Review: Silent Hill Shattered Memories

With the two main names in survival horror focusing on action over scares these days, fans of the genre have had little to chew on in recent years. Shattered Memories attempts to be that scare-fest for horror junkies by making running away your only means of survival. That's right - this game has no combat whatsoever.

It's a bold choice in this retelling of the first game's story. But how does it work? Let's see.

..story..

The first game in the Silent Hill series focuses on Harry Mason searching for his daughter in the town of Silent Hill. That basic setup is still the same here, and while you'll go through a majority of the same locations, and see the same characters as you did in the first game, they are all drastically different. It's almost as if someone heard the story of the first Silent Hill game, like, ten years ago - and is now retelling it based on memory. It's still kinda the same thing, but, at the same time, totally different. With that in mind, the title "Shattered Memories" becomes even more appropriate.

The catch is that the story is being told through your own, first person session with a psychiatrist. The questions in these sections get deeply personal - covering issues of sex, religion and family. But these aren't disconnected from the story - the answers you give and the choices you make in the psych session impact the way Silent Hill is portrayed for you as the player - which, theoretically, delivers a customized horror experience designed around scaring you specifically.

The story is also much clearer and easier to follow than any other game in the series. It is written with a movie-style script, moving along at an even pace and delivering twists and turns that I honestly didn't see coming. An enjoyable story through and through.

..gameplay..

This version of Silent Hill is strictly divided into two gameplay segments - exploration in the normal world and escaping from the dark world. Unlike other games in the series, monsters do not exist in the normal version of the town, but are relegated specifically to Shattered Memories' dark world - a frozen, blue nightmare.  I mentioned before that this game has no combat whatsoever, and that's true - there's no showdown with a final boss, no hidden mission where you can get a shotgun, once you enter the dark world, your only option is to run.

Monsters will relentlessly pursue you through the twisted maze of tunnels and doors. Using flares and knocking down large items will slow their progress, but you cannot stop for a second. If the fleshy beasts catch you, you'll have to perform sharp, violent thrusts with the Wii remote to shake them off. 

These "escape" missions are extremely stressful, but aren't necessarily scary.  If you're killed, you start back at the beginning of the chase sequence, leaving little incentive to avoid death. But when everything turns to ice, and the thumping horrific music starts playing, my pulse would always quicken.

The other side of the coin is the biggest chunk of the game - exploring the town of Silent Hill. Finding clues, solving puzzles unlocking doors, etc. It gets pretty dark here and using the Wii remote's pointer to direct Harry's flashlight feels natural and elegant. You also have an indispensable smart phone to use. It has a map of the town, a camera to take ghostly pictures, and serves as the game's menu to save and load options. You can also use the phone to call any telephone number that you see in the game - be it scrawled on a bathroom stall, or plastered across a billboard, you dial the number and something will happen. And all of the audio occurs in that little embedded speaker within the remote - it really adds to the sense of immersion.

The puzzles are really excellent and just difficult enough to get some real nice enjoyment out of them. They're also tailor made for the Wii's controller. Opening hatches, manipulating objects and so on are all handled using motion control - and here's the funny thing: it works. Here's the most controversial statement of the review: the motion controls in Shattered Memories work better than Skyward Sword.

Silent Hill Shattered Memories should have been a Wii launch title. Not because it's basic, but because it uses the Wii Remote to it's fullest potential - and it shows the ability of motion controls to work well within a mature game.

..presentation..

The Silent Hill games have always been on the bleeding edge of graphics, and while Shattered Memories looks great, there are better looking Wii games on the market. Lighting and shadow effects are great, and character animations and lip syncing are all excellent. The voice acting, music and sound design are also top notch. And again the immersion that comes from the audio in the remote's speaker is unprecedented.

This is a top tier Wii game, and one that every hardcore Wii owner should have in their library. Multiple endings means excellent replay value and really great integration of the Wii's unique capabilities makes the game stand out. Get it. Get scared. Enjoy.

Finished: Silent Hill Shattered Memories

I'm a huge fan of the Silent Hill series. Honestly, the whole thing died after Silent Hill 3. I am among the few people who enjoyed Homecoming, but the series hasn't lived up to it's original trilogy in the handful of releases since.


Shattered Memories is a step in the right direction - with risky decisions like having no combat and a much more linear progression, along with a really interesting psychology element - it certainly was a great experiment. Unfortunately it came off feeling not much more elaborate than an experiment.

I really did enjoy it and actually finished it in two sittings, but it won't live up to the older games.

Full review coming shortly.

Review: Metroid Other M

Nintendo has always been the company that's played it safe. So when they announced that Team Ninja would be developing the next Metroid, more than a few eyebrows were raised. On one eyebrow, fans were excited that such a veteran action-based developer was working on the classic franchise. On the other brow, we were all a little worried that they would turn Metroid into something that Team Ninja was even more well known for - gigantic digitized hooters.

While Samus' bust size did increase dramatically, there is no skin to be seen or jiggles to witness. But what about that action-based gameplay? How did that work out? And what about that story that everyone hates? Let's dig in.

..story..

Let's get this out of the way right up front - people hate the script in this game. While most would agree that the actual plot is interesting and engaging, absolutely no one would agree that it's delivered effectively here. 

What you have in Other M is a piece of lore that fits between Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion. It picks up right after the climactic battle with Mother Brain and deals fairly specifically with the fallout from the baby metroid that saved Samus at the end of the SNES game. You meet a group of soldiers on something called the "Bottle Ship" who've received the same distress signal you have, and you're there to figure out and eradicate the problem.

The problem with the story is the delivery. There's an old adage in story telling that goes "show don't tell" - and Other M breaks that rule every chance it gets. The player is granted access to every single thing Samus is thinking. And every cutscene that delivers an interesting plot point is ruined by Samus' inner monologue over-explaining everything that just happened.

This poor mechanic of the "inner monologue" combined with the fact that Samus has barely spoken a word in prior Metroid games made for an unpleasant shock. The formerly silent, badass, strong female character had been made into a whiny, boring girl from a teenage romance novel - delivered with all the intensity of Kristen Stewart. For me, it wasn't a deal breaker. I enjoyed the story enough to keep going through the stellar gameplay.

..gameplay..

This is one of the most successful attempts at a new play style that I've ever seen. And I'm including the original Metroid Prime in that mix. The main mechanic here is based on the side scrolling games in the series, except it's that 2.5D where you can run into and out of the screen as well. There are larger, more open environments, but they're few and far between. 

While you're in this mode, you hold the Wiimote on the side like an NES controller. The D-pad controls movement, 1 shoots, 2 jumps and A activates the morphball. Since it's a 3D world and you're running in 2.5D, aiming is handled automatically. You'd think this would be a cheap way out, but you still have to be facing the direction of the enemy, and most often you'll need a charged shot to take down your foes. This means a lot of dodging while charging. Pressing a direction on the D-pad right before an attack hits you will cause you to do a dodge roll. So you kind of get into this rhythm of charging your gun, waiting for an attack, dodging and then firing. It works really well and keeps the game exciting. 

There are also a few enemies that require "takedowns" (pictured above). This is when you weaken an enemy to a point where they're visibly hurt, then you run at them while charging your gun to perform one of these cinematic takedowns. It's really satisfying to pull of such a slick move after a particularly hard battle. And this is the most tangible Team Ninja stamp on the game, and it works wonderfully.

 

The other element of the gameplay is clearly inspired by the Prime series. Turning your Wiimote toward the screen will put you in first person mode. This is the only way you can fire missiles, but is also useful for exploring and searching for hidden items. The only limitation is that you can't move while in this mode. It sounds clunky to keep switching your hand position, but let me tell you - it works. The transition is smooth and instantaneous, and the simple fact that the entire game map is viewable in third person and first person is very impressive.  

My only complaint about the controls is that while the D-pad is great in the side scrolling sections, it's often wonky to use in the more open environments. I gave it some thought and the best solution I could come up with is if the Wiimote had an analog stick in place of the D-pad.

The perfect Other M Controller

Upgrades are handled differently in this game. While every new Metroid title strips you of your abilities, sending you out to find them all over again, Other M does it in a way that makes sense. Since you're working with another team on this mission, you have to be authorized by your commander to use the abilities you already have. This makes a lot more sense but irked me for two reasons: 

1) You get authorization to use the abilities when you're almost effing dead and that ability could have saved your life if only you were "allowed" to use it 1 minute earlier. 

2) The joy of discovering new upgrades is eliminated entirely. You can still hunt down energy tanks and missile upgrades, but those don't match the feeling of finding the Chozo chamber and getting that awesome new ability. 

I do have to heap some praise on the camera in this game, though. Team Ninja developed Ninja Gaiden for XBOX - the title with probably the worst in-game camera ever made. Other M doesn't give camera control to the player, but it is constantly in the right spot. Foreground elements go transparent when they're blocking the action, you are always aware of what's around you, and it never - EVER - gets stuck in a corner. It's on par with Mario Galaxy's camera. Yeah. It's good.

Essentially, Other M's gameplay is Super Metroid blended with Metroid Prime - third person and first person. Oh yeah, and they managed to include some awesome morph ball puzzles as well. Not as many as in the Prime series, but more than a casual nod to it.

..presentation..

This is one of the best looking games on the Wii. Colors are vibrant, animations are SILKY smooth, character models are well developed, and the lighting and particle effects will really impress you. This isn't one of those "looks good for the Wii" games this is a "Wow! That looks damn good - period!" 

The music is also beautifully done. Remixes and remasters of classic Metroid themes as well as new compositions round out the wonderful soundtrack. Check out this super creepy rendition of the original Metroid title music.

As a kid this original tune used to scare me so much that I would immediately hammer the start button as soon as I turned on the system so I didn't have to hear it.

The voice acting is - well it's actually pretty good. I blame the script and the direction for the awkward performances. This certainly isn't Silent Hill, but those long - unskippable - monologues will make you want to eat broken glass and salt. And nails.

There were moments while playing Other M that I felt like I was playing the first Metroid. That creepy, almost survival horror feeling was present every so often and those were wonderful nostalgic moments. But the rest of the time it felt like I was playing a kick-ass, unique, action game that was fun as nuts to play.

If you've been avoiding this because of all the online hate, it's time to give it a chance. It's dirt cheap cuz everyone hates it - so take advantage of their foolishness and enjoy one of the best Wii games in existence. 

Finished: Metroid Other M

Completion Time: 13:46
Completion Rate: 100%

I did it! The first game in the backlog to be 100% completed. I have to admit - the game encourages you to get that 100% number. Waypoints show the general location of each item once you beat the main quest. And while it still takes a little detective work to figure out what to do when you get there, it's never so obtuse that you can't figure it out on your own.

I absolutely loved Other M. Screw the haters, this game is great.

Review coming soon.

(Kinda) Finished: Metroid Other M

So within about 10 hours of play time, I made my way through the game, collected a ton of hidden items, beat the final boss and watched the credits roll - this is usually enough for me to consider the game "complete". But once you're kicked out to the main menu, you see your completion percentage.

52% is what it said. This was unacceptable. My favorite thing about Metroid games is finding the upgrades and knowing that I only found half of them was not something I could not live with. I immediately reloaded my file and set out to find everything.

Gotta catch 'em all.

I was delighted to find out that upon starting a "completed" saved game that you're given an additional mission to complete. On top of that, all the locations for the hidden items are highlighted on the map, and doors and passageways that were previously sealed were now open. So in that way, it's kinda like finding the artifact in Legends of the Hidden Temple. All doors are open and the temple guards have vanished.

The SHRIIINE of the silver monkey.

In addition, you're also shown a completion percentage for each area. I am methodically 100 percent-ing the game, sector by sector. I've got a little more to go, but when I do it this may be my first 100% game in the backlog.

If that isn't a testament to the quality of this game, then I'm a monkey's b-hole.

[Monkey's b-hole not pictured]

Up Next: Metroid Other M

I picked up Metroid: Other M and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories a couple weeks ago with some trade-in credit at a great indie NJ game shop called Digital Press. I'm a pretty big Metroid fan but avoided Other M for two reasons:

1) It was released shortly after I started this blog.
2) I had heard some pretty terrible things about it. Like people violently hate this game in the internet.

The biggest complaint comes from the story and dialog. Longtime fans of the series felt betrayed at some elements of the story that seem to contradict preconceived notions of who Samus is and what she's all about.

But it was $6 at Digital Press - how could I resist. Even if it sucked, it was only $6. 

My name is Samus Aran. And right now I'm thinking about having a sandwich. Yeah. A nice turkey sandwich with mustard. And those chips, like you know, with the vinegar. Also, what is Adam thinking about me. Do I love him? Do you guys think he loves me? When is my period coming? Am I late? Did that baby metroid impregnate me? I should probably get a pregnancy test at the CVS on Zebes. Oh, wait I blew up Zebes. Hm...Did I set my DVR to record Dancing with the Stars? I should order Chinese food. What kind of dress should I wear to SR388 tomorrow?

I must say I'm angry at myself for waiting - this game is absolutely fantastic! Yes, the script is terrible. Samus essentially tells the players EVERY SINGLE THING SHE'S THINKING via inner monologue. It's all the excitement of listening to someone read a poorly written teen romance novel. But the story surrounding the script is actually pretty interesting. And the gameplay is top notch. Seriously - like God of War level precision over the control. I am in love with the actual game - I just wish the idiotic dialog was removed.

I'm actually pretty close to the end, I think. I should be done with it in the next couple days or so.

Review: Lost Winds

The gameplay, art style and story in Lost Winds allow it to fit snugly in with the indie darlings of this generation. Braid, Flower, Bastion and the like would be proud to call this WiiWare game/iOS App their little, underappareciated brother.

It's short, but it's delightfully solid - much like the excellent dump I took this morning. I know there's some sort of fart joke I can make here tying in the "Lost Winds" name, but I'll be mature about it, I guess... 

..story..

In Lost Winds you play a young boy named Toku who helps his crazy ol' village elder regain his memories to ultimately save the people of their town. With the help of the wind spirit you are sent across a map of twisting caves and glorious mountaintops to find four chests containing the old man's memories. 

Yes the setup here plays it safe, but the script and dialogue is very well written. Characters have definable emotions and are very likable, which, combined with the beautiful artwork, creates a strong sense of place for this game.

Lost Wind's story is on the light side - there are no backstabbing characters, no unexpected twists, no political intrigue, it's just a simple framework to give some context to the elegant gameplay.

..gameplay..

 

At its heart, Lost Winds is a puzzle game. As a small boy, you have very few abilities on your own, but very early in the game you gain control over the wind. This allows you to not only jump long distances, but also manipulate objects within the world. 

You will encounter a few of the standard "push the block onto the switch" puzzles, but there are many  more creative uses of your new found power. From redirecting flowing water onto a fire, to using that same fire to burn down a blockade, to busting down doors with heavy rocks. Much like the feeling of "oh my God I can destroy anything in my way!" you get when you fully upgrade Samus in the Metroid series, once you unlock all four abilities in Lost Winds, you will feel incredibly powerful.

..presentation..

The original thing that caught my attention about this game is the art style. I mean look at it - it's absolutely beautiful. Yes it's running in SD, but like I always say - the art is only as good as it's ability to keep me in the fantasy, and Lost Winds kept me glued to it's wistful, dreamlike experience. The music is also appropriately "tribal" sounding with African and Middle Eastern inspired sounds and music throughout. Once again further convincing the player of the sense of place and solidifying the fantasy. 

Whether you play it on the iPad or the Wii, Lost Winds is a fantastic, short burst game. Highly recommended and proud to have it in my collection. 

But in the end, who needs this stupid kid to find the Lost Winds? I found the real lost winds right here:

Finished: Lost Winds

Completion Time: About 3 Hours

This was one of the first games available on Nintendo's WiiWare platform. Sadly, this was one of only a handful of titles that was actually worth downloading, as the shop quickly filled with quick, cash-grab garbage. But even though it's a short experience, it's a trip I'm certainly glad I took.

I actually beat this on the iPad version, which was the free app of the week last week. And aside from the touch controls, it's identical to the Wii version.

Review coming shortly.

Review: Katamari Damacy

Katamari Damacy is the weirdest game available in America - yet it is so amazingly unique and fun that you can't help but love it. Being a localized port of a (clearly) Japanese game, it's sort of the same experience you get when stumbling across one of those wacky Japanese game shows. You're really not sure what you're looking at, but damn it all if you can't look away.

This game is the definition of a cult classic. It is vehemently loved by thousands of fans, but why? Let's find out.

The King of All Cosmos has the King of All Wieners.

..story..

So here's the basic setup: The King of All Cosmos accidentally destroyed all the stars in the sky. He tasks you, the Prince, with recreating all of them. How? By rolling a giant sticky ball all over Earth and accumulating thousands and thousands of...things. The ball, called a Katamari, grows larger and larger until you meet or exceed the size that the King has set for you. Do it again and again until you finish the entire galaxy - which is apprently only, like 15-20 stars. 

As strange as the story is, it is incredibly well delivered. There are several wacky characters, but the only one with any real voice is the King. And there's never been another video game character like him. He's overtly pompous, he's demanding and despite his many gifts to the prince, he's kind of abusive. He also refers to himself as "We". The way they set up the relationship between the player and the King is so strenuous that it gets to the point where you feel like you're working an actual job. The King just keeps sending you on quests for larger and larger stars and wants it done within a specific time frame because he - or they - "can't be expected to wait longer than that." But that's what's endearing about him - he's such an overbearing A-hole that you can't help but love him. He also has an enormous penis.

There's also a side plot line going on simultaneously that's even stranger. It features a Japanese family taking a flight and peripherally hearing about the stars disappearing on the TV. If the jerky King and his gigantic ding dong didn't meet your weirdness quota, this certainly will. The little girl talking about how she "feels the cosmos" is not only weird, it honestly creeps me the eff out.

Drugs aren't my thing, but I imagine if they were, that this game would be my constant companion. After seeing that clip, I'm sure you'd agree.

..gameplay..

It's really hard to describe how this game plays without actually playing it - and it's even harder to describe why its so enjoyable. You're not killing anything, you're not really "winning" anything - you're essentially cleaning up your dad's mess. But it is enjoyable - very much so in fact. But WHY?

The thing that makes this game so great is the sense of growth. Literal growth. The moments when you effortlessly pick up objects that once blocked your path are so satisfying. Let me explain a little further - the game starts you on a tabletop picking up thumbtacks and odd Japanese candy, then by the end of the game you're rolling up houses and stadiums and islands. It's incredibly satisfying. 

The developers of Katamari Damacy wanted the controls to be so simple that they would be accessible to everyone, and technically they are. You control the giant sticky ball by manipulating the left and right analog sticks. Push them both up to roll forward, one up and one down to turn sharply and so on. No button combos, no complicated things to memorize. If you've ever driven a remote control car, you can play Katamari. So it is simple - on paper. 

It works in big open environments, but in tight corners it becomes an exercise in frustration. The camera often gets hung up behind walls and larger objects, and when the katamari gets larger, you'll frequently find yourself stuck in a corner. This can be infuriating when you're up against a time limit.

Overall, though, the controls work and the absolute absurdity of the whole thing is more than enough to keep you on the horse until the end. Just disregard the logic flaw that you're creating the moon and stars by destroying the Earth and you'll be fine.

 

..presentation..

The presentation is what sells this experience - hands down. The art style is bright, colorful and wholly original. People and animals have an intentional polygonal aesthetic, objects are easy to recognize and it's obvious what you can pick up and what you can't. 

The music deserves it's own special section of accolades. It fits so perfectly within the confines of this ridiculous universe. It's kinda jazz-lounge singer with J-Pop and ska all mixed together. With 21 unique compositions, the game really defines itself with the music. I have a friend who not only bought this game, but bought an entire PS2 based on the soundtrack alone. Ask anyone who's played this game to hum the theme song, and I'll bet you they can't wait to get this out of their mouth:

This game is in a category all it's own - and aside from it's numerous sequels, there is no other game like it in existence. It's fun, it's crazy and it's awesome. Plus have you seen the king's gigantic dick?

Behold. My penis.

Finished: Katamari Damacy

In my very first single-sitting completion, clocking in at around 4 1/2 hours, it's Katamari Damacy! Yay! Woo!

Uh...what the eff is Katamari Damacy? It's a really - REALLY - weird Japanese game that somehow got passed the localization police at Namco.

It's incredibly enjoyable and delightfully weird.

It's weird.

Weird.