First Game Reviews in Ten Years!

I am currently attempting to gain my old role back of Video Game Journalist after more than ten years absense from the industry. Long time between reviews I know but I recently have found myself getting interested in the current lot of titles coming out. Although the ideas that are coming out now are not as cutting edge as that of the titles in the 90's we are seeing an umbelievable shift in technology and how it's applied to games. It's got to the point now I believe were it isn't really crucial that a console's specs need to be the best so long as the titles blessing it utilise the machine to get their game across to the public in the same vision that they had when they drafted the original game design.

 

Read my first game reviews in over ten years below and let me know what you think. Admittedly I feel a slight bit rusty but that'll change after a couple more reviews are notched up!

Review: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogies Revenge (Xbox)

 

Review: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogies Revenge (Xbox)

Brian Costelloe, Australia

16/01/2006 2:52 AM

 

Being a huge Tim Burton fan since seeing Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time back in the late 90’s (in between sessions on the Dreamcast) I was always suspecting that this movie would perhaps translate into a game one day. The fact that Jack Skeleton pops up in Kingdom Hearts (which will also be spawning a sequel soon coincidentally) further confirmed my hunch that the powers that be will see the marketing potential of the boney pumpkin king. Sure enough a recent visit to the video game store put good to my suspicions and so I just had to get my hands on this one as mortal curiosity got the better of me.

 

You basically pick up where the movie left off as Jack Skeleton wonders off for a spell. His dissapearance worries the already nervous mayor who, in an act of desperation, sets boobie traps all over Halloweentown to make Halloween celebrations evermore deadlier then before! Also the Pumkin King’s absense get’s Oogies faithful junior henchman, Lock, Shock and Barrel performing a rescue mission as they sew Oogie back together again. Now Oogie is running rampant again and Jack finds Halloweentown on it’s head!

 

So how does Capcom tie Jack into a game? Actually they throw in a gimmick to give Jack more of a fighting chance against a whole B-Grade horror movie worth of enemies. Introducing the Soul Robber. Dr.Frinkelstein has chipped in and conjured up this new weapon (which looks suspiciously like snot) which Jack keeps stuck to his wrist handy to unleash on his hapless enemies. Various moves are utilised to inflict damage on enemies as you move through a 3D beat ‘em up style environment. However there are two other costumes that change Jack’s actions. You have Pumpkin King mode where you wreak havoc via fire bombs and flame throwers. Or go for Santa Jack mode for a cold change with Cold Front attacks or hurl presents at your foes. But you may only change costumes once you earn the right to do so.

 

In between the process of wondering about the beautifully illustrated 3D levels looking for the next level you have to face of against the Boss’s in the game. In Oogies Revenge these battles are done via Dance Offs. You have to hit the enemies to gain Soul Notes. Fill the gauge with enough of these and you go into a Parappa the Rappa type mode where you have to hit the right buttons in time with the music to inflict PAIN. Not exactly innovative stuff but considering this is a game based on a musical it must be taken for granted. Speaking of the music it has to be mentioned that the score in this game features most of the original cast of the movie. This is a major selling point of the game as it’s the music that most grabbed a lot of fans of the movie if not the glorious visuals of the stop start animation it contained (and took three years to finish!). However the music maybe the same but the words have been altered to match the story line of the game. You’ll find yourself wanting to off your bosses quickly as the songs repeat themselves during these Dance Off battles and can grate after a short while.

 

Fact: In the soundtrack of the original movie the narrator of the story is none other then Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame. However he never actually featured in the film itself. Also Jack Skeleton made his first appearance in Beetlejuice (1988)!

 

All the memorable characters from the movie are here in one form or another. And they do re-kindle the love of the movie I have as you get to see new dialogue and animation. But even with the smooth, beautiful landscapes and wonderfully animated characters you can’t help but feel it all seems a bit contrived. It doesn’t flow naturally as a video game. A common problem with movie translation is that there is no real story to necessitate the need for a game. Sure the action is there. The characters are there. Loads of weapon attacks and power ups to grab. But no real grabbing game action to set this one apart from most of the stuff hitting the shelves at the moment.

 

Tis but a shame that this game is nothing more than Jack himself… a vegetable. You’ll find yourself hurting through the actual game parts where you actually DO SOMETHING just to see more of the cinematics on offer and to unlock new music tracks. Worthy of a looking but don’t think this will fly off the shelves on anything more than sentimental value alone.

 

Verdict

Medieval is more worthy of a play than this. Not overly bad. Just not overly good either!

Pros: Faithfully reproduces the cast of the movie into a animated 3D world. Original voice talents here.

Cons: Gameplay involves button bashing. No real drive to want to complete the game.

Score: 5.5/10

Review: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (Xbox)

Review: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (Xbox)

Brian Costelloe, Australia

15/01/2006 11:43 PM

 

It’s been a life time of success. A franchise that has held it’s supremacy in the box office, toy stores and home video markets for as long as Lucas dishes out the Sci-Fi sagas. No other movie series stirs up the fan base devotion quite like Star Wars does. Unique in every department whether it be visuals, music scores, sound effects… Star Wars is cutting edge quality in every department. Except video games that is. Sorry to say but when it comes to movie-to-game translations suffering a bad reputation it has to be said that Star Wars has traditionally been the worst offending franchise. Till a little title called “Star Wars: Battlefront” came along and not only delivered the best Star Wars selling title ever but it also gave a new hope to all Star Wars game heads… Now the sequel has been out for a short while and it certainly delivers in spades! For all those who enjoyed fraggin’ Ewoks by the gaggle load (or whatever a bunch of Ewoks are called) in the first game read on.

 

As for presentation this game remains consistent with the original with its front end screens and menus. Also the same options apply here as the first for the most part. Single player was somewhat enjoyable in the original but a lingering feeling of shallowness remained. Till you had the chance to take multiplayer by the reigns and really experience what the LucasArts team had in mind for this title. But it can be said that LucasArt have spent a bit more time here with single player mode with new atmospheric introductions leading you into each battle. Giving you more of a reason to win rather then simply whamming you straight in the middle of a meaningless battle. For the hardcore SW buffs you’ll see backgrounds to battles that take place outside of the movies and gain an insight to situations not explained in the movies. Also each battle is set out to achieve objectives that give progress to the overall storyline. Also as an addition you’ll gain benefits with each victory as you unlock new units, weapons and vehicles if you choose to play the all new Galactic Conquest mode.

 

But enough of this single player nonsense. Let’s get straight into the real reason for playing this title. Multiplayerness! Whether it be on Xbox Live or in a geek enraged LAN party you’re gonna be exercising all your 1942 Battlefield antics in this newly updated Star Wars guise that is now beginning to tow away from it’s originations. A word of warning from the get go. This game is high on the speed factor. Everything is happening in real time at a relentless pace and the majority of foes you’ll meet out there on Live are unforgiving. My first battle took place on the Planet of Kamino (the water planet featured in Episode II) with an audio feast of thunder and explosions causing my neighbours to complain as the action raged all over the place. This stage featured two bases with pathways and platforms linking them together high above the raging seas below. CIS vs the Republic was the showdown in this dramatic landscape that boasts brilliant level design and quite a large scale battle considering it’s a non-natural landscape you’re fighting on. While you are duking it out with nearby enemies you’ll see laser blasts from all angles in non related fire, explosions in background action and people cursing out left right and centre in your headset. I was having a right ball! Each of the planets you get to fight on are as diverse as in the films. From Mustafar’s intense lava setting, Endor’s forest landscapes to the Deserts of Tatooine where all this began! Also featured in this new sequel are the space dog fights using Tie Fighters, X-Wings or the more recently introduced Jedi Starfighters. These battles add a whole new dimension to the game and can be challenging to get use to at first. Also new are the “hero” characters for each clan. You only get a short space of time to utilise these guys and can only select them once you have met certain conditions. And select them you will as you’ll scare the fur of any Wookie after they see Darth Vader’s cape gliding towards them!

 

This is one busy game. Options galore and lots to keep you coming back. Perhaps one of the biggest crowning achievements here concerning Xbox owners would have to be the utilisation of the Xbox Live options. Finally you can hit eject and put Halo 2 back in it’s case. You’ve got new reason to send out Party Invites. Strong AI in the bots, new features by the Sand Crawler load that make you at one with the force. Still not sure if you’ll be impressed by Star Wars: Battlefront 2? “Oh you will be… you will be!” I was!

 

Verdict

One good turn deserves another and LucasArts are finally turning them out! A new reason to hop on Xbox Live besides Halo 2!

Pros: Loads to Explore! Wild battles in Star Wars Universe!

Cons: Perhaps not as smooth as Halo 2 graphics wise. Annoying audio announcements!

Score: 8.5/10

The Beginning Of a New Era...

It has taken a long time. 2000 was the beginning of acceptence of Internet and things like online banking, shopping and all things www. But it seems all this has been nothing more then a prelude. Something much much larger is on the way. Whether you'll dub it Internet 2.0 or whatever I doubt it deserves one single entity as it'll be a convergence of many things to spark from 2006 onwards. The TV is being replaced... or enhanced to be precise. Content on demand! Pretty soon Eddie Macguire and the gang at Nine may find themselves with very few people watching as the populace flock to newly created Content on Demand devices. It's beginning already... you just haven't seen it yet.

 

In case you didn't hear already Channel Seven and Yahoo! have announced a partnership to rival Nine and their long standing marriage with Microsoft. All this has coincided with Yahoo's big "Yahoo! Go!" project. They want kind of like a large online Blockbuster store where you can simply select what you want and have it billed to your account to pay off whenever. This will turn buisinesses on their heads! The traditionally powerful networks may find themselves without an audience if they don't make a move now to join in what is the equivalent of Silent Films of the new era. Google have plans of their own too announcing a Video store of their own. Do you still want to open that Blockbuster franchise now?

 

...and guess who is quiet during this whole process. The big M that's who as they are busy scraping together a replacement for XP that no one may even care about. The power is not in the technology anymore. It's not even in the software anymore. It's going to be a focus on content and which company puts it in your face with the greatest of ease! Then once it's all set up you'll be finding content changing from simple movies to more and more dynamically interactive entertainment available on tap to the masses.

 

2006 is going to be one hell of a ride me thinks! This is one techno junkie that'll be enjoying the ride!