Mass Effect 2 - Playstation 3
One thing that my regular readers know about me is that I'm almost always late to the party when it comes to trying new games. The Fallout series? Assassins Creed? Uncharted? Never played 'em. Lack of time is usually the main culprit, but there's a big part of me that just can't get interested in a new game or series until I hear good things from a variety of trusted sources and confidants. Such was the case with this game. I'd read tons of good reviews but something about it just didn't seem like it was my cup of tea. It wasn't until my brother-in-law (a hardcore gamer and RPG devotee) and his wife (a casual player) both gushed about this title that I decided to give it a go. They talked up the epic story, the RPG like character building, and the action oriented fight sequences, and wouldn't you know it, they were right! This is a VERY well crafted game, yet for some reason I just couldn't get into it. As immersive as it is, and for all the things that it does right, I just found it kind of boring. Too much running around and talking to people and not enough shooting bad guys in the face! I could have stuck with it for a bit longer I suppose, but these days if I'm not having fun after 3 hours of play time I'm moving on. So let's move on....
Grade: C
Pilotwings Resort - Nintendo 3DS
I always loved the original Super NES Pilotwings; mainly because it took the relatively stuffy flight sim genre, stripped it down, and actually made it fun and playable. In that regard, Pilotwings Resort doesn't disappoint. It IS fun, but it's also pretty stripped down! Players take control of various flying machines (planes, hang gliders, and... rocket belts?) and guide them through short skill courses. Decent graphics and music, and the ability to play as your own unique Mii character are all good things, but there really isn't a whole lot of variety to the gameplay. You basically pilot the same three aircraft through a host of challenges that only differ in the slightest of ways. It's kind of a bummer, actually. I was hoping that Nintendo would add a bit more spice to the formula after all this time. More planes, more missions, more variety. Oh well, maybe they'll nail it in 15 years when the next sequel is released. Zinger!
Grade: C+
New Super Mario Bros. - Wii & DS
These are actually two different games, but they're similar enough that I'm going to lump them together. The New Super Mario Bros. titles are all about a return to the series' 2D side-scrolling roots. These games look and play a lot like their NES and SNES era forefathers (and that's cool and all) but for me, some things just felt off. For one thing, Mario moves a little sluggishly. He's a bit slower than I remember and his jumps are kind of floaty. But there's something else at play here. I think I may have just had my fill of these kinds of games. I mean for the rest of my life. Seriously, I have played more Marios and Sonics (hell, even Alex Kidds) than any one man should ever play. There's nothing wrong with a good side scrolling platformer, but as a child of the 80's (and 90's) I think I may have overdosed on the genre. Besides, the 21-year-old Super Mario World for the SNES is, was, and most likely always will be the best of the 2D Marios. I know you thought it was Super Mario Bros. 3, but you were wrong. And seriously Nintendo, is it too much to ask for some challenging bosses in the Super Mario series?
Grade: B-
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Nintendo 3DS
I've mentioned that I'm not a HUGE fan of the 3D Zelda adventures, but there really is something special about this game. Much like they did with Super Mario 64, Nintendo successfully took an established 2D franchise, brought it into the 3D realm, and still managed to keep it compelling. The same can't be said for a lot of other storied franchises that tried to make the transition to 3D (Sonic the Hedgehog, Castlevania, Worms), and I've always felt that the Big N deserves a lot of credit for making that happen. Everything you loved about the Nintendo 64 original remains intact in this remake. The 3D effects and a slight upgrade to the graphics help to keep things fresh, and the inclusion of a second, tougher quest adds replay value. Recommended.
Grade: B+
Starfox 64 3D - 3DS
I had a lot of fun with this game back in the day and it was cool to play it again. I may be wrong about this, but I don't think that any new content (other than the 3D effect) has been added for this remake. On the subject of the 3D effect I have to say that, for me, playing this game with the 3D turned on was fairly disorienting and it really strained my eyes. In fact, the same thing happened with Pilotwings now that I think about it! I think it has to do with the constantly shifting perspective inherent to flying games. Anyway, it was good to play this again. It's a little short so I'd recommend renting it or picking it up in a few months when the price comes down.
Grade: B-
No comments:
Post a Comment