The Negative Edge News Report 09.06.07
Posted by Tommy Coloma on 09.06.2007
Today I talk about pulling off miracles in the face of utter defeat, the possibility of playing a good online Marvel fighting game some time within the next century, and why the next Metroid game will be in 2D. Oh yeah! I also try to convince you that Hikaru no Go has some of the best battle scenes you will ever see in an Anime series.
"Never give up, no matter how bleak the sitation: you just never know..."
The preceding video contains a match that took place at Evo a week or so ago. It features Justin Wong and Yipes in a game of Marvel vs. Capcom 2. I believe that this was one of the finals matches. This particular clip reminded me about something that happened recently -
A few weeks ago I decided to dust off the old NES and beat Blaster Master. I've been playing the game sporadically for the past few months but I never got around to beating it. I used to be able finish it fairly consistently back in the day, but I haven't been able to do so for a few years since it is one of those types of games where you have to explicitly block off a good chunk of your day in order to beat it (how I long for the days when all I had to do was finish homework). On this particular day, I decided that I was going to take out the Plutonium Boss or die trying.
It had been a few years since I made it to the later levels so I ended up doing a lot of exploring which caused me to lose most of my continues and lives. It was only after I found out that I only had one more life and no continues that I started to get serious. Whereas earlier I had been falling into spiked areas and getting hit by enemies left and right, now I was making all of my jumps and killing enemies with ease. Even the electricity that I was throwing around was hitting its mark when I needed it to. Basically, when the last few hours that I'd spent getting to that point were on the line, I stepped up my game and started to dominate. This happened a lot when I used to play NES games all the time. Whenever things were at their worst, I'd miraculously start to play at a higher level. I've seen similar jumps in ability while watching my friends play games, when playing people online, and in videos such as the one seen above. This phenomenon is definitely something that most gamers have experienced.
In my eyes, games are infinitely more fun when we get to the point where something is on the line and we are forced to channel all of our energy into making sure that we don't make mistakes. Unfortunately, in the case of single player games (side scrollers especially), we don't get to that point until the later levels. Now, if things are too hard at the beginning, then people won't stick around long enough to make it to the end. I understand that, but I'd like to think that all of you are good enough to take on all challenges. So, the next time you're allowed to choose the difficulty, consider the harder one. Don't worry. When things are at their worst, I'm sure that you'll eventually pull through (unless the game really stinks gameplay-wise). And, because you had to step it up to make it through, the total experience will have been much more memorable.
The News As I See It
The true believers are ready
Justin Lambros, the vice president of interactive media at Marvel, recently had an interview with Gamasutra concerning EA's Marvel license and their upcoming crapfest fighting game. I, like pretty much everyone who has had the misfortune of witnessing EA's last effort, have no faith in that project. Consequently, I didn't find the interview all that comforting. Things did pick up at one point, however, when the interviewer had an off comment about bringing Capcom's Marvel fighters to Xbox Live. According to Justin, he himself is a fan of Capcom's 2D fighting games. Of course, the fact that he wants to see the games make a return doesn't guarantee that they'll show up. However, having someone in power is a step in the right direction for those who have been waiting patiently for an online-enabled version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2.
Honestly, I'm quite sure that we'll be playing an arcade-perfect version of MVC2 on a GGPO enabled Dreamcast emulator long before it comes out legitimately in a download service. I'd love to be proven wrong, but we all know that if they really wanted the game to happen, the ball would be rolling by now.
In an interview with Official PlayStation Magazine UK, the managing director at Guerrilla Games said the following while talking about the possibility of making Killzone 2 for something other than the PS3 -
"To make it simple, the Xbox 360 doesn't have SixAxis or Blu-ray. PlayStation 3 does. And for us that's a really big thing. The level you've just seen is 2GB. We really need Blu-ray to make the game. I don't know how you could fit it on Xbox 360 without taking some shortcuts."
I know that we've all heard or read something like this before, but for some odd reason, this particular quote just annoyed the hell out of me. So it's time for me to vent on this whole subject -
First of all, unless I'm mistaken, the read speed of the PS3 Blu-ray drive is pathetically slow. Slower than the Xbox 360's DVD transfer speed most of the time. Two gigs of data would take several minutes to load up and process. That should be obvious. So unless they plan on loading the entire two gigs at one time and forcing the player to look at a progress bar for a few minutes before each level, they will have to load up the bare minimum that's required to get a level going (i.e. only a fraction of the two gigs) and then stream the rest. If I'm wrong, someone correct me. But I'm pretty sure that I'm right. And if that's the case, please Please PLEASE stop bullshitting us about requiring the storage capacity of a Blu-ray disc to create games. Streamed audio and video don't count. Don't get me wrong - if the game is good, then it's good. I just wish that they'd stop treating gamers like morons.
It would appear that someone was listening to me when I talked about that thread over in the Microsoft forums concerning the need for 16:10 resolution support through the VGA cable. Or, more likely, it's just a huge coincidence. Either way, someone was smart enough to submit a link to the thread at Digg. Whether or not this makes a difference remains to be seen, but at least it has gotten more people to see that the problem is out there. Want to help out? Try digging this.
On a related note, I contacted Microsoft about this problem around the end of July. I asked them several questions that they were supposedly getting answered. Even after numerous follow-up emails throughout August, I got nothing. Is it possible that that they just don't know how to deal with the problem? Whatever the reason, it would be nice to get some sort of a response so that we know where things stand...
No more 3D Metroid Games Any Time Soon?
With the completion of Metroid Prime 3, Retro Studios will be "taking a break from the Metroid series and from Samus." They will instead be focusing on something new. I would like to believe that since Retro hasn't been tapped to make another 3D sequel, the next game in the series will be a 2D affair. If one is made, then it is more likely that it will end up on the DS, but maybe Nintendo will surprise everyone with a 2D console adventure... Yeah right!
Stranglehold seems to be getting all of the attention this week. Fortunately, there are alternatives...
Shin Chuuka Taisen: Michael to Meimei no Bouken (Wii / Japan)
What we've got here is a 2D shooter for the Wii. Two people can play at the same time and the Wii remote can be tilted to change the player's speed. The game is also supposed to include a copy of its predecessor, Cloud Master. We should be getting this in the US in November, but those with import powers can get this title now.
I'm all for 2D shooters on next-gen systems, especially if they try new things. Using tilt-control to change speed could give the genre the shot-in-the-arm that it needs. Then again, it could be total crap. We'll find out in November.
Landstalker (Wii VC)
Mmm... an isometric action RPG. From what I've read, the puzzles and mazes found in the game are supposed to be challenging thanks to their originality and thoughtful design. Some of you may recognize the other games in the "Stalker" series - Lady Stalker, Dark Savior (supposedly just a spiritual successor), and Time Stalkers. Generally, I'd say that if a game was good enough to bring about several sequels, then it must be worth checking out. Thankfully, it won't cost too much to find out in the case of Landstalker.
I see this as a metaphor for the old-school gameplay that Pac-Man employs. Is that not deep?
The Anime Circle
There are a lot of Anime series out there that don't get the attention that they deserve. Everyone knows about Bleach, Melancholy, and Naruto, but what about older series like Tenshi na Konamaiki or newer ones like Nodame Cantabile. Since I watch a lot of this stuff anyway, I thought that I might as well write about some of it. It gives me a chance to reflect, and it gives you a chance to find out about some of the shows that you wouldn't normally watch. I'm not going to be doing full-on reviews; I just want to pass on enough info to spur interest. I'm always open to suggestions, so if there is a series that you think that I should take a look at, feel free to email me about it.
I should be covering the shows that are ending soon. Maybe I'll start doing that next week...
Last week I talked about a show that was able to take a subject that most people find boring and spin it in a way that makes it interesting. One of the shows that I singled out as having similar qualities happens to be the subject of this week's segment.
Hikaru no Go
Hikaru no Go centers around a twelve year old boy named Hikaru Shindo. While searching through his grandfather's old things, Hikaru stumbled upon an old Go board. Of course, it isn't just any old Go board, for it houses the spirit of a Go instructor named Sai. A thousand years ago, Sai was the instructor for the emperor of Japan. Somehow, he was accused of cheating and was subsequently exiled from the capital. With no reason to live, he drowned himself. It is unknown why he still remains in this world. Sai believes that he is still around because he has yet to achieve the "Hand of God," or the perfect Go game. Since Hikaru is the only one that can see him, maybe Sai can accomplish this through him. As Sai plays games through him, Hikaru begins to take an interest in Go. Throughout the series we'll see his innate abilities rise to the surface as he learns from Sai and the people that they meet.
Why you should care:
Once again, we have an Anime series that focuses on a subject that on all accounts should not be interesting in Anime form. I mean, it's a show about one of the oldest board games in existence. A story about a bunch of black and white stones on a grid shouldn't be able to compete with the latest action-oriented epic. However, thanks to the fleshed out characters, great story, interesting matches, and the writer's ability to introduce and teach the game of Go as Hikaru learns it, this series can hold its own against any show out there.
Throughout, you'll see character growth in pretty much everyone that makes an appearance as a result of their dealings with Hikaru and Sai. So, even when the matches don't feature Hikaru, you'll be drawn in thanks to how well everyone is fleshed out. The matches are usually the best parts of the show. While preparing this write-up, I decided to rewatch some of them since it's been a few years since I took a look. What's weird is that I found myself going through a good chunk of the show again because they were arranged so well. Matches usually have a good mix of the players making their moves, their inner thoughts about each move, some commentary by spectators, and music that's perfectly timed with the action. Sadly, these are some of the best battles I've seen in Anime. Sometimes, with shows that feature battles between two people, I'm often tempted to fast forward trough a good chunk of the action in order to speed things along. That is not the case with this show.
This is the first match that Hikaru has against Akira, his main rival throughout the series. It's somewhat subdued compared to the other ones, so don't judge the whole show on it (I'd show you some of the other ones but I don't feel like spoiling the other matches). This is an important match as it brings about an obsession that plays a big part in a lot of the events that happen later. To me, Hikaru and Sai's journey to claim the Hand of God coupled with Akira's obsessive search for the truth behind Hikaru's strength makes for some of the best confrontations in the Hikaru no Go and yet another reason why this series is worth picking up.
Status of the series:
If I remember correctly, the Anime and Manga are almost identical as far as the story and events go.
- Manga
The twenty-three volume Manga ran in Japan from 1998 to 2003. It is licensed and published in the US by Viz. Volume ten was released in August. According to my research, the Manga was slightly edited to remove cigarette use. Kinda lame, but if that's the only change, then it isn't that much of a problem.
- Anime
The seventy-five episode Anime is currently licensed in the US by Viz. So far only thirty-six episodes have been released on DVD. The next set of four will come out some time this month. There were several specials that came out throughout the series' run. I'm not sure whether or not they've been included in any of the DVD sets.
The 411:
With its interesting characters that develop over time, some of the most well-laid-out matches in all of Anime, and a story that has enough twists and turns to keep the series interesting, Hikaru no Go is one of the most entertaining "sports" related shows out there. If you have any interest in Go, or if you want to witness the impossible and see how battles that don't involve weapons can be entertaining, then you owe it to yourself to check this series out.
When will you know?:
I'd say that after watching the third episode you'll know whether or not you would want to continue watching the rest of the show.
That will be 255 Rupees Please
Play Go For Free
Ok. So you want to try your hand at Go? Thanks to the Internet, you don't have to buy an expensive board and a bag of stones to do so. You can test your strength free of charge over at Yahoo! Games. Just click here. Good luck!
Note: You'll need a Yahoo! account to play. If you already have a Yahoo! email address then you're good to go.
To be continued...
That's it for this week. I just found a chainsaw but for some odd reason I can't find any gas to go with it. If I find some fuel to go with the chainsaw, I'll be back next week.
