NewNews - Mighty No.9 Documentary Episode 0

Kickstarter Page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyno9/mighty-no-9
Source: Youtube Channel 2PlayerProductions

It was already mentioned that 2 Player Productions was going to document the development of Mighty No. 9 and keep the supports, fans, and followers of the game up to date with its progress.  This particular episode was recorded before the game was announced and before the Kickstarter was launched.  Speaking of which, there are 4 days left to back Mighty No.9.  Also, the development team has reached out to the public to choose, out of 9 designs, which concept should be finalized as the Heroine "Call" for the Mighty No. 9 game.

Mighty No. 9 is an Action-Platformer led by Keiji Inafune, who has worked on titles such as the Megaman series, with his pool of talented, veteran game developers.  The game is set to launch in 2015 and was announced earlier this month which has reached out to over 45,000 backers to support this project.

Source:
-Kotaku - One Of These With Be Mighty No. 9's Heroine. You Decide.
(I think most of us know Mr. Fahey meant to say "Will" and not "With").

NewNews - Ghosts 'n Goblins Online is Back!

Steam Greenlight: Ghosts 'n Goblins Online
Source: Youtube Channel 씨드나인 게임즈

Ghosts 'n Goblins Online has been around for a while and has been talked about in the game community and then it was canceled.  Apparently it's been canceled twice already.  Well it's back again with a chance to release stateside through the help of Steam Greenlight.  With news of this, every major media is spreading the word and hopefully getting people to upvote it on Steam Greenlight.  The main concern for a lot of GnG fans is that the game looks too easy.  Looking at the gameplay, I'd say that it's because it's a completely different gameplay mechanic from what most people know about the GnG series.  The game is still a 2D Action-Platformer, but rather than a straight up Action game where you move forward, die in two hits, and have limited amounts of way to attack, there are a lot of RPG elements such as an open world to explore, stats to improve, lots of skills to attain, etc.  You could say that it's Maple Story in a GnG universe.  There seems to be different classes with an array of skills to learn, the ability to play cooperatively with other players, raise stats and attributes to improve survivability, damage, and ability power, and play in competitive PvP arenas.  There seems to be a mode called "demonic dimension" where you die in two hits (classic GnG style life system: Armor->Underwear->Dead).  There's a trailer showing some of the gameplay:
Source: Youtube Channel 씨드나인 게임즈

With this, yes the game will be easier to accommodate an online gaming experience as well as a more general audience.  Still the game looks to be very interesting and is one I'm willing to play.  A lot of people are also hoping that the attention and success of this game might bring about the resurrection of Megaman Online and bringing it over here.  I'd be very happy about that.

Source:
-Joystiq - Ghosts'n Goblins Online resurfaces at Steam Greenlight

NewNews - Keiji Inafune's Mighty No. 9 & Crypt of the NecroDancer

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyno9/mighty-no-9
Crypt of the NecroDancer: http://necrodancer.com/
Source: Youtube Channel touchgameplay

Keiji Inafune (creator of Mega Man) left Capcom a few years ago to work on his on games under his new studio Comcept.  In between then and now, I've heard him work on a few small projects and Soul Sacrifice for the PS Vita.  This weekend, he finally revealed that he has been working on a new project that's considered a spiritual successor to the Mega Man series.  In this reveal, Keiji Inafune talks about this new game called Mighty No.9 and makes a LOT of references.  The game is a side-scroller Action platformer about a robot that wasn't infected by a mysterious computer virus that caused other robots to go crazy.  The main character will be able to acquire abilities from enemies he's defeated.  The character's name is Beck and the companion is Call (Rock and Roll = Beck and Call).  What the underlying message behind the creation of this game seems to be is that Inafune had some great ideas for the next Megaman game but wasn't able to go through with them when he was with Capcom.  So now, he wishes to use those ideas under a different identity despite it being so similar to what he cannot use anymore.  A lot of fans have responded and love what Inafune has shown.  For me, I'm really excited on what this game can turn into; however, I'm also afraid problems may arise from the blaring resemblance to the Mega Man franchise.  It'd be terrible for those working on the game and the fans awaiting for (and funded) it if Capcom decides to sue Inafune's studio and shut down the project.  But perhaps Capcom will ignore it altogether and focus on what they're doing and let Inafune do what he's doing.  I probably didn't mention it yet, but Inafune has already reached his initial goal of $900,000 within 2-3 days on kickstarter.  All that's left is the higher donation goals to get the game on consoles as well.  I wish Keiji Inafune the best of luck and look forward to playing the game in 2015.

The other game talked about over the weekend of PAX is an indie game called "Crypt of the NecroDancer".
Source: Youtube Channel Brace Yourself Games

It is a pleasant, and unexpected, mix between a rogue-like and music rhythm game.  Movements and actions done in sync with the beat of the music racks up combo points.  The music is created by famed musician Danny Baranowsky who made the music for Super Meat Boy and The Binding of Issac.  The player can also use their own music to play the game.  I love rogue-likes and it's been a silent genre throughout the decade which seems to have had a good year this year with several games under the genre.  I also love music rhythm games which seems to have had a dead period these past few years after the community got burnt out from all the guitar heroes and rock band games that released.  It is a surprising mix that seems to work as shown in the video and one that I'm looking very forward to releasing.  You can pre-order the game now on the top link for $22.49 and will receive a steam key for it when it's officially out as well as the soundtrack.

GameLight - Spelunky

Official Site: http://spelunkyworld.com/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/
GOG Page: http://www.gog.com/game/spelunky
Source: Youtube Channel MossmouthGames

I played the original Spelunky back in college and really enjoyed the challenging and engaging gameplay utilizing rogue-like mechanics such as randomized levels.  It's still an Action-Platformer at core, but with a lot of randomization.  With that, every playthrough has its unexpected encounters with trap placements, enemy spawn, and item drops.  Over the years, the team had worked on a new version and released it on XBLA last year and has finally made its debut back on the PC yesterday on Steam.  With the new version, the graphics are in HD, new content has been added, and new modes are available.  There's even a local co-op mode and competitive multiplayer!  If you're not sure if you'll enjoy the game, the original game can still be downloaded and played for free on their main site by clicking "Play the Original!" and see if you like the original.  Spelunky is now available on Steam and GOG for a discounted price of $13.49 and will return to its original price of $14.99 on August 15th.

Retroview - Super Castlevania 4 and Dracula X

Source: Youtube Channel DarkEvil87

I just ordered Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate for the Nintendo 3DS and I have my worries.  I love the Castlevania series and have come to embrace the Metroidvania style mechanics that the handheld series utilizes after the creation of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.  So a certain dread came over me when I heard that the newest handheld Castlevania is not being made by Konami, is not a Metroidvania free-roam gameplay, and will be touching upon the stories of Trevor and Simon Belmont.  The game is developed by the same studio that created Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (which I have but yet to play).  Since it's another studio making the game, how much of the original Castlevania do they know about?  It makes me scared of what they might have done with the stories behind the original characters within the series.  I'm not against the original style of Castlevania, but I do have some problems with it.

Super Castlevania 4 was a game I played quite a bit when I was younger and continued to play because I was never able to complete it.  Last summer, I decided to finally sit down and beat it as I'm much more experienced in playing games than I was when I was younger.  The major differences I noticed when I first played the game when I was younger was that I could control my jumps rather than committing to them.  The second major difference was the whip could be manipulated.  As a kid that played the original, these two changes were really awesome.  Supposedly, this made the game easier than the original, but I still couldn't finish the game.  Fast forward nearly 11 years later to last summer.  I'm playing the game again, but it felt different for me.  Everything was more familiar because I've played so many other games similar or more difficult than it.  I'm more patient, observant, and I utilize my items more effectively.  In Castlevania 1, items were essential in completing the game.  In Super Castlevania 4, it wasn't as essential; however, they were really nice luxury items that helped make boss battles easier.  Being more knowledgeable in game design now that I'm actually working on them rather than just playing games, I felt that Super Castlevania 4 had the right idea about the whip, but didn't quite design the game around it enough.  Other than a few parts of the game where the player can swing from platform to platform with the whip, there wasn't much else that worked with the whip other than killing enemies.  The game was straight-forward and pretty fun, but had potential for more.  From what I understand, Castlevania:LoS-MoF will utilize the whip quite a bit, so perhaps it will borrow ideas from Super Castlevania 4 and capitalize on creative utilization of the whip.

Castlevania Dracula X (video above) is the game I had problems with as well as many other fans did.  What was supposed to be a port of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood turned into a different game with the same assets and setting.  Rondo of Blood had a lot of challenging and creative level designs that made it difficult, but entertaining.  But for some reason, Dracula X has similar levels with diabolical changes where every part of the level had something to piss me off.  Be it falling debris and enemies, enemies that spawn out of nowhere during a mid jump, or having to get through a part in one go or forcing you to jump off and die just to restart the level, there was always something unexpected that happens that cannot be foreseen.  Castlevania's difficulty usually is designed around giving the player an obstacle and taking the time to conquer it.  In Dracula X, it was designed around creating unexpected traps and events and learning from it AFTER dying.  I have to admit that Rondo of Blood did have some of that in it such as the boss doing one last attack right before they die unexpectedly.  This would have been fine if it weren't the fact that where were lives and running out meant restarting a level.  The one design choice that was made that I fear might appear in Mirror of Fate is the multiple paths.  Without doing something very specific, the player misses out on certain levels and will get bad endings.  This is an old design practice many games had alongside extreme difficulties in order to extend playtime and replay value.  For the Metroidvania style, the player can replay the game as different characters, a harder difficulty with their items intact, or different modes like flipped mode.  With Dracula X, you just replay the game again and hope you find the specific places and events to trigger something different.  And the boss fight against Dracula at the end was possible one of the most annoying ones I have ever faced in a Castlevania game (And if you bring up Order of Ecclesia, that was just difficult, not annoying).  You essentially fight on pillars and must jump to him in order to strike him which made it really easy for him to tap you in mid-air and have you fall to your death.  Did I have fun?  Maybe a little.  It didn't leave a good impression on me though.

Mainly, the biggest problem I have when hearing that Mirror of Fate was going to be like the original Castlevania games is that it was going to be too short.  Both Super Castlevania 4 and Dracula X took me about 1-2 hours at most to complete each.  Many fans of the older Castlevania complained that the newer Metroidvania style Castelvania games were too easy.  That's probably true, yet I enjoyed them a lot; however, Order of Ecclesia proved that it could have free-roaming maps, RPG elements and still be incredibly challenging and satisfying.  I spent about 14 hours on my first playthrough of Order of Ecclesia and loved it.  I've waited for quite a while for a new Castlevania game for handheld to release once again, and now I'm worried about the outcome.  Honestly, I worried about Portrait of Ruin and Order of Ecclesia when I first heard about it but ended up enjoying both.  Maybe I'll end up really liking LoS - Mirror of Fate.

GameLight - The Showdown Effect

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/204080/
Source: Youtube Channel VirTualGamers

This game was released back in March and was one I had somewhat of an interest in.  I had thought it was a game similar to Shoot Many Robots where it was a single-player run 'n gun platformer.  I had planned to get it when it went on sale, and it did today for $4.99.  That's when I realized that the game was entirely multiplayer.  The game is closer to games like Soldat or Gunster: Rain of Bullets where players run around to kill each other in a 2D platformer style gameplay.  Developed by the same team who made Magicka, The Showdown Effect takes references and influences from 80's and 90's movies for a whacky multiplayer experience.  The game does seem pretty fun with running up walls, sliding while shooting, flipping around the level and cutting each other with a katana; however, the fact that it's a multiplayer only game worries me.  Unless there's a strong community behind a multiplayer game, the game's practically pointless no matter how fun the game is.  Judging from the weak responses from forums to data collection, there doesn't seem to be that many people playing the game.  I could be wrong though and many people are playing it despite it not being talked about that much (much like MAG on the PS3, a strong community with very little mention in the media).  The game also has a new patch released today that adds 2 new levels and 2 new characters for free (which is surprising to me considering how many DLCs were made for Magicka).  With that, there's a chance that a community might have been re-established (Awesomenauts went through that and has a decent amount of players on now).  So if you're interested, click on the top link and grab "The Showdown Effect" for $5 and start shooting, flipping and slicing away.

GameLight - Castlevania Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate

Official Site: http://www.konami-castlevania.com/mof/
Source: Youtube Channel NintendoWorldReport

Castlevania Lords of Shadow Mirror of Fate released today on the Nintendo 3DS.  I have been very worried about it ever since its reveal last year at E3 as it seems to embody the original Castlevania more than the Metroidvania that handheld Castlevania games have followed.  It's not to say that I don't like the retro-styled side-scrolling adventure that Castlevania started with since I grew up with them and love them.  The problem is that they lack content in our current day generation where paying $40 for just a handheld game had better be worth our time.  The game follows the same story arc of Lords of Shadow with the return of 2 familiar characters in the series: Trevor and Simon Belmont.  It bothers me a little that the story of those two pivotal characters might be changed in a way that I may not find desirable.  As many might be able to tell, I am very skeptical about this iteration in the Castlevania series which is pretty scary since I gave even the infamous Castlevania Judgment a chance.  Still, it's a Castlevania and I'm willing to give it a go.  I'm just not willing to dish out $40 for it at the moment, especially since I just ordered 2 games for the 3DS that still hasn't arrive just yet.  I also haven't played through Lords of Shadow yet, despite having bought it a while ago.  Guess I'll wait out on this.  It's good to know I'll have a 3DS game to buy when I finished the others I have.

GameLight - Street Fighter x Mega Man

Official Site: http://capcom-unity.com/mega_man Source: Youtube Channel CapcomUnityVideos

So it's Mega Man's 25th Anniversary and Capcom didn't have anything planned; however, they still had something available for the faithful fans of Mega Man.  A fan made game called Street Fighter x Megaman was in the making by an individual along with a music composer who re-created familiar Street Fighter themes into 8-bit goodness and caught the attention of Capcom.  This led to an official publication of the game with Capcom backing up the developer in pushing out the game to the masses.  For us Mega Man fans and gamers, we get a free download of the completed game as a celebration of 25 years of the blue bomber.  From what I heard, there isn't a save function, so be sure to free up some time before attempting to take on this game.  Happy 25th year anniversary Mega Man, we hope to still see great games come out in your name.

GameLight Review - Awesomenauts

Official Site: http://www.awesomenauts.com/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/204300/ Source: Youtube Channel MachinimaTrailer

Developer: Ronimo Games
Publisher: Ronimo Games
Platforms: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, [PC]
Release Date: Apr 10, 2012
Genre: 2D-Action Tower Defense (Action, Platformer, Strategy, RPG)

Pros:
+ Cute and charming characters in a cartoon-ish world
+ Fairly easy to learn how to play compared to most MOBA-like games
+ Fast-paced and lots of action going on right from the start
+ Player drop-in/drop-out makes it easier to find a game to play
+ Continually unlock more characters, features, and items, even if you lose
+ New characters being added without having to pay more for them
+ Can play 3-player co-op locally and host private games up to 6 players online
+ Controller compatibility as well as keyboard/mouse combo controls

Cons:
- Limited customization in character builds
- Online community is fairly weak with very few players playing online (PC)
- Even with 3 distinct maps, they can wear out in interest very quickly
- Other than practice mode, there isn't much for solo play when no one's online

Recommended: Yes, if you can get 3-6 friends together, this game can be very fun

If we were to mix a 2D Multi-player shooter like "Soldat" with popular Warcraft 3 Mod "Defense of the Ancients" (DotA), masking it with our favorite 80's cartoons, we'd end up with something like Awesomenauts.  Players choose from a variety of characters in a 3 versus 3 battle royale to push their robot army into the enemies towers, base, and eventually destroy the drill.  Throughout the battle, players will gather "solar" from enemy droids, enemy players, and scattered around the field which will allow the player to buy more items to become more powerful.  Unlike most MOBA-like games, a character's strength and abilities come from purchasing them at the store rather than gaining experience points.  The game was really easy to learn and very enjoyable once the mechanics of the game was grasped.  It did bother me a little that the amount of customization to item builds were so limited.  This doesn't allow for much variation.  Still, for a regular price of $9.99 provides a decent amount of game play time.

Aesthetics
Art Style: 80's Cartoon style
+ Distinct and charming characters
+ A really "awesome" opening
+ Maps are colorful and easy on the eyes
+ Objects are easy to distinguish
+ User-interface is shiny and clean/organized
+ Each character has their own theme song and killing spree verison
+ Voice acting is great and embodies the characters

- Frame-rate drops drastically and erratically during split-screen multiplayer
- Lag issues from one side can be seen by others and affects hit-boxes
- Songs can be annoying and repetitive at times
Aesthetics: 9/10

Buttons
Controller: Any gamepad with directional keys and 4 buttons; keyboard/mouse
+ Compatible with a lot of different gamepads for PC
+ Keyboard and mouse provides the best controls for multi-directional aiming
+ Controls are easy to grasp and feels great in game
+ User-interface for the shop is easy to navigate and figure out
Buttons: 9/10

Concept & Content
Core Concept: Push droids into enemy base while getting more powerful
+ Smart approach for a 2D-Platformer MOBA with simplified game mechanics
+ The whole 80's theme is realized with the theme songs, graphics, and characters
+ Story is simple, but gets its point across on why these characters fight each other
+ 3 distinct levels thus far, each with their unique gimmick
+ Characters are gradually being added to the game for free
+ All extra paid content is solely aesthetics: alternate character outfits
+ Being able to bring certain items vary the playstyle of the player each time

- Item build variety is very limited
- The maps and gameplay can grow weary on a player after a while
- Some characters feel overpowered while others feel very useless
- Can't browse through available games, all match-made
Concept and Content: 8/10

Duration
+ Matches generally don't last that long, so lots of matches can be played
+ The level/unlocks system is a good incentive to keep playing
+ The game's a lot of fun, and time will burn through quite quickly
+ New characters come out slowly, but players will revisit the game for each one
+ It takes around 5 hours to unlock all the characters, so there's no grind for them

- The novelty of the game can wear out rather quickly, best to take breaks from it
- Can be hard to continue playing if no one's online or friends aren't on
Duration: 8/10

Fun
+ The title opening is what really got me, reminds me of Battlefield Heroes teaser
+ I really liked the idea of each character getting their own killing spree song
+ All the characters are lovable, especially Clunk, I love to hate him so much...
+ Battles are really exciting and fairly constant in action, less passive action
+ I like Leon and Raelynn the most, they're challenging to play but so satisfying
+ A few of my friends got the game as well and made it extra fun to play

- Not having that many people online makes it hard to enjoy playing multiplayer
- The game can get boring playing long durations in a short amount of time
Fun: 9/10

Overall
Awesomenauts is a solid multiplayer game.  I can't see it being a highly competitive e-sport tournament game, but it can provide a decent amount of entertainment for casual players among friends.  With the ability to play 3-player local, 6-player online, and against bots, the game can be a really fun distraction from other games or one that can be played during short breaks in the day.  It's not too complicated, so it's easy to jump in and out whenever one feels like playing it.  I'm not too certain with PS3 and Xbox 360, but PC players should try to grab a few friends who they know they can join playing together or against each other as the Online community is scarce.  Also for PC players, Steam occasionally has some good discounts for the game so be sure to look out for the game as cheap as $2.49-$4.99 from its usual $9.99.  Overall: 8.6/10

GameLight Review - Shinobi (3DS)

Official Site: http://www.sega.com/games/shinobi/
Source: Youtube Channel IGNentertainment

Developer: Griptonite Games
Publisher: Sega
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS
Release Date: November 15, 2011
Genre: Side-Scroll Action Platformer

Pros:
+ Fast-paced Arcade action of the classic 2D Shinobi series
+ Great combat mechanics with very challenging gameplay
+ Even the easiest difficulty level will provide a decent challenge
+ It's possible to record an entire level to show off speed runs
+ Exciting boss battles that reminiscence gameplay from the retro days

Cons:
- A fairly short game of ~5 hours
- You will die a lot
- The game can be unforgiving with all sorts of enemies, traps, and pitfalls
- Some parts require a leap of faith or making mistakes to learn from them
- That last stretch can be quite a chore

Recommended: Yes, if found for less than $15 and is a classic Action game fan

Shinobi for the Nintendo 3DS revisits its classic 2D gameplay of the retro days.  As with most Ninja-themed games, the story begins with the village under siege and the main protagonists goes out to fight this mysterious enemy.  Much like the classic Shinobi games, the player keeps moving to the right unless stated otherwise to reach the next level.  Between the start and end of the level are bottomless pits, hazardous traps, and dangerous enemies.  The player, taking the role of Jiro Musashi, will cut, execute, jump, and grapple their way through monsters, ninjas, and formidable bosses.  Unlike Shinobi Legions where the player can deflect projectiles with a sword swing, Jiro Musashi is able to parry many different attacks including machine gun fire.  The flow of combat by utilizing shurikens, sword slash combos, and parries make for a satisfying adventure throughout the game.  The game was extremely difficulty, but the easiest difficulty allowed a infinite number of lives and continues so that the player can get through the game at least once and know all the placements of traps and enemies before attempting a harder difficulty.  It doesn't exactly capture the charm and memorable aspects of its predecessors such as The Revenge of Shinobi, but has possibly the slickest and most satisfying combat system out of all the 2D Shinobi series.

Aesthetics
Art Style: 2.5D Cel-Shaded
+ The animations between attacks, special abilities, and movement are really fluid
+ The 3D effects add a nice sense of depth to the environment
+ Cut-scenes are short, but tells the story pretty well without words
+ Sound effects played a big part in making combat satisfying
+ Music was really exciting
+ Level designs and their environment were varied and enjoyable

- Some platforms were hard to spot and hazards were out of screen
- Some effects were to have an oil paint look but turned out flat and unrefined
- Music was great, but not particularly memorable
Aesthetics: 8/10

Buttons
Controller: Mostly all the 3DS keys with the touch screen utilizing the ninjitsu choice and for some mini-games
+ Classic run, jump, attack controls is nostalgic and feels great
+ The sword combo system makes for a really fun and satisfying combat
+ Attacks and actions are very reactive and precise
+ Key layout feels natural but can still be changed for player's preference
+ The new parry system provides a very wide range of approach in combat

- It can be difficult to memorize all the possible combos
Buttons: 9/10

Concept & Content
Core Concept: Side-Scroll Action-Platformer, get to the exit by going right unless stated otherwise while fighting off enemies and dodging hazards along the way
+ Level design rarely keeps the player from going just to the right
+ Enemies and bosses are challenging and a lot of fun to fight
+ Platforming can be difficult, but is rewarding as the player gets better
+ The combo system matched with the parry mechanic creates the best combat system in the 2D Shinobi series thus far
+ Shinobi would be an infuriating game were it not for the easiest difficulty (infinite lives and continues)
+ Players can trade special additional missions through streetpass
+ If the player gets certain achievements, specials are unlocked for freeplay

- Some parts of the game can be ambiguous of where to go and how to reach there
- There are checkpoints that are much too far apart, even for the easiest difficulty
- The difficulty of the game can be a turn off for a lot of players
- Chase scenes (Horse back, on top of trucks, on a jet) are strictly scripted and can be difficult to see in 3D when the camera angle changes around.
-There are certain parts in the game where the player will die a lot the first playthrough as some unexpected events will happen (learning through mistakes)
Concept and Content: 7/10


Duration
Completed Time: ~5 Hours
+ Great flow of action, platforming, and very light puzzles
+ Though not long, the time spent playing the game was enjoyable
+ The additional items and specials (auto parry) make for a fun replay
+ Freeplay is great for speed runners and high-score hunters
+ Higher difficulty levels are available for the most hardcore players which extend the replay value (much like classic retro games)

- 5 hours of gameplay for $20+ will upset some players
- Freeplay with the special abilities is more of a novelty than additional content
- Dying a lot will bring a halt to the pacing of the game if the player can't get past a certain point in a level
Duration: 7/10


Fun
+ First things to capture my attention was the 3D effects, combo system, and parry
+ The combo system and parry mechanic really rewarded the player for being creative with combining attacks and timing everything
+ As annoying as chase scenes were, they were pretty exciting
+ The difficulty did frustrate me at times, but I was generally rewarded with satisfaction at the end of each level
+ Boss fights can be really difficult, but they were really satisfying
+ The ending wasn't incredible, but finishing the game was gratifying
+ I think it'll be worth keeping the game to revisit freeplay mode with cheats or mission mode if not to replay the game over again

- It was annoying when check points brought the player back really far when dying
- All the little surprises of pitfalls, spikes, and enemies at the end of a drop were really frustrating and became more frequent near the end
- Sometimes, there are so many things flying towards the player that it feels impossible to counter, parry or dodge
- I'd probably be willing to play the game again, but I still wouldn't play anything beyond the easiest level just because of the many surprises that insta-kills me
Fun: 8/10

Overall
Shinobi definitely feels like an homage to the classics in the series with a more modern feel with its 3D effects and dynamic combat system.  The controls are tight, the gameplay is challenging, but the game is sadly not as enchanting or memorable as the originals.  Still, this iteration possesses possibly the best combat system out of all the 2D Shinobi games and is certainly geared towards gamers who want a challenge and to hardcore gamers who can show off their skills by reaching the highest scores with the fastest completion times.  I can't say the game is for everyone, but those who know they enjoy a bit of difficulty in their Action-Platformers will be able to enjoy the game. Overall: 7.8/10

GameLight - Eryi's Action

Nyu Media News

Source: Youtube Channel NyuMedia

Nyu Media has successfully brought Satazius and the eXceed collection to Steam and so my friend and I and possibly many others eagerly await the release of Cherry Tree High Comedy Club to Steam.  Sadly, it hasn't happened yet and Ether Vapor Remaster seemed to be in line for a steam launch.  Now Ether Vapor Remaster has been delayed while another game Nyu Media has translated and brought over to us has been reveals.

Welcome to Eryi's Action, a game much like the infamous "I Wanna Be The Guy!"  It is an Action platformer where learning through your mistakes is the only way to get through the ordeals.  Traps are hidden throughout the levels, unexpected events happens without notice, and shenanigans will ensue.  At first glance, the game looked really dopey, but those challenges and spontaneous moments has caught my attention and so I fear I may end up buying the game and putting myself through a painful experience of yelling and anger-induced punches to a baby's face.  Eryi's Action is not out yet, but is on Steam's newly launched Greenlight system where players can choose which upcoming indie game to bring forth to the Steam platform.

GameLight - Ys Origins

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/207350/
Source: Youtube Channel RPGamerdotcom

I heard rumors about Ys Origins being localized, but I didn't think it'd release so quickly out of nowhere.  I've been wanting to play this game for over 5 years now as it was only a Japanese release exclusive and so I couldn't get it.  Ys Origin is a classic-style Action-RPG with Pseudo-3D graphics in a very fast-paced game environment (adventure and platforming).  The Ys series has existed since 1987 and has since had 9 installments but has always been under the radar and satisfied niche players or fans of the series.  The series can almost be seen as a hack-n-slash the way the combat works.  Combat is fast-paced and movement can be a bit too fast for first time players, but it's a welcome mechanic to have the flow of the game push forward at high speed rather than crawl along.  I'm not exactly sure if there has been any additional content added to the international release of Ys Origin, but there seems to be quite a bit the player could do.  There are 3 playable characters with additional ones in other modes, 5 difficulty levels (the game can be quite challenging), Time Attack mode, Boss Rush mode, and an Arena mode for the most replay value it can offer.  The game has been adjusted to support true wide-screen and high-resolution (remember that the game released back in 2006 and may not have supported those things) and it supports various gamepads.  It's only a shame that I have so many games backlogged now compared to 5 years ago when I barely had any as I'll be now waiting a bit longer before playing this game.  Ys Origins is now available on Steam for $19.99.

GameLight - Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2

Official Page: http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com/us/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/203650/
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica

I'm just patiently waiting for my copy of Diablo 3 to come in the mail right now as I read the many rage reviews of players not being able to log in last night at launch as millions of accounts impact the servers at Blizzard.  This just made the requirement of constant internet connection for even single-player that much worse for those who just want to play the game.  I just hope I can log on by the time I get my game and have it installed.  So far, no critic reviews have been made which makes me glad that they're actually taking the time to go through it before spouting their opinions about it before having a grasp on the whole package like many users are doing at the moment (568 user ratings on MetaCritic and rising with an average of 3.9/10 score).

In any case, look what else released on May 15th, 2012!  Although gamers aren't foaming at the mouth with anticipation for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2, fans of the series are happy to see this release and change to the mechanics from Episode 1's clunky flow of game play and controls.  In Episode 2, Miles Prower aka Tails makes a spectacular return with new moves to help Sonic get through all the crazy new obstacles in this new installment in the series.  With the new tag-team abilities implemented in the game, a player can't take the role of Sonic or Tails solo and must be played together with either an AI-controlled Tails or with a 2nd player local/online.  I'm wondering how well online co-op will work as I'd really love to have a online co-op game to play.  The levels within Episode 2 make references to Sonic the Hedgehog 1-3 with the oil slick level, a carnival level, and the air fortress level.  As a bonus, if a player owns both Sonic 4 Episode 1 & 2, they'll unlock a secret Episode in the role of Metal Sonic.  The player will get to play as Sonic's nemesis through 4 levels that reveals his revival from Sonic CD.  Although I'm reluctant to buy any games right now, I suspect that by Summer or Winter of this year I'll be buying every Sonic game there is on Steam.  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 is now available on PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, and Android but not the Nintendo Wii.

Retroview – Ninja Gaiden 3 (NES)

Source: Youtube Channel skrizhali

Ninja Gaiden has always been one of my favorite games series from the NES days, despite how incredibly difficult they were and having only beat each one 1-2 times all the way through.  I can’t really say “series” I suppose since I only owned the first and second when I was younger (as all the games I played were the ones my father played) and never played the 3rd one.  I wondered for the longest time why my father never got the 3rd one if he liked the first two in the series.  Fast forward to when I was in college, I came across the series once again during the time and found out that the 3rd iteration in the series had a very diabolical change in its continue system.  In the first two Ninja Gaiden games, a player could restart at the last main checkpoint as many times as they wanted.  In other words, there was an infinite amount of continues.  Games back in the 8-bit days weren’t particularly long and so a lot of them were designed to be very difficult but possible to beat as they all followed a pattern.  So a player would die over and over but would, or at least should, learn from their mistakes and try another method through the section they had trouble with.  This would increase the gameplay time by a significant amount depending on how quickly the player learned all the patterns and tricks.  So what happened in #3?  After continuing about 3 times (I'm not sure anymore), the player faces a true game over and has to start from the very beginning of the game once again.  You know how ludicrous that is?

Anyways, I finally found it in me to sit down and play the game just 2 weekends ago.  The first few things I noticed different about the 3rd one was there was a voice over when Ryu Hayabusa does any actions, there were new sub-weapons, and the player can jump up over the ledge of the wall they’re on (which is a big deal).  As I played, all the same aspects of the past Ninja Gaiden games came rushing back: fast-paced action and platforming, catchy tunes, beautifully detailed graphics, fluid gameplay, challenging passages, and the classic cut-scenes that adds to the story.  I was really enjoying the game when I wasn’t stunned right into a bottomless pit or getting ravaged by 3-5 flying enemies on the screen.  I have to admit that the boss battles were significantly easier compared to the first two other than the very last boss.  I also found a significant problem in the last level that I couldn’t believe the developers overlooked.  The last chapter is one huge level that spans 3-5 sections (I don’t even remember anymore since it was so difficult) and I didn’t hesitate to keep moving forward (meaning I didn’t wait around).  At one point, I ran out of time.  Either you have to move lightning speed or that has to be one of the biggest shenanigans I’ve run into in the Ninja Gaiden series because there was still a LOT more after where I had died.  The check point I got sent back into was quite far and is actually the last check point you’ll get in the game.  If you die at the final boss, you get sent back to that check point just like in the first game.  The final boss wasn’t exactly difficult, just irritating.  But it was easy when I found out what the pattern was.  Then he reveals his “true” form where he doesn’t move but has a lot of projectiles.  Again it was annoying but the pattern was actually pretty easy and I won after figuring it out.  Then there’s a “final” form which takes up half of the screen.  In the “final” form, the boss has a shield that you have to get through.  Between that last check point and the final boss’s room, there was one health recovery.  Between the 3 forms, the player doesn’t regenerate or recover any health at all.  Getting sent back to that last checkpoint wasn’t fun at all.  Still, I completed the game and got the typical ending that I wasn’t surprised about at all.  I think the 3rd iteration had much simpler boss battles and so they weren’t very memorable.  But with having a limited amount of continues, I’m glad it wasn’t “that” difficult or it would have been impossible beating the game.  The new Ninja Gaiden 3 for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 released today.  I won’t wait 21 years later to play that one, but I have yet to even finish the new Ninja Gaiden 1 Sigma yet.  Ninja Gaiden 3: The Ancient Ship of Doom was fun and all, but I may or may not revisit the game again.

The game took me approximately 3 hours to finish.

Retroview - Demon's Crest

Source: Youtube Channel LordTyphoon

 I remember being scared of this game when I was a kid, and for good reasons.  Look at those deep, rich and eerie backdrops drawn by the artists.  There is so much detail and mystery within the environment.  And just listen to that music:

Source: Youtube Channel 61u

It’s a simple melody, but is also entrancing and haunting.  The subtle nature of the music is truly atmospheric, completing the aesthetics of the game's world and environment.  You know why the music is so good?  Because it's by Toshihiko Horiyama, the same composer who has created incredible tracks for games like Megaman X1, X3, X4, Megaman 7, Megaman & Bass, Onimusha 2, and Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney.

 Demon's Crest is a far cry from its predecessors.  No longer will Firebrand be walking through boring towns with empty houses or running into random battles in a large empty map that's linear anyways.  No longer will Firebrand be subjected to flying for only 2 seconds or running errands having to go back and forth.  He will; however, still be slower than his enemies and have an ambiguous hit-box around spikes.  As you can see from the video above, Demon's Crest start off with a boss battle right from the get go and goes about his usual platforming.  After completing the first level, the player is presented with a world map.  BUT, you fly around instead of walking around AND the map is non-linear.  This means that the player can complete the levels in any order they wish rather than being subjected to a single path.  The way the map is presented reminds of Actraiser where the player hovers above and chooses a level to go into with a similar side-scroll platforming gameplay.  The archaic vial and lives system has been taken out entirely and the player can continue as many times as they want.  This, by no means, makes it any easier.  The level designs are challenging, but fair (much more fair compared to the first two games).  The bosses have diabolical movement patterns that's a lot harder to predict and can inflict quite a bit of damage if the player doesn't have certain items yet.  After about 2-3 hours of playing, I finished the game.  I was surprised to have reached the ending when I only had 20% of my items.  I realized that I had the most basic ending and that there was still about 60-70% of the game that I haven't played yet.  Many levels can be revisited several times over as multiple paths branch out into different areas.  Demon's Crest has a lot more abilities than the first two and requires a lot of switching between forms and abilities to get through some areas.  This was extremely bothersome in the first two Gargoyle's Quest and even more so this one as the pause screen would be an entirely different screen rather than a small sub menu on the bottom.  There are 5 abilities and 5 forms to choose from, and having to constantly “pause” the game to switch between them really broke the flow of the game.  Using the R and L shoulder keys would have been a great solution to switch between the abilities via a wheel selector or at the very least kind of like what Secret of Mana did for a menu.  Still, the transition between Gargoyle's Quest 2 and Demon's Crest is so significant that it's like a game of its own.  There's a lot of thought put into concept, level design, the aesthetics, and even the story is vastly different from the first two.  Demon's Crest is undoubtedly the best in the Gargoyle's series and is sadly underrated and forgotten by many SNES players.  After playing these three games, I find Firebrand to be a very enjoyable character to play in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.  I would recommend playing Demon's Crest out of the three.

Retroview - Gargoyle's Quest 2

Source: Youtube Channel nesguide

 So the day after I finished Gargoyle's Quest 1, I decided to play the 2nd one.  To be honest, I didn't know there was a second one.  I always thought Demon's Crest was the only sequel Gargoyle's Quest ever had.  Gargoyle's Quest 2 was developed on the NES and released two years after the first one.  To get straight to the point, I didn't like the sequel as much as the first one.  GQ2 had many similarities to the first one in gameplay, concept, and premise (story); however, the changes and "lack" of changes to problems from the first one made it less entertaining and more frustrating.  Instead of starting the combat immediately, the main protagonist Firebrand starts off in a town getting ready to be initiated as a warrior.  From there, problems already arise.  There are a lot of empty houses in the town and NPCs that block your path with their "randomly generated move sets."  Thankfully, two things also have been fixed and improved.  The text doesn’t move in an odd staccato of a pacing like the first one did and everyone speaks at a normal pace.  Also, Firebrand walks faster during the overhead view which is good for this game as I'll explain later.  I have to correct something I said about Gargoyle's Quest 1 on yesterday's post: after you lose all your lives, you just start from the level you had died on rather than the whole game over.  It's the same for GQ2 as well.  I guess I was complaining about that tid bid before since it felt like starting the whole game over when I was playing the first one as a kid (I never actually lost all my lives when playing GQ1 and 2 this past weekend, so I didn't know until I checked just now).  Now onto the actual game:

 The gameplay is essentially the same with platforming, flying, and shooting at enemies.  One surprising element they took out in GQ2 is the random enemy encounters in the open world map.  Instead, players choose to fight an enemy or not to receive vials to exchange for "lives."  If they were going to do that from the beginning, they should have made the world map smaller.  The world map is like a lot of the towns: empty and boring.  You'll walk around a lot with very little to do or fight.  This is why it’s good that Firebrand can walk faster now, because there’s really nothing to do on the world map.  What made walking around the world map in GQ1 scary is that you never know when you'll suddenly encounter a formidable foe that's going to eventually use up all your lives.  It had a "tension enticing" or "fear" factor into the world map.  But in GQ2, the world map was just there for the player to explore (sort of) and get from one place to another.  It was boring.  Level designs still had the same problem from the first ones in that you can really see what's up ahead or down below unless you dive right in; this sometimes results in death.  I suppose this is why the player can accumulate up to 9 lives, so that they can continually make mistakes and learn from them.  There are still problems with graphics lag and hit-box obscurities.  It's consistent throughout the series (all 3 games) that the graphics will slow down at some point, hit-boxes aren't very clear (especially with spikes), and that enemies will always be faster than the player's character.  There are multiple situations where a player can react fast enough to an enemy attack, but the character is simply not fast enough to perform that reaction.  The game, boss battles especially, require a lot of foresight and fooling the enemy into moving or attacking a certain way in order to beat them because Firebrand is sadly a slowpoke.  I find this ironic seeing how he's one of the fastest characters in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3.  So the rest of the game is very similar: walk back and forth through a lot of empty maps and towns, collect items, fight through enemies and bosses to get to progress, and stop the destruction of the demon realm.  The abilities, enemies, level designs are all very similar to GQ1 from the gameboy.  I would say that GQ2 is more of a remake than a sequel to GQ1 (somethings better, others not).  The one new ability introduced is the tornado.  It allows Firebrand to spit a temporary platform to reach higher places.  One of the new level designs that weren’t in the first one is the Mirror level.  There are tons of mirrors everywhere and the player has to find the right ones to get to the main boss.  It doesn't hint at which ones are the right one, the player just has to experiment and see which one brings them forward and which ones just take them back to an earlier part of the level.  Some bosses seemed a bit difficult at first, but they were a push-over after figuring out their patterns compared to the bosses in GQ1.  Even the last boss was laughable after figuring out how his projectiles move.  After about 3-4 hours, I completed the game (it might have been less; I didn't keep an eye on the time attentively).  I was disappointed with the 2nd one.  The game was challenging at some points, but it wasn't as fun.  The music wasn't as memorable or appropriate.  In fact, some of the music I found to be really cheesy for the game.  I felt as if GQ2 was a cheap rehash of GQ1 and didn't have as much thought put into the development as much as GQ1 did.  Still, I'm glad I got through the game and knew that it at least existed.  It had a lot of great ideas, but executed poorly and made it boring.  GQ2 was definitely the weakest out of the Gargoyle's Quest series.

Retroview - Gargoyle's Quest

Source: Youtube Channel Sele1908

I remember playing Gargoyle's Quest on my cousin's Classic Gameboy and failing to get past even the first level.  Being the retro game that it is, the difficulty of the game was quite high as to challenge the player and having them fail time after time until they were good enough to overcome those obstacles.  Retro games were like that because they didn't have a lot of memory space to fit in a whole lot (not to mention development teams were really small).  So a lot of retro games were intentionally difficult and have certain game designs to make it last longer than it actually is for gameplay time.  With the addition of Firebrand in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I was reminded of the game (as well as Demon's Crest which is essentially Gargoyle's Quest 3) and decided to play it once again and try to complete it.  I took the time over the weekend to play through Gargoyle's Quest 1 (and had enough time to complete even GQ 2) to see if I can overcome the struggles I had with the game.

Sure enough, I was still having difficulties with the first level as there are always enemies and traps beyond the screen that the player just has to know or be extremely cautious of to avoid.  The player also starts off with only two drops of health, so it's really easy to die and having to start over.  Well, what's different now than when I played back then is that I'm a lot more patient and I'm able to learn from mistakes a lot faster (or at least I hope so).  I finally got past the first level and "BAM", it presents itself looking like an RPG.  When you walk around the world map, you'll go into random encounters like in Pokémon, Final Fantasy, or Dragon Quest, but the player will fight enemies in a small platform area and finishes when all enemies are defeated.  This mix of RPG and Action platforming reminded me of The Legend of Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link.

So after about 2-3 hours of playing, I completed the game feeling satisfied that I was able to finish a game that I couldn't even get past the first level to when I was a kid.  Here are some of the things I noticed while playing:

Pros:
-The ability to fly presented an entirely new factor to the platforming
-The light RPG elements mixed the gameplay around and made it more than just a run 'n gun platformer
-Each level, concept, and ability was designed to compliment each other and had a purpose
-Gargoyle's Quest is hard, but it's fair (for the most part)
-It was fairly easy to figure out what to do next
-The music is atmospheric and memorable

Cons:
-A lot of problems with hit-boxes, you'd get hit by things that barely skim past your character's head or toe
-Some levels are unforgiving and losing all your lives means starting the whole game over
-Towns are boring with empty buildings and non-informative NPCs (mostly)
-The pacing of each dialogue drove me nuts, just watch 0:40-0:57, everyone talks like this
-There is a LOT of running back and forth.  You will revisit some areas two to three times
-Hated how the player couldn't hit anything outside the screen, which means having to get closer to danger

For the most part, I enjoyed playing the game.  The ability to fly along with the jumping was quite different and fun to do.  It's probably not a game I'd revisit soon again, but at least it was fun for that one playthrough.

Retroview - Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Official Site: http://www.sega.com/games/sonic-cd-2011/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/200940/

Source: Youtube Channel rogueyoshi

Sonic CD was re-released today on Steam as well as other major systems (PC, PS3-PSN, Xbox 360-XBLA, iPod touch, iPhone, mobile android, iPad).  When I saw it on the steam page, I was thinking "hey, I remember that game!  I feel like playing it again."  Well I can't find it and it's somewhere in my room, haha.  Sonic CD was a unique game compared to the other Sonic games being developed.

"Following the release of Sonic the Hedgehog, Lead Programmer Yuji Naka had grown dissatisfied with the rigid corporate policies at Sega and moved to the United States to work with the Sega Technical Institute, along with several members of Sonic Team, to develop Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Meanwhile in Japan, a separate development team headed by Sonic creator Naoto Ohshima handled development on Sonic CD. This game and Sonic 2 were initially intended to be one and the same, but during development, Sonic CD evolved into a vastly different type of game." -Wikipedia

Sonic CD is seemingly longer and more difficult than the first Sonic that was released.  It was initially released for Sega Mega CD in 1993, and later on Windows 9x's series in 1996.  Since a CD was able to hold more data, the animations, graphics, and music was more advanced.  It was the first Sonic game to include animated cinematics.  Most people probably haven't heard of Sonic CD as the most popular Sonic games came from the Sega Genesis.  Sonic CD is like the "Rondo of Blood" of its series, albeit the fact that it was actually released in the Western market when "Rondo of Blood" wasn't brought over until much later.  It was released on a console that didn't take off and was thus neglected by the mass market as well.  This re-release doesn't seem to have anything new other than the fact that you can play as Tails as well now.  They might have taken out some of the those glitches you can see from the Tool-Assisted Speedrun (TAS) video above.  Sonic CD still had that fluid platforming mechanic that made Sonic feel really fast and exciting.  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode 1 was also released on Steam today with a reduced price from its console counter-parts.  Sonic 4 seems to have lost that ability to convey fast and fluid gameplay with its clunky controls and floppy running animation.  As many Sonic fans or even general gamers might know, the Sonic series has had a very difficult time keeping up in the market and satisfying its fan base ever since it left the console wars (and to some, ever since it left the Sega Genesis).  I suppose Sega's decision to bring back the classics, both "figuratively" (same mechanics as its retro counter-parts in Sonic 4 and Sonic Generations) and "literally" (Sonic CD, Sonic 1-3, Sonic 3D Blast, etc.), is a way to remind their fans why they loved Sonic in the first place (and to make money for course).  I loved Sonic and I still do.  Something about its colorful environments, fast-paced action gameplay, and unique characters has me consistently interested in the series, despite not having played a lot of the 3D ones (ever since the Genesis days, I've played a little bit of Adventure, Heroes, and then played mostly the handheld ones such as Sonic Battle and Sonic Rush).  Since I can't find Sonic CD, I'm thinking of getting it off Steam as it's selling initially for $4.99.  During a sale, it might go down to $2.49.  Also, Steam players who also play Spiral Knights (a free-to-play Action Online RPG published by Sega) will also get a Sonic and Tails Chassis to wear in the game.  If you have never played a Sonic game before, go onto Steam, Playstation Network, or Xbox Live Arcade and grab a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog 1, 2 or 3.  You'll be able to experience a videogame in its purest form of entertainment: Simple to learn, challenging levels, catchy music, bright and vivid graphics, and being able to have fun!

Seriously though, even with all the poorly received games in the past 1.5 decade, I want to eventually one day buy every Sonic game I haven't played yet and go through them.  I just can't bring myself to pay money on the ones that are considered "bad" since they're still $20-$40.  I'll make Sonic Generations an exception since that looks really fun.

GameLight - Rokko Chan

Official Site: http://king-soukutu.com/flash/rokko.html

Source: Youtube Channel Coffeemancer

Happy 2012 New Year!  Sometime last month, a Japanese indie developer shared with the world Rokko Chan: A Mega Man game in the form of a female.  The game is very true to the Megaman world with the concept, level designs, art style, 8-bit catchy tunes, and challenging gameplay.  It's played in Flash in your browser using the arrow keys, ZXC keys, shift, ctrl, and spacebar to jump, shoot, dash, switch weapons and bring up the menu.  For those who have not played any Megaman games at all, it is essentially an action platformer where you go through various levels to fight off the boss at the end of the stage.  The player then acquires abilities from each defeated boss to fight the main boss in the game.  Rokko Chan is every bit as challenging as Megaman and could've probably been a smash hit back in the NES days.  The video above shows Owata Mode which is practically playing on Contra difficulty = You get hit you die right away.  You don't get that mode until you complete the game though.

GameLight Review - Cave Story+

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/200900/

Source: Youtube Channel marcosoutsider

Developer: Nicalis, Studio Pixel
Publisher: Nicalis
Platforms: PC
Release Date: November 22, 2011
Genre: Action-Adventure Platformer

Pros:
-They didn't simply just change the graphics and audio, the original graphics and audio can be still used
-The game is still really fun even though I've played it before
-Additional content such as new modes, levels, weapons, and boss fights
-More content on its way in the future (better not be DLC we have to pay for)

Cons:
-The "improved HD" graphics and "Remastered" music seems to take away from the original game
-...I've got nothin' else

NOTE: Please disregard what I say about "Remastered" music as it seems to be newly added just about 1-2 days ago.  There's 3 versions now: Original, New, and Remastered.  When I say "Remastered" music in the review, I meant to say the "New" version.  The "Remastered" version is actually kind of interesting.

I finished playing Cave Story 3 years ago and first heard about it in a Nintendo Magazine that it was going to be "recreated" on the Wii and that the original was distributed as a freeware and that fans have translated to English.  After experiencing the masterpiece that was "Cave Story", I have come to know the name Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya and have a lot of respect for his work.  It took him 5 years of his free time to create Cave Story and in the past 3 years it has been ported and recreated on Wii, DSi Ware, 3DS, and supposedly the PSP.  With Cave Story+ released on PC for $10, it makes you wonder whether it's worth it to make the purchase when the original is still free.  I got it with the Humble Indie Bundle 4 and so I didn't think too much about the price.  Although the "new" graphics and audio might sound like the highlight of the remake, it's not.  The "new" graphics take away the charm of the retro look while the "remastered" music seems to deviate from the atmosphere that the original chiptune captured so well.  The good thing is that you can choose to play with the original graphics and/or audio and mix and match them.  The real treat is that there's new modes, new levels, 4 additional weapons from the original 6 (10 in total), and new content that will be updated to the game in the future.  So is it worth getting?  It's Cave Story!  Of course you should get it, especially if you haven't played it yet.  And if you really can't hock that $10 out, go get the original and play it because it's really that good!

Aesthetics
The most notable difference in Cave Story+ to all fans is the new graphics and remaster music.  The graphics and audio can be interchanged between the new and the original at anytime in the game from the main menu.  I would recommend playing with the original content first and then play it a 2nd time with the new graphics if one has not played Cave Story yet.  The new graphics are alright for the most part, but I have a problem with Quote's (the main character) face.  It's dopey looking with the nose, mouth and hair.  It's a very small factor in the change in graphics, but it's also the one thing you'll see most often and it bugs me.  Everything else is alright.  The music bothers me a lot though.  What was so incredible about the experience in playing the original was how well the music complimented the gameplay and the mood.  The music would be solemn in the dark areas, upbeat when it's exciting, and easy-going when you're in a safe area.  But the "remastered" version of the music were all "remixed" to sound different and suddenly the solemn areas were jumpy, easy-going areas were upbeat, but at least the upbeat is still upbeat.  The original compositions were intentionally played in a chiptune style to have that nostalgic feeling of retro games, but it also matched the situations really well.  The new music seems to play in the level just for the heck of background music.  There's no meaning to it because of it.  This is what I was afraid of when I heard about "recreations" of Cave Story (granted, I played the original game for the first time after hearing about a remake for the Wii).  But it's okay, because all the original graphics and audio is still an option so it doesn't force the new art style and music if the player doesn't want them.  Playing the game again with the original art and music still reminds me of what an incredible game Cave Story was and still is.  Aesthetics: 10/10

Buttons
Anyone growing up playing Action-Platformers and Adventure games such as Metroid or Megaman can agree how tight and well designed the controls for Cave Story are.  The controls are simple with mainly the "jump" and "attack" key being the most used (other than the movement keys) along with 4 other keys to switch weapons, look at the map, and open up the inventory menu.  The key bindings can be changed to any way the player desires and is also compatible with any USB controllers that's plugged in.  With the player in complete control of the character, there is little room for Shenanigans to happen such as delayed jumps or "realistic" stopping of movements.  The weapon switching is pretty much like Megaman games where the shoulder buttons can be used to switch weapons (A and S by default on keyboard) or bringing up the inventory menu to switch between them.  This way, the player can switch to weapons appropriate for the situation on the fly.  The core game revolves around great level designs which makes the most out of the two keys "jump and shoot" (sounds like Megaman and Metroid, right?).  No fumbling around the keys, no long tutorials to figure out how everything works, just plain easy to understand controls with immediate response time.  Nothing changed with the controls from the original and this new version (thankfully).  Buttons: 10/10

Concept & Content

The story for Cave Story was always a bit ambiguous, but it never goes into a long dialogue of what the place you're in is (gonna try not to spoil anything good) or who you are or reason with the player of what mimigas are.  The story is told little by little and the setting is easily created just by the level designs and their colorful backgrounds.  The levels are designed to challenge the player in combat, puzzle solving, and platforming with traps, enemies, items, platforms, etc.  Not a single level felt rushed or lacked creative thought.  Every level had some purpose or challenge for the player to overcome to progress the game.  There are new challenge modes, boss rush and others added to the game, so the player can get more out of Cave Story than the original with this remake.  Everything about Cave Story had careful thought into creating it.  The graphics were retro looking so it captured a nostalgic experience and also made creating art assets a bit more bearable for Amaya (he himself said he wasn't that great with art, kind of reminds me of ZUN).  To go along with the art style, the music was purposely done in a 8-bit style and was composed to have catchy melodies to have a memorable connection to events and parts of the game.  The concept of the run and gun mechanic was kept simple so as the levels became more creative, so did the player.  I do have to admit that some parts can be confusing with little to no help at all and some parts can be difficult (at first, you learn from mistakes just like in old retro games).  There are also some secrets in the game that can't be found unless you look it up online, already know about it, or playthrough the game multiple times and happen to find it.  The game has 4 endings, and so it encourages players to play the game more than once.  The core concept didn't change, and the additional content is a good add-on for the game.  I'm looking forward to some new content. Concept and Content: 9/10

Duration
Cave Story's puzzles did bug me a little in some parts of the game.  Objectives were never really clear, a lot of running around was involved (be you lost or not), and getting stuck on one of those puzzles can really break the flow of the game.  But for the most part, the game is pretty fast-paced and pushes the story along as long as the player was skillful enough to do so.  The game is surprisingly longer than I thought.  For one guy that created this game, it lasted quite a while for me.  But I never felt like it was dragged out too much.  The puzzles and difficulty boss battles is what probably made it seem longer than I thought, but there is seriously a decent amount of levels, bosses, enemies, weapons, everything that made it move along and not slow down (or at least it tries).  The replay value is really up to the player.  The game has 4 endings, a bunch of hidden secrets, and now it has extra modes.  When I finished the original 3 years ago, I felt content and didn't play it again; however, I left it on my hard drive just in case.  Sure enough, I started over this past summer with a new file and then saw the release of Cave Story+ on Steam just last month.  I couldn't help it and got it (luckily with the Humble Indie Bundle 4) and decided to give the new graphics and music a try.  As much as I don't like the new music (graphics is sorta okay, can't stand quote's face though), I am prepared to play through the game again and try a different ending.  As I've said before, the replay value really depends on the player.  Even though I've beaten Metroid before, I'd still play it again because I love the action, the music, and the nostalgia.  It is very much like that in the case of Cave Story for me.  Duration: 10/10

Fun
Starting up the game, I already had a groan-worthy reaction to the title screen music.  It's all bubbly and poppy, but then I went to the options menu and realize you can play with the original assets.  It's only been 3 years since I've played Cave Story, yet I still had a sense of nostalgia from playing the beginning cave.  The music threw me off a little, but the game was still really fun.  I think it might even be more fun playing it again since I'm already used to the controls and remember most of the puzzles.  Perhaps I should have chose a more difficult setting.  I forgot to mention that there's 3 difficulty levels now.  There's an easy mode which is easier than the original, then the normal mode which is essentially the original game's setting, and now there's a hard mode.  One of the new additions that I'm excited about is the new weapons.  The new modes have difficult level challenges, boss battles and such waiting to test the hardened players.  In the end, I think I really like Cave Story+.  The original game was already incredible and having extra content doesn't hurt (unless they constantly keep charging a lot, man I hate DLCs).  I'm also happy that I can contribute a little back to Daisuke Amaya, even if it's a small piece.  Cave Story+ is definitely worth the playthrough again if you've already played it before and should be necessary for any gamer who hasn't played it to get it now.  Fun: 10/10

Overall
It can be difficult to accept buying the game for $10 when you can still get the original since the remake is essentially extra content (DLC if you will) unless you really want the new graphics and audio (not sure why, but to each their own).  Steam often has sales to discount it (33% off right now during winter sales and is part of the "Super Indie Pack"; humble indie bundle 4 still has 5 days left) so you can get Cave Story+ as low as $5.  The game is easy to learn, filled with tons of memorable characters and events, is challenging and engrossing, and simply a masterpiece that shouldn't be missed by any gamer.  Overall: 9.8/10