Bayonetta 2 Demo Impressions

"It's not Christmas without caviar." said Bayonetta, while fighting a detailed behemoth with her good friend Jeanne. Shortly thereafter Jeanne's soul is dragged into the deepest pit of Hell by a abomination of appendages, leaving you to fight a Satanic dragon birthed by a skyscraper. This entire scene would make the creators of even the most absurd anime blush, but this sort of chaos is bread and butter for a man like Bayonetta director Hideki Kamiya and his games. The Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe creator received a lot of criticism for choosing to make Bayonetta 2 a Wii U exclusive after the first game was released on PS3 and Xbox 360 - and those criticisms have some validity certainly. But it's not too concerning because Bayonetta 2 feels right at home on Wii U.

All the classic Kamiya staples are present in this short demo alone; insane, high-flying, combo-based combat, monstrous yet beautifully detailed foes to dispatch, appalling dialogue, and of course, an appropriate and tactful perspective on women's sexuality. Kamiya's sensibilities may have made him some enemies, but even his harshest  critics cannot deny his eye for outlandishly entertaining, apocalyptic hack-and-slash action. The Demo looks and plays superbly; the combat is well designed and encourages variety and strategy. The controls are responsively and the visuals are outstanding. Any individual who believes the Wii U to be "underpowered" is invited to give Bayonetta 2 a go.

I highly encourage Wii U owners to try the Demo. And hopefully, when Bayonetta 2 is released October 24th, Kamiya and Platinum games can finally have a hit instead of another sleeper. Well, I'm not going to get my hopes up though.

Wii U Super Mario 3D World Bundle Review

So I finally pulled the trigger and got a Wii U. After missing the Mario Kart Bundle back in May I knew I was going to jump on the next decent one that came along. The New Super Mario Bros. U option wasn't really doing it for me, but SM3DW and Nintendoland included for $300? That's a deal to get behind. I would have definitely liked a free game to download though, like they included with the Mario Kart deal. Times not as desperate for the Wii U it would seem.

Naturally it comes with all the bells and whistles of a new Wii U console - console itself (duh), fancy new tablet controller or "GamePad", Sensor bar for games that require the Wii controllers, and all the doo-dads and accessories (cables, chargers, stands, warranty and Club Nintendo miscellanea). It was a pleasant surprise to find physical copies of Super Mario 3D World and Nintendoland in the box. Download codes seemed like the only possibility. Why not, really? Save some money on the packaging of the two games. But Nintendo decided to do us a solid so good on them.

The console and controller both work very well out of the package and feel quality made. Not so impressive was the software updating that was necessary before it could be used. It took nearly an hour and a half to download all the updates and play some video games. It makes sense that two years of updates would take some time, however.

If you have been holding out on getting Wii U, and it seems like a lot of people are finally coming around, this may be the bundle to finally jump on. If you hesitated back in May, I'd suggest going for this one before they run out too. Or if you really wish to wait, word has it there will be a Smash bundle in December.

Almost forgot to mention, they're giving a $25 gift card at Target if you buy the bundle. So. chop chop.

Super Smash Bros. 3DS Review

The hype for Super Smash Bros. 3DS has been immense. Nintendo knows how to stir up gamers around the world. Everybody and their brother was ready to play when it launched Midnight, October 3rd. If early sales figures are any indication, Sakurai and Nintendo still know how to engage their audience's fascination. But can those titans satisfy the hype? So far, it seems Super Smash Bros. for 3DS is certainly a worthy attempt.

Right off the bat, a pleasant surprise is the graphics. Leading up to the release it seemed like the 3DS version was going to be replete with jaggies and blurry textures - there was apprehension that this version would only be an appetizer for the Wii U version. I'm happy to report that this is not the case. The textures and models are fluid and detailed, while the frame rate more then keeps up with the action onscreen. The controls are responsive as well. In my Demo Impressions there was some concern about adjusting to controlling Smash on 3DS, but after a spell it begins to feel natural. However, the larger screen of the 3DS XL is a huge advantage when compared to the classic 3DS or 2DS.

The gameplay of Smash 3DS is the same gleeful chaos as always. The fighting is fundamentally more solid than Brawl and with better balance. Some of the single player modes have been trimmed (Classic Mode is only 6 stages) or removed (Rest in Peace, Adventure Mode) but the same hectic, wonderful brawling is available in a myriad of forms. Smash Mode, where you beat on classic Nintendo baddies for power-ups then use those power ups in battle against other characters, is a cool new addition. Online Smash Run would have been a worthy addition, though.

               

Of course

Speaking of the Online, the same issues that plagued Brawl continue. Disconnection and Error Codes are a constant problem. When you do get online, unreal lag is often an issue. In 2014, that is unacceptable. After all the trouble with Brawl's Online Mode one would think Sakurai and Nintendo would have all the issues ironed out. Obviously, functional online is just not a concern for them. This might fly for the Japanese audience, for whom online play is not much of a concern, but Super Smash Bros. is a global sensation. A game so popular around the world would be well served by well built online functionality. Local multiplayer, obviously, is excellent and responsive.

The character roster is very interesting - a lot of new mechanics on display, especially from the newcomers. Many characters have moves that "leave things behind" so to speak (Villager's Tree attack, Pac Man's fire hydrant) which is a welcome strategic departure from the mono-a-mono brawling of many of the classic fighters. The balance so far feels very even. The new fighters tend towards being overpowered but that is to be expected. Some of the "clones" are poor choices for Smash though. Was Dark Pit or Lucina really necessary. particularly when Advance Wars, Golden Sun, or Wonderful 101 all lack representation? Or how about Bayonetta, K. Rool., or Takamaru? Anyone of them would have made a unique addition instead of more clones.

Ultimately, you know if you want to play Smash Bros. If you have a 3DS you're probably either out picking up your copy or already playing it. If for some reason you're still on the fence, no need to worry; Super Smash Bros. 3DS is not some ignored step child in the spotlight of the upcoming Wii U version. This is the full fledged mobile Smash Bros that fans have wanted since the first one.

Super Smash Bros. 3DS Demo Impressions

 Just a few quick thoughts about the demo.

Only five characters to play around with? Nintendo is a master seductress. I really do wish they had at least included solo training mode. Did anybody else have some serious trouble adapting to playing Smash on a 3DS? The Gamecube controller just seems so natural after a decade. Even if it is a little shaky control wise, being able to take Smash with me is going to be a delight. Playing on my original model 3DS is way too small though. When the camera zooms out in chaotic four person action, it becomes even more difficult to control. I guess I'll just have to buy a larger 3DS one of these days...

The two new characters included (Mega Man and Villager) really surprised me with the depth of their playstyles. I was favoring Villager - attempting to collect, keep track of, and then use multiple items is frustrating and immensely satisfying at the same time. His Down B tree move is also deviously powerful, but this is mitigated somewhat by his Up B recovery move doing no damage.

Mega Man seems to be more of a "traditional" Smash character. As a old Mega Man fan his arm cannon attack (with original sounds) was a real giggle.

More to update as I play further. Also, full review when it comes out Oct. 3, of course.

Five Nights at Freddy's Review

 (AUTHORS NOTE: This game has serious screamers and is quite scary. This is your warning.)

What's more fun then a trip to Freddy's?

  Five Nights at Freddy's came and went like an obnoxious screamer. One second it was the darling of gamers everywhere and then it was forgotten come September. One might think it was another flavor of the month that got drowned about by bigger happenings - but FN@F grabbed our attention and moistened our pants. It was just it's brief length that had us quickly turn elsewhere.

Five Nights at Freddy is a hard game to define in terms of genre. Horror obviously, but it is not the survival horror run-and-gun most typical of horror games in recent years. FN@F is more of a resource management game with a heaping helping of pure terror mixed in. You play as Mike who has just gotten a job as a night shift security guard at "Freddy Fazbear's" - basically a Chuckie Cheese. You spend the game in a small office, alternating between watching the security cameras and looking out the doors of the office for "intruders", all while carefully conserving your small allotment of power. And all the while, the animatronics from the stage show are out to get your ass.

Your eternal foes

The great success of Five Nights at Freddy's is that solitary developer Scott Cawthon deftly understands what fear is. Fear is a response to the unknown - as in, not knowing where that damn bear is and whether he's about to get you (or whether you are already dead or not). FN@F may not be technically stunning, but Cawthon more then compensates with his attention to detail and atmosphere. Even sitting alone in the office, thinking you're in no danger, is still a frightening experience. The mysterious and misleading phone calls only heighten your isolation. And when you reach the end of a "night" at 6 AM the feeling of relief is palpable. 

Your prison cell

Similar to many under the radar indie titles, the greatest flaw of FN@F is the very brief length. Someone with nerves of steel could probably knock this one out in 5 or 6 hours. At only $5 on Steam, however, the length is hard to judge too harshly. Another disappointing aspect was the story. The story of Freddy Fazbear's is brilliantly told through tidbits found during gameplay, but I just wished for more. When individuals started beating the outrageously difficult "4-20" mode it seemed certain that the community had only just scratched the surface of the games lore - sadly, that was the end. Hopefully Mr. Cawthon expands the story (and everything else) when he makes FN@F2.

Simple fact of the matter is, if you like horror games (or screamers, for some reason) Five Nights at Freddy's is worth your time and money. If you are looking for a good Halloween title come next month, your five dollars is absolutely well spent here. Just be sure you know what you're getting into.

A quick and simple statement on ethics

The video game industry has been embroiled in controversy these past few weeks. Beginning with the firestorm started by the infamous "Zoe Post" over on Tumblr, which led to pithy attempts at mass censorship on multiple gaming sites including Reddit and 4chan, which in turn led to the creation of the #GamerGate hashtag on Twitter. All of this has inspired many to take up video game reporting on their own, because the conventional video game journalism industry is clearly not up to the task. To that end, I am laying out simple guidelines for this page;

• No "incentives" or "gifts" from any developer or publisher, including press codes for copies of the game. I feel paying full retail price for a game is a part of the experience and deciding whether a game is worth the money or not is a part of the review process.
• In fact, no relationship with developers/publishers at all. I should just be another Joe Schmo buying their games. I'm not their stooge or their mouthpiece.
• Politics and "Social Justice" have no place in video game criticism. Video games are art, but not all art contains social or political points or statements. One of the greatest problems facing the entire game industry is people trying to force their political beliefs into gaming. This has led to divisions amongst gamers and overall stagnation of the industry.

That is all I can think of off the top of my head, but by no means everything. This document will continue to get updated.

Also, I review 3DS, PS3, PC, and in the future, Wii U games. First big review coming up; Super Smash Bros. 3DS. I can't believe the games journalism industry has reached a point where I need a large ethics statement before I even mention consoles or games.

Here's to fixing the industry that we all love so much.

Edit: I should qualify all of this by saying my video game criticism is just a hobby and will probably live in obscurity forever. I seriously doubt I'll ever be important enough that any issues will occur.