Torb

There are a scarce number of games today that are capable of substituting for the beat-em-up arcade machines of old. Castle Crashers is one such game. It has been billed by some as the game to fill in that gaping hole of side-scrolling hack-and-slash goodness. In this regard, it is both a resounding success and a debilitating failure.

            Combat is obviously the focus of the game. In a word, it is delicious. There’s a button for quick attack and another for strong attack, with combos slathered between them. Each character has a unique magic ability…mostly. The four main characters are noticeably different in a good way in this regard (though the Red Knight in particular is very overpowered). Beyond that, there are many other unlockable characters that come about by beating the main story. These lamentably share abilities. Though they are aesthetically different, they are fundamentally the same. The player is given a standard bow and arrow for a ranged attack but can choose from a huge number of weapons to find and use in melee. Along the way, little floaty animals also make their presence known. These small dudes follow you around (there can only be one following you at a time, though) and grant you small bonuses, be it an XP boost or a combat enhancement.

            All of these abilities (but not the weapons or animals) have stats that can be upgraded as the levels are gained through experience points that accumulate as the enemies get smacked around (experience points are literally awarded on a per-hit basis). There are 99 levels in total, each one presenting an opportunity to enhance defense, strength, magic, or agility. Regrettably, there isn’t a whole lot of incentive to reach level 99. The game pretty much stops throwing new material once the main “story” wraps up somewhere around levels 20 – 30. Luckily, everything leading up to and including the final battle makes for a spectacularly fun ride. The controls are fluid and responsive, the characters are fun to play as and to fight with, and most of all, Castle Crashers pays a painstaking attention to detail. The entirety of the artwork that Dan Paladin has beautifully rendered leaves no stone unturned. The game looks exquisite and utilizes a unique style unmatched by any other game.

            The levels and environments are as varied as the enemies that populate them. Each location offers a different look and feel. While playing the game I found myself looking forward to the next section of the game simply to find out what I would see next. What I usually found, though, was a boss battle. While not as epic as, say, Shadow of the Colossus, these brawls leave little to be desired and provide a nice break from the hordes. Instead, the fight is with a single, huge, beautifully drawn enemy with a bunch of hit points. Even the sound in Castle Crashers is above average for an Xbox Live Arcade game. The music that permeates each level does its job smoothly and cleanly. There were some tunes in the game that I admittedly wouldn’t mind listening to outside the context of the game.

         

  There are so many good qualities that describe Castle Crashers. Unfortunately though, the entire experience is marred by the online portion of the game. If you only care about the single player, by all means, get this game now. If you want to take part in the 4-player co-op, think twice. I bought this game with the intention of playing much of it with my friends, but the game had other plans for me. I’m not sure how the servers are now, but before I couldn’t even play the game with a friend without getting disconnected multiple times upon entering the game. Worse than that, however, is the fact that all of the many weapons that I found and the animals I spent a lot of time collecting were all erased as a result of playing online. My characters retained their levels, but I lost all my loot. This alone broke the game for me, because if I wanted to start a new character or find new things with an existing one, none of it would be there the next time I turned the game on (yes, even in singleplayer). Because of this, I lost my will to play, having already beaten the regular story multiple times in single player.

If you don’t mind the co-op issues and don’t plan on playing online, this is a solid recommendation. If you do though, keep in mind your save file is at a potential loss, sucking the hours of gameplay away from you. Play online at your own risk. Castle Crashers is an amazing game. It’s a shame that it should be ruined by something so small as a few technical glitches. At the very least, anyone even remotely interested should definitely find a way to play this game.

The single-player experience in Call of Duty 4 is a rollercoaster, plain and simple. You are on rails, so to speak, the entire time, never truly choosing your own course. Sure, there may be a section of a level or two where you are allowed to choose one of two or three objectives to shoot for first, but your decisions as a player are wholly inconsequential and have no impact on the gameplay. This, for me, was a beautiful thing. Yes, I am aware that is completely goes against everything the gaming community is telling you that you must have right now (coughsandboxcough), but it’s wonderful.

The reason behind this is simple: cinematic experience. The entire time I was playing this game I couldn’t help but feel like I was in a really awesome war movie. There are scripted sequences in this game, just like every other Call of Duty, that simply blew me away. Intense helicopter crashes and explosions and tanks and sniping segments, the list goes on. In short, the game makes you feel hardcore. (Unless you’re playing on Veteran, the hardest difficulty, like I did. It made me feel like a baby most of the time.)

Gameplay is finely-tuned and sweet to control. Responsive, satisfying gunplay is the name of the game, and Call of Duty 4 shines. The guns feel powerful, effective, and gratifying as they stop enemies in their tracks. The gun models look like what you’d expect, but the graphics in general are stunning. Animations especially stand out within the confines of the game. Everything is very fluid and believable, sucking the player into the war. Allies open doors slowly to peer in, jump barriers realistically and look like human beings. It all feels right.

The direction the developers took in the sound department also contributes heavily to the believability of the game. Comm chatter sounds great and authentic. Your superiors will tell you when a room has been cleared and when they are being fired upon, among other things. The music especially stands out. One level in particular rises to the top in my memory. You are a sniper who has been coupled with another sniper for an assassination mission (Most agree this is the coolest mission in the game).You’re sneaking through and around the enemy, when all of a sudden you have to bolt to avoid being spotted. The drums pick up dramatically and form a beat that just gave me chill bumps. It was incredible. The score is top-notch, sound effects beat and pounded through my speakers, and it all really heightens the experience.

Singleplayer, however, is not the only place this game shines. Multiplayer is robust and addicting. There are a plethora of game modes to choose from, but the trick is everything must be unlocked to play. The process is simple and fun. You kill things, you get points, you level, you unlock, rinse, repeat, have fun. Not much more to it, but it is extremely well-executed. The maps are fun and fast-paced. There’s so much more that can be said, but really, it’s just as great as the single-player.

In summary, Call of Duty 4 is a game every fan of the genre should play. There are no real complaints to be had. The only reason I didn’t give this a perfect score is simply because I played through it on Veteran. Dying 100 times per level is a bit of a damper on the fun factor, but I suppose that is my fault for choosing it. Games need to figure out how to be challenging without being cheap. Call of Duty fails here, but it is neither significant nor glaring. It shines stunningly in every single other facet. This game is truly a gem.

Grand Theft Auto IV is not inherently challenging or difficult. It is not inherently unique, nor does it do much to differ from its predecessors. But it does manage to do everything that it sets out to do, rarely falling below the mark. What it lacks in originality, it makes up for in variety. But most of all, it manages to be fun. A lot of fun.

As I began the game and progressed through it, I felt the grip of the main character, Niko Bellic, continually tightening around me. Everyone has praised him up and down as being so intensely likable, and I'm proud to say that he is. He is a compelling character who, through controlling him during the course of the game, you can't help but become attached to. At his roots, Niko is just another guy who wants to live a normal life, not having to worry about anything. But those he is surrounded by are constantly dragging him down, back into the firefight-engulfed streets.

Which brings me to the rest of the "cast." Rockstar has crafted some truly amazing and original characters. The voice acting is superb, and the dialogue is entirely entertaining. I won't go into the characters in detail, but the people with which Niko interacts manage to help make the game what it is without stealing the spotlight from him. One or two may get on your nerves, but those same characters may be another person's favorite. Basically, there is something for everyone in this regard.

These same characters will have you going on side missions for them and even going on "dates," so to speak. In the game, you are provided with a virtual cell phone with which you can call up people you've come in contact with. You can ask your friends to go bowling, throw some darts, hit up a strip club, or go get drunk, among other things. And the best part is that there is no catch. You actually go bowling and play darts and pool and get drunk yourself. Getting drunk was perhaps my favorite thing to do when interacting with the other characters. The reason for this is the amazing rag doll physics, which I am a sucker for. You stumble and fall on things/people, and move "realistically." The same applies when you get hit by a car, or exploded (yes I said "exploded.")

The main plot is merely ok. It's got a twist or two, sure. But it's nothing you'd enjoy seeing in a movie theater. The reason I loved the plot is the dialogue. It's great and flows very smoothly. What trumps this, in my opinion, is the engrossing world in which you play. The ambulance picks up injured people. The police really arrest crooks on the street and, after chasing them down, cuff them and put them in the back of the patrol car. The firefighters actually can be seen going to work in the morning at the station. All of it comes off as very "real," and it's a great feeling.

As for gameplay, the main story arc is fairly repetitive. It gets to the point that you realize it isn't "if" but "when" the crap is gonna hit the fan. So-and-so sent you to protect someone? Well expect a hit squad to try and mess you up. Someone sent you to deliver some drugs? Oh, well, surprise! There are some more dudes you have to cap. It's a good thing Grand Theft Auto IV's gunplay is very polished. While it is by no means deep, it works, and it works well. You can hide behind cover, pop out and shoot, and return to cover a la Gears of War.

There is an auto-aim system in place that is accessed by holding down the aiming trigger completely, but free-aim is utilized by only halfway depressing the trigger. It's very easy to use. This comprises the majority of the "campaign." The good thing about the story missions is that the folks at Rockstar manage to keep the ways in which you kill people very diverse and very entertaining (sadistic, I know). It never really gets stale. Just when I felt like I was going through the motions, something new was tossed my way and got me right back into the action.

The main story can be beaten in less than 30 hours (I think I completed it in around 25 hours). Of course, it doesn't stop there. Plenty of other activities litter the streets of Liberty City. You can participate in street races, steal cars for a couple of your contacts to earn money, deliver drugs, assassinate people, and chase down crooks. You know, just your average run-of-the-mill activities (note: sarcasm). But more than that, you can go on the previously mentioned "dates" with friends, even going so far as logging on to a virtual "internet" of sorts that exists only within the game. This allows you to find singles to date and fake websites to read, all of which are hilarious and well worth your time. You can go to a comedy club or spend your time watching fake TV shows in your apartment, or even playing a made-up arcade game called "QUB3D."

Essentially, there is a good deal of things to do to keep you busy. I was entirely overwhelmed when I first started. There are many, many things in this game, and the graphics engine does an impressive job of rendering it all. The graphics in this game are nice. They aren't awesome, but they are nice. I have no complains as far as this topic goes; they get the job done. Sometimes things might look a little clunky, and sometimes they take a little too long to render. This last part is only a complaint when you are driving too fast and something appears right in front of you. It is incredibly annoying.

The sound in this game is very remarkable as well. There are a number of radio stations to choose from while driving. Though there aren't a whole lot of tracks on each station, the fact that, as a whole, there is so much music is a welcome feature in the game. Hard rock, the classics, alternative, jazz, take your pick. They're all here. The sound effects themselves are not wholly outstanding but there isn't anything that is to be desired.

Now here go my complaints (and where things turn cynical). Your friends within the game can get annoying. They incessantly call you because they are apparently extremely lonely without you. They always want to do stuff with you, and if you say no, then you lose "reputation" with them. Luckily there is a way around losing your rep (say yes then cancel plans), but I still started loathing answering the phone. Another annoying thing is getting hit by a car. If said car just so happens to run over you and stop on top of you, you die instantly. If anything stays on top of you, you die instantly. This is widely regarded as a very bad thing. It happens at very inopportune times and it sucks. Also, sometimes the AI gets stupid. This only happened to me two or three times though, so it's not too big of a deal when they decide to run out and get killed. Also, it's beastly hard to drive vehicles. I got used to it, but it's still daunting.

Here is a sort-of short description of multiplayer: You join a game. There are a ton of gametypes. You hope the gametype that you feel like playing is "race" or "deathmatch" or some deathmatch variant, because if it is "Team Carjack City," no one else will play with you. You get in said game and have a lot of fun, but all these noobs are wailing and hollering because the host had auto-aim turned on. You suffer these peoples' annoying voices, and play what is a pretty fun multiplayer game. It has no depth, but it's fun. It's especially fun with friends, so if you have any, tell them to play with you. Picture four of you in a single car, arms all out the windows, doing drive-bys. It's extremely fun. But when someone makes you explode, it sucks. And there you have it.

Grand Theft Auto IV is not a great game because of any one aspect. If anything, it would be due to the variety of things you'll find yourself doing and enjoying as a whole. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and have fun doing it. If you want to watch fake TV in the game, you'll have fun doing it. If you want to try outrunning the cops on a 6-star rating (which was not discussed in this review), you'll have a grand ole time. The game is a great game, and while there isn't a whole lot of replay value, I've already logged in something like 65 hours into the game. That's a lot more than any other game I own. It's not perfect by any means, but it is great. I'll be holding onto it for a while, that much is certain.

Lost is the first and only TV show that I currently faithfully follow. I love it. I read about it. I'm interested in anything to do with it.

As such, I was skeptical about that game from the start, as any gamer would be of any kind of movie/TV show that is shoehorned into a videogame. I didn't buy it on release, but after reading up on some reviews, I decided to rent it. This was a very good move, and if you are considering playing this game, before you read any further please note that I strongly encourage you to rent this game. You will beat it easily during that rental time, save yourself over $30, and you can beat the entire game to 100% completion in that time frame to boot.

Now onto the actual review. The main character of this game is Elliot Maslow. You control him throughout the game from a third-person perspective. Within the game, he is a photojournalist on flight 815 (this character was created solely for this game and does not appear in the show) who crash-lands on an island alongside the Lost characters from the show. He gets amnesia from the impact, and the whole rest of the game is hinged upon recovering his memory. This is done in a very linear fashion, as the game is split up into "episodes," with a flashback taking place at the beginning of each episode. In this flashback, you use your trusty camera to photograph a special detail/event that takes place within the flashback in order to advance to a cutscene which advances you in your quest to learn about your past. If you miss the detail/event when it happens, the flashback simply loops until you figure out what to do, which makes everything run a whole lot smoother.

The flashback segments are interesting and fun the first few times, but since you can predict it happening very close to the beginning of each level, it gets to be very repetitive. After you take the photo, you are allowed to roam in the environment that your flashback encompasses, looking for three special "hidden" items each time, usually the same things over and over again. They're easy to find. This is a good concept but poorly executed. Mostly, it contains little easter eggs for fans of Lost with mentions of such things as the Hanso Foundation.

As a side note, at the beginning of each level/episode is a cutscene that details what happened previously-where you left off on the previous level. Some people have complained about this feature, but I actually enjoyed it because it is very reminiscent of the show. Overall, it's not a big deal.

If you are a fan of the show like me, you may have been looking forward to interacting with the characters from the show. The characters hang out on the beach for the most part, waiting for you to come talk to them. As I was playing, I was trying to figure out how the heck the developers intended for anyone but a Lost fan to play this game, because there really is nothing to help you understand the plot of the show. The problem is they just don't have much to say. What's more, very few characters in the game have the voices of their real life counterparts. I laughed a lot because of this. Especially Sawyer's voice actor. I know they try so hard, but it just doesn't work. The music in the game, however, is noticeably better than the voice acting. It just makes everything feel like Lost. If you appreciate the music from the show, you will appreciate it here.

As far as gameplay is concerned, there just isn't much. What's there would be all good fun if there was variety, but everything that acts as a novelty early on is rehashed until you can't wait until you are finished. You'll do a lot more running from the Smoke Monster than you might expect. I had imagined some epic chase scenes where I'm running through the forest at a blistering pace, dodging trees and bushes and such with the Smoke Monster hot on my heels and ripping up trees along the way. But it was completely dumbed down to "hiding in bamboo." You go from bamboo patch to bamboo patch, with the Monster seeming to be hunting you down. There is no reprieve. It's just waiting for you. All the freaking time. It's annoying. You progress little by little, looking for markers to guide you to the next bamboo section. There is no epicness whatsoever.

There is another segment that is frequently repeated where you have to travel through caves, apparently because this character is too cool to climb over things like the people in Lost the TV show do. This part of the game is far more frustrating than the Smoke Monster segments. It's pitch black in the caves, and you start with just a lighter. Then you can buy (via trading items such as coconuts. Yea. I was thinking the exact thing you are now), torches, and eventually a lantern, each of which have a time limit on how long you can use them before they need refueling. You have to avoid pits in the ground, tediously put out your torch at the sound of bats so they don't damage it, and of course put it out for waterfalls you have to walk under, relighting it afterward in a longish animation. And if you decide to sit in the dark, just for kicks and giggles, apparently the Smoke Monster is in the cave with you waiting to rip you to shreds in the first 30 seconds of darkness. Yea, I did it just to see what would happen. It wasn't even close to satisfying. It's just pitch dark, the controller starts to vibrate like a heart beat, and then the game notifies you with text that you died. Woohoo. The caves were the worst part of the whole game. A small one would have been fun once. But they are long, tedious, and frequent. Locke sends you into one to go soul searching. All he had to do was go in a tent and sit down (in the TV show), but yet he makes you traverse a pit-riddled cave without even giving you a flashlight.

The highlight of the whole game is, unfortunately, the graphics. I know it's cliche, but it's true. The jungle and beach and wreckage all look wonderful. And the character models, while they by no means stack up to the likes of Crysis, are much better than they could be. I don't really expect anything less than this from Ubisoft, which in my mind simply doesn't release ugly games. I thought it was a beautiful game. Not nearly as detailed as you might hope (wandering through the jungle is not fun, it just feels like wandering around in someone's backyard that happens to strongly resemble a jungle, then you run into their fence which happens to be an invisible border inside the game telling you that you have to turn back, or else), but beautiful in the grand scope of things.

The plot is good, especially so at the ending. It's one of those "What the crap?!?" endings. So if you like those, then you'll like this. I still don't know what happened in the story. One main issue with the game is that everything major in the show is trivialized. The loss of your memory seems of greater importance than the button in the hatch that must be pushed every 108 minutes. Imagine that. On a side note, I'm not sure why they included Michael in the game when there are other, better characters that didn't make it into the game. All he ever does is scream for Walt. Yes, even in the videogame. It makes me cringe. Also, the fact that the game portrays the Others as sitting up in trees, waiting for the Losties to wander through the jungle so they can shoot from their perches pisses me off. This is nothing like the show, and a feeble attempt to spice up the game. They are neither cool nor mysterious.

Basically, just rent it for the gamer points. You will be hard pressed to make it through this game in a reasonable amount of time without a guide. I recommend gamefaqs.com or if you have real trouble, Youtube for the caves. It's an easy 1000 points. You can get them all in a rental though. However hardcore you think you are as a fan of Lost, nothing warrants buying this game as there is absolutely no replay value. Also of note, I played this game thinking I would learn some cool stuff about the show, but then I found out that none of it can actually be counted as part of the real Lost TV story. It's all just fanfiction, essentially.

All of this is very unfortunate.
Sorry.