So, long time no see, or is that no write? Anyways, Easter was spent playing Bad Company 2 and eating large amounts of yellow marzipan. BC2, with all respect to Infinity Ward, beats the shit out of Modern Warfare 2!
It’s the first multiplayer shooter I've enjoyed playing as a sniper. In other shooters, like the Modern Warfare titles, or let’s say Counter-Strike, the maps just ain’t big enough to make sniping feel “real”. The scale of the battlefields in BC2 make it a more realistic weapon of choice. My favourite setup has ended up being the ordinary assault soldier though, with the good old M16 as my weapon of choice!
I've also been playing a hell of a lot of Final Fantasy 13. I'm still not finished, but I’m 40 hours in, guessing I’m nearing an end soon. Apart from some cheesy dialogue here and there, it's been very good! It’s been easy to get into and varied enough to keep a RPG newbie, like me, entertained throughout.
There are complaints though, it would be nice with some more variations in the gameplay, rather than simply running from A to B in many different settings. Plus, more explanation to where we're going and why, without the sudden jumps in the plot. I'd also like the cliché, anime kids, attitude toned down, as well as some seriously overdone bad guys, complete with a comic evil laughter.
Speaking of clichés, there's been a few classics available for download on Xbox Live Arcade lately.
Released: 2010
Originally released: 1989 (Final Fight), 1990 (Magic Sword)
First off, is Final Fight Double Impact, a double release containing Capcom's most famous, side-scrolling, beat 'em up, Final Fight. It’s bundled with the rather unknown, at least to me, side-scrolling, hack-and-slash title, Magic Sword.
It’s the first multiplayer shooter I've enjoyed playing as a sniper. In other shooters, like the Modern Warfare titles, or let’s say Counter-Strike, the maps just ain’t big enough to make sniping feel “real”. The scale of the battlefields in BC2 make it a more realistic weapon of choice. My favourite setup has ended up being the ordinary assault soldier though, with the good old M16 as my weapon of choice!
I've also been playing a hell of a lot of Final Fantasy 13. I'm still not finished, but I’m 40 hours in, guessing I’m nearing an end soon. Apart from some cheesy dialogue here and there, it's been very good! It’s been easy to get into and varied enough to keep a RPG newbie, like me, entertained throughout.
There are complaints though, it would be nice with some more variations in the gameplay, rather than simply running from A to B in many different settings. Plus, more explanation to where we're going and why, without the sudden jumps in the plot. I'd also like the cliché, anime kids, attitude toned down, as well as some seriously overdone bad guys, complete with a comic evil laughter.
Speaking of clichés, there's been a few classics available for download on Xbox Live Arcade lately.
Review
Played on: Xbox 360Released: 2010
Originally released: 1989 (Final Fight), 1990 (Magic Sword)
First off, is Final Fight Double Impact, a double release containing Capcom's most famous, side-scrolling, beat 'em up, Final Fight. It’s bundled with the rather unknown, at least to me, side-scrolling, hack-and-slash title, Magic Sword.
Both titles are well ported from their arcade source, presented in an arcade cabinet frame and various graphical filters to add to the screen, capturing the more authentic feel of playing them in the arcades back in the day. Choosing a game zooms you into the cabinet. Added into the mix are a neat set of filters, sporing scanlines, pixel, crisp or smoothed out options, with a remastered soundtrack for both titles too.
Let's take a closer look!
Magic Sword bears resemblance of Sega's classic Golden Axe, but is played in a strictly flat 2D plane. Your sword swinging hero fires flame balls with every strike and automatically levels as you slay down enemies. There are endless of spawning enemies, varying in sizes. Bosses are thrown in too. As are treasure chests and unlockable doors to gain access to a CPU character that joins you in your fight.
The progression is rather tedious as you make your way up a tower, each floor representing a level. It's rather basic looking, think early 16-bit Mega Drive titles, and repetitive game with little depth to it.
It's a forgettable affair at best and a rather strange addition to this bundle. I see little in common between the two titles, other than being from roughly the same time and being Capcom arcade games.
The star of the bundle, however, is Final Fight. It allows you to partner up with a friend, local or online, and just beat the hell out of every bad guy in the crime-fuelled Metro City, as either Haggar, Cody or Guy. It’s one of the first truly arcade perfect ports of the arcade beat 'em up hit from 1989.
Although it was developed as a sequel to the first, and infamous, Street Fighter from 1987, going to be called Street Fighter '89, it shifted into a new type of game of it's own. Clearly inspired by Double Dragon in the beat 'em up genre. However, it revolutionised the genre and would sell over 300,000 arcade cabinets and 1,5 million copies on the Super Nintendo later on.
It set the gameplay style and graphical blueprint of the genre and would be the clear inspiration of Sega's famous Street of Rage series. Although Final Fight did receive, console only strangely enough, sequels on the SNES, it never really grew into a massive franchise outside the first release.
I'd previously only really played the SNES version, which was toned down graphically in it’s day, although still a ton of fun. It's neat to see this title getting carried over to modern times, with such a caring port to keep it authentic to the arcade release.
I do feel that the Streets of Rage series far surpassed it in gameplay, animation and music, but it's still fun in coop and has that early 90's, Capcom, 16-bit magic to it's visuals.
Perhaps a bundle featuring the complete series or variations of Final Fight would've been nice, but I guess the rights are with Nintendo and Sega consoles for those. Is it just me, or does anybody else want scrolling beat 'em ups like this in modern 3D graphics?!
FF is the main release here, and the added Magic Sword title is a simple bonus, but you'd never guess it was in the bundle considering the title of it. It's a neat collection, but perhaps a little bare-bones with just two titles available?
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Released: 2010
Originally released: 2006 (Arcade)
Secondly, is Afterburner Climax. The Sega fighter jet series has reached a climax, no pun intended. It's a faithful port of the 2006 arcade release, I don’t follow what’s new in the arcades any more, last one I was impressed by was Sega Rally 2, way back in the epic 90’s!
Afterburner Climax follows its routes from the old, sprite rotated, 2D days of 1988. Albeit in modern 3D graphics, with quite sharp 3D modelled terrain and shiny water surfaces and cool cloud effects. There's even a level featuring the northern lights as a backdrop. Explosions and colour usage give this a distinct arcade action vibe.
The star of the bundle, however, is Final Fight. It allows you to partner up with a friend, local or online, and just beat the hell out of every bad guy in the crime-fuelled Metro City, as either Haggar, Cody or Guy. It’s one of the first truly arcade perfect ports of the arcade beat 'em up hit from 1989.
Although it was developed as a sequel to the first, and infamous, Street Fighter from 1987, going to be called Street Fighter '89, it shifted into a new type of game of it's own. Clearly inspired by Double Dragon in the beat 'em up genre. However, it revolutionised the genre and would sell over 300,000 arcade cabinets and 1,5 million copies on the Super Nintendo later on.
Perhaps a bundle featuring the complete series or variations of Final Fight would've been nice, but I guess the rights are with Nintendo and Sega consoles for those. Is it just me, or does anybody else want scrolling beat 'em ups like this in modern 3D graphics?!
FF is the main release here, and the added Magic Sword title is a simple bonus, but you'd never guess it was in the bundle considering the title of it. It's a neat collection, but perhaps a little bare-bones with just two titles available?
.jpg)
Review
Played on: Xbox 360Released: 2010
Originally released: 2006 (Arcade)
Secondly, is Afterburner Climax. The Sega fighter jet series has reached a climax, no pun intended. It's a faithful port of the 2006 arcade release, I don’t follow what’s new in the arcades any more, last one I was impressed by was Sega Rally 2, way back in the epic 90’s!
While extremely limited as a an on-rails shooter, it's a visually strong title for an Xbox arcade release. With a lot of variation in terrain and skies with their colour schemes and effects.
It allows you to fly fighter jets at alarmingly high speeds, so low to the ground you can feel the dust brushing up! Firing off endless of missiles while turning the aircraft away from oncoming objects. Building up the Climax bar and triggering it, allows you to slow the whole action down, bullet time from Max Payne style, and take down lots of enemies.
Game progression branches out and allows you to unlock new fighter jets as you earn higher scores in missions. One playthrough of the game is 10 to 15 minutes though, the object of the game is to repeatedly complete it and earn better ratings and high-scores.
It’s got shitty music, classic arcade voices and totally brainless gameplay, but hey, it’s fun in small doses and and a cool way of remembering the original release with renewed graphics!
Update: Climax has since been removed from the market, as of 2014, and is no longer available for purchase.
That’s it for now, I’ll be back later. Hopefully, with FF13 completed and my Alan Wake pre-order arrived! :D
It’s got shitty music, classic arcade voices and totally brainless gameplay, but hey, it’s fun in small doses and and a cool way of remembering the original release with renewed graphics!
Update: Climax has since been removed from the market, as of 2014, and is no longer available for purchase.
That’s it for now, I’ll be back later. Hopefully, with FF13 completed and my Alan Wake pre-order arrived! :D