Critical Hit: Most Anticipated Games of 2011

With another year comes another wave of great games. Much like 2010, I am very much anticipating a handful of awesome games that cover a wide range of genres. Let's take a look at the 2011 video games that I personally think will bring something great, unique, and awesome to the table.

WWE All-Stars

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, PSP, Playstation 2 Release: March 29, 2011

Developer: THQ San Diego Publisher: THQ

Being the huge wrestling fan that I am, I never really kept up with any of the WWE games. The first few wrestling games I owned and played the crap out of were Wrestlemania 2000 for Nintendo 64 and WWF Smackdown! for the Playstation. Ever since then I've played various wrestling games such as WWE Day of Reckoning along with various entries in the Smackown! vs. Raw series. With WWE All-Stars, it would appear that THQ is taking the wrestling genre back to the over-the-top roots we haven't experienced in real wrestling since the Attitude era. With action-figure like character models to over the top signature and special moves, All-Stars looks to be much more NBA Jam than Smackown! vs. Raw. Gameplay mechanics that rely on health bars rather than body damage is an awesome throwback to all of the 90's wrestling games that I grew up on. With all of the superstars of past and present and not to mention air combos and grabs WWE All-Stars looks to be the wrestling game I've been waiting for all these years.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 Release: February 15, 2011

Developer: Capcom Publisher: Capcom

It's been over ten years since Marvel vs. Capcom 2 hit shelves which allowed people to Maximum Spider and Sentinel Force their friends for years to come. With MvC2 appearing on Xbox Live and the Playstation Network in 2009, Marvel vs Capcom 3 was announced just a year later which had people wondering for months which Capcom legends or Marvel heroes would make the cut. It's safe to say that MvC3 has a great balance of classic Capcom/Marvel characters as well as newer fighters that brought the series up to date in its ten year absence. Yes, I know the game came out last week but since I haven't received my copy from Capcom's wonderful online store I'm still anticipating the damn game. All I can say from the previews is that graphically this game looks fantastic and the voice acting is superb. If the game is just as well done as the aesthetics and fan service then we've got a game worthy of the ten year wait.

L.A. Noire

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 Release: May 17, 2011

Developer: Team Bondi Publisher: Rockstar Games

Coming off the success of 2010 game of the year Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar Games is looking to keep the streak alive in 2011 with L.A. Noire. What makes L.A. Noire stand out to me are the life-like facial animations powered by MotionScan. I can't speak enough about the graphics and animation; the game looks gorgeous. But of course, I'd be naive to buy a game based on looks alone. The gameplay shown in the trailers doesn't disappoint either. It blends fire-fighting and brawling with investigative detective work and open world exploration to achieve a better appreciation of 1947's crime infested Los Angeles. A mixture of Heavy Rain and Grand Theft Auto with a extra bit of noire pulp is what I get out of L.A. Noire. If Rockstar can blend all of these elements in a way that gives the player a gameplay and cinematic experience like I know Rockstar can, then we have a sure-fire Game of the Year in L.A. Noire.

Batman: Arkham City

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Windows Release: Q3 2011

Developer: Rocksteady Studios Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive

The greatest Batman game ever made gets a sequel this year. The unfortunately named Arkham City takes the madhouse from the asylum to Gotham. This time around Quincy Sharp and Hugo Strange created a small section of Gotham to better house asylum inmates. However, Two-Face decides to publicly execute Catwoman in order to prove his superiority over his fellow inmates. This is where The Dark Knight straps on his utility belt and takes on the dark depths of Arkham once again. Of course, a wounded Joker is hiding menacingly and enigmatically behind the scenes. I can't wait to see what Bats has in store for gamers this fall.

Journey

Platform: Playstation 3 Release: 2011

Developer: thatgamecompany Publisher: Sony

From the people who brought you Flower, which focused on the beauty of wind and nature, bring an emphasis on the beauty of sand and solitude in Journey. The entire point of the game is to take a cloaked woman across an endless desert towards a giant luminous mountain. During the journey, you may encounter anonmyous PSN players who may help you out with certain puzzles. Eventually, the people you encounter will go their separate ways as no two players' goals are in the same location. The game, much like Flower, already feels like pure poetry and will no doubt add a greater layer of depth and wonder to an enigmatic adventure.

The Last Guardian

Platforms: Playstation 3 Release: Q4 2011

Developer: Team Ico Publisher: Sony

Team Ico's much anticipate successor to Shadow of the Colossus and Ico provides much of the same atmosphere experienced in those two classics. Unlike SotC and Ico, the boy protagonist of The Last Guardian is not trying to rescue a dainty princess. The boy must escape a royal army with the help of a giant griffin named Trico. The boy must complete puzzles and utilize Trico to overcome obstacles in order to continue their journey. The relationship between the boy and Trico mirrors the relationships of Ico & Yorda, and Wander & Aggro. The Last Guardian appears to be very story and atmosphere driven game which will defnitely be another artistic wonder from the minds of Team Ico.

The Last Story

Platform: Wii Release: TBA

Publisher: Mistwalker Publisher: Nintendo

With the downfall of JRPGs in the past couple years, there hasn't been much on the horizon for lovers of the genre. The Last Story hopes to change that. Nintendo and Mistwalker bring an action packed RPG that turns away from turn based combat and embraces free roaming combat with third person shooting and close quarters swordplay much like Demon's Souls but with an increased pace. The story could be a hit or miss as most JRPGs are but a great combat style could make up for a lackluster storyline. Although I trust that The Last Story will bring great cinematic story telling. The game was released last month in Japan to rave reviews which just makes the wait for an American release that much more unbearable.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Platforms: Wii Release: 2011

Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo

I haven't missed a major Zelda release since I can remember and I don't plan on skipping Skyward Sword. Not much has been revealed about the game yet except for the beautiful Wind Waker/Twilight Princess hybrid graphics. Apparently, Skyward Sword will be a rather different 3D Zelda experience with WiiMotionPlus swordplay, a stamina meter, and a departure from the traditional dungeon-to-overworld gameplay. I'm not too too sure what they plan to do for the latest Zelda entry but I know it will be another great experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Platforms: Nintendo 3DS Release: TBA

Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo

Ocarina of Time port, with better graphics, in 3D. Need I say more. The greatest masterpiece in gaming history will now be portable with a few enhancements. I don't know about you but that's enough for a first day buy.

Catherine

Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3 Release: NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Developer: Atlus Persona Team Publisher: Atlus

What else can I say about Catherine other than "What the hell!?!?!" Catherine is a puzzle/adventure game blended with pure Japanese anime weirdness. I have no idea if it's going to be a good game, bad game or even what kind of game it's going to end up being. All I know is that I want to play it. It's got a lot of sex, a lot of puzzles, and whole lot of Japan. Editor's Note: Oh, and Atlus just announced that Catherine will NOT be coming out anywhere outside of Japan. What the hell Fatlus!!!!?!?!?!?!?

Other games I want but don't have much time to talk about:

Duke Nukem Forever

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Mass Effect 3

Kid Icarus: Uprising

There you have it. Awesome games equals an awesome year. So whatever you like, go out and buy it, play it and enjoy it!

Critical Hit: Death of a Dynasty

It was announced a couple of days ago that Activision had pulled the plug on the Guitar Hero franchise due to a decline in sales. It's widely believed to be the cause Activision's poor handling of another great series (The fate of Tony Hawk comes to mind). For five years, the Guitar Hero series changed the way many people played and looked at video games. While its end may seem like a blessing to some and a burden to others, there's no ignoring the impact it has brought in its wake. In remembrance of this fantastic franchise, I want to take a look back at the first four games in the series which I believe to be the most important and defining entries.

Guitar Hero, 2005

It was the game that started off an iconic franchise and revived and propelled the rhythm/music genre to never before seen popularity. Released for the Playstation 2, Guitar Hero came packaged with the tool that would have millions of hands strumming and hitting those five famous colored fret buttons for years to come, the Gibson SG. The game's 47 songs contained an all-star cast of rock legends including Pantera, Queen, Motorhead, Cream, and Jimi Hendrix. The fact that all of the career songs were covers made by WaveGroup (which varied in quality from song to song) didn't stop gamers from five starring every song possible. The game allowed for a 1-player career mode which had the player select any one of the memorable and genre oriented rockers and set off in search for fame. A second player could join in and compete against the other as they take turns playing certain sections of a song. Although the game did suffer from an uneventful multiplayer mode and a broken hammer-on and pull off system, these obvious flaws were ignored by most reviewers as they did not affect its great scores. From hitting the first few notes of 'I Love Rock N Roll' on easy to shredding Zack Wylde's insane solo in 'Bark at the Moon' on expert, it was easy to tell how much potential this series had. Harmonix and Red Octane created a rhythm experience like never before and the future looked absolutely rockin' from here on out.

Guitar Hero II, 2006

If the first Guitar Hero started the legendary franchise then Guiar Hero II certainly perfected it. Guitar Hero II came bundled with a red Gibson SG for the PS2 and a wired Gibson Xplorer for the Xbox 360. On disc, the game came packed full with an unbelievably awesome setlist that covered nearly every decade and every genre of rock. GHII was the first to have a big name band give an actual master track to the game (Primus's John the Fisherman) with the 360 version expanding on that. The career remained largely the same but multiplayer improved greatly. Two-players could now team up and complete a song like a real band with one player being lead guitar while the other performing bass or rhythm guitar. Pro-Face off was introduced which allowed both competitors to actually play an entire song, competing for the better score, instead of boringly playing certain sections. GHII's multiplayer set up the building blocks for future games in both the GH and Rock Band series to become the all around party games that they are today. The gameplay mechanics were tweaked to near perfection as the hammer-on/pull-off system ACTUALLY WORKED! Now you were able to solo and FC a song like a pro. But just because this mechanic was much easier to perform didn't mean the rest of the game was. Guitar Hero II was much more difficult than the first by offering insanely complex guitar riffs/solos from songs such as 'Free Bird' and 'Jordan'. Yes, the Guitar Hero mechanics were fine-tuned and perfected. The future indeed held many more Guitar Hero titles but with perfection already at hand, where would the franchise head now?

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80's, 2007

Rocks the 80's marks the final entry in the series Harmonix would have the opportunity to develop. Harmonix had been purchased by MTV Games and would go on to create the Rock Band series but not before leaving their mark with one last Guitar Hero game. Being more of a Guitar Hero II expansion than a full-fledged game, Rocks the 80's would be the first of many genre/subject oriented titles of the series. Everything went back 25 years when hair metal and New Wave ruled the radio. The game itself stayed the same other than the cosmetics being 80's-ized. The game included great songs but it was obvious the 80's setlist would have a much more limited appeal than the setlists of the past two games. Rocks the 80's offered half the songs and half the characters at full retail price. It definitely wasn't the last hoorah that Harmonix could have hoped for.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, 2007

Activision's bleak manning of the Guitar Hero franchise started innocently enough with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The first obvious difference in Activision's Guitar Hero was the fugliness of the characters. The weird muppet look of the characters (let alone the horrifying transformation of the lead singer) brought an unsettling feeling to GH fans everywhere. Fortunately the rest of the game felt like the same Guitar Hero that they all fell in love with years prior and that was what mattered the most. Boss battles with Slash and Tom Morello were accompanied with the new battle mode which had one player attempting to make the other fail a song and vice versa. They were considerably more master tracks than there were covers bringing more authenticity never before felt in the franchise. With more characters, master tracks, downloadable songs, and venues, Guitar Hero III was definitely the biggest Guitar Hero game to date.

Unfortunately, the franchise would head downhill from there. With Harmonix's Rock Band seemingly overshadowing its rival, Activision's milking of the franchise, lack of innovation, and a decline in music/rhythm games, Guitar Hero met an unfortunate but perhaps necessary death. Guitar Hero: World Tour attempted to compete with Rock Band by adding drums and vocals but by the time Guitar Hero V came around it was obvious that Red Octane and Activision could not match the incredible innovation that Harmonix injected into its new franchise. The over-saturation of the series was evident in 2008 but reached an incredibly ridiculous high in 2009 when Activision released an overwhelmingly seven titles (1 being DJ Hero). By 2010 people had enough of Guitar Hero seeing as how Guitar Hero V had trouble competing with The Beatles: Rock Band. The final entry in the series, Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock put an emphasis on character driven story elements. It was, however, overshadowed by the innovative Rock Band 3.

Despite plans on making a Red Hot Chili Peppers oriented band title and a PSP edition, Activision pulled the plug citing a decline in franchise sales. Guitar Hero's downfall is a sad tale of an icon that changed video game history falling from grace. Guitar Hero shouldn't be remembered as Activision's money puppet but as the game series that offered gamers so much in its prime. It's five year run was something great and will hopefully be revived in much more caring hands.

The V Files: L is Real 2401

On the first post of the V Files, which takes video games myths, legends, and lore and analyzes them, I've decided to go with one of the most famous (or infamous) legends of video games. The L is Real 2041 legend.

In Super Mario 64, there is a courtyard which contains a small fountain or pond. In the pond is a statue much like the one you see to the left. It's in the shape of a star with scribbled words below it. Fans everywhere have created such a ruckus over these words that in turn created a mystery and legend almost as big as the game itself (Well, maybe not THAT big.)

Many people who played the game didn't even notice the texture. Others thought it just read "Eternal Star" referring to the final obtainable star in the game. But then, there were the few that took it to a whole new level. They claimed that the awkward spacing of the letters couldn't possibly spell out the word "eternal" and the "star" looked more like a number.

They claimed it to read "L is Real 2401"

But what does this mean? L is universally understood to refer to Luigi, who does not appear in Super Mario 64. Hopefuls everywhere took it that the cryptic message was proof that Luigi could be playable in Super Mario 64 . . . or perhaps in another game altogether.



Could Mario's green clad brother be behind this mystery? All theories point to Luigi being the subject. In fact there was a picture [below] in Nintendo Power that showed Luigi standing right behind Mario just outside of Princess Peach's Castle. Although it turned out to be a badly Photoshopped hoax, it nonetheless fueled the flames of Luigi's existence in the classic 64 title.

Here are a few possible explanations that fans have come up with to explain the odd text:

Luigi will appear in the game after 2,401 coins are collected.
This theory was debunked quickly as many gamers who have collected every single coin in the entire game still come up a couple hundred coins short of 2,401.

The text refers to Luigi's appearance in Paper Mario

Luigi appears in Paper Mario which released on the Nintendo 64 about five years after the release of Super Mario 64. People claim that the 2401 refers to the date that Paper Mario released which they claim is February 4th, 2001. There are a few things wrong with this explanation, however. First is the length of time between SM64 and PM. It is highly unlikely that Nintendo planned a whole generation ahead for a single game let alone boast about the appearance of a secondary character. Second, Luigi appeared in many other games such as Mario Kart 64 and Super Smash Bros. before the release of Paper Mario. And finally, Paper Mario was released on February 5th not the 4th.

Others

Many people have put various Latin lettering, Chinese, Russian, and Japanese characters to fill in the markings of the plaque but the only things that do fit are in fact "Eternal Star" and "L is Real 2401" Not much has been determined about the scribbles below the legendary text as it is much too blurred to make any real claim about it.

Most Logical Conclusion:

The blurry text on the plaque may be nothing at all just referential images to take the

place of words, much like the lettering on every other sign in the game. If anything the

programmers just tried to make the blur spell out "Eternal Star". People just made it into much

more than it was supposed to be allowing Nintendo to run with it and put it again Ocarina of

Time to further increase interest. Oh, Nintendo, you so curazey.

Full Review: Sonic Colors

Full Review:

Sonic Colors

Developed by Sonic Team & Dimps

Published by Sega

for the Nintendo DS

Released November 16th, 2010

Sonic's Truest Colors:

Like his life long mustachioed rival before him, Sonic takes it to the stars and gives Sonic fans something new and unique with Sonic Colors. Everyone's favorite (or most tolerated) hedgehog has had some trouble reliving the glory days of the past by either attempting to rekindle the elements of his 16-bit era (Sonic 4, Sonic Advance) or by taking him out of his element all together and putting him in a type of game that's simply weird or unnecessary (Sonic Riders, Sonic and the Black Knight). Fortunately for gamers everywhere, Sonic Colors breaks the streak of awful Sonic games by combining high speed platforming with innovative game design to create Sonics greatest adventure since the good ol' Genesis days.

Let's get the story out of the way first since I know that absolutely no one plays a Sonic game for its ever so intuitive story telling. Dr. Robotnik, being the generous psycho-genius he is, decides to create an intergalactic amusement park to make up for all of his past sins. Sonic and Tails, suspicious of their arch nemesis, check into the matter only to find out that, sure enough, old Ivo is stealing energy from a group of aliens called Whisps in order to create a mind control device. Sonic, along with the help of the Whisps, must now stop Dr. Robotnik and put an end to his treacherous amusement park for good.

The Whisps give Sonic plenty of new power maneuvers to utilize on his journey, which sounds a bit off putting to old school Sonic fans but actually offer an absolutely fun experience. Of course, it wouldn't be a Sonic game without the mindless speeding and dashing through miles of exotic levels and spin homing badniks to pieces and trust me, there's plenty of it. The main game plays like a charm with only minor physics errors such as air dashing when you mean to jump and vice versa.

After every world or so you gain the powers of new Whisps such as boosting, rocket blasting, fire booming, drilling, etc. By gathering energy from enemies or trapped Whisps, Sonic can boost with Y or transform into any of the other colored powers with X. The game greatly utilizes these powers by making the player perform certain energy maneuvers in order to complete a level (although some levels give the player the option of using the moves or just speeding to the finish.) Whether you're fire booming your enemies to oblivion, boosting at top speed through the level, or drilling the boss badnik to death, it's a fun experience that adds a lot to Sonic's worn out gameplay.

Of course, we can't forget about the classic special Chaos Emerald stages. In these special stages, Sonic runs through a half-pipe (very reminiscent of Sonic 2) as you try collecting as many colored orbs as possible before Sonic makes it to the finish. Colors utilizes the stylus in these stages which is a blast aside from the occasional stylus-to-screen lag. The biggest problem I have with the Chaos Emerald stages is that they are way too easy. In most other Sonic games, it would be unlikely to complete your first run of the game with all seven chaos emeralds, but Colors is an unfortunate exception as it is rather unlikely that you won't be snatching the emeralds before the end.

The main game itself is incredibly easy and can actually be completed in literally, one sitting. I would mark it down for this grueling flaw except that Colors offers so much replay value you'll be spending hours and hours trying to get S ranks on every level, finding secrets in each level with the new powers you obtain, collecting all of the star emblems, and finding all of the hidden unlockables. Not to mention just trying to complete a few of the games many side missions will have you shaking your DS violently for hours. I suppose it's a better idea to have these time attacks, enemy & Whisp hunts, and ring collecting missions not mandatory. They're challenging; which is nice but I just wonder to myself why the actually game is humiliatingly easy while the missions create sudden difficulty spikes.

The one thing I hate about every Sonic game is the hedgehog's voice. It's just too damn annoying. I thought I had all I could take with his whiny, high pitched voice in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. When I booted the game up and prepared myself for the opening dialogue, I prepared for the worst. I was shocked to find out that I wasn't annoyed at all with his voice. Sega actually found a guy (Roger Craig Smith) who could provide a voice to Sonic I can actually listen to. In fact, all of the voice actors do a pretty good job and that's a definite plus in my book.

The music itself is corny. I'm not too fond of the opening track or much of the music but there were a few tunes that seemed melodiously out of place which had me tapping my foot. The sound effects are the best part, though. The booming blasts, the crackling fires, and the awesome "Burn!" or "Rocket!" screams Sonic makes before transforming are, dare I say, cool.

The graphics are gorgeous, vibrant, and colorful. The backgrounds are beautiful as are their animations. Everything seems to jump off the screen. The replacement of sprites with 3D character models are a pleasant surprise. It works very well. The biggest problem with the visuals is the use of the duel screen gameplay. Both screens are used to play; with Sonic switching between both during certain areas of each level. Sometimes, my eyes follow Sonic like magic and swiftly switch between screens (which feels awesome) but other times my eyes stay on one screen while Sonic speeds far into the other. It's a small annoyance that can cost you all of your collected rings.

Sonic Colors offers gamers a Sonic experience like no other. The new gameplay offers so much that it will make you wish the actual game was more than five hours long. Colors not only gives Sonic fans the okay to wear their Sonic shirts and backpacks with pride again, but it also reminds gamers everywhere how great Sonic was and potentially can be.

Details -

Genre: Platformer, 2-D Sidescroller

ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Mild Cartoon Violence)

Difficulty: Easy (Main Quest) Hard (Missions)

Learning Curve: Pick-Up-And-Go

Stats -

Graphics: 5/5

Sound: 3/5

Controls: 4/5

Lasting Appeal: 3/5

Fun: 5/5

30 Hit-Combo!!

Superb!

Review Descriptions

This Week in Previews: 12/11/10

Tomb Raider (PS3, 360, WIN - 2011)

Revealed in the January 2011 issue of Game Informer, the new reboot of Lara Croft appears as very young, much less experienced version of the spelunking woman that Eidos has crafted over time. After embarking on a journey to the coast of Japan, Endurance, the ship sailing, crashes leaving Croft her stranded. Now Croft must take her few years of training and put it too good use in order to survive. It's definitely a much needed change in pace for the Tomb Raider series that's been plagued with stale games throughout last decade. A younger much more down to earth variation of Lara Croft is just what Eidos and Square-Enix are hoping to bring the Tomb Raider series back to the video game spotlight after so many years.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3 - 11/1/11)

Naughty Dog's third entry in the Uncharted series takes Nathan Drake to the Arabian desert. The trailer shown at the 2010 Video Game Awards shows Drake surveying and endless world of sand after apparently surviving a plane crash. The trailer showed a bit of gameplay footage of Drake jumping across buildings and running from waves of water. The trailer also displayed the released date of 11-1-11.

Mass Effect 3 (PS3, 360, WIN - Holiday 2011)

Electronic Arts takes the Commander Shepard to Earth to fight at home in third installment that is not only boasting a solid single player but multiplayer as well.

SSX Deadly Descents (TBA - TBA)

EA Canada, creators of Skate, announced that they were working on a reboot of the SSX snowboarding series saying they intend to take the series back to its roots. The trailer shows a much more serious take on the franchise. Included in the trailer which debuted at the 2010 VGAs shows an unknown snowboarder dropping from a helicopter named "Elise" onto what appears to be a mountain range somewhere near Mt. Everest. The snowboarder uses devices such as hooks to slow him down and wings to glide. These are all signs of a brand new style of playing but will it be at the sacrifice of the more cartoony feel of the originals?

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (TBA - 11/11/11)

The widely anticipated next installment in Bethesda's RPG epic has been announced at the VGAs. The trailer sets background for the story and displays the release date of 11/11/11.

Insane (TBA - 2013)

Displayed at the 2010 VGAs is a title from the mind of Guillermo Del Toro, and studios THQ and Volition brings a pretty frightening looking horror game. The trailer showed no gameplay, just a person crawling through a bunch of creepy crawlies. Seems pretty interesting but better put this one on the backburner as it's not intended to release until 2013.

The Oddboxx (PC - Early 2011)

Oddworld Inhabitants announced the PC collection of the Oddworld series; which includes Oddworld Abe's Odyssey, Abe's Exodus, Munch's Odyssey, and Stranger's Wrath will be available through Steam sometime after the Holiday 2010 season.

Prototype 2 (TBA - TBA)

Forza Motorsport 4 (360 - Fall 2011)

Full Review: Disney Epic Mickey

Full Review:

Disney Epic Mickey

Developed by Junction Point

Published by Disney Interactive Studios

for the Nintendo Wii

Released November 30th, 2010

Not the epic it hoped to be:

Never has the gaming community anticipated a Mickey Mouse game as much as they have with Disney Epic Mickey. As soon as gamers saw the cover of Game Informer over a year ago which displayed a darker style of Mickey Mouse, speculation and anticipation grew everywhere. Warren Spector and his Junction Point team promised to take Mickey Mouse into untraversed territory and turn Mickey into a video game star on the same par as Mario and Sonic. Epic Mickey brings a lot to the table but ultimately falls short in too many areas for it to be considered a classic.

The game starts out with a mischievous Mickey Mouse venturing through a magical mirror in his bedroom ultimately ending up in the workshop of wizard Yen Sid of Fantasia fame. There Yen Sid is putting the finishing touches on a land where forgotten Disney characters can live in peace created using a magical paint brush. After Yen Sid retires to his chambers, Mickey decided to add some of his own artistic touches to this wondrous world. Through his mischievous meandering with Yen Sid's brush he creates an evil entity known as the Blot and spills thinner all over the land sending the world into a spiral of disarray. Mickey escapes through the mirror leaving a blatantly obvious abyss where Yen Sid's new world once lied. Nearly a year later, Mickey is famous having made cartoons from Steamboat Willie to Fantasia. The Blot, stronger than ever, drags Mickey through the mirror and into the Wasteland. Mickey must now restore the Wasteland to its former glory and return safely home.

The story brings a unique and bizarre twist to the lore of Mickey Mouse. It's interesting to see so many Disney characters living in a world of disrepair and gloom. The characters in Epic Mickey were once huge stars of the Disney world before being forgotten in the Disney renaissance of the 90's. Familiar faces like Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horse appear as major quest characters while more notable characters such Goofy and Donald appear as frightening robots but still have their familiar charm. The most notable character included in the game who drives the entire plot is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Oswald once was Walt Disney's proud mascot and superstar but Disney lost the rights to him when he and Universal split ways in 1928. It wasn't until about 70 years later, Disney got the rights back to the forgotten animated star. In the Wasteland, Oswald acts as the world's leader, looking out for all of the forgotten characters by creating a safe home for them all. Oswald creates Mean Street (his version of Disney's Main Street), OsTown (a variant of ToonTown) and most notably a recreation of the famous statue of Walt Disney pointing to the sky but with Oswald, not Mickey, holding the creator's hand. Oswald's character is well developed, acting as the jealous older brother of Mickey who wants nothing do to with him. The character of Oswald drives the game's story the entire way and provides much depth. The story and characters drove the game and kept me interested in continuing. Unfortunately, the actually gameplay of Epic Mickey had the exact opposite effect.

Epic Mickey offers a plethora of main quest missions and sidequests but none of them are much fun. Every mission consists of either finding, painting, or thinning, a certain number of objects for various characters in order to continue. It's an experience that's fun and unique at first; painting a gear to make platforms move or thinning away walls to find hidden treasure, but after awhile the missions start becoming monotonous with a lack of variety. I can safely say that, with the exception of boss battles, the same type of missions you'll play at the beginning of the game, will be the same type of missions you play near the end and throughout. When something new does come it either isn't implemented nearly as much as it should be or quickly wears out its welcome.

The 2-D Sidescrolling projector sequences are examples of the latter. The projector sequences take away the use of the brush and bring the player a pure side-scrolling experience much like the older Mickey Mouse games on the SNES or Genesis but unlike such classics as Mickey's World of Illusion, it's not fun. The projector sequences were based on various Mickey and Oswald cartoons of the past. The game does a great job of bringing these old cartoons back to life through these levels; so much so that the presentation of the levels is the only enjoyable part of it. Seeing the old Steamboat Willie boat propped up like a cardboard set reminds the player that these are Oswald's attempts of creating a false glory for himself despite being forgotten. It's very interesting to think about but it seems that they spent too much time paying homage to the past and not focusing on whether or not jumping on platforms or dodging the stage-prop enemies was actually fun. The answer is no as the layout is much too simple and requires absolutely no thought process to complete.

The projector sequences act as portals that link to different areas of the Wasteland and only by completing them can one continue their journey. The worst part is that even after completing each sequence the first time, the game gives you no option to skip these stages any other time. So even during vital missions that require you to traverse back and forth between areas, you are forced to play through the projector sequences time and time again which really takes the player out of the story.

Another area of gameplay that really leaves a blemish on the game is the playability. First of all the controls are not layed out well. Everything seems to be cluttered; A to jump of course, Z to shoot thinner, B to shoot paint, d-pad to control the camera, plus to scroll through your items, minus to use them, 1 to place the camera in back of you and 2 to go into your menu. Every button has a purpose which is fine but during the heat of battle it can be difficult to execute.

The camera is bad. When up against a wall, the camera does not know where to go and ends up placing itself in a horrendous view that leaves you vulnerable to all enemies nearby. Controlling it is no cakewalk either. Changing your thumb placement to the d-pad takes away the ability to jump therefore causing death. The camera could have been executed much better but because of its awkward placement at times the game suffers greatly.

Unlike the controls, the graphics and music were done right. The character models look great and are animated to move in the same feel as they did in their glory days of Disney. The dripping affect on Mickey is an awesome touch as well. The paint/thinner splashes remind me of the water affects of Super Mario Sunshine which definitely isn't a bad thing. The areas represent a cartoony town in dismay and showing the difference between a painted object and a thinned one is done well with a favorable art style committed to both. The backgrounds are some of the most beautiful designs I've seen in any game.

While the opening cutscene looks gorgeous in all its CG glory, I can't say the same for the in-game cutscenes. They chose an odd art style that is supposed to represent the paint theme of the entire game. It does nothing for it however, neither reminding the player of the classic style of art that Disney cartoons are known for nor providing any justice for the art style represented in the game. The game would be much better off using the CG graphics displayed in the opening cutscene.

The music is surprisingly tolerable. While every tune has a campy rhythm to it that I thought would definitely get on my nerves, they do achieve in quality. The campy style of every song is balanced by a dark portion of the song that reminds the player that this world, although cartoony in nature, is in distress. The OsTown theme is a great example to this. Dark alterations to old Disney themes such as "It's a Small World" sound awesome and definitely provide a unique take on the world Epic Mickey is trying to portray. The sound effects especially the muffled voices of the older cartoon characters and constant rolling of the projector wheel in the projector sequences are great as well.

An upsetting part of the sound is the lack of voice acting. Instead of speech, short grunts or chuckles are used to show that a character is speaking. The lack of voice acting is unnecessary and the game would have greatly benefited from the voices of the characters that created over 80 years of classic cartoons.

Warren Spector and Junction Point clearly focused more on rehashing the history and art of Disney rather than creating a gameplay experience worthy of playing. The game is all show and not much else. Disney Epic Mickey has enough content to keep a Disney fans and younger gamers content but more experienced gamers hoping to have a Mickey Mouse game that's on par with video game platform stars like Mario are going to be disappointed with this entry.

Details -

Genre: Action/Adventure, Platformer, 2-D Sidescroller

ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Cartoon Violence)

Player Options: 1-Player, Nunchuck

Difficulty: Medium

Learning Curve: 30 minutes

Stats -

Graphics: 4/5

Sound: 4/5

Controls: 2/5

Lasting Appeal: 4/5

Fun: 2/5

23 Hit-Combo

Decent

Review Descriptions

Full Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns

Full Review:

Donkey Kong Country Returns

Developed by Retro Studios

Published by Nintendo
for the Nintendo Wii

Released November 21st, 2010

More like 'Vintage SNES Ass Pained Difficulty Returns':

After 15 years, the world finally returns to Donkey Kong Country. Back in the 90's, Rare created one of the most influential and widely remembered video games with Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo. The DKC games would go down as the defining series of the 90's for any console. Two generations later, Nintendo along with Retro Studios decided to bring Donkey Kong back to the glory days. While Donkey Kong Country Returns may not feel like the Donkey Kong Country 4 as fans had hoped for, it does bring a platforming experience like no other.

DKCR begins with an erupting volcano releasing an evil group of creatures known as the Tiki Tak Tribe. The Tikis use a serene melody to hypnotize the animals of DK Isle and force them to steal away Donkey Kong's hoard of bananas. DK and Diddy, immune to the Tikis hypnotic power, set off to rid the island of the Tikis and restore DK's precious bananas. Unfortunately, both King K.Rool and the Kremlins are absent from this story which is an omission that definitely lowers the nostalgic value while at the same time brings something a bit new.

When looking for the nostalgia factor, it'd be wise to open your ears. The music is a blast of nostalgic bliss. The songs are remixed versions of mostly DKC1 songs. Remixes of old classics such as Jungle Hyjinx and Minecart Carnage sound great while the remix of Forest Frenzy with its arrangement of instruments actually sounds better than the original. It really is a shame that David Wise wasn't on board for the game but the title seems to hold up well with both classic and original tunes. I'd bet that Wise would be extremely satisfied with the renditions made to his masterpieces. The new grunts that DK makes sound awkward while Diddy sounds too whiny but they are funny to hear, although it's not like you'll be paying attention to the sounds the monkeys make after those beautiful melodies hit your ears.

While not bringing forth any nostalgic emotions as the music was able to do, the graphics are beautiful. The graphics have that cartoony look that only Nintendo can achieve. The silhouette levels, that take place during a setting sun and portray DK, Diddy, and the entire foreground in black with the exception of the glowing red of DK's tie and Diddy's hat, look absolutely stunning. It once again proves how Nintendo can compensate graphical power for pure creativity. The backgrounds are full of vibrant colors, although it would have looked better if they focused on the pre-rendered background visuals that the first three games achieved so well. The visuals remind me nothing of the first DKCs but they are still pleasing to the eye.

The controls take a while to get used to. There are two ways to play; with a nunchuck or with a sideways Wiimote. The nunchuck feels more appropriate as there is no way of getting out of shaking the controller in order to roll. With the sideways Wiimote, you'll just end up pressing 1 in hopes of rolling only to run right into an enemy or off a cliff not to mention how awkward it feels. The implementing of motion controls in this area seems very unnecessary. If Nintendo wanted to achieve the nostalgic feel that they had hoped for then they should have incorporated the use of the Classic Controller (I'm also confused as to why Sega did not do this with the WiiWare version of Sonic 4). I guess I just have it programmed in my mind to press B to roll.

New to the series are climbing on grass-covered walls and blowing wind. Blowing wind (holding down and shaking the Wiimote) is an unnecessary addition to the game as it just feels weird to slow down the flow of the game in order to blow a dandelion or a candle to get a puzzle piece. Climbing on walls is simple and adds a lot to the gameplay as it is pulled off so well. Looking back at the older games, I wish they would have implemented this technique back then. Ground pounding with the motion controls seems more appropriate and feels really satisfying flailing your arms as DK smashes down a stone block.

Multiplayer allows both DK and Diddy to play together simultaneously. If one player gets lost behind, he will teleport back to the other player. If one player dies, he can either press a button and come back to life immediately at the cost of a balloon or he can wait until the other person grabs a barrel and releases him. When riding Rambi or controlling a barrel, both players have the option to control so it comes down to either losing control and dying or to allow one player to sit back and watch.

It's a shame that Diddy cannot be played in single player. In single player, Diddy helps out by giving DK two extra hearts and by using his signature jet-pack to stay afloat for a short period of time. In multiplayer, player 2 takes control of Diddy. Diddy is a blast to play as. He's quick and nimble when he needs to be and not only can he use his jet-pack but he can also use his peanut shooter while ground pounding. It really is unfortunate that the game does not allow you to switch between the two in single player just like the good ol' days

Those who shun the Wii for its plethora of casual games be warned; this game is tough! The difficulty isn't a result of bad controls or poor game design, it's sheer ruthless gameplay that tries incredibly hard to prove that the player is no match to the games superior A.I. brain. You'll be surprised how many times you'll go to Cranky Kong to replenish your stock of life-giving balloons. You'll be needing them more than you'd ever imagine. Beating the game is tough enough, but achieving 100% (including collecting all of the K-O-N-G letters and puzzle pieces) is a true challenge. The levels are designed brilliantly to provoke split-second thinking and strategy. Despite no familiar faces like Gnawty the beaver, the bosses are unique and require more than just the normal 3-Hit-Pattern to stop these beasts in their tracks. DKCR is a great throwback to the old SNES games that took you many days, many tantrums, and many headaches to beat.

In the end, Donkey Kong Country Returns doesn't prove much of a nostalgia factor but instead gives us a brand new adventure with familiar faces that is of the same caliber as the first three games of the series. DKCR gives us a must-have experience tied together with tightly woven platforming along with cheerful graphics and groovin' music. If you want a game that will really put your gaming skills to the test look no further than Donkey Kong Country Returns.

Details -

Genre: Side-Scroller, Platformer

ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Mild Cartoon Violence)

Player Options: 1-Player (recommended), 2-Player, Nunchuck (recommended), Wiimote

Difficulty: Hard

Learning Curve: 30 Minutes

Stats -

Graphics: 4/5

Sound: 5/5

Controls: 3/5

Lasting Appeal: 3/5

Fun: 4/5

28 Hit-Combo!

Solid

Review Descriptions