Messages

[The real puzzle is why it took so long.]

26

TalkBack / Late to Layton

« on: October 23, 2012, 11:21:44 AM »

The real puzzle is why it took so long.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/32212

Staring down a heap of puzzles is a new experience for me—the last matchstick puzzle I bested was a barside distraction in Hotel Dusk. 

So it's with some hesitance that I enter the Professor Layton series with the latest entry (and the first on 3DS), Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask.

I've meant to jump into the steady stream of Layton games since the beginning (2008's Professor Layton and the Curious Village). I don't know what went wrong, but here we are, over four years later, with me not having touched a single one.

I actually thought last year's Last Specter would break the streak: in addition to the standard Layton package, it included Layton's London Life, a simple, Animal Crossing-esque RPG with a Mother 3 aesthetic, co-developed by Brownie Brown. It seemed like a whole lot of a good thing. Perhaps too much, as it turned out—I never found the time for it, and so the Layton train rumbled by for yet another year. But now I'm making amends, and jumping on with Miracle Mask.

I'm excited, but do I have reason to worry as I finally break into the series? In all likelihood, no. I think I'm shrewd enough to unwind even the hottest riddle the game will throw at me. 

But suppose it's the most aggressive Layton yet—maybe they've rounded the corner from innocent cleverness into pure bastardry? Let's look at the progression. It began, innocently enough, with just "curious," and a village, but accelerated into "diabolical," started unwinding the future, dealt with ghosts, and now messes with miracles. How will I fare? Only time—and maybe some hint coins—will tell.

Lend me your wisdom, Professor.

[RFN: No Jons, 50% Canadian.]

27

Podcast Discussion / Episode 311: Toad Dreams of Poutine

« on: October 21, 2012, 03:38:06 PM »

RFN: No Jons, 50% Canadian.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/32188

Jonny was out traveling this week and Jon is still out, so James was charged with not just pulling together not just a show but a cast. Nate rejoins the show this week along with first-time guest Donald "Shaymin" Theriault, the host of Nintendo Free Radio - a podcast for the NWR forums, by the NWR forums.

We start the show with New Business this week. Donald goes all-out Pokemon. First he talks about Pokemon Black 2, and the rest of the crew grills him to justify its existence. He hits the Pokemon well again with Pokemon Dream Radar; it turns out AR Pokemon sounds about as fun as it is. Nate takes us on a strange journey though the utterly inexplicable world of Asura's Wrath. Guillaume explores co-operative gameplay with Kirby Super Star and delves into Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. James wraps up New Business digging himself into a very deep hole in the Xbox Live Arcade version of Minecraft.

After the break we move into a set of feature discussions. Inspired by this article, first we share our thoughts on Nintendo's recent (and not so recent) procurement of Japanese franchises. It turns out it isn't easy to determine the larger effect Nintendo publishing Bayonetta on the larger Japanese gaming market. Our second topic is a more in-depth discussion of Nintendo's marketing strategy for Wii U, one month from the launch window. With all of these features, how are they supposed to sell this thing?

Just a reminder, the NWR Live Podcast Telethon is just a few weeks away! It's for the children, so be sure to mark it on your calendar. This week's guest Donald and the rest of the Nintendo Free Radio crew will host their own hour, but only if you donate! Also, remember to send us listener mail, it's been a little slow so there's a pretty good chance we'll use it on the show!

[There's only one disaster here.]

28

TalkBack / Commando: Steel Disaster Review

« on: October 17, 2012, 11:10:59 AM »

There's only one disaster here.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/31854

Above all else, Commando: Steel Disaster takes precautions to match the style and gameplay of the Metal Slug series. As much is initially obvious from the game's visual style, and immediately confirmed through gameplay. In fact, precautions is far gentler a term than Steel Disaster's abrasive, surprisingly boring imitation job probably warrants. The game does a fairly convincing Metal Slug pose, but can't hold it long, or even well.

Steel Disaster's gameplay comes from the template of Metal Slug, and while shooting, bombing, and slicing through waves of identical enemies as a bandana-wearing commando here can provide sporadic fun, doing so at length becomes a rote and hollow experience (you can only enjoy the exact same enemy death cry so many times, and it's somewhere in the single digits.) The game is purely iterative, adding nothing of interest or value to a formula it manages to emulate only on a surface level, aside from a needless and prohibitive difficulty. 

Though it fails in providing anything new, worthwhile, or even fun, Steel Disaster is at least consistent in volume, generously slopping hordes of enemies into each stage for the player to chew through. If nothing else—and there is little else—the game should satisfy if you want something vaguely familiar to struggle with for a while.

[More persons. More doors. No escape.]

29

TalkBack / Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward Preview

« on: October 16, 2012, 10:42:44 AM »

More persons. More doors. No escape.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/preview/32117

"The theme of VLR is of course global warming and environmental destruction. Just kidding, ha ha ha. But you see? Humans can lie without breaking a sweat."

Director and Lead Writer of Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward Kotaro Uchikoshi's mirthful statement, from an interview posted by publisher Aksys Games, covers a lot of relevant thematic ground. Dry, illusive, and more than a little dark, it's a fitting introduction to Virtue’s Last Reward, the successor to Chunsoft's 2010 DS puzzle-adventure game 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. Like 999, Virtue's Last Reward puts the player in control of an ordinary young man who ends up captured and placed in an ominous, enigmatic situation with eight other individuals. Escaping the malevolent situation requires cooperation, but, as Uchikoshi explains, this dependence carries a danger.

“'Lying' and 'betrayal'… these are some of the major themes in this title. However, the main characters in this game aren’t lying on a whim or for a joke. Each and every one of them has their own beliefs, purpose, and goals, and in order to stay true to those they will have to choose 'betray.' I think the real fun in this game is trying to solve those mysteries."

As in 999, the characters are forced to participate in a complex psychological contest called the Nonary Game. Virtue's Last Reward's incarnation of the event carries the subtitle "Ambidex Edition," and, as alluded to by Uchikoshi, places an emphasis on the slipperiness of trust. The orchestrator of the game's twisted premise, an AI taking the image of a rabbit and referring to itself as Zero III, tags each of the nine characters with a bracelet. By playing the Ambidex Game against each other, characters can lose and gain BP (Bracelet Points); reaching nine BP lets you attempt to open a door with the same number and escape, while falling to zero rewards you with death.

The rules of Ambidex Edition are an interpretation of game theory (the analysis of strategic decision-making), particularly a form known as "The Prisoner's Dilemma." Each is structured around the phenomenon of betrayal in individuals, even in the face of a mutually beneficial alliance. In Virtue's Last Reward, this is decision is communicated by the option for both you and a given opponent to pick "Ally" or "Betray." If both participants choose ally, they each receive two BP. If one chooses to ally and the other to betray, the former has two BP deducted while the latter gains three. If the betrayal is mutual, BP for each remains constant.

"So," Uchikoshi continues, "let’s say you and your opponent both have one point. If your opponent says, 'I’ll definitely choose ally!' what would you do? Would you choose ally? Or betray? If your opponent really chooses ally and you chose betray, you will essentially cause their death. On the other hand, if the opponent lied and they choose betray while you choose ally, then you will die."

Alongside the psychological tightrope of the Nonary Game (the "Novel" section of the game), Virtue's Last Reward features touch screen-based puzzles (the "Escape" sections) similar to those of 999—and exhaustively varied selection, according to Uchikoshi.

"There’s a slide puzzle, a code puzzle, a logic puzzle, a math puzzle, a panel puzzle, a line puzzle, a scale puzzle, a dice puzzle, an hourglass puzzle, a clock puzzle, a cocktail puzzle, a billiard puzzle, a dart puzzle, a jukebox puzzle, a DNA puzzle, a pH puzzle, a jellyfish puzzle, a Zero III doll puzzle, a slightly perverted puzzle, and several others. That is just a small portion of what’s inside."

Uchikoshi also notes the warm reception to 999 in the West as the catalyst for the production of Virtue's Last Reward, though we will have to wait until later this month to see if the latter continues that legacy of critical success.

[James rants about the worst game he's ever reviewed. Plus: your Listener Mail, and Metroid references throughout.]

30

Podcast Discussion / Episode 310: Relax, It's Only Surgery

« on: October 13, 2012, 04:54:20 PM »

James rants about the worst game he's ever reviewed. Plus: your Listener Mail, and Metroid references throughout.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/32101

Over the years, some of the most memorable James rants have come from his reviews. The start of this episode is sure to join that pantheon, as he struggles to cope with the nightmare of... Crazy Hunter. No, it has nothing to do with deer. Returning super-guest Nate Andrews follows up with a game opposite in quality, the stellar Walking Dead from Telltale. Anticipating the imminent release of Crashmo, Nate also loads up Pushmo to revisit the eShop favorite. Guillaume scratches an RPG itch with Persona 3 Portable for PSP, and we consider the prospects for that series coming to 3DS. Jonny concludes the segment with updated --and significantly more jubilant-- impressions of La-Mulana, the last great WiiWare game. He also spends a few minutes on FTL, the difficult but strangely addictive space roguelike that everyone's talking about.

We emerge from the Now Playing break to catch up on just a few of the excellent emails you've been sending over the past few weeks. One listener is concerned about how expectations affect reviews. Another questions how abundant 1-ups can affect our perception of a game's difficulty. We also dig through our collections for games that are worth far more than we originally paid. This email adventure concludes with some fun speculation on how Metroid will translate to the Wii U experience. Please contribute even more great questions and ideas by sending your own email -- we read everything and use as many as possible for the show!

One last, important thing: we announced the new telethon last week, and now the event page is available to provide all the details you need, plus links to donate early. Bookmark this page, because it will be updated frequently as the planning gets hot and heavy! Plus, that's where you'll want to be on the day of the event, November 10, to access the live audio and interact with us and fellow NWR fans throughout the telethon.

[Denpa Men leads you on the pretty path of least resistance.]

31

TalkBack / The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave Review

« on: October 08, 2012, 06:30:15 PM »

Denpa Men leads you on the pretty path of least resistance.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/32045

Denpa Men are curious creatures. A disarming hybrid of Pikmin and the Nintendo Mii figure, these odd characters come together under your supervision to conquer numerous dungeons and vanquish evil. 

The eShop RPG’s augmented reality mechanic, which allows you to pluck the titular Men from their home on the radio waves, is only a means to the game's far-off end. While initially used to put together a modest team to conquer the game's early dungeons, this AR capture system exists to complement the game's most notable quality: a streamlined approach to difficulty, death, and progress. 

With no-frills gameplay that could serve as the dictionary definition of "dungeon crawling," playing and succeeding The Denpa Men requires more patience than strategic input. The game takes measures that ensure a steady, if often dry, experience throughout, even in the face of stronger opposition. In any given dungeon, your party of up to eight battles through floors of enemies with the intent of reaching and defeating the final boss. To combat the strengths and weaknesses of foes, you can catch and select Men of differing qualities and skills to send into battle, with the additional option to buy and tweak equipped items and clothing (different patterns of which can provide different buffs for the wearer).  

With those decisions made, your Men enter the game’s myriad simplistic turn-based battles. At the outset of each encounter, you can dictate the actions of each Man separately (ideally to take direct advantage of a skill or item), or issue an auto-fight order that utilizes any present skills for the round. Send out the broad command after a damaging enemy attack, and the default party leader will use his revival ability to bring back a defeated comrade, or another Man will heal a party member with particularly low health. The game's shallow approach to dungeon crawling comes with the baggage of frequent and repetitive encounters, and though it occasionally behooves you to get into the specifics of each Man’s action, this one-button option helps somewhat in mitigating their ponderousness and lubricating the game's one-note grind.

In its design, The Denpa Men is somewhat comparable to a box of crayons: the contents are inviting and colorful, but limited in what they can create. Though eager and accessible, The Denpa Men suffers from a lack of meaningful direction or outlet for its otherwise interesting characters. The game includes some modest systems in the periphery of its simplistic RPG gameplay, but they all lead back into an unchanging core gameplay the game stretches over dungeon after dungeon, often testing your resolve to grind through the area more than it does the competence of your strategy or team. 

The Denpa Men could be considered "old school" in this way, a quality that may make the downloadable game an appealing distraction to some, but its surplus of unchanging RPG content drags on the novelty of the experience with time. Like any crayon, The Denpa Men quickly becomes dull. 

[This week is all business... New Business, that is! (Sorry, haters.)]

32

Podcast Discussion / Episode 308: Bathe in the Spicy RPG Sauce

« on: October 01, 2012, 12:23:42 AM »

This week is all business... New Business, that is! (Sorry, haters.)

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/31931

Since Gui couldn't edit this week, we kept the episode a lot shorter by focusing on just New Business. Jonny starts it with a whopping three games: the hardcore exploration WiiWare game La-Mulana, mildly controversial eShop platformer Fractured Soul, and the nostalgic vision quest of To the Moon for Steam. Guillaume follows with his own thoughts on Renegade Ops, plus a wrap-up for the Wii game now being sought all over the world, Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands.

After an oddly placed break for Now Playing, we return with James showcasing a couple of more obscure titles: the hybrid arcade/sim flight combat game called Birds of Steel, and a questionable genetic puzzle PC game called Splice. Then, returning champion Nate finally gets his turn with Nintendo's new 3DS RPG called The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave. He also shares impressions of the long-awaited Torchlight II for PC.

Next week, we're planning to discuss the latest RetroActive game: Kirby and the Amazing Mirror. Be sure to drop your thoughts in this here thread by Wednesday if you want a chance to be heard on the show! (Lots of useful tips over there, too.) And as always, the email lines are open and waiting for your excellent questions and comments.

[A brand new guest helps us talk through parallel dimensions, starships, forgotten games about sand, and your reactions to the Wii U news. Plus: Which games are teens' favorites?]

33

Podcast Discussion / Episode 307: Don't Let Your Kids Huff the Warm Mushroom Cookies

« on: September 23, 2012, 06:23:05 PM »

A brand new guest helps us talk through parallel dimensions, starships, forgotten games about sand, and your reactions to the Wii U news. Plus: Which games are teens' favorites?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/31838

This week on RFN, we welcome a new voice to help fill in while Jon is taking care of business. That new voice is Nate Andrews, whom you might have heard before on Connectivity. He jump-starts New Business with a recap and discussion of his recent Fractured Soul review. Nate and James tag-team impressions for FTL, the seemingly impossible space exploration roguelike for PC. Jonny has his own space report for Q-Games' Starship Defense, a visually striking tower defense game for DSiWare. He also recommends Renegade Ops, a Blast Corp-like drivin' and shootin' game. Guillaume wraps up his thoughts on Touch Detective, and he reminds us of the awesome, Wii-exclusive Prince of Persia: Forgotten Sands (quite different than the other console versions).

We return to Listener Mail this week with an unusually large batch of questions, each dispatched rather efficiently. Several involve hand-wringing over the Wii U price, bundles, backwards-compatibility, a digital copy of Nintendo Land, etc. We also get some really interesting survey results from a high school teacher who wanted to know what games are most beloved by today's students. Keep these conversations going, and start your own, by sending in a letter for the show!

If you're having trouble with Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, or just haven't started it yet, head over to the RetroActive forum thread for some handy tips and the nascent group discussion. We'll be covering it on the podcast very soon!

[The Connectibites discuss what Nintendo didn't talk about at the big Wii U event, and recall some Animal Crossing memories.]

34

Podcast Discussion / Episode 52: Nintendo Indirect

« on: September 22, 2012, 05:37:12 PM »

The Connectibites discuss what Nintendo didn't talk about at the big Wii U event, and recall some Animal Crossing memories.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/31837

Are you tired of all the positive Wii U discussion we've been having here lately? Well then, boy do I have just what you're looking for! This week, we're brining you down by discussing all the things Nintendo left out of their big Wii U event. What that means is a lot of talk about online infrastructure, and a few other things as well!

After that, Scott and Nate look back over some of their fondest memories of Animal Crossing.

If you're interested, we also have a bonus segment this week, where you'll hear Scott and Nate talk about the new series of Doctor Who! Vwoorp Vwoorp.

If you've got any burning questions you can send them to us by clicking here. Also, please rate and review our little show on iTunes!

[D'aww.]

35

Podcast Discussion / Best of the Wii: A Boy and His Blob

« on: September 19, 2012, 08:44:42 AM »

D'aww.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/31792

WayForward's 2009 interpretation of A Boy and His Blob's always had a special place in our hearts, so it's no surprise to see it among our picks for the best third-party Wii games.

Hear Neal, Zach, and Nate gush about fun platforming, beautiful graphics, and a whole lotta huggin'.

[Nate, Guillaume, and Carmine diagnose one of the Wii's best.]

36

Podcast Discussion / Best of the Wii: Trauma Team

« on: September 12, 2012, 10:26:44 AM »

Nate, Guillaume, and Carmine diagnose one of the Wii's best.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/31637

Trauma Team's our pick for the seventh-best third-party Wii game! 

Listen as Nate, Guillaume, and Carmine discuss why the game's inclusion of additional medical professions makes it one of the best games in the Trauma Center series, and one of the Wii's best titles.

[The best of all possible realities.]

37

TalkBack / Fractured Soul Review

« on: September 11, 2012, 07:08:02 PM »

The best of all possible realities.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/31615

Just what shape Fractured Soul would've taken had the game not experienced the number of setbacks it did on its way from the DS to the 3DS, and from retail to the eShop, is hard to determine. Given its ultimate platform and price point, it might be too easy to misclassify the screen-jumping platformer's present state as a compromise of Endgame's initial vision for the game. Regardless of any original intentions, though, this final incarnation of Fractured Soul unites smart ideas and a sharp execution around its very specific mechanic.

Fractured Soul's concept, condensed: By hitting a button, you swap your character between two different realities (represented on the top and bottom screens) that, while similar in their broad architecture, present different platforming layouts. Early on, you move through rudimentary designs, using the switching ability to circumvent barriers, dodge enemy fire and placement, and navigate jumping puzzles (the pieces of which are scattered between the realities). At this point, the realities mirror each other closely not just in shape, but also in physical properties, and the low-consequence play results in a learned inclination to move your eyes in tandem with the shifting of your character from screen to screen.

The predominant strategy in Fractured Soul doesn't concern precise platforming (the character, while relatively mobile and equipped with a double jump ability, lacks some of the accuracy of other games in the genre), but instead this capacity to effectively bounce back and forth between screens. Instead of relying on the character's jump ability to avoid enemy fire, you quickly slam back and forth between realities, allowing attacks to pass through your position and getting in shots when you once again share the same plane.

While this tactic works a good percentage of the time, dodging combat altogether seems the ideal way to play. Doing so by way of the switching ability is not only often faster (the game tracks your time for each stage), it also leads to fewer hits. Given the shallow pool of life you have at any given time, this method feels far more parallel Fractured Soul's gameplay conceits. Emphasizing smart play with the switching technique over a rote jump-and-shoot design isn't always the game's solution, though. Often, the sole way to proceed involves dispatching enemies with your own paltry shots. Using the character's ability to shoot in service of solving puzzles (which is often the case) is fine; using shooting to clear a hallway or shaft of enemies feels obtuse, and highly disruptive to one of Fractured Soul's best qualities: its pace.

Instead of the Mega Man-esque platforming-and-shooting experience it leans on to poor effect, Fractured Soul seems better suited to a Mirror's Edge gameplay philosophy: smart, active avoidance with an interesting system, without the run-and-gun gameplay grafted on. Dealing with enemies by switching around and outsmarting them is far more satisfying than relying on the character's ineffective bursts, but Fractured Soul increasingly relies on such mechanics as you progress, which lead to unavoidable (and seemingly uneven) firefights and frustrations in later stages, and act as a deterrent to the game's consistently engrossing platforming. When you're just standing (or moving around slightly) and shooting something—even if you do well and don't lose life—it's never as fun as the game's physical problem solving; you're not applying any of its interesting or learned skills.

Fractured Soul is at its best when it doesn't try to be Mega Man, and just shows confidence in the plasticity of in its lead mechanic. Successful and seamless use of the switching ability is possible, and highly rewarding, but requires a certain mindfulness of the position of your corporeal (and vulnerable) self, the obstacles present and coming up on each screen, and the timing necessary to slip by in the reality. At a point, the game introduces harsher differences between the realities. The top one may be underwater (and thus have different jumping physics), have violent winds that blow you around during jumps, or feature columns of air that keep you aloft. The variations emphasize different kinds of awareness in the game, such as shifts in motion, time spent in each reality, and the existence of platforms in each area. With these tricky alterations, Fractured Soul tasks you with balancing an even more complex workload, keeping two sets of rules on hand to make it through its rigorous and often tightly structured puzzles. Failure happens frequently (often with a helpful checkpoint), but success comes with a deep satisfaction from the physical memorization and application of something so difficult but so cool.

Apart from a fairly lengthy collection of main stages, Fractured Soul features several bonus scenarios (unlocked by attaining better rankings in the main stages). It also breaks up sequences of platforming with a handful of side-scrolling shooter stages. Decent, if inconsequential, these short segments are a safely superfluous distraction from the main gameplay, though they employ the switching mechanic to suitable effect.

Fractured Soul is a superb and fairly extensive collection of clever, interesting, and devious platforming ideas; most of it is good, much of it is fantastic. Some of it sullied by disruptive limitations and antithetical gameplay choices, though this slice is minimal compared to the abundance of well-structured—and decidedly fun—moments Fractured Soul delivers.

[With the game's upcoming eShop release, we talk with Grant Davies of Endgame Studios about the past, present, and future of Fractured Soul.]

38

TalkBack / Fractured Soul Interview with Grant Davies

« on: September 07, 2012, 08:38:01 PM »

With the game's upcoming eShop release, we talk with Grant Davies of Endgame Studios about the past, present, and future of Fractured Soul.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/31583

When we last spoke with Grant Davies, Managing Director at Endgame Studios, the future of Fractured Soul looked decidedly different. The screen-switching platformer, originally conceived for the DS, was making the leap up to the 3DS. Inevitably, another round of publishing trouble delayed it from appearing at retail on that system as well.

In March, Endgame announced it had regained the rights to Fractured Soul after the publishing deal with Ignition Entertainment fell through, and hinted at plans to bring the completed project to the eShop (confirmation of which came last month).

With a final release date for the beleaguered project in sight, we had another opportunity to discuss the legacy of Fractured Soul with Mr. Davies.

Nintendo World Report (NWR): For those who don't know, what is Fractured Soul?

Grant Davies (GD): Fractured Soul is a platforming game in the same spirit as classic platforming games like Mega Man, but with a twist—it is played across both screens of the 3DS at once. The player can switch screens at any time by tapping either of the shoulder buttons. Switching is necessary to avoid hazards and enemy fire, as well as navigating the level. The game is made up of 5 worlds and in each of the worlds there is something notably different in the upper screen—for example, different gravity or movement properties—which keeps changing the nature of the switching gameplay. There are also some shmup levels which also use screen switching—for this part, think Ikaruga but way easier.

NWR: You've compared Fractured Soul to titles like Super Meat Boy, Cave Story, Mega Man—games remembered for and defined by the quality of their platforming. Do you think of Fractured Soul as that sort of evergreen experience?

GD: When you work on something so closely for so long, you tend to lose objectivity, so I'll leave it for others to judge how Fractured Soul stacks up against these awesome platformers. I reference these games because they are all very much in the spirit of the classic, retro platform game, and that is what we set out to achieve with Fractured Soul. Telling people "it's like Mega Man, except on two screens" immediately conveys what otherwise could be very tricky to describe! I would be extremely happy if we could compare favourably to any of those games—it would be a job well done.

NWR: Will we ever see the DS version, or is it 3DS from here on out?

GD: The rights to the DS [version of Fractured Soul] were sold a long time ago to a distributor (N3V Games) and the fate of that game lies in their hands. I know that the DS market is fading away these days so it's probably getting increasingly difficult for them to place it at retail. All we can control is the 3DS version, so that's what we're doing for now.

NWR: Do you feel anything has been lost or tarnished in the lengthy process of jumping to the 3DS and getting the game published?

GD: In general—no. In fact, in many ways quite the opposite. We were able to take the opportunity to rebuild the art from the ground up with a totally new style and entirely in 3D. We were also able to rebuild the audio too. Finally, and most importantly for gamers, the addition of online rankings was something we always wanted to do on DS but simply couldn't. This is the most exciting addition to the 3DS game in our view. The 3DS version is really the version we wanted to develop originally but were constrained by DS hardware.

As far as negatives go, when I look back on the total development cycle, I do think we've lost something in it taking so long to get to market. I notice the occasional comment on the game as accusing it of being derivative of other duality platform games—and I suppose it's reasonable to jump to this conclusion, particularly if you don't fully understand the nuances of Fractured Soul's gameplay or if you're not aware of the full history of the game. We invented Fractured Soul long before we knew anything about any other duality platform games—but it took us so long to get the game to market that other games were invented, developed, and released along the way. Once you play a little bit of Fractured Soul, you realise how different it is from the other games, but it's still disappointing when people get a negative first impression of the game because they think it's a copy of some other game.

NWR: How did you ultimately decide to release Fractured Soul on the eShop?

GD: In a nutshell, we were sick of being given the runaround by publishers. You can only absorb so many walkouts and deals going south before you start to investigate other options. I think Tim Schafer [founder of Double Fine Productions] really gave us all hope by proving that publishers don't always know what gamers want. We've always been reasonably confident that there's a market for Fractured Soul because we're platform gamers ourselves and we built the game because we wanted to play such a game, and we do enjoy playing the game. Game development should be as simple as that—and in the indie world, it is. Publishers were feeling pretty apathetic towards any retail 3DS product last year, and this certainly drove us toward eShop too.

NWR: How about the price point? Last time we spoke, you were considering something higher.

GD: Yes. Initially the game was intended as a full retail product, at a price point of probably $25 or $30. The amount of content was built around that plan. Had we been targeting eShop from the start, we probably would have built a smaller product and priced it accordingly, since most products on the eShop are more "bite-sized" and less than $10. One idea was to split the game into 2 episodes and set them at $7 or $8 each. Ultimately, we realised this would not be true to the game, and would hurt the experience for gamers, so we decided to keep it as one game. This was the right decision to make for the game, but it made pricing a real headache. Nobody expects to pay more than $10 on eShop at the moment, because that's how other games are priced (with according amount of content), and already we've seen one or two comments alluding to Fractured Soul being one of the more expensive eShop titles, which is true (if you don't count [New]SMB2!). I think the game should be priced at $15 to be honest with you, but we've made it $11.99 simply because we felt there would be too much of a backlash to make it $15. I'm sure some people will still feel it's too high—but if you consider that you're getting a full retail game for less than half of what you'd pay in store, it's really quite a good deal. We're the ones that will lose out of this price point—it has cost us so much to develop Fractured Soul!

NWR: You've previously mentioned having to cut ideas/puzzles from the game due to lack of development time. Has any of this content made into the eShop release?

GD: Following on from the previous answer, I already think we've jammed a huge amount of content in to the game for the price. When you think about it being two different game modes (platforming and shmup) and the total game weighing in at around 380MB, there's not much more we could have squeezed in the game! If we put all our ideas in this game, we'd be still making it in another eight years. The screen switching mechanic is fascinating—it adds so many possibilities that haven't been done before. I remember listening to the developer commentary of Portal, and Gabe Newell said they were only just scratching the surface of this new game mechanic after the release of the first game. I feel like we're in that position right now—and hopefully we'll get a chance to do more Fractured Soul, if gamers embrace the concept.

NWR: Last time, you mentioned the possibility of a sequel on consoles. Are you considering Wii U now? What is your impression of the system?

GD: I think there's two ideas here. One is that we'd love to have a presence on consoles and PC. I've seen how well Mutant Mudds has transitioned onto PC (day-one purchase for me) and I'd love to see Fractured Soul on the big screen too. The other idea is that of a sequel, which is also something the whole team would love to do—we're already running an internal document on ideas should we get a chance to do it. It just depends on how the first game performs in the marketplace. As for Wii U, we don't have any specific ideas that would take advantage of that console at the moment, so in a sense we view all those consoles as very similar to each other. XBLA [Xbox Live Arcade] is notoriously difficult to get a release on, so a lot will depend on how Nintendo evolve the digital store and whether they're looking for indie content to put on it.

NWR: Now that the game's bumpy publishing story is finally coming to an end, how do you feel about the whole process?

GD: It's really difficult to sum up eight years in a word. Some months have been nothing short of nightmarish—a combination of extreme stress and frustration. Then, on the flip side, actually working on Fractured Soul—the design in particular—has been a joy. I have certainly learned a lot about the business side of running an indie studio. We've probably run up against every issue we'll ever run up against in the future. And we've certainly seen the worst of the publisher beast in that time. I can't help feeling like we should be working on Fractured Soul 5 by now if things had gone slightly differently along the way. However, this is the whole indie experience, and we got there in the end!

NWR: What projects/systems will you be working on in the future? Will you stick to Nintendo systems? Will you stick to download platforms?

GD: I think download is great—a way to connect directly with gamers and a way to provide a really good value offering to gamers too. Download is definitely where we want to be. I'd like to think we'll be across more platforms than only Nintendo in the future. I do hope that Fractured Soul sells well enough to justify 3DS as a viable platform in its own right, because I do think it's a cool platform, and it would be good to be able to continue to support it. As for future projects—well, somewhere along this crazy journey we realised that the reason Fractured Soul is a platforming game is because we naturally enjoy these games, and naturally want to design this type of game. So whatever we do in the future, it will likely be in the platforming genre. We're all hoping, though, that Fractured Soul can do well enough to justify us doing more with it. There is lot left to explore in Fractured Soul yet!

[I'm a former resident. He's never played. Now we're sharing a town.]

39

TalkBack / Neighbors in Namforth - Part 1

« on: August 08, 2012, 12:54:06 PM »

I'm a former resident. He's never played. Now we're sharing a town.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/31261

*Insert town name here*, where everybody knows your name.

Or at least they do once you’ve made the rounds, introduced yourself, and experienced each, uh, creature’s eccentricities. Animal Crossing’s weird that way.

That plain-faced quirk and community-driven design is also what makes the game so appealing, at least to me. I realized this a while ago, when I started contemplating the eventual 3DS entry, and how the shiny new system in my hands would make a great platform for another jump into that second, more colorful life.

Around the same time, I came across a blog set up by game/tech writer Wesley Fenlon. In it, he proposes and carries out a shockingly simple plan to play Animal Cross: City Folk with a few far-flung friends using the file sharing service Dropbox and the GameCube/Wii emulator Dolphin.

Huh, I thought. I bet I could do that, and I could stand to play that charmed little life again. But alongside whom?

Scott was more than willing to satisfy my curiosity (and some of his own, I suspect), and after working out the logistics, we were ready. Our plan: Following this post, we’ll have three other updates—one each to talk about our individual experiences in the game, and a collaborative final discussion on our time in the town, its repercussions, and any stray thoughts.

I was the first to get off the train at the station in Namforth (an abbreviated allusion to our first little game project/introduction to each other). It’s a nice place, with a pleasant stream cutting through the midsection, a quaint island south of our houses, and all the debt you could ever want.

I think I’ll like it here (again).

Scott:

So, I have absolutely no experience with Animal Crossing. Well, that’s not entirely true. I saw my cousin play the original game once for about five minutes.

“So, you just, like, do chores?” I wondered aloud.

“No!” he exclaimed, before hurriedly saving and removing the little disc from the console.

So, yeah, I’m going into this blind, with no real expectations. I’m intrigued by the possibility of sharing a town with Nate. I want to see what little things I can do to muck about and make Nate shake his head in disappointment each time he plays. My ultimate goal is for him to present Tom Nook with the evidence necessary to not only evict me from my home, but to banish me from Namforth all together.

But honestly, I’ll probably just end up fishing a lot.

The How-To

Running and sharing a town in Animal Crossing isn’t terribly difficult. The game itself runs smoothly in the emulator. The only necessary tweak involves changing the location of the memory card file to a shared folder in Dropbox, so both players can read from and write to it in the game.

Running Animal Crossing on the Dolphin emulator is great, but unless you have a PC gamepad, you are left to use your keyboard to complete Tom Nook’s chores for you, which is a real… well, you get it. Dolphin does offer the ability to use an actual Wii Remote and all of its accessories to play games, but, much like playing a GameCube game on an actual Wii, they can’t be used to play GameCube games. But people much smarter than you or I have figured out a solution that will allow you to use your Classic Controller to play GameCube games.

First, you’ll need to buy a USB Bluetooth dongle. This will allow your computer to pick up the Wii Remote's signal. I walked right into my local Best Buy and found one for about $15, but I’m sure you can find one much cheaper than that online. This device alone will allow you to use your Wii Remote to play Wii games on the Dolphin, but a little more trickery is required for GameCube games.

Since your computer can’t make sense of the Wii Remote’s signal all on its own, you’ll need to install a few programs to help it fully utilize the device: PP Joy and GlovePIE. One warning about PP Joy, though: Windows 7 machines have a fit with it because it isn’t “digitally signed.” So, if you don’t already know how to install programs that aren’t signed, I recommend a quick Google search to figure it out.

PP Joy is used to create a virtual gamepad on your machine. GlovePIE then allows the Classic Controller to act as that virtual gamepad. Using this wonderful script, GlovePIE assigns each button on the Classic Controller to a button on the virtual gamepad. Voilá! Windows now understands and recognizes your Classic Controller as a virtual gamepad.

After that, it’s as simple as opening up Dolphin and mapping each GameCube controller button to the corresponding button on the Classic Controller. Plus, as a bonus, you can now use your Classic Controller outside of Dolphin to play any PC game you’d like!

[The trilogy's conclusion will include the epilogue content on disc.]

40

TalkBack / Mass Effect 3 on Wii U Includes Extended Cut DLC

« on: July 17, 2012, 09:14:27 AM »

The trilogy's conclusion will include the epilogue content on disc.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/31085

The Wii U version of BioWare's Mass Effect 3 (announced at this year's E3), will include the recently released Extended Cut content on the game disc.

Speaking with Siliconera, series producer Michael Gamble noted that the free, downloadable Extended Cut package, which adds endgame content in the form of new scenarios and explanatory cut scenes, will be bundled in with the base Mass Effect 3 game when it releases on Wii U.

"The extended ending is basically going to be part of the game instead," Gamble said. "You won’t have to download it."

[Take in the pleasant sounds of nature.]

41

TalkBack / The Pikmin 2 Playlist

« on: July 16, 2012, 04:47:18 PM »

Take in the pleasant sounds of nature.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/31068

At its best, the music in the Pikmin series acts as a subtle extension of the games' environments and attitudes. Composer Hajime Wakai's musical creations are the source of much of the curiosity and organic quirk that comes across in the games, a quality that those of Pikmin 2 exemplify in their variety.

Wakai's soundtrack ventures in many musical directions, though all feel appropriate to the tone of the game. Some tracks are tinged with a quieter uncertainty, while others explore the more open and whimsical nature of Pikmin, and the odd yet inviting rhythms and themes that come with it. While I've chosen a handful of tracks I feel best represent it, the whole soundtrack is substantial, and full of interesting and layered instrumentation.  

[Pikmin 3, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, and Game & Watch on this week's show!]

42

Podcast Discussion / Episode 42: To the Rhythm of the Beat

« on: July 14, 2012, 10:08:49 AM »

Pikmin 3, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, and Game & Watch on this week's show!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/31060

Connectivity returns this week with episode 42, featuring the past, present, and future of Nintendo-related content.

Kicking things off is the final installment in our Pikmin series, focusing this week on Pikmin 3. Join JP, Andy, and Carmine as they discuss what we know and what they hope is on the horizon for the Wii U launch title. If you can believe it, they even flirt with the idea of Pikmin 4, too.

After that, Nicholas returns with another entry in his award winning* N-Focus series. This week's segment is all about the history of Game & Watch.

Lastly, Neal, Scott, Danny, and Nate sit down to talk about their latest obsession - Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. If you are on the fence about this game, this segment should definitely win you over. And if you already have the game, well, you probably aren't listening to this because you are too busy playing.

As always, you can click here to send us listener mail. Let us know what you thought about the three week long Pikmin series. If a big hit, we may just start doing more of those. Oh, and on a personal note, I (Scott) have now officially been with Nintendo World Report for one year. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who listened, commented, emailed, tweeted me, and everything else. I can't put into words how amazing it is to be doing this show for such an excellent audience. Thanks for everything. See you next week.

*Winner of the 2012 "Boner Jam" award, presented by Scott Thompson.

00:00:00 Intro

00:00:59 Pikmin 3

00:23:48 N-Focus: Game & Watch

00:30:51 Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

01:08:34 Outro

[The studio behind KI: Uprising reportedly shut its doors last month.]

43

TalkBack / Project Sora Closed

« on: July 11, 2012, 09:33:19 AM »

The studio behind KI: Uprising reportedly shut its doors last month.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/31038

Project Sora, the studio started by Masahiro Sakurai, closed at the end of last month. 

A message on the studio's website notes its closure as of June 30. The website itself closes as of July 31.

Project Sora, formed by Sakurai in 2009 following the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii, released only one game, Kid Icarus: Uprising on the 3DS, earlier this year. Sakurai's own independent company, Sora Ltd., is unaffected by Project Sora's closing. 

Sakurai is currently heading up the development of the next Super Smash Bros. title for Wii U and 3DS alongside Namco Bandai.

[A simple concept, fleshed out with care.]

44

TalkBack / Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Review

« on: July 09, 2012, 11:37:48 AM »

A simple concept, fleshed out with care.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/30999

A game like Theatrhythm Final Fantasy was inevitable. Given the series' ever-expanding catalogue of exemplary and instantly recognizable soundtracks, the real surprise may be that Theatrhythm, a game dedicated solely to the series' music and the people who cherish it, didn't come about sooner. With such a singular focus and massive install base, though, it's not hard to envision Theatrhythm (or a similar game) setting a low bar for entry and refraining from letting anything too strenuous get between players and the expected aural reward.

In short: Theatrhythm more than manages to have it both ways, with an optional curve in difficulty that makes it as dense an experience as the player wants. Players looking for little more than a low-key tour through a handful of their favorites can have that experience (and a little more) without breaking a sweat or worrying they don't have what it takes to beat "Dancing Mad"; those with a deeper familiarity and/or an appetite for rhythm-based challenges can be more then fulfilled.

The thrust of the initial Theatrhythm experience comes through playing the Series mode, which takes the player through the numbered FF games in five-song chunks featuring each gameplay variant. Even while playing on Basic difficulty (the lowest, and the requisite during your first pass through Series mode), it's easy to see the common threads linking each game's soundtrack to the others. As a backing to the events of its respective title, each hits the same stable of beats: a calm, wistful track for the Field Music Stage; one with speed and gusto for the Battle Music Stage; something with pomp and centerpiece qualities for the Event Music Stage. Final Fantasy as a series covers a broad musical range (from low key to aggressive; from melodramatic to euphoric), and Theatrhythm mines that quality well in its playable adaptations. EMS tracks play over vignettes of gameplay and cut scenes from the respective title, a combination that, when played, is not unlike walking through a scrapbook; BMS tracks attack your party on four separate lanes, simulating the battles they normally complement.

The first run through Series mode is more a sightseeing tour than a test of ability. The low-impact experience is the museum part of Theatrhythm, where players can move through each game's exhibit, occasionally pressing buttons to trigger well-known pieces of the past. The decision to funnel players through Series before loosing them on the thornier sections of the game is smart: it ensures each, regardless of skill level or intent to progress, receives the base Final Fantasy experience without consequence, and it acts as a warm-up for those who plan to come back and tackle Theatrhythm's two higher difficulty tiers.

If simply playing through each game in Series hits your Final Fantasy sweet spot, the 13 numbered entries available (not to mention the DLC) in Theatrhythm should be more than enough to satisfy. Post-Series, though, is where Theatrhythm blossoms. Playing the first mode unlocks songs in Challenge, where players can experience each track on the Expert (and later Ultimate) difficulty. The challenge and reward of the respective difficulties are akin to that of Rock Band or Guitar Hero: the higher you go, the more the game correlates notes you need to hit to the beats and flourishes of the song. The result, as in RB or GH, is a more authentic experience. At its best, Theatrhythm made me feel as if I was conducting an orchestra, or occasionally getting sword swipes in to match the beat and tone of a battle, which, as someone who enjoys Final Fantasy music, is about as much as I could ask for.

With dozens of songs and two additional difficulties, Challenge mode would probably have worked as Theatrhythm's endgame. That honor, however, goes to the Chaos Shrine. Featuring random pairings of progressively harder versions of tracks (known as Dark Notes), the Chaos Shrine experience is a game (and a grind) unto itself. The game's light RPG elements (a four-member party with relatively limited ability and item options) are also best utilized here. Each Dark Note features a FMS and a BMS, and outfitting your party with items or abilities to maximize certain stats is a necessity to reach, defeat, and claim the loot of the bosses present in each. Dark Notes also trump anything present in Challenge mode in the sheer stupidity of their difficulty (and, occasionally, how much fun they are to play). I personally played through about 25 Dark Notes, though Danny Bivens, who reviewed Theatrhythm not too long ago and has invested dozens more hours than I, can probably better attest to the fantastic lunacy of the Chaos Shrine.

If you truncated Theatrhythm after Series mode, it would probably remain a decent (if limited in appeal) experience. The extent to which developer Indies Zero has built engaging and rewarding hooks into a largely nostalgia-fueled rhythm game with only three input variants, though, is commendable, and makes Theatrhythm far harder to put down than you might think. The size and pliability of the Final Fantasy music library ultimately allows for the game's extensive and difficulty spanning interpretations of each track, and fosters as fulfilling an experience as almost anything else on the 3DS.

[Not always worth surviving.]

45

TalkBack / Escape the Virus: Swarm Survival Review

« on: July 02, 2012, 12:07:06 PM »

Not always worth surviving.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/30917

Escape the Virus: Swarm Survival puts you in the role of a lone, mobile piece of DNA (with a large eyeball), though only half of the game does anything meaningful with the scenario.

Swarm Survival's main mode has you moving the cartoony portion of DNA around a large, rectangular space to collect other floating pieces of genetic material while avoiding virus bits and collecting power-ups. As you move over the pieces of DNA, they fall in line behind you, eventually forming a dozens-strong chain. Your score for an individual game is based on the number of DNA pieces you collect (each of which adds a certain point value and an increased multiplier to your growing total), as well as how long you survive in the limited space.

Swarm Survival's overhead perspective, gameplay speed, and precise movement create an arcade-style experience reminiscent of the Geometry Wars games, but it's mostly short on their challenging and empowering gameplay, and has several odd design quirks. The view of your controlled DNA piece on the top screen is zoomed in by default, cutting off an invaluable view of the constantly shifting lay of the surface. To pull the camera out to a strategically beneficial height, you have to keep a finger glued to the one of the shoulder buttons—a small but baffling and inconvenient hang-up. Your DNA piece can also jump to leap over a virus, but the ability has little practical use and usually just gets in the way.

The game's main mode is hindered by the necessity to gather and lead the DNA pieces. There is a certain limit to what you can accrue before part of your line inevitably run into a virus piece, sending the cute little bits of DNA flying and whining, Baby Mario-like, for you to collect once more. As a result, the mode never goes far; there's scant strategy, and little to grab onto before you've lost the lives you start with and reached the logical limit of what you can accomplish.

"Baby" mode, on the other hand, replicates the short-term strategy and frantic decision making that this kind of limited engagement game benefits from. The objective differs from the first mode: Instead of simply creating a trailing line of DNA fragments, your piece gathers them inside itself, growing larger and slower with each ingested bit. At any time you can return to a safe bay at the bottom of the screen and deposit the gathered DNA, gaining points and slimming to your normal, faster size. 

Baby mode's simple objective, controls, and consequences set it apart from the directionless chaos of the main activity; there's a strategy in deciding just how much you think you can ingest and still evade the growing virus horde. It's not substantially deeper than the normal mode, but it is quite a bit more fun.

[An interactive celebration of a beloved part of the series.]

46

TalkBack / Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Preview

« on: July 01, 2012, 05:11:12 PM »

An interactive celebration of a beloved part of the series.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/preview/30911

"I first proposed the project when we had just finished Advent Children, actually."

Speaking with Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata in an edition of the “Iwata Asks” interview series, Ichiro Hazama, producer on Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, laid out the origin of the upcoming music-RPG hybrid. 

Theatrhythm, he noted, which celebrates the series’ sprawling music history through rhythm-based gameplay, got its unique name from longtime Square character designer and “Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children” (which Hazama also worked on) director Tetsuya Nomura, whose combination of “theatre” and “rhythm” would seem to encapsulate the game’s content.

"So you could say that your experience of working on a project that highlighted the importance of the sound and cinematics of the FF series led directly to the creation of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy?" Iwata asked.

"Yes," Hazama said, "I suppose you could. I originally planned to make it for Nintendo DS [in 2006, following “Advent Children”], but so many compromises needed to be made in terms of storage capacity and what we could do in terms of presentation that it never got beyond the planning stages. So when I saw Nintendo 3DS, my first thought was, ‘Yes! Now we can do it!'"

Theatrhythm takes one of the staples of the series—its well-known stable of music—and puts it in the shell of an Elite Beat Agents-style rhythm game. While it features dozens of playable cuts from the decades-long existence of the series, Theatrhythm also works in deeper RPG elements to the familiar tap/hold/slide gameplay.

To make this ambitious idea for a music-based Final Fantasy game a reality, Hazama sought out the talent of developer Indies Zero, whose past work includes Electroplankton, Personal Trainer: Cooking, and the Retro Game Challenge games.

As Hazama explained, he met Indies Zero President Masanobu Suzui while employed in the procurement department of Bandai, where Masanobu briefly worked under him.

"When I started working in merchandising [at Square]," Hazama noted, "I got him to produce an FF trading card game for us. That was back in the days of FFIX, but the genuine love he had for the series stayed with me, so when it came to this project, Indies Zero was the only choice, really."

Suzui, in an interview with Siliconera, commented on Indies Zero’s affinity for making portable games of a less traditional variety—a category Theatrhythm certainly belongs in.

"We at Indies Zero don’t get many requests for creating games like those that already exist; instead, we have many cases where we give the user something fresh and allow them to feel like they have something in their hands that is different from everything that already exists."

Hazama, speaking in an interview with IGN, noted that where Theatrhythm inherently differs from other Final Fantasy games is in its service to fans of the series, specifically the strong memories many have of certain FF games and their music—the song selection for the game, Hazama explained, was in part based on solicited community feedback. Hazama also commented on the decision to add RPG trappings to the rhythm game.

"Of course, it wasn’t easy. But when you look at Final Fantasy fans, they’re not necessarily big rhythm game fans. So to satisfy them and amuse them, you do have to have some RPG elements. They might be better at using abilities or items to clear the games easily. And then they might be able to enjoy a music game that much more. That was our idea."

"In a lot of ways,” Hazama explained to Iwata, "the FF games have become less and less the property of their creators as time has gone on. They belong to the fans now."

[We talk about Pikmin and interview Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham.]

47

Podcast Discussion / Episode 40: Pikjools

« on: June 30, 2012, 04:04:12 PM »

We talk about Pikmin and interview Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/30904

A long time ago in a Skype chat far far away, we recorded this episode of Connectivity. Actually, we did it this week, so I guess that's not really very long ago, but you get the point.

On this episode, we're kicking off a three week series on the Pikmin franchise, with a discussion of the original Pikmin for the GameCube. Some people say it is the best. Are any of those people on this episode? You'll have to listen to find out.

Following that, Neal, with some help from Patrick, interviews owner & director of Renegade Kid, Jools Watsham. They talk about basically every game Renegade Kid has released on the eShop. Spoilers: there are a lot of them.

After the show ends, stay awhile and listen to Scott, James Dawson, and Nate talk shop about Diablo III.

We love you, especially when you write to us. Please send your listener mail questions by clicking here, and rate and review the show on iTunes. See you next week!

Please accept our apologies for the less than perfect audio on the interview segment. There's only so much post-production can fix.

[Failure is common, but never lasts.]

48

TalkBack / Run, Fall, Run Again

« on: June 29, 2012, 09:48:50 PM »

Failure is common, but never lasts. 

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/30860

Oh.

Oh!

Yeah.

Yeaaaah!

Crap.

Out of the current six, Bit.Trip Runner is the only of Commander Video's low-bit, color-splashed games I own and have played. (The 3DS collection is high on my wish list.)

The above is a rough trajectory of personal reactions you could map to any of the game's stages. The objective never changes between venues: steer Commander Video's pixel-y, obelisk form around obstacles during his dash across a pitfall-and-ledge-littered screen. The controls are simple; each obstacle is taught, telegraphed, and kept constant throughout the level.

And yet, at least for me, each run stretches into a minutes-long affair of small successes and many, many failures.

Like the other games in its series, Bit.Trip Runner is more a game of rhythm than it is the silly, faux-vintage auto-scrolling platformer it presents, though it is far less abstract in how it visually communicates the moving parts that make up its simple brand of play. Subsequently, there's no mistaking the consequences of an action, little cause to become disoriented (and impossible to get lost) in the business of the on-rails activity, and such minimal responsibility. Commander Video runs, and jumps, slides, kicks, and launches when you spot the need and give him the go, with your eye-to-hand reaction speed the only roadblock to a clean run.

Though it's harder to posit without having played the other Bit.Trip games, Runner's grounded concept seems to allows for more defined successes and failures. When you, say, tap too early and whiff a jump, Commander Video is rocketed back to the stage's starting line, voiding all progress and stripping you of any collected gold. Harsh.

The rollback also applies to the game's underlying soundtrack, a series of starry-eyed chiptunes that start off barren and build layers as Commander Video hits certain milestones. Messing up immediately halts and strips away whatever range of tones you've acquired during a run; when you start over, so does the song.

It's a bit depleting when a good multi-level groove snaps back to only subdued beats, but the music never actually stops. Even in falling short, the moment is immediately smoothed over by the continuous bump of sound, a gameplay spine that stretches on even after your mistake. In eschewing the usual moment for frustrated reflection when you screw up, Runner ensures you're never not making some sort of progress—even if it's the same couple screen lengths again and again.

Because of your direct connection to the evolution of the stage's music, failures and restarts have an audible impact on the flow and length of a stage's music, which often comes in fits and starts as you stumble and overcome particular obstacles. The resulting audio, when taken in apart from the game, is interesting in how it charts not only where and how often you've struggled, but also the joyous moment when you nail it and break a run wide open—a progression that's almost as engaging to listen to as it is to play.

   

[Its rough spots are still rough, but Treyarch's "movie game" is a personal GameCube classic.]

49

TalkBack / Got That Swing: Spider-Man 2

« on: June 18, 2012, 10:06:34 AM »

Its rough spots are still rough, but Treyarch's "movie game" is a personal GameCube classic.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/30774

E3 footage of Beenox's new Amazing Spider-Man game showcased a returning mechanic I've been particularly keen to check out: an open New York City, and the hero's ability to traverse it without restraint. While this more recent style of open-world web swinging is certainly interesting in its flashy and cinematic presentation, I'm reminded of the game that first allowed me to experience the freedom of leaping, diving, and crawling about the Big Apple, Treyarch's Spider-Man 2.

The foundation of my love for the game, as I mentioned, is its ambitious mapping of Manhattan, and the power the player has to swing with ease from one end to another. Spider-Man's boring commute, in other words—the real responsibility that comes with his power—is my childlike delight.

Spider-Man 2 wasn't the first game to give Spidey a certain degree of high-altitude access to the city (the first movie tie-in had a level of leniency in certain missions), but it was the first to do it right. Its success comes from several areas, most notably Spidey's size and movement. In the first movie game, Spider-Man was a lanky figure, taking up a lot of center screen real estate (similar to the way he's positioned in The Amazing Spider-Man). In 2, he's a lithe little thing, with quicker movements and better response time.

That fact that 2 features a realized NYC also allows for greater exploration into transportation animations (two webs at once!); the game accomplishes this by allowing players to charge jumps as they see fit (resulting in different levels of explosiveness in movement) and by making the L button an acceleration modifier in all respects; hold it in when running, and Spidey ups the pace of his dash; give it a tap near the bottom of a swing, and he'll accelerate up the other side. Animations change accordingly, providing the wall-crawler with a repertoir of leaps and falls. Drop some Hero Points in any of the city's handful of walk-in stores, and you can unlock an array of useful and aesthetically memorable movement tools, like the ability to combo swings into wall runs, a mid-air web zip, and some mid-fall ballet moves.

The city's proportions also effect some better parts of the experience. It may be ugly as sin now (the introductory cinematic, a POV web swing through New York, is an acrobatic tour through truncated draw distance, conspicuous pop-in, and lethargic texture loads), but the convincing layout of Treyarch's New York is pitch perfect for lengthy tours around the urban environment. When I showed the game to my uncle, who had flown in from the city for a summer visit, someone suggested we locate his apartment building in the game's world. It was a joke, until we more or less did it.

The placement and design of buildings comes off as fairly architecturally realistic (if not especially detailed), but is also spaced to facilitate comfortable movement. Spacious without being barren, and populated without being cramped, the urban environment allows the player to cover vertical distances as quickly as they would horizontal. In its design, Spider-Man 2's New York is similar to a one-off public setting in a Tony Hawk game—a semi-realistic locale, crafted for maximum activity and minimal interference. In each instance, the level design encourages a constant search for new and better routes to exploit—not for points, in this case, but to maintain a natural, uninterrupted action across entire city blocks.

What partially tarnishes my memories of Spider-Man 2, unfortunately, is just about every other part of the game. Too many missions require you to strut through tasks in the life of Peter Parker. These start early, and return often. The game's combat works (and carries a shimmer of the style associated with the recent Batman games), though even when Spidey's fully upgraded, the game's uses of it grind any enjoyment of that area down quickly. The main story missions are tolerable at best, and the side quests are repetitive and ill-suited to the powers of the character and design themes of the game.

Any time these hangups become overwhelming, though, I can always simply disengage, throw up a web line, and lose myself in the skyline.

[The industry veteran talks about the recent convention and a trend he deplores.]

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TalkBack / Warren Spector on E3, Violence, and Epic Mickey

« on: June 14, 2012, 03:15:27 PM »

The industry veteran talks about the recent convention and a trend he deplores.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/30745

In an interview posted today by GamesIndustry International, game developer Warren Spector relayed some of his thoughts on the tone of the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo, as well as his studio Junction Point's upcoming sequel, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two.

While he noted that he was preoccupied for much of the convention this year, Spector detailed several qualities of the show that stuck with him.

"This is the year where there were two things that stood out for me. One was: The ultraviolence has to stop. We have to stop loving it. I just don't believe in the effects argument at all, but I do believe that we are fetishizing violence, and now in some cases actually combining it with an adolescent approach to sexuality. I just think it's in bad taste. Ultimately I think it will cause us trouble."

Spector, who mentioned he left developer Ion Storm and Eidos in 2004 after becoming disconcerted with the violent tone in the games being made around him, noted his appreciation of being able to fit in at Disney.

"We've gone too far. The slow-motion blood spurts, the impalement by deadly assassins, the knives, shoulders, elbows to the throat. You know, Deus Ex had its moments of violence, but they were designed—whether they succeeded or not I can't say—but they were designed to make you uncomfortable, and I don't see that happening now. I think we're just appealing to an adolescent mindset and calling it mature. It's time to stop. I'm just glad I work for a company like Disney, where not only is that not something that's encouraged, you can't even do it, and I'm fine with it."

Spector's other observation: Games have become secondary to the message of the conference.

"The second thing I noticed was that the most interesting part of the press conferences had nothing to do with games. When the games are the least interesting part, there's a problem. When did the game conference become about interfacing with Netflix? I just worry a little bit. The thing that's ironic is that I feel like we really are in a golden age, in a weird sort of way. Nobody knows what the future of games is. Nobody. At a time like that Notch can come along and do Minecraft, and Chris Hecker can finally do his incredible party spy game, and Jon Blow can do Braid, and I can do a triple-A Mickey Mouse game—anything is possible.

"Pretty much all I saw at E3 was, 'Well, we're going to do what we always did, but bigger and bloodier! And we're gonna talk about Netflix!' I just don't get it."

Spector's latest game, Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, was shown at the conference, and he touched upon the feedback they had received from the demo.

"I wouldn't say I was surprised [by the feedback received]. I was really pleased to hear—not everybody, you're never going to please everybody—I was surprised at how many people told me either they loved the first game, but the camera was a problem, or they wanted to love the first game but couldn't because there were three or four things that bugged them, and almost without exception the people I talked to said 'Wow, you guys addressed all of the problems.' That was really gratifying to hear, because that's certainly one of our big goals.

"... You never know how people are going to respond to what you're selling at E3. I was genuinely worried that the boss battle that we showed—I just wanted to unask some questions. I wanted to show a 2D platform level inspired by a real cartoon because people were asking me all the time, 'Are those coming back?' So I wanted to be able to say yes, here they are, you can play one. And the other was 'Are you going to have boss battles?' and is the whole choice and consequence thing going to happen even in the boss battles. I wanted to show that off too. But that boss battle, it comes sort of midway through the game, and it's really frenetic, and I worried that people would find it too frenetic given that they were dropping into the game for the first time, and nobody said that. Everybody really got off on it. I breathed a sigh of relief. That was really gratifying.

"We're deep in alpha now, which means we're doing daily bug triage, and tuning the gameplay. There was one day when for some reason we had a big spike in the bug count for some reason, and everyone was really glum. I said, Don't worry about it, everything's going to be fine, but they were glum. So I said, Look at the game we just reviewed today. It doesn't sound like any other game, it doesn't look like any other game, it doesn't feel like any other game. People can say they don't like it, but you can't say we did something that just went along with the crowd. For me, that's huge. At E3, you've got 15 seconds to stop somebody who's running from one meeting to another and get them to notice what you're doing. You've got to do something that stands out. If people don't like it, they don't like it, I don't control that. But we do control doing something unique, and we've done that, and I'll take that to the bank."