Punch-Out!

There’s no game like Punch-Out. Many have tried to capture its essence, but the end result is never comparable. We could speculate for hours on what it would take to meet or beat the Nintendo classic, but I figure if some of the industry’s brightest minds can’t solve this problem, we probably won’t either.

Considering this, there has been a tremendous amount of hype surrounding the long-awaited, motion-controlled Punch-Out sequel for Wii. If this game doesn’t get it right, then what? Wii Boxing was a tease – a mere mini-game to show off the console’s potential. Wii needs a real boxing experience, and not one hampered by a lame attempt at realism. Fun – the thing Wii is supposed to be about – needs to come first.

And it does. In a nutshell, Punch-Out!! is a grand-scale upgrade of the original. You could call it a sequel, but with many of the original game’s physics, characters and attack patterns back for another round, the game isn’t too far beyond the NES original. It is, however, ridiculously fun to play, offers impressive motion controls (and Balance Board support), and features a comedic twist that makes the game – and its crazy cast – very enjoyable.

As expected, the motion controls are fairly primitive, at least by MotionPlus standards, a device Punch-Out!! does not support. Despite this, the mechanics work really well. Shake the Nunchuk or the remote to throw a left or right hook. Push up on the thumbstick while shaking one of the controllers to turn your punch into a jab. With the Balance Board hooked up, you can dodge by leaning left or right, or duck by pushing your body into the board. Without the Balance Board, those same actions are performed with the thumbstick.

Punch-Out!! features a super attack called Star Punch. These attacks can only be performed when you possess at least one star. Stars are acquired by striking your opponent at a key moment, such as when he’s taunting you or just before he’s about to throw an uppercut (or a special punch of his own). Once a star is in Little Mac’s possession (he can store three of them at one time but will lose them the moment he’s attacked), hold the A or C button while throwing your next punch.

This probably sounds too easy for words, but remember that you aren’t supposed to be shaking the controllers (even though that’s all it takes to execute a move) – you’re supposed to punch your fist forward to simulate the moves of a boxer. All motions are accepted since the game can’t differentiate between the two, allowing lazy players to be lazy and more energetic players to get a workout.

Also, Punch-Out!! has never been about complicated controls. Like the others, this one begins with pick-up-and-play mechanics and a few cakewalk battles. After that, the gloves come off.

The fighter lineup consists of Glass Joe, Von Kaiser, Disco Kid, King Hippo, Piston Hondo, Bear Hugger, Great Tiger, Don Flamenco, Aran Ryan, Soda Popinski, Bald Bull and a couple others who might just give you nightmares. Their patterns are essential to your success. But as you’ll quickly discover, not all of them are predictable.

Ryan is a weak fighter that relies on sporadic movements to confuse the player. Popinski may have the power of cola on his side (something I personally am very jealous of), but it’s his super-fast attacks that are most deadly. Trying to predict Bald Bull’s next move is especially difficult; at any time, he may switch between a very slow attack to a very fast attack. The former is used to get you to doge too soon, allowing his punches to make contact. The fast attacks are used to trap players that are too overwhelmed to react.

These and other boxing styles make the game interesting, challenging, and occasionally cheap. Whether or not the game is truly cheap is hard to say, but you are bound to feel that way whenever Little Mac is pounded unexpectedly.

Punch-Out!! is given a comical edge with characters that are infused with unique personalities. Their stories are told through a series of paintings that depict the way each boxer trains. The results are often laugh-out-loud hilarious, making this one of the few games whose story you won’t want to skip.

In addition to the new motion controls, Punch-Out!! can also be played using the Wii remote alone. Hold it sideways like an NES controller and you’re good to go. Every motion is mapped to one of the buttons, mirroring the motionless controls of the original.

This is a nice alternative, but it is my recommendation that you stick with the remote and Nunchuk combo. Punch-Out!! is a fun game regardless of the control style that you use. But when playing with the Nunchuk, the game is much more aggressive and interactive. Even if you don’t throw any real punches – even if all you do is flick the controllers forward, it’s still a more engrossing experience than the old-school control style, which is very repetitive and makes the game easier to finish.

Punch-Out!! may not be a breathtaking step ahead of its predecessors, but it is still a game every Punch-Out fan will want to play. The gameplay is incredibly fun, the boxers are hilariously inventive, and the replay value – while nowhere near a fighting game like Street Fighter IV – is strong enough to warrant a purchase.

Gameplay: 8.7
Fans of the original won't be disappointed by this addictive, pick-up-and-play upgrade of the NES classic.

Graphics: 8.7
Punch-Out!! is a visual treat with stellar cel-shading effects, hilarious story images, top-of-the-line KO animations and impressive facial expressions.

Sound: 8.0
A little repetitive and slightly annoying (is it me or do the menu screen jingles sound exactly like a sound effect from Pikmin?). But overall, the sound and music are very well done.

Difficulty: Medium
Enemy attacks are tricky at first, but once you learn their patterns, the game isn't very challenging.

Concept: 7.9
The motion controls, Balance Board support and subtle game adjustments are great. But underneath it all, Punch-Out!! isn't that different from the NES original.

Multiplayer: 8.0
The lack of online play and Balance Board support during multiplayer might be disappointing to some. Still, the one-on-one combat is excellent.

Overall: 8.6
Boxing at its best. Many games have tried to capture the arcade essence of the Punch-Out!! series, and all of them have failed. But nearly 20 years later, the king is back and is better than ever.

Source : http://xbox360.gamezone.com

Help Wanted

Many kids dream of becoming doctors, fireman or police officers. They see what their parents and other adults are doing and aspire to accomplish those same things. It is unlikely, however, that you’ll hear a kid say, “I want to work in dry cleaning!” or “Doctor? Lawyer? No way. I want to join a haunted house crew!”

Help Wanted, a new party game for Nintendo Wii, takes all kinds of jobs and turns them into mini-games. If the job is uncommon or completely fictitious (I don’t think “superhero” is an occupation), the game welcomes it with open arms. If not, the Help Wanted will add a quirky element or two. As a dentist, you don’t pull heavily decayed teeth from men numbed up on Novocain – you pull teeth from patients who are fully aware of the pain you’re causing. They’ll cry, scream and put an end to your mission if you can’t wiggle it out with as little pain as possible.

But wait – there’s a time limit! The clock is always counting down, adding yet another obstacle for players to overcome. It’s nothing too harsh though; as you can probably tell by the family-friendly box art, Help Wanted is a very easygoing game.

For The Unemployed

Help Wanted’s content is divided into three modes: Employment Office (career mode), Job Battle (two-player) and Career Fair (practice mode). The Employment Office mode is where you’ll earn cash, unlock new jobs and work your way toward saving the world.

“Um…what!?”

Yes kids, you’re not playing Help Wanted solely for the purpose of cow-milking fun. You’re taking each job – and fighting hard for every extra dollar – to earn enough cash to buy a special device that will enable you to prevent a meteor from striking the Earth. Crazy? No question. But crazy is this game’s middle name.

The meteor’s impending doom isn’t anything like Armageddon or Deep Impact, so you don’t have much to worry about. There is, however, a counter that will frequently update players on how many days are left before the meteor is expected to strike. Various occurrences – such as being handed a magical flower – miraculously extend the number of days before the meteor will hit. This seems to happen automatically as you play through the game, regardless of your success rate.

Success is important though. Each job is highlighted with expected base and maximum payouts. If you’re really good, you’ll be able to gain a little extra dough, reducing the time it takes to buy new uniforms, which are needed to unlock new jobs. Time is of the essence – every job you play counts as one game day. Jobs are posted within the in-game Web site (not an actual Web site, since Help Wanted does not offer any online features). The game uses the standard six-day workweek format, so you won’t be able to find work on Sundays. If you choose to do something other than work during the workweek – such as buying a new uniform – you’ll lose an entire day. Thus, it’s best to make purchases on Sundays when there aren’t any other options.

Minimum Wage

During the week, bonus jobs may be offered. You might get the chance to be a superhero, which translates to a hack-n-slash experience with a Power Rangers lookalike. This is one of the more challenging mini-games, partially due to the cheap boss battle.

If being a superhero isn’t your thing, how about a snowboarding trip? All you have to do is hop on the board and make a special delivery … without soaring off a cliff! The result is a timing-based mini-game where you must quickly pull up on the Wii remote before the snowboarder reaches the cliff.

A younger James Cameron might have enjoyed the deep-sea diving gig, which drops you down into the ocean with a submarine and a claw. Tilt the Wii remote left or right to spin the submarine within this 360-degree underwater environment. Use the claw to snatch crabs and other crustaceans.

Like it or not, you won’t be gliding across snow or diving beneath the sea every day of your life. Most of the time you’ll be pushing a hospital patient (who’s resting uncomfortably in bed) through narrow corridors, trying desperately to get him to the ER before the time runs out. When you’re not doing that, you’ll be ironing wrinkles out of shirts. Or cleaning footprints off the top of an airliner (think back: Sonic had a stage where he walked on a plane. Could they be his footprints!?). Or delivering packages while trying to avoid dogs and sprinklers. Or flinging your arms around as a bodybuilder. Or…

Which is where Help Wanted will succeed with younger gamers but could fail with everyone else. The zany jobs are certainly different, and the newfangled take on dentistry, EMT, manicurist and other real professions is amusing. At the same time, the game is insanely repetitive, since you must play each job several times – or the same job many, many times – to earn enough cash to unlock the remaining stages. It’s a cycle that is unavoidably tiresome. Kids are less likely to be annoyed by this aspect, so here’s a word of advice to gaming parents: let little Timmy play through the career to unlock each job before joining him for a game.

Gameplay: 7.0
Fun comes from unlikely places in Help Wanted. Still, this is definitely a kids-only affair; parents won't be bored playing it with their kids, but that's about the only other demographic this game reaches.

Graphics: 5.0
The cutesy cartoon effects aren't awful, but they're no better than what party games were producing 10 years ago.

Sound: 2.0
Quirky music and sound effects can be good. These are just annoying.

Difficulty: Easy
The how-to-play descriptions aren't always clear, but the game itself is pretty easy.

Concept: 6.9
The quirky and over-the-top elements are cool. But these mini-games, no matter how unique in their unlikely presentations, are not that different from the motion-based mechanics of other Wii games.

Multiplayer: 7.1
Help Wanted could've benefited from a four-player option. The two-player battles are entertaining though, especially if you enjoy the single-player experience.

Overall: 7.0
Unusual mini-game entertainment built specifically for kids.

Source : http://xbox360.gamezone.com

Crimson Gem Saga

Deep in Dead Man’s Spire, a cave with various twists and turns, with monsters around almost every bend. Ahead you see a wizard embroiled in a fight, and – being a good guy – you lend a hand to the effort. The wizard scoffs and says that he could have handled them himself, but thanks anyway and as your reward, he will join you in the adventure.

Another corner, more monsters and suddenly you realize – you are out of mana with no potions to heal it and no tent to camp and recover. Oh-oh, looks like someone forgot a primary rule for dungeon crawling – go with ample supplies and be prepared for any eventuality.

This is an early bit of exploring in Crimson Gem Saga, a PSP release from Atlus, but it is one of the foundation principles for the game. On its surface, CGS (abbreviated for the sake of quick referencing) looks like your typical Japanese RPG, with cutesy characters and a so-so storyline. You may almost feel, upon first launching the game, that you are playing a title intended for the younger role-playing gamers. Go into it with that mindset and the game will whip you in the blink of an eye. Oh, and should your principle character die, it’s Game Over (hint: save often to avoid losing loot, experience and having to start from the beginning).

Certainly the game is a bit linear and the story and dialogue falters along the way. But given half a chance and you will find a game with a lot of charm, a great deal of challenge and solidly entertaining.

The game centers on Killian, a young chevalier freshly graduated from the Greenhills Academy with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He was ranked second in his graduating class, a feat that might be an honor for some, but for Killian it is a major disappointment – almost to the extent that it’s a failure. But the principal of the academy from which Killian is graduating sees great potential in the lad and recommends him for the renowned Excelsior Force, which is headquartered a fair distance from the town the academy resides in. En route to present his letter of recommendation, Killian helps ‘rescue’ (it’s not really clear she really needs that much help, but she plays the role – at least initially) Spinel, a comely, elven-eared maiden. They exchange a few pleasantries, Spinel leaves (with Killian’s coin purse; she calls herself a treasure hunter, but she seems more of a rogue class – if you are looking to fit the characters into the traditional RPG niches) and Killian moves on. Soon he is en route north to meet up with the Excelsior Force. No sooner does he arrive outside the Dead Man’s Spire than he learns the Force is entering the dungeon in search of the “Wicked Stone.”

But there is a hiccup in these plans. A mage, accompanied by a vicious beast minion, taunts and then destroys the Excelsior Force. Fortunately, for the story, Killian is the only surviving member, and is found by Spinel. They eventually team up, and Killian agrees to help Spinel find the Wicked Stone.

And that is merely the prologue to the game. After that, you jump into the first chapter and the game really starts to ramp up the difficulty.

Crimson Gem will allow players to form a group of up to four party members. The leveling system is a bit different in that for all the kills, you get SP and you can use the SP in skill trees, but not all skills can be identified immediately. Once you get into the third tier, you have to spend SP to identify the skill, and then fill in the bar of the skill (again with SP) in order to add that skill to your repertoire. And where the combat is concerned, there is your basic mana bar that determines the type of skill you can use (they all cost mana to launch), plus when it’s each character’s turn, you have the option of using an item (healing potion or mana potion), a trained skill or your basic attack. You can also just go into a defensive stance.

In addition to the exploration factor that will have you traveling around the map, you can visit towns where you can sell gear, replenish supplies and health and find your quests. Once you embark on a mission, the world has some load times, but they are not too long.

While the game does track along some of the familiar routes taken by Japanese RPGs, the game is deceptive in that it does sport a strong tactical element.

Crimson Gem is a vibrant visual treat that should have a broad appeal to different age groups. It is easy to pick up and play, can be saved at any point (so playing in small time doses is possible), and has a nice flow to it. The storyline is alternatively driven by pop-in static character portraits that typically have text dialogue you will have to scroll through. And yes, you do get that stock screen where the dialogue consists only of (quite literally) “ …” That is silly and needs to be dropped from a developers’ repertoire. Deliver the story and leave the superfluous silliness on the dev room floor.

The rest of the game’s sound is minimalistic.

Crimson Gem Saga is indeed a ‘gem;’ it is a portable JRPG that should delight players from the newcomer to the genre to the veteran looking for a game to take along on travels.

Gameplay: 8.5
It looks simple on the surface, is easy to pick up and play, but the game has tactical depth that will have you thinking in advance of your forays into the field.

Graphics: 7.0
The character portraits are solid, and the live action is reminiscent of the old sprite-driven games. No pop-up monsters, though – you can see them and avoid several if you are quick enough. The effects are handled nicely.

Sound: 4.0
Minimal sound effects and text-driven storylines give no real reason to increase the volume on your PSP.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.8
Give the development team a lot of credit for creating a game that is easy to jump into and play, and yet has some solid strategic layering.

Overall: 8.5
An enjoyable adventure for the PSP, Crimson Gem Saga does have flaws in its storyline and dialogue moments, but the game does a great job of delivering a thought-provoking adventure. Killian is a bit arrogant to start with, and you may not initially care for his “always second-best” attitude that drives him (in the storylines), but while the characters are not always that sympathetic, it is the gameplay that truly shines here. This is an entertaining and challenging portable RPG.

Source : http://xbox360.gamezone.com

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Like any proper game adaptation of a children’s film, Night at the Museum’s sequel film has given us this rather bland piece of merchandise in the form of Battle of the Smithsonian for the Nintendo DS. For this sequel title, the gameplay is appropriately yet predictably simple. The player character is sent jumping, running, and fighting his way through an enormous museum that has apparently come to life. Naturally, this means the most exciting exhibits are out to get you, while the more subdued exhibits (geology, anyone?) seem strangely absent. Taking a very conventional approach toward game design has resulted in a platformer that handles reasonably well, though it fails to offer anything thrilling by taking extra risks.

As a whole product, Battle of the Smithsonian isn’t really a terrible game – particularly when one remembers that it is based on a children’s movie, designed for children to play, on a handheld device. Given these criteria, you could certainly do much worse when selecting software to keep your children entertained during summer vacation, although this one will likely fail to hold their interest for very long. Peppered throughout the game are little informational tidbits about the exhibits, which could arguably be valued as an additional bit of stimulation for stagnant student-summer minds. Most of the gameplay experience is quite easy, furthering the notion that this was indeed intended more for children than adults. It’s the same formulaic elements we’ve seen time and time again: find this, climb that, and fight that baddie.

On the visual front, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is quite a letdown. Given the simplicity of the mechanical design, you’d think a bit more time could have been spent on the visuals. The marketing team’s questionable touting of the “Ben Stiller likeness” was, as you may surmise, not the wisest of decisions. Even younger players will instantly see that the character scarcely resembles the comedic actor; in fact, he barely looks recognizable as a member of our species. All other characters in the game suffer from the same ambiguity. Much of the time, I was unsure who or what I was actually looking at, which is a substantial problem for this game. After all, the Smithsonian is all about famous historical figures and landmark scientific discoveries – if I can’t identify them in the game, what’s the point? The unfulfilled potential for children to learn a bit from these moments is particularly disappointing, as I suspect the educational texts will be largely ignored.

Having personally walked the halls of the Smithsonian several times, I can honestly say there is little resemblance here to the actual museum. Perhaps that’s a good thing, given that educational institutions are not generally constructed with children exclusively in mind. In addition to being graphically unimaginative, the sound design is fairly straightforward. The effects are pretty much what you’d expect from this sort of title, without producing anything very memorable. In short, Battle of the Smithsonian is a simple romp best suited to young fans of the film. It should be reasonably entertaining for the kids who want it badly enough, but those of us who’ve been out of diapers for more than a decade will find it rather dull.

Gameplay: 7.0
Conventional, yet occasionally varied mechanics that might attract younger audiences.

Graphics: 5.0
Imagery of this sort is clearly aimed at children, but character models are absolutely awful.

Sound: 6.0
Run-of-the-mill soundtrack and mediocre effects get the job done.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Simple, short, and child-friendly. Not much in the way of replayability, however.

Concept: 6.0
There’s really nothing here that hasn’t already been done before, so much opportunity feels wasted.

Overall: 6.0
Fun for kids but much too shallow for adults, Battle of the Smithsonian is perfect for young fans of the film, if expectations are reasonable.

Source : http://xbox360.gamezone.com

Terminator Salvation

So far there haven’t been too many games based on the popular Terminator movie franchise that have stood out as an amazing title worthy of the futuristic tale about humanity’s last stand against the machines that turned against them. A prequel to the summer blockbuster of the same name, Terminator Salvation for the Xbox 360 is fun in short bursts but ultimately lacks all the things that could have made this a genuinely stellar title.

As I mentioned above, Salvation is a prequel to the movie as you assume the role of John Connor … the same John Connor whose mother, Sarah, prepared him to become the leader of the human resistance. Here, he’s but a mere foot soldier who lost faith in himself as well as his mother’s words until a distress call from a squad trapped in a Skynet facility compels him to rescue them. Along the way, Connor meets other members of the resistance who follows him in a battle to destroy Skynet once and for all.

Oh, and I should mention that while the game borrows the set design and visual appeal of the movie, Salvation doesn’t feature the likeness or voice of actor Christian Bale. Of course, including Bale in the game doesn’t mean the game would have been great but it would have made the game feel like an extension of the movie.

Joined by Blair Williams, a female resistance fighter who sees something in the soldier, Connor sets on his mission while moving through the horrific remains of Los Angeles. Encountering others like him, John aids the resistance as they go up against everything from the endoskeleton T600 Terminators to an assortment of other Skynet machines like the spider-like T-7-T and Aerostats. You’ll even find the Terminators with rubber skin as well as the HK aircrafts from the movies so you’ll really feel like you’re going up against Skynet.

As a third-person shooter, Salvation borrows a cover system that’s a bit like the one found in the Gears of War game so you can slam up against cover and easily move to the next with a flick of the analog stick. Sadly, Connor doesn’t do anything unique. His moves are very basic so don’t expect him to pull off cool melee attacks or crazy stunts such as slowing down time. The game does add co-op multiplayer allowing players to aid Connor as Williams.

The controls work well enough when it comes to the shoot ’em up action and there are plenty of weapons (which are highlighted so clearly that they’re hard to miss) you can use along the way. You’ll be glad that Connor moves easily seeing as some enemies require a different way of destroying them. For example, the T-7-T has a fragile sensor on its back that - if shot right - can bring the machine down. If you want to destroy a Terminator, a couple of pipe bombs are just about the only way destroy them.

Unfortunately, the game’s level design is simplistic with scripted moments and on-rail sequences that get repetitive quickly. Even the moments when you’re behind a gun emplacement in the back of a moving truck just isn't original or fun for very long. The game isn’t even too long, lasting four or five hours to complete thanks to the fact that there are no hidden items to locate or rooms for exploration. There are fun moments scattered throughout the game, such as when the Harvester (a massive Skynet creation) makes its entrance. These moments, however, are over way too quickly.

On the graphics front, Salvation isn’t very impressive. There are times when the cut scenes do look amazing but the character models just aren’t up to the Xbox 360’s standards. The fact that Connor and most of the characters look nothing like the cast from the movie is sad. What the game does right, though, are the backgrounds that make the ravaged Los Angeles a real visual treat.

As far as the sound is concerned, it’s the original score that really drives home the feeling that you’re playing a Terminator game. The soundtrack is wonderfully dramatic and intense in just the right moments in the game. It’s just too bad that the voice acting isn’t top notch but good enough since the dialogue isn’t bad. The sound effects are minimal but when it kicks in it makes the best moments in the cut scenes really shine.

Terminator Salvation for the Xbox 360 is a short, repetitive and unoriginal game that has a few fun moments that doesn’t really last. This is too bad seeing as it attempts to capture the mind-blowing appeal of the summer blockbuster. I can’t recommend this as a purchase but a rental is in order for those who feel they really need to go up against Skynet as John Connor.

Gameplay: 6.0
The story tells the tale of what took place before the events of the movie and there are some action-packed levels in this game. It’s just too bad that the fun doesn’t last very long and the gameplay - despite a decent cover system - makes for a repetitive and unoriginal game. At least they added a co-op mode.

Graphics: 7.0
Visually, Salvation manages to be an average-looking Xbox 360 game with some wonderfully detailed backgrounds and decent visual effects. The character models don’t look very good, though.

Sound: 7.0
The music feels like it has been lifted from the movie itself and that’s a very good thing and the voice performances (even without most of the actors from the film) aren’t bad. The sound effects, though, should have been louder and more plentiful, though.

Difficulty: Medium
The new T-7-T as well as the Wasps will give you plenty to worry about but if you fancy a hard opponent it is the T600 that will give Connor and the others a real challenge. You will die many times in this game in the normal setting.

Concept: 6.0
You are John Connor, leader of the human resistance, but it doesn’t feel like it without Bale or the fact that Connor starts off as a mere grunt. There are a good number of machines, including the classic Endo-class Terminators. There are also on-rail shooting moments that just feel tacked on and there are extras to unlock so the replay value is extremely low.

Multiplayer: 6.5
The single-player campaign can be played cooperatively with a friend taking up the role of either John Connor or Blair Williams. Multiplayer works well enough on the same screen but online play would have been much appreciated.

Overall: 6.0
Uninspiring and strictly by the numbers, Terminator Salvation offers very little in terms or originality or fun. This is too bad, really, seeing as the game has the perfect setting and there are plenty of machines to battle. This human resistance is best experienced as a weekend rental.

Source : http://xbox360.gamezone.com