Star Ocean: First Departure (PSP)

THERE is something peculiarly appealing about old school games which transcends state-of-the-art graphics, booming sounds, well-thought-out gameplay and deeply engaging storylines. It’s probably the sentimental value which pulls us back to them.

Just like the ’80s R&B and retro music or P. Ramlee movies which never bore us even after having memorised the lyrics and dialogue, these classics were so simple and without frills that there is nothing to distract us from enjoying the essence of it all.

Game developers are banking on our sentimentalities with resurrected titles such as Final Fantasy 7, Metal Slug, the Konami Collection to take us down memory lane.

Square-Enix, the same people who brought us the Final Fantasy series, has relaunched Star Ocean, a fantasy sci-fi title from over a decade ago, and has given it a new coat of paint, improved sounds and a few tweaks to its gameplay.

The best thing about this game is how it merges fantasy and space travel. It tells how a couple of kampung folks who are used to magic, fairytale and swordplay are suddenly thrust into a world of warp speed, lasers, robots and transport beams.

First Departure tells of three Fellpool youths — Roddick, Millie and Dorne — who are trying to pass the time as sentries for a small village near the woods, and suddenly discovers that a mysterious plague is turning people into stone.

So these adventure-hungry friends set out to a nearby mountain to look for herbs as a cure.

But what they found are space travellers Ronyx and Ilia, members of a Terran Alliance reconnaissance team who explained that the plague is actually a biological weapon unleashed by an alien race.

Next thing you know, the three are whisked aboard a space vessel and are discussing ways to save the people of Roak from this mysterious catastrophe.

By now, you might be thinking “Oh no, not another turn-based RPG like Final Fantasy”, but it looks like the people at Square-Enix have upgraded the battle system to real-time.

Thus, when the party enters into battle with the enemy, the view shifts over to a pseudo-3D isometric view.

The player takes control of the party leader, with free reign to run around the battlefield with the thumbstick. The player automatically targets the closest enemy, executing standard attacks and combos by hitting the X button. Special abilities, once equipped, are assigned to either the left or right shoulder buttons.

The only time the combat stops is when the player switches control from one character to another or when opening up the battle menu to do things like using items, casting spells or changing one’s allies’ battle tactics on the fly.

The game’s background environments are also very eye-catching and nicely detailed. Instead of using rendered CG cut-scenes, much like Final Fantasy remakes, Square Enix has enlisted the help of animation studio Production I.G. to create high-quality hand-drawn cel animations to advance key story points.

This is by far not the most perfect game on the PSP, but if you are a hardcore RPG fan and loves fantasy and sci-fi, Star Ocean: First Departure is a sensible choice to reminisce the good ’ol days when games were much simpler then.

• 0 comments »

Yakuza 3 Game Review

GAME developer Sega is still making quality games for the PS2 at a time when other companies are focusing on next-generation consoles. Two years ago, gamers were introduced to Kiryu Kazuma. A former rising star in the Yakuza who is rebuilding his Yakuza 3 Game Review

life after serving a 10-year prison term for murder, Kazuma suddenly finds himself entangled with the underworld, a mysterious girl known as Haruka and US$100 million (RM345 million) that has gone missing. Kazuma must use his fists and his wits to stay alive as he takes on the notorious Yakuza.

The original game begins in the 1980s with a detective witnessing the murder of a Korean mob boss whose dying words were "even if you kill me, our organisation will live on". The victim also mentions that his child is in danger. The murderer happens to be Kazuma's foster father, Fuma Shintaro, who runs off after the deed is done.

The detective chases after him, only to stumble upon a woman and her baby trapped in a building on fire. The woman is actually trying to commit suicide but the detective manages to talk her out of it. Then this sequel returns to the present with the detective still wondering about what had happened a year earlier.

Also, the Tojo-guchi underworld family is falling apart and on the brink of war against the Omi-rengo, an Osaka-based gang backing Nishiki in the first game. With their backs to the wall, the Tojo-guchi gang requests Kazuma, their former leader, for help. Kazuma is now living a peaceful life and while visiting the graves of Yumi, Nishiki and Shintaro, the appointed Kumi-chou, Terada Yukio, a former member of the Omi-rengo, asks for Kazuma's help. However, the Omi-rengo assassinates their former family member Yukio in front of Kazuma, and this prompts our hero to go to Osaka to prevent an all-out Japanese gang war from erupting.

While in Osaka, he meets his Kansai equivalent and new rival, Koda Ryuuji, the son of the head of the Omi-rengou, Koda Jin. Ryuuji has a nickname that he hates — "The Kansai Dragon" — because he doesn't want to be the "Dragon of all of Japan" (which is what the term means). And yet Ryuuji is convinced that he'll be the "true dragon" once he eliminates Kazuma!

While in Osaka, Kazuma meets a new love interest, a Yakuza-hunting female detective and fellow orphan, Sayama Kaoru. She may have lost her parents to the Tojo-guchi like Kazuma and Yumi. Kaoru is ordered to place Kazuma in her custody to prevent him from being killed by the Omi-rengou. Besides the engrossing story, this game has realistic combats, the sub-plots are entertaining and Kazuma is one interesting character — a former Yakuza gang member with a soft heart.

Yakuza 2 has a lot of similarities with Grand Theft Auto (GTA), although they have left out the carjacking bit, which means you'll move around on foot. But with all the stores, arcades, clubs, bars or restaurants around, strolling along is the best way to go. There are so many things to do in the city that you could lose yourself tasting the different drinks at various bars and wooing the numerous hostesses there. Now that's interactive gaming!

Combat is where the game really differentiates itself from other sandbox-style games. GTA had always preferred weapons for combat, so your hand-to-hand experience was limited to punch-punch-kick and that's it. Kazuma initially is limited to punching, kicking, throwing and blocking, but as the game progresses, you are able to level up abilities, incorporating special throws, better attacks and the all important Heat finisher.

By fighting or completing tasks around the city, you earn experience which you can use to level up in three categories: Mind, Body and Skill. Upgrading these early and often is an important strategy. You'll find some of the defensive tactics you learn by levelling up Body can make boss battles much more manageable. Finishers, or Heat moves, are really cool attacks you earn by building up a meter in combat.

Pretty much everything in your environment is interactive (think hot spots in The Punisher game), so when you have enough "heat" built up, you're able to grab a guy and smash his face into pretty much anything you want.

If you happen to have a baseball bat, kendo stick, or some other type of weapon, there's a different finisher for all of these as well. It's really up to you how to finish a guy off. The moves are all pretty brutal, and help remind you of just how brutal Kazuma can be. The lengthy cut-scenes might turn some people off but the story is so well-written, you might be looking forward to them. Even though the game takes place exactly one year after the first, those who missed out on the first game will be brought up to speed. Aside from a wonderful soundtrack, the ambience of every corner of every street is given much realism. Yakuza 2 is captivating enough to keep me occupied until Yakuza 3 comes out on the PS3.

• 0 comments »

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames Game Review

IF you ever want to hire a mercenary, never double-cross him or her! This is one advice which is emphasized in Pandemic Studios and EA’s Mercenaries 2: World In Flames, where you can basically do anything you want except break that rule. Think of the game as Grand Theft Auto in a war-torn country where the hijacking of tanks, helicopters, gun-toting boats and the like replace the more mundane cars, bikes and trucks.

But don’t get me wrong, these mundane vehicles are still available for hijacking, it’s just that once you have the choice of controlling either a tank or a car, would you choose the latter? Don’t think so.

World In Flames is aptly named because the game allows you to blow up almost anything and there are times when you are required to do so. This third-person perspective sandbox game puts you in the shoes of a mercenary who is hired by Solano, who is at the center of a power struggle in Venezuela.

You start off by choosing one of three characters — Mattias Nilsson, Jennifer Mui or Chris Jacobs — who has their own unique traits to best suit your style. Mattias is a mohawk-sporting Swede whose health regeneration rate is higher than the others, Jennifer is a more agile soldier while Chris can carry more ammo.

Once you have chosen your character, the game opens up with Solano hiring you to rescue a general. As a merc, you are only thinking about the cash and not of political alliances. So you take on the contract only to be double crossed and you end up getting a bullet in your posterior. So you embark on a mission to bring down Solano, the general and Blanco, your betraying “agent”. Of course, revenge is on top of your to-do list but why not make money along the way, right?

The game has a very loose linear course where you’ll need to do “favors” from the various factions to gain information on your targets’ whereabouts. By completing these missions, you will accrue money, ammo, vehicles, air support and other perks.

Like in GTA, the best part of the game is your ability to hijack military vehicles and take control of a hovering helicopter. The game’s sound is solid, with decent voice acting, the expected sound of weapons discharging, explosions and a score that is appropriately supportive without overwhelming.

The game’s graphics does not challenge the PS3 although on the PS2 it looks right at home, but these are easily overlooked. The explosions, however, are extremely well done. World In Flames might not be original or inventive but get yourself a tank and cruise around the city blowing things up, and you’ll find yourself levelling the country before you know it.

• 0 comments »

Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli Game Review

There are a few fortunate enough to have driven a Ferrari and even fewer who own one, but many nonetheless dream of being behind one of these Italian thoroughbreds. Now that dream can be a reality with System 3’s new PS3 Ferrari Challenge (Trofeo Pirelli), with 32 models lovingly re-created to keep us dreamers happy.

In the single player mode, you will be able to drive a F340 through 14 tracks worldwide (for example Monza, Misano and Silverstone) in order to ultimately win the Ferrari Challenge trophy.

The worldwide challenge is divided into three regions — Italy, Europe and America — and takes place on weekends, beginning with a qualifier followed by two 15-minute races. New vehicles can be unlocked using the points earned after competing in a race.

For those not used to driving a Ferrari or any high-performance vehicle, (I’m guessing the majority of you) the game incorporates a clever driving assistance device, which tells you the optimum line in which to drive, and when to brake and accelerate (much like in Gran Turismo 4). It teaches you how to drive these cars and how best to tackle each track, telling you where you car should be on track (follow the green line), when to brake (when the line turns red) and accelerate at the apex of the corner (when the line turns green again).

This really does help at the beginning when you are still trying to get a grip on the feel of a Ferrari.

Of course, the driving assist can be turned off and this is when your experience behind the wheel goes full throttle. Just beware these are not your regular street cars — any mistake in taking a corner and you will be greeted by a wall or skid onto the gravel. Something you definitely don’t want to do to a Ferrari!

Not cutting corners is a good motto in life and in Ferrari Challenge (Trofeo Pirelli), the same principle applies. If you do, a penalty flag will appear on screen, causing your car to slow down for a few seconds until your penalty has passed.

Unlike games such as Gran Turismo, car damage has been included, although because it’s a Ferrari, the damage has been toned down so that it doesn’t affect the car’s handling. This is a shame though, as it would have given the game more realism (part of the license agreement I guess).

There is also the arcade mode where you can get quickly into the action. The Ferrari Top Trumps is a sort of mini game, which is great fun and quite interesting. There is also a decal system for those who want a customized look to their car. As for looks, Ferrari Challenge does not stand a chance against Grid’s damage mechanics or Gran Turismo’s Prologue, its stunning wet weather effects and well rendered backdrops.

The in-car look is quite impressive though, and each car is made to look just like its real-world counterparts. This game can be used to give would-be Ferrari buyers a test drive, saving the mileage on their would-be cars. Each car’s sound has been recorded faithfully: imagine turning off the soundtrack and listening instead to the purr and roar of the engines.

Ferrari Challenge (Trofeo Pirelli) may not have the variety in GT5 and Prologue, or the speed and killer-looks of Grid but for fans of the Italian luxury car, this game will fulfill all your fantasies.

• 0 comments »

Kungfu Panda Video Games Review

Kungfu Panda Video Games. Master the specialized Kung Fu fighting styles of Po the Panda with Kung Fu Panda. Embark on an epic, action-packed adventure with the unlikely hero, his teacher Shifu, and the legendary Kung Fu masters, the Furious Five. Through 13 legendary levels from the movie and beyond, you must work your way to become the Dragon Warrior.

NoT many PS3 titles are children-friendly but since Kung Fu Panda is a tie-in to the animated movie, you and your kids can both enjoy this awesome game. Movie tie-ins have not fared well after being converted into games but this action adventure title proves that there’s still hope out there.

The game opens with Master Po, kung fu master and legend among his people, whose martial arts prowess is unsurpassable, defeating enemies around him with ease. At the time, you’ll be thinking: “Man, Po’s skills are so awesome and bodacious this game could dangerously become boring.”

And just when you attain and unleash the power of the Legendary Sword of Heroes, Po wakes up holding a broom. It was just a dream. The first level introduces you to Po (not a Master yet) as the clumsy apprentice of a noodle maker, day dreamer and the laziest animal in the Valley of Peace. But this Panda has aspirations of becoming a member of the most powerful Kung Fu masters ever known — the Furious Five.

As these legendary masters were demonstrating their arts, Tai Lung, a snow leopard martial arts master who recently escaped from the inescapable Chorh-Gom prison, capture them and attempt to steal the Dragon Scroll. With no warriors to defend the scroll, it is up to Master Shifu to train Po into a fighting machine, rescue the Furious Five and rid the land of Tai Lung.

For most of the game you play as Po, but other characters, like the Furious Five’s Master Tigress, Master Mantis, Master Viper, Master Crane and Master Monkey, are also playable. The game is a puzzle-platform format and most of the gameplay is fairly straightforward. However, in some of the more advanced levels, the puzzles can become quite difficult.

You will have to analyse different structures, use environmental objects and find switches in some pretty complicated maps. The controls are fairly easy with light and heavy attacks. There’s the block, jump and special-attack button which ranges from belly flops to the Panda Stumble.

Most of the game involves unleashing kung fu-style butt-kicking with some creative twists thrown in such as river rafting and a fireworks cannon. On occasion, you’ll run into the all-too-familiar timed button sequences that pop up unexpectedly and will at least keep you on your toes.

The graphics in Kungfu Panda Video Games are reflective of the attitude and comedy of the movie with great amount of detail that matches the movie quite well. The original cast members did not return for the game but you will be hard-pressed to tell the difference. Whoever did Po really sounded as bodacious and awesome as Jack Black.

The sound effects throughout the game are well done. The background music sounds like it came from a 1980s kung fu movie. Though Kung Fu Panda might appeal to more kids, parents and adults who want in on the action may find themselves kung fu fighting for the controller

• 0 comments »

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Game Review

METAL Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is set in a war-torn future where huge conglomerates, including those in the Middle East and South America, fight for supremacy using armies of hand-picked mercenaries. The game does a superb job of tying up the loose ends and there's so much going here it could have easily been spread over two games instead of being squashed into one. An amazing sequel to a great series. Personally I have not played any of the other games, yet I hear they're great. So this game is good for dedicated Snake fans and people who need to be introduced to this series. The gunplay is excellent, yet it does not take away from the stealth factor that dominates a well written game, that has you on the edge of your seat. The cut-scenes our long, making up a few hours of the game.

METAL Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots ends the saga about a reluctant super soldier who has spent two decades saving the world from destruction... and what an end it is. Solid Snake has kept gamers hiding, crawling and sneaking. It has taught us the importance of an empty cardboard box in tackling a technologically advanced army since it came out on the Playstation 1.

It was simple back then, Snake is a one-man army, genetically engineered and involved in a generation-spanning battle against terrorists wanting to use the Metal Gears for world domination. But four titles and three consoles later, Metal Gear Solid’s plot has evolved as much as the advancements in technology which drives the world under threat by a renegade army led by Solid’s brother, Liquid Snake.



METAL Gear Solid 4 is presented in the near future with Liquid resurfacing to take over the world and it is up to a much older Snake and his team (characters from previous title) to take him down. To really enjoy this game, it is best if you have some previous knowledge (though not essential) of the series as throughout the game there are references made to previous plots and characters as well as flashbacks that you can activate with the X button during cut-scenes.

So it is a good idea to get your hands on a PS1 and get a feel of what the saga is all about from there. Then continue with METAL Gear Solid 2 and 3 on the PS2. Rest assured, you won’t regret it. For anyone familiar with the game, playing METAL Gear Solid is more like watching a movie because of the lengthy cutscenes. In Guns of the Patriots, the “movies” are well acted with all of the original cast members returning to reprise their characters.

There is a good reason behind the cinematics. METAL Gear Solid 4 answers all the questions that have accumulated for about 20 years now while simultaneously injecting them with a huge dose of nanomachine-inhibiting adrenaline, making the whole series better as a result. METAL Gear Solid 4, in essence, is a game where stealth is recommended. But if going at it guns-a-blazing gives you your kick, then by all means. How you deal with the missions is entirely up to you.

With the OctaCamo, Snake’s new outfit, he can “disappear” into the environment and sneak up on unsuspecting soldiers. If you take the other approach, the introduction of Drebin, a gun launderer, will certainly keep your trigger-finger happy. The levels and boss fights are really huge as always, with five Acts to play through, each one broken down into smaller areas. Once you finish a game on one of the four difficulty modes, more guns and rewards open up which you can use on your next tour of duty.

METAL Gear Solid 4’s graphics and sound are just superb with the surround sound immersing you in the fire-fights with explosions, screams and whizzing bullets, and the more subtle sneaking areas, where you listen out for footsteps of approaching guards, taken into full effect.

METAL Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima and Konami went all out on Guns of the Patriot, giving a befitting end to an epic saga. After all that you have read in this review, this is a game that needs to be experienced and cannot be expressed in words.

• 0 comments »

Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Review

Over the past four weeks or so, we witnessed sportsmen and women from around the world compete to be the fastest, strongest and fittest of them all. As spectators, we too can experience the excitement of winning medals with PS3’s Beijing Olympics 2008. The Official Video Game of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, this multi-console game features a wide variety of Olympic sports -- 35 events from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games! Beijing 2008: The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games also known as: Beijing 2008, Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

With 38 events in 10 sports the game gives us a chance to be competitors and change the course of this year’s ultimate standard-bearer in sporting glory. Most of the sports are score- or time-based, with a few random events thrown in to spice things up. The core events are track and field, obviously, with the sprinting (including the classic 100m race), throwing and jumping events.

But be prepared for injury as you use the new twiddling analogue stick or the optional two-button alternative. Throwing and jumping events vary in the required technique, with some using the typical speed and angle approach, and others timing a series of button presses or stopping a marker within a set zone.

It’s incredibly tough when competing in two-length races. Onlookers will be entertained with the players’ hilarious controller grips and contorted facial expressions. The shooting events call for a lot of practice, gymnastics is an acquired taste, and judo and table tennis a bit awkward. In the single player mode, you can manage your own Olympic team — train members, improve their stats and have them go for gold in the various events.

This game is best if you have several controllers and a bunch of friends competing against you. Instead of a computer-controlled athlete, you'll have a group of people struggling to beat each other. The graphics are well done, with some of the athletes looking like their real counterparts and the menus have a new generational flair to them. There's nothing new in this game, but with its addictive gameplay and party game potential, it's a lot of fun.

• 0 comments »

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo`s Dungeon Game Review

Final Fantasy adorable mascot, Chocobo, is back for another adventure on the Wii. The game will have players join Cid and Chocobo exploring a mysterious tower as they search for a powerful artifact that Cid plans to use to power his airship.



In this release, players will able to explore randomly generated dungeons and search for buried treasure. The family centric game will feature simple game play mechanics with a turn-based combat system. It will also utilize the classic Final Fantasy “job system” that allows Chocobo to switch job classes, for instance, from Knight to White Mage.

Besides exploring the bright and colorful world of Memoria, adventures will also get to visit towns to restock and play a number of mini-games such as darts and a card battle game called Pop-Up Duel

Note: Square Enix announced that it will launch Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon for the North American market on July 8th, 2008. Exclusive for Wii with suggested retail price of $39.99.

• 0 comments »

Soul Calibur 4 Games Review

Soul Calibur 4 is the first 3D fighting game to make the jump to the current generation of consoles and should wet the appetites of fans. The highly anticipated game will feature a diverse number of characters including Darth Vader (exclusive for PlayStation 3) and Yoda (exclusive for Xbox 360)



Darth Vader’s secret apprentice from the upcoming Star War game, Force Unleashed, will be available on both consoles. Fight will take place across many battle fields including one in the hanger bay of an Imperial Star Destroyer. Also, the environments are now destructible and can potentially damage an opponent.

Soul Caliber 4 will introduce a few new game play mechanics such as critical attacks that can be used to break the defensive block of an opponent and unique character.

Another addition is the inclusion of online play and players can fight other opponents in ranked and unranked matches.

Players can also create custom characters for playing online, and adorn them with various outfits and items than can be unlocked through playing the single-player game or buying them online.

• 0 comments »

Race Driver: Grid Games Review

While GT5 (Gran Turismo 5) gives gears a virtually realistic peek into car driving, Race Driver: Grid provides us with a more fun and metal-grinding insight into all-out-racing with the thrills, spills and frills that go with it. Putting players in the seat of well known race cars but well known factory cars to be raced on highly detailed circuits around the world, one can easily feel the rush involved.

The control are very simple, you have gas and brake done with the triggers, camera view change done with one of the bumpers, steering with the left thumb stick and panning around your car with the right thumb stick.

Since the cars involved are factory series, there is no need for the tuning options and getting car is simply done by entering an event and buying a car specified for that race.

And while buying the car, you have a choice of getting new car or a cheaper used one from eBay motors, although there is not much difference in the condition. You can also sell your car on eBay once you have no use for it.

In Race Driver: Grid, you do have to take care not to crash it but when you do the visual damage model is very convincing. Smack into another car and you will be treated to bits and pieces of glass, metal and rubber flying every which way.

Do enough damage to your car and you will see your speed, power and handling decrease significantly. Even crashing into a barricade can have a lasting effect on the race as any debris will remain on the track for remaining laps.

Codemaster`s programmers must have had to restart races a lot in their time as in Grid they have incorporate a flashback game play option where if you crash, you can simply rewind to a specific point and continue from there. It useful especially after having crashed halfway through the 24minute-long Le Mans 24 hour race. Certainly beats having to start from scratch.

In Race Driver: Grid, player has to earn enough ‘respect’ from their races to be granted licenses in three main territories – Japan, Europe and America. Each territory has it own set of challenges and the goal is to win races and challenges across the board to move both your driver and his associated team up the ranking.

Teammates can also be hired later on, adding to both the amount of money the team can earn and the player’s sense of ownership – everything, from the team’s name to the colors and sponsors emblazoned on the cars, can be modified here.

Those familiar with Pro Race Driver series should pick this title up while those who are not, the game’s rather split personality between an arcade racer and a sim should be appealing enough.

• 0 comments »