Throwback Thursday: WIN BLOODFORGE!!!!

HAVE YOU NOTICED I HAVEN’T BEEN AS ACTIVE ON TWITTER AND WITH CONTESTS LATELY? THAT’S BECAUSE I’M SO BUSY WITH A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT I’M READY TO RIP MY HAIR OUT!!!! SO TO CELEBRATE MY STRESS AND DEVELOPING ULCERS I’M GIVING AWAY THE ANGRIEST GAME I KNOW, BLOODFORGE!!!!

CLAIM YOUR PRIZE

To enter to win a copy of Bloodforge on XBLA all you need to post a comment below saying something, anything… but it’s gotta be in ALL CAPS! Twitter users includes your @handle (not in all caps); non-Twitter users just make sure your email account is correctly entered.

Sample Comment
PENGUINS STOLE MY WELFARE CHECK!!!
@Delusional_Ornithologist

DETAILS ARE FOR PUNY MORTALS (but read them anyway)

Winner will be selected at random on Wednesday, May 30. All entries must be submitted by 8 PM EST/5 PM PST on Wednesday. Please note that although anyone can enter you must either be following me on Twitter or submit a working email address to win.

GOOD LUCK!!

PSN Review: PixelJunk 4am

You may wanna lay off on the brownies if you’re seeing this too much.

By: Uma Smith

Alright, it’s the middle of the night and you are unable to get a wink of sleep thanks to a nice dose of insomnia. You get up and realize that no matter what you do, the sandman ain’t coming. In a few hours, you have to get ready to go to work. Well, if that’s the case, you might as well keep yourself entertained with the Q-Games’ latest release for the PlayStation Network, PixelJunk 4am. At first glance, you’ll be wondering whether it is a game or a music application. Either way, you’ll be losing sleep thinking of the answer.

CONTROLS (3.5/5)

PixelJunk 4am’s effective use of the PlayStation Move encourages gamers to exercise their creativity in a simplistic and intuitive manner. Basically, you can implement various effects, reverbs, loops and such by making the appropriate motions and presses to the Move and trigger buttons. It may be overwhelming at first, but the tutorial ensures that you get the proper introduction before you start messing with the music. However, improper calibration could hinder your ability to execute the moves with ease. So take the time to get it right the first round.

GRAPHICS/SOUND (3.25/5)

There is a set of tracks with their own visualizers, all of which work well together. However, it may appear to be no different from those media players that you play your favorite tunes on nowadays. Granted, the visual effects do look trippy in PixelJunk 4am, but players could possibly dismiss this as music software since it doesn’t have all the typical graphics and special effects as, say, action games. This is due to the fact that PixelJunk 4am has no characters or environments at all. As a result, it may lose its spice to players seeking the usual action and explosions.

The music, on the other hand, is the shining star here. Various effects get incorporated into the songs seamlessly, thereby allowing the musical experience to be uplifting and exceptional. Nonetheless, with repetition, players may not stay interested depending on how much of a music fanatic they are.

GAMEPLAY (3.25/5)

PixelJunk 4am gives you the freedom of creating your own music, even if you possess no prior knowledge of using any music software. Additionally, there are no rules or penalties attached for failing to perform. Thus, PixelJunk 4am is a relaxing and artistic experience. There are neither levels with preset paths to journey through nor enemies out to kill you. Although this removes the stress from the game, it also potentially eliminates the excitement and satisfaction you would get from progression.

When you start off with the tutorial, PixelJunk 4am acquaints you with all the tools needed to get through this game. By the time you’re done, you’ll be equipped with all the essentials to get into and enjoy the gameplay so there’s no comparison between players on who is better. It’s not just that the game doesn’t evaluate your performance, but also it does a very thorough job in helping you understand the functions.

Players can also get a friend to help out with the creativity. In fact, he or she can even execute different techniques that wouldn’t be possible if done with just a single player. It’s definitely a nifty way to get participation from friends. Rather than being just a solo experience, others can have a hand in the mix.

As you play further in the game, you get other visualizers that appear. As far as I can tell, there are no specific requirements on how to unlock them. As such, it prevents players from focusing on simply unlocking certain features and, instead, has them engaging in a freeform gameplay. However, for those who get a kick from achievements, PixelJunk 4am may fall short in fulfilling their appetites.

Adding interactivity to this game is the ability to share your performance via the Live Viewer. This is where other players can give positive feedback by waving their Move controllers. Specifically, you’ll see number of kudos and viewers indicated near the bottom of the screen. This is an extra feature that allows PixelJunk 4am to stand out and retain its replay value.

OVERALL (3.25/5)

PixelJunk 4am’s unconventional yet innovative approach in music creation will be the very source of both its success and failure. The fact that it’s not your typical game may appeal to players, but by the same token, it may also dissuade others. Regardless, for players itching to have a night club DJ experience in their own living room, this game will definitely serve to jam all night. Especially considering you just have to pay the one-time “admission price” of $9.99 at the PlayStation Network without having to line up.

PS Vita Review: Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen

Looks like a customer is unhappy with my service. Hope he doesn't find me here.

By: Uma Smith

Searching for a Vita game that involves ninjas slicing the hell out of each other? Then look no further as Namco-Bandai has the answer with Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. In fact, this game gives players the opportunity to engage in some bloody action without having to worry about cleaning up afterwards.

CONTROLS (3.25/5)

Performing attacks can be very frustrating as you have no ability to change directions. Consequently, you’ll have to refrain from spamming the attack button. Otherwise, if you miss the enemy and keep on slashing, you’ll just end up moving forward and attacking thin air continuously. There is a quick remedy for this — if you press on the eye icons on the right side of the screen, you’ll be able to choose and target your enemies easily.

The controls aren’t perfect on account of the attacks, but there are some innovations incorporated here that compensate for this setback. By touching the rear pad and dragging the cursor that appears on screen, you can aim at your target. You then launch your projectile by pressing on the d-pad for the weapon of your choice. Camera controls also work effectively here with use of the right stick.

GRAPHICS/SOUND (4.25/5)

Shinobido 2 has a Japanese style that begs to be appreciated. You get an astounding display of characters and environments that show off their detail and smooth textures. And most importantly with ninja-type games, characters that get sliced will end up leaving a realistic and gruesome blood splatter effect in the background.

While the music helps to maintain the traditional Japanese atmosphere, the sound effects work to reinforce in players’ minds that they’re playing a stealth game. There’s also a nice transition in the background tunes whenever enemies spot you. When this happens, the atmosphere becomes tenser and brings out a feeling of urgency to evade the danger.

GAMEPLAY (3.75/5)

In Shinobido 2, you assume the role of Zen as you venture off to embark on a variety of missions. Each time you successfully complete a quest, you’ll gain experience points that allow you to choose which attributes to level up. Furthermore, you will acquire different items either from missions or stores, which you can merge to create new weapons or tools.

At times, you’ll also be given the choice of taking on contract jobs for the three warlords that aren’t exactly happy with each others’ existence. There’s a lot of depth in the story, not to mention the different paths you’ll end up on depending on the jobs you take. From the objectives presented, you know that this isn’t a game that’s keen on morals.

A majority of the time, you’ll be sneaking around in the shadows while waiting for the perfect opportunity to complete your task. You may have to assassinate or kidnap a particular individual, or other times you’ll have to free a prisoner or wipe out your enemies that are occupying an area. As a result, you won’t find yourself getting bored with performing the same tedious task. Instead, you get a diverse set of gameplay that will have you sneaking back for more ninja action.

If you’re seeking a game that offers some challenge and intelligent AI, you may be disappointed. The enemies will chase your character for just a short distance before they turn around and go about their business. And if you stand far enough from them, they’ll just stare at you and allow you to throw your weapons at them. It’s actually quite amusing to consider how lacking the AI can be in this game.

Finally, you get the boss battles that are pretty challenging and require more strategy than simply waving your sword frantically hoping to bring them down in time. For those that want to put their stealth tactics to the test, they’ll be satisfied with the types of challenges waiting for them here.

OVERALL (3.75/5)

Even though the controls could use some improvements, the game still delivers with diverse missions, addictive gameplay and superb presentation. Players who enjoy the ninja stealth action should honor and welcome Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen to their PlayStation Vita.

PS Vita Review: Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus

When visiting Ninja Vegas, Ryu follows one rule: ALWAYS bet on black.

Let it never be said that Tecmo-Koei doesn’t know how to get some serious mileage out of their flagship series. Originally released on the Xbox back in 2004, Ninja Gaiden has been re-released as Ninja Gaiden Black (2005) and Ninja Gaiden Sigma (2007) for the PlayStation 3. Each version has added new wrinkles, but the core game has remained the same. Such is the case once again with the PlayStation Vita title, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus. Everyone knows there’s a solid foundation in place; the question is whether or not enough new content has been introduced to warrant another purchase.

CONTROLS (3.5/5)

For the most part the transition to the Vita is handled smoothly. You have two melee attacks (one light, one heavy), a ranged strike and a jump populating the four face buttons, and holding down the left bumper allows you to block and evade. The right bumper centers the camera behind you, but as with every other variation of the game the camera proves to be exceptionally fickle — a problem only magnified by the small screen (more on that later).

Beyond the shaky camera, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus also does little with the Vita’s touch controls. It’s possible to switch your view and fire a bow this way, though it’s too easy to inadvertently trigger first-person mode and impossible to defend yourself once you’ve done it, and there are also times where you’ll be tapping on the read touch pad to charge up your “Ninpo” attacks. Ultimately they feel tacked on and superfluous.

GRAPHICS/SOUND (3.5/5)

I can still distinctly remember being wowed by Ninja Gaiden. Seeing the cool environments and silky smooth movements of Ryu Hayabusa as he cut down foes was an eye opener on the Xbox. Eight years later (five since Sigma) it still holds up fairly well. Sure, it’s no match for a game that was built from the ground up for the system like Golden Abyss, but everything moves along at a crisp pace and the sight of decapitating enemy ninjas never gets old.

Cut scenes are fully voiced and do a respectable job of moving the (ridiculous) story forward. While certainly not the strongest element in play, the music and sound effects are passable.

GAMEPLAY (4/5)

A port of the PS3′s Ninja Gaiden Sigma, the handheld version retains all of the elements that were introduced in the final console variant. That means Ryu’s “well endowed” cohort Rachel turns up for a few missions, and the nasty dual katana blades Dragon’s Claw and Tiger’s Fang will be available for your slicing and dicing pleasure.

If you missed it the first three times around here are the broad strokes of Ninja Gaiden. You are Ryu Hayabusa, bad ass ninja, and after a brief opening chapter you learn that your village has been attacked and the powerful Dark Dragon Blade has been stolen. With your clan slain it falls upon you to track down the culprits and exact a terrible revenge on them.

While that setup may not sound absurd, the way it plays out certainly is. That’s okay, though, because storytelling is not the strength of developer Team Ninja; assembling a challenging action game is. Even on the default difficulty the exploits of Ryu are not for the easily dissuaded or unskilled. Combat relies on intelligent blocking and evading, and those that spam attacks will find themselves defeated by lowly foot soldiers early and often.

Ironically, one of Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus‘ signature additions is designed to make the game more accessible. Dubbed “Hero Mode,” this setting makes the game a comparative breeze. Enemies are still plentiful and ruthless, but the game enables an auto-block when your health meter is low, making it very difficult for the enemy to land a kill shot. Unlimited “Ninpo” is also available as you near death, which allows you to spam magical attacks to eradicate your foes.

In some ways it feels cheap. Still, there’s something to be said for easing off the throttle for a handheld audience that may not approach the subject matter with the same willingness to absorb a pounding — particularly when they’re only playing in 15- or 20-minute bursts.

Nineteen chapters comprise the single-player campaign, and an all-new trials mode has been added as well. Here you’ll tackle waves of enemies and bosses in self-contained challenges. All the content is taken from the existing campaign (read: no new enemies), but it offers another way to play in an abbreviated fashion.

Unfortunately, no review can be complete without mentioning the game’s camera woes. As noted the camera can be centered behind you with the right bumper, and it can also be adjusted on the fly with the right analog stick. Even with those tools at your disposal you’ll still find yourself getting routinely attacked by enemies from off screen. Given the game’s unforgiving nature, having to constantly fight the camera as well is immensely frustrating. At best, it’s something you learn to live with.

OVERALL (4/5)

To fully appreciate Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus you’ve got to accept two truths: the game is tough as nails, and the camera makes it even tougher. If you’re okay with that and want to take it for another spin (or if you missed it the first three times) it’s one of the better titles currently available in the Vita’s library.