Comic Mayhem is Back!

About the game:  You create a team of worms that will have wacky voices. You play as that team and use weapons to destroy the other team. 

Controls:Seemed like the same controls of the classic worms games.

Graphics: Its a worms game, there are little worms on the screen that talk and shoot rockets, not much more to say than that.

Sound:  Awesome sounds, awesome music. 

Gameplay: The basic premise is supposed to be very humorous. You use wacky weapons combined with worms to destroy other worms. This is a throwback to the classic 2D Worms game from about 10 years ago (Worms Armageddon). There are quite a few modes here and quite a few weapons. 

The game is turn based. So to start a worm at random is chosen and you have to use that worm with his arsenal of weapons to destroy other worms. Whatever weapon you choose will do so and so amount of damage to whatever worm you are trying to destroy ( provided you hit that worm). Then the other team goes and it goes back and forth until one team is destroyed. The weapons range from the normal gernade to the crazy "holy hand gernade".

What makes the game so memorable are the wacky maps and voices the creators have put into the game. You can use the Old Man voice or the Irish voice. They all sound hilarious and there are tons to choose from. This is really what makes the game awesome. When the Old Man says "I feel like a teenager again" or "nobody loves me". You just cannot help but laugh.

The game is prices modestly at $19.99 on Steam and I suggest you pick it up if you want a throwback to a classic that is tons of fun to play.

Verdict: Playworthy!!!

Flying High

About the game:  Altitude is an indie game that is hard to categorize. Steam considers it an action game, but I am not sure it qualifies. The basic premise is you choose an airplane to control and depending on the level your in you have various objectives to complete.

Controls:  Fits the game well and nothing to say here other than the controls work well for the game.

Graphics: Cartoony graphics that have a worms feel to them. Fits the game well.

Sound:  I think the soundtrack for the game works very well with an uplifting and memorable score.

Gameplay: So as was stated above you choose an airplane and then have to complete an objective. There are 3 different modes of play. Plane Ball, Base Destruction and free for all.

Plane ball is basically soccer with planes. There is a ball and you have to score 6 times in the enemy goal to win the round.

Base Destruction has you carrying a bomb to the enemy base and using it to cause damage and ultimately destroy the base.

Free for all has you going up against the other planes and trying to destroy them. Whoever has the most kills at the end of the round (certain amount of time) wins.

As you try and complete these objectives you can use your planes weapons to destroy the other planes. To help you do this there are various perks that allow you to customize your planes. These range from shooting rockets to giving you extra armor.

There are 4 different planes to choose from and each of them has strengths and weaknesses. The loopy is incredibly fast but very easy to destroy, the bomber is hard to destroy but moves slowly. The differences are pretty straightforward and mastering each of them takes time.

The game has a training mode that introduces you to the various goings on in the game. The game has no single player as everything is online. There is a leveling system where you get xp for completing various tasks and when you reach different levels you can unlock new perks or new planes.

This is a pretty unique game and very fun and addictive. It only costs 10 bucks which is a bargain.

Verdict: Playworthy!!!

Super Metroid Sequel?

About the game: This is a very interesting Metroid game. For the first time ever Samus Aran talks. In fact she is the narrator of the story and is talking all throughout. The game also uses cut scenes quite a bit to advance the story and give you some cool cinematics. The game takes place directly after the events of Super Metroid and has you going aboard a giant ship to answer a distress call.

Controls: This is where the game is very different than the Prime series, instead of using both the wii remote and nunchuk. The game only uses the wii remote. You hold it horizontally about 90% of the time and use the dpad and buttons to do shoot or jump. In this mode the camera is located behind your char, and it is a objective perspective. So you can see your whole character. The other 10% of the time if you point the wii remote at the screen you go into a first person view where you can look around and shoot your missles. It is very weird at first but once you get the hang of it, it becomes pretty fluid switching between the two modes.

Graphics: The graphics are not gonna blow you away, but I thought the cinematic's were very good. Especially the opening with Mother Brain.

Sound: I felt the sound was good and set the mood, but it did not seem as good as the classic Metroid music.

Gameplay: The crux of the game has you running around the giant space station figuring out what is going on, which is like most Metroid games. The game differs in that you are helping a team of guys who are also investigating the space station. This adds to the backstory because Samus used to be a part of this team and it adds quite a bit of tension at times between Samus and her Commander (Adam).

The way you got new weapons makes about as much sense as any normal game. You usually have to search the world and beat some boss to get an upgrade. This time around the commanding officer must give you permission to use a weapon to unlock it. Like when you have to save some team member from dying you use your grappling beam to get up there quickly.

Something else that is different than previous Metroid games is there are no health or missile pickups. The way you replenish your health or missiles is by holding the wii remote vertically and holding down A. While this might sound weird, it is quite helpful as certain bosses are very hard to beat. One of the biggest changes other than the ones previously mentioned is the addition of dodge. You can press to the right or left when an enemy is going to hit you and you will dodge in that direction. This is very helpful and quite a bit different than previous games.

There are tons of waypoints (save stations) in the game. When you get to your next one, you are told exactly where to go, unlike in other Metroid games where you have to discover things for yourself. I do not think this really took away much from the game because you really could not go to other places, the game moves you to your next waypoint because of locked doors and what not.

The story I thought was very intriguing and quite a bit different than previous Metroid games, but it still felt like a Metroid game, which was good.

If your a Metroid fan, I highly recommend the game.

Verdict: Playworthy!!!



Spoiler:   

For a big hint as to how the game plays out check out the first letter of each word in the title of the game.

Its about Fraken time...

About the game: The sequel to the best RTS of all time? I think that says it all. This review is going to be about the single player experience. In Starcraft there are 3 races the Terran humans (which this single-player game is all about), the Protoss (Aliens with awesome tech) and Zerg (disgusting insect creatures like the "Bugs" in Starship Troopers).

Controls: The controls are upgraded since the original and are that much better.

Graphics: These graphics will not be the best you have ever seen, but they certainly have some wow factor to them. The cut scenes are tops as in all Blizzard games, and the interlude in game scenes are also high quality.

Sound: The music/sound is tops as in all Blizzard games. The music has that epic feel to it when your in the middle of some insane mission or lulls to a slow symphony.

Gameplay: This is the is the RTS of the future. The game has the feel of the original game but with many upgrades. Though you only get 1/3 of the story, it feels like a "complete" RTS.

In the standard RTS you have a base and have to farm resources in order to build buildings and units. Then you use these units to beat the enemy (whomever that may be). The game deviates a bit from this at times as you might have to escort people to a destination or you might have to defend for a certain amount of time, but the standard is still the standard even in this game.

This portion of the single-player is the Terrans and your old friend Jim Raynor is back looking older, wiser and still flying on a huge battleship he stole in the first game.

The game has an epic single-player story but it includes many RPG elements. For example when your not doing a mission you can wander around the ship your flying on. As you walk around you can talk to people touch various things and it might give you some information or it might advance the plot a little.

One of the best things blizzard did is include units in the single-player campaign that aren't in the multi-player. This makes for a real unique experience as you will be using your medics and firebats to heal and burn. As you complete missions you will get a currency that can be used to upgrade your units and even hire mercenaries. You also can find these Protoss and Zerg artifacts that will allow you to make permanent upgrades to your base. Like you can get turrets on top of the bunkers or even build a building that slows down the Zerg.

Mercs are a super cool feature, basically they have their own building and after a cool down you can summon them to the battlefield in small numbers. What makes them awesome is that you can summon them instantly so they can help you out in a pinch. Especially in some of the very hard missions that occur later in the camapign.

The storyline for the game is pretty straightforward and I will not spoil anything but you do get the opportunity to play as another race other than Terran.

The game has some surprises along the way and it really is an epic feel, the only let down was that when your done with the game you have to wait another year (or more) for the next installment.

This really only brushes the surface as to how good the game is. If you have not played the original, I suggest you go and get it and at the same time buy this for when your done.

 

Verdict: Playworthy!!!

An Original Jewish Themed Card Game

About the game: In case you do not know this, I have been working on a card game with a couple friends. We have been working on it for about a year now and we are in the process currently of getting it produced. Its a simple blind bidding card game. Oh.....its called "Cholent, The Game!" and its the most original Jewish card game to hit the market in years..

Components: The game is a card game pure and simple. The game will come with 160 cards when it hits stores later this year.

The cards are seperated into 5 categories:

Recipe Cards
Shuk Cards
Ingredient Cards
Gelt Cards
Chevra Cards

There is also a cholent pot card to signify whose turn it is.

Artwork: I will link the game at the end of this post to show off how awesome the artwork really is.  I think seeing the artwork will speak for itself.

Gameplay: The game is very easy to understand but takes some strategy to master.

To start shuffle each of the decks and place them face down in front of everyone. Each player is then dealt a recipe card which is kept secret until the end of the game. Lastly, each player takes 4 gelt cards and 1 chevra card into their hand.

The youngest player then takes the cholent pot and turns over the top card of the shuk deck. Each shuk card will have an immediate effect and will initiate a bidding phase which works as follows.

1) The player who turned over the shuk card takes the number of ingredients indicated on the card and places them face up next to the ingredient deck.
2) Each player takes gelt cards equal to the number of ingredients being bid on.
3) Each ingredient is bid on separately in the order they were turned face up.

Bidding works as follows:

Each player decides how many gelt cards to use, and everyone simultaneously turns them over at the same time. The player with the highest total wins the ingredient.

After each ingredient is bid on, the cholent pot passes to the left and the next player starts the process over.

Now your probably telling yourself that it sounds interesting, but where is the awesome? This is where the chevra cards come in. These are special one time use cards that will help you get the ingredients you need.

You have to pay 3 gelt to get one, and there is no limit to how many you can have, but a smart player will know better than to spend all his gelt on chevra cards. A hand with no gelt is like a Cholent with no ingredients. Just like you need ingredients to make a cholent, so to here you need gelt to get the ingredients for your recipe.

If your interested in the official rules, head on over to the website and check them out.

My Thoughts: Of course I am a bit biased when it comes to this game, because I designed it, but I know a good game when I see it and I think we have a winner here. I feel so strongly about it, my friends and I created a company and are trying to get it produced. We currently have a website, facebook page, board game geek page, and are trying to raise funds through kickstarter.

If you have not heard of kickstarter, it is a website that allows people to donate money to your cause. Of course, you give some sort of reward in exchange for the money. In our case we are offering pre orders of the game, t shirts, a cool sketchbook and more!

If you have any questions, comments or anything at all do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Verdict: Playworthy!!!


Website
Kickstarter
Board Game Geek

"3D" Puzzles should only be this much fun

About the game: This game is just like the first Picross, but with 3D puzzles. You get some sort of square, rectangular shape and you have to carve out the item.

Controls: Touch screen makes the game pretty awesome. Being able to slide and turn the item in circles plus being able to mark or destroy cubes makes the game pretty easy to control.

Graphics: Nothing special, your standard DS graphics.

Sound: The tunes are catchy and add a little bit to the game.

Gameplay: The game starts out by explaining the basics. You first get some rectangular shape. The shape is made up of smaller cubes with numbers on them. This is a 3D shape so you can maneuver the camera all over to see all around the shape in question.

You then learn how to destroy and mark cubes. You destroy the cubes by pressing up on the d-pad and touching the cube in question. You mark a cube by pressing right on the d-pad and touching the cube in question. This makes sure you do not destroy a cube by accident.

The numbers on the cubes represent how many good cubes there should be in that row/column. Supposedly the game never requires you to guess, but I have found otherwise. The tutorial does a very good job of giving you some hints and tips to figuring out the numbers.

The more cubes you destroy the more you see of the item your carving out. If you destroy a cube that is part of the puzzle you get a strike. 5 strikes and your out. When you destroy your last cube, the puzzle will auto go into a little animation and you will get a number of stars depending on how well you did. If you do not get any strikes you get a star, if you beat the puzzle within the recommended time you get another and as long as you beat the puzzle you get another. So, you can get a total of 3 stars per puzzle.

As long as you complete the puzzles, you will unlock more puzzles. There are quite a few puzzles to unlock and they get harder as you go along.

This is one of the best puzzle games I have played in a long time. The game just keeps you coming back for more and more. I have powered through all the easy and normal puzzles and I am now onto the hard ones.

 

Verdict: Playworthy!!!

A sequel worth "punishing" yourself over

About the game: You play as either the female or male protagonist and are trying to escape earth. You have to fight your way out of course and this is no easy task.

Controls: There are a ton of options for this game, but I chose the wii remote and nuchuck and I do not see how any of the others could top it.

Graphics: The graphics are not bad, but they are not Super Mario Galaxy quality. I think it becomes very impressive when there are a crap ton of enemies on screen and there is no fps issues.

Sound: Some catchy tunes. There are voice overs for the characters, but the story really is not the games strong point. It is really all about the game play.

Gameplay: "Sin and Punishment: Star Successor" is the sequel to the awesome Sin and Punishment. If you have not played the original, I recommend head on over to the VC and download it right now. Its a fantastic game that was out for the N64 but never made it to the states, until now. After you have downloaded it then you can sit down with "Star Successor". I say beauty because this game is just so much fun.

The game is a 3d rail shooter, like the great "House of the Dead" series. You can move from side to side on the screen (even flying up in the air), but the game will automatically move you forward to the next area. 

There are thousands of enemies to destroy and you have the choice of characters to destroy them with. I played as the female character because her ability is to lock onto targets, which you would think would make for an easier game. But, I can tell you right now this game is not easy, even on easy!

The whole point of the game is to escape the world you are on and along the way you will destroy tons of enemies. Every time you destroy an enemy your score multiplier will go up. If you get hit it will go down. Sounds easy, but its not so easy to avoid the barrage of fire that appears on screen. 

Also, there are tons of bosses that are some of the best I have ever seen in games. These bosses are no easy feat to beat and will take many continues to finally destroy.

The game is not very long, but the online rankings will keep you going back to stages that you did not do well on, to try and achieve a high score.

I think this is one of my favorite games so far this year and I would recommend it to anyone looking to have a good time.

 

Verdict: Playworthy!!!