[Review] Pet Zombies (3DS)

Pet simulators, like famous Japanese robotic dog AIBO, are really only enjoyable if players can’t own the actual pet. Once I got my own dog, Nintendogs immediately began to gather dust. When the imaginary pet in question is a bit more exotic, obviously the real life alternative is out of the question. A different take on the recent zombie trend, Pet Zombies doesn’t let players blast zombies, but raise them as the name would imply.

In the game’s world, apparently the zombie outbreak has been somewhat controlled, because zombies are openly for sale as pets. From the get-go, players will be able to select one of several zombie archetypes, ranging from jocks to scientists. Afterwards, players will be able to customize them, but most of the customization options are shallow, only allowing players to change their skin or clothing color. In the beginning, the variety in archetypes may be exciting, perhaps allowing players to live out fantasies of raising a fallen friend or torturing those high school enemies, but there also seems to be little differences between the zombies aside from the occasional gestures.

As with any other pet, zombies need food and entertainment. However, the way the game is designed doesn’t need players to actually care for their pets that much. There are two spectrums toward which players can take their zombies: nurture or torture. It sounds fun at first, especially given that most pet simulators discourage mistreating pets, but players will eventually find that it makes little difference how they choose to raise the zombies. The game doesn’t even keep track of time; zombies never suffer from starvation or separation anxiety, but only notice that they would like a snack or some playtime when players are actively playing Pet Zombies.

While playing with zombies, players will soon find that they need in-game currency for additional toys and food. To get these, they’ll have to play through some of the minigames. Compared to the actual zombie raising, this segment is much more fun, though that might not be saying much. These are usually just endurance trials, the player’s ability to catch coins flung from trash bins or floating throughout the airspace. As a time killer, these are sufficient but are unlikely to keep anybody’s attention more than for one or two tries at a time. Thankfully, that is enough to help players stock up or buy a precious toy they’ve just unlocked through raising their zombies.

It’s always interesting to see a game that takes a trend and turns it on its head. Upon seeing the game, I couldn’t help but think of Shawn of the Dead, yet the game fails to be a fulfilling comedic or immersive experience. Conceptually, it could have been fun. As a pet simulator, however, it creates too large a disconnect between the game and player to ever create the illusion of raising a pet. Players who always wanted to abuse their pets in Nintendogs or Petz might want to take a stab at Pet Zombies, but it will have little keeping power beyond that.

Available on: 3DS; Publisher: Majesco Games; Developer: 1st Playable Portables; Players: 1; Released: November 16, 2011; ESRB: Teen; Official Site

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

[Review] Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic (3DS)

Though it only joined us in the last generation ofportables, the Cooking Mama serieshas already become an imminent release for Nintendo’s portables. A release onthe 3DS on the question also begs the question of what the game could have tobenefit from the system’s capabilities, considering that the game takes placemostly on the touch screen. The answer: not much, but Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magicstill keeps all of its charm and base audience with the its new outing.Unfortunately, the problems that have plagued older games in the series stillremain as well.

 Stereoscopic 3D, the3DS’s most outstanding function, is hardly used. At most, items may pop up fromthe bottom screen to the top, either foretelling an incoming ingredient thatmust be grasped or punishment for throwing ingredients in a blender at thewrong time. Visually, the game still has improvements over its predecessorsthough and the finished products can actually look quite tempting. Otherwise,the visual style for Kitchen Magicstays true to the series with few differences to the 2D art – so much so thatplayers may confuse it for a preceding title.

For the most part, the gameplay also remains unchanged.There’s a healthy amount of new cooking methods, most of which revolve aroundtiming your actions. The 3DS’s gyroscope is also put to use, allowing certainminigames to be completed by wiggling the system around rather than using thetouchscreen. However, the game doesn’t really inform players when a gyroscopecan be used and it’s rather imprecise compared to the touchscreen, making it a trivialaddition.

Any veteran chef will look at the game as a joke thatfeatures unrealistic and excessively complex ways to get the same job done.It’s doubtful that any cook will actually choose to squeeze falling bananas outof their peel rather than doing so the generic way.  Minor bickering about the game’s lack ofrealism aside, these do provide a healthy amount of challenge. Players willhave no trouble finishing recipes in a matter of minutes due to the game’stolerance for mistakes, even rewarding players with a gold coin despitemistakes, and its mostly short recipes. It will take practice, however, tofinish certain challenges in a timely fashion and be awarded with stars thatbuild towards new accessories and kitchenware for Mama.

After the first ten or so recipes, repetition will kick in. Thishas been a longtime issue for the series and rears its ugly head again with Kitchen Magic. Beyond just crackingendless eggs and mixing countless ingredients together, even the combination minigamesreek of repetition; no matter what condiment players are putting onto their riceor soba, the minigame will be the same. Multiplayer options largely revolvearound the same gameplay as the single player, hardly providing a remedy.

For kids and family road trips, Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic may be ideal with its short bursts ofcooking fun. Those who have However, anyone looking for a deep experience willbe disappointed by the repeats in preparation and lack of improvements from thepast formulas. Any visual upgrades made were minor at best and it’s hard to recommendplayers to pick this up over its past, and probably cheaper, counterparts.

Available on: 3DS; Publisher: Majesco Games; Developer: Cooking Mama Limited; Players: 1 - 4; Released: November 16, 2011; ESRB: Everyone; Official Site

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

[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] Bloodrayne: Betrayal (PS3)

It’s always hard to envision an old franchise in new forms. With the recently released Deus Ex: Human Revolution, though the visual style and story had changed drastically, it was still a first person shooter with a heavy emphasis on RPG elements and seemed familiar to longtime fans. Some games go the other route; Bloodrayne: Betrayal takes the voluptuous vampire half-breed to the second dimension and trades in sex appeal for comic book-like visuals for an experience that proves neither cleavage nor top tier graphics are necessary.

Betrayal tries its damndest to get away from the unnecessary sexploitation tactics of its series’ previous incarnations, giving Rayne a slightly more cute look and coverage and thankfully so, though I never thought I’d approve of less boobage. Instead, we’re given the purest bloodlust experience available. Every enemy explosion and decapitation are a sight to behold and almost begs players to kill an enemy the same way twice just to see it again. It’s rare to see high-res 2D graphics done right and Betrayal gives sprite lovers exactly what they’ve been waiting for, considering the few 2D releases that grace us nowadays.

The gameplay itself is reminiscent of older titles, often featuring Rayne slashing through groups of enemies and dashing through levels at quick speeds. If you’ve ever played as Zero in the Mega Man X series – it’s like that. In addition to plain old sword slashing, Rayne has the ability to either infect enemies or use them for health. While the latter is pretty self explanatory, the former allows players to use enemies as remote control bombs and deal big damage to others. Learning to balance the two is crucial. While it may be tempting to blow up everyone and pass areas quickly, there’s no denying that dying will definitely impede progress. The fast paced nature of the game will have players’ andernaline pumping and drive them to finish levels as quickly as possible, though some aspects of the game do get in the way. Unlike the games of yonder, Betrayal’s controls feel slugish and imprecise, often leading to mistimed jumps or slips off platforms. This leads to an indescribable amount of frustration at times and lowered score.

The game’s difficult judging will leave most players with a failing grade, which may trigger flashbacks of some horrible, uncurved college math class for some. Mirroring the game’s grading system, both segments and boss fights can feel overwhelming at times, tossing obstacle after another toward the player. In an odd design decision, Rayne is still vulnerable to attacks while she’s down. In theory it sounds right, but compounding the cluster of things thrown her way onto this point means a world of trouble for a single mistake. Several times throughout my playthrough, I had only been hit by one gigantic, sharp wheel only to be done in by another two that followed before I could get up. Unlimited continues and a hefty amount of checkpoints abate the problem, but leaves players feeling cheated.

Old school fans will love Bloodrayne: Betrayal for its throwback style and platforming goodness. However, it’s held back by some faulty design decisions that ultimately mars the experience and holds it back. If you don’t mind “cheap” designs that artificially injects difficulty into a game and are craving some old-school action, Betrayal will be right up your alley.

Available on: PS3, Xbox 360; Publisher: Majesco Games; Developer: WayForward; Players: 1; Released: September 6, 2011; ESRB: Teen; Official Site

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