ZOMBIES

Ever since George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead", the field of zombies has exploded in popularity.  Movies, novels, and even a TV show have followed, so it makes sense that video games would follow.  Resident Evil and Left for Dead are among the more popular zombie games, but the one that will be discussed is the Zombies addition in the Call of Duty games.

Then

The first time that I played Nazi Zombies was in the theater house in my hometown.  After the dress rehearsal for MASH (I played the Korean Ho-Jon), a couple of the guys set up a projector system and linked the X-Box to the sound system of the theater.  The guys closed the black curtain, turned off the lights for effect, and created the largest video gaming "screen" that I have ever seen.  Because I had never played the game before, I watched.  The game had a profound effect on me, even as an observer.  The sounds of the zombies screaming and the sight of their charging deadness scared me in a way that no video game ever has.  Once I actually began to play, I found myself literally fighting back fear.  None of the people playing were very good, which made the game seem even more like a fight for our lives.  I have never had a more intense experience with video games, and I will not be surprised if I never do.

Back to the shadows from where you came!

Now

Since then, I have played Nazi Zombies on screens ranging from 25" to 82" (no joke, the TV was a HD monster).  The intensity has died down slightly since the original playing, but the entertainment value has improved.  Last year, my two suitemates and I played the various Nazi Zombie maps at least 3 nights a week.  Our ability to fend off the horde of zombies improved as we developed new techniques to handle them.  The best example is one called the "Zombie Train".  The character within the game is a little faster than the attacking zombies; therefore, if the player is able to navigate the character well enough, the character can run around in an open area in circles in order to cluster the zombies.  Then, the zombies can be dispatched more easily and with less bullets; however, the ability to generate a "Zombie Train" requires a lot of dexterity and, of course, practice.  In case my description is not enough to visualize the train, here is a video demonstrating the basics (WARNING: foul language by the commentator): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPls8d8f98Q

I enjoy this game because it offers a seriousness, intensity, and even a sense of humor that is unique to Nazi Zombies.  In a way, it almost feels like I'm performing a public service by ridding the world of Nazi Zombies.  At any rate, I appreciate Nazi Zombies for adding some strong variety to my gaming.

Week 13: Kingdom Rush, Zuma's Revenge, Line Rider

Kingdom Rush

As this screen shows, the player often has to oversee multiple
battles at once.  Complicated but awesome.

The first game of this week, Kingdom Rush, involves the player trying to protect the kingdom from invading monsters.  The monsters appear in completely differing forms, from the weak Worg to the mighty Magma monster.  The player is able to control the forms of defense in varying degrees in order to successfully destroy the specific types and amounts of attack.  For instance, the artillery is the most efficient means of destroying a large number of enemies, but the artillery is also completely ineffective (for the most part) against flying monsters like Gargoyles.  Against this type of enemy, the magic or archery bases need to be utilized.  This level of strategy within the game progressed further in the later levels.  The greater challenges require that the player be more creative with the problem-solving techniques; in one level, I used enemies from Section B in order to defeat enemies in Section A.  I could not have defeated the enemies in Section A if there had not been any monsters in Section B.  As this illustrates, Kingdom Rush forces its players to devise truly clever plans.

In addition to its normal gameplay, Kingdom Rush has other aspects that its players can enjoy even after beating the game.  Most notably, the game has additional modes for each level that provide extra challenges.  I am actually in the process of beating this extra facet of the game, and I welcome it.  Kingdom Rush has done an excellent job in striking the proper balance: difficult enough to ensure a player receives satisfaction in “winning”, but not so hard that the player loses interest because it is seemingly impossible.  The other great feature of the game is its ability to not take itself too seriously.  Kingdom Rush includes many humorous pieces such as an enemy’s silly-sounding death cry or the arch villain saying “All your bases belong to us.”  As a sucker for Internet memes and phenomena, the game had my heart at that moment.

Other than the original Super Mario Bros., this is the game that I have played the most in conjunction with this class.  Kingdom Rush is not revolutionary in its approach.  In fact, a majority of the gameplay is very similar to that of games like Plants Vs. Zombies.  However, Kingdom Rush’s execution makes it a very entertaining and addicting game.

Zuma’s Revenge and Line Rider

How is the frog getting all of those diamonds anyway?

The other two games for the week are fantastic examples of how successful a simple idea can be.  Zuma’s Revenge involves a line of colorful diamonds advancing to the middle of the screen.  In the game, the objective is to shoot a diamond that matches the color of a group of diamonds; if the group is three or more consecutively of the same color, all of the diamonds in that group will disappear.  This pattern continues until the diamonds reach the middle or all of the diamonds have been destroyed.  Extra points can be gained depending on specific power-ups and the speed at which a level is completed, but ultimately, the mechanics of the game remain the same.  Zuma’s Revenge is a flash game that demands dexterity and accuracy from its players, and through practice and a little patience, any gamer can develop those traits.

Possibly the most simple game assigned in this class, Line Rider is purely a creation-based game.  The player is instructed to draw lines and, when finished, allow an animated motorcycle to use the drawn lines as a driving course.  That is it.  The brilliant part about Line Rider is the blend between simplicity and giving the player control over the game’s outcome.  On the downside, no one would expect a gamer to play Line Rider for extended periods of time, but that is not the purpose of most flash games.  Line Rider accomplishes the goal of any flash game, and that goal is to provide an entertaining experience for its participants, if only for a short while.

Week 12: Actraiser and NHL '95

Actraiser

For Frodo!

The first game of the week, Actraiser, was not particularly interesting for me.  Actraiser follows a character known only as “The Master”, which appears to be a thinly veiled analogy to God.  The Master controls two different entities within the confines of the game.  The first is an angel; the angel is involved with the actions involving the map view of the world.  The second entity is a life-stricken statue; the statue follows the basic platform gaming format in order to traverse the levels, defeat the enemies, and finally, to conquer the various bosses.

While I did enjoy controlling the statue in order to defeat the various monsters, I found the angel sequences to be monotonous after a short while.  I was intrigued at first with the concept of using Godly powers in order to change the terrain of the land, but the excitement was quickly replaced by negative feelings.  The process of gaining the reverence of the people seemed drawn out and rather dull.  However, I will add that I am grateful for games like this one for being innovative.  Even though I did not particularly enjoy the primary concepts that were used in this game, the video gaming industry would die if all games were the same.

NHL ‘95

Unfortunately, this was not a very good week of gaming for my particular tastes.  I recognize that I am normally prejudiced against sports games, so I will do my best to approach this analysis in an unbiased fashion. 

Do any of the players look different?

The most frustrating part about NHL ’95 was my lack of knowledge concerning the controls and maneuvering the various menus.  On my first time of playing the game, I found myself stuck on a mini-game that forced me to remain as the goalie as the other team took penalty shots.  I was so frustrated with my inability to escape from the unbeatable game mode that I nearly quit the game for good.  Thankfully, my second experience with the game was exceedingly better than the first.  I actually played a real game of hockey, and I was impressed with how advanced the mechanics of the game were for 1994.  All the same, I was unhappy with my inability to learn the controls.  I was winning in the first half of the game, but the other team fouled me so terribly in the second half that I ultimately lost the game.  As a side note, the only thing that happened when the other team committed a foul was the crowd booing.  Had referees not been invented by that point, or was the NHL overrun by only blind ones?

I am aware that, despite my dislike for NHL ’95, the game was revolutionary in the sporting genre.  Some of the defining qualities of the game are trading or creating characters, playing an entire season, and the ability to earn end-of-the-year awards.  Games like NHL ’95 have been the milestones that have shaped the great sport games of today, and for that, I am grateful.

Week 11: Chrono Trigger

Following the blog on Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger is another RPG that enjoyed commercial and critical success.  Nintendo assembled a group of programmers known as the "Dream Team"; the team included the developers of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.  The resulting RPG, Chrono Trigger, is regarded by some as one of the most influential video games of all time.  Chrono Trigger is given this respect for its innovation in multiple categories, including its gameplay, score/soundtrack, and intricate storytelling.  Any of these elements by themselves could create a reasonably entertaining game, but together, they create a game worth recognizing and certainly playing.  


The Gameplay

So the world doesn't change angles and flash colors when you get in a fight?

The mechanics of Chrono Trigger, for the most part, are similar to other RPGs of the time.  The easiest comparison to make is with the Final Fantasy games, which helped introduce the concept of an RPG game to a broader market; however, it would be insulting to Chrono Trigger to assume that stark differences were not present.  In my opinion, the best change is the style of "map fighting" that is present in both games.  The encounters are randomly hidden in the overhead map of Final Fantasy, which can make it difficult and frustrating to find the monsters.  In Chrono Trigger, though, the enemies are visible on the map.  Not only that, but the fighting within Chrono Trigger occurs on the overhead map rather than moving to a side-view.  This allows for the gameplay to advance more smoothly than is customary in most RPGs.


Score/Soundtrack
The composer of nearly all of the music in the game was a disgruntled sound programmer named Yasunori Mitsuda.  After taking the advice of a co-worker, Mitsuda decided to try his hand at making the score of a game: Chrono Trigger.  According to Mitsuda in later interviews, he wanted to provide a score that seemed other-worldly.  He explained that the inspiration for the music came in many forms such as dreams, the setting of a particular scene, and even allusions to a significant other.  The score of the game was well received, and it has inspired others to re-create it.  One example is this girl, who did a violin cover of the main theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj4Pr3mk5As.


The Story
Chrono Trigger's story is so complex that trying to explain it in its entirety would be an exercise in futility.  The basics of the story are that multiple, wildly different characters travel through time in order to stop the bad guys.  Of course, Chrono Trigger does contain a decent portion of the cliches that one can expect in any RPG game like conveniently placed artifacts.  See example below:

One does not simply leave plot devices.

Because of the inclusion of time travel, Chrono Trigger added an interesting and very innovative feature to video game storytelling: multiple endings.  Based on the player's choices throughout the gameplay, the future of the game and the eventual ending will be affected accordingly.  This is one of the possible endings that could be seen at the conclusion of the game: Chrono Ending. The addition of multiple endings, along with the other aspects that have been previously mentioned, made Chrono Trigger a true game-changer.  Waka waka!

King of Kongs: A Fistful of Quarters

The Premise


The documentary King of Kongs details the epic video gaming battle between the established master Billy Mitchell and the newcomer Steve Wiebe.  Specifically, the two gamers are competing for the top score in Donkey Kong, which is considered one of the most challenging arcade games of all time.  The film is filled with drama as the two spar back and forth for the top score, including the qualification of their scoring, the trustworthiness of the gamers' cohorts, and the ridiculous things that Billy Mitchell says.  As the two do battle, the audience is given an inside look at competitive gaming and its method for scoring.  By the end, it appears as though Billy Mitchell won with a taped recording of himself playing (something he had scorned Steve Wiebe for doing earlier), but Steve manages to beat the record later.  Interestingly enough, though, both of their records were beaten by Hank Chien, who currently holds the record.




The Biography of Billy Mitchell...

The tie says it all.

is a book that will probably never be written.  He is portrayed very heavily as the antagonist of the documentary.  Between his hypocrisy, extreme arrogance, and equally weird fan base, Billy Mitchell does not seem to have a lot going for him.  In his defense, Billy Mitchell is a natural showman and made the documentary far more interesting than it would have otherwise been.  Possibly his finest moment is when he answers his phone with the words, "World Record Headquarters, can I help you?"  If I were watching "King of Kongs" as a movie and not a documentary, I would not believe the character of Billy Mitchell because he seems like such a.... well, character.


Opinion


This documentary showed me that some people will always be more passionate about video games than me.  As the saying goes, there's intense, super intense, excessive intense, and then Billy Mitchell intense.  I enjoyed the documentary for its entertainment value and the inside look at competitive gaming.  As far as this brand of competitive gaming goes, though, I am not nearly as impressed as I am with player-to-player competitive gaming.  A player facing a computer can only be impressive in the field of physical/mental endurance; however, the MLG style of video gaming requires that the winner be more agile, have quicker thinking, and have more overall skill than the other players.  Because of this, I prefer the player-to-player style of competitive gaming, but I still enjoyed the documentary's look on arcade gaming.

Week 10: Street Fighter II Tubro, Mortal Kombat II

Street Fighter II Turbo


This week was probably the best week of gaming as far as entertainment value is concerned.  As an added bonus, I had never previously played the first of the games, Street Fighter II.  I had heard of its status as revolutionary in the competitive gaming community, and I had seen the following clip regarding the game: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgSAOxwr0xE).  These two things were enough to pique my interest.

The downside to playing this game solely on the computer is that I cannot utilize the multiplayer mode.  It is fairly easy to use “cheap tactics” to defeat the computer due to its limited AI Intelligence, such as repeating the vicious uppercut or spamming any projectile weapon.  Even worse was the computer using tactics like this (especially overusing their projectile).  Computers have no code of honor and don’t understand the concept of glory, so when a computer character does have a projectile, they abuse it to the edge of its limits.  Ultimately, that method of winning is unpleasant, no matter which side is using it.  This video demonstrates the terrible experience that Street Fighter II can be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgMx4Lqf4T4

This was, in my opinion, the major flaw of the game, but most of that flaw derives from my inability to use the multiplayer mode. Probably my favorite part about Street Fighter II was the characters within the game, particularly Ryu.  Whether it is his red headband or his “I don’t give a crap” stance, Ryu just has that natural aura of coolness.  Other characters like Chun Li, Dhalsim, and M. Bison provided contributions like more X chromosomes, stereotypes, and the typical German officer villain.  The characters, along with the wide array of moves, make this game a memorable one.





Mortal Kombat 2

Whether it is through a gaming magazine, a news outlet, or an angry suburban mother, nearly every person of Generation Y has heard of the Mortal Kombat series.  The series gained notoriety from the unprecedented violence that the series introduced.  This was largely from the "Fatalities" that each player could perform by beating the other player twice.  The Fatalities are probably the most popular part of the Mortal Kombat game and have been parodied in multiple forms.  Here is a good example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIXqvaHyizg

GET OVER HERE!!!

For me, I enjoyed the variety of characters even more than the Fatalities.  Because each character has a distinct look and background story, the player can more easily connect with each of the characters.  This was a brilliant maneuver on the game developer's part because the player is able to connect uniquely with the characters.  For me, I have a soft spot for Scorpion.  Between his crazy outfit, background story, and trademark moves, Scorpion is a beast.

Despite its appeal to a wide audience, the game does have its downfall.  Mortal Kombat is not intended for the competitive audience, so the controls and playability cannot match the power of Street Fighter.  With Mortal Kombat, this in particular allows for players to use "cheap tactics" to win (for an example, watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oZtlXX8C7Q).  It can be annoying, but as long as the player can overlook that aspect, Mortal Kombat can be bundles of fun.

Week 9: Super Metroid

Fight bosses like the magical Liopleurodon!

The tale of Super Metroid follows Samus Aran, who is arguably one of the most famous heroines in video gaming history.  In this installment of Metroid, Samus encounters a newly born Metroid larva.  The larva contains great power, but mistakenly believes Samus to be its mother.  Samus brings the larva to scientists for analyzing and possibly weaponizing purposes.  However, soon after Samus’ departure, the larva kills the scientists and escapes the laboratory (typical).  After that point, it is ultimately Samus’ goal to find the Metroid larva and subdue it.  In order to do this, Samus must navigate through the planet of Zebes while fighting the various creatures and bosses that appear.

The game had enough interesting aspects to make it classifiable as a “good” game.  The power-ups and feats that could be acquired along the way made Super Metroid more varied and even gave it the leveling-up feel.  Another aspect of the game that I enjoyed was the precursor to today’s mini-maps.  The map, located at the top-right corner of the screen, automatically showed the player’s progress during the game.  The auto-map and the save function allowed the player to enjoy the gameplay more and worry less about finding their way around.

For me, the game was not exceptionally enjoyable.  I appreciated the battle sequences, the fluidity of Samus’ controls, and the setting, including the environment, visual cut-scenes, and sounds, but the in-between period of traveling/solving puzzles was too arduous and boring for my taste.  In a platforming game like this, I would have preferred less traveling and more overall fighting.  Then again, I suppose that the style of Super Metroid has made it unique compared to other games.  While I did not particularly value the amount of puzzle-solving aspect of the game, another player could have enjoyed solving the puzzles more than anything else in the game.  Even as I give Super Metroid a luke-warm review, I recognize and reflect that most people would enjoy it more than I did.

Week 8: Final Fantasy

Possibly the most famous of RPG games, Final Fantasy made its debut in 1987.  With a fairly intricate story (especially for its time) and a variety of foes to fight, the game was a commercial and critical success.  Since then, it has produced a multitude of sequels, merchandise, and cultural references that have cemented its place in video gaming history.

In the first one, the story follows four brave travelers as they set out to save a Princess and save the world from imminent doom.  The unique part about Final Fantasy was that the player can choose the class of all four characters.  The options for these classes are Fighter, Red Mage, White Mage, Black Mage, Thief, or Black Belt.  Through the battling of monsters and the traveling of the various lands, which were three continents in total, the warriors need to defeat the Four Fiends of the Elements and, ultimately, Chaos.  

Because this is a game that involves leveling up and gaining experience, it is one that requires a large investment of time.  In order to even match the monsters that come later, a player needs to fight all of the lower-level monsters and buy all of the necessary equipment.  It is very unlikely that a player will be knowledgable enough about the game to do this on their first try, so the player must also have the patience to fail a few times first.

I enjoyed the game as a groundbreaking RPG, but I doubt that I would have the patience or even interest to finish the game entirely.  There were elements that I did find amusing, though.  After my first few tries at the game, I decided that having a majority of Fighters was advantageous for the early stages of the game.  Because of that, my favorite combination was 3 Fighters and 1 White Mage, who I used primarily as a healer.  However, the thing that put the biggest smile on my face was my White Mage getting a critical hit of "3 Damage".  Another humorous aspect of the game was that it cost more gold to purchase chain mail for one of the Fighters than it was to resurrect them.  Perhaps in this fictional world, it is easier to bring people back from the dead.

The impact that Final Fantasy has had on the RPG genre of gaming is clearly evident; in a way, this game took what "River City Ransom" had done and simply made it more engaging.  Probably because of this, Final Fantasy has become a legend within the gaming community, and I highly doubt that their reign of sequels has ended.

Batman: Arkham City

Vigilante of Gotham becomes Savior of Arkham City

Before Arkham City is even mentioned, I believe that it is important to examine the character of Batman and his potential as a video game character.  Batman is notorious for being matched up against and with super heroes, but not being "super" or really even a true "hero". Simply put, he is a well-trained, well-equipped vigilante that parades around in a bat mask, but in reality, Batman represents much more than that.  He has experienced trauma on a deep level; he responds to this by bashing in the brains of any evildoer that he finds and by brooding a lot.  In the ranking of fictional characters, Batman would be most likely be labeled as an "elite badass" (2nd only to Tyler Durden's position as "ultimate badass").  Also, Batman fights his enemies through a combination of advanced fighting skills, state-of-the-art technology, and stealth.  As long as the game developers use these facets well, Batman represents the nearly ideal candidate for a video game main character.

To make a long story short, the designers of Arkham City used the character of Batman, the characters from the comics/movies, and the mechanics of the game very well.  The play area is enormous, reportedly five times larger than the previous installment "Batman: Arkham Asylum".  More than that, though, it authentically feels like a universe in which Batman would be the nighttime ruler.  The city is ominous, dark, and best of all, open.  It gives Batman the opportunity to spread his wings and soar across the skyline of the city, striking fear into the villains below.  The setting is completed by the various gangs that inhabit the city.  The designers took great care to make each section seem unique for each gang.  For example, the area that belongs to the Joker has more silly and demented themes and artwork while the area that belongs to Two-Face is more crude.  This allows the player to become further into the story behind the game.

The fighting style that the game employed was superb.  There were a variety of takedowns that the player could use depending on the situation, but for the most part, it was the simplicity of the style that made it so effective.  If multiple players were attacking Batman, then the player would most likely alternate between timing the attack of the "X" button and using the "Y" button, which is used for blocking the enemy's attack.  Other examples of attacks that can be used within the game are a silent takedown (sneaking up on an enemy), a double takedown (sneaking up on two enemies and bashing their heads together), a ground takedown (after beating an enemy to the ground, delivering a knockout punch), and many others.  The video below is a good representative of how smoothly the game's fighting sequences can flow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUe31IQgdDM

The wide arsenal of characters was certainly not a detractor.  Among the more prominent ones were the Joker, Dr. Hugo Strange,  the Penguin, Ra's al Ghul, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, and Bane.  Some were involved in side missions while others were a large part of the main storyline.  Another wonderful addition to the game were the voices of Batman and the Joker: Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill respectively.  These actors, especially Mark Hamill, helped bring a reality to the animated characters in a way that would have been difficult for anyone else.

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker and provided the voice of the Joker.
Hmm... a lightsaber-wielding Joker.  That's a scary thought.

While all of these things were really cool additions to a solid game, the driving force was the main story.  I specified the main story because there were a myriad of side missions within the game that involved other storylines.  The main storyline begins with Dr. Hugo Strange throwing Batman into Arkham City and revealing that he knows Batman's true identity.  After this, Batman is forced into fighting an array of villains before facing the Joker.  Before this, the player has learned through Batman that Joker has become ill with a terminal disease.  The Joker tried to cure it by using Titan formula supplied by Bane, but it only mutated the disease and made it worse.  In order to enlist Batman's help, the Joker tricked Batman and gave him a bit of the Joker's blood.  After that, Batman began looking for a cure so that they could both survive.

The intriguing part about this storyline is that it offered a deeper examination of the relationship between Batman and the Joker, which was already one of the most complex relationships within the comic book world.  The entire story was riddled with amusing interactions between the characters, captivating developments and battles, and even a few surprising turns.  By the time that the story had concluded, I was stunned by the magnitude of it, but also deeply sad that it was over.  I suppose that is exactly the reaction that the game developers want.

Arkham City is one of the best all-around games that I have ever played.  I am a little biased because I already have an appreciation for Batman and a preference for open-world games, but even still, it is difficult to find any kind of criticism against the game.  If anything, I object against the game's depiction of women.  Almost all of the women within the game are very weak characters or overly sexualized.  For a strong example, see the picture below:

She must be quite toasty in all of that skin-tight clothing.

Other than that unnecessary appeal to teenage boys, it was sincerely a privilege to play a game of this scale.