Gamesugar

March 7, 2011

Impressions – PixelJunk Shooter 2

Filed under: Editorial Rants — Tags: , , , , , , — Mister Raroo @ 3:13 pm

PixelJunk Shooter 2
There is certainly a sense of satisfaction that comes from a job well done. Even tedious work can be fulfilling once the task at hand is complete, providing a sense of relief and a feeling of accomplishment. But, when all is said and done, work is work and play is play, and while work can sometimes seem fun, in most cases the type of gratification I get from both differ greatly. I’d honestly rather play than work, no matter how gratifying the work might be.

PixelJunk Shooter 2 is work, and just like any type of work there are definitely payoffs that come when you complete what you set out to do, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a good time while you’re doing it. Too often the only real reward you get from playing comes from the relief of finally passing sections of the game that were proving annoying and frustrating—which are numerous, unfortunately.

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February 28, 2011

Review – Acceleration of Suguri X Edition

Review Acceleration of Sugari X Edition
One of my favorite periods of Sega Dreamcast game releases came after the system’s “death,” when there was a slow but steady trickle of fighting games and shoot-em-ups released in Japan. I was feverish about importing almost all of these games, and my Dreamcast was happily spinning the likes of Ikaruga, Border Down, Psyvariar 2, The King of Fighters 2002, Karous, and Under Defeat. It was like my home was transformed into a neat little Japanese arcade.

Playing Acceleration of Suguri X Edition (let’s just call it Suguri X for short) immediately made me feel like it was 2002 all over again and I had just popped an awesome new game into my Dreamcast. Suguri X is a frantic, bright, and fun one-on-one arena fighter that had me exclaiming “This is so cool!” over and over again until my wife finally told me to be quiet because I was making our dogs bark with my excitement. At first I was afraid my excitement for Suguri X was overinflated, but here we are days later and I’m still giddy about the game – I love it.

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January 3, 2011

Review – Sonic Colors DS

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Mister Raroo @ 2:37 pm

Sonic Colors DS Review
Just how does Dr. Robotnik Eggman have so much money at his disposal? You’d think that the repair bills resulting from his many battles with Sonic the Hedgehog over the years would have put him into bankruptcy by now. Yet time and time again the diabolical Eggman somehow comes up with enough revenue to construct armies of robots, elaborate airship fortresses, and, in the case of Sonic Colors, an interplanetary amusement park.

Did Eggman have a lucrative career thanks to his status as a doctor? Is he independently wealthy? Is he shoulder-deep in credit card debt?

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December 26, 2010

The View From Felghana

Filed under: Editorial Rants — Tags: , , , , , , , — Mister Raroo @ 6:13 pm

Ys The Oath in Felghana Review
There’s a group of lovable ne’er-do-wells that frequent the library I work at. All of them are past high school-age and their ambitions seem to center on engaging in Yu-Gi-Oh! duels, reading manga, and channeling as much time and energy as possible into playing Gaia Online. Though they might not have found their niche as productive members of society yet, the library is like a home to them, and it’s rather heartwarming to know that they’ve found a place where they fit in.

One of the members of this band of misfits always has a tattered PSP in hand, and he often uses our Internet connection to download new games via “alternative” means. Though I normally frown upon piracy, I know that purchasing new games is a luxury he can’t afford, and no degree of lecturing from me is going to stop him.

Once he discovered I was a fellow gamer, he began attempting to talk shop with me on occasion. His social and conversational skills are far from exceptional, and our discussions are usually awkward, though I would argue charmingly so. I know it probably takes a decent amount of bravery on his part to even approach me, so I’ve always tried to be as friendly as possible.

Recently he marched up over to my desk with a massive grin on his face – “Whys,” he cryptically said. I raised an eyebrow to signify that I didn’t quite follow what he was getting at, “Whys,” he repeated, “I just got the new Whys game.” At this point I deciphered that he was talking about Ys.

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December 21, 2010

Review – 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

Filed under: Reviews — Tags: , , , , , , , — Mister Raroo @ 9:18 am

999 Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors
I recently came to a conclusion: I don’t think I have what it takes to be a survivor. My wife and I were discussing what would happen if a zombie apocalypse actually fell upon mankind, and we both decided we would rather become zombies than deal with the stress of struggling to live on. Neither of us possesses the types of aggressive personalities that would be necessary to cope with the rigors that such a grueling, exhausting existence would bring.

Perhaps the largest and scariest threat of all in any survival scenario comes in the form of other survivors. With zombies, for instance, at least you have an idea of what to expect. They may be relentless, but they all follow similar patterns of behavior. Not so with humans. You never know when your so-called allies might turn on you in order to get a leg up and boost their own chances of living to see another day.

With this in mind, I think it’s safe to say that should I find myself in the situation of protagonist Junpei from 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, I probably wouldn’t even make it through the first challenge he faces.

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