MotorStorm 3D Rift is a surprise package that showed up on the Playstation Store this week for ten dollars and I happened to buy it because its been a while since I owned a racing game even though this one sort of does not count, but I have been needing a racing fix lately as this fills the void for now. Yes, the title does say 3D Rift and yet I don't have a 3DTV, so there goes half of the game pretty much as this game can be also played normally in 2D. This ten dollar package is basically MotorStorm: Pacific Rift Lite with ten tracks and ten events. There is no multiplayer options as it is just you against the computer AI as this is another showcase Sony wants to use for their push towards 3D gaming. The ten race events are normal races with the vehicles they give you at the offset meaning there is a lack of choice, but then again that is what you get as a paid warmup for the full game or the upcoming MotorStorm: Apocalypse. I never owned a MotorStorm game yet, but this is indeed a better taste than the demos because the opposing AI will race dirty and aggressive to the point they will take you out. I tend to like racers with this approach because it makes victory much more sweeter even though it takes numerous attempts because the AI will screw things up with you any way possible along with the terrain of the courses if you're not careful. The first half of 3D Rift is not that bad difficulty wise, but the opponents will step up their game in the second half as the perfect run is pretty much required to win first place. Graphically, MotorStorm 3D Rift in 2D looks like Pacific Rift for the most part and since I don't have a 3DTV, I can't say what the 3D is like. I still do love the crashing animations especially on the bike where the human just ragdolls like crazy making you laugh. As for the sound in which you can't change the settings, the cars are more loud than the music which is okay, but it depends if you feel like hearing the soundtrack the game has. If you don't have Pacific Rift, then MotorStorm 3D Rift is worth it if you're also interested in the upcoming Apocalypse. Of course, it is better to have this around if you have a 3D television as a showcase to those who are curious about 3D. After playing this for a bit, it makes me respect this franchise more for what it offers compared to the rest of the arcade racers out there with its dirty and aggressive style.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Music Video of the Day for 8/25/10
Linkin Park - "The Catalyst"
I'm curious how much of a departure their new album will be since it is supposed to be way different from their past albums. Early word is that the new direction they're taking on is a love/hate ordeal as some will appreciate it and some won't wishing they go back to their roots of Hybrid Theory, which is still one of the most successful albums in the last decade. I'm just hoping A Thousand Suns will be better than the disappointment that is Minutes to Midnight. Honestly, I don't expect them to go back to what made them successful in the first place when Chester is in angry mode most of the time to the point he's losing his voice. We'll see when Linkin Park's new album is out next month.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Retro Review - Super Metroid (Wii VC)
In honor of Metroid: Other M's release next week on Wii, I decided to bring back an old GameSpot user review to get the G Unit Ver1's World treatment, which is Super Metroid for the Wii Virtual Console.
Super Metroid begins after Metroid II: The Return of Samus when a baby Metroid found bounty hunter Samus Aran as her mother at SR-388. All of a sudden at a space station, the baby Metroid gets captured by one of Samus's infamous enemies, Ridley, as Samus rushes to Zebes, where the whole franchise started to rescue the baby Metroid and eliminate the legion of Space Pirates once for all. Once Samus lands on Zebes via her spaceship, it is basically Metroid again, but bigger and better.
Samus starts out only with her Power Beam, but as like Metroid, you progress through the game by collecting new weapons and upgrades. The staples from Metroid return such as the Morph Ball, Missiles, Ice Beam, and the Varia Suit. The new additions in Super Metroid are the Grapple Beam, Gravity Suit, Plasma Beam, Space Jump, Super Missiles, and Power Bombs. These new additions are one of the major reasons Super Metroid is a way better sequel. Other noticeable additions that made the game easier than the original Metroid are save stations throughout areas of Zebes, energy and ammo recharge stations, and the helpful map. Those additions made Super Metroid less frustrating than the original Metroid in a big way, which is why it is a more polished game.
Other than Samus's new abilities, the planet Zebes is not the same as seen in the original. It is definitely better in terms of variety and scope as Samus wanders around Brinstar, the lava-filled Norfair, the Wrecked Ship, and the water-filled Maridia. The Metroid formula was at its best in Super Metroid with progression limited by a certain item, collecting missile expansions, and facing big bosses. Speaking of bosses, the boss count in Super Metroid was increased to four major bosses, numerous mini-bosses, and the finale with Mother Brain. Samus had her limits in the original Metroid firing only in three directions and in Super Metroid, she can fire in eight directions, which subtracts more frustration that players had in previous Metroid games before it.
There are two controller choices to play the Virtual Console version of Super Metroid, which are the Classic and Gamecube controllers. The Classic Controller is the one to go with because of its SNES familiarity. The controls can also be changed before starting a game, which is also a great addition. The emulation feels perfect on the Wii as it is the Super Nintendo version we all know and love. Even on a widescreen HDTV, Super Metroid is a great 2D game to look at even with today's 2D standards. The sound is also untouched and accurately emulated in this version as level themes go along with where you at in the game. The soundtrack is still one of the best soundtracks during the 16-bit era and remains that way today.
Super Metroid on the Wii's Virtual Console is highly recommended for Metroid fans and those playing it for the first time. Those who missed it back in the Super Nintendo days can finally play a legal version on the Wii. For those who played it to death, this is still a must buy considering it is like the second official release of the game ever. Super Metroid is still considered one of the greatest games of all-time and it is definitely the best game to buy on the Wii's Virtual Console right now.
It was 1994 when the first console Metroid since the original on the NES came out. Fans of the series have waited patiently for Super Metroid's release on the Super Nintendo and it eventually became one of the greatest games of all-time. It was an evolution of the Metroid formula that started on the NES and turned out to be the perfect Metroid game for its time. Since Super Metroid's release, Nintendo has not re-released the game in any form other than illegally downloading it on an emulator. Now it is available on the Wii Virtual Console for 800 Wii Points and arguably the best game on that service since most of the other Nintendo games have been released before in other forms.
Super Metroid begins after Metroid II: The Return of Samus when a baby Metroid found bounty hunter Samus Aran as her mother at SR-388. All of a sudden at a space station, the baby Metroid gets captured by one of Samus's infamous enemies, Ridley, as Samus rushes to Zebes, where the whole franchise started to rescue the baby Metroid and eliminate the legion of Space Pirates once for all. Once Samus lands on Zebes via her spaceship, it is basically Metroid again, but bigger and better.
Samus starts out only with her Power Beam, but as like Metroid, you progress through the game by collecting new weapons and upgrades. The staples from Metroid return such as the Morph Ball, Missiles, Ice Beam, and the Varia Suit. The new additions in Super Metroid are the Grapple Beam, Gravity Suit, Plasma Beam, Space Jump, Super Missiles, and Power Bombs. These new additions are one of the major reasons Super Metroid is a way better sequel. Other noticeable additions that made the game easier than the original Metroid are save stations throughout areas of Zebes, energy and ammo recharge stations, and the helpful map. Those additions made Super Metroid less frustrating than the original Metroid in a big way, which is why it is a more polished game.
Other than Samus's new abilities, the planet Zebes is not the same as seen in the original. It is definitely better in terms of variety and scope as Samus wanders around Brinstar, the lava-filled Norfair, the Wrecked Ship, and the water-filled Maridia. The Metroid formula was at its best in Super Metroid with progression limited by a certain item, collecting missile expansions, and facing big bosses. Speaking of bosses, the boss count in Super Metroid was increased to four major bosses, numerous mini-bosses, and the finale with Mother Brain. Samus had her limits in the original Metroid firing only in three directions and in Super Metroid, she can fire in eight directions, which subtracts more frustration that players had in previous Metroid games before it.
There are two controller choices to play the Virtual Console version of Super Metroid, which are the Classic and Gamecube controllers. The Classic Controller is the one to go with because of its SNES familiarity. The controls can also be changed before starting a game, which is also a great addition. The emulation feels perfect on the Wii as it is the Super Nintendo version we all know and love. Even on a widescreen HDTV, Super Metroid is a great 2D game to look at even with today's 2D standards. The sound is also untouched and accurately emulated in this version as level themes go along with where you at in the game. The soundtrack is still one of the best soundtracks during the 16-bit era and remains that way today.
Super Metroid on the Wii's Virtual Console is highly recommended for Metroid fans and those playing it for the first time. Those who missed it back in the Super Nintendo days can finally play a legal version on the Wii. For those who played it to death, this is still a must buy considering it is like the second official release of the game ever. Super Metroid is still considered one of the greatest games of all-time and it is definitely the best game to buy on the Wii's Virtual Console right now.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Music Roundup Pick of the Week for 8/22/10
Usher's Versus EP is out on Tuesday and its my pick of the week for something to blast to. It features Usher's new hit song, "DJ Got Us Fallin in Love" featuring Pitbull (video out this week and will be a MVftD post on that), "Hot Toddy" featuring Jay-Z, which you probably heard on the radio lately too, and more. The album is not that long since it is an EP, but if you want to hear more Usher songs beyond Raymond v. Raymond, then this new EP is worth it. After all, it also has Justin Bieber's "Somebody to Love (Remix)" too and this is probably my first time mentioning that young kid at all in this blog after all the attempts trying to avoid him, but Bieber Fever has somehow reached its way to G Unit Ver1's World.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Next Games on the Review Pipeline...
So the next game I'm going to review comes out on Tuesday on Playstation Network and Wednesday on Xbox Live Arcade which is Shank, another downloadable game with a lot of hype. I might get Mafia II this week as well, but don't bank on that. I did though reserved Metroid: Other M the other day, so expect something about that soon. If you have been paying attention to Nintendo's next big game with Team Ninja developing it, Other M has been getting a lot of mixed reactions among the gaming crowd as some do appreciate the change Samus will face, but some do think this change is too much and takes away from what the franchise truly is. Well, we will see when Metroid: Other M comes out on August 31 only on the Wii (the cool live action commercial is below).
Friday, August 20, 2010
Harmonix Does Care About Setlist Leaks...
Or they don't??
The video above is Harmonix responding to the Rock Band 3 setlist leak to the internets by well confirming the leaks showing off the list from Gamescom. Funny stuff by the guys...
Still Don't Know Why GoldenEye Wii Exists...
GoldenEye 007 for the Wii is still coming out this fall and hoping to recapture of the magic of late 90s console FPSs, but seriously I hope this game flops and flops hard. I still don't know why this game even exists at all being a James Bond game, a first-person shooter only on the Wii, and a desperate attempt to bring back the classic because fans have been demanding it for years. Some classics are meant to be remade for the new generation while some should be left in the dust and nothing but memory, which is the case with this new GoldenEye game. A Wii-only shooter is asking itself to be sent to die especially compared to better and more modern shooters that are coming out at the same time like Halo: Reach and Call of Duty: Black Ops. The thing is that people have moved on to those games and I feel Activision is making it just on name alone to sell to desperate fans that have begging for a remake of sorts because they were playing endless multiplayer sessions back in the Nintendo 64 days. Who knows, I could eat crow if this game actually succeeds on the Wii just on the namesake alone along with a golden Classic Controller Pro bundled with the game. Then again, if I want to see one game fail and fail miserably, it is definitely GoldenEye 007 for the Wii.
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