OCR Text |
Show A&EDiversions Friday, Oct. 2, 2009 Page 6 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com Impressions of the Tokyo Game Show The Tokyo Game Show showcases the latest and greatest upcoming games. I was fortunate enough to play many of the games. Here are my impressions. Note, all the games I played are still in development. Thus, my impressions should not be interpreted as definite gameplay values. “Final Fantasy XIII” Timothy Streamlined gameplay: It’s odd Russell to praise a role-playing-game for its simplicity but in the case of “Final Fantasy 13,” (FF 13) the streamlined gameplay was most Let’s go striking. In order to access each new map, there is a highlighted circle on the screen. Typically, gamers A look at upcoming would be required to push a but- video games ton on these icons, but thankfully this has been eliminated. Imagine wandering through an 80 plus hour game and having to push a button to access each and every map. Perhaps I’m lazy, but I’m glad to see developers realizing flow is critical to storytelling. Furthermore, battles can be skipped thanks to enemies appearing onscreen. It’s the player’s choice whether they want to stop and fight or run away like a coward. Overall, I had a lot of fun playing “FF 13” and I thought the graphics looked superior to other PS3 titles. Fans can look forward to Final Fantasy 13 on Dec. 17 for PS3 in Japan and 2010 for PS3 and Xbox 360 worldwide. “Assassin’s Creed 2” Been There Done That: In 2008, critics and gamers alike, praised “Assassin’s Creed” for its open-world environment but were frustrated by the repetitive gameplay. Unfortunately, the sequel falls into a similar trap. Yes, “Assassin’s Creed 2” does offer new mechanics, but they feel tacked on and underwhelming. It’s as if Ubisoft took the entire design of the first game and said, “Well, what we had before was good, so let’s just add a few new interactions.” The new interactions I noticed consisted of talking with villagers for money or paying thugs to aid in the quest against evil. Aside from this, “Assassin’s Creed 2” felt very similar to the first game. “Assassin’s Creed 2” will be released on the Xbox 360 and PS3 in November 2009. “Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep” Gaming THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN FROM The Microsoft booth at Tokyo Game Show 2009,during press days. photo courtesy of TIM RUSSELL Linear: Speaking as a huge Kingdom Hearts fan, my short time with “Birth by Sleep” left me disappointed. The three levels I played were basically walking from point A to point B, while repetitively attacking enemies. “Birth by Sleep” lacks creativity and exploration, which is why I’m still on the fence for this title. “Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep” will be released on PSP in Japan in 2010. “Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll” A New Kind Of Frustration: Thanks to the addition of Nintendo’s balance board peripheral, “Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll” takes frustration and challenge to a new level. “Stupid monkey, why won’t you just roll correctly,” I said while frantically shifting my weight. “Does this game get any easier to play?” I said sarcastically to the Sega rep present. Although the balance board is an awkward addition to “Step & Roll,” fans of the series will eat up those cute monkeys. “Step & Roll” will be released for the Nintendo Wii worldwide in 2010. In the end, the Tokyo Game Show had many new games to play. The titles listed here are only a small selection of the new releases for 2009 and 2010. -tim.russell@aggiemail.usu.edu Cloudy with a chance of a hilarious children’s film I wasn’t expecting to see “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” for this week’s review. If I’m being honest, I was really hoping to go see a movie that came out last weekend, but unfortunately I have come down with a sickness that I just can’t seem to shake. I wasn’t able to see “Fame,” which is what I originally intended on reviewing. After trying to get feeling at least a little bit better before I went to the movies, I found out from reading other reviews that “Fame” apparently isn’t exactly what it’s cracked up to be. Eonline even gave “Fame” a C+, stating, “The ‘80s sensation is reborn for the “High School Musical” generation. But sadly, this one’s all fame, no journey.” No one wants to go see a bad film if they don’t have to right? That is why there are movie reviews in the first place. Anyway, while I didn’t see “Fame” because of the terrible reviews it had gotten, I did stumble surprisingly across “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” which had gotten excellent reviews. Now this was something that really sparked my curiosity. How could a simple children’s movie like “Meatballs” be getting such great reviews? I had to check this one out for myself. Well, as I am putting things off till the last minute this week because of my never-ending sickness, I can tell you that I actually just walked out of the movie. I must say, I think the reviews were positive about this film for good reason. Any studio can make an animated film these days, but what separates the mediocre ones from the true animated gems is simply intelligence. Sure, 90 percent of animated films are comedies made only for the purpose of getting Mom or Dad to spend that $8 on a movie and take you and your friends, but the animated films that have had the proper time and work put into them are able to get even Mom or Dad walking out of the theater with a smile slapped across their face. I may not have kids right now – and I don’t plan to for a long time – but I Nick movie. The effects didn’t disapcan say I ended the movie with a point either. I thought the 3-D Peterson effect was most definitely used in big smile on my face. I think the two main characters voiced by clever ways. I don’t think the film Bill Hader and Anna Faris were was riding on the fact that it was great, but what was really present in 3-D though. This 3-D craze is throughout the film was a great catching on fast these days, and sense of humor. it is refreshing to see animators Grade B+ Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) is really using it to their advantage to a scientist who grew up on a small “Cloudy with a make an excellent film even more and isolated island in the middle of Chance of Meatballs” exciting and more intelligent. the Atlantic Ocean. The only thing Basically, if anyone reading this town is famous for is fishing for and canning this has kids, they have to go see this film with sardines. After the world realizes how disgusting them. I can promise your kids will be thoroughly sardines actually are, they stop eating them and entertained for an hour and 21 minutes, and you the small town is left in isolation with nothing will secretly be enjoying yourself too. special to brag about. For all of you reading this without kids, be Lockwood is one person who wants to change brave and take the leap. Go see a children’s anithat. He has shown an interest in science since his mated film in 3-D. Everyone knows you secretly childhood, and he is convinced that he is destined have been wanting to experience it, so why not to become a great inventor whose discoveries will break the mold and get a group of your friends change the world forever. This is when Lockwood together and go see “Cloudy with a Chance of decides to invent a machine that turns water into Meatballs” in 3-D this weekend – after you go see food, and everything goes chaotic from there. the limited 3-D release of “Toy Story 2 and 3” of The rest of the story leads you through an course. incredible adventure, filled with every kind of One last note readers: Do not go see this movie food imaginable falling from the sky and right on an empty stomach, because I can promise you onto the little town. There were meatballs, pizza, won’t be enjoying yourself too much. chicken, cheeseburgers, marshmallows and even -nicholas.peterson@aggiemail.usu.edu giant hotdogs. Did I mention everything is in 3-D? I can’t even begin to tell you how excited my inner-child was thinking about going to see a 3-D Reel Reviews ‘Daemon,’ a killer of a book that will keep you up all night Anyone who’s watched a crimiChelsey Gensel nal investigation show on TV will Book Critic know what I mean when I say that if the book “Daemon” were a cause of death, it would be blunt force trauma. Suarez’s cyber thriller comes at you fast and hits you hard, which makes it difficult to get away Grade C+ from. I read it over a period of “Daemon” about 24 hours, but I wouldn’t recommend starting it unless you have some good chunks of time blocked out. I admit to reading it through a meeting and at meals. At 448 pages (hardcover), it seems hefty but the print is easy to read, the story is compelling and the language can be overly technical at times but is written to be understood without being dumbed down. Although the writing is identifiably that of a first-time novelist, it is exciting and drags you with it, protests unheard, going at least 80 mph in a 45 mph zone. I’ve generally stayed away from murder mysteries, new thrillers and grocery-store paperbacks, but this novel is innovative, legitimately thrilling and originally self-published in 2006 through the independent Verdugo Press. The copy I picked up, because it caught my eye at the local library, was the re-release after Dutton picked up the novel in 2008. Dutton, a Penguin sub-group, will also publish the sequel, “Freedom,” Jan. 7, 2010. Yes, there’s a sequel. Even though I despise spoilers, I do feel a duty to warn you that if you read this, Book Review you should be prepared for an unsatisfactory ending and to wonder what happens for at least the next three and a half months. The book centers on the events surrounding the death of Matthew Sobol, a gaming-software guru and multimillionaire who dies of brain cancer. Before his death, he releases “the Daemon” into the Internet and, therefore, into the world. The Daemon is, simply put, a program that scans cyberspace for Sobol’s own obituary. When the obituary appears in online news feeds, a chain of programs are triggered that spider out across the globe causing destruction, betrayal and death. Because of the way Suarez constructs the playout of these events and the technical explanations worked almost seamlessly into the plot, it is not by any means a stretch to think that a few ingenious computer programmers could wreak havoc on the press, law enforcement, the economy and individuals even after they have died. It is a little bit of a stretch to imagine the disgruntled members of society joining with this force of technology to guide and magnify its effects, but Suarez managed to suspend my disbelief enough to make me nervous to leave my room to get a drink and turn off the light at 2 in the morning. I haven’t ever been that scared of something happening in a book since I was 14, and I thought if I left my room Voldemort might get me. Part of the intrigue may be exclusive to those who are not com- puter experts. We know enough to scare us but not enough as say, those guys in IT, who may alternately scoff at the implausibilities or become psychologically damaged by the truth of technology’s capabilities and less-than-ethical applications. That’s the big question mark, that makes it a thrill for me – that we just can’t be sure this basic manipulation with no one at the keyboard won’t ever happen. Suarez is an independent systems consultant to Fortune 1000 companies, according to the book jacket. He is an avid gamer and has developed software for the defense, entertainment and finance industries, all of which figure prominently in the plot of Daemon. His expertise and research with government and private organizations that play a role in feeding, or trying to stop, the Daemon contribute immeasurably to its effectiveness. I’d recommend “Daemon” to someone who liked Dan Brown’s “Digital Fortress,” “His Dark Materials” by Phillip Pullman or anyone who is into cop and crime stories or legal thrillers like those of John Grisham, but with caution: not recommended for younger teens or those with a weak stomach or intolerance for some truly sickening villains. There is some graphic violence and a scene involving some drug use and sexuality. –chelsey.gensel@aggiemail.usu.edu |