Video Game Review: Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition

Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition

Sega Genesis

When Jurassic Park debuted on the big screen back in 1993 it instantly spawned a number of video game adaptations across all consoles. While some people question whether a lot of these games were any good or just a quick attempt to cash in on a hot property, I liked all of them. That's right, all of them. There wasn't a single Jurassic Park game that I did not enjoy. Maybe I was just blinded by product loyalty. Maybe the whole slew of games wasn't actually that bad. But I liked 'em.

Due to the long gap in between movies, it should come as no surprise that after the initial slew of movie adaptations, there were several games based on Jurassic Park that were released that featured independent storylines and did not actually follow the plot of any of the films. One of these such titles was Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition for the Sega Genesis.

I got this game brand new for Christmas in 1994. I actually knew in advance that I was going to be getting this game since I had snooped around at my mom's house and found this hidden in a big bag of Christmas presents. Naughty boy.

The first time I played this game I was with my stepbrother. We were at my grandma's house on Christmas Day. Since he usually didn't accompany us to my grandmother's and he was an outsider, an exception was made and we were allowed to bring my Genesis to her house and play while everyone else talked and socialized and watched TV in the other room.

He had already played this game before, and knew all the tips and tricks. We set the fire button to turbo and blasted the living hell out of anything that had the audacity to make it's way onto the screen. One play through that lasted about an hour... and we beat the game.

Every year I usually got a game for Christmas and my birthday, which were 6 months apart. This game was supposed to tide me over till my birthday - and I beat it in one hour. To say that I was not happy was quite an understatement. I was very disappointed in this game.

For those who don't know, this is a side scrolling platformer set in the Jurassic Park world. As mentioned earlier this game is not actually based on the movie, but is set some indiscriminate amount of time after the movie concludes. I don't have the instruction manual anymore, nor do I feel like looking up the plot online. But using context clues I think I am able to piece it together.

You can choose to play as either Dr Grant or as a velociraptor. 

If you play as Dr Grant, your goal is to collect DNA samples, dinosaur eggs, and other bits and pieces of scientific baubles that directly relate to the cloning of dinosaurs. Either the island is about to be destroyed and he is trying to save them from extinction (again) or someone has come to the island to steal all this shit and he is trying to keep it out of their hands. In addition to fighting dinosaurs you also fight enemy soldiers on the island. So either story line makes sense, I guess.

Gameplay is pretty typical side scrolling fair. You run, you jump, you collect health items and weapons. Your arsenal in this game is pretty cool. You get flamethrowers, lightning guns, shotguns, grenades, machine guns.... the list goes on.

There are three levels which are instantly accessible, and you can play them in any order you want. There is the savannah, where you rides a gallimimus from the left of the screen to the right, blasting the shit out of anything that moves. Then there is the aviary, where a pterodactyl takes you to the very top of its enclosure and deposits you in its nest. You basically just have to snatch the egg and jump and climb your way down back to the exit. Then there is the freighter, where you mainly battle enemy soldiers as you collect eggs and DNA samples. The boat eventually floods and crashes.

Once you have finished these levels, you have two more remaining. These must be played in a predetermined order. You have the ruins - where you collect more items and navigate the stage's maze like properties before riding off the screen like a boss on the back of a triceratops.And then you have the boat stage, where you wind through twisting waterfalls, collecting more shit and blasting away more dinosaurs. Once you clear the river, you face off with the T-Rex in his one and only appearance in the game. You basically unload your weapons in his face while fleeing down the river. Not much strategy involved. Once you make it past a certain point, the weak ending sequence plays, and the credits start to roll.

Basically Dr Grant pilots his little boat off to an awaiting freighter in the distance. After he disappears from view, a few seconds pass before a mysterious single gun shot echoes across the screen. And then the credits start to roll.

Huh? Did Dr Grant shoot somebody? Did somebody shoot Dr Grant? No elaboration on this is ever provided. 

You can also play as the velociraptor. His/her goal is to escape the island. The three immediately accessible stages are the ruins, the savannah and the aviary. His/her final level is actually the freighter stage which was immediately available when playing as Dr Grant. 

Playing as the raptor, you run around biting things, kicking things, and whipping them with your tail. Your goals are pretty much the same as Dr Grant's, but with some slight differences. For example in the savannah, you don't ride a gallimimus. You just run from left to right as fast as you can, kicking and biting the shit out of any spitters and asshole soldiers who get in your way. You can also take down helicopters by simply jumping into them. Yeah, you know you are a bad ass when you can take down a helicopter simply by jumping into it. In the aviary - the pterodactyl doesn't carry you up to the top. You have to climb to the top yourself and descend on the other side of the aviary to make it out. Basi changes.

The raptor also has this special ability to gobble up lysine boxes. After you eat enough of them, you go into rage mode. Everything turns red, and you can't be harmed. Anything that you happen to touch dies instantly. It doesn't last long, but it is a cool effect.

As mentioned, the raptor's final stage is the freighter. At the end of the stage, instead of the boat flooding, you face off with another raptor. For some reason, he is a bright red. Perhaps he is in rage mode? Anyway, it is not a tough fight. Once you defeat him, the game is over. The raptor stows away on the ship and it sails away into the sunset. To the mainland! Scary stuff. I was hoping for another game where you could play as the raptor wreaking havoc in the big city, but alas I never got one.

Right before the credits start to roll, the same single gunshot echoes across the screen. What does it mean?! Did someone kill the raptor? Did Grant encounter the raptor and fire at him? No wait in Grant's story the freighter flooded and he escaped on a different boat. What is going on?

Again, no explanation is tendered.

Despite being so quick and easy to beat, I still found some solid replay value in the game. Each stage has multiple paths you can take to get to the end. Also, there are lots of DNA shards and eggs and things of that nature that are hidden through out the game. I doubt I ever found all of them. And even if you do I don't think you get anything for them. But still it was fun looking for them.

The graphics in this game are a mixed bag. All the characters have a black outline surrounding them, which really makes them stand out awkwardly against the (mostly) lush backgrounds. Everything else looks fine to me, but the black lines always bugged me.

As for the sound, it isn't that great. Those freaking pterodactyls sound like an old deaf black woman shrieking at the top of her lungs. None of the sound effects from the movies are used. The raptors don't sound like raptors. The T-Rex doesn't sound like the T-Rex. It's sad really. None of the music really stands out to me, save for the savannah stage and the opening rock-like riff. But none of those are particularly good either.

You just have to look past some of these shortcomings and play it for what it is. A quick, easy to beat blow-the-hell-out-of-anything-that-moves side scroller. It's not particularly deep. But it's fun. Despite breezing through the game as a kid, I found that it was a bit more difficult as an adult. Especially without that turbo controller. You have to like tap out a rhythm as you fire or Grant just stands there firing one shot every couple seconds, which obviously isn't enough to do any kind of significant damage to your enemies. The raptor version of the game is still ridiculously easy though.

What I have described to you is basically what you get. I actually preferred the original Jurassic Park game for the Genesis, but this isn't bad. As long as you know what to expect coming in, you should have a fun time. If you have unrealistically high expectations, you will be let down. Perhaps I only like it for sentimental reasons. Maybe if I hadn't played it as a kid - and picked it up for the first time now I wouldn't like it. But I do. To an extent.

Overall:

B-

Video Game Review: Star Fox Adventures

Star Fox Adventures

Nintendo Gamecube

If you come into this game expecting another high flying Star Fox adventure, think again. This game is nothing like past incarnations of Star Fox games. Sure, there are a few traditional Arwing flying levels, but these are extremely easy as well as very few and far between.

The obvious comparison I can make with this game is the Legend of Zelda. As soon as you take control of the game, the parallels become obvious. The graphical style, character controls, the story telling. Even the camera controls and the "lock on" battle system are eerily reminiscent of the Zelda games.

This game tells the story of Fox McCloud and his legendary Star Fox team. They come to help out a planet inhabited by dinosaurs that is in distress. Chunks of this world have broken off and are now orbiting the planet, held in place only by a mysterious magical energy coming from the planet's surface. The story line was mainly a secondary thing for me - so don't quote me on any of this. But the only way to save the planet was to find these mythical stones and return them to their proper place. With each stone Fox would receive a Krazoa spirit that he would have to return to the Krazoa palace. When all stones are returned, the day would be saved. Not only would the planet return to its proper alignment, but Krystal (who Fox falls in love with, even though she is in suspended animation after the opening chapter of the game when you briefly play as her) would be freed from her confinement.

So basically you just wander the world, fetching stones and spirits and returning them to their proper places. Cool.

From what I understand, this game was originally called Dinosaur Planet, and didn't feature any of the Star Fox characters. But because the makers of the game were afraid this wouldn't sell States side due to unfamiliarity with the project - they made it a Star Fox game deep into production. Again, don't quote me on any of this.

As mentioned, you will undoubtedly find this game very similar to any of the 3D Zelda titles. Although it is a blatant rip off, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. While it lacks the charm and that certain special element that makes each Zelda game a unique and wonderful experience - this is still a pretty fun game.

One thing that makes this title different from Zelda is that you obtain a sidekick shortly into the game. Your sidekick is a little triceratops that follows you around and helps you uncover secrets and solve puzzles on your quest. He really is a cute little guy. Although he can assist you in battle by breathing fire on your foes, I find for the most part he is pretty useless in battle. But he is definitely necessary for finding things and unlocking new areas in the game for you.

In true Zelda clone fashion, there are a lot of secrets to find and items to collect. Scarabs take the place of rupees, and are used as currency on Dinosaur Planet. Fuel cells power your ship. Health upgrades can be found by smashing barrels and boxes that are strewn across the planet.

Really the main point of the game is going to new areas and finding these keystone thingies. You then have to take the stones (you can only find one at a time) to a temple on the map. When you insert the keystone, you become infused with a Krazoa spirit that increases your health and grants you new magical powers. Also like in Zelda games, these powers can be programmed to controller for easy access at the touch of a button. Once you find the Krazoa spirit, you must .return it to the Krazoa Temple. Doing so opens new areas of the game, where you must then set out to find the next stone. So on and so forth.

Expect lots of really cool and unique levels - as well as some fun puzzles. Nothing is ever really too difficult to figure out what to do here. There aren't many big boss battles in the game, but the ones that there are are pretty creative and fun to take on.

As mentioned, there are only a handful of traditional Star Fox Arwing flying levels. Mainly these levels are used when you go from one area to the next looking for key stones. Since some of the chunks of this world are orbiting Dinosaur Planet, you have to take to your Arwing to reach them. These levels are pretty much just filler - as they are extremely easy. You can barely die playing them if you tried. For fans of older Star Fox games, you will breeze through these with no problems whatsoever. While flying is pretty much an after thought in this game, the final boss battle does take place in your trusty Arwing. And he is pretty hard. So it is cool that there is at least one redeeming part to the flying sections in this game. Otherwise that whole part of the game would have been completely forgettable.

The look of the game is amazing. Despite being over ten years old, it looks great - and I can hardly believe that this was done on such an old console. This looks better than a lot of Wii games out there. The colors are bright, the stages are crisp and finely detailed. The special effects such as water, explosions, and magic swirly things are all eye popping. The sound is great too. Throw on some headphones and turn off the lights. This game will completely suck you in.

The only complaints I have are relatively minor. Like I said, despite being a blatant Zelda clone, it isn't quite as fun as the game it is trying to mimic. A lot of times all of the fetching becomes tedious, whether it be finding the key stones and returning them, or finding the Krazoa spirits and returning them.

The game could also do a better job letting you know where to go next. The world of this game is very big, and often times if I had stopped playing for a couple days or so - I would come back and have no idea where to go next. There is an in game clue system, but at times it can either be slow to update or just simply incredibly vague. And of course, the flying stages could have been a lot better.

While this isn't the Legend of Zelda, and it will never be, it is still a decent game. It is true that all the fetching can be a chore at times, but for the most part this title is a lot of fun. Despite the limitation of your quest, there is a lot to see, a lot to find, and a lot to do. The world is amazing and really comes to life in a way that few other games are able to duplicate. The story wasn't great, but I really wasn't playing for the story anyways.

It looks like Zelda, it plays like Zelda. It's not as fun as Zelda, but I still had a good time. If you have never played this before, you can't go wrong checking it out.

Overall:

B

Final Thoughts: Sons Of Anarchy

The fact that I am even writing this blog entry about Sons of Anarchy is in and of itself a miracle of its own. Before watching this series I had seen the commercials, I had read a few tidbits about the show online. It didn't look or sound like anything I would be interested in in a million years. I'm a geek. I like video games, fantasy, and science fiction. You would think a show about a bunch of manly men and their motorcycles would be something I would have no interest in.

I don't know what prompted me to watch it. Perhaps the good reviews started to get to me. I was also beginning to take an interest in more "mature" shows. Series like Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Dexter, and Game of Thrones were starting to change the way I viewed TV. Normally I had looked more towards movies and video games for my daily fix of violence. Television was for reality programs, sports, sitcoms, and an endless litany of cop/doctor/lawyer shows. There was nothing there to satisfy my dark craving. Despite being a pretty mild mannered guy (most of the time), I like blood, death, and destruction.

I gave this show a shot. Although I did not know much about it other than the biker gang premise, I figured if I didn't like it I could always stop watching. I am very glad I did start it up. I was actually a late bloomer to the show, as I didn't start watching until season 4 had already aired on television. I watched seasons 1 through 3 on Netflix, and by the time I had finished with season 3, season 4 was available for streaming.

I ate all these episodes up, and by the time I had finished up with season 4, I had nothing to do but wait almost an entire year for the next season to come up on Netflix. Season 5 had been currently on TV, but it had started a few weeks prior to season 4 coming up on Netflix, and I had already missed half the season. So I just said screw it and waited for the season to end and then downloaded the whole thing and watched it at once rather than wait a whole year. I did this for each successive season after 5 as well.

Which takes me to the present day. I am now done with the show. And what a show it was.

Before I get too far here, let me just tell you that I am not planning to shy away from spoilers, so if you aren't up to date on the show, read at your own risk.

This is a very hardcore series. This you must know before you start watching. If you are easily offended by sexism and violence, Sons of Anarchy is not going to be for you. Your church going granny is probably not going to like this either. Some people may decry the language, the show's attitude towards women, the casual drug usage, the violence and wanton brutality, etc. But none of that bothers me. Obviously, this is fiction - but you have to figure some of it is based on the actions of real motorcycle gangs. If the Sons were real, this would be exactly how their way of life would be. Trying to water down or censor this would have been a mistake and a dishonor to the spirit of the show. Why bother doing the show if you weren't going to portray their lifestyle as honestly and as accurately as possible?

Not that I am saying this is necessarily a realistic show. But we'll get to that soon.

Let's talk about the basics of the series. If you haven't seen it yet, you will know from my words so far only a few basic things. It's about a motorcycle gang. Check. It's violent. Check. There is sex and drugs. Check.

But what is the show really about? Keep in mind that I haven't rewatched anything or read any recaps on the older seasons, so my memory may be a little hazy about things.

Season 1 throws you into the mix with little to no introduction. The Sons are referred to as SAMCRO, which is an acronym for Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original. It took me a little while to figure out what exactly they were talking about at first, but basically SAMCRO is the club. There are other chapters of the club in different parts of the country that have different acronyms, but SAMCRO refers to this chapter specifically. Pretty easy, huh? Knowing this before you start the show will probably save you a little bit of confusion.

 The club operates out of a small California city (is it even big enough to be considered a city?) called Charming. I was able to pick up that this gang has been around for a long time, and that it has a complex history of violence and gun running. You are introduced to the colorful cast as the show progresses. You've got Clay, who is the President of the club. His VP Jax, who is the son of the club's deceased founding father. Clay's wife Gemma, who is also Jax's mother. Chibs, the scarred Irish member of the club who I instantly recognized from his small role in Braveheart. Bobby, the big bearded off again on again Elvis impersonator. Opie, Jax's best friend from childhood. Juice, the one with the tattooed head. Tig, who is the wild and brash member of the club. There are more, but these are the main ones.

Since you are thrust into the workings of this long running gang in the first episode, don't expect them to explain anything to you. You just have to pick things up as you go on. At first I was hoping for a more traditional pilot that kind of holds your hand and walks you through what is going on, but in retrospect I appreciate that they just throw you into the fray. SAMCRO has been around for a long time, and this helps give you the illusion that you are actually stepping into something that has been going on for a long time. You will learn more back story about the club as the show progresses, so don't worry about that.

In season one, you find out that the club has a symbiotic relationship with Charming. The law basically leaves SAMCRO alone, and SAMCRO returns the favor by keeping the town clean from pedophiles, murderers, drug dealers, and other would be gun runners. Better the enemy the cops know than the ones they don't, right? Of course, being a gang, SAMCRO has rivalries with other motorcycle clubs that pop up off and on throughout the course of the show.

As the series progresses, many intricate plot lines begin to form. The show's creators based Sons loosely off of Hamlet, so expect some backstabbing, Machiavellian plots, and tragic deaths to take place. For example, in season one, SAMCRO president Clay believes that club member Opie has been ratting the club out to the police. So he arranges for a hit on Opie, and his hired hand ends up killing the wrong person by accident, which causes manly tears to flow.

One thing I must say about this show is that it hits hard emotionally. I generally don't cry much during TV shows, but Sons had me going every few episodes or so. Yeah, these guys are big tough gangsters, but they have family and people they love too. It almost hits harder seeing guys who you wouldn't expect to show emotion crying and laying it all out on the line. That's one of the things that really drew me in as I watched. I really started to feel an emotional connection to these guys and had to keep watching to see what was going to happen to them next. Who would survive and who wouldn't. I mentioned Game of Thrones and the Walking Dead earlier in this blog entry. As in those 2 shows, expect a lot of characters to be killed off. No one is safe. And even when you see it coming, it still feels like a punch in the gut each and every time.

Each season that passed contained a different main story line. Season 2 featured the gang battling it out with a group of skinheads that had taken up residence in Charming. Season 3 had the gang going to Ireland to rescue Jax's son who had been kidnapped from the club. So on and so forth. I won't detail each specific season, but each one has its own unique feel to it.

Also, many subplots carry over from season to season. The gang has a lot of secrets, and these darn secrets just don't seem to want to stay buried. An example of this is when Jax discovers and old journal written by his late father. In the journal, his dad writes that Clay (who was not President yet at the time the journal was written) was jealous of his power, and disagreed with the direction he was taking the club. Also, he suspected something was going on between Clay and his wife (which there was). If anything happened to him, it would be because Clay had arranged to have him killed to take over leadership of the club. Jax's father died shortly after writing these words. When Jax reads the journal, he knows the truth, and makes it his mission to take Clay down. Clay, in order to protect his secret, threatens and takes out people who do know about the journal, not knowing that Jax has already read it. Lots of bloodshed and mayhem results from this little secret which everyone thought had been buried years ago.

And this is just a small example of the action. The subplots and small backstabbing moments never seem to end. The club just never seems to be able to find peace, whether it is with other gangs, fellow drug runners, or one another. No matter what happens, someone always has to die.

Let's get my niggling complaints out of the way before we go any further. There were a few slow spots in the show that I didn't like much. The whole season 3 where the gang goes to Ireland was a bit dull to me, and didn't seem like the same Sons of Anarchy I had fallen in love with in seasons 1 and 2. Also, I think season 6 started to drag a little in the middle as well. The gang comes up with so many complex and convoluted schemes that after a while I started to lose track of what was actually going on. You need a venn diagram to keep up with all this shit. If I had really really paid attention I probably would have been able to work it out, but my attention span is not that high. Listening to some of these plots was like listening to someone try to explain advanced calculus to me. I would completely zone out and lose track of what was going on, figuring that it would all sort itself out later. Which it would.

The show is very morally ambiguous. None of these guys are "good" guys. But they aren't really bad either. The world of Sons is about as grey as they come. They kill without remorse, they do drugs and they treat women like crap. But at the same time, they love their families. They love one another. They try to do the right thing... most of the time. But do the ends necessarily always justify the means? That's all up to you, the viewer. And that is part of what makes this such a fascinating show to watch.

There are some truly bad characters that do pop up along the way though. August Marks, Lee Toric, and June Stahl are all equally horrible people that will go to any means to take down the Sons. Throughout the course of the show, some of the club members are shot, beaten with iron bars, dismembered, decapitated, tortured, and manipulated by corrupt law officials. Even family members are not safe. Tig's daughter being burned alive represents perhaps the most sickening death in the whole show. You just wanted to reach through the TV screen and kill the fucker who did it.

Mainly, though, Sons of Anarchy is all about Jax and his journey for redemption. He went from respected club member, to President of the club, to the President who made all the wrong decisions, to the President who gave his life to redeem the club in the end.

All Jax wanted was to get the club out of the gun running business. He had a wife, he had kids, and he had seen how every time the club got into trouble with someone or other, it was the families that suffered as a result. He wanted to protect his wife and his children. And mainly, he didn't want his boys to follow in his footsteps, as he had followed in his own father's.

I feel like I have only just barely scraped the surface of the show. There are so many plots, so many different things going on with all the characters. I have barely even touched on Gemma - Jax's mother who was constantly plotting and scheming, attempting to manipulate the gang's members and their actions to suit her own needs. In perhaps the most shocking moment of the series, Gemma kills Jax's wife Tara with a meat fork in a fit of rage, after she learns that Tara was attempting to secretly divorce Jax and spirit their kids off to safety.

Again, so many plots. So many characters, so many things going on all at once. It would be hopeless to attempt to mention them all here. You just have to watch it for yourself.

Sons of Anarchy was one of the best shows I have ever seen. Sure it had a few lulls and some slow episodes, as I mentioned earlier. But the intricacy of the plot was something to behold. The show had a great cast, and the shocks just never stopped coming. So many great moments. So many tragic deaths. And for a guy like me who doesn't get emotional over a whole lot, there were so many moments in this series that had me in tears, which is something I would have never expected from a series about a motorcycle gang.

The musical score of the show is terrific, and really sets the table for so many of these emotional moments. Most of the songs from this show are cover versions of classic rock hits. But the way they are done is completely tactful. There is so much soul and extra dimension added to these songs that they eerily nail the mood of the show to perfection. Props to whoever was responsible for the music in this show, because rarely was there a song that this show wasn't able to make me love. Katey Sagal, who plays Gemma, even has a few songs of her own on the show's soundtrack. I never knew she could sing until I recognized her voice on one of my favorite songs on the show. She is a very talented lady. But yes, this show has a great sound to it. Even the opening theme song, which I didn't love at first, really hits on the mood of the show perfectly.

If you haven't seen Sons of Anarchy and are hesitant about watching it because you may not know if you will like it or not, give it a shot. The show starts out a little slowly, but once it gets rolling you won't be able to look back. You really start to feel like you know the members of SAMCRO and quickly become caught up in all of the plotting, backstabbing, lies, and murder of the series. Who knew being a motorcycle gang member was such complex business? If you have seen the show, you probably like it as much as I have and foster some of the same opinions that I do. Or maybe you are one of the few who don't like it. In which case, you probably let the too sensationally unrealistic parts get to you. Or maybe you found all the slow parts too much to overcome. Which I can understand. This show isn't for everyone. And admittedly the show is a little dull in some parts. Which I guess can be attributed to the over plotting of some of the gang members, as well as the extreme length of some of the episodes in the later seasons. The club can't be all about action and heart breaking moments all the time.

One thing I can't complain about is the finale. No cliffhangers, no ambiguous ending that leaves you screaming at your TV for answers. This one had it all. As perfect as the finale for the show was, I want more. That is the mark of a truly great series. When it is over, you feel like you are saying goodbye to a close friend or family member. Despite being a complete opposite of the people portrayed in this show, Sons had a large impact on my life and I can not say enough about how great this show was. The makers of this show did a wonderful job taking subject material that I didn't initially care for, and turning it into something I became truly invested in. Top to bottom, everything is just so well done. Sons of Anarchy took a group of thugs that most people wouldn't think twice about and turned them into some of the most human characters I have seen on television.

People say all the time that their favorite show "is more than just a show", and I can say that now I know what they mean by that. The point of television shows is to keep you entertained, and Sons of Anarchy went far above and beyond the call of duty.

Video Game Review: Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse

Sega Saturn

When you think of classic releases for the Sega Saturn, most likely you will think of games like Daytona USA, Panzer Dragoon, Virtua Fighter, Nights Into Dreams, so on and so forth. Even the critically panned Sonic R would likely come to mind before Solar Eclipse. But that's you. This is me. Solar Eclipse is a highly underrated title, and is one of my favorite games for the Saturn.

I first became aware of this title through advertisements in video game magazines. I was still playing the Sega Genesis at this point, and I didn't think much of the game. A big deal was made out of Claudia Christian starring in the game, yet I had never seen Babylon 5, so I could not have cared less. However, being a child of the Genesis, I was intrigued by the screenshots of the FMV sequences in general. The fact that this could actually be done on a video game system was mind blowing to a lot of people back then. I know it sounds silly now.

I had never been big on aerial combat titles. I had played a little Star Fox, and mildly enjoyed it. The X-Wing and Tie Fighter games for the PC, I enjoyed however. But my interest was piqued in the genre when my stepbrother rented a PlayStation for the weekend, and had checked out Warhawk as one of the titles that came with it. We played the crap out of that game, and although we never finished it, it definitely made a game like Solar Eclipse seem more appealing to me. Shortly after that, I played a Wing Commander game for 3DO at a game store - and I was impressed.

The Sega Genesis' life span was at its end, and it was time for me to get a new console. Being a huge Sonic fan and a Sega loyalist, I decided on a Sega Saturn. Truly a horrible decision, but at least I got to play a bunch of games that no one else likely has had the chance to play. Solar Eclipse was one of them.

My dad and step mom took me to go get a console, which I had saved up birthday and allowance money for. They also bought me a new TV for my room, since I had let my brother's girlfriend stay in my room for a few weeks after she got kicked out of her house by her parents. Seemed like a fair reward for having to sleep with my brother in his room every night.

Of course I couldn't just buy a console, and not have any games to play with it. The cheapest game they had there was Solar Eclipse, which was only like 20 bucks. So despite not knowing much about it, I got it. I had liked those Star Wars shooters, plus I had enjoyed Warhawk and Wing Commander (from my brief experience testing it out) so I figured why not. I suddenly had high hopes for a game that I had never given much thought to before. So yup, of all the titles out there, Solar Eclipse was my first Saturn game.

I actually had some frustration setting the Saturn up. I couldn't figure out that you had to change the input when using the red/white/yellow connectors. Up to this point, with my older systems, you simply used the regular cable and put it on channel three. After so much of a wait and build up, I could not get my Saturn to work. It was excruciating. I futzed with it all night, while watching episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on TV.

Somehow, after several long hours, it finally clicked and I got it to work. Without hesitation, I fired up Solar Eclipse.

Before actually even playing the game, I was impressed. Before the title screen, there was a short FMV introduction, which blew me away. I finally had a video game system of my very own capable of such a feat. Amazing! Also, on the game's menu there was a video you could watch that contained a preview of other games for the Sega Saturn. Again, mind blowing for its time. I used to watch that video over and over again repeatedly, and showed it to everyone who would watch.

On to the actual game. The closest comparison I had in my mind was Star Fox. There was no turning around or exploring like in titles such as Warhawk. You were on a track, and despite multiple paths you could take, it was pretty much a linear game where you were always moving forward. Teammates chattered in your ear as you gunned down an endless supply of enemies. You collected items, collected upgrades, you fought bosses. Pretty standard fair.

The thing that stood out to me was its story line. The game had an incredibly deep and mysterious story. There was a large cast of characters, each with their own unique style and personality. To make a long story short, you basically were investigating an incident that wiped out a colony on one of Saturn's moons. You get attacked by what you think are colonists, but turn out to be an intelligent network system that is intent on destroying humanity.

If you were to look at the game's graphics now, you would think they are chunky, flat, and pixelated. But for 1996, they were groundbreaking. The sound was great as well, with a nice musical score and decently acted voices coming through.

This game engaged me so much, I didn't put it down for weeks. The story kept me going, the game play was fun, and technologically it was so advanced I was head over heels in love with it.

Although the game is set on a track like Star Fox, there are multiple routes you can go. Nothing that affects the story line or the progression of the game, but enough to add depth to each play through. Also, there are an abundant number of secret stages and bonus levels in the game, which you can only discover by truly fully exploring each level. Each stage also has its own unique look and feel. The bosses at the end of each stage are also unique, and present an actual challenge you must face before moving on to the next level. Some of them are truly difficult, they aren't just there for show.

I couldn't have asked for a better first game for Sega Saturn. It is truly a travesty that I have yet to encounter a single person who has played this game. It is a classic and I would just love to nerd out reminiscing with someone over special memories this game holds. It controls great and it is challenging - but not so hard that you want to give up. Technically it was advanced for its time. The story really keeps you going. The cast is wonderful. There are many secrets and things to uncover as you play. And each time you complete the game you notice something you never have before. Really a well made game.

I really wish I could get people to play this game, but seeing how defunct the Saturn is, and how difficult this title probably is to find, it is a lost cause. However, its legacy will live on in my eyes forever.

Overall: 

A

Video Game Review: The Walking Dead Season 2

The Walking Dead Season Two

Playstation 3

I have recently reviewed the first game in the Walking Dead series, and if you paid attention you would have noticed that I gave it an A+. I found the game utterly immersing, with fabulous characters, shocking moments, and one of the most gut wrenching endings I have ever seen in a video game.

Naturally, the sequel has big shoes to fill. While the first game focused on Lee and his father/daughter relationship with Clementine, this game focuses solely on Clementine as she sets out on her own.

I don't know if your decisions in the first game affect how things play out in the beginning of the sequel, but my game started with Clementine in the company of Christa and Omid. Without spoiling too much, in true Walking Dead fashion, the shit hits the fan fairly quickly and Clementine finds herself all by her lonesome.

One of the first things you will notice about the game is how fine tuned the controls and actions have become. The first title consisted mainly of pointing and clicking, followed by an occasional button mashing sequence. This game has taken a much more in depth approach. Small quick time events are the norm here and require faster reflexes and more of an effort from you to complete your tasks. For those who hate quick time events, nothing is really overly difficult here, so don't fret. The events do add to the illusion that you are Clementine and are playing this game and doing things along with her.

While the game play is a little bit more immersive, not much else has changed. The graphics are still solid. The voice acting and the music and sound effects really make you feel like a part of this world. The choices you make still affect what happens in the game, and how people view you. The basics are still pretty much the same.

If you are familiar with the first game, you know that the true draw of the game is in its storyline. Once again, Telltale games has hit it out of the park. This game is a little bit more action oriented than the first. The basic idea of the story is that Clementine is bitten by a hungry dog, and stumbles upon a group of survivors that thinks she has been bitten by a walker. They imprison her to see if she will turn, and Clem is forced to sneak out and tend to her own injuries. Obviously, she doesn't change, so the group accepts her into the fold.

Clem quickly learns that something is bothering this group, and an encounter with a menacing figure that shows up while everyone is gone convinces her that this group of survivors is on the run from... another group of survivors. This group hightails it out of there, with the other group in hot pursuit.

On the run, Clem encounters old pal (or nemesis, depending on how you played the first game) Kenny, and her group merges with his. The hostile survivors catch up and take them all prisoner, and the rest of the game focuses on Clem and the survivors battling it out with their captors. There is a power struggle for leadership between Kenny and some of the others in the group, and eventually you are forced to make a very hard decision.

Gone is the timid Clementine from the first game. She knows what it takes to survive, and isn't afraid to stand up to and fight with her enemies, whether it be walkers or fellow humans. A minor complaint may be that she has grown up a little TOO fast compared to the first game. Not only is she a badass, but the group also often looks to her for leadership and to make decisions in the group. What is she, like ten? That seemed a little unrealistic to me. I mean, it is a game about zombies so it isn't going to be realistic. But you know what I mean.

There are many references to Lee in the Walking Dead 2, and these tend to be the most emotional moments of this game. Obviously, Clem's bond with Lee is something that she will carry with her all her life. No one else is really able to fill that void. Another minor complaint of mine is that you don't really feel any personal attachment to anyone in the game. Lee is #1 in our hearts (and in Clementine's) and that bond is not replaced in this game. That emotional attachment, that gut wrench that I experienced at the end of the first game is never duplicated here.

Yes, there are some shocking moments and gruesome unexpected deaths. But did I ever tear up at any point in the game? No. This is a good game. A really good game. But great? That is debatable. No doubt that I had a lot of fun playing this, but it just wasn't same without that emotional attachment. There is so much action, and you spend too much time playing for yourself and fearing for your own life to really let anyone else in. Plus the cast is filled with a bunch of unlikable characters that I had a hard time bonding with. Even Kenny was kind of a sad sack in this game.

If you played the DLC for the first game (400 Days) you will notice a few familiar faces as well as a very familiar location in this game. Only one of the characters really plays a big role, however. That's a little bit of a disappointment to me, since 400 Days did such a good job giving us back story for some of these characters, and then they only make small cameos here. I expected more!

I feel like I should have more to say about this game, but I really don't. If you liked the first game, you will like this. If you didn't you won't. This title did have big shoes to fill after the first game, and in most cases it performed admirably. It just lacked that little extra something that really would have put it over the top for me. I liked this game, and had a lot of fun with it. Perhaps my expectations were a little too high after the first game, and I expected heart wrenching greatness once again.

Telltale Games did a lot of things right here, but I just can't emphasize that lack of emotional attachment I felt while playing the game. I disliked so many of the characters that when given the choice between saving them or letting them die, I always let them die. And I didn't think twice about it.

But really, that is the only bad thing I can say about the game. Once you pick this up you will not want to stop playing. The story is solid and constantly leaves you guessing what is going to happen next. There is a constant underlying fear and dread that permeates throughout the very core of the game. Clementine is constantly in danger, and you begin to fear for her own life as you would a close friend.

While this is certainly a good game, I hesitate to say it is great. If you have played the original, you will definitely want to play this. If you haven't played the original - what is wrong with you?? Play that, and then play this. Just be forewarned that after the greatness of the first game, its follow up leaves a certain something to be desired.

Overall: 

B+

Video Game Review #12: Ninja Gaiden

Ninja Gaiden

Nintendo Entertainment System

Nostalgia Factor:

Ninja Gaiden was a staple of my childhood. To this day, it is still a fantastic game.

I actually became aware of this title back when I was but a little child. My uncles always had the newest and best games for the NES, while I had a very limited variety of games and was often stuck playing the same thing over and over again.

I watched them play this game and was instantly awe struck. Ninjas, swords, throwing stars, demons? I was sold. I wasn't allowed to play this game (yeah my uncles were dicks sometimes) but I often sat and watched them play. My brother also loved the game, and he actually got a copy of his own for his birthday.

My brother didn't like it when I played his games either, but he was often gone from the house. Unlike me, he had a social life. He was always out playing with friends or participating in sporting activities. I totally took advantage of every second he was gone, and soon became better at the game than he was. As time passed and new games began to trickle into our household, he pretty much stopped playing this game, and also stopped caring if I played it. So basically, it became my game. By the time I was ten, I knew this game inside and out.

When the time came for our family to trade in all our NES games to put towards a 16-bit system (why did we do that???? WHY WHY WHY?), Ninja Gaiden exited my life... for a while, at least.

In my twenties I started building up my NES collection once again, and Ninja Gaiden was one of the first titles I made sure to pick up. How was it after all those years? Awesome as ever, if not even better.

Story:

Ryu is a ninja who is dealing with his father's recent death. Prompted by a letter from his late dad, he takes the family blade and heads to America to seek out an archaeologist who supposedly holds the answers as to why his father died. Once there, Ryu learns that the archaeologist and his father both held ancient statues that they had unearthed in a dig in South America. Supposedly, when the statues are brought together they bring forth a demon that gives its summoner immense power. Someone had killed Ryu's father for his statue, and someone shortly kills the archaeologist for his. Naturally, Ryu tracks down the villains and attempts to stop them by all means. There are many more layers to the story, such as the US government's attempt to get their hold on the statues, as well as someone presumed dead returning to make a surprise appearance.

By today's standards, it may not be too impressive of a story. But the way this story is told is what is makes it so memorable. Back in the day, games didn't really have complex plots like Ninja Gaiden, much less captioned cutscenes that moved the story along in between levels. Nowadays everyone takes these scenes for granted, but Ninja Gaiden is really one of the pioneers in video game story telling. It is one of the first games, if not THE first, that I played not only for the actual game play, but for the story as well.

Gameplay:

Gameplay is side-scrolling hack and slash goodness. You mainly use your sword to hack away at enemies, but you pick up power ups along the way like ninja stars, fireballs, and shields made of fire. An added dimension to the gameplay is your ability to cling to walls and jump back and forth along them to gain access to hard to reach areas. Again, nothing you probably haven't seen before by today's standards. But considering this was released in the 80's, it was another thing that made this game appear to be way ahead of its time.

One thing people like to say about Ninja Gaiden is that it is too difficult. While I understand that there is a learning curve, it really isn't that tough. Some levels take a little trial and error, but it's all doable. For example, a lot of enemies respawn at the edge of the screen. While it may be tough if you are standing at a distance shooting ninja stars at them, (only to have them reappear again) this can be used to your advantage. Enemies always appear in the same spots and it is very easy to predict their movement patterns. Some of the platforming sections are tough, especially with the enemies that swoop in to attack you mid-jump, and then send you plummeting to your death. But again, you can do it if you start to recognize the patterns of the enemies. Trial and error. Patience. I see this game as less of a difficult title, and more of a fun challenge.

Another fun thing about the game is its unique boss design. I played this game so many times as a kid, I had names that I had created for each boss. Each one has its own special look and feel. And each one takes its own different strategy to defeat. You can't just hack and slash at all of them. My favorite boss battles were always the tough ones, such as Marth at the end, and then that demon thing you have to kill. If you die against these bosses at the end, you have to start the level over again from the very beginning. It can be very frustrating, especially since the only way to beat these bosses is to learn from trial and error. But again, when you do defeat them, it only makes the victory taste that much sweeter.

Graphics:

The graphics for this game are terrific. They have definitely held up over the years. In fact, a small nugget of trivia for you: my brother had a friend over once to play this game with him. The friend commented on how neat the graphics were, and that was the first time I had heard a game's visual style referred to as graphics. So yeah. The more you know. 

Each level has its own distinctive personality. As opposed to a lot of these old side scrolling games, you never get the impression that you are just playing through the same looking areas over and over again. Each stage is unique and fits with what is happening in the storyline. They are different and memorable in their own way for many reasons.

Sound:

This game has such an awesome soundtrack. So many of these stage themes have made their way into my gaming music playlist. This is 8-bit sound design at its finest. The music during dramatic moments in cutscenes is wonderful too, and really helps set the stage for the game's story. I love the boss theme. The little introduction music for each stage. You really can't go wrong anywhere you look. Or listen, I suppose.

Overall:

There are so many reasons I love this game. It has sentimental value to me as a game I grew up with. We parted ways for a while, only to reconcile with one another in my twenties. Its tough at times, but it is a lot of fun. And the story is great for a game so old. One of the ending scenes with Ryu standing on a rocky outcropping and watching the enemy fortress crumble to the ground is iconic to me and sends chills down my spine. This really was a revolutionary title at its release and it is still a lot of fun to play today. I actually prefer this to the newer next gen Ninja Gaiden games. I played through the first one a while ago and it didn't really appeal to me at all. 

Not only is this a great, game, its sequel is fantastic as well. I will likely be getting to that in a later review. One of the greatest tragedies of human existence on this planet, though: I never got the chance to play the third game. I hear it isn't as good as the first two, but playing the third game is something I need to do before I die.

Just like playing this game is something you need to play before you die! See how I tied things up here at the end of this review? Ninja Gaiden is a classic, folks. If you can get past the difficulty spikes, I don't see any reason why a fan of these type of games would not like this. Retro gaming for the NES doesn't get much better than this.

THE GRADE:

A+

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