Tuesday, September 17, 2002

Review of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny for PS2     Publisher: Capcom     Developer: Capcom     Genre: Adventure     # Of Players: 1     Capcom’s other monster-slaying franchise returns with Onimusha 2.  A sequel to the original hit (and the first PS2 game I reviewed), it follows the master swordsman Jubei Yagyu as he tracks down evil demon king Nobunaga Oda who burned down his village and slaughtered his family and friends.  This is a big change from the original, with new enemies, moves, weapons, and characters.  But while it’s an improvement in some areas, it’s weak enough in others that the first game is actually better, and it’s certainly not even close to other action games like Devil May Cry & especially Mark of Kri. Graphics: Ok, the cinemas are absolutely amazing, this is the first time in a while that I actually didn’t skip the opening cinema because it was very cool.  The in-game graphics and animation are fairly well done, but the game does use pre-rendered backgrounds, which are very static and don’t have any life in them.  People in the game also move a little awkwardly in some of the in game cut scenes. Sound: The music is fairly well done, as there are good beats throughout.  Sound effects are solid also, as you’ll hear footsteps and sword swings crystal clear.  My only problem is that the voice acting is god-awful (which ruins a lot of the game’s humor), and you can’t skip it or turn it off. Gameplay: Ok, while you can play as many different characters throughout the game, you can’t switch at will, because god forbid that they add a lot of variety that way.  The weapons all function roughly the same (with the exception of long distance weapons), and it doesn’t make for much variety when there is only one attack button (I’m not asking for street fighter here, but a lot of buttons go unused, and giving them a function even if it’s just stuff that makes your fighting look cooler would add a lot).  The control scheme is like R.E., using the directional pad, which is just plain stupid, and you can’t switch to analog control.  There is no quick roll or dodge button, so getting out of the way of a boss (especially the first one that literally tries to squash you) is a nearly impossible task.  Bosses have no energy meter, so you have no idea if you are what you are doing is really working all that well.  Enemy A.I. is extremely incompetent, as they are feebly easy to beat and sometimes will lunge their swords at nothing, but they also tend to be cheap, and the battle system has trouble keeping track of which one you are fighting (i.e. I will try and get an early kill on a guy, but instead I suddenly start going for a guy on the other side of the screen).  But there are a few saving graces such as occasionally getting help fighting with other characters, the rpg-influenced upgrade system, and actually playing as a few different characters with different abilities is pretty cool. Features: Well, there is an art gallery that you can get pictures for, and since this is a Capcom game, probably a few cool game modes to unlock, but I have no idea what they are (how about listing them to give me some motivation to unlock them, huh?). Funfactor: Again, while there is some new and interesting stuff in this one, there are some majorly over-looked flaws that simply make this game way inferior to current action games, and quite frankly, slightly inferior to it’s predecessor.  Unless you are seriously desperate for some demon sword slashing and can’t wait for Devil May Cry 2, I seriously suggest you save your money because this demon hunt just isn’t worth your time. ---Final Scores— Graphics: 8.0-Killer cut-scenes and nice animation, but pre-rendered backgrounds are incredibly stale, and townspeople just move very awkwardly. Sound: 7.5-Solid music and effects, but acting is atrocious and you can’t skip it. Gameplay: 4.5-Some solid ideas like others helping, playing as a variety of different characters, and some cool rpg elements, but a poor battle system, dumbass enemy A.I., and poor controls really hurt the gameplay. Features: 6.0-Art gallery as well as some unlockable modes (but how about telling me what they are so I know if it’s worthwhile?) Funfactor: 6.5-Only buy if you’ve beaten every other action game out there and can’t wait for another one. 12:09:34 PM    comment []

Review of Dynasty Tactics for PS2Review of Dynasty Tactics for PS2     Publisher: Koei     Developer: Koei     Genre: Strategy     # Of Players: 1     Oh joy, another Koei game!  I don’t know why, but Koei’s series of dynasty- inspired games (namely the Warriors and Romance series) with their systems and huge amount of story (and I normally love a good story) have always bored me to tears (especially in Dynasty Warrior games, which have no story and always get boring after an hour or two).  But this game represents a somewhat new direction, as it’s somewhat a combination of Kessen and Final Fantasy tactics.  You as one of three Emperors try to conquer the Three Kingdoms.  Unfortunately some interesting ideas are marred by bad execution and massive repetition. Graphics: The filed graphics are extremely simplistic, with only little one-color icons.  In battle, the character models don’t look distinct at all, the only way you can tell which is the lead army is by the fact that they carry a flag.  There are cinemas for certain special attacks, but there are only a few and after 3 or 4 battles, you’ve already seen all of them 20 times and they never really give a really good indication of what actually is going on (aside from the raid cinema, anyways), and there are no particularly strong animations or details on the field or cinemas themselves. Sound: Music is actually very good, gets you pumped for major epic battles.  Sound effects are pretty well done, as you can hear the sounds of battle in the cinemas fairly well.  The voice acting is decent, but there should be a little more variety, as they all seem to have roughly the same sayings for the same attacks. Gameplay: Ok, despite some major resemblance, the only thing this game really has in common with the classic Final Fantasy Tactics is part of the name.  Each unit is comprised of an army, the army acts sort of like hit points, and units have a very rock-paper-scissors set up, but it’s luckily not totally dependent on that as really good strategy can get you a win even if you are slightly outmatched.  The real key to victory is mastering the complex combo system, which if done correctly, can easily wipe out 5,000 soldiers in one shot.  The problems with this system is that 1st off, the computer knows how to use it way too well, as by the 2nd battle I was getting my butt handed to me on a regular basis.  There is no way to break up or counter combos, even though there seems to be something called the link tactic that apparently can be stopped, but combos can’t.  It’s almost like they decided not to finish the battle system.  I like that other generals fight each other, but overall the management system is extremely dumbed down, as you can make anyone turn rather easily and you don’t have to do anything to keep them happy and they never leave you for any reason. Features: You can play as 3 different kingdoms, but other than that it’s extremely basic options. Funfactor: The bottom line on this is that it is a very unique game that definitely offers something different for strategy fans, as the only game on console I can think even sort of like this is Dragonforce for the Saturn (though that is a much better game).  If you are a hardcore strategy fan or a big fan of Koei’s games, this will probably satisfy you as it has a lot of interesting and well done elements that overall outweigh its bad ones. --Final Scores— Graphics: 2.5-You can’t get much more simplistic than this, and yes, there are cinemas, but they aren’t all that great and extremely repetitive. Sound: 8.0-Great music, solid effect, and decent acting, but needs greater variety of lines in battle. Gameplay: 5.5-Some interesting ideas, but they seem unfinished, the computer knows the system way too well, management of your army is way too simplistic, and no way to break or counter combos. Features: 6.0-You can play as 3 separate kingdoms, but nothing else. Funfactor: 6.5-Hardcore strategy purists will most likely enjoy it, but everyone else should skip it. 12:04:13 PM    comment []

Review of One-Hour Photo     Sy the photo guy (Robin Williams) is one of those invisible people in everyday life.  He has no family, no friends, he lives all alone in a single apartment, and he’s had the same job processing film at a local SavMart (just think of a shoddy Target rip-off) for almost twenty years.  He is good at his job, and he takes a lot of pride in the quality of the photos he develops, but he seems to have a desperate need for some sort of family, any sort, even one that he only imagines that he is part of.  And the one he seems to attach himself to is a nice young couple with a little boy; the Yorkins.  Sy orders extra copies of their family photographs to keep for himself, and even tells other people that they are his family (he even tells the mother that he feels like ‘Uncle Sy’).  He even occasionally goes to their house and takes photos of them completely unaware.  On the surface, like their photos, they appear to be a perfect family with no serious problems and no arguments, and Sy strongly believes this.  But he discovers that they are far from a perfect family, and that’s when he decides to do something about it.     Robin Williams is suddenly one of the hardest working guys in Hollywood, as this is his third movie in out in the span of 6 months, all obviously designed to change his image as he’s now played a psychotic kids show host, a serial killer, and a slightly psycho clerk (anybody else starting to see a theme?).  But his latest is also his best this year as Williams has to carry this movie unlike his last two which had major co-stars like Norton & Pacino and he does a great job making you entranced but at the same time a little scared and horrified at this man and how he lives his life.  This is just overall an excellent movie with a great pace and a well-chosen cast and will definitely make you think twice about that little clerk you never notice. Final Grade: A 11:57:10 AM    comment []