Archive for June, 2009

(originally published at Smile Politely, 6/30)

Rocket Riot might not sport the production values of a summer blockbuster,  but it could certainly match even the most bombastic Michael Bay flick in the number of explosions and pyrotechnics on display. Though not entirely devoid of strategy, this Xbox Live Arcade release probably won’t hold your attention for more than a few hours if you’re playing solo. But as an incredibly chaotic party game, Rocket Riot is a success.

You control one of dozens of potential tiny avatars, all of them armed with jet-packs and rocket launchers. Though your objectives may change from stage to stage, you’ll invariably be forced to blow both the levels and your opponents to smithereens. With endless ammo and frequent power-ups,  part of the challenge in Rocket Riot is just keeping track of everything on screen.

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(originally published at Smile Politely, 6/24)

It took over two years to make it happen, but Sucker Punch Productions has finally delivered the Playstation 3’s answer to Crackdown. In inFamous, the electrified delivery boy Cole can scale tall buildings, skate along power lines, and call down lightning on a whim. The game is considerably more fleshed out than the Xbox 360 game it is trying so desperately to emulate. Why then does all of this feel so unsatisfying and incomplete?

I certainly wouldn’t blame inFamous’ failings on the mission variety. Throughout the lengthy adventure, the main objectives always keep you invested. In one late mission, Cole will be asked to climb aboard and dismantle weather balloons that are raining poison down onto the populace. In another, he must fight toxin-induced hallucinations in a subterranean tunnel. And in between, there are frequent obstacle courses in the city’s sewer system that grant Cole new abilities. Sure, some of the optional escort and scavenger hunt distractions become repetitive, but you can hover over those and not be penalized.

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(originally published at Smile Politely, 6/1)

From Bald Bull’s signature charge to Little Mac’s pink sweatsuit, everything from Nintendo’s original Punch-Out!! is iconic. For many nostalgic gamers, the series – comprised of the NES game (originally endorsed by Mike Tyson) and its under-appreciated Super sequel – is just as revered as Nintendo’s more prolific franchises. It remains a mystery, then, why everyone’s favorite diminutive pugilist has been kept out of the ring for the past 14 years. But Little Mac and crew are finally back, and while the controls remain unchanged, this update still manages to eclipse its classic predecessors.

Nintendo has had success in the past farming out dormant characters to outside developers, most notably with Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime trilogy. However, I was skeptical when it was announced that Next Level Games would be reviving Punch-Out!! for the Wii. The original game was great fun, so how would a modern sequel beef up the feature set without muddling the series’ simple charm?

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