Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn

There was a time when I had wanted nothing more than a third entry into the Golden Sun series for any Nintendo platform. At a dire time as it is right now for the role-playing genre, I had always envisioned the follow-up to Camelot Software’s Golden Sun: The Lost Age (Game Boy Advanced, 2003) filling a void that has been growing increasingly larger the past half of a decade. The results for Golden Sun: Dark Dawn are as pleasurable as I imagined, even if it’s not as memorable as its predecessors.

Let’s talk about what works with the Nintendo DS entry: it looks good, employs a lengthy quest to conquer evil, and the gameplay is rather attractive for hours-on-end sessions.

The visuals rank among the best looking Nintendo DS titles in recent memory. Dark Dawn continually progresses towards providing more fantastical environments as the game delves deeper into the storyline. While the GBA titles were in a 2D world, Dark Dawn transitions the franchise into full 3D environment and it’s a wonder why it has taken this long. From summoning Djinn to performing complex attacks, Dark Dawn never relents on dazzling the player from the minute it starts with the introduction of one of the characters hang-gliding into the forest. Also, similar to Final Fantasy VIII, expect summon cutscenes that often bite away at the time of the player, but, thankfully, Camelot has permitted the player the chance to skip the cinematics.

Dark Dawn doesn’t just take the original plotlines and throw them out the window, but instead, it harbors them with love. Players are pitted into the role of Matthew, the son of Isaac, the hero from the first two games, as he is sent on a journey to become a man to mature and discover his true self. Set 30 years after the chain of events from The Lost Age, Dark Dawn also provides a cast of a handful of other heroes who are, in fact, also children of protagonists from the first two titles; Tyrell, son of Garet and Karis daughter of Ivan. If players are unfamiliar to the Golden Sun world, then they should fret not: Camelot has created an in-game knowledgebase to catch up on who is who and their relation to one another.

So while the storyline to save the world from chaos isn’t exactly groundbreaking by any means, it still held my fascination until completion. Perhaps it was the combat that helped string along the plot as there were times when I desired for the story arc to be catapulted forward to reach the end-game in quicker fashion, but I’m a sucker for summons and Dark Dawn’s Djinn delivered excitement all throughout the title.

Capable of setting Djinn to each character for statistical benefits, players can mix and match to find out what beneficial abilities each grants. Elements such as earth, water, fire, and wind come into effect as each Djinn has a level, resistance to other elements and power to analyze before selecting them for battle. More than 70 Djinn are found throughout Dark Dawn, so any Pokemon player should know the addiction that is “gotta catch ‘em all.” This, too, is one of the main reasons why a repeat visit may be warranted; to ensure that all Djinn are found and discover their abilities.

Among the reasons not to play Golden Sun: Dark Dawn is that it’s not a truly inviting RPG for newcomers. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as veterans will find their fulfillment with what is provided, even with the user-friendly puzzles that aren’t challenging whatsoever. In addition, the pacing is a bit off and might have players with not a lot of time on their hands putting it down to never return for a second look.

Strictly as an RPG though, Dark Down is a worthwhile endeavor. Hours upon hours of entertaining combat are there for the enjoyment of the player. It’s not nearly as clever or original as the first Golden Sun, but Nintendo should be praised for their efforts to move the franchise to 3D on the Nintendo DS.

 

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Professor Layton

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future

Professor Layton and his young apprentice Luke are up to yet another one of their mystery solving hijinks in Professor Layton and the Unwound Future. As the title suggests, the story deals with time travel and features over a 150 riddles and brain teasers to solve. But is this time-traveling mystery worth racking your brain over?

The game starts out with Layton and Luke receiving an ominous letter that foretells chaos in London 10 years from now, and is written by Luke himself from the future, and then flashes back to a public time-traveling device demonstration that goes horribly wrong. Being the curious duo of mystery solvers, they set out to find the origins of the letter. As usual, not everything is as it seems and players will be tasked to solve 10 mysteries while solving a myriad amount of puzzles to progress.

The established Professor Layton formula, for the most part, stays the same. You investigate screens by tapping on people and objects that usually spark up a conversation leading up to a clue. You’re then tasked to solve a puzzle to obtain the next part of the clue and move on. It’s a formula that continues to move the game at a steady pace, ensuring your interest is constantly peaked.

The puzzles, riddles and teasers are all new this time around, and each one of them is unique. Each puzzle is worth a certain amount of Picarats (the games currency to unlock bonus puzzles), the more Picarats a puzzle is worth, the higher the difficulty. You’re awarded these Picarats based on the ability to solve puzzles without the need of hints. This time around, besides the regular hints that uses up coins, there is a master hint which technically gives you the answer if you find yourself absolutely stumped.

As you make your way through the game, you will also come across three separate mini-games of sorts: the Picture Book, Toy Car and Parrot. Picture Book will have your collected stickers from solving puzzles in the story. You’re then tasked to place the stickers on each picture page in correlation to the story. It might be the easiest of the three mini-games, but I found it the most enjoyable. Toy Car has you directing a car by placing arrows down on a grid, making sure it passes through all red flags and ends up on the exit. Parrot is probably the most difficult of the three. It has you placing down ropes, in hopes of the parrot successfully delivering his package to the other side of the screen. Each level has a bunch of obstacles that the parrot must bounce over by cleverly placing down these ropes. The mini-games are an appreciated diversion when you feel like taking a break from solving mysteries.

Much of the charm is through Layton’s presentation. Level 5 is able to bring the world to life through not only the gorgeous, and almost Studio Ghibli inspired visuals, but through its brilliant voice acting as well. Not only does it help sell the close relationship of the Professor and Luke, but also helps to identify with other characters as well. Though the game will last you a good amount of time if you’re up to the task of unlocking every puzzle and completing every mini-game, but after you’re all done, there is very little reason to go back and reopen the mystery case.

Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is yet another winner from Level 5. It both entertains and challenges the mind through its clever puzzles, brilliant story, and convincing characters.

 

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Dead Rising 2

Dead Rising 2: Case West Review

Zombies were put on this planet for you to decapitate, dismember, and otherwise brutalize under the guise of keeping your brain from being eaten. Dead Rising 2: Case West is the third installment in the zombie-killing franchise released in the last four months, and though it's still sadistically fun to thrash these unfeeling beings into a bloody pulp, repetition has cast a shadow on your murderous hijinks. Nothing of consequence has been added to this downloadable offering to separate it from previous Dead Risings, so it often feels as if you're going through the motions in a new environment instead of investing all of your pent-up rage into disposing of these decaying monsters. The core elements that define the Dead Rising experience--a ticking clock, a bevy of weapons, and irreverent humor--are well represented here, and the inclusion of original hero Frank West is a great addition for longtime fans. Just don't expect many tweaks to the formula. (Please note: The following text includes a mild spoiler for those who haven't played Dead Rising 2.)

Go long!

If you were persistent enough to get the S ending in Dead Rising 2, ignore that outcome; Case West takes place immediately after the A ending. Chuck's daughter was ferried away by a helpful helicopter, but the framed stuntman is still trapped in a hotel elevator with eager ghouls closing in fast. Cue Frank West, the gruff reporter from the first Dead Rising, always willing to save a potential victim if it helps him get a scoop. Frank and Chuck decide to sneak into the headquarters of the company that makes Zombrex, the drug that keeps the infection from spreading for a few hours, to prove this evil organization is behind the latest outbreak. Having Frank back in the mix is welcome because his devil-may-care attitude meshes wonderfully with Chuck's more calculated efforts. Unfortunately, the story abruptly ends just when it's building up steam, and aside from a few obvious nods to Frank's eventful past (he's covered wars, you know), there aren't many memorable moments.
The entirety of Case West is played cooperatively, either with a buddy over Xbox Live or with an AI pal fighting alongside you. In single-player mode, you control Chuck, and the computer takes charge of Frank, and it's handy having a willing killer along for the ride to help you clear out teeming creatures. Frank is invincible, so you can arm him with the weapon of your choice and plow through the undead with ease. Unfortunately, you can play as Frank only in co-op play. Chuck and Frank have different melee moves, so it's strange that you're restricted to just one character in single-player. Also, if you invested hours in Dead Rising and its wonderful sequel, you're in for a bigger disappointment: nothing carries over. You start at level 40 (with a cap of 50) no matter how much progress you made, and you can't even take your new clothes and weapons into Dead Rising 2's world. The final problem is that Frank's camera makes its return from the first Dead Rising, but its implementation leaves a lot to be desired. Your pictures are no longer rated (brutal, erotic, and so on), nor are there opportunities to capture telling character reactions. The only tangible task is to snap shots of tiny stickers hidden in the environment, which count toward an achievement but little else.
These small problems aren't annoying for long; once you take your first step toward mass genocide, you'll forget all about them. Case West takes place inside of a medical laboratory, and it's much bigger than the last downloadable game, Case Zero. Weapons--both new and returning favorites--are spread all over the premises, and there are plenty of workrooms where you can construct grisly combination weapons. Some of the most disturbing offerings don't even require duct tape this time. A bone saw can cleave straight through a standing zombie, and you can send a shock-wave blast by slamming down an impact hammer. The new combo weapons are just as gratifying, letting you shoot volatile chemicals or tase zombies with a floor-buffing cattle prod. This is a horrifically violent game, and it's a blast to scrounge up every weapon to see what effect it has on your attackers.

Always wear a protective suit when decapitating zombies.

Of course, there's a lot more to Case West than just butchering brain munchers. Strict time limits force you to move with a purpose, because if you can't finish an objective before the bell rings, it's an automatic game over. This emphasis on being at the right place at a specific time does limit how much carefree fun you can have, but it's not nearly as punishing as it sounds. You can get anywhere in the facility in a couple of minutes, so it's pretty easy to breeze through the story your first time through. The tricky thing is saving all of the survivors while completing the core missions. Survivors are handled slightly differently in Case West than in the previous games in the series. Because you broke into a secure facility, you don't have a safe house to whisk survivors away to. Instead of dragging them through milling zombies like before, you have to give them whatever item they desire and then leave them to fend for themselves. For instance, one man asks for a machine gun so he can shoot his way out alive, so you have to be prepared with specific tools if you're going to rescue everyone. Juggling survivor missions with the core story requires careful planning and efficient movement and makes Case West worth replaying a few times until you figure out the perfect way through to save everyone.
You might be worried that a medical laboratory doesn't lend itself to the wackiness that has defined Dead Rising from the beginning, but you would thankfully be quite wrong. Even without stores containing all sorts of makeshift weapons and blush-inducing clothing options, Case West keeps the humor flying. Clothing is still one of the main sources for guffaws. Lab workers keep the darnedest things hidden away, so you might happen upon a Dr. Wily-inspired wig or a hospital gown that doesn't leave much to the imagination. New items keep this lighthearted charm in mind. Bashing a zombie with a specimen jar containing the head of what may have been his dearest friend or riding around the facility on a silly-looking one-wheeled contraption is always worth a laugh. And then there are the moments that aren't overtly funny, but when you consider the situation, they become gloriously awesome. Who doesn't enjoy eating a submarine sandwich that was doused in zombie blood only moments earlier?
Too much of a good thing does exist. Just about everything in this $10 XBLA game is really well done, and there are enough new weapons to surprise even the most hardened zombie-killing veteran. But franchise fatigue has unfortunately set in. As strange as it is to say, there have been too many Dead Rising games released in the last few months, which lessens the impact of the mutilating and time-management fun that exudes from every orifice. Case West still offers loads of enjoyment, and because you don't even need the Dead Rising 2 retail disc to play it, even novices can enjoy the anything-goes brutality. But if you've already invested hours into the other games, there aren't enough new elements here to make it exciting all over again.

 

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Back to the Future

Back to the Future: The Game - Episode I Review

Films of the '80s are notoriously responsible for spawning a deluge of supercheesy fashion fouls, hokey acting atrocities, and cringeworthy fads. To some extent, the Back to the Future movie trilogy is guilty on all charges, but if thoughts of flaming tire tracks left by a heavily pimped-out DeLorean evoke feelings of fuzzy nostalgia, then you'll find lots to love in this resurrection of the franchise. As an all-new episodic adventure game series, Back to the Future: The Game shows a lot of promise with its debut installment, even if the puzzle complexity and overall difficulty is dialed down a bit lower than it is in developer Telltale's other games.

Doc's time-warping DeLorean is as sweet as ever.

Instead of rehashing the events that played out in the films, Back to the Future: The Game explores new territory and continues the time-hopping adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Emmet Brown. It's About Time picks up a few months after the events of the third film, and all is not well in Hill Valley. Doc has gone missing for months, and the city is determined to sell off his estate to cover his past-due financial obligations. Marty is reluctant to let the sale go through, and even more reluctant to let any of Doc's possessions go to his nemesis, Biff Tannen. But soon the DeLorean mysteriously shows up with a recorded message from Doc who is stranded somewhere in the past, and Marty has bigger problems to deal with. Marty has to figure out a way to save his old pal, which kicks off an oddball time-traveling rescue mission set in Hill Valley's prohibition era. The entertaining story that follows is enhanced by believable character interactions, imbuing the adventure with a great sense of authenticity.
Marty and Doc are strong and likeable lead characters, and the impressive visual designs mixed with the expertly delivered voice work make them all the more entertaining. Doc is actually voiced by Christopher Lloyd, while the other main characters are voiced by sound-alikes. The killer verbal delivery sounds spot-on, and Marty sounds especially good. Even with a cartoonish sheen, the characters and locations really come to life in the first episode. The game is one of Telltale's best-looking efforts yet. Hill Valley offers a highly detailed and interesting streetscape to explore. However, it's a little disappointing that the town is not more interactive. When Marty enters most buildings or storefronts, your point-of-view remains stuck out on the sidewalk. During such moments, Marty typically engages in a quick snippet of dialogue behind closed doors before being booted back to the street. There are only a handful of key indoor locales in which to venture around. They're well developed and offer some neat puzzles, but they're few and far between.
You control Marty's movement directly using the WASD keys to help him navigate from scene to scene around Hill Valley, while the mouse is used to interact with hot spots and select inventory items. There's also an alternate mouse-only option that has you left-clicking and dragging in a given direction to draw Marty there. Both control schemes are functional, though transitioning from one area to the next often switches camera angles and makes readjusting your walking direction confusing.

Wherever Doc goes, wacky contraptions are sure to follow.

A well-penned story, compelling characters, and a stellar presentation drive the game more than anything else. When it comes to the gameplay and puzzles, It's About Time is surprisingly light on challenge and content. The flow and scope of the game is very standard adventure-gaming fare. You follow the plot cues and often find objects to interact with or items to pick up and carry around until they're needed. Most puzzles you encounter are interesting and well thought-out. For example, trying to figure out a way to con the young version of Doc into finishing a peculiar invention to unknowingly save his older self has you running around on a cavalcade of amusing errands. The puzzles almost always skew on the easy side, so while they're still enjoyable to solve, you shouldn't come to It's About Time looking for a challenge. If you do find yourself stuck, there's a scalable hint system that you can call on to give you a nudge in the right direction.
Despite lacking some of the complexity and puzzle depth of Telltale's other work, Back to the Future's premiere episode still holds you pretty tightly in its grip for the few short hours it takes to plow through it. It's a brief trek that packs plenty of plot and personality to balance out its other shortcomings. Considering the strength of the story and the fact that the plot thread runs throughout the whole series, you're sure to be left feeling anxious to see what comes next. This series holds a lot of promise, and the taste in episode one definitely provides a strong foundation for Telltale to continue building on in upcoming episodes. The future looks bright indeed.

 

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