Boycot Best Buy

Tags

Best Buy, Legend of Zelda, Majora's Mask, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, video games

2 weeks ago, after the last Nintendo Direct, I was lucky enough to pre-order the limited edition Majora’s Mask New 3DS XL system from Best Buy. After missing the first wave of pre-orders on Gamestop, which sold out almost instantly thanks to scalpers, I was relieved that I was able to pre-order it through Best Buy.

Fast forward two weeks and I recieve an email from PayPal saying I’ve been refunded on my order. That in itself was bizarre since I wasn’t supposed to be charged for the system until it’s available, in two more weeks on February 13th. I checked my order status and noticed that it was said it was cancelled.

I immediately contacted Best Buy both through email and on Facebook. I recieved a response on Facebook first where I was told that due to the popularity of the item, they wouldn’t be able to fill all of the pre-orders that were placed and cancelled my (and many other people’s) orders because of this. Basically, Best Buy put up the pre-order listing with no idea of how many they would be recieving and because of this, had to cancel on many of the orders, two weeks later. The whole point of a pre-order was to guarantee that you’ll receive the product once it’s released. Pretty simple.

To make matters worse, Gamestop re-listed pre-orders in-store earlier this week (or possibly earlier the same day; having assumed I had the system pre-ordered, I didn’t pay attention to if it was available elsewhere or not). If Best Buy had the sense to cancel the pre-orders they couldn’t fill sooner, it would have been possible for me and many other people that Best Buy screwed over to pre-order the system from Gamestop instead. Since they wait until 2 weeks later though, it’s no longer possible.

Best Buy made a half-hearted attempt to mend the situation by offering a $50 off a regular New 3DS XL coupon code to anyone who’s order was cancelled. It’s something but it still doesn’t make up for it. Think about it this way: Let’s say you went to a pizza place, ordered a pizza, they told you it’d be ready in 20 minutes and 10 minutes later they call you and say “Sorry, we can’t make your pizza but we’ll give you this coupon for free bread sticks with your next order”. Sure, they’re giving you something but they’re not solving the problem they created for you.

The regular New 3DS XLs color schemes are kind of bland so I’m not eager to go for them though I may consider it since chances are I won’t be able to get a New 3DS XL for $150 anytime soon otherwise. I would rather not buy from them though. If I do get one from them, it’ll be my last purchase from the because this whole situation was ridiculous and the company clearly doesn’t know what they’re doing.

Pokemon Omega Ruby on sale!!!

Tags

Nintendo, Pokemon, video games

Pokemon Omega Ruby for the Nintendo 3DS is currently on sale on Amazon.com for $26.85. It’s not often that a Pokemon game sells this much lower than its original retail price so if you’re like me and didn’t pick up Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire yet, here’s your chance (Alpha Sapphire is not currently on sale for the same discount)

A Useful Website

Tags

video games

Here’s a link to a site I found the other day that’s rather useful. It’s called HowLongToBeat and, as the name implies, the site allows you to look up games and it’ll give you an estimate as to how long it will take you to beat a video game. It has several different categories for defeat times including Main Story, Main + Extra, Completionist, and Combined. Additionally, you can create an account on the website to log your personal times for beating games.

Now Playing…

Tags

video games

Games I’m currently playing

Actively

“Actively” is kind of a loose term right now since I’m super busy with school work. I’m not nearly as active with my playing as I was two months ago or over the summer. “Active” now is more along the lines of I found myself 20-40 minutes of free time and the energy to play a game.

Cave Story 3D – I got this game for my birthday last month. I’d heard some good things about it and also that the original version of Cave Story was made entirely by one person (Daisuke Amaya) in their free time over the course of five years. Not something you hear about every day. It’s a fun little game that I’m still in the early parts of but I’m enjoying it so far and looking forward to getting further into it. My only complaint was that since I bought it used from Gamestop’s website I didn’t know if I would get the case and manual with it and I didn’t. Gamestop just shipped it in one of their crappy display cases. I’d have bought the game elsewhere but new or used and complete copies go for a lot now. I’m assuming the game’s out of print now.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D – I got this back in July as my Club Nintendo Platinum Reward. I, like many others, was bummed that they only had digital downloads as Platinum prizes this year instead of something physical like in previous years. DK was the only full retail game and I didn’t have it so I figured it was the best value. I’m on the 3rd world and having fun with the game. I find myself playing a level or two before bed every now and then.

Super Smash Bros for 3DS – I’ve already unlocked all of the characters so at this point I’m just battling and playing around for fun. I’ve played a few matches online and haven’t done too well so I’m focusing on getting better at fighting the CPU characters first. I also have been making a lot of Mii Fighters lately. I found a website with Mii QR codes so I added some characters like Mr. T and Hank Hill to my line up.

Wario Land: Shake It – This is the only console game I’m actively playing right now because I’m almost never in my room outside of eating a quick meal, sleeping, and bathing (and occasionally catching up on my shows). Lately I’ve played this while doing laundry since I need to dedicate an hour and a half to the time. I’m surprised this game seems to fly under the radar so much. The hand drawn graphics are great. And having a Wario platformer is always more fun to me than the micro games in WarioWare.

On-Hold

“On-Hold” games are games I started at some point and stopped playing for one reason or another before actually completing the game.

The Last Story – I bought this game over a year ago and I’m still not at the halfway point because I keep putting it on hold to play other games. It’s a really fun RPG though. It was part of the Operation Rainfall campaign from a few years ago, and because of that the English voice acting is done by British voice actors instead of Americans so that’s a refreshing change.

Pokemon Black and Black 2 – I beat the Pokemon League in both of these but still have some post-game things to do before I feel ready to transfer my Pokemon from here to Pokemon Bank to use in Y and Omega Ruby.

Pokemon Y – I still have to finish the post-game for this too.

Epic Mickey – For some reason I’m having trouble getting into this one. Maybe it’s the controls. It’s been a couple months since I touched this one. I think I’m about 1/5 into it.

Dementium: The Ward – I learned that if you die, despite the game announcing “Saving” after you enter every room, that you have to restart a level from the beginning no matter what. I’ve faced the first boss maybe 3 or 4 times now and haven’t been able to beat him so I took a break from that one.

Ni-No Kuni – I really haven’t gotten into this one yet. It’s great from what I’ve played but I feel like I have to have a pretty free schedule to really enjoy an RPG like this.

 

Games I recently bought

Kingdom Hearts II.5 Collector’s Edition – I pre-ordered this after it was first announced. It was about $110 after shipping which is pretty hefty ($60 more than the standard edition of the game) but I feel like the bonuses justify the extra money. The Collector’s Edition comes with Kingdom Hearts I.5 as well(originally $40 at its release but currently $20), a steelbook game case for both games, an art book, a collector’s pin) and a Heartless plush.

Jak & Daxter Collection – I was ordering some school related items and was a bit shy of being able to get free shipping and decided to pick this up to get it.

Batman Arkham City GotY Edition(PS3), Resident Evil 6(PS3), Mario & Luigi: Dream Team – Got these during Amazon‘s Black Friday deal. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with the video game deals for Black Friday this year. At least it made picking what to buy easier.

 

Games I plan to buy

This will just be a highlight of a handful of specific games I plan to buy in the near future since there are tons of games that I plan to buy eventually. It’s easier to stick with what I see myself getting over the next month or two.

Pokemon Omega Ruby – I didn’t get this game at launch, which is a little surprising. I had started to make plans with a friend to go to the Nintendo World launch but had pulled an all-nighter the night before and the weather wasn’t great so I decided not to. I kinda wish I had though since Nintendo World gave away some bonus items with the game(like these Groudon and Kyogre figurines that I’d have loved). I definitely want to get this by the end of the year though.

Super Smash Bros for Wii U – I don’t have a Wii U… yet, but Club Nintendo is running 2 promotions for people who buy both versions of Smash: a Free Soundtrack CD set and free Mewtwo DLC. It’s kind of a cash grab but I also do plan to get the Wii U Smash eventually so I might as well get it now for the extra stuff, right?

Super Mario Galaxy and Muramasa: The Demon Blade – These are the last two Wii games that I consider “necessary” to my collection. There are a few others I’d like besides these but feel like I can live without them OR they’d cost more money than I’m comfortable spending on them.

 

Skylanders, Amiibo, Disney Infinity & Beyond

Tags

Amiibo, Disney, Disney Infinity, Skylanders, video games

In October 2011, Activision released Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure, a game unlike any other that’s come before it. Skylanders used a series of figurines and a special base that allowed the player to pick which character to use. Each figurine keep track of the character’s strengths and levels as the player used within the game and allowed the player to use them in other versions of the game(ex. If a player played with a character on the PS3 version and went to their friend’s house they could use the figure to import their character with all of their stats on the Xbox 360 version).

Three different kinds products were released for Skylanders when the game was launched: Starter packs (including the game disc, the figure base, and 3 figures exclusive to the starter pack), multi-figure packs(includes multiple figures for new characters, items, and levels), and single figure packs(figures of a single character). This crossover of toys and video games worked similar to DLC but gave customers a physical item rather than data downloaded to their console’s hard drive.

When I first learned of Skylanders I thought it was a clever business decision. Skylanders’ target audience primarily consisted of younger kids who wouldn’t understand how DLC works and even if they did, their parents would most likely not be too excited about needing to pay additionally for their child to enjoy a game they already paid. The figurines give the content a physical essence that children and parents can comprehend easier.

In 2013, Disney Infinity was released. Following a similar structure to Skylanders, Disney Infinity used figures to in conjunction with the game to add additional playable characters, levels and items to the game. A big advantage that Disney Infinity had over Skylanders is that they already had an enormous roster of characters to choose from to make new figures for. With access to every Disney, Marvel and Star Wars character in existence, the possibilities were near infinite. Additionally, character recognition added another selling point to the game since Skylanders needed to create new characters for every entry in the series.

Disney Infinity also introduced a “Toy Box” mode. Toy Box mode allows players to create their own levels and use any character they want (normally characters are limited to specific levels; such as characters from The Incredibles only being playable in The Incredibles levels). Additionally, players can upload their levels online for others to download and play. This is probably the most appealing factor of Disney Infinity, allowing players to play the game however they choose with whoever they choose. If you want to have Elsa from Frozen team up with Iron Man to navigate a maze, you can do that.

In 2014, Nintendo joined the figure craze with Amiibo. Unlike Disney Infinity and Skylanders though, Amiibo figures were not software specific. Amiibo figures can be used with a number of different Wii U titles, such as Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors, and Super Smash Bros for Wii U. Additionally, the figures do not require a special base to be used, like Disney Infinity and Skylanders figures do. Instead, an Amiibo figure can be used within a game, simply by tapping its base against the Wii U gamepad. Prior to Amiibo’s release, Nintendo made several announcements and discussed plans to integrate Amiibo into future Nintendo titles. Character recognition and multi-software use for the Amiibo figures gives Amiibo figures a unique advantage over Skylanders and Disney Infinity.

Holiday Shopping Guide: Gamer’s Edition

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3DS, black friday, Christmas, hanukkah, holiday shopping, Kwanza, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii U, PS3, PS4, video games, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One

It’s the week before Thanksgiving and we all know what that means: Black Friday and the holiday shopping season are almost here. The whole experience can be pretty overwhelming, whether you’re buying for yourself or a someone else. This week I’ll try to help simplify things for you in both of those fields. Buckle in, this is going to be a long one.

Buying For Others

Know what they have: One of the most important things to do before buying someone a video game as a gift is to know what they own. You should know what video game systems that person owns, otherwise you may find yourself buying them a gift for a system they don’t own. Save yourself the trouble and awkward “Thanks but I can’t play this on my [insert system name here]” conversation and figure out what that person currently has. Additionally, know whether or not that person has the game you’re thinking about buying them. If anything is more disappointing than receiving a game for a system you don’t own as a gift, it’s receiving a game you already own.

Know what the person likes: Pretty simple. If the person you’re buying a game for isn’t a football fan, you probably shouldn’t buy them the new Madden game. Figure out what genres and series that person is a fan of and base what you buy for them on this.

Don’t buy a game they would obviously buy: Try to figure out what games that person really wants and would most likely receive from another person. In my experience, I’ve never bought my brother a game that he would normally go for as a gift. I usually look for games that I think he would enjoy but would never actively seek out (such as LittleBigPlanet Vita, Nano Assault, and Touch My Katamari). Getting games that are lesser known but similar (in good ways) to games that the person is a fan of is also a great idea. If they’re really into Legend of Zelda, maybe get them 3D Dot Game Heroes (assuming they have a PS3).

Take Advantage of Sales: Black Friday is probably best for this but there will still be other sales leading up to Christmas as well. Stores like Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Toys R Us will always have some pretty good sales on games for Black Friday. Recently released games may be around half off while older games may be under $10. Last year I ordered my brother both LittleBigPlanet Vita and Nano Assault as Christmas presents since their sale prices put them in a range where buying both was about the same as if I bought a single one during another point in the year.

Avoid Black Friday Craziness: If you plan on taking advantage of a video game sale for Black Friday, don’t stress it too much when it comes to getting to the store super early. If you’re not buying a brand new game or a system bundle, you can probably afford to wait until the big sales that people literally fight over to end and head to the store during the mid-late afternoon. You could also just order online and avoid leaving the house at all.

Buy a case: Most gamers don’t care if you buy them a used game. I don’t. As long as it works, what does it matter? What does matter though, is if the game is complete or not. “Complete” typically means the game disc/cartridge, the manual and case/box it came in. Most games that come in hard plastic cases are fairly easy to find complete copies of but occasionally you’ll find a cartridge/disc only copy of a game. If you’re buying it at Gamestop they’ll give you a generic case with just the game title on it. If you go on eBay, you may be able to find a “Case and manual” or “Case only” copy of the game for relatively cheap. Buy that and put the cartridge/disc in and you have a complete game. If finding a case and manual isn’t so easy, you could also do an image search for the game’s cover art. A lot of the time people will scan the cover art online to games. You an simply print out the cover art and insert it into the generic game case. This doesn’t solve the lack of manual problem, but it’s better than nothing.

Older games are more difficult to find their original cases and manuals for since they were originally cardboard boxes. I threw mine out when I was a kid. You could always find the original ones online as well, though they may be expensive. There’s an alternate solution to buying the case that typically is the same pricing regardless of game: reproduction cases. Reproduction cases are hard plastic cases made for games that originally came in cardboard boxes. They come with the same cover art and house the cartridge and manual easily.

 

Buying For Yourself/Make It Easier for People to Buy For You

Take Advantage of Sales: As I said before, Black Friday sales are great. For me personally, Amazon and Best Buy have had the best sales on games I want to buy during Black Friday weekend. You can check online sites that have most major retailers’ Black Friday specials. Know how much the games you want normally cost and go for the games that have the best discounts. Plan out what you want before heading to the store so you know how much you’ll be spending. If you’re ordering online, don’t rush it, especially if you’re using Amazon.

Use Wishlists: If someone needs help figuring out what to buy you this year, give them a wishlist of games you want. Whether it be an Amazon wishlist or just a list you make otherwise, it’s an easy way to give someone ideas on what you want and still allowing them to surprise you (depending on the size of your list). Don’t give multiple people the same lists though. If you give 3 people the same list with 10 games on it, there’s a possibility you’ll get 3 copies of the same game. Give each person a different list (personally I keep my Amazon Wishlists separated by gaming system so I could easily give one person my PS3 wishlist and another my 3DS wishlist).

Compare Stores: It’s probably common sense to do this but before you go out and buy something, compare the price to other places selling it. Especially when it comes to Black Friday sales. Some stores will do different sales than others when it comes to system bundles and you make get different extras depending on where you buy from. You may also get a better deal from one store than another.

Hopefully this helps you out. I’d also suggest specific games to check out this year but I honestly haven’t bought enough new games this year to have many suggestions. Check out other gaming sites and blogs like TinyCartridge and see what they’re talking about if you’re wondering about specifics.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles review

Tags

Darkside Chronicles, horror, Resident Evil, Resident Evil Darkside Chronicles, video games, zombies

Resident Evil 4 was released exclusively to the Nintendo Gamecube in 2005. Oddly enough, when Resident Evil 5 was released in 2009, the Nintendo Wii was the only console of the generation not to receive the game, like many other games developed by third party publishers. That’s not to say that the Wii didn’t have any new Resident Evil titles. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles were released to the Wii in 2007 and 2009 respectively.

Darkside Chronicles is a first person on-rails arcade style shooter that is 2/3 a retelling of previous games (Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica) while the other 1/3 is an entirely new story that not only connects the two, but also serves as a back story to some of Resident Evil 4’s plot.

Leon and Krauser’s first encounter in Resident Evil 4

The game’s story is told with Operation Javier, the new story, as the present with the events of Resident Evil 2 and Code Veronica are used as playable back story after the first and second chapters of Operation Javier. The new story revolves around a mission Leon is sent to South America on a mission to investigate a drug lord who has been reported as being in contact with the Umbrella Incorporation. Leon is joined with a new partner, Jack Krauser (originally introduced to players as an enemy in Resident Evil 4, the full extent of Leon and Krauser’s relationship is never explored within the events of 4). I enjoyed the added explanation since I had wondered about it when I originally played Resident Evil 4. Additionally, the way the game weaves the events of the three stories together works well. Rather than simply separate the three stories and have the player go through them chronologically, Leon begins to explain the past events in how  they relate to the current mission after the pair first encounter a village of Bio-Organic Weapons (B.O.W.s) and finding out that Javier, the man they are in search of, is in possession of the Veronica Virus.

Gameplay is simple and fast paced. Hoards of zombies and assorted B.O.W.s are sent after the player in each level. Like most arcade shooters, the number of enemies on screen is meant to overwhelm you. A number of boss enemies are also present in the game, sometimes requiring the use of a new, more powerful weapon, such as the rocket launcher, in order to be defeated. There isn’t much else to the gameplay besides shooting enemies. There is one puzzle in the game but it is rather simplistic and feels out of place in this Resident Evil game (puzzles are more common most other games in the franchise).

This game also has a ton of replay value. Each level is graded,challenging you to improve upon your score in future plays. There are hidden items throughout each level that can be found by shooting random objects such as vases and boxes. Weapons can also be enhanced using money found throughout the levels, making it easier to score higher in when replaying levels.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is a fun game for anyone who’s a fan of zombie games, Resident Evil, or arcade shooters. No prior knowledge of the franchise is necessary before playing this installment, which is convenient since the game very easily could have been made to focus entirely on Operation Javier, requiring players to investigate Resident Evil 2 and Code Veronica separately.

Nintendo Direct 11.5.2014

Tags

3DS, Amiibo, Legend of Zelda, Mario Kart, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii U, Wii U

Nintendo President, Satoru Iwata bringing information DIRECTLY to you.

Nintendo is easily my favorite of the three big video game companies. Part of why I love them, comes from small things they do to keep fans in the loop. One of these things, is through their Nintendo Direct videos. Nintendo Direct is a livestream program Nintendo uses to periodically release information about new and upcoming video games.

Earlier today Nintendo did a Nintendo Direct to discuss games being released for the end of 2014 and into 2015. I was excited about a lot of the news, particularly 3DS related news since I still do not own a Wii U (this may change around Christmas; possibly).

Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D – I’m a long-time Legend of Zelda fan and loved when Ocarina of Time 3D had been released back in 2011. Like many other Zelda fans, I eagerly hoped that Nintendo would one day remake Majora’s Mask for the 3DS as well. The updated graphics look beautiful now that the graphics are not as polygonal as they were when the game was originally released on the Nintendo 64 in 2000. The moon’s face looks slightly off to me, though I suspect that in part due to my being used to its polygonal appearance on the N64 version. The updated version is still creepy and has the same feeling of dread that the N64 version gave players. This is a game I will definitely pre-order.

Codename: S.T.E.A.M. – This game was announced back at E3 that I had since forgotten about. The new trailer showed gameplay footage and focused on some of the newly announced playable characters. It was also mentioned that the creators of Fire Emblem worked on this game as well. I didn’t know that before. I loved Fire Emblem: Awakening and feel that I can expect S.T.E.A.M. to be on the same level of the quality. I also really enjoy the look of the gameplay’s combination of both turn based and real time strategy. I plan to keep an eye out for more information on this as its release approaches.

Ultimate NES Remix – I had never paid a lot of attention to the NES Remix series on the Wii U partially because I don’t have a Wii U and partially because there wasn’t a whole lot about it that I felt was extraordinary. I appreciated the idea of taking parts of original NES games and making new challenges within them but not to the point where I felt the need to buy a Wii U in order to play this. This new version however is for the 3DS and supposedly is a combination of the best challenges from NES Remix 1 and 2, as well as Famicom Remix, which was originally a Japan exclusive to the Wii U. I am interested in this game but it’s not a priority of mine so I may not purchase it anytime in the near future.

Amiibo – The new Amiibo figures were discussed again, which are basically the Nintendo version of Disney Infinity and Skylanders figures. Nintendo talked about how they would work within Wii U games and seem to be planning to incoroprate them whenever they can. This is a good idea since the flaw with Skylanders and Disney Infinity figures is that they only work with one game and any sequels within that series (only two in the Disney Infinity series), whereas the Amiibo will be compatible with any number of Wii U games. The additional content for the games isn’t really anything too special though so I won’t go out of my way for these after I get a Wii U.

Mario Kart 8 – Mario Kart 8 had been released this past spring but new DLC packs were discussed today. The first includes new characters, karts, and courses to be released as two separate DLC packs (one being released next month and another in the spring). However, Nintendo also said that buying both DLC packs as a bundle would save money, costing only $11.99, rather than $7.99 for each bundle. When I do get a Wii U I could see myself going for this DLC package since I enjoy the additional characters and the bundle price seems fair enough.

New Wii U trailers for Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, Xenoblade Chronicles X, and Splatoon were also shown and look promising. Since I don’t have a Wii U my excitement for these isn’t as strong. Splatoon and Xenoblade definitely look like games I’ll find myself getting when I do purchase a Wii U but without any solid plans for buying a Wii U, the excitement isn’t as strong.

Overall this installment of Nintendo Direct was pretty exciting. I was kind of disappointed when nothing as exciting as Majora’s Mask 3D was announced though since the segment started with that announcement. I feel like it would have been best suited for the end. Either way, that announcement alone was easily the thing that made me most excited.

DLC: Cheap Cash Grab or Worth the Extra Investment?

Tags

DLC, downloadable content, Nintendo 3DS, PC gaming, PS Vita, PS3, PS4, video game, video games, Wii, Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox360

Downloadable content is a relatively new feature to video gaming. Ten years ago when the Gamecube, Playstation 2, and XBOX were the current video gaming consoles, their internet compatibility was limited. Some games allowed for multiplayer through use of the internet, but there was very little use of the internet for these games otherwise.

More recently the concept of downloadable content was introduced, allowing players to purchase additional content for a video game they own by downloading it through the digital store of their appropriate console. DLC can take a variety of different forms including extra missions, playable characters and costumes. In some ways this is an easy way for game developers to give players more without having to release a completely new game. On the other hand, it also gives game developers the opportunity to exclude content from their games, only to release it as DLC at a later point.

I feel as though most DLC is simply a quick cash grab and are things that would have been included on the game disc or cartridge, had they been released 10 or so years ago. For example, many of the alternate costumes in Batman: Arkham City must be purchased as DLC or redeemed through codes included with other merchandise the gamer would be required to buy (such as the Green Lantern movie on Blu-ray in order to get the Sinestro Corps Batman costume) or require the player to pre-order a copy of the game from a specific retailer (usually Gamestop). Compare that to a game like Spider-Man on the original Playstation and Nintendo 64. This game included a wide variety of alternate costumes for the player to choose from, provided they met requirements to unlock them (such as beating the game on “Easy” mode).

Additionally, the cost of purchasing downloadable content in a way increases the cost of the game. Take Skullgirls Encore for example. The game itself is available for $12.99 to purhcase with three DLC characters that cost $4.99 each to purchase. Purchasing all of the DLC characters would result in more than doubling the cost of purchasing the game in the first place. It is less likely that you will find yourself doubling the cost of a full retail ($49.99-$59.99) game but it is still possible that you may find yourself paying $30 for additional content in the game.

To an extent, the outrageous price of DLC is solved by “Game of the Year” Edition copies of video games. These typically get released after the game has won an award by the same time title and is usually released at a price cheaper than retail with all of the current DLC available included on the game disc itself. Not many games receive a Game of the Year edition however, especially if it isn’t a big name release, such as Borderlands and Batman: Arkham City.

Though the games are technically “completed” when purchased at their release, the separated DLC feels as though you are purchasing an incomplete product. This is especially true in fighting and racing games, where bonus characters are made into DLC rather than included in the game from the start.

‘Left Behind’ is a prequel story to The Last of Us, released a year after the game’s release.

Mewtwo, a fan favorite in the Super Smash Bros series was excluded from the third installment of the game and teased at during previews of the recently released version but ultimately did not make the final cut. It recently was announced however that Mewtwo would be available as DLC in Spring 2015 for free, provided gamers have purchased both the 3DS and Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. Considering it was common knowledge that fans wanted to see Mewtwo return, it is obvious that this is simply a sales tactic.

I’m not a big supporter of DLC. I do my best to avoid purchasing it. There are times when a promotion for “free” DLC is convenient for me and I take advantage of it but I do not actively seek out to purchase it, unless I really enjoy the game and feel that the additional content is worth it. I would much prefer if bonus content such as alternate costumes and bonus missions were simply included on the game’s disc, as it was in the past.

Skullgirls Encore Review

Tags

fighting games, PS3, Skullgirls, Skullgirls Encore, video games

One thing I love about fighting games is the originality within the different franchises of the genre. Though the basic concept of fighting games is simple and repetitive, many fighters feel unique in their own right, thanks to the approach their developers decided to take. Skullgirls Encore is an example of one of these games.

Skullgirls Encore was funded by an Indiegogo campaign and released digitally following its successful funding. Though the game is smaller than many other fighting games in terms of character and arena selection, the quality is superb. Every aspect of the game was clearly executed with time and care.

The basic story of the game explains that the Skull Heart, an ancient artifact, is capable of granting one wish to the woman who possess it, however, if the wish is impure it becomes corrupted (similar to The Monkey’s Paw) and she is transformed into the Skull Girl, an evil being of great power.

Each character’s story documents their battles leading up to their confrontation with the Skull Girl, explaining their motivations for doing so along the way, as well as what they decide to do with the Skull Heart upon defeating Marie, the current Skull Girl and obtaining the Skull Heart.

Visually the game is beautiful. All of the animations, backgrounds, and cut scene images are hand drawn. The characters all have unique and memorable appearances and personalities that are expressed through their designs and animations. The backgrounds are also beautifully well done. None of them feature any ledges that can be fallen off of or hazards that opponents can be knocked into for additional damage, but those are unnecessary and the visual appeal of each stage is enough to enjoy. The cut scene animations feature more detailed artwork and a variety of different mediums used to tell the story.

 

The audio in the game is also wonderful. The music is largely influenced by 1940s postwar America and consists mostly of jazz. The character voices are well acted and help bring out each character’s personality and enhance their visual appeal.

Though there are only 10 characters at the start of the game, there are currently three additional characters available as DLC. Big Band and Squiggly are available to purchase for $4.99 while Eliza is currently free (each new character in the game is available for free during the first three months of their release). There are two additional characters (Beowulf and Robo Ms Fortune) planned for future DLC release, as the well a slew of other characters who were proposed as potential characters and may possibly receive releases at later points.

Gameplay, like the rest of the game, is excellent. Each character has a unique fighting style. Some characters’ styles are similar to the basic fighting styles you’d find in other fighting games, while others are completely new, such as Ms. Fortune who can detach her own head, which is capable of fighting separate from her body. The variety of styles makes it easy for players to find a character that best suits the way they like to play fighting games.

The difficulty of the game when playing against computer controlled characters is challenging, but fair, with the exception of the boss battle against Marie. Even with the difficulty set to “Easy”, she is still very challenging if you have not mastered the character you are playing as.

Overall, Skullgirls Encore is a fun game. The computer controlled characters are challenging enough to fight where one can enjoy playing the game single player as well as playing with friends. If you’re a fan of fighting games, I highly recommend picking up Skullgirls Encore. It is available for $12.99 to download but has also been on sale at different points for as long as $4.99.