Video games and war go hand in hand. They’re an inseparable pair, as well as a money-making machine. War is real. Gritty. Something that you hope you’ll never in any lifetime have to experience – at least, for most people. Gaming is obviously the complete opposite, but it’s a favorite pastime for many of us to live vicariously through the digital entertainment medium. However, most of gaming’s concentrated efforts to bring war as a form of entertainment (and some would say education) to the masses have usually been set in World War II.
Archive for December, 2009
Impressions: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
On December 9, 2009
In Impressions, Xbox 360
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Impressions: Rapala We Fish
What with the Wii’s motion controls and all, you’d think that fishing titles on the system would be absolute successes, as the dual Remote + Nunchuk combination seem destined for casting and reeling. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case with Rapala: We Fish. Taking the “We _______” approach via the Wii’s name as many games are apt to do these days, it’s a much different type of fishing game than you might be used to, and one that does not translate well to motion controls. They may have have good intentions with this game, but it surely needed a bit more work before being released.
Impressions: DaVinci’s Secret Machines
On December 9, 2009
In Impressions, iPhone/iPod Touch
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When I was but a wee gamer, I took great delight in the Incredible Machines puzzle games, which required use of complex (and sometimes simple) logic in order to create your own inventions and widgets to perform functions of your choice. The franchise has since fizzled out, but I have found a spiritual successor in the iPhone title DaVinci’s Secret Machines.
Impressions: We Cheer 2
For many the sport of cheerleading is universally looked down upon because of its implications – it’s for “girls only.” Men aren’t “allowed.” In fact, most wouldn’t even classify it as a sport, though the amount of training required to become one of the best is in no way any less strenuous than that of other athletes’ regimens. We tend to view cheerleading video games with the same sneer upon our faces. “Cheerleading? Who’d want to do that?” I admit I’m guilty of that very thought process, and in spite of my gender (girl) I usually have no use for “girly” conventions like babysitting or cheerleading in gaming; it’s generally not my thing. I do, however, enjoy music and rhythm-based titles, and I had quite a bit of fun with Namco Bandai’s second attempt at the genre in We Cheer 2. While you can most certainly get quite a bit of enjoyment out of it if you’re willing to put up with annoying waggle and inaccurate controls, what’s here isn’t enough to recommend over something as accessible as Rock Band or even rival title All Star Cheer Squad.
Impressions: Big Buck Hunter Pro
On December 9, 2009
In Impressions, iPhone/iPod Touch
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I’ve always been a sucker for shooting galleries. Any time I make my way to an arcade that features several of the titles, I can’t help but plunk my 50 cents to $1.00 into the machine and burn up a good pocketful of cash simply trying to get my name in the credits. An iPhone app known as Big Buck Hunter Pro has surfaced, mirroring this experience for on-the-go hunting joy. In fact, it’s a portable version of a real light-gun game that you can find scattered throughout the US. And wouldn’t you know it? I’m impossibly hooked on this hokey little game.