PSN Mini Review: Jane’s Hotel

For the last time, no! We don't have chainsaws and rubber boots! It's 'Jane's Hotel', not 'Jane's Hostel'!

By: Jess Castro

Remember when you used to watch that ’80′s TV Show, Hotel, starring James Brolin, and thought, “One day, I’ll be the owner of a luxurious five-star hotel and have an awesome beard. Yeah… one day.” Of course you do. Maybe that’s also how developers Realore Studios got their inspiration to create Jane’s Hotel, a PSN Mini available on both the PSP and PS3. This strategy/time-management game will whisk you away to that dream job you were never able to have: a hotel manager answering to every beck and call from a never-ending stream of passing guests. Finally! Am I right? Anyone?

Players take on the role of the titular character, Jane, and guide her on her life-long ambition to become a hotel owner. (It’s to make her grandma proud, who loves hotels, you see.) She scrounges enough money to open up her first rest stop, equipped with four rooms and a maid. This is where the gameplay kicks in as the player uses the d-pad to highlight rooms, items and areas in the hotel space and selects them to activate an action to correspond with the guests. For example, highlight the reception desk, press X to get the keys, then highlight the incoming guest and press X to check them in to their room.

Tapping the right shoulder button will summon the maid, which will open a set of selectable tasks of her own, such as vacuuming the rooms and watering plants. Completing actions such as these in a timely fashion will garner reputation points and cash tips that are necessary to pass each stage. Passing the required amount of rep points and money per stage within a certain amount of time will open up a shop menu where Jane can spruce up her hotel with more accommodations like a TV area or fruit baskets and wine for the guests, which raises the chances for bigger rep points and cash opportunities.

As Jane progresses from upgrading her humble one-star hotel to a five-star destination, the multitasking challenge builds up. More guests enter more rooms at faster rates, demanding more services and items all at once. If they don’t get that cup of coffee they wanted or they’re left waiting too long for dry-cleaning, they’ll get upset, hurt your reputation, and sometimes walk out without paying the bill. (Wow, just like in real life!)

Jane’s Hotel comes packed with 40 stages of simulated strategic time-crunching servitude, which is perfect for the working person. After all, following a 10-hour shift of busting your ass to please everyone in sight, nothing is more relaxing than falling on the couch and playing a game where the main goal is to bust your ass to please everyone in sight. Ridiculous as that sounds, it’s true; Jane’s Hotel is all kinds of addictive fun in the vein of Diner Dash and Cake Mania. There’s a certain satisfaction in making quick decisions in high volumes that result in big (imaginary) revenue.

The presentation is solid without being a total eye-grabber. Pleasant 2D graphics represent a nice variety of clientele with simplistic animations and sound effects to match. Smooth jazz music tracks that are on par with the finest of elevator tunes provide a light backdrop for the hectic activities. It’s a really nice representation of the hustle and bustle of the hotel industry without the seedy per-hour rates, rock band idol vandalism and dead hookers.

This Mini iteration of the game isn’t without faults, though. Jane’s Hotel has click-and-point style gameplay, but without the speed of mouse or touchscreen control. In the more challenging stages, the map of increasing tasks can be a messy and frustrating cluster to cycle through. Pressing up to highlight an object above your current selection sometimes wouldn’t be an option; instead, you’re forced to cycle left or right until a desired selection is made. As a matter of fact, my new video game rival is the coffee machine in the three-star hotel; there were times that I couldn’t highlight that thing to save my life! Damn you, coffee machine…DAMN YOU!

Also, the challenge curve is little uneven; the first half of the game is relatively easy, almost as if playing a never-ending tutorial. Then at the turn of stage 21, the game showers you with incoming needy guests, unexpectedly building a task list that dwarfs any of previous stages. Lastly, and least of the problems, the game does some old-school 8-bit-esque glitching after extended play. Menus become a littered mess of scrambled numbers, background music would come and go, and Jane’s hands would turn into people. (That’s right, her hands turned into people.) Perhaps it’s a good indicator that you’ve been playing Jane’s Hotel a little too long.

OVERALL (3.5/5)

Realore Studios turns out a Mini version of their task-juggling game, Jane’s Hotel, available on PSN for $2.99. While this game is better suited for PC or a touchscreen device, it’s still a good deal of short-lasted fun. With 40 levels of addictive time strategy, you too will be inspired to be James Brolin… I mean, become a hotel manager and impress your grandma.

Throwback Thursday: Win Stacking & The Lost Hobo King

Starting today and moving forward, we’re going to be running a weekly contest called “Throwback Thursday.”  The basic premise is that I’ll be giving out codes for games that have been out for a while — think of it as a last chance to win a code for a game you wanted to play but hadn’t had the chance to, yet.

There’s not going to be any set location for the contest (it could be here, the main site, our posterous page, Twitter, etc.) nor will there be any set rules for entries. However, it is my intention to start all contests on Thursday and have them conclude within a day or two.

To get things started, we’re offering up the chance to win a copy of Double Fine’s excellent title, Stacking for Xbox Live Arcade. Plus, thanks to our friends over at THQ, we’re pairing a code for The Lost Hobo King DLC with it. That’s right: two codes, one winner.

HOW TO ENTER

Step 1) Visit our original review of Stacking.

Step 2) Post a comment on there telling us your favorite Xbox Live Arcade game of 2011. There’s been a lot of good ones so there should be plenty to choose from. Include your @Twitter name if you have one. If not, ensure your email address is correct when you submit your comment.

Sample Comment
Days of Thunder Arcade
@DidAnyonePlayThatGame

THE (DOUBLE) FINE PRINT (see what I did there?)

Winner will be selected at random on Saturday, April 30th. All entries must be received by Saturday at 12 PM EST/9 AM PST.

Good luck, everyone!

DLC Review: The Lost Hobo King (Stacking)

The environment is ugly and filthy, but has a Dick Van Dyke chimney sweep level of charm.

By: David Cooper

Double Fine seem to have stumbled upon the ideal model for their non-mainstream properties in the downloadable market. After years of commercial flops such as Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, the company seems to be focusing entirely on smaller downloadable titles that can find their audience with less financial risk. After Costume Quest, and its DLC, came Stacking, and now the ball keeps on rolling as Stacking gets some new DLC of its own in the form of The Lost Hobo King.

It seems redundant to say it at this point but, as with all Double Fine productions, The Lost Hobo King is quirky and charming from the get go. Anyone familiar with the original game will be pleased to see the general style has not changed, not in graphical appearance nor gameplay. The writing is as sharp as ever, and made me laugh out loud on several occasions. All the usual Double Fine polish indicates that this is more than a quick cash-in on a positively received game.

The Lost Hobo King offers a new level, structurally the same as any of the original levels from the main game — there are three puzzles, each with multiple solutions, followed by a climactic final part. The environment and dolls (in which to stack) are all new, and there are new unique dolls and hi-jinks to find to fully master the DLC.

And this, arguably, is where The Lost Hobo King falls short, literally. That may sound like a lot to see and do, but while it’s certainly a lot of fun, it’s very short. Experienced adventure game aficionados will breeze through the main story very quickly, potentially in 30 minutes or less. But the joy of a game like this is the experience, right? Not just seeing the credits, but exploring every nook and cranny to fully see everything it has to offer, right?

Right. Which is why I was disappointed to find The Lost Hobo King only took me about an hour and a half to complete 100 percent. I did not rush through the game by any means, nor would I say I am a particularly advanced puzzle solver, but I managed to find every solution to every puzzle, as well as every unique doll and hi-jink, in one sitting. It seems Double Fine is sticking to the old chestnut of always leaving their audience wanting more. While it lasted it was great, but whether the content on offer is worth 400 MS Points ($5) is up to the individual.

Another minor quibble I had was with one of the puzzles specifically – the one with the most solutions. It involves running past some ghosts, and requires quick reactions to avoid being captured. Such action-based gameplay seemed tonally different from the rest of the game and inappropriate among the puzzle-based gameplay. But like I said, that is only one puzzle and probably won’t bother most players.

OVERALL (3.25/5)

The Lost Hobo King is fantastic DLC that fans of the main game will love, but it is all too easy to race through. Those looking for a lasting gaming experience should consider waiting for a price drop as the length stops this from being a “must buy.”

XBLA/PSN Review: Yar’s Revenge

Don't let these bugs ruin your picnic!

By: Uma Smith

In 1981, American game designer Howard Scott Warshaw created a twin-stick shooter involving insects for the Atari 2600, called Yar’s Revenge. It would go on to become the best-selling game of all time for the console. Back then, for characters to move diagonally was considered to be a breakthrough in technology. Now, Killspace Entertainment has developed a title to revitalize Yar’s Revenge for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. But considering how ground-breaking the original game was at the time of its release, will this remake be able to leave a lasting impression like its predecessor?

CONTROLS (3.5/5)

As expected from a twin-stick shooter, your character is controlled using the left analog stick while aiming is done with the right. Unfortunately, this feels neither smooth nor accurate as it is pretty difficult to have your target over any given enemy before they leave the screen. Luckily, auto aiming is available, which helps solve part of the problem.

For a majority of the time, you will find yourself constantly using the primary attack button while occasionally accessing the buttons for secondary attacks and dodging. Consequently, you actually end up pressing or holding all four shoulder buttons while using the two sticks to attack and accessing a face button to power up. As a result, the controls feel quite awkward with all those busy fingers in a weird position.

GRAPHICS/SOUND (3.25/5)

At the beginning each level, cinematic cut scenes are presented as still images which fall short of being remarkable. Considering how the environments vary in quality from being rough and dull to gorgeous and beautiful, the graphical presentation really is a mixed bag. Although the menus have a futuristic style that looks magnificent, the low-res textures during gameplay worsen the visual experience. However, even with the highly-detailed design of your character, enemies flying around and particle effects taking place on screen, there is hardly any dip in the frame rate.

Due to the lack of variety, the sound effects from the on-screen action ends up being repetitive. Plus, the music in Yar’s Revenge fails to provide a sense of future/fantasy and instead blends into the background as noise. A little more work could have been done to make the audio have a lasting impression.

GAMEPLAY (3.25/5)

You take control of a girl, belonging to a humanoid insect race called the Yar, who was previously captured and must serve as a warrior for an alien race known as the Qotile. Later, an elderly man helps regain her memories and reveals that the Qotile intends to wipe out her entire race. Driven by vengeance, this Yar warrior fights her evil captors in an effort to rescue and defend her own race.

There are six stages, which you’ll journey through on a predetermined path against an endless wave of enemies to battle. There are only three major types of enemies with hardly any difference in characteristics — that lack of variety contributes to the game’s downfall. Adding frustration to the table are the unfair rules around the attacks. Sometimes, a part of an environment can prevent your projectiles from striking your enemy. However, their attacks can actually go through and hurt you. Such an unfair advantage given to the enemy could have you throwing your controller at the screen.

At random points in the game, you may find yourself constantly changing directions or even views without your control. Determining where the projectiles are coming from becomes difficult because of the confusion in depth perception. It is a serious inconvenience that can impede your enjoyment.

Despite these faults, Yar’s Revenge still offers a true challenge to players. Even with the difficulty set as normal, you will find that enemies won’t show any mercy. But once you master the skills necessary to survive, the game can be completed in just a couple hours, which puts a damper on its longevity.

Being able to have a second player join in on the co-op action helps add replay incentive. However, Yar’s Revenge doesn’t offer any online capabilities other than leaderboards.

OVERALL (3.25/5)

It’s unfortunate that Yar’s Revenge falls short of expectations considering its predecessor left quite an impression on gamers during its initial release. The downloadable title does provide the necessary level of difficulty to keep players yearning for challenges. However, its short gameplay and numerous issues only make the game worth getting when discounted from its current asking price of 800 MS Points ($10).

XBLIG Review: Inflamous

Herding your colleagues around is mostly a case of trial and error.

By: David Cooper

Inflamous is exactly the type of game you don’t want Fox News to get their hands on. Arguably a twisted dark comedy game, Inflamous is designed to allow gamers to let off steam and release their anger in the best way possible: by blowing things up.

In a (relatively) rare move for an XBLIG title, the graphics are 3D models, as opposed to sprites. From a technical standpoint they look a little like they were swiped from the PS2 era, but the game makes it work, going for a stylized cartoony look with big bold outlines instead of any sense of realism. Not that realism is an issue in a game where you run around blowing yourself up in an office space. Or maybe it is, in some pseudo-political anti-terrorism statement.

Environments and character models don’t vary much, which is understandable as this is not the kind of game players are likely to spend countless hours in, designed instead for short bursts of gameplay at a time. It’s not the prettiest indie game you will ever play, but it’s also far from the ugliest.

Sadistic though it may be, the premise is simple to grasp: you play a disgruntled office worker that can explode at will, setting fire to those around him. The aim of each level is to set everyone on that floor ablaze without dying, preferably as fast as possible. In addition to movement, there are two buttons: explode and dash. As you can probably tell, Inflamous leaves subtlety to other games.

Other obstacles stand in your, um, “brave” hero’s path, such as the dreaded sprinklers and firemen, as well as elevators that bring more people into the chaos. Combating this are oil spills on the floor (apparently common in this office) and certain colleagues who spread their fire to others quicker than most. Sadly, that’s about it for gameplay diversity, and the 50 levels provide nothing more than mixing and matching these ideas up repeatedly.

Most levels are played by chasing as large a group of people as you can manage, lighting them on fire and then hoping they spread to catch other people, before picking up any stragglers. Little strategy is needed, and what initially looks like a light puzzle game turns into a luck-based affair. It took me quite a while before I realized there was a health bar, the depletion of which causes level failure, and had spent most of my time running around haphazardly tapping X to explode when I was near someone.

Typically you’d think the premise of Inflamous would be somewhat therapeutic. After a hard day at work, what could be better than coming home to vent your frustration on a bunch of cartoon office workers? Sadly, I found the game to add frustration rather than relieve it. The fact that a lot of luck seems to be involved in your success means that while sometimes it is a breeze, often it will take multiple tries with little change in gameplay style. Add this to the fact that there is not much variation in level design and I found Inflamous to get tiresome rather quickly.

OVERALL (2.25/5)

Inflamous is not terrible, but there is little motivation for repeated playthroughs – this is a one-note game, and that note gets flat very quickly. There is an in-game achievement system for those looking to complete specific challenges, which provides a mild distraction, but the bulk of the game, the 50 short levels, don’t offer enough to classify this as a must-buy.