Throwing out a new topic... Spurred by this 1Up article, I was curious to see what games I feel that future generations would be able to pick up and play from the olden days of gaming (say, Atari/arcades through N64/PSX/Saturn) and be able to adjust right in. It's a challenging topic, so I tried to avoid some obvious favorites (like beat em ups and hardcore platformers), and nothing recent as who know how much next gen will advance by? It might even make PS2 era games look worse! Who knows?
I'll choose 12 like the 1Up list.
12. ActRaiser
Beautiful, mindblowing, and gorgeous even now, ActRaiser will most likely continue to impress gamers even decades from it's initial SNES launch release. (Can you believe this was only a launch game?)
11. Donkey Kong Country series
Because let's face it, all three games have the same basic mechanics even if they have different levels of quality. People will still be able to jump into all 3 and enjoy them for what they are. Even if they might not like the third one quite as much.
10. Mega Man 2 and 3
While I could again list the series, the first game is not quite polished enough and the later games are merely more of the same (though they should be played), I have a feeling these two will continue to be used as examples for why the NES was such a great console, and that's because they still remain fun to this day.
9. Chrono Trigger
The "jRPG for people who don't like jRPGs" is still a classic to this day. It might have something to do with the bright and beautiful graphics and engaging story, but I would just assume that a classic always remains a classic. Just like a film.
8. Final Fantasy VI
Before Square became obsessed with being a movie house, FFVI was the game that showed off the potential for the genre with many great characters, battles, and memorable story moments.
7. Gunstar Heroes
High octane shoot em up action with a bit of beat em up for good measure. I busted this out with a few friends around last year and we had a blast (they had never even played it before) and even made it all the way to the end. Dynamic, and flashy, this game is and will always be a classic.
6. Mega Man X1 and X2
A bit more flashy than the old school series, but with a faster pace and more secrets, these games are the peak of action gaming and still remain great today. Later games are bit too convoluted to match up to these two, but are almost as great.
5. Super Metroid
The ONLY thing about this game that sucks is the wall jumping. Everything else is perfection. Anyone can still jump in and have a blast.
4. River City Ransom
Jump in and start wailing, buy stuff and get stronger. Die and just go back to the previous town. It's simple but has deceptive depth that will get most gamers stuck in it.
3. Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis Trilogy (1, 2, and 3K)
1 is missing a few of 2's enhancements, but is still perfectly playable today. All three complete games are some of the most absolute perfect platforming that can be had in gaming. Still highly regarded today.
2. The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
The distillation of everything that makes Zelda great in one gorgeous 2D package that beginners can sink their teeth into and vets still find engaging years later, this set the template for the rest of the series and deservedly so. In fact, I think I'm going to play it in a bit...
1. 2D Super Mario (Super Mario Bros. 1 through Yoshi's Island)
Yes, Yoshi's Island can be disputed, but I will include it because there are points you play as Mario. There isn't a single 2D Mario game that someone can't jump into and have a blast, and that's because of Miyamoto's genius design decisions. One of the few games that newbies still find engaging even after their 30th death and vets still adore on their 30th playthrough, the 2D Mario games are constantly debated over their greatness, one thing that remains is that they're all instantly accessible and have aged masterfully. True masterpieces.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Dark Void is a missed opportunity.
Man.
Dark Void was awesome.
For like the first 1/3 of the game.
Once you get the jetpack, all the unique aspects are thrown out the window for generic flying and shooting with a by the numbers predictable plot. What it needed to do was keep the mysterious island exploration feel the first third of the game had, with the proto-jetpack for a boost jump. It had plenty of fun vertical shooting, interesting platforming, and was all around fun. I was all about to name it this years Bionic Commando...
But then you get the jetpack and it isn't used very uniquely. In fact after the first set piece with it (flying through bases and through a deep tunnel), it quickly loses it's charm because it becomes overused fast.
The second third of the game becomes a generic shooter with little to no vertical shooting or platforming, the story gets bogged down, and the stupid escort missions begin. While that's all very generic, it's not really bad. In fact, that's one thing I can say positively about Dark Void is that it never gets bad.
But it does come close in the final third. When you have to protect this flying Death Egg known as The Ark which soaks up bullets like a dry sponge and you basically dogfight over and over for giant stretches of time without even a hint of level design. Thankfully it quickly changes so that you are stripped of your jetpack, or it would get real monotonous real fast. It all ends rather deserving. A final boss fight that's kind of cool but fizzles out as it is simply too easy (even on "Hardcore" mode), which is a nice summation of the game.
Dark Void is a fun game but makes some really dumb design decisions tat hamper the experience. Why not make the jet pack change modes for levels? Like in Star Fox, make it have a free range mode for simple flying and a simple "boost jump" for platforming in areas. Why not keep the mystery of the location a secret for a bit longer? It helps the story and keeps the game from looking less brown and gray (which is a real issue in the rest of the game) How about NOT giving the escort missions at all? Or at least removing the stupid health bars. How about limiting flying and shooting like the first 1/3 of the game and making them feel more welcome when they happen? It really helps the pacing.
Like I said, it's a fun game that has so many head scratching decisions that I just can't recommend it unless you're buying out of the bargain bin. It's too bad Airtight won't get a second opportunity to expand on the concept, if given the chance they could make a classic out of Dark Void. As it is right now, it just screams of a missed opportunity to me.
Dark Void was awesome.
For like the first 1/3 of the game.
Once you get the jetpack, all the unique aspects are thrown out the window for generic flying and shooting with a by the numbers predictable plot. What it needed to do was keep the mysterious island exploration feel the first third of the game had, with the proto-jetpack for a boost jump. It had plenty of fun vertical shooting, interesting platforming, and was all around fun. I was all about to name it this years Bionic Commando...
But then you get the jetpack and it isn't used very uniquely. In fact after the first set piece with it (flying through bases and through a deep tunnel), it quickly loses it's charm because it becomes overused fast.
The second third of the game becomes a generic shooter with little to no vertical shooting or platforming, the story gets bogged down, and the stupid escort missions begin. While that's all very generic, it's not really bad. In fact, that's one thing I can say positively about Dark Void is that it never gets bad.
But it does come close in the final third. When you have to protect this flying Death Egg known as The Ark which soaks up bullets like a dry sponge and you basically dogfight over and over for giant stretches of time without even a hint of level design. Thankfully it quickly changes so that you are stripped of your jetpack, or it would get real monotonous real fast. It all ends rather deserving. A final boss fight that's kind of cool but fizzles out as it is simply too easy (even on "Hardcore" mode), which is a nice summation of the game.
Dark Void is a fun game but makes some really dumb design decisions tat hamper the experience. Why not make the jet pack change modes for levels? Like in Star Fox, make it have a free range mode for simple flying and a simple "boost jump" for platforming in areas. Why not keep the mystery of the location a secret for a bit longer? It helps the story and keeps the game from looking less brown and gray (which is a real issue in the rest of the game) How about NOT giving the escort missions at all? Or at least removing the stupid health bars. How about limiting flying and shooting like the first 1/3 of the game and making them feel more welcome when they happen? It really helps the pacing.
Like I said, it's a fun game that has so many head scratching decisions that I just can't recommend it unless you're buying out of the bargain bin. It's too bad Airtight won't get a second opportunity to expand on the concept, if given the chance they could make a classic out of Dark Void. As it is right now, it just screams of a missed opportunity to me.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Top 10 Underrated Ska Albums
I hope you'll forgive the extremely formal tone of this post as I wasn't up to do any serious writing here. Or even less light than usual, anyway. This was just for a fun rant. So pardon if some terms don't make any sense.
To build on a recent ska kick of mine, I thought I'd make a post where I list ten albums that are probably not listed very often by critics (lol ska + critics) or only brought up by ska fans to prove how great their obscure taste is (I tend to think they never even listened to the albums when they do, though), but tend to get overlooked since heavy hitters from the 90s are still around like Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake as well as other bands like Streetlight Manifesto and the serious ska bands that have tended to co-opt the genre unintentionally for many other likeminded bands.
I'm not going to put numbers because I consider these all classics and are all well worth listening to. If you want to find these, most of these bands are broken up so you might as well download them. Just go to google and search with 'band name - mediafire' and you'll most likely find them.
Anyway, gibberish over, here's my list:
Spring Heeled Jack - Songs From Suburbia
1. Mass Appeal Madness – 3:06
2. Jolene – 3:09
3. Beggin' – 4:03
4. Pop Song (Green) – 2:06
5. Waiting, Watching – 2:40
6. Tied Up – 3:41
7. MCMLIX (1959) – 3:31
8. Where I Belong – 3:33
9. Makisupa Policeman – 3:27
10. Time – 2:53
11. Morning Sun – 3:35
12. Man of Tomorrow – 3:40
Fuck this band for breaking up. Seriously, how the fuck can you drop a classic like this and just break up. Such squandered opportunity. Though personally I think Pop Song and Time could have been left off simply for not reaching the rest of the albums glorious heights, and my favorite SHJ song (Pay Some Dues) isn't on the album, this is pretty much as perfect as ska can get. I know being on a shitty record label killed this album and all, but the fact that Beggin' is not a radio staple is just insane. In my opinion, this is up there with the Specials, One Step Beyond, and whatever other ska classics you can think up.
Potshot - Pots & Shots
1. We Are Potshot 1:06
2. Someone to Lean On 2:26
3. Radio 1:49
4. Handle 2:35
5. Time 2:49
6. Since Yesterday 1:46
7. Anytime 2:33
8. Clear 2:35
9. Under the Blue Sky 3:00
10. Tears of a Clown 1:06
11. In Hi-Fi 2:27
12. Not Worth Your While But Worth My Life 2:49
13. Mexico 3:15
14. Change 3:40
As stated before, this is the absolute pinnacle of the style of ska punk. Every song is full of explosive energy, the songs all have extremely careful construction (something Potshot only ever achieved one more time on Til I Die) and will all get you singing along even if you don't understand what the heck they're saying. Just listen to Anytime for the single best ska punk song ever written. This is the best ska punk album ever written as merging the absolute pure core of the two styles together could possibly ever achieve. If you're not hooked by Someone To Lean On, you're hopeless.
Dancehall Crashers - Honey I'm Homely
1. Lost Again
2. Will Tomorrow Ever Come
3. All Mine
4. Salted
5. Next To You
6. I Want It All
7. Elvis & Me
8. Whisky & Gin
9. Cold Shower
10. Last Laugh
11. Mr. Blue
12. Stand By
13. The Truth About Me
14. Big Mouth
15. Over Again
I can't fucking believe I have to list this. But no one remembers this album anymore. To be fair, this is the band's fault for literally vanishing from existence, after making such great albums like this one. Another band that should have been huge but just wasn't for no apparent reason, this is about as pop as ska has been since Madness came out. If you haven't heard this yet, you might as well get on that right now.
The Pietasters - Willis
1. "Crazy Monkey Woman" – 2:38
2. "Out All Night" – 3:16
3. "Ocean" – 3:38
4. "Fat Sack" – 2:40
5. "Stone Feeling" – 4:06
6. "Higher" – 4:45
7. "Time Won't Let Me" – 3:06
8. "Without You" – 3:23
9. "Crime" – 5:02
10. "Quicksand" – 2:46
11. "Bitter" – 3:53
12. "New Breed" – 2:59
13. "Moment" – 3:45
The meeting point of ska, rock n roll, and classic soul music. This is the peak of this band (though Turbo was brilliant) and such a unique sound they've never quite recaptured with the pure passion and energy of Willis. Everything they did before was just a warm up for this, which is a complement since their early stuff is actually awesome, too. Now I know why this album isn't well known, it's simply because it's two niche styles on this album that never seem intersect with each other normally outside of this band and unfairly quarantines it to be a niche album. But listen to this fucking album and have your fucking brains blown out by it. I know I still rock out to this one. It's on HellCat, so at least it's easily available.
Assorted Jellybeans - What's Really Going On!?!
1. "Contordations" - 1:37
2. "Wiggerside" - 3:03
3. "The Rhythm" - 1:53
4. "Juttered" - 2:38
5. "Loadie Mission" - 1:57
6. "Booshduckdow" - 2:32
7. "Rebel Yell" - 2:39
8. "Entry Level Positions" - 2:17
9. "Dead Neighbors" - 3:34
10. "Parents" - 3:09
11. "I'm Out" - 2:11
12. "Instrumental" - 3:29
13. "3 Chords" - 1:59
14. "Loadie Mission" (Reprise) - 1:57
A really weird step forward for ska and punk, a trippy, hilarious, and sometimes forward thinking (but not overly serious or nihilistic) album by a band that left too early. Yes they're back again, but unfortunately, no one seems to care. But this album is truly unique and has to be ingested to be understood. Every song has this weird construction to it where parts sort of change into other parts fast and hard, but only begin to make sense with a lot of listening. Ignore the shitty art (Kung Fu Records has always been full of bands with shitty artwork, not to mention distribution and pricing) and listen to the sounds within. It's also one of the few punk albums that can be remixed and still sound totally right.
Billy The Spikes - In The City
1 - Opening
2 - Confidence
3 - Down Beat Alley
4 - Black Boots
5 - Go Beast
6 - Confusion
7 - Dog Was Dead
8 - Liberty
9 - Spikey Billy
10 - Be In A Real Pinch
11 - In The City
12 - Toys For Dragon
Yes, I mention these guys a lot, but with good reason. The heart of rockabilly and ska are well alive in this band (who after only one EP after this broke up... Dammit...) with some of the best sounds to come out of a slap bass before Chris Cheney forgot how to write fucking songs, and one hell of a horn section. If you're not won over by Black Boots, Dog Was Dead (One of the best ska songs ever actually, thanks for asking) or the killer rockabilly romp of Spikey Billy, then go fuck yourself. We have nothing to discuss.
The Hippos - Forget The World
1 "Far Behind"
2 "Please"
3 "When Will I Learn"
4 "Diane"
5 "Don't Worry"
6 "Celebrate"
7 "Irie"
8 "Asleep at the Wheel"
9 "So Lonely"
10 "Rock 'n' Roll"
11 "Forget the World"
Another band that is forgotten because of it's own decisions. Another 90s ska/punk classic, while they followed up with a decidedly less ska album, this album still has it's unique touches and is pretty fucking rocking in all honestly. My love of Please and When Will I Learn (great lyrics) are untouched for this band. Unfortunately, this album suffered from some shitty distribution as well as the band quickly abandoning this style (and after their follow up, abandoning good music) leads this to be the poster child for what happens when you abandon what you're good at simply to gain credibility doing 'serious music'. In other words, it's a dead end. Still, forgotten band, even more forgotten album.
The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
1. "Mirror in the Bathroom" – 3:10
2. "Hands Off...She's Mine" – 3:01
3. "Two Swords" – 2:19
4. "Twist & Crawl" – 2:35
5. "Rough Rider" – 4:52
6. "Click Click" – 1:28
7. "Big Shot" – 2:34
8. "Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret" – 3:51
9. "Noise in This World" – 2:19
10. "Can't Get Used to Losing You" – 3:04
11. "Best Friend" – 3:01
12. "Jackpot" – 4:19
Nobody ever talks about this album. What the hell? This is better than the first Specials album, and yet no one ever mentions it. The first band to show the potential of the genre of ska music as more than a music style to confine to a fucking box with set limitations. With the first song, you know this band had the right idea, and with Two Swords you know they're still smarter than most ska and punk bands today, and with Jackpot you just knew this band would be huge. (Well they were in the UK) The band continued to play ska and add in more reggae and experiment a bit with their style, but never stopped being themselves. The Beat is probably the best two tone band there ever was.
Suburban Legends
1. "Popular Demand" – 2:55
2. "I Want More" – 4:14
3. "Don Juan" – 3:14
4. "Alternative Is Dead" – 2:15
5. "Desperate" – 3:39
I'm only counting this EP because it's so damn good. As bands tend to go on, their early material tends to get left behind, and I fear this will never be regarded as the classic that it really is. Yes, I posted that cover simply because I have never seen it in person, but I do prefer the other version. (The version with the red cover features a different singer, but the same music) This is a ska classic and should never be forgotten. It's also saddled with the realization that this band will never sound like this again.
The Selecter - Too Much Pressure
1. "Three Minute Hero" - 3.00
2. "Everyday (Time Hard)" - 3.10
3. "They Make Me Mad" - 2.47
4. "Missing Words" - 3.22
5. "Danger" - 2.38
6. "Street Feeling" - 3.11
7. "My Collie (Not A Dog)" - 2.45
8. "Too Much Pressure" - 3.48
9. "Murder" - 2.39
10. "Out On The Streets" - 3.28
11. "Carry Go Bring Come" - 3.02
12. "Black and Blue" - 3.17
13. "James Bond" - 2.16
The "other" band from the two tone era. This album is never mentioned except when a ska fan is trying to list bands from the second wave. This album is as good as the band has ever gotten, with some fantastic songwriting, and some clever lyrics among some otherwise rather standard lines, but the execution of them more than makes up for how this direction would lead this band out into the wilds where it would never recover. Like Home Grown's "That's Business" it's an instance of a band capturing a spark they would never come close to capturing again.
All in all, a top ten list of albums that really should be listened to and not just forgotten in the mists of time and bargain bins. Give these the chance they deserve.
To build on a recent ska kick of mine, I thought I'd make a post where I list ten albums that are probably not listed very often by critics (lol ska + critics) or only brought up by ska fans to prove how great their obscure taste is (I tend to think they never even listened to the albums when they do, though), but tend to get overlooked since heavy hitters from the 90s are still around like Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake as well as other bands like Streetlight Manifesto and the serious ska bands that have tended to co-opt the genre unintentionally for many other likeminded bands.
I'm not going to put numbers because I consider these all classics and are all well worth listening to. If you want to find these, most of these bands are broken up so you might as well download them. Just go to google and search with 'band name - mediafire' and you'll most likely find them.
Anyway, gibberish over, here's my list:
Spring Heeled Jack - Songs From Suburbia
1. Mass Appeal Madness – 3:06
2. Jolene – 3:09
3. Beggin' – 4:03
4. Pop Song (Green) – 2:06
5. Waiting, Watching – 2:40
6. Tied Up – 3:41
7. MCMLIX (1959) – 3:31
8. Where I Belong – 3:33
9. Makisupa Policeman – 3:27
10. Time – 2:53
11. Morning Sun – 3:35
12. Man of Tomorrow – 3:40
Fuck this band for breaking up. Seriously, how the fuck can you drop a classic like this and just break up. Such squandered opportunity. Though personally I think Pop Song and Time could have been left off simply for not reaching the rest of the albums glorious heights, and my favorite SHJ song (Pay Some Dues) isn't on the album, this is pretty much as perfect as ska can get. I know being on a shitty record label killed this album and all, but the fact that Beggin' is not a radio staple is just insane. In my opinion, this is up there with the Specials, One Step Beyond, and whatever other ska classics you can think up.
Potshot - Pots & Shots
1. We Are Potshot 1:06
2. Someone to Lean On 2:26
3. Radio 1:49
4. Handle 2:35
5. Time 2:49
6. Since Yesterday 1:46
7. Anytime 2:33
8. Clear 2:35
9. Under the Blue Sky 3:00
10. Tears of a Clown 1:06
11. In Hi-Fi 2:27
12. Not Worth Your While But Worth My Life 2:49
13. Mexico 3:15
14. Change 3:40
As stated before, this is the absolute pinnacle of the style of ska punk. Every song is full of explosive energy, the songs all have extremely careful construction (something Potshot only ever achieved one more time on Til I Die) and will all get you singing along even if you don't understand what the heck they're saying. Just listen to Anytime for the single best ska punk song ever written. This is the best ska punk album ever written as merging the absolute pure core of the two styles together could possibly ever achieve. If you're not hooked by Someone To Lean On, you're hopeless.
Dancehall Crashers - Honey I'm Homely
1. Lost Again
2. Will Tomorrow Ever Come
3. All Mine
4. Salted
5. Next To You
6. I Want It All
7. Elvis & Me
8. Whisky & Gin
9. Cold Shower
10. Last Laugh
11. Mr. Blue
12. Stand By
13. The Truth About Me
14. Big Mouth
15. Over Again
I can't fucking believe I have to list this. But no one remembers this album anymore. To be fair, this is the band's fault for literally vanishing from existence, after making such great albums like this one. Another band that should have been huge but just wasn't for no apparent reason, this is about as pop as ska has been since Madness came out. If you haven't heard this yet, you might as well get on that right now.
The Pietasters - Willis
1. "Crazy Monkey Woman" – 2:38
2. "Out All Night" – 3:16
3. "Ocean" – 3:38
4. "Fat Sack" – 2:40
5. "Stone Feeling" – 4:06
6. "Higher" – 4:45
7. "Time Won't Let Me" – 3:06
8. "Without You" – 3:23
9. "Crime" – 5:02
10. "Quicksand" – 2:46
11. "Bitter" – 3:53
12. "New Breed" – 2:59
13. "Moment" – 3:45
The meeting point of ska, rock n roll, and classic soul music. This is the peak of this band (though Turbo was brilliant) and such a unique sound they've never quite recaptured with the pure passion and energy of Willis. Everything they did before was just a warm up for this, which is a complement since their early stuff is actually awesome, too. Now I know why this album isn't well known, it's simply because it's two niche styles on this album that never seem intersect with each other normally outside of this band and unfairly quarantines it to be a niche album. But listen to this fucking album and have your fucking brains blown out by it. I know I still rock out to this one. It's on HellCat, so at least it's easily available.
Assorted Jellybeans - What's Really Going On!?!
1. "Contordations" - 1:37
2. "Wiggerside" - 3:03
3. "The Rhythm" - 1:53
4. "Juttered" - 2:38
5. "Loadie Mission" - 1:57
6. "Booshduckdow" - 2:32
7. "Rebel Yell" - 2:39
8. "Entry Level Positions" - 2:17
9. "Dead Neighbors" - 3:34
10. "Parents" - 3:09
11. "I'm Out" - 2:11
12. "Instrumental" - 3:29
13. "3 Chords" - 1:59
14. "Loadie Mission" (Reprise) - 1:57
A really weird step forward for ska and punk, a trippy, hilarious, and sometimes forward thinking (but not overly serious or nihilistic) album by a band that left too early. Yes they're back again, but unfortunately, no one seems to care. But this album is truly unique and has to be ingested to be understood. Every song has this weird construction to it where parts sort of change into other parts fast and hard, but only begin to make sense with a lot of listening. Ignore the shitty art (Kung Fu Records has always been full of bands with shitty artwork, not to mention distribution and pricing) and listen to the sounds within. It's also one of the few punk albums that can be remixed and still sound totally right.
Billy The Spikes - In The City
1 - Opening
2 - Confidence
3 - Down Beat Alley
4 - Black Boots
5 - Go Beast
6 - Confusion
7 - Dog Was Dead
8 - Liberty
9 - Spikey Billy
10 - Be In A Real Pinch
11 - In The City
12 - Toys For Dragon
Yes, I mention these guys a lot, but with good reason. The heart of rockabilly and ska are well alive in this band (who after only one EP after this broke up... Dammit...) with some of the best sounds to come out of a slap bass before Chris Cheney forgot how to write fucking songs, and one hell of a horn section. If you're not won over by Black Boots, Dog Was Dead (One of the best ska songs ever actually, thanks for asking) or the killer rockabilly romp of Spikey Billy, then go fuck yourself. We have nothing to discuss.
The Hippos - Forget The World
1 "Far Behind"
2 "Please"
3 "When Will I Learn"
4 "Diane"
5 "Don't Worry"
6 "Celebrate"
7 "Irie"
8 "Asleep at the Wheel"
9 "So Lonely"
10 "Rock 'n' Roll"
11 "Forget the World"
Another band that is forgotten because of it's own decisions. Another 90s ska/punk classic, while they followed up with a decidedly less ska album, this album still has it's unique touches and is pretty fucking rocking in all honestly. My love of Please and When Will I Learn (great lyrics) are untouched for this band. Unfortunately, this album suffered from some shitty distribution as well as the band quickly abandoning this style (and after their follow up, abandoning good music) leads this to be the poster child for what happens when you abandon what you're good at simply to gain credibility doing 'serious music'. In other words, it's a dead end. Still, forgotten band, even more forgotten album.
The English Beat - I Just Can't Stop It
1. "Mirror in the Bathroom" – 3:10
2. "Hands Off...She's Mine" – 3:01
3. "Two Swords" – 2:19
4. "Twist & Crawl" – 2:35
5. "Rough Rider" – 4:52
6. "Click Click" – 1:28
7. "Big Shot" – 2:34
8. "Whine & Grine/Stand Down Margaret" – 3:51
9. "Noise in This World" – 2:19
10. "Can't Get Used to Losing You" – 3:04
11. "Best Friend" – 3:01
12. "Jackpot" – 4:19
Nobody ever talks about this album. What the hell? This is better than the first Specials album, and yet no one ever mentions it. The first band to show the potential of the genre of ska music as more than a music style to confine to a fucking box with set limitations. With the first song, you know this band had the right idea, and with Two Swords you know they're still smarter than most ska and punk bands today, and with Jackpot you just knew this band would be huge. (Well they were in the UK) The band continued to play ska and add in more reggae and experiment a bit with their style, but never stopped being themselves. The Beat is probably the best two tone band there ever was.
Suburban Legends
1. "Popular Demand" – 2:55
2. "I Want More" – 4:14
3. "Don Juan" – 3:14
4. "Alternative Is Dead" – 2:15
5. "Desperate" – 3:39
I'm only counting this EP because it's so damn good. As bands tend to go on, their early material tends to get left behind, and I fear this will never be regarded as the classic that it really is. Yes, I posted that cover simply because I have never seen it in person, but I do prefer the other version. (The version with the red cover features a different singer, but the same music) This is a ska classic and should never be forgotten. It's also saddled with the realization that this band will never sound like this again.
The Selecter - Too Much Pressure
1. "Three Minute Hero" - 3.00
2. "Everyday (Time Hard)" - 3.10
3. "They Make Me Mad" - 2.47
4. "Missing Words" - 3.22
5. "Danger" - 2.38
6. "Street Feeling" - 3.11
7. "My Collie (Not A Dog)" - 2.45
8. "Too Much Pressure" - 3.48
9. "Murder" - 2.39
10. "Out On The Streets" - 3.28
11. "Carry Go Bring Come" - 3.02
12. "Black and Blue" - 3.17
13. "James Bond" - 2.16
The "other" band from the two tone era. This album is never mentioned except when a ska fan is trying to list bands from the second wave. This album is as good as the band has ever gotten, with some fantastic songwriting, and some clever lyrics among some otherwise rather standard lines, but the execution of them more than makes up for how this direction would lead this band out into the wilds where it would never recover. Like Home Grown's "That's Business" it's an instance of a band capturing a spark they would never come close to capturing again.
All in all, a top ten list of albums that really should be listened to and not just forgotten in the mists of time and bargain bins. Give these the chance they deserve.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Dark Void's brother...
Randy's post about Dark Void reminds me of a similar game that got very similar reviews last year.
Now, those that know me, know that I'm a 2D gaming fiend. I love anything 2D infinitely more than I love 3D games, but BC is one of those games where I think I might have liked it about as much as the original. I liked it so much, I played it and beat it 3 times in 3 days, and have every achievement except beat on Commando mode (hard was hard enough, thanks) and find every collectible (Just... No), and loved almost every second.
I'm not going to pretend it's flawless. You NEED to play with the retro suit to give the story it's suitably cheesy, tongue in cheek vibe it has. Fortunately that only requires buying the supreme Bionic Commando ReArmed and putting in an unlock code that game gives you. Very old school with the cheats, I love it.
Also, the story is ridiculous as hell. But what most people don't seem to get is that it's intentional. There are a lot of funny moments within as well as clever one liners and over the top action sequences to make even the stupidity of Metal Gear Solid blush. (How come MGS gets away with having a retarded story and not BC, by the way? BC's story is at least not taking itself seriously)
The game is rather challenging and full of trial and error old school difficulty. This can be a plus or minus if you like. There are a few technical issues like screen tearing, but they really are minor.
The 'radiation of death' complaints (the blue borders around the levels to keep you from leaving) are extraordinarily overblown. They killed me a handful of times during my three playthroughs and were mostly the result of me trying to get a collectible (hence my previous comment of not bothering to get them anymore), it was really such a non-issue I don't understand why people kept bringing it up. It's not an open world game, you're not supposed to wander off. I mean, it's an issue that could have easily been resolved with putting the radiation on the overhead map, but it doesn't affect anything much.
Despite that stuff, I had a lot of fun playing through it an had one of my favorite gaming experiences of 2009 with this game. I really could not imagine a better way to make a Bionic Commando game in 3D. It retains all that stuff Bionic Commando for the arcade and NES was famous for and puts them in a 3D game. I mean, it's not AAA or anything, but none of the Bionic Commando games are.
If you want something a little different like Dark Void to play through, I can't recommend playing this enough. It's also like $19 now. Just give it a shot, don't expect the world (Bionic Commando is too much of an odd concept for perfection), and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.
Now, those that know me, know that I'm a 2D gaming fiend. I love anything 2D infinitely more than I love 3D games, but BC is one of those games where I think I might have liked it about as much as the original. I liked it so much, I played it and beat it 3 times in 3 days, and have every achievement except beat on Commando mode (hard was hard enough, thanks) and find every collectible (Just... No), and loved almost every second.
I'm not going to pretend it's flawless. You NEED to play with the retro suit to give the story it's suitably cheesy, tongue in cheek vibe it has. Fortunately that only requires buying the supreme Bionic Commando ReArmed and putting in an unlock code that game gives you. Very old school with the cheats, I love it.
Also, the story is ridiculous as hell. But what most people don't seem to get is that it's intentional. There are a lot of funny moments within as well as clever one liners and over the top action sequences to make even the stupidity of Metal Gear Solid blush. (How come MGS gets away with having a retarded story and not BC, by the way? BC's story is at least not taking itself seriously)
The game is rather challenging and full of trial and error old school difficulty. This can be a plus or minus if you like. There are a few technical issues like screen tearing, but they really are minor.
The 'radiation of death' complaints (the blue borders around the levels to keep you from leaving) are extraordinarily overblown. They killed me a handful of times during my three playthroughs and were mostly the result of me trying to get a collectible (hence my previous comment of not bothering to get them anymore), it was really such a non-issue I don't understand why people kept bringing it up. It's not an open world game, you're not supposed to wander off. I mean, it's an issue that could have easily been resolved with putting the radiation on the overhead map, but it doesn't affect anything much.
Despite that stuff, I had a lot of fun playing through it an had one of my favorite gaming experiences of 2009 with this game. I really could not imagine a better way to make a Bionic Commando game in 3D. It retains all that stuff Bionic Commando for the arcade and NES was famous for and puts them in a 3D game. I mean, it's not AAA or anything, but none of the Bionic Commando games are.
If you want something a little different like Dark Void to play through, I can't recommend playing this enough. It's also like $19 now. Just give it a shot, don't expect the world (Bionic Commando is too much of an odd concept for perfection), and you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Dark Void Update Part 2
Dark Void finally arrived; there was an issue with Canada Post which resulted in the package being partially shredded. The game and its case are OK, it was just the packaging. I’m not going to be able to start playing tonight, but I should have something more to post soon.
Dark Void Update
Its been one week since I ordered Capcom’s Dark Void online, and I still intend on doing a first impressions and eventual review when I receive the game. The length of delivery is quite strange, as it should have been here by now.
I now don’t know if I will have the time to play through this game as three big releases were released this week: Mass Effect 2, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom, and No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. I should be picking them up tomorrow, and I will have to decide which game to play. Either way, I should be posting SOMETHING within the next couple days.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Drawn into the (Dark) Void
I don’t know when it happened, but all of a sudden all I want to play is Capcom’s Dark Void, something about is speaks to me. Its strange, in a month of BIG RELEASES (Bayonetta, Darksiders, Mass Effect 2, No More Heroes Desperate Struggle, and Tatsunoko Vs Capcom to name a few), my gaze keeps getting drawn back to Dark Void.
So far the initial reviews are not that promising. According to METACRITIC, the game is receiving an average of 6.0 out of 10 across the board. Here are some links to a few of the bigger reviews on the net from the sites I mostly trust for opinions:
Regardless of the complaints I’ve seen regarding this game, I still want it. I’m going to take the plunge and buy it before the week is out. I’ll post my initial impressions when I get the chance.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The 4D Slip - The Best Of Mega Man!
Keep up the trend of one post a month (at least), here's another entry.
Since I had posted what I consider the worst Mega Man games ever, I figured it's only fair to post on what I consider the best ones. Mega Man has a history of being some of the tightest designed games ever, as well as some of the hardest. But there are some that clearly stand above the rest, and are rightly regarded as classics. Now with the impending release of Mega Man 10, I think talking about these classics is only the right thing to do. Like my other list, I can't rate the RPG seres since I never really got into them and they can't really be compared with the platformers, but if I was going to reccomend one, it would be Battle Network 3.
So let's start at ten and work our way forward!
10. Mega Man
Where it all started. Putting the original on the list might seem strange since it's not quite as polished as the rest, but despite the fact it's not quite as spit shined as the rest doesn't change the fact that it's still a great and inventive action game. There are a few others I might prefer to make the list in it's stead, but the fact that this early NES game is still a blast to play is a testement to it's quality. Mega Man featured only six bosses instead of the eight that would later be featured, has shoddy colision detection, and no save/password feature, yet still has the tight and challenging platforming and shooting you'd expect from a Mega Man game. If you don't want to deal with the technical problems, play Mega Man Powered Up for the PSP instead. It's just as great, but has a seperate mode with new stages, a level creator, and additional playable characters. MMPU shows that despite the flaws of the first, it's still at it's core a great game.
9. Mega Man X4
I personally prefer Mega Man X3 to X4, but couldn't in good conscience put it on the list over X4. Mega Man X4 is simply a much less convoluted and tighter game than X3 is, and showed that the Mega Man X series could really work in this new fangled CD age. Featuring tightly designed levels, a rocking soundtrack, two playable characters, and a steady challenge, Mega Man X4 is inarguably one of the best. My only gripes are minor. The art design is rather plain and empty (the intro level really spoiled everything) and some of the sprites are not as fluid or fast as one would expect from an X game. But those are minor, X4 is easily on par with the SNES trilogy and showed bright days ahead for the X series. (Which unfortunately never came to pass, as since then the only title to live up to X4 was X8)
8. Mega Man Zero 2
Ah, the oft-overlooked Mega Man Zero series. Whether because it's portable, difficult, or starring Zero instead of Mega Man, this series never gets the respect it deserves. The first game was a really difficult but inventive addition to the series, and was the start to probably the highest quality series in the Mega Man canon. But the first game wasn't perfect, you basically had one life, the mission structure was messy, and the game was hard to get used to. Zero 2 is equivelant to the improvements MM2 gave to 1, the difficulty was balanced fairly, the structure was straightforward and not as convoluted, and the game eases you in instead of throwing you into the challenge. Mega Man Zero 2 is simply one of the best Mega Man games despite it's portability, and should be played by any fans of the series.
7. Mega Man 9
Capcom came roaring back with the classic series with Mega Man 9, after around 10 years of silence. Inticreates (makers of the excellent Zero series) crafted the best Mega Man game since the original NES trilogy acting amost as if the weaker games in the NES series never existed (it does feature Proto Man despite not giving Mega Man the slide from 3) and kept the classic simplicity the series is known for as well as featuring one of the best soundtracks in the entire series. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the soundtracks to most of these games. The entire Mega Man series features perhaps the best music in all of gaming, and 9 is certainly no slouch in that department. The controls are tight and fluid, the challenge is perfectly balanced, the boss weapons are all brilliant and extremely useful, and the game is as perfectly crafted as any of the best Mega Man games. Inticreates should be the only company allowed to touch Mega Man platformers from now on.
6. Mega Man X2
Higher than most would expect, the sequel to the classic series reinvention (or sequel) is actually almost on par with the original. Unlike Zero 2, or MM2, MMX2 does not feature any real improvements in the formula, since MMX was pretty much the first (and only) time Capcom got a series dead on in the first go. Instead it features more of the same with a little bit more. More challenge, more extras, more bosses, and harder to find upgrades. Back when it came out it was kind of seen as a disappointment, but now playing it with fresh eyes, it's hard to argue with it's quality. It's not quite as overstuffed as X3 is, nor as dead simple as X1 or X4. It maintains a great balance of classic X gameplay with some new features to keep the series strong.
5. Mega Man Legends 1/2 (tie)
It was hard to pick one Legends game over the other, so it seemed only fair to include them in the same place. Legends was a new breakthrough for Mega Man, featuring the jump to 3D as it's main selling point. The game had a light atmosphere, great characters, and some great additions to the series. Unfortunately, some people hated this new series and complained how it was too new, obviously forgetting that Mega Man 8 and new X games were still be released alongside this at the time. It was a successful experiment for those who actually gave it a chance, which unfortunately was not many. The sequel improved several aspects such as the controls and the interface, but for all intents and purposes it was simply an extension of the first game. Both games are fantastic additions to the Mega Man series and could definitely use remakes on more current systems in order to flesh out the more rough areas. Rumor has it that Capcom game Lost Planet was made using an engine meant for the Legends series, but nothing has yet to come of it. Shame. This series deserves much more than it gets.
4. Mega Man 2
Wha? Only #4! How can this happen? Mega Man 2 is the best Mega Man game ever, right?!? Well... There's no denying it's not an excellent game and well deserving it's stature, but there are a few reasons why it's not at the top here. The first reason is that I typically look beyond nostalgia when I make my lists, and the games that outrank it are simply better games, second is that the controls are not quite as tight as what was to come, and third is that I just never thought it was the best Mega Man game. Not to say it isn't great. Mega Man 2 features one of the best soundtracks ever, some of the best level design ever to hit the series, and a decent challenge (when not played on the default difficulty). A greatest Mega Man game list without 2 is simply wrong.
3. Mega Man Zero 3
The peak of the great Zero series, Z3 is actually comparable to MM3 in the amount of subtle changes that drastically improve the formula. The level design is one of the best ever in a Mega Man game, the challenge is pinpoint perfect, the variety of moves, unlockables, and powers is the strongest they've ever been, and the bosses are brilliant (the final boss is the best final boss in any Mega Man game), this is one of the best games in the entire canon. For those still unwilling to jump into this series, you missed out on some excellent gaming. Somehow managing to top the ridiculous improvements to the forumla MMZ2 made, MMZ3 is one of the best games the entire series and must be played for lovers of action platforming.
2. Mega Man 3
Yes, even better than 2, somehow Mega Man 3 managed to top 2 to become the best game in the classic series. More stages, tighter controls, better stages, and the introduction of the excellent slide move, Mega Man 3 is not just one of the best Mega Man games, but one of the best games ever. The introduction of series staples Rush and Protoman help to flesh out the universe and add a bit more of a story to the games then players are used to. Endlessly replayable, Mega Man 3 is at the top of the heap in the Mega Man canon.
1. Mega Man X
When Mega Man X came out, the Mega Man series had seen better days. The series had all but dropped out of sight, and with the release of Mega Man 6, people just didn't care anymore. But with Nintendo's Super Nintendo system, suddenly things were looking bright again. Those that picked up the intriguing looking Mega Man X were treated with a fast paced, flashy, and superbly crafted action platformer surpassing what many thought was possible for the Mega Man series. Not only one of the best Mega Man games, but arguably one of the best of all time (and certainly on the SNES). For those interested, Capcom released a remake on the PSP featuring remixed locations for items, different difficulties and Vile as a playable character. But still, Mega Man X was perfect in every area, story, music, sound and graphics, there was nothing it was lacking in. Still regarded as one of the best, if not the best, MMX is certainly as good as it gets in the Mega Man series.
Funny how Mega Man X both had what I consider the best and worst games in the entire franchise, and how Inticreates is so consistently brilliant when it comes to Mega Man platformers. All put together, I'd say the Zero series is the highest quality series, but that's not to say the other series are lacking in any way. Despite a few weak titles, the Mega Man series is still the high standard in action platforming even after being around for over twenty years! Once again, we at TSC salute you for being one of the best, Mega Man!
Note: I would include images, but that's a bit too much of a hassle for this list.
Since I had posted what I consider the worst Mega Man games ever, I figured it's only fair to post on what I consider the best ones. Mega Man has a history of being some of the tightest designed games ever, as well as some of the hardest. But there are some that clearly stand above the rest, and are rightly regarded as classics. Now with the impending release of Mega Man 10, I think talking about these classics is only the right thing to do. Like my other list, I can't rate the RPG seres since I never really got into them and they can't really be compared with the platformers, but if I was going to reccomend one, it would be Battle Network 3.
So let's start at ten and work our way forward!
10. Mega Man
Where it all started. Putting the original on the list might seem strange since it's not quite as polished as the rest, but despite the fact it's not quite as spit shined as the rest doesn't change the fact that it's still a great and inventive action game. There are a few others I might prefer to make the list in it's stead, but the fact that this early NES game is still a blast to play is a testement to it's quality. Mega Man featured only six bosses instead of the eight that would later be featured, has shoddy colision detection, and no save/password feature, yet still has the tight and challenging platforming and shooting you'd expect from a Mega Man game. If you don't want to deal with the technical problems, play Mega Man Powered Up for the PSP instead. It's just as great, but has a seperate mode with new stages, a level creator, and additional playable characters. MMPU shows that despite the flaws of the first, it's still at it's core a great game.
9. Mega Man X4
I personally prefer Mega Man X3 to X4, but couldn't in good conscience put it on the list over X4. Mega Man X4 is simply a much less convoluted and tighter game than X3 is, and showed that the Mega Man X series could really work in this new fangled CD age. Featuring tightly designed levels, a rocking soundtrack, two playable characters, and a steady challenge, Mega Man X4 is inarguably one of the best. My only gripes are minor. The art design is rather plain and empty (the intro level really spoiled everything) and some of the sprites are not as fluid or fast as one would expect from an X game. But those are minor, X4 is easily on par with the SNES trilogy and showed bright days ahead for the X series. (Which unfortunately never came to pass, as since then the only title to live up to X4 was X8)
8. Mega Man Zero 2
Ah, the oft-overlooked Mega Man Zero series. Whether because it's portable, difficult, or starring Zero instead of Mega Man, this series never gets the respect it deserves. The first game was a really difficult but inventive addition to the series, and was the start to probably the highest quality series in the Mega Man canon. But the first game wasn't perfect, you basically had one life, the mission structure was messy, and the game was hard to get used to. Zero 2 is equivelant to the improvements MM2 gave to 1, the difficulty was balanced fairly, the structure was straightforward and not as convoluted, and the game eases you in instead of throwing you into the challenge. Mega Man Zero 2 is simply one of the best Mega Man games despite it's portability, and should be played by any fans of the series.
7. Mega Man 9
Capcom came roaring back with the classic series with Mega Man 9, after around 10 years of silence. Inticreates (makers of the excellent Zero series) crafted the best Mega Man game since the original NES trilogy acting amost as if the weaker games in the NES series never existed (it does feature Proto Man despite not giving Mega Man the slide from 3) and kept the classic simplicity the series is known for as well as featuring one of the best soundtracks in the entire series. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the soundtracks to most of these games. The entire Mega Man series features perhaps the best music in all of gaming, and 9 is certainly no slouch in that department. The controls are tight and fluid, the challenge is perfectly balanced, the boss weapons are all brilliant and extremely useful, and the game is as perfectly crafted as any of the best Mega Man games. Inticreates should be the only company allowed to touch Mega Man platformers from now on.
6. Mega Man X2
Higher than most would expect, the sequel to the classic series reinvention (or sequel) is actually almost on par with the original. Unlike Zero 2, or MM2, MMX2 does not feature any real improvements in the formula, since MMX was pretty much the first (and only) time Capcom got a series dead on in the first go. Instead it features more of the same with a little bit more. More challenge, more extras, more bosses, and harder to find upgrades. Back when it came out it was kind of seen as a disappointment, but now playing it with fresh eyes, it's hard to argue with it's quality. It's not quite as overstuffed as X3 is, nor as dead simple as X1 or X4. It maintains a great balance of classic X gameplay with some new features to keep the series strong.
5. Mega Man Legends 1/2 (tie)
It was hard to pick one Legends game over the other, so it seemed only fair to include them in the same place. Legends was a new breakthrough for Mega Man, featuring the jump to 3D as it's main selling point. The game had a light atmosphere, great characters, and some great additions to the series. Unfortunately, some people hated this new series and complained how it was too new, obviously forgetting that Mega Man 8 and new X games were still be released alongside this at the time. It was a successful experiment for those who actually gave it a chance, which unfortunately was not many. The sequel improved several aspects such as the controls and the interface, but for all intents and purposes it was simply an extension of the first game. Both games are fantastic additions to the Mega Man series and could definitely use remakes on more current systems in order to flesh out the more rough areas. Rumor has it that Capcom game Lost Planet was made using an engine meant for the Legends series, but nothing has yet to come of it. Shame. This series deserves much more than it gets.
4. Mega Man 2
Wha? Only #4! How can this happen? Mega Man 2 is the best Mega Man game ever, right?!? Well... There's no denying it's not an excellent game and well deserving it's stature, but there are a few reasons why it's not at the top here. The first reason is that I typically look beyond nostalgia when I make my lists, and the games that outrank it are simply better games, second is that the controls are not quite as tight as what was to come, and third is that I just never thought it was the best Mega Man game. Not to say it isn't great. Mega Man 2 features one of the best soundtracks ever, some of the best level design ever to hit the series, and a decent challenge (when not played on the default difficulty). A greatest Mega Man game list without 2 is simply wrong.
3. Mega Man Zero 3
The peak of the great Zero series, Z3 is actually comparable to MM3 in the amount of subtle changes that drastically improve the formula. The level design is one of the best ever in a Mega Man game, the challenge is pinpoint perfect, the variety of moves, unlockables, and powers is the strongest they've ever been, and the bosses are brilliant (the final boss is the best final boss in any Mega Man game), this is one of the best games in the entire canon. For those still unwilling to jump into this series, you missed out on some excellent gaming. Somehow managing to top the ridiculous improvements to the forumla MMZ2 made, MMZ3 is one of the best games the entire series and must be played for lovers of action platforming.
2. Mega Man 3
Yes, even better than 2, somehow Mega Man 3 managed to top 2 to become the best game in the classic series. More stages, tighter controls, better stages, and the introduction of the excellent slide move, Mega Man 3 is not just one of the best Mega Man games, but one of the best games ever. The introduction of series staples Rush and Protoman help to flesh out the universe and add a bit more of a story to the games then players are used to. Endlessly replayable, Mega Man 3 is at the top of the heap in the Mega Man canon.
1. Mega Man X
When Mega Man X came out, the Mega Man series had seen better days. The series had all but dropped out of sight, and with the release of Mega Man 6, people just didn't care anymore. But with Nintendo's Super Nintendo system, suddenly things were looking bright again. Those that picked up the intriguing looking Mega Man X were treated with a fast paced, flashy, and superbly crafted action platformer surpassing what many thought was possible for the Mega Man series. Not only one of the best Mega Man games, but arguably one of the best of all time (and certainly on the SNES). For those interested, Capcom released a remake on the PSP featuring remixed locations for items, different difficulties and Vile as a playable character. But still, Mega Man X was perfect in every area, story, music, sound and graphics, there was nothing it was lacking in. Still regarded as one of the best, if not the best, MMX is certainly as good as it gets in the Mega Man series.
Funny how Mega Man X both had what I consider the best and worst games in the entire franchise, and how Inticreates is so consistently brilliant when it comes to Mega Man platformers. All put together, I'd say the Zero series is the highest quality series, but that's not to say the other series are lacking in any way. Despite a few weak titles, the Mega Man series is still the high standard in action platforming even after being around for over twenty years! Once again, we at TSC salute you for being one of the best, Mega Man!
Note: I would include images, but that's a bit too much of a hassle for this list.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The 4D Slip - Difficulty In Gaming
Those that I talk to about video games might think I have an unnatural obsession with tough difficulty in games, but that's not really the case at all. I find the balance of legitimate challenge in gaming on top of clever level design a sort of zen experience. Not that I can't find joy in a lack of challenge and a streamlined experience, as long as the game design is still strong (Super Mario Bros. 3, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and TMNT4 fall into this category), but there is something magical about throwing yourself into a seemingly inescapable situation and coming out on top.
However, with the release of Modern Warfare 2 (which I have not played, but I have heard remains an issue) and NSMBWii (which brings back 'Nintendo hard') I would like to bring up the idea of different styles of difficulty.
1. Quarter Muncher Difficulty
For those that have played a hard arcade game, you know what this means. Developers in the old days would pretty much throw the player into situations where unless you were basically a 'God of Gaming', you would need to keep pumping quarters into the machine to keep going. Very rarely was it 'impossible' to beat a game, but quite frankly it was infuriating to try in most cases, and instead move on or just accept your defeat and put in another quarter.
Somehow this style still lives on in games like Street Fighter 4 with crap like Seth. A random spike in difficulty made to make you go to the continue screen and try again. Even OCCing (One Credit Complete) these types of games is tough because you frequently have to exploit bugs and dumb design decisions to get past them. SNK Boss Syndrome was made purely for the reason of getting the player to do just that. (I love you SNK, but I hate you so much)
2. Old School Difficulty
Named as such because it's been at the forefront of gaming for a long ass time (also known as 'Nintendo hard') and still remains active in gaming, this is my personal favorite style of difficulty. The difficulty revolves around the developers testing the player by deliberately making challenges the player has to work their way through, and challenge themselves to get better at the game. This is different from quarter munching difficulty in that its frequently (but not always) less frustrating and more forgiving with the chances it gives you to conquer an obstacle, since you're not pumping quarters in, there's really no need to bother.
My favorite example of this is Contra for the NES. A seemingly impossible game full of one hit deaths and screen filling chaos. However, after playing the game enough, and getting used to the rules of the world, you can navigate yourself through without much of a challenge at all. This is, in my opinion, true difficulty. Unlike the other examples of difficulty, these perfectly designed games test only your skills as a gamer and when you die it is ONLY your own fault.
3. Bad Design Difficulty
This is by far the worst kind of difficulty, in my opinion. Difficulty made because the developers made a bad decision in the making of the game and made things much harder than they're supposed to be.
But not just that. Some games are designed specifically with strange design issues or control quirks in mind, (Castlevania and GnG come to mind) and base their difficulty on the player working around these issues instead of any challenge the actual game may possess. Heck, some include that too (Ninja Gaiden has the damn birds, but still remains challenging for other reasons such as legitimate level and boss design), and this still remains a popular style of difficulty to a lot of retro games. Even if it feels archaic to most newer ones.
4. Fake/Cheese Difficulty
This is probably the most controversial one, and the one I'll receive the most flak for (who am I to judge difficulty and whatnot), but I will say it anyway. Fake Difficulty is when developers simply kill or harm you and there is no way to avoid or work around it. There are multiple forms of this cheese in gaming, but it is by far the worst form of difficulty, one that punishes players simply for the hell of it. There are many games I could include here, but the one I will focus on is Call Of Duty's veteran mode.
Call Of Duty is well known for being a game that has "no AI". The enemies always know exactly where you are and will spray bullets over your location no matter where you are. You can't sneak around unless it's scripted and when you blow your cover, enemies instantly know where you are and fill you full of bullets. COD is known for the 'wall of death' difficulty that simply kills you for walking where the developers don't want you to go, without any warning, and spam instant kill grenades that you simply can't avoid (and in a certain level in COD4, it's basically up to chance if you can even make it through) all the while pouring enemies out that only stop when you walk over an invisible switch. Sort of like a shooting range.
Enemies can't be worked around, or strategized around. You simply need to shoot them until they fall and hope you have enough cover so that a grenade or a wall doesn't find you first. It's not difficulty you can overcome, merely put up with.
I hope you enjoyed this look into my thoughts on game difficulty, I always wanted to write it down somewhere, and now I have.
However, with the release of Modern Warfare 2 (which I have not played, but I have heard remains an issue) and NSMBWii (which brings back 'Nintendo hard') I would like to bring up the idea of different styles of difficulty.
1. Quarter Muncher Difficulty
For those that have played a hard arcade game, you know what this means. Developers in the old days would pretty much throw the player into situations where unless you were basically a 'God of Gaming', you would need to keep pumping quarters into the machine to keep going. Very rarely was it 'impossible' to beat a game, but quite frankly it was infuriating to try in most cases, and instead move on or just accept your defeat and put in another quarter.
Somehow this style still lives on in games like Street Fighter 4 with crap like Seth. A random spike in difficulty made to make you go to the continue screen and try again. Even OCCing (One Credit Complete) these types of games is tough because you frequently have to exploit bugs and dumb design decisions to get past them. SNK Boss Syndrome was made purely for the reason of getting the player to do just that. (I love you SNK, but I hate you so much)
2. Old School Difficulty
Named as such because it's been at the forefront of gaming for a long ass time (also known as 'Nintendo hard') and still remains active in gaming, this is my personal favorite style of difficulty. The difficulty revolves around the developers testing the player by deliberately making challenges the player has to work their way through, and challenge themselves to get better at the game. This is different from quarter munching difficulty in that its frequently (but not always) less frustrating and more forgiving with the chances it gives you to conquer an obstacle, since you're not pumping quarters in, there's really no need to bother.
My favorite example of this is Contra for the NES. A seemingly impossible game full of one hit deaths and screen filling chaos. However, after playing the game enough, and getting used to the rules of the world, you can navigate yourself through without much of a challenge at all. This is, in my opinion, true difficulty. Unlike the other examples of difficulty, these perfectly designed games test only your skills as a gamer and when you die it is ONLY your own fault.
3. Bad Design Difficulty
This is by far the worst kind of difficulty, in my opinion. Difficulty made because the developers made a bad decision in the making of the game and made things much harder than they're supposed to be.
But not just that. Some games are designed specifically with strange design issues or control quirks in mind, (Castlevania and GnG come to mind) and base their difficulty on the player working around these issues instead of any challenge the actual game may possess. Heck, some include that too (Ninja Gaiden has the damn birds, but still remains challenging for other reasons such as legitimate level and boss design), and this still remains a popular style of difficulty to a lot of retro games. Even if it feels archaic to most newer ones.
4. Fake/Cheese Difficulty
This is probably the most controversial one, and the one I'll receive the most flak for (who am I to judge difficulty and whatnot), but I will say it anyway. Fake Difficulty is when developers simply kill or harm you and there is no way to avoid or work around it. There are multiple forms of this cheese in gaming, but it is by far the worst form of difficulty, one that punishes players simply for the hell of it. There are many games I could include here, but the one I will focus on is Call Of Duty's veteran mode.
Call Of Duty is well known for being a game that has "no AI". The enemies always know exactly where you are and will spray bullets over your location no matter where you are. You can't sneak around unless it's scripted and when you blow your cover, enemies instantly know where you are and fill you full of bullets. COD is known for the 'wall of death' difficulty that simply kills you for walking where the developers don't want you to go, without any warning, and spam instant kill grenades that you simply can't avoid (and in a certain level in COD4, it's basically up to chance if you can even make it through) all the while pouring enemies out that only stop when you walk over an invisible switch. Sort of like a shooting range.
Enemies can't be worked around, or strategized around. You simply need to shoot them until they fall and hope you have enough cover so that a grenade or a wall doesn't find you first. It's not difficulty you can overcome, merely put up with.
I hope you enjoyed this look into my thoughts on game difficulty, I always wanted to write it down somewhere, and now I have.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Static Prevails: Malcolm In The Middle (And The Importance Of Likability)
As some of you may or may not know, I watch a lot of Nick At Nite. Why is this, you may ask? I enjoy watching light and relatively harmless sitcoms at night before I go to bed, or so I can write incomprehensible gibberish like this. Believe it or not, I think this is the best time for sitcoms. Well, that and the morning hours. Anyway, I've noticed something strange while watching it recently.
When the show Everybody Hates Chris was announced for the block, I rolled my eyes. This show was made based on the success of Malcolm In The Middle and looked like nothing more than a cash in, Malcolm In The Middle is a show that always rubbed me the wrong way, and until recently I could never figure out why. The previews Nick showed for Chris didn't help either. But then I gave it a chance as I always do for N@N shows, and this is the weird part.
I liked it.
This confused me greatly; a show with a very similar layout and characterization (the hateful mom, misunderstood kid, and adjusting to the world around them), and it is the clearly superior show? Yes, easily.
Everybody Hates Chris
I won't throw this to the 'better writing' bin as I usually do. The quality of writing on the two shows is actually very similar, the acting is better on Chris but Malcolm is no slouch either. So what's the difference? Why is Chris the clearly superior show and one I would rather watch if given the chance?
Well, I struggled a bit to figure it out. But the characters are actually likable in Chris. The first few episodes of Malcolm were fine in this aspect too, but something seemed to happen. The characters became unlikable, malicious, and caricature's of stereotypes. This is why Malcolm always frustrated me and why now people are realizing the show is not as great as they once thought. Reruns of this show unveil the hateful characters they are, and despite what the writers try to do (and they try some pretty neat things), it all falls apart simply because the characters are never likable.
It would be fine if it was like Seinfeld and Married With Children where we weren't made to care for them and the writing was built around that, but the writers keep telling us we're supposed to care about these characters, but never give us compelling reasons why with the characterizations.
In Chris, every character is a person. They aren't all one sided, or cardboard cut outs, and they aren't all out to screw someone over. In fact, characters rarely get mad at others without reasons (in Malcolm people scream for the hell of it), and frequently try to do the right things. I'm not saying characters never get like that in Chris, but I'm saying that it isn't blown up to eyerolling levels like in Malcolm.
In fact, thanks to this discovery, I can say that this was a large problem with a lot of late 90s/early 00s shows like That 70s Show, and even recent shows like The War At Home. If the audience is supposed to care for the predicaments of these characters, then don't they have to like them? I mean, for all my faults with Friends, this was never an issue for it, and probably a factor for it's success.
This might have been some sort of experiment left over from that era of making sitcoms 'badder' and 'more extreme', however without heart it's simply meaningless. The sitcom Titus was a dark show with heavy themes from the same era, but the writers NEVER made us stop caring about the characters, and never pushed them over the edge. There was a reason for everything they did, and it was better for it.
All I can say is that I'm truly thankful the era of empty, loud characters are over. It's just too bad we seem to be in the era of 'no characters at all'... I can't decide which is worse. Either the sitcom based on the latest trends (look, a Facebook joke!), Hollywood movies (You mean she's pregnant? And the guy's a loser? OMG!),or reheated leftovers from the early 90s. The sitcom is still is a bad way, but it doesn't seem like this is a problem with them anymore.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Follow The Sound - The Go! Team
Bit of a break, but this time I'll pick an album that always seems to affect me on a spiritual level. By that I mean one that always makes me feel something in my very depths, it moves and shakes me, and there are a lot of different emotions that flare up when listening to this album. The album would be this:
1. Panther Dash (2:50)
2. Ladyflash (4:16)
3. Feelgood By Numbers (1:56)
4. The Power Is On (3:14)
5. Get It Together (3:28)
6. We Just Won't Be Defeated (2:45)
7. Junior Kickstart (3:32)
8. Air Raid GTR (0:39)
9. Bottle Rocket (3:32)
10. Friendship Update (4:00)
11. Hold Yr Terror Close (2:18)
12. Huddle Formation (3:11)
13. Everyone's A V.I.P. To Someone (5:08)
Yes, the band was an indie band of the month at one point, but don't hold that against them. So were Andrew WK and Scanners, and they are still awesome, while stock indie rock shit like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! float to the bottom where they belong.
The difference between this album and other "indie rock" albums, is that this does not confine itself to that increasingly stagnant and boring genre. The songs do not follow a strict genre guideline, yet remain perfectly accessible and an easy listen. Every song sounds totally different, with raucous drumming (I love the drum sounds on this album), explosive horns, chanting, record scratches, and about anything you can think of. The songs are the type that rockers can see themselves rock out to, or even dance (or skank, if you're feeling nutty) to. The weird part is that, the lyrics are rather sparse, there's no questioning that the vocals are not the attraction here (even though they sound phenomenal), which is usually what every 'serious' music listener focuses on (hence so many idiots thinking there hasn't been an instrumental since the fucking 60s), making me question why the music elite even bothered with this album at all.
What's real special is how the record makes you feel. This is one of the few records I own that stabs at my core, the way the instruments mesh together to form coherent song structures, the music is not complex at all, yet is able to make me feel such strange emotions while listening to it. In a perfect world, 'Ladyflash' would have been on the radio, 'Bottle Rocket' would have been on 120 Minutes, and 'Everyone's A V.I.P. To Someone' (this song is so beautiful) would have been playing in serious dramatic movies.
This album captures what makes us listen to music in the first place. It has the magic, the soul, and the passion of the best music has to offer, and is easily one of the best albums of this decade, if not of all time.
If you disagree with that, then I feel sorry for you, I really do. Few albums can make me feel this way, and I hope it would for you too. This is an album that just makes you feel great to be alive.
1. Panther Dash (2:50)
2. Ladyflash (4:16)
3. Feelgood By Numbers (1:56)
4. The Power Is On (3:14)
5. Get It Together (3:28)
6. We Just Won't Be Defeated (2:45)
7. Junior Kickstart (3:32)
8. Air Raid GTR (0:39)
9. Bottle Rocket (3:32)
10. Friendship Update (4:00)
11. Hold Yr Terror Close (2:18)
12. Huddle Formation (3:11)
13. Everyone's A V.I.P. To Someone (5:08)
Yes, the band was an indie band of the month at one point, but don't hold that against them. So were Andrew WK and Scanners, and they are still awesome, while stock indie rock shit like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! float to the bottom where they belong.
The difference between this album and other "indie rock" albums, is that this does not confine itself to that increasingly stagnant and boring genre. The songs do not follow a strict genre guideline, yet remain perfectly accessible and an easy listen. Every song sounds totally different, with raucous drumming (I love the drum sounds on this album), explosive horns, chanting, record scratches, and about anything you can think of. The songs are the type that rockers can see themselves rock out to, or even dance (or skank, if you're feeling nutty) to. The weird part is that, the lyrics are rather sparse, there's no questioning that the vocals are not the attraction here (even though they sound phenomenal), which is usually what every 'serious' music listener focuses on (hence so many idiots thinking there hasn't been an instrumental since the fucking 60s), making me question why the music elite even bothered with this album at all.
What's real special is how the record makes you feel. This is one of the few records I own that stabs at my core, the way the instruments mesh together to form coherent song structures, the music is not complex at all, yet is able to make me feel such strange emotions while listening to it. In a perfect world, 'Ladyflash' would have been on the radio, 'Bottle Rocket' would have been on 120 Minutes, and 'Everyone's A V.I.P. To Someone' (this song is so beautiful) would have been playing in serious dramatic movies.
This album captures what makes us listen to music in the first place. It has the magic, the soul, and the passion of the best music has to offer, and is easily one of the best albums of this decade, if not of all time.
If you disagree with that, then I feel sorry for you, I really do. Few albums can make me feel this way, and I hope it would for you too. This is an album that just makes you feel great to be alive.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Been a bit slow recently...
I've been a bit dry recently, and Randy has been busy with dealing with his job, so I figured I'd make a simple list post to kill some time.
Since IGN did their take on the top 25 consoles of all time, I'd figure I'd try to do the same. Why not? I'm bored.
1. SNES
This system is so great that I'm still discovering great games I never played before years after it ceased being produced. It was the only system I owned besides the PS1 that was wall to wall greatness with absolutely no lulls in it's release history. From the first time I popped in Super Mario World, until discovering 'Gunman's Proof' on an emulator, their is no system that surpasses it's library and variety. Simply stunning.
2. Playstation
The only thing that keeps this a definite number two is that the 3D is so hard to adjust to nowadays. But this system is just the tops. The 2D (when not plagued by slowdown or missing frames due to ports that shouldn't have been made for the system) was the best I'd ever seen (and the last time they sold decently on a console) and the 3D was a true step forward for gaming. The library is so varied and creative that it's hard for to put this down at all, and just like the SNES, I'm still discovering great games for it.
3. NES
Probably the oldest console I can still play nowadays, the NES defined 2D gaming. While many games were vastly improved in the jump to the SNES, their are many others that never did make that jump. The system had a lot of creativity put into it's library, and lasted for so long, that there are still gems being discovered in it. It may get a lot of nostalgia love, but the games are still playable and still tons of fun, and for something so old, that has to count for something.
4. Sega Genesis
The flipside to the 16 bit war that I was never a part of (Since I rented games instead of bought, I had enough for two systems), the Genesis seemed like a different evolution of the NES style (I didn't know about the Master System until years later) and was faster and flasher than my big bright SNES. I find the ports between both systems negligible, but the originals for this system are still some of the best gaming has to offer.
5. Xbox 360
Might be a bit high for my list, but the 360 helped reinvigorate my love of gaming (with the Wii) by introducing the concept of downloadable games (and the return of 2D to the consoles!), making online play and community a surprising element in my play time, and yeah the games are pretty good as well. The Wii60 combo this gen lit a fire in my passion for gaming that the previous gen pretty much sucked out of me. I rate this half of the combo slightly higher since developers haven't been supporting the other half nearly as much as this one.
6. Sega Dreamcast
The last Sega system, and probably the most interesting one last gen. Arcade perfect ports became a reality, and companies like Capcom were showing us exactly how powerful it was. The controller was a bit awkward to get used to, but the originality in the games and the traditional games still keeping their original high quality, this was probably the best system (technically) last gen.
7. TurboGrafx
I played this system once as a kid, (the game was Keith Courage) and was mildly impressed. But it wasn't until the Wii VC where I truly understood this system. The system has a very impressive library, and the CD mechanic was highly revolutionary for the time. I still want to get one of these systems eventually. It needs more respect than it gets.
8. Playstation 2
I'm listing this purely for the niche and obscure games that were truly great. Otherwise, this probably wouldn't make the top 10. Normally it wouldn't be enough to make the list, but there were a LOT of them. So it makes the list purely for that reason. But I really felt this system was disappointing.
9. Nintendo Wii
The only thing keeping this low is the lack of games for the system. Don't get me wrong, there are quite a lot of good games for the system, and more on the way, but as it is now, it's merely on the cusp of greatness. I love the controls (though the classic controller should have been packed in) and the VC and WiiWare systems help add value to the system (the TurboGrafx games ALONE are enough for purchase of this console), the system is truly great with loads of potential.
10. Sega CD
This makes the list only because I've actually played games on it, but it's not that bad. The ports that made this system were typically the best of them all (beating the Genesis and the SNES) and the original games (that weren't FMV crapstains) were truly a step forward in gaming. The redbook audio was truly interesting and made for some fantastic soundtracks. You know, before game audio became as bland as it is now. The system is a bit underrated though, and should be respected more than it is.
The Gamecube, Xbox, and Jaguar do not deserve a ranking in my opinion. While they each had some truly great games, as a whole they simply do not stack up to the rest of this list. The Playstation 3, though, I'm not sure, as I haven't touched one yet.
Since IGN did their take on the top 25 consoles of all time, I'd figure I'd try to do the same. Why not? I'm bored.
1. SNES
This system is so great that I'm still discovering great games I never played before years after it ceased being produced. It was the only system I owned besides the PS1 that was wall to wall greatness with absolutely no lulls in it's release history. From the first time I popped in Super Mario World, until discovering 'Gunman's Proof' on an emulator, their is no system that surpasses it's library and variety. Simply stunning.
2. Playstation
The only thing that keeps this a definite number two is that the 3D is so hard to adjust to nowadays. But this system is just the tops. The 2D (when not plagued by slowdown or missing frames due to ports that shouldn't have been made for the system) was the best I'd ever seen (and the last time they sold decently on a console) and the 3D was a true step forward for gaming. The library is so varied and creative that it's hard for to put this down at all, and just like the SNES, I'm still discovering great games for it.
3. NES
Probably the oldest console I can still play nowadays, the NES defined 2D gaming. While many games were vastly improved in the jump to the SNES, their are many others that never did make that jump. The system had a lot of creativity put into it's library, and lasted for so long, that there are still gems being discovered in it. It may get a lot of nostalgia love, but the games are still playable and still tons of fun, and for something so old, that has to count for something.
4. Sega Genesis
The flipside to the 16 bit war that I was never a part of (Since I rented games instead of bought, I had enough for two systems), the Genesis seemed like a different evolution of the NES style (I didn't know about the Master System until years later) and was faster and flasher than my big bright SNES. I find the ports between both systems negligible, but the originals for this system are still some of the best gaming has to offer.
5. Xbox 360
Might be a bit high for my list, but the 360 helped reinvigorate my love of gaming (with the Wii) by introducing the concept of downloadable games (and the return of 2D to the consoles!), making online play and community a surprising element in my play time, and yeah the games are pretty good as well. The Wii60 combo this gen lit a fire in my passion for gaming that the previous gen pretty much sucked out of me. I rate this half of the combo slightly higher since developers haven't been supporting the other half nearly as much as this one.
6. Sega Dreamcast
The last Sega system, and probably the most interesting one last gen. Arcade perfect ports became a reality, and companies like Capcom were showing us exactly how powerful it was. The controller was a bit awkward to get used to, but the originality in the games and the traditional games still keeping their original high quality, this was probably the best system (technically) last gen.
7. TurboGrafx
I played this system once as a kid, (the game was Keith Courage) and was mildly impressed. But it wasn't until the Wii VC where I truly understood this system. The system has a very impressive library, and the CD mechanic was highly revolutionary for the time. I still want to get one of these systems eventually. It needs more respect than it gets.
8. Playstation 2
I'm listing this purely for the niche and obscure games that were truly great. Otherwise, this probably wouldn't make the top 10. Normally it wouldn't be enough to make the list, but there were a LOT of them. So it makes the list purely for that reason. But I really felt this system was disappointing.
9. Nintendo Wii
The only thing keeping this low is the lack of games for the system. Don't get me wrong, there are quite a lot of good games for the system, and more on the way, but as it is now, it's merely on the cusp of greatness. I love the controls (though the classic controller should have been packed in) and the VC and WiiWare systems help add value to the system (the TurboGrafx games ALONE are enough for purchase of this console), the system is truly great with loads of potential.
10. Sega CD
This makes the list only because I've actually played games on it, but it's not that bad. The ports that made this system were typically the best of them all (beating the Genesis and the SNES) and the original games (that weren't FMV crapstains) were truly a step forward in gaming. The redbook audio was truly interesting and made for some fantastic soundtracks. You know, before game audio became as bland as it is now. The system is a bit underrated though, and should be respected more than it is.
The Gamecube, Xbox, and Jaguar do not deserve a ranking in my opinion. While they each had some truly great games, as a whole they simply do not stack up to the rest of this list. The Playstation 3, though, I'm not sure, as I haven't touched one yet.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Microsoft surprises...
I sent in my 360 for repair two days ago (first ever red ring in 3 years) and got it back already. Shocking, absolutely shocking.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The 4D Sound - Double Dragon II
It's a game I sometimes forget about (probably due to it not getting the amount of exposure it's prequel did, or similar games in the genre), but I would have to say that I think Double Dragon II for the NES has the greatest game soundtrack of all time. Almost every track is a home run and are among the most memorable you'll ever hear in a video game.
'But JD! What about insert modern/Mega Man/Sonic/Mario/Ninja Gaiden game here?' This is what you are thinking. I personally consider this above any of those and quite easily, I might add. Not only the original NES version, but the somehow just as amazing arranged version which brings the soundtrack to life using more than ye olde NES soundchip. Let's start this off on a track by track basis. I'll even throw in the arranged version for comparison's sake.
Opening: Dead Or Alive
Probably the most familiar opening theme in the series, next to the iconic opening from part 1. But to say it stands alongside the original is quite a testament to it's quality. As far as opening themes go, few games get it better. The arranged version is quite interesting, since it's a vocal edit(the only one in the arranged version, I might add) as it makes it sound like an 80s anime theme song. It works, but I think the original wins out for getting the Double Dragon feeling right on.
Level One: Unleashing The Ogre
Possibly the most underrated song in the game, while not as flamboyant in it's asskickery like the first game, level one of DD2 is much more subtle and restrained while still having a pulsating feel as well as managing to keep the feel of gritty street violence at the same time. A superb track. The arranged version retains this subtlety beautifully, and adds in a bit of seediness giving it an edge in it's back alley, post apocalyptic brawl. I'm not sure why most people don't talk about this one, it's truly great.
Level Two: Low Pursuit
Easily the most famous song in the game, and is just that great, the second stage of Double Dragon 2 is one of the best designed levels in gaming. A little bit of platforming, throwing dudes off ledges, avoiding helicopter gunfire, and closing it off with a brawl with two ninjas at the end, you've got everything. On top of that you got a song that just oozes seediness and really has the atmosphere of a brawl on a rooftop in the middle of the night, it's slower than the first level theme, but somehow more explosive in it's delivery. The arranged version manages to kick it up a notch making it sound not too dissimilar from something you might hear in an anime or old action movie, hell there are STILL games out there trying to ape this style and failing miserably.
Level Three: Night Sky Tension
Short level, short theme. Is more or less just ambiance anyway. Pretty disappointing considering the rest of the soundtrack. The arranged version is better, but that's not saying much.
Level Four: Advancing Towards Sunset
No other song emulates the feeling of storming a base to kick some butt more than this one does. It's incessantly catchy, hard driving, and just makes you want to hyper knee some dude in the face. The Arranged version is simply beautiful, modernizing this classic tune with a style and flair rarely seen in gaming, the song could easily fit in with other more modern action games like Viewtiful Joe or GodHand with no complaints from anyone.
Level Five: Escape To The Forest
The other song most people probably know from this game. Easily topping the forest theme from the first game, and brilliantly describing a foreboding feeling of danger (it IS the Forest Of Death after all), the theme crawls along your skin as you make your way through the mysterious forest before you. The arranged version adds some power to the track, giving it a sense of urgency instead of mystery, but this merely gives the track it's own flavor making the two essential listening when it comes to videogame music.
Level Six: Wicked God
A pretty average song in all honesty. It's pretty much a short theme of anxiety before entering the enemy base before you. It gets the job done, but it's not one you'll be listening to often.
Level Seven: Breaking The Barrier
Now THIS is more like it. Back to classic DD music full of kickassness. The song is almost like letting the tension out of the game after the dizzying platforming you went through and deadly traps you managed to avoid. It really feels like the main halls of an enemy stronghold. The arranged version pumps it up to 11, making a great song excellent. It's much meatier in it's sound, giving it an impression of some massive gang battle happening.
Level Eight: Entering The Enemy Base
The final stage. The journey is nearing it's conclusion, and it's almost time to face your demons. The foreboding music is perfect for this stage, you know you're near the end, you know the enmy is on the run, and now is your chance to stop them. The arranged version gives it a more industrial feel about it, rescaling the post apocolyptic theme the series tends to forget about after this game. In fact, it sort of reminds me of something you'd hear from a Ninja Gaiden game. It still retains the foreboding message, but twists it a bit to make it some almost like there's an urgency and fear in the air. Brilliant music.
Final Boss: Roar Of The Double Dragon
Okay, this is going to be really biased. This is the best final boss music in the history of gaming. There is none better. If you were to put this into ANY game is the final boss music (doesn't matter which version) the game would be 38% more brilliant. Statistically prove and all that. This song is as perfect as video game music gets and will ever get. The feeling of excitement and adrenaline is unleashed in this final moment before the end, as the final boss teleports all over the screen and turns invisible to kick your ass, the screen changes backgrounds and you have this epic music playing. Gaming doesn't get better than this. Forget Koji Kondo, forget any video game composer you favor, they will NEVER touch this music. You can add this into Mario 3's final battle and it will fit, you can add this to Sonic 3 & Knuckles Doomsday Zone and it will fit, you can add to to Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy, Hell you can add this to freaking Halo 3's final battle and it will fit. There is nothing that will surpass it. Sorry, there just isn't.
Epilogue: Miracle Of The Double Dragon
A heartwarming and yet sad song of how the Lee brothers killed the mysterious warrior without learning anything about him at all. They are are able to find Marion and disappear from history, saving the world and the girl.
Ending Credits: Rising Desire
Combining the epic win that is Roar, and the somberness of Miracle, you get probably the best closing theme in gaming. Hell, it wouldn't be out of place in a final fantasy game. A beautiful end to an awesome game, it's too bad the original team never made another DD game after this, but then I don't know how they would have topped it.
In conclusion, this is one of, if not the best soundtrack in the history of videogames. Kazunaka Yamane, who composed the music of the first two games is a genius, and it's thanks to him that we have all this awesome music in just one game. Not only one of the best games ever, but also he best sounding games ever, Double Dragon 2 is a total classic. If only this series could continue, but Million (who owns the IP) continues to only port the original, ignoring what many people consider the pinnacle of the series (II) and remaking a game that really, really needs it (III). But still, Double Dragon II is an all time classic that should be played (and heard) by everyone. We at the Slacker Chronicles salute you Million for creating some of the best game soundtracks (and by extension, games) off all time.
*Note: Image from lemonamiga
*Extra note: If you want to hear these, a simple title search on a certain video site can yield very tasty results.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The 4D Slip - 'Splosion Man
The "Summer Of XBLA" is here on Microsoft's X-Box Live service, and starting it off is Twisted Pixel's Platformer "Splosion Man". A game where you use your body to explode and propel yourself vertically in the air to reach great distances.
For gamers who enjoy the simplicity of old school platforming action, simplistic yet engaging gameplay, odd '80s references, fantastic N64 era Rare-style music and wonky humor, you can't go wrong with Splosion Man. Featuring 50 simgle player levels and a completely separate 50 levels for multiplayer, as well as an unlockable "Hardcore" mode, you will definitely be getting your worth out of 800 Microsoft points ($10) as well as some free gamerpics and a free premium theme for your X-Box 360.
The Summer Of XBLA to me, is a nice way of making up for the traditional "summer drought" of retail video games, and deliver high quality download experiences on par with those from the glory days of simplistic gaming. With more games like Splosion Man, download services are now becoming THE place to go for that new fresh old school gaming experience.
(Images from XBLarcade.com and Gamespot)
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
An Introduction to Randy’s Monthly Videogame Challenge
Every month I have chosen to focus on one game and play until completion. This doesn’t mean that I have to 100% it, this just means I have to beat the game from beginning to end. By undertaking to challenge myself each month, I agree to complete at least ONE GAME per month. The motivation behind this challenge is to clear out the backlog of games I've accumulated over the years.
My criteria for selecting the games are as follows:
1. I need to have easy access to the game in question. What I mean by this, is that I have to either own the game, know someone who will lend me the game, or in the case of older retro titles, have access to a working emulator.
2. The game has to be one I’m interested in. This means I will not force myself to play something like Superman 64, or E.T. the Extraterrestrial: The Videogame.
3. The game needs to be beatable within one month. There are exceptions to this rule such as for last gen or current generation RPGs which may take upwards of 60+ hours to beat or whole series of games.
I originally started this challenge back in March and have so far this year completed four challenges.
March - Bioshock (Xbox 360)
April - Earthbound (SNES)
May - Mother 3 (GBA)
June - Mirror's Edge (Xbox 360)
I'm taking the month of July off from the challenge to regroup and plan out the rest of the year. My schedule so far is:
August - Psychonauts
September - Ico/Shadow of the Colossus
If all goes as planned, I should be able to post once a week with my progress and impressions of the games. Since there is no challenge this month, I'll discuss what I'm currently playing to pass the time.
See you next week!
My criteria for selecting the games are as follows:
1. I need to have easy access to the game in question. What I mean by this, is that I have to either own the game, know someone who will lend me the game, or in the case of older retro titles, have access to a working emulator.
2. The game has to be one I’m interested in. This means I will not force myself to play something like Superman 64, or E.T. the Extraterrestrial: The Videogame.
3. The game needs to be beatable within one month. There are exceptions to this rule such as for last gen or current generation RPGs which may take upwards of 60+ hours to beat or whole series of games.
I originally started this challenge back in March and have so far this year completed four challenges.
March - Bioshock (Xbox 360)
April - Earthbound (SNES)
May - Mother 3 (GBA)
June - Mirror's Edge (Xbox 360)
I'm taking the month of July off from the challenge to regroup and plan out the rest of the year. My schedule so far is:
August - Psychonauts
September - Ico/Shadow of the Colossus
If all goes as planned, I should be able to post once a week with my progress and impressions of the games. Since there is no challenge this month, I'll discuss what I'm currently playing to pass the time.
See you next week!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Static Prevails - Seinfeld's Appeal
Seinfeld is regularly considered one of, if not the best sitcom or comedy on television. For those who have seen it, it's hard to argue against it. The show could be fast paced and wacky, or slow paced and subtle, and the jokes could be crude or surprisingly high brow. The show was billed to be 'the show about nothing', but it somehow seemed more relate-able to people than the shows about 'something'. So what is it that makes people still love this show over ten years since it's end?
The characters are all rather selfish, they never learn a thing, and can be rather petty or vindictive when need be. Yet, the characters are widely loved and still quoted to this day.
It might be that it is a very realistic interpretation of the real world we live in. While obviously exaggerated and a bit more cartoony, the characters are very real and not too dissimilar from the people you might meet in real life. The plots are often very similar with very petty concerns that we deal with in our everyday lives blown up in importance just like we tend to do ourselves.
My personal favorite episode is 'The Serenity Now" from the eighth season which follows how stress over the little things can greatly impact your life and effectively ruin it. Despite there never really being a lesson to learn in Seinfeld (they made it a point to keep mentioning that), it found ways of reinterpreting things you already know but maybe don't think about too often. This episode and the existence of the 'Lloyd Braun' character (that person your parents/family constantly compare you to, despite the fact their own problems are large enough to exceed your own) is an example of being highly relate-able to the common viewer, and to entertain over the absurdity of the whole situation.
Seinfeld generally makes light of life, something we all tend to take too seriously way too often. It blows up those quibbling problems we all stress over and let ruin our lives by making light of them to show us that it really isn't all that bad. To me, this is the core ideal I feel that unites the audience to the show, and while that might not be that big revelation to anybody, it should be something to keep in mind when watching this show or when dealing with your own petty problems.
In my view, there hasn't been a sitcom since that has come close to how Seinfeld approaches the world and western society. And in the end, that's what gives it it's appeal and why it is still remembered as the best sitcom of all time.
No matter how many shows (coughFriendscough) ripped it off with lesser results, Seinfeld will always remain unique.
(Photo from Wikipedia)
Better Late Than Never
Hello,
Long time, no see. Sorry for the absolute silence on my part the last few weeks, but I had come down with a cold of some sort. Basically, I’ve spent the last few weeks doing almost nothing but eating and sleeping, like my body was preparing for winter hibernation like some animal. Go figure.
So just a heads up, within the next 24 hours, I will be posting my inaugural post about my monthly videogame challenge. More on that then.
Damn MS Live Writer didn't auto-publish this post like it was supposed to. Gotta fiddle with the settings I think.Friday, July 10, 2009
You know what?
Clash At Demonhead needs a sequel/remake. It's such a fun shooter/platformer, and the map system has a lot of potential. With a good fleshing out it could be so much better. Especially if they can somehow get WayForward on it, then I know it will achieve it's potential.
For those that don't know, (and somehow stumbled upon this blog) Clash At Demonhead is an old NES game that was very ambitious in it's execution. A shooter like Contra with a lifebar and multiple branching paths for every section of the map. You can buy upgrades, health, and what have you. It's story is typically messed up and confusing for an NES game, but the control is so tight you won't care.
I really hope someone revisits this sometime in the future.
For those that don't know, (and somehow stumbled upon this blog) Clash At Demonhead is an old NES game that was very ambitious in it's execution. A shooter like Contra with a lifebar and multiple branching paths for every section of the map. You can buy upgrades, health, and what have you. It's story is typically messed up and confusing for an NES game, but the control is so tight you won't care.
I really hope someone revisits this sometime in the future.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Follow The Sound - When I Come Around (Track Review)
'When I Come Around' by Green Day is probably one of the best singles of the 90s (one of my favorites for music) and one of the band's best songs. After recently being floored with disappointment from Green Day's latest album (as a fan since 1995, it really hurt to see them resort to stealing from other bands wholesale leaving nothing of their own sound) and preferring last year's side project (Foxboro Hot Tubs) immensely more, I had a listen to this track on one of my playlists while cutting the lawn.The bobbing bassline that ducks in and out of the simple chugging guitar riff, the vocals delivered with just the right amount of snark, humor and emotion (something Green Day excelled at), the drums on a simple beat with perfect tom rolls and crash hits and a short guitar solo that fills me with orgasmic delight no matter how many times I hear it some 14 years later.
Whenever that opening riff pops up, you can bet there will be veterans of the 90s music scene poking their heads up looking for the source that's blasting this tune out. This is the song that gave them their popularity, their airplay, and their record sales. And for some fucking reason, classic radio stations would rather play Nickleback than this song.
This is the perfect pop song. Ever since 1992's Kerplunk, Green Day had mastered this art of simple, yet emotionally involving songs with quirks and personality all to their own. Finally culminating in their masterpiece Warning in 2000. An album full of perfect pop music with a rock n roll bite and the right level of emotion.
The band would later try something new with excellent results (American Idiot, despite being overpraised, is a great album) and lukewarm (The Network's Money Money 2020 side project) before forgetting the core of their sound on their newest flop, 20th Century Breakdown.
But forget all that, if you want perfect pop music, it doesn't come purer than this song, with Rob Cavallo's perfect producing and Jerry Finn's perfect mixing (the only man who could leave the bite on major label punk bands) and an perfect performance. Forget that Green Day has forgotten about songwriting and is instead focusing on convoluted 'statements' in some ridiculous 'voice of the generation' bullshit credibility grab.
Forget the shit the band is up to currently and remember the music they have left us over the last 2 decades. All the heart, emotion, blood, sweat, booze, weed, and bite are all there and they always will be. Forget the bullshit, all you need is the music.
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