GameLight - Wonder Flick

JP Site: http://www.wonderflick.jp/
Source: Youtube Channel Jeuxvideo24

From the makers of Professor Layton comes another game for mobile devices.  It seems Level-5 has really taken a liking to making games on mobile devices lately and their newest RPG is no exception.  More than that, their idea for this game is one that players can enjoy over many different platforms with the same progress intact.  So with this "Wonder Flick" game, you can play it on iOS, Android, Wii U, PS Vita, PS3, PS4, and Xbox One (or at least that's the plan) and the progress will be kept in the cloud/servers so that you can continue where you left off on any console.  As the name suggests, the player will be "Flicking" little coin icons to perform actions: Attack, using potions, defending, special attacks, etc.

What I'm more interested in is the soundtrack.  Did you happen to see whose name flashed in the trailer?  Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame had his name appear in the trailer with a music note which usually tells the viewer who is responsible for the music for that trailer.  Whether Uematsu will be responsible for all the music in the game is unclear at the moment, but it's something to look out for.  As for the game itself, it seems rather gimmicky and heavily focused on the mobile gaming audience.  But who knows, it might turn out to be really fun!  Where's the 3DS version?  I see this working better on 3DS than on PS Vita in terms of mechanics.  The game will be available in Japan on iOS and Android in November 2013 while PS3, PS Vita, PS4, Wii U, and Xbox One versions will be available sometime in 2014.  No Western release has been announced thus far.

Source:
-Kotaku - No, This Next-Gen RPG Isn't Called "Wonder F**k"

GameLight - Puyo Puyo Tetris

Source: Youtube Channel puyosega

Amitie is back with more Puyo Puyo going up against Tetris!  A Puyo Puyo crossover with Tetris isn't too surprising, but it's finally being made.  I've been a fan of both games for the longest time as most people have who play these puzzle games.  Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine and Kirby's Avalanche have been two games that didn't use the name "Puyo" in the title that I played with Puyo Pop Fever being one of my favorite iterations of the series.  For Tetris, I'd say Tetris DS by was the best version of Tetris I have played for the best controls, mechanics, color scheme, and variety in modes.  So how much will the game change with these two mega puzzle blockbusters put together?  It doesn't seem much as both games have had versus mode in their respective games which seems to be the base concept for this crossover.  It doesn't seem all that different or game changing.  Why not go all out and have a super puzzle crossover!  Have games like Columns, Puzzle Fighter, Puzzle League, and maybe even Puzzle Bobble (Bust-A-Move) be part of the action and have the player choose which game they want to play and challenge other puzzle players.  Make it even more outrageous with 8 players instead of just 2!  But in all seriousness, I hope there's more to the game than just straight up versus PuyoPuyo against Tetris.  The game releases next year on PS3, PS Vita, Wii U, and 3DS in Japan.  No mention of a Western release has been made.

Source:
-Joystiq - Puyo Puyo Tetris makes sense

NewNews - Indie Game Stand

Official Site: https://indiegamestand.com/store/

There are a lot of digitally distributed game sites out there, but a lot of them don't always reach their target audience.  I didn't know about GreenManGaming until one of my friends told me about it and how he got Borderlands 2 for $36 pre-order.  GoG is often mentioned on multiple gaming news media sites.  I found out about Desura from the Humble Indie Bundle.  Thanks to Joystiq, I now know of one other site that distributes indie games!  IndieGameStand has indie games that haven't reached other platforms such as Steam and Desura and are still in Beta or even Alpha stages so that fans of indie games can grab them.  Steam keys and Desura keys can be given if available and become available whenever they get officially on a platform.  The site also often gets sales and even has a Pay-what-you-want sales in 96 hour durations.  Even if you're one of those who wish to wait until the game is readily available on Steam and get it off there directly, you can skim through the site and see what indie games there are that need your support and upvote them on Steam Greenlight as the Steam Greenlight page itself can get quite messy and convoluted.  So if you like Indie games, lots of sales/discounts or want to find specific games to support on Steam Greenlight, IndieGameStand is a good site to visit.

Source:
-Joystiq - IndieGameStand launches developer-focused online store

GameLight - PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/236450/
Source: Youtube Channel Robert Cram

I'm so ready for some PAC-MAN!  PAC-MAN Championship Edition first released 6 years ago on Xbox Live Arcade and I was able to finally try it out 2 years ago when a demo released on PS3's PSN store.  The concept of the pellet gobbling PAC-MAN remains the same, but some rules have been changed a little.  The game will speed up, slow down, have more pellets appear, have a bunch of ghosts swamp you, and other crazy new mechanics that really change the pace of the classic arcade game.  As far as I know, the game is still only single-player, but  perhaps that might change as the "plus" version allows "players to challenge their friends".  The problem is, it might just mean allowing the player to beat their friend's score on a friend's list leaderboard.  A multiplayer version does exist in places like Dave & Busters (Arcades) as I have played it earlier this year with 3 other friends and it was a lot of fun.  I don't think it'll provide online multiplayer (listed as single-player only), but it should be a fun arcade experience.  I already pre-ordered it a month ago to get the 8 DLCs that come along with the pre-order.  I just have to wait 2 more days before I start munching pellets and ghosts.

"The update provided improved leaderboard functionality, the ability to challenge friends, and medal support. In addition to this, paid downloadable content was also released. It added four new courses (Big Eater, Championship III, Highway II, and Mountain), three new skins (based on Dig Dug, Rally-X and Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures) and two new background music tracks (Pac-Steps and Re-Entrance) to the game. This content was made available in the "All You Can Eat Add-on Pack" bundle." -Wikipedia

You can grab PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ on Steam for $9.99 or if you want to save a little you can grab it at GreenManGaming and use their 25% off coupon (GMG25-J4B0D-FLH8M) and get it for $7.49 with all the DLCs.  The game unlocks on September 25th at 12PM PST.

NewNews - Tokyo Game Show 2013 Highlights

Official Site: http://expo.nikkeibp.co.jp/tgs/2013/en/
GameTrailers: http://www.gametrailers.com/tgs

Today's the last day for the Business side of the show while there are two more days over the weekend for public viewing for this year's Tokyo Game Show left.  There hasn't been any announcement that has surprised me or made me excited yet, but there are a lot of videos and news on games I was already looking forward to.

-Chaos Rings Sigma
-Dark Souls 2
-Deadman's Cross
-Deep Down
-Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z
-Final Fantasy Agito
-Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
-Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD
-Kingdom Hearts X
-Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
-One Piece Romance Dawn
-Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+
-Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures
-SoulCalibur: Lost Swords
-Tales of Xillia 2 (Trailer up top)
-Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
-The Evil Within

NewNews - Hiroshi Yamauchi Passes Away at 85

Image Source: BrooklynKing

Hiroshi Yamauchi ran Nintendo as its president from 1949 to 2002 and contributed to the revival of Videogames when the industry was at its lowest point.  In other words, he helped save the Videogame industry with the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan).  He was a business man at heart and so he may not have been directly responsible for all the games and memories we had of playing them, but it's undeniable that he was a driving force towards the industry's influence in the world.  After Satoru Iwata succeeded Yamauchi's position within Nintendo, Yamauchi stayed with the company as an adviser.  It's been reported throughout the three decades of Nintendo's existence, since it became a videogame company, that Yamauchi was a hard man to work with and that he was a force to be reckoned with.  He always sought out change and innovation and was rather adamant on his decisions, be they good ones or not.  But because of that, Nintendo continues today to innovate and deliver new entertainment.  Despite that, Nintendo has been viewed as being stubborn on change throughout the years as the game industry becomes more involved in online and social aspects.  Yamauchi's influence in Nintendo hasn't been prevalent ever since stepping down as president in 2002.  And now that he has passed, it is entirely up to the new generation to shape, adapt, and change to keep Nintendo relevant in the industry.  The sales of Nintendo's newest Wii U console hasn't been doing the best it could have done, but things could change.  Despite the N64 having a lot of great and memorable games on it, it actually sold pretty poorly and it was the Gameboy and Pokémon that saved Nintendo during those times.  The Virtual Boy was a complete failure.  The Gamecube also have a difficult life-span.  But despite all those hard times, the Nintendo Wii was a revolutionary hit and had changed the game industry in terms of their target audience.  Many would argue that it had ruined Nintendo's reputation within the community, but change and risks must be taken if any sort of innovation is to be made.  Yamauchi made many decisions for change and took lots of risks, some of which were pretty bad.  But Nintendo probably wouldn't be where it is today as one of the most influential, if not THE most influential, company within the Videogame industry were it not for those decisions.  Hiroshi Yamauchi certainly made his mark in the industry and world and his legacy will continue in the name of Nintendo.  R.I.P. Hiroshi Yamauchi, thank you for your contributions.

Yamauchi passed away earlier this morning after a battle with pneumonia. He was 85. -Kotaku

Sources:
-Huffington Post - Hiroshi Yamauchi Dead: Former Seattle Mariners Owner And Nintendo President Dies At 85
-Kotaku - Longtime Nintendo President Dies Aged 85
-Kotaku - Nintendo President: We Will Carry On The Spirit Of Hiroshi Yamauchi

GameLight Review - Krater

Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/42170/
Source: Youtube Channel MachinimaTrailer

Developer: Fatshark
Publisher: Fatshark
Platforms: PC
Release Date: Jun 12, 2012
Genre: Action-RPG, RTS

Pros:
+ Amazing music that plays a very important role in the atmosphere of the game
+ Quite a memorable experience with an immersive environment
+ Interesting team compositions can be made which changes up the gameplay

Cons:
- There is an excessive amount of padding (grinding/farming)
- Gameplay lacks variation (4 classes, 2 types of each and 2 skills each)
- The main story wasn't enticing and side quests were also boring

Recommended: No, not a game I can easily recommend to anyone, but those who enjoy grinding and dungeon crawling might be able to enjoy this.

There is much to be said about Krater.  It's set in a post-apocalyptic Sweden with an almost realistic fantasy sort of theme to it.  To be plain and simple, the game is bursting with potential but only begins to scratch the surface of what it can achieve.  Krater, at heart, is an old-school, top-down, party-based, Point-n-click Action-RPG, in an RTS control format, with NO active pause like most party-based Action-RPGs.  Some games that can be referenced to are Dungeon Siege, Confrontation, and Dragon Age.  Most fans of this genre did not like the fact there wasn't an active pause function in Krater to allow them to plan out attack orders.  I actually liked that there wasn't one as it forced the player to quickly respond to the situation actively which made the flow of the game a lot faster than most in its genre.  The game features party management, stat building, multiple character control, a huge open-world to explore, cooperative multiplayer, tons of quests to take on, various items to loot, and an injury/death mechanic that keeps the game challenging.  The problem is each and every one of the aspects that make this game great also has flaws to them that make the game repetitive, frustrating, boring, and unrealized.  There are 8 different kinds of characters, but derive from only 4 different classes with only 2 skills each.  Stat building is not gained from levels and putting in points, but rather obtaining boosters and implants by either farming for gold to buy them or to loot them (the good ones are super rare).  Having multiple characters to control with no active pause does make for a faster and exciting experience, but it is also difficult to manage in cases of large mobs.  Traversing the overworld has a sort of Final Fantasy feel to it and is interesting, but it can get annoying when having to travel from one end of the map to the next without being able to save in-between (you start from the last town visited if you exit).  Cooperative Multiplayer only offers 3 short campaigns to play on, each with a large difficulty difference from each other (there isn't a cooperative main campaign).  It's nice to have side quests in most RPGs, but side quests in Krater are generally boring, requires a lot of running around, and doesn't reward the player very much.  There are a lot of different kinds of items in the game, but most of them are terrible and finding an upgrade takes forever (not to mention items are limited to only weapons and gadgets).  The injury/death mechanic does sound pretty hardcore and may interest some niche gamers, but for the most part it's a nuisance and can't be turned off.  With all this said, the game is revolved entirely around grinding/farming.  You grind to get your characters to rank 10 and farm for items and credits (currency) to pay for unlocking the characters up to rank 15 and purchasing all the boosters and implants which are quite expensive and rare.  Honestly, I think it's okay that the developers went for grinding as their main source for replay value as many in its genre does the same; however, I feel that this was executed poorly in an inelegant fashion.  The limited classes and skills lack variation in gameplay.  The side quests give the player no motivation to pursue them as opposed to just running through the multiplayer maps solo as it rewards the player with a lot more credits and loot despite it being unchanging and boring.  Everything just seems to fall short of something that could've been great.  Just having a cooperative main campaign might have changed the entire experience of the game.  Only 24%-32% of the time I spent finishing the game was spent progressing through the story while the rest of the time was spent mindlessly re-running the multiplayer maps solo to farm for credits.  I can't say that I didn't have fun with the game because I did, but I was also disgusted and disappointed with it at the same time.  What got me into the game and something really worth praising for is the atmosphere the game had.  The graphics weren't the best, but it was used efficiently for the world the developers wanted to craft and the music gives it a rather unforgettable experience.  The music was something I loved from beginning to end.

Aesthetics
Art-Style: 3D Steam-Punk-ish/Post-Apocalyptic
+ There's a colorful and almost fantasy-like feel to the game
+ Animation and effects have nice details to them that make the game feel visceral
+ Straight-forward and clean user-interface
+ Incredible over-world map in design, atmosphere and aesthetics
+ Memorable tunes have an impressive effect on the game's experience
+ Powerful and effective usage of sound-effects
+ Explosions, shockwaves, and electrocutions are quite the spectacle

- Difficult to distinguish characters with enemies when not selected
- Character designs are a bit boring
- Graphics not entirely optimized very well (frames will lag or freeze occasionally)
- Not a lot of variation in the look of dungeons
Aesthetics: 8/10

Buttons
Controller: Keyboard and Mouse
+ Can change the key-bindings to hotkeys
+ Pretty easy to select individual characters and the whole party
+ The flow of combat and the way skills work is pretty solid

- You can change keybindings, but you can't arrange skill order
- Can't scroll the map through mini-map
Buttons: 6/10

Concept & Content
Core Concept: Grab quests & fulfill them, grind & farm when needed
+ There are some dungeons that are random and different each time
+ The flow of quests leads you where you need to go, never get lost
+ Lots of side quests for the player to earn extra credits or level up
+ Cooperative mode can be started at any point in the game
+ You can choose the kind of team you want to have
+ Combat is fast-paced and can be excitingly frantic
+ There isn't a lot of voice-acting, but some of the stuff they say are pretty funny
+ Booster/Implant mechanic leaves plenty of room for experimentation and builds
+ Gadgets adds an extra layer of strategy in combat, almost like an extra skill
+ World map is pretty big for a small game, so lots of places to explore
+ Injury/Death mechanic gives the game a bit of a classic RPG challenge

- Having an injury is troublesome, but a character death means starting over...
- World map can be annoying to traverse when just trying to get to a destination
- Items are limited to weapons, gadgets, boosters and implants; no armor
- Boosters/Implants are necessary but expensive and rare which forces farming
- Combat can feel pretty dumb when you're permanently stunned or mobbed
- There are only 4 classes with 2 variations of each with two skills each
- Side-quests are boring and don't reward the player very well with the time spent
- Cooperative mode is limited to 3 short missions that has vast difficulty curves
- Some maps have enemies right behind it that get aggro'd but can't be killed (can't pick up items and can't heal until they die).
- Krater is very atmospheric, but the story fails to be engaging or interesting
- The core design, flow, and execution is solid, but not fully realized
- The game demands so much grinding yet lacks variation that it becomes a chore
Concept & Content: 4/10

Duration
+ The main story quest of the game has a nice steady flow to it in the first 2 chap.
+ If I really wanted to play more, there's still a lot of quests I can do

- Once you hit that difficulty wall, the flow of the game comes to a halt
- Prepare to grind/farm a LOT to get anywhere in the game
- A lot of the difficult boss battles are actually just long and tedious
Duration: 4/10

Fun
+ I thought a 3-man party Action-RPG with no active pause made it exciting
+ Trying out different combinations of team compositions was pretty interesting
+ Although limited in variation, Multi-player co-op can still be pretty fun
+ The atmosphere from the graphics and music made quite the experience
+ I honestly feel like this could've been an incredible game, it was "sorta" fun

- I was disappointed when finding out co-op was only 3 short missions
- So much grinding/farming was required that I felt like I wasted a lot of time
- I've gone through frustration, boredom, desperation, and disgust playing this
- Rather than feeling satisfaction and relief from beating the game, I felt nothing
- Krater is an unrealized gem that could have been much better
Fun: 5/10

Overall
Krater was a crazy roller-coaster ride that had me conflicted in how I felt about the game.  On one hand, I had fun with it and thought it had a lot of great ideas.  In the other side, I felt like I was wasting a lot of time grinding/farming.  I could've gave up playing the game a long time ago, but I was stubborn and wanted the satisfaction of completing the game.  What was saddening was that I didn't feel satisfied or relieved about completing the game.  The fact that I spent so many hours on the game and worked so hard to completing it made for a memorable experience, but not one I'd really like to revisit.  I suppose it's one of those "I'm glad I got through that" kind of experiences.  I do enjoy a challenge, but that challenge was covered in so much padding from grinding and farming that it was a long and tedious quest that didn't feel as fulfilling as it should have.  Krater has a solid base to work off of a really good Point-n-Click, Action-RPG experience, but the content and quality of all the aspects that made this game needs to be refined before it can really reach there.  I don't regret buying or playing Krater, but it's not a game I could really recommend a friend.  Sadly, I had a friend buy it before I started playing so we could co-op together only to find out multiplayer was only 3 short missions.  If I were to play the game anymore after this point, it'd be to help my friend grind in co-op mode until he finishes the game.  Overall: 5.4/10


But really, if I didn't point it out enough times, the music is incredible and one of the major factors that made this game such an amazing experience in the times I did enjoy the game.  This theme is like an anthem for the game:
Source: Youtube Channel Mister Potatoman

The soundtrack can be bought with the game.  If you would like to listen to the original tracks before they were remixed into the game, you can check out Christian Gabel's Soundcloud Page.