC expansions remaining untouched.

Dead Money was the first piece of downloadable content released for New Vegas, and it offers an intriguing premise. A mysterious signal from an abandoned Brotherhood of Steel bunker beckons the Courier, and visiting this location leads to him being knocked out and transported to the Sierra Madre Casino. The Courier awakens to find an explosive collar wrapped around his neck, and he is commanded by the Brotherhood elder, Father Elijah, to work together with three other captives to pull off a massive heist at the casino. Since the collar will go off if he attempts to leave, the Courier has no choice but to accept, and he does so without any of his weapons, armor or loot. Yeah, no one ever said this was going to be easy.

In fact, this expansion is downright brutal at times in terms of difficulty. Not being able to start with your normal loot is a huge disadvantage, and finding worthwhile weapons is a monumental task in itself. Health packs are also scarce, so it can be important to dodge enemies instead of fighting them head on.

Dead Money‘s environment also has other factors that raise its challenge. There is a toxic red fog that covers much of the area, and the Courier loses health rapidly if caught in it. The explosive collar is also a nuisance since its signal causes interference with the various radios and speakers scattered around the environment. If he gets too close to one of them, the collar will explode, killing him and the other three captives. Throw in a handful of new enemies — including the incredibly annoying ghost people — and this can become quite the frustrating save-and-reload experience.

What makes Dead Money worth playing is its story. There’s quite a bit of substance in terms of plot, and the characters are especially entertaining. The three captives are an amusing bunch. There’s a super mutant with a split personality — “Dog” and “God” frequently bicker with themselves –, a radioactive ghoul named Dean Domino that used to be lounge singer at the casino, and a mute scribe named Christine that lost her voice in one of the most horrific ways possible. It’s a lot of fun getting to know these characters, and each one has their own quest in which the Courier spends a great deal of time with them.

The expanion lasts anywhere from 6-8 hours, so there is a good amount of juice. It’s just a shame that the great storyline and entertaining characters are diminished by the punishing, repetitive gameplay.

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The Warning Sign

Providing words of caution since 2009!

Category Archives: Video Games

Video Game Review: Thomas Was Alone [PS Vita/PS3]

8/10

Video Game Review: Gears of War: Judgment [Xbox 360]

7.5/10

Month in Review [April 2013]

Poll Results: Favorite Video Game Era

Video Game Review: Tomb Raider [Xbox 360]

8.5/10

PC Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 14

10/10

Video Game Review: Guacamelee! [PS Vita/PS3]

8.5/10

Video Game Review: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch [PS3]

4/5 Stars

Month in Review [March 2013]

Video Game DLC Review: Fallout: New Vegas: Dead Money [Xbox 360]

5/10

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