[Review] Nano Assault (3DS)

In recent years, twin stick shooters have gained quite the popularitywith games like Super Stardust HD andBangai-O HD: Missile Fury. Often,they involve futuristic concepts and larger than life proportions. Nano Assault, the third game in the Nano series from Shin’en, goes the otherdirection and takes players within to fight on the surfaces of infected cells. Likethe unexplored depths of the ocean, this proves to be just as interesting ajourney despite it being so close to home.

Each mission sends players to a different cell or part of abody to fight off infections, but players may soon forget this after severalmissions. Every level is satiated with cosmic colors rather than the dull, darkred that players would expect to find in their own bodies; if it weren’t forthe non-spherical structure of the cells that the Nanite fights on, I couldhave easily thought this game had taken place in space. Stereoscopic 3D visualsare put to great use here; the depth of field truly gives the trek around the cellsa magnificent view. It may take some getting used to and may be a bit dizzying atfirst, but once players get used to it, NanoAssault could be one of the most beautiful games on the 3DS.

While the sound effects themselves are nothing to write homeabout – many of which mirror the generic laser sounds science fiction isridiculed for – the soundtrack matches the game’s tone and becomes a key partof the experience. The eerie tone of the music appropriately conveys themystery of the microscopic world while featuring a high paced rhythm that eggsplayers on.

Aside from the 3D twin shooter control levels, the game alsohas levels that take place on a 2D plane and others where it acts as a thirdperson shooter. The former are generally designed well, keeping in mind the Nano series’ 2D roots. Though movementis restricted to two dimensions, players will be able to shoot and shot at inthree dimensions, retaining the game’s twin stick mechanics. The third personshooter levels are intense, often throwing projectiles and obstacles at theplayer at high speed, requiring quick defensive shots or maneuvering. Theexecution of these levels, however, is somewhat of a bust. Enemy shots’distances are often hard to judge, leading to delayed maneuvering and consequentialdeath, and both piloting and the aiming reticle are handled by the analogstick, which had me compensating and aiming at a group of enemies again afterdodging. Luckily, collecting blue gems dropped by enemies give players extrastarting lives, which make the occasional accidental Nanite death more passablethan frustrating. With each life, players get a full refill of special weapons that can be expended freely, robbing the game of its intended difficulty.

Though the twin shooter segments may be what draw gamers in,the boss fights are what keeps them in and take place primarily on the thirdperson segments. Precluded by long segments of exploration and trivial enemies,boss fights are also featured in an unlockable boss attack mode. Often, thesebosses throw cleverly placed projectiles towards players, requiring alertmovement to survive, not unlike the shooters of yesteryear.

The 3DS and its controls may not be the perfect setup for a twin stick shooter, but this game proves that we can still have one on the system. Visually breathtaking and a trip to microscopic levels that players may not have even fantasized about before, Nano Assault is as much an immersive journey as it is a captivating game. With only a few blemishes under its belt, this is definitely a worthy addition to any 3DS library.

Available on: 3DS; Publisher: Majesco Games; Developer: Shin'en; Players: 1; Released: December 5, 2011; ESRB: Everyone; Official Site

Note: A retail copy was provided to Denkiphile for review purposes by the publisher.

[Review] Trine 2 (PS3)

A relatively unknown game, Trine had caught the eyes of both critics and players who cameacross it. Ultimately, it failed to be published by Atllus on the Xbox LiveArcade and never quite reached the masses. With its sequel, Trine 2 being published by Atlus, thegame received some much needed hype to usher it into gamers’ eyes. With arelease that came just before Christmas, it seems to make the perfect unexpected,yet pleasing Christmas gift.

Trine 2 starts offsometime after the first, with the Trine summoning the wizard, knight, andthief to go on a quest once again. Along the way, they will traverse to avariety of beautifully rendered and fantastically designed locales – spiderweb-filled caverns, lush green forests filled with goblins and giant creatures –that are the stuff kids’ imaginations are made of. Gamers who have followed thefirst game will be happy to know that the trio’s characteristics and game’ssense of humor is intact, periodically highlighting the thief’s mischievousnature or the wizard’s age.

The bulk of the game includes puzzles and platformingaction, but what makes Trine 2 shineis the multitude of ways that players can solve a puzzle. On my thirdplaythrough of a level, I still found another way of getting across an abyssfilled with enemy fire. I could have either been ballsy and dodged every singleprojectile, summoned the wizard’s magical boxes as shields, or simply swungacross using the thief’s grappling hook. Though the game’s intermittentcheckpoints will heal and restore any lost members of the team, the open endednature of a puzzle ensure that with determination and an open mind, gamers canzoom through the game with minimal back tracking.

When another player is thrown into the mix, the puzzlesbecome infinitely easier. Unreachable ledges become a short magical box’s liftaway and overwhelming odds from packs of goblins become easily outmatched. Thebattles themselves could have a variety of solutions too; the whole cast is capableof holding their own. Other than the occasional bossfight, the battles feel insignificantand are only a slight impediment to reaching puzzles, which make up the bulk ofthe game both in play time and challenge. The game’s tech tree, which containsmany new skills that are essential to solving future puzzles, can actually bemodified on the fly to suit any situation’s needs.

Fortunately, unlike DungeonSiege 3, multiplayer saves carry over to players’ own games with Trine 2 allowing players to saveprogress from any multiplayer game they join. It no longer feels like purealtruistic charity when helping others complete a level. It can be a bitfrustrating when playing with others because the game doesn’t include a micoption, often making for countless fumbles during puzzles and confusion. Thankfully,there’s an offline multiplayer option that includes all the benefits of onlinemultiplayer without any of the confusion.

Fans of the first Trinewould have undoubtedly already picked this title up. Those who have only heardof it and are on the fence should do the same. The game’s design that leads tomultiple outcomes for any puzzle, whether it be in single or multiplayer, leadsto countless replay value. The gameplay coupled with the game’s both varied andgorgeous environments, gamers aren’t only in for a visual treat, but a journeyinto a fantasy world that they only dreamed of as kids. 

Available on: Mac, PC, PS3, Xbox 360; Publisher: Atlus; Developer: Frozenbyte; Players: 1 - 3; Released: December 20, 2011; ESRB: Everyone; Official Site

Note: A promotional code was provided to Denkiphile for review purposes by the publisher.

[Review] Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy (3DS)

Flight combat not only takes strength of the mind, butstrength of the body; as a result, it is perhaps best reserved for those withthe right stuff. After all, hitting speeds of Mach 1.6 and flying at 40,000feet in an F-16 isn’t for everyone. With stereoscopic 3D, the experience couldbe recreated more truly, providing both the sense of speed and distance fromthe ground that’s needed. Ace Combat:Assault Horizon Legacy not only provides that, but an exciting gameplayexperience as well.

Players star as Phoenix, a member of the Allied Forces whoare tasked with taking down the rebels on the continent of Usea. They’ll besent on a variety of missions that include defending bases, attackingsquadrons, and others. Even in the air, AssaultHorizon Legacy manages to provide both variety and a challenge, whether itbe stalling in high altitudes or finding a balance between hitting targets andnot buildings at lower altitudes. Unfortunately, there was no multiplayerexperience to go along with the game, which really killed any lasting appeal itmay have beyond the single player mode.

While many missions have players assaulting ground units orplanes that are otherwise incapable of keeping up with them in speed, almostall missions also include faster planes and dogfights. With aerial combat gamesbeing somewhat of a niche, the game does a good enough job of introducingplayers to the controls. Beginners may take a while to adapt to the upside downy axis and the sluggishness of a fighter jet, but the aerial maneuvers easilyremedy the problem for newcomers to the genre.

Aerial maneuvers take players behind enemies at the touch ofa button or easily dodge an incoming attack. It may sound as though these takethe challenge out of dogfights, but players will still have to make an effortin order to make use of these. The attack maneuver requires players to havefollowed a target for a set amount of time first without being attacked orusing evasive maneuvers, meaning that strategic positioning is definitely key. Evasivemaneuvers on the other hand have fewer requirements; however, players stuck ina cluster of enemy fighters will find themselves evading endlessly, hardly evengiven a chance to shoot off a missile.

Although HorizonAssault Legacy is obviously visually inferior to its console counterpart,the stereoscopic 3D is impressive. It only makes the aerial maneuvers look allthe better. The visuals give the sense of height that 2D visuals just can’t. Whennot preoccupied with shooting down enemy pilots, I was more concerned withenjoying the view from above than I was with the next mission objective. Fromfar away, the landscapes impress, but quickly lose their magic once playersclose in. On the other hand, the fighter jets themselves are renderedsurprisingly well, making for a pleasing viewing experience during anydogfight.  

As an introductory game to flight combat, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy isperfect. It combines the difficulty of flying at high speeds while providingattack and evasive maneuvers so that everyone can join in on the fun and be anace pilot. The visuals are naturally enhanced by the system’s 3D capabilities, whichshould usher in even the most skeptical pilots to give it a try. 

Available on: 3DS; Publisher: Namco Bandai Games; Developer: Project Aces; Players: 1; Released: November 15, 2011; ESRB: Teen; Official Site

Note: A retail copy was provided to Denkiphile for review purposes by the publisher.

[Review] Tekken Hybrid (PS3)

It’s quite evident that fighters are making quite therevival as of late. Even before Street Fighter IV though, the Tekken serieshad never gave up on the genre and only continued to push out titles throughoutthe years. As fighters have become part of the mainstream, it’s only expectedthat it would bleed into other entertainment forms as well, such as movies;likewise, Tekken would be one of thefrontrunners in coming out with a  CGmovie, which is sure to satisfy fans more than the live action failures ofother franchises. Tekken Hybridthrows the past along with the fruits of its labors together, giving fans Tekken Tag 2 Prologue, Tekken Tag Tournament HD, and CG movie Tekken Blood Vengeance all in onepackage.

More than a decade since its original release, Tekken Tag Tournament still manages tobe a fun game. While it lacks the extended combos of recent outings, the solidtag-based is intact. Harking to a more simple time, TTT’s lack of walls and bound-based combos offer solace for gamerswho are tired of being pounded to death upon a single combo that will carry himto the wall. On top of that, it has all the modes that its previous consolecounterpart did, including the mysteriously addicting Tekken Bowl mode. Thoughthe gameplay has kept up, the graphics’ age definitely shows. Like a veteranactress, the game is expected to show some age; it’s an excusable, yetundeniable facet of TTT HD.

It’s hard to look at this package and pick out any one partthat’s the headliner. However, with TekkenTag 2 Prologue’s character selection being heavily influenced by the maincast in Tekken Blood Vengrance, itwould seem that these two go hand in hand in promoting each other. As thefuture of the Tekken franchise, TTT2 Prologue should certainly be thecenterpiece that has gamers’ appetite whetting the most. In addition to the tagpossibilities presented in TTT, TTT2 Prologue includes Tag Assault,which allows two characters bombarding an opponent with attacks, and Tag Crash,which allows one to safely tag out during an attack as another comes in. Bothof these only strengthen the tagging mechanics, making it a crucial aspect to implementduring games. With only Jin, Kazuya, Alisa, and Xiaoyu available, the game ismerely a demo that will leave players wanting.

Graphically, the game already looks better than Tekken 6, with more detailed charactersand stages alike. This is only made all the more impressive by the game’sability to have multiple characters on screen at the same time, pummeling away.The musical stylings established in Tekken6 stay strong, giving players a variety of electronic music, including thetoken dubstep noise.

Film loving gamers may be reluctant to load up Tekken Blood Vengeance, they will bepleasantly surprised if they go against their first instincts. While Blood Vengeance is by no means AcademyAward material, it’s a jump in quality from other fighting game based movies –certainly better than most adaptations of the Street Fighter series. The writing does become confusing and hardto follow at times, but bears the series’ signature combination of serious scenesinvolving the Mishima family and humor with Xiaoyu and Panda. Visually, it isstunning. Avid Tekken followers willundoubtedly draw similarities between the movie’s CG quality and those of thegames’ cutscenes.

For just one aspect of this bundle, Tekken Hybrid may be a hard sell. However, Tekken fans will surely beat themselves over the head foroverlooking an opportunity to replay one of the most iconic games in the series(without the guaranteed three frames of lag on a backwards compatible PS3), watcha visually stunning CG movie that is true to the series, and get a taste of thefuture of the series a full year before it hits (without dropping a dollar pergame at the arcade). General fighting game fans will likely want to take acrack at the title, but they’re advised to wait as the bundle as a whole maynot be as enticing. 

Available on: PS3; Publisher: Namco Bandai Games; Developer: Namco Bandai Games; Players: 1-2; Released: November 22, 2011; ESRB: Teen; Official Site

Note: A retail copy was provided to Denkiphile for review purposes by the publisher.

[Review] Mario Kart 7 (3DS)

As the king of portable racers, Mario Kart has always yielded high expectations and met themeasily. Though Mario Kart DS hadsnaking and attracted a crowd of dexterious gamers, recent Nintendo trends inpreviously competitive games like SuperSmash Brothers have been to simplify them for the general gaming public.With this in mind, gamers stepping into MarioKart 7 will still enjoy the comparatively casual, yet still fast pacedexperience.

Though the 3DS’s screen may be small, gamers will be able tosee the graphical improvement upon MarioKart DS at first glance. Everything from the racers themselves to the trackshave a lot more details and the 3D visuals provide a sense of speed not feltbefore. In terms of character selection, avid Nintendo fans will be graced bynewcomers such as Metal Mario and Wiggler, whose characters only shine morewith the inclusion of taunts and various in game actions.

As expected of Nintendo’s recent releases, the game has beensimplified to reach a larger audience, leaving no traces of snaking behind. Mario Kart DS veterans may have toadjust to this, but it ultimately means that players will have to rely on mostracing games’ basics, such as using the right lines and course knowledge inaddition to the game’s core drifting mechanic. The result is a game thatencourages players to practice as much as it encourages them to simply play anddiscover new ways to go around levels. Unlike previous games that have alsoincluded classic tracks, the levels have been improved to include shortcuts andsegments that make use of the game’s new gliding and underwater racingabilities, breathing new life into otherwise familiar courses.

With the game’s drift toward simple gameplay, the Mario Kart series’ most glaring issuesare still there. Players are still punished for being in the lead, constantlygiven subpar items and at danger of being struck by blue shells and lightning, effectivelyundoing two laps of hard work. Luckily, new items Tanooki leaf and Fire Flowerare still obtainable when players are relatively close to first place, both ofwhich provide a decent defense mechanism against incoming shells or peskyplayers. The newly added first person mode, which allows players to steer usingthe gyrometer, is a poor substitute for the precision of either the d-pad oranalog stick.  

Taking a cue from the SNES and GBA Mario Kart games, this version includes coins that will boostplayers’ speed as more are collected, in addition to unlocking more in-gamecontent like karts and wheels. The intervals between new unlocks are frequentenough so that players feel a reward at the end of practically every grandprix. Eventually, after everything is completed, rewards come less, which willdrive the ambitious to either play online or wirelessly with friends, neither modeof which were problematic.

The 3DS left gamers wondering if Nintendo could still claimthe title of king of portables, giving a paltry selection of titles for themajority of its release so far. With the release of Mario Kart 7, it is clear that Nintendo won’t be dethroned soeasily. The game adherence to Nintendo’s trend of simplification is by no meansa deal breaker and only serves to help its growth.  

Available on: 3DS; Publisher: Nintendo; Developer: Nintendo; Players: 1-8; Released: December 4, 2011; ESRB: Everyone; Official Site