December 23, 2008
Review: Prince of Persia
You can't die in the newest "Prince of Persia." You can't even fail, really.
It's a wrestling match between old-school sensibilities and new-school thinking, one where the outcome within yourself as a gamer can determine how much enjoyment there is to be had in the Prince's latest adventure.
But somewhere in this battle, regardless of what wins, is a pretty enjoyable experience.
You're back as the Prince, master of wall-running, pole swinging and platform jumping from the previous "Prince of Persia" iterations.
This time, he's in the middle of a desolate kingdom being overrun by a dark god named Ahriman, who has found to way to break out of his ethereal jail in the depths of the kingdom's holy temple.
As a result, the once-green lands of the kingdom are crawling with trails and pools of dark, living slime called the Corruption, which is supposed to represent Ahriman's essence.
To top it all off, there are four "corrupted" lieutenants of Ahriman watching over the kingdom's polluted sections.
Luckily, you're not alone. Guiding you on your quest is Elika, a princess of the kingdom who is blessed with magical powers, including the ability to heal the lands infected by the Corruption. She's also the prime reason the Prince never has to worry about death.
As you bounce from land to land, hurtling past globs of dark slime and climbing up walls, you find that Elika might be the most clutch non-playable character ever created.
Miss a jump and fall? Elika swoops in to grab you and return you to solid ground. Starting to get sucked into a pool of Corruption? Chill out, Elika's got this.
It's like that with the game's retooled combat, which focuses on one-on-one duels instead of warding off throngs of foes. If the enemy knocks you down, you'll have to press the correct button to avoid a deathblow -- not like it matters, since failure to press said button merely means Elika forces off your attacker with magic, giving him time to heal.
There lies the issue faced by those weaned on death-rife action platformers like the earlier "Prince of Persia" chapters, "Mirror's Edge" or "Tomb Raider" -- if you can't die, what is there to fear from failure? Is this like Little League, where everyone is a winner no matter what? Is there a code to get ice cream on Live or PSN when the game is over?
It's easy to sarcastically ask yourself similar questions within the first hour of gameplay, but give it time -- there's plenty here to like while you're alive.
The first thing that comes to mind is the unique cel-shaded/scanner-like art style, which adds a dimension of cartoonish fantasy to the experience.
Each section of the land manages to maintain a personality of its own while still feeling like part of the kingdom. While some areas have a sense of former majesty, like the looming Tower of Ahriman, there are places like the Cauldron, which features a churning machine used by a Corrupted being known as The Alchemist.
Within these lands are examples of brilliant level design, bolstered by creative (and sometimes maddening) puzzles which cross impeccable timing with some critical thinking.
Adding to the gameplay are magical powers that can be acquired when you collect enough "light seeds," which are glowing balls of energy that pop up whenever you heal a section of the kingdom. As you progress, you'll pick up the abilty to jump great distances or even fly for a short period of time.
This combination of elements also constructs a special brand of difficulty. Sure, Elika is there to save you when you make a mistake, but she can't save you from the puzzles. Plus, she also doesn't save you from having to repeat a long, elaborate sequence of jumps or from getting tossed around by an invincible opponent, like the Corrupted being known as The Warrior.
Aside from the visual and gameplay elements, the interplay between Prince and Elika is entertaining, if not a little repetitive and cheesy. It's certainly not on the level of the dialogue of "Assassin's Creed," another Ubisoft title.
Among some of the issues I had with the game dealt with the somewhat dull, easy nature of the combat. You face each of the four Corrupted lieutenants several times in one section, and none of them do much to vary their attacks with each encounter. This turns battle into a tedious chore, and something that get prolonged with any mistake made.
I also wonder about the replay value, especially given the way the game ends. I won't spoil it, but other than the ability to collect more light seeds, unlock more material or break speed records, this stacks up more like a good one-and-done experience.
Overall, I'd say "Prince of Persia" is certainly worth carving out some time. It's certainly not going to kill you to see for yourself.
Prince of Persia
Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
Rated T for Teen
Our rating: 7.5/10
Posted by Redmond Carolipio at 5:26 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2008
Review: "Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe"
By Todd Kistler
Some games push the limits of their genre to defy expectation and create a unique experience.
"Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe" is not that kind of game. In fact, it doesn't even try.
Midway's newest fighting game is solely for the converted: The game should appeal to fighting-game fanatics and DC fanboys but not many others. There's simply not enough new or interesting to justify spending $60 on an experience this shallow.
The game's built-in audience will recognize the cast of characters. Ten "MK" warriors -- gaming veterans such as Liu Kang, Kitana, Shang Tsung and Sub Zero -- do battle with 10 stalwarts of DC comics, including Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor and Catwoman.
There's an opportunity for something we haven't seen before as the DC characters all get "Mortal Kombat's" patented fatality moves, but most prove a disappointment. The game tones down the creative carnage to preserve its Teen rating. It's just as well: The game feels pretty juvenile, anyway.
The action breaks down into Story Mode, which shoehorns a semi-coherent story into a series of fights; Arcade Mode, in which you pick a character from either universe and fight your way through a series of increasingly difficult adversaries; and online play, where those who spent hours and days playing the original "Mortal Kombat" games in an arcade can play one another (and they won't even have to beg their parents for more quarters).
If these experiences sound redundant, that's because they are. There are a few wrinkles to spice up the fights, but they don't require much finesse. Whereas the fights themselves require patience, timing and effective use of combos, the Free Fall Kombat, Klose Kombat and Test Your Might minigames require little more than button mashing.
One nice innovation to combat is the use of Kombat Rage. Performing power moves will increase your Rage meter, but taking damage in the most consistent way you'll build it up. When you use Rage, your attacks become more powerful and it becomes easier to break through opponent's blocks. The result is that even if you're getting smoked in a fight, intelligent use of Rage can keep you competitive.
The game's story manages to be modestly entertaining -- mostly by being sublimely campy (or is it kampy?). Every line is delivered with sledgehammer subtlety and is chock full of plot review. But at least one character seems to be in on the joke. Batman's old nemesis the Joker -- presented as a cross between Cesar Romero and Ace Ventura -- provides an occasional and welcome break from the rest of the game's forced gravitas.
The combined-universes story does serve the game well in its level design, though. You can fight in the Batcave, at the fortress of Captain Marvel and in many of the fantasy backdrops familiar to "Mortal Kombat" players. The intricate costumes of the "Mortal Kombat" fighters, which show damage as fights progress, also stand out as examples of nice design. Nothing makes you appreciate a hard-fought victory like seeing the cuts and gashes your fighter had to suffer to get there.
In the end though, "Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe" is about the fighting. If you like that, you'll probably find the game enjoyable and replayable. If you get bored with punch-kick-special-repeat, you'll get bored with the game and maybe build some rage that isn't measured on the screen.
Although there is a "cool" factor in a Batman-Superman fight or in seeing Scorpion bellow "Get over here!" as he reels in a superhero, it's not enough to build a game around. The game ends up feeling shallow to the point that you wonder if the designers thought players could be so distracted by the combined-universes gimmick and the female fighters' cleavage that they wouldn't notice that the game doesn't bring anything new to the table.
Maybe it's pointless to criticize a game so limited in ambition, but I could do without the condescension.
Score: 6 out of 10
Developer: Midway
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
Rating: T for Teen
Posted by Todd Kistler at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)