Living LIVE 06.22.09: The 26th Edition - Magic the Gathering, Sam&Max Save the World, More
Posted by Trace Aber on 06.22.2009
Reviews of Magic, Sam&Max, Rocket Riot, three community games, and information on the demos, movies, and DLC released this week!
Opening Comments
Thursday night saw my professional wrestling debut for a local fed called Xtreme Valley Wrestling. The match went over well enough as I've been invited back to their main card next Saturday, so we'll see how that goes. And in other wrestling news, I'll be writing in the wrestling section starting this week doing reviews of old Monday Night Raws, so be on the look out for that.
I'm Trace Aber and this is Living LIVE.
Game Marketplace - A weekly look at the arcade games, demos, and add-ons released this week.
Sam&Max Save the World (1600MP)
The original Sam and Max game, Hit the Road, was released over fifteen years ago. It became wildly popular, though the followup got cancelled in 2004. Not willing to let the series die, the development team started their own company in an effort to revive the series. The games were released in episodes and on the PC, and now the first six episodes are being offered for download on XBox Live.
Sam and Max is a traditional adventure game, meaning solving puzzles and talking to people while looking around for objects to mess around with. The puzzles are enough to keep you interested, though not particularly challenging. Still, even if you're an adventure expert, the humor should be enough to keep you playing. The biggest drawback to Sam and Max is the interface, which is still set-up for the mouse point-and-click interface. This proves to create a very clunky method of movement, though it's never enough to make you want to quit playing.
The graphics are a huge upgrade from the original Sam and Max, making the world really look like the comic book it strives to be. The environments generally provide little subtle jokes as well, making every scene worth looking around. All in all, Save the World is a fun game but better-played on the computer. I don't know if fans will be sold on the series through this due to the clunky-interface, but fans of the adventure genre should check it out. Rating (Out of 10):7.5
Magic: The Gathering (800MP)
Magic the Gathering, for those who don't know, is one of the most popular card-trading games out there. Countless expansions, decks, and strategies have provided the series with tons of appeal and life, or so my many friends who play the game say. Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is, though I've never played a game of it myself so I'm probably not the best authority. Thankfully, the game provides a tutorial, albeit quite brief. I found myself going to the help menu included in the start menu, which is really in-depth. It's a steep learning curve, but it can be figured out through this. Another great helping feature is the mentoring system they have set up, where new players can hook up with experienced players and learn with direct-interaction.
The campaign mode features you going through sixteen AI computers and unlocking various cards and decks that give you a wider range of abilities to play future opponents. The Challenge mode puts you in a variety of situations, forcing you to attempt to win despite being put against the odds and doing so in just one move. Though I haven't played a lot of Magic, these seem to be challenging for even skilled players. There are only eight challenges, but hopefully some DLC will be released to expand upon this mode. One of the biggest, and most important aspects of the game, is the multiplayer mode. Thankfully, this mode is well-thought out and a great way for players to match up with those who can't meet up in person. Also featured are cameras, allowing for video chat.
The art on the cards are faithful and, often times, beautiful. There's not a lot of movement going on in the screen with only a few exceptions, which is somewhat disappointing given the fact most of this game is spent looking at cards. Still, this was probably a decision made based on the core players who would rather see a straight-game as opposed to a lot of bells and whistles. That being said, this is a great (and cheap) way to get into the world of Magic, and hopefully the mentoring system will be used properly and can get more players out there for those who want to play but can't afford all of the cards needed. Rating (Out of 10): 7.0
Rocket Riot (800MP)
Rocket Riot has you playing a pretty common role: you're a pirate without legs who has been given a jet pack by a doctor in order to improve your mobility. You're also trying to defeat Blockbeard, because, well, he's a douche.
Rocket Riot plays a lot like Lunar Lander, except with the obvious technological advances. The campagin mode features 80 levels with different objectives ranging from deathmatch to simply locating a football. Most of the levels have one thing in common - there are plenty of things trying to stop you and shoot you. Like I said, Blockbeard is a douche. There is also an endurance mode, which consists of you fighting multiple waves of enemies, each wave getting larger. There is a decent multiplayer offering in Rocket Riot as well, with up to four players on the same system, and eight players online.
Graphically, Rocket Riot has a very unqiue look. It looks likes an 8-bit game, but it's actually a 3-D world. When anything is hit, a bunch of pixel cubes explode out and prove that this game truly is 3-D, though perhaps not in the traditional sense. While Rocket Riot might not be the most complex game ever created, or even the most impressive, it's simply fun. It's easy to understand, but can be difficult to master. All in all, a great time-waster. Rating (Out of 10): 8.5
Community Games
Bobby Says - Dance with me! (200MP)
Bobby seems a lot like a virtual, console-version of Simon Says. You follow what the middle square does, and you try to "dance" like it as well. These dance moves are completed by pressing the various face buttons, and that's about it. The music is decent, yes, but there's simply not enough to justify purchasing this game for any price. The description says this game is a memory-trainer, but remembering four buttons and their combinations don't really make a game. Rating (Out of 10): 4.0
Sushi Bumper (400MP)
Sushi Bumper gives us all the chance to bumps other plates of Sushi onto a converyor belt...just what we've always wanted to do. This game reminds me a lot of a mini-game found in Super Monkey Ball where you must knock the other players off a platform, with the only difference that in this game you hit on the edge of the stage. The ultimate goal is to be the one to keep the sushi on your plate the longest and you win, though the game is much more fun than the description gives it credit for. Up to four players can play and the action can get hectic and I can imagine friends getting in heated arguments over who should have won the last Sushi Bumper, which really is all you can ask from a video game. Rating (Out of 10): 8.0
Light's End (200MP)
The biggest selling-point of Light's End is the ability to become any person you meet in the game, allowing you to witness the events of the game from multiple perspectives. You begin as Crystal, who is the daughter of a mining camp foreman. Crystal, not content being protected so much by her father, sneaks into the mine and finds a dagger and statue that angers her father when she gets caught. As it turns out, Crystal has formed a Witch Guild and they try to put a spell on the adults, though things get messed up and you're forced to journey out away from home for the first time ever. So, you know, typical adventure stuff.
All in all, you can meet over 35 characters and become them, which really sets this game apart from other community games. Twenty orignal new songs are included, which is also huge for a community game. Graphically, the game is hit or miss for people, and I'm somewhere in between. Looking at various forums, this game has a pretty good replay value as well, with the creator giving a 3-hour completition time, which is not bad at all for a 200MP game. All in all, something everyone should check out. Rating (Out of 10): 9.5
Demos
Ice Age 3
In the Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Video Game, join Ice Age's unlikely herd of prehistoric pals for their wildest, wackiest, most exciting adventure yet! For the first time, play as six beloved Ice Age characters as they embark on a rescue mission across melting snow to the mysterious Dinosaur World – an all-new, fur-raising jungle of carnivorous plants, lush foliage and fierce dinosaurs. Based on the highly anticipated Fox film of the same name, it's a rollicking ride of mammoth proportions!
The Bigs 2
The BIGS 2 celebrates the most epic of MLB® moments and offers a refreshingly fun and unique experience with dramatic walk-off homeruns, miraculous wall catches and acrobatic diving grabs. The BIGS 2 focuses on the "big" fast-paced moments in Major League Baseball with new opportunities to go up against MLB® legends, mini-games, Home Run Pinball and a variety of other thrilling new features.
NCAA Football 10
Now you can settle who has the most school pride once and for all with NCAA Football 10. The all-new Season Showdown ensures that everything you do counts toward your goal of helping your school become the best in the nation. From all-new risk-reward strategic gameplay options to the revolutionary online create-a-school feature TeamBuilder, make a historic run for the national championship with NCAA Football 10.
Game Add-Ons
Space Invaders Extreme Expansion Pack (240MP)
You'll be able to enjoy the original Space Invaders and the now legendary Part II with this action-packed purchasable content!
ARKANOID Live! Episode Add-on Pack 1 (240MP)
ARKANOID Live! Episode Add-on Pack 2 (240MP)
Guitar Hero: World Tour
Ben Harper and Relentless7 Track Pack (440MP)
"Shimmer and Shine" by Ben Harper and the Relentless7 (160MP)
"Fly One Time" by Ben Harper and the Relentless7 (160MP)
"Number With No Time" by Ben Harper and the Relentless7 (160MP)
Lips
"Radar Love" by Golden Earring (160MP)
"Spiralling" by Keane (160MP)
"Take Back the City" by Snow Patrol (160MP)
Video Marketplace
The Shadow (360MP, 240MP) Alec Baldwin stars with Penelope Ann Miller as the legendary crime-fighting superhero in "The wittiest action-adventure since Indiana Jones!" (NBC News). Donning his sweeping black cape and disguise, The Shadow takes on his most dangerous nemesis yet: the last descendant of the great Genghis Khan whose weapon of choice is an atomic bomb. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, they square off for a spectacular battle in a dazzling mixture of mind-blowing special effects, humor and a dose of the macabre that will hold you spellbound!
Fanboys (480MP, 320MP) It's 1998 and Star Wars fanboys across the globe eagerly await the release of Episode I. But for Eric, Linus, Hutch and Windows the term "fanboy" is more than just a title, it's a badge of honor. Spurred by impatience and an undying loyalty to their cause, these former high school friends reunite to undertake the road trip of their fan-tasies. Traveling West across the country to visit their Mecca - George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch - the plan is to break in, steal the film and stake their claim as the first fanboys in history to watch it. But to secure their place in the fanboy hall of fame, they'll have to contend with bizarre bikers, a crazy pimp, a deranged group of trekkies and the quiet intensity of William Shatner.
Valkyrie (480MP, 320MP) At the height of WWII, a group of German officers hatched a plot, code named "Valkyrie," to assassinate Hitler, seize control of the military and end the war. The edge-of-your-seat suspense never falters, as minor glitches unravel a conspiracy which nearly changed history. Starring Tom Cruise as the Colonel who was the main force behind the conspiracy, the distinguished cast also includes Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard. Directed by Bryan Singer.
My Bloody Valentine (480MP, 320MP) Ten years ago in the town of Harmony, an inexperienced coal miner caused an accident in the tunnels that trapped and killed five men and sent the only survivor, Harry Warden, into a permanent coma. But Harry Warden wanted revenge. Exactly one year later, on Valentine's Day, he woke up...and brutally murdered twenty-two people with a pickaxe before being killed. Now, after years of peace, something from Harmony's dark past has returned. Wearing a miner's mask and armed with a pickaxe, an unstoppable killer is on the loose. And as his footsteps come ever closer, the townspeople realize in terror that it just might be Harry Warden who's come back…
Valley Girl (NA, 240MP) Inspired by the popular hit song from Moon Unit Zappa, this is a fresh 80s take on the Romeo & Juliet theme. A punk rocker type falls for a San Fernando "Valley Girl" with comically romantic results. Notable for the feature debuts of actor Nicolas Cage (formerly Nick Coppola) and director Martha Coolidge.
The Wolf Man (360MP, 240MP) The original horror classic that introduced one of the screen's most infamous monsters! Lon Chaney, Jr. portrays Larry Talbot, who returns to his father's (Claude Rains) castle in Wales and meets a beautiful woman (Evelyn Ankers). One fateful night, Talbot escorts her to a local carnival where Jenny's fate is revealed by a mysterious gypsy fortune teller. The dreamlike atmospheres and elaborate settings combined with a chilling musical score make The Wolf Man a masterpiece not only of the genre, but for all time!
Events
Monday: Music Monday - Beat IT!
Monday: Game With Fame - Asher Roth (Halo 3)
Tuesday: Family Game Night - Monsters Vs Aliens The Video Game
Wednesday: GamerchiX Ladies Night - Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Thursday: Co-Op Night - Frontlines: Fuel of War
Friday: Only On Xbox 360 - 1 Vs 100
Friday: Game With Fame: Linkin Park - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen The Game
Sunday: Community Playdate - Squad XP (Left 4 Dead)
Closing
Join us next Monday for more of the latest news, reviews, and downloads on Xbox Live! Any questions or comments can be posted below! Also, don't forget to bookmark 411 as your homepage, because, I mean, you come here everyday anyways. Just save yourself the trouble.
If there are any community game developers who are looking to promote a game, give me an e-mail at traceaber@gmail.com and we'll set up an interview.
