Video Game Review

Video Game Review: ‘Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier’ Missed Opportunity

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:09:48 -0700

CHICAGO – It would be polite to say that “Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier” is merely an unessential entry in one of the most beloved franchises of the ’00s. It would be more accurate to say that it’s a disappointment, a missed opportunity to create a true sequel to one of the most essential PSP games in the history of the handheld platform, “Daxter”.

Video Game Rating: 2.5/5.0

First, a little history - “Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy” was released for the PS2 in 2001 and followed by the very popular “Jak II” and “Jak 3” on the same platform. “Jak X: Combat Racing” was the last game released exclusively for the PS2 in 2005 and followed by arguably the best game in the line, “Daxter” for the PSP in 2006.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
Photo credit: Sony

Three years later, the heroes have yet to make their debut on the PS3 and the plot has gone back to pick-up after the events of “Jak 3”. It’s not the only element of the game that feels like it’s going in reverse. With the newest installment of Sony’s “Uncharted” franchise being promoted like a “Twilight” sequel, one has to wonder why an entry in such a hit franchise has been so under-marketed. One doesn’t wonder after playing the game for a few hours.

Part of the problem is that the developers that made this franchise a hit have moved on to more vital properties. Naughty Dog has moved on to “Uncharted” and Ready at Dawn made arguably the best PSP game ever, “God of War: Chains of Olympus”. High Impact Games has taken over and released a pretty standard platforming title with some nice visuals but clunky camera work and a general lack of creative spark.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
Photo credit: Sony

The plot picks up after “Jak 3” with our title characters and Keira searching for Eco. The world supply is dwindling and the triumphant trio needs to figure out why by flying to different planets, upgrading new weapons, and learning kick-ass abilities. The new skills to pay Jak’s bills come from idols that he encounters throughout the game, giving him a variety of powers including slowing time, constructing platforms, or teleportation. Learning what skill to use in what situation is the main key to puzzle-solving your way through the game.

Of course, as with most PSP platformers, the other key is jumping. A LOT of jumping. Jak jumps on platforms, swings on poles, and generally bounces around the universe. The problem is that to make such a jumping-centric game interesting, there better be some solid camera work and well-developed puzzles. Both arenas are disappointing with the static angle causing a lot of missed jumps and most of the “what skill to use” rooms coming off predictable and underdeveloped.

Surprisingly, the scenes without the personalities of Jak and Daxter work the best. At times, the duo gets behind the wheel of their plane and there are a few dogfighting levels that are pretty well designed. There’s also a solid customization to this section of the game, allowing for upgrades to your plane that including machine guns, missiles, speed upgrades, etc.

As for how it looks, “The Lost Frontier” is pretty effective for the PSP but the environments are woefully underdeveloped. Flying has a nice three-dimensionality but the other denizens of the world the heroes visit just don’t feel solid. The graphics can be wildly inconsistent with Jak and Daxter themselves looking great, as do a few villains, but the backgrounds hint at a title that, overall, wasn’t well-conceived.

When you play a great game like “Uncharted 2,” you can feel the dedication and love for the product in every element of it. With “Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier,” that love only comes through every once in awhile with too much of the game feeling like something someone created as a part of a job and not a passion.

‘Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier’ was released by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by High Impact Games. It is rated E10+ (Everyone Ten and Older). The version reviewed was for the PSP, but the title is also available for the PS2. It was released on November 2nd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘Tekken 6’ Punches Way to Fighting Game of 2009

BrianTT — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:54:35 -0700

CHICAGO – What do you look for in a fighting game? A fluid control scheme is key - players don’t want to struggle to figure out the basic moves like kicking and punching and want to feel like they will eventually master the more complex combos from first play. Graphics are important.

We’ve all played bad fighting games where the graphics can actually impede the matches as you punch through your enemy’s head in a glitchy presentation. Finally, depth is essential. We don’t want the same experience we could get for a quarter at an arcade. The highly-anticipated “Tekken 6” rocks in all departments, punching, kicking, and throwing its way to the title of fighting game of the year.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

The latest installment in one of the most beloved fighting franchises is a remarkably complete and in-depth title, providing dozens of characters that are playable in multiple modes both online and offline. With spectacular graphics, a seriously robust character roster, and a variety of gameplay, “Tekken 6” is one of the most expertly-crafted fighting games of not just this year but any year. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, this remarkable title is worth a look.

Tekken 6
Photo credit: Bandai Namco

Blending familiar faces with new characters, the first thing that many players will notice about “Tekken 6” is the variety of gameplay produced simply be having SO many fighters to choose from. Like all fighting games, some are fast, some are strong, some are simply gigantic, and so on. You’ll have fun merely trying to find your favorites.

Tekken 6
Photo credit: Bandai Namco

Put your favorites to use in different modes including Vs, Time Attack, and Survival, each of which will allow players to amass items for customizing and strengthening their characters. The environments play into the fighting as well with several that are variable by punching your opponent through a wall or down a floor into a whole new battleground. The variety of stages mirrors that of the characters with more cleverly designed environments than any fighting game this year.

New to the series is an interesting-but-flawed “Scenario Campaign”. Players can progress through a story with hordes of faceless enemies in their way. The story is weak and the load times between relatively similar chapters of a somewhat poorly-conceived campaign are unacceptable. Overall, it kind of feels like an afterthought and the poor design of it doesn’t blend with the detail of the rest of the title. It’s not awful, but it’s also clearly not the strength of “Tekken 6,” which lies in the many basic fighting modes, online or off. (For the record, the load times are horrendous throughout the game, not just in the “Scenario”.)

Using the Playstation Network, players can access a multitude of online features. Most will simply battle opponents worldwide, but players can also upload customized characters and a co-op version of the “Scenario Campaign” will soon be available.

With nearly everything you do in “Tekken 6,” you’ll earn money that can be spent on customizing your experience with the game. The reward system makes a deep game that much deeper, as players are drawn to keep playing to earn just enough to get the next article of clothing available for their favorite fighter.

Dozens of fighters, multiple modes, gorgeously-rendered environments, and a massive amount of moves to master with fluid controls - what more do you want from a “Tekken” game?

‘Tekken 6’ was released and developed by Namco Bandai Games. It is rated T (Teen). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360 and PSP. It was released on October 27th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: Activision Gets Poppy With Catchy ‘Band Hero’

BrianTT — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:36:49 -0700

CHICAGO – No one can accuse Activision and Neversoft of allowing their music game franchise to get stale. In fact, some might argue that they have flooded the market with too many similar products including “Guitar Hero: Metallica,” “Guitar Hero: Smash Hits,” “Guitar Hero 5,” “DJ Hero,” and, now, “Band Hero” in just this year alone (with “Guitar Hero: Van Halen” dropping before Christmas as well).

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

So, how does “Band Hero” distinguish itself from the other titles? It doesn’t really. This is a more-of-the-same proposition, a somewhat-themed expansion set for what you know and love about the “Guitar Hero” games. At times, it feels like a bit of a wasted opportunity, but the title is ultimately a well-crafted, family-oriented installment of this crowded franchise and it should deliver what buyers are looking for this holiday season.

Band Hero
Photo credit: Activision/Neversoft

The concept behind “Band Hero” is simple - take every element of “Guitar Hero 5” and simply change the playlist to a more family-friendly, pop-centric selection of songs. Nearly every song in “Band Hero” is one that you have heard hundreds of times on the radio and it’s the “sing-along” aspect of these selections that artistically drive the game. Let’s face it, if you’re having a bunch of people over to play music games, “Metallica” and “Van Halen” might be a tough sell, but there’s a little bit of something for everyone in “Band Hero”.

Band Hero
Photo credit: Activision/Neversoft

With the Taylor Swift commercials for “Band Hero” (she has three songs in the game - “Love Story,” “Picture to Burn,” “You Belong With Me” - and is a playable character), I kind of assumed that the title would be purely for the tweens and marvelled at the publicity onslaught of Kanye West’s favorite target with a gig hosting “Saturday Night Live,” winning Entertainer of the Year at the Country Music Awards, and this game all in the same few weeks. Luckily, it’s not all “mall music” in “Band Hero”. Yes, people might have a tough time going from “The Unforgiven” in “Metallica” to some of the more sugary sweet tunes in “Band Hero” (including work by Jesse McCartney, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Spice Girls) but there’s a little bit of something for everyone in the game.

For example, while the tweens may freak out at getting to play Ms. Swift, older fans will enjoy belting ’80s tunes like “Rio” by Duran Duran, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison, “I Want You To Want Me” by Cheap Trick, “Honky Tonk Women” by the Rolling Stones, and “Love is a Battlefield” by Pat Benatar. I’m glad the developers pulled from different eras of pop music instead of just playing to fans of current hits.

Band Hero
Photo credit: Activision/Neversoft

As for taking the stage as your favorite artist, Ms. Swift isn’t alone in “Band Hero”. Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and all of the member of No Doubt make appearances and are ultimately playable. As for tunes, the former contributes “She Will Be Loved” and the latter “Don’t Speak” and “Just a Girl”.

As for new modes, there’s only one - “Sing-Along Mode,” which allows for multiple singers on one song in sort of a party karaoke mode. Players can also play with any combination of instruments that they want. Want 4 singers? Go for it. The game was clearly designed to appeal most to young players hanging with their friends or family parties and not diehards looking for a more realistic music simulation.

Players will also be able to download songs and import favorites from “Guitar Hero: World Tour” and “Guitar Hero 5”.

I have to admit to wondering at times why Activision and Neversoft released this title so quickly on the heels of “Guitar Hero 5”. The structure of each game - the gameplay, graphics, career mode, menus even - is so similar that fans may feel a bit ripped off to have paid $60 for what is essentially the same title with different songs so quickly after opening their wallet the first time.

Conseqeuently, “Band Hero” doesn’t feel like a complete game in its own right - but it’s a really catchy expansion pack.

‘Band Hero’ was released by Activision and developed by Neversoft. It is rated T (Teen). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360, Wii, and PS2. It was released on November 3rd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game News: Downloadable Content Available For Amazing ‘Fallout 3’ on PlayStation 3

BrianTT — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:54:56 -0700

CHICAGO – The critically-acclaimed downloadable content (DLC) that expands the already enormous experience that is “Fallout 3” has recently been made available for the Sony PlayStation 3. We wanted to make sure you knew what to expect from each of the five DLC options. Pick your favorite or buy all five, all of which are also available in the “Game of the Year” edition, now on shelves.

Fallout 3: Broken Steel.
Photo credit: Bethesda Softworks

“Broken Steel”
Available September 24th, 2009

Description: Continue your existing Fallout 3 game and finish the fight against the Enclave remnants alongside Liberty Prime. Broken Steel moves the level cap for your character from 20 to 30, allowing you to experience even more of the game, including new perks and achievements.

Story: You may have dealt the Enclave a serious blow at Project Purity, but their forces are still out there, and still pose a grave threat to the people and security of the Capital Wasteland. In Broken Steel, you’ll continue your current Fallout 3 character past the events of Project Purity, and work with the Brotherhood of Steel to eradicate the Enclave threat once and for all. Travel to new locations like the Olney Powerworks, wield destructive new weapons like the Tesla Cannon, and fight powerful new creatures like the Super Mutant Overlord.

Fallout 3: Operation Anchorage.
Photo credit: Bethesda Softworks

“Operation Anchorage”
Available October 1st, 2009

Description: Operation: Anchorage. Enter a military simulation and fight in one of the greatest battles of the Fallout universe – the liberation of Anchorage, Alaska from its Chinese Communist invaders. Gain access to unique armor, weapons, and exotic gadgets while you build and command interactive Strike Teams to win the battle and defeat the Chinese base.

Story: The Brotherhood Outcasts are trying to acquire advanced military technology, and the only way to open the vault containing these relics is by completing a tactical simulation only you can enter. In Operation: Anchorage you will re-live the epic Battle of Anchorage from Fallout lore. Find your way into the simulation, stripped of resources, and survive within the rules set up by the simulation’s creators. The Chinese red army is everywhere, so secure the surrounding mountain side and fight your way into the Chinese base.

Fallout 3: The Pitt.
Photo credit: Bethesda Softworks

“The Pitt”
Available October 1st, 2009

Description: The Pitt allows you to travel to the post-apocalyptic remains of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and become embroiled in a conflict between slaves and their Raider masters. Explore a sprawling settlement ravaged by time, neglect, nuclear radiation, and moral degradation. The Pitt is filled with morally grey choices, shady NPCs, new enemies, new weapons, and much more.

Story: The Pitt opens with a desperate radio message, and a meeting with its sender, an escaped slave named Wernher. Wernher claims that the leader of “The Pitt” has created a cure for mutations… and he needs you to go in and retrieve it. From there, the player can proceed in a number of ways, in true Fallout 3 style. Do you fight your way in, or disguise yourself as a slave? Ally with the slaves, or join their Raider overlords? The Pitt is very morally ambiguous – there’s no real right or wrong, just choices to be made, sides to be chosen, and a mystery that could send shockwaves throughout the entire Wasteland.

Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta.
Photo credit: Bethesda Softworks

“Mothership Zeta”
Available October 8th, 2009

Description: Defy hostile alien abductors and fight your way off of the massive Mothership Zeta, orbiting Earth miles above the Capital Wasteland. Mothership Zeta takes Fallout 3 in an entirely new direction – outer space. Meet new characters and join with them in a desperate bid to escape the Aliens’ clutches. To do so, you’ll wield powerful new weapons, like the Alien Atomizer, Alien Disintegrator, and Drone Cannon, and deck yourself out in brand new outfits, like the Gemini-Era Spacesuit and even Samurai Armor.

Story: strange Alien signal is being broadcast throughout the Capital Wasteland, originating from a crashed UFO. Is it a distress call, or something far more sinister? That question is answered when you find yourself beamed aboard an enormous Alien spacecraft, with only one alternative – to fight your way to the bridge of the ship and secure your escape.

Fallout 3: Point Lookout.
Photo credit: Bethesda Softworks

“Point Lookout”
Available October 8th, 2009

Description: Point Lookout opens up a massive new area of the Wasteland – a, dark, murky swampland along the coast of Maryland. So hop on the ferry to the seaside town of Point Lookout, for the most mysterious and open-ended Fallout 3 DLC adventure yet.

Story: Buy a ticket and hop onboard the Duchess Gambit, as Tobar the Ferryman takes you to the strange seaside town of Point Lookout. What secrets does the dilapidated boardwalk hold? Who lives in the sprawling mansion? Why is the Punga Fruit so important? And what horrors lie in the depths of the murky swamp? Point Lookout is the most open-ended DLC yet, and allows you to explore a huge, swampy wasteland any way you’d like. A completely new quest line allows you uncover the town’s hidden secrets and wield powerful new weapons like the Double-Barrel Shotgun against the swamp’s dangerous, and deformed, denizens.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: Prepare to Be Addicted to ‘DJ Hero’

BrianTT — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:27:50 -0700

CHICAGO – Activision has been accused of milking the music game genre to the point of absolute exhaustion and with “Guitar Hero: Van Halen,” “Band Hero,” and “Guitar Hero 5” crowding store shelves this holiday season, it’s difficult to disagree. And yet “DJ Hero” somehow finds a way to rejuvenate a genre on the ropes, bringing a new approach to the music game that is remarkably addictive. Put away the drums and the mic (but leave the guitar out) and jump into the world of “DJ Hero”.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

“DJ Hero” comes with a platter designed to replicate the genuine feel of a crossfader, effect dial controls, and actual turntable. The “record” section of the table includes three buttons - green, red, blue - that should be familiar to anyone who has played a music game before. Hit the button at the right time and make some club-thumping music.

DJ Hero
Photo credit: Activision

On the beginner and easy levels of the game, hitting the right color at the right time is about all you’ll need to do to be the next Grandmaster Flash, but “DJ Hero” features a lot more tricks the higher up the difficulty ladder the player climbs. Scratching, cross-fading, and samples (which you can choose pre-mix) play crucial roles in whether you’ll deliver a 5-star jam or a 2-star snooze on Medium and above. On several tracks, a friend can even pick up the guitar and play along with your jam.

DJ Hero
Photo credit: Activision

Graphics are a small part of the success of a title like “DJ Hero” (no problem here with the cartoonish style of the Activision music titles actually fitting the garish world of DJ-ing more than, say, Kurt Cobain in “Guitar Hero 5”) but it really comes down to controls and song selection. The former is wonderfully, creatively designed and the latter is a great blend of hip hop, pop, rock, and dance.

As for tunes, “DJ Hero” includes over 100 individual songs featuring as diverse artists as Queen, Daft Punk, Black Eyed Peas, Dilated Peoples, Jurassic 5, N.E.R.D., Beck, Marvin Gaye, Gorillaz, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Blondie. Each mix features two songs and many are repeated, resulting in 93 unique never-before-release mixes, some by legends in the business like Grandmaster Flash, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ AM, and more. These are not everyday mash-ups. They are expertly produced dance mixes from the best at what they do. Of course, as fans of his know, what DJ Shadow brings steals the show.

The structure of the game is familiar to music titles with increasingly difficult set lists that need to be passed to unlock more tunes, outfits, playable characters, etc. The game is surprisingly deep and should take longer to complete than most traditional music outings. When you’re done, a pretty standard online mode and, if Activision’s past is any indication, a steady flow of downloadable tunes should keep “DJ Hero” fresh.

DJ Hero
Photo credit: Activision

As for what doesn’t work about this trip to the animated club, the list of complaints is incredibly short. First, the gap between difficulty levels feels larger than it should be. Anyone who’s ever played a music game (and hasn’t everyone by now?) will find the Easy level a bit too much so (I never even experimented with “Beginner”) but Medium has a learning curve that could throw players, leaving them frustrated in between. A similarly gigantic leap happens between Medium and Hard and I think there could be some fine-tuning in the complexity of the game to make it more enjoyable for players with different skill levels.

The game also feels a bit incomplete, as the online matches aren’t ranked and even all the unlockable outfits in the world can’t disguise a lack of build throughout the “story” portion of the game. You’re really just playing song after song and a bit of variety in the actual modes of the title would enhance the inevitable “DJ Hero 2”.

When I heard about “DJ Hero,” I assumed it would be a pleasant diversion, a nice companion to the “Guitar Hero” franchise. This is no “companion”. “DJ Hero” is a unique, clever, interesting game that stands completely on its own, probably even supplanting the band-driven titles for a lot of fans of the music video game genre.

After the disappointing “Guitar Hero: World Tour” and “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith,” I was one of the critics who thought the most exciting new gaming genre of the ’00s was on its way out the door. With “The Beatles: Rock Band” and “DJ Hero” proving that there are new ways to approach this genre, it feels like we’re in the middle of “music games 2.0” with more expertly crafted, detailed, satisfying music-based experiences. Except for a few tweaks to the difficulty and a bit more variety to the game modes, “DJ Hero” feels, appropriately, like a brand new mix of an old tune. And one that you’ll have difficulty getting out of your head.

‘DJ Hero’ was released by Activision and developed by FreeStyleGames. It is rated T (Teen). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360, Wii, and PS2. It was released on October 27th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ a Missed Opportunity

BrianTT — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:36:19 -0700

CHICAGO – Have you ever liked a movie so much that you’re willing to play through a sub-par video game tie-in just to spend more time in its universe? As I played through the adaptation of “Where the Wild Things Are” in only two marathon sittings, I realized that the reason I couldn’t turn it off had a lot more to do with Spike Jonze’s incredible film and really nothing to do with this inferior game.

Video Game Rating: 2.0/5.0

Where the Wild Things Are starts promisingly enough. One of the elements of the film that I adored was the way Jonze and his team incorporated a natural setting into what is essentially a fantasy story. And the first thing one notices about the game is the lovingly recreated natural world. As water splashes on the coast, clouds float by overhead, and trees and rocks play an immediate role in how you climb around the island, “Where the Wild Things Are” starts as an impressive, nearly zen-like title graphically. The New Age music helps with that aesthetic. Sadly, the warm, peaceful feelings don’t last long.

Where the Wild Things Are
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Interactive

Naturally, the player takes on the role of Max. No, you don’t get to play the opening act of the movie so don’t strategize how to ruin mom’s date. Expectedly, you start with your arrival in the land of the wild things, where you spot one and follow it to the camp. Immediately, you find a scepter, which will be the only weapon you carry throughout the game. And shortly after that, fireflies are coming after you, ready to meet the bad end of your royal death dealer.

Where the Wild Things Are
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Interactive

After a prologue, the player finds himself in a base camp known as the village. From here, Max can practice his scepter-wielding skills, throw rocks at fireflies, or play with the wild things, including dancing, getting healing hugs, or basically just assaulting them. Yes, you too can now have a wild things dirt clod fight.

The free-form experience of the village is off-set by the story missions, which can be shockingly repetitive and frustrating. Max essentially has a pretty short set list of moves and enemies on which to use them over a series of loosely connected “point A to point B” levels of the game. Max starts at one point on the island and has to smash and jump to another point. The level repetition is shocking with only a few experiences - riding on Carol’s back or sailing - that deviate from the norm. And even those “alternate” levels feel half-assed in their design. Every section of the game, including the village, features a variety of collectibles, most of which are designed around things Max is trying to find for his wild friends.

What’s most shocking about “Where the Wild Things Are” is the repetition of the enemies in the latter half of the game. The loose story includes a black goo that’s taking over the land of the wild things, forcing Max and his friends to find a new place to play. The sticky substance requires the player to smash spider-looking goo creatures and rescue the wild things from being sucked down by them. It’s a fun boss battle the first time and a mind-numbingly repetitive experience by the 50th time. Essentially, after you’ve played the game for a few hours, you’ve seen all of its tricks (and you’re halfway through what is a very short title).

Where the Wild Things Are
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Interactive

By their very nature, kid’s games are usually pretty simple and repetitive. They need to be for younger players to be able to enjoy them from beginning to end. But Spike Jonze’s masterful film was made for parents as much as their children and the game seems like a missed opportunity to be the same. The levels could have been more free-form, allowing the playful spirit found in the village to also be a part of the meat of the game. And the camera work needed to be seriously refined. (The number of times I fell because I couldn’t tell where to jump due to bad camera was far too many.)

The big problem is that “Where the Wild Things Are” simply isn’t wild enough. The designers could have and should have taken more chances to make this title a better companion for one of the most ambitious films of the year. The game delivers as a reasonable child’s diversion and a time-killer for fans of the flick and/or the Maurice Sendak book, but the movie, divisive as it may be, is so much more.

‘Where the Wild Things Are’ was released by Warner Bros. Interactive and developed by Amaze Entertainment. It is rated E (Everyone). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360 and Wii. It was released on October 13th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’

BrianTT — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:01:00 -0600

CHICAGO – Timed to coincide with the 70th Anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” and its accompanying Blu-Ray collector’s set, the world created by Frank L. Baum is getting its own Nintendo DS role-playing game. Sort of. “Beyond the Yellow Brick Road” uses elements of both what we know and love about Oz and what gamers enjoy about RPGs to make an odd hybrid that could appeal to both genre newcomers and diehard fans.

The elements of “Beyond the Yellow Brick Road” that stick to the books and movie are mostly in the characters and some of the settings. The player, naturally, starts in the role of Dorothy, as she is whisked from her home in Kansas and deposited on the Yellow Brick Road with her little dog too.

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
Photo credit: XSeed Games

In the opening level of “Beyond,” the player will pick up three predictable teammates - Strawman, Lion, and The Logger - and it makes one wonder why the quartet at the heart of “The Wizard of Oz” haven’t been used in an RPG format before considering how often groups of four fighters comprise the set-up for the genre.

The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
Photo credit: XSeed Games

Not only does each member of your team have a different fighting strength known as their “Affinities” (Dorothy inflicts most damage on ghosts, Strawman water creatures, Lion shell creatures, and Tinman plant creatures), but they have different “Ratios,” which makes for an interesting turn-based fighting system. When an enemy is encountered, the player must choose the best team to send into battle, keeping their ratios in mind. Four fighting slots can be chosen but while Dorothy and Strawman take up one turn, the stronger Lion takes up two, and the even stronger Logger takes up three. Come up with any combo of four (2 Dorothys and a Lion; 4 Strawman; 1 Logger, 1 Dorothy; etc.) and head in to battle. Enhancing the strategy is the fact that characters not chosen to fight won’t take damage. If Lion is hurting, maybe you should leave him behind while you attack the giant anemone.

And yes, like you, I didn’t know there were giant anemones in Oz. As the game progresses, it starts to feel less and less like what you know and love about the legend of Oz and more like a pretty standard RPG. As you’re fighting giant crabs and mystical creatures called HiJinks, the tenuous connection to Baum’s work gets paper-thin. But the story does feature its own unique variation on the Wizard and four witches, one for each holiday.

“The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road” could have been like so many other tie-in games for family films and done the bare minimum to appeal to their mostly young followers. Most titles like this don’t take into account trying to appeal to older fans with the young ones and “Beyond” is admirable in its attempt to bring something for everyone. Most notably, the structure of the gameplay is easy enough for players of any age to learn but the game is surprisingly deep and even difficult, making it a challenge that older gamers should seek out.

Finding the balance that results in a user-friendly RPG that also appeals to players who are looking for the depth of their favorite title is quite a challenged. “The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road” rises to that challenge. The gameplay gets repetitive and the backgrounds/enemies can be truly uninspiring, but it’s a surprisingly accomplished and detailed title when it probably didn’t have to be to make Oz-aholics swoon.

‘The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road’ was released by XSeed Games and developed by Media Vision. It is rated E (Everyone). It is exclusive to the Nintendo DS. It was released on September 29th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘NBA 2K10’ Dunks Over ‘NBA Live 10’

BrianTT — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:42:49 -0600

CHICAGO – It’s the same story every year. 2K Sports and Electronic Arts release their basketball video games at the same time and it’s impossible not to contrast and compare. This critic was looking forward to writing something like a scorecard, choosing which title wins in different fields like graphics, gameplay, presentation, etc. Sadly, it’s not close enough or a breakdown. “NBA Live 10” isn’t a bad game by any stretch, but the fact is that “NBA 2K10” beats it in every single one-on-one competition imaginable. It’s just a more well-rounded title and the clear choice if you can only buy one basketball game this year.

What’s interesting about playing the games back-to-back is how much the titles have in common but how the little differences can give one version the edge over another. The controls are nearly identical, each game includes updating season-long stats and scores, and both have almost identical modes. But “2K10” simply feels more accomplished. The 2K titles have long won the critic battle against the EA ones when it comes to the NBA games - although, to be fair, EA wins in every other sport - and “Live 10” does make a few steps in the right direction to make the game less of a blow-out, but there’s still a clear winner.

Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

“NBA 2K10”

With fluid animations and smooth ball control, “NBA 2K10” beautifully recreates the flow of an actual game. Players can choose from a variety of modes, including “NBA Today,” which allows one to play the games going on that day. It’s a new feature this year and a great addition that can make a player feel like they’re actually controlling an NBA team.

NBA 2K10
Photo credit: 2K Sports

Like most modern sports titles, “2K10” allows for a variety of levels of involvement. Players can pick up and play any match-up they see fit or dive into something significantly deeper including a Playoffs mode, Association mode, My Player mode, and more.

All the modes in the world mean nothing if the game doesn’t feel right on the court and that’s where “NBA 2K10” shines. Fadeways, jump shots, dunks, screen passes - they all feel smoother than years past and the players rarely feel locked into animations or patterns, giving the game an actual on-the-court feel that’s unmatched. The pacing is key to a title like this one, resulting in a title that doesn’t feel too manic like some arcade-ish basketball titles but also doesn’t feel clunky.

NBA 2K10
Photo credit: 2K Sports

The turbo system has been altered this year, making it not feel like such an overused part of the game. Now, each player on the court has a limited amount of turbo, making the choice of when to use it or not a part of the strategy of the human player. Reserve a little turbo for a fast break or risk being embarrassed if the opportunity presents itself and you’re spent. In fact, if you use too much turbo, you may have to bench a player for longer than you otherwise would. It’s a great strategy addition to the gameplay.

The offensive play-calling has been significantly expanded, allowing more choices and easier player control. As for the actual shooting, it’s relatively consistent, although the title still feels like it has a bit of a rubber-band effect, making players miss shots if their team is getting too far ahead or having a CPU opponent sink every single shot in a come-from-behind situation. Even games feel this way with my Chicago Bulls going up 3 games to none against the Boston Celtics in the Playoffs only to have the series go all the way to game 7.

Defensive play is much like last year with lockdown defense returning again and pretty much working well. Teammate AI can be frustrating and it can sometimes feel like you need to control all five players on the court to adequately foil an attempt at the basket. As for turnovers, they flow smoothly and don’t come too often to be unrealistic.

As for the graphics, the game looks gorgeous from menu screen to court. Highlight shots look professional menus screens are informative and well-designed, and on-court animations are strikingly fluid.

NBA Today will integrate not just player stats and styles but the latest news, trade info, and stats. It even updates information for the announcers to discuss. If Shaq had a big game last night in real life, the announcers will probably talk about it in the game you’re playing. That’s insanely cool.

“My Player” allows for an individual experience. Design a player with your name and attributes you admire in a baller and work your way up to the pros. Some of the “My Player” experience can be frustrating. I didn’t like the unusual “goals” I had to reach in the Circuits like getting two assists in a game or stopping three-pointers. They seemed random and hard to control. And it’s annoying to be chastised for giving up four points in a game. FOUR points.

Ultimately, 2K Sports make the smart move of not doing too much to reinvent their basketball wheel. The changes are effective and pretty much everything that worked in the past is still going strong. The leader is still in first place.

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

“NBA Live 10”

But the competitor is catching up. Electronic Arts’ “NBA Live” series has had some serious flops in recent years, but they have released a fluid, enjoyable title this season, one that hardcore EA devotees will be certainly satisfied with. There are still a few players on this team that ultimately sabotage the effort to rise above “2K” but it’s not a failure by any stretch of the imagination.

NBA Live 10
Photo credit: EA

The biggest problem with “NBA Live 10” is right there on the court where it does the most damage. Too often players feel like they lock into animations. I can’t tell you how many times an opponent made a move that I anticipated but they headed to the basket regardless. There are too many times on the “Live” court where it feels like the defense is completely out of your control.

NBA Live 10
Photo credit: EA

There are also graphic glitches that are simply unacceptable and not there in “2K”. Several times I saw players in “Live” run through other players and the game just doesn’t have the same gravity as “2K”. Players feel more like they float up and down the court rather than run and rim contact doesn’t have the punch that it should.

I also felt advertised to way too many times in “NBA Live 10”. One of the trophies is even named after Sprite and ads for “Transformers 2,” T-Mobile, and Adidas litter the court. Subtle product placement is one thing but this is overboard.

Of course, these issues won’t hold back a lot of players from having a blast with “NBA Live 10”. Their answer to “NBA Today” is the “Dynamic DNA,” another feature that seamlessly integrates the real life experience with the one you’re having on your PS3. And the modes of “Live 10” are well-organized and designed. Audio and player models are very well-done, the rebounding is actually smoother than in “2K,” and “Adidas Live Run” is a fun feature that allows players to set up dream 5-on-5 games.

OVERALL

It seems unlikely that anyone but the most hardcore NBA fans will buy both titles. So, how do you choose? As an overall experience, “NBA 2K10” wins the game, but it’s a lot closer than it has been in years past and sports gamers are awfully loyal to the giant of their genre, Electronic Arts. I’m going back on the court with “2K10” but the winner this year was hard enough to discern that I look forward to next year’s match-up.

‘NBA 2K10’ was released by 2K Sports and developed by Visual Concepts. It is rated E (Everyone). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360, PC, PS2, and Wii. It was released on October 6th, 2009.

‘NBA Live 10’ was released by Electronic Arts and developed by EA Canada. It is rated E (Everyone). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360 and PSP. It was released on October 6th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: One ‘Brütal Legend’ PlayStation 3 Video Game With Jack Black

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:06:45 -0600

CHICAGO – In our latest extra-special edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Video Games, we have one PlayStation 3 video game up for grabs to the new video game “Brutal Legend” with Jack Black! This video game retails for $60!

“Brutal Legend,” which is written and directed by Tim Schafer, features Jack Black, Tim Curry, Jennifer Hale, Zach Hanks, Richard Steven Horvitz, Courtenay Taylor, Alex Fernandez, Rebecca Corry, Josh Robert Thompson, Rob Halford, Taylor M. Dooley, David Boat and David Sobolov.

“Brutal Legend” was released by Electronic Arts and developed by Double Fine. It is rated “M” for mature. While the version being given away in this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup is for PlayStation 3, the title is also available for Xbox 360. “Brutal Legend” was released on Oct. 13, 2009.

To win your free “Brutal Legend” video game for PlayStation 3 courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is tell us what you like or dislike about heavy metal in this Web-based submission form. That’s it! Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

A screen capture from EA’s “Brutal Legend” with Jack Black for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Image credit: Electronic Arts

Here is the synopsis for “Brutal Legend”:

From the mind of Tim Schafer and Double Fine Productions comes “Brütal Legend”: a third-person action game rich in combat, imagery and storytelling that delivers lighter-flicking fun sure to melt your face clean off.

“Brütal Legend” tells the tale Eddie Riggs: the ultimate roadie. The “roadie’s roadie,” Eddie is the first person anyone calls when they need guitars tuned or stages rigged. With a love for hot rods and a photographic memory for every heavy metal album cover (and the lyrics those albums contained committed to memory), Eddie has always felt out of place (like he should have been born earlier when the music was real).

One night, a stage accident knocks Eddie unconscious. With his blood dripping into the belt buckle he wears (a gift from his father), his blood quenches an ancient thirst. This sucks him into a world that looks very strange yet oddly familiar. It’s a world where every heavy metal album cover and lyric Eddie knows has come to life.

It’s a world where the evil emperor Doviculus and his demon army, The Tainted Coil, have enslaved the last remaining humans. Led by Lars Halford alongside his sister, Lita, and the mysterious Ophelia, the human resistance is far from helpless.

However, what they lack is someone to bring them all together – someone who can organize them and lead them into battle. What they need is a roadie. Under Eddie’s command, this barbaric force of hot rods, Marshall stacks, leather and chrome will bring this ancient world into the age of metal.

The video game trailer for “Brutal Legend” can be viewed now below.

To secure your free “Brutal Legend” video game for PlayStation 3, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup.

Next, simply tell us what you like or dislike about heavy metal. You must submit your answer using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Please do not comment in this Hookup. Your entry will be invalid if you only comment here and don’t submit into our Web-based form. Please only submit your answer using this submission form.

You must include your first and last name, e-mail address and physical mailing address in your submission. Your personal information will not be sold or shared, will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries. Please answer our question below.

What you like or dislike about heavy metal?

This HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Video Games is simple: One lucky HollywoodChicago.com reader will be randomly selected as the winner of our “Brutal Legend” Hookup! The winner will be mailed the video game at our expense. Good luck!

Read our “Brutal Legend” video game review for PlayStation 3.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Video Game Review: ‘Brutal Legend’ Rocks, But Misses a Few Chords

BrianTT — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:49:03 -0600

Video Game Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Can a game be clever and beautiful to look at but not be fun? EA’s highly anticipated “Brutal Legend” tests this theory with some amazing design, a unique concept, and very funny storytelling, but with actual gameplay that can be remarkably frustrating. To paraphrase something a friend recently said about something else that seems appropriate here, I liked everything about “Brutal Legend” except actually playing it.

The game opens with a prologue that features roadie Eddie Riggs (Jack Black) being crushed by a massive stage prop for a metal show and being whisked off to a fantasy world clearly inspired by the world of metal album covers. From there, you have to use your axe, a guitar with electric powers, and a variety of other music-based fighting skills to help free an enslaved race of people who look vaguely like followers of Judas Priest circa 1982.

Brutal Legend
Photo credit: EA

Let’s start with what rocks about this highly anticipated title.

The world of “Brutal Legend” is simply beautiful. The design is essentially open world, allowing you to travel from mission to mission in Eddie’s souped-up, demonic Deuce. The world resembles something out of J.R.R. Tolkien if it had been reimagined by Dave Mustaine. It’s a heavy metal album cover circa 1985 come to life and you’ll get lost traveling through it and just marveling at the detail as day turns to night. It’s one of the most beautiful games to look at that we’ve seen all year and it contains numerous surprises around every corner. Even if you don’t play “Brutal Legend” for very long, you really should make an effort to see it. You’ve never played a game like it.

Brutal Legend
Photo credit: EA

The audio for “Brutal Legend” matches the video. Not only has the soundtrack for the game been perfectly mixed, but the songs chosen for it play like a greatest hits of metal history. Hearing “Kickstart My Heart” as you work through a racing secondary mission or “Ace of Spades” as you’re kicking enemy ass gets the adrenalin pumping more than any score in years.

And it’s not just the music. Throughout the game, you’ll learn crucial guitar riffs, playable through the face buttons, and even they sound perfectly mixed. The music and sound effects are definitely a game highlight.

“Brutal Legend” is also straight-up funny. Black is actually better as a voice work artist than he’s been in a movie in a long time, playing comfortably in his Tenacious D-esque wheelhouse of metal deities. He’s having a blast and it can be infectious. The inclusion of real metal Gods like Lemmy, Rob Halford, and Ozzy Osbourne as plot-crucial characters, not just cameos, was a stroke of genius as well.

“Brutal Legend” is surprisingly short, running less than ten hours and featuring a multi-player design that’s more frustrating than fun (more on that later). And it can get surprisingly repetitive. The fact is that most of the secondary missions are variations on things we’ve seen before, whether they be racing missions, time trials, or minor attacks. And they’re not really secondary in that the player essentially has to do them in order to build up enough “fire tributes,” or points to turn in for necessary weapon upgrades. The main story missions are far more effective and interesting, but the game is over much more quickly than most players will expect.

Brutal Legend
Photo credit: EA

Much more frustratingly, the basic battle structure of “Brutal Legend” can be a controller-throwing mess. You start by recruiting a series of headbangers, fantasy world dwellers who have been beating rocks with their heads and can now use them to beat enemies, and you continue to build armies of soldiers who will help you in your quests, including groupies, roadies, etc.

For major battles (and all multiplayer), the player has to balance an action structure with real-time strategy. Conceptually, it works. You build a stage, play a fan tribute to raise followers from the dead, and protect your merch booths against oncoming attackers. The player can instruct headbangers and other “soldiers” to attack, protect, or follow, and choose reinforcement as needed.

It’s much better in concept than execution. Victory seems nearly random, as most of the fighting is happening off-screen, and constantly having to replenish headbangers and run from merch booth to merch booth instructing your followers on how not to get their asses kicked grows tedious quickly.

Brutal Legend
Photo credit: EA

Finally, the map structure of “Brutal Legend” is simply unforgivable. There’s no actual map on the screen, meaning that you’ll have to hit Select regularly to see where you are and where you’re going next. I actually recommend driving around for an hour or so just to get a lay of the land because the amount of “where do I go now?” frustration that I experienced in the first hour could send a player, especially a renter who wants to get into the meat of the game quickly, jumping for the power button.

Perhaps I’m being too hard on “Brutal Legend” because I so wanted it to be perfect but your reaction to the game will come down to expectations of your own with games in general. On one hand, “Brutal Legend” looks and plays like nothing else this year and originality should be rewarded. But the frustration level of the gameplay is unacceptable, especially given the long development time for the title.

What most “Brutal Legend” players will come to terms with after playing the game for a few hours is that even the most elaborate, amazingly designed metal stage show can’t hide all the flaws of a band that doesn’t quite have all the pieces in place. Ultimately, “Brutal Legend” is too unique and beautiful to behold that it’s impossible to completely dismiss, but it’s equally impossible to lavishly praise.

‘Brutal Legend’ was released by EA and developed by Double Fine. It is rated M (Mature). The version reviewed was for the PS3, but the title is also available for the XBox 360. It was released on October 13th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com