@Site-News
News by: Pic0o
Posted On: 01 January 2012 - 01:26 PM |  Super Mario 3D Land
As we joined the 3DS club this holiday, SM3L came home with us. This game shows the interesting use of 3D, while also allowing you to turn off 3D mode. I am mostly fond of the vertical levels, but all around the 3D use for level design is pretty impressive. Truth be told, seeing this game on demo in store, is what encouraged me to get a 3DS.
Game play wise, your base Mario platforming mechanics are intact. There are a few more new Suit / Power Up items, but nothing radically different enough from previous games for me to spoil it any more than that. There are are some mechanisms to make the levels more accessible and they are:
- Default state is 'Big' Mario. You'll shrink if you get hit, unless you have a powerup. Then you would revert to Big.
- Extra Lives are silly easy to acquire. This goes along with:
- If you die multiple times on a level (3x to 5x), a Gold block with a Leaf on it will appear by the Start or Checkpoint. This will give you a Tanooki outfit and Star Power for the duration of the level.
- Hit the top of the Flagpole @ the end of a level, get a 1 Up.
- Jump on 5 enemies without hitting the ground (or via Star Power), get a 1 Up. This will continue with more 1 Ups if you continue 6+ on your jumps or star mode.
- Levels are 'bite-sized' imo. I saw this with Mario 3 in mind. I'd say they are about half the length of those levels, on average.
- World Maps tend to have 5 Levels and the Castle. Each World also has an optional level, unlocked via the Gold Coins you collected from the other levels.
Per the system time logging, I completed the 1st play through in about 7 hours. Since you collect Gold Coins in each level to proceed into Castles and such, replaying levels works out pretty well.
As common with the newer games, you'll find extra levels regularly not accessible. Details in spoiler
This game also utilizes StreetPass connections. Thus far, I have gotten a few items from Mushroom houses via other people's StreetPass Miis. This is the extent of StreetPass functionality, as of my completing all the main and extra worlds.
I look forward to rocking the extras detailed in the spoiler. I should have this ready for  rocking by tomorrow. The level design is awesome and impressive. I feel the quality trumps any concerns about conceived length.
I think World 5 is my favorite world, as I recall being Wow'ed when I got there. |
Comments: 2 :: View Comments |
News by: Pic0o
Posted On: 14 December 2011 - 12:40 PM | Humble Indie Bundle #4
I was thinking about a few of the games listed, but for the name your own price, I had to bite on the following items.
Quote Seven epic games. We're ready to drop seven new cross-platform, DRM-free games down your digital chimney. Bandage your fingertips and prepare your mind for the challenges of Super Meat Boy, Shank, Jamestown, Bit.Trip Runner, and NightSky. If you pay more than the average price, you'll also get two massive, well-loved indie favorites: Cave Story+ and Gratuitous Space Battles.
Jumped on this one indeed. Downloading them now, as you also get Steam keys with your purchase. Grab your copy @ the link:
http://www.humblebundle.com/ |
Comments: 0 :: View Comments |
News by: Pic0o
Posted On: 12 December 2011 - 11:57 AM | Amnesia - The Dark Decent
I finally took some time to get invested in Amnesia - the Dark Decent. My biggest initial start issue was getting into the initial story, as the first 15 min or so are fairly slow imo, to objectify what you are doing. I fired the game up and gave it a solid play this weekend, as I picked it up from a Steam sale awhile ago.
After about 30 minutes, I had the vibe of the game system and exploration. You are in a creepy ass mansion and need to investigate what is going on, as the title implies, because you cannot remember. Staying in the darkness for prolonged periods is bad and will result in your view contorting and going insane. You will also start to hear more things as your insanity mounts.
As you explore around, you'd find some secrets and unlock passageways. Items you encounter will assist with this, as you will use them in the old-school point-and-click adventure means of interaction. A darkened outline will surround said item, when you double-click it from your inventory (Tab key). Also on exploration, there is no in-game map, short of some diagrams in a few rooms. I had some issues on my initial startup with this, but shortly into the game, you are able to keep general locations in mind pretty well.
Combat Wise, you are looking to evade foes. You do not have an attack method, but you can throw things around. When you encounter baddies, feel free to try and take them down with some boxes and see how that works out. 
Environment is awesome and creepy as hell. This is some real survival horror, since you aren't trying to run and gun everything in sight. I'm an old horror game fan and I love this game. I do feel the pacing / interactions are a little too open ended in some parts, but this is probably largely due to how the average current game holds your hand so much.
A great play if you love some old horror games. I was at 10 hours on my completion run. I played on Sat and Sunday, and highly recommend you try to play this from start to finish, as possible for your schedule. Also of note, I tend to take my time and explore, so you could likely shave 2 hours off my time, easily.
This game also looks excellent with the effects turned up. I played @ 1680x1080 with it mad high on graphic settings and rarely dropped below 55 FPS, while mostly being locked @ 60 FPS. |
Comments: 0 :: View Comments |
|
@Current-Topics
@User-Videos
| Really Gross Shit | Posted By: Pic0o :: On 14 December 2011 - 09:14 AM
View Topic :: Comments @ (6) |
| Panda Smash | Posted By: Pic0o :: On 27 August 2011 - 05:55 PM
View Topic :: Comments @ (3) |
| Sheep Magic | Posted By: Pea :: On 23 May 2010 - 12:25 PM
View Topic :: Comments @ (3) |
| Gun Video Updates! | Posted By: J0k3r :: On 04 December 2008 - 06:28 AM
View Topic :: Comments @ (4) |
@Music-Suggestions
| Users browsing the forums: 69 | Active members: 1
Active Guests: 68
Active Anonymous: 0 | |
|
