Though Prince of Persia fans were thrown for a loop with Ubisoft’s previous venture, I was completely enamored. The breathtaking cel-shaded splendor captured my imagination and ran with it. It wasn’t a challenge, but it was beautiful and graceful, much more so to me than the previous outings I was used to. I knew this kind of progressive design couldn’t last, however, and a swift return to form would soon come to pass. Fast forward to the release of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, a throwback to the modern Prince we had grown to love, only this time without the rugged good looks, personality, or charm of the Prince seen in the previous games. And that, my friends, is only the tip of the iceberg. The series’ latest outing disappoints in only a way that mundane mechanics, dated graphics, and yawn-inducing plotlines can.
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Archive for June, 2010
Review: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
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Movie Impressions: The Loyal 47 Ronin
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Before viewing The Loyal 47 Ronin, or Chushingura, as it’s lovingly referred to in its native tongue, I had no idea that it was actually one of the most popular tales to adapt into a film in all of Japan. Traditionally, the movies are usually all-out affairs that production companies love to spend big budgets on in order to make them a success. AnimEigo has released a 1958 version of the classic tale, which was created by major Japanese studio Daiei. Though to many it may seem like another, run-of-the-mill samurai tale, fans of the story (based on factual events) and the many forms it has taken will find that this release is one of the better options available on DVD.
Interview: Dave Castelnuovo of Pocket God
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In Apple’s growing world of mobile applications, few have stood out like independent developer Bolt Creative and their best-selling Pocket God phenomenon. Selling for the mere pittance of just $.99 through Apple’s iTunes marketplace, this strange mix of simulator meets screensaver has already moved to the top of the charts – and over one million copies – since it was first released, and thanks to a growing fanbase and continuous updates, it looks like we haven’t seen the last of our little Pygmy friends.
Interview: Daniel Coleman of Semnat Studios
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What do action side-scrolling adventures, samurais, and toasters with attitude have in common? Ordinarily nothing, but all that’s about to change in this crazy new world we all independent game development. Gone are the days when obsessive focus groups determine what the people want, as a new generation of motivated developers are taking charge and leading the digital distribution revolution. And when creativity rules, you too will believe that a simple toaster can fly…and attack relentlessly.
Interview: Jasper Koning of Romino Games
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As the worlds of console and computer gaming continue to inspire and compliment one another, there are some who have convinced themselves that some lines should never be crossed. Such has been the fate of the console RTS, which despite recent (financial) successes has yet to convince its primarily PC audience that console strategy can work without the keyboards and mice. But all that’s about to change, thanks to download dreams and barbarian barbeques.