I've been hearing about this game so many good reviews, but only now I got to play it. I needed a DS emulator for PC, (which you can download for free from the net) but it was worth it. This is my first game in this genre, and it was a great surprise. You take the role of Phoenix Wright, a defense attorney, and have to solve some cases. Although if you are a fan of skipping cutscenes and not paying attention to the story don't even bother to start this game. It is a Capcom game, and I am a fan of Capcom so I had high hopes.
The Good:
- The cases are interesting and you have to think ho wot solve them
- The side characters are lovable and you get to know them
- The game always introduces new elements and is not repetitive
- The story
- Cute anime style characters
The Bad
I liked everything in this game.
The game mechanics
It is point and click game, you don't even have to use your keyboard. (If you need later to use a microphone and don't have one you can set the emulator to use a key instead). You have a couple of tehniques in your hand as an attorney. The game mainly consists of trials and investigations. On the trials part you are in the courtroom, and you have to cross-examine the witnesses. You have to press their testimonies, find the contradiction and lies they are hiding, using logic, and presenting evidence. The investigation part is a little more free, you can move around, talk to people, examine scenes, later do scientific investigation, etc. Despite that the storline is linear, (if you don't follow the script you lose) it is a pretty interesting game, I wasn't bored at all playing this game.
The story, the cases
The game consists out of 5 cases, which have to be solved by our rookie defense attorney, with the help of his cute assistants. The first case is kind of a tutorial, guided by Mia Fey, your mentor. The cases are interesting, full of surprises and objections. And there is no better feeling when you have all the little pieces of the puzzle in the end and you point out who the murderer is, and saving the innocent. Be warned that this game is full of anime-humor (which I really like), for example the geeky director in a later case.
The characters
Another great part of the game are the characters. There are a couple of important characters other than the main charcter, who constantly appear in the game, and slowly you get to know them, and get to love them. There is your mentors, little sister, a spirit medium who will use her powers to help you, Maya Fey. She is one of the most adorable characters in the game. Then there is the antagonist, Miles Edgeworth. Don't let be fooled by his serious face, once you get to know him you will love him as well. Then there is this bubbling detective, Detective Gumshoe, who is always committed to solving the crime, just not celver enough, but sometimes he can be really helpful and he gets into your heart. There are other reappearing and fun charcters as well, bu I don't want to spoil the game.
Verdict
All in all I havne't had this fun and wasn't concerned about the characters as much as in this game for a very long time. Despite that this is not a high graphics modern game, I could really imagine I was sitting in the courtroom, investigating the cases. So if you are looking for a nice little puzzle game, or enjoy playing visual novel, point and click or text based games, this is a must. Plus there are a couple of sequels to the game, so you will have a lots of fun.
I always loved Rayman games, may it be 2D or 3D. This one is the best. You have so many things in this game, and a huge variety of levels. This is definately the best platformer of the year, after I played all those stupid remakes.
The game has the main levels, and then if you were good enough you can unlock the Origins levels. Plus you have the challanges, and you can play Kung Foot with your friends (or alone but that's not too fun).
The Good:
- fun, non-repetitive elements and gameplay
- many enjoyable levels
- can play any hero you have unlocked
- collectables
- beautiful design
The Bad:
- nothing
Rayman and the Dark Teensies
This game is not exactly about stories, but there you have to defeat the five Dark Teensies who kidnapped some pretty teensies. You will literally kick theri ass, flying them to an astoriod, and creating kind of a little concert by stabbing their asses.
All the paintings...
In the main gallery you can access the levels and other things from jumping into paintings.You have a painting for every main level, which you have to unlock. You have to collect teensies to unlock new levels, and Lums for unlocking new heroes. Plus you get some nice trophies and a huge celebration if you can collect ecery teensie and 600 Lums on a level (there are 10 teensies to rescue on every level). Rescueing all the teensies can be a little chalangeing, you have to look for them in secret places, maybe not even visible at first, and don't forget to always check if there is anything above your line of sight. The king and queen teensies can be found behind secret doors, and there you have to face another challange to rescue them. But it's worth it cause you get a sweet kiss and a heart from them afterwards. Also if you collect enough Lums you get a Lotto ticket on every level, which can be scrapped off and you can won creatures, Lums, teensies, and new levels on Origin.
Toasts, robots and balloons
You can collect all these kinds of creatures, plus a couple more. They are pretty cute, but they are also useful. (They reminded of me old Kinder Surprize prizes, when you had to collect ex. 10 kinds of a lion...) They give you daily rewards after being collected.
Being a hero
If you collect enough Lums, you unlock new heroes, and you can choose to play with them. There are dark Globoxes, and cosplaying Teensies to choose from, also a cool; knight version of Rayman. Plus you have some girls, like Elysia. (One of them reminded me of Braveheart, wonder why...)
What type of level is this?
There are the main levels, you have to collect 10 teensies and 600 Lums. Then there are some rescue levels, which are special levels for ex. you have to fly through the level or dive, or jump on moving down objects, maybe beat the timer... On these levels you only have to find 3 teensies and you are rewarded with female heroes. Then there are invaded levels, after finishing some main levels. These weren't my favs, because there was a timer, and I like to take my time, but they were fun as well. Then at the end of every pack of level there is a challanging boss fight, and a level where you catch the dark teensie. Plus there is a musical level in the end of every theme. They were absolutely my favs. Rock Castle and Mariachi Madness were the best I loved those songs. It was very interesting to hear the Eye of the Tiger in a mariachi version. The music is perfectly fit to the level and to the obstacles. Also there is a painting at the far right end, which you can unlock by collecting 400 teensies, and there is a new music level (yaaaay), plus the 8-bit version of the other music levels. These are a little bit harder than the originals, because they are distorted in some ways (the pixels are getting less and less, so you have to figure out for yourself where to jump with your single blue pixeled Rayman).
Now in the water, now in the air
I really liked that Rayman can swim. I hate those games where you touch the water and instantly die. We have a variety of themed levels: there are underwater levels, fiesta de los muertos (where they transform you into a duck), and many other levels. Sometimes you have to fly, sometimes you have to run upside down, but all the levels are are fun (and they have cool reference names like How to Shoot Your Dragon), with new elements on almost every level, a huge variety of obstacles, enemies and secrets to find (watch out for little plants in the ground tere can be teensies!). Of course, the levels are getting harder and harded, as shown by the skulls under the paintings. Also watc out for purple lums, and chains of purple lums, they are worth more than simple yellow lums.
Rayman's little helpers
You have some old moves, like charging your hands, and flying or gliding when there is wind. You have Rayman's little helpers, like Murphy, who can push out obstcles in front of you, or rotate stuff, move platforms for you, etc. and sometimes a wizard gives you a hand which you can throw far far away. You have cool moves, like jumping wall to wall (so badass like in Prince of Persia), and sometimes you have a nice relaxing level flying on a mosquitos back. Also it's a great plus that if you die you can continue from that segment of the level you aer in, and don't lose any lifes, you can't run out of them.
Fun in every little corner
Not just you can get whole new level of awesomness (by collecting trophies), but even the loading screen is fun. You can move with Rayman, and at some level's loading screen you can get an extra heart if your are quick enough. Also great that once you watched a cutscene you can skip it. Hmmm it's like the creators of this game really LISTENED to the gamers opinions, and put enough time and effort into this game. Even the end credit is a little game, where you can collect Lums, but if you are bored you can skip it.
Beautiful, beautiful Ubi art
Every aspect of the game is beautifully made, with great colors. Every theme is perfectly made, with fitting environment, enemies, color scheme, and music. It is loyal to the other Rayman game art.
Final Verdict
This game just sucks you in and doesn't let you out until you don't rescue the last teensie, don't collect tha last trophy. Even then you still have new challanges every day. So it's the best platform game of the year in my opinion (maybe the best platform game ever)
This game is a HD remake of an old 1990 game with the same title. I haven't decided my side on HD remakes of old games. There are good ones, there are bad ones... This is a mediocre one. I didn't play the original game, so I can't make a comparative analysis.
This game is more suited for a child, mainly because it is about Mickey Mouse. Of course everybody loves Mickey, but I don't. He is the most annoying cartoon character I've ever seen. I don't know why the studio felt like they needed to put money in this game, but oh well thy know it better.
It is a shame, that this wasthe last of Sega Studio Australia's games, they would have deserved a better happy ending.
The Good:
- the environment is well done and good for the overall mood of the game
- we have collectables
The Bad:
- Mickey Mouse is in there
- short and unchallenging
Once upon a time...
Mickey and Minnie Mouse were having a romantic picknick when suddenly appears the witch from Snowwhite and the seven dwarfs (how did she get there? wasn't she pushed brutally down from the top of the rocks? how could she survive that?) Moving on. What would the witch, Misrabel want from them? Oh of course! Minnie's youth. She kidnaps her, and takes her into the castle of illusions. Mickey, like a brave cartoon mouse goes after her. Before he goes in, a wise old mouse appears out of nowhere (what? is he standing there all day waiting for boyfriends whose girlfriend was kidnapped by the witch?), and tells him, he has to collect 7 gems from 7 gemkeepers to defeat Msirabel.
Magic tricks
You have a brief tutorial and some tips in the Help and Options menu. You have your character, Mickey, who can jump on enemies and throw objects at them. I like that it is 2.5D, not just simply 2D platformer. You enter the castle and has to collect diamonds to open new doors in the castle, and that is also a plus. Also you have other collectables in the levels, statues, treasure chests and lives for yourself. There are some parts, like running from a giant apple, and I don't really like parts like that. Behind every door you unlock there are 3 acts, and in the end there is a boss, the gemholders. The whole gameplay, beside that it is 2.5D (I would have liked to see more 3D), very very similar to the Ducktales Remastered. Mickey doesn't react 100% perfectly to the buttons, so that can be irritating. He is also very vulnerable, you have to be very precise when attacking enemies and jumping on smaller or moving platforms (like on top of those poor little chained ghosts, I wonder what they did to deserve it). Another good aspect of the game is, that you can continue if you are out of lives and don't have to replay the whole act, although you lose most of your collected stuff. There are some pretty good and unique elements, like the crates making you go upside down, and puzzles like when you have to get through some black and red tiles, and they sometimes disappear and you fall. But oh wait there is a trick... Yeah you will have to figure it out for yourself. After completing the levels, you can go back and replay it with a time limit. This game is not too challanging (there is a boss who literally beats himself up), it can played played through in a couple of hours. After the big fight with Misrabel, which is a though one (of course final boss and everything), it would have been great to have a little more exploration.
Illusions, eh?
All in all it is a castle of illusion, and there are some fun illusions. I liked the overall setting and environment, the enemies and diamonds and other stuff you have to collect, also the bosses were neat (like a Jack-in-the-box), jumping through magic hats, etc... Mickey's voice is just realy annoying. But come on how could they make a game about Mickey Mouse without his voice? No illusions needed here: don't make another game about Mickey Mouse. Why not Goofy? He is more adorable and not a creepy looking high-pitched voiced mouse. All in all without the main character, I have a positive opinion about the game.About the music, you can choose from the remastered soundtrack, or the old 16-bit music. The narrative can get sometimes pretty annoying. Maybe without any speech this game would have been more enjoyable.
Through the looking glass
This game is not much about the graphics. Simple models, simple environment, not too much effot put into it, although much more effort than intoDucktales Remastered. I it's art it can be seen that it is a Disney game, which is good, I'm a big fan of Disney.
Final Verdict
Enjoyable for children, whose parents don't want them to play GTA. For a remake (even if it's hard to recognize), it is from the better ones. It has the best elements of a platformer game, combined with a 3D look. If it weren't a remake I would have expected much more of this game.
Golden Joysticks are the oldest gaming awards, and they are voted by the public. Now you can vote for this year's awards in a couple of different categories.
I don't want to ifnulence anyone but here is what I chose.
For best newcomer, it was abvious choice, (I have to mention I didn't play Last of Us I don't have a Playstation), so it was Dishonored. With it's fresh gameplay, and a great overall mood of the game this is the winner for me.
For best online game I was in a little trouble. I don't play too many online games, and can't afford most of them. I wanted to vote for the Secret World but I haven't played it so it wouldn't be fair. So in the end for the Hoooorde!
Although I like indie games, I didn't play any of them, no vote there.
No handheld gaming devices as well... Although I would like a Nintendo DS3.
Best storytelling was a though one. There was Bioshock Infinite and Brothers: A tale of two sons. Both stories were amazing, but I chose the brothers. Maybe because I just played them today and I'm still under their influence...
I play multiplayer once a year so no vote there.
For mobile games... I haven't played any of them, I don't want to spend money for a mobile game, I don't think it's worth it.
Best visual design was an easy choice. Although there was Borderlands 2 and DMC, and they both have stunning, unique design, I kinda have a crush on steampunk stuff, so it was Bioshock Infinite.
I only own a PC so there was no choice for me. (that's not bad Ilooove my little PC)
Best moment. Hmmm... I am not yet at the DMC moment, so that was out. The Tomb Raider Radio Tower was pretty awesome, but not that awesome. The others or I didn't play or I was not amazed that much, as at the Bioshock Infinite moment.
Innovation of the year in my opinion is the Oculus Rift. I can't wait to have some kind of virtual reality machine in the future...
Studio of the year: definately TellTale Games.
About the Youtube gamer... I only watch one, and that is not here.
The absolute most wanted for me is the Thief. I can't wait to play it. Thief III was one of my all time fav games.
And finally game of the year: Bioshock Infinite. (I bet it won't be this game, my fav games are never chosen if I vote).
One of the best and most beautiful games released this year. It is a 1 player game, but I okayed it with my little sister, so the story was close to my heart.
Good:
- Great graphics
- Beautiful environment
- Great, touching story
Bad:
- Short
The graphics
Everything looks so beautiful in this game. The textures, the environment, the creatures and humans, it looks like something that was made by great 3d modellers and animators. Everything goes together beautifully.
The Gameplay
It has some puzzles, which are not too difficult, but just enough to enjoy it, and they aren't what his game is about. You have two characters, two brothers, and they can interact with several objects around them. You have some other stuff except puzzles, like flying, which is a great add to the gameplay.
The Story
This is not about some epic quest to save a world, or a princess. It is about two brothers, who have lost their mother and now their father got sick, so they have to go get medicine for him. They travel through fantastic lands, and meet with several creatures. Although as beautiful as seems, well... It's better if I don't say anything.
The Mood
The music, environment, textures and everything is just perfect, fantastic and so calm.
Final Verdict
Short and sweet. The most beautiful game I've ever played.
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