Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Review

I've recently rummaged through my old games and found this dust-encrusted gem: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts. After giving the cartridge a quick wipe, I promptly plugged in my Super Nintendo, and was swiftly transported to the good ol' 16-bit realms.

Now follow my inquisition all the way
                                                          down
                                                                         into the Ultimate Demon World Village.

Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts was first released in 1991 for the SNES, and is a follow up to its predecessor Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the arcade & Sega Genesis. In this ghoul-infested title, you adorn the garb of Sir Arthur: a royal knight tasked with saving his betrothed from the clutches of evil.

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The game's controls consist of two buttons: jump and shoot - simple. But the demon resides in the decals, as Sir Arthur's ample ironclad body is capable of double jumping. I'm not sure how an armoured knight is able to jump at all, but he can. It must be all that magical Holly Grail mead.

Navigating each of the seven stages demands killer 2-D gaming super skills. The double jump seems like an amazing feature, but trust me, you'll die often by miss-timing the second button press. It will take some practice before you understand the trajectory of Arthur's airborne acrobatics: press a button too soon, land on an enemy; press a button too late, fall into a chasm.

Once mastered, timed jumping becomes second-nature and unravels plenty of fiendish ways of traversing. And travel you will, because this classic action platformer has plenty of darkly, side-scrolling vistas, and monster mayhem to get through. You'll slay fiends in graveyards, sunken ships, inferno flooded dungeons, twisted fortresses, and even infiltrate a ghastly livid garden.

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My all-time favourite levels are the scrolling wreaked towers, churning inside a demonic garden, and navigating snowy mountain peaks while avoiding avalanche clouds, frosted giants, and starved wolves - plenty of fun to be had in these demonic lands.

Each stage is filled with, not only ghouls and ghost, but numerous other fiends: merman, fire-spouting plants, wolves, demonic executioners, and good ol' Firebrand demons. Luckily, Arthur can find armour upgrades that power-up his weapon(s). By finding a blue armour upgrade a simple throwing lance can become a piercing missile. Find the gold armour, which allows you to charge up, and your missile can be a lightning strike.

Get hit once, and off your armour goes leaving Arthur in his briefs. One more hit in those and it's a trip to the bone yard for our brave knight.

Wanna hug?

There's plenty of upgradeable weapons to find--daggers, axes, torches, crossbows and sickles--you only need to jump around to reveal the hidden chests containing those bounties. Yes, you make chests appear not by digging but by jumping in specific areas. Don't fear the reaper, the rip-rolling, chip-tune, organ-infused, soundtrack will have you bouncing ghastly-time. 

Pacing is important because of, well you know, the time that ticks away as you progress. And each stage ends with a large guardian blocking your path. Ever seen a possessed caterpillar, or a frosted levitating demon, or a dastardly three-headed dragon offspring? You will, if you're dedicated enough. I hope you'll take this spooky themed romp through the Demon Village. Now allow me to dissipate into the void murmuring "They don't make them like they used to."

                        jumping
Have fun double            and don't forget to "Take a key for coming in!"

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Platform: SNES, PS1, PS2, Xbox (Capcom Classics Collection Vol 1)

Released: 1991

Genre: Action-Adventure  

Isaac Asimov: Foundation Review

A twelve thousand year old Galactic Empire is about to end its grandiose rule. Few know of its slow and unavoidable disintegration; even fewer yet want to admit it. But one man chooses to begin another destiny for all humanity. 

Through the use of Psychohistory (a mix of sociology, psychology and economics), Hari Seldon sets in motion an audacious plan to save mankind from the upcoming dark ages of ignorance. He gathers the brightest minds in the galaxy, places them on planet Terminus, and tasks them with guiding future generations. Thus the Foundation is set.

While the Galactic Empire is still functional at the centre of the galaxy, the outer worlds are beginning to crumble. Technology becomes scarce and knowledge of its use slowly lost. But not on planet Terminus. Because of its limited nuclear power which aids Foundation's scholars, Terminus quickly becomes a prime target of territorial dispute amongst its neighbouring worlds.

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It will take you about 15 page turns to realize this sci-fi is a thought nimbus for your mind. There's plenty of scheming and planing in this space opera. There are complex and detailed worlds to explore, and inventive technologies to ponder and fear, all of which make Foundation such a delight to read. This intriguing galaxy of Isaac Asimov materializes in your mind through intricately woven storytelling.

The book is divided in five chronological parts. Each part follows key characters as they make decisions to (hopefully) steer the Foundation project towards its ultimate goal. The story in the first book progresses through a 200 year time-line, which is compacted with prolific content and savvy thoughtful narrative. Worlds and cultures collide in the battle of wits to control the remnants of potentially destructive technologies, first by religious dogma, then through trade economics. 

Asimov's prose is enjoyable as it is clever. The book is populated with level-headed scholars, opportunistic politicians, scheming vassals, pompous princes, and savvy merchant tradesman. If you were ever impressed with the imaginative worlds and technologies of Star Wars or Star Trek, you'll be in for a treat as Foundation novels are filled with grand ideas that have appeared in countless sci-fi flicks and books time and time again. 

The book was first published in 1951, but it's easy to deduct why it has been hailed as a masterwork. The human drama, the complex political plays, the instantly likable characters all make for a mesmerizing read. Do keep in mind that Foundation is only the first part of a seven novel series. And each novel chronicles different characters and events. If you're going to delve into this story you better be prepared to read the rest. After all, a galactic tale of this magnitude cannot be contained within mere 300 pages.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Review

Initiating
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Synchronizing ------------ Revolving
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                                        Deus Ex --------------- [Start]

Deus Ex takes place in the near-future when humans are able to augment themselves with cybernetic implants. Presented against a backdrop of a major breakthrough in human evolution, the game has a sense of real sophistication and contains well researched content on issues of technological evolution, class warfare, poverty and politics. 

After a near-fatal encounter with a terrorist group, Adam Jensen is physically augmented with cybernetics by his employer. Recommissioned for duty, Adam's new mission is to find the augments responsible for shattering his body and stealing his employer's research. Moving from one lead to another, Adam quickly becomes pulled into a world-wide conspiracy of corporate espionage. 

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Deus Ex is a cyberpunk-themed, first-person, action game that seamlessly blends role-playing elements into its gameplay. The game's impressively immense world is completely open-ended, and its story is very nonlinear: you are always given several options on how to approach a situation and progress farther. The story takes you through several countries: Extending the futurist settings and allowing you to witness the social and economic turmoil caused by human augmentation technology.  

When exploring, you're able to converse with NPCs and interact with numerous objects and terminals within the game's extensive world. At any given time you can arm yourself and takeout any NPC; although, in doing so, you will be considered as a hostile and be taken down promptly. Choosing to advance through social interaction/persuasion usually gives you the best benefits, as the game is more focused on stealth and non-lethal progression. But if you shoot a gang banger or two, whose to know?

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When following the main objective(s), you'll often encounter numerous characters asking for your help (you are a detective after all). If you decide to help, new points of interest become active on the map for you to investigate. These side-quests never really detract from your main objectives, and often net you major experience points while revealing more of the intriguing story.  

As you progress and earn experience points, more of Adam's cyber-implants can be activated. While upgrading, you can choose to augment specific body parts: brain, eyes, chest, arms, etc. This of course translates into a number of cool abilities. For example: upgrading the arms allows Adam to lift heavy objects, take-down foes (cyborg-style), or punch through walls; upgrading the cranium increases Adam's stealth techniques, his social persuasion skills, and hacking abilities.

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Hacking is a big part of this game, as there are numerous terminals, locked doors, and PCs to invade and conquer. By hacking, you'll often gain access to additional areas, syphon out key info, and generally feel like a bad-ass Neuromancer. When infiltrating/investigating a stealthy approach to combat is usually the most effective way to progress. Although there are a myriad of cool and customizable weapons at your disposal, knocking foes unconscious and skillful navigating the environment without being spotted is always a better idea than going in blazing. 

While the game has some rather dry boss encounters and freezing/skipping issues, taken in its entirety this sepia-toned, enamel coated, and progressive cyberpunk epic has an enduring quality to it: A must own chapter in the Deus Ex saga.

Developer: Eidos Montreal
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox360
Released: 2011
Genre: Action-adventure RPG
 

Batman: The Killing Joke Review

What separates the sane from the insane?

Is it the adverb, in?

Could it be that the sane reflect on in too much, and slowly become the insane? Or maybe, all it takes is...  just One Bad Day. 

Inside Batman: The Killing Joke, writer, Alan Moore and artist, Brian Bolland, will show you how quickly the sane fade away.

Released in 1988, The Killing Joke was a mature novel intended for the (young) adult readers - which didn't stop me from buying it from my local Kiosk. It was in post-communist Poland (about 1990), that I first spotted the classic cover of The Joker pointing a camera at (a) potential reader, and saying "Smile!"

Interesting fact: the Polish edition had the twisted clown saying "Oh, here's a client!"

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The graphic novel focuses on the man behind the joke: the homicidal and maniacal Joker. Batman arrives in Arkham Asylum to confront the maniacal clown about his angst and motives. Midway through the conversation he finds that the Prince of Crime has already checked out of Arkham, leaving behind a very shaken doppelganger.

Once free, The Joker's targets Commissioner Gordon and his lovely daughter Barbara; his master plan: breaking Gordon's sanity by injuring and shaming his daughter. There's more to the story than just revenge. Because for the first time ever, Joker's past and origin of madness is revealed through a series of flashbacks, alongside a central plot-line which flows to its predestined conclusion. A conclusion Batman has already predicted/anticipated.

Moor's writing is griping and somber. His insight into disturbed minds really punctuates Joker's progression from everyday man into a psychotic villain, whose every punchline often ends with someone's death. I can't think of a better writer to flash-out Joker's believable, yet unfortunate, history. For me, this is the book that made the Prince of Crime into Batman's most iconic villain.

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Bolland's distinctive and often dynamic art does an excellent job of framing Moor's gloomy take on the human braking point. The images do the drama justice, smoothly illustrating the story in an organized fashion - which makes the dynamic scenes even more explosive. The hardcover 2008 Deluxe Edition (which I used for this review) was completely recoloured by Bolland, adding extra details and sleek distinction to an already solid work of art.

The Killing Joke's suit is dark and alluring, pick it out and ponder the fate of the unfortunate individual who reacted to the evils of the world with spiteful madness. Don't fret, the novel ends with a good laugh!



   

Gen8: Boundless [Always]Online Play

Pushed forward by the sudden release of Nintendo Wii U, we are now entering eight generation of game consoles. My first initial thought was why so soon?

It makes sense from Nintendo's perspective since the Wii is lagging behind the current gen consoles, technologically and in big (triple-A) titles. But why would Sony and Microsoft want to invest in new system infrastructure?

The answer is in the question. Infrastructure. Online infrastructure to be more precise. Buy any game and you're bound to be asked to update the software at some point – sometimes before starting (a) game. The Playstation Store has gone through countless of iterations since its first introduction, and I had to update my PS3 hardware so much, I no longer expect to be able to play a game right away.

update update!

And in that little quirk begun the problem. No one really knew why some of the updates where needed, but they were... As the newer games became more intricate and glitchy, patches were required to clean up the programming mess of rushed titles and careless production. While patches make some games playable and balanced, it was additional content that quickly dictated the need for a new business model. And for that to be effective and unobtrusive new system architecture was needed. Enter Gen8.

I believe the next gen systems were only really required because of the need for better software management demand. Which is not all bad. Indie companies will benefit a lot from being able to market their games directly on a vaster and more developer friendly system. Additionally, faster and unobtrusive download options, should quell the hunger for content creation/personalization. But there's also need for tighter control such as DRM tools (Digital Rights Management). Something a lot of software companies have been demanding (EA).

Gamers are often the early adopters because of this, they are a perfect study group for tighter online security and DRM. True, geeks tend to be most vocal about technological vices, but can they resist the sleekness of brand new sequels to their favourite videogames?

If always-online business model becomes the norm, you may have to read those update contracts on your PS4 more closely.

Neuromancer (Review)

Neuromancer is a surprisingly prophetic book. Since its 1984 breakthrough release, the content and gritty vision of this novel has augmented many movies, video games, books and TV shows, time and time again. 

Which is not surprising, since the story has depth and substance – both equal measures of a timeless classic. 

Before reading Neuromancer, I recommend you check out William Gibson's prior work in Burning Chrome: a collection of several short stories which includes Johnny Mnemonic. While the movie was... forgetful, the short story has set the foundation for the mind-trip that is Neuromancer. 

Ahead of Cyber-Crime

The story begins with Case, a data thief/hacker who has been crippled by an ex-employer. While burning out the remainder of his funds doing crimes for lowly crooks, Case is offered a job: infiltrating a new artificial intelligence within the Matrix. Augmented with ability enhancing hardware, and paired with a deadly fem cyber-samurai-for-hire, Case is thrown into a high-tech espionage warfare spanning the entirety of Cyberspace. 

If the phrases such as Matrix and Cyberspace seem familiar to you, it's because those very words have been born from Neuromancer's high-tech jargon, and genre defining world. You will not find a post-apocalyptic wasteland in this book. What you will find is a wasteland of another kind: A gritty cyberpunk reality of a near-future where mankind is fused with their technological devices. 

Damaged organs and lost limbs can be fixed and replaced with cybernetics devices. Appearance and age can be sculpted and controlled with crafting and drugs. While some augmentation seems necessary to function in a technologically chronic society, improvement by modification is taken to extremes by some fractions. In this eclectic environment, the characters partake in the ecstasy of a fragmented and delirious society: drug indulgence, weird quirks, and lots of paranoia ensues.

The author uses a lot of made up jargon, with references to places, people and things. This is not a bad thing, but it can get in the way of readability. Sometimes I would stop reading to think about curious tidbits, or specific items, only to forget about them on the following pages. But that is a necessity of an intricate and fully realized world, and the allure of Neuromancer. 

This novel is a place spammed with violent thugs, international corporate entities, military powers, and a digital reality known as the Cyberspace. An electronic realm which can be entered and navigated by skillful tradesman, such as Case. Within this imaginary space, information can be found, implanted and stolen, but only by the most artful of navigators. Outside of Cyberspace, reality seethes in decaying bars, capsule hotels, and cyber black markets. 

A fast-paced trip through a future not too distant, this book will jack into your imagination, and fry your neurons with flair and poise. Get ready to have your reality augmented -- cyberpunk style.

10 Billion Days & 100 Billion Nights (Review)

Today, I want to present you with a novel of an idea.
 
I'm a devoted fan of all to do with SF, and have read – and continue to read – a lot of fictional books on the topic. It's a wondrously exciting zone worth delving your imagination into. 

There are many novels worthy of note on the topic of scientific fiction, but none other is as delightfully ingenious as 10 Billion Days & 100 Billion Nights, by Ryu Mitsuse. 

Reading this book, I felt like a first sentient being peering into its own awaking awareness, poised to travel an expose of time and space spanning eons. The vivid worlds that are presented throughout the story are brilliantly detailed, and somewhat familiar. Populated by characters of earth's history, we are witnessing a tale of humanity's past and future through key moments in their lives. 

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Determined philosopher Plato starts an expedition to find the lost continent of Atlantis. Sometime before that, he challenges the ideology of the Planetary Development Committee, only to witness the final minutes of Atlantis being swallowed by a sea of stars while burning in raging fires

Young prince Siddhartha takes a journey through imaginary space and arrives at coordinates 429.993. Before finding a key to his world’s salvation, demigod Asura informs the prince that galactic karma can be a horrendous whore. The, near dead, carpenter of Nazareth ascends from his cross, lifted by a cosmic being: Jerusalem experiences three hours of darkness, midday… 

Mitsuse-sama masterfully textures his tale using religious dogma, that will turn your preconceived notions into galactic sands to flood into this spiritually inclined story. His vast universe is made of spatial seas, galactic empires, and hight-tech theological constructs formed by extraterrestrial meditation. Celestial deities make their presence known amongst those worlds-within-words, as they war and scheme to keep the universe from tearing apart. 

In the beginning, SF elements such as superior technology are used sparingly. But they are there, always present. Not as artifacts or decorative creations, but real functional and purposeful tools. As the story expends into the (far) future and key players skirmish on far-off worlds, flexing their neuron-assaulting and gravity-collapsing powers, Mitsuse-sama's imaginative prowess will please the most futurist of readers. 

The narrative flows smoothly, and mirrors the syntax of the specific place in the story's timeline. The translation does not diminish any of the complex idioms that are native to Japanese language. For a book that was written in 1967, I found it surprising how relevant and original it felt. 

But then again, meditating on the scope and mystery of the universe never gets tiresome. The entirety of the story spirals with diligent poise, thanks to the masterful mind of Mitsuse-sama. This book is a shining star within the Sol system, a truly great read.