To celebrate the recent release of Dragon Age 2. I will be taking a look at some of the console Bioware gems starting from the xbox through The 360. We have Aliens, Dragons, Jedi Knights, and even some martial arts thrown in as well.

Bioware is one of the best studios for RPGs that we have had the pleasure of knowing in the last decade. We will start off with their arguably most notable game for the previous generation KOTOR (Knights of the old Republic). Most of these games are less than twenty dollars now, so stand by as I write my reviews, and start hunting them down one by one. If there’s one thing I know about Bioware, it’s that they know how to make a game last a long time, and you will definitely get your money’s worth out of them.

So a while back, we published an article about where the good brawlers all went, and I think it’s about time we answered that. The brawlers we all loved are back in the form of Scott Pilgrim vs The World. This game is part River City Ransom, Streets of Rage, Double Dragon, Golden Axe, and Turtles In Time all rolled in to one sweet package for the low price of $10.

You and up to three of your friends can play together locally for an awesome old school multiplayer experience like you used to get in arcades, or you can tackle it solo. There is no online; I know this seems like a set back, but I promise you that it’s a lot of fun to get three friends together and play this in the same room, an experience that online play cannot deliver. There are 7 worlds in all with some unlockables like Boss Rush, Survival Horror, and Blood Mode which you’ll need to look up some cheat codes for. Each level is of course guarded by a boss (one of Ramona’s Evil Exes) In all there are 12 total bosses you will need to take down (5 sub bosses and 7 evil exes). You earn money by beating up random street thugs and taking down bosses, and you use that money to buy items to help raise your character’s stats, buy extra lives, or buy food to heal.

There are 4 characters (Scott Pilgrim, Ramona Flowers, Kim Pine, and Stephen Stills) that you can play with from the start, and there is one unlockable character that you will obtain upon beating the game with all 4 original characters. Each character has a special summon, and a super move that will drain your GP (gut points). For a brawler, combat is surprisingly deep, and you learn moves as you level up.

The game itself has a few flaws. It will freeze, and will glitch without warning. It is especially annoying when you are in the middle of a boss fight, and when you’re on a long level, like level 7, it can turn you off to the game. It doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, you’ll scream at your 360 or ps3. I forgive all of this though because this game is non-stop fun from level 1 to 7.

The graphics and music are a throwback to 8 bit and 16 bit days, and it seems like Scott Pilgrim would be something you would’ve found in an arcade in the early 90′s. Bosses flash when health is low, the sprites are totally snes quality, and the music is some of the best 8-bit (mixed with real instruments) I’ve ever heard. This is a fantastic brawler, and anyone who is a fan of those will LOVE Scott Pilgrim vs The World.

Scott Pilgrim is a pop culture icon to which I must say that I have succumbed to on every front; I bought the books, saw the movie a few times, bought the movie soundtrack, bought the game, and bought the game soundtrack. I must say, it’s been worth every penny. Do yourselves a favor everyone, and get this game. It has more meat than most 60 dollar games, and I’m willing to bet you’ll have a blast playing it.

9.5/10

This week, we see the release of two fantastic looking games.

Shank – A cartoon stylized action/side-scroller. I suggest you check out the trailer over at youtube. This will be 1200 Microsoft points ($15)

AND

Scott Pilgrim vs The World – A brawler based on the movie (but more on the comic) that borrows from classic games like Streets of Rage and River City Ransom. This gem will only be 800 Microsoft points ($10).

It seems like Summer of Arcade isn’t over just yet. Especially with two high profile releases the week after it supposedly ended.

We’re at the end of Summer of arcade, and it’s been a pretty good year so far. With amazing games like Limbo, and fun multiplayer games like Castlevania,: Harmony of Despair,  Hydro Thunder Hurricane, and Monday Night Combat (which I did not review due to funds issues).

The final game this year is Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light, and as usual, Microsoft has saved the best for last. This is probably the best game featuring Lara Croft in years. The series has moved to being a top-down view styled dungeon crawler filled with puzzles, and enemies to shoot at. It’s a fantastic direction this game moved toward. The co-op is just amazing, as each of you have unique skills to bring to the table. The story is pretty throw away. This evil entity escapes from the Mirror of Smoke, and you and the Guardian of Light, Totec (who magically comes to life after the evil escapes) have to track him through the ruins, and get the mirror back, so you can trap the evil in it.

The gameplay is where this game shines. The puzzles and challenges are always interesting, and the game never bores me. This game has A LOT of replay value. There are about 6 or 7 challenges per stage, and there’s no way anyone is going to be able to complete those on one or two runs through the level.

The one downside to this game is that the online co-op isn’t ready yet, and won’t be for about a month. Yes this hurts it, but not in the review score. This is something that will be fixed on a specific date (September 30th), so unlike other reviews, I don’t believe I need to mark it down for not having that feature ready yet. It’s not Crystal Dynamics’ fault anyway, Microsoft rushed them out the door.

If you’re looking for a great co-op experience, look no further than this game. The Diablo style dungeon crawling will keep you entertained for hours upon hours. This is highly recommended for pretty much everyone out there. At least try the demo so you can say you played it.

9/10

After reading other reviews of this game, I have to ask the critics, what were you expecting?? I have been following Harmony of Despair since it was announced. I knew it wasn’t going to be a metroidvania style game, and I kept an open mind about the direction the game was heading. I had my doubts at first, but raiding levels with 5 other people sounded like too much fun to be upset by not getting my next 2d adventure. Sure we all want the next Symphony of the Night, I understand that more than most, but that doesn’t mean this game isn’t good.

The other thing I’ve read is that people are comparing this to time trial games (or boss rush mode). This is completely wrong. They were going for a classic Castlevania feel. You are timed in every game leading up to Rondo of Blood, all they did was bring that back. Yes you are timed, but you were timed in many games. Super Mario Bros. has a timer, and I don’t see anyone comparing that with a time trial game. The criticism for this feature of the game is completely unfounded, and just plain incorrect.

One thing I will say, if you don’t have anyone to play with or are opposed to playing with strangers online, then this game is not for you. If you have friends that like Castlevania, and who will play this game with you, then this is your game. I’ve done enough single player raiding to know that this game doesn’t work well single player. It’s still fun to loot the level, but you will have far more fun playing with friends. I have only minor gripes with the game as it is. The loot you get doesn’t really start to get interesting until the 4th stage, and I didn’t particularly care for the bosses that much. Aside from single player, those are the only complaints I have.

The graphics aren’t stellar either, but I wasn’t expecting them to be. If you’ve been keeping up with the series, you will have no problems jumping in to the action. If you need a refresh, you’ll need to check out the instructions in the main menu area. These are often very vague, so it’s best to experiment on your own. I do have another complaint, and that is the lack of being able to manage your items anywhere on the map. I find that extremely frustrating. There’s only one place you can do it on the 6th stage, and it’s all the way at the beginning! If you get any cool loot, you won’t know what it does for you until you get to the menu screen. How did that get taken away from us? I can understand taking the experience system out because that can sometimes make the game too easy, but come on. Changing equipment is a must in these games.

The music? Well it’s a variety of GBA/DS Castlevania music remixed. As with Adventure Rebirth, why the crap are these remixes in the game? Could you pick more obscure music? It isn’t that it’s bad, it’s that only one or two are memorable. When I turn off the system, I should still be humming the themes of the game, but it doesn’t happen here.

Overall, the game is good for what it is. A Castlevania style Diablo. It’s all about the loot. The game does a great job splitting the loot between the team, so if one person opens a chest, everyone gets something no matter where they are on the map. It’s great that finally there’s a looting game where you can still play with those item hogs, and not get screwed over. One thing I particularly enjoy about this game is the way your sub weapons level up. You may be playing with Jonathan, and keep picking up the axe subweapon; fear not, this is actually increasing the level of that weapon. It doesn’t work that way for armor or capes and such, but it is a nice thing to help you progress.

So is it worth it? If you are a Castlevania fan, then yes. If you don’t play the series normally? Then no. I’m happy with it, but I’m a die-hard Castlevania fan. I would steer clear if you aren’t.

7.75/10

When HT:Hurricane was first announced, I have to admit that I was skeptical. I had fond memories of the original Hydro Thunder in the arcades, and I did  not want those memories trashed. I am happy to say that my skepticism was unfounded.

My favorite part about this game is the multiplayer. 4 player split screen online? That’s the best news that any Hydro Thunder fan could want to hear. The tracks are interesting, and have surprises around nearly ever corner. Single player will unlock a few boats, but the focus is the multiplayer;  I wouldn’t recommend this game for the person who enjoys single-player. This is a game you break out when you have three friends over, or need some online racing action.

The gameplay is pretty straight forward. You jam on the accelerator and go for the gold. The graphics are nothing special, and the sound is forgettable. That’s not why people buy these games though, so the question is, is it worth it? As I said earlier, if you are a Hydro Thunder fan, or want a multiplayer game, then go for it. If you want a good single player racer, then look elsewhere.

8/10

When Sony launched the PS3, we were promised updates to the PSone Classics regularly. Recently there has been a severe lack of games released, and when we finally get one, it’s usually something god awful like Toon Racers or some crap like that. Look Sony, we don’t want the shovelware from the PSone, we want the good games. You have a vast library of GOOD games to choose from, and the fact that you choose to give all of your good games to Japan, and then release them years later over here is just appalling. Nintendo and Sony have just fallen flat on their faces with releasing classic games on their respective “virtual consoles”.

When are we going to see the games we want? We have the Castlevania games, and the Final Fantasy games, but where is Chrono Cross? Legend of Mana? Mega Man X4, 5, and 6?  Mega Man 8? Mega Man Legends? MARVEL VS CAPCOM?????? I don’t understand why there are so many problems getting these games released! Are they afraid to make money?

I’m very disappointed in both Sony and Nintendo. I was really excited about the idea that you could own classic games on a current gen system, but there’s nothing but heartache. Damn you both Sony and Nintendo for getting people’s hopes up, and then bringing them crashing down.

So Summer of Arcade 2010 has officially kicked off, and many of you are wondering the same thing; how is Limbo. Well, if one were to take Braid, make it monochrome, take out all the music except for a few cues here and there, and make puzzles that don’t have to do with time manipulation, then you have Limbo. This is an adorable game that engrosses you from beginning to end.

The gameplay is that of a puzzle-platformer. You guide a little boy, who is on a search for his lost sister, through a seemingly alien world. Along the way, you’ll encounter dangerous traps, which take a bit of thought to disarm sometimes, and odd lifeforms. I do not want to spoil anything for you, but I will say that you will have more encounters with lifeforms in the 1st half compared to the 2nd half. Somewhere at the beginning of the 2nd half, it becomes completely puzzle centric, with very little substance until the very end. That is Limbo’s one downside, but the ending is awesome, and I actually felt something at the end (something a game doesn’t normally make me do).

Limbo’s difficulty can be high at times, and lax at others. If you fail a trap or puzzle, you will always start at the beginning of that trap or puzzle when you die. This cuts down on the frustration factor you get with platformers like Mega Man where if you hit spikes, you start either at the beginning of the stage, or at a halfway point. Limbo is always challenging, but never so much that you won’t progress in the next few minutes.

Is this game worth it’s 1200 point price tag? I say yes. Even knowing where the traps are, and how to solve the puzzles, I still find myself playing it. It is a pretty short game however, so if you’re looking for a long lasting experience, you won’t find it here. However, the time you spend in Limbo will be well worth the price. There are $60 games out there that don’t pack the punch Limbo does. This is a must have for all Xbox Live Arcade collections. Seems to me, being trapped in Limbo isn’t always a bad thing!

That’s one game down. Next week, we’ll take a look at the new Hydro Thunder, and see if it holds up to its arcade counterpart.

9/10

-Kurt

Starting on July 21st, the summer of arcade on xbox 360 will begin.

Every year, microsoft and other developers chain together4 or 5 weeks of the best downloadable games of the year. This particular year is going to get expensive as EVERY title is now 1200 microsoft points (15 dollars), BUT WAIT! There are rebates this year! If you purchase 3 of the 5 games, you will get 400 points back, and if you get all 5 of them, you will get 1200 points back. Here is the line up so you can make your decisions.

July 21st- Limbo: A black and white stylized platformer that has sort of a Braid vibe. It looks pretty awesome, and I’m super psyched about it.

July 28th- Hydro Thunder: This is a sequel to the arcade classic. I used to play that game everytime I went to Dave and Buster’s, but I don’t know about this one. It looks great, but can I really justify 15 dollars for a racing game that I will probably be done with in minutes?

August 4th- Castlevania Harmony of Despair: I’ve never been more psyched about a multiplayer game in my life. That’s right you read it right, multiplayer. Harmony of Despair will have you and five others traversing a castle area by area. On your way, you will encounter enemies both familiar and new, and discover loot in hidden areas and enemy drops. This is such a cool idea. You can go on World of Warcraft style raids against bosses, and the difficulty amps up everytime someone new drops in. This is probably the highlight of summer of arcade for most. It’s not a sequel to Symphony of The Night or anything, but it looks fantastic.

August 11th- Monday Night Combat: It is the distant future and people kill each other on tv for sport… hmmm…. Where have I seen this done before? Running Man? Madworld? At any rate, this is very similar in look to Team Fortress 2, but there’s one distinct difference. It’s a 3rd person shooter. Your character will gain access to new equipment as you do better. You will get endorsements from various weapon companies, and you will become a killing machine! This one looks pretty good, but again, is it 15 dollars worth of good? We’ll have to see.

August 18th- Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light: This is not your normal outing for Ms. Croft. This is a isometric view, action-platformer that sees our Tomb Raiding heroine trying to find the “Mirror of Smoke”. It is a non-linear game, and it does have co-op, so could it be that getting away from the normal style of Tomb Raider games was a good move? It looks that way. Then again, anything is better than Angel Of Darkness!

So that’s it guys, if you want to get all 5 of these, you better be ready to shell out 60 bucks. Of course you’ll get that rebate too… ON SEPTEMBER 30th! That’s the one thing that urks me. That rebate should be instantaneous with the final game you download, but other than that, you’ll get no complaints from me on this selection of good games. Christmas in July/August only comes once a year, so you should indulge yourself!

I had always wished for the original game boy Mega Man games to be released in a collection, however my dreams were shattered by Capcom because they didn’t think it would be financially responsible to give them the same treatment the anniversary collection got. This is the same problem I have with Earthbound never being released on the virtual console; how would this be bad for profits? The games are already made, all you have to do is port them. Now, those games needed to add color, but Mega Man V was made with its own Super Game Boy color palate, so I don’t understand how hard it would’ve been.Unfortunately I have to move on from that. Maybe one day, they’ll be re-released.

On this generation of systems however, there is a shining light. That light is the Mega Man Zero Collection. Capcom has ported over four of the best GBA games ever made, and made very little changes. Now, I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but a few more extras would’ve been nice. A remixed soundtrack, A history mode, the original Mega Man X, Mega Man V for game boy… All of these things would have been nice additions to this collection. Instead, we got some artwork, and a few mods for Mega Man Zero 3, and ONLY 3. One addition that doesn’t make particular sense other than to draw in new players, is the inclusion of the easy scenario mode. This mode is far too easy for anyone other than children that have no idea what to do, or someone who has never played a Mega Man game before. You start the game with every Cyber Elf; now call me crazy, but isn’t that a little too easy? They mod you in such a way to where you’re nearly invincible, and you start with 5 sub tanks for health! Come on! Instead of drawing in new players, shouldn’t Capcom be rewarding the loyal fans with more content? That’s what these collections are all about.

You can still play the games as they were intended to be played by selecting the games individually in the title select screen. I mean it when I say nothing has changed about these games. They only thing that changed was the inclusion of mods in Zero 3. These mods do everything from changing your armor, to giving you weapons like the X Buster. These were available only in Japan via e-reader when the game originally came out.

So is it worth its $30 price tag? The answer is yes, even though this is a bare bones collection, it’s still a collection of fantastic games, and if you missed them on GBA, you have another chance to play them. These are becoming increasingly rare on GBA, so this might be the final way to ever find them again for a reasonable price. Zero-Zero 4 are fun, challenging (when you don’t use the easy mode), and a great deal. Don’t miss your chance to get these games; I don’t think this collection will stick around very long.

8.5/10