The Retrospective 04.19.07: Starfox (Part 1 of 2)
Posted by Sean McCabe on 04.19.2007
Life’s a bitch, and then you die.
Somebody said that, but then that somebody never had much fun. However, whilst life can be very enjoyable, death is never a joyous occasion. As a University student myself, it chills me to the bone to think that a fellow student of mine can walk in on classes and butcher them. What is it about the human psyche that makes causing needless death an acceptable action? Virginia right now is in a state of mourning, and there's not much that can be done to console it.
But what do I blame? I don't blame the guns. Guns don't think, or act. They're just a tool, and if anybody ever wanted to commit an atrocious act using them, it's really not going to bother them to obtain what they need illegally. Yes, I do believe America's gun laws are too liberal and tightening them up can perhaps limit horrendous incidents like these, but it won't stop them. And I believe that perhaps the US Government's attitude should be to look closely at US society, very closely, and ask one simple question. Why?
Not How. Not When. Not Where. These are the questions most often considered by a Government, because they are easy. Because they are not the equivalent of looking into a mirror and coming to an understanding. Only when you understand why something happens can you stop it happening. And since almost all Crime is linked with poverty, with deprivation, with social apathy, and with abuse, perhaps it's about time someone, somewhere, actually started doing their job. It could save people's lives, people who don't have to die.
And on that sombre note, lets get onto things.
The Introspective
Within Temptation came, saw, and conquered Glasgow last Thursday night. From the haunting choir of Our Solemn Hour to open things up, they tore through many great songs, including most from their fantastic latest album, The Heart of Everything. However, "Mother Earth", what many regard as their breakthrough hit, stood tall as the most intense performance, and probably got the best crowd reaction besides maybe "Stand My Ground". And even though there was a technical hitch towards the end of Hand of Sorrow that saw the guitar amps stop working, I was impressed by how well they reacted, managing to keep the crowd in good humour. They then played the song again, despite the fact that the cut off was quite close to the end. They did so despite the fact that obviously, performing is very tiring work, and with how late the cut off was they could have just skipped to the next song, but they showed their full intention of giving Glasgow a perfect performance, something which shows what a class act they are. They played "The Howling" and "The Cross", my favourite songs from The Heart of Everything, and "What Have you Done?", which was what my friend really wanted to see, so we were certainly happy.
What was best about it is how often Sharon Den Adel would talk about how much she was enjoying Scotland between songs. It was their first time here, and that they loved it here. The enthusiasm seemed completely genuine, and it is good when a band want to be where they are performing. I read in an interview that they fully intend to find success in the UK and US markets. I say good luck, they deserve it.
It's just a shame I was so tired through most of it, but I didn't collapse, so I guess that's the main thing.
Cannon God eXaXXion
Oh yeah, a manga so awesome it gets to title it's own section. As the other main work of Kenichi Sonoda, the author famous for Gunsmith Cats and the designs of animes such as Bubblegum Crisis and Gall Force, eXaXXion is a riveting Sci Fi story with interesting characters, an ugly depiction of the horrors and atrocities of war and territorialist expansion, a Gun fetishists wet dream, a slice of fan service heaven and frankly pretty creepy in places. Very typical of a manga then, yet also typical of an American Science Fiction story about alien invasions and such. It's an interesting combination, I highly recommend it, although Dark Horse still need to publish the last two trade paperbacks, which may take a while. Like 3x3 Eyes, and the ongoing decade long saga of that. Sigh.
It's been announced recently that Final Fantasy XIII is not exclusive to the PS3, making me shocked. Actually, maybe not. Square-Enix have yet to give any further confirmation, however .I'm still waiting on MGS 4, Konami. Speaking of which, I got a couple of emails from whom I can only describe as a "PS3 Fanboy", and a real specimen at that.
Day Day wrote:
Hahaha
U want MGS4 to go multi platform?? THEN GET A PS3 and play them all. U want to know why yr silly xbox won't get MGS?? Well in a nutshell............ it's not good enough, it can't handle the game. And this isn't me talking, it's the guy who MAKES the games. The one and only KOJIMA!!! U must've failed to read his interview, but no matter I have it here for u. Pretty much the Wii is like a TV something for the family to have fun. The Xbox360 is like a DVD player. Whereas the PS3 is the theatre. THE FULL 100% gaming experience which you cannot have anywhere else, the the reason why it can only work on the PS3.
The interview he refers to was of course when Kojima stated that the MGS4 wouldn't run on anything but the PS3. He later contradicted that, and lets face it, we all know the PS3 is not more powerful than the 360 anyway. It was all propaganda from Sony. My reply was –
Damn, first feedback I get in a long time and it's something like... this.
Meh. Reading Larry Csonka's columns and the retarded shit he gets has
prepared me though.
First off... what Kojima can say right now means nothing. Konami could be
planning to port MGS4 right now, but it's common practice to never reveal
something like that till the game is released for whatever initial platform
it's being released on.
Second, if it does not sell... and it will struggle on something as overly
hyped and as questionably successful as the PS3, and Konami need to find a
way to justify the millions they must be sinking into this project, then
it's not a question of if, not when. Just look at Resident Evil 4, it's
really the exact same situation with the shoe being on the other foot this
time. I would also direct you to another interview in which Kojima stated
that the Xbox 360 could handle MGS4
Finally, I wish to meditate on the irony of being called an "Xbox fanboi" by
a clear PS3 fanboy when I have a PS2, Gamecube, DS and Wii, as well as an
Xbox and Xbox 360.
Have a nice day playing on your movie theater... when it finally has a game
worth talking about.
Which led to –
Day Day wrote:
Cute Sean V cute; expected, but cute none the less.
And please I'm not talking about how great MGS4 is gonna be. Anyone that's played MGS will know it's gonna be great. And the reason why he hasn't said anything about it coming on the xbox is cuz it WONT!! HELLO we are talking about KONAMI here, do u not know about their ties with SONY?? This current MGS will not be allowed on another console. So u can stop dreaming up fantasies. If u want to talk about hype, the ONLY game that's OVER hyped and won't live up to the billing is HALO3. That has GOT to be the most over hyped game is the history of man. And unlike top PS3 titles where it's the public that like to hype and over-hype games, with Xbox it's only Microsoft that seem to go on and on about nothing (the elite and GOW for starters). And trust, it can't be that good!! I mean Halo is a shoot 'em up, anyone can make that type of game.
And how u can even compare Resident Evil to a game like MGS is beeeyyond me. And as for PS3 games worth talking about?? Wake up man it's not even been out here for a month yet!! And Resistance is a top game. U can't say Xbox360's BEST game 'gears of war' is better, cuz it's not. In fact GOW is easier to play AND finish, 24hrs co-op no problem GAME OVER!! And I seem to remember when the 360 came out............ what games did u have?? Oh that's right nothing worth talking about.
And as far as yr five line interview goes............... It's NOT an interview like mine with a Kojima QnA. What does the website say..... 'According to a 1up.com video post' according to a video post it says. WTF that's a load of fucking 360 bollocks....... that doesn't mean anything, no one else has seen this. And even if it is true, I think u have neglected to realise he said DEMO!! U do know what a demo is yes?? I could run a demo of MGS4 on my PS2 and probably my PSP. So ease up, we all know the 360 doesn't have the power for MGS.
And OF COURSE u own a PS2 and the other consoles, u would have to be a fool not to. All xbox boi's have them. How else do you want to be able to play top games?? Besides halo of course. LOL crack me up all day mate!!
And with my theatre I don't need to play games......... maybe I'll have a slide show, or a video conference, or maybe I'll help cure cancer with folding@home, or maybe I'll watch cowboy-bebop or maybe pop over to dailymotion on my browser and watch some Rome or Deadwood, or maybe install Linux. And last but not least I might go play some Motostorm or Resistance.
Try doing that on yr nonHD dvd-player.
Cheerio mate
I didn't reply to this one because I thought I'd wait to now. Now, my first link indeed was only in regards to the tech demo, my mistake, but he still said it.
That link I think is the proof I need. I don't really want to say a lot else, because I think it's clear this moron is incapable of free thought, and I hate conversing with sheep.
VG Babe of the Week: Blue Mary
Another King of Fighters Alumni, Mary made her debut in the Fatal Fury series. Consider her like Taz in female form, and you have Mary. And her opening a fight with simply challenging the opponent, pointing and asking "Are you ready?" is classic.
The Breakdown
Starfox is considered to be one of Nintendo's classic series that has however fallen on hard times as of late. This week, we'll be looking at the early games, the ones that gave the series its reputation.
Starfox
Developer: Argonaut
Format: SNES
Release: 1993
Notes: Named Starwing in Europe for trademark issues. Was the first SNES game to use the FX chip to allow for Mode 7 3D graphics.
Starfox came at a time when most scrolling shooting games, or Shmups, were 2D and usually viewed top down or horizontally. Starfox, powered by the SNES' FX chip, which allowed for polygonal graphics, arguably for the first time in a mainstream console game. It is a rail shooter, in which piloting an Arwing, the player flies forward, avoiding obstacles and shooting down enemies. The player can slow down or speed up using limited thrust power, but otherwise the game is on rails. Nintendo developed the Lylat system as the setting, a solar system populated by various anthropomorphic races. The Venom Empire, led by Emperor Andross is taking over the Lylat System, and thus as Corneria, the last bastion of planetary freedom is about to fall, their pleas of help is answered by the Starfox team, Mercenaries equipped with highly advanced technology and supreme combat skill. The squad, led by Fox McCloud, the son of the Starfox team founder James McCloud, who is missing, presumed dead, commands Peppy, the Veteran of the original team, Slippy, a technical genius of nonetheless questionable piloting competence and Falco, an ace pilot but walking ego, in the fight against Andross.
The game is notable for featuring numerous levels, and offering three levels of difficulty decided by the route the player chooses to take, which gives the game replay value more than most at the time. The game also featured limited collision detection and a wing damage system making it the most advanced shooter of its day.
In Retrospect: This game always kicked my ass, but it was unquestionably a great game and a landmark game in the development of 3D gameplay. Another hit on centre for Nintendo.
Nintendo would then develop a sequel, which would be completed but never released in favour of a game for their follow up console to the SNES, the N64.
Starfox 64
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Format: Nintendo 64
Release: 1997
Notes: Called Lylat Wars in Europe and Australia. The first game to use and be packaged with the N64's Rumble Pak.
Ah, Lylat Wars… well I am from the UK. An N64 game that took many of the ideas from the cancelled Starfox 2 on the SNES, and implemented them into a cinematic package. For a game on cartridge, Lylat Wars (yeah, I'm gonna keep calling it that) contained an incredible amount of voice acting. It also has extremely polished visuals and well directed cut scenes that gave the game a movie-like flair without a need for overblown FMV.
The story takes place about ten years after Starwing. Nothing complicated, Andross has just come back and is up to his usual tricks. A similar route based, albeit flexible rather than static level structure to Starwing is used, and many characters were added to spice up the Lylat System, including the Starwolf team, Starfox's arch rivals, Bill, leader of the Katina Husky squadron, and Falco's feline friend Kat, inhabitant of Zoness. The game contains many beautiful levels, such as the Meteos Asteroid shower, Solar, the Lylat System's Sun, Bolse, a gigantic space station and Area 6, an area of space where, like, the whole of Venom's defence force is stationed to try and stop the Starfox team.
The game includes a 4 player multiplayer mode, a practice mode, and an Expert mode which can be unlocked by obtaining a medal for every level, a difficult and rewarding task. Also, three of the levels actually sees Fox pilot something other than an Arwing. A submarine for Aquas and the Landmaster Tank for Macbeth and Titania. I liked using these vehicles, they were fun and added to the game experience.
In Retrospect: I frigging loved this game. It saw much play on my N64, a console I regard as the best one I ever owned due to the quality of games such as this. Best of the series for sure, and a rightly respected classic.
It's late, I'm nearing the deadline, so I'm going to finish there. Keep things in perspective, as ever, and next week we whine about how far the Fox has fallen.
