Nintendo Power September details/reviews

[granville]

September (or rather, October) issue of Nintendo power has a lot of new details on new games as well as some reviews. I'll get to the news first-

News
-- Rabbids Go Home (DS) is a puzzle platformer with 150 puzzles over 15 levels.
-- THQ plans on making UFC games for the Wii and handhelds according to CEO Brian Farrell
-- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized (DS), developed by n-space, will have building to building tactical combat, vehicular hijinx and six player online.

Reviews
-Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story – 9.5
-NHL 2K10 (Wii) – 8.0
-Cursed Mountain – 7.0
-Muramasa: The Demon Blade – 8.0
-Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga – 4.0
-Fossil Fighters – 8.0
-Bleach: The 3rd Phantom – 4.0
-Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box – 8.0
-The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road – 6.5
-G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Wii) – 5.0
-Spectrobes: Origins – 5.5
-IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey – 4.0

Review summary for each game-

Spoiler

Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story

Pros
-“the best RPG-style Mario adventure ever made”
-“it’s very likely that we’re looking at the 2009 Game of the Year for the Nintendo DS system”
-“one of the most interactive role-playing games available”
-unique minigames
-battle system stays fun and fresh
-plenty of engrossing stat management, exploration and storytelling
-keeps the player engaged
-compelling puzzle solving
-fantastic dialogue

Cons
-the mazelike structure of the world can be a little confusing to navigate especially if you were to try and come back to the game after having not played it for a while.

9.5
--------------------
NHL 2K10

Pros
-one of the most fully featured sports games on the Wii
-robust franchise mode
-many control options
-10 player online mode
-an impressive amount of modes in the package
-satisfying gameplay

Cons
-AI could use some work
-animation is a bit wonky

8.0
--------------------
Cursed Mountain

Pros
-interesting story
-good atmosphere

Cons
-dialog and voice acting could be better
-repetition hurts the game’s scare factor

7.0
--------------------
Muramasa: The Demon Blade

Pros
-gorgeous (like a painting come to life!)
-individual stories are compelling

Cons
-gameplay not as deep as it should be
-little variety in attacks
-sword’s individual skills aren’t varied much despite there being over 100 of them
-the game ends up promoting button mashing over combos, even on the higher of the two difficulty levels. However you can’t get away with that as much on the unlockable 3rd difficulty level and some side missions.
-the two playable characters control the same and play through the same areas
-plot can be confusing when it throws names at you without context

8.0
--------------------
Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga

Pros
-has some neat ideas

Cons
-slow pace
-clunky interface
-ugly graphics
-sluggish combat
-dumb AI
-lackluster overall presentation
-world is a drab
-it’s not worth the trouble of playing through the game

4.0
--------------------
Fossil Fighters

Pros
-battle grid allows from some interesting strategy
-great beginning RPG for newcomers

Cons
-story and battle system may be too simplistic for some

8.0
--------------------
Bleach: The 3rd Phantom

Pros
-if you like Bleach you might like the original story

Cons
-to see the story you actually have to play the game
-very slow, very simple turned based combat

4.0
--------------------
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box

Pros
-more of the same
-new brainteasers that make good use of the touch-screen
-new minigames are a fresh addition

Cons
-the story suffers from that “more of the same”

8.0
--------------------
The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
Pros
-the bizarre, odd control scheme works
-the game is very accessible

Cons
-the Ai suggestions are often terrible (Fighter go heal, Healer go fight!...?)
-thin story and flat characters
-almost no dialogue
-brief, overly linear quest
-no feeling of discovery or exploration

6.5
--------------------
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Pros
-diverse selection of playable characters

Cons
-the shooting gets repetitive fast
-little variety
-dull level designs
-unpolished visuals
-uneven difficulty
-glitchy action

5.0
--------------------
Spectrobes: Origins

Pros
-excavating spectrobes with the motion controls is oddly compelling

Cons
-bad pacing
-little strategy involved in battles
-simplistic puzzle elements
-by the numbers story

5.5
--------------------
IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey

Pros
-variety of vintage planes

Cons
-virtually impossible to maneuver or engage in combat
-constantly changing and poorly explained objectives

4.0
--------------------

Previews-

Spoiler

James Cameron’s Avatar
-developed by Ubisoft Montreal
-lots of talk about how this will be the movie game that won’t suck… yeah
-each version is crafted specifically for its platform
-each version tells a different story
-the Wii version is set a few years before the movie
-there will be exclusive features both for Wiimotion plus owners and DSi owners
-the Wii version uses the Jade Engine

Tower of Shadow
-developed by the same guys behind Kororinpa
-3-D objects create 2-D shadows that the controlled shadow guy runs on.
-a fairy shadow that accompies the main character can sometimes change the 3-D environment which will alter how the 2-D shadow plane resembles.
-the art style is inspired by the Miyazaki film, Future Boy Conan
-the player can alter the light source to drastically change the gameplay field
-developers plans on incorporating stage structures, hard modes, various enemies and enhanced abilities to keep the game fresh.
-aiming for a 12 hour playtime but they won’t artificially lengthen the game to reach that

Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love
-the largest localization job in NIS America’s history
-Idea Factory is handling the Wii port
-ever spoken line has been recorded with English voices
-the game shares some English casting with Disgaea
-NIS American will be releasing a premium-box version that will come with two disks – one with English voices and the other with Japanese voices.

Dementium II
-improving combat is a big focus
-you can now carry a flashlight and a weapon at the same time
-there are now carryable items like health kits and adrenaline shots
-there is now a Castlevania-like map on the touch screen
-enemies no longer respawn
-another Metroidvania feature is that there are some areas that you can backtrack to when you get new weapons
-the main character’s past self left his future self such helpful notes as “FOR GOD’S SAKE, GET OUT BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE”
-variety is a big theme with the sequel
-new setting such as a harsh winter’s day
-a new simple save system

WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010
-motion controls from the last two games have been replaced with more traditional controls
-contains features such as create-a-finishing move, stamina system, individual superstar abilities, and more in-ring actions
-more than 60 characters
-79 match types
-a new feature, the WWE Story Designer, allows the player to create their own wrestling storylines, write the dialogue, cut promos, hold interviews, engage in backstage theatrics, etc.
-like the Wii version, the DS version will ditch touch-screen controls for traditional buttons
-the DS version is being done by TOSE, Wii by Yukes

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372745

 

[War]

Disappointing, to say the least.

 

[Maybe]

Bleach: The 3rd Phantom

Pros
-if you like Bleach you might like the original story

Cons
-to see the story you actually have to play the game
-very slow, very simple turned based combat

4.0

Lol. How else are you going to see the story? Will it magically just appear in your head while powering on your ds?

 

[gaboumafou]

Wow, I'm really pumped up for Mario and Luigi 3 now. Release date is still unknown?

 

[cruddybuddy]

Bleach: The 3rd Phantom

Pros
-if you like Bleach you might like the original story

Cons
-to see the story you actually have to play the game
-very slow, very simple turned based combat

4.0

Lol. How else are you going to see the story? Will it magically just appear in your head while powering on your ds?

Or a cartoon version telling the story.

 

[Hop2089]

I'm only interested in Sakura Wars and the fact that I can play the game with the new English voices or the very familiar Japanese VAs for nostalgia makes it an even better buy. I used to play the Sakura Wars series when I was younger and liked it.

 

[Escape]

most of my favorite games get low scores so it doesn't bother me how much Bleach got, as long as I like it im satisfied

 

[granville]

Wow, I'm really pumped up for Mario and Luigi 3 now. Release date is still unknown?

No, we know. The US date for Mario & Luigi 3 was confirmed about a month ago. September 14th. IE- next month.

 

[Satangel]

Nice, next month I'll give that baby a try

 

[Kwartel]

14th M&L
15th Scribblenauts

Quote from a newspaper from 09/16/09;
"15 years old boy died from overdose gaming"

 

[Canonbeat234]

14th M&L
15th Scribblenauts

Quote from a newspaper from 09/16/09;
"15 years old boy died from overdose gaming"

Not possible, the only thing that can happen. '15 years old boy bodyclock destroyed from overdose gaming'

 

[KingdomBlade]

I wanna kill them for giving Prof Layton an 8. Repetitive story? At least it's good. I'd rather have an exciting and compelling story than some mindless story about gigantic robots or dinosaurs or some comedy story.

I just had to let my anger out. It deserves at least a 9.5 for me.

 

[naglaro00]

Valhalla Knights on the Wii?

:3

 

[HaniKazmi]

-Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story – 9.5 -Fits what I've heard
-Cursed Mountain – 7.0 - Matches other reviews
-Muramasa: The Demon Blade – 8.0 - Sounds about right
-Fossil Fighters – 8.0 About right
-Bleach: The 3rd Phantom – 4.0 -Another bleach game?
-Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box – 8.0 -wtf? repetitive story? Should be at least 9.
-G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Wii) – 5.0 - Another crap licensed game.
-Spectrobes: Origins – 5.5 - This is far far too low. At least an 8.5

 

[Guild McCommunist]

No Star Fox Wii? The rumor was a huge stretch, but it still got my hopes up a little. Oh well.

Reviews
-Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story – 9.5: Snore. Another Nintendo overrating because it has Mario in it. "The best RPG-style Mario adventure ever made"? What a bunch of fuckheads. SMRPG is 10x better. "Game of the Year"? Hey, Scribblenauts, what's up? The battle system is old and barely changed since the Superstar Saga days. Another overrating for a Mario title.
-NHL 2K10 (Wii) – 8.0: Snore, sports game. Not my genre.
-Cursed Mountain – 7.0: Meh, RE rip off. That's not a bad thing, though.
-Muramasa: The Demon Blade – 8.0: I've heard good things about it. Still not quite sure what it exactly is, though.
-Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga – 4.0: Never heard of it.
-Fossil Fighters – 8.0: Snore, a Nintendo publication so it'll get good ratings. I think it's quite stupid, though. Pokemon is always better than these wannabes.
-Bleach: The 3rd Phantom – 4.0: Snore, Bleach game. Most people who love these games love Bleach, so yeah.
-Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box – 8.0: What did they give the first one? I definately wouldn't give this a 9/10 or above, though.
-The Wizard of Oz: Beyond the Yellow Brick Road – 6.5: It's gotten rather average reviews. A bummer, since I was looking forward to this one. I'll try it but it'll probably be meh.
-G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Wii) – 5.0: Bad movie. Even worse game. Insert GI Joe pun here.
-Spectrobes: Origins – 5.5: Most other review sites gave it higher scores. I don't like Spectrobes, regardless.
-IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey – 4.0: Just sounds like crappy flight combat sim.

Overall, snore. A boring issue of Nintendo Power. No big breaks or reviews here.

 

[CockroachMan]

No Scribblenauts review? :/

I'm looking forward to Mario & Luigi 3 now..

 

[granville]

Guild, have you even PLAYED Mario & Luigi 3? Sounds like you haven't if you think the battle system hasn't changed since the GBA game. Apart from just feeling 5x smoother and better, the huge innovation is the ability to play as Bowser. He has an entirely different play style, and the giant Bowser battles are some of the funnest and most innovative things i've seen done in ANY Mario game. The script is full of clever and brilliantly written dialog full of hilarity.

I myself love the SNES Mario RPG and it is my favorite game ever. I also hate Nintendo Power. But I also don't think you know what you're talking about. And having played Mario & Luigi 3, it's nothing like its predecessors, it's very innovative, and it deserves the score it got, even though NP are idiots and biased. It's just not mine or NP's fault that Mario games tend to be great.

 

[dragonbladerxx1]

OMG! call of duty modern warware mobalized online with 6 players!! awesomes! im still waiting for scribblenauts and phantasy star zero ds

 

[Guild McCommunist]

Guild, have you even PLAYED Mario & Luigi 3? Sounds like you haven't if you think the battle system hasn't changed since the GBA game. Apart from just feeling 5x smoother and better, the huge innovation is the ability to play as Bowser. He has an entirely different play style, and the giant Bowser battles are some of the funnest and most innovative things i've seen done in ANY Mario game. The script is full of clever and brilliantly written dialog full of hilarity.

I myself love the SNES Mario RPG and it is my favorite game ever. I also hate Nintendo Power. But I also don't think you know what you're talking about. And having played Mario & Luigi 3, it's nothing like its predecessors, it's very innovative, and it deserves the score it got, even though NP are idiots and biased. It's just not mine or NP's fault that Mario games tend to be great.

Assuming it's still the same old "Press button when close", then I'll pass. Unless they make a major change to the battle system and the overall RPG aspects of the game, I'll pass. It seems so shallow to me. You just go around, doing a bunch of timing-based commands on enemies, getting levels, etc. I mean, most RPGs are this way, but the others atleast take strategy instead of being able to time when you press A correctly. You literally jump, use crappy Bros. Attacks, and buy overalls. In other RPGs, you level up, learn tons of spells or special attacks or whatever, buy tons of armor from pants to shirts to gloves to shields to swords, and overall gain tons of depth. SMRPG had depth. Superstar Saga and Partners in Time didn't. So unless you tell me they made a major change to the core RPG aspects of the game and actually introduced strategy instead of mindless timing based commands, I'll find the same exact opinion as its predecessors.

The new gameplay elements (like Bowser) still aren't any stretch if it involves you pressing __ button at a certain time to deal big domages (that was a purposeful typo). And the script? I don't play Mario for the script. No one does. The humor is good, if you're five, like every Mario game. Sure, it may be entertaining, but it doesn't have any of the good script that SMRPG had nor the character or gamplay design. And they just throw in Fawful AGAIN? I mean, I know they had Bowser as the antagonist for, I don't know, 90% of Mario games, but c'mon people. RPGs are supposed to be about a good story, good gameplay mechanics, and lots of depth. I think Mario and Luigi games fail at every one. Yet again, this is all opinion. I know that you tried hard and put up a very convincing argument, but I guess I'm a guy who just isn't persuaded against things I truly despise. I think we can at least agree to disagree.

I'll give the game a try, that's sure fire, but I doubt it'll last a day on my card.

 

[granville]

I wasn't trying to put up an argument. I'm simply telling you that for one to pass judgment on a game, one must have PLAYED said game. And there's a very good reason that the game gets the high scores it does. It's great. You can dislike it if you want, just play it first. And don't expect anyone else to agree with you. OR think Nintendo sucks just because they make a game YOU don't want and everyone else likes.