Discussion: What Makes a Good Remake?

I’m not going to lie to you folks, but this post was intended to be an Alien Breed: Review but, sadly, my First Impressions, piece practically sums up my review.  The game is just that short and the additional levels aren’t anything special or drastically different from what I played. I’ll add a little review summary to the end of this post to make you happy if you really want to know my score.

Anyways, Alien Breed did bring up a great discussion topic for this week. That topic is what makes a good remake. Alien Breed for the PS Vita is not a bad remake by any means.  The addition of the updated visuals and the new control scheme really makes it feel like a current gen game.  However, the remake fails to bring some very necessary additions that would make the game so much better.  The fact that I don’t know what I can run into or die from in the environment in Alien Breed is a huge issue.  I also don’t know if the developers intended to make it hard to tell or not is another issue.  The red lights near the end of each level also makes it really hard to see and I bet that could be improved as well.

This brings up the argument of how much different should a remake be?  Purists of the original content would probably like how they upgraded the game but for someone who has not played it, I find it outdated and frustrating.  In my opinion, a remake should remind the player how great it was back then. They should not be reminded of how old the game is.

Remastered versions like The Wind Waker HD and Duck Tales: Remastered updated the visuals significantly so that players got that feeling of “just how I remembered it.”  Looking back at the Gamecube version of Wind Waker reminds me of how much HD graphics can improve the look of the game.  Wind Waker HD also brought new mechanics to enhance gameplay.  Of course the original game was not as old as Alien Breed but Duck Tales was, in fact it’s older.  Duck Tales remastered enhanced perspective, controls and animations to what was already a solid game.  Alien Breed updated graphics but boss battles continue to feel lifeless with their lack of animations.

A remake should always look back at the core content and make changes.  Alien Breed did provide more content to players which was very welcome. Trophy integration was also a huge plus as well as online co-op.  Wind Waker HD brought players the swift sail, providing impatient players, like myself, a means to travel the world much faster.  They also added subtle changes like being able to swing on ropes in all directions without having to stop.  I feel a lot of remakes could use these subtle changes. Call me a heretic, but playing the recent Shadow of the Colossus HD feels a little clunky now when back then it felt perfectly fine.

Again, a remake should remind the player of how they remembered it being played and not how it’s aged.  For quite some time, I felt that creating game studios specifically for remaking games would be a great idea and a great way to create jobs for interns and new game developers.  Working closely with preexisting IP and companies would provide some great experience for upcoming game devs.

Alien Breed Review Summary

Alien Breed provides players with a great amount weapons and re-playability. It’s currency system is well balanced and it becomes easier to collect it and not waste it as you get better at the game. Level designs and the lack of enemies and bosses make Alien Breed lose its steam rather quickly. Luckily it is a short enough game that you will beat it by then.  Overall, it is a remake that could have been better with enhanced level design or even given a more isometric feel.  The updated controls on classic mode would have been a huge plus too. 

Score: 6.5

 

Square Off: Impressions

Square Off by Gnomic Studios was a game developed for the Windows phone and Xbox Live Arcade in 2009.  The game placed in the top 20 in the 2009 Dream.Build.Play competition by Microsoft. Gnomic Studios ported the game to iOS, Android and Ouya.  I grabbed the free Ouya version and played through the multiple levels and was very pleased with the experience Square Off brings to the miniature console.

Square Off plays like a traditional twin stick shooter with a slight twist.  As opposed to it being top down, you have a jet pack that moves your character in the air rather than on the ground.  It’s interesting because this perspective is basically the same as being top down but feels more like a side scroller.  The levels are all wave based and at the fifth wave, you face a boss that once you complete it, you can either continue the level or move onto the next.  Each level has random crate drops with different weapons and power-ups that keep the game fun and force you to move from one spot of the level to the next. The game blends 2D characters into a 3D background surprisingly well.  The art style is extremely simple but still looks very nice.  The music however ranges from pleasant to repetitive which is a little frustrating.

The game takes a while to get challenging but when it does, it feels a little overwhelming.  This may be because my lack of skill or preparation but not having a crowd control weapon at all times hurts the experience.  Over twenty enemies can surround you and your basic gun will not handle it well at all.  The game also feels sluggish so when you get caught in this situation, it makes you feel like you are helpless.  Another problem I have with the game is that the HUD doesn’t display your score. If you want to see it you have to press a button.  I understand that Gnomic Games may have been trying to free up screen space (especially on phones) but when you gain multiple kills, the game will display X2 score and what not which you can’t see the results unless you press the score button.  It’s a minor complaint that doesn’t hinder gameplay but it hinders my experience with the game.

 

Gnomic Games released a game that plays well and looks good.  They also plan on releasing a sequel called Square Heroes.  I look forward to seeing the changes and improvements this team makes to the hopefully successful franchise.  Check out the website here.  http://www.gnomicstudios.com/

 

 

Discussion: Where are the AAA Twin Stick Games?

The video game industry has changed drastically since the previous gen and even more so since the era of the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis.  Video games as a whole have become much more than just a gameplay experience but a cinematic experience as well.  Companies like Naughty Dog, Irrational Games and Valve have told us brilliant stories that brought us interesting characters and story lines without mudding down our gameplay experience.  The big blockbuster games of the 360 and PS3 era have all been first person shooters and third person shooters that blend unique experiences and mechanics into each one.

I, for one, enjoyed my time with all these big AAA hits but where are all the twin stick shooters?  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the indie scene hasn’t given us great twin stick games.  In fact, some of the most memorable like Geometry Wars and Hotline Miami (this games genre can be argued) were independently made.  With that being said, games like Neo Contra from the PS2 era were made with big budgets and were extremely fun.  The game feels like a big budget and goofy experience and I feel that developers can really make this genre of game very successful.  

Perhaps developers feel that this arcade style of gameplay wouldn’t fit their dramatic stories they would like to tell? In all honesty if the story is good then the gameplay can be whatever it needs to be.  For example, in the Tomb Raider reboot that came out earlier this year, we see young Lara Croft who kills someone for the first time.  The scene is emotional, sure, but the moment becomes overlooked as you kill hundreds of other people during the course of her adventure.

Maybe its because developers don’t how they can add additional value to the gameplay?  As I said before, game genres are meant to be combined as long as they fit the games purpose and don’t overstay their welcome.  In games like God Of War we get both action sequences and puzzle sequences.  They go hand in hand mainly because they help smooth out gameplay.  If action sequences last too long than the player becomes bored but with the puzzle elements, the player gets a break from the repeated chain swinging action.  Puzzle games like the 2D Legend of Zelda series could work very well with a twin stick game as well as tower defense.  RPG elements are even easier to implement making the ability to add additional value to gamers easy.  Quick Time Events would also work great for an over the top twin stick game.

One of my favorite additions to a AAA game was the Dead Ops Arcade in Call of Duty: Black Ops.  The small title alone would not warrant a $60 price tag but if the game was fleshed out into something more than just waves of enemies the game could have been something great.  The Call of Duty games already feel like an arcade game, especially the campaign and zombie/infested modes.

The new generation of consoles is among us and we have already seen a glimpse of a twin stick independent game with a lot of potential.  Will we see AAA developers take a risk with this genre?  What do you think or do you even care?  The way indie games are looking we may not even need the huge budget a publisher can provide.

 

Dub Wars: Impressions

WUB WUB WUB BOOOWWWWWW WOWOWOWOW

The above pretty much sums up my experience with MURA Interactive LLC’s Dub Wars. Before I say anything about this game I want to state that I HATE dub step.  I find it very obnoxious but in the context of this game it works extremely well.  The reason I’m okay with dub step in this game is because it is one of the games core mechanics.  Dub Wars is by no means a traditional twin stick shooter.  Your character will shoot bullets, lasers and other various projectiles based on the beat that is currently being played in the background.  This seems frustrating at first, but the enemies that appear on screen also match the music played in the background.

The game looks more challenging than it is mainly because you can absorb so many hits without dying.  The music doesn’t loop exactly and your ship slows down and doesn’t shoot making you vulnerable to enemies forcing you to dodge enemies very slowly.  This short period of time feels long and slows the game down especially after the chaos that occurs before this.

This exclusive Ouya game is currently in a paid Beta and the demo can be downloaded for free. For more information and updates check out the website here: http://www.dubwarsgame.com/

 

Helldivers: Preview

Arrowhead Studios, the developers of Magika and The Shadow Effect, will be bringing Sony players Helldivers.  Helldivers is essentially 1997’s Starship Troopers but in video game form which is not a bad thing at all.  You play as the Helldivers, an elite unit of soldiers from Earth that are humanities best hope of survival. From the trailer, the game seems action packed and enemies are extremely varied.  Arrowhead Studios drives the point that co-op will be a key component to the game as well as the community.  Helldivers will have AI that is effect by how the community plays.  The idea is interesting and reminds me of Left 4 Dead’s director AI.  The community is also said to effect how the campaign is played out. Helldivers is also meant to be extremely challenging and death will be practically unavoidable.  The game will have quick revives making the game less frustrating for players.  

Helldivers is sounding and looking like a great game that I hope Arrowhead Studios delivers on.  The game is set to release in 2014 on the PS3, Ps4 and PS Vita.  The game will also feature cross-play and cross-save features but cross-buy has yet to be determined. 

 

Assault Android Cactus- Preview

Let me take you back in time to 1997 where the Playstation demo discs known as Jam Packs were the best thing to ever happen. Back then I would replay these demos over and over again thinking that something will change if I play it more or better.   Now in 2013, that nostalgic feeling of playing a game demo that you have no idea what you are getting yourself into comes back with Witch Beam Games, Assault Android Cactus.  This game is one of the more intense twin stick shooters I have ever played.

You play as a police space android who has to take down malfunctioning robots.  The plot is simple as well as its controls of shooting, moving and switching weapons.  With this being said, the games complexity comes from the enemy designs as well as the level designs.  In the demo alone, there has to be at least ten different enemies with varying designs and ways to kill you.  The levels you play in, besides the boss level and tutorial, will change dynamically as you progress through the waves and waves of enemies.  This is what makes the game interesting.  The sense of claustrophobia from these small and constantly changing levels add to the intensity of the enemies shooting at you.

Players can pick up one of three power-ups.  One gives you a speed boost, another allows you to shoot even more bullets at once and the last disables all enemies for a short period of time.  Each of the four characters (five after you beat the demo) have two weapons that can be switched out.  Your main weapon can be powered after killing enemies rewarding you for not getting hit or dying.  The game doesn’t contain lives but there is a battery to your android that you must keep watch and collect batteries to keep your from getting a game over.  This mechanic is both interesting and frustrating.  The batteries that pop up from enemies may be pre-determined (I know the boss is) or they may not.  This makes you feel like there is a sense of luck, in which, if you can’t get a battery, you lose.

Overall, this game is looks great and feels great.  Steam currently has early access to the game for $14.99 which will most likely be a game I will make the investment in.  When the game comes out, expect a review from twinxgamer!

Check out the website here!
http://www.assaultandroidcactus.com/

 

Alien Swarm: Review

Before setting up this website, I have been looking for some twin stick shooters to review and since I’m low on cash what better game to play is one thats free!  A little known game developing company known as Valve released Alien Swarm on Steam as a free to play game in 2010.  Alien Swarm originated as an Unreal Tournament mod in 2004.  Valve hired the original developers gave them the Source engine to develop this new version.  

Alien Swarm utilizes the Source engine fairly well.  The games atmosphere and interesting enemy designs makes up for its dated character models.  The sound effects as well as the music fit the games mood and blends in extremely well with the action that occurs on screen. As you play the game, you will most likely get reminded of James Cameron’s Aliens. 

Alien Swarm has an offline component but is essentially a four player co-op multiplayer experience.  The game contains four different classes players can choose from including the Tech, who uses his abilities to open locked doors and trigger certain events. The Medic who heals other characters, obviously. The Officer who carries a shotgun and can find extra ammo for this gun and can throw extra amounts of explosives.  Last but not least, the Special Weapons class that basically deals high amounts of damage.  Players will use these classes to go through a campaign map fighting off swarm of aliens that can be controlled by a director AI like in Left 4 Dead or pre-set AI.

Most twin stick shooters play like Smash TV and are very much like an arcade game.  Alien Swarm does the opposite and challenges players to take their time through battles and take aim on the plethora of enemies.  This is what separates Alien Swarm making it a good and a bad thing.  The good side to this is that there is a sense of terror when you fight off the alien swarms that occur during certain events.  Making sure you don’t waste your ammo is challenging and fun.  The different classes add a unique twist to the game making it feel like one person can’t carry the team.  However, the inclusion of friendly fire makes the game more frustrating than challenging.  The chaos that occurs when playing these types of games make it easy to accidentally shoot your teammates.  The fact that once you die you are gone forever makes friendly fire even more of a hassle.  The spread on the Officers shot gun also means that you have to time your shots as well as pray that your teammate doesn’t get in your way.  This is especially annoying when playing offline.

Steam also offers the Alien Swarm SDK allowing players to mod the game however they like which is a great way to add replay-ability and keeping the game alive. The director AI also keeps the matches you play feeling a little different each time you play.

Alien Swarm is a great title to just download and play.  It’s unique as far as twin stick shooters go but the games difficulty makes it harder for newcomers and guys like me who just want to run in and shoot things.  The ability to not bring partners back to life also ruins what could have been a great experience for all gamers.

Overall: 8.5/10

+Free and Fun!

+Unique and Atmospheric

+Director AI and Classes keep the game fresh

-Friendly Fire WIll not be Tolerated

 

Welcome to the Twin Stick Diaries

This is TwinXGamer and I am welcoming you to the Twin Stick Diaries!  This blog is all about twin stick/duel stick games from the past present and future.  Hope to hear some of your favorites and I plan to critique them and give my two cents.