2024 Things (February)

Here is my February list of all the episodes of TV I watched, all podcast episodes I listened to, all movies I watched, and all video games I completed. If you are curious about my January list, click here to read it.

2.1.24: Watched 1 episode of Secret Invasion (1.06). Listened to 1 episode of Dynasty Happy Hour podcast (ep 385). 

2.2.24: Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.15). Watched movie: Fried Green Tomatoes. Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.03). Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Gaming podcast (ep 41 Part 2). Watched 1 episode of The Trust: A Game of Greed (1.01).

2.3.24: Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.16). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.04). Finished video game Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Watched 1 episode of The Trust: A Game of Greed (1.02).

2.4.24: Watched movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition. Listened to 1 episode of I Finally Watched podcast (ep 173). Watched 1 episode of The Trust: A Game of Greed (1.03). Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.17). 

2.5.24: Listened to 1 episode of Arcade Attack podcast (David Craddock Arcade Perfect Interview). Listened to 1 episode of Dynasty Happy Hour podcast (ep 386). Listened to 1 episode of the Retrograde Podcast (ep 151). Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.18). Watched movie: Sunshine Cleaning. Listened to 1 episode of Fantasy Football Happy Hour (The 2nd Annual Peacockys).

2.6.24: Watched 3 episodes of The Trust: A Game of Greed (1.04 and 1.05 and 1.06). Listened to 1 episode of Staff Picks podcast (MacGruber). Watched movie: Arrival. Finished video game: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

2.7.24: Watched 1 episode of This Is Us (6.11). Watched 2 episodes of The Trust: A Game of Greed (1.07 and 1.08). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.05). Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Cinema podcast (ep 22).

2.8.24: Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.19). Watched 2 episodes of This Is Us (6.12 and 6.13). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.06). Watched movie: The Babadook.

2.9.24: Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.07). Listened to 1 episode of the 7th Rule podcast (ep 222). Watched 2 episodes of This Is Us (6.14 and 6.15). Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.20). 

2.10.24: Listened to 1 episode of Cartridge Club podcast (CC Extra #6). Watched 1 episode of This Is Us (6.16). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.08).

2.11.24: Watched 2 episodes of This Is Us (6.17 and 6.18). Watched movie: The First Purge.

2.12.24: Listened to 1 episode of The Retrograde podcast (ep 152). Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Cinema podcast (ep 23).

2.13.24: Watched movie: Blade Runner 2049. Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.21). 

2.14.24: Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.09). Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.22). Watched 1 episode of Buried (1.01). Finished video game: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. 

2.15.24: Watched 1 episode of Buried (1.02). Watched 1 episode of Australian Survivor (11.01). Listened to 1 episode of Sega Saturn Shiro podcast (ep 43). 

2.16.24: Watched movie: Milk. Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.10). Listened to 1 episode of Fantasy Football Happy Hour (2/9/24 episode). 

2.17.24: Watched 1 episode of Buried (1.03). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.11). Finished video game: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age.

2.18.24: Listened to 1 episode of the Cartridge Club podcast (ep 125). Watched 1 episode of Buried (1.04). Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Gaming podcast (ep 42 Part 1). Finished video game: Golden Axe (arcade). 

2.19.24: Watched movie: Four Falls of Buffalo. Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.23). 

2.20.24: Listened to Ear Biscuits podcast (ep 31). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.12). Watched 1 episode of Australian Survivor (11.02).

2.21.24: Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Gaming podcast (2023 in Review). Listened to 1 episode of Dynasty Happy Hour podcast (ep 387). Watched 1 episode of  The Amazing Race (10.13). Watched movie: Split. Watched 1 episode of Death Note (1.24). 

2.22.24: Watched 2 episodes of Australian Survivor (11.03 and 11.04). Listened to 1 episode of The Retrograde podcast (ep 153). Listened to 1 episode of Staff Picks podcast (Drop Dead Gorgeous). Finished video game: Number Munchers. 

2.23.24: Watched 1 episode of The Challenge UK (1.01). Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Cinema podcast (ep 24).  Listened to 1 episode of Arcade Attack podcast ("Rare" Dreamcast Games Vol. 1). Watched 1 episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender 2024 (1.01). Finished video game: Max Payne.

2.24.24: Watched 1 episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender 2024 (1.02). Listened to 1 episode of the 7th Rule podcast (ep 224). Listened to 1 episode of Dynasty Happy Hour podcast (ep 388). Listened to 1 episode of Sega Saturn Shiro podcast (ep 44). Listened to 2 episodes of The Edge of Sleep podcast (eps 1 and 2). Listened to 1 episode of The Cartridge Club podcast (CC Weekly #54). 

2.25.24: Listened to 1 episode of Digging Six Feet Under podcast (S03E03). Listened to 3 episodes of The Edge of Sleep podcast (eps 3, 4, and 5). Listened to 1 episode of Arcade Attack podcast (Max Payne).

2.26.24: Listened to 2 episodes of the Retrograde podcast (eps 154 and 156). Listened to 1 episode of The Edge of Sleep podcast (ep 6). 

2.27.24: Watched 1 episode of Australian Survivor (11.05). Listened to 1 episode of The Loser's Club podcast (The Library Policeman). Listened to 2 episodes of the Stephen King Cast podcast (eps 58 and 59). Listened to 1 episode of The Edge of Sleep podcast (ep 7). Watched 1 episode of The Challenge UK (1.02). Watched 1 episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender 2024 (1.03).

2.28.24: Listened to 1 episode of The Loser's Club podcast (The Sun Dog). Watched 1 episode of The Challenge UK (1.03). Watched 1 episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender 2024 (1.04). Listened to 1 episode of Collateral Cinema podcast (ep 25). Listened to 1 episode of The Edge of Sleep podcast (ep 8). Watched movie: Gerald's Game.

2.29.24: Watched 1 episode of Australian Survivor (11.06). Listened to 1 episode of Staff Picks podcast (The Crow). Listened to 1 episode of Arcade Attack podcast (Power Glove, Wizard, Nintendo World Championships). 

Most popular things:

Watched 11 movies.

Watched 11 episodes of The Amazing Race.

Watched 10 episodes of Death Note.

Watched 8 episodes of This Is Us.

Listened to all 8 episodes of The Edge of Sleep podcast.

Watched all 8 episodes of The Trust: A Game of Greed.

Finished 7 video games.

Watched 6 episodes of Australian Survivor.

Listened to 5 episodes of the Retrograde Podcast.

Listened to 4 episodes of Dynasty Happy Hour podcast.

Listened to 4 episodes of Arcade Attack podcast. 

Watched 4 episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024).

Watched all 4 episodes of the show Buried.

Listened to 4 episodes of Collateral Cinema podcast. 

Listened to 3 episodes of Staff Picks podcast. (Don't worry, I only listened to 3 episodes of Staff Picks because it is the one podcast on my list that I don't put on as "background noise". I make sure I am fully able to listen and pay attention when I put this one on. It's actually a good thing.)

Video Game Review #499: Max Payne

Max Payne

PlayStation 2

Nostalgia Factor:

I remember buying a used copy of Max Payne at a video game store back in 2002 or 2003. I played the game off and on for a while, but it never truly caught my interest. I remember I stopped and put the game down when I got stuck on a part where you have to chase a guy across the rooftops. I kept dying over and over again, and I couldn't figure out what to do, and it was frustrating me.

A year passed before I randomly decided to come back to the game. Normally when I stop playing a game for a long time, and then come back to it, I'll start it over from the beginning. Not this time, for some reason. I picked up where I left off, and quickly started making my way through the story. I don't remember much about my time with the game, but an area that stood out in my mind was an area with construction zones, shipping crates, and elevators that moved up and down. And I remembered something about guards standing watch in a watchtower that you had to shoot with a sniper rifle. I also remember having to escape a building that is on fire. Oh, and who can forget the hallucination scenes with the trail of blood and the baby crying? It is what most people think about when they remember Max Payne.

Aside from a few standout moments, the rest of the game was a blur to me, however. Playing through this game in present day was like playing it for the first time in many parts. If I played through this in, say, 2004, that means that 20 years have passed since I last played it. No wonder I don't remember much! 

What prompted me to come back to this game after so many years? Well, there is a video game podcast I listen to called The Retrograde. They did an episode on Max Payne a while back. They hated the game, saying its controls were awful and that it did not hold up after all these years. They really ripped into this game, which I found odd because I don't remember it being that bad. In fact, whenever they talk about other bad games on this podcast, they often bring up Max Payne in comparison. It's funny how Max Payne is their standard for how bad games are judged.

It got me thinking, was this game really that bad? My memories of it are somewhat positive. I wanted to see if it held up over time or if it was truly as bad as these guys were saying. So here we are. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

Story:

The entire game is made to look like a comic book adventure. The majority of the story is told through voice-acted comic book illustrations. When the action is about to get started, things shift to the in-game action and the fighting begins. The comic book aesthetic of the game is something that makes it pretty unique and sets it apart from other games.

You play as Max Payne, a DEA agent with a tragic past. The game doesn't waste any time in letting you know that just a couple years ago, his wife and newborn baby were murdered in his house by some armed intruders. He is haunted by visions of this tragic night, over and over again.

The present day action begins when a meeting with a fellow undercover agent is ambushed and the agent is killed. Max is framed for the murder. The rest of the game consists of Max being on the run, with nothing to lose. He follows a trail of clues that links a new drug V to what is happening to him. He meets up with some mobsters, and blah blah blah. There's backstabbing and betrayal and conspiracies and all that fun kind of mobster stuff. Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of the hard-boiled noir genre, and this game leans very heavily into that. In fact, when I first played through this game back in 2004, I actually started skipping through the story about halfway through the game. I just didn't care about what was going on.

I cared a little bit more this time around, but not much. So that street drug, V? It's a result of some kind of big underground experiment that was supposed to have been canceled a long time ago. There's this rich business tycoon-type lady in charge of this giant operation. She's the one who had your family killed, and she's the big bad lady in charge of framing you.

Or something. I was only kind of half-paying attention to the story. I'm sure I got a lot of it wrong. Kudos to the game for its comic book style presentation, but honestly I just didn't find the story very interesting.

Gameplay:

Ultimately, it doesn't really matter if you don't care about the game's story or not, because it is a ton of fun to play. You can easily just completely ignore the story and still have a good time with the game.

Action takes place from a behind-the-back 3D perspective. Controls are pretty simple: run, jump, climb, reload, and shoot. I'd mainly classify this as a shooter. You face off against waves and waves of enemies sometimes, and the action can get very frantic. This game introduces a feature that I thought was quite innovative considering it came out in 2001 - the bullet time feature. Tap the shoulder button to slow time to a crawl, which allows you to aim at your enemies and fire away as they react in slow motion. You can tap the button while diving to go into a roll where you evade enemy fire in slow motion but can return fire as you dive away. Cool stuff.

Most of the game consists of running from area to area and shooting bad guys, but I found that Max Payne had some surprising depth. I loved exploring every inch of these stages - the subway station, the snowy and desolate streets, everything. This game just has this very fun and unique feel to it that is hard to describe. It does a lot of things that seem commonplace nowadays but were new back then. Like turning light switches off and on, flushing toilets, running the sink, operating a vending machine, opening cabinets and drawers, pushing buttons in an elevator, etc. 

This game is surprisingly challenging. I was cruising through the game early on, but there is definitely a difficulty curve. A fair one, I'd say. It gets steadily tougher and tougher the more you play. In fact the game is downright hard towards the end of the game. The trip wires and the random exploding deaths were starting to get a bit frustrating, especially considering the game's long loading times. The first two thirds of the game aren't too challenging, although you will run into a tough level from time to time.

What I like about this game are how the stages are so short. There are a ton of them, probably 30 at the very least. Some of them can be beaten in just a couple minutes. Others can be a bit longer, but overall there are many more short ones than long ones. It adds to the addictive nature of the game where I wanted to keep plugging along and pass "just one more stage."

What didn't I like about Max Payne? Why did the Retrograde guys hate this game so much? Well, the controls do need tweaking. You absolutely have to change the inverted controls right away, as I was very confused by the default control scheme. Maybe that's why they hated the game so much. But I immediately paused the game and changed the controls. After doing that, I thought the game handled fine.

This is an early 2000s PS2 title, so it doesn't control flawlessly. The controls can be a little herky jerky. The dive maneuver got me into trouble so many times, as I'd either dive into a wall and leave myself open to attack, or I'd roll off a ledge or into a bomb or a laser barricade or something dumb like that. I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing, but precision aiming is not required. I often found myself just wildly firing in the direction of the enemy, and I would still hit him and take him down. The worst part of the game is when precision jumping or balancing is required. The trippy stages where you have to follow the blood trail would be super cool if they weren't so frustrating. Staying on that little ledge was tough enough as it is, but then you'd have to jump from platform to platform, with no margin for error, blindly guessing the direction you needed to go. I hated these stages with a passion. The last one in particular took me a large, and I mean LARGE number of attempts before I was finally able to pass it.

All that being said, I really enjoyed my time with the game. Those Retrograde guys are tripping. In fact, I liked this more playing it in 2024 than I did in 2004. It just hits all the right beats for me. And if you pay attention you can see how the game inspires future Rockstar titles like Manhunt, GTA IV (with the large ship/cargo hold shoot out) and GTA V (with the drug trip and hallucinations). The blueprint for so many games seems to be right there in the first Max Payne.

Graphics:

When I first started playing this game, I couldn't get over how dark it was. I was struggling to see anything, it was so dark. I had to adjust my TV settings or the game would have been completely unplayable. I wonder if anyone else has had this experience.

Anyway, the game looks fine. It's an early PS2 title, so it is a little rough around the edges. But it is not an ugly or unplayable game by any means. I think it looks quite good. The comic book presentation is cool, but to me the star of the game is its level design. I love the urban locales you explore, like the rooftops, the bar, the subway, the parking garage, the old theater, the dock, etc. An underrated aspect of the game is its oppressive atmosphere. The entire game is set to the backdrop of a giant winter storm hitting the city, completely shutting everything down. The streets, rooftops, and alleyways seem so desolate, empty, and oppressive in the driving snow. And the fact that it is pretty much Max against the mob all by himself, it all really, really works well together.

Sound:

I like the voice acting in this game. Max Payne narrates most of the action, and I couldn't think of a better voice actor than, uh, this guy, to voice Max Payne. He is perfect for the role. The other voice actors do a good job, too. As I have said many times, the comic book noir-style feel of the game has been captured well here.

This is a game you would be best playing with headphones on. Enemies give audio clues to their locations, which will help you out as you are playing. Also, the nightmare flashback scenes are incredible to listen to, with the intensity of his wife's pleas along with the sound of the baby crying. Even Max's screams if he falls or makes a wrong turn are pretty horrifying. Although there is one scream effect that reminds me of both Kevin from Home Alone when he puts his aftershave on and slaps his cheeks, and the criminals from Home Alone when they are swinging from the rope from the treehouse after Kevin cuts it. I didn't know whether to be scared or laugh. If you are easily scared, this will probably freak you out. But I'm weird and like that kind of thing.

Overall:

Screw the haters, this is a really fun game! It's not without its flaws, like its so-so storyline, its jerky controls, cheap deaths, long loading times, and obnoxious blood trail stages. Despite all these things, I still had a very good time with the game.

The storyline was enough to keep me going. I loved the presentation of the game. It starts out challenging, but not overly so. Enough to get you addicted. Then it slowly starts getting harder. The battles are fun. The bullet time feature is cool. The atmosphere of the game is awesome. The urban locations are a lot of fun. I liked the short stages, and how the game keeps you entertained in short bursts rather than create overly long levels.

I can easily recommend Max Payne to anyone on the fence about it. Play this yourself and make up your own mind about it. I doubt they'll ever read this, but I hope Mikey and Andrew from The Retrograde play this again someday and give it another chance. While I personally really enjoyed the game, I can see why someone would not like it. But to say it is one of the worst games of all time is just 100% wrong, and a complete injustice to the game.

Long story short: Max Payne good.

THE GRADE:

B+

For a complete index of all my past posts and game reviews, click

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Video Game Review #498: Number Munchers

Number Munchers

PC

Nostalgia Factor:

Like many people my age, I grew up playing Number Munchers in grade school. It was the early 90s. The Internet wasn't a thing. Computers were barely a thing, but we had one in our classroom. We didn't really use it much, but over time I noticed that certain kids were staying inside during recess in order to mess around on the computer. They played things like Oregon Trail, typing speed games, and this game - Number Crunchers. Once I realized what these kids were doing, I started staying inside during recess so I could use the computer too.

I always considered Number Crunchers to be the most entertaining of all the games, and it is certainly the one I spent the most time with. It reminded me the most of the video games I would play at home. And I was good at it! I was always on the hunt to earn the highest score.

I haven't even so much as thought of this game in nearly 30 years. But here were are now, in the year 2024, and I am ready to see if it is as good as I remember. Let's check it out.

Story:

If this game has a cohesive storyline, it sure isn't explained in the game. It must be in the instruction manual. But from what I can tell, there really isn't a story. You play as green frog-looking creature, and you have to eat numbers and avoid the monsters that are trying to capture you. There is no beginning or end, and there is no real plot.

There are small cutscenes that play every time you complete five levels or so, where the monster tries to capture you by setting some kind of trap, but then it backfires in his face. Very Wile E. Coyote or Spy vs Spy-esque. But there are only about four or five unique scenes. Then they start to repeat themselves after a while. 

Gameplay:

The entire game plays out on a grid full of numbers. You control green froggy man. At the top of the screen, you will see a small descriptive phrase that relates to mathematics. For example: Multiples of 2. That means you have to move around the grid and eat every multiple of 2. You'd eat 2. You'd eat 4. You'd eat 6, etc. If you eat a wrong number, like a 7, you lose a life. You have three lives. Once they are all gone, the game is over and you input your initials at the high score screen.

As you maneuver around the grid, monsters will start to come after you. If you move onto the same square as a monster, you lose a life. They appear from the edge of the screen, so you always have to be aware of your surroundings. It has happened to me many times where I am collecting numbers around the edge of the grid, and then a monster appears and eats me before I even have a chance to react. You've got to watch out for that. Otherwise, they move around the board at random, and are fairly easy to avoid. 

Really, the whole game revolves around solving simple mathematic problems. A category might be: Less than 21. You'd have to eat every number on the grid that is less than 21. So you'd eat 6 + 0, you'd eat 25 - 6, you'd eat 9 x 2. You would not eat 35 - 6. Another category might be prime numbers. Another category might be factors of 10. Another one might be not equal to 12. 

You can't beat this game, so the main goal is to get the highest score. I was doing pretty well when I played this game. I had no problem with the mathematics, it was trying to rush and running into the monsters that caused me the most problems. I played through every game mode, and then I realized you could adjust the difficulty. I was on basic third grade mathematics. No wonder I was doing so good. I cranked the difficulty as high as it would go. Yeah, too hard. I turned it back down again, this time fourth grade level. I did pretty good again.

I'd be curious to see where exactly it is that the game starts to get hard for me. But honestly, after sinking about an hour into this game, I was kind of done with it. It's a bit repetitive, to say the least. 

Graphics:

This game looks fine, I guess? Let's be real, you aren't playing Number Crunchers to be impressed by its graphical fidelity. This is about as basic looking as it gets.

If I had to give a nod to anything, it would be the small cutscenes you see in between levels. Those are sorta fun.

Sound:

Everything sounds fine. There is truly nothing special to comment on, here. You don't play this game for its music or sound effects, either.

Overall:

This was a nice little trip down memory lane. That's about all there is to it, though. This isn't a game I'm going to come back to play, just for funsies. It's an okay game, but come on - who wants to play a game where you solve math problems?

I'm only half joking. This game serves its purpose and does what it sets out to do - to give kids a game that makes math and education entertaining. Look at me when I was a kid. I stayed inside for recess just so I could play this game. It's a fun learning tool. Heck, I'm probably going to show this to my son when he is old enough to start learning math.

But as far as video games go, Number Munchers leaves a lot to be desired. You can't put this game up next to something like Contra or Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts or Golden Axe and say that it is as fun or as entertaining as one of those games. It's not. Like I said before, I played it for about an hour and then I'd had enough. And I really don't have an urge to come back and play more. In fact, if it wasn't for my son I think I could safely say I was never going to play this game again.

This game is a nice little relic from the past. A fun educational tool, but severely lacking as a video game. I am a little torn on how I should grade this, but slightly above average will probably do the trick.

THE GRADE:

C+

For a complete index of all my past posts and game reviews, click

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Video Game Review #497: Golden Axe

Golden Axe

Arcade

Nostalgia Factor:

I last played Golden Axe nine years ago back in 2015, when I reviewed the Genesis version of the game. While I really wanted to like the game, I found it to be a bit overly tedious and frustrating, especially during the final boss battle at the end of the game. I ended up giving the Genesis version of Golden Axe the middling grade of C. You can read this review here if you are interested.

I haven't thought much about Golden Axe since then. Now here we are, nine years later in the year 2024. I fired up an episode of the Cartridge Club podcast, and wouldn't you know it? Golden Axe was the game of the month. A game I hadn't thought of in a long time. It was a good episode, and they discussed the Genesis and the arcade versions of the game, as well as its sequels and spin-offs. The discussion got my mind going. While I wasn't a big fan of the Genesis game, why not check out the arcade version? I have only played the arcade version once in my entire life, and that was when I was a kid. I remember liking it back then. Why wouldn't I like it now?

So I powered on my RetroPie, found the arcade version of Golden Axe, and decided to dive in. Would it truly be better than the Genesis version, or would I find myself disliking this version as well? Let's find out, shall we?

Story:

You aren't given a whole lot of story to work with. If you refrain from entering a coin at the beginning of the game, it cycles through some character introductions. All three playable characters (the male warrior, the female warrior, and the dwarf) have had a family killed by the villain, Death Adder, and now they are looking for revenge.

I like how things are set up once you do begin playing, with your friend Alex falling at the hands of the enemy, and the villagers being attacked by hordes of evil creatures. The game takes you through a series of medieval themed stages, hacking and slashing your way through these enemies until you defeat Death Adder at the end. Pretty standard video game stuff.

The story takes a wild turn after you defeat Death Adder. Action shifts to the "real world" with a group of kids playing this game. The ending scene consists of all of the game's enemies coming out of the arcade unit and into the real world. The heroes follow behind them, and the action spills out into the streets. The end.

I can wholeheartedly say I didn't expect a fourth wall breaking end sequence from this game. It was a fun and welcome surprise, however.

Gameplay:

This is a very basic, and very easy, beat 'em up title. In true beat 'em up style, you walk up and down and left and right on a 3D plane. You fight off waves of enemies by hitting them with your melee weapons. You can jump. You can jump kick. You can charge across the screen by tapping left or right twice. You can perform a charge attack by pressing the attack button as you are charging. Pretty basic stuff.

What makes Golden Axe unique? Each character has a screen-clearing magic spell for you to use at your discretion. As you play through the game, you'll be able to recover your magic meter by attacking these little elf creatures and making them drop magic potions. In fact, there are often scenes that play in between stages when your character is camping out and trying to get some sleep. These little guys try to steal stuff from your camp, and you can attack them and make them drop health and magic items. I've always found these sequences to be very fun. They add so much character to the game.

You can also jump aboard dragons and take control of them. Their tail whip and fire breathing attacks do massive damage to your enemies. Try to hang onto them as long as you can. I had pretty good luck with them this time around, and was able to decimate some boss characters with the dragons' powerful attacks. One hit will result in you getting knocked off the dragon, so always be vigilant about playing defense because the dragon will run away if you get hit three times.

Unlike the Genesis version of the game, the arcade version is quite easy. I wasn't keeping track of how many times I had to continue (AKA how many quarters I had to use), but it was not many. Maybe five or six. And the whole game itself lasted about 20 minutes, if that. I found the whole thing to be very, very easy. 

Is it still fun, though? Yes. 

Graphics:

Does the arcade version of Golden Axe look better than the Genesis version of the game? Uh, probably? It's been nine years since I played the other version of the game. As far as I know, they look pretty similar. But I'm sure the arcade version holds a slight edge. I noticed myself paying closer attention to the stage design this time around. It seems like there are more villagers and NPCs to look at in this game. The medieval setting of the game feels more immersive and like it is a bigger part of things. It's hard to describe, but this version visually has a certain magic the Genesis version doesn't.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the character design. The heroes are iconic, giving players a choice of three very distinctive looking characters to play as. I'm not gonna lie, I picked Tyris, the female character this time around. I'll probably pick her next time I play the game, too. I have, um, reasons. *wink*

 

I never thought I'd find myself thirsting over fictional video game characters, but that's exactly what happened when I played this game.

Sound:

There is nothing about this game's music or sound effects that stand out. Even though I just finished the game, I couldn't hum one tune from the game or tell you anything about its sound effects. They exist. They do the job. That's about the best I can tell you.

Overall:

This is a fun game, albeit one lacking in pretty much any substance whatsoever. It's entertaining, it's short, it's easy to pick up and play. The theme is cool and the graphics are nice. That's about all I can really say about the game. You can beat it in 15 or 20 minutes, and there is not much replay value to be found here. It's not like there are branching paths or you will notice anything on a second playthrough you didn't notice the first time. Play it once and you've seen it all.

As a game, it is pretty good. You're never not entertained when you are playing this. I like it much more than the Genesis version, hands down. It's fun, charming, and very easy to pick up and play. It's also very limited. I want to shower this game with praise and accolades, but it's such a short experience, did it even have time to leave much of a mark? 

Good game: yeah. But I'm not exactly jumping out of my seat over it. At the same time, I do think it is an important title, and something that every gamer should play at least once in their life.

THE GRADE:

B 

For a complete index of all my past posts and game reviews, click

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Video Game Review #496: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

PlayStation 4

Nostalgia Factor:

Let me get this out of the way immediately: I had a miserable time with this game. I don't know what happened. I first played Final Fantasy XII back in 2006, the year it first came out, and I really liked it.

Keep in mind that I haven't played the game in any form since then. It's now 2024. That means that 18 years have passed since my last playthrough. I was a different person back then, living a completely different life. I remember I bought this game as a present for my ex-girlfriend Jessica. We were living together at the time, and she was just as big a gamer as I was. In fact, she was a massive Final Fantasy fan, and she often dedicated the time to completely 100% each of the games she played. Even I didn't do that. I usually just play for the story and then I'm done with the game.

We were both playing through FF XII on our own separate save files. She was much deeper into the game then I was. In fact, she was nearing the end of it. But then something bad happened. I knocked over the PS2 as I was playing, and the laser must have scratched the disc. It started skipping and became unplayable. Oh no. I went out and bought the collector's version of the game and started a new playthrough. Jessica, who had been much, much farther in the game than me, was furious. I don't remember if she ever started the game over again. But I remember playing the game and beating it. And then when we broke up later on, I kept the collector's edition of the game and left her with the unplayable original copy. I was a jerk for doing that.

Ah memories.

But my memories don't stop there. In 2008, way back before I started this blog, I ranked my top 100 games of all time on the message board Survivor Sucks, and Final Fantasy XII came in ranked at #18. Here is what I had to say about the game back then:

"Let me just say that I really love this game. I know that it might not be one of the most popular among hardcore Final Fantasy fans, but I think it is great.

This game is very cinematic. The cutscenes, graphics, and voice acting are all very well done. At many points in the game, the action is so intense it feels like a real movie. The music is awesome, as is usual for Final Fantasy games. The graphics have taken the "next step" in the series, and are no longer so cartoonish and fake looking.

The thing that is most controversial about this game is the combat system. As opposed to being turn based, like your typical FF game, this one takes place in real time. Instead of random encounters, you can see your enemies out on the field and decide whether you want to attack them or try to avoid them. While most die hard FF fans might not like this, I enjoyed the change. I like the option of whether or not you should fight someone when you're out on the field. You can also move around on the battlefield while fighting, which you can use to your advantage.

One unique feature of this game is the License Grid. As you gain experience, you gain License Points, which allow you to give your character experience in certain areas. If you want to be offensive minded, use all your LP on offensive stuff. Or you can go the magical route. You can really go any direction you want with the characters at your disposal.

The complaints I have heard about this game are that it is too linear (which I don't agree with. The world in this game is HUGE and there is so much to see and do) or that they don't like the combat (but I do) or that the storyline is not very good. I do agree with this last statement. While the cinematics and graphics are stellar, this game is lacking in character development and just overall involving storyline of other great Final Fantasy games, like VII.

This is an excellent, deep, and involving game. You can waste hours and hours doing things, exploring, leveling up, etc. And the massive world and breathtaking scenery is epic! But the only thing keeping this from being a top tier Final Fantasy games is the story. If it had a better one, this could possibly have been the greatest game of all time."

Wow. That's pretty high praise for this game, which is why I had such lofty expectations coming into Zodiac Age for the PS4. This version of the game is supposed to be even better than the original - with improved graphics and "quality of life" features, like an enhanced leveling system and the added ability to speed up time.

I was super stoked to play through Final Fantasy XII again. Much to my chagrin, however, I quickly discovered that the game has aged like fine milk. What went wrong? How could I go from ranking this as the 18th best video game of all time to absolutely detesting it? Guess you got to read this review to find out.

Story:

I hope you didn't come here looking for a detailed plot synopsis, because I don't have one. This game's storyline is an absolute mess, and I completely gave up on paying attention to it just a few hours into the game. It's easily the worst storyline I've ever experienced in a Final Fantasy game. FF8's orphanage subplot looks like a work of absolute genius compared to anything you experience here.

I'll try to give a rough outline of what I *think* was going on. So there's this little country called Dalmasca that is stuck in the middle between two warring nations: Archadia and Rozarria. Archadia invades Dalmasca and takes control, subjugating its citizens to their rule. A young thief named Vaan gets caught up in a rebellion against Archadia, involving Sky Pirates, disgraced warrior named Baasch, and the Princess of Dalmasca, Ashe, who is believed dead.

This ragtag group of warriors travel the world collecting powerful baubles in order to defeat the Empire. At the end they fight the Empire and win, and everything ends happily.

I'm glossing over some major plot points, I'm sure (like Baasch being framed for murdering the Dalmascan King), but honestly, none of it really matters. The characters are flat and lifeless. There is no personal development whatsoever. I didn't find myself caring for any of these characters whatsoever. Nor did I care about the rebellion or taking down the Empire. The whole game consists of just moving from one location to another, in order to advance the so-called storyline. Go here, collect this, get chased away, go there, collect that, oops - you're captured, you escape, you go somewhere else, you collect something, ope - captured again, nevermind you escaped, go somewhere else, collect another thing, blah blah blah.

It sucks. All of it sucks. It's dry, it's lifeless, and there is nothing to get excited about. Like I said, I stopped paying attention just a few hours into the game. There is no substance to be found here. How disappointing.

Gameplay:

Final Fantasy XII is known for its gambit system. It's the first single player Final Fantasy game to move away from turn-based combat. Everything takes place in real time. You can simply pre-program in the actions you want the characters in your party to perform. When you are walking around on the world map, you see enemies coming. There are no random battles here. You can either approach these enemies and fight them, or take the long way around them and avoid them. The actions your characters take depend on the gambits you've programmed in. You can have them attack the enemy leader, you can have them go after the weakest enemy, you can have them focus on magic and defense, etc. In theory if you have enough gambits set up you could just put the controller down in the middle of battle and walk away and do some dishes.

You can also stop the action at any time and specifically input what you want each character to do. So if your gambits have your whole party programmed to attack relentlessly, but you have a character that is low on health, you can manually stop the action and have one of the characters use an item like a potion on the injured character. Being a micromanager, I was constantly stopping the action to have them perform the action I wanted them to. Honestly, I didn't mess around with the gambits that much. They're nice to have for very basic enemies, but during boss battles or fights that required different tactics than just hacking away, I found myself taking a more hands-on approach.

As you fight, you gain experience and level up, just like other Final Fantasy games. Each character also has a license board where you use license points earned in battle to give your character special attributes. You gain money in battle as well, which you can use in shops to buy items and equipment for your characters. One thing I don't like about this game is that many spells and pieces of equipment can't be purchased from stores - you have to find them in the wild. I never got my hands on Hastega, Shellga, and many other powerful spells that would have made this game a lot more manageable - simply because I didn't know where to find them.

All this sounds fine and dandy, but to be brutally honest the game is simply just not any fun. The entire game seems to consist of walking through hallways and corridors, fighting endless waves of enemies. The dungeons in this game are so freaking long and repetitive. This isn't as bad as, say, Final Fantasy XIII, as there is a world hub and you can explore things in more of an open-world manner if you choose to do so. There are also side quests and bounty hunts you can join. So you don't have to just focus on the main story. But the game sucks so bad, I didn't bother with any of these things. I just wanted to finish the game and be done with it.

Maybe if this game actually had a compelling story pushing things forward, I would have liked it more. Maybe, maybe not. But holy god damn did I find it boring. I don't know how I liked this so much when I was younger. I was drunk a lot back then, so that might explain things. Maybe I was blinded by wanting to like it just because it is a Final Fantasy game. I don't know. But playing it now in present day, oof. I had no fun with this game. None. In fact, I dreaded turning this game on and playing it, especially knowing there are so many other games out there that are much more fun than this. But once I commit to playing and reviewing something, I have to see it through to the end. I'm doing this for you guys. I hope you appreciate it.

Graphics:

Graphically, this game shines. At least it has that going for it. It looked good on the PS2 back in 2006 and it looks good on the PS4 in 2024. As much as I hated this game, I have to admit that the world building is really nice. The towns and cities are full of citizens busily walking to and fro. There are interesting looking characters all over the place. Really makes the world of the game feel like a big and sprawling place.

The landscapes of the game are beautiful, as are many of the ancient ruins and locales you visit. The cutscenes are very cinematic, almost like something you'd see in a big screen movie,. If only I cared about what was happening in them!

Sound:

This game has great music in addition to great graphics. I constantly found myself impressed as I traversed the world of the game. The orchestral music is grand and sweeping. The title theme is an iconic Final Fantasy song. I've heard it many times in YouTube videos about Final Fantasy, and I didn't even realize it came from this game. It's so good.

Voice acting is fine, too. Character delivery can be a bit wooden and stiff, but it never gets to the point where it is noticeably bad. Maybe if the writing had been better or if the plot was more engaging, they could have gotten something more out of the voice actors. 

Overall:

In case I haven't made things obvious enough for you, I didn't like this game. In fact, I might even go so far as to say I hated it. There are things about the game that I liked, such as the music, the graphics, and the world of the game. And I really truly wanted to enjoy myself as I played this. But I didn't. It's just so incredibly dry and boring to me, from the combat, to the repetitive gameplay, to the completely bland and uninteresting characters and story. Every night I would let out a big sigh before I would turn this game on. I didn't want to play it. I knew it was going to be a chore and I wasn't going to have any fun. But I just wanted to finish this game and be done with it so I'd never have to play it again.

In fact, that may be the best thing about the game - the fact that I never have to play it again. It's like a giant burden has been lifted off my chest. I no longer have to play this rotten piece of shit game again. Hallelujah!

Now, if you like Final Fantasy XII, I am not shaming you. I'm glad you like it. My hatred of this game is mine and mine alone. I didn't like it, and that's totally okay. Not everything is for everyone, and this game is REALLY not for me.

If I ever get the urge to come back and play this game again in the future, I need to read this review first and remind myself why that is not a good idea. Future Dan, if you are reading this: don't. You are not going to enjoy this game. You are not going to have a good time. Avoid it at all costs and thank me later.

Now that I'm done ranting, I can finally head out and play something I'm actually going to enjoy. 

THE GRADE:

D-

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Video Game Review #495: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts

Super Nintendo

Nostalgia Factor:

I grew up a fan of the Ghosts 'n Goblins series. I wouldn't say I was a rabid fan or anything like that, but I enjoyed the games and I had a decent time with them. I played the heck out of the original game for the NES. I also really liked Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the Genesis, and in many ways considered that to be superior to the original.

I've always known about Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, but seeing as how I never owned an SNES, I never got the chance to play the game. As an adult, I picked up a used copy of this title somewhere in the 2010s. I tried to play the game on my Hyperkin Retron system, which played NES, SNES, and Genesis titles. Everything worked fine until about midway through the game, when the screen and the background turned black, and all I could see was Arthur. I didn't know where the ledges were, I didn't know where the bottomless pits were, I didn't even know where the enemies were. Was it a glitch in the game? I simply could not progress any further because I could not freaking see anything.

Turns out it was some kind of anti-piracy setting that was triggered by playing the cartridge on my Hyperkin Retron. It thought I was pirating the game or playing it illegally somehow, so it made the game unplayable so I could not progress any further. Huh. I legally purchased the game and the system with my own money. Very weird it would do this.

I ended up putting the game down and moving onto other things. This was about 6 or 7 years ago. I randomly decided, now that I have a RetroPie, to give the game another shot playing it on different hardware. Turns out the game works fine playing it this way (oh, the irony - the physical copy of the game doesn't work because of piracy issues, but the downloaded ROM works fine. Whatever).

So how would I feel about Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts? Would it be as good, and as HARD, as everyone says? Time to find out!

Story:

This game easily has the best introduction sequence in the series. There is a group of villagers outside a castle, partaking in what looks like a festival of some kind. Fireworks are exploding in the sky. It seems like a nice, fun evening.

The action takes us inside the castle, where good ol' Arthur is hanging out with the princess. A flying demon crashes through the window and spirits her away, while lightning flashes reveal even more demons hiding outside. Oh noes.

Thus begins Arthur's adventures, as he battles the demons and tracks down the missing princess. In true Ghosts 'n Goblins fashion, once you've beaten the final boss, you are sent back to the beginning of the game because you don't have the proper equipment to defeat the true final boss. The princess says she dropped her armlet on the way to the castle, as she was being abducted. Starting from the beginning of the game, you have to find the armlet that she dropped and use its powerful magic to defeat the true final boss and rescue the princess once and for all.

Gameplay:

Gameplay is very similar to other titles in the series. You make your way through a series of stages, which are represented on the game map that is shown to you in-between stages. You progress through each stage jumping over obstacles and fighting monsters and bosses until you locate the key that unlocks the next stage. There are eight of these stages in total.

What this game is known for is its difficulty. Now, I used to play the regular Ghouls 'n Ghosts quite often for the Genesis when I was a kid. The game was challenging, sure, but I never considered it to be hard or nearly impossible to beat. Ghosts 'n Goblins for the NES was a lot tougher. This game falls somewhere in the middle. It's definitely tougher than the Genesis game, but not as tough as the NES original.

The big difference between this and other games in the series is in your ability to double jump. This is definitely a big improvement over other entries in the series. Normally in these games, once you commit to a jump, you are stuck with your decision. The double jump allows you to jump backward, in case you need to avoid an enemy that pops up. It also allows you to reach areas that normally would be out of reach to you. Another difference is how you can't shoot up or down in this game. I do not like this. You can only shoot left or right. I lost track of how many times there was an enemy above me that I couldn't shoot because you can only fire left and right. Very annoying, especially when you are trying to fight the red flying demons. At least there aren't very many of them this time around.

This is a game where you are going to die quite often. You start with a standard suit of armor. Get hit once, and you lose your armor and drop down to your undies. Get hit again, and you are dead. You can recoup your armor through treasure chests you find hidden throughout the stages, but just surviving long enough to find one is a challenge in its own right. This game also gives you opportunities to upgrade to gold or green armor, where you can hold the fire button down and unleash a super charged attack. Nice feature, but I never was able to keep this armor long enough for it to really make a difference.

To me, the best thing about this game is its stage design. You see so much in this game that you don't see in other versions of the game. I love the pirate ship level, and how you have to survive big waves while floating on the sea and fighting enemies. There is another level with platforms that rotate the entire level. That's a nice touch. Small things like that help to keep the game constantly fresh as you are playing.

While the game is fun to play, the cheap nature of its difficulty does start to get old over time. Things will pop up, or enemies will appear with NO warning whatsoever, and the only way to avoid them is to have already played the level and know they are coming in advance. Trial and error your way through it. Is that fun, or is it even fair? Eh. That is debatable. I ended up resorting to using save files to make my way through the game. I tried to get through it the "fair" way, but I figured if the game wasn't going to play fair, I wasn't either. I had a much more fun time with the game once I started doing this. But the fact that I even had to resort to such tactics is a major problem.

Graphics:

This is a gorgeous game. It's probably my favorite looking Super Nintendo game, and that is really saying something. The graphics are big and bright and cartoony. Each stage and each environment has its own unique feel. Part of my desire to keep playing was tied into seeing what areas I was going to get to explore next. I already mentioned the pirate ship area earlier in my review. That stage is freaking beautiful. And so is the snowy stage. Some of the best snow effects I've seen in a video game. Outstanding stuff. This game really looks terrific. I was constantly impressed my whole way through this game.

To think that this game was released over 30 years ago and it still looks so good. This is an art style that has a timeless appeal.

Sound:

This game has some decent music, but to be honest it is probably the weakest sounding game of the entire series. I just doesn't have that "iconic" feel to it, at least in my opinion. I never caught myself humming along to the theme music. Maybe because it is because I grew up with the NES and Genesis games. Those games have great soundtracks that I would add to my video game playlist any day of the week - particularly the Genesis version. This game's music just doesn't quite do it for me. Feels a little bit watered down, to be honest. Not that the music is bad or anything. It just isn't as strong as the other games.

The sound effects? They are fine, too. Again, there is nothing really wrong or bad to be found here. It just doesn't do anything for me.

Overall:

This is a really fun game, and I am glad I finally got off my butt and decided to play through the whole thing. I think tales of its difficulty had scared me away from it. But it isn't that bad (especially if you decide to save scum your way through it, like I did). I think even without the save scumming I would have been able to finish this with a few more days of practice. I just really don't have time for that anymore. I'm getting old and I still have a countless number of games out there that I need to play through before I die. It's definitely not as tough as Battletoads, or a few other games I've recently made my way through. It's completely manageable with a little practice.

I found myself enjoying the stage design and the brilliant visuals a lot more than I thought I would. Everyone talks about this game's difficulty and how you have to play through it twice to see the true ending. No one talks about how fantastic the game looks. Even if I didn't like the gameplay, I would have been enthralled by the game's visual design.

Is Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts worth playing? Absolutely. How does it compare to other titles in the series? Let's see. I gave the original Ghosts 'n Goblins for the NES an A-. To be honest, I probably gave the game too high of a grade. It's not an A- title. Nostalgia played too big of a factor in that review. Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts is definitely the better game, although it is going to get a lower review score. 

It's definitely better than Ghosts 'n Goblins for the arcade, as well as Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins for the PSP. I didn't like either title. What about Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the Genesis? This one's close. Both games are a lot of fun to play, and I would consider both games to be the pinnacle of the series. But which one is better? Super GnG is the better looking game, with the better stage design. But regular GnG is probably the more fun and accessible game. Plus it has nostalgia going for it, since I grew up playing the game. Regular GnG gets the nod from me, but it is a lot closer than I would have initially expected. In fact, they are going to get the same review score of B+. Neither game is good enough to crack the A range for me, but they are both about as close as you can get to doing so.

Now that all is said and done, I can safely say I am glad I played this game. It's a shame I dragged my feet on it for so long. It's a fun game, and I can easily see myself returning to play through it again someday in the future.

THE GRADE:

B+

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Video Game Review #494: Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Arcade

Nostalgia Factor:

This is now the third Mortal Kombat game for the arcade I've reviewed. I have to admit, I dragged my feet a bit when deciding if I should play this or not. The series (at least the arcade version of the series) has not held up well over the years. I reviewed the original Mortal Kombat back in 2015 and it got a D. I reviewed Mortal Kombat II in 2018 and it got a D-. And those were the Mortal Kombat games I remember really enjoying as a kid.

Why didn't I like them? A myriad of reasons. The top reason is the computer AI. They made these games tough on purpose - so you'd keep pumping quarters into them. Unfortunately, this doesn't translate well to the home experience. It makes it more frustrating than anything else. I also found the games incredibly limited. Fighting games have never been my favorite genre. You play them for five minutes, and you've essentially seen everything the game has to offer. Maybe you can extend the life of these games playing with a second player, but I didn't have the luxury of doing that when reviewing these games.

Mortal Kombat 3 was never my favorite of the original games. If I didn't like the first two, playing them in modern times, what was I going to think of this one? Luckily, I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. They took some of my concerns about the previous Mortal Kombat games and worked to make this one a little bit more accessible for people looking for a good single player campaign.

Before we dive in too deep, I should note that this is Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, which is a revamped version of the original MK3 for the arcade. I was actually hoping to play the original game for review purposes, but unfortunately the original MK3 is not included on the "Arcade Kollection" I have for PS3. It's just I, II, and the "ultimate version" of III. I guess it is good that they put the best version of the game on the collection, but I have to admit I was curious to play the original version of 3. Oh well.

Story:

After losing the battle in Mortal Kombats I and II, Shao Kahn has decided enough is enough. He takes the fight to the Earth realm. Playing as one of the game's combatants, you fight through your competitors as you make your way to the final battle with Shao Kahn.

Each character in the game has their own individual storyline, but honestly I wasn't paying too close of attention. Their story segments are explained through little snippets that play when the game is waiting for you to begin playing. So you just have to sit there for 20 minutes not pushing any buttons if you want to see everyone's little story vignette. Totally not worth it. I watched maybe three or four of them, and then I decided to start playing.

I guess I was a little curious to see why Shang Tsung and Mileena were fighting against the Outworld forces, but not curious enough to wait around and find out. 

Gameplay:

When the game starts up, you'll notice how you are offered several different difficulty tiers to choose from. For my first playthrough, I chose the easiest one, Novice mode. Took me an hour or so, as some of the fights at the end are really hard, but I was able to make my way through the game and defeat Shao Kahn.

I decided to try a second playthough with a different character. Went straight to Master difficulty this time. My understanding was that Master difficulty was just like Novice, except longer and with more fights. No, no. It's not just Master in name only. They crank that difficulty WAY up. I couldn't even make it through the first fight on Master difficulty. I probably gave it five or six different tries, each with a different character. Couldn't do it.

I restarted the game and picked Novice again. Tried to do some fatalities, but couldn't pull off a single one. When I got to the endurance stage where you have to defeat two fighters, I decided to call it quits. I turned off the game. I'd seen enough, and I had no desire to play any further. The whole experience lasted two hours at the very longest. I was done with Mortal Kombat 3. Remember what I said about fighting games not being my favorite genre? I'm just not a big fan, I hate to say. They don't hold any lasting appeal for me.

That said, I did enjoy this more than the previous two Mortal Kombat games. The difficulty is much more balanced and fair, particularly on the easier difficulty levels. Beating the game doesn't seem impossible anymore. Well, except for the Shao Kahn, Kintaro, and endurance fights. They are absurdly difficult. But I approached these as a challenge to overcome rather than a nuisance, and it made my eventual victory that much more fulfilling. When you beat the game, they even give you bonus stuff to unlock and extra enemies to defeat. It gives this game a shit ton of replay value. If you like this type of game, you can spend days and days unearthing everything there is to unearth.

As far as gameplay goes, not much has changed from the other MK games. Everything is pretty much the same, with the exception of added moves and combos. And of course there are new fatalities, too. The massive selection of fighters to choose from was nice to see. There's a character for every play style out there. Such a massive change from the first game in the series that had just seven people to pick from. The character list gets even bigger in subsequent games. I can't wait to tackle Mortal Kombat Trilogy someday. I remember playing the shit out of that game for the Saturn when I was a kid. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Is this game fun? I suppose. As always, it is better to play with two people. I have no one to game with, as usual, so I just played solo. I found myself having more fun with this than I did the previous two games in the series, which I NEVER thought I'd find myself saying. I've always liked MK3 the least of the original games. I guess this one is better because it is Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Maybe if that Ultimate wasn't there I wouldn't like it as much.

Graphics:

This is the best looking of the original Mortal Kombat games. The animations are much smoother than what we've seen in the past. The characters are varied and diverse and fun to look at. I rotated through them each time I'd die, so I'd get to see them all. The blood effects are good. The fatalities are wild and over the top. I couldn't pull any of them off, but at least the computer used a few against me from time to time.

The backgrounds and the setting have always been one of my favorite things about Mortal Kombat. This game delivers on that front, with very well-designed stages. There are even multi-level stages where you can knock people through the ceiling, which is pretty cool.

This game won't win any beauty awards by today's standards, but you have to admit it looks pretty good considering its age. You can tell a lot of time and effort went into stage and character design, and it paid off. 

Sound:

This game has good music. All Mortal Kombat games have good music. But it is lacking that catchy, memorable tune that would have put it over the top in the sound department. There is just nothing that stands out to me. I just wrapped this game up yesterday, and if you asked me to hum a tune from this game I would be able to do so. In one ear and out the other, I suppose.

You've got the usual spot-on voice acting though. "Round one... fight!" "Fatality." "Toastie!" "Get over here!" You can definitely recognize that this is a Mortal Kombat game from sound alone. I've got nothing to complain about here. It all sounds great, as always.

Overall:

I had a better time with this than I did with Mortal Kombat I or II. That's indisputable. The quality of life changes, such as the improved enemy AI and the different difficulty tiers were a welcome change. Graphically, the game looks good. There are a ton of characters to pick from and a ton of stages to fight through. 

That said, I don't like fighting games. There is just no way around it. Even though I liked it more than the other Mortal Kombats, that doesn't mean I thought this game was great or super fun or anything like that. It's fine. It's okay. For a fighting game.

I'm glad I've knocked out all the Mortal Kombat games on the Arcade Kollection for the PS3. I bought this thing like 10 years ago and I can finally say I'm done with it, and delete it from my hard drive. That's not exactly glowing praise. I'm sure I'll visit the home console versions of Mortal Kombat at some point in the future. Now those I loved as a kid. But the arcade games are just not great. They were fun for the time they were released. It was always exciting seeing one of these units out in the wild. Unfortunately it just doesn't translate to a great home experience.

Congrats, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, on being one of the best arcade versions of Mortal Kombat out there. Now get the hell out of here so I never have to play you again.

THE GRADE:

C-

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