Twelve thousand years ago, after the War of Creation, the demigod general Asura assassinated his emperor in an attempt to take the throne. The seven remaining generals retaliated, killing Asura and then taking their place as the Seven Deities, to protect Earth and its people and cleanse the world of demons.

Or so the legends go. In reality, Asura was framed by the other generals, his wife killed, and his daughter kidnapped for her magical abilities. Now that he's escaped from the underworld, you can probably guess that he's a little bit pissed.

Asura's Wrath tells its story like a TV show; it's broken up into episodes, akin to games like Alan Wake and Alone in the Dark, which also take a similar approach in terms of their format. Asura takes it a few steps further, though. There's a heavy focus on presentation, trying to make the game as fun to watch as it is to play. Each episode has opening credits, a preview of the next episode and even commercial bumpers like in an animé. Episodes are even designed to clock in at around 20 minutes each, including their cutscenes.

There are two types of action sequence within the game. One is the typical third-person brawler, relatively simple but satisfying, with cool little touches like counter-attacks and finishing moves to use on stunned enemies. The second is on-rails shooting; again, simple, but entertaining. The remainder of the action is handled in quick-time events. QTEs are often maligned by critics, but Asura's Wrath is an example of doing them well; they're very frequent, so they never feel cheap, and the vast majority of them won't kill you if you fail, instead just costing you a chunk of health. The game really shines during its one-on-one boss fights, where your goal isn't to decrease the enemy's health but to fill Asura's 'burst' meter and trigger a cinematic special move, which usually boils down to punching your enemy really hard, sometimes with three arms at once. Don't get me wrong, it's really cool the first couple of times that you see it, but for a game that values presentation so much, it would have been good to see more variety.




Still, though, the game could have been more interactive. I'm usually pretty open to games like this, such as Heavy Rain, where you the large majority is simply watching, but at least in Heavy Rain you were in charge of nearly every action your characters took; you're normally not in control of Asura until the punches start flying. There is an interesting exception, in an episode where you just relax and have a drink in a hot spring while reminiscing with another of the characters, and you fill your burst meter by taking shots instead of fighting. Then it's just back to having fistfights for the rest of the game. Not that that isn't fun, but from a story perspective, it started to feel padded with fights because the game couldn't do anything else. There are even a number of flashbacks to fights in Asura's past that are clearly just there for the sake of inserting some action into an episode.

Asura's story is pretty straightforward. Thousands of years after his betrayal, he emerges from the underworld to exact revenge against his former comrades. It certainly invites comparison to the God of War sequels, but the difference is that Asura is much more sympathetic compared to his Greek counterpart. The problem with Kratos was that he more or less got what was coming to him when the gods betrayed him. His reasons for fighting for were entirely selfish, and it became very difficult to root for him when his deicide started destroying the earth in God of War 3. In Asura's Wrath, however, the gods are actually extremely easy to dislike, killing as they do innocent mortals in order to use their souls as power against demons, so watching Asura punch new holes in their heads is much more satisfying.




That isn't to say that the conflict is black-and-white, though. The writing does a fairly good job of making Asura a little more flawed as a character, and the deities perhaps more misguided than evil. Some of them take a little too much pleasure from killing innocent people, but they each have their own motivation, and the writing maintains that (though brutal) it may be a necessary evil to stop the demons once and for all.

Asura's Wrath has a one-of-a-kind aesthetic, beautifully blending together eastern mythology and sci-fi. Considering the game is at least half cutscenes and QTEs, it's a good thing that they all look extremely pretty, boasting terrific cinematography and animation. The action scenes are like something an eight-year-old would come up with when high on sugar and having just finished a Dragonball Z marathon (one of the highest compliments I can give an action game). It throws physics and reason to the wind and just lets awesome things happen. Enemies the size of a planet? Check. Flying motorcycles? Check. Characters and spaceships that are designed simply to look cool? Oh goodness me, yes.




As for the music, you might think that such an over-the-top action game would be fuelled by cheesy rock songs, but the game takes a classier route with a more orchestral feel. There is a guitar-twanging track or two that wouldn't sound out of place in God Hand, but some of the fight background music is downright serene, and it works surprisingly well. It's a very good soundtrack with top-notch voice-acting to match, featuring big-name voice actors like Liam O'Brien and Steve Blum.

Great presentation, solid action, and a pretty decent story given the genre. Why am I not telling you to go and buy this right now? Well, the ending is sold separately, that's why. The last four episodes of Asura's Wrath were just released a few weeks ago as DLC. For $8. And this wasn't like ME3, where they 'botched' the ending and decided to change it for the fans. The game has a 'true ending' which isn't an ending at all, but instead just throws in a plot twist from way out of left field - "remember that enigmatic but fairly insignificant character from the first part? Yup. He's evil. And behind the whole thing". The obvious question is: "why didn't they just throw in another ten-minute boss fight?" But I'd like to ask: "why wasn't the whole game sold in chunks like that?"

Episodic content is a good business model that triple-A developers should be trying more. Consumers don't have to make that massive $60 investment in a whole game, and developers can get feedback and try to improve the game as they make it. The game is already split into three parts, the DLC being the fourth. Capcom easily could have sold each part for $10-15 each. Plus, if it were downloadable, they wouldn't have to worry about losing sales to the used market. Instead, however, publishers choose to make online passes look like outstanding customer service.

I can't support that kind of consumer milking - and, believe me, I have a high endurance for getting milked - so I can't really recommend buying Asura's Wrath, but I do believe in giving the devil his due: it's an interesting experiment in blending together TV-esque storytelling and gaming that, for the most, part works very well. In terms of gameplay, it's simple, but provides a satisfying challenge and it puts on a hell of a show while it's at it. It's worth a rental if the idea of an interactive animé piques your interest, and as for the ending: eh, you can always YouTube it.

7/10 [?]

Labels: Asura's Wrath, Capcom, Peter Kratz, PS3, Review, Xbox 360

Throwing together an action oriented game tied around a compelling narrative and shrouded in mystery is something I'll always be drawn to. Action is important, but if you don't inject the over-arching story with some interesting mechanics, it just becomes mindless. In an age of multiplayer titles and derivative stories, Capcom's Dragon's Dogma looks to be one of those games that surprises.

Story, for me, plays a huge role in how involved I become in a game. It's one of the many reasons I was infatuated with Dark Souls last year. You could argue that there really was no story behind that game, but the fear of the unknown, the unexplained happenings presented an enigmatic tale that was never fully explained - I embraced that. Dragon's Dogma doesn't seem like it's going to follow the same structure, but the story appears more forthcoming and just as strong.

Dragon's Dogma interview

Dragon's Dogma begins with a dragon who steals your heart, but then interacts with you from afar, speaking nonsense. There's no apparent reason this has happened, but clearly there are much greater forces at work. Even though that was only a taste of what the game will present, I'm drawn to it to learn more. It's a strong beginning for a game and I can only hope that the story will expand further upon the game's release.

Taking on creatures like this Chimera are best served with additional dudes.

Ostensibly, Dragon's Dogma seems very similar to Dark Souls, but once you get down to it they couldn't be more different. Both are third-person action games and both share a similar UI, but where Dark Souls is extremely foreboding with its difficulty, Dragon's Dogma takes a lighter route. Enemies are much easier to deal with and fear of death isn't much of an issue. Also, Capcom noted that instead of taking hours to power up a weapon, Dragon's Dogma makes it a bit easier to immediately start seeing results from newly acquired weaponry.

Dragon's Dogma also will not employ a multiplayer system, something I initially thought was going to be included. Instead, you'll have a plethora of followers to choose from called Pawns. These Pawns level up with you and gain a variety of different attacks as you progress through the game. They also happen to be involved in a unique online component where you can send them to other players. When they come back to join you, you'll gain everything they received in the other player's game.

The Witch King's brother is in this game.

On a related note, the AI in the game is actually quite decent. What I enjoyed the most was the ceaseless banter they provide while attacking foes. Sometimes they'll even go over to an enemy and hold them up for you to strike the killing blow. Yeah, it was pretty cool.

Dragon's Dogma is an interesting beast. With a unique online component, weighted combat and an involving story, we might just have one of the best new intellectual properties on our hands. The game releases May 22nd and if you can't wait that long then do yourself a favor and check out the demo that's out right now.

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, Capcom, Dragon's Dogma, PAX East, PS3, Xbox 360

If Capcom has shown anything to be true, it's that Resident Evil is one of its favourite hallmark franchises.

Having debuted on the original PlayStation in 1996, the Resident Evil series has since released over 30 different games and, with it, garnered legions of fans from around the world, all willing to sacrifice anything to get their hands on the next entry in the series. That next iteration is right around the corner in the form of Resident Evil 6, and I've got six reasons why you might want to think twice about picking it up.

Editor's warning: this article contains possible spoilers for Resident Evil 6, and as such you may wish to exercise caution if you want the game entirely unspoilt for you.

Whilst I do consider myself a fan of the series, Resident Evil reached its pinnacle for me (and the majority of others) during the reign of the beloved Resident Evil 4. Inevitably, though, the fourth couldn't go on forever, and so Capcom was forced to churn out number five, the usurper of the throne. Unfortunately, Resident Evil 5 was too ambitious for its own good, and gave us a bastardisation of what we've all come to expect from such a notable series. Since that hollow day, Capcom has tried desperately to revitalise the golden age brought to us by RE4 with several spin-offs but, alas, all efforts have fallen short.



With the recently announced Resident Evil 6, Capcom is putting itself in a position to either rejuvenate a wounded franchise or dig itself deeper into the proverbial hole. After watching the trailer, it appears that Capcom is taking cues from both sides, and I'm not sure that's such a smart decision. So, without further ado, I give to you six reasons why you shouldn't expect the dawn of a new era in gaming from Resi 6.

6: The Story

Can you explain this? No, neither can I.

If you're coming into Resident Evil 6 with high hopes for an incredibly deep, intuitive story that's both as emotionally captivating as it is interesting, then do I have something to reveal: it's not going to be.

Unless you're some kind of zombie savant, I'm confident in saying that there's no way that the Resi storyline comes together in a coherent manner. This series is all over the place, with evil corporations, apocalyptic viruses, shadowy figures and a slew of other confusing plot points that seem to become more labyrinthine the longer the series goes on. Does anybody even know what's happening at this point? Once you accept that the main story will never be anything more than chaos incarnate, the better off you'll be.

As far as the plot-point for Resi 6 goes? No one can be quite sure yet, but Capcom sets us up with this alarming sentence:

Due to be by the President's side is his personal friend and Raccoon City survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, but when the venue suffers a bioterrorist attack, Leon is forced to face a President transformed beyond recognition and make his hardest ever decision.

Take a minute to soak all that in and, if possible, ignore the awful grammar at the end. Done? With that sentence, (and also in the trailer) Capcom unveils a major event in the game. Spoilers: Leon shoots the president after he becomes a zombie. The sad part is that I almost guarantee that this is going to be one of the focal points for the game, and that entire surprise is now taken away. Maybe I could be wrong, but something tells me I won't be.

It may sound all terribly cynical but after the first game, which set everything up, can you give me an example of a Resident Evil game that has made the plot easier to grasp? Do you even want to understand the game? Right now, we're still trying to figure out if we want to fight against zombies or parasites. Which brings me to my next point...

5: Zombies or parasites? What's the damn deal?!

I get that he's not really a zombie, but... damn.

Resi is perhaps best-known for its gratuitous helpings of walking dead. Zombies coming stealthily from behind and whisking away your last splashes of health is always a terrifying experience, especially if you throw in those damned dogs that break through the glass. Strangely enough, Resi 4, the best game in the series, did away with the undead almost completely and replaced them with parasites that literally transform their hosts into maniacal beasts and bloodthirsty heathens.

That transition never made any sense to me. Somewhere along the way, a new virus was made and people got exposed, yadda, yadda. Regardless of the nonsensical virus, it was a blast to fight against the things and it led to quite the variety of enemies. Resi 5 embraced this parasitic formula, and that's all well and good, but what on earth happened to the zombies?

4: Zombies/parasites who shoot guns

This is what happens to zombies who carry guns.

One of the worst parts of Resident Evil 5 was when the undead chaps started to use guns. Look, Capcom; I understand that you want to be all fancy and such, but if you're bringing zombies back for whatever reason they really, really should not be able to fire a gun.

3: The cast

Come on.

The entourage of Resi guys and gals is rather varied, which is a good thing, and usually makes for interesting dialogue and connections in a game. Unfortunately, though, in Resi the only connection you have to the characters is their physical appeal. Be honest, the only reason you're excited to play as Ada Wong is because she's ridiculously good-looking. Remember those unlockable skins for Sheva in Resi 5? What about Jill, Ashley, or even Chris and Leon? Chris Redfield's biceps are the size of basketballs, which only further realises the stereotypes that Capcom has set in place.

You might learn a thing or two about a character but, once again, we then hit the nonsensical storylines, and within them there's nothing that makes you truly care about that particular character. So what if Jill Valentine was basically brain-washed and gained Super Saiyan abilities? Leon is great friends with the president? What? Ties like these are conveyed in an incredibly weak fashion, so when the time comes for the 'big reveal', all you're really moved to say is, "Oh", before proceeding to the next checkpoint.

We shouldn't be playing a game as notable as this if the characters that appear are too complicated for their own good. This is poor character design and I highly doubt that Resi 6 will change any of that.

2: Multiplayer

Maybe it'll be better on the other side. Eh, probably not.

I truly believe that Resident Evil is a series that can flourish with co-op. Just not the co-op we've been given in the past. Resi 5 allowed us to complete the campaign with two people, which was a nice touch, but with another person the key thing that Resident Evil is known for was diluted: the survival horror aspect.

Its 'Dude-Bro' style of co-op play really took the fun out of Resi 5. The inventory alone was a travesty, but not being afraid or worried about the normal things that make a RE game great was its biggest fault. Resident Evil 6 is undoubtedly going to continue the co-op trend, but let's just hope that the rumoured 6-man co-op turns out to be non-existent. Could you imagine walking through the game with six players all vying for ammo and kills? I shudder to imagine such horrors.

I have my hopes, but I feel that from what we've already seen, Resi 6 is going to embrace both the balls-out combat of Resi 5 and more of the subtle moments of Resi 4. Unfortunately, if this is the case, I fear it will only scramble the franchise's identity yet further.

1: How about some unique boss fights?

Great as it was, it's time to move on.

Boss battles are a core experience of any game and Resident Evil 5 seriously took the easy way out. Basically copying most of the battles from Resi 4, I felt completely underwhelmed when faced with each encounter. If Resident Evil 6 is going to succeed, it's going to have to take the crazy scale and send it into space.

As cool as Del Lago and El Gigante are, I don't want to see those fights in this game again. Will it happen? I sincerely hope not. Capcom is a talented studio and shouldn't be struggling this much to come up with unique and fun fights to progress the game.

I'm all for the continuation of the series, but if Capcom continues down this same path, my hopes for its successful resuscitation are nil. What else can they do to achieve this daunting task? Well, maybe some of the ideas above can help in that process.

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, Capcom, Opinion, PlayStation 3, Resident Evil 6, Xbox 360

I imagine San Diego Comic Con to be something along the lines of Oz: a place filled with magical creatures, lively colours, and odd-looking munchkins. If you're unaware of this colossal event, and you're too lazy to Google it, picture E3, but comic-themed, with panels on everything comic-related, from movies to TV series to videogames. It’s comic-geek heaven. This year, the San Diego Comic Con will take place between the 21st and the 24th of July, and there's plenty we gamers can look forward to. But there is one panel in particular has me salivating at the mouth: Capcom’s Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 panel. Game producer Ryota Niitsuma is set to reveal some “fantastic news” regarding the future of the franchise, and I am set to go into some full blown cardiac arrest depending on just how “fantastic” this news really is.

If I have my way, Ryota Niitsuma will be announcing shiny new DLC characters. What characters would I like to see, you ask? Well, I've spent months trying to decide that. After careful deliberation, and considering what characters could best serve to add diversity and balance to the roster, I decided to screw all that logic-infused reasonable stuff, and just wish for the characters I want to play with the most.

These are the few. The proud. The wishlist.

1: Emma Frost

If there is one thing that the boys and girls at Marvel Comics are good at, it's creating strong female characters, and Emma Frost is probably the fiercest bitch you will find in the colourful pages of the X-Men comics. The quintessential ice-queen, Ms. Frost is a former villain and foil to the X-Men. Emma has seemingly left her evil ways behind her, working her way up the ranks of the team until she eventually became co-headmistress of the Xavier Institue, alongside her boyfriend Scott Summers, better known as Cyclops.

As for her power set, Emma is a world-class telepath, with a secondary mutation which allows her to turn her skin into diamond; these two disparate power sets would allow Capcom to really create an interesting move-set. Emma’s telepathy could make her perfect for confusing the enemy or setting up traps, while her diamond-hard skin could give her some real powerhouse moves. Not to mention, she’s a total knockout.

2: Megaman X

A robot bounty-hunter of the future, the blue bomber's 'mature' incarnation, simply known as 'X', gives you everything you love about the classic Megaman, whilst oozing both style and charm.

The classic Megaman has been featured in both previous Marvel Vs. Capcom games, but Megaman X has never made a proper appearance in the series. We were all lucky enough to have X’s partner, Zero, included in the original roster but - alas - a Marvel Vs. Capcom game without Megaman just doesn’t seem right. This is Capcom’s chance to undo this wrong.

Can you imagine just how cool a Zero and X team-up would be. Yeah, you just nerdgasmed.

3: Iron Fist

Daniel Rand: world-class businessman by day, The Immortal Iron Fist by night. Iron Fist is arguably Marvel Comics' most popular and prominent martial arts character, currently serving on the New Avengers, alongside heavy hitters like Wolverine and Spiderman. Gifted with both superb martial arts skills and the power of the Iron Fist, Danny Rand is able to focus his Chi directly into his fist, granting his hand superhuman power and making it impervious to injury, not to mention the ability to heal himself and others.

To recap, he is basically Bruce Lee with superpowers. You can see why Iron Fist is a perfect fit for this game. I can imagine Iron Fist being a quick character which you play fast and hard, something along the lines of a mix between Chun-Li and Ryu. The thought makes me giddy.

4: Ryu (Breath of Fire)

Capcom’s main claim to fame is undoubtedly the Street Fighter series, as well as the myriad of action-orientated titles the company has produced over the years, spanning everything from Megaman to Resident Evil. This is probably why many are quick to forget all about the small RPG series that could: Breath of Fire.

Although the games in the Breath of Fire series are not directly related – much like the Final Fantasy series, the stories in each BoF game are stand-alone adventures – all the games in the series put you in the role of a blue-haired boy named Ryu who, besides being able to handle a sword or two, can freaking turn into a dragon.

Yeah. You read that right. The kid turns into a dragon.

I rest my case.

5: Spiderwoman

Jessica Drew débuted as Spiderwoman back in 1977, and after some popularity in the early eighties, the character remained largely unused, right up until author Brian Michael Bendis brought her back in a very big way, featuring her in the roster of the New Avengers in 2005. Since then, Jessica has proved to be one of the most compelling characters the House of Ideas has to offer.

Besides wielding a host of superhuman powers - including Venom blasts, superhuman strength and reflexes, flight and a form of pheromone control – Spiderwoman is a highly trained Shield and Hydra operative. If you’re not fluent in Nerd, that means she’s basically a superspy who could kick your ass from here to next Sunday without batting an eyelid. With all of the above combined, Spiderwoman has the potential to be a real powerhouse in the game. Are you picturing Super Venom Blasts and Pheromone traps? I’m right there with you.

6: Strider Hiryu

He is a member of an elite clan of 'cyber-ninjas' from the future, and he will bring the pain.

Hiryu is the main character of a very well-loved 1989 Capcom side-scroller platform game, but the character doesn’t require much introduction for anyone who has ever played Marvel Vs. Capcom 1 or 2. A mainstay of the series, Strider’s popularity - and awesomeness - know no bounds. You read that first part where I said he was a cyber-ninja, right? Quick, powerful and undeniably flashy, Strider is not simply a perfect fit for the style of this game; he helped define its style. You really can't ever have too many ninjas.

7: Elektra

Oh, Elektra. Words escape me. With a past shrouded in tragedy, Elektra has emerged not only as a formidable assassin, but as the premier assassin of the Marvel Universe, and with her omnipresent va-va-voom factor, she redefines the phrase "looks that kill".

A take-no-prisoners ninja-for-hire who straddles the line between hero and villain, Elektra is definitely a gripping character and her skill set makes her a perfect fit for a fighting game. I can’t imagine Elektra would be a very powerful character, but I’m sure she could give the quicker characters of MvC3 a run for their money.

8: Vergil

The yin to Dante’s yang, Vergil is the evil twin brother you never wished for. Débuting in Capcom’s first Devil May Cry, Vergil really came into his own as the main antagonist of Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening. Throughout the course of the game, we learned that Vergil has two defining traits: the first is his lust for power, and the second is that he's a badass who can rival even Dante’s cool-factor.

Although Vergil and Dante share the same demon powers, the way those powers are channelled are quite different. Dante is kind of a no-holds-barred, in your face fighter, whilst Vergil has a certain finesse to his moves. Don’t you worry about Vergil simply being a new 'skin' for the already-existing Dante character.

9: Ms. Marvel

Tall, blonde, and tough; what more could a comic geek ask for? Ms. Marvel has been gracing comic book fans with her presence since way back in the sixties. Her popularity and relevance have not always been constant, but during the last decade she has truly come into her own, arising as what Wizard Magazine would call Marvel’s premier superheroine.

With a power set that could make Superman blush, Ms. Marvel comes packing flight, invulnerability, super strength and energy blasts. There isn't a single character currently on the MvC3 roster which she couldn’t take on. Like I said at the top, Marvel has a knack for creating tough females, which is why it’s so depressing that there is real lack of female fighters on the MvC3 roster, and that those who are present (with the exception of She-Hulk) are all of X-Men fame. It’s time for Marvel to bring out their femmes fatales in force.

10: Cyclops

Expecting another Capcom character, were you? Well, tough cookies. No way was I going to conclude this list without adding the leader of my favorite comic book team, the X-Men.

Wolverine may be the most popular X-Men-man, but Cyclops has proven to be much more than the 'boy scout' he was originally perceived as. In recent years, Cyclops has come to be a true leader in the pages of Marvel Comics, not only for the X-Men, but for all of mutant kind. As for his pedigree as a fighter, the character has proven his worth in both Marvel Vs. Capcom 1 and 2. Cyclops has yet to make his presence felt in the wiring and plastic of my PS3, and I think it’s time for Capcom to do something about that.


Well there you have it; my DLC wish list. Hopefully one or more of these characters is announced by Mr Niitsuma during the San Diego Comic Con, if any DLC characters are even announced at all. What do you think Mr Niitsuma will announce, and what characters would you like to see added to the MvC3 roster? Comment below, gamers.

Labels: 2011, Capcom, Comic-Con, Joey Núñez, Marvel, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, San Diego Comic Con 2011

The Resident Evil series is, first and foremost, part of the survival horror genre. It has terrified gamers for over a decade now, with shambling zombies and creepy Spanish villagers, giving many a player plenty of nightmares as a result. The more recent entries in the series - most notably Resident Evil 5 - have taken the controversial route of being far more action-orientated. Capcom's decision to do this has left many hardcore fans baffled, as the well-recognised clunky controls and somewhat awkward gunplay have never been strong points of the series, so for Capcom to dedicate an entire game to this awkward gunplay would seem like a bizarre choice.

Well, with Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, that's just what they've done.

As the title suggests, this 3DS release is solely based on the Mercenaries 'mini-game' found in both Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. It's a basic score-attack mode, in which you take on the role of a famous character in a range of locations, and try and kill as many zombies as possible in the time limit given. Even in the aforementioned prior games, it didn't have the depth of similar modes such as Gears of War's Horde mode, or the Terrorist Hunt of Rainbow Six: Vegas, but as a little extra it could provide at least a couple hours of light entertainment once the main story was over. Making it the focus of its own game and then charging full price for it, however, seems completely absurd.


Make no mistake about it, this is literally the same mode ripped straight out of the prior games, right down to the characters and locations. Enemy types are copied from Resident Evil 4 and RE5, there are no new weapons or maps, and very few new gameplay mechanics to push it beyond what fans already expect from Mercenaries 3D. Killing enemies scores you points, smashing crystals earns you more time and you just keep doing the same thing until the time is up. There are no objectives, not much in the way of enemy variety and the whole design just seems lazy. The overriding feeling I have towards the design of Mercenaries 3D is that, even as an extra in prior games, it wasn't all that engaging or fleshed out, and it has not been improved or enhanced at all for transition into a fully-fledged release.

Initially at least, there are just eight maps to choose from, across only five different locations. Capcom has hinted that there might be some DLC further down the road, but at the moment, everything is recycled. In terms of characters, there are a decent number to choose from and unlock, but they do little other than providing lip service to existing fans. Medals can be earned and weapons are unlocked, but none of these unlocks are reason enough to plough through the same generic and same-y missions over and over again.

Resident Evil 5 was a very action-heavy experience, and the somewhat dated gunplay struggled to keep up with the design of the missions and levels. Whereas in Resident Evil 4 the clunky combat was offset by the slow pace at which the enemies attacked and the chilling atmosphere created, the fifth entry just felt a bit like a laboured version of Gears of War. In Mercenaries 3D, the combat is not particularly exciting either. The way in which Capcom seems to try and get round the fact that the gunplay is slow and clunky is by making the enemy AI completely shambolic. Enemies will walk at you at a snail's pace, stand in front of you for a good few seconds before even thinking about hitting you, and are basically lambs for the slaughter. This type of gunplay can be excused in a careful, methodical environment, but in a fast-paced score-attack setting, it just doesn't work.


Capcom has tried to modernise the setup slightly by offering perk-style abilities, such as being able to use healing items more effectively or allowing players to execute instant kills at certain points during a mission. Overall, though, it just feels like a cheap and tacky attempt at trying to introduce something worthwhile into what is still essentially a mini-game.

The game becomes slightly more enjoyable when played in co-op, either locally or online. The process of hooking up with friends or strangers is quick and easy, and the ability to heal each other and link together kills for score bonuses is a nice touch that makes having a second player there feel worthwhile. What's most baffling about the online functionality of Mercenaries 3D, however, is the lack of leaderboards; this is a game entirely about trying to achieve high scores, and yet you can't even compare them with friends and the rest of the world. It really is strange, especially when you consider how brilliant the online component of Capcom's last 3DS title was in Super Street Fighter IV 3D. The lack of leaderboards is just one more reason why players will find very little incentive to keep coming back for more after they've played through each mission; that is, assuming they can stomach the clunky combat.

Mercenaries 3D's strongest card is probably its visuals, with character models that honestly don't look much worse off than the stunning ones offered in the recent console games. The environments look decent enough, but effects such as explosions and bullet damage look incredibly poor when compared to the rest of the visual presentation overall. Animation is very impressive for the player characters, but enemies move stiffly with rather jarring animation routines. The audio is laughable, with poor audio quality rendering weapon sounds and character voices obsolete. The music is just as corny as you'd expect from the series, too, so you might want to play this game on mute.


There is no getting away from the fact that Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D lacks the content and longevity required for it to be a full priced release. Not only that, but the clunky gunplay and baffling lack of online leaderboards represent areas in which the series desperately needs some renovation. As it stands, Resident Evil's gameplay simply does not fit in well in a fast-paced score-attack format, and asking consumers to spend £40 on an experience like this just seems like daylight robbery. I would say a weekend rental might give you some light entertainment, but Capcom's braindead decision on the save-game front has practically killed that option as well. If you're finished with the brilliant Ocarina of Time, and are looking for the next big thing to keep your 3DS from gathering dust, then I'm afraid you're just going to have to keep on looking.

3/10 [?]

Labels: 2011, 3DS, Capcom, Nintendo 3DS, Resident Evil, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, Review, Tom Acres

In 1992 I was not much to look at. A below average height 7 year old boy with questionable social skills and an apparent lack of talent for anything involving a ball, bat, glove, or set of wheels, I was not what you would call an imposing young tyke. There were, however, a couple of things I was pretty good at during that young age. Very good at, actually. The first was remembering the name, power set and origin story of every character featured in my favourite Saturday morning cartoon: X-Men. The second was the ability to execute a flawless DOWN + DOWN-FORWARD + FORWARD motion on my SNES controller, culminating in the most glorious battle cry of all time... Hadouken!. These are talents that I have kept ever since.

Over the years my love for the X-Men evolved into a full blown Marvel comics obsession. While Stan Lee tended to my love for comics, Street Fighter nurtured my love for gaming. To this day I’m still a sucker for a good fighting game; everything from Tekken to BlazBlue - you name it, I’ve played it. So you can imagine my reaction all those months ago when Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds was announced by way of that geektastic trailer featuring the likes of Ryu, Morrigan, Chris Redfield and Wolverine.

The doctors said I was touch and go there for a while, but since first watching that trailer I have fully recovered my eyesight and the use of my left arm.

Yes, I was pretty excited, I mean wasn't everyone? Fans of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 had been clamouring for this game for years, and when Street Fighter IV came around and proved that the fighting scene in gaming was most definitely not dead, the clamours only got louder. So why on earth do I find myself writing up a piece in defense of Marvel vs. Capcom 3? The reviews are in, and the game is good! Haters, however, are gonna hate.

If you haven't followed it, let me describe the different camps who have problems with Marvel vs. Capcom 3. On one side of the bunch you have the hardcore fans who are disappointed in the apparent dumbing-down of the control scheme, and on the other side you've got casual players who love to scoff at the mere 36 characters, compared to the 56 featured in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Surely, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is not the second coming of Christ; and no, it is not the perfect fighting game, but I’ll be damned if I stand by idly and let you fine readers allow a couple of naysayers turn you off of this fine game.

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is the fighting game equivalent of a bowl of cool beans bathed in awesome sauce. Let's discuss why.

Characters

There is a reason Marvel is called the 'House of Ideas'. The stories and characters the company has produced over the years are some of the most memorable and iconic in all of comics. Featured in television, literature and cinema for decades, the characters of Marvel have withstood the test of time and proven to be near and dear to the hearts of many millions across the globe. The faces featured in Marvel vs. Capcom 3 are a great representation of what Marvel is all about.

The necessary crowd-pleasers like Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America and Wolverine have all made a triumphant return to represent Stan Lee and friends, but Capcom spiced up the comic book roster by throwing in some great new additions like She-Hulk, Phoenix, Deadpool, X-23 and the almighty Thor. Some fans have questioned the inclusion of lesser known characters such as Taskmaster, Dormammu or M.O.D.O.K., and to some extent I can relate. I am definitely not a M.O.D.O.K. fan, and would have much rather preferred his slot be given to a competent fighter (did anyone at Capcom even hear about Iron Fist or Elektra? Come on now!). But I recognise that these 'unknown' characters add nothing but new personality to the game, and help therefore make the roster of characters that much more unique.

As for Capcom, well, where do I even start? You would think that Capcom would play it safe and draw heavily from their fighting franchises (Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, et cetera), but as usual the company seemed determined to represent themselves with characters from all over its diverse library of villains and heroes. Some standouts worth mentioning are the Resident Evil trio: Chris, Wesker, and Jill Valentine (the last available as DLC); Spencer of Bionic Commando fame; the devilishly awesome demon hunters of Devil May Cry: Trish and Dante; and Amaterasu, the god which is dog, but is still really a god, originally featured in the cult hit, Okami. Per usual the company managed to stick in some oddball characters, which actually works given the random context of the game. Most notable in this category are Viewtiful Joe and Arthur, of Ghosts n’ Goblins.

Now, if you are at all familiar with the characters I’ve mentioned above you may worry that this is a mismatched roster. I mean, how can you have Amaterasu (a god) fight Deadpool? How does that even work?! But that’s just the thing - it works perfectly! I will admit that there are some balancing issues to be dealt with (*cough* Dark Phoenix and Sentinel *cough*) yet for the most part Capcom managed to do something quite extraordinary with this game, as you can pit any of these characters against each other and for the most part have a fair and balanced fight.

You might be worried that the essence of your favourite characters have been abused in order to fit them into a fighting game paradignm ("Jill Valentine throwing a fireball? Blasphemy!"). You can lay those fears to rest. The greatest thing about this roster is that each fighter still feels like the character we know and love. Every character has retained his or her own signature fighting moves and styles, drawn directly from their respective games and comics. Yes, Amaterasu’s moves are as artful as you would expect them to be, and yes, Dante has access to basically all the weapons featured in Devil May Cry 3. The same goes for each and everyone one of the Marvel characters, with move sets that seem to have been pulled right from the panels of a comic.

Add to the above the fact that, unlike in Marvel vs. Capcom 2 no two characters really fight alike, and you’ve got yourself one of the most exciting fighting game rosters in years. Still scoffing at the mere 36 characters? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Fighting Mechanics

If you’re not familiar with the fighting mechanics of the Marvel vs. Capcom series, here’s the skinny: you pick a team of three characters, each with their own health bar. The first player who has all three health bars drained by their opponent loses. During a fight you can tag-out with either of your two available partners at any time, or you can call either one in for a quick assist move which you can integrate into combos using timing and planning. All characters have special moves (projectiles, grabs, etc.) and super moves (the flashy screen tearing end-all moves which every fighting game seems to feature these days). These super moves and hyper combos can only be used when your 'super meter' is full. The more energy available in your super meter, the stronger the move you can pull off. As an added twist, Capcom has thrown in an 'X-Factor' which can be activated once during a fight to give all your remaining fighters a considerable boost in strength, vitality or speed; the strength of the boost is directly proportionate to the amount of characters on your team who are still alive - the lower the amount of characters, the stronger the X-Factor boost.

There are other complex details to the game's design to master, but I can tell you’re headed towards an information overload, so we’ll leave it at that. Suffice it to say, the fighting mechanics are very cool, very stylish, and very awesome. Three on three fights featuring wacky Capcom characters and comic book superheroes make for grand affairs. The thing is, these fights are not always so easy to get a hang of. Like in any decent fighting game, they take practice.

Since I’ve been pulling off fireballs and dragon punches since the early 90s, it’s easy for me to forget that not everyone is gifted with Hermes' nimble thumb. This can make playing a fighting game with unexperienced friends a boring affair. The gap between experienced and amateur players was especially apparent back in the days of Marvel vs. Capcom 2; you could never really show off what the fighting engine was capable of unless you got two experienced players involved. This was something I was worried about while waiting for Marvel vs. Capcom 3 to hit game shelves; I wanted the game to retain its signature air combo-filled craziness, but I didn’t want to have to offer a free training course for my friends.

Capcom addressed my worries in two very cool ways. First of all the normal controls for the game have been somewhat streamlined; no, this does not mean dumbed-down. It just means normal controls are more accessible to new players. Each character has a light, medium, and strong attack, all of which can be chained together to pull off basic combos. On top of those, each character has a launch attack; with the press of a button you can hurl your opponent into the air and supplement your combo with some airbourne hits. It's when a fight takes to the skies that stuff gets really flashy. Previous games in the franchise gave each character specific launch moves which you had to know in order to even hope to pull off an air combo. Adding a generic launch button has made the process much simpler to learn, while still keeping enough complexity to make it difficult to keep things challenging. Just because you can launch your opponent into the air doesn’t mean you’ll be able to pull off a 25-hit air combo just like that. Trust me, I know. I hate to fall back on the 'easy to learn, difficult to master' cliché, but there really is no better way to describe the fighting mechanics of Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

The second measure taken by Capcom to reconcile varying player skill levels is a bit more straightforward. Before starting each match the game will give you the option to choose between the 'normal' control scheme and its 'simple' counterpart. The latter transfers all of your normal hits into a single button, while a second button will automatically launch a special move (no DOWN + DOWN-FORWARD motion required) and a third button will launch a super move. Yup, it’s just as simple as it sounds. The downside to this is that under the simple scheme you don’t have access to all the characters moves, and, if you ask me, you don’t really stand a chance against a skilled player using the normal scheme. That said, the ability to choose between control settings is nothing but an extra option which allows any fighting noob to pull off some of the flashier moves in the game without moving to Japan and finding a Marvel vs. Capcom sensei. And that takes me straight to my next point.

Fun Factor

Simply put, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a fun game. Sure, it's complex enough to be in in the fighting game tournament scene, but at the same time it's more than accessible enough to pull it out and mash some buttons for a while with a few friends. Virtually anyone you can sit in front of the TV will recognise at least a few of the characters featured in the game, and will get a kick out of watching them face off. Throw in the 'simple' mode, and I can guarantee even the most amateur gamer will find myriad reasons to love pulling off a show-stopping hyper combo filled with flashy colors and snazzy visuals while using their favourite characters from gaming and comics.

Even though the core gaming experience is a blast, I have to admit Capcom kind of dropped the ball on the content side of things. The game disc is somewhat bare when compared with other fighting games. Although there is a story which frames the setting of the game, and each character has a unique (albeit short) ending sequence featuring some nice comic panels, there isn’t really a story mode (à la Mortal Kombat). There are a 'Training Mode' and 'Mission Mode', and Capcom is constantly updating an online feature called 'Event Mode', in which the game asks you to complete the game under certain conditions (using only a single character, or a team pulled from the X-Men universe, et cetera.), but while these modes can be fun for trophy and achievement hunters, I really would have liked some more meat on Marvel vs. Capcom 3's bones.

Nonetheless, there is no denying that watching Thor, Captain American and Iron Man pull off a team hyper combo against Wesker, Doctor Doom and Akuma is pure entertainment, particularly for a comic fan like me. Avengers Assemble baby!

Stylish Visuals

Boot up Marvel vs. Capcom 3 on an HD television and you shall be impressed. Unless, of course, you hate all things awesome. Hater.

The game features very appropriate 3D cell shaded graphics which match the tone of the game perfectly. Most matches look like they were pulled straight from a comic book, and that is a good thing. A very good thing. The character animations are fluid, which is necessary when you’re pulling off 50-hit combos, and each and every fighter looks great while in motion. Capcom made sure to have each character move exactly how you'd expect them to. The effort shows.

Building on the style developed in Street Fighter IV, Capcom places these 3D characters on a 2D plane; however, the stages in the game feature a lot of visual depth, so although your fight will occur only on the foreground, there will be a lot of stuff going on in the background behind you. The stages featured in the game are pulled from both Capcom’s iconic games and Marvel’s most celebrated stories, and all are filled to the brim with crisp, colourful details which are sure to make any fan smile.

In short, the game looks good, flashy and stylish.

I could go on and on about this game (...well, I kind of have already), so I’ll leave it here. Feel free to bash or praise the game in the comments section below.

Until next time, true believers. Excelsior!

Labels: 2011, Capcom, Joey Núñez, Marvel, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, RePlay

Everyone has their religion. For some, it's found in a church. For others, it's located on a board, down the pipe of a twenty-foot wave. Performing Shakespeare might provide serenity for John, while Sarah finds her peace reading Tolkien. Everyone has at least one thing - one activity, setting, or scenario - that allows them to step off of the rails of life for a moment and take stock of the world. Human beings need these moments, these vacations of calm understanding in an otherwise confusing existence, to survive.

Closing my eyes and remembering playing Mega Man X at my cousin's house, excitedly using the secret I looked up in a friend's crumpled strategy guide three months earlier to take down Sigma with a single life left, as my older relatives laugh raucously down the hall thanks to eggnog and peppermint Schnapps, isn't my religion. But it's damn close.

I first discovered Mega Man X when I was seven years old. My family was taking a road trip from our home in San Jose, California, to my Aunt Judy's house, two hours to the north in Davis, near the state capital of Sacramento nestled just west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. My brother and I looked forward to these visits for months, for two reasons: (a) Aunt Judy's pumpkin pie was delectable enough to be an Iron Chef's last meal, and (b) our cousins owned a Super Nintendo, the holiest device in the pantheon of toys available during the early Clinton era. Being older, and cooler by nature, our cousins spent dozens of hours not playing their games in favour of chasing girls, watching sports on television, or getting high and debating whether or not Kurt Cobain was a sellout during time designated towards writing new songs with their bands. While we disagreed with their life choices, we appreciated the fact that they often left their SNES lonely, unplayed, and in dire need of our attention.

These were moments we cherished. For reasons we never quite understood or accepted, my brother and I grew up with a strict no-video-games-in-the-house policy. We could play at friends' houses, or at demo stations in Walmarts or Fry's Electronics, but when our parents' shopping was over there was no chance of us bringing Mario or Sonic home. This made it easy for us to not be choosy when the opportunity to game arose. It could be Donkey Kong Country or Hello Kitty Superhearts and Ponytime Adventure - it didn't matter; we were all in. We played whatever was available. When in Davis, we could choose between Super Mario World, NBA Jam...

...and Mega Man X, the holy trinity of my SNES experience. Amen.

Though NBA Jam was hilarious, and Super Mario World will always be heralded as one of the legends of early gaming, Mega Man X was always my hands-down favourite of the three.

Why?

Because it's one of the greatest platformers in game history? Because it took the innocent boy Mega Man and made a man out of him? Because the first boss you meet is basically Boba Fett? Because it cures the lame and feeds the sick?

Yep. That's why.



For those of you who have never tried it, the gameplay in Mega Man X is similar to that of any other title in the Mega Man series leading up to it: there are platforms. You jump on these platforms in a mostly linear direction until you reach a boss room. Taking down a boss will allow you to select a new stage, where you will once again jump on platforms until you slay an evil robot. Lather, rinse, repeat.

In order to reach a boss, X must navigate through a sea of enemies bent on reducing his Cadillac-shiny exoskeleton to singed scrap metal. Sliding and jumping allows X to avoid some of these robot combatants, but the majority of them need to be dispatched with X's handy ole 'X Buster', the giant lump attached to his right arm which, I can only assume, uses nuclear fusion to shoot blasts of energy. Defeated bosses will drop microchips that, when attached to this tumorous appendage, give X a valuable and unique special attack to use on command. Vanquishing Storm Eagle, for example, will enhance X's gun with 'Storm Tornado', an air cannon that launches a funnelled gust of wind which continuously damages enemies for a period of three or four seconds. On top of these upgrades, X can discover secret upgrades throughout the various stages which improve his health, energy tanks, special gun ammo capability, and armour. These upgrades are a real necessity for anyone who wants to actually beat the game. With the exception of being able to jump-kick off walls, the gameplay in Mega Man X is standard fare for anyone who has played a Mega Man title before.


Bosses and their minions look unbelievably ridiculous. I'm not sure which future engineer would ever think that a giant robot penguin, whose deadly power is making penguin-shaped snowmen and sliding stomach-first into them with childlike glee, is a logical design model, but I assume he will hail from Japan. There are times, however, when you will still fear them, despite their sheer silliness. This is brilliant in itself. I shouldn't be frightened of a the cartoony lovechild of a red giant octopus and the unthreatening Cylons from the Battlestar Galactica of the 1970s, but if I don't have the 'Rolling Shield' gun, I am shivering with horror.

Perhaps the greatest gift from Mega Man X to the world is its soundtrack. Heavy metal bands the globe over rock out to it every day. I could spend the remainder of this article listing my favourite Mega Man X covers, but instead I'll bring you back to the source: the original tracks in all their 16-bit glory. These themes are essential to the pace, ambiance, and gameplay of Mega Man X. Without them, the game would likely have been good, but never great.

Be sure to spend a minute listening to every hyperlink in that paragraph.

Mega Man X is not an easy game. Like almost every platformer of the early 90s era, it takes an intense focus and a keen memory to know just when to jump, slide, and shoot your way out of a gauntlet of patterned danger. Put a controller in the hands of anyone you know who has successfully beaten Sigma, the final boss in X, and after a few lives to shake off the rust their muscle memory will kick in, guiding their fingers in an impressive show of retro gaming skill that will very likely wow you. Reaching and defeating Sigma for the first time is one of those feats that people should be able to put on their résumés. It's tough, and takes the kind of serious repetitive practice (different than grinding) that today's games simply don't require. You don't forget how to play Mega Man X. You just put those skills in hibernation when you're not playing it, until you need them again.


I know my love for this game is tied completely to my own nostalgia. I'm biased because my childhood experiences sway my judgment. But you know what? That's a good thing. When I contemplate Mega Man X, I don't just think of rapid-fire gameplay, challenging levels, and hilariously zany enemies. I think of Christmas when it was most magical. I think of family, all gathered together to celebrate the best parts of the season. I think of relatives no longer with us, and how I wished I could put off January somehow to be with them as long as I could. I think of those tacky winter sweaters my mom had us all make, and how proud she was when we handed them to cousins, who thanked us politely before burying them deep in an attic or closet.

When I smell pumpkin pie at Christmastime, I think of Mega Man X.

Labels: 2011, Capcom, Christmas, Greg Mengel, Mega Man, Megaman X, Retro review, Retrospective, Review, SNES, Super Nintendo

It's happened. After years of waiting, Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is finally here, and it rocks. I know the masses of faithful fans are somewhat divided on the pros and cons of its new game mechanics, but I don’t think anyone can deny that the game is loads of fun (especially for a comic fan like yours truly). A big part of the fun factor in this classic series is the opportunity to see iconic and disparate characters clash in visually stunning over-the-top battles.

Simply put? It's fanboy heaven.

Yup, there is definitely a special appeal to any 'vs.' series, and contemplation on this subject got my brain gears grinding. Once the resultant massive headache subsided, I was left with one very distinct thought: "I want more". If Marvel and Capcom can somehow put all their characters into one single awesome fighting game, why can’t everyone?! Sure, the logical non-fanboy half of me immediately started blurting out some nonsense about character rights and copyright infringement, but in grindy-gear-brai-fantasy-land there's no room for naysayers. So, after I shut him up, I thought it’d be a good idea to share my little wishlist; nay! My list of demands.

Videogame industry? These are the 'vs.' fighting games I want. Get on it!

1: Marvel vs. DC

Go ahead, call me obvious. Scream to the top of your lungs about my lack of originality, and see if I care. Sure, any gamer who’s ever glanced sideways at a Spider-Man comic or a Superman novel has at one point or another dreamt of a videogame crossover. It’s a cliché, guilty as charged, but it’s one of the awesomest clichés in awesometown. I’ve been dreaming about this game since I was six years old, and I’ll be damned if it isn’t made in my lifetime.

Our chances of playing a Marvel vs. DC are not as low as you might think. The comic publishing giants have collaborated several times before upon comic book crossovers, and the commercial success of a product pitting the two sides against one another is practically guaranteed. Marvel’s characters are back in the fighting game spotlight thanks to Capcom, and the DC catalogue wet their toes in the arena with the lacklustre, yet still undeniably fun Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. There is no reason why both companies can’t have another go, only this time against one another. Superman vs. Thor... Batman vs. Captain America... Wonder Woman vs. Ms. Marvel...

Tell me you’re not excited.

I’d hand over development of the game to Capcom, as they are the undisputed masters of fighting games and have proven that they can recreate the out-of-this-world battles that go hand-in-hand with superhero comics. The tricky part will be to get DC’s parent company, Warner Brothers, to sign off on this. But, hey, we can all just share the money... right guys?

Make it happen!

2: Mortal Kombat Vs. Killer Instinct

I am hoping that most of you out there remember Killer Instinct. The original Killer Instinct was released on the Super Nintendo way back when, in 1995. With crazy characters, insane one-hundred-hit combos, and finishing moves pulled straight from the Mortal Kombat editing pile, this game managed to have a voice all of its own. A sequel was produced for arcades in 1996, but home consoles have been left wanting and waiting for a Killer Instinct title since the release of the original.

Granted, the franchise is pretty obscure. Though originally developed by Rare, various other studio heads have expressed interest in revisiting the franchise front time to time, perhaps via a release on the XBLA arcade. As of today, we fans haven’t heard anything but rumours. So why pair up this game with the MK franchise?

If you're the one asking that question, you probably haven’t played Killer Instinct.

Killer Instinct was a brutal game - the only fighting game I remember playing which evoked the same gore and brutality as Mortal Kombat. The two franchises are a perfect fit. The creators of Mortal Kombat at Midway actually published the original Killer Instinct, so the necessary relationship is there. All signs point to a return to form for the Mortal Kombat franchise later this year; if Rare can get Killer Instinct out onto XBLA sometime soon, I can see enough positive buzz being generated to give this prospective crossover a concrete chance of coming to fruition.

Make it happen!

3: Capcom vs. Sega

Oh, Sega, I truly do miss your glory days. Once a company leading the charge against Nintendo in the console race, you've now dropped out of console development and dedicated yourself to publishing games. Even though your golden age may be behind you, your catalogue of characters is more than suited to take on the Capcom bunch.

I remind you, first and foremost, that the guys and gals at Sega are the ones behind the Virtua Fighter series, and that alone gives them a slew of characters worthy of taking on Ryu or Chun Li. And let’s not forget that hasty blue hedgehog, Sonic, and his supporting cast. Just the thought of Sonic and Tails wailing on Megaman and Roll gives me goose bumps. For those of you that have played Valkyria Chronicles, can you imagine Welkin, Alicia and Selvaria taking on the S.T.A.R.S. team, of Resident Evil fame?

The main reason this game needs to happen is that some day, before I leave this mortal world, I need to see Dante take on Bayonetta. This fight needs to happen, and I need to be at the controls. 'Nuff said.

Make it happen!

4: Namco Bandai vs. Capcom

One of the first games I ever played on the original PlayStation all those years ago was Tekken. It was the first 3D fighting game I had ever played, and I was in awe. I vividly remember thinking to myself "Huh. So this is the new Street Fighter...". Tekken was the fighting game to beat for a few years in many respects, and Namco has made quite a reputation for itself in the fighting game arena, having also created the excellent Soul Calibur series.

Granted, Tekken x Street Fighter is going to happen (haven’t heard? Look it up, people!), but why stop at making a Street Fighter-esque game featuring the Tekken characters, when you can create a crazy, over-the-top 'vs.' series featuring all of Namco’s characters? The Soul Calibur roster is just itching to get out there, and seeing Kosmos from Xenosaga ripping on Zero (of Megaman fame) is one of my more awesome recurring dreams. Seriously.

The two companies have already come together twice in the past to create the quirky RPG Namco x Capcom, and the aforementioned Street Fighter x Tekken, so what's the hold up? Let's take it the whole nine yards!

Oh, and remember that Namco merged with Bandai a few years back? You know Bandai, the guys behind the Power Rangers... it's morphing time, amigos!

Make it happen!

5: Square Enix vs. Capcom

Have you played Dissidia Final Fantasy? You haven’t? Let me boil it down for you. Turns out Final Fantasy characters in a fighting game are downright unbelievably fun. This is really a no-brainer. Square has a great catalogue of characters, and can call on anyone from Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest fame, arguably the company’s best-known franchises.

Capcom has long-since established that it has the talent necessary to put a great 'vs.' game together, and Square has the roster it takes to make what could feasibly be the most epic game in the 'vs.' genre. Ryota Niitsuma, the Capcom developer behind Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, has already stated that he would love to work with the Square Enix characters.

This could actually happen.

Wait a second... Square Enix is publishing Tomb Raider now. Does this mean a Square vs. Capcom game could have me pitting Lara Croft against Jill Valentine?

...please excuse me whilst I go to the corner and nerdgasm.


So that’s it, guys: my wish list for 'vs.' games that need to happen. Any great ideas of your own? Sound off in the comments section below.

Labels: 2011, Capcom, DC, Joey Núñez, Marvel, Namco, RePlay, SEGA, Square Enix

Zombies are pretty important. I say this because, when it comes to video gaming, there hasn’t been a greater prevailing element than that of the shambling dead. Everybody loves them, everybody wants them, and now Capcom has responded with an early gift in the form of the download-only title, Dead Rising 2: Case Zero. As a precursor to Dead Rising 2, Case Zero provides a quality taste of what’s just on the horizon.

Chuck Greene is a motocross legend, but more importantly, he’s a father. His child has contracted the deadly zombie virus and, in order to keep it from consuming her, Chuck must combat it with the miracle drug Zombrex. Unfortunately it’s high in demand, ridiculously expensive, and his truck which was carrying several smaller doses was stolen. Thus Chuck must venture about the fringe-town of Still Creek in the hopes of finding another dose of Zombrex and maybe a ride out of there.

While it seems like a serious affair, you shouldn’t be playing Case Zero for the story. It works for what it’s worth, but the story really only exists to point you in a certain direction. The real hook, just like in the original Dead Rising, is the creative and asinine ways you can murder the undead. You know, like chucking some lawn darts or throwing a football. Chuck can pick up an assortment of weapons littered around the streets and department stores of Still Creek, but there’s something a bit more... imaginative available. This time around Chuck can pick up combinable materials and mould something that’s relatively useless into something that’s impossibly good at zombie slaughter.

Of course I’m talking about the new crafting system. As long as an item has a wrench icon in its name, you can bring it to a workbench and try to combine it with another item. Take, for instance, a leaf rake and a car battery. The latter is unwieldy and slow while the rake is horribly weak; both together make for a terrible weapon. Bring them both to a workbench and you’ll get the wonderfully effective electric rake. Simply touch any zombie with this contraption and it’ll send a powerful electric shock that jettisons them back a distance. That’s a tough feeling to beat.

While we’re on the subject of weapons, you should know that Case Zero utilises a special combo card system. These combo cards let you know what exact materials combine to create one of the nine monstrous inventions in the game. However, you have to earn these combo cards by levelling up or completing something important. Just like in the original game, killing zombies nets you PP (Prestige Points) which help you level up, but if you kill zombies with crafted weapons and have the combo card, you’ll then earn double the PP gained. You can still guess what’s needed to create those special weapons, and if you do guess before you’ve found the combo card, you’ll receive what the game calls a “scratch card.” While only holding the scratch card, your weapon will gain you half the PP and only be capable of one type of attack.

This is Case Zero’s focus; killing, killing, and sometimes completing objectives. From the game’s onset, you have exactly twelve hours until it ends, and that’ll perturb some. I for one don’t enjoy being on a time limit, but it actually adds a bit more to the game. Since it’s short (about three hours), you can play how you want to and then load your character’s stats, money, and level into the next game. This style of gameplay allows for experimentation, and rewards players who go the extra mile to figure out where certain things are located. After my second session, I was done with practically all of my objectives within the first four game hours. Depending on what you accomplish, you’ll see a variety of endings, which is a nice touch. So if you just go around slaughtering zombies and exploring the town, like I did the first time, you’ll get the worst ending possible. That’s fine though, since you’ll at least retain everything for the second go-round, and believe me when I say that you will go through it multiple times.

It’s an addictive game, especially when you find broadswords, paddlesaws, and sniper rifles just waiting to be utilised. When zombies die, they do so in spectacular fashion, often bursting into clouds of blood, losing extremities and sometimes falling into pieces. It really is endless fun, but mindless if you just want to kill things. It’s too bad, then, that there’s actually no explanation of how you achieve the various combo cards. As I said, you definitely get some by levelling up, but you can only get a few in the game and it’s never explained.

It’s also beyond frustrating when trying to find all the survivors. It’s overly complicated because you have to know that during a certain time, a specific survivor appears and then you can save them. It doesn’t help that some require specific items, meaning you’ll be trekking back-and-forth in annoying fetch-quest manner. There’s also a dude named Bob that lets you know what’s going on by flagging you down: it’s really helpful but after completing an objective he actually won’t call out to you unless you enable some type of loading screen, like entering your safe house. Once you go back outside, he’ll then call out to you. Again, there’s no indication of what you have to do.

Visually Case Zero looks decent. The textures are kind-of muddy and there is noticeable slow-down when things get heinous on screen. It should also be noted that I encountered several glitches during my three sessions. One such glitch silenced my cinematic sounds and another actually made a survivor I was leading back to the safe house disappear at the door. There were also a few achievements that I didn’t get for some unknown reason. Thankfully, while annoying, these moments don’t happen too often and don’t completely detract from the overall experience. Still, they are present and sometimes very frustrating.

Case Zero is a successful experiment that’s insanely fun for the $5 asking price. Its semi-archaic objective system and time-based gameplay may deter some, but its ingenious zombie-killing design is as addictive as it is awesome. Only Xbox 360 owners can experience Chuck’s pre-game dilemma, but let’s hope that in the future other platforms can experience small gems like this one.

7/10 [?]

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, Capcom, Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, Xbox 360

   

Rayman Raving Rabbids (Wii)
-Features 'arse control'
-Really cute
-Yak-riding tricks
-Lots of screaming Rabbids
-Good, family fun
-Rayman Raving Rabbids TV party. Erm...
-November release

Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway (360, PS3, PC)
-All about horrors of war
-Enemies can be thrown out of windows
-Good explosion effects
-Very emotionally intense trailer

Tom Clancy's Endwar (360, PS3, PSP, DS, PC)
-Voice controlled RTS
-Try Endwar and you 'really understand what it's like to talk to your TV'
-Quick, commercial style overview of gameplay
-On 360 and PS3 by the end of the year

Farcry 2 (360, PS3, PC)
-First person shooter 2.0
-Massive attack takes place over African landscape
-All pre-rendered stuff
-Fantastic smoke, fire and water effects
-Lots of dust, smoke and explosions
-Beautiful environments
-Lighting is pretty solid
-Safehouses, alarm clocks and night-cover
-Silencers, dart rifles and sneaking make it stealthy
-50 square kilometre map to find objective, also has a compass
-Snipers are featured
-Launches simultaneously on 360, PS3 and PC this autumn.

Petz (DS, Wii)
-New titles
-Cross breed and create custom Petz families
-Dogz, Catz, Horsez and Monkeyz (all with deliberate z's)
-Dogz coming to Wii with Dogz Sportz
-Plush pet dolls with keycodes to unlock game features to be sold

Imagine (DS, Wii)
-Imagine Rock Star, Movie Star, Fashion Designer New York
-Coming to Wii in the form of Imagine Party Babies

Ener-G (DS, Wii)
-Targeted at girl's sports
-Cheerleading, gymnastics, football, basketball and synchronized swimming
-Ener-G Dance Squad, Ener-G Adventure Riders and Ener-G Gym Rockets all coming

Shawn White Snowboarding (360, PS3, Wii)
-Customization options - jackets, boards and dozens of other tweaks to make your character stand out
-Warm ups while game loads
-Multiplayer downhill racing
-Possible open-mountain gameplay and snowball throwing
-High quality, authentic feeling
-Nice sound effects, sharp lighting, solid snow textures
-Design your own challenge, set up race rules
-Seamless, authentic, open world, defining

Prince of Persia (360, PS3, PC)
-Built on Assassin's Creed engine
-New prince, new graphical style
-New combat system
-Only known as Prince of Persia
-Strong trailer, good music selection
-Looks spectacular
-Sticks to soul of original
-Female sidekick called Elke. She never gets in the way or dies
-Elke helps Prince out in sticky spots
-Multiple paths open to you
-Panned out cameras and Zelda-style 'Z-targeting'
-Prince capable of massive, 100ft leaps
-Wall runs, jumps and climbing look very quick, flow well and are simple
-More acrobatic looking and dynamic than previous Prince of Persia games
-Swordfights. Obviously.
-Game transports you almost instantly back to the previous platform when you die, so no tedious continue screens.
-Coming out on 360, PS3 and PC 'this holiday season'

I Am Alive (360, PS3, PC)
-Follows character called Adam
-Men in tattered clothes argue over water
-Cloud of dust emerges from underground

Overall: Ubisoft really have pulled out all the stops to make their E3 conference a good one. Highlights have to be Prince of Persia and I Am Alive. Far Cry 2 looks good too.

Linford

Labels: Capcom, E3