Sometimes, all that you need to take a mediocre game and transform it into a colorful, lively romp through time and space is a cast of memorable characters. Take Disgaea, for instance. On its own merits, that title wasn’t the perfect dungeon crawler, but once zany personalities such as Laharl and Etna were tossed into the mix, it became an entirely different monster. Trinity Universe, NIS’s latest offering, is a hodgepodge of that same brand of silliness and rambunctious dialog that has successfully transformed the company’s past efforts into such memorable affairs. Equal parts crazy-for-the-sake-of-crazy and rote grinding, Trinity Universe isn’t the most original offering, but it makes up for any shortcomings with endless charm and hilarious (if not always intentionally so) dialog.
Continue Reading →
All posts in Review
Review: Trinity Universe
Review: Blur
Traditional racers never truly impress me. I can appreciate raw speed, brilliantly designed tracks, and slick vehicles, but nothing really brings the “wow” factor for me. I simply coast through them and take the subtle variations in speed, control, and handling with a grain of salt. Another day, another racer. I find myself wishing I could instead fire up a rousing game of Mario Kart and take some scrub out with the dreaded blue shell. And you shouldn’t be fantasizing of another game when one’s already in your disc drive. Alas, the closest I could get to capturing the feeling I got when playing a “realistic” title short of simply running to Sega’s latest mascot offering was pulling off takedowns in Burnout. And Burnout Paradise just didn’t hit the sweet spot.
Continue Reading →
Review: Earthworm Jim HD
Permalink
An earthworm donning a white and powder-blue spacesuit always did garner attention. Upon Earthworm’s Jim initial release, I was but a wee lass who shied away at any mention of insects, arachnids, or creatures of the creepy-crawly variety. However, I made an exception for this vintage Genesis platformer. This worm spoke. I could dig it. And from the very first level where I launched a cow into the air after taking aim to a refrigerator, I knew this was something I’d come back to again and again. Luckily for me, the title has seen its share of incarnations of the years, even spawning a sequel that continued the run-and-gun legacy. Shiny Entertainment had a hit on its hands, if you don’t count the terrible excuses for games created without their involvement. Now, in an age that heralds the rebirth of classics we knew and loved in our youth, the original Earthworm Jim returns to consoles via the good graces of Gameloft in Earthworm Jim HD.
Review: Green Day: Rock Band
The Beatles: Rock Band was an admirable tribute to one of history’s greatest musical forces. Stepping into the shoes of the venerable Fab Four proved to be an entertaining and equally respectable trip. Just as it attracted established Beatlemaniacs, it created new ones through bystanders and gamers searching for a new music game to rock out to. Harmonix sensed they were onto something here, and thus allowed another band to take center stage for another band-centric adventure. Not long after, Green Day: Rock Band was announced. While not as epic in scope, it’s an enjoyable trip from the early, angst-ridden days of the band’s career all the way through their politically charged creations American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. It brings nothing relatively groundbreaking to the series (and builds little on The Beatles: Rock Band’s feature set) but those needing their Rock Band fix should find plenty to like here.
Continue Reading →
Review: Snoopy Flying Ace
Permalink
When you think of the Peanuts gang and that lovable beagle Snoopy, it’s likely you don’t immediately recall Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. It just doesn’t seem too likely of a union, now does it? But wait. Toss Snoopy’s vicious nemesis into the mix, the Red Baron, and his penchant for World War II-era dogfights with the venerable fighter pilot. Starting to make more sense now? It should. In Smart Bomb Interactive’s highly enjoyable yet sufficiently challenging downloadable title, Snoopy Flying Ace, the meshing of Crimson Skies and the cast of Peanuts seems like a match made in heaven. Even more of a definitively arcade-type experience than Smart Bomb’s previous outing, Snoopy vs. The Red Baron, this adventure borrows more than a few pages from the cult Xbox hit and writes a fantastic story all its own.