June 11, 2008 - Do casual games all feel like the same to you? That's the question that independent developer blurredVision poses on its web site in an attempt to bring something unique and innovative to the table. Chaos Theory, available via Steam, combines puzzle and arcade elements into one game. It almost resembles an open field pinball machine, except that you have control over the environment so that you can guide your particle (pinball) to where it needs to go. It's an interesting concept spanning over 50 different levels with every few levels introducing a new twist.The objective in Chaos Theory is to get your magnetically charged red and green particles to their respective "collectors." You're playing on a hovering square board in space, with objects that stick up like bumpers in a pinball machine and particles pop out of these red and green machines and then float around. The game automatically gives you a three-quarters view, but if you prefer an overhead view you can press the spacebar to change it. Unfortunately you need to adjust the view for each level as it resets. Looking at the game from the side ups the coolness factor but it's not the optimal way to play the game since you can't see everything clearly or estimate the paths easily. From the overhead view it just looks like green and red marbles that bounce around--not very exciting.
Strategically placed on the board are objects (random items placed on a stick) that do various things that will help you guide your particles home. When you begin, most of the time you're using specific objects to shoot your particles into the collectors, but there are levels where you rotate bars or turn on a gravitron and hope physics work the same way as it did in your head. As you come across these new objects you are given a level that serves as a tutorial. The tutorial is extremely helpful as it gives you an idea of what the new item does. The magnetic core is a pole that will attract red or green particles depending on which mouse button you click. Left clicking changes the ring color to green, which therefore attracts red particles and repels the green. Right clicking works the same way except that the colors are reversed. There will be times when your particles will rotate around these poles, making it so that you also need to work on your timing along with figuring out what kind of path you need to take. When the particle is attached, clicking the mouse button again will fire it into the direction that the particle is facing. A distributor works the same way as a magnetic pole except that it attracts all particles and the number of rings on the distributor determines how many particles you need attached before you can fire them off. For example a distributor with three rings will need to have three particles on it before it can fire the particles in the direction that they're facing (this is when it helps to view from top down). However, red and green balls do not like to be together so that's something else to take into account. Once your red particles are in the collector, if you happen to fire a green particle into it, you will lose your red particles and have to do it again. Depending on the level you don't need to restart, but sometimes it's just easier.Portals, bars and multipliers are introduced a little further to make things harder. Some of the levels are littered with portals so it takes a few tries to see which portal actually gets your particle closer to the collector. Bars are barriers that you can sometimes rotate to guide your particle in the right direction. These levels are more engaging because you're dealing with the physics of where the particle is going to bounce to. The levels that involve rotating particles and timing can be frustrating because sometimes the particles rotate really quickly. This is fine if you can get the timing down, but when the goal is to get multiple particles into their collectors and if you slip up on the last one you need to do the entire level from the beginning. Also if you don't change the view to overhead, you need to pay close attention and click the top of the object instead of the base, otherwise it won't do anything. When feeling a little lost, the title of the level is usually a good hint of what you need to do like, "Never Let the Red Ball Break Through" or "Rotate the Bars!" It wasn't until more than halfway through the game before you find yourself thinking and planning out your strategy ahead of time with a few trial runs because it's a mix of manipulating the items as well as timing.
When you're finished, you can go to blurredVision's web site and download additional levels for free, made by the developers themselves or fans. With the game comes a level editor which you can pull up using CTRL + F1. This automatically brings up a blank board for you to place your objects on and you can set the perimeters on the left hand side and test it out when you're done. This is a nice feature for those who like creating their own mind-bending challenges. Chaos Theory might look and seem a bit complicated at first, but once you realize how the particles react to the different objects it's not too difficult, at least not until you hit the levels in the high 40s. Visually this game isn't pushing boundaries as everything is quite drab with its various shades of gray. Ambient sound and the repetitive noises of particles bouncing around are the only things you'll ever hear. It's not the type of game that will draw an audience as you're playing, but it's targeted toward the casual audience who like puzzles with innovative new gameplay that isn't based around match three and constant clicking.
Closing Comments
While not necessarily the most stunning visually, Chaos Theory does change things up a bit with this puzzle game set in outer space with magnetic particles. The dull environment doesn't help draw a player in and user interface could have been improved. The unique gameplay is worth checking out along with the level editor but depending on what type of casual games you're into, the timing challenges may not be as appealing as the puzzle aspects.
6.5
PresentationIt's an indie game so it's cheap and it's not exactly polished. Need to dig through Steam folders for the manual.
6.0
GraphicsFrom the side the different objects look interesting however you are playing on a board that is as thin as aluminum foil.
5.0
SoundAmbient sounds do the job, but the whooshes and ticking of the particles going by are grating after awhile.
7.0
GameplayIt's different and new, worth checking out to see if it's your cup of tea.
6.5
Lasting AppealLevel editor gives fans a chance to create their own levels of magnetically charged goodness.
6.5Passable
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Trials 2: Second Edition
June 11, 2008 - Some people revel at the thought of pain. To some, it's a turn on. I used to think these masochistic folk were crazy, but Trials 2: Second Edition, developer Redlynx's brutal motorcycle racer, shows us pain can be fun. Unlike most racing games, there are no on-screen opponents in Trials 2. Your goal is simple: maneuver through dangerous obstacles to reach the end of the level. Although the game initially looks like a shallow stunt game, it's actually one of the more challenging physics-based puzzlers today. You're going to die a lot, and you're going to have fun doing it. Kids, DO try this at home. (The game, not suicide.)There are a lot of punishing videogames throughout history (Ninja Gaiden, Ghosts 'n Goblins, Shaq Fu--the last one painful in its own sadistic way), but nothing in recent memory has managed to kill me as many times as Trials 2. Beelzebub himself would not be able to conjure up some of the game's devilish levels. Each track has multiple checkpoints. When you break bones or die you will continue from the last checkpoint, but your time trial score suffers as your death toll increases. Trying to finish some of these levels is difficult in its own right. Factoring time into the equation only makes it more challenging. The game features multiple camera angles, including a first-person mode, but is most easily played from a 2D perspective.
Trials 2 has a steep learning curve, but amazingly, there is no turning in this racer and there are only four major buttons to push. Press up to accelerate. Press down to stop and go backwards. Press right to lean forwards, and press left to lean backwards. The default controls are fine with the keyboard, but you can also use a game controller if you would like. Despite the seemingly primitive controls, the game offers heaps of depth. Heaps, I say!With only four buttons to press, how hard can this game be? Over accelerating will cause you to accidentally pop a wheelie, in turn, forcing you to wipe out. Leaning forward to rebalance yourself can make you dive headfirst into the concrete. These small growing pains are miniscule compared to the crazy and gnarly deaths possible in Trials 2. The levels get progressively harder, and soon you will encounter monster loops and fiery rings of death that serve as the game's puzzles. There's almost an infinite number of ways to die. If it was possible to die from second hand smoking in a stunt racer, Redlynx would have found a way. The control's depth presents itself by allowing you to preload your jumps. Sit back on the bike to fly high or lean forward to shoot downwards. You can also angle your motorcycle in midair to ensure your vehicle is parallel to the ground when it lands. Even though the controls aren't pressure sensitive, I found myself pressing down on the keys really hard for mental reassurance. At first you will heavily rely on the courses' checkpoints just to complete each course. As you keep playing you will get better and your mentality changes from survival to mastery. The good thing about the game is that even though it's challenging, it never feels cheap.In hopes of not sounding like the philosophical Mr. Miyagi, Trials 2 Second Edition's biggest strength is also its biggest weakness. Many will be turned off by the game's learning curve. It's simply not for everybody. A lot of people will be frustrated by how much patience is required, and a lot of people will not care for the concept altogether. For those willing to master Trials 2, it becomes extremely rewarding. You can save your replays and compare yourself to the world's top players via an in-game online ranking system. Watching the replay of the number-one ranked player on any hard track can be a ridiculous sight to behold.
Speaking of beholding sights, the graphics don't look too shabby. The game's graphics won't take your breath away; it is more than suitable, considering the first version of Trials worked well as a Flash game. The graphics more than satisfy with its realistic depth of field, ambient lighting, bloom effects, motion blur, and volumetric particles. Your motorcycle engine billows smoke. Sparks fly high. Basically, it looks good overall, although you will encounter several graphical twitches here and there. Sometimes your rider will smash into an object and fuse with it in a glitchy manner. Also, for a game that has fairly realistic physics, when your character gets knocked out, he will occasionally flop and flail about on the floor like he's having seizures. These are minor flaws, but they're definitely noticeable.Unfortunately the game's presentation does not go unnoticed. While the dark and grey environments look fine, it would be nice to see different environments with more varied colors. The menus on the other hand are flat out terrible. Although the navigation is functional, it looks cheap, unprofessional, and uses a horrible looking font. The art in general looks very generic and bargain bin.The game's sound mechanics fair a little better than the presentation. When accelerating, the bike's engine appropriately roars and calms as you bring the vehicle to a halt. The music on the other hand isn't so sound, but that's mostly due to the game having only two songs; one for the menu and one for the actual racing. Even though the one hard-rock track you hear when you play the game isn't bad, would it kill the developer to hire a DJ?There's a good chance you'll hear that one song a lot because Trails 2 has a good amount of replayability. There are currently 51 tracks with more being added sporadically. If you're good you can complete all of the levels in a handful of hours; but it's really about mastering the tracks quickly and efficiently, which will take you time. Unfortunately the game doesn't have a track editor, though due to the nature of the focus-tested tracks it would admittedly be buggy as hell in the wrong hands. Thankfully Trials 2 does offer other time trial modes. There's a Flip mode that rewards you for completing the track with the most flips. There's a Wheelie mode that promotes hanging on to your wheelie as much as possible. Finally there's a Dynamic mode that forces you to interact with the unstable environment. Even though these modes are a nice addition, each mode only offers three or four tracks each. Luckily, the game has included 25 unlockable achievements to expand the game a little more. I'd wish you good luck on getting the every-bone-broken achievement, but my hunch is that you won't need it.
Closing Comments
Gamers who enjoy physics based puzzle games like Portal and challenging old-school 2D games will get a kick out of Trials 2. This game has been tailor made to meet the demands of competitive gamers. However, this game isn't for everyone. The learning curve will be too much for some. Overall this game achieves what it sets out to do with flying colors. It's calculated mayhem at its best. The game runs for $9.99 on Valve's Steam service. For that price it will give you a bloody good time.
IGN Ratings for Trials 2 Second Edition (PC)
4.0
PresentationTerrible presentation. Generic cover art. Bargain bin menus. Bad font choice, but at least it's functional.
8.0
GraphicsThe graphics will not blow you away, but it does look prettier than it needs to be.
6.0
SoundThe game has essentially one decent hard-rock track played over and over. Sound effects are solid.
8.0
GameplayThe game is challenging but at the same time very rewarding. The game is real fun once you get into the swing of things.
7.5
Lasting AppealYou can finish all 51 tracks in a few hours, but this game's replayablity comes from topping the online community's scores, which is pretty impossible.
8.0Impressive
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Trials 2 has a steep learning curve, but amazingly, there is no turning in this racer and there are only four major buttons to push. Press up to accelerate. Press down to stop and go backwards. Press right to lean forwards, and press left to lean backwards. The default controls are fine with the keyboard, but you can also use a game controller if you would like. Despite the seemingly primitive controls, the game offers heaps of depth. Heaps, I say!With only four buttons to press, how hard can this game be? Over accelerating will cause you to accidentally pop a wheelie, in turn, forcing you to wipe out. Leaning forward to rebalance yourself can make you dive headfirst into the concrete. These small growing pains are miniscule compared to the crazy and gnarly deaths possible in Trials 2. The levels get progressively harder, and soon you will encounter monster loops and fiery rings of death that serve as the game's puzzles. There's almost an infinite number of ways to die. If it was possible to die from second hand smoking in a stunt racer, Redlynx would have found a way. The control's depth presents itself by allowing you to preload your jumps. Sit back on the bike to fly high or lean forward to shoot downwards. You can also angle your motorcycle in midair to ensure your vehicle is parallel to the ground when it lands. Even though the controls aren't pressure sensitive, I found myself pressing down on the keys really hard for mental reassurance. At first you will heavily rely on the courses' checkpoints just to complete each course. As you keep playing you will get better and your mentality changes from survival to mastery. The good thing about the game is that even though it's challenging, it never feels cheap.In hopes of not sounding like the philosophical Mr. Miyagi, Trials 2 Second Edition's biggest strength is also its biggest weakness. Many will be turned off by the game's learning curve. It's simply not for everybody. A lot of people will be frustrated by how much patience is required, and a lot of people will not care for the concept altogether. For those willing to master Trials 2, it becomes extremely rewarding. You can save your replays and compare yourself to the world's top players via an in-game online ranking system. Watching the replay of the number-one ranked player on any hard track can be a ridiculous sight to behold.
Speaking of beholding sights, the graphics don't look too shabby. The game's graphics won't take your breath away; it is more than suitable, considering the first version of Trials worked well as a Flash game. The graphics more than satisfy with its realistic depth of field, ambient lighting, bloom effects, motion blur, and volumetric particles. Your motorcycle engine billows smoke. Sparks fly high. Basically, it looks good overall, although you will encounter several graphical twitches here and there. Sometimes your rider will smash into an object and fuse with it in a glitchy manner. Also, for a game that has fairly realistic physics, when your character gets knocked out, he will occasionally flop and flail about on the floor like he's having seizures. These are minor flaws, but they're definitely noticeable.Unfortunately the game's presentation does not go unnoticed. While the dark and grey environments look fine, it would be nice to see different environments with more varied colors. The menus on the other hand are flat out terrible. Although the navigation is functional, it looks cheap, unprofessional, and uses a horrible looking font. The art in general looks very generic and bargain bin.The game's sound mechanics fair a little better than the presentation. When accelerating, the bike's engine appropriately roars and calms as you bring the vehicle to a halt. The music on the other hand isn't so sound, but that's mostly due to the game having only two songs; one for the menu and one for the actual racing. Even though the one hard-rock track you hear when you play the game isn't bad, would it kill the developer to hire a DJ?There's a good chance you'll hear that one song a lot because Trails 2 has a good amount of replayability. There are currently 51 tracks with more being added sporadically. If you're good you can complete all of the levels in a handful of hours; but it's really about mastering the tracks quickly and efficiently, which will take you time. Unfortunately the game doesn't have a track editor, though due to the nature of the focus-tested tracks it would admittedly be buggy as hell in the wrong hands. Thankfully Trials 2 does offer other time trial modes. There's a Flip mode that rewards you for completing the track with the most flips. There's a Wheelie mode that promotes hanging on to your wheelie as much as possible. Finally there's a Dynamic mode that forces you to interact with the unstable environment. Even though these modes are a nice addition, each mode only offers three or four tracks each. Luckily, the game has included 25 unlockable achievements to expand the game a little more. I'd wish you good luck on getting the every-bone-broken achievement, but my hunch is that you won't need it.
Closing Comments
Gamers who enjoy physics based puzzle games like Portal and challenging old-school 2D games will get a kick out of Trials 2. This game has been tailor made to meet the demands of competitive gamers. However, this game isn't for everyone. The learning curve will be too much for some. Overall this game achieves what it sets out to do with flying colors. It's calculated mayhem at its best. The game runs for $9.99 on Valve's Steam service. For that price it will give you a bloody good time.
IGN Ratings for Trials 2 Second Edition (PC)
4.0
PresentationTerrible presentation. Generic cover art. Bargain bin menus. Bad font choice, but at least it's functional.
8.0
GraphicsThe graphics will not blow you away, but it does look prettier than it needs to be.
6.0
SoundThe game has essentially one decent hard-rock track played over and over. Sound effects are solid.
8.0
GameplayThe game is challenging but at the same time very rewarding. The game is real fun once you get into the swing of things.
7.5
Lasting AppealYou can finish all 51 tracks in a few hours, but this game's replayablity comes from topping the online community's scores, which is pretty impossible.
8.0Impressive
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition -- Colonies Edition
June 13, 2008 -
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition was released in 2007 for Xbox 360 and PC and then later ported to PS3. The release fest continues with Colonies Edition, a greatest hits package for PC and Xbox 360 that adds new content and comes with a wallet friendly suggested retail price tag of $29.99 in the US. The core game remains the same, so we'll focus this review on the new modes, maps and other assorted bonuses. If you missed the original, catch up by reading our past reviews for Xbox 360 here. If you're a fan of the Akrid-mashing fest that the frozen action game delivered, you might be wondering if this new release brings enough to the party to make it worth another look. The answer is yes…and no.I'll start with the good news. Colonies Edition contains the full campaign mode and online features that the original did along with a whole lot more. The visuals look the same to my eyes, which is still quite impressive all these months later even if it still is plagued by screen tearing. If you haven't played Lost Planet and are considering it, this is the definitive release. It doesn't end with the campaign either thanks to new modes and more. You can even try the game from the first person, if you like (I don't).
In addition to the original campaign, Capcom has added three new single-player modes by repurposing the base content. There's a Score Attack game which allows you to play through single stages and string together high combos in hopes of reaching the tops of the leaderboards. This mode is a great addition and adds to the underlying thermal energy gameplay mechanic that keeps pushing you forward into more action. Along with shooting enemies, blasting the destructible environment chains your combo, encouraging you to lay into everything with your arsenal. There's also a Trial Battle mode that pits you against one massive boss after another. It's pretty self explanatory and offers a decent distraction. The last new single player mode is called Off Limit. This mode is essentially Lost Planet on speed. It's faster, awards you unlimited ammo and offers more powerful weapons. It's a kick in the pants, but if you're like me and have played Lost Planet a lot in the past, by the time you get to it you'll have had enough of playing this game and won't really care to run through the stages again.There's more to like in the online game as well. In addition to new character models, weapons, and maps, there are a number of new modes. The crown jewel of these is Akrid Hunter. Here a few players take up control of the massive bugs themselves to take on the remaining humans. The Akrid are a bit overpowered, but it's still a great deal of fun. The other modes are takes on classic multiplayer battles with Lost Planet twists; Akrid eggs instead of flags or VS mechs as the players that must be attacked and defended. With new weapons, even the old modes feel different. My personal favorite of the 10 new weapons (split between VS and human varieties) is the Rocket Pod that launches four rockets simultaneously to carpet an area.
The big problem with Colonies Edition is that it is completely distinct from the original release last year. That means that if you played Lost Planet: Extreme Condition already, none of your saves will work here. Your online rankings won't be carried over either. This is a pretty big bummer for those that invested a lot of time in the original, but it gets worse. The online game is separate too, so those that pick up Colonies Edition can't play online against those who own the original Lost Planet. Rather than releasing Colonies Edition to reinvigorate the online community, Capcom has split it. The upside to this is that all of the achievements are new, so you can earn an extra 1000 with Colonies Edition, and PC and Xbox 360 players can now face off online in a cross-platform match-up. That's a small consolation to the hundreds of thousands of people that bought Lost Planet in 2007 who are now being told to buy the game again. So much of this could have been made available as downloadable add-ons that the move to make it retail only and totally distinct from the original release feels a bit money grubby for my taste. And there's the fact that this move will cause the game to not have as robust of an online community as it could have. While there are enough people online to find a game now, the number of people playing at any given time isn't very big. Who knows how long you'll be able to easily find a game to play?These issues feel magnified in light of what is considered the norm on the PC. If you don't have a Gold Windows Live account, which requires a subscription fee, you can't play in the cross platform matches. That essentially means that you can't play online as we only found one poor soul looking to play online with PCs only. If you don't want to pay for a Live account, don't buy this game. Lost Planet: Colonies Edition is crippled without it. But hey, at least the game runs online which is more than you could say about Lost Planet when it was first released on PC.
Closing CommentsIf
you fell in love with Lost Planet in its previous iteration, you'll find a lot to like here. If you haven't given it a try, this is the version to pick up and have a go with. The new single player modes are fun, but they are just a repackaging of old content. If you felt full after Lost Planet, this release won't do anything for you. With new weapons, modes and maps, the online game is more substantial and intriguing than ever. Just remember that while you can now play cross platform between PC and 360, none of Colonies Edition is compatible with the previous release and so you're dealing with a significantly smaller potential online community and all of your old saves won't work. On the PC, a Gold Windows Live account is essentially necessary to play online. The PC only community just isn't there.
6.5
PresentationMany cool modes are added here, but the move to make this separate from the last Lost Planet release was a poor decision.
8.5
GraphicsIt still looks good over a year later.
8.0
SoundNothing substantially new here, but it's still a decent soundtrack and the effects are quite good.
8.0
GameplayThe gameplay will feel tired for those that have already tried the game and aren't diehard. Newcomers will find a fun action game.
6.0
Lasting AppealVeterans will only last a few hours trying out the new single player modes. You can only find people online in cross platform play.
7.5Good
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition was released in 2007 for Xbox 360 and PC and then later ported to PS3. The release fest continues with Colonies Edition, a greatest hits package for PC and Xbox 360 that adds new content and comes with a wallet friendly suggested retail price tag of $29.99 in the US. The core game remains the same, so we'll focus this review on the new modes, maps and other assorted bonuses. If you missed the original, catch up by reading our past reviews for Xbox 360 here. If you're a fan of the Akrid-mashing fest that the frozen action game delivered, you might be wondering if this new release brings enough to the party to make it worth another look. The answer is yes…and no.I'll start with the good news. Colonies Edition contains the full campaign mode and online features that the original did along with a whole lot more. The visuals look the same to my eyes, which is still quite impressive all these months later even if it still is plagued by screen tearing. If you haven't played Lost Planet and are considering it, this is the definitive release. It doesn't end with the campaign either thanks to new modes and more. You can even try the game from the first person, if you like (I don't).
In addition to the original campaign, Capcom has added three new single-player modes by repurposing the base content. There's a Score Attack game which allows you to play through single stages and string together high combos in hopes of reaching the tops of the leaderboards. This mode is a great addition and adds to the underlying thermal energy gameplay mechanic that keeps pushing you forward into more action. Along with shooting enemies, blasting the destructible environment chains your combo, encouraging you to lay into everything with your arsenal. There's also a Trial Battle mode that pits you against one massive boss after another. It's pretty self explanatory and offers a decent distraction. The last new single player mode is called Off Limit. This mode is essentially Lost Planet on speed. It's faster, awards you unlimited ammo and offers more powerful weapons. It's a kick in the pants, but if you're like me and have played Lost Planet a lot in the past, by the time you get to it you'll have had enough of playing this game and won't really care to run through the stages again.There's more to like in the online game as well. In addition to new character models, weapons, and maps, there are a number of new modes. The crown jewel of these is Akrid Hunter. Here a few players take up control of the massive bugs themselves to take on the remaining humans. The Akrid are a bit overpowered, but it's still a great deal of fun. The other modes are takes on classic multiplayer battles with Lost Planet twists; Akrid eggs instead of flags or VS mechs as the players that must be attacked and defended. With new weapons, even the old modes feel different. My personal favorite of the 10 new weapons (split between VS and human varieties) is the Rocket Pod that launches four rockets simultaneously to carpet an area.
The big problem with Colonies Edition is that it is completely distinct from the original release last year. That means that if you played Lost Planet: Extreme Condition already, none of your saves will work here. Your online rankings won't be carried over either. This is a pretty big bummer for those that invested a lot of time in the original, but it gets worse. The online game is separate too, so those that pick up Colonies Edition can't play online against those who own the original Lost Planet. Rather than releasing Colonies Edition to reinvigorate the online community, Capcom has split it. The upside to this is that all of the achievements are new, so you can earn an extra 1000 with Colonies Edition, and PC and Xbox 360 players can now face off online in a cross-platform match-up. That's a small consolation to the hundreds of thousands of people that bought Lost Planet in 2007 who are now being told to buy the game again. So much of this could have been made available as downloadable add-ons that the move to make it retail only and totally distinct from the original release feels a bit money grubby for my taste. And there's the fact that this move will cause the game to not have as robust of an online community as it could have. While there are enough people online to find a game now, the number of people playing at any given time isn't very big. Who knows how long you'll be able to easily find a game to play?These issues feel magnified in light of what is considered the norm on the PC. If you don't have a Gold Windows Live account, which requires a subscription fee, you can't play in the cross platform matches. That essentially means that you can't play online as we only found one poor soul looking to play online with PCs only. If you don't want to pay for a Live account, don't buy this game. Lost Planet: Colonies Edition is crippled without it. But hey, at least the game runs online which is more than you could say about Lost Planet when it was first released on PC.
Closing CommentsIf
you fell in love with Lost Planet in its previous iteration, you'll find a lot to like here. If you haven't given it a try, this is the version to pick up and have a go with. The new single player modes are fun, but they are just a repackaging of old content. If you felt full after Lost Planet, this release won't do anything for you. With new weapons, modes and maps, the online game is more substantial and intriguing than ever. Just remember that while you can now play cross platform between PC and 360, none of Colonies Edition is compatible with the previous release and so you're dealing with a significantly smaller potential online community and all of your old saves won't work. On the PC, a Gold Windows Live account is essentially necessary to play online. The PC only community just isn't there.
6.5
PresentationMany cool modes are added here, but the move to make this separate from the last Lost Planet release was a poor decision.
8.5
GraphicsIt still looks good over a year later.
8.0
SoundNothing substantially new here, but it's still a decent soundtrack and the effects are quite good.
8.0
GameplayThe gameplay will feel tired for those that have already tried the game and aren't diehard. Newcomers will find a fun action game.
6.0
Lasting AppealVeterans will only last a few hours trying out the new single player modes. You can only find people online in cross platform play.
7.5Good
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
The Political Machine 2008
June 18, 2008 - As tired as some of us may be of the tedious and unbalanced political process, particularly during this election year, there are too few games that focus on its wonderful ins and outs. So when a game comes out that gives players a chance to run their own version of the 2008 US presidential campaign, we definitely sit up and take notice. And when that game just happens to come from one of our favorite strategy game developers, well, that's even more cause to celebrate.
While Stardock's The Political Machine 2008 is an enjoyable, and intentionally topical, game, the publisher has taken tremendous pains to point out that it is not a "simulation." The more cynical types among you may take this as a simple marketing maneuver to ensure that the game appeals to a wider base but basically all this distinction means is that the game tries to recreate the political landscape of America without getting too bogged down in primaries and vote count controversies. Along the way you'll have the chance to run against folks from the current crop of candidates along with some notables from our political past. Unfortunately, the current political setting means the overall experience is far too predictable to have much lasting appeal. Even though the twenty-dollar price tag is appealing, only the most committed armchair politicians will find much replayability here.
We don't necessarily think that the game is biased one way or the other (at least, not any more than the country itself is), but it definitely reflects the variety of opinions and political polarization that make up American politics. The game is real enough that, assuming you know something about current events, you can jump in right away and have an idea whether or not your support of gay marriage will go over better in California or West Virginia, and whether or not to attack your opponent on job outsourcing on Michigan radio.
There's less of a sense of familiarity with the game's other campaigns. Our favorite focuses on the presidential election of 1860, and all the territories and issues are adjusted accordingly. It does require a little more research on the part of the player. We, for example, weren't sure whether or not Southern Democrats were supposed to support tariffs. Things are a little less obvious in the ersatz European Union campaign and sometimes incomprehensible (though undeniably hilarious) in the Drengin Empire campaign. Players of Stardock's Gal Civ 2 will definitely appreciate some of the in-jokes here.
No matter which election you play, your candidate starts off in their home state 41 weeks before the election. You can choose to play longer and shorter games but they're not as enjoyable. Each week you can spend your stamina points building infrastructure, giving speeches, and placing ads. Infrastructure can help you develop awareness in key states and gives you the resources to court national endorsements and hire political operatives. Speeches and ads give you the chance to promote your platform to the voters of a particular state or to the nation in general. Of course, a lot of these actions cost money, so you'll also need to save some stamina points for some good old fashioned fund-raising.
The voters of each state have issues that they care about and you'll want to state your position on those issues while keeping in mind whether or not your thoughts on that issue will make voters of either party (or the independents) more likely to support your campaign. You can pay cash to run national TV ads that blanket the whole country with your message, but you'll need to be aware that your views on immigration might be taken very differently in Florida than they are in Minnesota. Thankfully, the game presents you with basic poll numbers that show how the voters of each party feel about each issue, both at the state and the national levels.
When we saw that you could make your own candidates, we instantly set about making ersatz versions of ourselves to launch into the political arena, certain that our moderate and sometimes complicated views could sway the American voters. But in designing candidates, you're limited to a mere hundred points to determine your stance on issues from abortion to the withdrawal from Iraq. A hundred points sounds like a lot, but since each issue is rated on a scale of 100 points either for or against, you can really only take a moderate stand on four or five issues. Goodbye, school voucher program!
We were a little disappointed by this limitation until we realized that you can actually adjust your position on all of these issues during the campaign. You can get a hefty boost towards traditional values, big government, or drilling in ANWR just by courting the endorsement of various religious, business or environmental groups. You can also shift your platform based on the ads that you run and on the answers you give during your TV appearances. In the end, we were actually happier that you couldn't just spec the platform you wanted by spending points, but actually had to earn it through your actions during the campaign. We've even found ourselves crossing over to court voters of the other party whenever we saw that our opponent wasn't responding to a clear preference among voters.
The types of issues you talk about in your TV appearances and political ads can even catapult lesser known issues into the national arena. While everyone's going to be talking about the economy, or health care or the war on terror, you can jump in and start hammering away at an issue your opponent is weak on, like social security reform or gun control. This tactic can be risky though because while you're busy building up marginal issues, your opponent is gaining more and more momentum on the issues that already speak to a wide range of voters.
There are a number of map filters to help you plan out your conquest of the electorate. You can quickly see which states are important by checking the number of electoral votes they have and how wealthy they are overall. A quick check of the liberal vs. conservative voter numbers can also tell you which states are likely to vote for or against you at the beginning. By far the most useful of the map filters is the one that shows polling data. This is a real-time update of the way a state is likely to vote. This can change from red to blue during the course of a turn, even hanging on pink (or possibly gray) when the voters are just too confused to commit.
Players looking for a bit of a challenge will be happy to see that the AI has been improved since the 2004 edition. Your opponents know seem more inclined to go for the bigger states and to use their operatives in response to your own actions. You'll still get the occasional inexplicable fund-raising trip to Wyoming, but the AI plays a much smarter game this time around, particularly in the latter stages of the campaign.
The presentation has been improved a bit as well. Though it won't win any graphics awards, the new 3D engine gives the game a slick, updated feel that puts it a step above most games in this price range. And whether it was intentional or not, the bobble head figures offer a great commentary on politicians in general. The music and sound effects are equally polished, which enhances the experience.
The real problem with the game is the same problem that we have with politics in general. In short, it basically seems to be the same game over and over again no matter how many times you play. The candidates start out with lots of hope and enthusiasm, building up their infrastructure piece by piece, raising cash and giving speeches. Once they get a solid platform built up, they keep shouting the messages that they think will appeal to the largest number of voters, and in the end the only issue that really matters is whether or not the Republicans were able to take California and New York away from the Democrats.
Okay, so there is a bit more subtlety and variety to be found. Sometimes the Republican candidate picks Giuliani as a running mate. Sometimes the Democrats can get lucky and find a million dollar donor and a director who's willing to shoot commercials for half price. Sometimes Texas is undecided right up until the night of the election. But these variations are really just small shifts in the current of this game.
There are a few other small problems here and there. The biggest annoyance is the inability to distinguish between all the ads and political operatives that are bunched together in the states. It's not as a big a deal in places like Texas or California, but when you've got ten or twelve folks in New York sharing space with half a dozen print and TV ads, it can be difficult to know just what's going on. The developers should also include a handy summary screen so you can see all your ads in one place, particularly those running at a national level. We've occasionally found ourselves paying to run duplicate ads just because we weren't sure if we had one running already.
We were also a little disappointed that there's no real use for political clout late in the game. It's an absolutely essential resource during the early part of the campaign in order to pick up those lucrative national endorsements. But once you and your opponent have divided up the handful of eligible organizations, your clout just keeps building and building for no real purpose. It would be nice if there were someway to leverage that once the endorsements are all claimed.
Closing Comments
For twenty bucks, The Political Machine 2008 isn't necessarily a bad deal, but it's a one-note affair that inhabits that misty gray region between comfortable familiarity and dull predictability. As a light-hearted treatment of American politics in 2008, The Political Machine definitely succeeds and we've had a bit of fun roleplaying our own values on the road to the White House. There's no doubt that it's an enjoyable experience, but the main campaign just has you playing out the same battle over and over again. The other campaigns are interesting and introduce some genuinely funny and thought provoking issues but they're not quite as comprehensible or recognizable as the 2008 US campaign.
7.5
PresentationA reasonably attractive model of contemporary campaigning but there's not enough variety here.
7.0
GraphicsWe like the slick presentation but the map can be very hard to read when things get crowded.
7.0
SoundGood music and effects that compliment the experience.
8.0
GameplayThere are some good ideas here and plenty of smart interface decisions. Things tend to play out the same way from game to game.
6.0
Lasting AppealIt benefits from some speculative campaigns but doesn't hold much appeal beyond its relationship to current events.
7.3Decent
OVERALL
While Stardock's The Political Machine 2008 is an enjoyable, and intentionally topical, game, the publisher has taken tremendous pains to point out that it is not a "simulation." The more cynical types among you may take this as a simple marketing maneuver to ensure that the game appeals to a wider base but basically all this distinction means is that the game tries to recreate the political landscape of America without getting too bogged down in primaries and vote count controversies. Along the way you'll have the chance to run against folks from the current crop of candidates along with some notables from our political past. Unfortunately, the current political setting means the overall experience is far too predictable to have much lasting appeal. Even though the twenty-dollar price tag is appealing, only the most committed armchair politicians will find much replayability here.
We don't necessarily think that the game is biased one way or the other (at least, not any more than the country itself is), but it definitely reflects the variety of opinions and political polarization that make up American politics. The game is real enough that, assuming you know something about current events, you can jump in right away and have an idea whether or not your support of gay marriage will go over better in California or West Virginia, and whether or not to attack your opponent on job outsourcing on Michigan radio.
There's less of a sense of familiarity with the game's other campaigns. Our favorite focuses on the presidential election of 1860, and all the territories and issues are adjusted accordingly. It does require a little more research on the part of the player. We, for example, weren't sure whether or not Southern Democrats were supposed to support tariffs. Things are a little less obvious in the ersatz European Union campaign and sometimes incomprehensible (though undeniably hilarious) in the Drengin Empire campaign. Players of Stardock's Gal Civ 2 will definitely appreciate some of the in-jokes here.
No matter which election you play, your candidate starts off in their home state 41 weeks before the election. You can choose to play longer and shorter games but they're not as enjoyable. Each week you can spend your stamina points building infrastructure, giving speeches, and placing ads. Infrastructure can help you develop awareness in key states and gives you the resources to court national endorsements and hire political operatives. Speeches and ads give you the chance to promote your platform to the voters of a particular state or to the nation in general. Of course, a lot of these actions cost money, so you'll also need to save some stamina points for some good old fashioned fund-raising.
The voters of each state have issues that they care about and you'll want to state your position on those issues while keeping in mind whether or not your thoughts on that issue will make voters of either party (or the independents) more likely to support your campaign. You can pay cash to run national TV ads that blanket the whole country with your message, but you'll need to be aware that your views on immigration might be taken very differently in Florida than they are in Minnesota. Thankfully, the game presents you with basic poll numbers that show how the voters of each party feel about each issue, both at the state and the national levels.
When we saw that you could make your own candidates, we instantly set about making ersatz versions of ourselves to launch into the political arena, certain that our moderate and sometimes complicated views could sway the American voters. But in designing candidates, you're limited to a mere hundred points to determine your stance on issues from abortion to the withdrawal from Iraq. A hundred points sounds like a lot, but since each issue is rated on a scale of 100 points either for or against, you can really only take a moderate stand on four or five issues. Goodbye, school voucher program!
We were a little disappointed by this limitation until we realized that you can actually adjust your position on all of these issues during the campaign. You can get a hefty boost towards traditional values, big government, or drilling in ANWR just by courting the endorsement of various religious, business or environmental groups. You can also shift your platform based on the ads that you run and on the answers you give during your TV appearances. In the end, we were actually happier that you couldn't just spec the platform you wanted by spending points, but actually had to earn it through your actions during the campaign. We've even found ourselves crossing over to court voters of the other party whenever we saw that our opponent wasn't responding to a clear preference among voters.
The types of issues you talk about in your TV appearances and political ads can even catapult lesser known issues into the national arena. While everyone's going to be talking about the economy, or health care or the war on terror, you can jump in and start hammering away at an issue your opponent is weak on, like social security reform or gun control. This tactic can be risky though because while you're busy building up marginal issues, your opponent is gaining more and more momentum on the issues that already speak to a wide range of voters.
There are a number of map filters to help you plan out your conquest of the electorate. You can quickly see which states are important by checking the number of electoral votes they have and how wealthy they are overall. A quick check of the liberal vs. conservative voter numbers can also tell you which states are likely to vote for or against you at the beginning. By far the most useful of the map filters is the one that shows polling data. This is a real-time update of the way a state is likely to vote. This can change from red to blue during the course of a turn, even hanging on pink (or possibly gray) when the voters are just too confused to commit.
Players looking for a bit of a challenge will be happy to see that the AI has been improved since the 2004 edition. Your opponents know seem more inclined to go for the bigger states and to use their operatives in response to your own actions. You'll still get the occasional inexplicable fund-raising trip to Wyoming, but the AI plays a much smarter game this time around, particularly in the latter stages of the campaign.
The presentation has been improved a bit as well. Though it won't win any graphics awards, the new 3D engine gives the game a slick, updated feel that puts it a step above most games in this price range. And whether it was intentional or not, the bobble head figures offer a great commentary on politicians in general. The music and sound effects are equally polished, which enhances the experience.
The real problem with the game is the same problem that we have with politics in general. In short, it basically seems to be the same game over and over again no matter how many times you play. The candidates start out with lots of hope and enthusiasm, building up their infrastructure piece by piece, raising cash and giving speeches. Once they get a solid platform built up, they keep shouting the messages that they think will appeal to the largest number of voters, and in the end the only issue that really matters is whether or not the Republicans were able to take California and New York away from the Democrats.
Okay, so there is a bit more subtlety and variety to be found. Sometimes the Republican candidate picks Giuliani as a running mate. Sometimes the Democrats can get lucky and find a million dollar donor and a director who's willing to shoot commercials for half price. Sometimes Texas is undecided right up until the night of the election. But these variations are really just small shifts in the current of this game.
There are a few other small problems here and there. The biggest annoyance is the inability to distinguish between all the ads and political operatives that are bunched together in the states. It's not as a big a deal in places like Texas or California, but when you've got ten or twelve folks in New York sharing space with half a dozen print and TV ads, it can be difficult to know just what's going on. The developers should also include a handy summary screen so you can see all your ads in one place, particularly those running at a national level. We've occasionally found ourselves paying to run duplicate ads just because we weren't sure if we had one running already.
We were also a little disappointed that there's no real use for political clout late in the game. It's an absolutely essential resource during the early part of the campaign in order to pick up those lucrative national endorsements. But once you and your opponent have divided up the handful of eligible organizations, your clout just keeps building and building for no real purpose. It would be nice if there were someway to leverage that once the endorsements are all claimed.
Closing Comments
For twenty bucks, The Political Machine 2008 isn't necessarily a bad deal, but it's a one-note affair that inhabits that misty gray region between comfortable familiarity and dull predictability. As a light-hearted treatment of American politics in 2008, The Political Machine definitely succeeds and we've had a bit of fun roleplaying our own values on the road to the White House. There's no doubt that it's an enjoyable experience, but the main campaign just has you playing out the same battle over and over again. The other campaigns are interesting and introduce some genuinely funny and thought provoking issues but they're not quite as comprehensible or recognizable as the 2008 US campaign.
7.5
PresentationA reasonably attractive model of contemporary campaigning but there's not enough variety here.
7.0
GraphicsWe like the slick presentation but the map can be very hard to read when things get crowded.
7.0
SoundGood music and effects that compliment the experience.
8.0
GameplayThere are some good ideas here and plenty of smart interface decisions. Things tend to play out the same way from game to game.
6.0
Lasting AppealIt benefits from some speculative campaigns but doesn't hold much appeal beyond its relationship to current events.
7.3Decent
OVERALL
Belief & Betrayal
June 19, 2008 - Everybody likes mysteries surrounding the Vatican and Christian relics, right? That's just what Italian developer Artematica delivers with Belief & Betrayal, a traditional point and click adventure title that might be a little too traditional for many gamers out there.The North American release has been pushed back multiple times, and hopefully nobody was waiting too patiently for it. Things start out with journalist Jonathan Danter being mysteriously whisked away from his luxurious flat to Scotland Yard in London. It seems Danter's in danger as his uncle, presumed dead for a decade, suddenly turned up newly murdered.What follows is a tale of moderate interest as relics like the Shroud of Turin, the Holy Grail, and the Philosopher's Stone are brought up in conversation, though more seemingly to distract the player from some of the game's more mundane and frustrating aspects. Some of them do actually tie into the plot, but it feels like Artematica was name dropping Christian relics to serve as fireworks rather than bothering to work them into the story and characters' motivations more meaningfully.
Though not much is done with character (Danter is a curious guy with an edge of sexism), such things can be forgiven with an interesting puzzle system. It's always sort of one way or the other with adventure games. Either you stick around for strong characterization, quality of writing, and interesting game world (Dreamfall) or eek past awkward conversation scenes to get into some engaging puzzle mechanics (The Lost Crown's ghost hunting). The rare games (Grim Fandango) possess all those positive qualities. Belief & Betrayal possesses none of them.The gameplay format here should be familiar to any adventure fan. You control a mouse cursor, click on objects of interest to have the on-screen character inspect and interact with them, pick up random objects, fit them together, and try to figure out how to use them to advance the plot. Thankfully the game doesn't force you to scour every inch of the screen to find items, as hitting the space bar will reveal all the things onscreen that can be interacted with.That doesn't help all that much, though, since sometimes it's necessary to inspect them multiple times to get the character to realize they need to interact with something. Then there's the additional "use" function, separate from inspect, which occasionally reveals something more. So essentially you're best off clicking on each object you find three times to ensure you're not missing anything. In this day and age, it's tiresome and unnecessary. On top of that you'll have to mix notes characters have made in a journal with inventory items, which adds to the irritation in the way it's set up. You can sometimes only successfully solve some puzzles by matching the note to the item, but not the item to the note. Why doesn't this work both ways?One of the game's brighter spots involves its use of multiple characters simultaneously. The overall plot is broken into chapters, and in some of the chapters you're put in control of characters other than Danter. In these parts you can freely switch between, and in some cases have to discover clues with some characters that have to be transmitted to others for things to progress. It's a good idea, though here it's not pulled off with any real sort of finesse or elegance. It's all very straightforward and dull.
It's pretty much the same deal with the game's puzzles. Though a few work to liven things up and add more of a dimension of personality, some of their designs start to feel repetitive. For example, in one instance you have to solve a puzzle to get a drunkard to move out of your way. In another you have hunt around to get a guard to move out of your way. In yet another you have to get a cleaning lady to move out of your way. The pattern continues in another when you have to get a librarian to move out of your way and in another when you screw up a researcher's tools to get her to move out of your way.A few prove to be a little more interesting, like one puzzle involving tomato sauce and ancient inscriptions, if only because they're so bizarre. In all the game isn't that complicated, it's just a matter of negotiating the awkward user interface. Things make "adventure game sense" in Belief & Betrayal, just not always real world sense.Overlaying the adventuring is a serviceable soundtrack, meant to evoke a sense of ancient mystery with string plucks, piano plinks, and soaring strings. Voice acting is mixed. Danter, for instance, is played with enthusiasm, whether he's insulting the French World Cup team, cracking condom jokes, or expressing his love of pencils, you have to admire his attitude considering the surrounding circumstances. Less important characters, however, are mechanically voiced, and the horrible French and Italian accents of some can be off-putting.Also we should point out we couldn't get the game to run properly using Windows Vista 32-bit. The graphics regularly glitched out and the entire game frequently crashed until we tried it on an XP machine, where it ran fine. Once everything's working, you're not treated to any particularly memorable scenes. Video customization options are sorely lacking, character models and animations are stiff and unnatural, and many of the static camera angles come off as more conventional than imaginative.
Closing Comments
Even hardcore adventure fans might have a hard time digesting this one. With precious few progressive elements and a tedious system for inspection and item interaction, Artematica's Belief & Betrayal is too often an exercise in frustration. The plot, a twisting tale that intersects with myriad Christian relics and the occasional brutal murder, is enough to potentially keep you interested, but considering the generally weak characters, arduous collection and bland puzzle designs, it's not enough to warrant a purchase.
4.0
PresentationClunky inventory and communicator device interface, strange music loop bugs on loading screens, delays between inputs and actions.
4.0
GraphicsWe couldn't get this thing to work in Vista. Some interesting environments, but overall this game is ugly and generally boring to look at. Doesn't do much with camera perspective.
6.0
SoundDecent environmental music, Danter has a few good lines. Otherwise, it's a mess of mediocrity.
5.5
GameplayIt's a traditional adventure game with unreasonably convoluted item collection mechanics, repetitive puzzles, and very little we haven't seen before.
4.0
Lasting AppealIt's not all that long, probably around seven hours depending on how acclimated you are to traditional adventure games. A very straightforward game with little replay value.
5.4Mediocre
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Though not much is done with character (Danter is a curious guy with an edge of sexism), such things can be forgiven with an interesting puzzle system. It's always sort of one way or the other with adventure games. Either you stick around for strong characterization, quality of writing, and interesting game world (Dreamfall) or eek past awkward conversation scenes to get into some engaging puzzle mechanics (The Lost Crown's ghost hunting). The rare games (Grim Fandango) possess all those positive qualities. Belief & Betrayal possesses none of them.The gameplay format here should be familiar to any adventure fan. You control a mouse cursor, click on objects of interest to have the on-screen character inspect and interact with them, pick up random objects, fit them together, and try to figure out how to use them to advance the plot. Thankfully the game doesn't force you to scour every inch of the screen to find items, as hitting the space bar will reveal all the things onscreen that can be interacted with.That doesn't help all that much, though, since sometimes it's necessary to inspect them multiple times to get the character to realize they need to interact with something. Then there's the additional "use" function, separate from inspect, which occasionally reveals something more. So essentially you're best off clicking on each object you find three times to ensure you're not missing anything. In this day and age, it's tiresome and unnecessary. On top of that you'll have to mix notes characters have made in a journal with inventory items, which adds to the irritation in the way it's set up. You can sometimes only successfully solve some puzzles by matching the note to the item, but not the item to the note. Why doesn't this work both ways?One of the game's brighter spots involves its use of multiple characters simultaneously. The overall plot is broken into chapters, and in some of the chapters you're put in control of characters other than Danter. In these parts you can freely switch between, and in some cases have to discover clues with some characters that have to be transmitted to others for things to progress. It's a good idea, though here it's not pulled off with any real sort of finesse or elegance. It's all very straightforward and dull.
It's pretty much the same deal with the game's puzzles. Though a few work to liven things up and add more of a dimension of personality, some of their designs start to feel repetitive. For example, in one instance you have to solve a puzzle to get a drunkard to move out of your way. In another you have hunt around to get a guard to move out of your way. In yet another you have to get a cleaning lady to move out of your way. The pattern continues in another when you have to get a librarian to move out of your way and in another when you screw up a researcher's tools to get her to move out of your way.A few prove to be a little more interesting, like one puzzle involving tomato sauce and ancient inscriptions, if only because they're so bizarre. In all the game isn't that complicated, it's just a matter of negotiating the awkward user interface. Things make "adventure game sense" in Belief & Betrayal, just not always real world sense.Overlaying the adventuring is a serviceable soundtrack, meant to evoke a sense of ancient mystery with string plucks, piano plinks, and soaring strings. Voice acting is mixed. Danter, for instance, is played with enthusiasm, whether he's insulting the French World Cup team, cracking condom jokes, or expressing his love of pencils, you have to admire his attitude considering the surrounding circumstances. Less important characters, however, are mechanically voiced, and the horrible French and Italian accents of some can be off-putting.Also we should point out we couldn't get the game to run properly using Windows Vista 32-bit. The graphics regularly glitched out and the entire game frequently crashed until we tried it on an XP machine, where it ran fine. Once everything's working, you're not treated to any particularly memorable scenes. Video customization options are sorely lacking, character models and animations are stiff and unnatural, and many of the static camera angles come off as more conventional than imaginative.
Closing Comments
Even hardcore adventure fans might have a hard time digesting this one. With precious few progressive elements and a tedious system for inspection and item interaction, Artematica's Belief & Betrayal is too often an exercise in frustration. The plot, a twisting tale that intersects with myriad Christian relics and the occasional brutal murder, is enough to potentially keep you interested, but considering the generally weak characters, arduous collection and bland puzzle designs, it's not enough to warrant a purchase.
4.0
PresentationClunky inventory and communicator device interface, strange music loop bugs on loading screens, delays between inputs and actions.
4.0
GraphicsWe couldn't get this thing to work in Vista. Some interesting environments, but overall this game is ugly and generally boring to look at. Doesn't do much with camera perspective.
6.0
SoundDecent environmental music, Danter has a few good lines. Otherwise, it's a mess of mediocrity.
5.5
GameplayIt's a traditional adventure game with unreasonably convoluted item collection mechanics, repetitive puzzles, and very little we haven't seen before.
4.0
Lasting AppealIt's not all that long, probably around seven hours depending on how acclimated you are to traditional adventure games. A very straightforward game with little replay value.
5.4Mediocre
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Great War Nations: The Spartans
April 29, 2008 - First things first: Great War Nations: The Spartans is a terrible name, particularly since one of the two campaigns is actually about Alexander of Macedon who basically had nothing whatsoever to do with any Spartans. Nevertheless, The Spartans do manage to shine in the first campaign and there's a sincere attempt here to provide a convincing historical framework for the characters and missions. Whatever the case, we're still a bit confused by the name. The title is apparently the sequel to Ancient Wars: Sparta but I guess More Ancient Wars: Sparta didn't go over at the marketing meeting. The game was released in Europe as Fate of Hellas, which makes slightly more sense given Alexander's inclusion, but for whatever reason they've decided to call it Great War Nations: The Spartans, let's just get on with the review.
In this game you'll take charge of either the Spartan or Macedonian armies in one of two campaigns set during the bloody days of the Bronze Age. Each campaign progresses through a series of standard RTS missions where the main goal seems to be the destruction of the enemy base. Along the way you'll have to build farms and research new technologies, and even bribe allies and set fire to forests but let's be clear at the start, this game is about giving a guy a spear and having him go stab another guy. Perhaps one of the poorer aspects of the campaign design is that certain abilities and items that were available to you in previous missions are disabled in later ones purely to enforce arbitrary limitations on your strategies. For instance, you might be asked to use ladders to scale a wall in one mission only to find that they're simply not available in the next mission.
One of the more interesting aspects of Great War Nations is the way you create your troops. Rather than just coming pre-loaded with specific troop types, The Spartans gives you several blank slots that you can use to edit your own units. Once you pick a basic soldier type, you can then choose to equip them with any weapons you've researched (or collected from enemies). This means that you can start pumping out warriors armed with simple clubs and shields right away, or wait a bit and equip them with spears or swords and even tougher shields. And since you can actually equip multiple weapons, you can even have design troops that have three weapons -- one for fighting infantry, one for fighting cavalry and one for fighting at range. Of course, the more you pack onto a soldier, the more expensive they are to produce and the longer it takes them to train.
Of course, you have to manually switch weapons on the battlefield, which can be a bit confusing. Having to tell each of your soldiers to switch to their bows when attacking enemies they can't reach in melee seems a little unnecessary to us. Still, switching from one weapon to another, even for large groups of troops is relatively painless. There's a similarly involved mechanic for getting your troops on and off their mounts, which are treated as separate units.
It's much more difficult to loot the weapons from your enemies. The game seems to suggest that if you simply march a villager into the battlefield and give them a command to gather arms, that they'll happily march around picking up spare shields and swords and slings before bringing them back to your base either to be used to equip your forces or sold for cash. And while it ought to work that way, that's not been our experience. Instead, you'll have to hand select each and every item you want a villager to collect. It's not such a big deal with the giant shields, but it's incredibly hard to spot the tiny spears, a problem made particularly difficult by a camera system that requires you to use the keyboard and the mouse simultaneously if you want to rotate the view.
There are some other small problems with the basic interface as well. Some triggers are terribly difficult to set off, while that might require a bit of input from the player go off automatically. Additionally, the pathfinding can sometimes be downright atrocious. It's bad enough when units in the middle of your larger formations can't get out to the edges without you clearing a path for them manually, but the ships in the game just seem to float around as if they're on ice. Getting them into a reasonable formation, or even to move to a specific destination is an exercise in frustration. Losing ships to a smarter, better-prepared enemy is one thing, but losing them to bad steering is enough to send you digging around for your receipt.
When the formations work they provide a convenient way to keep your troops organized and oriented towards the enemy It's a simply system that gives you a fair bit of control over how you place troops. But for some reason, the formations only apply to troops at rest on the parade ground. Once you start moving or fighting, the whole concept of formations is completely meaningless. It's not that we don't expect units to mix it up a little once the battle is joined, but far too often units on the edges of your formation will break off to attack nearby enemies without any regard for your original dispositions.
Graphically, The Spartans is a rather attractive game. It certainly won't push the limits of your video card but the hundred-unit battles will still chop a bit even on higher end systems. The units are all highly detailed, from the transverse crests on their helmets to their red cloaks to the lambda on their shields. The units look great up close and from afar and their animations are realistic and dynamic. The environments are also nicely detailed, with a sort of Battle Realms style of atmosphere but lacking a bit of the life and animation found in that earlier title.
There are plenty of small touches here and there, however. Like the smiths coming out and testing the tips of the spears in the workshop or the ranged units heading out the practice range during training. These small signs of life don't amount to much individually but taken as a whole, they provide a solid feeling of energy to the game's setting. Throw in a few effects, like rockslides and burning trees, and you've got a game that compares favorably to many of the other RTS titles in this same setting.
The sound is also reasonably good. The effects of battle are satisfying and meaty and definitely help to support the on screen action. The martial music is equally thrilling and puts you right in the mood for some serious Bronze Age stabbings. Some may find the voice work a little exaggerated but I thought it struck the right tone overall, not too serious, but not played for laughs either.
Closing Comments
Terrible name aside, Great War Nations: The Spartans offers pretty much what we saw in Ancient Wars: Sparta. It has a unique troop creation system that lets players build exactly the types of armies they want and it doesn't look that bad either. But the pathing problems and the lack of excitement at the tactical level don't provide a strong enough framework for the good parts of the game to really shine through. If you're interested in ancient history you'll appreciate the attention to detail. Just don't expect the gameplay to be as captivating.
5.0
PresentationNot much of an update to last year's Ancient Wars. What is Alexander doing in a game about Sparta?
8.0
GraphicsNice detailing on the units with plenty of interesting animations back at the base. The world could use a bit more life.
7.0
SoundGood battle sounds and music. The voices are good but might be a bit broad for some tastes.
6.5
GameplayTroop creation is definitely fun but once the battle is joined things quickly degenerate into a predictable mush.
5.5
Lasting AppealTwo short campaigns seem to repeat the same types of encounters.
6.0Passable
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
In this game you'll take charge of either the Spartan or Macedonian armies in one of two campaigns set during the bloody days of the Bronze Age. Each campaign progresses through a series of standard RTS missions where the main goal seems to be the destruction of the enemy base. Along the way you'll have to build farms and research new technologies, and even bribe allies and set fire to forests but let's be clear at the start, this game is about giving a guy a spear and having him go stab another guy. Perhaps one of the poorer aspects of the campaign design is that certain abilities and items that were available to you in previous missions are disabled in later ones purely to enforce arbitrary limitations on your strategies. For instance, you might be asked to use ladders to scale a wall in one mission only to find that they're simply not available in the next mission.
One of the more interesting aspects of Great War Nations is the way you create your troops. Rather than just coming pre-loaded with specific troop types, The Spartans gives you several blank slots that you can use to edit your own units. Once you pick a basic soldier type, you can then choose to equip them with any weapons you've researched (or collected from enemies). This means that you can start pumping out warriors armed with simple clubs and shields right away, or wait a bit and equip them with spears or swords and even tougher shields. And since you can actually equip multiple weapons, you can even have design troops that have three weapons -- one for fighting infantry, one for fighting cavalry and one for fighting at range. Of course, the more you pack onto a soldier, the more expensive they are to produce and the longer it takes them to train.
Of course, you have to manually switch weapons on the battlefield, which can be a bit confusing. Having to tell each of your soldiers to switch to their bows when attacking enemies they can't reach in melee seems a little unnecessary to us. Still, switching from one weapon to another, even for large groups of troops is relatively painless. There's a similarly involved mechanic for getting your troops on and off their mounts, which are treated as separate units.
It's much more difficult to loot the weapons from your enemies. The game seems to suggest that if you simply march a villager into the battlefield and give them a command to gather arms, that they'll happily march around picking up spare shields and swords and slings before bringing them back to your base either to be used to equip your forces or sold for cash. And while it ought to work that way, that's not been our experience. Instead, you'll have to hand select each and every item you want a villager to collect. It's not such a big deal with the giant shields, but it's incredibly hard to spot the tiny spears, a problem made particularly difficult by a camera system that requires you to use the keyboard and the mouse simultaneously if you want to rotate the view.
There are some other small problems with the basic interface as well. Some triggers are terribly difficult to set off, while that might require a bit of input from the player go off automatically. Additionally, the pathfinding can sometimes be downright atrocious. It's bad enough when units in the middle of your larger formations can't get out to the edges without you clearing a path for them manually, but the ships in the game just seem to float around as if they're on ice. Getting them into a reasonable formation, or even to move to a specific destination is an exercise in frustration. Losing ships to a smarter, better-prepared enemy is one thing, but losing them to bad steering is enough to send you digging around for your receipt.
When the formations work they provide a convenient way to keep your troops organized and oriented towards the enemy It's a simply system that gives you a fair bit of control over how you place troops. But for some reason, the formations only apply to troops at rest on the parade ground. Once you start moving or fighting, the whole concept of formations is completely meaningless. It's not that we don't expect units to mix it up a little once the battle is joined, but far too often units on the edges of your formation will break off to attack nearby enemies without any regard for your original dispositions.
Graphically, The Spartans is a rather attractive game. It certainly won't push the limits of your video card but the hundred-unit battles will still chop a bit even on higher end systems. The units are all highly detailed, from the transverse crests on their helmets to their red cloaks to the lambda on their shields. The units look great up close and from afar and their animations are realistic and dynamic. The environments are also nicely detailed, with a sort of Battle Realms style of atmosphere but lacking a bit of the life and animation found in that earlier title.
There are plenty of small touches here and there, however. Like the smiths coming out and testing the tips of the spears in the workshop or the ranged units heading out the practice range during training. These small signs of life don't amount to much individually but taken as a whole, they provide a solid feeling of energy to the game's setting. Throw in a few effects, like rockslides and burning trees, and you've got a game that compares favorably to many of the other RTS titles in this same setting.
The sound is also reasonably good. The effects of battle are satisfying and meaty and definitely help to support the on screen action. The martial music is equally thrilling and puts you right in the mood for some serious Bronze Age stabbings. Some may find the voice work a little exaggerated but I thought it struck the right tone overall, not too serious, but not played for laughs either.
Closing Comments
Terrible name aside, Great War Nations: The Spartans offers pretty much what we saw in Ancient Wars: Sparta. It has a unique troop creation system that lets players build exactly the types of armies they want and it doesn't look that bad either. But the pathing problems and the lack of excitement at the tactical level don't provide a strong enough framework for the good parts of the game to really shine through. If you're interested in ancient history you'll appreciate the attention to detail. Just don't expect the gameplay to be as captivating.
5.0
PresentationNot much of an update to last year's Ancient Wars. What is Alexander doing in a game about Sparta?
8.0
GraphicsNice detailing on the units with plenty of interesting animations back at the base. The world could use a bit more life.
7.0
SoundGood battle sounds and music. The voices are good but might be a bit broad for some tastes.
6.5
GameplayTroop creation is definitely fun but once the battle is joined things quickly degenerate into a predictable mush.
5.5
Lasting AppealTwo short campaigns seem to repeat the same types of encounters.
6.0Passable
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Jack Keane
April 28, 2008 - A traditional adventure game wouldn't be complete if it didn't have the brave hero, feisty love interest, wannabe pirates, sinister bad guy (complete with perfectly manicured moustache), and, of course, monkeys. Deck13, the developer of Ankh, return with an entertaining and charming adventure inspired by the classic Monkey Island from LucasArts. And while Jack Keane is no Guybrush Threepwood, he has his own endearing personality, a strong chin, and tousled hair.Keane's adventure begins in 19th century London, strapped to a chair in the Big Ben clock tower to be exact. Two thugs have been sent as debt collectors and they are very insistent on getting the money back. Keane manages to escape from the thugs and immediately accepts an assignment to help the Queen (her tea is at stake) because of a favorable reward at the end. Since Keane's ship, the "Charming Princess," is the fastest ship on the London-India route, Keane is asked to pick up one of the Queen's secret agents in Cape Town and transport him safely to mysterious Tooth Island. At Cape Town, Keane comes across a lovely woman named Amanda, who happens to also be on her way to Tooth Island, so together they set off with secret agent Montgomery. The shenanigans really begin once they've reached the island and the story delves deeper as we learn more about the evil Doctor T and Keane. The entire mood of the game remains light-hearted and fun, with humorous dialogue and wacky characters. It's not very original or exceedingly clever but just because it isn't genre changing doesn't mean it's not worth playing. The game also makes quite a bit of references to pop culture where you might see an Indiana Jones outfit or a side comment about those accursed numbers from the television show Lost. You can't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all, especially when you come across a man who has lost everything to the Nigerian letter scam. There are some parts where the dialogue makes you go, "Huh?" Keep in mind that the game was originally in German, which might explain how some jokes were simply lost in translation. There are some genuinely funny moments in the game, but there were a lot of misses too.
Jack Keane's gameplay is very easy to pick up. There aren't any confusing menus to navigate through, a simple left click of the mouse will look at items and right click will allow you interact with objects and people. Double clicking will make Jack run and your inventory items are all stored at the top of your screen for easy use. Amanda is also playable later on in the game. Items are generally used once before they disappear, however Jack and Amanda carry a knife and rifle respectively which can be used multiple times. The puzzles are really the meat of the adventure, and depending on the type of player you are, you may not find Jack Keane to be the most complicated or challenging of adventure games. It's not meant to be; it's supposed to be silly and fun, although there are some puzzles that will have you scratching your head and revisiting every area and talking to every person. Who knew that with an empty jam jar, a red sock, and a candle you would have a new taillight for an elephant? If the puzzles aren't painfully obvious, then randomly combining items in the inventory might do the trick until you create something that can be of use. Thorough scouring of the environments is crucial, as everything you pick up will be of use to you later. The mouse cursor will change to indicate when something can be taken but loose objects stand out enough to catch your eye. As hard as you may try, there is no way to get yourself killed as you navigate through the wild jungle even if things start to get a little hairy.There are bonus puzzles to solve throughout the game to unlock additional content. They usually involve collecting items that aren't related to the storyline so if you happen to miss them the first time around, you can always go back and play again. Visually the game is incredibly vibrant and colorful, to the point of looking slightly radioactive. It looks cartoonish and kid-friendly, minus the part where you'll have to see a certain someone in leopard underwear which is not suitable for children or anyone for that matter. Tooth Island is beautiful and luscious and there is a good amount of variety in the different locales to keep things fresh and interesting. The animation is decent; there are moments when movements are a bit clunky and stiff but the cut scenes are enjoyable to watch. There is a large cast of characters that inhabit Tooth Island, each with their own quirks and bug-eyed expressions.
The voice acting is hit or miss. The fake accents are funny at first, but some of the voices are a little more irritating than others, like Dr. T's high-pitched squeals. Keane didn't have a British accent, despite growing up in London, which was a bit odd since every other character had variations of British and Indian accents. In some instances the dialogue would cut off abruptly at the end of a sentence making the conversation between two characters awkward and choppy. It didn't help that often times the characters seemed to be reciting their lines to no one in particular, creating inflections that don't seem to fit in with the conversation--another reason why some of the jokes didn't quite work out. The music complemented the game very well, cuing in at the right moments to provide a bit of gusto to the action on screen. In general, the soundtrack remained subtle and unobtrusive keeping the mood and atmosphere of the game.A few flaws to note include an error message that kept popping up in one area, but as long as I hit the Windows close button instead of clicking anything else the game would keep going without any issues, otherwise it would kick me out of the game. I also crashed once which could have been a fluke. The game does not support alt tab because that is guaranteed to crash your game. There were a few places where the controls were a little wonky and it was difficult to get Jack where I wanted him to go but it didn't come up often enough to hinder gameplay.
Closing Comments
Other than the few issues that were previously mentioned, Jack Keane is a wonderful adventure experience that should bring back fond memories of old school adventure games. The artwork and design is great for this type of game and the music blended in well to keep the action going. A majority of the puzzles may seem too easy at first, but the difficulty does ramp up later in the game to provide a decent challenge for puzzle solvers. Voice acting can be a little grating at times and the jokes could have been better, but this light-hearted adventure can be fun for those who aren't interested in a serious mystery. It would be fantastic to see what else Deck13 can come up for those of us who enjoy a good romp through the jungle. Be sure to stay until the end of the credits for some amusing outtakes.
7.5
PresentationA solid effort by Deck13; there are a few flaws but overall the style works and the game is fun and easy to play.
7.0
GraphicsBright, colorful environments and enjoyable cut-scenes, but there are awkward animations at times.
7.0
SoundVoice acting is okay, some poorly recited lines. Music is good and fits in with the atmosphere.
8.0
GameplayEasy to learn and fun to play, a well put-together game that brings back old school adventure gaming with style.
7.5
Lasting AppealBonus content and multiple ways to solve some puzzles might make people go another round. Twelve chapters of story-driven adventure and at least 10 hours of gameplay.
7.5Good
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
Jack Keane's gameplay is very easy to pick up. There aren't any confusing menus to navigate through, a simple left click of the mouse will look at items and right click will allow you interact with objects and people. Double clicking will make Jack run and your inventory items are all stored at the top of your screen for easy use. Amanda is also playable later on in the game. Items are generally used once before they disappear, however Jack and Amanda carry a knife and rifle respectively which can be used multiple times. The puzzles are really the meat of the adventure, and depending on the type of player you are, you may not find Jack Keane to be the most complicated or challenging of adventure games. It's not meant to be; it's supposed to be silly and fun, although there are some puzzles that will have you scratching your head and revisiting every area and talking to every person. Who knew that with an empty jam jar, a red sock, and a candle you would have a new taillight for an elephant? If the puzzles aren't painfully obvious, then randomly combining items in the inventory might do the trick until you create something that can be of use. Thorough scouring of the environments is crucial, as everything you pick up will be of use to you later. The mouse cursor will change to indicate when something can be taken but loose objects stand out enough to catch your eye. As hard as you may try, there is no way to get yourself killed as you navigate through the wild jungle even if things start to get a little hairy.There are bonus puzzles to solve throughout the game to unlock additional content. They usually involve collecting items that aren't related to the storyline so if you happen to miss them the first time around, you can always go back and play again. Visually the game is incredibly vibrant and colorful, to the point of looking slightly radioactive. It looks cartoonish and kid-friendly, minus the part where you'll have to see a certain someone in leopard underwear which is not suitable for children or anyone for that matter. Tooth Island is beautiful and luscious and there is a good amount of variety in the different locales to keep things fresh and interesting. The animation is decent; there are moments when movements are a bit clunky and stiff but the cut scenes are enjoyable to watch. There is a large cast of characters that inhabit Tooth Island, each with their own quirks and bug-eyed expressions.
The voice acting is hit or miss. The fake accents are funny at first, but some of the voices are a little more irritating than others, like Dr. T's high-pitched squeals. Keane didn't have a British accent, despite growing up in London, which was a bit odd since every other character had variations of British and Indian accents. In some instances the dialogue would cut off abruptly at the end of a sentence making the conversation between two characters awkward and choppy. It didn't help that often times the characters seemed to be reciting their lines to no one in particular, creating inflections that don't seem to fit in with the conversation--another reason why some of the jokes didn't quite work out. The music complemented the game very well, cuing in at the right moments to provide a bit of gusto to the action on screen. In general, the soundtrack remained subtle and unobtrusive keeping the mood and atmosphere of the game.A few flaws to note include an error message that kept popping up in one area, but as long as I hit the Windows close button instead of clicking anything else the game would keep going without any issues, otherwise it would kick me out of the game. I also crashed once which could have been a fluke. The game does not support alt tab because that is guaranteed to crash your game. There were a few places where the controls were a little wonky and it was difficult to get Jack where I wanted him to go but it didn't come up often enough to hinder gameplay.
Closing Comments
Other than the few issues that were previously mentioned, Jack Keane is a wonderful adventure experience that should bring back fond memories of old school adventure games. The artwork and design is great for this type of game and the music blended in well to keep the action going. A majority of the puzzles may seem too easy at first, but the difficulty does ramp up later in the game to provide a decent challenge for puzzle solvers. Voice acting can be a little grating at times and the jokes could have been better, but this light-hearted adventure can be fun for those who aren't interested in a serious mystery. It would be fantastic to see what else Deck13 can come up for those of us who enjoy a good romp through the jungle. Be sure to stay until the end of the credits for some amusing outtakes.
7.5
PresentationA solid effort by Deck13; there are a few flaws but overall the style works and the game is fun and easy to play.
7.0
GraphicsBright, colorful environments and enjoyable cut-scenes, but there are awkward animations at times.
7.0
SoundVoice acting is okay, some poorly recited lines. Music is good and fits in with the atmosphere.
8.0
GameplayEasy to learn and fun to play, a well put-together game that brings back old school adventure gaming with style.
7.5
Lasting AppealBonus content and multiple ways to solve some puzzles might make people go another round. Twelve chapters of story-driven adventure and at least 10 hours of gameplay.
7.5Good
OVERALL(out of 10 / not an average)
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