A quick batch of mini-reviews of the games – old and new – I’ve been playing lately.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the greatest testament to what the Wii can achieve when developed by the right people. Graphically it’s stunning; beautifully designed and expertly rendered. Aurally it’s a huge leap for Nintendo, with a fully orchestrated soundtrack which sounds simply fantastic. And the gameplay? Well – it’s pure. There’s nothing but fun to be had with SMG2, and the design here for every level is beyond compare. Playing Mario’s latest outing is at once a heart-warmingly nostalgic and astoundingly fresh experience. The imagination on display is mind-blowing and Nintendo have once again raised the bar for Platformers. Utterly addictive and wonderful throughout. Put in 15+ hours so far, 40 stars, will definitely play to completion and beyond
+ Visual & Aural perfection across the board
+ Back-to-roots gameplay as fun as it comes
+ Genuinely challenging
[10/10]
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is Link’s first DS title, released way back in 2007. I’ve been exploring the DS’ back catalogue after getting my new DSi XL and have sunk a lot of time into Phantom Hourglass as of late. It’s a great adventure, beautifully rendered in the Wind Waker style and harnessing the DS’ true graphical potential to create a lush and vibrant cel-shaded world. The game is pretty standard fare, with your journey sending you to a series of dungeons of varying elements – Ice, Fire, Leaf, etc – to collect an array of items – Grapple, Bow & Arrow, Boomerang, etc – to save a princess. The story itself is pretty intriguing and it’s always refreshing to see a true sequel to a Zelda game, but the star of the show is the personality that Nintendo always infuses into their titles. Your shipmate, Linebeck, is a pretty rad dude and the game often has me laughing with its snappy writing. The entire title is completely controlled by the touch screen, and it works really well. It gives a completely new and unique take on the classic Zelda model, shifting things up enough to feel fresh and enjoyable despite the series’ stagnation that I’ve mentioned many times before. I’ve often been wowed by the ingenuity on display here, with new mechanics introduced throughout and really, really great puzzles. The only real problem I have with the game is the constant re-treading of a dungeon called ‘The Temple of the Ocean King’. As you progress through the storyline you constantly return to this time-restrictive temple to delve deeper and get maps to your next location. It’s a pretty fun dungeon and it’s really quite challenging – mostly down to the ticking clock – but every time you return you have to do everything you’ve done before all over again – and this can be up to fifteen minutes of gameplay you’ve already bested – and then potentially run out of time just before the finish and have to start all over again. It’s very frustrating but it wasn’t enough to stop me playing the game altogether, which in itself is a fairly lofty approbation. Currently in the final stretch of the game, played about 20-25 hours.
+ Classic Zelda with a fresh twist
+ Expertly designed dungeons and puzzles
- Have to replay a lengthy section of the game over and over.
[8.8/10]
My Super Street Figher IV review has been a long time coming, but with good reason. I’ve been playing it too much to even think about taking a moment out to write about it. Indeed, the disc hasn’t left my system since it’s April release day – no small feat, I assure you. Needless to say, I love SSFIV. It’s an update to 2008s hugely successful arcade fighter hit that made the genre cool again, bringing 10 additional characters – two of which are entirely new and awesome – to Capcom’s already wonderful roster, a slew of new stages, new ultras for all characters and a wealth of extra features and modes. All of this on top of one of the best fighters ever made makes this an absolute must buy for anyone with a remote interest in the genre. The gameplay retains the excellent polish and unbelievable balance of the original, and the striking art style is as wonderful as it was in 2008, wowing me each and every time I booted up the title. There’s so much challenge to be had offline and on, and the game and its potential expand exponentially as you yourself become a more talented player. The irresistible urge to better oneself through the various means the game provides will snatch the attention of all but the most casual of gamers and hold their attention for months. Competition has never been so satisfying as it is on SSFIV’s robust online modes, with dependable servers giving matches the fluidity and split-second response the fighting genre demands. The fighting genre has been weaker than ever as of late, with both a lack of consumer interest and 3D iterations of other franchises to blame, but Super Street Fighter IV is exactly what the fighter used to stand for and should continue to aspire to be; an evolution as well as a throwback, a perfect balance of old and new. Mortal Kombat has already taken heed, and I can only assume other developers will too. For delivering an incredible game and moulding the future of the fighter, I thank you Capcom. Plugged 70 hours into game over single player and multiplayer and still no way near finished with the title.
+ As polished and balanced as they come. An arguably perfect fighter.
+ Balance between initial simplicity and depth upon tutelage appeals to all.
- Seth is still the worst boss fight in a fighter ever, super-cheap motherfudger.
[9.5/10]
