Halo 3: ODST Review

After a long, tedious week I managed to beat the campaign at the very last minute. Since I am one of the only owners of this game for Geeksquisite I thought it would be appropriate to share my thoughts on the game.

Campaign: Many have said this campaign was short, but it isn't as short as it seems. it's a good 5 hours if you play it on Normal, but I found it hilarious how most considered it short and finished it quick; but on easy. To me that is unrealistic and because most will play it on Heroic, it will be enough to satisfy Halo fans. You really become aware of how vunerable you are, it feels close to Halo: Combat Evolved in terms of health and shields(No Sexy AI voice included). The cutscenes are numerous, some being unnecessary, others being fun to watch several times with buddies of mine in Co Op. However one gripe I had was the flashbacks the Rookie had to find, you basically went back and forth in the city. Stupid. The city is also pretty dark alot of the time, but in the buildings it's annoyingly dark and not even the nightvision in the visor helps enough. So at times you are groping to find your way in the buildings, as for the Visor feature it's pretty cool but OH MY GOD does it have to run the tutorial every time you start at the beginning. You can't end the tutorial right away, that was so annoying. Overall the campaign was nicely varied in terms of combat and "missions", it showed a good amount of what marines have to do since Master Chief isn't around.

Maps: Yeah I had them all already except for the three specifically in ODST, they're nothing to go crazy over. Longshore is a medium to large map that's designed pretty badly to be honest, it's too easy to navigate the whole map in 2 minutes. Citadel is slightly better than my low expectations of it, could be real fun for juggernaut if there are enough nooks and crannies to hide in. Heretic is a carbon copy of Midship, which is good because that map was good, it's just graphically updated. The Maps don't really add any value.

Firefight: Easily the best part of ODST, I spent 3 hours trying to stay alive with two friends of mine. You really start to engage in guerilla warfare when your ammo starts to run out, and you do run out of ammo before like level 3. The Drones are your worst enemy, not only are they able to pick you up (i'm serious, they do) but they also have a variation of themselves in red with shields. The ones with shields are the priority to take down, you can't let them surround you. The Firefight maps are pretty big, some are bigger than the multiplayer maps (Why is that?)and it's a real challenge to fight with melees when your weapons really run out of ammo. The bonus rounds where grunts are the only enemies is frustrating as hell, because it becomes a plasma grenade acid rain shower, those grunts are suicidal almost 70 percent of the time normally. But they are next to impossible to score more than 20 of them before you get stuck, although the worst enemies to fight are invunerable brutes with hammers and fuel rod guns. The crazy part is sometimes those come in threes, that's right three invunerable Brutes with hammers and fuel rod guns. Your going to lose a couple of lives.

Overall Halo ODST will stand alone, it's worth the buy for what it has. But if you need a reason to buy it, buy it for firefight. It's tons better than Horde Mode and I am unsure if Halo Reach will have it. If it does, it's still a more fun challenge to do it as an ODST.

You know you want the Beta Code, I can't wait for that.

This game gets a 4 out of 5 from me.

Super Mario World Review (SNES)

Since receiving my SNES, I have played a great deal of Super Mario World which happens to be the game that was first packaged with the system during its retail years. I have to say, this is a really good Mario game, I expected it to be decent of course. But after playing Dr. Mario on NES and knowing they never made a Mario "4", I would think that Nintendo could never match the godliness of Super Mario 3. Not impossible but I would have been surprised, does Super Mario World live up to the Mario in its name. HELL YES.

First of all, this game greatly took advantage of the SNES to make it better than the original Mario, and it even becomes it's own unique experience of a game. Mario World does employ the pattern system utilized in past Mario's, mostly in the style of the original one during the first or third castle raid. It took the idea of the pattern system to proceed through the level and did it more times than I have ever seen in a Mario game. Mario is mostly trial and error, but Super Mario World makes you stop and consider your options like Mario 3 does.

Super Mario World is clearly newer and graphically superior to the first three Mario games, but the question is whether its a successor to the original Mario Series or a stand alone game? I would have to argue stand alone, because it equals Mario 3 in game play variability but it doesn't exceed it. Super Mario 3 and Super Mario World are equally good games, i'm surprised Super Mario World could even match Mario 3. It does as far as I see, the thing is it overdoes the level progression pattern system to the point that you get stuck from a huge guessing game that would likely not get resolved in the first few hours.

Also, Yoshi is advertised on the cartridge, but he only comes in every now and then. Yoshi has some benefits as an accompanied friend to Mario, but I really didn't enjoy using him and preferred to leave him behind. I remember having a Yoshi-like character in the form of a dinosaur on Crash Bandicoot...2 I think, that was what Mario World SHOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOSHI. Granted be it's an unfair comparison because the Bandicoot wasn't around till the release of the Playstation, but when you give an animal like Yoshi, he has to have a big advantage or a skill NEEDED to go through the level. Yoshi really hasn't done that so far, so I forget about him pretty quickly.

Overall, Super Mario World is a game you will regret not having as soon as you do get a copy. So if you don't have it and want another game, get Super Mario World, you shouldn't need my encouragement.

I give this a 5 out of 5

Game Review: Wrath of the Black Manta (NES)

Made by Taito, I have to say this game is terrible.

First of all, when I look at this game I see a Ninja that is apparently this Black Manta, you can even see this for yourself



Now when I start the game I get some cool music and a Taito title screen, alright let's skip that, I want to play the game. Well guess what you can't, for 15 seconds of your life you have to wait for the Taito title screen to finish sitting there with trademark and credit info. Then after that you get a dialogue scene, no not the cool cut scenes of today, just pixel based pictures and slow scrolling dialogue. That's not a problem, but it was so long I skipped it even though it must have been important. It actually happens in the game a bit too, I skip those as well.

Now as for starting the game, you can see from the box art that is apparently the Black Manta, actually no it isn't. Funny as it is, you are a PURPLE CLAD NINJA. How can you be taken seriously as a ninja if you wear purple, if he was my assassin i'd have my last laugh right there and then.

Okay, gameplay wise the game gets worse. Enemies go down with one hit but because there are two areas on screen you can stand, the enemies can jump up to. The problem is they can jump up into you, making you take damage. They also follow you through doors and wait at the door to shoot you to, it's that annoying. And as for some of the special moves you have, it's near impossible to make them work right. What you do is that you hold down the B button, the only weapon or attack button at all, and you use the D pad to specifically pick out a power. Half the time I ended up cloning myself and having my purple clad ninja clone standing on top of my head, and he does nothing. And you can't just shoot, it has to build up in strength which doesn't work for this game unless you want to risk showing off and dying. The enemies attack fast enough to make each attempt at using a special power pointless, and sometimes the attacks don't work the first time.

Whats even worse about this game is that your so slow when walking, it seems so delayed. I died way too fast in this game, ferocity won't help you in this game, you have to patiently and carefully lure the enemies toward you while dodging their attacks and killing them with two tries at the minimum. They respawn if you stand there too.

Geez, this game sucks. I'm giving it a 1 out of 5 for being poorly executed in every way. This is the company that made space invaders and jungle hunt for god's sake, some may feel differently than me about this game, but it just sucked for me. If you want to trade something for it, i'll take anything over it.

Aaron’s Reviews: Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta DLC

Hey everybody Aaron here, reviewing yet another non-retro game. Next week I promise to do my monthly retro review, I’ll even give you a hint…it’s a Sega Genesis title involving a bat and acrobatics…and a circus…and, It’s Aero the Acrobat. I played only a level or two, but I’ve been busy, a lot of irons in the fire with graphic design and my own projects. This is what also put of this review for Mothership Zeta off for about five days, but here it is…so let’s get started with Fallout 3’s final DLC, Mothership Zeta.

Mothership Zeta is supposedly the last expansion for the Fallout series bringing the total cost, if you’ve shelled out for all of them, somewhere near the price of a new game. I’ve heard tell of another possible expansion in the future, but that just seems to be the musings of fans and friends. That being said, if this is the final expansion, then what a one to go out on.

*Just a warning, ahead thar be SPOILERS*

The mission starts with a radio signal that may be familiar to some players, those that have discovered the unmarked alien crash site. Somehow it has amplified to the point where it can be heard across D.C. Upon your arrival at the crash site you are suddenly pulled into a swirling tunnel of light which completely paralyzes you and eventually black out. The next few scenes are spent fazing in and out of consciousness, fuzzy scenes of aliens looking over your helpless body, and…yes even the horror of probing. They followed the classic textbook abduction story all the way here. When you are finally given back control you find yourself in a cell, stripped of your items. A fellow inmate informs you of your situation, and comes up with a plan for escape. Once out of the cell, the fun begins as you explore the ship and make the aliens wish they never picked you up in the first place. Shortly out of the cell you meet a little girl who’s been onboard the ship since just before the war, and she offers to help you get around the ship. Eventually with her help you make it to a place called the “Engineering Core”, sort of a mission hub for part of the game.

It appears the aliens have turned off the teleporter to the upper decks, and the only way to get up is outside the ship. The little girl leads you to section of frozen abductees, one of the being an astronaut and suggests thawing him for his assistance so you can progress through the ship. While this also defrosts three other abductees from various different times, it appears the defrosting process has killed the astronaut. So the little girl tells you to take his gear, and tells you that in order to go outside without being attacked by aliens you have to destroy the generators in three sections from the core. On your trip to each wing you can take one of the defrostees to help you. One is a medic from the battle at anchorage, one is a cowboy from the old west, and another is a samurai warrior from Japan…who doesn’t speak any English. (hence he doesn’t accompany you to a section, he is filled in for by your former cellmate, who was a slaver in the wasteland.)


After you destroy these generators you can leave the airlock, and walk in space outside the ship. After you get to the upper level, you activate a teleporter that beams up your friends from the lower deck. It is here where the truly stunning visual of the game shows itself, and the player can see an eerily beautiful vista of the post apocalyptic earth from space. As you progress further you find and disable the ships death ray…after playing with it of course. Leaves a nice sized poc-mark on the earth in god knows what country. Further along you discover another staple of alien abduction stories, weird cross breeds of aliens and humans called “Abominations”. These creatures are strong melee attackers, but are fairly susceptible to the alien weaponry and thanks to the mayhem you caused on your way up they’ve escaped their pens and are killing humans and aliens alike. Finally you make it to the top of the ship, and take out the aliens in command which is seemingly easy and anti-climactic. This is until a second mothership appears to take you out for all the trouble you caused, even if it means losing one of their ships. You and your crew of abductees use your captured ship to battle for survival against the hostile alien ship while also defending the bridge from aliens coming from all over the ship your on attempting to take back control. In the end, you destroy the mothership and save the earth from…whatever the aliens intended to do.

After talking with your comrades a beacon is launched to the surface of the D.C. crash site where you can get back to earth, as well as return to the ship in the future. Those abductees that stay on the ship collect weapons and tools for you each time you return.

*End of SPOILERS…Plot-wise*

The weapons in the game are great, especially if your character is proficient in energy weapons. Four weapons are introduced here, all using a different type of ammo from the alien blaster and fire lance. The weapons are the “Shock Baton” a melee weapon, “the Atomizer” which is like and energy pistol, “the disintegrator” is an energy rifle, and “the Drone Cannon” is a high powered heavy weapon. The content also boasts a lot of humorous contents and interesting sights. All the available audio logs are of different abductees being forced to make a record of themselves. Again some classic alien abduction archetypes appear here such as the log of a hillbilly, or the aliens interrogating a cow. Some of the odd sights include rows and rows of robotic horse toy as well as a pristine corvega car from the prewar days, and even an old style space rocket drop pod. (Presumably where the astronaut came from).

This really was a great DLC, truly a fun and enjoyable expansion , and has changed the make-up of my most recommended list of DLC’s for this game that you must have. This DLC would take the number two spot, just below Broken Steel for obvious reasons. The one downside of this DLC is that if you didn’t get the alien blaster from the site before you downloaded this expansion or are starting a new character you will not be able to get the blaster as the aliens pick you up as soon as you get close to the cockpit. When you return to earth the crashed ship and gun are gone as they were apparently recovered by your captors. This is no problem for those that have Broken Steel, as you can pick up a second alien blaster in the crawlers armory. But for those who have only Mothership Zeta this could pose a problem. So If you can get two DLC’s make sure one of them is Mothership Zeta, it is fun, over the top, and has an entirely different atmosphere than most of the game.

This has been Aaron,
See you next week with my Review of Aero the Acrobat…hopefully.

Battlefield 1943 Demo Impressions

In the Xbox Live Arcade store, 1200 points is expensive, and the game better be really good to earn that price. There is a very big judgement difference between a game worth 800 points and one worth 1200, Battlefield 1943 is a heavily online multiplayer oriented game. So how does it shape up?

Battlefield is actually pretty damn decent, so decent that the only reason it is not on my hard drive is because I am not fiscally sound at the moment. It is that good, especially considering it turns something as simple as a 3 island area into a fun and chaotic warfare ground.

With the ability to choose what type of soldier you want to be, there are different weapons given to you with different strengths. Your character can drive turret mounted vehicles around the island, and when neither plane, boat or bridge exists you can simply swim across to another island. The planes are especially regarded as fun by most players, so fun that I could not ever get in one in the 30 minute demo I had. Although the plane seems cheap because it has nuclear bombing capability that pretty much covers half the island.

However the game definitely is not your run of the mill shooter either, you cannot just shoot and run. It has a much slower killing rate than other games, and I unlike some actually appreciate the amount of attention you DO need with your health being that resilient. If there was any trouble I had, its the difficulty to keep up with friends if you lose them. The mapping and lack of a good hud to indicate friendlies caught me off-guard at times.

Disney's Aladdin on Sega Genesis Review

I've done enough Nintendo, and even though my Genesis needs to be fixed I decided to try a game anyway. Disney's Aladdin, i'm a big fan of the movie and a Disney Renaissance fan at that, so of course I hoped the game would be nice. I distinctly remember playing it in my childhood a lot, it's a good game but it's got bugs.

In the prison level, there are these exploding skeletons you almost cannot avoid taking damage from unless you kill them. Ironic it is to kill a skeleton. The bosses are OKAY so far. The enemies in general are fine but sometimes they get a hit on me even if they don't make contact, guess it has to do with me going closer to swat the enemies a lot.

There are common sense physics issues with the game, on the prison level I kept falling through cement blocks. On the first level i couldn't go up the stairs without walking back to the beginning of the stairs. I tried jumping to save time of course, and yet on the prison level i COULD jump through the landings.

I wish the music was better, it's not BAD music. But in my boredom, the music made me kinda depressed and seemed a bit too fast paced. It repeats over and over, but changes every level. The transitional music is creepy and cheezy at the same time. It kind of prevents me from enjoying the game sometimes, because it seems distracting.

I've only gotten as far as escaping after i got the lamp, i can't get past that moment for some reason. There's this jump I can't seem to make while having to do it fast because a boulder is about to crush me.

So overall the games good, recommended for fans of the movie.

I give it a 3 out of 5

Geeksquisite Gaming Diary 6/15/09: Double Dribble

Ed reviews Double Dribble on NES