Screw the reviews - Sonic 4 Ep 2 delivers everything this old-school fan could have asked forMay 22, 2012 by

[For those who want the short version, just read the bold text]

Having played through to the final boss, plus a fair amount of co-op, I can safely say that this game delivered on the promise that "Sonic 4" implies.

The physics and controls feel great after a short adjustment period. It felt like an evolution of the Genesis controls without being untrue to them. The intellectual part of me almost thinks they should have consistent gameplay between Episode 1 (which was very different - not bad - just different) and Episode 2, but the warm, fuzzy part of me is just happy that Episode 2 physics gives me old-school Sonic nostalgia vibes.

The stages feel like they have a TON of replay value, with alternate routes galore. There's definitely an exploration aspect here that has been largely absent since the Genesis days. Episode 1 had multiple routes, but the gameplay style felt such that if I wasn't constantly pressing forward, I was playing wrong. Here, in Episode 2, I feel like there is more than one way to play through. Scream through going for a speed record, or slow down and explore and collect along the way - it's all welcome here.

I've cringed for the last decade or so every time a Sonic game comes out and I read a professional reviewer state how old-school Sonic games were all about non-stop speed. That's just not true. There were certainly sections that were about blast processing, but there were many other points where careful platforming and slowing down were the keys to victory. This rings true once again in Episode 2. The mix of these elements is back to the way it used to be, and this is pivotal to the Sonic formual in my humble opinion.

The new tag mechanics are great additions. They add an element of newness, that feels like a logical evolution to me. In particular, the ability to have Tails grab you and fly short distances without requiring a second player on a second controller is something I wished for often as a kid. They have several points where you are required to use this to progress over large gaps without running out of steam or carefully navigate between spiked ceilings and floors, or gain enough height to bonk Dr. Robotnik, etc. It was not overbearing, in my opinion, and just another tool in the belt.

The graphics are very nice. Clean and uncluttered, yet vibrant throughout. There are distinct feels to the different areas and everything is attractive without being distracting or confusing, which is important in a game like this. I feel like this is exactly what a 2D Sonic game in 2012 should look like.

The music is standard Sonic fare. It's not going to win any awards, but it sets the tone of being a Sonic game.

The co-op accomplishes what I never expected possible: it makes co-op work in a Sonic game. Old-school co-op meant a second player could take control of Tails and try desperately to stay on the screen while Sonic did his thing. Here, the screen zooms out a bit when there is some distance between players and then if one player (either one) gets left behind, they automatically roll into a ball and quickly zoom up to where the other player is. The game selects the best of two routes if, for example, one player takes the high road and the other player falls down to a lower route. It is seamless and quick and it makes both players feel empowered. Exploration isn't going to work out here if one player just wants to charge forward - you're going to have to be of like mind with your partner, but my son and I had a great time playing through several levels together and seeing who could stay in front and who would fall behind. It's like a slightly competitive sub-game we're playing within the game and it's naturally fallen out of the gameplay mechanics rather than being a stated "mode" or objective.

If there is an area where this game is lacking, it would be length, however, consider the following:

  • The game is only $15. It's got plenty of content for that asking price, IMO.
  • There is much replay value afforded by the alternate routes and welcome feeling of exploration possibilities.
  • Co-op that works has already provided much replay value for me to play a semi-competitive game within a game with my son.
  • I still have to go back and collect all the Chaos Emeralds.
  • There is a hidden red star ring in each level to be found, although the only thing they unlock is a trophy/achievement, so I'm not sure I'll bother.
  • If you also own Episode 1, there is a set of 4 acts that you will gain access to (in Episode 2), which are reworked levels from Episode 1 and you get to play through them as Metal Sonic (so - no Tails) complete with backstory bridging Sonic CD and Episode 2's storylines. I haven't even started diving into this content yet and I already feel like I got my money's worth just from the Sonic and Tails stuff.

I've read several reviews and I just don't get the lukewarm reception here - I disagree with them. Overall, I feel like this is the game I've been waiting for as an old-school Sonic fan who still plays the old games to this day. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4" indeed!

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PS Move - First ImpressionsJune 3, 2011 by

The PS Move starter bundle was on sale $20 off, so I finally bit on that.  Got it set up last night. 

That darn camera has a blue light on it to indicate that it's on, but holy Hanna if that thing didn't shine brightly right in my eyes the whole time I'm trying to concentrate on the screen.  I ended up putting some electrical tape over that ridiculous thing.

The controller took like 4 hours to charge.  I wanted to make sure it had a full charge before using it so as to not needlessly shorten the battery life, but that was annoying.  The Wii sure is nice where you get it home, set it up, throw in some rechargeable double A's and you're good to go, like NOW.

So finally, when I had a full charge, it was already 9:45pm.  Threw in Sports Champions and went to table tennis because a) I love the real thing and b) I have played the same sport on both Wii Sports Resort and Kinect.  I got to play three games of this before my wife was finished with her work and I had to go get us some DQ treats as promised and watch a show with her before bed.  Again - stupid charging time.

So how does the Move table tennis stack up?  Well, hardware wise it was great, it definitely tracked the position of my paddle very accurately and felt very good at timely response.  I think the Wii's advantage is in detecting the rotation of my controller as I hit to add top spin or backspin realistically, where as the Move is better at actually detecting the direction in which I swing, which can add spin, but not so much with the rotational effect.  The Kinect, in single-player table tennis (not in multi-player) is very good at tracking your full body and you really have to move around to play well, which is awesome, but the control over the shot is the least accurate and responsive.  An ideal system would marry the three technologies into one supreme setup.

On the software experience, however, this game was definitely the least exciting experience.  The lame silence save for the sound of the ball bouncing around was very ho-hum.  Motion Sports for Kinect has an absolutely stellar soundtrack full of pump-you-up licensed tunes that play in between points when you do well.  It is exceptionally exceptional at getting you fired up.  Wii Sports Resort has good crowd reactions that keep you feeling the unfolding drama.  Sports Champions just leaves you feeling... I don't know... sterile.

So in my very limited experience with it, it seems technically competent, but with it's own unique limitations as compared to the competing tech.

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OO7: Bloodstone - Glad I picked it upMay 17, 2011 by

Started playing 007: Bloodstone last night. I'm really enjoying it. Helps that I'm a big Bond fan though.

Daniel Craig's vocal performance doesn't sound like he's really put his heart into it, or maybe it's just a disconnect between his acting and his avatar's acting. The models look pretty good in still images, but they don't animate particularly well and only appear to have one emotion.

You know what I'm really enjoying the most about it though? I'm able to play through it quickly and push from moment to moment without feeling like I need to be exploring every nook and cranny. The pacing is great. I like exploring in games like Fable, but not in action games like this.

I also don't feel the need to necessarily take out every target in a room before moving on. I'll push my way through the firefight to the exit and carry-on with my general pursuit or objective. There are no experience points or anything I'm missing out on by doing so. It's freeing and I'm loving it.

The opening level was particularly great and I felt like I was playing through a Bond game. Starting on a yacht taking out the crew stealthily, confronting and chasing down my target and getting into a speed boat chase around the harbour. It was all very bond-ish.

The opening credits sequence that followed was classic-bond style as well. The animation issues show the game didn't have a AAA budget, but what it did have was developers with a love of the franchise.

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Time to create classes of "hardcore gamers"March 25, 2011 by

With the recent CNN video where the 3DS reviewer makes claim to being a hardcore gamer, having grown up on Halo, there has been much debate as to what exactly makes a person fit to call themselves a hardcore gamer.

This guy makes so many errors or idiotic statements in his review.  He explains that the graphics don't look as good as the PS3... it uses cartridges that we haven't seen since the last "gameboy"... it uses a stylus that we haven't seen since Palm devices... it can't download software... ugh.  Can this guy really be a hardcore gamer?

So here's my list of qualities I would expect of a true hardcore gamer.

1) Devotes large amount of time to the hobby 2) Passion for games 3) Knowledge of the industry 4) Breadth and depth of experience 5) Skill

Perhaps there needs to be sub-classes of hardcore gamers.  I would propose the following:

  • If you can claim all of the above, you're an Alpha-Class Hardcore Gamer
  • If you can claim all of the above, except #1, you're a Beta-Class Hardcore Gamer
  • If you can claim all of the above, except #2, you're a Gamma-Class Hardcore Gamer
  • If you can claim all of the above, except #3, you're a Delta-Class Hardcore Gamer
  • If you can claim all of the above, except #4, you're a Epsilon-Class Hardcore Gamer
  • If you can claim all of the above, except #5, you're a Zeta-Class Hardcore Gamer
  • If you're lacking in two or more of the above, then you are a Gamer or Gaming Enthusiast
  • If you're lacking in three or more of the above, then you're a Casual Gamer.

So what do you guys think and where would you fall?  I'd definitely fall into the Beta-Class of Hardcore Gamer these days.  I'm a former Alpha-Class with not enough free time to maintain my status.

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Home-made arcade stick baseFebruary 11, 2011 by

I use a Hori Fighting Stick 3 (on PS3) for all my serious fighting game needs, but I found that I hated how it would always slide around on me, so I grabbed some tools, wood, fabric, paint and varnish and made myself a custom base for it. 

The base is about 2 1/2 inches thick.  There is a 2-inch thick piece of wood (an old cutting board) for the bottom.  I then took a 1/2 inch piece of wood and cut it to match the cutting board shape, then measured and carved out the shape of the FS3 from that wood.  Also carved out a trench for the chord with my dremel.  Painted and varnished the pieces.  Secured it to the base with some cusioned fabric around the edges to allow the FS3 to fit in there snugly without moving around and without scratching it.  Added a couple of stickers to distract from the lame FS3 design.  It was a fun project and now I have a very heavy base that doesn't move around when I play.

Is heavy, like bull.

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