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NWR Interactive => TalkBack => Topic started by: Bloodworth on July 03, 2006, 05:00:25 PM

Title: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Bloodworth on July 03, 2006, 05:00:25 PM
Hordes of robots are attacking America, and nothing can save us except a cyborg with a massive hammer.

    Last updated: 07/03/2006 by Daniel Bloodworth          

Project H.A.M.M.E.R. is a new franchise for Wii from NST, Nintendo's American development branch, responsible for titles such as Metroid Prime Hunters and Wave Race Blue Storm.  The main character is a cyborg, equipped with a giant hammer, and the premise is simple: swing the controller to swing the hammer and take down the legions of robots attacking cities across America.    


The control scheme uses the two-handed Nunchuk configuration.  The analog stick is used to move your character, and the trigger buttons on the Nunchuk are used for quick boosts forward or backward.  The player swings the remote in different directions to swing the hammer.  The remote responds to both horizontal and vertical motions.  Sideways attacks are effective for knocking back groups of enemies, while vertical attacks are more powerful.  Vertical attacks can also be charged by pulling back the controller and holding for a few seconds before smashing the hammer down again.      


From what has been seen so far, the game plays like most brawlers, set apart mainly by the action of swinging the controller.  Wave after wave of enemies attack and you have to keep swinging that hammer to press forward.  At times, there are obstacles to plow through or traps to dismantle.  Robot building machines along the way have to be taken down as well as other bosses and mini-bosses.  While nothing has been confirmed at this time, the hero's cyborg nature suggests that specific attributes may be upgraded in some way as the game progresses.

Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: ShyGuy on July 03, 2006, 08:16:33 PM
If this game had some form of co-op it would go from awesome to super awesome.
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Svevan on July 03, 2006, 11:47:33 PM
How is this game starting at awesome?
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on July 04, 2006, 12:15:55 AM
I find the game interesting, and it is sad that it is actually unique compared to other futuristic shooters or beat em ups. My main interest is on what it will be like to use the Wiimote as a hammer, could allow for some interesting gameplay situations, and some mindless fun.
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: WuTangTurtle on July 04, 2006, 02:22:44 AM
This and Day of Crisis, to me at least have a whole lot to do before i even think about adding them to my Launch purchase list.

These 2 titles are supposed to be new IP's from Nintendo and they both so far seem rather uninteresting so far.  If either or both become awesome titles, everyone here can take a nice jab to my face.........but if they both suck i get to jab one of you in the face, any takers? LOL!
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: KDR_11k on July 04, 2006, 05:35:03 AM
I'm thinking that it'll most likely turn out neither bad nor great, merely good and that it'll have a few followers that see it as a great game (like P.N.03).
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: TMW on July 04, 2006, 07:38:50 AM
Nothing wrong with a little good, mindless fun.  

Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: ShyGuy on July 04, 2006, 08:14:07 AM
How is this game starting at awesome?

Well for one, it has 3rd person melee combat using the wiimote, which is one of the first things I envision when the controller was first introduced. The fact that it follows the movements of your cursor rather than being gesture based sounds like a good system to me.

For two, I like brawlers and it has been a long time since I played a decent one. I think the Nintendo level of quality will finally give me a brawler game that doesn't get repetitive and dull after a couple hours. (I'm looking at you, Turtles!)

For three, It's a freaking cyborg with a big hammer!
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: KDR_11k on July 04, 2006, 08:21:46 AM
Super just reviewed Final Fight Streetwise, you might want to read that if you like brawlers.
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: IceCold on July 04, 2006, 10:31:48 AM
Quote
This and Day of Crisis, to me at least have a whole lot to do before i even think about adding them to my Launch purchase list.

These 2 titles are supposed to be new IP's from Nintendo and they both so far seem rather uninteresting so far. If either or both become awesome titles, everyone here can take a nice jab to my face.........but if they both suck i get to jab one of you in the face, any takers? LOL!
Hey look, it's nemo in disguise. We haven't even seen anything at all about Disaster; how can you make a judgement so quickly? I like the idea of it, and I'm looking forward to finding more details about it. Project HAMMER, I can understand if you don't think you'll buy it, but again, give the game more time and then we'll see how it turns out.
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Requiem on July 04, 2006, 12:47:11 PM
Yes, Project HAMMER has the potential to be better than any LOTR games (which I found down right halarious!). If it's multiplayer (maybe up to four?) I would definitely buy it.

The idea of swinging around a giant hammer in the most intuitive of ways makes my mouth salivate. Cause honestly, there is a mass amount of potential with a game like that.

If you are simply looking at the demo as what you might expect then think again. I'm sure it will be a deeper game.
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: GoldenPhoenix on July 04, 2006, 03:21:09 PM
I an fairly impressed with the visuals so far, heck it looks about as good as that PS3 game with historical battles that include giant crabs.
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Kairon on July 04, 2006, 10:40:25 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Requiem
Yes, Project HAMMER has the potential to be better than any LOTR games (which I found down right halarious!). If it's multiplayer (maybe up to four?) I would definitely buy it.

The idea of swinging around a giant hammer in the most intuitive of ways makes my mouth salivate. Cause honestly, there is a mass amount of potential with a game like that.

If you are simply looking at the demo as what you might expect then think again. I'm sure it will be a deeper game.


Isn't that fanboy optimism speaking?

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Requiem on July 04, 2006, 11:24:48 PM
A little, but let me ask you this...


Are you optimistic about Miyamoto's new IP?

If so, is that not fanboyism? Or is that expecting quality where quality is a given?
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Kairon on July 04, 2006, 11:29:34 PM
The latter. NST hasn't earned anything close to Miyamoto level respect!

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Smash_Brother on July 05, 2006, 07:13:22 AM
This game will answer a question of mine which has been brewing for a while: Will the Wiimote be able to rejuvenate genres which have become stale?

The "Slaughter billions of enemies" genre has been around since Gauntlet (possibly even before then) and although I've seen many, many variations on the concept, it has always been the same and has grown stale for me: there's just no thrill in mowing down yet another hundred enemies which all look and die exactly the same.

But that's with repeatedly tapping the same button to kill them. I couldn't say if making gestures with the Wiimote would be the same or if they would breathe new life into the concept (I'm personally hoping for new life).

So I have a wait and see approach with this game. It looks like it might be an excellent stress reliever but I won't be sure until I've had the chance to play it.  
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Requiem on July 05, 2006, 10:49:41 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
The latter. NST hasn't earned anything close to Miyamoto level respect!

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com


While that maybe true, NST is still part of Nintendo and Nintendo makes quality games.
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Pale on July 05, 2006, 10:53:31 AM
I, sadly, didn't get to play this at e3, as time was important and I chose some other Wii titles over this one.

That aside, I think I'm one of the few staffers optimistic about the title.....  Could the fact that I'm one of the few staffers who didn't play it have something to do with that? possibly, but I'm still holding out hope.  I want Nintendo to expand it's western development, and NST making crappy games won't help that process along.
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on July 05, 2006, 04:08:30 PM
We know nothing about Day of Crisis, and there's no way it's going to be at launch.

I don't see how the Wii controller has anything to do with reviving the beat-em-up (should that be "bmup"?) genre.  Waving the controller around to pull off the same two or three moves is just as repetitive, if not more so, than pressing buttons for the same actions.  The key to making an engaging beat-em-up is variety and good game design.  Once those are in place, I will concede that the Wii controller could add some fun antics, but this genre's failings are due to poor design, not the lack of a proper controller.
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Requiem on July 05, 2006, 04:37:16 PM
Well, I don't know much about the game besides seeing the demo video, but I thought that besides a few scripted moves, you were given the freedom of swinging the hammer as you pleased.

Was I wrong?
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: ShyGuy on July 05, 2006, 04:38:44 PM
Ok, so out of the people here who have played the game demo at E3, are there individuals who are fans of the brawler genre?

I mean, if you didn't like classic brawler games such as Double Dragon or TMNT Arcade, then maybe this game just isn't for you.

The beat-em-up genre is by it's very nature repetitive, but if the play mechanics are solid and the controls are tight, they can maintain the games appeal until the end. (which I think should be less than 8 hours for a pure brawler.)  
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Svevan on July 05, 2006, 04:56:21 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Requiem
Well, I don't know much about the game besides seeing the demo video, but I thought that besides a few scripted moves, you were given the freedom of swinging the hammer as you pleased.

Was I wrong?

Very. As with every Wii game (minus WiiSports: Airplane), you don't have complete control over the object the remote is emulating. If you swing the control hard left or right then your hammer does a sideswipe, and if you pull back and up slowly then release, your hammer will do a ground pound. Actually, I think those are the only two moves.  

ShyGuy: I thought food tastes better when you're hungry?
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on July 05, 2006, 05:26:09 PM
I'm sure the final game will have many more moves, but the E3 demo got boring even before the end of the...you know...DEMO.
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: ShyGuy on July 05, 2006, 05:48:53 PM
Huh? Food does taste better if you're hungry. I don't think many people would disagree with that statement.

Perhaps I am missing how this is applied here...

Looking at the videos, there appears to be a "swing the hammer 360 degrees" move too.
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Requiem on July 05, 2006, 06:56:54 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Jonnyboy117
I'm sure the final game will have many more moves, but the E3 demo got boring even before the end of the...you know...DEMO.


I hope your right. I wish the control scheme wasn't so gesture based. Instead, the way I had envisioned it sounded (to me at least) incredibly intuitive. Also, it allows for player-created moves and a unique experience for anyone who plays it.

All the sudden I am a bit nervous regarding the Wiimote in it's entirety. If so many games are using gestures instead of full interactive control, then I think the Wii will be seen as a gimm!ck and not a revolution in control. People want -- need the challenge of becoming master of whatever roll you may play in a game. In Red Steel, people want to feel like they are the samurai and as such need full control over the sword. Any comprimise will feel like a diluted attempt at immersion.

Games like WiiTennis\Drums\Orchestra\Baseball\Golf need to be the games that developers look at and follow.

/rant
Title: RE:PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Kairon on July 05, 2006, 08:27:10 PM
So... are you less fanboy-hyped now Requiem?

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Title: RE: PREVIEWS: Project H.A.M.M.E.R.
Post by: Requiem on July 05, 2006, 08:36:29 PM
You could say that....