Friday, July 30, 2010

Red Dead Redemption review




Every time I come across one of these great new Sandbox games, it really makes me think that we could possibly be entering a new renaissance. Back in the PS2 days, when the games first started really coming into their own, we were slammed with tons of GTA wannabes. Now, we've got all of these incredibly unique experiences and it's easy for some of them to get overlooked. What is it about Red Dead that has gamers so excited about Rockstars latest release?

Gameplay - 9/10

It feels like every single game Rockstar has worked on has lead them to this point. Taking the best cues from GTA4, a bit of Manhunt's brutality, and almost a bit of (I know it's not a R* game) Gun, all thrown into a pot and blended excellently together has culminated in one of 2010's biggest games. Red Dead Redemption probably does a better job than anything else I can remember of really recreating that wild west that we can only imagine or see in films and books. While a lot of games like open world games fall into a trap of making the world a playground, RDR makes it feel like a living breathing place by adding in tons of npc's that will approach you as you ride your horse from town to town, asking for assistance or even trying to mug you. While you could look at these elements from a distance and complain that these are boring but brief sidequests, when you're in the world, it helps to reinforce the immersion. The character of John Marston is probably their most likable protagonist ever, and one that you can truly understand the motivation for his actions without them seeming completely outlandish. Marston's adventure has him coming across some of the best developed characters in the genre as well, motivating you to keep pushing forward from one mission to the next until the spectacular ending, which is probably one of the most badass endings you'll see in a game.

Once you tire of the single player's 20-30 hours campaign and have had your fill of collectibles, you can hop into the online mode. Similar to GTA4, all of the players in each game are dumped into the exact same world as the single player campaign and are free to explore the world alone or with a posse. In order to give players a bit more of a focus, you'll occasionally come across bandit hideouts that need to be cleared, animals that can be hunted in specific ways to progress through challenges, multiplayer versus games, or you could even roll around making life a living hell for other players. Unfortunately, the last time I played the game, there were a ton of glitches that made the entire experience hard to enjoy to the full extent, but even with those in place, it was easy to lose hours at a time online just messing around, and I'm sure a lot of those have been ironed out now, especially with the new DLC packs having been released.


Graphics - 8/10

As I previously said, Red Dead does a great job of making the old west come alive with all of the wildlife you'll see flourishing in each of the areas you come across. All of the different towns and regions sport a unique feel that feels appropriate to the location and time period, and the character models look great as well. Unfortunately, graphical glitches prevent me from scoring this higher, such as the infamous horse woman and the limited number of models of some of the games classes (whores what) can take you out of the experience a tad bit, but considering the scale of the world, Rockstar did a spectacular job.

Sound - 9/10

Each character in Red Dead Redemption really comes alive with the great voice acting. It's also great to know that, yes, it IS possible to have a great male lead that ISN'T Nolan North. The subtle ambient music really reinforces that cinematic western feel, with some truly amazing songs normally kicking in once you transfer from one area to the next that give the whole thing a somber feel when the moments appropriate. There's something really nice about walking into a bar and hearing people murmur something about one of your latest exploits or a bandit that's been plaguing the town recently.


Overall - 9/10

I hate to be trite, but Red Dead Redemption is one hell of a ride. Games like this a few years ago would have been reserved solely for a big holiday release, but with all of the content in this 60$ package, not to mention the DLC that's out and the amazing stuff coming, this might be one of the best purchases you make all year. There have been complaints raised about the beginning of the game being a bit on the slow side, but it's entirely appropriate for the game and helps you out later down the line. Once you've exhausted the single player game, there's an entirely separate set of online objectives to complete for the completionists, not to mention tons to do in the world if you just want to screw around with other fans of the game. How could anyone possibly be complaining about a summer drought with great games like Red Dead Redemption having been released and giving you more than enough to keep you busy for a long time.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Chrono Trigger DS Review




Chrono Trigger has always been one of those games. You know, the ones that everyone who plays it, adores it and has nothing but praise, yet has a lot more people that have never given it a chance. With this DS re-release, now is everyone's chance that either missed it the first few times around or just wants to go back and revisit the classic for old times sake to get reacquainted with this classic adventure.

Gameplay - 10/10

I was worried when starting Chrono Trigger that my view of the title was going to be tinted heavily with nostalgia. Instead of starting up a dated rpg, after a few short moments with the game, I remembered exactly why it's been such a highly praised game for all these years. What's the point in having another amnesiac or vengeful hero when you could have an adventure that spans the entire history of mankind in an effort to make the future a better place? Of course, story alone is not enough to carry a 30+ hour RPG. Thankfully, CTDS has one of the best combat systems that's ever been done in the genre. The ATB system and constantly moving enemies really help to add a strategic feel to the combat while keeping the player engaged in order to get an edge over their enemies. There's also an incredible feeling of exploration, particularly when you're able to go between different time periods, and when you forget, the games narration does a great job of pushing the story into the right areas, keeping you from ever becoming truly overwhelmed by the number of possible things to do at once.


Graphics - 7/10

Maybe it's just me, but it feels like this game was designed for the DS. Even though the screen may be small, the world feels like it truly comes alive as you're staring down at the screen, admiring the sheer amount of detail that goes into every single animation of the characters. Chrono Trigger does a great job of disguising their dungeons and making each location feel like a truly important place instead of just swapping a color pallate or throwing in a generic layout. More impressive is that each time period has a look that feels entirely appropriate for the story and age you're in. Unfortunately, I feel like some people out there might look pass this classic in favors of more modern games, such as The World Ends With You or Dragon Quest IX, which is a true shame considering that the Pokemon games sell millions with every single release yet don't look anywhere near as beautiful as Chrono Trigger.

Sound - 9/10

How often do you find yourself playing a modern game and wondering why, even though the soundtrack sticks with you, you couldn't hum any of the themes even if your life depended on it? Chrono Trigger does a great job of reminding players of a much more simple time in gaming when people were forced to make these amazing scores with the hardware limitations of whatever console their project was tied to. It's amazing how much passion feels like it went into each song in the game, and especially that all of the music, despite coming from the SNES sound processor, feels entirely fitting to the time period in game as well as occasionally making you wonder how in the world such a beautiful sound is coming out of these tiny speakers. One of the most welcome additions is the new jukebox, which allows you to go back and listen to any of the songs from the game whenever you want to.


Overall - 9/10

Every single aspect of Chrono Trigger makes this one of, if not THE best portable RPGs that more than earns its spot in your collection. For fans of the original that 100% cleared everything, possibly numerous times, the new endings give you something to work towards as well as the perfect opportunity to relive this classic, while newcomers can finally understand exactly why this game has had such a gigantic fanbase since its original release. When you find yourself humming Far Off Promise or thinking about all of the amazing adventures you'll have gone on by the end of the game long after the game has ended, you'll completely understand why this is a definite must-own for every DS owner.