2D Strollin' With A Boy and His Blob

I remember renting A Boy and His Blob from my local video game store. This was way back in the NES era when my friends and I would rent games for few days, and hope to have enough time between schoolwork to play. 

Right from the start, I was captivated by the game's goofy premise of having a shape-shifting blob as a partner on a treasure hunt. If I only knew it would take 20 years for the remake to appear, I'd probably rent the game a few more times. 

Once I heard about A Boy and His Blob for the Wii, I didn't take me long to seek out and play this, often overlooked, gem. The Wii version is definitely a nod to all the 80s kids who spent countless hours playing their NES instead of studying. Minutes into the adventure I got suddenly nostalgic, and felt as if my mom was about to barge into my room, yelling at me to stop playing and go to sleep. 

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World of Goo 

In this puzzle-platformer you control a human boy who is faithfully fallowed by an AI controlled companion, a peculiar white blob. Their task: stopping an alien invasion of Blob's homeworld. Boy and Blob strolling about and getting into trouble... anyone getting a buddy flick vibe? I'm a big fan of hand-drawn animation and love 2D games: this fresh title mixes both features exceptionally well. 

The backgrounds are painted with vibrant and clean strokes, seamlessly transposing everyday scenery into fantastically imaginative landscapes. Every stage has a surreal feel that will make you want to stop and scan the horizon: tranquil forests beckon adventures, caves and swamps test the nerves, and a nightly city mesmerizes the senses. The Boy and Blob's mannerisms and actions are smoothly animated with painstaking detail, which gives the game a distinctive quality – a la Saturday morning cartoon. 

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Bellyful of Jelly 

Unlike a bumbling cartoon-y sidekick, The Blob does not spew nonsensical gibberish; It does useful things, like transform into objects by eating specific jelly beans. The Boy, being a regular human child, cannot do much except run along, push or jump. But with The Blob by his side he can achieve much more. 

Each jelly produces a delightful new transformation in The Blob. No ledge is too high if your partner can shift into a handy trampoline or ladder. Nowhere to go? Blob can help, by stretching across the ground and becoming a sinkhole (a useful tool for disposing enemies). If you grew up watching Roadrunner cartoons, and always wanted to drop an anvil onto a foe, just feed your Blob the right kind of jelly and bonk 'em.

Unlike to original game, the Wii version is much easier. There are unlimited jelly beans to ingest, and guidance posts to show which abilities will get you through specific parts of the levels. Some of the game's melodic music has a lulling kind of quality to it, which does not convey immediacy, and tends to slow the pacing a bit. However, all of the levels and boss encounters are quite fun, and require use of The Blob's myriad powers in always surprising ways.

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Tale of Friendship

There's a certain story-book cuteness to this game, making it wonderfully appealing without being sappy or cheesy. The Boy's reliance on Blob's out-worldly abilities builds a bond between the two characters, which seamlessly grows with each new challenge. I dare you not feel wonderfully happy at the heartwarming way in which the Boy hugs The Blob, or how he carefully packs his companion into a knapsack so it can became a parachute. 

It's great to see a game that can convey emotions without relying on realistic graphic, or complex story lines weaved with over-top action sequences. WayForward managed to capture the charm of the original, no doubt. Action-savvy junkies may not like the slow and methodical way of progression in A Boy and His Blob; that's okay, because this is a game that reveals its elegance when played in a carefree way. The way you played games when nothing else mattered – not even your homework. 

“What! No, I don't have to finish my Geography project tonight, mom!”

Developer: WayForward

Publisher: Majesco Entertainment

Platform: Wii

Released: 2009

Genre: Platform-Puzzle

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Sin & Punishment, Wicked Game Design 101

Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, is one of those games that delivers on its promise from the get go. Even the back of the game's box states: Fierce Battles Lie on the Horizon.

There's something about every Treasure game that really resonates with old-school gamers like me. It's probably the well earned promise of unmatched quality and ingenuity, that can be found in all their games.  

Sin

Star Successor is an arcade style on-rails shooter. If I had to describe this game using similar tittles, I'd say: Space Harrier meets Wild Guns, fuses with Panzer Dragoon. Did you enjoy the name drops?

On-rails shooting usually means that the in-game camera is preset and cannot be moved by the player. The player can only move his/her cross-hair (gun) and the avatar. In the current slew of "sandbox-style" games this may seem somewhat limiting and outdated, but to a bunch of creative designers it only means one thing: organized chaos.

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Punishment 

This game is challenging. If you make it through the first three levels you'll undoubtedly profess this game is madness. Each level, you are greeted by an unending stream of projectiles big and small. This baptism by fire, will strain your skill to the max.

The only refuge comes at the beginning, in the form of an introductory tutorial to all the abilities you'll be using to progress. The levels are huge and segmented into several checkpoints; which is good, because each segment is filled with devious obstacles and engaging boss fights. The game also auto saves at each check point.

Driven by the delirious preset path, you'll strafe abandoned cities, dash through myriads of tunnels, brave floating fortresses, infiltrate a volcano base, and skirmish with thousands of organic and technologically enhanced enemies of all shapes and sizes. Each new wave of foes demands fast reflexes, instant patter recognition, and dedicated memorization.

The unyielding scenarios this game throws at you are borderline wacky: free-falling inside a pipeline, a gigantic rock turtle blocks your path yawning lava and shooting parts of its spiky shell; a cybernetic samurai challenges you inside a slipstream, where each cross of blades gets you closer to electromagnetic shock-wave death; moving through post-apocalyptic highways, mythical beasts dive-bomb onto you with ill intent. And that's just a few examples of hundreds of different skirmishes.

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 Star(s)

Who's in the grinder with you? Isa Jo: a solider of inner space; and, Kachi: a mnemonic rival of inner space from (you guessed it) the outer space dimension. The two characters serve as Romeo and Juliet for the dimensional war between the inner and outer space.

Much of the story is sprinkled throughout the game in the form of cut-scenes. While the voice acting is bearable, the frantic pace of the game will often make you want to skip most of the monologues. Which is fine, because this game is all about the action.

Either character can jump, evade, melee attack and hover. Isa hovers Peter Pan like (this is my girlfriend's observation) by using his... spheroid backpack; and Kachi floats around by much stylish hover-board. You can shoot freestyle, lock-on to a target--or targets if you're Kachi--and let out a powerful blast, or slice and dice if you're close enough. You aim with the Wii Remote and move with the Nunchuk, which makes the controls precise and intuitive. You'll be dodging bullets, while locking onto targets, and parring missiles back at foes in no time; accompanied by your frantic yells: "I'm a Sci-Fi ninja master!"

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True Successor

Fans of the original N64 Sin & Punishment have been nagging Treasure for a sequel/update for many years, and the company has finally delivered.

In this next-gen successor, your high scores get uploaded to internet leader boards, there's adjustable difficulty, and a second player can jump in to help out with clearing the enemies--albeit only with a target receptacle. Having a second player controlled avatar at the same time would be too much mayhem.

Clearly, this is a game for harden arcade veterans, but there's much fun to be had for casual players who are willing to put up with 45 minute increments of frantic shooting. This game is a must have for anyone still craving score-driven arcade ventures, or anyone looking to get inspiration for serious game designing. Let loose and never be bored again.

Developer: Treasure

Publisher: Nintendo

Platform: Wii

Released: 2010

Genre: Action-Shooter  

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Super Metroid: A Revealing Look Into Samus' Suit

The most memorable year in gaming for me was 1994. Mostly due to the release of Nintendo's Super Metroid: A series known for its female protagonist bounty hunter Samus Aran and exploratory open-world gameplay.

Super Metroid is the third instalment in the Metroid series (Metroid 1 and 2 are available on NES and Game Boy). Once released, the game immediately had a lot to aspire to.

Rather than just reviewing this game, I'll discuss its overall feeling and composition. If you think a 2D game cannot instill any emotions into players, then you simply haven’t visited the alien infested, structurally massive, planet Zebes.

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Isolation

Landing on Zebes you're introduced to a rather silent environment. Several minutes pass before Samus trips the alarm system which alerts her foes to flood the many corridors and passages she must explore.

Beyond  Samus' introductory log, there's no other communique or direction on how and where to proceed. You're left to explore, alone. Not having any sort of AI or director, you can completely give yourself to the urge of exploration. And that urge naturally takes you deeper into the planet's vast world filled with secret passages, items, power-ups, and critters all too suited to the environments they're in.

The game's large and complex environments can be imposing, but they are made this way to add a certain degree of isolation. This mood is maintained throughout the entire game creating a very tight bond between the player and the silent armour-clad Samus. Each new uncovered area has clues that must be considered to progress. There's no hand holding in this title, you simply must observe the environment closely, make mental notes, and come back once you gained a new ability or weapon.     

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Bewilderment

Each section of the game is a small unique world. Each world is a piece of a greater puzzle that is planet Zebes. Majority of rooms are connected through a series of colour-coded doorways. To open those doors you'll need to fire specific weapons at them. But first you need to find those weapons. Because of this feature, progress happens in a very nonlinear fashion.

Sometimes you're able of circumvent areas by taking a hypotenuse--like turning into a ball a scurrying small spaces. Other times you'll need to find key items--such as lava resistant armour--by battling a boss. Progress gets tracked on a grid-like map that you can access anytime to get a better lay of the land. But the beauty of the game design is that the more you explore the more it gets imprinted on you memory. Once you've been around the neighbourhood, you just know your way around.

Because there's so much to explore, you'll want to backtrack often. Unlock only a portion of a stage? Come back with new abilities. See a suspect ledge? Find the Ice Beam, and try freezing an enemy to use it as a stepping stone. You'll never find everything first time. And that's ok, because this game is all about gradual pacing and being absorbed in its intricate layers. Like enjoying tasty Gelato during summer nights; or shooting a lava beast in its open mouth with a super missile.

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 Creativity 

The game's solid graphics, sci-fi inspired scenarios, and imaginative design make it a standout title. The sound fx are all fantastic, and the music is as memorable as the areas you'll discover. But that's not what I mean by creativity this time. What I want to say is that Super Metroid lets players craft his/her own adventure by giving them flexibility in how to reach certain objectives. 

While there's logic in the level design, the designers gave many opportunities to completely disregard the visible path. Having a through understanding of certain techniques, such as wall jumping, players who memorized level layouts are able to acquire ability-enhancing items early to power through the game, or completely break it.

By sequence braking,  players can skip preordained events or even glitch the game entirely. As a homage to those dedicated and crafty enough, the programmers put in different endings to reward folks who manage to clear the game under specific number of hours -- a worthy achievement.

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Legacy 

Many Metroid games have come and gone, but no other Metroid game has been as influential as this one. After two decades, Super Metroid is still considered an example in inventive stage design, tone creation, and isolation settings. Samus Aran was the first legit female hero, and through inspiring generations of fans and game designers she has become an icon in gaming. 

There are fan websites that recreate maps using in-game screen capture to show planet Zabes in incredible detail. You can even watch YouTube videos proving how Samus can shrink into a ball quarter of her original size. This game is one of a kind, and I try to play through it at least once a year, always loosing myself in its massive universe. Come and find me, I'll be near an enemy generator shooting critters that appear.

Developer: Nintendo, Intelligent Systems

Publisher: Nintendo

Platform: SNES, Wii, Wii U

Released: 1994

Genre: Action-Adventure, Sci-Fi

Dragon's Crown: Return to the 2D Roost

Dragon's Crown stands among current next-gen offerings as an absolute delicacy: like a Wyvern-roasted, crispy, sheep meal.

Hide your herd; here be Dragons!

What you'll like

Dragon's Crown is a four player simultaneous (online or local) action-RPG which places you in highly-emotive fantasy settings. If you dream of Dungeons & Dragons ventures, you'll be very comfortable playing this game.

Better yet, make some room in the basement and invite your mates to join this wicked treasure jaunt. The combat is easy, the awesome visuals paint the screen, and the outlandish music blends with great narration to move the plot-driven story onward. 

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When starting, you can select from six different characters: Fighter, Amazon, Wizard, Elf, Dwarf, and Sorceress. If you're hands-on, sword to the throat, kinda guy/gal you'll enjoy the brawler types: Fighter and Dwarf. If you're a sneaky attacker with a flair for technicality you'll enjoy the Elf and Amazon. If indirect action and pyrotechnical spell-casting is what you live for then have cool the Wizard and Sorceress will travel.

In a dungeon-crawler such as this content is what lures most players to return. And return you will, as the game has an engaging story, hidden areas, and multiple optional paths to take. Each character can be customized with a different colour patterns, equipped with various weapons, and can pick from a large roster of skills and abilities. But... is there loot? Oh, there be loot, and plenty of it. Found within the sprawling lush lands of Dragon's Crown are piles of weapons, myriads of intricate trinkets and items, and many many side-quests.

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The game's magnificently sculpted fantasy world is a delight to look at. Each area is intricately detailed by a process called “hand-shaping,” which lets the artists create 3D-like environments and characters in 2D. Ruined temples, cursed towers, treacherous mountains, and crumbling fortresses, all pull your eye into the landscape. Wraiths, vampires, dragons, busty... eh, blood thirsty babes, and other mythical critters await your blades. Some of the later bosses—such as the titular dragons—are so big they stuff the entire TV screen. When the action heats up with explosive spells, and bodies fly, the awesome factor gets upped tenfold – creating truly stunning visceral experiences.

What you might dismiss

The gameplay, while balanced and flavorful, can become a little daunting after prolonged play time; this is a hack-and-slash brawler, after all. Because each player has to pause the same screen to go into equip menus, playing with four can affect the pacing a bit. Also this is a mature tittle; as you may have heard there was some sexist controversy around this game due to questionable appearance and proportions of certain female characters. Consider this:

• Vanillaware lives and dies on appealing to its core audience: mature males. This partly influences their design choices; 

• Dragon's Crown takes place in a fantasy setting with fictional characters; and

• There's far less sexuality in this game than in “Lady Marmalade” video

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Is the quest worth it?

Do Dragons love treasure? The answer to both questions is: Yes. What you'll get if you buy Dragon's Crown is a content-filled, well-crafted product made by skillful tradesman who live for their craft. Vanillaware is a company which solely focuses on 2D games. And each title of theirs is as gorgeous as it is imaginative and unique. Now break the boundary of the norm and go forth into lands less travelled. You will not regret it.

If you haven't played Vanillaware's Odin Sphere or Muramasa: The Demon Blade, then I suggest you track those gems down. Those games and Dragon's Crown are some of the best next-gen old-school 2D adventurers out there. Check out Dragon's Crown Landing page too. Venture on. 

Developer: Vanillaware, Atlus

Publisher: Atlus, NIS America

Platform: PS3, PS Vita

Released: 2013

Genre: Action-Adventure, RP