Posts Tagged ‘remake’

May 24th, 2019 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Blood: Fresh Supply Review

Developer: Monolith Productions, Nightdive Studios
Publisher: Nightdive Studios
Platform: PC – GOG, Steam

I first tried to play Blood years ago but failed due to extreme inability on my part. The game seemed way too tough to even survive the first level! All these years later, Blood: Fresh Supply is out attempting to be the “best” version available. Fans seem to disagree, but from my vantage point, it’s a fine release.

My reason to try the game again after disliking it initially was simple. A friend (Anne from Chic Pixel) brought up playing it in co-op. So we did. This might be why the game was easier this time around. Either way, it took just around ten hours to finish the game.

As far as gameplay is concerned, it’s very much a title in the style of classic Doom. You fight cult members, zombies, gargoyles, and awful disembodied hands from a first person perspective. Enemies are still 2D, and sometimes get stuck on level geometry.

There’s very little strategy required in Blood: Fresh Supply. Mainly you just need to stay stocked up with weapons and shoot anything that moves. The real challenge (and annoyance) comes in level designs which sometimes prove confusing. That, and platforming which proves difficult with the control scheme. Also, maybe this was a bug, but the co-op mode never played any cutscenes!

While Blood: Fresh Supply may not have been the most astonishingly enjoyable and bug-free experience out there, it still whet my appetite for more retro FPSes.

2 out of 5 alpacas
October 17th, 2018 Featured, PC, Reviews 2 Comments »

Neighbor Review

neighborlogo

Developer: OTUSUN LAND
Publisher: OTUSUN LAND
Platform: PC – Steam

Despite being a pretty longtime visual novel fan, the Neighbor remake was a surprise to me – I’d never even heard of the original! Players enter the story alongside protagonist Yuuki Kae as she moves into a new apartment. Unfortunately, the place is clearly horribly haunted.

The haunted nature of the apartment is incredibly apparent right from the get go. There are entities banging on the walls at all hours, hand prints that suddenly appear on glass, and far worse. Yuuki can’t deal with it and ends up rooming with a college student in the same building. The two of them end up working to unravel the mystery behind the haunted apartment.

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It’s a surprisingly effective horror story, with excellent sound to go along with it. The scares won’t make you jump out of your seat – instead they’ll creep into your mind late at night. Neighbor is more akin to a creepy but safe campfire tale. Don’t expect to spend too much time playing, though. The whole thing took me just under three hours to complete. As a kinetic novel, there are no choices or multiple endings to explore.

Though the game might not be long, it’s still a fun little jaunt through a scary story. It’s especially refreshing to see Yuuki as a protagonist because she’s an adult in her 30s rather than a high schooler. Check out Neighbor if you’re looking to curl up with a spooky visual novel for a few hours.

Score: 4

4 out of 5 alpacas

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October 15th, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews 1 Comment »

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers Review

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers Logo

Developer: Pinkerton Road Studio, Phoenix Online Studios
Publisher: Pinkerton Road Studio
Platform: PC – Direct, GOG*, Steam

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers arrived on PC back in 1993 courtesy of Sierra On-Line. It hit the scene as a more serious point and click adventure game than most. Although I never played it way back when, I did eventually play and adore it. Now, a (little late) 20th Anniversary Edition of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is out and leaves me feeling quite perplexed. Did this classic game truly need a remake?

As far as I’m concerned, the storyline is still as intriguing as it was back in the 90s. It stars Gabriel Knight, a writer with a trashy series as his best work. He runs a book store in New Orleans along with Grace Nakimura but even that endeavor flounders. This dull, cash-strapped life takes a turn when a series of “Voodoo Murders” occur. Do the crimes actually have any relation to Voodoo at all or is something else at play? As curious authors are apparently wont to do, Gabriel sticks his nose into the mystery and gets far more than he bargained for.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers Featured

Gabriel is definitely an odd protagonist. Early on he acts incredibly sleazy and is full of eye-rolling comments, especially when contrasted against excellent characters such as Grace. Thankfully, he loses most of his revolting nature once things get serious. This is important considering how much dialogue Sins of the Fathers has. There’s a ton. The vast majority is also voiced by a new cast. The most blessed change is Tim Curry’s awkward New Orleans accent finally being put to rest.

As for gameplay, much of the game remains the same as it ever was. This is still a point and click adventure with a hefty inventory and loads of puzzles. A robust hint feature proves to be the best change. Unfortunately, much of inventory management and item usage continues being problematic. For example, many items suggest players “take”, “look at”, and “operate” them even when some options are impossible. It is funny to hear the narrator chide Gabriel if he considers taking a gigantic object, but this will also prove annoying to modern adventure game players. It’s surprising item and inventory usage weren’t redesigned.

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Outside of new voice actors the biggest change comes from completely revamped visuals. Now things have a hand-drawn, painterly look instead of pixel art. Personally, I continue to adore the original Sins of the Fathers’ for its gorgeous aesthetic. I don’t feel that the new 3D models will stand up to the test of time, although backdrops and cutscenes look lovely. Despite the tweaks, one facet that remains between both versions is its intriguing tale which hooks players.

I don’t feel there was a need for this remake, but on the other hand, it serves as a way to introduce new players to the world of Gabriel Knight. If they won’t pick up an “ancient” PC game perhaps they’ll give this gussied-up version a go. All in all, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is as good as it ever was even if nothing can quite ever replace the original.

Score: 3.5

3 1/2 out of 5 alpacas

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July 3rd, 2014 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

The Chaos Engine Review

The Chaos Engine Logo

Developer: The Bitmap Brothers
Publisher: Mastertronic
Platform: PC – GOG*, Steam

Now, I’d never played The Chaos Engine in the past but somehow the game always stuck with me. Thanks to the ‘remastered’ version on Steam I’ve finally gotten to play this Amiga classic. Although it might not be very in-depth, I found it quite enjoyable, if difficult. Just make sure to not turn on smoothing if you have any affinity toward pixel art.

The basics of The Chaos Engine are that it’s a top down action game. You select from a cast of characters (each with unique weapons) and play alongside a co-op partner. This partner can be a real person via local or online play or simply a computer-controlled buddy. Of course, enlisting a real friend is the best idea.

The Chaos Engine Featured

Apparently this version of the game has been made a bit harder than the original release. If so, it definitely shows. Although it looks like you can go guns blazing through the stage, slow progression is really the way to go. I found myself creeping toward the edges of the screen so as not to be jumped by an enemy. Some ram into you while others shoot bullets and in either case it’s all terribly damaging. For whatever reason, characters start with very low health. It’s definitely a challenging game but enjoyably so.

One change was making the game have “360 degree” shooting. It’s more like 8-way shooting but it works well. You can play on a gamepad (not just of the Xbox 360 variety) as well, which is pretty cool. This ended up being my preferred method of play. My biggest issue with The Chaos Engine is a severe lack of level passwords to return to old stages in online matches. Fans have been clamoring for this for over a year so such an update is unlikely. Overall, I enjoy the difficulty and just wish there were ways to temper it when needed.

Score: 3

3 out of 5 alpacas

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December 23rd, 2013 Featured, PC, Reviews No Comments »

Velocity Ultra Review

Velocity Ultra Logo

Developer: FuturLab, Curve Studios
Publisher: Curve Studios
Platform: PSN – PS3, Vita PC – Steam

Velocity was a lovely little shooter that launched on PS3 and Vita in 2012 to favorable reviews but it seemed that many gamers simply missed out on it. Velocity Ultra is basically the same game, but given a nice HD coat of paint. Now that I’ve finally played it, I’m amazed to how the original game ever managed to slip under the radar of so many.

Velocity Ultra is a scrolling sci-fi shooter but does many things to make it a far more engaging experience than most. Your ship comes with a host of features that are introduced one by one. First, you have the ability to speed boost at will which comes in handy when you need to blast through a stage. There is also an unlimited supply of bombs to help you shoot down or to the side (as with most traditional ships which can’t shoot in any direction but up). Another neat feature is the ability to teleport around. Not only can this get you out of a tight spot between bullets, but it is also necessary when obstacles get in the way.

These might not sound like groundbreaking changes but they come together in such a way that the game is tremendously fun. Although there are no difficulty selections, it really feels like Velocity Ultra caters to a wide audience. Shooter newbies as well as regular players could likely both enjoy it. But what about people who don’t necessarily dig the genre? Even then, the game offers up ways to change the standard formula.

Velocity Ultra Screenshot 1

Gameplay modes vary from stage to stage but sometimes the game suddenly becomes a puzzler. This is done via numbered gates that need to be hit in order to “unlock” an area. However, branching paths make it so you can rarely unlock a zone in one go. Instead, you have to put down a warp (or series of them) in order to return to forks and travel down different paths. Sometimes, paths are nearly hidden by being way off to the side of the screen. Not only do you have to contend with enemies but you must discover all gates!

Despite being only an average shooter fan, I was able to blast through the first forty stages with little issue. After that, you’ve got to return to previous levels to rack up more points to have enough for the last few. The fifty stages are excellent and offer a great deal of replay value. You can compete with yourself to try and get a gold medal time, save all survivors, or destroy all enemy waves for bonuses. Of course, you can also try climbing the ranks of the online leaderboard.

Although Velocity Ultra is entertaining enough just from a gameplay standpoint, the rest of the package blends together wonderfully. For one, the visuals look crisp and stylish. The music is in a whole other league together, with each track being extremely cool and fun to listen to. Personally, I’m fighting the urge to buy the soundtrack! The only downside to the music is that it doesn’t loop, meaning there are moments where no music plays at all before restarting again.

Velocity Ultra Screenshot 2

For all this glowing adoration, there were a few issues lurking on the sidelines. At times, I would warp into a wall (though you’re not supposed to). It’s easy enough to warp back out, but it would always freak me out and cost precious time. Also, it feels like the screen isn’t offering enough vertical space to see what’s coming next. For a vertically scrolling shooter to not have a standard vertically oriented screen is fairly alien to me, although it was probably done to benefit the lateral searching on some stages. Finally, the game is designed with controllers in mind so watch out if you want to play with keyboard.

Velocity Ultra is such a fun game it’s hard to knock it too much. The developers managed to create a shooter that isn’t just fun for genre fans but for new players as well. Anyone looking for a different sort of shooter will find what they’re looking for in Velocity Ultra.

Score: 4

4 out of 5 alpacas

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