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RipTen Review: Trine 2 (XBLA)

Chris Carlson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:00:27 +0000

Trine 2 combines a beautiful, artistic and vibrant world with platforming, puzzles and action / RPG elements to create one of the most visually stunning and entertaining downloadable titles of 2011. These puzzles aren’t solved alone however. Having the ability to simultaneously switch between three distinct characters makes Trine 2 one brain-twisting experience.

Throughout the game you’ll be using each of your three characters abilities to solve countless puzzles: Amadeus who is a wizard which can conjure boxes and platforms and has the ability to levitate multiple objects; Zoya is a thief who wields a grappling hook and a bow, and Pontiusis a fearless (fat) knight with a sword and shield (and hammer)

As you venture through the game you’ll have the ability to level up each of the three characters further increasing their skills. While these do make puzzle solving easier, leveling up isn’t necessary if you’re looking for a real challenge. Trine 2 also offers many different ways to play. If you want to try solving each puzzle by using just Zoya for instance, you’re more than welcomed to do so. If things get to tough however, you can always switch to another character to help complete the current section.

Aside from puzzle solving, Trine 2 also offers a bit of combat. It’s not the strongest aspect of the game as it’s rather basic. Most of the enemies die in a few simple hits and aren’t very challenging, But when trying to solve platforming puzzles at the same time, it certainly makes things a bit more difficult.

However the challenge is actually where I found issues with Trine 2. As challenging as it can be sometimes, the checkpoint system used in the game completely ruins it. Instead of reloading to a checkpoint and having to re-complete what you’ve done, the game just “warps” you to the area. This can be done at any time by accessing the pause menu. So, you never really have the fear of dying because you’ll never lose any progress. While the puzzles aren’t easy, this system almost makes the game too easy.

This tends to make mini-boss like enemies insanely easy as you can simply spam the checkpoint system and repeat the same attacks without the worry of the enemies health returning back to full. It’s not a deal breaking, but it’s certainly an easy way out for gamers who can’t overcome the challenge.

As I mentioned before, Trine 2 is a simply beautiful. The colors are perfect, bloom is used just right, the environments feel like-like. Overall it’s just one of the most beautiful downloadable titles I’ve seen in a long time. Even though some of the environments can be repeated, you’ll never get bored of seeing the same beautiful scenery.

The animations on the other hand are rather dull and don’t offer much variety, but the simple fact that you’ll have multiple ways to tackle each puzzle makes up for it. I would often find myself in the middle of solving a puzzle, just to realize I could have done it a completely different way. This is what makes Trine 2 so excellent. On your second playthrough, you can challenge yourself by completing different puzzles in multiple ways to further increase the replay value.

If that’s not you’re type of thing, co-op is also offered. Up to three players can take on the entire single player campaign playing freely as any character their heart desires. Unfortunately, the downside to co-op is that nothing will be changed. If you’ve already beaten the game by yourself, you’ll be doing the exact same puzzles over, but with a friend instead.

This is rather disappointing as a separate co-op experience with its own unique puzzles would have made a great time with friends. I’d rather be able to only complete certain puzzles and levels with friends, that way going in I would have no idea what to expect. Maybe in Trine 3? Or Trine… Trine?

Overall, Trine 2 is simply a fantastic experience that any gamer who is a fan of puzzle platforming games should at the very least, try out. You just simply can’t go wrong with a beautiful downloadable title such as this that offers so much and takes a different approach at puzzle solving.

Not only that, but if you have a friend to jump in from the get-go, you’ll have one hell of a weekend. Bottom line is, if you’re looking to get your brain twisted for the holidays, Trine 2 is the game you’re looking for. You won’t be disappointed.

Here’s The Rundown:

+ Beautiful. Simply beautiful

+ Great physics and puzzle solving

+ Fantastic use of characters and abilites

+ Multiple ways to solve the same puzzles

+ Co-op

- Co-op, due to the lack of separate levels

- Some puzzles are overused a bit too much

- The current checkpoint system ruins much of the challenge

9 and 9.5 represent the pinnacle of the genre, a game that defines what that genre should be about. These scores are for games that you not only feel would be worth your purchase, but you would actually try to convince your friends to buy them as well.

Trine 2 was developed by Frozenbyte, and published by Atlus. It will be released on XBLA and PSN on December 21st, 2011. A review copy was provided by Atlus for the purpose of this review. Trine 2 was played until completion taking around 6 hours to finish. It’s so pretty!

VVVVVV Coming to 3DS

Sam Naylor — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:15:23 +0000

Terry Cavanagh’s excellent VVVVVV will be coming to Nintendo’s 3DS handheld, published by Nicalis. The game will be available through the system’s eShop.

The 3DS version will include the open-world environment you know and love, though this time in look-no-goggles-Batman 3D. The second screen will provide a real-time map, and the handheld versiono f the game will also include new featured levels and future content updates.

When asked for an obligatory quote, Terry Cavanagh said, “I’m VVVVVVery excited about it! This is the first time anything I’ve made has been on a console.”

If you’ve not played the PC version, you can try the demo or buy the game from here. It’s essentially a rock hard puzzle game in which all you can do is flip gravity back and forth. It’s better than it sounds, honestly.

The King Nintendo Fanboy’s Collectors Journal 4/26/2011

Justin Berube — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:33:48 +0000

Many people know that I’m a big Nintendo Fanboy and that I collect Nintendo games, goods, memorabilia, and more. If it says Nintendo on it, and it’s official, I want it. That’s what the Nintendo Collectors Journal is all about. From this point on I’ll be documenting all the exciting Nintendo items I gather on my travels. I come across things both new and old so be sure to check back to see what I’ve come across.

Previous: The King Nintendo Fanboy’s Collectors Journal 4/1/2011

Next: The King Nintendo Fanboy’s Collectors Journal 6/3/2011

This time I obtained several cool Nintendo goodies. I was able to pick up some Mario and Yoshi tote bags at Toys “R” Us, my girlfriend bought me a Mario Kart 64 puzzle, I bought various Nintendo magazines/players guides, and finally I once again completed my North American Club Nintendo collection by obtaining the Game & Watch Ball reproduction. If anyone out there has any questions about these items don’t hesitate to ask!

Want to see when I add new items to my Nintendo collection? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook for updates on the next Nintendo Collectors Journal. Be sure to give me tips on where to get some sweet Nintendo swag as well!

RipTen Review: The Ball

Sam Naylor — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:36:55 +0000

The Ball is a game where, somewhat predictably, you push a big ball around. There’s a bit more to it than that, but really it’s all you need to understand the basics. A First-Person Action Puzzler, The Ball doesn’t offer much in the way of story, but that’s not important. It’s all about the puzzles, man.

The game begins with the player falling into a mine on an ancient Mexican volcano. Of course, there’s a gigantic civilisation built into the mountain that’s been unexplored for centuries, just like in every other ancient volcano. Straight away you find a giant gold ball (“the ball”) and a means of controlling it- essentially a handheld pushing and pulling device.

From here, you make your way through the labyrinth via a series of puzzles involving the manipulation of the ball. The puzzles have a great deal of variety in the way you use the ball- using the ball to reach inaccessible buttons, using it to smash though barriers, laying trails of oil, using magnets and several other increasingly weird variations.

The game also features a bit of combat, using the ball to crush enemies, or using the “hammer” device to knock them into pits of lava. There are even a handful of boss fights which play out more like puzzles than combat- using the ball to press a button to shoot fireballs at a giant ape, for example.

Both the puzzles and the combat suffer from a similar ailment, however. The ball’s ever-present status really begins to grate after a while of play, and despite there obviously being a lot of variety in how you use it, you are nevertheless always using the ball. Especially towards the end, I felt like every puzzle was the same thing over and over again. The Weighted Companion Cube was fun for one level in Portal, but if it was the entire game, I think it would begin to grate just as much.

The combat also begins to irritate fairly early on. There really doesn’t seem to be much point to it at all, aside from a few great bits where you get to push the mummies into lava pits with the “hammer.” Rolling the ball into enemies is a rather boring activity, given that the best way to kill the enemies is to simply hold the ball close to yourself and face the enemies, rolling the ball on top of them. There’s a shower of blood, and you move on. Again, perhaps I would feel differently if there was more than one prescribed way to kill each set of enemies- as it is, it’s either “roll ball on them” or “push into danger zone.”

If you can get your brain past the fact that all of the puzzles use the ball, The Ball is actually a very well-made indie game. It looks brilliant, with some of the large-scale level designs blowing me away. If you’re an archaeology buff, there’s definitely lots to like about The Ball. Although there are a few bugs, it’s nothing you wouldn’t find in any other game (coughNewVegascough) and the fairly forgiving autosave system (think Vita-Chambers) keeps you in the action.

If you’re looking for a game to satiate your need for more Portal, The Ball isn’t it. It is, however, cheap, fun, and easy to get into- and what more do you need? It’s not going to blow you away (well actually, there was this one location near the end…) but The Ball is well worth a look.

The Ball was developed by Tripwire Interactive for the PC (demo available). The game released on October 26th 2010 with a retail price of £15. The game was played to completion. Specs of the PC used are as follows: AMD Phenom X4 965 @ 3.40 Ghz, 4GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD5850 Black, and some slightly shitty hard drive with Windows 7 64-bit installed on it.

Capcom Set To Take Over Your DS With Okamiden and Ghost Trick

Dave Oshry — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:24:23 +0000

Capcom is getting set to unleash a double shot of awesome into your DS this coming season with the release of Okamiden and Ghost Trick. One is the sequel to the unique and original fan favorite, while the other is a new IP from the creators of the Ace Attorney series. We sat down with the producers of both titles (and their translators) to get an insight into just how and why Capcom will soon be holding your Nintendo DS captive.

First up was Motohide Eshiro, producer of both the Wii port of the original Okami and of Okamiden. If you are not familiar with Okami, let this video illustrate just what sort of game it is before we go any further.

As you can see, there are some very unique aspects to the Okami universe. The first being the hand drawn visual style (which has been credited as in influence in games such as Street Fighter 4 and The 2008 iteration of Prince of Persia) and the second being the “Celestial Brush” which literally lets you draw upon the game world and help you progress through the game. Both the style and brush are making a return in Okamiden for the DS. Fans of this critically acclaimed series simply cannot wait. Check out the E3 and Gamescom trailers for Okamiden below.

The game takes place three months after the end of Ōkami, with the player now in control of Chibiterasu, another wolf like Amaterasu (from Okami). So, now that you know exactly what to expect in Okamiden, let’s get some insight from producer Motohide Eshiro.

DO: For somebody who has never played the first game, what’s going to attract them to this game?

ME: I think the thing that will make an impact on someone most are the unique visuals of the game. The visual style and the art style of the game isn’t something that you usually find on a portable gaming system. I can say safely that there’s not many games that look like that. So, number one, that would be attractive for people. Second thing, the main character himself, Chibiterasu, pretty cute, the wolf cub, I think he’s got a lot of charm, so people are going to like that. The way you can control him, the way you’re just free to roam around and run anywhere with him. I think that’s pretty fun. Also, there’s the Celestial Brush, the drawing mechanic in the game which now we have on the touch screen. You can draw exactly what you want and Okami originally is about drawing, so the touch screen is perfect for that. I think that will be interesting for people who have never played an Okami game.

DO: That being said, how great is it to have technology like the Nintendo DS for a game like Okamiden?

ME: The original Okami, I think, is the first game that brought the Celestial Brush mechanic to gamers, but the problem is they couldn’t really control it as a brush because they had to control it through a controller and they might have found that experience not as intuitive, a little stressful even, but once the Nintendo DS came out with the touch screen, we said, oh that’s a perfect match for the brush because you can just draw what you want right away. I think it’s safe to say that because we have a DS with a touch screen, you have Okamiden.

DO: When did you realize it was the time for a new Okami game? How did you pitch the idea of a new Okamiden and was the company excited? (The original Okami was critically successful, but did not sell well.)

ME: The original Okami, after that came out, I think it created a lot of fanbase. Okami fans are pretty passionate, and after that came out there were a lot of requests from fans for a follow up in some form and unfortunately as you probably know and it’s no big secret, the original staff that worked on Okami were no longer at Capcom any more, they had moved on to other things. There wasn’t really a team in place that could follow in their footsteps.

DO: So you had to build a new team?

ME: Exactly, A lot of the people that do work at Capcom are fans of the original Okami and one of them is the director of the current game. He wanted to make another Okami game, so he put something together on his own with a few people. They came and showed it to me and said, “Look we can do this Okami on the Nintendo DS, what do you think?” And I looked at him and went, “This is a good idea, I think we can do this!” So then I presented it to the higher ups at Capcom, they said we’ve got something here and we can make this work and with it being on the Nintendo DS it’s a perfect match, it seems like the best system for it, there’s a lot going for it, ya, so it just went through and now we’re making the game!

DO: Are there any plans to bring Okamiden to the Wii? As far as canvas goes, the DS is a small canvas and the Wii is a very large canvas, so with a game like Okami, if this is successful, is there any chance of this coming to the Wii as well?

ME: I think what’s more important than having a big canvas is the fact that you can draw directly. The Wii, you wouldn’t be drawing directly on the screen. (I realize he is right and I nod my head in agreement) The DS allows you to actually draw how you want to on the screen, that’s where the intuitive drawing system comes into place. The fact that you’re able to touch the screen directly and draw what you want, you’re connected to it. And first of all, we’re concentrating on this Okami and we want to get it out there and we hope the fan reaction is good and we hope it does well, and it’s commercially successful. If it is, and the fans request something, then we can talk about sequels and other systems. The Wii itself is a very good system. The specs are great, I don’t have problems with the Wii, but as far as Okami as a series goes, I prefer the direct drawing with the brush. Not to say we wouldn’t do a sequel on another system but I do like the fact that you can draw directly with the Nintendo DS.

DO: How important is it to have a devoted fan base and to get feedback from that fan base in the development of a game like Okamiden?

ME: Yeah, I think it’s VERY important to have fans making requests and giving us feedback for a game like this and join the development of this game because the director is making the game but the game is not for the director it’s for the fans who are going to be playing the game. So of course the director has these artistic elements of the game that he wants to focus on and polish and that’s all good and well, but at the end of the day, he’s not making the game for himself, he’s making it for the fans. So, we listen to the fans’ requests and listen to what they say and we get feedback at the various stages and we take that to heart. If we can we reflect it in the game we try, but not all of it is always doable. So we do like to listen to the fans when possible, and I don’t think that anyone should ignore their fans when making a game. Especially when you have fans like Okami does.

Eshiro-san and Oshry-san

Next it was time to sit down with Hironobu Takeshita (Producer) and Shu Takumi (Director) of Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective. I brought LA Canvas editor and Ripten contributor Andrea Emmes in to investigate with me.

Shu Takumi is the creator of the acclaimed and best selling Ace Attorney series, and came up with the idea for Ghost Trick while working on the third Ace Attorney game.

Ghost trick has already been released to much critical success in Japan, but will not be available here in the US until this winter. We had a chance to play Ghost Trick and must say that it is very, very cool. You play as a dead man named Sissel, who must solve the mystery of his own death by possessing and manipulating inanimate objects. Sound interesting? Well, it is. Check out the trailer below.

After getting some great hands on time with a game that manages to be compelling despite having only two commands throughout it entirety (Ghost and Trick), it was time to sit down with the creative minds behind it.

DO: Ghost Trick is a brand new intellectual property following in the footsteps of Ace Attorney, which was very successful. Where did the inspiration come from when making a game like this about someone who possesses inanimate objects while being dead?

Capcom: The main inspiration for Ghost Trick actually came from the fact that Mr. Takumi (translator nods at Takumi), having worked on Ace Attorney for so long wanted to create something very different from Ace Attorney. So basically he took Ace Attorney and looked at it, what were the basic aspects, when you’ve got multiple cases and each case was a self contained story, you had a character who was solving mysteries around him and I said, “You know, this time I think I’d like to make a game that has one continuous story.”

So, Ghost Trick features one continuous story from start to end and having a dead character who doesn’t remember anything about himself makes it easy for him to go around and peer into the lives of others in an effort to gain information about himself. For example, we have over 30 characters, and Sissel goes around and he actually interacts with each and every one of these characters, looking at their lives, seeing the mysteries and the little puzzles and whatever little pieces of information he can get from them and try to piece together who he is and what he was killed for. Why he was killed, who killed him? And to find the answers to all these mysteries about himself.

AE: I’m really interested in the art style of the game, it’s beautiful. How did you make that decision to make the game 2d instead of using motion capture or 3D, especially with Nintendo launching the 3Ds next year?

Capcom: One of the big things right now is that everyone is making 3D and we wanted to make something that really stood out from the crowd. One of the things we wanted to do with it is, we have so many characters and we wanted them all to have an impact. So what we did is we chose to make silhouettes that were very striking and each of them very unique so that when the player sees them they will remember the characters individually and as a whole.

So, that is why we chose such a striking silhouette and a striking style. In terms of the animation and the motion that you mentioned, we did hand make each one of those and we didn’t use motion capture. We created the 3D models for them, that’s why they are so fluid. 3D polygon models, and because they were hand created, we were able to put into them a lot of individual characteristics and individual quirks and each character has their own set of motions and animations that are very unique to just that character. And so we hope the players will enjoy the huge variety of actions and animations that these characters do.

AE: I know it can be quite time consuming doing 3D modeling . . .

DO: Is it easier doing it in 2D?

Capcom: As you mentioned, yes it might have been a bit faster to do it 2D with hand drawn cells, but not at the quality level we wanted. Because what we wanted to do was take the newest technologies and we wanted to make the best 2D graphics you could imagine. So, by making the polygons in 3D, we were able to make these high res, incredibly detailed high polygon count models and then make the animation as smooth as possible and incredibly beautiful . . . then we can scale it down to the motion. You’ve got the fluidity, you’ve got the actions and motions and without having to have somebody draw each and every one, like I mentioned earlier, there’s over 30 characters and even if we did it by hand, let’s say we did it the traditional 2D animation style, that would take forever, so this was definitely the way to go to create that fluidity and motion in Ghost Trick.

AE: Well, I think you achieved it!

DO: Do you set out to see that a game like this appeals to all ages, because there are mature themes in this game . . . or do you just try to make the best game possible and hope that it appeals to gamers both young and old?

Capcom: We actually made this game at the onset thinking we wanted to have this game appeal to as many people as possible. We actually set it up to make it appeal to people young and old. The game only has two controls, Ghost and Trick and that’s it. So, that style of play appeals, we hope, to everybody. It’s something that you could pick up. Despite the kind of dark theme, as far as the gameplay goes, anybody can just pick it up and just play it. As far as the story goes, again, it’s a little bit dark, but at the same time you get to help everybody in the story. Everyone you meet, you get to help them, save them, you do something to change their life! We think that helping people in the storyline can resonate with anybody and we hope that everyone will enjoy playing the game. When you finish playing the game, you will get a sense of relief from being able to help so many people. We are very proud of what we have accomplished with Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Takumi-Emmes-Takeshita

Okamiden and Ghost trick will both be available from Capcom in the coming months. Looks like it’s time to dust off your DS, because Capcom clearly has some great titles in store for you.

In fact if you can tell us why you think both of these games have DS Game of the Year potential, we might even send you some Capcom swag!! Chibiterasu silly bandz!? No Way!!

Plants vs. Zombies Game of the Year Edition Now For Sale on PC

Sam Naylor — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:45:34 +0000

Popcap games and Valve have announced that the Game of the Year edition of Plants Vs Zombies is available now on Steam and on PopCap’s home page.

The GOTY edition feature the full game plus 20 new Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud support, Mac play, and the new Zombatar™ feature, which lets you create zombie avatars (hence the name).

Plants Vs Zombies is a brilliant little tower defence-style puzzler, with so much depth behind it that you’ll be playing for at least another year to come. It comes strongly recommended, especially with the new stuff included.

Not Tetris – Tetris with Realistic Physics

Dylan Duarte — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:40:03 +0000

Have you ever played Tetris and thought that the game could use better physics? Of course you haven’t, it’s Tetris. It takes a certain kind of crazy to reimagine the legendary puzzle game with more realistic physics involved, and thank god that kind of crazy exists.

Not Tetris, a product of Maurice over at the Face Punch forums, is one of very few games that have made me laugh out loud consistently. The idea behind it is just so absurd that you can’t help it. And as an extra bonus, it’s a lot of fun and pretty challenging, too. Even better, it feels like a whole new game. It really isn’t Tetris.

Read all about it, gander at images, and download the game here.

Valves Already-Available E3 Portal 2 Demo Footage Will Re-Release As Seven Part Direct-Feed Mini Series

Dave Oshry — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:20:44 +0000

We know you loved all the readily available footage from Valve’s behind the scenes E3 2010 demo of Portal 2. Of course you did. Valve knows it too. But you probably hated the fact that it was all shot off-screen by the press in attendance. Of course you did!

Well, now you’ll have the opportunity to witness that great Portal 2 demo footage in all of it’s high-def glory, as long as you don’t mind having the whole thing drawn out over seven separate timed releases.

That’s right, if our behind the scenes footage didn’t quite get you close enough to the action of the portal 2 E3 demo, Valve will be showing it all over again, in seven parts. Why seven parts you ask? Who knows, but I bet it has something to do with advertising, or merchandising, or Gabe really really enjoying his strangle hold over us all.

Either way, be sure to check out the first installment (titled “Meet Wheatly”) below, direct fromValve’s YouTube channel, and stay tuned to RipTen for all of your Portal 2 news.

Darksiders 2 Confirmed For 2012: More Horsepower On The Way

Chad Lakkis — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 03:25:00 +0000

One of my highest rated and most enjoyable games from 2010, Darksiders, has been given the green light for a sequel by THQ with an expected release some time in 2012. The original focused on the story of War, one of The The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, while the sequel is slated to introduce the other three; Strife, Death, and Fury.

THQ Core Games Vice President, Danny Bilson, commented on the game’s status at a recent THQ E3 analyst meeting on June 15th:

“Darksiders 2 is coming. We’ve green lit that. It’s well into production now, it’s two years out from now.”

With hopes from THQ for a sequel that outsells the impressive/unexpected numbers of the original, fans like myself will just have to wait and see if Vigil Games can build on the foundation they created without straying too far away from what made Darksiders great.

If you haven’t played the Darksiders yet, you are doing yourself a disservice.

E310 Preview: Lara Croft: Guardian of Light, The Real Tomb Raider

Danielle Cantrell — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:32:09 +0000

Lara Croft: Guardian of Light is not a Tomb Raider game, and although it does share a protagonist with the series, the differences outnumber the similarities.

Firstly, co-op is available on the new game. The way the characters interact with each other is similar to Gauntlet, especially with the changes that have been made for the perspective of the game.

It almost felt like I was playing an RTS when controlling Lara as opposed to the normal close range third-person gameplay that the typical Tomb Raiders have had. Not only does this result in better puzzles, but it makes the game feel more like tomb raiding. I actually think it’s ironic that this one is named after the main character, since it focuses more on tomb raiding than the games named for it.

Being far away from Lara makes it easier to see the environments as well, and is better for puzzle-solving and easier to tell exactly where to go. The environments are more detailed, and even with an early build of the game, it was much more impressive than the Tomb Raider games.

Lara Croft: Guardian of Light will be released later this year on the XBOX LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC.

E310: Professor Layton And The Unwound Future E3 Trailer

Sam Naylor — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:26:04 +0000

Nintendo’s DS has plenty of third-party support, and Professor Layton And The Unwound Future is just one of a massive list. The trailer has been released and you can watch it below.

The game is coming on 20/9/2010.

Professor Layton came from almost nowhere on the DS, and ended up being one of the most popular games out there. Here in the UK I’ve heard plenty of self-confessed non-gamers talking about it, as well as plenty of gamers. The obvious reason is the wonderful art style, but really it’s because the Professor Layton games are really, really good.

LucasArts President Resigns, Takes Force With Him

Dave Oshry — Tue, 11 May 2010 02:02:10 +0000

Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts has resigned from his position, along with several other members of his team. The reasons for his resignation are still uncertain, but it seems that LucasFilm’s Jerry Bowerman will take his place until a full-time replacement can be found. LucasArts has said that this will not affect any games currently in development (hooray). They issued this statement:

“Darrell Rodriguez has resigned and we have initiated a search for a new leader. Jerry Bowerman – a member of the Lucasfilm Board of Directors and a games industry veteran – will be stepping in to lead the LucasArts executive team during this transition. Lucasfilm remains fully committed to making great games and we continue to invest in our business.”

<– Rodriguez, former COO of EA Los Angeles, was appointed in April 2008, just after then LA president Jim Ward had stepped down. During his time at LucasArts, the publisher launched its best-selling Star Wars: The Force Unleashed action adventure, the sequel to which is due later this year. Other releases during his tenure included Fracture, the remakes of the Monkey Island adventure series, and Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings. LucasArts, Electronic Arts, and BioWare also announced their collaboration on the future MMO entitled, Star Wars: The Old Republic during the reign of Rodriguez.

As far as where he will go next or who will replace him on a permanent basis, there is no word as of yet. Stay tuned.

Ripten Review: Doodle Bomb (iPhone/iPod Touch)

Demi Adejuyigbe — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:42:01 +0000

I consider my iPod touch to be another gaming handheld that happens to play music. It’s great for budget gaming on-the-go, I always have it with me, and the number of great games on the platform is ever expanding. In all honestly, it’s my favorite gaming device, and I’m always excited to find new games for the platform.

This is where Doodle Bomb comes in. The game’s developer, Bottle Rocket, has a pretty wide range of great iPod/iPhone offerings, including Doodle Bomb, a physics-based puzzler that uses bombs to trigger doors and devices to help you advance to higher levels. It’s Bottle Rocket’s latest offering, but is it any good?

Hit the jump to find out.

Bottle Rocket doesn’t have a premise, but you can’t really discount it for that reason. I’ve only seen one iPhone game with a plot, and that was a port of a popular adventure game we all know and love. The lack of a premise doesn’t make it less fun or difficult, though- and Doodle Bomb is difficult.

The game has 50 missions, the last 15 of those being “Master Missions” where you have to meet a certain goal. In order to complete the levels, you have to toss bombs at blue triggers that open gates and activate other devices, and a green trigger that opens the next level when you’ve blown it up. You will also occasionally come across a red-striped object that, when hit, automatically detonates your bomb. It’s not as simple as just throwing the bomb, though- each bomb has a fuse that lasts about 7 seconds, and you have to time that 7 seconds so that the bomb isn’t shot by trigger-happy soldiers (your only enemy in the game) or blown up far away from the triggers.

You throw the bomb by tapping on the screen, and how far the bomb goes depends on how close your cursor is to the game’s hero. The combination of timing, physics, and bomb proximity make for some great levels, including many where you have to work with the game’s environment to properly time explosives and ensure that your bomb is set off correctly. If you complete a level on par or below par of the goal set by each level, you get a Bomb Badge. Beating the game means that you have to collect all 50 Bomb Badges- one per level.

Although the game is hard, it’s very easy to learn. Once you get to the 4th or so level, you’ll pretty much have the hang of it. It isn’t until the 30th or so level that Doodle Bomb challenged me, but the great thing about the game’s difficulty is how great you feel when you complete a hard level. I spent so much time on the Master Missions that I literally jumped in excitement upon earning the final Bomb Badge.

It’s hard to complain about a game when it’s this fun, but Doodle Bomb isn’t without its few problems. For instance, the game allows you to tilt your iPod/iPhone and roll the bomb along the ground, but the rolling is very slow, regardless of the angle you tilt your device at. The menu is kind of sluggish too, but it’s rarely necessary unless you want to go through the “How To Play” before you actually play. I actually like the hand-drawn style of the characters and traps, but I’m not a fan of the sheet-of-paper style in Doodle Bomb- it’s kind of played out as an iPod/iPhone design- but I’m sure there are plenty of people who love it.

The bottom line is that Doodle Bomb is fun. It’s not without its few problems, but they rarely get in the way of the gameplay itself. You’d be crazy to miss out on this game. I only hope the developer decides to update the game frequently with more and more levels, but even as it is, Doodle Bomb is definitely an extraordinary example of iPhone gaming at its finest.

On a related note, keep an eye out for a post going up in a few minutes- courtesy of Bottle Rocket Apps, we’ll be giving away two codes for Doodle Bomb! Stay tuned on just how you can win your own copy.

Nintendo DS Review: Crosswords DS

Beau Rosser — Wed, 21 May 2008 06:41:02 +0000

Before playing Crosswords DS, I asked myself, “How am I going to review a game with a foundation built around a collection of crosswords?” However, after obsessively playing the game to the point of crossword-induced dreams, Crosswords DS had me in a headlock that would not let go.

As part of Nintendo’s “Touch Generations” line, Crosswords DS melds ease of use with sexy aesthetic to form a solid package of crossword puzzles, anagrams, and word searches. The menus are easy to navigate due to their giant-sized input buttons and lend themselves to the casual audience the game is geared toward.

Even the most casual of gamers will have no problem becoming familiarized with Crosswords DS’s control. Outside of the main game, there are training exercises that gear up the player with tips as to how the game plays. Although slightly abbreviated and not a necessity, the training exercises are a welcome addition for people new to the gaming world.

The bulk of the game is centered on – as the title suggests – crossword puzzles. Within the main game, there are over 1,000 different crossword puzzles waiting to be solved. The puzzles are separated into different difficulty levels that do a good job at gradually moving the player up the scale. Unlike other crossword games on the system, Crosswords DS is played holding the DS on its side like a book. This holding position allows the player to see the crossword in its entirety on the left screen, while the touch screen on the right is open to zooming in and writing the proper letter in the proper location.

I found the word search to be an afterthought when compared to the crossword section of the game. The word searches require no skill, which in turn creates a boring atmosphere that feels less like an enjoyable game and more like an arduous homework assignment.

The anagrams, on the other hand, can be extremely difficult even when on easy mode. As a writer, I pride myself in knowing many words, but the anagram mode of Crosswords DS was still very difficult. Unlike the word search, though, when I discovered a new anagram out of the letters provided, I felt as accomplished as any wordsmith could bearing the situation.

Overall, I found Crosswords DS to be an enjoyable, albeit average, game. For $20, it is definitely worth picking up.

Pitfall Returns in New Wii Game

Tom Hillman — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:40:45 +0000

Who says Wii games don’t look good?

Activision today announced that Pitfall: The Big Adventure is currently being developed by Edge of Reality, the folks who are in the motions of creating Cipher Complex and The Incredible Hulk, and who also brought us the Tony Hawk Pro Skater games on the N64.

The Big Adventure is set in the Peruvian jungle, combining reptile dodging, vine swinging and puzzle elements. The game is touted to have over 60 levels, spanning rainforests to glacial mountains.

Moreover, every action has been designed to take full advantage of the Wii’s motion sensing controls, from escaping traps to discovering lost treasure.

Look forward to some Tarzan-esque vine swinging action this Fall.

ACTIVISION SWINGS INTO ACTION WITH “PITFALL: THE BIG ADVENTURE” FOR Wii™

SANTA MONICA, CA – MAY 12, 2008 – Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today “Pitfall: The Big Adventure” for Wii™ is in development at Edge of Reality and will swing onto shelves this Fall. With more than 10 million Pitfall titles sold to date, Pitfall: The Big Adventure will introduce the franchise to a new generation of gamers while bringing a fresh Pitfall experience to long time fans.

“Pitfall is one of the most legendary franchises in the history of videogames, so we look forward to releasing a new version exclusively for Wii,” said Dave Oxford, Activision Publishing. “What could be more fun than using the Wii Remote™ to swing on a vine over blood thirsty crocodiles as retro-cool Pitfall Harry?!”

Set in the Peruvian jungle, Pitfall: The Big Adventure combines the action of reptile dodging and vine swinging with clever puzzles. The game will feature over 60 levels spanning lush rainforests, creature-filled caves, and glacial mountains. Within these dynamic worlds, players will explore cavernous jungles, discover lost treasures, battle shamen, narrowly escape treacherous traps and outwit creatures using innovative, accessible game mechanics developed specifically to take advantage of the Wii motion sensing controls.

“Wii is a natural and perfect fit for a Pitfall game, and it’s been fantastic to revolutionize this classic franchise through the application of the innovative Wii game mechanics. It’s a completely new experience for the gamer,” said Binu Philip, President, Edge of Reality.

Wii Preview: Boom Blox

David Osbon — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:45:21 +0000

Think of how LittleBigPlanet will transform our preconceptions of platform gaming on the PS3. Then consider, in the same light, that Boom Blox is creeping onto the radar to do just as good a job for the puzzle game genre on the Wii.

EA and none other than film producer, director, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg have teamed up together to produce Boom Blox, a game that is shaping up to be just as unique as LittleBigPlanet. With over three hundred levels, a good variety of activities, and over thirty characters, Boom Blox is looking to shake up the usually formulaic approach to the average puzzle game.

Boom Blox allows the player to interact with an unusual cast of characters, from the likes of Blox-laying chickens to a beaver that likes to make them explode. But there is also a Create Mode, which places the player into the role of level designer.

In this mode, virtually anything can be built using any of the levels within Boom Blox. These levels can be remixed by the player, using props, blocks, or characters that have previously been unlocked during gameplay. The player can then share his designs with friends or challenge them to solve their puzzles via WiiConnect24.

EA’s Boom Blox will offer this new level of creative puzzle-solving challenges via single player, co-op, and versus gameplay, in early May.

Introducing Puzzle Quest 1.5: Yes, Really

Roly Reyes — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:44:28 +0000

Now that Puzzle Quest has seen the light of day on PC, DS, PSP, Wii and XBLA –- whew, that was a mouthful – publisher D3 has seen fit for an expansion to be released exclusively on XBLA. Oh, and the working name sure does spark creativity and excitement: Puzzle Quest 1.5. They need your naming help, and they know it.

Starting March 21st, you can visit the Puzzle Quest website and see about helping them come up with something a little more awe-inspiring than “Puzzle Quest 1.5”

I never really delved past the first few battles in what GFW Radio has called Bejeweled with mana, so I’m not entirely sure that I’m one to judge when it comes to the “incredible amount of content”. That’ll be something for fans to look forward to.

The new content includes four new hero professions in the form of a Bard, Rogue, Ranger and Warlock – along with 25 “challenging” quests, 50 new spells, and 40 new magical items.

And oh yeah, there’s a new ultimate baddie of the universe — Antharg, the Lord of Plague, sibling of Lord Bane. I’m guessing he’s the baddie from Puzzle Quest 1.0?

The only inkling we have as to a release is spring and for now, only on XBLA.

Source: BusinessWire via Joystiq

Puzzle Guzzle Now Available for PSP

Jenni Lada — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:11:16 +0000

Puzzle Guzzle should be available in a store near you, according to the latest press release from Agetec. It is the latest budget-priced PSP title available in North America, available for only $19.99 with an ESRB rating of “E”.

Taken from the press release:

“The premise of Puzzle Guzzle is simple: players attempt to turn different shaped pieces into shapes with 90 degree angles on each side. However, as the pieces appear faster and faster, and your opponents get more devious, this simple challenge soon becomes a maddeningly fun experience. As players defeat opponents, they steal their character’s appearance, features and special abilities, so the more you play, the more the game changes!

Puzzle Guzzle features hundreds of challenges that will tie players’ brains in knots, and it also features a wealth of downloadable puzzles to keep things fresh. Over 50 challenges are now available for free download. Puzzle Guzzle owners simply need to select “Launch Website” from the game’s title screen to access these new puzzles.”

Previously a free demo of Puzzle Guzzle was made available through the Playstation Store in early February. The 11mb download offered a sample of what the gameplay and puzzles would be like. The download is still available there, so if you’re interested in trying before buying, head on over.

Puzzle Guzzle My Nuzzle – PSP Demo Now Available on Playstation Store

Chad Lakkis — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:15:41 +0000

Agetec’s “Puzzle Guzzle”, a PSP puzzle game said to feature three puzzle modes and over ten original gameplay styles, is now available for your demo puzzling pleasure on the Playstation Store.

The basic concept behind the title (as I understand it) combines traditional puzzle solving skills with the popularity of the social networking craze. Puzzle aficionados will be able to create their own puzzles and share them with other members, in addition to exchanging profiles and feedback via the PSP infrastructure.

The full version of Puzzle Guzzle is set to hit retail later this month, but you can try out your social network/puzzle solving abilities right now by downloading the free demo.

Kill Hapless Heroes In “Yuusha” Demo For The Sony PSP

Cavin Smith — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:56:11 +0000

“Heroes?! In MY Labyrinth?!”

Have you ever gotten lost in a dungeon? Frustrated, confused, swamped by enemies with not a single health potion left in your inventory? Well, have you ever wanted to be the jerkface that designs those soul-killing labyrinths you loathe so much? If so, then you clearly need to play “Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaiki da,” or “Brazen In Spite of Heroes.”

In this puzzle-RPG hybrid from Japanese developer Acquire, you play the role of a quite-possibly-evil dungeon master trying to build the ultimate hero-killing maze. Laid out in Dug Dug-styled strata, you carve out all the tunnels yourself, culling slimes from moss-covered rock. These most-basic-of-basic RPG baddies will then proceed to ooze around and fertilize other tiles or feed on them and multiply. When rocks start to turn white from this process, you can break them to release nasty bugs or even more effective lizardmen. Figuring out how to structure your dungeon and cultivate more powerful creatures is the key to success. It’s a delicate ecosystem so think of it as a kind of “monster ant farm.”

Soon enough, the surface’s mightiest champions will descend into your lair in an attempt to abduct you and drag you topside for some buff rewards from the locals. Yeah, now you know how all those bosses you’ve killed over the years feel. Anyway, once they enter, you’re asked to place yourself somewhere in the dungeon, and though the grace period has ended, you can continue to create new tunnels and unleash new monsters as the adventurers hack their way through your minions. Each hero type has different attributes and weaknesses, as well as the ability to level up, increasing their strength and restoring their health. Striking a good balance between having monsters powerful enough to pose a challenge and not littering your dungeon with experience point fodder takes some getting used to.

Though it may sound somewhat complex, it actually plays out quickly. This is an arcade game through and through, which means it’s hard to tell exactly how deep it gets from the three-level demo. But, hey, it’s got great aesthetic appeal (original Dragon Quest era sprites and pipey music) and hallowed review house Famitsu gave it an impressive score (36/40). Try it for yourself in Japanese (it has a low language barrier) and hope that someone plans to publish the full game in the West at some point. Below you can find the promotional trailer and instructions on how to obtain the demo yourself.

[youtube width="425" height="335"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwkBaDqjLKY[/youtube]

As getting demos, especially foreign ones, on to your PSP can be a trial of patience, you can try following these instructions:

Download this file to your PC. That’s the EBOOT file you’ll need to run the game.
Stick your PSP-formatted Memory Stick Duo into your computer if you have an appropriate reader OR use a mini-USB->USB cable to connect your PSP (with Duo inserted) to your computer.
Either way, the Memory Stick should show up on your list of drives. Open it and go to the /PSP/GAME directory.
Create a new folder with the title “NPJG90009″
Place the EBOOT file in that folder.
On your PSP, go to “Game” on your XMB and scroll down to “Memory Stick.” You should now see an icon for the game.
Click it and play!

By the way, you’ll need Firmware 3.72 to run it!