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What's exclusive about it?
The game, a sequel to 2007's Umbrella Chronicles, is a cooperative rail-shooter that features levels based off of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica.
For more information, you can check out the game's official website, follow Leon S. Kennedy's and Claire Redfield's Twitter pages, or read the Resident Evil Nostalgia Diaries.
This game just looks excellent. I'm sorry it does.
The game, which is also hitting DS, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3, follows a story that runs somewhat parallel to the show's main story. Players take control of their own character, which they create when the game begins. There isn't a ton of customization, but there is enough that every player will have a character that is unique. Players run into Dan, the show's star, shortly after beginning and he introduces the player-created hero to the wild world of Bakugan.
In video game form, Bakugan becomes more of a tactical pinball game. The two players stand at opposite corners of a square arena. Play begins when one player throws a Bakugan ball out into the arena and then guides the ball around, collecting as many power-ups as they can, and then trying to land their Bakugan onto a field card. Upon contact, the Bakugan then comes out of the ball and is ready for battle. If you miss the card, and you might since you only have a limited amount of time to roam the area for power-ups, you lose all of the power-ups you collected and your Bakugan returns to you.
After that, the other player takes their turn. During their opponent's turn, players can use the Wii Remote's pointer to shoot at their opponent and try to disrupt them. If the player makes it onto the same card as your Bakugan, then the two of you battle. There is no direct battling in Battle Brawlers; instead, you try to get the most points, which you can get by collecting power-ups or using ability cards. When you battle, you play one of three mini-games to get more points. One mini-game involves shaking the Wii Remote, another is a shooting gallery, and the third is a simple rhythm game. However, if your opponent misses the card and you land a second Bakugan on the same card as before, you win the card outright without having to battle.
The game only uses the Wii Remote, and is easy to control. It makes use of the pointer and Wii-specific features. You make a throwing motion to throw the ball, and after it lands on the playing area, you guide it around by tilting the Wii Remote. It's all very intuitive.
There's also a lot of arenas that you can choose from, some of which have other areas that you can get to if you get to the right spot. I played in a plain arena and a wind-themed arena. The wind arena featured tornadoes that, if you got your ball to go near, would shoot you up in the air and take you to more power-ups.
As far as the gameplay goes, it is really simple in comparison to Pokémon. While Pokémon has a lot of depth to it, Bakugan seems to be very cut and dry. It seems that you can only carry three Bakugan at once, and you can only carry about five ability cards at once, which you can use to boost your points before a battle. I had a good time with Bakugan: Battle Brawlers, but it seems to be firmly aimed at its existing core audience. That isn't a bad thing, but I doubt you'll see many people without kids over the age of 15 buying this game.
...You are an "AP Style Jerk," Neal. Sheesh. Ruining everyone's fun.
When reviewed separately all three games got a 9.5 from NWR. I suppose the enhancements of these versions fixed the minor issues which caused the subtraction of the .5?
.Learning Lindy and I have bromances(Describes the complicated love and affection shared by two straight males) with Neal. Will Lauren be upset about this?
I like how those Pros and Cons could have been stolen from a review of the first game. Sounds perfect! ^_^
This feeling comes primarily from the game's story, which has a much broader scope this time around. While the last game took place in one curious village, this sequel takes place in multiple environments, each one different enough from the others to stand out. There are a lot more cut scenes than there were in the previous game, and it seems like there's a little more going on as well. The game is divided up into chapters, seven in total, and the main story will probably take you between 10 and 15 hours to complete.
Because of its adherence to its strong story, the game is very linear with few extraneous paths, most of which only lead to a few bonus puzzles. While the primary gameplay focus is on solving puzzles, the game is like a point-and-click adventure otherwise. You traverse different static screens, talk to people, and search for clues. It's not a particularly inventive point-and-click adventure, but it keeps you engaged and doesn't distract you too much from the real focus, which of course are the puzzles.
These logic puzzles are the crux of the game. They vary in difficulty, with the more difficult ones being worth more picarats, with the game's scoring mechanic giving you more points if you get the answer right on the first try. A lot of the same puzzle types from the previous game return, but in different guises. For example, instead of having sheep cross a river, you have pancakes being transferred from one plate to another. It's familiar and different at the same time. In a similar fashion to games like StarTropics, there's even a puzzle that incorporates the instruction manual into its solution.
Still, some of the puzzles can get tough, and that's where hint coins come into play. Throughout your pointing and clicking you'll come across tons of hidden hint coins, which give you up to three hints on each puzzle. These are easy enough to come by, and help you out with the more difficult challenges.
In addition to all the puzzles, there are a few other secret mini-games that add a little bit of variety to the experience. In Curious Village, you primarily searched for pieces of things and put them together. In Diabolical Box, only one of the three mini-games involves putting things together - a camera in this case - but even that has added functionality. After piecing the camera together, you can take pictures of specific scenes and unlock more puzzles.
You also acquire a chubby hamster during your travels. Using toys you find and place on something similar to a chess board, you get the hamster to walk to the toys so he can reach different step plateaus, which helps him lose weight. It's a surprisingly deep mini-game that only gets more interesting as you find more toys. The other mini-game involves collecting different tea ingredients, making different kinds of tea, and serving it to different characters to unlock different items.
Like the first game, there will be a good deal of downloadable puzzles that will be released each week for a certain amount of time. While these titles aren't actually being downloaded, it's still additional content. You can also use a code from Diabolical Box's instruction manual to unlock more puzzles in the original game and Diabolical Box.
The graphics complete the whole package. They are similar to The Triplets of Belleville and the works of Studio Ghibli, and the characters and environments are gorgeous. The tone-setting music is good, albeit a little repetitive; there is also some good voice acting, although Luke is still as annoying as ever.
Overall, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is a spectacular sequel. It retains the wonderful and challenging puzzles from the original while offering grander story. There's a wealth of content, with over 150 puzzles and three different mini-games. It's a very unique type of game, and anyone who enjoys a good puzzle will most definitely enjoy this fantastic title.
Pros:
Lastability: 8.0
With over 150 puzzles and a few bonus games, there's a lot to do in the latest Professor Layton adventure. Even better, there's downloadable content hitting for a handful of weeks after the game's launch, and content that can be unlocked in the first game by a code in this game's instruction manual.
Final: 9.5
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box is an improved sequel to one of the best games on DS. It also has a distinct presentation, fantastic puzzle-based gameplay, and a superb story with many twists and turns.
Minoru Arakawa, former Nintendo of America president and current president and CEO of Tetris Online, is happy with the team-up. "Majesco was a natural choice to help us bring the latest evolution of the TETRIS franchise to market. Their distribution strength and expertise in the mass market will help ensure that our upcoming Wii and Nintendo DS games reach as many fans as possible."
If you're interested in finding out more about the impact, future, and origins of Tetris, check out our interview with Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov and President and CEO of Blue Planet Software Henk Rogers.
MAJESCO ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH TETRIS ONLINE, INC. TO BRING TWO NEW 'TETRIS®'VIDEO GAMES TO MARKET
Wii and Nintendo DS Versions of Timeless Puzzle Game Expected Next Spring
EDISON, N.J., August 20, 2009 - The perfect puzzle game returns with new challenges as Majesco Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: COOL), an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, and Tetris Online, Inc., today announced a strategic partnership to support the North American launch and distribution of two exciting new TETRIS® games for Wii and Nintendo DS. Both games are expected to launch in spring 2010.
"Majesco was a natural choice to help us bring the latest evolution of the TETRIS franchise to market," said Minoru Arakawa, president and CEO, Tetris Online. "Their distribution strength and expertise in the mass market will help ensure that our upcoming Wii and Nintendo DS games reach as many fans as possible."
"We are thrilled to partner with Tetris Online to release one of the world's most popular video games of all time," said Jesse Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Majesco. "Everyone plays TETRIS, from casual players to seasoned pros, making it a must-have game for Wii and Nintendo DS owners of all ages." TETRIS is one of the most addictive and recognizable video games that has won over hundreds of millions of players with its unique puzzle gameplay. After its humble beginnings in Russia, this timeless puzzle game became a worldwide phenomenon enjoyed by all. Because of its unique yet simple randomness, it is always a fresh experience and never the same game twice.
The new TETRIS games for Wii and Nintendo DS are expected to release next spring. For additional information about Majesco's exciting line of products, please visit: www.majescoentertainment.com.
Developed by Backbone Entertainment (also responsible for Rock Band Unplugged), LEGO Rock Band for DS will have gameplay similar to its console brothers. However, instead of using plastic instruments, players will use the DS buttons or touch screen to play songs.
Players will have the ability to easily switch between Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Vocal tracks. There will also be a local multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to play together.
With the announcement of gameplay details came the confirmation of a few songs, including "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., "The Final Countdown" by Europe, "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty, and "Song 2" by Blur.
LEGO Rock Band is scheduled to come out this holiday season.
WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT, TT GAMES, THE LEGO GROUP, HARMONIX AND MTV GAMES REVEAL LEGO® ROCK BAND FOR NINTENDO DS DETAILS
Invite Friends to Rock On-the-Go and Leave the Peripherals at Home! Burbank, Calif. Aug. 20, 2009 Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, the LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games, a part of Viacoms MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), are building an all-new handheld music gaming experience that lets fans of all ages "Build a Band and Rock the Universe" wherever and whenever they want with LEGO® Rock Band for Nintendo DS. Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, LEGO Rock Band for DS combines the LEGO style of humor with Rock Band gameplay to introduce a portable Rock Band experience that anyone can play without the need for peripherals to be purchased. The game also includes a multiplayer feature that allows up to four players to participate in local wireless multiplayer gameplay.
LEGO Rock Band for DS is developed by Backbone Entertainment, a Foundation 9 Entertainment studio, and will be compatible with the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi. LEGO Rock Band for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii system is in development by TT Games in partnership with Harmonix. All versions are scheduled for release holiday 2009.
The DS version of LEGO Rock Band offers a journey to stardom that friends and families of all ages can enjoy as they rock out in local venues, stadiums and fantasy locations on Earth
and beyond! In a LEGO "build-and-play" gaming experience, players can customize their minifigure avatars to create their own individual LEGO Rock Band style. The game does not require any peripherals, as players can use the DS buttons or touchscreen to play any or all parts of a song: Bass, Guitar, Drums and Vocals. With dynamic track-switching and combo multipliers, the gameplay is accessible for young players, as well as deep and rewarding for even the most skillful of gamers.
Start a band and tour for fame and fortune on-the-go as either a one-man-band or with up to three friends using multi-player mode. Songs on the soundtrack include:
Kaiser Chiefs: "Ruby"
The Automatic: "Monster"
Ray Parker Jr.: "Ghostbusters"
Tom Petty: "Free Fallin'"
Jackson 5: "I Want You Back"
Vampire Weekend: "A-Punk"
Blur: "Song 2"
Carl Douglas: "Kung Fu Fighting"
Europe: "The Final Countdown"
Good Charlotte: "Girls & Boys"
Pink: "So What"
Counting Crows: "Accidentally in Love"
Sum 41: "In Too Deep"
The first trailer is focused on showing off the game's different locations, while the second one is focused on the main female character, Momohime.
IMO the game should be rated by assuming the user will not know these codes.
Might have been interesting if you had to puzzle out the codes through clues left throughout the game.
