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Other => Gaming => Nintendo => Topic started by: SlowPokemon on November 13, 2012, 06:24:20 PM

Title: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on November 13, 2012, 06:24:20 PM
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg222324#msg222324)
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg251458#msg251458)
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg309502#msg309502)
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg388157#msg388157)
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg365354#msg365354)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg381360#msg381360)
Little Inferno (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg239790#msg239790)
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg222853#msg222853)
Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg327045#msg327045)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg231161#msg231161)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg220593#msg220593)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg221643#msg221643)
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg219546#msg219546)
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg295475#msg295475)
The Starship Damrey (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg251728#msg251728)
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg177414#msg177414)

Best of 2013 (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg236819#msg236819)
Best of 2014 (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg270071#msg270071)
Best of 2016 (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg362763#msg362763)

Top Ten Pokémon Ending Themes (http://forum.ninsheetmusic.org/index.php?topic=4986.msg304164#msg304164)

Game Review: Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: M (Blood, Drug Reference, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence)

About three months ago, I was urged to play a small-name, obscure Nintendo DS title: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. As a big fan of games that rely heavily on plot, I absolutely adored the game. When I found out there would be a sequel, I was ecstatic. And indeed, Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is incredibly faithful in structure to the first installment, similar in gameplay but with a new story.

The game's plot shows admirable effort on behalf of the writers. It's clear that the story wasn't developed in a day, and likely took much longer than that. Sigma, a twenty-two-year-old student, is kidnapped on December 25, 2028. He awakens in an elevator, with all doors locked and no company save for a mysterious girl roughly his age. Not long afterward, a screen near the elevator buttons flickers on, and what seems to be some sort of rabbit appears on the screen. The rabbit introduces himself as an artificial intelligence program called Zero III, and cheerfully notifies Sigma and the girl that their elevator is going to fall in a few minutes. Well, crap. Soon enough it is discovered that seven others were also kidnapped. In addition to Sigma and the mysterious girl, Phi, there is Tenmyouji, a grumpy old man who can hold his own; Quark, a young boy with whom Tenmyouji seems to be acquainted; Alice, a dark-skinned woman who is apparently so unashamed of her body that the only article of clothing covering her huge breasts is a large necklace; Clover, a 21-year-old girl familiar to most players; Dio, a conniving, straight-shooting man sporting a spiffy top hat; Luna, a soft-spoken, timid girl who trusts her peers a bit too much; and, perhaps the weirdest of this most bizarre bunch, K, an amnesiac who woke up in heavy robot armor which is impossible to remove. And, of course, they all have watches firmly attached to their wrists.

Sounds a bit familiar? That could be because it is--Zero III announces to the group that they will be playing the Nonary Game, Ambidex Edition. It's all very similar to the previous Nonary Game, with a few tweaks--most notably, the Ambidex Game, which forces Sigma to choose between allying and betraying the contestant he just worked with to reach a goal. Needless to say, this entails some painful situations.

But we'll get to that. Let's talk about ways this game improves upon 999. First and foremost is the presence of voice acting. All dialogue outside of the escape scenes are fully voice acted. The Japanese audio is an option, but you'll quickly ignore it in favor of the amazing American cast. Tenmyouj in particular has a great voice. Fans of the cult anime hit The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya will recognize Wendee Lee as Clover. Diehard Professor Layton fans might be interested to know that Dio is voiced by Liam O'Brian, who performed the voices of Dr. Stahngun and Clark Triton (among others) in the Layton games. But most satisfying of all is the voice actress who performs Zero III. Oh my goodness. Talk about over-the-top performances. This woman does a fantastic job emulating Zero III's psychotic nature, switching from the signature squeak to southern hick or ditzy blond girl or even a mock-Japanese voice mimicking cheesy voices from old animes. The only characters I felt who had poor voice actors were Quark (it's really off-putting to hear what is clearly the voice of a grown woman coming from a ten-year-old boy) and a character whom I cannot name without fear of spoilers. Most of the voices are entertaining, and it's fun to set the game to "auto" and hear the conversations play out. The only negative is that Sigma does not have a voice actor, but there is obviously a reason for that and you'll get used to it fairly quickly.

In addition, the multiple endings aspect is far and away superior to that of 999. Rather than restarting the game, going through the same puzzle rooms multiple times, and trying to guess which door to pick to avoid getting that damn bad ending AGAIN, there is a flowchart, which is easily the best innovation in the game. Not only does the game set things up so that you are never required to play an escape room twice (unless you complete an escape on easy mode--which is not recommended, for hard mode and gold files are required to unlock the final ending), it lets you jump to any key point in the novel to choose a different path. While this does take away some of the gravity of the Ambidex game (it won't be so hard to pick Betray knowing you'll be back later to choose Ally), the rest of the game benefits from what is ultimately a great tool.

Escape rooms are refreshingly set up so that the player learns as he goes, and puzzles are delightfully unforgiving. In an age where the definition of a hard video game is one in which only one tutorial is given, it's great to see a puzzle game that doesn't patronize players. There is an easy mode for those who don't have the potential or patience to work out the puzzles, but as aforementioned, it's in your best interest to complete them on Hard the first time.

The horror-centric soundtrack is pretty much exactly in the style of the first game, with several songs being directly ported and a few others remixed. Shinji Hosoe is a master of the technological aspect of music, making excellent synthesizer pieces that are more mood music than they are standalone experiences (which is why I'm pleasantly surprised there was another official OST release). The ending credits, one of the few remixes of a piece from 999, is one of the most beautiful pieces of video game music in existence, and the escape themes use catchy percussion rhythm and synthesized sound effects to effectively hype up the tension.

"Virtue's Last Reward ~Orchestra~"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VSCJAWEPRo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VSCJAWEPRo)
[close]
"Decompression"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IatBBLLCIqo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IatBBLLCIqo)
[close]
"Blue Bird Lamentation"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFJ1r6_4mW4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFJ1r6_4mW4)
[close]

Graphics are lackluster. I played the 3DS version of the game, and though the 3D character sprites look pretty, their movement is really no different from 2D sprites. The game itself contains few 3D elements--the closest it gets is having the background far away while the text is glued to the screen. 3D is wasted on the gorgeous scenes. In addition, the 3DS version apparently has a bug which was not fixed during localization, which causes the player's save data to be corrupted when he saves during one of several escape sequences. I never had that particular issue, though the game did freeze out of nowhere several times, forcing me to replay an hour or so to catch up. Finally, the 3DS has a measly one save file as compared to the PS Vita's three save files, making the PS Vita (from everything I've heard) the preferred console--though it is easier to take notes (a frequent necessity) on the 3DS.

Now let's talk about the actual story. 999 had a great story, dark and scary and full of plot twists and intriguing characters. Virtue's Last Reward has a story that is slightly less gripping. Part of the suspense of 999 was that you need to get out of this room and escape because you are on a fucking sinking cruise ship. In this game, the alarm factor is significantly diminished, seeing as you could theoretically stay in the facility as long as it takes for everyone to get 9 BP and escape. The slower pace also makes the player restless, especially considering that every time Sigma moves to a different room, there is a map sequence that shows him entering and exiting every room on the way; this occasionally takes several minutes. Setting aside that factor, the story is largely engrossing. You still won't be able to put it down. The characters are believable and everything is a perfect mystery. That is, until the true endings. There is where the player will have to do two things that a visual novel should not provoke: firstly, he will have to think too hard to understand the story. 999 was complex, but not impossible to understand. In one version of the true ending, a mechanic is introduced that literally had me puzzling hours later after I had finished it. The characters were discussing this, and even though there was a diagram to explain the situation, it's still a very difficult concept to grasp and requires more thinking than it's worth. The second thing is that parts of the ending are so out in left field that even I, who enjoy the outlandish Professor Layton plots and even the crazy story of the first game, decided that they required too much suspension of disbelief. The game seems to acknowledge its craziness at one point, including as a file "Knox's Ten Commandments" of a mystery. Of course, all of the commandments are broken within the story, including the ones ruling against supernatural elements and twins or doubles arriving unannounced. This is all fine as 999 broke most of these too, but the story has to be excellent enough to stray from the mold.

Another thing that annoyed me about this game was how it set up a definite sequel. 999 didn't have to have a sequel--it left it so that there were plenty of things a sequel could do, but also made it good as a standalone title. This game? Nope. The game's final file teases the reader with a decoding mechanism as far as what the next game will be about, and it feels like I'm being manipulated, only getting half the story. To clarify, I didn't dislike the true endings to any degree. I just thought the resolution could have gone in a better, more believable direction.

In addition, while the eleven character endings/true endings were at least conclusive to some degree, the vast majority of the endings were tacked-on "game overs" similar to five of the six endings in 999. This is of course to be expected in a game with twenty-four unique endings. However, these are neither conclusive nor satisfying, and it seems that they could have gone on longer rather than ending abruptly, seeing that Sigma doesn't die in all of these. The locks on some of the endings are also a bit annoying, forcing you to play for a long time only to discover you need a pre-requisite ending elsewhere, then coming back ages later only to forget what had been happening during that timeline.

That being said, the story up until its bizarre final act is excellent. Plot twists abound throughout the adventure are fairly predictable (one in particular was hinted at way too much before its actual reveal), but there are at least one or two genuinely shocking twists before and even during the true endings. The puzzles are great (if occasionally too difficult), the soundtrack is effective and fitting, and the story is good, if unsatisfying and unfinished. This game was not without its flaws, and didn't quite surpass 999, but it was still a great game and one of the best on the 3DS system thus far.

Graphics: 6/10
The graphics are nice, but the 3D effect isn't utilized at all. That combined with the 3D models which fail in comparison with the excellent ones from the latest Professor Layton makes the visuals seem sloppy and a lost opportunity.

Sound: 10/10
Top-notch voice acting and a horror-style soundtrack make turning the volume up a necessity.

Gameplay: 10/10
Same great novel-escape sections in a nice balance, with a great flowchart feature to avoid any confusion or double-tracking.

Plot: 9/10
Excellent and engaging, but with a slightly unsatisfying ending that requires a third installment to fully understand.

Overall: 10/10
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on July 11, 2013, 11:34:40 AM
So, I'm going to attempt to review all of the 3DS games I own at some point, and as I just finished playing this game (as well as it being my favorite 3DS game along with Virtue's Last Reward), I think it's a good time to revive this thread.

Game Review: Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: E 10+ (Mild Violence)

    It's no secret that Professor Layton is my favorite video game series. The first time I played Professor Layton and the Curious Village, I knew I had found something special, and as the series continued to evolve with increasingly polished installments, it became apparent that the puzzle genre had a new leading contender. Today I'm taking a look at the fifth entry in the series, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, and evaluating it not only as a standalone experience, but as the 2D Professor's first step into a 3D world.

    The gameplay has been slightly altered from the DS entries, the main change being that the focus has moved from the lower screen to the upper screen to utilize both the bigger screen and the 3D effect. Finding hint coins, collection items, and puzzles is accomplished in a different manner as well--rather than tapping around the bottom screen aimlessly, you can instead enter Investigation Mode. While in Investigation Mode, you can slide a magnifying glass around on the top screen using the bottom screen. When the magnifying glass lights up, you can tap the bottom screen to get a hint coin, collection item, puzzle, or just hear the party's thoughts on the object you're tapping. It may sound complicated, but the system is very fluid. It also allows for bigger backgrounds, as you can sometimes zoom into the background to discover other areas.

    Moving around is also slightly easier, as the map is always displayed on the bottom screen. The player simply has to tap the next area to walk there. And it might seem like a small thing to be impressed by, but in Miracle Mask, the screen doesn't fade to black when you move to a new area. The camera simply zooms to the next area, making it feel as if you are indeed walking around in one big town, rather than moving to and from separate areas.

    The puzzles themselves remain as addictive as ever, while being fresh and new. The 3D effect isn't necessary to solve any puzzles, but it does make some of them easier. For example, there's a puzzle which requires the player to look through a shop window and deduce how many people are in line; however, there is a large poster on the window, obscuring the view. Turning the 3D effect up brings the poster to the forefront, allowing the player to better distinguish the people behind it. And yes, Layton still triumphantly points his pointer finger at the screen, though in this case he's literally pointing through the screen.

    The minigames are easily the best of the series. As usual, Layton receives three minigames to tinker with during his adventure. The first is a toy robot that, much like the toy car in Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, must reach a goal while avoiding enemies. The catch is that the robot can only walk in sets of three steps, meaning that you might start out right next to the goal but be unable to reach it. The next is a shopping game in which the player needs to stock shelves in such a way that customers will want to buy everything for sale--a great example of taking something that sounds boring and making it addictive and fun. The final one is of course a pet, in this case a rabbit. Luke must train the rabbit in a format not unlike the Nintendogs series, and then have it act in a series of plays in an attempt to convince a tough ringmaster to allow it back into the circus. All three of these minigames are endlessly charming, and they're all a lot more fun than they should be, considering they're meant to be a bonus game, a distraction from Professor Layton's adventure.

    And while we're on the subject of Layton, you may notice he looks a bit different in this adventure. That's not your imagination; all characters in this game are represented by moving 3D models, rather than hand-drawn two-dimensional models. Don't bother worrying about whether any of the game's traditional atmosphere has been sacrificed--if anything, the wildly gesturing 3D models only serve to bring more charm to Layton's world. Whether you're watching Layton stroke his chin as he proposes a theory, a circus clown juggling as he bestows a puzzle on you, or even our old friend Inspector Grosky literally hurling himself off the screen to fight crime, the 3D models are a pure delight. 2D animation enthusiasts, fear not; not only do the backgrounds remain traditional Layton art, the animated cutscenes that so frequently crop up in the story are still in 2D. The cutscenes are also viewable in 3D, with two basic layers, and this use of the 3D effect is the most clever I've seen on the system thus far.

    As a side note about the 3D models, they're not entirely good. While they add a lot to the text-based parts of the game, there are at a few points in the story where they use the 3D models for cutscenes, which just does not work very well. The models add a lot of expression to the previously-inanimate 2D characters, but they don't have nearly enough expression to act out these pivotal moments, and Level-5 would have been better off either sticking to text or going ahead with a 2D cutscene. Thankfully, these moments are mercifully few in number.

    The story, which takes place after the events of Professor Layton and the Last Specter and the subsequent movie Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (which I only mention due to it being referenced within the game), is the classic formula: Layton receives a letter, requesting that he go investigate a series of mysterious events in a town. This time, he's visiting Monte d'Or, which is pretty much the equivalent of Las Vegas, if Las Vegas were in the middle of the desert in Britain (just go with it, okay?). The one writing is Angela Ledore, a woman with whom the professor had been friends as a teenager. She's concerned about one Masked Gentleman, who has been appearing in town and wreaking havoc with so-called "dark miracles." As is usually the case with this series, nothing is what it appears to be and you'll have a wonderful time strolling through the streets of Monte d'Or and talking to the eccentric townsfolk, solving their puzzles in exchange for clues and information. In addition, there are several chapters in which you play as a teenage Layton, reliving through flashbacks a terrible event involving his best friend, Randall, who was dating Angela at the time.

    All of this is backed by a European, accordion-laden soundtrack, which benefits from the enriching soundfont of the Nintendo 3DS--the strings, in particular, have an absolutely lovely sound that the Nintendo DS simply could not produce. A few favorite pieces from earlier games also get a soundfont upgrade, and the main theme of the game (heard over the title screen) is a live orchestra performance! Given all of that information, it seems odd that this is the only entry in the series without an official album release.

"Mask of Miracles Theme"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDyLuKaNKo8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDyLuKaNKo8)
[close]
"Monte d'Or: City of Miracles"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FJLKm_pftM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FJLKm_pftM)
[close]
"Stansbury: Halcyon Days"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoYDmpgxvK4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoYDmpgxvK4)
[close]

    Also in the sound department, voice acting is as high quality as ever. Christopher Robin Miller continues to be the perfect voice of reason for the professor. Lani Manella is on triple duty this time voicing three major characters (Luke, Emmy, and Angela Ledore). Liam O'Brien, in his third major supporting role for the series as Henry Ledore, is as great as ever and offers a stark contrast to his role as Dio in Virtue's Last Reward. Rounding out the cast is Yuri Lowenthal, most famous perhaps for his role as Sasuke in the Naruto series, as Randall Ascot. All of these actors do such a phenomenal job.

    Finally, the game's post-credits sequence is shockingly dark, and sets up very intriguing plot points to be resolved in the professor's final adventure, which promises to be excellent.

    As if the game's content weren't enough, Nintendo is offering free DLC for the game--one downloadable puzzle per day for a full year after the game's release. That's 365 puzzles! They're all just as fun as the main story ones, with a little bit of extra challenge due to there being no hint coin option.

    Everything comes together to make one charming little package and a game that is undoubtedly one of the most polished and fulfilling on the Nintendo 3DS system. Everything has been tweaked to perfection, be it the interface or even the in-game font! It seems petty to focus on the text font of a game, but it legitimately makes the game look more professional. You'll see what I mean. You'll spend hours and hours with the various minigames and puzzles, and you'll definitely want to go for a second helping of the story.

Graphics: 9/10
Lovely blend of 2D animation and backgrounds with 3D models that add lots of character and charm. I'm taking away a point for those rare-but-there "cutscenes" featuring the 3D models, which do not achieve a very good effect.

Sound: 10/10
A typically Laytonesque soundtrack heavily using the accordion and violin suits the game marvelously. You'll be waltzing right out the door upon hearing this lavishly orchestrated music. Voice acting is very high quality, as usual.

Gameplay: 10/10
Find hint coins, gather clues, solve puzzles, rinse, repeat. What's not to love?

Plot: 8/10
Watching Layton solve the mystery is a blast, and the story surely trumps that of Last Specter, but one can't help feeling that some plot twists are too predictable, and the conclusion feels less grand in scope than the professor's earlier adventures. Points for that post-credits scene, though.

Overall: 9/10

You'll like: The fontSolving puzzles, meeting the highly entertaining cast of characters, and viewing those lovely animated cutscenes.
You'll dislike: The occasional predictability of the plot, the occasionally slow pace, and the infrequent but off-putting cutscenes featuring the 3D models.
You'll love: Teenage Layton's hairstyle. Looks like that terrible event isn't the only thing the professor would rather forget.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: FSM-Reapr on July 12, 2013, 10:23:20 AM
Slow curse you XD

I've been meaning to do a 3DS review thread next week and now you come and ruin the fun since my reviews will be nothing next to yours :(

KIDDING

my reviews will be a lot better
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: K-NiGhT on July 12, 2013, 10:57:12 AM
Great review, Slow!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: BigDaddysPizza on July 15, 2013, 10:31:44 AM
QuoteAlso in the sound department, voice acting is as high quality as ever. Christopher Robin Miller continues to be the perfect voice of reason for the professor. Lani Manella is on triple duty this time voicing three major characters (Luke, Emmy, and Angela Ledore). Liam O'Brien, in his third major supporting role for the series as Henry Ledore, is as great as ever and offers a stark contrast to his role as Dio in Virtue's Last Reward. Rounding out the cast is Yuri Lowenthal, most famous perhaps for his role as Sasuke in the Naruto series, as Randall Ascot. All of these actors do such a phenomenal job.
You didn't even mention the villian's voice actor, who is absolutely fantastic.....  ;)
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on July 21, 2013, 08:24:17 AM
I took a leaf from Blueflower's book and added music selections to both reviews--it really is a good idea. I'm going to try to stick with two or three per review.

Also, I added my next review to the list. :) Hope everyone looks forward to it.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on July 23, 2013, 10:40:13 AM
Game Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB: T (Blood, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes)
 
                When Capcom's Gyakuten Saiban (lit. Turnabout Trial) hit the Game Boy Advance in 2001, it was met with great praise in Japan. However, Capcom was understandably hesitant to bring the game overseas. Text adventures don't typically have much of an audience in America, where mixing reading and entertainment is taboo. The time was right, however, when the company ported the lawyer to the Nintendo DS in 2007. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney's original, limited run sold out fairly quickly once word got out that this adventure was worth playing, calling for more prints and the sequels to be localized as well. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for All is the second game in the Ace Attorney series. Does the defense attorney continue to entertain, or is the gameplay getting a bit tired? Read on to find out.

    Most instantly noticeable is the look and feel of Justice For All--that is, it is exactly the same as its predecessor. Some locations are exactly the same, with some returning characters having the same clothes and animations. That's not really a bad thing, though. The low-budget, 2D art gives the Ace Attorney series a certain timeless quality, and ensures that the games look natural on any system, be it Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii, or even (as recently released) smartphones. It's impossible to deny the charm of the art style, as its imperfection invokes a certain nostalgic feeling. It's not like the graphics are top-notch, but I think the game benefits from this.

    The gameplay, too, is largely unchanged from Phoenix's first adventure. The player, as Wright, investigates crime scenes, speaks to witnesses, and gathers clues while in the field, and attempts to prove the client not guilty during the courtroom sections. It's not that simple, though--prosecutors are almost always portrayed as ruthless sociopaths who will sacrifice anything for a guilty verdict, even if it means letting the true killer go free. These prosecutors keep Phoenix on his toes and ensure that the game never becomes too easy; on the contrary, the puzzles in the final case become something of a nightmare to solve without a walkthrough.

    The ante is upped ever so slightly by the addition of Psyche-Locks. This feature, which appears in the investigation sections, allows Phoenix to physically see witnesses' secrets as a locked chest, as the witness is suddenly covered in chains. It makes the game a bit more challenging, as this feature could theoretically let the player lose the game while in the investigation sections, which was previously impossible. However, these don't end up feeling like a significant addition to the game, especially considering their linear nature. It's fairly obvious which piece of evidence you need to present in order to unlock each Psyche-Lock; the only time it becomes challenging is when you do not yet have the evidence you need.

    The courtroom sequences are as thrilling as ever, as Phoenix uncovers revelations abound and cross-examines the witnesses' testimonies for flaws or contradictions. The only major change here is Phoenix's health bar, which is used instead of the previous game's "five strike" system. It works slightly better, because more intense decisions will cost you more health if you answer incorrectly. However, the bar only refills during a recess, meaning a poor decision early in the trial will linger as you approach a checkpoint.

    All of this is underscored by music which reminds the player that Justice For All was originally for the Game Boy Advance. Despite the low quality of the sound, the music fits perfectly with the game. I can't imagine a better score, and the first case's use of Bach's "Toccata and Fugue," complete with dramatic pipe organ, is absolutely flawless. The "beep boop boop" in most of the pieces complements the old-school feel of the game, and the melodies themselves fit well with the tone of the game. In addition, while some of the music is from the first game, most of the music is brand-new or at least a brand-new arrangement, making for a unique soundtrack. Voice acting is limited--Phoenix audibly shouts "take that," "hold it," and (of course) "objection," while other prosecutors have their own version of "objection." It would be nice to have at least the court sequences fully voiced.

"Ace Attorney 2 - Prologue"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joZcy_sQ_Rg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joZcy_sQ_Rg)
[close]
"Investigation ~ Opening 2002"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTC-IN2EG5E&list=SPC8CAEFF9300963AF (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTC-IN2EG5E&list=SPC8CAEFF9300963AF)
[close]
"Reminiscence ~ Scars Carved By Fire"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXgel1Tk2mE&list=SPC8CAEFF9300963AF (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXgel1Tk2mE&list=SPC8CAEFF9300963AF)
[close]

    You may have noticed that thus far I've avoided talking about the plot itself. That's on purpose. It would be criminal--no pun intended--for me to spoil the twists and turns throughout the game's four cases, the last of which will run you a good eight hours or so. More than just the story, though, the game truly excels with its character design and script. Rarely in a game have I as thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters as I did in Justice For All. The prosecutor for most of the cases literally whips the court into shape when things aren't going her way, and curtsies mockingly after presenting decisive evidence. A security woman dressed as an astronaut shoots Phoenix with a toy ray gun when she gets frustrated. A ventriloquist is too awkward and shy to speak without his dummy, who argues with and physically abuses him on the stand. In one case, a man is so calm and serene that his personal flock of birds follows him into court. The list goes on and on, and I found myself constantly laughing out loud at the various situations Phoenix lands himself in. I really enjoyed that the credits was mixed with a cast roll of sorts, with various characters giving Phoenix an update on their life.

    In addition to the new lot of characters, there are plenty of familiar faces to see. It feels like catching up with old friends when you meet bumbling detective Dick Gumshoe, "heart of the heartland" photographer Lotta Hart, and of course your spirit-savvy assistant, Maya Fey. With so many familiar faces, however, it does tend to narrow down the options for the true murderer, considering it's fairly obvious that no one who was in the first game will be your culprit.

Almost funnier than the characters themselves are Phoenix's reactions to them. Back by popular demand are Phoenix's court animations, the best of which is easily his "I'm f***ed" face, sweat pouring off of his forehead. And his thoughts on his situations are consistently hilarious. He's often victimized by everyone around him, even his allies, so there's an amusing ring of truth when he ponders "Why is it lately, all I want to do is cry...?" Everything adds to that marvelous soap opera style of the plot.

All of that being said, this game is not without its flaws, most of which are simply carry-overs from the first installment. For instance, the court logic gets extremely tiresome. It's funny the first time Phoenix's points are ignored while the prosecutor manhandles the judge, but by the fifteenth time, I really started wishing the court would give Phoenix a break. Phoenix mutters at one point "Why can't you be on my side for a change?" and it's too much of a legitimate complaint to be funny. In addition, some of the characters' gimmicks (such as the aforementioned whipping prosecutor) are hilarious at first, but are overused to the point where I can't even crack a smile when she cracks her whip. As a final note, there are a LOT of spelling and grammar mistakes, far more than the first game. I'm not sure why, but although the writing continues to be fabulous, the localization team's spellcheck seems to have completely broken before beginning work on this game. I could hardly go through one section of a case without a handful of noticeable grammatical errors, and it's even more annoying when the same one is used frequently (I'm looking at you, comma before "however").

Its flaws notwithstanding, the game is a gem for fans of visual novels, and offers more adult material than its cousin series, Professor Layton. I can't help but feel that Wright would be well-suited to a game-length case, like Layton games, rather than bite-sized cases. Either way, this game has made me a serious fan of Phoenix Wright, whereas before playing it I was only a moderate fan. I'm eager to finish Phoenix's trilogy, and I'm even more adamant about wanting the Layton crossover in the US!

Graphics: 7/10
The 2D art may be old-school, but it complements the story. And the character animations, particularly the ones used when a witness gets flustered on the stand, are brilliant.

Sound: 8/10
Catchy GBA-era music suits the story well; some of it has merit outside the game. Voice acting is fun, but there needs to be more of it.

Gameplay: 7/10
Investigating crime scenes, speaking to witnesses, and cross-examining testimonies is loads of fun, but the system gets repetitive after a while and sometimes it's pretty difficult to figure out which evidence you need to be presenting. Psyche-Locks are neat, but ultimately a bit weak.

Plot: 8/10
The true story of the murder is rarely that surprising, but the script and characters are so well done that it's hard to give this category anything less. You won't mind scrolling through text when it's this entertaining.

Overall: 8.0/10

You'll like: Meeting the eccentric cast of characters, reading Phoenix's inner monologue, and the overall feel of the gameplay.
You'll dislike: Backtracking, solving those rare difficult puzzles, and the judge's constant siding with the prosecution.
You'll love: Shouting "Objection!" into the mic, because who cares about the people around you?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 04, 2013, 06:58:30 PM
Game Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB: Mild Blood, Mild Violence

Playing through the final game in the trilogy of Phoenix Wright, I was struck by how surreal and wholly unique Phoenix's world is. Where else does confetti rain from the courtroom ceiling when the defendant is pronounced not guilty? Where else is it acceptable for prosecutors to hurl hot cups of coffee at the defense when things aren't looking well? And where else could an old man with a waitress fetish pelt the court with birdseed when angered? All of these crazy circumstances, and more, are found within Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations, the last game in the original Ace Attorney trilogy. Yet, however outlandish the situations get, the player never once questions them, and more than once I found myself wondering why that was the case. And upon finishing, it suddenly hit me--Ace Attorney is simply well-written enough that it could create any scenario, however bizarre, and I would go along with it.

I can't help but feel that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All was where the series started to take off, with elements like the Psyche-Lock and Phoenix's health bar providing some much-needed innovation to the original game's slightly flawed gameplay. The gameplay of Trials and Tribulations is entirely unchanged from that of Justice For All. Returning characters (for the most part) have the same 2D sprites and animations, and entire settings like the Courthouse, Detention Center, and Criminal Affairs Department are reused again. How, then, does this third installment differ from its predecessor? Simple: it's much better. Whereas that second game had a few stumbles throughout (notably in its rather weak filler cases), Trials and Tribulations is a pure delight from start to finish, with all five of its cases being not only entertaining, but rewarding as well. And not only is there a lot of continuity between its own episodes, Trials and Tribulations also relies on events from past games, particularly the second episode of Justice For All, to weave its story. This means that players who haven't experienced the first two games are in trouble, but it also feels much more rewarding for those dedicated players who have been with the series from the beginning.

There are fewer returning characters in this game as opposed to its predecessor which felt saturated with cameos of fan-favorites from the original. This lack of familiarity doesn't hurt the game one bit, as the new characters are as memorable and well-written as past ones have been. Everyone from a cross-dressing chef to a demonic teenage girl is written wonderfully, thanks to a great script and Capcom's stellar localization team. The most intriguing new character is the mysterious, coffee-addicted prosecutor Godot, who has "returned from the depths of Hell" to do battle with Phoenix Wright, who of course is clueless as to who Godot is. Godot becomes vital to understanding the central storyline, and he is a worthy successor to the previous game's whip-happy antagonist. As for the story itself, I can't give anything away. Just know that every single case in Trials and Tribulations is Ace Attorney at its best, with even the filler episodes feeling rewarding and worthwhile.

The music is among the best in the series. Newcomer Noriyuki Iwadare does a great job of remixing older pieces while throwing in new musical themes for various characters. Godot's theme music gets special mention here -- a saxophone-led piece which sounds great for a track that originated on the Game Boy Advance.

"Godot ~ The Fragrance of Dark Coffee"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzTrWUajZg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxzTrWUajZg)
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"Luke Atmey ~ I Just Want Love"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-gLFeMXjVM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-gLFeMXjVM)
[close]
"Larry Butz ~ When There's Trouble, I'm Usually There"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm1FM-FdCBk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm1FM-FdCBk)
[close]

If you aren't a fan of Phoenix Wright, this game will not change your mind. But for fans of the lawyer, Trials and Tribulations offers the best of the series and plenty of courtroom drama. Not even Detective Gumshoe is stupid enough to miss out on this game.

Graphics: 7/10
Same 2D style makes for a nostalgic aesthetic, but reused sprites and backgrounds do feel a bit tired.

Sound: 9/10
Best soundtrack of the lot, with lots of unique character themes to distinguish personalities. Plenty of reused and remixed music as well. Voice acting is great, though Phoenix remains the highlight.

Gameplay: 8/10
While it's the same as its predecessor in terms of gameplay, it's slightly more enjoyable due to the lack of annoyances such as backtracking. Puzzles also feel more polished, rarely being too difficult.

Plot: 9/10
The best in the series. The humor is especially well-done in this installment, and the final case is easily my favorite case of the series.

Overall: 8.5/10

You'll like: The hilarious NPCs.
You'll dislike: The fact that the witnesses get seemingly infinite opportunities to revise their testimonies.
You'll love: Godot, because he's the coolest guy I've ever encountered in a video game.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 10, 2013, 11:09:54 PM
Game Review: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB: T (Mild Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violent References)

I'm sure Japanese gamers were very confused upon starting up the fourth title in Capcom's Ace Attorney series. While the American title makes it clear that Phoenix Wright is no longer in the spotlight, the Japanese title is simply Gyakuten Saiban 4. Why not make a distinction? As revealed fairly quickly, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney takes place seven years after Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations. Shortly after the events of that game, Phoenix was apparently forced to turn in his attorney's badge due to a fateful trial. Seven years later, in comes greenhorn defense attorney Apollo Justice, armed with powerful "chords of steel" and a headstrong personality to take the reins from Wright.

Wright hasn't just disappeared off the face of the earth, however. He appears in the first few minutes of the game, as a man sadly devoid of meaning in his life now that he can no longer defend, and he continues to cast a mysterious presence over the rest of the game. Indeed, as more details of his past are revealed, it's clear why the Japanese titles use a simple numeric system--this is definitely a continuation of the Ace Attorney saga, and it's just as much Phoenix's game as it is Apollo's.

This brings up some issues, however. With the introduction of Apollo, there is a very cool new protagonist...who, in the game's climax, is shoved aside in favor of more screen time for Phoenix. Apollo is kind of forgotten in his own game, and while it's great we get more info on returning characters, it feels a little odd to so thoroughly switch the focus to a different character.

In Apollo Justice, more so than even Trials and Tribulations, the cases, seemingly unrelated at first, all come together in the end to form one giant story. While this makes the ending even more rewarding, the first three cases, particularly the second and third, can be something of a chore to go through. Episode 2 ranks as my least favorite case of the entire series; it's even more tedious than that big top case in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice For All. Even beyond the basic plots, though, the characters simply aren't as interesting or funny this time around. The prosecutor for this game is one Klavier Gavin, who is the lead guitarist for a rock band on the side. He certainly has some great moments--my favorite animation in the game is his imaginary guitar solo, fingers expertly animated with impressive dexterity--but he never evokes any belly laughs, like the hilarious Franziska von Karma, nor does he achieve the same level of coolness reached by the coffee-drinking Godot. Indeed, he's portrayed as something of a nice guy, in one episode giving Apollo discount prices on backstage passes to one of his concerts, which makes him far less interesting as an opposing force to Apollo.

As a replacement for bumbling Detective Gumshoe, Ema Skye (who was previously seen in Episode 5 of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney) takes over, with her Snackoo addiction and various gadgets utilizing the touch screen. She was my favorite character of this game, and made a great addition to the cast.

The biggest problem with the cast is, sadly, Apollo himself, along with his assistant Trucy. While they definitely have distinguishing characteristics, it's hard not to notice that they're essentially carbon copies of Phoenix and Maya. Their chemistry is exactly the same, and their reactions to various situations and objects is so similar it's almost ridiculous.

All story elements aside, though, it's hard to ignore just how much this game improves upon its predecessors in gameplay aspects. Needless backtracking has been all but eliminated, with Psyche-Locks gone as well. New animated cutscenes, though few and far between, add a lot to the experience. And music is of a higher technical quality than the previous entries: while a few pieces are reused, the majority of the music is brand new, and it all sounds great. The third case revolves around music as a plot element, to a very good effect.

"Klavier Gavin ~ Guilty Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gc2ZFKJ-jM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gc2ZFKJ-jM)
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"Kitaki Family"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tnc50uX2e4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tnc50uX2e4)
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"Recollection ~ Forgotten Legend"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cywf8AbDi_4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cywf8AbDi_4)
[close]

This game ranks as my least favorite of the Ace Attorney series, sadly. However, it's a solid continuation of the series after a three-year hiatus, and I look forward to seeing Phoenix and Apollo together in Ace Attorney 5.

Graphics: 7.5/10
Slightly more fluid animation, but the art is largely the same--which isn't a bad thing at all.

Sound: 8.5/10
Great soundtrack on par with the excellent music from Trials and Tribulations. Not as much voice acting, and what is here just isn't as distinctive as the previous games' voice acting.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Largely the same, with several tweaks, improvements, and additions to the tried-and-true Ace Attorney formula. None of these are game-changing, but they are appreciated.

Plot: 7.0/10
The first case is intriguing, the last case excellent, but the second and third aren't quite on par with the other installments. In addition, the wacky humor that made the first three Ace Attorney games so memorable is an element largely absent here.

Overall: 7.0/10

You'll like: Playing as a different protagonist for a change.
You'll dislike: The fact that the new protagonist is largely ignored in favor of the older one.
You'll love: Ema Skye, because not many detectives would pelt you with Snackoos when moody.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Yugi on August 14, 2013, 03:05:04 AM
What would you consider your favourite case in the series Slow?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 14, 2013, 05:45:22 AM
In no particular order: 1-4, 2-4, 3-3, 3-5
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 16, 2013, 08:54:39 PM
Game Review: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: E 10+ (Mild Cartoon Violence)

Alpha-Dream's Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga really threw Gameboy Advance owners for a loop back in 2003. Rather than a simple sidescroller like Mario's other GBA endeavors, Superstar Saga was an RPG in the style of earlier games such as Paper Mario--only much better. Clever writing, bizarre situations, and knowing references to Mario's history were complemented by an intuitive mechanism for controlling the brothers and a truly well-executed battle system. Throw in two excellent sequels--Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time and Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story and you have what is not only one of the best Mario series, but one of the best RPG series out there. So it was with not only interest but great excitement that I started up Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, expecting the best and hoping for better. Does it live up to expectations? Read on to find out.

Dream Team was clearly meant to be a return to the series' roots in many aspects. It's the first game since Superstar Saga in which Mario and Luigi are the only characters you control. That alone, combined with the foreign setting of the game--Mario explores Pi'illo Island rather than the Mushroom Kingdom--as well as the surprise return of a few iconic characters, makes Dream Team bear more than a passing resemblance to the bros.' original GBA adventure.

Immediately noticeable is the graphics overhaul. Mario and Luigi, and in fact all characters, are pixelated, making them slightly blurry but also adding a wonderful charm to the atmosphere. The work that Alpha-Dream put into all of the characters' sprites is noticeable and impressive--for instance, Mario raises his left fist whenever he jumps, regardless of which way he's facing. A small, easy detail? Think again. This means that instead of just mirroring his sprites, they created 16 unique ones--one for each direction on the circle pad. And the same goes for Luigi, who raises his right fist. The payoff is well worth it, as the game looks polished and confident in its unique art style. Backgrounds, meanwhile, have gorgeous 3D features; and even better are the graphics during "giant battles," which replace the giant Bowser battles from Bowser's Inside Story. They look as good as anything I've seen on the 3DS before. The 3D effect is not often needed, and in fact is a bit annoying during battles (especially during the attacks utilizing the gyroscope), but in general it adds a touch of depth to the setting; and during the side-scrolling areas, it makes the backgrounds pop.

The battle system, too, is so fluid and near-perfect that any RPG-lover will be in heaven. There are a lot of enemies to be beaten here--according to my end of game stats, I defeated nearly 4200 enemies throughout the course of the game--but when the battles are as smooth and downright fun as they are in Dream Team, you'll barely notice how much time you're spending stomping Goombas.

The only reason you'll want to avoid enemies is to allow Yoko Shimomura's beautiful score go uninterrupted. Her music for this game rivals her best work in the past, and the lavishly orchestrated overworld themes are complemented by electronic "dreamy" remixes. A truly masterful score, and easily the highlight of the series in this respect. The soundtrack is so excellent, in fact, that I won't even post any of it here. It's so good that it deserves to be experienced within the game itself. Besides, I can't narrow my choices down to just a couple tracks.

The plot starts out very promisingly. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and the gang visit scenic Pi'illo Island for a vacation. However, this being a Mario & Luigi game, one bizarre thing leads to another and soon the evil bat king Antasma escapes from the dream world and joins forces with Bowser to take over Pi'illo Island. As a result, the bros.--with the aid of Starlow and newcomer Prince Dreambert--must travel across Pi'illo Island, dipping in and out of the Dream World to rescue the ancient Pi'illo race and locate the fabled Dream Stone. It sounds like standard Mario & Luigi fare, but unfortunately many staples of the series are gone. This installment certainly has more than its fair share of chuckles--the Massif Brothers' dialogue is downright "unbebeefable"--but I very rarely found myself laughing too hard. Fawful's prominence in Bowser's Inside Story is greatly missed here. And Antasma is a delightful villain, but has little to do with the story. He and Bowser pop in every now and then to remind you what great characters they are, but there are long stretches of time between these scenes. It seems like most of the game the player is just completing menial, tedious tasks connected by a paper-thin plot that could use some substance. And even these tasks are bogged down by unnecessary, overlong tutorials. Seriously, even newcomers will find these tutorials patronizing, as none of the mechanics are that difficult in the first place.

My gripes with the plot and gameplay aside, I can't deny that when Dream Team hits its stride, it's a truly fantastic experience. The level of polish and care put into the game is fantastic, and you'll probably find yourself having fun more often than not--a large feat in a game that will take you a minimum of 35 hours. Coming after Bowser's Inside Story really hurt Dream Team, but I think even viewed as a standalone experience it's something of a misfire. Hopefully the Mario & Luigi series can only improve from here.

Graphics: 8/10
The pixelly sprites complement the beautiful backgrounds surprisingly well, and the graphics during the giant boss battles are beyond anything the series has provided before.

Sound: 10/10
The best soundtrack I've ever heard on a 3DS game, as well as perfect voice acting led by the bros.' vaguely Italian-sounding gibberish and Antasma's bat screeches.

Gameplay: 8/10
Move from area to area (to area) defeating enemies and solving simple puzzles. Earns points for an addictive battle system, loses points for overlong explanations of simple mechanics.

Plot: 8/10
The writing and story is the low point of the series, but in a series renowned for its hilarious writing, perhaps that's not such an insult. Characters like the Massif Brothers and the...flamboyant Bedsmith make their scenes a riot, while characters such as Antasma are sadly underused.

Overall: 8.0/10

You'll like: The unfailingly fun boss battles and the eccentric characters.
You'll dislike: The tedium of the overworld and the abundance of unnecessary tutorials.
You'll love: The soundtrack. This is the best work I've ever heard from Yoko Shimomura, period.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 26, 2013, 01:18:06 PM
Quote from: Yugi on August 14, 2013, 03:05:04 AMWhat would you consider your favourite case in the series Slow?

After some consideration, I think my favorite is case 3-5.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Sebastian on August 26, 2013, 02:31:47 PM
Could you review Mario kart wii?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: blueflower999 on August 26, 2013, 06:55:35 PM
I think he's mainly reviewing portable games.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Sebastian on August 27, 2013, 10:24:07 AM
ok
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 27, 2013, 11:22:39 AM
You never know, mariolegofan. I might. ;)
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Sebastian on August 27, 2013, 11:26:00 AM
quote author=SlowPokemon link=topic=4986.msg224154#msg224154 date=1377627759]
You never know, mariolegofan. I might. ;)
[/quote]
Cant wait...if you do.
I always liked the music to that game  :)
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on November 03, 2013, 02:41:11 PM
Game Review: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: M (Violence, Blood, Suggestive Themes, Language)

I truly envy the naïve person who is browsing the Nintendo eShop for something to buy, comes across Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies, and impulsively buys it despite never having played an Ace Attorney game before. Players already familiar with the exploits of Phoenix Wright, Apollo Justice, and the rest will be anticipating the bizarre situations, offbeat humor, and entertaining dialogue, but someone playing for the first time is liable to snort milk out of his or her nose when, in the first case, Mr. Wright makes a particularly good argument and the prosecution's toupee flies off in shock.

That's right, Ace Attorney is back and is as laugh-out-loud ridiculous as ever, the various murder trials bringing all sorts of quirky (and sometimes certifiably insane) characters to testify in court. And god, it feels good to have this series back in action. As the first main series title since 2008's Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Dual Destinies is a compelling argument for why this series should not die out anytime soon. It doesn't mess much with the Ace Attorney formula, but it's so polished and so well-written that I have no qualms calling it the best Ace Attorney experience to date.

Notice I didn't refer to the game as a Phoenix Wright experience; the title is quite a misnomer. Phoenix Wright is merely a brand name at this point, the lawyer playing a prominent role in a few of the game's five cases but ultimately taking a backseat to Apollo Justice and newcomer Athena Cykes, whose super-sensitive hearing allows her to sense discord in others' emotions. Don't worry one bit about that, though—Apollo and Athena are appealing enough as characters that you won't really notice Wright's absence.

And the cases are such an improvement over past games, too. Apollo Justice's middle cases became something of a chore to play through, with drawn-out scenarios and characters that annoyed as much as they amused. No such problems are found in Dual Destinies, which hasn't a single weak case among its five. The game opens with a bang, and that's not a figure of speech—the first scene in the game is a bomb going off in court, the judge and people in the gallery running for their lives. The excitement found in this opener doesn't let up, either—the other cases involve such oddities as a murder apparently committed by a Japanese demon, or the murder of a school professor apparently at the hands of one of her students. While the episodes in Dual Destinies are quite lengthy, they never feel tedious, which is more than can be said about even some of the original Phoenix Wright cases. These cases twist and turn to the point where it almost gets absurd, and for the first time, I was legitimately shocked by the murderer in the last case. And even when the pacing starts dragging, you have so many characters to keep things interesting: a journalism student who refuses to leave her cardboard box, a self-important old man whose mobile scooter goes haywire in court, and a flamboyant makeup-wearing gentleman who assaults you with perfume when angered, to name a few highlights. And this isn't even mentioning the new prosecutor, Simon Blackquill, who is allowed to prosecute trials despite currently serving time for a murder sentence. Only in the Ace Attorney universe would a prosecutor be allowed to make numerous death threats in court and attack the defense with a pet hawk, and that's all I can say on the subject.

It's almost a given at this point, but the localization is spot-on, with only a few noticeable grammatical errors and expertly translated phrases that I'm sure couldn't work in the Japanese. At one point Apollo tells the justice-loving Detective Fulbright that "It's just us and you in here," to which the detective replies "It's justice and me in here...?" The puns fly thick and fast in true Ace Attorney fashion, one of my personal favorites being that a so-called "bomb disposal expert" is named Ted Tonate (give it a second...and there you go).

And then there's the gameplay. Capcom has my eternal gratitude for the amount of improvements that went into the gameplay of Dual Destinies, another reason I'm so envious of anyone who has this game as his or her first Ace Attorney experience. The most notable thing is that losing all of your health no longer boots you to the title screen; rather, you're given an option to simply retry starting from where you failed. This makes the thought of losing a lot less scary, but there was no reason for such punishment in the first place, so I really appreciated that bit of gameplay. In addition, incorrectly presenting evidence several times in a row unlocks an option to consult your fellow attorney, who will tell you the contradictory statement. It works great because you still have some challenge in figuring out which evidence to present without being bogged down by so many statements.

The 3D models look simply incredible, maintaining the charm of the 2D art of Ace Attorney games past while adding a lot more expression to the characters. Dual Destinies also has my favorite use of the 3D effect on the handheld, tying with Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask which uses a similar layout. Also in the style of Layton are new anime cutscenes, complete with cheesy-borderline-cringeworthy voice acting. They add a lot to the experience and are expertly converted to 3D for the system. The various voice acting in the court phases has received a huge overhaul as well, with some great results (and some slightly awkward results).

The music is of the highest quality the series has ever seen, and is expertly written by Noriyuki Iwadare (of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations fame). The music score is incredible, with mostly new themes and a few remixed ones from previous titles. Special mention goes to Simon Blackquill's theme for being dark, brooding, and intimidating yet still accomplishing a sense of excitement and intrigue.

Overall, Dual Destinies is the best Ace Attorney title to date, which begs the question why Capcom didn't see fit to order a retail release. I guess it doesn't matter, considering we didn't even get the last Ace Attorney game here in the states, but I still think that this is the sort of game that could become a sleeper hit, if only people knew about it. In addition, the M rating (which is just barely justified) doubtlessly turns younger audiences away. Make sure you add this title to your 3DS library—it's an absolute must-play.

Graphics: 10/10
Ace Attorney makes the leap to 3D—finally—with graceful and spectacular execution.

Sound: 10/10
Amazing orchestral music courtesy of a veteran composer and purposely cheesy voice-over work makes for the ideal Ace Attorney experience soundwise.

Gameplay: 8/10
Investigations are much, much more streamlined, and trials aren't so headache-inducing. Be prepared for a lot of dialogue and a lot of crazy logic.

Plot: 10/10
The best stories since Trials and Tribulations, with a greater sense of overall narrative than any of the previous games.

Overall: 9/10

You'll like: The twists and turns each trial throws at you.
You'll dislike: The occasionally slow pacing of the plot.
You'll love: Prosecutor Blackquill. "Take that, Wright-dono!"
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 10, 2014, 08:57:03 PM
SlowPokemon's Best of 3DS Games 2013

Best Multiplayer
Spoiler
Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
While I wasn't totally satisfied with the sixth generation of Pokémon games, no one can deny that they brought new life to the series. The games represent the most polished experience a Pokémon fan could ask for, and this becomes especially obvious in the games' multiplayer features thanks to the ingenious Player Search System, or PSS. Want to trade Pokémon with a buddy who's online? Just tap a button on the bottom screen. Don't have the Pokémon you want to trade with you? Just trade it straight from your PC Box. Have the urge to battle, but none of your friends are online? Tap the icon of any "Passersby"—people who are playing the game online from anywhere in the world—and challenge them to a battle. It's a truly fantastic experience, especially as a longtime Pokémon fan who did all his childhood trading at the Pokémon Center.

Honorable mention: Animal Crossing: New Leaf
[close]

Best Graphics
Spoiler
[close]

Best use of 3D
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Ace Attorney's leap into 3D was beautifully realized, with lively animated 3D models that pop naturally from their backgrounds. The addition of 2D animated cutscenes converted into 3D also made for a really immersive experience.

Honorable mention: Animal Crossing: New Leaf, HarmoKnight, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
[close]

Best Sound
Spoiler
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
The sequel to the popular cult game of 2001, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon features a brilliantly spooky array of sound design. Everything from the creepy soundtrack to the charming way Luigi hums along to it is designed to make the player smile, shiver, and everything in between. Charles Martinet did a particularly fantastic job with Luigi's voice.

Honorable mention: Animal Crossing: New Leaf, HarmoKnight
[close]

Best Music
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Say what you will about Pokémon X and Y, but the new Ace Attorney game has the best music in a game I've heard in a long time. The CD album has 69 tracks, and there isn't a single weak one among them. With the 3DS potential to work with, Capcom wisely ditched the nostalgic beeps of previous entries in the series and went full-out orchestral, making Phoenix's objections that much more intense, the quirky characters that much more amusing, and the sad moments truly heartbreaking.

Honorable mention: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
[close]

Best Story
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Even for a story-based game, Dual Destinies goes above and beyond what's expected. Three of Dual Destinies' five cases link together to form an intricate, complex story, while the other two function as standalone episodes, no less rewarding. The dialogue is incredibly well-written, the characters' names groan-inducingly punny, and the story dramatic, complicated, and over-the-top. What all that adds up to is a clever and highly entertaining experience.

Honorable mention: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale
[close]

Best 3DS Game
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
That's right, Dual Destinies was my favorite 3DS game of the year. It might be a bit too personal of a choice for some of you, but rest assured that I don't know anyone who wouldn't enjoy Dual Destinies if they gave it the chance. It's the best Ace Attorney title out there in terms of what kind of experience you're going to get, and manages to be excellent for both newcomers and veterans. Throw in the best DLC I've ever encountered (an entire case!) and you have what I consider to be the best 3DS experience of 2013.

Honorable mention: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
[close]
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Yugi on January 10, 2014, 09:00:47 PM
I love how "Best Graphics" is blank.

And What do you think is the best 2013 game in general?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: FireArrow on January 10, 2014, 10:12:24 PM
Slow, that's unlike you, VLR didn't even get an honorable for story! O:
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Yugi on January 10, 2014, 10:28:40 PM
Quote from: FireArrow on January 10, 2014, 10:12:24 PMSlow, that's unlike you, VLR didn't even get an honorable for story! O:
Not 2013
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Olimar12345 on January 11, 2014, 12:24:10 AM
Lol you can tell which game he has played most recently. ::)
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 11, 2014, 03:45:11 AM
Quote from: Olimar12345 on January 11, 2014, 12:24:10 AMLol you can tell which game he has played most recently. ::)

Pokemon X and Y you mean? I haven't played Dual Destinies since it came out, you prick. It's not like I could actually like it the best or anything. Go be mean in someone else's review thread, thanks.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Olimar12345 on January 11, 2014, 08:59:03 AM
Try to read my posts in a normal tone. Perhaps you'll have a better time interpreting them, and won't have to sink to petty flaming. d:
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: MaestroUGC on January 11, 2014, 08:59:57 AM
Only if you start reading my posts in a not-so-normal tone, you dingus.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Olimar12345 on January 11, 2014, 09:02:24 AM
Lol, well that time bloop was there and also thought you were serious. 
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 11, 2014, 09:51:12 AM
Quote from: Olimar12345 on January 11, 2014, 08:59:03 AMTry to read my posts in a normal tone. Perhaps you'll have a better time interpreting them, and won't have to sink to petty flaming. d:

Jesus Christ Olimar. You can't expect to do your little provoking bullshit and then act surprised when I tell you to fuck off. And don't even try to convince me you meant it any other way, you asshole. I'm so sick of you.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Sebastian on January 11, 2014, 09:53:04 AM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on January 11, 2014, 09:51:12 AMJesus Christ Olimar. You can't expect to do your little provoking bullshit and then act surprised when I tell you to fuck off. And don't even try to convince me you meant it any other way, you asshole. I'm so sick of you.
Hmm....I wonder why he got banned....
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Olimar12345 on January 11, 2014, 10:16:58 AM
*reads review topic*
*reads last game reviewed*
*notices it also gets half of the awards*
*makes a joke about it*

Gets flamed.

???

You obviously have some unhealthy fixation on me, as this isn't the first time you've gone off on me like this. Might I suggest we move this conversation to PM's before the Mods get here?

Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dude on January 11, 2014, 10:49:31 AM
Quote from: mariolegofan on January 11, 2014, 09:53:04 AMHmm....I wonder why he got banned....
Yeah, it's a mystery.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on February 07, 2014, 10:09:56 PM
Game Review: Little Inferno
System: iOS (also for Android, PC, Mac, and Wii U)
ESRB: T (Crude Humor, Drug Reference)

    At the beginning of Little Inferno, the player is faced with his own brand-new Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace, a small face design at the back and a bleak wall surrounding it. A small inventory for items holds a set of terms and conditions for the fireplace. A letter from the head of the company that produced the fireplace urges the player to read the terms and conditions carefully; however, the terms and conditions cannot be read. And so the player instead puts them in the fireplace and sets them ablaze, the papers crackling pleasantly and casting a rosy glow. A strange and clever introduction to set the tone for the unconventional experience to follow.

    If you enjoyed the oddly satisfying experience of watching the papers burn, you're in luck. The "gameplay" consists entirely of ordering items from catalogues and setting them on fire to keep warm. In Little Inferno's universe, it has been snowing for ever so long and Earth is getting increasingly freezing. What else is there to do but burn anything and everything in an attempt to stay warm? And yes, everything burns--toy rabbits, cans of soda, television sets, alarm clocks, sunglasses... the list goes on and on. Each item has a unique reaction to being engulfed by flames, and here is where Little Inferno starts to strike a chord with the player. Some items, such as wooden spoons, burn exactly how they would be expected to, but other items such as marshmallows or ears of corn have interesting and funny reactions. Some of the items, though, such as the "Eager Bunny Plushie" or "Toy Leprechaun," have cutesy names yet appear absolutely grotesque. The player never feels totally comfortable with the game thanks to effects like the sound of children screaming when a toy school bus is burned. Something is off about this entire thing, and some players will find it intriguing while others will find it too strange or creepy for their tastes.

    To progress the story, the player needs to find "combos," which are made by burning two or three specific items at the same time. The only hint given is the combo's name itself, which is sometimes helpful and sometimes not so much. For instance, the first combo is simply called "Bike Pirate," and requires you to burn the bike and the pirate simultaneously. Simple, right? Another one is "Springtime," requiring you to burn flower seeds and an alarm clock. This makes up the majority of the gameplay--figuring out the "puzzles" at your leisure to unlock the next catalogue and order more items to burn.

    Despite the seemingly sandbox nature of Little Inferno, there is actually a definite plot which progresses as the catalogues are unlocked. The main character never directly contacts any other characters, but receives letters from a few characters that explain their situations. At first, letters from a young girl named Sugar Plumps might seem trivial or annoying, but as more is revealed about her and she forms a relationship with the main character, it's hard not to grow fond of her. Reports from the Weather Man, who floats above the city in a hot air balloon, are a fairly frequent occurrence. The aforementioned head of Tomorrow Corporation, a woman known only as Miss Nancy, writes occasionally to gush and simper over how taken the player is with her product. By the time the story starts throwing curveballs, you'll be so engrossed that you won't be able to put the game down. It all leads to an ending sequence that will leave even the most cynical players in awe.

    It will only take you about three or four hours to finish the story, and I can't guarantee that you'll feel motivated to find all the combos or even play the story again. I can, however, guarantee that you will be left with a strange feeling when the credits have rolled. I played through the game twice, and it was only the second time that I was able to recognize the feeling as pensiveness. Little Inferno is that rare game that can make you think without being preachy--all while being entertaining and addictive.

    "Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace was designed to not matter," Sugar Plumps theorizes a while into the game. And many would be inclined to agree with that assertion when looking at the surface. However, Little Inferno was made for the players who are willing to look at things carefully, to delve into them rather than accept them at face value. This game has a point to make. Whether you heed it is entirely up to you, but there's no denying the power this little game has. No one who enjoys unconventional video games should pass this hidden gem up, and it's helpfully spread across several platforms--if you can read this review, you can play this game. Go ahead and pay the $10 (or $5 on mobile platforms); you won't get an experience like this anywhere else.

Graphics: 10/10
The game's cartoonish art style is highly reminiscent of Tim Burton's early films, creepy and charming. Fire and burning objects are animated with the utmost skill, creating a distinctive and entrancing aesthetic.

Sound: 9.0/10
Various objects make amusing, disturbing, or otherwise entertaining noises when burned. The soundtrack, available free on the developers' website, covers a lot of ground, using silly themes in places while keeping a dramatic, awe-inspiring main theme for use in various places. The only complaint is that, as expected of a production this size, the soundtrack is quite limited.

Gameplay: 7.0/10
An interactive fireplace may not sound like much fun, but it's surprisingly addictive and the bizarre reactions some items have to being burned prevent the game from becoming too mundane.

Plot: 8.0/10
Don't expect it to be too complex, but the story is entertaining and intriguing. The game establishes its characters very well but leaves its most exciting developments for the end, making the pacing a bit slow throughout.

Overall: 8.0/10

You'll like: The unconventional charm that Little Inferno exudes.
You'll dislike: The occasionally tedious gameplay.
You'll love: Sugar Plumps. What a cutie!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 05, 2014, 08:05:27 AM
Game Review: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
System: PlayStation Vita
ESRB: M (Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes)

Have you ever wondered what might happen if fifteen high school students were trapped in a school with their lives dictated by a psychotic teddy bear? Maybe you've pondered what it's like to choose between killing a fellow student or having all of them learn your darkest, most embarrassing secret? Or perhaps you've wanted to become best friends with a famous pop idol or baseball player? (Hey, not everything has to be dark.) Welcome to Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, the deformed love child of Ace Attorney and Virtue's Last Reward. You're in for one hell of a time.

Danganronpa begins quite charmingly, with a catchy title theme and an introduction by the completely adorkable protagonist, Makoto Naegi. He has been selected to attend the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy, you see, which is reserved for high school students who are elite, or "ultimate," in their fields. And it doesn't really matter what your field is, as long as you're the best in it--the well-designed characters range from "ultimate fashionista" and "ultimate swimming pro" to the more cryptic "ultimate gambler" and "ultimate fanfic creator." Makoto himself is attending as the "ultimate lucky student," having been chosen by a lottery among thousands of other students.

Makoto's luck runs out fairly quickly, though, as he walks inside Hope's Peak Academy and immediately faints. He wakes up in an abandoned classroom with iron plates over the windows and, after leaving the classroom, discovers that his fourteen classmates have suffered the same fate. Right around the time they decide it's some bizarre orientation procedure, a voice comes over the loudspeaker and calls them to the gym--and here's where things really get weird. In the gym, the students find a small teddy bear, designed so that half of it is white and cutesy and the other half is black and decidedly, um, evil-looking. Any feeling of surprise turns to shock when the bear begins talking and identifies himself as their headmaster Monokuma, and any feeling of nervousness turns to dread when he announces that they're trapped in Hope's Peak Academy for life. There is a way to get out, though, as he casually mentions: murder. If a student can commit a murder without being found out by the rest of the class, that one student can graduate and leave the school. And Monokuma heavily encourages this process. "You can kill as much as you wanna kill! So go ahead, go on a kill-kill-killing spree!" he cheerfully suggests. Have I mentioned Monokuma's voice sounds like a children's cartoon mascot? Yeah.

There are six chapters in Danganronpa, each split into two phases. In the first phase, "daily life," Makoto can hang out with any student of the player's choosing for a few days, highly reminiscent of the social links in Atlus's Persona series. However, things don't really heat up until a body is found, at which point the game enters "deadly life." This is where things switch over to Ace Attorney mode, with the player (as Makoto) investigating the crime scene and other key areas for evidence (here called "truth bullets"). After all necessary truth bullets have been obtained, the class trial begins, with all of the students standing around in a circle and presenting arguments as to who the killer was and Monokuma presiding over them as judge. Finding contradictions in another student's argument plays out exactly like one of Phoenix Wright's cross-examinations, with a more fast-paced twist: the evidence are called truth bullets because you literally have to fire them into the contradictory section of an argument. It's pretty clear these sections are heavily inspired by Ace Attorney, and the game almost pays homage to that other series every time Makoto points out a contradiction and triumphantly shouts "No, that's wrong!" in true "objection" style.

None of the murders are incredibly difficult to solve, but these cases are as involved and as emotionally moving as Phoenix Wright's best. The game constantly subverted my expectations and didn't pull any punches when it came to killing off characters, and then revealing more details about those characters to completely change the light in which I viewed them. As the bodies begin piling up and more details on the students' situation are revealed, it's hard not to get completely engrossed in the mystery and intrigue, and here is where Danganronpa finds its similarity to that other Spike Chunsoft title, Virtue's Last Reward: its knack for weaving a compelling, and often wrenching, narrative. The scenario and writing here is incredibly high in quality, thanks in no small part to a wonderful localization. No matter how slow-paced the plot becomes, you won't even notice when the game is constantly bombarding you with entertaining dialogue and plot details. And the story only gets better as the game progresses--the ending in particular is fantastic and includes a great sequel hook--which is nice, because Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is set to make its international debut next month.

All of this is severely Japanese, of course. The characters have a distinctly anime style to their design--although the art style is a little more jagged and dark than typical anime--and the plot grows more insane and convoluted by the minute, in true Japanese visual novel style. But the presentation of this material is so polished and unique that it feels very fresh. There are odd little visual touches such as blood being colored hot pink, or objects and characters being portrayed as 2D cutouts in a 3D environment, that make Danganronpa a quirky little beast all its own. It's visually arresting, but in a "wow, I've never seen anything like this before" sort of way.

And the audio is fabulous. The North American version of the game includes the option to listen to either the English or Japanese dialogue, and I must say that both versions are very well done. The Japanese cast is rather star-studded, so that's to be expected, but even the English cast does a great job with the characters its provided, with very few exceptions. I noticed that both casts give the same overall impression of each character, so it really doesn't matter which one you choose. Meanwhile, the music is all electronic, with very few acoustic instruments, and gives the game that futuristic, trippy sort of feel it needs--especially during the trials, which are scored with throbbing trance music. The main theme, "Trigger Happy Havoc," is rowdy and catchy, and gives the game an upbeat little spark that it really needs to avoid becoming too depressing or creepy. Two other themes worth mentioning are "Beautiful Death," a moody and atmospheric piece characterized by mysterious suspended 2nd chords that is heard frequently throughout the adventure, and "Mr. Monokuma's Lesson," a quirky theme for the bear that includes squeaky brass and hilariously odd synthetic male vocals. These three pieces really give an idea of what the game is about.

"Trigger Happy Havoc"
[close]
"Beautiful Death"
[close]
"Mr. Monokuma's Lesson"
[close]

Danganronpa is a big contender for my favorite game of the year, even six months after playing it, and it's perfect for fans of visual novels such as Virtue's Last Reward and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. Heck, even if you bought a Vita to play Persona 4 Golden, you might as well pick this one up as well. The only way I see someone having a major problem with this game is if they aren't into games with a heavy emphasis on story and text. With an entire post-game mode and lots of extra content to unlock, it'll keep you busy for a while even after the roughly 25-hour adventure. And it's pretty much a guarantee that you'll want to go back for seconds of the story. Just take a chance on this one and enjoy it while it lasts--and then join me in counting down the minutes until the sequel is released.

Graphics: 8.5/10
The hand-drawn character portraits look beautiful on the Vita's HD screen, and the odd self-proclaimed "2.5-D" effect is disarming and unique.

Sound: 9.0/10
The voice casts are great, while the music is atmospheric and effective, even if not all of it holds merit outside the game.

Gameplay: 10/10
The game controls great, and though it plays like a text adventure, there's enough interactivity to avoid becoming detached from the story.

Plot: 9.0/10
Completely immersive, mysterious, and exciting, the story can also be relentlessly disturbing at times--which doesn't make it any less compelling.

Overall: 9.0/10

You'll like: The eccentric, surprising, and often murderous cast of characters.
You'll dislike: The game's tendency to be a little too easy and occasionally a little too predictable.
You'll love: Monokuma, who is easily the most unique and frightening antagonist I've encountered in a long time.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 07, 2014, 10:39:43 AM
Game Review: The Starship Damrey
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: T (Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes)

"This game contains no tutorials or explanations. Part of the experience is to discover things yourself."

This disclaimer of sorts is the first thing that the player sees upon starting up The Starship Damrey, a Nintendo eShop-exclusive software released by Level-5 as part of its Guild-02 series. It's a hook, something to grab your attention. And it works. Initially only being considered for purchase due to my love of other Level-5 games and a penchant for adventure games, the idea of a totally blind experience with no tutorials or hand-holding made my interest in the title skyrocket, and it immediately jumped to the top of my priority list of games to play.

At the start of the game, the player's character wakes up in a tight, coffin-like pod aboard the titular starship. The AI assistance program of the ship, SAM, notes that "you may be suffering from amnesia due to the cold sleep," meaning that, conveniently, even the main character cannot fill the player in on the details. This opening sequence is quite honestly the title's highlight in terms of cleverness and gameplay. You won't get anywhere without tapping around the capsule and attempting to deduce what's necessary to advance the story, and the feeling that's evoked is comparable to walking around in a pitch-black room, hoping to find a door and praying you won't trip or fall. After completing a series of actions, you'll find yourself remotely controlling an AR series robot designed for the starship, navigating the ship's many corridors and rooms to search for a way to free you from your cold sleep pod. The majority of the game is spent controlling this robot from your pod and making it interact with objects to complete simple puzzles typical of the adventure game genre, all in the hopes of progressing and unraveling the mystery.

Oh, yeah--there's a mystery. It won't be long before you realize that the majority of the crew is dead, and the biggest hook that keeps the game moving is the player's curiosity as to what exactly happened that resulted in the ship becoming the crew's tomb. It's a great story, I've got to admit, and one that's worth playing to the end for. The game amps up the player's interest by accomplishing what few other games do--a real sense of fear and dread. The robot's flashlight, you see, only illuminates a few steps ahead, meaning that most of the time you're unable to see what's just around the corner. This allows the game to set up multiple jump scares, which are great fun and will truly make you jump. Although The Starship Damrey is first and foremost an adventure game, it doesn't shy away from playing things similarly to a survival horror game, and it's when the game is most chilling that it's most successful. That's not to say it's entirely creepy, though--a few instances of deadpan humor and one simply hilarious cutscene that nods to 2001: A Space Odyssey provide great comic relief without detracting from the overall feel of the story.

As good as the high points of this game are, there are also quite a few issues that must be addressed. The most constant annoyance of this game is the controls. Your robot can only function in 90-degree angles, which does give it a certain charming vibe, but also makes it downright frustrating to maneuver sometimes. It might be able to be overlooked, if not for the annoying whirring sound your robot makes. Don't think you'll be able to get out of hearing that one, either: a second disclaimer at the start of the game advises players to keep volume up at all times, since aural effects are integral to truly experiencing the game. And I grudgingly have to agree with that; even though there is practically no music score in the entire game, sound effects play a key role in setting the atmosphere. A sudden piercing swell of strings arrives a split second before something suddenly appears on screen. Occasionally, you'll hear an ominous clank from far away--but not too far away. And, most importantly to the gameplay, there are 20 "space leeches" scattered throughout the ship, which must be exterminated. They're extremely difficult to spot, given their placement on ceilings or out-of-the-way corners, but when you approach one it emits a loud clicking sound.

The puzzles, too, are largely disappointing. The fact that your robot can only hold one item at a time, which can't be put down until it's been used, means that solving a "puzzle" entails roaming around until you discover the correct thing with which to use the object in hand. It's sometimes a tedious process that occasionally regresses into a pixel hunt, and I think the game could have made it a little smoother of an experience without giving up its ban on tutorials.

Last but not least, this game lasted me a total of roughly three hours from start to finish. Yeah, that's incredibly short. Don't get me wrong, this length is actually perfect for the type of experience that The Starship Damrey wants to deliver--something like a short sci-fi/horror story that you can finish in one sitting. However, this means that it's MSRP of $7.99 is a few dollars too pricey for this reviewer to really recommend buying it. I was lucky enough to catch it at $4.99 while the entire Guild series was on sale, and if you can get it at a discounted price, I would totally recommend it. It's best experienced in the dark with headphones, when you've got a few hours to kill and a craving for creepy, sci-fi-themed fun.

Graphics: 7.0/10
You won't see anything here that's better than anything else on the 3DS, but the graphics are serviceable and create a nice spooky atmosphere.

Sound: 6.0/10
When music is present, it's excellent, but with only three tracks or so there's not much to go on. Sound effects add to the experience.

Gameplay: 5.5/10
Controlling the robot for about two and a half hours of gameplay doesn't become tedious, but it's not all that revolutionary, either. The puzzles aren't that inspired and sometimes suffer from convoluted "adventure game" logic. No one's going to be playing this game for the control experience.

Plot: 8.5/10
With a gripping mystery to bring to light, a fascinating environment to explore, and a truly clever twist ending, the story is worth experiencing for fans of sci-fi or horror, even if it's occasionally a slog to reach the end. Extra content is available after completion of the game to fill in the gaps of the narrative, and you get a short story that reveals more background information if your Nintendo 3DS system has save data from any of the Guild-01 titles, Liberation Maiden, Aero Porter, or Crimson Shroud.

Overall: 6.0/10

You'll like: The Starship Damrey's creepy atmosphere and simple but chilling narrative.
You'll dislike: The frustrating controls and slow pacing.
You'll love: That twist ending I mentioned earlier. I gotta hand it to the writers--I didn't see that coming.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: K-NiGhT on August 11, 2014, 11:57:12 AM
Slow I must say, I love your reviews. They're very well written and I can always tell how much effort and love you put into them. I believe you have a future in reviewing. Keep up the good work :3
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Sebastian on August 11, 2014, 12:00:25 PM
Agreed! Excellent Work! :)
You take requests?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 11, 2014, 12:09:28 PM
Wow! Thanks, that actually means the world to me that people actually read them. I just write what I care about and that motivates me to write more efficiently I think.

And mariolegofan, you can always make a request, but I can't guarantee I'll review it. I have several titles backed up that I already intend to review. Still, it can't hurt to request something. :)
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Waddle Bro on August 11, 2014, 12:19:38 PM
I also read these fantastic reviews but you've been talking about games that I have no experience on so I have kind of nothing to say.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 11, 2014, 12:21:01 PM
Yeahhh it's hard to strike a balance between writing about games that I want to write about and writing about games that other people want to read about. I figure that if nothing else, writing about more obscure games puts their names on peoples' radars, even if they don't read the review.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Yugi on August 11, 2014, 02:51:05 PM
Slow review Persona 4 so that more people wilk buy it.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: mikey on August 11, 2014, 03:04:23 PM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on January 10, 2014, 08:57:03 PMSlowPokemon's Best of 3DS Games 2013

Best Multiplayer
Spoiler
Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
While I wasn't totally satisfied with the sixth generation of Pokémon games, no one can deny that they brought new life to the series. The games represent the most polished experience a Pokémon fan could ask for, and this becomes especially obvious in the games' multiplayer features thanks to the ingenious Player Search System, or PSS. Want to trade Pokémon with a buddy who's online? Just tap a button on the bottom screen. Don't have the Pokémon you want to trade with you? Just trade it straight from your PC Box. Have the urge to battle, but none of your friends are online? Tap the icon of any "Passersby"—people who are playing the game online from anywhere in the world—and challenge them to a battle. It's a truly fantastic experience, especially as a longtime Pokémon fan who did all his childhood trading at the Pokémon Center.

Honorable mention: Animal Crossing: New Leaf
[close]

Best Graphics
Spoiler
[close]

Best use of 3D
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Ace Attorney's leap into 3D was beautifully realized, with lively animated 3D models that pop naturally from their backgrounds. The addition of 2D animated cutscenes converted into 3D also made for a really immersive experience.

Honorable mention: Animal Crossing: New Leaf, HarmoKnight, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
[close]

Best Sound
Spoiler
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
The sequel to the popular cult game of 2001, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon features a brilliantly spooky array of sound design. Everything from the creepy soundtrack to the charming way Luigi hums along to it is designed to make the player smile, shiver, and everything in between. Charles Martinet did a particularly fantastic job with Luigi's voice.

Honorable mention: Animal Crossing: New Leaf, HarmoKnight
[close]

Best Music
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Say what you will about Pokémon X and Y, but the new Ace Attorney game has the best music in a game I've heard in a long time. The CD album has 69 tracks, and there isn't a single weak one among them. With the 3DS potential to work with, Capcom wisely ditched the nostalgic beeps of previous entries in the series and went full-out orchestral, making Phoenix's objections that much more intense, the quirky characters that much more amusing, and the sad moments truly heartbreaking.

Honorable mention: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
[close]

Best Story
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
Even for a story-based game, Dual Destinies goes above and beyond what's expected. Three of Dual Destinies' five cases link together to form an intricate, complex story, while the other two function as standalone episodes, no less rewarding. The dialogue is incredibly well-written, the characters' names groan-inducingly punny, and the story dramatic, complicated, and over-the-top. What all that adds up to is a clever and highly entertaining experience.

Honorable mention: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale
[close]

Best 3DS Game
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies
That's right, Dual Destinies was my favorite 3DS game of the year. It might be a bit too personal of a choice for some of you, but rest assured that I don't know anyone who wouldn't enjoy Dual Destinies if they gave it the chance. It's the best Ace Attorney title out there in terms of what kind of experience you're going to get, and manages to be excellent for both newcomers and veterans. Throw in the best DLC I've ever encountered (an entire case!) and you have what I consider to be the best 3DS experience of 2013.

Honorable mention: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Pokémon X and Pokémon Y
[close]
I think you and I have different definitions of Multiplayer lol
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 08, 2015, 02:00:41 PM
SlowPokemon's Best of Video Games 2014

BEST MULTIPLAYER
Spoiler
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
The new Smash brings with it the same addictive play that its predecessors gave, updated for new characters and tweaked to perfection in a way that's just simple enough for newcomers to enjoy, but complex enough that competitive players can perfect their game over months and years to come. The fun of the multiplayer stems not only from this exciting competition aspect, but from the 50(!) or so characters on the roster, each distinctive and quirky and with their own unique moveset. It's the joy of seeing Luigi's awkwardly graceful backflips dodge an exploding canister from the Duck Hunt duo so that it hits Rosalina's Luma head-on instead while they're all avoiding hazards at the Kalos Pokémon League that gives Smash its zany and lovable atmosphere. Truly the best iteration of this game--possibly any fighting game--to date.

Honorable mention: Mario Kart 8, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
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BEST GRAPHICS
Spoiler
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BEST USE OF 3D (NINTENDO 3DS)
Spoiler
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Is there any game on the 3DS as pretty as the Professor Layton titles? I don't think so. What were once lushly illustrated still scenes on the Nintendo DS have now become beautifully realized 3D dioramas, with small animations and lovely backdrop objects hiding Hint Coins and Puzzles. The 3D effect is best suited to this sort of interactive picture book layout, where it breathes life into the scenery and immerses the player in its universe.

Honorable mention: Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
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BEST SOUND DESIGN
Spoiler
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
In a game where story is everything, it makes sense that a talented group of people should create outstanding sound design to set the mood appropriately and give players a heightened sense of what's going on with the story. And the Danganronpa series does that expertly, with music ranging from unabashedly silly ("Mr. Monokuma's Lesson") to pure horror soundtrack ("Despair Syndrome (1)") to somewhere in between ("Homicide"). In addition to the stellar soundtrack, the international releases of the games offer the choice to listen to the original Japanese cast, which is rather star-studded, or a brand-new English dub, also full of big names in the anime industry. What makes Goodbye Despair edge out Trigger Happy Havoc? Simple, really--though both games do an equally good job with sound design, Goodbye Despair simply has more of it. A few more characters to hear than the original (about twenty compared to sixteen or so), brand new tracks in addition to remastered old ones (nearly the entire soundtrack of the first game reappears in updated form), and more variety in the voicework (there's a bit less double duty among the cast, with only a few wizards like Wendee Lee voicing more than one character).

Honorable mention: Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
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BEST MUSIC
Spoiler
Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Professor Layton's signature sound is mysterious, sweeping, and accordion-laden. Phoenix Wright's is bombastic, in-your-face, and intense. How do Tomohito Nishiura (longtime composer for the professor) and Yasumasa Kitagawa (Ace Attorney newcomer hired by Capcom to compose for this game) go about writing music for a game starring both as the protagonists? Amusingly, the answer is "why not both?" The investigation segments, led by Layton and his apprentice, Luke Triton, are filled with subtle nuances and a rich, lovely flavor ("Labyrinthia," "The Hidden Garden") while the trial portions have a wildly powerful sound that gets blood pumping through the player's veins ("Courtroom Magic," "Cornered - Spell-breaker -"), each keeping true to its respective series' musical style and even rearranging plenty of existing music. The true genius, however, comes when the two styles mix--and they mix marvelously. When accordions take over the cross-examination theme, for example ("Mass-Inquisition - Allegro -"), it's difficult not to grin from ear to ear in sheer enjoyment of the styles blending. The true winners here, however, are the "Opening Theme," in which Ace Attorney's consistently pounding "Objection" rhythm on brass underlies strings performing a variation on Layton's theme; and "Ending Theme," which goes back and forth in a battle between the two series' music, arranging many iconic themes and truly giving a sense of the "vs" in the title. With a truly excellent soundtrack spanning 93(!) tracks for a 30-hour adventure, it would be wrong not to give this score its dues.

Honorable mention: Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
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BEST STORY
Spoiler
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc & Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Desair
This year, PlayStation Vita owners were gifted with two wacky, insane visual novels from Spike Chunsoft (the company behind the genius Zero Escape series): Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and its sequel Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. It keeps the horrific killings and twisted murderous experiments of that other, arguably darker series, but adds a stylistic nuance and a fair bit of Japanese anime hyperactivity to make for an exhilarating, shocking, and, when it comes to the gist of things, downright fucked up experience. The humorous dialogue does little to dispel the unease and discomfort offered by the sickening murders on display here. With excellently designed characters (including a unique cast of fifteen or so students in each game, as well as a "headmaster" named Monokuma who happens to be a toy bear), murder trials so zany that even Phoenix Wright would blanch, and an insane overarching mystery to solve over two games, it would be wrong to give this award to anything else. As for why both games are together, well, it's very difficult to pick between them, especially since they essentially tell two halves of one story. I could list the first, but the second one expands on it so well that it's almost criminal to not acknowledge it. I could list the second, but there's no way to appreciate it without having played the first. They have a symbiotic relationship, and I can't deny either of them its rightful place as winner.

Honorable mention: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
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BEST REMAKE
Spoiler
Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
I played several excellent remakes this year, but there really is no competition against the latest duo of Pokémon games, which are remakes of 2002's Pokémon Ruby & Pokémon Sapphire. Not only have 335 Pokémon been created since Game Freak's original journey into Hoenn, series updates such as a Physical/Special move split and the addition of the Fairy-Type (which affects many of Hoenn's Pokémon such as Gardevoir and Mawile) render the original Game Boy Advance Pokémon games incredibly outdated. Game Freak could have simply remade these games frame for frame and they would be excellent works; however, several changes to the games' stories (such as entire new personalities for the previously rather bland Team Magama and Team Aqua, and a post-game adventure called the "Delta Episode") among other additions make these the best pair of remakes I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. As someone who holds the original Pokémon Ruby as my first gaming love, I was touched, excited, and ultimately satisfied that Hoenn got the attention and care it deserves.

Honorable mention: Hatoful Boyfriend, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
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BEST GAME OF 2014
Spoiler
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc & Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
If you read my rant about this pair of games in the "best story" section, this really should be no surprise. While games such as Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, and Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney won my heart by catering to my adoration of characters I've known for years, the Danganronpa series gave me a totally new, unique experience in my favorite form of video game: the visual novel. When it wasn't making me laugh out loud at the silly dialogue or ripping my heart out by finding my favorite character guilty of murder, it was getting me to think about the state of games in general. It's not above telling you to go buy your own copy of the game if you happen to be playing a friend's, taking shots at Professor Layton and Pokémon for appealing to the masses, or showing complete distaste for the gaming community's favorite argument of whether a visual novel is a real game (all of which happen in the delightfully snarky Goodbye Despair), and I think that's brilliant. It takes a special kind of game to get you to feel uncomfortable in a way that you want to keep feeling uncomfortable, and Danganronpa is that game.

Honorable mention: Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
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Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on January 08, 2015, 05:44:16 PM
Man, I want to play those Danganronpa games, but I don't have a Vita.  :(
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 08, 2015, 06:27:25 PM
If you're interested in playing Vita games, you might consider a PlayStation TV console. It plays most existing Vita games and it's about half the price of a Vita, but you will need a TV and a controller.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on January 08, 2015, 06:29:23 PM
The thing is, I'd definitely want the actual system.  :P Maybe sometime before I go to college.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 09, 2015, 05:55:43 PM
It's worth noting though that if Danganronpa sounds appealing at all, you should definitely 100% no questions asked check out the Zero Escape series from the same company:

Zero Escape Volume 1: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (999) for Nintendo DS
Zero Escape Volume 2: Virtue's Last Reward for Nintendo 3DS

Ask anyone here or look at reviews around the web, they're absolute masterpieces and since I know from your enjoyment of Ace Attorney that you don't mind a lot of text, I can't recommend these two highly enough. No game has kept me up playing into the night like they have.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on January 09, 2015, 07:59:25 PM
I know. But...... My mom......
I'd get them when I go to college, but I'm afraid the'd interfere with my schoolwork
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 09, 2015, 08:22:17 PM
Ohhhh that's right, no M games. I forgot we'd been through this haha.

I mean Danganronpa is super rated M too fyi xD so you probably couldn't play either.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Yugi on January 09, 2015, 08:47:06 PM
but the blood is pink it shouldn't be a problem
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: K-NiGhT on January 12, 2015, 07:55:51 AM
Quote from: Yugi on January 09, 2015, 08:47:06 PMbut the blood is pink it shouldn't be a problem
wait that's blood? I thought it was strawberry juice
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on June 27, 2015, 07:43:16 PM
Game Review & Analysis: Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: T (Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Violence, Use of Alcohol)

Note: This is a review of the game, but also serves as a plot analysis, meaning that there will be spoilers where marked. Don't read the entire review if you don't wish to be spoiled.

Professor Hershel Layton is a reserved, gentlemanly scholar of archaeology whose favorite activities include relaxing with a cup of tea and solving puzzles. Phoenix Wright is a determined defense lawyer who slams the bench in passion and shouts "Take that!" at the prosecution using his outdoor voice. Although these two characters are the heroes of their own series of adventure games, the style of play for each is drastically different, so the fact that this crossover even exists undoubtedly pays testament to the patience, perseverance, and dedication of developers Level-5 and Capcom.

The Professor Layton series, for the uninitiated, is a series of mystery games in which Layton, his young apprentice Luke Triton, and occasionally his spunky assistant Emmy Altava explore a town or series of towns in order to discover the truth behind strange occurrences. The gameplay mainly consists of a point-and-click style exploration, with the player poking and prodding everything in the professor's environment to reveal the protagonists' thoughts or speaking with characters to gain new information. Of course, information always comes at a price, and in the good professor's games, that price is almost always the solution to a puzzle. Puzzles are found everywhere in his adventures: even the smallest of Professor Layton games, which would be the first, contains 135 puzzles scattered throughout the story. The appeal in Layton is its casual pace--though the game occasionally sets a roadblock and requires the player to complete X amount of puzzles to progress, only a handful of puzzles are specifically required to progress, with the player being allowed to pick and choose which ones are to their liking. This allows for a breezy gameplay experience during which the player can take in the story at their own pace, enjoy the atmosphere (which, because it's Level-5, is absolutely gorgeous in each of the six entries), and just generally investigate the charming world Level-5 has created.

The Ace Attorney series is a series of traditional adventure games in which a rookie defense lawyer (for the first few games, Phoenix plays this role) takes on several cases and works to prove their client's innocence. It sounds a little more straightforward and ordinary than Layton's adventures, but in ways, the Ace Attorney universe is even more surreal. The legal system in these games heavily favor the prosecution, meaning that even when witnesses go on the stand and blatantly lie (which they do--a lot) the player is only a few badly-placed objections away from a guilty verdict. The bombastic, anime-style dialogue and animations make the series exciting and often quite funny, with legitimate character development and drama giving the player a rounded, compelling experience.

Rather than make any attempt to mix these radically different styles of gameplay, Level-5 and Capcom simply alternate between them, which makes for an experience that pleases some fans and irritates others.

Professor Layton doesn't get any new mechanics this time around, and in fact his sequences are arguably the weaker ones in the game. This is largely due to the puzzle selection, which is not only small (70 in the main game, with 12 available for download) but also easy to the point of being boring. In my recent replay of this game, I did not use a single hint coin or look up a single answer, and still solved all of the puzzles with no problem. Level-5's previous and following entries (Miracle Mask and Azran Legacy) both displayed impeccable puzzle design, so the only thing I can think of is that the experience was "dumbed down" for the Ace Attorney fans who were deterred by the difficult puzzles of the Layton series and weren't used to the type of thinking most of them require. Unfortunately, this results in puzzles so easy that I don't even feel satisfied on finishing them.

Phoenix gets a few new mechanics, all relating to the game's medieval setting of Labyrinthia. These are witch trials, and as such the kangaroo court shenanigans are off the charts, with Phoenix referring to the Grand Grimoire (a magic spellbook) for evidence and cross-examining multiple witnesses at the same time. While initially a little confusing, this actually is the source of most of the game's comedy--witnesses change their stories mid-testimony to match what the others are saying, huddle up in groups to conspire against Phoenix, and go off on unrelated tangents provoked by something the others will say. Though the game does inexplicably return to the first game's incredibly flawed "five strike" system, the courtroom sequences are otherwise straight out of any other Ace Attorney game.

Capcom had final say on the character design and most of the script (thanks to Takumi being given total control over the story by Akihiro Hino, the president of Level-5 who is a self-confessed Ace Attorney fan), while Level-5 was in charge of most of the design, and this balance is quite clear. While some elements mix well to the point that it's ambiguous as to which company handled them--for instance, Tomohito Nishiura's lovely music for the Layton sections meshes almost alarmingly well with Yasamusa Kitagawa's trial scores, and the characters are appropriately halfway between the whimsical, cartoonish Layton stylization and the realistic anime designs of Ace Attorney--it's definitely clear that Level-5 was in charge of the scenery and graphic design. This is a compliment to the game, of course. Its visual style is as aesthetically pleasing as the other 3DS titles in the Layton series, and the miniature dioramas presented for each scene, while fewer in number, are as high quality as we've grown to expect from the company.

The game's story is something of a mixed bag for most players, and though I loved it the first time, the replay experience made some of its faults rather more obvious to me. The first thing is the game's length. Layton vs Wright is LONG. If you set out for a complete experience with the game, letting the text scroll by without skipping through it and solving all the puzzles, you'll find that 30 hours have clocked in by the time the credits roll. Even a minimalist playthrough will take a solid 20-25 hours, and while too long is a better problem than too short, writer Shu Takumi (creator of the Ace Attorney series and writer of the first three games) reminds us that we can have too much of a good thing with his drawn-out storytelling and tendency to add as much dialogue as he can without trimming any of the fat. The second trial (in Chapter 2) was incredibly enjoyable from an Ace Attorney player's standpoint, but I remember thinking that players only familiar with Professor Layton would find the long stretches of slow-moving text insufferable. I have to imagine that a lot of players just got bored and gave up during this sequence, as it's the first time we really see Ace Attorney gameplay in all its literary glory.

In my opinion, the game's main problem is its incredibly slow start, with an intriguing Layton prologue soon falling into a Phoenix prologue that feels irrelevant and unnecessary. You'll have played 2 hours by the time you reach Chapter 1, and though there are many moments of excitement and comedy in the first few chapters, you'll most likely hit the 12-15 hour mark before the plot really goes anywhere.

***WARNING: SPOILERS DISCUSSING THE GAME'S PLOT BEGIN HERE***

Spoiler
Chapters 1 and 3, both investigation sequences, are especially slow-moving, each lasting 2-3 hours and barely advancing the plot at all--besides the first hour of Chapter 1, when Layton and Luke meet Phoenix and Maya, who are oddly out-of-place bakers. This makes for one of the funniest and ridiculous moments in the entire game, considering that players are likely expecting a dramatic, finger-pointing meeting to unite the two. Aside from this, though, Chapter 1 is bogged down by a tedious trip to the library to gain information, with Chapter 3 faring only slightly better due to the introduction of the Storyteller. Even Layton's signature animated cutscenes, still beautifully drawn and rendered in 3D, do little to relieve the tedious nature of these chapters.

Still, though, that leaves Chapter 2 to keep the player's interest, which it does spectacularly. Espella's second turn as the accused feels a bit irrelevant, and the case details are far from shocking or clever, but Takumi really shows off his knack for comedy for the first time here. It's impossible not to get sucked into the drama of things and just laugh at the craziness when Inquisitor Barnham enters, a brass march blaring and the crowd chanting "Barnham! Barnham!" (sounding suspiciously like "Burn 'em! Burn 'em!"), and if there's anyone who didn't die laughing at Phoenix's proud (and hilariously voiced) declaration "I'm Phoenix Wright, ace baker!" I'd be seriously surprised. The first half of the trial is fraught with small laughs, such as when each of the four witnesses "breaks down" in a row, culminating with the dotty Wordsmith inexplicably deflating like a balloon and flying off screen, which is never acknowledged or referenced by any of the other characters (which almost makes it funnier). Of course the case's comedic climax hits when the forgotten "fifth witness" bursts in at the halfway point, the game literally listing his name in the text box as "Some Guy." Said witness (whose name turns out to be Emeer) forces his way onto the stand, swaggering and slurring his speech. Not only is he clearly intoxicated, he's drinking alcohol from a mug throughout his testimony, and we get some huge laughs in a sequence where Mary and Kira have a discussion about how no self-respecting woman would ever be interested in someone like Emeer--right over Emeer's head. This entire chapter sets the tone for the witch trials magnificently, and completely quelled the fears of inadequate writing that the subpar prologue trial had set in my mind.

The end of Chapter 3 is what really triggers the game's main plot--Layton has been turned into a golden statue, apparently at the hands of Maya of all people. Honestly, though, it's a Phoenix Wright game--wouldn't you be disappointed if Maya wasn't put on trial? Getting rid of the top-billed protagonist for almost a full two chapters was gutsy, and completely unexpected. Props to the developers for actually going through with this line of plot. Chapter 4's trial proves to be just as funny as the previous one, mostly thanks to Emeer once again. I think my personal favorite moment is when Barnham and Phoenix contemplate where the professor's golden arm might have gone--cue camera panning over to Emeer, looking incredibly guilty and covered in flashy, expensive jewels. Miss Primstone, an underused character, provides a few laughs with her lessons, such as "friends lead to nothing but trouble." The hilarious Birdly, whose annoying, high-pitched mandolin strumming interrupts even the cross-examination music, provides a few laughs with his songs about Emeer, whom he seems to admire, and completely turns the tables in the middle of the trial, giving Phoenix an excuse to cross-examine a parrot for the second time in his strange career. This nod to the series' wacky history is particularly amusing, especially as Cracker's testimony consists mostly of sound effects spoken aloud. Chapter 4 is most notable, however, for giving us the first real emotional stirrings of the game. Luke's frightened lashing out at Maya is simply heartbreaking, while Jean Greyerl begins as an opponent yet finishes as a tragic character that we want to root for. It's Maya's apparent death that most shocks us, though--remember, they've killed off two of the main characters at this point!--and this I feel is where the meat of the game's plot finally sets in motion.

Chapter 5, appropriately titled "A Taste of Despair," begins with one of the most powerful scenes in the entire game--Phoenix, shaking with anger and grief, confronts Barnham about Maya's death. Even in Phoenix's games, we never get this level of outrage and raw emotion from him. Though Phoenix's relationship with Maya is often quite strained or silly, he cares for her on such a deep level that even Luke's grief over the professor seems mild in comparison. This is the game's most "despairing" chapter indeed, with Phoenix and Luke the only remaining heroes to work with for the first half. Still, this combination fares very well, with Phoenix's resolve to be strong for Luke and Espella striking me as particularly heartwarming. Rouge is one of my personal favorite characters in the game as well, standing out in a game that's mostly male-dominated (the eternal struggle of Layton games--even after Emmy's introduction, the other women in the series tend to fall short of feminist standards). The harsh but necessary speech she gives Phoenix--on the importance of being strong in the face of despair--hit home for me. Of course, halfway through, the particularly relieving revelation that Layton and Maya are in fact still alive comes halfway through this chapter, and the second half, largely made up of those two exploring the Eldwitch Woods, is one of the highlights of the game. This is due to the refreshing atmosphere of the forest, which feels distinctly different from Labyrinthia in its creepy claustrophobia (in comparison to the sunny, pleasant streets of the town), as well as another unusual pairing that results in some big laughs--if you didn't examine everything for Layton and Maya's commentary here, you missed out big time. The story takes a seemingly grisly turn when they enter the scene of the Great Witch's disappearance, with the red liquid splattered on the walls looking horrifically similar to blood...but of course it's explained away quickly as this is a Layton game. This is in an interesting scene because of Barnham's unexpected appearance, revealing that he perhaps knows more than he's letting on--which isn't accurate, as it turns out--as well as the introduction of our protagonists, plus Espella, to the Underground Ruins, where they will finally reunite. As a side note (and this might be obvious to everyone else, but I didn't realize it until I went back to it since it's never mentioned specifically in-game), I can only assume that what the Shades were mixing in the workshop was the ink used in the Historia Labyrinthia--Layton and Maya both comment that it "smells familiar."

Chapter 6 is brief but satisfying, containing a really quite touching reunion of our heroes (never has Maya's "YOOOOOO NICK" been so funny or so heartwarming) before breaking out what turns out to be the most enjoyable series of puzzles in the game, especially "Turnabout Puzzle" which features everyone offering their input in order to open a locked door. Chapter 7 is the one that sets up the lengthy finale, and at this point Espella has been acting so out of sorts that we're not even really surprised when she's the one showing up to murder the Storyteller. Layton and Luke prepare to enter the Storyteller's Tower (another great nod to the series' lore--it seems that those two are always climbing towers) while Phoenix and Maya, who will amusingly be disguised in Barnham's helmet for the trial, investigate the crime scene and prepare their defense. In this chapter, we get a very disappointing development, as Barnham speaks a little too recklessly to Darklaw and is sent away for the rest of the game because of it. However, I personally was fairly excited about the prospect of going up against Darklaw for the finale, since at that point we still knew next to nothing about her. Her appearance in the prologue has yet to be explained, and it's evident by this point that she was the Great Witch that's shown up several times (if that wasn't evident as soon as she came on screen). I must say, while it was pretty obvious that she was important, her motives were a complete mystery throughout and she was probably the most intriguing character to me.

At this point we reach the adventure's endgame stage, which I feel is definitely the strongest part of the whole experience. Chapter 8 takes a little while to get going, spending some unnecessary time on Espella's testimony, but just when things seem to be calming down for Phoenix, Boistrum intervenes on behalf of the Vigilantes, demanding to testify, and here is where one of the most enjoyable scenes of the game begins: Not just Boistrum, but all ten of the Vigilantes take the stand. I remember just grinning in sheer enjoyment as the camera pans over from Boistrum to reveal one knight after another, and this cross-examination gets some of the funniest lines in the game as well. It seemed odd to me that this game got a T rating, as Layton has always had a very family-friendly design, but the edginess of Phoenix's adventures comes in here with the character of Foxy, a female knight who constantly flashes the player her underwear in a Basic Instinct-style leg shift, and her two admirers, who have a fetish for being stepped on by her stilettos. I couldn't breathe from laughing in both shock and amusement as one of them turned around to proudly display the imprint her shoe left on his back earlier, and the laughs from this dysfunctional group just keep coming: Dzibilchaltunchunchucmil, whose name is completely unpronounceable by Phoenix but not by Maya (of course), becomes a running gag as characters constantly rattle off the name in reference to the act of being trapped or locked inside something ("Look! She's gone and Dzibilchaltunchunchucmilled herself!"), and Wordsmith, who inexplicably pretends not to be Wordsmith, gets possibly the biggest laugh of the trial when he asserts that he clearly heard a cry of "Ignaize," the spell that hasn't been relevant since the first witch trial.  All this humor is undoubtedly to ease the player in to the distinctly serious tone that settles in the Vigilantes' dust, beginning with Layton and Luke's exploration of the Storyteller's Tower and continuing until Layton's unexpected appearance as an inquisitor.

What is there to say about what follows? The plot twists concerning the truth of Labyrinthia that are revealed at the beginning of the Epilogue by the Storyteller are par for the course in Layton's book, as little sense as they might make to Phoenix (or players new to the Layton series). I expected the drama to wrap up shortly after these twists were revealed, which wouldn't be unusual for the professor's adventures. But ah, Takumi knows best, and if nothing else, he can certainly write a compelling conclusion to a case from several years back--again, I would have been disappointed if an Ace Attorney game didn't have that particular element. The second half of the epilogue, in which those present uncover the truth behind the so-called "Legendary Fire" that ravaged Labyrinthia, is undoubtedly the most satisfying portion of the game. And honestly, I don't know why I ever doubted the ending would be satisfying. Darklaw and Espella both get the character development they deserve, with Cantabella's revelations about the late Belduke proving particularly interesting. I don't know if I've ever felt such a sense of genuine horror in a Layton game as when it suddenly hit me that the two little girls caused an entire village to burn down, and not every Ace Attorney game can make my stomach sink like that, either. Though the outlandish elements of mass hypnotism and a substance that somehow makes those who ingest it fall unconscious at the sound of silver undoubtedly diminished some players' enjoyment of everything that came after, it's my opinion that Takumi makes these crazy elements so important to the story and uses them so cleverly with the scenario he wants to create that they shouldn't be belittled or criticized.

If there's any complaint I have about the ending, it's that poor Luke gets nothing to do, after basically a whole game of getting nothing to do. Seriously, Luke was not only useless throughout most of the adventure, but he felt hardly present. Layton seemed to snub him more than usual and apart from a cute stint with Maya in Chapter 3, he never really gets a moment in the limelight. It's kind of a bummer.

Other than that, though, the ending sat very well with me both times I viewed it. Watching the preliminary credits roll over pictures of a reformed Labyrinthia is already heartwarming, but the second, complete staff roll that plays over images from the game and is underscored by a wonderful arrangement of many pieces from the Layton and Ace Attorney soundtracks is one of my favorite moments in any video game I've ever played. It feels like the long journey has paid off, and all has been taken care of. Well, I would hope so, after 30+ hours.

The fun doesn't end there, though: if you haven't downloaded and played through the 12 free special episodes (still scripted by Shu Takumi himself), you've missed out on a lot of humor, gratuitous fourth wall-breaking, and even a bit of backstory for some characters. Some highlights include an episode starring Edgeworth, another where the townsfolk of Labyrinthia contemplate their silly names, and a truly hilarious one that finds Darklaw writing a Story about starring in her own video game due to her success in this one, which she estimates has sold five million copies. I think my personal favorite, though, is the episode that isn't humorous and actually almost brought me to tears, which details how Barnham met Constantine. In fact, over the three or four episodes he appears in, Barnham is given some development and depth that he wasn't granted in the main game, making up for his absence in the finale. If you enjoyed the game, I really recommend you play through the special episodes.
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***STORY SPOILERS END HERE***

Considering that fanservice is the main reason that Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney even exists, it's interesting to note how fans reacted to it. I found that players who approached it as fans of one series but not the other generally walked away dissatisfied. Honestly, I think you have to be familiar with and enjoy both of the series to get anything out of this crossover. It's not a good introduction to the Layton games, as it is quite a lot wordier than the average Layton, the world is quite small compared to the usual Layton worlds, and the puzzles are too easy and too few. It's not a good introduction to the Ace Attorney games, as the subject of witchcraft and other absurd elements common to Layton are not found in that one, and the trials are notably simpler than usual. It's best for people like me, who love both series a LOT, and can appreciate what they've done. It's a love letter to people like me, and maybe that's why I find it so appealing. I know that not everyone feels that way, and that taken as two separate halves, it's the weakest Layton and the weakest Ace Attorney. But something about the combination of the two turns it into something special for me.

Graphics: 10/10
The beautiful locales we've grown to expect from Level-5? Check. The charmingly animated 3D models of Layton? Check. The strange and wonderful character designs of Ace Attorney? Check, check, check.

Sound: 10/10
Everything in this game was designed to sound appealing. Tomohito Nishiura's new score pieces are wonderful, yes, but he seems to be in maximum remix mode, arranging a ton of pieces from earlier Layton games in a fresh way to make the player smile. Even Kitagawa gets in on the fun, recreating the original Phoenix Wright game's court suite with relish while composing new trial music with medieval flair. Outside of the realm of music, all interjections are voiced (even the most insignificant "Hold it!" is heard), and some lovely soul decided that Layton and Luke's text boxes make the distinctive popping sound of their game, while the rest of the cast gets the beeping of Ace Attorney. No objections here.

Gameplay: 7.5/10
Though not much has changed from either game's main series entries, it somehow feels less natural here, especially in the Layton sequences, which are a bit tedious and full of meager puzzles. Even Wright has gone back to his positively primeval system before the health bar was introduced, and Hint Coins are so plentiful that even cutting the number in the game in half would have been acceptable.

Plot: 9.0/10
I'll probably get some backlash for this score, but it's not easy to successfully merge two series as distinct as these two. This story that exists is, I feel, the best possible version of it that could. While the choice to place our heroes in an unfamiliar setting with no familiar characters is odd (and I dearly hope that any potential sequel would seize on the chance to let the two games interact in their natural settings), it pays off in the end, creating a story that's entirely distinct from any game in either of the two series--not even critics can deny that this game feels completely new in terms of plot, regardless of whether they like that or not. Unfortunately, the plot does get a bit of a deduction due to its incredibly slow opening. While the ending is ultimately worth it, the setup tends to drag on more than necessary.

Overall: 9.0/10

You'll like: The uniting of two characters who now seem like a natural choice to put together. Layton vs Wright 2, anyone?
You'll dislike: The slow, slow pacing at the beginning of the game. It's not boring, exactly, but the story doesn't really go anywhere until you're several hours in.
You'll love: The presentation. Can Level-5 be in charge of every game's presentation? Please?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on June 28, 2015, 09:31:23 AM
No one else has commented yet?
It's still not my favorite game ever, but you reminded me how often I laughed during some of those trials.
I agree with you on most points. I always felt more at home during the trial portions, probably because I haven't played any Layton games. I just found most of the Layton portions to just be a boring slog in between the trials, with the exception of the events between the 2nd and 3rd witch trial. On an additional note, hint coins have no place in a courtroom. Ever.

Again, I agree that the music and overall sound design was excellent.

As for the overall story, I felt that it was hit and miss. It's one of those stories that makes perfect sense and feels great when playing, but when you step back afterward, it just feels empty and completely improbable. It felt solid until the end, where the reveals made sense, but felt .... for lack of a better word, lacking. It may have been par for the course for Layton, but, as someone who's just played AA games, it just didn't sit right with me. In fact, it made me a little unsure of trying some other Layton games.

My final gripe: Partial voice acting. Am I the only one who is driven absolutely insane by this? Like in Fire Emblem Awakening. I can't really explain why it bothers me so much, but it does. I always find my self turning voice acting off altogether or changing the language if possible to avoid it.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 22, 2015, 06:20:51 PM
Feature: Top Ten Pokémon Ending Themes

Today, I'm writing a special feature about the ending themes of the Pokémon series. The ending credits of any game is always a very special moment for the player, as it gives a chance to reflect on the time spent working toward the end. After a grueling final showdown, the player is given a chance to relax, view the end of the story, and reminisce about the journey, sometimes accented by unique features in the credits themselves and always accompanied by an appropriate musical track. Here are ten of my favorites.

10. Ending Theme (Pokémon Colosseum) - composed and arranged by Tsukasa Tawada

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9AYwJ5fQmY) (ignore the 60 seconds of silence after the track).

Starting off this list is the ending theme for a popular Pokémon spinoff for the Nintendo Gamecube, Pokémon Colosseum. Tawada's score is outstanding throughout, mixing beautiful timbres and a good smattering of dark jazz with a triumphant main theme that serves as the heart of this piece. It's the main theme that ultimately wins out as the standout of the score, and in this rendition it opens and closes the credits majestically, briefly abating in the middle section to reprise "Relic Forest" from the main score, absolutely lovely in its pastoral tones and sense of purity. A brief but wonderful piece.

9. Ending Theme (Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness) - composed and arranged by Arata Iiyoshi, Hideki Sakamoto, Keisuke Ito, Ken-ichi Saito & Yoshihiro Maeda

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQTZmaAxnm0).

The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon spinoff series has quite a distinctive main theme, its plucky 6/8 meter conveying a sense of adventure and courage that is vital to the atmosphere of each game. The invigorating spirit that's inherent in the melody shines especially well thanks to the bombastic arrangement, making it a piece worth coming back to over and over. I especially love when it slows down to concentrate on a string movement, providing the symbolism of an adventure that's come to a close.

8. Ending Theme (Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen) - composed by Jun'ichi Masuda / arranged by Go Ichinose

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTASi6CR04g).

As the credits music that started it all, the "Ending Theme" of Pokémon Red & Pokémon Blue has been used in the game's anime adaptation series countless times, making it one of the most-known themes of the franchise besides that iconic main theme (which is similar in style). In Go Ichinose's arrangement for Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen, he provides a lovely interlude with rearrangements of tracks from the score, such as a wickedly fun take on "Team Rocket Hideout" and a moving, relaxing rendition of "Pewter City." This track gives me a warm, lovely feeling every time I hear it.

7. KISEKI (Pokémon X & Pokémon Y) - composed and arranged by Shota Kageyama

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMFAbm4vkzw).

The second of two credits themes of Pokémon X & Pokémon Y, "KISEKI" is a casual, heartfelt little song that, during the game, is complemented by lyrics in several different languages scrolling across the touch screen. It's adorable and really quite moving, as it makes me imagine people all over the world singing along and joining hands--a cheesy image, but one that makes this reviewer smile. The simple, cute melody is easy to follow and sounds sing-songy even without the lyrics, and makes for a fun, listenable piece, especially when the electric guitar takes over in the second verse.

6. Ending Theme (Pokémon HeartGold & Pokémon SoulSilver) - composed by Go Ichinose / arranged by Hitomi Sato

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slvKqu-6AZI).

Pokémon Gold & Pokémon Silver are widely considered to be the height of Pokémon's original popularity, and the remakes seemed to acknowledge and respect this by and large. A hugely noticeable feature of the remakes was the music--that is, the new tracks were arranged in ways that were sometimes vastly, radically different from the originals (compare the new "Goldenrod City" or "Route 29" to their original tracks to hear the results). However, Game Freak slipped in a secret "GB Sounds" item to the post game, allowing players who found it to switch between the new tracks and their 8-bit counterparts. For the "Ending Theme," however, Hitomi Sato went for a largely similar arrangement, even allowing 8-bit synth to sing the melody at some points, making for a nostalgic, fun retread of the upbeat and cheerful tune. It's cute, catchy, and utterly charming, to the point where I can't hear it without thinking of the color pink. This piece seems like a natural fit for Hitomi Sato, whose own music is consistently bubbly and scattered.

5. I'll Go With You (Pokémon X & Pokémon Y) - composed and arranged by Shota Kageyama

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l0W8BKThNI).

The first credits theme of Pokémon X & Pokémon Y feels more in line with the adventure that's just been completed than "KISEKI." The title, "I'll Go With You," evokes strong emotions from this reviewer, and the warm, brass-led melody seems to tell not of a long journey behind the player, but of one that's still yet to come. I think "I'll Go With You" could be referring to individual Pokémon's tendencies to stand by their Trainers through thick and thin, whether it be the starter Pokémon that accompanied the player throughout Kalos, a Pokémon that's been transferred all the from the Game Boy Advance generations thirteen years ago, or even AZ's Floette that returns to him after a thousand years in the infamously tear-jerking ending. It feels like an appropriate ending, and the raw emotion present in the music gives way quite nicely to comfortable cheerfulness with the arrival of the second credits theme.

4. Staff Credits (Pokémon Black 2 & Pokémon White 2) - composed by Go Ichinose / arranged by Go Ichinose & Hitomi Sato

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqe5UAEGnLM).

Strangely titled "Staff Credits" rather than "Ending Theme" as nearly all of the others are, the credits music for Pokémon Black 2 & Pokémon White 2 is a relaxed adventure with, to me, more of a sense of the journey being over than any of the others. Rather than celebrate what the player's done, the music seems to suggest taking it easy for a while, the simple melody performed by strings and electric guitar, underscored by jazzy piano and catchy rhythms for the majority of the piece. The images accompanying the credits are of the protagonist running through Unova, but oddly not the usual route--starting from the end of the game, the player is shown running the opposite direction in stills, for some unknown reason--until the end of the sequence arrives, with the player arriving back home and meeting their mom outside their house, going back home after such a long adventure while strains of "Aspertia City" echo in the final seconds of the track. What a heartwarming image.

3. Ending Theme (Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl) - composed and arranged by Go Ichinose

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyWgrLOUHak).

Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl are, in my opinion, two of the most beautiful Pokémon games to date, not because they're particularly high-quality in graphics or sound (the fifth generation of games would go on to outclass them in both departments), but because something about the game's graphics and sound makes them absolutely perfect for the game they're attached to. The soundfont is clean and appealing to the ears, in part because it doesn't make much attempt to sound realistic like later games would--it exists in a not-quite-synthetic, not-quite-realistic gray area that few other games do, and it's maybe this bias I have toward the sound that's causing me to list Diamond & Pearl's thoughtful, sweetly-layered "Ending Theme" track above some others that have more melodic appeal. The intro for this one is nostalgic almost by default, the melody invoking memories of youth and a peaceful time that maybe never even existed, before the fast-paced middle section (including a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to "Route 225") livens things up. I especially like the way the track just sort of fades away with a bit of cool jazz improvisation, in contrast to the grandiose conclusions to most of the other ending themes.

2. Ending "Onward to Our Own Futures" (Pokémon Black & Pokémon White) - composed and arranged by Shota Kageyama

Listen to it here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuGBwqGhIh8).

Pokémon Black & Pokémon White are likely my favorite entries in the series--something about the completely fresh character and Pokémon designs, the ambitious plot (a first and, as it currently stands, last for the series), and beautifully realized environments with each town completely distinct from the last just completely captivated me from the first moment I started up the game. Though its blocky 3D textures and pixelly animated sprites were made obsolete just a scant two years later with the release of Pokémon X & Pokémon Y, leaving the fifth generation largely forgotten, it holds a special place in my heart. The ending theme for these games is fast-paced and strangely dark compared to the other games--I definitely get more of a sense of "black" than "white"--and complements the quickly-scrolling credits, abruptly placed after the downfall of Team Plasma rather than the defeat of the Champion (another unique attribute of these games). It incorporates a lot of elements of "N's Castle," and Kageyama seems to notice the similarities, arranging elements of this ending theme into the "N's Castle Medley" found in the newest Super Smash Bros. Either way, this theme really gets my heart beating.

1. Ending Theme (Pokémon Ruby & Pokémon Sapphire) - composed and arranged by Go Ichinose

Listen to the original here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmlFDnsT4Zk).
Listen to Shota Kageyama's arrangement in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWrG0CuGr5U).

The "Ending Theme" of Pokémon Ruby & Pokémon Sapphire is one of the most beautiful pieces I've ever heard, from a video game otherwise. Its tender melody, so memorably heard here on piano and complemented by a nostalgic montage of all the Pokémon caught by the player throughout the adventure and a simple, beautiful animation of the protagonist riding a bike, fills my heart and puts a lump in my throat everytime I hear it. Though Shota Kageyama's arrangement in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire is fuller and richer due to the sound, it gets an honorable mention to the original, which is superior due to the lack of other material; the new arrangement incorporates elements of several themes heard around Hoenn, which is nice on the ears but tends to completely overshadow the more poignant, lovely "Ending Theme" music that only appears to bookend the track. Still, it gets second place. Please listen to them both if you haven't heard them before.

There you go! Hope you enjoyed reading this! Comment if you want, it's always appreciated!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: K-NiGhT on August 22, 2015, 07:15:49 PM
I pretty well agree with this list. I do think that numbers 9 and 6 could be a little higher, but that's just my opinion. Good list!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on August 22, 2015, 09:16:12 PM
Thanks!! Yeah it was difficult to rank them!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on September 12, 2015, 02:17:56 PM
Game Review: Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
System: PlayStation Vita / PlayStation TV
ESRB: M (Blood, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence)

The Danganronpa franchise is known for its particularly unsettling tactic of mixing its cruel violence and emotional punches with a sense of wicked comedy and stylish visuals. This is taken up to eleven in the latest entry, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls which lives up to its odd but appealing title. Not quite a straight sequel, Ultra Despair Girls serves as a sort of spinoff title that takes place between the other two entries, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. Rather than a visual novel format like those other two games have, this one takes a different direction by making its gameplay that of a third-person shooter, offset by frequent sequences of visual novel-form story and animated cutscenes (both 2D and 3D). Initially I was rather skeptical of this format, since at its core Danganronpa is all about its narrative, but it ended up working surprisingly well, especially for someone like me who likes his games more reading than playing.

I'd like to start out by saying that the game's plot, which might be mistaken for throwaway or unnecessary by someone hearing about the game, is basically up to series par and weaves a tale that actually ends up filling in the gaps between the other two games very well. In fact, after experiencing this title, I can't imagine the Danganronpa canon without it. The only downside is that although it takes place between the first and second games, it's definitely meant to be experienced after those other two--since extreme spoilers from the first game and mild spoilers from the second game are essential to the plot, it works best as a retroactive viewing. It's got plenty of knowing winks and fanservice, and honestly, the way it blatantly spoils the events of the first game can be rather jarring. That being said, it's nice to know that Spike Chunsoft wants to appeal to its existing audience first and foremost, rather than making the game accessible for everyone. Newcomers will probably get through the game and enjoy it easily, but won't appreciate the story nearly as much.

The player will take the role of Komaru Naegi, the younger sister of Trigger Happy Havoc's protagonist, and attempt to escape Towa City, which has been overrun by the Ultimate Despair group and exists in utter chaos. Whereas in the other two games, the setting is a very closed environment with limited knowledge of the outside world, here we finally get a sense of just how affected the world is. And it doesn't disappoint: truly, this is a world that has fallen prey to "the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history," and the game doesn't want you to forget it. Ultra Despair Girls is at its core even more disturbing than the prior entries, since the antagonists are children. Led by the so-called Warriors of Hope, five particularly nasty little boys and girls whose aim is to cleanse the world by ridding it of all adults, the town's children have all donned Monokuma masks and are on a mission to kill anyone who isn't a kid, aided by thousands and thousands of giant Monokuma robots. The prologue alone shows adults lying defenseless on the street being ripped to shreds by giant Monokumas, and it's honestly pretty jarring to immediately follow that with a news broadcast during which the Warriors of Hope murder an anchorman on live television and use his body like a puppet, all while giggling and having fun. The fact that all adults not important to the story are represented by featureless, purple-and-blue silhouettes does little to ease the shock of seeing their bodies strung up in strange positions or being poked at with sticks by kids--all just in the background during normal gameplay.

That said, the story is incredibly well-written, as we've come to expect, and the Warriors of Hope turn out to be very interesting characters with very clear motives for their actions. Implications (and later, outright statements) of parental abuse of all forms are handled with appropriate seriousness and sickening realism, so much so that if any players are easily bothered or made uncomfortable by discussions of child abuse--and especially child sexual abuse--I can't really recommend this game, as it doesn't pull any punches.

The gameplay, unlike the story, is something of a mixed bag. The shooter sections are serviceable and they work properly, and I really couldn't have asked for anything more from a visual novel series, but players more familiar with the genre will be disappointed and bored by the long stretches of dialogue and cutscenes between (and during) gameplay sequences, as well as the too-easy and hint-plenty design. The game offers you the chance to use the serial killer Genocide Jack when things get tough (even offering unlimited use of the character in the easiest game mode), but honestly it wouldn't be that difficult to just use Komaru to shoot her way through all of the Monokuma bots. There are collectibles and extra items that trigger bonus conversations scattered everywhere, and it's worth going out of your way to find them (not just because they're not difficult to find in the first place). I even ended up really enjoying the gameplay sections and was pleased to find that they didn't overshadow the main plot of the game; in fact, I rather enjoyed the opportunity to fully explore the stylish environments of the Danganronpa universe for the first time. Jagged structures, jabs of bright pink blood splattered in various places, and increasingly nightmarish Monokuma designs (I'm looking at you, Junk Monokuma) make for a very distinctive, aesthetically-pleasing experience. It's worth noting, though, that I ended up playing the majority of the game on my PlayStation TV. This game does not play very well on the Vita, with the controls feeling very awkward and clunky.

And the sound? It's maybe the best we've heard yet from the masterful Masafumi Takada, who arranges old tracks with impressive flair while relying on new themes to set an audio stage completely unique to this game. My personal favorite is his "Wonderful Dead" theme that's arranged no less than five ways throughout Ultra Despair Girls, its groovy melody and smooth, jazzy vocals fitting in with the previous "Beautiful Death" and "Beautiful Ruin"

An iffy sequence that's sexual in nature aside, Danganronpa ultimately (pun very much intended) lives up to fans' expectations and delivers a lengthy (about 20-25 hours) adventure ripe with interesting and well-developed characters, very black comedy, and indeed two fantastic leading girls surrounded by ultra despair. It's not quite as good as either of the previous entries, and I'm definitely looking forward to Danganronpa 3 which has been confirmed as a return to the visual novel format, but Spike Chunsoft has really impressed me here and shown that they really can make any kind of game work for this series. There's another novel available after the game is completed, titled Ultra Despair Hagakure, that provides more insight into the Danganronpa canon, so all told this game will last you at least 25 hours of solid gaming experience before throwing in any New Game Plus activities. It's very much worth its price. Ultra Despair Girls is the rare spinoff that doesn't feel like a spinoff, and the only thing you'll be despairing for at the end is the next entry.

Graphics: 7.0/10
The hand-drawn character portraits are as beautifully jagged as ever, keeping with Danganronpa's distinctive art style, but the 3D textures and models don't have nearly as much charm. The quirky "2.5-D" look of the other games is also gone, making for a more typical presentation.

Sound: 10/10
A wonderful soundtrack, with plenty of new and old tracks alike. Voice acting is at a high point for the series, and though the Japanese voice track is strangely not present, it's apparently going to be released as free DLC at some point, so there's no real problem there.

Gameplay: 7.5/10
The third-person shooter segments are serviceable and actually pretty enjoyable, but the real reason the game works is because the gameplay knows when to stay out of the way of the madcap, superior story segments.

Plot: 8.5/10
The weakest Danganronpa narrative, but that's not really such a bad thing. It's got a group of lovely, well-written and well-developed characters, the standouts being the two leads, whose relationship really gets a lot of attention throughout the experience.

Overall: 8.0/10

You'll like: The stylish look and sound of the Danganronpa universe and the insane, wickedly enjoyable narrative.
You'll dislike: The gameplay segments' tendencies to be too easy (this game is rated M, and I'm pretty sure even children would find the difficulty patronizing) and the occasionally slow pace.
You'll love: Shooting Monokuma in his smug little red eye. Even after killing hundreds and hundreds of these guys, it doesn't get old.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: blueflower999 on September 12, 2015, 02:23:48 PM
Would you say you were disappointed in this game when compared to previous entries?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: mikey on September 12, 2015, 02:28:16 PM
so what I'm reading is that fans DIDN'T want a sex scene
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on September 12, 2015, 03:10:08 PM
Quote from: blueflower999 on September 12, 2015, 02:23:48 PMWould you say you were disappointed in this game when compared to previous entries?

I wouldn't say disappointed because it was actually better than I expected. I was expecting a spinoff that didn't have much to do with the main games, and what I got could be compared to the Investigations games--removed from the Ace Attorney main games but still part of the canon and unmistakably an Ace Attorney game. The differences that make that comparison not perfect is that this game was somewhere between as good as the first and second Investigations games; a lot of the returning characters were really prominent, important ones, and the information it had about the Danganronpa canon actually related pretty heavily to the main games. But still, I guess I'm trying to get across that it was advertised as a spinoff but actually fits in well with the main series. (That was way too long, I'm sorry)

Quote from: NocturneOfShadow on September 12, 2015, 02:28:16 PMso what I'm reading is that fans DIDN'T want a sex scene

When it's nonconsensual and involves a child, yeahhh it's not exactly erotic
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on February 01, 2016, 05:34:48 PM
Game Review: Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam
System: Nintendo 3DS
ESRB: E (Mild Cartoon Violence)


As vast as the world of Super Mario is, there have only been a handful of RPGs set within it--that is, Super Mario RPG and the two series that spawned from it, Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi. Now, after separately making their debuts on the Nintendo 3DS with Paper Mario: Sticker Star and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team respectively, AlphaDream (the company who develops the Mario & Luigi series) has concocted a crossover between the two in the charming, laughably-titled Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. Read on to find out how it holds up, not only as a standalone title, but as a title in each series it represents.

Unfortunately for fans who are looking for the next Paper Mario experience, this isn't really it. This is strictly a Mario & Luigi game guest-starring the characters of the Paper Mario franchise, and most elements of the game reflect that. The locales and charmingly blurry "pixelated 3D models" are straight out of Dream Team, with only some cardboard set pieces as well as the paper characters themselves being elements of the other series. In addition, AlphaDream was in charge of almost every aspect of development, with even series composer Yoko Shimomura handling all music.

Thankfully for fans of the Mario & Luigi franchise, this is a well-put together game, arguably much tighter and more polished than Dream Team in several regards. Over the course of the series, AlphaDream has shown a nagging tendency to oversaturate the games with long-winded and intrusive tutorials and unnecessarily detailed explanations. This hit its breaking point in Dream Team, where even 35 hours in the hand-holding was in full stride and served only to patronize players and mess with the already-iffy pacing of the game. Luckily, AlphaDream seems to have realized how irritating this was and has designated a Guide feature in the game's menu to hold those ridiculously thorough tutorials, meaning that the player can choose whether or not to view them. For the purposes of this review, I played through a couple of them, and as I suspected, they're almost entirely frivolous and patronizing. The only players who would benefit from them are the ones who are too young to be playing this game in the first place. It seems ridiculous that this can't be taken for granted, but I felt overjoyed at several points to have to think my way through some puzzles rather than have the answers spelled out for me.

In fact, Paper Jam overall can be a delightfully challenging game, especially in the tried-and-true turn-based battle system that AlphaDream has been perfecting since the series' debut, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. Though Dream Team had the player controlling only the titular bros, Paper Jam adds Paper Mario to the mix, and his mechanics are completely foreign to the series, adding an intriguing challenge to battles. In addition, for every enemy that you'll encounter in the overworld, you'll also run into its paper version, whose attacks are similar but never identical, with enough twists and differences that you'll be able to take a lot of enjoyment in figuring out each enemy's "tell" and attack style. This is taken up to eleven in the game's boss fights, most of which are worth the price of the game alone. Less great are the giant papercraft battles that follow in the style of the giant Bowser fights and giant Luigi fights from entries past. These sections have never been entirely compelling, but they really feel dull here since any JRPG element is taken out of the running--you're tasked with moving around and attacking the giant papercrafts of Bowser and his minions several times throughout the adventure, and though the fights never last very long, they always feel like a chore.

The pacing overall is very hit-and-miss, unfortunately. While AlphaDream has tactfully cut back on the overall length of each area, they really misfired here with the addition of "Paper Toad" rescue missions, small quests completely unrelated to the main storyline that task the player with finding a certain number of Paper Toads who have been overwhelmed with fear and hidden themselves. If these were optional, a la the "Pi'illo folk" rescue missions in Dream Team, I'd consider them a hefty bonus, but AlphaDream has unfortunately installed several Professor Layton-esque "You must have solved X number of puzzles to proceed" checkpoints in the game, requiring the player to halt their progress and complete sometimes as many as four or five Paper Toad quests, which can take upwards of an hour in the more extreme cases. Though some of the quests are clever little puzzles, most of them are complete slogs, tasking the player with completing a nitpicky or fickle action such as chasing down Paper Toads within a time limit or catch Paper Toads who are swirling down from the sky without missing more than three. Making these quests mandatory for completion of the game is almost disgraceful, especially in a JRPG, and it feels like a cheap way to squeeze more runtime from a game that wouldn't otherwise outstay its welcome. Indeed, the world is significantly smaller than the last couple Mario & Luigi titles, and the way the game is set up, the player will have to traverse each of the game's five areas twice to reach the end. This isn't as annoying as it might sound, as the areas change and repopulate with new enemies, but combined with the nuisance of having to complete the Paper Toad missions, the pacing overall left a bad taste in my mouth, and I couldn't help but feel at the end that the 30 hours I spent with the game could have been a much tighter, smoother 25 or even 20.

Still, that really is the game's biggest shortcoming, and it's hard to complain about more of a good thing when the good thing is Paper Jam at its best. AlphaDream has got the length between boss battles down to a science--each section of overworld is the perfect length to where the player isn't sick of it, but is itching for a boss fight by the end, and the buildup for each fight is great. The narrative is stepped up a bit from the fluff (no pun intended) that was the breezy plot of Dream Team, and it becomes amusing and adorable in equal turns to see characters like Peach, Bowser Jr., and Kamek interact with their paper selves. The scenes are also more frequent than they are in Dream Team, and seeing these scenes almost becomes a reward for battling and advancing through the Mushroom Kingdom. This game also sees the debut of several characters who hadn't played any role in previous Mario & Luigi titles, such as Toadette and Bowser Jr., as well as some who have skipped the last couple, such as the Koopalings (whose boss fights are a few true highlights of the game). When the writing is as sharp, subversive, and downright funny as it is here, seeing how these characters interact is really quite a fun time.

Overall, Paper Jam is a fun and rewarding experience, and even though the pacing is frustratingly uneven at times, it's still a step up from previous titles in both series, and players who enjoy either the Paper Mario or Mario & Luigi games will have no problem seeing this one through to the end.

Graphics: 6.5/10
The art style really doesn't feel very inspired this time around, and it seems like the clunky textures of Dream Team have somehow gotten even clunkier since that game. Overall, not a title that's incredibly aesthetically appealing, even for the 3DS.

Sound: 8.0/10
Yoko Shimomura is a goddess in the world of video game music, but it almost feels like she's going through the motions for this series at this point. The main theme is perky and omnipresent, and there's some great bit of comedic underscore and a few standout area themes, but there's nothing here that compares to the mastery on display in Dream Team.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Smoother and more compelling than the gameplay of the previous entries of either series, but still with a few flaws, especially in pacing.

Plot: 8.0/10
Up to series par--there's a lot to laugh about here, and the characters are as bright and well-accented as ever.

Overall: 8.5/10

You'll like: Seeing Mario, Peach, Bowser, and your other favorite characters of the Mushroom Kingdom interact with thinner, flatter versions of themselves.
You'll dislike: The tedious Paper Toad missions, which bog down an otherwise smooth main quest.
You'll love: The boss battles, each of which provides a unique, exciting experience for the player.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 30, 2016, 05:41:07 PM
SlowPokemon's Best of Video Games 2016

   After taking a year off from this tradition, I'm back! Here are some of the best games I played this year.

BEST MULTIPLAYER
Spoiler
Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon

I played hardly any multiplayer games this year, but even if I had, I'm not sure how much better you can get than the multiplayer options of the new Pokémon games. Similar to X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, Sun & Moon's Festival Plaza option, handily available from the X menu, lets you instantly connect with infinite numbers of other Trainers who are also online. You can challenge passersby to battles, propose trades, or even check out their outfit or see if they have a Festival Plaza attraction that you'd like to install in your own plaza. And if no one in your Friends List is online, or you don't feel like staying in the plaza itself, you can always head to the Battle Spot to be matched with a random Trainer. Likewise, a Wonder Trade will have you trade one of your Pokémon for another random Trainer's, and the GTS functions better than ever thanks to the incredible option to filter the trade offers by Trainers who are requesting Pokémon that you have, or, perhaps even better, ignoring offers that are requesting a Legendary or Mythical Pokémon. Nintendo may not be known for its online multiplayer in all franchises, but Pokémon's got a great thing going on.

Honorable mention: none
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BEST DLC
Spoiler
Animal Crossing: New Leaf – "Welcome amiibo" update

Nintendo really must have had a great year if they can hook me on an Animal Crossing game that I've already played for nearly 200 cumulative hours. But New Leaf's free(!) "Welcome amiibo" update this autumn did just that, easing me back into daily life in my lovely village of Koriko by automatically removing all of the town's weeds and adding several neat new features such as the campground, where special NPCs can hang out and offer their exclusive furniture up for order; an objectives system which lets you gain MEOW coupons to order said items; touch controls for decorating that are carried over from Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer; a couple new minigames in the form of the New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U items (the New Nintendo 3DS lets you play a new Tetris-style puzzler while the Wii U offers a port of the Island Escape game from Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival); and, as the update's title suggests, amiibo support. Finally, I have a use for those [number redacted for reputation purposes] cards I've collected and admired—scanning an amiibo or amiibo card will allow the ghost Wisp to take the form of the scanned character, and you can choose to have the character he turns into visit your campground, give you an item, or even move into your village! That's a pretty substantial update, especially considering it's completely free. Overall, it gave me a very pleasant reason to revisit this classic game.

Honorable mention: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice – special episode "Turnabout Time Traveler"
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BEST GRAPHICS
Spoiler
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BEST USE OF 3D (NINTENDO 3DS)
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
This is the year that it seems we wave a fond goodbye to the stereoscopic 3D feature on Nintendo's current gen handheld. Though games up to this year have used the feature in very cool and exciting ways, it has gotten to the point where developers are only using it in the same ways, if they use it at all. The year's biggest release on the Nintendo 3DS, Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon, didn't even include stereoscopic 3D support except for the Poké Finder sequences, and even then it slowed down the frame rate noticeably. That being said, the newest Ace Attorney features a reliably immersive 3D aesthetic that glues the text to the screen while the courtroom and overworld scenes extend into the background. Though nothing really new is done with the feature, it is seamless throughout, including during the 2D animated cutscenes, and it seems like the game was designed to be played with the 3D turned on. Most of all, it really makes all of the new, ultra-expressive character models pop.

Honorable mention: none
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BEST SOUND DESIGN
Spoiler
Corpse Party

Yes, Corpse Party is technically an older PSP game that's only been remade for the Nintendo 3DS, but it's a surprisingly ambitious remake, featuring higher quality character art and the addition of several extra episodes. And playing with headphones is a must, because this game's audio was all recorded for a surround sound effect, meaning that character's dialogue and ambient sound effects can unnerve and frighten the player by showing up from all directions. A notable highlight is a scene in which three characters are brutally murdered while the player's vision is pitch-black; the sound design really sells the horror and makes it arguably the most memorable moment of the game.

Honorable mention: INSIDE, Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon, Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
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BEST MUSIC
Spoiler
Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon – Minako Adachi, Go Ichinose, Hideaki Kuroda, Jun'ichi Masuda, Tomoaki Oga, & Hitomi Sato

Pokémon has always been a franchise that puts a lot of effort into its sound design, with massive soundtracks and unique distinctive cries for each of the 800-odd Pokémon. And though the famous Pokémon tracks such as the main theme and the Pokémon Center music are arranged in each entry, the majority of any new title's music is completely new and original, produced by a team of several composers. Though X & Y faltered a bit in this reviewer's opinion, producing what could be seen as a blander sound in many of the tracks, Sun & Moon more than makes up for its predecessor's shortcomings. Minako Adachi takes over as lead composer this time, after composing and arranging for X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, and her themes are in equal turns catchy, complex, exciting, and thoughtful, fitting in wonderfully with the Pokémon sound we've come to expect. Hitomi Sato likewise lends her bubbly, scattered techniques to several tracks, and Jun'ichi Masuda even contributes much of the battle music, as is tradition. However, maybe most excitingly, this game marks the return of veteran composer Go Ichinose, who took a hiatus from the games beginning with X & Y and whose composition style has been sorely missed. This is easily the best soundtrack to come of this series since Black & White, and it's available on iTunes for those of you who want to add it to your library.

Honorable mention: Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam – Yoko Shimomura, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice – Toshihiko Horiyama, Noriyuki Iwadare, & Masami Onodera
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BEST REMAKE
Spoiler
Corpse Party

Since the Nintendo 3DS edition of the game was my first experience with the Corpse Party franchise, I assumed that not much had changed from the initial version. I thought that what I was playing was a simple port, a way to bring the game to a new audience by putting it on a new console. However, after viewing screens and footage of the original PSP version, and then of the PC version that followed that, I was shocked at how much effort went into recreating this game for the 3DS. Characters are drawn in a more realistic, less cartoonish style, in a way that really gives the game a more serious feeling, and several of the extra episodes are new to this edition of the game. Though I may have been playing it for the first time, Corpse Party for Nintendo 3DS does exactly what a remake should do: deliver a definitive way to experience the game, while adding significant new content for fans of the original.

Honorable mention: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney for iOS and Android
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BEST STORY
Spoiler
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

To absolutely no one's surprise, the latest Ace Attorney game walks away with my most coveted of awards. Being a text-heavy adventure game, bordering on visual novel status, games in this series really live or die based on their narratives, and thankfully Spirit of Justice delivers a noticeably higher quality story than did its predecessor, 2013's Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies. This is the game in which longtime underdog Apollo Justice finally gets a compelling end to his character arc that began years ago in 2007's Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney and has been largely ignored by Capcom ever since. While Dual Destinies made its name merely by hitting all of the beats of your average Ace Attorney game, at times playing like a "greatest hits" album of sorts, Spirit of Justice does a lot that's legitimately new and interesting. This is in part a result of half the game being set in the fictional Kingdom of Khura'in, a country of mysticism and spirituality where everyone is deeply religious and lawyers are seen as the lowest of the low. While Phoenix has always been the underdog, this is the first time that we see him as a figure who is absolutely hated by nearly everyone in the courtroom, and it creates quite an interesting and compelling dynamic. There are a few stumbles throughout the game: notably, the third case is somewhat overlong and the fourth case seems largely unnecessary and irrelevant. However, when all is said and done, we're left with the most satisfying entry the series has had since the ending of the original Phoenix Wright trilogy.

Honorable mention: INSIDE, Zero Escape: Zero Time Dilemma
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BEST GAMEPLAY
Spoiler
Super Mario Run

This is a first, and probably a last: a mobile game is getting my pick for best gameplay. But then again, it's the tried-and-true Mario who stars in this game, so maybe it's not as surprising as it might initially seem. Controlling Mario is the closest thing you can get to pure euphoria in a video game; he's so easy to maneuver, you might think you're controlling him with your thoughts. And Super Mario Run gives you a key twist to the traditional formula: Mario runs automatically, so all you have to do is jump. Sounds simple? Think again—to make up for the lack of input, Nintendo has designed a set of twenty-seven courses that are easy enough to just get to the end of, but require intensive planning and precise technique if you want to get those coveted pink, purple, and black coins. You might initially feel like the game is too easy, but the extra coin collections are at times reminiscent of New Super Luigi U, the devilishly tricky challenge mode for New Super Mario Bros. U, especially because of the time limits, which are surprisingly strict and to which I fell victim more than once.

Honorable mention: INSIDE, Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Picross 3D: Round 2, Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon
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BEST GAME OF 2016
Spoiler
Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon

Though Capcom's psychic lawyers captivated me for the sixth time, and Alpha-Dream's zany fifth take on Nintendo's famous plumbers had me honing my A, B, and Y presses down to an almost scientific level of precision, it was ultimately Game Freak's irresistible catalogue of creatures that sank its claws into me and pulled me in for a whopping 140 hours and counting. Yeah, the game came out six weeks ago. We're not judging. Even though Pokémon was my first gaming love, there's always a part of me that wonders when I'll outgrow the series—it's fun and cute, but I've got to get bored of it at some point, right? I can't go on playing Pokémon forever. Whether that's true remains to be seen, but if I'm ever going to stop playing the franchise altogether, it won't be Sun & Moon that makes me hit the breaking point. I've been going through the motions since I was seven years old, and catching creatures, raising them to battle other Trainers, and trading them to fill a Pokédex still hasn't gone stale. The new Pokémon designs are wonderfully quirky, from the laughably odd Alolan Exeggutor and the strangely adorable Pyukumuku all the way to the creepy-cute Mimikyu and the downright bizarre group of Ultra Beasts. I've already finished my Alola Pokédex, but I want to do more than just collect this time around. I'll be raising all of these strange new monsters for battle, and nothing can get in my way! Here's hoping Pokémon can only keep getting better as the years pass.

Honorable mention: Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice
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Note: There are several games released in 2016 which I have not yet played to completion, but which I plan to play and which could potentially qualify for this list. These games include:

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
Root Letter
Steins;Gate 0
The Witness
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 27, 2017, 12:11:59 PM
Game Review & Retrospective: Hotel Dusk: Room 215
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB: T (Mild Language, Mild Violence, Use of Alchohol)

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 celebrated its tenth anniversary this past week (on January 22, 2007, to be precise), and as it is a game in the Nintendo DS canon that tends to be overlooked, I thought I'd write up a little feature on it. Hotel Dusk was developed by an independent and now-defunct studio called Cing, and published by Nintendo internationally. Cing also produced the Trace Memory series (also known as Another Code), and produced a sequel to Hotel Dusk called Last Window: The Secret of Cape West which was not released outside of Japan and Europe. Last Window ended up being their last title; shortly after the game's release in early 2010, Cing filed for bankruptcy. Despite being treated as a first-party Nintendo title, even inspiring a couple of trophies in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Hotel Dusk did not receive a large amount of press and did not sell terribly well; I myself did not play the title until 2014.

So why should you care about it? Well, for starters, it's really good. Developed as a kind of hybrid point-and-click adventure game and visual novel, Hotel Dusk is one of those essential adventure games on the Nintendo DS that spins an interesting narrative, employs highly unique presentation, and makes unusually inventive use of the hardware.

The game puts the player in the role of gruff salesman Kyle Hyde following his resignation from the police force. Kyle's occupation is also a cover for a more discreet job searching for lost items, and the plot concerns a night he spends at the titular hotel, recovering a couple of items a client left there. Over the course of the narrative, Kyle meets the hotel's staff and guests, and little by little connects the dots from details in each character's backstory to both a larger puzzle concerning the history of the hotel and his own troubled past. It's a tantalizing setup that holds the player's interest throughout the ten lengthy chapters, each of which tells a somewhat self-contained smaller mystery and culminates in Kyle channeling his inner cop by interrogating another character.

The bulk of the gameplay is made up of conversations with the various characters, and the game keeps the constant exchanges interesting with some incredible localization work. Each character has a distinct personality that comes through brilliantly in the writing, with different inflections and styles of speech that always feel realistic and further immerse the player in the game's world. Though the game is a period piece, set in December 1979, the only effect that really has is a somewhat retro setting viewed through a fondly nostalgic lens; the characters' speech and actions amusingly recall film noir of the 1950s more than anything of the 1970s.

Adding to this retro feeling is the game's spectacular presentation, which is part of the reason that the game is so timeless. Hotel Dusk is played while holding the Nintendo DS system sideways like a book, with characters showing up on each of the two screens to speak face to face. It's fascinating and sells the "interactive crime novel" aspect of the game, and it's greatly enhanced by the absolutely beautiful character portraits. Rather than detailed sprite work employed by similar games such as Professor Layton and Ace Attorney, Hotel Dusk shows each of its characters as hand-drawn, black-and-white pencil sketches that move in slightly shaky, imperfect animations. Some rotoscoping effects were employed in the drawing of the characters, and as a result the designs effectively walk the line between cartoonish and realistic, and the movements always come across as lifelike. The disarmingly gorgeous presentation of the character portraits is only slightly diminished when moving throughout the hotel, which uses Nintendo DS-era blocky textures and looks a little obsolete even for 2007.

The game's sound design and score by Satoshi Okubo is extraordinarily appropriate, employing a substantial original soundtrack of dark jazz and swing pieces that again recall crime films of the 1950s and give Kyle's adventure a very nostalgic, detective-novel aesthetic. The tracks used vary quite a bit, and while the style is often consistent from one track to the next, each piece is distinctive and compositionally interesting.

As an intentionally old-school adventure game, there are some unavoidably obtuse puzzles to solve here, most of which require having the right item in your inventory at the right time. Others that require extremely unintuitive logic skills can be frustrating or nigh-impossible without a guide, even for the most meticulous players. Be prepared to think outside the box to solve some of these problems, and expect to use the Nintendo DS in unusual ways to do so, utilizing the touch screen in nontraditional ways and even including the microphone and sleep mode features in your available tools. And it's hard not to feel a little on edge while playing, since even the slightest miscalculation on the player's part can result in an immediate "Game Over" screen and set back the clock to the most recent checkpoint, meaning you have to redo the last twenty minutes or so of gameplay before you can try again. And, of course, if you want a perfect run of the game with no game overs (which is required for the best ending), you'll simply have to restart from the last save, which could entail replaying the last hour. While the seemingly infinite game over possibilities instills in the player a high-stakes feeling that is lacking from similar games such as the Zero Escape series, it can become tedious and frustrating to be making decent progress and suddenly run into a bad end that was not telegraphed at all, simply because you entered the wrong door or forgot to remove an item from your inventory. The good news is that most of these endings make it fairly clear what the player did that caused it, meaning that very little trial-and-error will be necessary in progressing further, but it still can elicit more annoyance than anything.

Still, that annoyance and occasional tedium is hardly unforgivable when the narrative is so enjoyable. The first couple of chapters can admittedly drag quite a bit, especially for those who aren't used to games with so much dialogue; however, the mystery and excitement grows with each successive chapter, and the lengthy exposition actually works in the game's favor because it allows the player to get to know each character early on--in some cases long before they become important to the story. It's hard not to get attached to Louis, a groovy, laidback bellhop; Rosa, a sharp and gossipy maid; Melissa, a young girl staying in the hotel who often pesters Kyle and ends up bringing out his sweeter side; or Helen, a kindly old woman with an eyepatch. And at the center of these dozen or so side characters is Kyle himself, a largely gruff, blunt, and unpersonable man who nevertheless reveals a more sensitive side that renders him sympathetic and lovable in spite of, and often because of, his flaws.

If you like text-heavy experiences, or have an urge for an old-school adventure game, it's hard to go wrong here. The game's biggest strength is in its ability to unexpectedly touch the player's emotions and really make the player care about Kyle's journey. It's a shame that Cing couldn't sell enough copies to stay in business, but if you can find a copy of this game, playing it would be a great way to honor its tenth anniversary.

Graphics: 10/10
The art style employed by director Taisuke Kanasaki is exceptionally striking and unique, rendering the presentation truly unforgettable. Subpar 3D textures in the environments can't diminish the effectiveness of the rest of the experience.

Sound: 8.5/10
Satoshi Okubo's score includes a relatively large selection of tracks for a fairly short (15-ish hours) experience, traversing several different styles and including some memorable jazz melodies.

Gameplay: 7.0/10
The one area of the game that falls a little flat, actually playing the game can be somewhat tedious and lacks much innovation outside of the hardware-specific puzzles. Moving around is a tad clunkier than it ought to be, and the gameplay as a whole is intentionally unprogressive, serving as a callback to text adventures of an earlier era.

Plot: 9.5/10
The character work here is simply perfect, with not one overstaying his or her welcome, and each member of the cast is effectively developed. While the overall narrative does not contain any out-of-left-field shocking twists, it is still exceptionally written and provides a healthy dose of intrigue and, more importantly, human emotion.

Overall: 9.0/10

You'll like: Solving the vast labyrinth of interconnected mysteries that Hotel Dusk offers.
You'll dislike: Clicking through several minutes' worth of conversation, only to be met with an impromptu game over because you forgot to put cash in your suitcase. Trust me, it will happen.
You'll love: The fascinating aesthetic that Hotel Dusk has on display. It's a truly unique presentation that no other game--on this system or any other--has ever used. Besides its sequel, that is.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on July 29, 2017, 07:03:59 PM
Game Review: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
System: Wii (played as a download from the Wii U eShop)
ESRB: E10+ (Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence)

As a rather new fan of The Legend of Zelda, I've been tackling the various games in the series in a somwhat haphazard order. Skyward Sword is the fourth Zelda title I've played to completion, after Ocarina of Time 3D, Majora's Mask 3D, and Breath of the Wild. I've also played roughly two-thirds of Twilight Princess HD. I admittedly disliked the latter quite a lot, and nineteen hours in I gave up on the game, to most likely never return.

Puzzled, even baffled by the heaping praise Zelda fans constantly cast upon Twilight Princess, I turned instead to what I understand to be the most divisive and even hated of the 3D games. Read on for my thoughts.

There are a lot of things I'd like to talk about, but the elephant in the room I need to address is certainly the motion controls. Requiring Wii MotionPlus (I bought a new Toad-themed Wii MotionPlus remote specifically to play this game), Skyward Sword quite literally puts Link's sword at your fingertips, making the player's physical dexterity the deciding factor as to how much fun the game is. This is not an overstatement, as virtually every task in the game is controlled with the Wii remote's motion controls. This is the hardest Zelda game I've played, even including the brutal survive-a-thon that is this year's Breath of the Wild, simply because there's no trick to doing things. You either learn how to handle Link's sword or you cannot progress. Luckily, contrary to what certain people would have me believe, the controls work astonishingly well and--for the most part--feel entirely natural. Even the beginning of the game, usually a comparatively gentle section of a Zelda adventure, is packed with Deku Babas that open their mouths only in certain directions, so to slice them in half you need to get a good feeling for how to handle your sword. Bokoblins, the main lesser enemy that you fight throughout the game, block your sword attempts and force you to think critically about your movements rather than just mashing the B button. Essentially, all of those physical nuances that Link automatically employed while slicing his sword in previous games now need to be handled manually by you.

In truth, I think it's pretty terrific. For the first (and, likely, last) time in a Zelda game, you are personally sword fighting your enemies, each vibration of the Wii remote and orchestral cue after a successful hit feeling fully earned and something of an accomplishment. As I stated earlier, the controls are fully functional, with very few instances of unresponsive controls in my playthrough--the only thing I never quite understood is the "skydiving" mechanic, which seemed like poor game design at its worst, but luckily this is required only two or three times throughout the entire game. Long story short: even if the release of the Nintendo Switch confirms that fully immersive motion controls were only a passing craze, Skyward Sword may be the one piece of software that justifies its creation as a serious way to play video games.

Of course, great motion controls mean nothing in a bad game, but for the most part Skyward Sword hits its marks. It definitely belongs to a distinctly "pre-Breath of the Wild" era of Zelda games, following a linear path littered with puzzles only solvable with specific items. These items are withheld from the player until key points, and more of the map opens up as the narrative progresses. It's a classic game style, really not that different from what was introduced in Ocarina of Time, and it serves its main purpose of keeping the player on track quite well. Even better, the awkward, shoehorned items from Twilight Princess such as the Spinner and Gale Boomerang have been done away with, giving Link a fresh set of gadgets that are much more organic and fun to use. My personal favorite of these was the Beetle, a nifty mechanical insect that you can pilot around like a drone, scouting out areas and later moving around bombs to drop on your enemies. A couple of the more niche items such as the Gust Bellows and Whip feel a bit superfluous, only really being used in the dungeons they first appear in, but on the whole it's a nice collection of tools that Nintendo ensures remain relevant throughout.

The dungeon and overworld design is quite possibly a series highlight for me. Across the game's six dungeons (the seventh's qualifications as a dungeon are iffy at best), Nintendo has again proven that they are possibly the leading masters of level design in the industry, creating calculated maps that effectively test the player's wits and endurance, but not in an unmanageable way. A personal favorite was the Ancient Cistern in Faron Woods, a somewhat ominous trek through an ancient building that takes you underwater to a hellish, zombie-infested underworld before sending you to the top of an enormous stone statue and pitting you against a fascinatingly bizarre six-armed Buddha-like entity. Of course, the dungeons aren't entirely perfect. The major stumble in this area for me was Skyward Sword's third dungeon, the Lanayru Mining Facility, which has Link constantly backtracking and switching between the past and the present through the use of Timeshift Stones. All of the electricity and wiring puzzles became tedious, and it's the only dungeon that I felt went on for noticeably too long. Even so, the Timeshift Stones are in themselves an incredibly neat mechanic that's used to impressive effect in the overworld of the Lanayru province. It's one of those ideas that only Nintendo can give you, something that's simple in concept and execution but borderline-breathtaking to experience. The first time you strike a Timeshift Stone and watch the drab wasteland around you revert to a prehistoric, thriving grassland, there's a real sense of awe.

The game's story also holds the player's interest, giving Link a few (admittedly mundane) hours at the beginning with Princess Zelda before she's whisked off for the rest of the game. The characterization between the two is as close to a romance as the series has gotten, and their playful and innocent relationship is a joy to watch. Skyloft, the hub area, has a plethora of quirky and memorable characters who keep the world feeling alive, and the gameplay areas introduce interesting new races of creatures rather than rely on established ones (my personal favorite were the Parella, a water-dwelling race whose members look like some odd marriage of seahorse and jellyfish). All of this not even mentioning the game's villain, the Demon Lord Ghirahim, whose unsettlingly flamboyant behavior makes him easily rank among the series' best characters. One of the game's best moments is Ghirahim's introductory scene, in which he speaks longingly of brutally torturing Link while repeatedly vanishing and reappearing. At one point he appears directly above Link's shoulder and licks his lips creepily, sending actual shudders down my spine. Ghirahim's appearances are usually linked with ominous tones and jump scares, and it doesn't hurt that his accompanying music theme is the most gleefully wicked track to appear in a Zelda game since Majora's Theme.

Speaking of music... um, this game has great music. Really. I mean, it's a Zelda game. What did you expect? Even the Zelda games I don't like have great music. Skyward Sword was the first Zelda title to use live recorded music, and it shines here as a stunning companion to the Super Mario Galaxy games, which similarly combined orchestral performances with electronic textures. There are also very neat things done with the music layering, such as the past and present Lanayru Desert areas having totally different musical implications that segue seamlessly as Link darts in and out of a Timeshift Stone's radius. The Ballad of the Goddess, Skyward Sword's main theme of sorts, is by now well-known to be Zelda's Lullaby played in reverse, but that doesn't mean it isn't memorable or fun to hear. And the music in each area is really quite interesting, particularly the tracks for the various dungeons. But it's the battle music that really shines for me, especially the revamped Ghirahim theme that plays when you fight the demon lord. Performed by a full orchestra, it perfectly highlights the unpredictable rhythms of his character in a way that the regular theme skips in favor of purely ominous atmosphere.

The graphics are also surprisingly good. It's a Wii game, of course, and the 480p was obsolete even in 2011. But the colors! God, the colors. Twilight Princess bored and depressed me with its dull, drained hues of gray, but this game is even more vibrant than Wind Waker and features a lovely array of hues. The much-touted Impressionistic style is also wonderfully subtle, and suits the ancient, somewhat mystical vibe of the game very well. This game looks so good that occasionally I forgot I was playing a Wii game, and that's a huge compliment.

So there's obviously a lot to love here. Skyward Sword gives you a lot that you've never seen before even while it sticks to a well-worn Zelda structure. Throughout the opening stages of the game, as I wandered from area to area, collecting pieces of stone tablet and watching the hours tick by, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why the game was so reviled by some, including friends who consider themselves Zelda fans. Unfortunately, I would eventually realize the game's biggest shortcomings, which don't come into play until later. There are a lot of factors I could go into, but it pretty much comes down to padding, filler, and especially backtracking, that bane of every gamer's existence. Now, every Zelda game has backtracking. It's a necessary evil and it's often used to great effect, as in Skyward Sword when you revisit each area a second time and discover a second dungeon. I can overlook a lot in this department, as long as the game doesn't take too long and gives you something new to work with. But Skyward Sword's fatal flaw lies with the former. The game simply does not know when to end. It takes hours upon hours to accomplish anything in this game thanks to its multitudes of fetch quests and mandatory tedium. At one point I questioned my sanity when, on a quest to find three parts of an ancient song, one part of the song was split into seventeen smaller parts I had to gather. This happening 35 hours into a game that I was growing pretty weary of, having played little else for the better part of three weeks. Not long after, you're thrust into a Bokoblin stronghold, rid of all your items, and are made to navigate the fortress, recovering all of your items before reaching your goal. It's like the game doesn't know where the limit of asking you to find just one more thing is, except it's always at least three more things and usually more like five.

At its best, Skyward Sword is a fun but slow-paced adventure through neat concepts, clever puzzles, charming and memorable characters, and exciting combat. But at its worst, the game is a downright slog that feels like a chore to play. There's a really terrific 25- or 30-hour game trapped inside Skyward Sword, hidden beneath hours and hours of frustratingly drawn-out fetch quests that take nearly all of the urgency out of the story. It reminds me in more ways than one of that other fatally flawed Nintendo adventure game, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, a game with a charming story and combat system that overstays its welcome and makes the player revisit each of its areas late in the game when it really should be time for the final boss. Both games prove that fundamental rule: there is such a thing as too much of a great thing.

Of course, this is my biggest complaint with the game, and Skyward Sword really is great. My other complaints are pretty negligible, relatively speaking. Fi, the spirit of the sword you carry, makes for a pretty bland partner character. She speaks like a computer, constantly spouting percentages and technical data, and pops up to explain things that the player can usually piece together on their own. The autotune-esque voice she uses is neat, though, and by the end of the game I had grown rather fond of her. There's just no comparison, though, to characters like Midna and Tatl, whose sarcastic mocking of Link provided a breath of fresh air, or even to Navi, who was similarly didactic but had more of a personality and usually had the good sense to stay hidden until you called on her. Another complaint I have is that while the motion controls are overall really excellent, there are points (mostly toward the end of the game) where the game asked too much of me and my wrist ached for a while after I turned off my Wii U. You know the parts I'm talking about:

Read at your own risk
Namely, that awful swarm of Bokoblins Ghirahim unleashes on you before the final fight against him, which was hell to brute-force my way through; and of course the final fight against Demise, which according to ZeldaDungeon requires that you hit him a whopping 28 times before the second phase begins. This wouldn't be so bad if you didn't have to swing your sword against his a minimum of three times before you could inflict damage, and if the fight wasn't so damn hard that I had to do it about six times. Ugh.
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Really, though, that's it. So in short, Skyward Sword is a great game that's hampered by its iffy plot structure and stubborn refusal to let the player progress.

Graphics
As stated above, the Impressionistic style is beautiful and the game occasionally looks so good that you forget you're playing a 2011 Wii game. Still, the 480p shows its ugly head on more than one occasion.

Sound
Beautiful music, memorable compositions, and live performances make for an amazing Zelda soundtrack. Sound effects are clear and effective, with character voices also serving their purpose.

Gameplay
Excellent sword fighting combat, devious puzzles, and delightful dungeon design. What more can you want?

Plot
As a prequel to the entire franchise, Skyward Sword does its job beautifully. The new characters, especially Ghirahim, are really great.

You'll like: Those amazing dungeons, the music, and the beats of the plot--when they hit.
You'll dislike: Backtracking, fetch quests, and unnecessary padding.
You'll love: A truly frightening new villain who really deserves to be heard from again.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: mikey on July 29, 2017, 10:37:14 PM
ok what about


what about the imprisoned

thoughts on that
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on July 29, 2017, 11:04:58 PM
The Imprisoned was super easy all three times, it was just annoying that you had to fight it more than once
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dudeman on July 30, 2017, 10:53:53 AM
I'm really really happy you enjoyed Skyward Sword so much; even though it's started to gain a reputation of being a bad Zelda game, I can't deny that those moments in the first half of the game really overpower the feelings of boredom in the second half when you look at the game as a whole.

Now that SS is out of the way, do you have plans for your next game, Zelda or no? (If you're aiming for Zelda again any time soon, I'd suggest A Link to the Past; up to this point you've been playing the 3D titles and the 2D titles have a charm and flavor all their own.)
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on July 30, 2017, 06:46:42 PM
I'm replaying Ocarina of Time 3D, lmao. I'm on a bit of a Zelda kick. I have Link to the Past on my New 3DS, I'll definitely do it when I feel like a classic 2D game.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on October 07, 2017, 12:30:21 PM
Game Review: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
System: PlayStation Vita / PlayStation TV (also on PlayStation 4 and PC)
ESRB: M (Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language)

Danganronpa is one of the strangest franchises out there. With its main premise of high school students being forced to kill one another, it seems like it would be a horror game. But the heavily stylized, anime-esque presentation, with its bright popping colors and cute bear mascot, gives the series a fascinatingly dissonant tone that even now, after four video games and two anime series, hasn't gotten stale or any less unique. After several spin-off entries (namely 2014's third-person shooter Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls and the 2016 anime series Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School), the franchise this time makes a return to the visual novel format with Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, a super-sized adventure game that easily contains the most twisting and trenchant narrative the writers have come up with yet.

Killing Harmony has been billed by Spike Chunsoft as a reboot of the series, abandoning the plot threads that were tied up with the anime series and introducing an entirely new cast. Even so, there's a lot that's familiar about the setup. Sixteen high school students awaken in an unfamiliar school (this time the "Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles"), suffering from amnesia and confusion. Monokuma, the series mascot, shows his terrifying-yet-kinda-cute face and gleefully sends the group into a new "killing game." The game rules are exactly the same as prior entries--to escape the school, a student needs to murder another student, then avoid detection during the subsequent class trial.

Actually, there's a lot that's exactly the same as prior entries this time around. In each chapter, the player can spend some free time engaging in Persona-like hangouts with classmates of their choosing, and eventually someone dies. Then it's full-on Ace Attorney action, with a point-and-click investigation mode before a fast-paced trial where you try to figure out the culprit. Such familiarity is acknowledged by Monokuma every so often, and an early segment even has him lamenting how long the series has gone on. This is a game so self-aware that it openly mocks the player for playing it.

In addition to the slightly revamped HD graphics, the soundtrack also received a full rehaul. Series composer Masafumi Takada produced an entirely new score that reuses bits and pieces from previous games. The quirky, now-classic title tune is referenced quite a lot throughout the music, but on the whole Takada has gone above and beyond in giving us new material to listen to. Forget two discs--the game has two totally unique soundtrack albums, each one clocking in at roughly two and a half hours. Meanwhile, the voice work is predictably excellent in both English and Japanese, though if you're playing the Vita version you'll have to download the "HQ audio" add-on since the game shipped with horribly compressed voice audio.

The gameplay is still rather simple during the school life and investigation segments. This isn't a slight. The player has the bare minimum amount of interactivity to avoid these parts feeling like straight visual novels, and any more would definitely be overdoing it. The trials, however, are a ridiculously complicated mashup of various minigames and logic problems, and they've tended to get more overwhelming with each entry. This is a slight. In Killing Harmony in particular, I found myself more than previous games getting stuck not because I didn't know what to do, but simply couldn't work my way around the game's impossible control scheme and gameplay requirements. Even beyond the standard "nonstop debates," the other minigames, such as a car racing simulator called Psyche Taxi and a hyperactive rhythm game called Argument Armament, are simply overly convoluted and frustrating, serving only to needlessly extend the duration of the already-lengthy trial sections. It's almost as though Danganronpa is saying "You think this game is too much like reading a book? It's not like a real game? Here are a bunch of unnecessary minigames so it feels more like a game. Haha, that isn't what you really wanted, is it? Didn't think so. Screw you."

Despite my gripes with the gameplay, they were never serious enough to get me to stop playing, because the story is just that good. Monokuma has always made for a fascinating villain, inspiring hatred as well as a lot of laughs and grudging fondness over the years with his nonsensical, philosophical ramblings. This time, his five children, the Monokubs, join the fray, though think twice if you're tempted to dismiss that as overkill. They show up every once in a while to bicker and derail the plot, and serve as some of the game's funniest characters. The game made me laugh out loud more than any other I've played recently, and I came to love the Monokubs' various quirks (for example, one of them has a habit of vomiting constantly, and another speaks with an over-the-top Brooklyn accent). The protagonist this time is Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist, which is already relevant to the interests of most NSMers, but even the rest of the cast is undoubtedly the strongest bunch we've gotten since the first game. I liked just about every single member of the cast, and astoundingly they all felt totally unique from characters of the previous games. Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader, is as enigmatic as his title, his personality being that of a compulsive liar whose tears of anguish always seem questionably ingenuine. Also fascinating is the Ultimate Robot, K1-B0 ("Keebo"), who is played like a social justice advocate, constantly spouting his hatred of "robophobia" and intolerance, and the Ultimate Artist, Angie Yonaga, whose religious fanaticism allows for some interesting commentary on groupthink that felt relevant.

In fact, the game as a whole has a surprisingly thoughtful theme that ultimately reveals itself as the most extreme social satire I've ever seen in a video game. The game's finale may well be the most polarizing ending I've ever seen, coming as it does totally out of nowhere in the eleventh hour and slamming into the player with the force of a freight train; but regardless of whether you like the direction the narrative takes, it's undoubtedly got a lot to say about society and the state of games in general without ever becoming too preachy--a quality that the game itself is proud of.

So, with all of these elements scrambled up together, what do we have? A thoroughly entertaining experience, if nothing else. But Killing Harmony is especially noteworthy for its stubborn determination to defy audience expectations. This game could have solved the final murder and thrown in the usual Danganronpa ending shtick and it would have been an excellent addition to the franchise. But instead, what we get is an insanely out-there (and insanely political) finale that doesn't really show up until the final hours of the game, elevating this title to the coveted "best in franchise" status. This game has something important and thought-provoking to say. You just need to finish it in order to see it. And while Danganronpa doesn't leave itself open to many sequel options here, if the developers continue to present us with these kinds of fresh ideas and thoughtful commentary, I'm willing to go anywhere they want to take me in the future.

Graphics
The disarming 2.5-D effect that has been a series staple serves its purpose well here, this time with a bit of added HD polish since it was built from the ground up for modern consoles.

Sound
An intensely quirky but nevertheless catchy and appealing soundtrack wins full marks, while the English and Japanese voice acting alike is excellent all around.

Gameplay
Not really much compelling gameplay here, but what did you expect from a text-heavy adventure game? The trials try their best, and maybe would be fun for some people, but the real draw here is the story.

Plot
Absolutely wonderful. The middle cases aren't as good as the ones that bookend the experience (as is something of a tradition), and the game is maybe a few hours too long for its own good, but on the whole it's a cohesive and thoughtful experience that will keep the player surprised and hooked from start to finish.

You'll like: The game's excellent cast of characters.
You'll dislike: Finally reaching an important case point in the trial, only to have to play a frustrating, convoluted version of hangman to progress further.
You'll love (or hate): The game's ending and by extension the statement about society it wants to make.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on October 07, 2017, 07:54:28 PM
How long did it take you to finish?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on October 08, 2017, 05:49:24 AM
50 hours.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on October 08, 2017, 08:00:25 AM
Wait, really? Was that with extras, or straight through?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on October 08, 2017, 08:06:08 AM
Straight through. I haven't touched the post game unlocks yet. After I get the game back from my friend I will though haha
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on October 08, 2017, 11:50:11 AM
Dang, that's a pretty lengthy time. Still not sure I would pay $60, but I will be getting this.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on October 08, 2017, 07:13:13 PM
Maybe a holiday sale is coming up? The other games went down in price on steam at least
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 01, 2018, 07:03:12 PM
Favorites of Video Games 2017

Here are some of my favorite gaming experiences of this past year.

A few changes: I've had to retire the "best use of 3D (Nintendo 3DS)" category this year. Nintendo has all but stopped supporting this signature feature of their handheld, disappointing many fans of 3D. First-party Nintendo releases such as Hey! Pikmin, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, Mario Party: The Top 100, and Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon; and even series which previously released 3D entries, such as the Layton Series, have been excluding it from new releases. The only games I played this year in 3D were Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, which both include a lovely 3D effect, but neither of which uses it in significant enough ways to justify honoring them specially. Sadly, I don't believe we'll be seeing 3D gaming for much longer. I also retired the "Best DLC" category as the only real contender of my played games is Breath of the Wild, and I haven't even touched the second batch of DLC for it yet.

I am also adding two new categories. The first is "Best eShop Game," as I felt that a number of my favorite releases this year were digital-only. The other is "Best amiibo." This, obviously, will cover any amiibo releases by Nintendo during the calendar year. In picking my choice, I will consider the following: figure design, compatibility, and in-game function. Like everything else on this list, it will largely be dependent on my personal opinion.

In addition, there are a few games released prior to 2017 that I only got around to playing this year. Though the titles are older, I still want to acknowledge how much I enjoyed them. These include:

1
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
(2011) -- Wii U download (originally on Wii)

I've been slowly but surely working my way through a massive backlog of Zelda games over the past year or so, ever since first completing Ocarina of Time 3D and falling in love with the series; a late bloomer, for sure, but there it is. Following a replay of Majora's Mask 3D, a game which I loved so much that less than a year after playing it I decided to carry out a 100% completion run; and experiencing the massive but overwhelming open-world adventure Breath of the Wild; I felt an urge to try out one of the more classical Zelda games. Skyward Sword turned out to be a perfect fit for when I played it, though it became apparent that the hype surrounding its release inflated the critical reception. On the other hand, it turned out that because of the too-positive critical reception, audience hatred I had seen for the game was also grossly exaggerated. I had a great time with the game, and I must admit that even as I grew frustrated with Nintendo's insistence on drawing out the story a good ten hours past what felt natural, I never once tired of the game's motion controls, which were as innovative as they were marvelous. On the whole, I found Skyward Sword a delightfully challenging, surprising, and thoughtful game, though of course it is held back by its poor late-game pacing and by the technical limitations of the hardware on which it appears. You can read a more detailed account of my thoughts in the review elsewhere in this thread.
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2
Root Letter
(2016) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

Root Letter, released in late 2016 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita, is supposedly the first in a new series of mystery adventure games/visual novels with an interesting hook: rather than the same characters or storylines continuing from game to game, each will contain a different set of characters and will focus on a different area of Japan, making the setting a prominent part of the plot. Root Letter takes place in the Shimane prefecture, a rural area of Japan with plenty of nature and historical interest. The main character, who is nicknamed Max, is in search of a childhood penpal whose mysterious final letter has haunted him ever since he first received it. Though the mystery drives the player forward, with bizarre alternate story paths and strong characters throughout, the game's biggest strength is actually in the setting. A serene, lovely music score follows the player throughout the majority of the game, and the beautifully illustrated backgrounds and mouth-watering descriptions of local seafood really made me feel like I was taking a relaxing vacation to the Shimane prefecture. The story isn't the greatest--I got the feeling the localization work was a bit too literally translated, and some of the plot points were painfully predictable--but the setting and characters alone made the game something special that I keep wanting to go back to, even a mere year after I first played it.
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3
Steins;Gate 0
(2016) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

I loved Steins;Gate when I played it in 2015. It was the type of story-based game I enjoy more than any other: an intensely slow burn, with plot elements that by the end are developed nearly perfectly. More notably, its science-fiction elements, which usually make me skeptical, were implemented in such an organic and believable way that I hardly remembered they were fictional. But all of the clever plot devices and time travel chaos ultimately fell second to the endearing, fascinating, and above all, painfully human characters. When I finished the game, I felt like it was quite possibly the most objectively perfect video game narrative I had ever played. Any sequel, I decided, would not be able to add anything necessary. Does Steins;Gate 0 prove me wrong? No--but it's still a great time. Taking place in one of the alternate endings of the original game, this version of Rintaro Okabe is a man who's completely dropped his "chuunibyou" persona, suffering intense anxiety and PTSD from his awful experiences in July and August 2010. As the entire game takes place in a bad end scenario of the first game, it does come off as something of an unnecessary "what-if?" story, or a supplementary rather than a mandatory follow-up, but it's an incredibly entertaining one. I adored the new characters, especially Dr. Leskinen, a goofy professor who worked in the same research laboratory as Makise Kurisu, and Maho Hiyajo, his assistant who is twenty-one yet frequently is mistaken for a middle-schooler. When all was said and done, I felt like I understood the characters a bit better, since this game swaps perspectives frequently and lets you get inside the heads of characters other than Okabe. It's an admittedly unnecessary but thoroughly enjoyable game, and one that would certainly get a "Best Story" nomination had I played it last year (though likely no more than that).
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Without further ado, here are my picks for favorite gaming of 2017.

BEST MULTIPLAYER
Spoiler
1-2-Switch

As per usual for me, multiplayer games weren't really on my priority list this year. Regardless, it's tough to beat the multiplayer chaos of 1-2-Switch. The game is an oddity even by Nintendo standards, as it is a video game where you...don't look at the screen? It takes a solid half hour or so to get past the awkwardness of "looking each other in the eye," as the game repeatedly insists you do, but oh man, is it a good time after that. From the fun (players reach for their Joycons when they hear "FIRE!" in a quick-draw) to the hilarious (the aptly-named "Fake Draw," where the voice shouts words that sound like "FIRE!" but are actually "FILE," "FOUNTAIN," "FOOT," and many others), from the impractical (cradling a baby, which requires you to play in handheld mode) to the downright bizarre (the infamous cow-milking), the various minigames and actions the game sets for the players are more hit than they are miss, even if the price tag is steep for essentially a collection of tech demo minigames. Still, about the time I tried the "Copy Dance" game and my friends and I were gasping for breath between fits of laughter, I was sold.

Honorable mention: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
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BEST amiibo
Spoiler
Link (Majora's Mask)

This turned out to be a tougher category than I had expected. After all, we got no less than TWELVE Zelda series amiibo, all of which are fascinatingly designed and--in the case of the Breath of the Wild amiibo especially--feature wonderful detail and functionality. Ultimately, my pick of the Link (Majora's Mask) figure comes from my love for the games featuring the Hero of Time, and it's a great figure to represent that, especially when displayed side-by-side with the Link (Ocarina of Time) figure. The choice to model it after the character art of Link holding the Goron Mask gives it that trademark Majora's Mask bizarre factor; the Goron Mask is a frankly ugly thing that clashes with the cute design of Link. The only thing that I wish the amiibo had was the Mirror Shield, with that strangely haunting face on it, but as it stands, the design of the Hero Shield is well-crafted and probably suits Link's aesthetic better. What pushed this amiibo above the more detailed figures such as Link (Archer) and Guardian for me was the functionality--I mean, come on, who doesn't want Fierce Deity armor? I would like to note that although I could make an argument for literally any of the Zelda amiibo released this year, my true honorable mention goes to Goomba. It's just about the last character you would expect an amiibo of, and it's a really cute figure that has cool functionality with the Bowser's Minions quest of the new Superstar Saga remake.

Honorable mention: Bowser (Wedding Outfit), Goomba, Guardian, Link (Archer), Urbosa
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BEST GRAPHICS
Spoiler
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BEST SOUND DESIGN
Spoiler
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This year's Zelda was out of this world--more specifically, out of this open-world. Featuring a sprawling Hyrule roughly the size of Rhode Island, 120 clever puzzle shrines, and more hidden Koroks than you can shake an anthropomorphic stick at, Breath of the Wild was a masterclass in open-world game design and blew pretty much everyone and their brother out of the water. A game with the sheer number of elements this one has demands intensely focused sound design, with appropriate effects, music, and character voices. Of these, the sound element that Breath of the Wild best accomplished was that of music. More specifically, the game does an incredible job of knowing when not to use music. Most of Hyrule features harsh, natural silence, with only the sounds of birds and your footsteps accompanying your trek through the wild. A few well-timed piano cues (always soft and lonely) accent this beautifully, and whenever Link approaches a town or something similar, the music swells in sneakily, but the days of full-blast music scoring every minute of his adventure are long gone. This is some of the most effective and immersive sound design I have ever experienced in a game.

Honorable mention: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
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BEST MUSIC
Spoiler
Super Mario Odyssey

If you ask someone to hum a tune from a video game, what are they going to sing? It's tough to say for sure, but there's a good chance they'd come up with that iconic "da-da da da-da da!" that opens the Super Mario Bros. Ground Theme. The Super Mario games have always been known for catchy, expansive soundtracks that enhance the playing experience and generally perfectly match what's going on in the game. Super Mario Odyssey is here with the biggest collection of music tracks yet (we know this because of the in-game sound test, which allows you to change the music to your liking at any time), and all of it is high quality. The game's main theme is soaring, whimsical, and joyous, reminiscent of Super Mario Galaxy's lush orchestral tones, and the vocal song "Jump Up, Super Star!" has taken the Internet by storm for a good reason. That song alone elevates Super Mario Odyssey to something truly special--it's worth seeking out the in-game quest that lets you hear it--and the 80-odd additional tracks fit the many worlds and battles of the game wonderfully. Truly a great soundtrack, and one I feel confident I'll be listening to for quite a while.

Honorable mention: Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
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BEST REMAKE
Spoiler
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions

This was the only real contender this year for me. Games like Undertale and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney were simple ports that added a few new features; Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Cave Story+, and Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World added a few new stages or modes of play that didn't amount to quite as much mileage; and Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon had enough that was different from their original counterparts that they didn't even feel like remakes to me. Superstar Saga is a remake of the GBA classic from the ground up, and the game has never looked better. It's truly a gorgeous game, and though they ditched the 3D for this outing, the game can run at 60 fps because of it, which means it looks slightly cleaner and smoother than Alpha-Dream's previous 3DS titles. But what really makes this remake worth the buy is the Bowser's Minions part of the title--a new mode that will run you a good ten to fifteen hours, taking the role of a Goomba (seriously) who works behind the scenes of the main plot to rescue an amnesiac Bowser from the evil clutches of Fawful and Cackletta. Though the battle gameplay is strategy-based without much actual input from the player, and the "story" plays out more like a series of comedy skits with goofy characters and punchlines, it fits in marvelously with the Mario & Luigi canon and amusingly fills in the gaps of some of the main story--gaps that no one was really wondering about, but which are hilarious to learn of regardless. (Ever wonder why Mario ended up getting a Poison Mushrooom from that Toad in Little Fungitown, or just how Birdo ended up working for Popple, anyway? This is the game for you.) It also extends the runtime of the game to a solid 45 hours if you want to 100% complete all of the challenges as I did, which means we get a game that's nearly twice the length of the original. Pretty good deal, if you ask me.

Honorable mention: none
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BEST STORY
Spoiler
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

In my "Best of 2014," I awarded Best Story to the first two Danganronpa games, which released within a year of one another and which offered such a compelling two-part story that I couldn't pick one over the other. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is its own thing entirely, and I have absolutely no qualms in saying it surpasses those two games easily. Though the game up to a certain point follows franchise patterns and hits familiar beats, this game really stands apart in its ultimate refusal to conform to audience expectations, instead delivering a shocking, satirical finale that makes a relevant statement about modern society. In my review, I wrote: "The game's finale may well be the most polarizing ending I've ever seen, coming as it does totally out of nowhere in the eleventh hour and slamming into the player with the force of a freight train; but regardless of whether you like the direction the narrative takes, it's undoubtedly got a lot to say about society and the state of games in general without ever becoming too preachy--a quality that the game itself is proud of." I couldn't have put it better myself. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up next time it goes on sale. Just, you know, play the first two games first.

Honorable mention: Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy
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BEST GAMEPLAY
Spoiler
Super Mario Odyssey

There are few greater gaming pleasures than running and jumping along as Nintendo's mustached plumber. This seems like a given, or maybe it seems like an overstatement, but after an excruciating four years without a new 3D Super Mario game, Odyssey is an absolute joy. Honing back to Super Mario 64 by sticking to the basic "explore 3D environments, collect the collectibles" formula, Odyssey nevertheless feels utterly fresh and brilliant thanks to its beautifully designed worlds, stellar collection of new mechanics (notably the "capture" technique which Mario uses to control various creatures), and, above all, the finely-tuned movements and responses of Mario. Here's hoping this isn't Mario's final 3D Switch outing.

Honorable mention: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
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BEST eShop GAME
Spoiler
Pokémon Gold & Silver

I didn't really have any plans for an 18-year-old Virtual Console title to become my favorite digital-only game of 2017, but it edged out the competition fairly easily. I haven't touched my own copy of Pokémon Silver in years, because the battery of my cartridge ran dry in 2004 or so and I have been unable to use it since. This re-release proved delightful for me. I couldn't believe how well it's aged, and also could not believe the effect of the long-forgotten nostalgic things. My favorite thing about these games is playing at night, and I'm not sure how to describe why other than "look at the soft, warm glow of the windows all lit up." Playing at night just felt somehow comforting, like an old scent from my childhood that I hadn't smelled in years. And it helps that the gameplay is as good as it was when it came out. As with Super Mario Bros. 3 compared to the first Super Mario Bros., it's almost impossible to believe that these games are on the same console as Pokémon Red & Blue. The quality of life improvements cannot be overstated, and the balancing done to the combat--though far from perfect--greatly enhanced my experience. The cherry on top of all this is Game Freak's decision to leave the original glitches intact, meaning that I was able to travel Johto with all three starter Pokémon by using the well-known PC glitch. I may prefer the more detailed, beguiling atmospheres of Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire, but these games are regarded as classics, and rightly so.

Honorable mention: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney, Picross S, Snake Pass
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BEST GAME OF 2017
Spoiler
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Someone asked me what my game of the year was the other night, and I was surprised to find myself thinking of this one despite other, more beloved series of mine getting new entries. What ultimately gives Killing Harmony the edge, after a few months away from it, is the memory of being utterly absorbed in its world. I lost two weeks of my life to this game, and I'm not exaggerating. For a solid two weeks, I was either playing this game or fantasizing about getting home later and playing this game. It's pure, deliciously demented joy from start to finish, and the fact that it challenges your notions about fictional narratives is kind of an amazing bonus. Zelda was a crazy huge feat, and Super Mario Odyssey gave me a wonderful 3D platforming exploration experience, and Pokémon somehow reeled me in again with essentially remakes of a title I played a year ago, but...Killing Harmony stuck with me. Not only do I not want to forget it, I don't think I'm capable of forgetting it.

Honorable mention: Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Super Mario Odyssey
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BEST GAME OF 2017 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
Spoiler
Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters

I added this category on a whim, because there were so many great games I simply didn't have time for this year. Yo-kai Watch is one of those franchises that I'm endlessly endeared to despite never having played any of it, simply because the art style is adorable and it's developed by Level-5, who of course is a deeply beloved company to me. I missed the first game and both of the dual-release sequels, but I'm considering jumping in with this updated version of the second. Anyone have any thoughts about the games?

Honorable mention: ARMS, Doki Doki Literature Club, Ever Oasis, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, NieR: Automata, Splatoon 2, probably a million others that I'm forgetting. The life of a gamer is not easy. Sigh.
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What are your own lists like? Agree or disagree with any of my thoughts here? Post comments below if you want!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dudeman on January 01, 2018, 07:19:14 PM
Did you mean to leave "Best Graphics" blank? Otherwise, this was a great read! Loved your picks and your explanations. I really wish I had more time on my hands to play more stuff.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Olimar12345 on January 01, 2018, 07:21:42 PM
He always does that lol.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 01, 2018, 07:22:59 PM
Lmao actually the first time I did this list in 2012 or whenever, I accidentally left Best Graphics blank and it's kind of become a yearly tradition

I also think that graphics are maybe the least important thing to me in a game so it also doubles as social commentary if you like
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dudeman on January 01, 2018, 07:24:17 PM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on January 01, 2018, 07:22:59 PMLmao actually the first time I did this list in 2012 or whenever, I accidentally left Best Graphics blank and it's kind of become a yearly tradition

I also think that graphics are maybe the least important thing to me in a game so it also doubles as social commentary if you like
lol wow I love this, excuse my ignorance
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: BlackDragonSlayer on January 01, 2018, 07:24:34 PM
but the graphics
they're really what this is all about
the graphics
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dudeman on January 01, 2018, 07:28:40 PM
DEM GREEEEHHHHHHFIKS
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on January 01, 2018, 08:52:44 PM
My list:
Best Graphics - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Best Soundtrack - NieR: Automata
Best Voice Acting/Sound Design - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Biggest Disappointment: Metroid II Remake
Best Story: NieR: Automata
Best Gameplay: Hollow Knight, with NieR: Automata in close second
Most Fun I Had All Year - DOOM 2016
Best Game: Damn, this is hard. It's between Hollow Knight, NieR: Automata, and Hellblade. Out of those 3, I think I'll have to go with NieR.
Also shoutout to OneShot for being a great game

crap crap crap I forgot Fire Emblem Echoes came out this year and idk how to compare it to games that are so vastly different so here's a second list

Games I enjoyed every moment of that I played this year:
DOOM 2016
Fire Emblem Echoes
NieR: Automata
Hollow Knight
Nuclear Throne
Umineko Question Arcs
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
OneShot
Inside
Furi

Note that I have not yet played Danganronpa V3 because it's expensive on steam and I don't like spending money.
Also, I think I only played 2 nintendo games to completion this year: Ace Attorney 6 and Fire Emblem Echoes
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 23, 2018, 08:26:45 PM
Favorites of Video Games 2018

Here are some of my favorite gaming experiences of the last year.

I excluded ports from most of the categories (the exception, obviously, being best remake). If it was a totally new reimagining of a game, as is the case with this year's Pokémon, it was eligible for any of the categories, but if the new version isn't significantly, well, new, I didn't allow it for consideration. No "Best Music" award for Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze this year, sadly. As has become the standard, I want to write a bit about a few games that were NOT released in 2018, but which I played for the first time this year and think are worth checking out. These include:

1
Chaos;Child
(2017) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

This game, largely removed from but set in the same universe as the Steins;Gate games, came out right at the tail end of 2017. I won a download code giveaway of this game via the official Steins;Gate Facebook page on January 2 of this year, and was kind of thrilled to play it. It's a visual novel, just like Steins;Gate, with a gripping science-fiction plot about reality, illusions, and the daydreams we slip into every day. Also, there's a mystery involving a series of grotesque and horrifying murders. The horror element in Chaos;Child really set it apart, and it alternately delighted, disgusted, and thrilled me. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Steins;Gate, but wanted a more supernatural and horror-oriented storyline. The only problem I had with this game was the frustratingly lengthy script--it took me the better part of two months to complete, roughly the equivalent of 80-100 hours. With enough trimming down and tightening, this could have been a fast-paced, intense ride, but the way it is now, Chaos;Child is a sort of series of starts and stops, grabbing and shaking you right before it relaxes for a few hours to focus on the mundane and slice-of-life activities of the characters. Not for the faint of heart, nor for the faint of attention span.
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2
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
(2013) -- Wii U

In August of 2016, I reached a landmark in my gaming history: I finished a Legend of Zelda game for the first time. (It was Ocarina of Time 3D.) I've since been working my way through a good chunk of the Zelda canon, but I undertook a huge mission this past summer: play all of the console games in order of release. The idea came about after I realized that this was entirely possible using only a Wii U, thanks to the Virtual Console library. I zoomed through the Nintendo 64 versions of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, marveling at how well they compared to their 3DS remakes, and then had a blast with The Wind Waker HD, whose cartoonish art style and radically different overworld left me shocked. It took me a long time to get used to the Great Sea, but once I figured out how the game worked (and found the Swift Sail--thanks for that, Nintendo) I was in heaven. Whether it was spending an entire day with my roommates finding all of the guide fish in the sea to fill out my map, puzzling through a forest dungeon with a Korok toddling cutely behind me, or delighting in a game of hide-and-seek on the charming Windfall Island, everything I found lying in my path during this game was sheer gaming fun. It was especially astonishing to note the similarities to last year's Breath of the Wild in terms of being essentially an open-world game, without much pressure to get on with the story. While my Zelda marathon plan fell apart midway through Twilight Princess HD, The Wind Waker HD was easily one of my top gaming experiences of the year.
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3
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
(2013) -- Nintendo 3DS

Seriously, what was up with this franchise in 2013? A Link Between Worlds is to date the only top-down / 2D (technically) entry in the series that I've been able to complete, and it was far from a slog. I marathoned this game in February in the space of four days, unable to stop myself from exploring nearly every inch of Hyrule and Lorule. Talk about immersive 3D, and talk about a crazy fun way to spend four days on a 3DS. This is easily one of the best titles on the system, and I'd advise anyone who hasn't played it to take advantage of the low price point and do so as soon as they can.
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4
Zero Escape: The Nonary Games
(2017) -- PlayStation Vita (also on PlayStation 4)

The Zero Escape franchise is a must-play for fans of choose-your-own-adventure novels, murder mysteries, suspense thrillers, sci-fi and time-travel plots, and (hear me out) shitty 90s escape-the-room puzzle games. This collection, released last year, bundles together the first two games, Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors and Virtue's Last Reward, which combine to make up perhaps the best collection of modern visual novels available on the market. While Virtue's Last Reward is largely unchanged from its spectacular standalone Vita version, 999 is completely remastered, with HD art, a new adventure mode where you can skip the expository text, and an all-new dub by professional voice casts in both English and Japanese. If you've never checked out the series and it sounds interesting, this is a perfect place to start, and if you're itching to revisit 999, this is the way to do it. It was a lot of fun to rediscover these games.
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Without further ado, here were my favorites this year:

BEST MULTIPLAYER
Spoiler
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Yeah, I don't even know how they do this. What kind of magicians are Nintendo that we can get a new Smash Bros. every few years and still become completely entranced by each new entry, still get sucked back into the addictive beat-em-up gameplay, still find new characters to love and new tricks to delight in? I don't know, but it's clear that Ultimate is the only fighting game I'll ever need to play for the rest of my life. With a fantastic balance of swordfighters (like Marth and Link), brawlers (Little Mac and Ryu), mages (Corrin and Zelda), tricksters (Duck Hunt and Bowser Jr.), and quirksters (Mr. Game & Watch and Luigi), there is really something for everyone here. As I mentioned when I gave this same award to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in 2014, the messy and lovingly crafter amalgam of worlds is what gives this game its charm, while the easy-to-learn, tough-to-master combat system is what gives it longevity. One of the best games of the year, period.

HONORABLE MENTION: Super Mario Party
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BEST amiibo
Spoiler
Octoling Boy [Splatoon series]

Slim pickings for amiibo fans this year, but still a few gems to be found. The Octoling threesome is a cute and charming top pick for me, with their punk aesthetic and anti-Inkling vibes. The sullen pose and disdainful glare on the Octoling Boy, coupled with that improbably huge paintbrush, makes it my favorite release of the year. The Octopus itself is hilarious and quirky, and the Detective Pikachu release from earlier this year has the novelty of its massive size, but the detail on this amiibo is just great.

HONORABLE MENTION: Detective Pikachu, Octopus, Ridley
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BEST GRAPHICS
Spoiler
Octopath Traveler

For the first time in the history of these yearly reviews, I actually have a pick for Best Graphics. It's usually an unspoken rule that I leave the category blank and don't explain why, but Square-Enix's Octopath Traveler absolutely dazzled me with its detailed sprite work, pop-up book dioramas, and mesmerizing blur and shading effects. The JRPG stuff in Octopath isn't as revolutionary as other games out there, but the visuals send this game into another orbit. In fact, it's so much an integral part of the experience that I would go so far as to say that the game wouldn't have sold nearly as well without the unique visual hook. I hope to see more of this style in the future.
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BEST SOUND DESIGN
Spoiler
Layers of Fear: Legacy

Layers of Fear is probably the most fun and genuinely scary horror game I've ever played. It's so terrifying and tense that it almost feels out of place on my Nintendo Switch, you know? Despite the oppressive, horrifying dread that lurks around every corner, and the disturbing images thrown at you once in a while, and of course the occasional jump scare, it's the sound design that really makes this one such a terrifying gem. Small creaks, phantom knockings, and--my personal favorite--faint murmurings that grow louder and more ominous the closer you get to key objects are punctuated by the creepiest use of Cyril Scott's "Lotus Land" I've ever seen, as well as some hideously hammy voice acting. This truly over-the-top acting somehow doesn't let up the tension. But in all fairness, it's hard to lighten the mood of any game that introduces the player to as many broken, toddling baby dolls as this one does.

HONORABLE MENTION: Death Mark
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BEST MUSIC
Spoiler
Octopath Traveler

Octopath Traveler claims another aesthetics award, proving that presentation really can make or break a game. This game's music is not subversive, quirky, or ironic in the least. What we have instead is a strictly classic video game soundtrack. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this. With almost no electronics in the score other than reverb effects, these soaring, beautiful melodies breathe even more life into the world of our pixelly heroes and their unique struggles and feats. While most of the tracks are simply for small chamber ensembles, the sheer variety of tones here is just wonderful. For fans, I'd like to mention that the game's soundtrack is available for purchase on iTunes, and I'd recommend giving it a look even if you haven't played the game. These kinds of ambitious projects are what remind you why you fell in love with game music to begin with.

HONORABLE MENTION: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
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BEST REMAKE
Spoiler
Luigi's Mansion

It seems like I played a LOT of remakes this year. We got Switch ports of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, a Switch remake of Pokémon Yellow Version in the form of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! / Let's Go, Eevee!, and in an odd, very Nintendo way, the delightful 2014 game Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker arrived on both Nintendo 3DS and Switch. Even Undertale got the Switch treatment, with a new boss fight to boot. And on the mobile front, Professor Layton and the Curious Village, aka my favorite game of all time, got an HD remake complete with new cutscenes and all of those downloadable puzzles I never got to play on Nintendo DS. But all of these, even Layton, paled for me in comparison with the GameCube classic Luigi's Mansion, remade from the ground up for Nintendo 3DS. It's true, this one doesn't have too many fancy new features, outside of a stunning new multiplayer mode that lets two friends complete the main story and rematch portrait ghosts together, an achievement checklist, and dual-screen map support. But it secures the top spot for me for one minor reason alone: stereoscopic 3D. I've always been a big fan of the 3DS's 3D effect, right from day one, so it was a bit disappointing when Nintendo stopped supporting it on first-party releases. But longtime Luigi's Mansion fans will recall that it was originally intended to be developed in 3D--and Grezzo, the awesome team behind the Zelda remasters as well as Ever Oasis, have made this dream a reality. It's a blast to see the mansion as it was originally intended to be seen.

HONORABLE MENTION: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo 3DS)
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BEST STORY
Spoiler
Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk

Bit of an odd pick for story of the year, but I didn't play very much in the way of plot-based games. It was Aksys to the rescue with their "Summer of Mystery," releasing one PlayStation Vita game a month in June, July, and August that was mystery-focused and featured an otome-style gameplay, where you play as a female character and romance guys. While I normally tolerate the otome genre at best and hate it at worst, the focus on mystery and plot rather than romance made these titles a welcome diversion from the norm. Of the two I've played, Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk was the better, immersing me in its unique medieval world. The main character is Jed, a girl who has had to live an entire life as a boy because of a "witch's mark" she's had since birth. This lends an interesting dynamic to Jed's love interests, who only know her as a boy for much of the story. In the end, it was the captivating, snow-covered setting that caused this one to stick out to me, and I fell in love with the world even more than I did with that of the runner-up, Octopath Traveler.

HONORABLE MENTION: Octopath Traveler
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BEST GAMEPLAY
Spoiler
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

The combat system of this game is insane. I can't even fathom how it feels so different from the Wii U incarnation, but it's tighter, faster, more exacting. This game forces you to get adept with the controls, and makes it remarkably fun to try out new fighters, rewarding you with secret combos and fun tricks. I don't know what else to say, but this is pure gaming bliss for me.

HONORABLE MENTION: None
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BEST eShop GAME
Spoiler
Undertale

Yeah, this is a weird choice for a number of reasons. It's technically just a port with some new content, yeah. It technically has a limited physical release (which I went for), yeah. But after playing the entire game again on Switch, for the first time since 2015, I have to say that Undertale really deserves this award. It feels at home on the Switch in a way that it just didn't on PC or PlayStation. It's such a Nintendo-esque game, in some ways literally (it was heavily inspired by EarthBound) but in spirit as well. The quirky characters, moving storyline, humorous script, wonderful music, and innovative gameplay just feel like they belong on a Nintendo platform. It holds up just as well three years later, too. It's a game whose negligible faults are only noticed because it rightfully got as popular as it did. Never mind the naysayers: this is a game that deserves a place on every Switch console out there. And if you've played it before, play it again, or watch a friend play it blind. There's no competition for me; Undertale is the best eShop-exclusive game on the Nintendo Switch.

HONORABLE MENTION: INSIDE, Layers of Fear: Legacy
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BEST GAME OF 2018
Spoiler
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

This should have been a tough choice. I should feel at least a little conflicted about naming Ultimate my game of the year. But I don't. For all its aesthetic and sensory pleasures, the gameplay of Octopath Traveler can't hold a candle. As tried and true as Pokémon's familiar formula is, Let's Go, Pikachu! / Let's Go Eevee was frankly an embarrassment and insult to Switch owners, even with all of its cutesy charm. As much as I adored puzzling through Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, rediscovering the clever tricks of Luigi's Mansion, and tromping my way across the islands of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, the joy I've gotten with just a few weeks of the new Smash has trumped all of that. Buy this game. Learn to play. Share it with your friends. Laugh, fight, curse, and above all marvel at the work Nintendo put into this ambitious crossover that plays like a love letter to gamers.

And then prepare for the new fighters coming our way in 2019. Piranha Plant, here I come.

HONORABLE MENTION: Octopath Traveler
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BEST GAME OF 2018 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
Spoiler
7'scarlet

This entry in Aksys's Summer of Mystery event sounds so intriguing, and although I picked it up with the other two, I've yet to even put it in my Vita. The slice-of-life mystery thriller vibe is what makes this the game I look forward to experiencing most.

HONORABLE MENTION: Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk, WarioWare Gold, Mario Tennis Aces, Kirby Star Allies, Mega Man 11 probably a million others that I'm forgetting.
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Hope you enjoyed this, I had fun typing it up. Comment below please if you want!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dudeman on December 23, 2018, 08:43:33 PM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on December 23, 2018, 08:26:45 PMBEST GRAPHICS
Spoiler
Octopath Traveler

For the first time in the history of these yearly reviews, I actually have a pick for Best Graphics. It's usually an unspoken rule that I leave the category blank and don't explain why, but Square-Enix's Octopath Traveler absolutely dazzled me with its detailed sprite work, pop-up book dioramas, and mesmerizing blur and shading effects. The JRPG stuff in Octopath isn't as revolutionary as other games out there, but the visuals send this game into another orbit. In fact, it's so much an integral part of the experience that I would go so far as to say that the game wouldn't have sold nearly as well without the unique visual hook. I hope to see more of this style in the future.
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WHAT IS THIS SORCERY

I'd throw Mega Man 11 into the list of Best Unplayed Game of 2018 honorable mentions, personally (I mean, personally I played it, but assuming you didn't I'd throw it in there). It simultaneously trims things down to good ol' basic running and gunning (and sliding) while also adding the Double Gear mechanic that streamlines the game for beginners and allows fun new options on how to tackle stages. I love how much detail you put into these little yearly reviews so I hope you continue doing this in the future!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 23, 2018, 08:49:11 PM
Right you are, friend. I haven't played it, but I would like to. I added it to the list. I also fixed some formatting things.

Glad you enjoy my write-ups. Did I interest you in any particular games this time around?
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Dudeman on December 24, 2018, 09:11:51 AM
I've been hearing enough praise for Octopath Traveler as-is, but seeing you praise it just gives me more reasons to play it that I've been ignoring. I don't dislike JRPG's, but I've never found myself particularly drawn to, say, Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger or the Bravely games, but I get the feeling that I really need to play Octopath at this point. :P
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: E. Gadd Industries on December 26, 2018, 11:30:05 AM
^I agree, I've heard some really good things & some really good covers of the OST. And I'm also a sucker for anything with good aesthetics, story, and creative design choices, so just based on these reviews and others, ima need to get it at some point.

And buy Undertale for Switch. Ngl, I didn't know there was an extra battle on the port version!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 25, 2019, 09:07:38 PM
Favorites of Video Games 2019

As always, here's a small write-up of my favorite gaming experiences of the year. I was kind of light on games this year, playing a select few games for large amounts of time. In addition, the depressing fact is that the Nintendo 3DS, my favorite system of all time, is basically officially dead. A new survival horror game is dropping for the console today, but while I definitely plan on picking it up I feel that it might be the last thing I'll be able to purchase for the system.

Ah, well, we had a good run, and even if Nintendo seems to have stopped supporting the beautiful little handheld, at least there's a backlog of games so huge that I could feasibly be working on it for the next several years. The Switch is now officially the console to have if you're a Nintendo gamer, and we had a year that overall was more well-rounded and surprising than the comparably uneventful and remake-heavy 2018. I'm retiring the "Best amiibo" category, not because there weren't some really neat ones this year, but because I don't care too much about the Smash line, which means that the Link's Awakening Link figure is the winner by default. I did pick up Piranha Plant and Ivysaur as well, though, and I have to say I adore the figures.

Like the last few years, I spent a good chunk of time playing older games that I missed, so I'll start off with the games that I played for the first time this year and are worth talking about.

1
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap -- Wii U Virtual Console (originally released in 2005 on GBA)
The Game Boy Advance was my first-ever gaming system back in the day, and whether it's nostalgic or just my fascination with simpler video games, I've never grown tired of the look and sound of games for that system. The 32-bit graphics and clever soundfonts are manipulated to an absurd extent in The Minish Cap, making it a strong contender for the best-looking GBA game I've ever seen. And to think I somehow missed out on it back in the day! Maybe my late arrival to Zelda would have been different if I hadn't. Either way, Capcom's sprite work on this game is masterful, the dungeon design is stellar, and the overworld is full of fascinating detours and hidden areas (both miniscule and massive). The twenty hours I spent on The Minish Cap might well have been the most fun gaming I had all year, especially factoring in that specific tinge of nostalgia and delight that comes with playing a game for an older system for the first time as if it's brand new.
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2
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (2016) -- Wii U
It seems hard to believe, but I only just saw the second half of Twilight Princess in January of this year. If you've talked to me about Zelda before, you know that I have a bit of a tough time with this one, having tried in vain to play the entire thing a total of three times before finally seeing the end. All of my complaints from before still hold true--namely, the overworld is not only too big, but too boring. Nearly every moment I wasn't in a dungeon, the game was sending me on tedious tasks across the barren, ugly map: to rescue a Zora prince, to learn sumo wrestling, to capture creepy lice-like insects in Twilight realms, and, in a truly horribly designed bit with bafflingly bad controls, to keep a carriage on its desired path while eliminating threats. But the dungeon design is so ridiculously good that I can't even hold the overworld sections against Twilight Princess. From the beautifully convoluted Lakebed Temple to the creepy Arbiter's Grounds, I enjoyed every single dungeon in this game. The second half of the game had some real winners, too, particularly the amusing digression in the Snowpeak Ruins--the details of which I of course won't spoil here for those of you who haven't adventured through this Zelda yet. It was worth getting to the end and seeing how the plot wrapped up, so thanks to everyone who recommended it.
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3
DELTARUNE Chapter 1 -- Nintendo Switch (originally released in 2018 for PC)
This game did technically release on Switch in 2019, but since it's the exact same game that was on PC last year, it didn't feel quite right to count it in any of the categories. As a follow-up to Undertale, anything is going to fall shy of expectations, and of course we're looking only at the introduction to what promises to be a much bigger adventure, but even in these first five hours it is abundantly clear that Toby Fox has given us an even more surreal, alluring atmosphere than before. Deltarune (a mysterious anagram of "Undertale") was supposedly inspired by a dream, and the game's aesthetic reflects a dreamy and hypnotic tone. Though the adventure itself feels like a dream, of course, even the exposition on either side of this first chapter feels like a strange dream you might have about Undertale, with familiar characters appearing with new names, clothes, and personalities, Majora's Mask style. This little preview of Toby Fox's next big work has me incredibly hyped up to see what the final product will look like. Don't miss this free download!
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And now, the 2019 winners!

BEST MULTIPLAYER
Spoiler
Luigi's Mansion 3

There weren't a lot of options here in the games that I played, but the multiplayer in Nintendo's newest adventure starring Luigi is honestly much more fun than it has any right to be. Even ignoring the addictive online Scarescraper mode, a friend in the room can pick up a controller and explore as Gooigi, Luigi's hilariously disgusting, oozy alter ego. Definitely play this with a friend if you can.

HONORABLE MENTION: None
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BEST GRAPHICS
Spoiler
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BEST SOUND DESIGN
Spoiler
Luigi's Mansion 3

Taking the second award in a row is the esteemed Luigi's Mansion 3, which is sort of ridiculously well-made. The craftsmanship here, courtesy of Canadian developers Next Level Games, is such that I can actually talk about craftsmanship in a video game. It's probably the most technically advanced game Nintendo has ever produced, with a number of physics systems ensuring that literally everything in the entire game is interactive. One of the most disappointing limitations with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on the Nintendo 3DS is that when you'd go up to, say, a shelf and use the Poltergust, everything would simply rattle. Here, every tiny knickknack on every crowded shelf, all the individual sheets of paper in a stack of hundreds, even the lightbulbs on a desk--all of it reacts and can be improbably schlurrrped into your vacuum cleaner. The sound design is great throughout, of course, but where it really shines is the tactile sensations of the various objects you can manipulate with your Poltergust, and of course the disturbingly squelchy character of Gooigi. I'm willing to bet there's not a single person out there, whether a child or an adult, who didn't laugh in delight and disgust the first time they heard the noise of Gooigi squeezing through iron bars or a sewage pipe. Again--this is really the finest and most satisfying point-and-click-turned-arcade-beatemup I've ever played. The only honorable mention I want to talk about in detail is Untitled Goose Game, which features in addition to all sorts of goosey honks a soundtrack composed entirely of fragments of Debussy music--quirky and funny in context, but truly hilarious for classical music lovers.

HONORABLE MENTION: AI: The Somnium Files, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Untitled Goose Game
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BEST MUSIC
Spoiler
Pokémon Sword & Pokémon Shield (Minako Adachi & Go Ichinose)

This was a really tough call, because both the newest Pokémon and the newest Fire Emblem have massive soundtracks with hardly any tracks that don't serve their respective games well. On the whole, though, the knockout duo of Minako Adachi (who really wowed me with a stellar lineup of tracks in Sun & Moon) and Go Ichinose (who is responsible for a huge amount of Pokémon tracks from Gold & Silver onward) edged out the Fire Emblem trio with a soundtrack inspired in equal parts by British rock music and a classic Pokémon style. The absence of Hitomi Sato is the only thing that rings disappointing about this otherwise charmingly retro score.

HONORABLE MENTION: AI: The Somnium Files (Keisuke Ito), Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Takeru Kanazaki, Hiroki Morishita, & Rei Kondoh), Luigi's Mansion 3 (Chad York & Darren Radtke)
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BEST REMAKE
Spoiler
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Again, the Switch thrived on remakes and re-releases this year, and it was a tough call. Steins;Gate Elite seemed like a great choice for being (to my knowledge) the first hybrid anime and game (I'm still wondering how the hell they got the system to work that well). Then my mind went to New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, which in spite of sporting the second-most-ridiculous title of the year proved engaging enough to tempt into 100%ing a game I had already 100%ed on Wii U back in 2015. The 3DS got two strong contenders right at the outset of the year in remakes of both a Nintendo DS and Wii game that are each about a decade old. And of course, my two favorite game series both have an entry in this competition. Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy - Deluxe Edition, sporting the first-most-ridiculous title of the year, improved by swapping forty or so of the original version's worst puzzles for new ones, going a long way toward fixing my complaints. Longtime favorite of mine Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box even found new life on mobile devices, with HD visuals and previously unavailable puzzles. Meanwhile, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy got one final facelift as it made its way to all major platforms, adding multiple new language support options and offering HD play on television for the first time.

But you know, none of these can even hold a candle to the amazing work that Grezzo and Nintendo have done with the remaster of Link's Awakening, a game which I sampled on the 3DS virtual console but never got more than a few hours into. Though a Game Boy title is the last thing anyone expected as a Switch candidate, it makes a fantastic complement to Breath of the Wild and the toy set aesthetic has gone a long way toward making this brief, tiny game (I 100% completed it in about 20 hours) among my favorites on the system. It's filled with wonder and magic in every frame, every area, every character, every dungeon, and even every small bit of dialogue. Though the word "tiny" pops up often when discussing this game, there's nothing miniscule about its heart and charm.

Honorable mention: Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey
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BEST STORY
Spoiler
Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Again, this was a really close call--Link's Awakening's little heartbreaking fable of a half-forgotten dream swirled around my mind far longer than I expected. It's a simple, slight plot, but a haunting one, and if not for the fact that it's really 26 years old, the decision might have been tougher. As it is, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is my top pick. The fascinating story of a country divided in three factions felt oddly timely with the current international political climate, and the fact that there are three different routes with unique characters and storylines in a game that took me ninety hours just to see the first ending just cements the award for me. I've not even reached the end of my second playthrough, but I love the twists and turns and above all the characters that I've gotten to know as I continue to explore Garreg Mach and the various battlegrounds of Fódlan.

I'd also like to call special attention to my other honorable mention, AI: The Somnium Files. This bizarre, thoroughly unique game from Kotaro Uchikoshi (the director of the Zero Escape series) kept me enraptured for about 40 hours of timeline-hopping, dream-deciphering, sexual-innuendo-laden fun. When you stop finding it strange that your assistant is an artificial intelligence who lives in your eye socket and occasionally takes the physical form of a realistic eye, protrusions and all, you know you're at least getting something different from the norm.

HONORABLE MENTION: AI: The Somnium Files, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
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BEST GAMEPLAY
Spoiler
Fire Emblem: Three Houses

I touched on what makes the story and characters so great before, but the gameplay rhythms of Three Houses are shockingly addictive. I've never played a game in the series before, but the new Persona-esque choice to split your time between exploring the school to forge bonds with your students and battling in epic, colossal chess matches with human players just felt right. I couldn't put the game down, and the pacing and length meant that it was one of those games that just became part of my life for a month or so. I loved the experience of playing this game.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword & Shield
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BEST GAME OF 2019
Spoiler
Fire Emblem: Three Houses

It was honestly such a toss-up for me this year, but I figured any game I spend over 100 hours on in a month or two is worth game of the year for me. There were so many charming games I played this year, and Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 3, or even Pokémon could easily have won the top spot if it wasn't for the attachment I felt to my troops in Three Houses. I didn't even get to talk about games like Yoshi's Crafted World, whose cardboard renders kept me smiling throughout, or the innovative Nintendo Labo VR Kit (my first foray into the Labo scene). But really, Fire Emblem is a killer app that I feel totally good about as my game of 2019, even if the more classical Link's Awakening is what I might return to more often in the future.

HONORABLE MENTION: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, Luigi's Mansion 3, Pokémon Sword & Shield
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BEST GAME OF 2019 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
Spoiler
Astral Chain

This game, curiously marketed by Nintendo and apparently dividing a huge player base, just looks endlessly interesting to me. It seems like a game I'd either love or hate, and I look forward to finding out which it is sometime in the future.

HONORABLE MENTION: I can't even remember. There are always things.
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What do you think? Did you play these games? Do you have any recommendations for me? Let me know in a comment!
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: mikey on December 25, 2019, 09:22:20 PM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on December 25, 2019, 09:07:38 PM
1
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap -- Wii U Virtual Console (originally released in 2005 on GBA)
The Game Boy Advance was my first-ever gaming system back in the day, and whether it's nostalgic or just my fascination with simpler video games, I've never grown tired of the look and sound of games for that system. The 32-bit graphics and clever soundfonts are manipulated to an absurd extent in The Minish Cap, making it a strong contender for the best-looking GBA game I've ever seen. And to think I somehow missed out on it back in the day! Maybe my late arrival to Zelda would have been different if I hadn't. Either way, Capcom's sprite work on this game is masterful, the dungeon design is stellar, and the overworld is full of fascinating detours and hidden areas (both miniscule and massive). The twenty hours I spent on The Minish Cap might well have been the most fun gaming I had all year, especially factoring in that specific tinge of nostalgia and delight that comes with playing a game for an older system for the first time as if it's brand new.
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<3
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 29, 2020, 09:09:52 PM
Favorites of Video Games 2020

Here are some of my favorite gaming experiences of the past year. It's bad when 2017, 2018, and 2019 were all on the same page, huh? There's nothing I can say about the year 2020 that would add to what anyone else has said about it, but I'm sure all of you agree that video games (and other entertainment) filled a particularly important role throughout. For my part, I have to admit that I didn't play very many games that were actually released this year. This means that these awards are probably going to be much less varied and more boring than usual. As is tradition, however, I'm including a section on games I played for the first time that were released prior to this year, so hopefully that will even out the score.

It's worth pointing out that with the official discontinuation of the PlayStation Vita and the Nintendo 3DS, this is the first year that is exclusively a Nintendo Switch favorites list because I don't own any other current-gen consoles. (Technically, last year's list was basically this, aside from an honorable mention of Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey in the Best Remake category, but y'know.)

To get warmed up, here are three pre-2020 games I experienced for the first time.

1
Spirit Hunter: NG (2019) on PlayStation Vita (also on Nintendo Switch, PC, & PlayStation 4)

2018's Death Mark was a fantastic little adventure game released on Switch and Vita that achieved its scares through a dread-inducing atmosphere and liberal use of Japanese horror tropes. Horror aficionados know that Asian horror favors subtler, more insidious dread than the jump scares and chainsaws of its American counterpart, and this worked to Death Mark's advantage. Last year's sequel, the cryptically-titled NG, plays as a spin-off rather than a straight sequel as far as the story is concerned, but as far as I'm concerned actually does everything even better than its predecessor. Returning from the first game is the idea that to defeat the spirits, you don't necessarily have to destroy them, but can instead pay attention to their backstories and behavior to free them from their torment. This Undertale-esque "destroy or take mercy" approach gives the game an edge of tension and puzzle-solving that really sets it apart. The characters feel more fleshed-out than the first game's, and the plot feels largely more cohesive than the episodic structure of the first, both of which work in its favor. However, like the first game, it occasionally takes the "female horror victim viewed in a sexual pose" trope to an absurd level, distracting from the mood. Not everyone's cup of tea, then, but if you like Japanese horror, it's like the most aromatic, heavenly blend of Earl Grey you've ever tasted.
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2
Return of the Obra Dinn (2019)* on Nintendo Switch (also on Mac, PC, PlayStation 4, & Xbox One)

One of the most curious indie games I've ever experienced, Return of the Obra Dinn is basically without a genre. The art style is difficult to describe, but reminds me of 3D figures made of television static, and that never stopped being interesting for the entire five-ish hours the game lasted. The plot is also noteworthy in that you have to piece it together yourself. Literally, at several points the game will not progress until you personally deduce the titles and names of characters from watching various tangentially-related cutscenes and making estimates about the way they slot together. It's all a bit much, to be honest, and the game expects you to pay full attention to every tiny detail and maybe even take notes (believe me, you'll want a notepad nearby). I find it very difficult to believe that anyone but the most dedicated player could get each and every bit solved without outside help, but that's also what gives the game its unique charm. It's like being a detective, and unlike most detective-style games, you don't have a side character giving you hints and nudging you along the correct path. It's a fascinating piece of work and I look forward to more games from developer Lucas Pope.

*Note: Return of the Obra Dinn was originally released in 2018 for Mac and PC before releasing on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in 2019.
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3
Raging Loop (2019) on Nintendo Switch (also on PC & PlayStation 4)

Most of Raging Loop plays out like a typical visual novel: there are bad ends abound, most of which involve your character meeting an absurd and untimely demise; plenty of suspicious characters to talk to (and talk to, and talk to); and scenes of exposition that go on far too long for their own good. It's a good thing the game has so much originality going for it in other areas, then. The crux of the thing is that Raging Loop is based on the popular party game Werewolf (or Mafia, in some variations). The deathly feast in which our protagonist lands takes place in a closed-circle remote village and involves such roles as secret wolves who kill a human every night, a spider who can choose one to guard, and a snake who can ascertain whether a specific one is a human or a wolf. The setup and the way the story plays out gave me fond memories of playing The Werewolf Game here on NinSheetMusic as long as ten years ago (I know, I'm old). The catch to this is that your protagonist is actually aware that he's continually dying and resetting, and is able to transfer key memories every time he loops, meaning that the "bad ends" actually end up helping you and unlock wiser choices. This Uchikoshi-like spin on things, as well as quirky touches such as a tongue-in-cheek, voice-acted introductory tutorial warning you that the story is "obscenely lengthy," really makes Raging Loop an amusing time for fans of the genre. My personal favorite is the bizarre anthropomorphic cartoon sheep that berates you every time you reach an ending and advises you on what you should have done instead ("Chief, if you made a choice that dumb, you deserved to die" stands out as one of his most blunt zingers). Whether you find him helpful or patronizing, you have to admit he's hilarious.
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And now, my 2020 picks!

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Animal Crossing: New Horizons

To my mind, you'd have to be hard-pressed to find anything more perfectly designed than the "Animalese" that characters in the Animal Crossing franchise speak. It's quirky, bubbly, odd, and it gives us an excuse to listen to the garbled, heavily distorted tones of Kazumi Totaka every day. Obviously, this award is a collective thing, influenced by the sounds of everything: footsteps (which change based on the terrain and even the type of shoe you're wearing), maddeningly persistent chirps of cicadas and mole crickets, even the little menu pops and clicks that satisfy the ear just so. But honestly, the clincher for me is the revamped Animalese, somehow even quirkier than before, with a comically deep register for Cranky villagers and variations for Peppy and Jock villagers that somehow make it sound like they're shouting at you. Anyway, my point is that the sound design of this latest title in the franchise is meticulously creative and appropriate, and also that if you're annoyed by the Animalese speech, you're wrong.

HONORABLE MENTION: None
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BEST MUSIC
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Yasuaki Iwata, Yumi Takahashi, Shinobu Nagata, Sayako Doi, & Masato Ohashi)

I can maybe see how someone would be surprised by this choice. After all, most of the music in Animal Crossing is atmospheric: small, minimalist, repetitive, short pieces that feel inconsequential or just like background noise. However, the further into it you go, you start to appreciate the art of it all. For me, it calls to mind the "music-as-wallpaper" aspirations of French composer Erik Satie (whose famous "Gymnopédie No. 1" was referenced in the 1:00 PM music of Animal Crossing: New Leaf). This is music that functions on a synergistic level: everything you do in this game world is complemented in some way by the music. Notice how much empty space there is in the hourly tracks, how little in the way of thick textures and lyrical melodies. This is, in my opinion, the height of video game scoring: music that seems as natural and as obvious as the color of the sky.

HONORABLE MENTION: Paper Mario: The Origami King (Yoshito Sekigawa, Shoh Murakami, Yoshiaki Kimura, Hiroki Morishita, & Fumihiro Isobe), Paradise Killer (Barry Topping)
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BEST GRAPHICS
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BEST STORY
Paradise Killer

If you have any interest in games that ask you to write your own narrative, you should probably go buy Paradise Killer, developed by Kaizen Game Works for PC and Nintendo Switch, immediately. The improbable genre here is "open-world murder mystery," which on paper sounds like it would be either a mess or too small-scale to really live up to those labels. Neither of those things is true. A grisly murder has happened, and Lady Love Dies (actually one of the less preposterous monikers in the game) has been summoned from her exile to investigate. You're given free reign to search around for clues, anywhere you want and in any order you want, within a half hour of starting the game. Even more astonishingly, you're also immediately given the option to begin the trial, effectively ending the game. This is a story told at your own pace that only wraps up when you decide it does.

The island world you're given to explore here is huge, and seems overwhelming at first, but as you continue to play you start to appreciate the craft at work here. Imagine one of the large-ish provinces from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but replace all of the Korok seeds with evidence items and all of the enemy encounters with tense interrogations of suspects, and you'll get a pretty good idea of the gameplay rhythms of Paradise Killer. Whether you adopt a methodical approach and gather every last scrap of evidence before beginning the trial, or just sort of spontaneously pick a direction and begin the hunt, you're going to have an excellent time sorting through all the gory details. I also can't speak highly enough of the game's atmosphere and Danganronpa-influenced characters (just for a sample of this motley crew, I'd like to list a physician with robot arms named Doctor Doom Jazz and a big-breasted sex icon with the head of a goat named Crimson Acid, and that's genuinely not even scratching the surface).

HONORABLE MENTION: Death Come True, Paper Mario: The Origami King (yes, really)
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BEST GAMEPLAY
Super Mario 3D All-Stars

I know. It's absolutely ridiculous to give this award to a re-release of three games originally out in 1996, 2002, and 2007. But hear me out: they're still really good. Super Mario Sunshine notwithstanding. I played Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy to 100% completion, and it was the most pure fun I had all year. I would write more but I don't feel like defending my choice any further. Besides, I need to wrap this up so I can figure out how to play Super Mario Sunshine without wanting to destroy my Switch.

HONORABLE MENTION: Paradise Killer, Pikmin 3 Deluxe
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BEST REMAKE
Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Though it seems the majority of "gaming in 2020" is snubbing Pikmin 3 Deluxe in favor of recognizing the monstrous Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, I have the distinct advantage of not playing the latter, so I can talk about the delights of the former guilt-free. I loved Pikmin 3 Deluxe. I loved its characters. I loved its aesthetic. I loved its music. I loved its charming dialogue, incessant shrieking, quirky enemy designs, and especially its bafflingly bizarre gameplay, which tasks you with solving puzzles and defeating creatures by gathering a large squad of Pikmin and...literally just throwing them at things in a panicky real-time blur. It's a game that quite literally only Nintendo would release. Never having played a Pikmin game before, this was an excellent introduction. I found the gameplay to be quite challenging, but never so challenging that I wanted to give up completely. I also admired the successful marriage of the simplistic (if you look at a puzzle, you know what you need to do to solve it) with the complex (just what Rube Goldberg strategy are you going to have to employ to get 20 yellow Pikmin up to that cordoned-off electrical wire, anyway?) that represents the best of Nintendo. After experiencing the charms of Pikmin 3, HD remasters of the first two entries have shot to the top of my wish list. I know I'm late to the party here, but highly recommended.

HONORABLE MENTION: Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
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BEST eShop GAME
Murder by Numbers

If I'm being completely honest, Paradise Killer is probably my real pick for this category. However, after all of my writing about that game in the Best Story category, I felt like this space might be better used to talk about another surprising gem released earlier in the year.

Do you like crime fiction games like Ace Attorney? Do you like playing Picross? Do you just wish somehow that you could play those two, but like...together? Oh boy, do I have a treat for you. Murder by Numbers, developed by Mediatonic, is a series of murder cases that you solve as disgraced-actress-turned-fledgling-detective Honor Mizrahi, by...you guessed it...solving nonograms (also known as Picross or, as this title references, paint by numbers). It goes together way better than you might expect. Right as the endless dialogue and exposition of the adventure game genre would have me pausing the game for a break, this game throws a puzzle at you to get you more actively involved. Though the storyline doesn't quite cut the mustard, falling short in a couple key areas, the dialogue is snappy and funny, and the ending is a sequel hook promising more puzzly shenanigans to come. To top it all off with a cherry, the composer on hire is none other than Masakazu Sugimori of Ace Attorney and Ghost Trick fame, meaning you can expect a colorful, quirky soundtrack as you make your way through the adventure. Here's hoping Mediatonic expands on the premise and delivers a sequel soon.

HONORABLE MENTION: Paradise Killer
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BEST GAME OF 2020
Animal Crossing: New Horizons

I mean, what the fuck did you expect? I have over 620 hours on this game, and I'm still going strong. I know it might seem odd to give game of the year to a title that I didn't even consider for the best gameplay category, but that genuinely just speaks to what kind of beast Animal Crossing: New Horizons is. This game is the book you've read ten times before, but you keep rereading because it's just that good and just that comforting. It's the taste of your morning coffee, easing you into your day and making your morning a little bit happier. It's the moment you get an unexpected call from a friend you haven't seen in a year. It's the magic of kissing someone for the first time and it's also the mundanity of doing the dishes with them. It's the simple happiness of ordering a package and getting it in the mail a few days later. Animal Crossing, for all its fancy new Bells and whistles (heh), is still about the same brilliantly simple concept: plant some seeds, water them (sometimes literally), and patiently wait for them to grow. I've played it nearly every day since it came out, and it's the game I needed in my life--maybe not just in 2020.

HONORABLE MENTION: Paradise Killer, Super Mario 3D All-Stars
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BONUS CATEGORY: BEST GAME OF 2020 THAT I DIDN'T PLAY BUT WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
Hades

This game has been getting a ton of buzz lately, and I guess I should probably figure out why. Truthfully, it's already on my Switch. Maybe it'll end up on next year's "gaming in review," assuming I finish it (and assuming these forums don't die a tragic death of obsolescence by then).

HONORABLE MENTION: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Robotics;Notes Elite, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
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What do you think? Are you appalled about what I haven't played? Are you irritated with any of my picks? Do you think I'm too into some of these? Are you sad about that one game that got multiple nominations but no wins? Do you have any recommendations, from 2020 or years past? Will someone please talk to me? I'm lonely. My villager Octavian is my best friend, and I don't even like him.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on December 30, 2020, 07:58:07 AM
some comments:

Obra Dinn - This game is actually solvable without outside help, I'm proof of that. You are supposed to abuse the confirmation for getting 3 correct. I beat it by combining 2 I was very sure about with one I could make an educated guess on and use that to guess and check. This lets you narrow down the list as you progress and as the list narrows down, you become more and more able to make educated guesses like knowing who someone is based purely on where they were in the ship and their accent or their uniform.

I may need to check out NG and Raging loop at some point, but I can currently count the number of games I finished this year on one hand. So no promises. If you want some more weird horror, check out Hello Charlotte at some point. It's a series of 3 RPGmaker games, all on steam (none on switch), and the free demo for ep 2 is the first part. I won't ramble on about it here, but I liked it so much that I wrote a recommendation on steam. They're really short so I recommend checking them out at some point.

Was there supposed to be a best graphics?

Paradise killer was an instant add-to-wishlist, seems incredibly like my kind of thing

I actually just got hades a few days ago and it is fantastic. First of all, it's a blast to play. The controls are tight and responsive, enemies clearly telegraph attacks (one of my issues with previous supergiant games), and it's all so gloriously fast. There's 7 weapons and all feel incredibly distinct and have their own advantages and disadvantages. The remarkable part is that everyone who plays the game seems to find one that's absolutely perfect for them. For me, it's the dual fists. It feels like I'm playing kid icarus uprising with a pair of claws again. The game's roguelike elements are also excellent. It's not as much a game about beating it in a run as it is about gradually getting stronger and unlocking more and more things as you progress. It's very good fun and I highly recommend it.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Static on December 30, 2020, 10:53:28 AM
I know this is an unusually slightly controversial opinion, but as someone who's spent thousands of hours on each of the previous entries in the series (except City Folk), I did not like ACNH at all...

overly long rant from some animal crossing nerd
I thought the hourly music was very weak compared to the energetic tunes of the GameCube original and especially the calming tracks of WW/CF. The villagers are not nearly as talkative or dynamic as the ones in GC and WW. Most special characters were absent. The game feels like its more about decorating and presenting your town to show off to other people than about being absorbed in the world of Animal Crossing. AC used to be a game about becoming a part of a community of animals in a shared town, but now it's a game about being in control of your town.

So things were inexplicably removed from NL and HHD in particular that it's just baffling to me:
overly long list of things removed in NH
- Tortimer Island, and all the minigames and extras that came with it
- HHA Showcase, and the HHA desk/building (aka no Lyle); can't ask questions about your house, etc.
- Copper, Booker, Katie, Kaitlyn, Brewster, Shrunk, Harriet, and Katrina all got cut for some reason... They could've had new roles unique to this game but instead they were just removed.
- Not nearly as many house exterior options as NL or HHD
- Ceiling furniture (like fans and lights), and the ability to walk through half-spaces (both from HHD)
- Museum store, custom exhibits, exhibit list
- Most of the old furniture series and sets
- Way less furniture than ACNL had (like hundreds less).
- When designing sleeves at Able Sisters, the canvas size no longer matches the actual sleeve on the shirt/dress, which means your designs will be stretched.
- Shirts can no longer be used for custom furniture designs, only custom designs. Ore can no longer be used for furniture because it doesn't exist.
- Fun little trinkets like music boxes, melody paper, fortune cookies, timers, shrubs, and toy hammers have all been removed.
- Nook's Cranny only has one upgrade instead of the usual 3 (or 4 in NL).
- Holidays are no longer included with the game itself, instead requiring you to connect to the Internet and download updates.
- Swimming was removed from the start and only added in an later update... Why? This was something that was included at launch in NL
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And that's not even mentioning the needlessly cumbersome crafting system, which adds almost nothing to the game and requires you craft things one at a time. Not even the gold tools are unbreakable.

This game came out 8 years after NL, the longest time between any two mainline Animal Crossing games, and it's felt so barebones to me compared to what NL had, not even counting the Welcome Amiibo update.
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I'm glad that people are enjoying the game anyway, Animal Crossing really is a special game. But I think I've just become so burnt out by playing the other ones for so long that this one just didn't do it for me.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Latios212 on December 30, 2020, 11:55:18 AM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on December 29, 2020, 09:09:52 PMAre you sad about that one game that got multiple nominations but no wins?
Paper Mario: The Origami King :) although I get why it didn't win any of your categories here.

Music: Totally the opposite of ACNH (in the best way possible), the music is very much at the noticeable forefront of the game experience. There's so much exciting, colorful, and energizing music that fits the in-game world really well.

Story: The wit and absurdity that went into the writing of this game is so on point that I didn't even realize until after I finished the game that the actual overarching plot is rather forgettable (your usual "stop some angry guy who wants to destroy/control the world"). Playing through the game was a blast - it's so spontaneous and hilarious and there are so many random little jokes :P
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 30, 2020, 01:27:45 PM
Quote from: Maelstrom on December 30, 2020, 07:58:07 AMStuff

Hey, thanks for the comment! I want to go back to Obra Dinn at some point and really give it the time it deserves. I got frustrated a few hours in and ended up looking up the stuff I didn't have yet, so I'm probably not a great opinion there. But I did really enjoy it.

I don't recommend Raging Loop unless you're really itching for a horror VN, as the things that are common flaws about the genre are on full display here (notably, it's just not very tightly paced where it counts). NG is a quicker play and I think the more entertaining of the two. The big difference is that Raging Loop has a fantastic protagonist, very unusual and out there for this genre; while NG has a pretty lame protagonist without much personality.

It's sort of a tradition that I don't award Best Graphics. There might be a reason why, but there might not.

Paradise Killer is a great game, I think you would enjoy it because it's the kind of narrative that succeeds because of the gameplay rather than just because of the writing. To be honest, the opening gives you just the bare minimum of a LOT of lore and I'd recommend just going with it and doing random shit until you start to get the feel for it. It's in a strange dystopian universe and the rules/universe history are made clearer as you play, rather than getting a big info-dump up front, so the first hour or two can be extremely bewildering. But yeah, I really recommend it. Doing everything will get you about 12-15 hours.

Thank you for your thoughts about Hades! I'm excited to try it.

Quote from: Static on December 30, 2020, 10:53:28 AMThings

Hey! Yeah, I understand where you're coming from. I mostly skipped City Folk, but played Wild World a lot and sunk about 300some hours into New Leaf, so I'm acutely aware of the absence of some characters and things.

I also prefer the minimalist stylings of the hourly music in New Leaf, but it began to feel more natural to me in this setting after a while. I would argue it serves mostly the same purpose and just gives you more of a "colonized" feel than the natural sounds in New Leaf (with a lot of bare piano, woodblock, marimba, etc.).

A lot of things about the experience with the villagers appear to be stripped back at first, but actually a lot of it is hiding behind a really dumb thing where the first time you talk to a villager every day will be streamlined and short, while talking to them a second time (and further) gets you the more personalized, unique dialogue. I still consider the animal villagers to be my favorite part of the game, honestly. I reached five stars, not on purpose, around October, and have since lost it. I don't really pay much attention to my island decor, I just do what I want and try to keep things mostly natural. But I understand how some players could feel pressured to play a certain way.

I agree that unfortunately a lot of the things you mentioned, such as diving, art expansion, lots of furniture and the amiibo characters, store upgrades past the first one, and animals such as Katrina and Copper/Booker, were removed to create a false "new feature" when they are eventually added in an update. I don't enjoy that fake longevity, and I understand the frustrations. Some of the other things, however: ore not being able to be used for furniture is replaced by customizing crafted items (and TBH, the ore system in New Leaf was so obnoxious and made you wait so long that I never bothered much with it); I actually like the crafting system; and holidays being added in updates is something I actually prefer, because I'm very much of the opinion that Animal Crossing should be enjoyed in real time, without cheating or skipping around, for any reason. No one has ever been able to point anything out that has swayed my opinion about this.

More than this, though: most of the things you mentioned are to me extremely minor parts of the experience. The underline of Animal Crossing is: enjoy your life the way you want to, and learn that you can make things happen with patience and hard work. That's unchanged and in fact is better than ever in this entry, in my opinion. That's why it got my game of the year. On the same token, I completely understand (and even agree/sympathize with) anyone who was disappointed by it. But personally, I went back to New Leaf to check things out recently and I couldn't believe how much better quality of life alone is in the new game.

Quote from: Latios212 on December 30, 2020, 11:55:18 AMIdeas

I know! I absolutely loved The Origami King, and I was really sad to realize it didn't come out on top in any category this year. The dialogue writing was so clever and funny, and it actually moved me to tears a couple times! This was my first Paper Mario game (I've always been a Mario & Luigi guy, but now that Alpha-Dream is defunct, I figured I should check out the competition) and I really enjoyed it from start to finish. I hate to be that guy, but I honestly even loved the puzzly combat system. It's rare that Nintendo game puzzles really challenge experienced players nowadays, so I found the difficulty spikes sort of delightful. The music was amazing too, definitely fitting for an RPG experience.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Zeila on December 31, 2020, 02:05:03 AM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on December 29, 2020, 09:09:52 PMWhat do you think? Are you appalled about what I haven't played? Are you irritated with any of my picks? Do you think I'm too into some of these? Are you sad about that one game that got multiple nominations but no wins? Do you have any recommendations, from 2020 or years past? Will someone please talk to me? I'm lonely. My villager Octavian is my best friend, and I don't even like him.
The only game I've played out of all of these is ACNH, but I still appreciate your commentary so thank you! And Paradise Killer does sound interesting, so maybe I'll give that a shot one day
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 31, 2020, 10:53:08 AM
That's great! Yeah, Animal Crossing has just dominated my life this year. It's been really odd.

Side bar: I read 24 books this year and I was thinking about making a "favorite books I read this year" post even though it's not really related to gaming. Would anyone be interested in that? I genuinely have no idea how many people here are readers.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: BlackDragonSlayer on December 31, 2020, 11:24:31 PM
Quote from: SlowPokemon on December 31, 2020, 10:53:08 AMThat's great! Yeah, Animal Crossing has just dominated my life this year. It's been really odd.

Side bar: I read 24 books this year and I was thinking about making a "favorite books I read this year" post even though it's not really related to gaming. Would anyone be interested in that? I genuinely have no idea how many people here are readers.
I love reading, even if I haven't done much of it (thx school for making me burned out). You can count me in on the "interested" category.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 01, 2021, 07:01:07 AM
Oh yeah, reading during college semesters is impossible. But it gets easier after that
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on December 19, 2021, 10:58:34 PM
Favorites of Video Games 2021

2021 was quite a refreshing year of gaming for me. I had numerous experiences with my Nintendo Switch that surprised and delighted me. Last year was rather dominated by Animal Crossing, and even this year I racked up another 330 hours on the damn game, but it wasn't quite anything compared to what it was in 2020 (and, fingers crossed, I think I may have shaken that game for good by this point).

As an introduction, per tradition, here is an older game I played in 2021 and really enjoyed.

Retro Corner
Super Mario Sunshine (2002) on GameCube (played on Nintendo Switch in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars game)

I don't think I've ever had to eat my words as much as I'm about to. Last year, despite trying and failing to get into Super Mario Sunshine (for the second or third time in my life), I awarded "Best Gameplay" to Super Mario 3D All-Stars, purely on the virtues of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy. Early in 2021, before tackling Galaxy a second time as Luigi, I decided I really needed to get all the way through this Mario game so it could stop hanging over my head. It's always baffled me: a Mario game that seems designed to perplex and frustrate, with controls that don't appear in any other title, and a hover function, which seemingly negates the fundamental premise of Super Mario.

And you know what? All of that is still true. But as I undertook the task of 100% completing Sunshine, I was shocked to find myself enjoying the experience even more than I had enjoyed revisiting the other two titles. This is a strange game, one that offers you a more freewheeling, exuberant control over Mario than most others. (If I was uncharitable, I'd say he's rather slippery.) I was surprised to find that it had a few key things in common with 2017's brilliant Super Mario Odyssey. Namely, that the moveset is complicated, touchy, and takes several hours to fully master; and that the game world itself doesn't fully satisfy or open up until you take it upon yourself to explore every nook and cranny. Sure, collecting blue coins is frustrating when there's no way to track them in-game, but the process of hunting and collecting them is every bit as engaging and fun as the purple coins in Odyssey. You have a really great unifying theme in the tropical setting, and as opposed to what I expected, each location felt unique and fun despite the many beaches. (The haunted resort hotel and tricky Pianta Village hot springs were standout settings for me.)

Certain missteps absolutely can bring the player down. For instance, there's the absolutely infuriating fact that you can't obtain 100 coins in every level, meaning you might spend a long time collecting only to realize you're locked out of the 100-coin shine. Ricco Harbor is a death-defying platforming hell that will get your palms sweating and take years off your life, but the thrilling terror comes at the price of unfortunate repetition if you happen to fail at important points. The hardest level in the game, a lily pad trip down a toxic river, is locked behind a frustrating and tedious journey taking Yoshi on a boat, which the player is bound to fail numerous times because of the touchy controls and Yoshi's instant death upon touching water. I spent nearly an hour just getting to the island where Mario can access this level–and the unpleasant truth is that this is the level of the game which will rack up more deaths than anything else. And a game over means you'll have to start the Yoshi boat ride all over again. These and similarly idiotic design choices, as well as the lack of unique missions compared to 64, do keep Sunshine from perfection–but not from greatness. It's unfortunate that Nintendo couldn't polish the game to a sheen, or perhaps we'd have gotten a more experimental, less linear style for the Galaxy series that was to follow. But either way, shockingly, and completely contrary to my first impressions, this game holds up.
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That's all for this year's retro corner. Here are my 2021 picks!

BEST SOUND DESIGN
Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir & Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind

The Famicom Detective Club games on Nintendo Switch are remakes of older titles for the NES (hence the name) which are considered pioneers of the mystery adventure game. Nintendo has never quite forgotten these cult classics, with one of the protagonists apparently considered as a playable choice in Super Smash Bros. Melee. These versions of both The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind come with a fully voice-acted cast and the option to swap between a rearranged soundtrack and the original 8-bit music. The Girl Who Stands Behind was previously remade for SNES, so there's a 16-bit option there as well, which is just fantastic. However, the small, Nintendo-esque detail that really sells this award for me is that swapping to the original soundtracks will also change the sound effects that play for dialogue and menu options. It really lets you immerse yourself in the game however you want, as a new visual novel or a retro experience. These kinds of touches really make a game fun for me.

HONORABLE MENTION: World's End Club
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BEST MUSIC
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (Yasumasa Kitagawa, Hiromitsu Maeba, & Yoshiya Terayama)

There were some great soundtracks on Switch this year, but the long-awaited return of Capcom's legal franchise–this time a new set of character practicing law at the turn of the 20th century–presented a compelling case for a purely classical video game score during a time when many modern games are turning to more atmospheric scoring. Though the themes and styles remain in the style of classic video games, the instrumentation gives the impression of a small chamber orchestra accompanying the player along the entire ride. A prominence of accordion and an overall lack of electronic effects do a great job of immersing the player in the Victorian England setting, and the sheer number and variety of music pieces gives this an edge for me over some other excellent competitors this year. Definitely give these two albums a look if you get the chance–they're available legally to stream, in what's becoming a nice trend from Capcom.

HONORABLE MENTION: Bowser's Fury (Daisuke Matsuoka & James Phillipsen), DELTARUNE Chapter 2 (Toby Fox), New Pokémon Snap (Hiroki Hashimoto), Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl (Shota Kageyama & Jun'ichi Masuda)
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BEST GRAPHICS
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BEST STORY
The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition

Let me start off this section by stating that this is one of the toughest years I've ever had of awarding a best storyline. And that's a good thing! I played so many interesting, fun story-based games this year, and it gives me hope that the visual novel and adventure game genres will continue to expand their horizons. But it was a really tough call. I'll have a slightly more extensive Honorable Mention section down below, but for now, let's talk about my pick: The House in Fata Morgana.

This is a straight visual novel, released in Japan in 2012 and in various different forms on PC and PlayStation worldwide the last couple years. The storyline is unlike anything I've seen in a video game before. Part horror, part tragedy, part romance, part historical drama, the only thing consistent about Fata Morgana is that it's dark as hell. A somewhat off-putting first act plays out like a Twilight Zone anthology, where different occupants of a haunted house engage in reprehensible behaviors and run into supernatural curses and entities. Then things get weird. By the time you hit the end of the game (about 30-35 hours, depending on how fast you read), you'll have a new understanding of everything you've seen so far, and a really deep appreciation for the entire cast of characters–something this genre doesn't always do effectively. This game got some notorious attention earlier in the year when a technicality briefly placed it as the number 1 game on Metacritic (it has since fallen). While it's certainly not the best game of all time, it's unquestionably one of the best visual novels of all time. The Dreams of the Revenants Edition available on Switch includes two extra games, a prequel and a sequel, both of which are interesting and add a lot of depth to the storyline. But it's that base game that really wows you and earns this spot. It's not going to change any minds on the visual novel genre, but for fans, it's an easy recommendation.

HONORABLE MENTION 1: Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir

Famicom Detective Club ended up being two of the most charming releases of the year for me, and somewhat surprisingly, a really engaging reminder of why I fell in love with the mystery adventure genre in the first place. As a tween, I was captivated by the Professor Layton series, and it was almost touching to experience a game that so clearly inspired it. I was intrigued by the storyline throughout, and the clear-cut chapter breaks made for a great hour or so of gameplay every day for a couple weeks. The Missing Heir gets slight preference over The Girl Who Stands Behind because of the more classic "murder mystery in a mansion" setting, as well as a really fun feature toward the end where the player has to type in actual words to solve the mystery–the latter seemed a bit more streamlined by comparison. Definitely check this out if you want a game equivalent of a Sherlock Holmes story.

HONORABLE MENTION 2: The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles

No surprise here: I've been an Ace Attorney fan for a long time, and this newest release bundles together two spin-off titles penned by series creator Shu Takumi himself. (For those not in the know, Takumi more or less departed the series following the trilogy, working on the Professor Layton crossover but not much else.) A Victorian setting, multiple simultaneous witnesses, and new jury system aside, there isn't much that's experimental about these entries; rather, Takumi interestingly doubles down on themes that were explored in the first couple Ace Attorney titles with Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth. This isn't a slight: this game feels completely focused on what it wants to do and say, and manages to weave in a really interesting cultural interplay narrative in between murders. The only downside is that the game really doesn't know when to shut up: At about 80-90 hours, these two games take longer to get through than the entire original trilogy, and there's simply too much filler text and repetition of points the player already knows. That's really the only thing holding this game back from greatness; hopefully the next entry can dial it down a bit.

OTHER HONORABLE MENTIONS: DELTARUNE Chapter 2, GNOSIA
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BEST GAMEPLAY
Metroid Dread

Let me start by saying that this is the first Metroid game I've ever played. As I've probably mentioned once or twice in the last few years, the Switch has been my platform for trying Nintendo franchises I've missed out on before, such as Fire Emblem, Pikmin, and Donkey Kong. Metroid is the latest in line, and I haven't been so hooked on a game in ages. The design is very classical, with intricate areas that require backtracking and liberal scouring of maps if you want to get absolutely everything like I did. But the thing that impressed me is just how good it feels to play. Whereas Mario is the gaming equivalent of joy and weightlessness, Samus Aran is all adrenaline. She's deadly fast, and the game is rather unforgiving in its expectations of how you use that speed. Boss fights are genuinely satisfying because they require so much precision and stamina from the player, and Samus's absurdly large move set means that you're unlocking new ways to fight and get around every half hour or so. Though the end game sections rely a little too much on repetitive miniboss fights, I had an absolute blast pretty much every second of this game. It's harsh and very difficult, but never unfair–and it's constantly teaching you in the way that Nintendo games do. Absolutely killer game.

HONORABLE MENTION: GNOSIA, New Pokémon Snap, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
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BEST REMAKE
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

At first glance, this appears to be a straight port of Super Mario 3D World, which, you know, would be standard operating procedure for Nintendo. But a closer look shows that they tweaked the mechanics, particularly when it comes to speed: all characters move significantly faster than their Wii U counterparts, which made this surprisingly feel like a brand-new game to me. I had a really great time revisiting this modern classic, and the inclusion of Bowser's Fury, a completely new mini-3D Mario game using 3D World's engine and moveset, only solidified this as an absolutely stellar package. I had high hopes for a certain other pair of remakes this year, but this came out as the clear winner.

HONORABLE MENTION: Danganronpa Decadence, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
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BEST eShop GAME
GNOSIA

As usual, although The House in Fata Morgana is probably my true pick this year, I'll take this opportunity to highlight something otherwise unmentioned. GNOSIA is a Werewolf-style game where one of your crew is actually a GNOSIA–an alien life-form disguised as a human. The catch is that there's an overall plot, which is reached by playing randomized games of Werewolf over and over, to reach different conclusions and character scenes. These take anywhere from 5-15 minutes depending on your settings, and can be quite fun in unique scenarios where you take the role of, for example, a lone GNOSIA, or a special psychic role. As a functioning Werewolf simulator, it's hours of fun, despite some repetition in dialogue. But adding a full sci-fi storyline to the background is really ambitious. With more variety in the soundtrack and better implementation of the narrative, I'd be really interested in a sequel.

HONORABLE MENTION: DELTARUNE Chapter 2, Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir, The House in Fata Morgana
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BEST GAME OF 2021
Metroid Dread

This was pretty surprising to me, in a year where I got a new Mario, Ace Attorney, and Pokémon (not to mention all the cool story-based games that dropped). But for the reasons I stated above, Metroid Dread really did it for me. I'm very interested to see if the series has another Switch release coming soon–I'll definitely be on board if it does.

HONORABLE MENTION: Danganronpa Decadence, Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir, The House in Fata Morgana, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
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Do you have any 2021 recommendations for me that I missed out on? Do you have any questions or comments for me? I felt bad that I didn't end up directly calling attention to World's End Club or DELTARUNE Chapter 2, which were both absolutely charming and unique releases this year. Let me know if you've played any of my picks, and as always I really appreciate any discussion. I really enjoy doing these yearly write-ups.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Static on December 26, 2021, 07:50:01 AM
Solid list here, though I haven't actually played any of these yet (I've had Metroid Dread for awhile but I keep forgetting to play it... I need to soon.)

For me, the best remake was Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania. After over a decade of mediocre games, it was great to finally see the original team (now the Yakuza series studio) back together and actually deliver a competent remaster of Monkey Ball 1 and 2, including the levels from Deluxe.

I haven't played many other new releases this year except for Shin Megami Tensei V and Resident Evil Village, which I've enjoyed/am enjoying quite a bit. Seems like there were lots of good 2021 games, but I've mostly been playing (or replaying) older games.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: BlackDragonSlayer on December 30, 2021, 03:23:27 AM
If you enjoy single player (vs. computer) card games, you should play Inscryption.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 01, 2022, 07:24:04 AM
Static—thanks for the recommendation! I was never a Monkey Ball kid, so that one slipped by me.

BDS—thank you, I love single player card games. Will check it out.

I wrote this list kind of early and have since beaten another game (Celeste) but maybe I'll put it on my list next year.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on January 02, 2022, 07:08:28 AM
It's always fun to read your lists at the end of the year. I can confirm Fata Morgana is pretty great even if I never actually finished it..... (Talked to 1 or 2 if the 3 people in the finale)

As for games you missed, the only big one that comes to mind is Inscryption. It's one of those indie games that's better the less you know about it, but I can tell you it's by the same developer as Pony Island and The Hex and better than either of them by a large margin. Sadly,  it's PC only for significant reasons, but it'll run on pretty much anything.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: SlowPokemon on January 05, 2022, 07:47:46 AM
Very nice. BDS recommended the same thing right before you did in this thread, so I'll have to check it out.
Title: Re: Slow Reviews Games: A NinSheetMusic Column
Post by: Maelstrom on January 05, 2022, 10:17:34 AM
oh lol reading is hard

Just finished it last night and it's pretty great.