Posts Tagged ‘Grasshopper Manufacture’
PAX Preview: Sine Mora (XBLA, PSN)
As a fan of the genre, I’ve seen my fair share of modern scrolling shooters or “shmups” as they’re often called. Yet, after the magnificent Gradius V back in 2004, I haven’t seen very many that actually look modern. Even some from this year tend to look like something you might’ve seen in the arcade as much as a decade ago.
That’s the first of many ways in which Sine Mora sets itself apart. The game is gorgeous. There’s a real sense of depth to the environments that manage to strike an effective balance of being attractive without being distracting. Colors are often vibrant, environments are varied, and giant bosses are real spectacles to behold thanks to art direction from Grasshopper.
And yet, as great as the visuals were, it was the unique mechanics developer Digital Reality put into the game that kept me coming back for another try. Sine Mora is not about one hit kills or traditional health systems. Sine Mora is about time (in more ways than one). While you’re playing, the clock always counts down. Killing enemies will send the clock backward a bit, while getting hit drastically reduces your time. When the clock strikes “00″, you die.
Review: No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle (Wii)
"An over-the-top brawler powered by absurdity."
No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle is the newest game from the twisted mind of Suda 51. This time around, the zany brawler comes in a more streamlined package than the first, trimming the fat to bring you more ridiculous action.
Desperate Struggle stars Travis Touchdown, the anime/videogame loving assassin, as he battles his way up the ranks of the UAA once again. This time, Travis is trying to take down the number one assassin to avenge the death of his friend, Bishop. But even if you haven’t played the first game, jumping into the second shouldn’t have you too confused. In fact, the characters even playfully break the fourth wall in the beginning to mention that some players are skipping the first game and don’t care about the past events.
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Videogame Jam of the Day Latest Podcast- Barrel Roll #169 - "Panda Games Are Their Own Genre" December 24, 2012After a brief hiatus, the Barrel Roll podcast is back to their old tricks. Jesse, Jonah, Wes, and Adam Milecki return for an in depth discussion of the burgeoning panda genre and what it brings to the table. Jonah finally dips into Tokyo Jungle to try out its panda-related DLC. Jesse fights pandas with increasingly elaborate costumes in Tekken Tag Tournament […]
