Living LIVE 10.19.09: Issue No. 43
Posted by Trace Aber on 10.19.2009
Featuring reviews of Sam and Max Beyond Time and Space, Axel and Pixel, Hammerball, IncaBlocks, and Powa Volley!
I'm a little disappointed in myself as I have played little video games this week. In fact, I bought Uncharted 2 (I know, I'm a traitor) on the day it came out and didn't actually play it until three days later. After playing it I can honestly say I should have played it the second I got it…because it's incredible. But, a lot of the week was taken up with wedding activities with my friend. Bachelor party on Thursday, rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Friday, and a spectacular wedding on Saturday. Everything went perfect, but then again that might have been the open bar talking to me. Anyways, we have some games to review and I have a hangover to overcome, so that being said I'll only be reviewing five games. I mean, health comes first…
I'm Trace Aber and this is Living LIVE.
This week we saw the release of two point and click games, one known for its humor and the other known for its unique art style. Unfortunately, only one really lives up to expectations while the other one does little to stand out in a crowd of imitators.
Sam and Max: Beyond Time and Space (1,600MP)
Picking up where season one left off, Beyond Time and Space puts you in the shoes of Sam and Max, solving various cases along the way. In the first episode Mr. Spatula (the vice-president) has been turned into pure evil then, somewhere along the way, a gigantic robot appears…and somewhere between all of that you go to find Santa. It's pretty crazy and off the wall but exactly what players should expect from the series. The game follows the standard point and click rules. That means you'll be using your 360 controller instead of the original mouse, but for the most part they did a good job at making sure everything works well. Granted, you will encounter some puzzles that might appear a bit harder than normal thanks to this scheme, but overall it's a pleasant experience.
One of the great things about the Sam&Max games is the humor within it, and Beyond Time and Space is definitely succeeds in that respect. Even if you're on the wrong path in solving a case you'll still be treated to plenty of humorous one-liners to make you feel like it was worth going the wrong way just to hear the joke. The season consists of five episodes which should give most players about fifteen hours or so of gameplay, so you're definitely getting your money's worth. As mentioned above, you'll notice a few slight issues with the control stick, but that shouldn't detract you. Sam and Max is a fun game and well worth the money, but I recommend you play the first season (Save the World) first. Rating: 7.5
Axel and Pixel (800MP)
Axel is a pretty simple guy. He likes to paint and hang out with his dog while a rat plays music for him. Unfortunately, his little quaint lifestyle is going to have to change since they both wake up in Dream World one day and the evil rat holds the key back home. Pretty simple, everyday stuff, right? Axel and Pixel is basically a point and click game with some mini-games thrown in to even it out, and while it does create an interesting world it doesn't engage the player enough.
First off, let's get the obvious out of the way. This game looks excellent and stands out from most other Arcade titles simply for that reason…and I don't think too many people will argue that point. Ok, moving on. You control a magical cursor that will turn yellow when you're on an appropriate point in the screen and you press A. That's the majority of the game right there, but that makes sense considering the genre. The problem is that, for one, the puzzles seen in the demo aren't all that logical and require little more than scanning the screen for yellow. Another problem is that each sequence tends to take far too long for me to care. Sure, at first it's funny and the game does hold a certain charm to it, but all in all I kept wishing for a fast forward button.
As mentioned above, the game does have some variation in play style. In the trial there's only one mini-game unlocked, but from what I've seen online all of the mini-games are simplistic side scrollers. It's not even that they're done bad, it's just that you can play them online for free, or probably even get a cheaper, more in-depth version in the Indie games section. Axel and Pixel isn't a bad game by any means and to a degree it's pretty fun. The problem is that it doesn't add much to the genre and is content with being mediocre at best. Download the demo if you want to explore the art but there's not enough in here to warrant a purchase. Rating: 5.0
Colosseum: Hammerball (80MP)
Hammerball is one of those rare instances when you get a really fun, well put-together indie game that has merits on its own and is available for a cheap price. Part of the Colosseum series, Hammerball is a 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 sport featuring elements from hockey and "gateball," whatever that is. You're equipped with a huge war hammer and it's up to you and your partners to get the ball into the goal. Players can charge their attacks to instantly kill the opposing team member (who will regenerate shortly after) when they don't have the ball, while they can also charge their pass and shot as well.
The mechanics of the game are pretty easy to learn but with a group of friends things can get pretty competitive. You have the option of changing various settings such as the time limit, score limit, and team sizes. There's twelve teams to choose from, though you won't really notice a difference until you score. After the game (some of which have lasted under twenty seconds), you'll get a set of stats on each player which is a nice touch. Everything is done well and you can tell time was put into the game, and for 80MP you can't go wrong with Hammerball. Rating: 8.5
IncaBlocks (80MP)
IncaBlocks is described as a "family board game," which I guess it could be since there's no violence or anything of that sort. But I'm not really sure if my family, or any family for that matter, would want to sit down and play a roaring game of IncaBlocks. The goal is fairly easy – you are given a board and asked to place a series of random blocks down with the intent of not leaving a gap or space between them. Up to four players can enter and you take turns trying to place your block and make it so other players can't place a block down properly. Each board has height settings (or on some boards different areas have different heights) that you have to abide by and the game ends when nobody can place a block down or everyone has given up.
While the game is appropriately priced at 80MP, there isn't enough game to warrant a purchase. It's not fun, rarely engaging, and if you play against the computer you'll be forced to sit and wait for them to think and it's even more frustrating when you wait for what seems an eternity and then the computer gives up. To hell with IncaBlocks, I give up. Rating: 4.5
Powa Volley (400MP)
Powa Volley is a light hearted volley ball game that is surprisingly fun and charming. Featuring eight unique characters, all with their own special abilities, you'll travel across various locations playing arcade-style volleyball. I've always liked volleyball but there just aren't a whole lot of them, so for fans of the sport I'll go ahead and say if you're looking for an easy to learn game, this is it.
As I mentioned before, the eight characters each have their own special ability that you can power up and use to get the winning point. These abilities range from being able to get on the opposing team's side, a double jump, stopping time and causing a wind storm to blow the ball to the other side and keep it there. Each character is also shaped differently meaning you have different areas that you can hit. The gameplay is surprisingly smooth and the collision detection seems dead on, which is vital to a game like volleyball. The game also supports online multiplayer, so there's a lot of value in this game. A definite pick up. Rating: 8.0
Review Round UpSam and Max Beyond Time and Space: 7.5 Axel and Pixel: 5.0 Hammerball: 8.5 IncaBlocks: 4.5 Powa Volley: 8.0
Check back next week as I review the newest arcade and indie games and let you know what's worth buying, trying, and skipping. Also, don't forget to bookmark 411Mania! And a note to all of the Indie Game developers out there – if you have an upcoming title that's going to be released soon drop me a line at traceaber@gmail.com and let me know. I'll write a full review of your game to be posted on 411Mania.com, which is a great way to get your game promoted!
