The Rumble Pack

Can you believe that it has been over a year since the last issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly hit newsstands? As a longtime subscriber - my first issue dates back to the Sushi-X days - the great 1up.com purging was heartbreaking. That magazine was a major influence on our Pack and a games journalism institution. It didn’t matter that I only had time for the cover stories, and it didn’t matter that so much of the content was “old” by the time it arrived in my mailbox. I was loyal to print and believed in whatever the 1up guys were doing, so paying for a subscription was a no-brainer. Plus, EGM was always a great toilet read. Boo on Hearst or Ziff or whoever else was ultimately responsible for its demise.

Shortly after so many of the veteran staffers were booted, Steve Harris, the founder of EGM, announced that he bought back publishing rights and intended to revive the magazine in the near future. We didn’t hear much for many months besides a few vague promises of a “new business model,” not unlike almost every other floundering print publication out there. Coming out of an incredibly cynical journalism master’s program, I was an immediate skeptic, but I vowed on our podcast to withhold judgment until we had more details. On Saturday, Harris provided said details…and I am cautiously optimistic. Read more

Who: Everyone

When: 9 p.m. EST, February 11th

What: Brütal Legend Multiplayer (we’ll divide into groups of four)

Where: Xbox Live

Why: Because we’re not done rocking out to Dr. Feelgood!

RSVP here 

It is times like this that make me wish I had a better memory.  Now, when 2011 rears its ugly head, I’m going to have to think all the way back to Jan 26 when I contemplate the games that defined 2010. Thank you, Mass Effect 2.

As I sat down to type this review the first time, I found myself trying to go down a bullet list of pros and cons of ME2.  I found myself able to list out a disturbing number of cons that I could easily put into words. The pros, however, weren’t so easily wrangled. As we’ve mentioned numerous times on the podcast, BioWare games have a knack for making you think about the whole, rather than discrete parts.

I’ve never played a game that is so clearly disjointed. Shooting, dialogue, cut scenes - each segment is completely isolated from the rest. You’re never caught off-guard by the action, unlike in Uncharted 2, where you sometimes don’t realize when the cut-scene is done and it’s your turn to play. In ME2, the game jerks from dialogue  to third-person action.  The game is very clear here: now is the time to start killing things. The talkie bits are done. Read more

Every year or two, Insomniac drops another Ratchet & Clank upon us, and every time, I tell myself that I’m done with the series. Platformers have always captured my imagination more than any other genre, and it’s not as if the series’ trademark funky guns/double jumping formula doesn’t work. But with the first two Future games - Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty - something felt off. They were well-made and came close to the idealized Pixar visual standard, but the action itself hadn’t evolved much since the PS2 days. You can only strafe around so many aliens before you begin to long for something more. And with A Crack in Time, we finally got just enough new content to justify picking up the OmniWrench once again.

However, this isn’t immediately apparent when the game starts up. Despite amassing a half-dozen incredible arsenals over the years, Ratchet begins with yet another pea-shooter and bomb glove, while Clank has his own segments that seem far-removed from the rest of the adventure. The latter sections hint at some time-bending puzzles to come, but the extent of this new style doesn’t become apparent until a few hours of play. Read more

As you heard last night, I’m a big fan of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. I’d argue that it’s the Wii’s answer to Street Fighter IV, a great game that takes a step or two away from the unbalanced madness of Marvel vs. Capcom 2. It’s both a licensing miracle and a beacon for hardcore fighting game fans, so I’m seriously praying that it sells well enough for the sequel.

However, while I’m eternally grateful for this game’s incredible domestic debut, I’m baffled by some of the playable Capcom combatants. The company has so many franchises and characters under its belt - see the last crossover’s roster - and yet some of the losers that they’ve dragged out of the archives just don’t seem befitting of the Ultimate All-Stars subtitle. Tatsunoko fans may be equally confused about their own side’s selections, but those guys are so obscure to me that an “off” choice or two wouldn’t make a difference. But for the Capcom side, there is definitely a handful I’d cut… Read more

Like a stampeding herd of krogans, The Rumble Pack cannot be stopped! That’s right, folks…yet another podcast full of Mass Effect 2 lovin’. The guys delve into the game’s superior combat, morality and pet care with minimal spoilers, but you might want to hold off if you haven’t played through the first hour or so. For the handful of you not taking on BioWare’s space odyssey, Justin tags out for some brief Tatsunoko vs. Capcom impressions and Nick dodges the last deadly trains in Spirit Tracks. Plus, pseudo-Mexican cuisine and the latest on Pokémon Unobtanium and Bolognium.

Relevant Links:

Lost Planet 2 Marcus and Dom Trailer

Kaz’s Reaction After Completing Mass Effect 2

 

 Episode 123: One Giant Leap for Space Hamster-kind [81:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

As usual, it’s another quantity-over-quality week from Nintendo’s download services. This time, I’ll be looking at the very first RPG for the DSi Store and a game that turns the camera into a makeshift tilt sensor. Additionally, there are a couple new card games and an “express” version of Nintendo’s True Swing Golf. Ordinarily, I shy away from those mini-editions, but like many early DS games, this one might be tougher to find at retail.

On the Wii, there’s a new episode of Monkey Island, something entitled Tumblebugs 2 and an Alex Kidd game. I’d love to try the first two, but I don’t have enough in my coffers to buy everything. Oh, and nobody likes or has ever liked Alex Kidd. Sorry, pal.

Legends of Exidia
DSiWare/Gameloft
800 Points

I’m of two minds regarding this first hack-and-slash RPG for the system. Aesthetically, it’s as generic as they come - orc-ish lookin’ dudes, slimes, warring fantasy nations and just about everything else you’ve come to expect from a lower-tier 16-bit quest. The swordplay is competent, but on a handheld inundated with this genre, that doesn’t quite cut it. Even so, I can’t write it off completely. While the gameplay is forgettable, there are little details throughout that made me sit back and realize that at least a few people cared about this project. For instance, an early assault on a castle features dozens of fallen soldiers, zip lines, dozens of explosions - none of these flourishes would’ve made the cut if this was some quick cash-in. Again, I wouldn’t recommend this one by any means, but it’s sadly not the worst I’ve seen either. (UPDATE: Apparently this is a cell-phone port, though. So much for that “not a cash-in” comment.) Read more

If you listened to our show last week, then you know that our “What is an RPG?” discussion somehow became pretty heated. Kaz, frustrated over a recent installment of Active Time Babble, suggested that perhaps it’s time to redefine our game classifications. In this installment of Forced Feedback, he and Justin debate whether or not we need new terminology to define our favorite experiences. What exactly does this moldy acronym mean anymore? Read on and see if you can figure it out.

Kaz: I’m bringing this back up from the show for a couple reasons. I was irritated listening to games journalists, a group that frequently complains that there isn’t an audience for serious game discussions, sidestep and give up on an important discussion. To say that we can use vague, ill-defined words and “get what we mean” from them is copping out.

All too often, gamers fall into the trap of not wanting to engage in difficult discussions because “games are for fun and what fun can be had of serious discussion.” I don’t think that discussing how to define a game precludes having fun with it. I like to think about how to better define genre-bending games like Bioshock. Trying to define the experience lets us develop a means to express the value of a game beyond the obvious “because it’s fun.” Read more

If you’re a Capcom fan, you’ll want to put down your joystick and turn up the volume for this one! Jim Zubkavich, Project Manager at UDON Entertainment, visits the show this week, and he’s no wet noodle. He tells the guys about the recently released Tatsunoko vs. Capcom endings, creating stories for beloved Street Fighters, HD Remix sprite work, lush art books and much more. After the interview, stay tuned for a Mass Effect Hyper Combo Finish. If you’re a little fuzzy on Commander Shepard’s first adventure, Tom, Nick and Kaz will get you up to speed. Justin and Tony also provide some gravity-defying VVVVVV love. Plus, RPG taxonomy (oh boy!) and heaping bowls of breakfast cereal!

Relevant Links:

Zub Tales (Jim’s Blog)

Active Time Babble’s “What is an RPG?” Episode V

VVVVVV Kongregate Demo

 

 Episode 122: Tuesday Night Slam Chatter [95:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week on Nintendo’s download services, we have a new first-party board game, the sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbors that was better left forgotten, two of the more ambitious 200 point titles released so far (even if they’re still a bit cruddy) and yet another UNO port from Gameloft. While I’ve played the XBLA version too darn much to justify picking up another version of the card game, this one is significant because it actually supports my dusty Wii Speak peripheral. It also allows multiplayer offline on one console. Does anyone know how that works?

Number Battle
DSiWare/Nintendo
500 Points

Again, I don’t know who is in charge of naming Nintendo’s DSiWare, but does anyone think that the kids will be clamoring for something called Number Battles? Weak title aside, if you’re the kind of gamer who spent hours with Brain Age Sudoku or Sunday’s crossword puzzle, this should be your next cerebral fix. Number Battle is essentially a contest for up to four players (human or computer) to see who can link up numerical sequences and loops the fastest. Like Chess, there are countless strategies for success, especially when you add items and random bonus zones to the board. For 500 points, the package is pretty robust, too - many single-player stages with A.I. that isn’t too unfair and Wi-Fi support just in case someone besides myself decides to buy it. Read more