Community Replay: Jet Moto 3
By: Daizoren
We take a look at this Playstation classic as Corey Rogers, Corey Rogers, Derek Carlson, Aaron Blanchard and I reminisce about old memories playing this series.
Community Replay: X-Men Arcade
By: Daizoren
Welcome to another episode of Community Replay. Today, myself as well as Derek Carlson, take a look at the old X-Men arcade game since it recently released onto Xbox Live Arcade.
Community Ultra Replay: Diablo II
By: Daizoren
We’re continuing our releases of the Ultra Replay of Diablo II, but I thought that it’s possible that many have not even had a chance to see it. This article is purposed to have all the previous episodes and be updated whenever a new episode comes out (Which is every Monday). Enjoy the videos below.
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Mini Episode 1
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Arcade Review: The Simpsons Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade Game
800 MS Points
Developer- Konami
By: Daizoren
Back in the early 90′s, arcades were still a big craze and many times, the kinds of games you could find in the arcade were better than the games you’d find for consoles. Some examples of this are games like the X-Men arcade game and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game (Though, there was a port of TMNT that wasn’t quite the same). The Simpsons was one of these amazing games that was never ported to any console until now. This arcade title of the past has made it’s way unto both XBLA and PSN. Is it worth buying? Or is this nothing more than a nostalgia trip?
Graphics
With a few different filters, you can play the Simpsons Arcade in it’s original form and with some smoothed out graphics. The smoothed graphics don’t really do much to improve the quality of the game, but for anyone who played the original, the classic sprites still look perfectly acceptable for today’s gaming. Having an actual arcade border seems to take away from the experience of the game and thus, you’ll want to zoom the image in as much as you can so that the arcade border doesn’t take up too much of the screen. Shading doesn’t really exist but the colors are vibrant and everything meshes together very well. While it’s not too much to look at by today’s standards, it’s true to it’s original form and delivers as much as you’d expect it to.
Gameplay
The game follows a very basic control scheme of jumping and attacking. It’s a classic button mashing beat-em-up title and plays as such. Hit detection seems fairly cheap in that you need to be very close and very well lined up, depth-wise, in order to attack an opponent and land the hit. Many times you’ll find yourself moving between the background and foreground trying to find that magical spot where the enemy can be hit by you.
Aside from the attacking, the rest of the game is still a blast to play. Running through all the different imaginative environments and messing with them (Picking up rocks, bowling balls or animals) brings them to life. Boss fights are still just as challenging but it’s also clear that this game was intended to be a quarter eater in the days of arcades. You’ll die often and you’ll continue often.
Sound
The music is taken right out of the show and the pieces that were originally made for this title still hold up today. The sounds of the characters attacking can get a little annoying and the actual character dialogue is very dated. There are times where you can clearly hear that they were limited in the abilities to record decent audio for the title. It doesn’t take the player too far out of the game, but it’s noticeable enough that it could break enjoyment of the title.
Replay Value
As it is an arcade classic, this game allows for a good deal of replayability. Being able to play with 4 people over Xbox Live or PSN allows for a much better experience than by yourself and you’ll find that there are many achievements tied to playing the game multiple times and in different ways. There are different versions such as the Japanese rom and the USA rom that change up how the game plays but all in all, this is still the same game people played in their youth and not too much has changed.
Achievements
The achievements for this game have a good variety that have a bit of a challenge, but not so much that it’s frustrating. Beating the game in one go from the first level will get a person around half of the achievements. The rest of them are obtained by multiple playthroughs and special challenges like beating a boss without dying. A good variety and not too impossible.
Recap
Pros
- Nostalgic
- Game still feels solid
- Great party game
- Decently Replayable
Cons
- Some cheap gameplay
- Sounds can be distorted
- Graphics lack by today’s standards
You’ll find that this title is still a good one to play and if you’ve got a couple nostalgic friends or even just fans of the Simpsons, you’ll find yourself enjoying this title fully and satisfyingly. If you’re looking to get some great arcade beat-em-up fun, you can’t really go wrong getting this title. It’s still a blast and full of great humor. A definite recommendation for a good time.
Graphics- 8
Gameplay- 7
Sounds- 7
Replay Value- 8
Achievements- 8
Overall – 7.6
Community Replay: 1Xtreme
By: Daizoren
Episode 2 of our second season of Community Replay features staff members Alex Ocana and Adrian Ocana as we play through this earlier Playstation title. Make sure to stay tuned for our Replay Roulette as it’s a classic game that caught a lot of attention for it’s sequel being controversial. You can view the video after the break.
Community Replay: Playstation Demo Disc
By: Daizoren
Season 2 of Community Replay kicks off with a look back at one of the Playstation demo discs. Staff member Tim Weaver and Replay veteran Jordan White join me as we tread through the demos of our youth and see why we got hyped over games that were coming out. You can check out the video below.
Community Replay returns on Wednesday!
By: Daizoren
Last year we had a semi-long running series of videos (Inspired by the guys over at Gameinformer) called “Community Replay” where we would take a look at a past generation game and see how well it holds up to the test of time. Season 2 is on the brink of release! This Wednesday (February 1st, 2012) we’ll release the first episode of Season 2 of Community Replay. We will also start releasing episodes every consecutive Wednesday for a given amount of time.
Daizoren’s Top 10 Indie Games of 2011
By: Daizoren
It has been quite a year for gaming in general, but one of the greatest increases in popularity has been the indie scene. In this single year I’ve seen more interest rising in indie gaming than any previous year. Maybe it’s the fact that better titles are being released, maybe it’s the bigger deal and marketing that these games are getting, whatever the reason, indie games have made their way into the mainstream. From the Humble Indie Bundle to Xbox Live’s Indie Game section, there’s no denying the impact that these games are starting to make on the industry. As we wrap up another year here at VVGTV and in the indie game industry as a whole, I’d like to share my personal favorite indie games from 2011. This list is purely subjective to myself as I have not played every indie game. But these are the ones that I had the most fun playing from this past year.
10. Infinity Danger
While it’s simple in it’s design, it’s increasing difficulty is what attracted me to this title from the very start. I’ve always loved the top down flight games like Strikers and Geometry Wars and this game was like a boss fight right after a boss fight. Similar to the Shadow of the Colossus idea where you do nothing but fight giant, powerful bosses rather than small skirmishes, this game leaves you feeling like you can get further, beat more bosses and earn a higher score. The only problem I had with this title is the time limit. I would have loved a more lives based system that rewards you for getting higher scores with more lives rather than rewarding you with extra time. Maybe in a sequel.
9. Dead Pixels
Capitalizing on some of the biggest crazes that are going on right now, Dead Pixels is not only a game about zombies, but it’s also a classic style, 8-bit game (That looks surprisingly similar to a certain mega person we all know and love). Done like an old grindhouse film, Dead Pixels has elements of RPG, action, shooter and adventure strewn all about it’s level design. You fight zombies, you go to stores on your journey, check houses for supplies and have fun doing all of it. At times I found I was running out of ammo, but a quick back track to a store or quick navigation through houses revealed that I could have a load out that would take down anything in my path.
8. Crimson Alliance
Whether you agree that the Xbox Arcade titles are indeed Indie or not, some of them are made by smaller studios and don’t get the attention they deserve. Crimson Alliance is an homage to games like Gauntlet from the arcade days and plays like a semi-casual action game. You can choose from 3 different characters with their own particular specialties (I preferred the mage, as I always do) and you level up each individual as you go about your journey. The game got some flack for appearing to be free and only having you pay in order to get better equipment and abilities, but this wasn’t the case. It was just like every other game, except if you only wanted to play as one particular character (which the demo allowed you to test drive each one) then you could pay to play as one character rather than having to buy the whole thing with every character. This allowed players to pay what they wanted and, even though poorly marketed, was a good idea. The game itself was a blast and, while sometimes repetitive, the difficulty curve made for an exciting time and a great game for friends.
7. Skydrift
Skydrift was another arcade title that didn’t seem to get a lot of attention this year, despite having a great idea and executing it extremely well. Like a mario kart game, you’d get power ups which would allow you to take out your opponents, but this is a flight game. The premise may not be anything entirely innovative, but there’s no denying that this game is a great time and loads of fun for anybody who enjoys over the top arcade titles with the ability to blow up other racers. One innovation was the ability to upgrade your power ups by waiting to get a second pick up of the same power. This would allow for a much more devastating attack and it encouraged strategy. If you’re looking for something somewhat familiar with a refreshing twist on Mario Kart or Blur, this is an amazing title to try out.
6. Minecraft
No indie list is complete without the juggernaut that is Minecraft. Perhaps one of the quintessential games that has brought indie gaming into the mainstream and into the spotlight is this title. While it’s premise was simple and it’s idea turned towards creation, this game has spawned an entirely new community of innovators, creators and thinkers. From creating an entire computer system within the game to making musical pieces, this game has taken over so many people’s lives and left it’s mark as being one of the biggest games in recent years. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that this game is an indie title. The biggest and most mind blowing fact about this game is that it has millions of users and players and most of them started playing it before the official, 1.0 alpha version of the game was released this year. That shows just how amazing this game is.
5. Sonic Fan Remix
Sonic fans rejoice! Someone has made an amazing 2.5D Sonic game! And it’s not Sega! Who would have thought that two people working on limited time could release a game demo that ended up being better than Sonic 4: Episode 1′s entire campaign and Sonic Generations? Originally running on the Unity engine, it’s since been updated to work on the Egg engine and is still in development. The demo consists of 3 levels all within green hill and I can’t even explain the level of detail and amazement I saw when it first started up. From the momentum of Sonic’s spin to the reaction of each and every enemy in the game, this title, while only a demo, is an absolute necessity to any Sonic fan looking for that old, Genesis feel. The two people who designed this know more about Sonic and how to make a good Sonic game than the entirety of Sega. If any person from Sega happens to read this, do us all a favor; hire the two people who did Sonic Fan Remix and give them anything to make the newest Sonic game! Because they will do it right!
4. Dungeon Defenders
Coming out strangely around the same time as Orcs Must Die!, Dungeon Defenders is a Tower Defense/action game putting you in the hands of young apprentices fighting a horde of enemies that try to get past your defenses, past you and to your crystal. Why are they trying to get the crystal? Because it has the greatest enemy ever conceived trapped inside. This game took me by surprise this year as I originally thought it wasn’t anything special. This was because I was playing solo (As I like to always do starting out) but I found that this game works best when you work co-operatively. Trading high end equipment and fighting alongside friends not only increases your chances of progressing through the story, but it allows for some great fun with your best buds. As you progress, there are a few boss battles that, again, threw me off and completely took me surprise. This really made the game that much more enjoyable because it changed the pacing of the game greatly, leaving me feeling like I wasn’t always doing the same thing over and over again. A great Tower Defense game, an even better action title.
3. T.E.C. 3001
When I first saw the trailer for this title, I had to pick my jaw up off of the floor. If you’re a Sonic fan (yes, back to Sonic. I grew up on that stuff.) and you’ve really seen the fall of him as of late (Sonic and the Black Knight, Sonic and the Secret Rings… Really?) then you know how much you’ve wanted to see a successful 3D speed game in that sense. T.E.C. 3001 is that game. It starts you out slow and shows you the ropes on how to play the game, but the difficulty goes up rather dramatically and if you can’t keep up, you’re left in the dust. It’s a great challenge and a test of patience as you will be speeding across Tron inspired levels like nothing you’ve ever seen before. While many complain that you crash often, you can’t see where you’re going and can’t react fast enough, this title is nothing more than a challenge. If you’re like me, you like a good challenge and being able to play through some of those last levels without making a mistake has left me with some of the greatest feelings of accomplishments in gaming I’ve had this year.
2. Streets of Rage Remake
While not a new game and while based on an old game, Streets of Rage Remake was a brilliant remastering of each and every Streets of Rage game from the Genesis packed into one game. It was updated with a new palette of painted-style graphics but you could change them to old sprites if you so wished and every character from each game was playable. This was a game that I played during my childhood and it was one of the best games to play when I had friends over. Running through the city, beating up thugs and crooks while looking for the crime boss behind it all led to some amazing times and some of the best fights on the early systems. Being able to relive all of these as one coherent story and with the new look gave me some of the best nostalgia and some of the smoothest gaming I’ve had playing these old 2D games in recent years. It’s hard to find as Sega took down the original download, but if you can manage to find it (it’s bound to be somewhere on the internet) you will be happier than I can explain.
1. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
I’m sure this is a surprise to many people as this game didn’t sell very well and didn’t make a very big impact, but this game was THE game I anticipated this year. I had heard about the project 3 years before it was released and I was so psyched from the very first trailer. Seeing the smooth and beautiful animation and the dark, surreal style attracted me like nothing else could. I’ve always had an attraction to dark, yet beautiful creations and this game blew me away. When I first saw it, it looked like an actual animation that you could control, and not like any game ever before it. After seeing it, I started looking up more on Michel Gagne (The artist behind the unique style of the game) and I was floored by how amazing some of his stuff has been. His smoothness and attention to framerate and detail left me breathless. When I got my hands on the game I was in awe at every scene I played. From the opening scenario to the final boss, I was in love with the game. I have always loved Metroid and this game had a very similar feel to it, except you fly a space ship. The upgrades were not incredible, but they gave you some pretty cool control over the terrain and some innovative ways to solve puzzles and build strategies. The integration of 2D and 3D in this title is also something that hasn’t been as of late and the only thing I can think of that seemed to have a similar integration was some of the mode 7 games on the old SNES, but obviously this is done to a caliber so much higher and greater. If there is one single game that I could recommend from this year, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is my pick. For it’s gameplay, it’s visual beauty and it’s killer adventure, this game is a winner.
So that’s my list for 2011. These are the games that caught my attention and drew me in with their own unique specialties and abilities. I’m sure my picks are rather odd and out of place from many others, but as I stated before, this is what stood out to me over the course of this past year. If there are some on here you never heard of, I wouldn’t be surprised. But regardless of your tastes, I recommend every single one of these titles if you’re looking for some of the indie’s greatest representations. I most certainly look forward to next year and what we will see from the indie community.
Indie Review: Data Jammers: Fast Forward
PC Indie Game
$9.95
Developer- Shrapnel Games
By: Daizoren
As the world around us is changing and steadily becoming more technologically advanced, more video games and movies are trying to visualize the computer world. Data Jammers: Fastforward is a fast paced PC title that has you blazing through data streams like something out of Tron. You play as a data jammer and your task is to destroy data cores and fight your way to the main core. Is this racing style game a winner or is it a waste of data?
Graphics
Aside from it’s Tron inspired visuals, Fast Forward has a vibrant look to it. The main character is easy to pick out in any mayhem of a level, the enemies are a bright, brick red that makes them easy to hit (or avoid in some cases). The game has a great sense of speed and allows for players to feel like they really are blazing through a data stream. Explosions are quick and, while lackluster in their destruction, keep the pacing of the game very high. Overall, the look of the game is smooth but also simple, keeping the focus on the speed and the strategy.
Gameplay
Speed and quick reflexes are the strong suit of Fast Forward. While streaming across data, you are able to move freely from the foreground to the background of your viewing area. You can move between separate streams in order to pick up coins for points or to pick up powerups or health packs. As you’re traveling down these highways, innocent data will pass you by in green, car looking devices. When there were a lot on screen, I was reminded of the green designs of the Matrix coding. Continuing your travels you’ll start to be attacked by defensive streams, akin to breaking through security. These red cars and tank looking pieces of data will try to disable you, knock you off the data stream and fire projectiles at you. When these get hectic is when the game really shines as it takes some quick thinking and fast reflexes to get rid of your pursuers and attackers without losing a life.
At the end of each section, you will encounter a boss that you need to take out in order to pass on to the next section of code. While these boss encounters are scarce, they’re blood pumping as you scramble to figure out how you need to defeat any particular boss. Typically you’re given bombs to use against them, but the biggest challenge is staying alive to gather more, as you’ll be maneuvering the data stream as quickly as you possibly can.
Sound
While there’s not a great deal of music to the title, the sounds keep you invested in the game regardless. The sounds of data passing by, the destruction of an enemy from an explosion or a collision and the sounds of collecting coins almost sound like a song in and of itself while you play. The main menu song is upbeat and gets you ready for the journey ahead as you select your level and head out to the data stream.
Replay Value
Fast Forward offers a quick and fast paced experience, but it ends before it seems to begin, having a limited number of levels and few boss encounters. You can go back and play any level you’ve unlocked and this adds a level of replayability to the title, but once you’ve played through the whole experience, there isn’t much incentive to go back and play it again. Many levels seems very similar, with a few standout stages showing the real challenge and require the greatest of strategy to accomplish them, but overall, you won’t find yourself really coming back to this on a daily basis. You might, however, come back to it for a single level every now and then.
Recap
Pros
- Fast paced game
- great challenge
- engaging sounds
Cons
- Too short
- Lacking music
- Not much replayability
Fast Forward seems like more of a great test to an idea (Kind of like Portal was an experiment rather than a full fledged game) and while it has some great elements, it could certainly use some more content in order to be a title that’s worthy of being called a full game.
Graphics- 8
Gameplay- 8.5
Sound- 8.5
Replay Value-7.5
Overall-8.1
Arcade Review: Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone
Xbox Live Arcade Games
800 MS Points
Developer- Konami
By: Daizoren
The original Zombie Apocalypse for Xbox Live Arcade was a smash T.V. Inspired slatughterthon of killing zombies in a single area and moving on. Much like Horde mode or firefight, you fought wave after increasingly more difficult wave of enemies, the types of enemies changing as you went along. Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone attempts to recreate that original arcade feel but adds in longer levels that you progress through, rather than the traditional single area. Does it work to the title’s advantage or does this sequel fall short of it’s predecessor? (more…)
Extra-Life: “What was it like gaming for 24 hours straight?”
By: Daizoren
If you’ve been following vvgtv, K.C. Entertainment Studios or my facebook/twitter, you know that this past weekend my replay crew, some friends and I participated in the Extra-Life charity event that has gamers around the country getting donations for local miracle network hospitals (Our own Mercy Hospital in the North Western Ohio area) and gaming for 24 hours straight. While people are still able to donate, the charity has raise over a million dollars for local hospitals around the country and we (as of Monday, October 17th 2011) have contributed around $400 to this cause. But what I wanted to share today is a few things about the experience itself. Firstly, the documentary about the experience will be out as soon as I can get it done. I have about 30 hours of footage to seed through and edit together into one complete video, so it’ll take some time. In the meantime, I’ve asked my fellow gamers from the event to write out a paragraph of their experiences. You can read them below. (more…)
Sonic Generations: Review
Developer- Sega
By: Daizoren
20 years ago the world was introduced to a short, pudgy blue hedgehog known as “Sonic the Hedgehog”. In the U.S., Sonic was released on the system that was proclaimed to “Do what Nintendon’t”, the Genesis. Utilizing “Blast Processing”, Sonic Blazed through levels at record speed and became an instant phenomenon. As time went on, Sonic started to lose speed and with the revolution of 3 dimensional gameplay, Sonic seemed to drop off from success.
There was a short revitalization of the series when Sonic Adventure arrived for the Sega Dreamcast. This and Sonic Adventure 2 were hailed as bringing the blue blur to the third dimension in a great way. Soon after this time, the Dreamcast started losing profits, Sega lost money and had to give up on video game systems. Since then, Sonic has tried to maintain the momentum he had with the old days and Dreamcast age, but somewhere down the line, he lost his way. Titles such as the “Sonic the Hedgehog” game for Xbox 360 and other ridiculous titles like “Sonic and the Black Knight” or “Sonic and the Secret Rings” only helped to bring the once favorite mascot down into a pit that no one could ever hope for him to get out of.
“Sonic Unleashed” and “Sonic Colors” were seen as slightly improved titles in the franchise, but still didn’t seem to obtain that original appeal that Sonic had. The newest title, “Sonic Generations”, celebrates Sonic’s 20th birthday and tries to bring about the greatest fan service possible by combining both classic Sonic 2D controls and levels along with 3D Sonic controls and levels that span across the entire 20 years of Sonic’s lifetime. Does it work and bring back the original feel and love for Sonic that once existed? Or does Sonic fail once again in trying to get his fans back? (more…)
Arcade Review: Daytona USA
Xbox Live Arcade Games
800 MS Points
Developer- Sega
By: Daizoren
Originally released in 1993 for arcades, Daytona USA was a well known and very much played racing title that took the idea of NASCAR type racing and blended it with arcade controls. This made for an outrageous title that was a blast to play. Now that it’s been given the High Definition treatment and re-released over 15 years later, does it hold up as well in the comfort of your own home, without the arcade cabinet complete with steering wheel, chair and shifter? (more…)
Dungeon Defenders XBLA Review
Xbox Live Arcade Games
1200 MS Points
Developer- Trendy Entertainment
Reviewed By: Daizoren and Master Blud for a second opinion
Coming out a little after “Orcs Must Die”, Dungeon Defenders uses a similar premise to give you a 3rd person action/rpg title with a tower defense influence. Playing as apprentices to four adult warriors consisting of a mage, knight, monk and a hunter, you must defend a crystal from being destroyed. Does it end up delivering a unique experience, separate of other titles or does it leave you wanting something more?
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet: Shadow Hunters DLC Review
400 MS Points
Developer- Shadow Planet Productions
By: Daizoren
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet was a title that I personally had been anticipated for years. From the moment I saw the announcement trailer I was hooked and I’ve been a fan of Michel Gagné ever since. The latest DLC is called “Shadow Hunters” and if you haven’t had a chance to beat the game, you might want to hold off on reading this review as the DLC takes place right after the end of the full title game.
Arcade Review: Guardian Heroes
Xbox Live Arcade Games
800 MS Points
Developer- Sega
By: Daizoren
Bringing back a title from the Sega Saturn days, Guardian Heroes is an old side scrolling beat-em-up title that uses 3 layers of ground, foreground, middleground and background, as your places to move while fighting. The game has been upgraded with a new look and with a new fighting set to try to get right with the times. It’s an interesting concept, but does this age old design hold up in this generation of gaming?
Extra Life Gaming Charity
By: Daizoren
If you’re an avid gamer, you probably know about the Extra Life Gaming Charity that goes on every year. It’s an event in which groups of individuals and groups play video games for 24 hours straight and get donations from friends, family, companies and more to donate to any Children’s Miracle Network Hospital across the United States. Each donation has to be a minimum of $12 and 100% of those donations goes straight to your hospital of choosing. This year, myself and my local Community Replay Crew are going to try to tackle this feat by registering and joining this wonderful cause in hopes to raise as much money as we can. We will be donating our money to the local Toledo Mercy Children’s Hospital.
“Extra Life began in 2008 as a way of honoring a young lady named Victoria Enmon. Tori’s battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia inspired the Sarcastic Gamer Community in a way that is difficult to describe. Members sent in video games and bought gifts to keep Tori’s spirits up despite numerous hospital stays and three bouts with the deadly disease.” – Direct from Extra Life Site
Our group will consist of Adrian Ocana, Jordan White, Will Washington (Not formally from Replay, but has always wanted to be on) and myself. We shall also, most likely, have some other Replay veterans come in and out to cheer us on/play for a little bit for some added support. We’ll be gaming for 24 hours straight (some of us will be coming in late because we have to work, but I personally shall be doing the entire 24 hours) and we will be streaming the entire 24 hour event live. While we are streaming we will be giving away FREE GAME CODES periodically to those lucky people watching the stream, so tune in to win some great prizes! (You guys can thank Masterblud for getting the codes for this, show your support for VVGTV!)
K.C. Entertainment Studios Live
K.C. Entertainment Studios Game Feed
We will also be recording the event in order to make a small documentary about the experience that will be going up over on www.kcentstudios.com, my personal studio website.
The event starts Saturday, October 15th at 8 A.M. EST and will continue until October 16th at 8 A.M. EST. During this time we will be logged into Xbox Live playing Xbox games and on other systems playing through a multitude of games that myself and others have gathered together. If you’ve enjoyed the Community Replays in the past that we’ve done, this is your chance to watch us game for 24 hours straight, like one giant Super Replay of a bunch of games. You can go and donate to our Extra Life page here and we really appreciate every donation we get. We have a minimum goal of $100, but knowing the community I’ve been a part of here and elsewhere, I have a high confidence that we’ll raise well beyond that goal.
If you have not had a chance to check out our Community Replays, you can go over to my personal Youtube Page to watch them. We really hope you show your support and donate to this great cause to help hospitals around the country.
Kyle Lock
AKA Daizoren
Arcade Review: Skydrift
Xbox Live Arcade Games
1200 MS Points
Developer- Digital Reality
By: Daizoren
Flying it’s way into the Xbox Live Arcade category, Skydrift hopes to catch the appeal of flight simulator afficianados as well as Mario cart enthusiasts with it’s fast paced action, power up scheme and inverted flight controls. Does it end up soaring above and beyond or does it lead to a disappointment? (more…)
First Day Impressions: Battlefield 3 Beta (PC v.s. Xbox 360)
By: Daizoren
After a single day of playing the beta for Battlefield 3 on both P.C. and on the Xbox 360 (Mind you, the Xbox servers were having trouble, so more time was spent with the P.C. Version), here are the big, blatant differences that I noticed when playing. Let’s remember that this is based on the Beta and not a full version of the game, so there will be parts that are only because of the beta.
Arcade Review: Crimson Alliance
Xbox Live Arcade Games
Free (Each class has price point)
Individual Class Member- 800 MS Points
Full Team Members- 1200 MS Points
Developer- Certain Affinity
By: Daizoren
Bearing the true definition of what it means to be an arcade game, Crimson Alliance does it’s part to bring us back to the old days of spending countless tokens or quarters at an arcade playing games like Gauntlet where the objective is to basically use all of your powers and skills to get through wave upon wave of enemies while traversing a desolate, yet magical world. Does Crimson Alliance do it’s part in revitalizing this style of game or does it bring shame to the top down arcade titles of our past?
He’s Saved by the Musical Bells: Interview with Zack Parrish
- Zack Parrish
We here at VVGtv try to bring you the most variety possible in indie games. We actually have a special treat for you, not only is he a friend of VVGtv, he is also a well-respected in the community. Some of you may not know who Zack Parrish is, but he is one of the persons responsible for the Indie Games Summer Uprising trailer music, as well as games (A Turtle’s Quest,Antipole, CosmosX2, Battallion: Nemesis, Eternal Eden, and the new Xbox Indie Game that certainly has been quite the hit, Cute Things Dying Violently). We sent over an email to Zack Parrish, in hopes t
(more…)
“Happy” Released on Xbox Live Indie Games/Soundtrack Free Download!
By: Daizoren
If you’re an avid reader of VVGTV.com, then you’ve been up to date on a game that I personally wrote the music for, “Happy” by Solloman Games. Today the game released over on Xbox Live Marketplace and I got to finally play the game I had contributed to. It’s a really fun game and exactly what it was meant to be, relaxing. I was laughing and enjoying every moment, albeit one level thrown in there to be a bit of a challenge. The game is $1 (80 Microsoft Points) and all of the money from the game will be donated to TAG Pet Rescue Centre in the UK.
Also, you can head over to www.solloman.com and, in the games section, find out how you can get yourself a free poster for the game! *Note: limited stock, first 300 to respond*
If that’s all not enough for you and you want more free stuff, you can head over to my personal studio website, www.kcentstudios.com and you can download the entire soundtrack for free! That’s a lot of free stuff!
It’s been a pleasure working on this game and I hope you all enjoy it’s simplistic and entertaining premise. Masterblud will be reviewing the game so as to take out my own personal bias, so look forward to his review.
Indies at First Sight: Take Arms and All The Bad Parts
Take Arms
Ya know, I am not one of those people who enjoys Black Ops. I do have to say that I am certainly impressed with this title. Although the only real problem I have with this game is the use of melee, melee is absolutely too strong when using it in multiplayer and single player, it doesn’t make a difference. The game offers both online and offline multiplayer, so i gave both a shot and was pretty satisfied with the end result of my victory. I landed at least a few spots on first while playing just death match, helped our team to victory in a team, and secured the flag in CTF. You have 3 classes; grunt, striker, and destroyer. Each class has specific weapons to aid the team to victory, using each of these classes takes a bit of time. The one class that seems to be having the most trouble is the sniper AKA the striker, when standing, you click the right stick and are completely blinded of your surroundings and left with a scope to carry you halfway across the screen. I had a few issues in the start when using striker, left him alone and switched to the destroyer who I think is most effective. I can say right now that my first impression will be solid to the review, as I do recommend this title as a fun multiplayer game to play with your buddies. Overall replay value is high, visuals are astounding, needs more music especially when the clock is counting down, controls are that to master and my rating right now is a 4.5 out of 5.
All The Bad Parts
Geesh, that name doesn’t sound creepy does it? Any who, ATBP takes you into what seems to be a middle school, some weird stuff happens and you can’t remember what happened or where you are. You do know that you are in a school, later down the line it seems your memory starts to come back. The school is invested with bug looking things (Yes that is the best i could come up with). ATBP is a beat em up side scroller with amazing visuals and story line. I haven’t played the game long enough to tell you the whole entire story, so let’s save the spoilers for later, maybe. I was extremely impressed at the was the game was presented on a whole, the dialog, the characters, going from room to room, and the humor that lies within. I can honestly say I did have fun playing this title for the short amount of time that it took me to tell you what I think. My initial impression of the game is high and seems to remain that way, this game will get a proper review, but would like to tell you that it is worth your time.
The Adventures of REDD the Lost Temple Keeps Uprising on Fire!
The final uprising game has been released, although it is a few days late, the developer wanted to make sure REDD was ready for your gaming pleasure. REDD is sure to keep the uprising fire in our hearts, it may have been the last game to be released, but certainly is not the least. Follow the adventures of Redd in his first top down, action/adventure game. The world is in imminent danger from an unknown physical phenomenon and only the archeologist Allie and the explorer-for-hire Redd can save us. Navigate through a huge dungeon avoiding sinister traps, time based puzzles, and massive stone creatures to unlock the mystery of the Royal Amulet of Konira and defeat The Lost Temple.
Developer – Blazing Forge Games
Developer Twitter – Blazing Forge
Marketplace Link – Go Pick it up now!
The Adventures of Redd: The Lost Temple Features
3 game modes (Easy, Normal, and Hard)
4+ hours of gameplay
Unique lighting system
Fully voiced characters
Stunning 2D art in full 1080p HD
Original soundtrack spanning over half an hour
Redd’s essential weapon is his dynamite. He begins with the ability to carry only 4 sticks which slowly regenerate upon use. However, as he collects valuable coins from within the dungeon, he can purchase more powerful upgrades in the Bomb Shop (for instance, a larger bomb bag, larger explosion radius, and faster recharge time), as well as speed boots and an extra fairy pouch. As Redd moves forward through the temple, he discovers treasures that grant him powers much more mysterious and powerful than he bargained for…
The game is based around a challenging one hit system, making the player plan out their moves in each room in order to avoid certain death. Players familiar with action/adventure games will have to quickly calculate their strategies in order to survive many of the dungeons enemies and timed puzzles. Gaming fans looking for a new challenge that “takes you back to your roots” should look no further than The Adventures of Redd: The Lost Temple.
