9 months ago
Good List Get! Rock Band: Unplugged
Good List Get! is a weekly article where I briefly discuss and list the Awesome and Not Awesome of a game. While I can’t possibly list everything that rocks or doesn’t rock about a game, I’d like to think that this list sparks some thought about game design.
This week’s game is a new port of the mega hit music game Rock Band, for the PSP.
Awesome:
Track switching during a song is awesome, and involves using the L and R shoulder buttons to switch through instruments. It’s absolutely rad and makes for a really different feeling Rock Band experience. This was such a phenomenal design choice as it really makes up for not being able to play with other people as in the console version.
Vocals are now like any other instrument and if the PSP had a mic, I’m sure they would’ve used it, but then again since it’s a portable game, sing/shouting into your PSP may make you look like an idiot.
My band is called The Hoots, we have an owl logo, and it’s comprised of my girlfriend, my dog, Malcom X on drums, and I. Go Malik El-Shabazz!
PSP screen is lit up with real-time Rock Band graphics instead of an FMV like the pathetic Wii version.
While this deals with taste, I have to say I enjoy the song selection overall.
Wildly it has a fully function music store to download music using WiFi to your PSP.
I don’t miss the clutter-prone periphreals, the d-pad and face buttons work just fine, if not better than plastic USB instruments.
The PSP has superior sound to the DS, so plugging in your headphones won’t amplify the crap decibels because Rock Band: Unplugged sound great with headphones. Ahem, unlike Guitar Hero: On Tour.
You can create your own band, just like the console releases. You can’t create your own logo, but you can choose from some moderately okay to great artist designed logos.
Not Awesome:
The “rock hard/devil horns” aesthetics have got to go. It’s annoying and while the game has good graphic design and typeface choices; it’s so typical that it hurts the game and depletes some of it’s legitimacy.
Character creation and band creation is weak, but at least it’s there.
I’m really uncomfortable buying digital music for my PSP game, in fact so uncomfortable that it almost seems bizarre to buy such locked down songs. Even though they’re special Rock Band versions, shouldn’t I at least be emailed links to download the real mp3s? Some musicians and labels are trying to use music games as a legitimate form of DRM, and I’m not buying it or into it. Give it up already.
If you’ve already own any other versions of Rock Band, this one really does not offer much more than it’s bigger console brothers. That is unless, you have money to throw around and want to give it a spin anyway.
10 months ago
Good List Get! Mega Man: Powered Up
Good List Get! is a weekly article where I briefly discuss and list the Awesome and Not Awesome of a game. While I can’t possibly list everything that rocks or doesn’t rock about a game, I’d like to think that this list sparks some thought about game design.
This week’s game is Capcom’s action platformer remake Mega Man: Powered Up for the PSP.
Awesome:
It’s a cool PSP remake of the first Mega Man, complete with solidly colorful graphics.
The controls are tighter than ever and switching through Mega Man’s powers as is as easy clicking the L & R shoulder buttons.
The difficult level can range from easy to make you pull your fucking hair out and chuck your PSP hard. Yes, this is a good thing.
The ability to not destroy a boss and befriend them
Sliding through challenge levels as oil man.
The awesome re-playability of the entire title.
You can replay the levels and challenge levels with certain playable bosses like Cut Man, who can wall jump!
Some people may think the inclusion of an introductory cut scene with a cute Mega and a ridiculously voice acted cast is cheesy and unneeded, and I don’t know why Capcom did it, but I think it’s absolutely awesome and charming.
Not Awesome:
The game doesn’t Auto Save or at least the option says it exists, but you’re never really sure of what it’s saving.
You can’t switch the new music to the old awesome 8 bit tunes while playing the new stages, and that saddens me to no end.
The frame rate drops a lot, and in the strangest of places. While other parts of the game seem polished, Capcom could’ve definitely spent some more time dealing with frame rate issues. It feels as if companies give up on stuff like that sometimes, and just decide to release the game anyway.
During each of the boss intros before the level, the boss says something really corny and the the circle closes, however, it wittily opens back up to have the boss say something else but this time you can’t hear it. Again, a weird polishing issue.
10 months ago
Good List Get! Resident Evil
Good List Get! is a new weekly article where I briefly discuss and list the Awesome and Not Awesome of a game. While I can’t possibly list everything that rocks or doesn’t rock about a game, I’d like to think that this list sparks some thought about game design.
This week’s game is Capcom’s survival horror action game Resident Evil 5.
Awesome:
The co-op play is absolutely incredible and the game wouldn’t feel complete without it.
The variety of weapons and the ability to level up them.
The gorgeous locales and variety of environments to explore.
Playing through the game again to collect the blue BSAA emblems.
The ridiculously sweet context sensitive melee attack system is so fun. Sucker punching zombies has never been more fun.
The exhilarating fear behind running up to a chainsaw Majini and upper cutting him.
Chris in a zebra print safari outfit.
Sheva in a Beyonce Knowles outfit.
The ability to request an item from your partner and the ability to move your inventory around to map it to the directional pad.
Saving your partner from getting their face ripped off by the Majini.
Looting and exploring the environments for treasure is boss.
Not Awesome:
The inability to combine or use an item without placing it in your inventory.
The ripoff that is known as Survivors mode.
Why can’t player two have full control over the Organize menu as player one can?
The fact that the zombies turn more into soldiers by the end of the game.
Not enough looting an exploring environments for treasure.
The merchant is gone. Why? Why? Why?
The strange and convoluted but altogether awesome storyline. Wait should this be an awesome?
Load times at the most inconvenient of times and the loading sadly breaks the mood and suspense.
The half-assed cover system. Why is it only an option sometimes?
The contextual active button cinematic system is broken sometimes and can cause for some pretty undesirable deaths later in the game.
