…2 Years Later
Two years ago I saw what, in my opinion, is the greatest videogame trailer of all time. This trailer advertised BioShock, a game by 2K Boston/2K Australia (360 and Windows versions) and 2K Marin (PS3 version), which would be the spiritual successor to the SystemShock series. This game takes place in the 1960s in an underwater “utopia” called Rapture. You are a man named Jack who, after surviving a plane crash, finds his way into a Bathysphere (a sort of submarine used for transport in Rapture) which brings him down into the city. Jack very quickly finds that the city is now populated by horridly mutated humans called Splicers, behemoths called Big Daddy, and little mutated children called Little Sisters. This populace of rapture is now being led by the only remaining humans, the previous leaders of Rapture. Throughout Jacks journey he slowly begins to learn the history of Rapture and all of the horrible things that have happened there.
Even after two years this game stands out to me as being one of the most aesthetically pleasing games of all time. Every wall and floorboard of the 1920s themed city is just absolutely stunning and allows the player to easily be immersed into the character that is Rapture. When I first played this in 2007 the thing that I was truly astonished by was the water effects, now they are only above average, but at the time they were so good that it seemed they could not be beat. Between the water effects and the lighting effects BioShock’s atmosphere could not have been set more perfectly.
While the story and the atmosphere of BioShock are practically unparalleled for me, the game isn’t perfect. Its problems lie in the most important part of any video game- game play. BioShock is a first-person shooter that makes use not only of guns but also mutations in the form of plasmids. These plasmids are a substance called EVE that when injected allows the user to wield super human abilities ranging from fireballs to ice beams, and lightning bolts to mind control. The control is fluid and easy enough, but I found myself constantly switching between plasmids and weapons, which was a pointless hassle in the middle of the hectic battles. Throughout the game the player finds many different tonics (upgrades) and plasmids, and there are even a few stations that allow the player to upgrade their weapons. While I am satisfied with the amount of weapons (only eight) I feel that with that few weapons it is necessary to include more upgrades for the weapons. You might ask why would you need weapon upgrades when there are many different plasmids, but because they are a hassle to switch between I found myself sticking pretty close to my guns and only using plasmids when necessary. I know this varies from player to player but I feel that those of us who prefer to primarily use guns were sort of left out. In the game you get a research camera; with this you can research your enemies in order to receive bonuses against them. This is another thing that, while a very interesting idea, really just gets in the way of the fluidity of the control. Also, whenever you hack a vending machine or security system you have to play an annoying little pipeline style game. This was a nice break when you first start the game, but it very quickly becomes another annoyance. I found myself cheering when I researched enough to bypass hacking.
With only a few minor drawbacks in game play, the pros of this game very clearly out way the cons of it. The atmosphere and story of Rapture are just so powerful and well done that less than perfect game play can easily be over looked. The game can be a little nerve-racking at times, but not to the point of games like Silent Hill or Dead Space. All-in-all I think that anybody who plays games should give this one a try and I promise you will not be disappointed. I give BioShock a 9 out of 10 and I can’t wait to get my hands on the up and coming sequel.
Mario and Luigi Return
Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, a game developed by AlphaDream and Published by Nintendo, is a new RPG for the Nintendo DS. This game is the third game in the Mario and Luigi Series of RPGs and this newest installment has some great new features, including several mini games and the inclusion of Bowser as a playable character.
The game opens with Mario and Luigi being called to a meeting to discuss an epidemic called Blorbs, which has struck the Toad population. While at the meeting Bowser attempts to once again kidnap the princess. Naturally, Mario beats him to a fine pulp and sends him packing. The meeting continues and Bowser finds himself in the middle of a mysterious forest. The strange figure approaches him and sells him a mushroom that he claims will help Bowser defeat Mario. In actuality this Mushroom causes Bowser to inhale so powerfully that he sucks up everything he comes near. Bowser returns to the castle before the meeting adjourns and ends up inhaling Mario, Luigi, Peach, and the other members of the meeting. Bowser passes out and in this time Fawful and his sidekick Midbus take over Peach and Bower’s castles respectively. Upon waking Bowser ventures forth to try and take back his castle; during this time Mario, Luigi, and a star sprite named Starlow (who also attended the meeting) work alongside (inside) Bowser in order to find a way out, cure the Blorbs, defeat Fawful, and rescue Princess Peach. The story in the game is superb and it far surpasses any Mario story to date. There are twists and turns throughout, which provides a story that focuses on individual goals for the perfect amount of time. On top of that this game continues the quirky humor of the previous games of the series which in combination with the character design I find to be particularly charming.
The gameplay is also very fluid, which is no easy task considering the control that you have over both Bowser and the Mario Brothers. Bowser is controlled using the X and Y buttons, while Mario and Luigi are controlled using the A and B buttons. Except for the few parts where the story restricts characters, you have full control of both parties. This being said, the game is rather linear, because most areas are blocked by some sort of obstacle that requires a new ability. While you play you will come to points where Bowser needs an extra boost with tasks like moving an island or being sandwiched between a cliff and a train; it is at these times where you are presented with one of the various minigames that are present in the game. The minigames are fun and they are presented in a fashion that doesn’t take the player out of the game, which allows for a more enjoyable experience.
I am a fan of the Mario RPGs and I have to say this might just be my favorite of all of them (its only competition would be the original Paper Mario). The balance of story and gameplay is fantastic, and the light humorous atmosphere is perfect. This is my favorite DS of 2009 and I give it a 9.
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