Pokemon X and Y : Preview Part 2

Hey fellow Poke-nerds.  I have seen new footage of the game and I have also found a pretty swell video made by MunchingOrange which pretty much shows some of the other things I have explained in my previous post as well as some other points.  Just watch the video below and I'll give my take on each topics to the best of my interests.



The New Pokemon- Yea, I have to agree. When playing a new Pokemon game, one definitely looks forward to seeing and catching all the new Pokemon Game Freak has thought up. The new typing (Fairy), like I mentioned in my previous post will add a well needed paradigm shift to a game that has remained arguably the same since Gen 2. While some people seem to be disappointed with the design of some the Pokemon, I am sitting on the fence with this one ( I neither hate or love them). I will just have to see the new generation of the Pokemon as a whole before placing my decision to whether this generation of Pokemon are aesthetically pleasing or butt ugly.

Mega Evolution - I have already touched on this topic in the my previous post so I won't ramble much about it here. What I will say though, is that after some reflection, the Mega Evolution seems to greatly resemble the Digimon formula of evolving ( Pokemon Black and White actually had a very Digimon-esque evolution style with the fusion of Zekrom or Reshiram with Kyurem). I may be wrong but that is the vibe I seem to be getting from the footage I'm seeing.

Customizing Characters - Not too much of a fan of this aspect. Then again this is coming from a person who cannot get past the the character customization screen in Skyrim. While it is a great incentive for gamers to be able to customizing his or her character to their own unique taste, I will not be dabbling much into this feature. I'd rather a Plain Jane than a Lady Gaga any day of the week. Skin colour and clothing accessories will be among the things players can change about their Pokemon trainer avatar. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if fashion shows would be included in the game :P.

The Feel/ Layout of the Game - Beautifully done, however I must say it reminds of Digimon once again. Ever played Digimon World 1 and Digimon World 3. It looks and sounds pretty similar, which has gotten me a bit worried. While I do understand that the game is a reboot for the series, I guess I have gotten used to the feel of the old games. Once again, I hope to be proven wrong as I extrapolating data from recorded footage.

X and Y seems to be the most hyped Pokemon game in a long time. In fact I drifted out of the Pokemon franchise after Ruby and Sapphire. In my humble opinion, none of the Pokemon games has ever come close to topping the 2nd generation (Gold and Silver). However, I do hope X and Y will set the record straight and remind of my childhood bliss once again.

This has been Alex Plum reminding you that Pokemon X and Y is only days away. Carpe Diem Poke-nerds :).

Pokemon X and Y : A Preview

Pokemon X and Y is finally gonna be released to the masses in the coming month. After months of waiting and toiling, the 6th generation of the pocket monsters will be before us. One of the top grossing series in video gaming history, the formula of the game has arguably remained the same for the duration of the franchise. However X and Y offers a massive paradigm shift in terms of gameplay and visuals.

1. Finally a 3-D Pokemon Game
We aren't going to be counting the the home console versions cause we hardcore fans only stay with the main series. With the advent of the technology over the odd 1 or 2 years, the integration of the 3-D visuals was definitely on the cards this time around. While, I am not super hyped on this  aspect of the game, it is  still a noteworthy inclusion that is definitely something to look out for. Just don't play too long or your eyes might go wonky.


2. A New Pokemon Type
We haven't had a new Pokemon type since Gen 2's steel and it is about time Nintendo did something to counter the massively imbalanced Dragon-types. The new Fairy-type adds a new spice to the main game and has caused huge repercussions in the meta-game competitors. For you squares are unfamiliar to the meta-game, that is the the domain where people battle competitively. Under those circumstances, the typing of your Pokemon, the nature, the hold items, etc. become highly scrutinized as people truly battle to become the 'Pokemon Master". The new typing will help stir things up a bit as the competitive scene has become stale due to the platitude teams most people keep putting out.


3. Transport
Ahh the bicycle. I loved it so, the quirky tune it made when you got on it and the fact you could travel substantially faster than the feet dragging walk you had. Now Pokemon is going to follow a route the haven't taken since Gen 1 and introduce new modes of transport. Now you can use roller skates and make like an X Games participant as you shred around the region. Did I also mention that you could ride on your Pokemon, more specifically a Pokemon called Gogoat. Great, I guess we'll hear from PETA soon regarding cyber animal cruelty.


4. Mega Pokemon
The Pokemon series has been well known for its evolutionary system. No, we are not talking about redundant creationists yakking about how Pokemon defiles God's holy scripture and is the work of Satan. We are talking bout the maximum evolutionary cycles of 3 stages per Pokemon line. Now Nintendo has gone and done the unthinkable and introduced the Mega Evolutions. Pokemon powerhouses such as Charizard and Garchomp are among the pseudo-legendaries involved in the Mega Evolutions. Again, this is gonna cause hella mayhem in the main game and the meta-game.


12th October 2013. Mark your calenders  fellow geeks. We ain't gonna be leaving our 3DSes for weeks when the shit hits the fan. This is Alex Plum reminding you to catch em' all.

Indie Video Game Highlight: Trash TV

When Mario games first hit the video game market in the last few decades, everyone went batshit crazy about 2D platforming. In hindsight it is not hard to see why, with tight controls, challenging game-play and catchy chiptunes, it makes total sense for the formula to be replicated time and time again. Just look at the plethora of 2D slide-scrolling video games that have impinge our world : Megaman, Contra, Castlevania, and the more recent Super Meat Boy . Right now there is a new kid in town vying for the crown of top dog and its name is Trash TV.

Funnily enough the game started out as a clone of another 2D side-scroller the indie hit Super Crate Box. While it was no the creator's intention to make a exact copy of the game or even release it, the game was conceived when Lawrie was attending university. He tried simply to mess around with the gameplay aspects of Super Crate Box by adding to it and remixing its components to see whether another game emerged that he could call his own creation. What came out of this curious experiment, was a quasi-original game that is somewhat intriguing story-wise and gameplay-wise.

You play as a television set which you view from a 2D perspective. The game seems to mislead the player with the wielding of a gun ( instead of shooting enemies you mainly shoot explosives ) as you soon discover that the game is puzzle game ( kinda like a mix of Portal ad Super Meat Boy ). Don't be fooled though, it isn't a slow game of checkers; it’s a fast paced game as your fingers have to be as rapid as as your reflexes. Admittedly, the game fluctuates its pace with the introduction of some puzzles that require some degree of deep thought. With the combination of speed and wit, expect a whole lot of deaths and rage quitting ( perfect for those rage gamers out there).

The game is also sleek and stylish, with the design and art getting a huge thumbs up from me. The game is dark and moody, just the way I like my games to be ( It seems to have become a recurring thing with me). There is just something about the manic-depressive vibe that just jives with me. The art also serves to enhance the illusion and mystery of the game's narrative. It serves to leave a sense of intrigue and wonder as you question why a lone TV set is venturing through this prosaic world.

So what s the story about? Well, even I am not clear on that front. In fact, lets just get the creator ( Lawrie Russel ) to adumbrate the story details of his brainchild. 

“I want to say it’s top secret, but really I can’t say because I know it’ll change several times over before it’s finished. It’s all based around the mono myth, though. The hero starts an ordinary life, thrown into another world, has a bunch of challenges to over come (all the puzzles), finds an artifact that can be used to save himself/the world, one last big trial and then transcendence back to the start. Most computer games have Act 1 as a skippable cut scene at the beginning of the game. Act 2 comprises all the game bits. Act 3 doesn't really happen because no one can even remember the beginning or it’s left open for a sequel. The real challenge is trying to get Act 1 and 3 to not be a short cut scene.” (via indiestatik)

Gotta love the philosophy that features in games sometimes. It makes you question your existence and then leaves you with that ephemeral warm fuzzy feeling in your chest that you know will be gone by the morning.

Well that has been your latest installment of IGH. Once again, a huge thank you to Mr Jesse Cox (OMFGCata) for allowing us permission to utilize his brilliant video material. Please show him as well as us loads of love. Until then, here's Alex Plum reminding you to have a nice day and to use your P's and Q's. Trust me, it makes the world a merrier place.

Indie Video Game Highlight: Neverending Nightmares

                                The most frightening trailer ever 

Matt Gilgenbach might not be a familiar name to most gamers out there, myself included, but when I was browsing through the inter webs I was automatically drawn to this game. The trailer above was the first I had seen of the game and I was automatically left in a catatonic state wondering what the hell I had just witnessed. Everything about this game is morbid, bleak and and numbing; seems fitting seeing as the game was based on Matt's Gilgenbach's own struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.

The game starts as the player awakens from a nightmare, only to discover that he has been transported into another hellish dream. The plot reminds me of Inception but with a lot more horrifying themes and gore. Seeing that the game is set in a dream world, I would like to think that players would be kept on edge as the unexpected could always occur at any given moment. As of yet there are no concrete details about the gameplay but as seen in the trailer the game is played in 2D fashion which we all know and love. Also, the game appears to be an open world style game where exploration will be a key component of the experience (kind of a recurring trend in indie horror games). Allegedly,  the players action during the game will effect the ending of the game thus adding replay ability value.

As you all may know by know, I am a huge proponent of good art in video games. This game has a unique art style which scares the crap out of me. Just images of the game causes me to hear dissonant sounds akin to the cacophony of horror soundtracks. It goes without saying that this game will have mature themes and will not be suitable for the faint hearted. More details should be out soon, as Infinitap Games are really keen on open development (sharing updates with it's fans). Visit the game page here to keep up to date on the progress of the game if you are interested.

This is Alex Plum and this has been your Indie Game Highlight.

Indie Video Game Highlight: Dark Antarctic

Do you like your horror games to be set in the most bleak place on planet Earth? If by bleak you mean the Antarctic then this is a game for you.



                                                         The Launch Trailer


The game starts you off in a place called Leningradskaya station presumably somewhere in the Antarctic. This is where shit get crazy, Nazi werewolves who are also keen occultists (yes, you read correctly) have made a demonic pact with the Devil/Lucifer to resurrect the Third Reich. It is then left up to you (isn't it always) to fight against the threat of these abominations and save the world from the fascist horror. The game is pretty straightforward in terms of combat in  which you'll mainly use your bare hands and then proceed to gruesomely ripping monsters in half. You will be given a knife later in the game to spice things up.

The game is dark, heavy and done in an art style that seems to asphyxiate the player. The game is very reminiscent of the indie hit Lone Survivor in the fact that they both seem to be very 8-bit retro-ish. Dark Antarctic is available right now for Windows through the game's website for $6.66 (US Dollars). The lucky 666th customer to purchase the game will receive the Lucifer Edition of the game, which comes with a special chainsaw animation to take zombies apart with. 

Happy slaying guys. This has been Alex Plum with your Indie Game Highlight.

Indie Video Game Highlight: A Hat In Time

Do you remember the good old days of video gaming? The time when every boy was inseparable from his Playstation 1 or NES.  Platformers like Crash Bandicoot, Rayman, Pandemonium and Banjo Kazooie reigned supreme in those days. Whether you love the nostalgia factor or the challenging gameplay, these games were massively addictive. If you long for the sweet taste of the golden age of platforming, why not give A Hat In Time a go.

Kickstarter Launch Trailer

A Hat in Time is described as a Nintendo 64-esque platformer. In the game, you play as a petite girl donning a top hat aptly named Hat Girl. Hat Girl has a large array of actions she can perform in addition to the traditional jump and run mechanics, these includes wall jumping, sliding, ground pounding, double jumping and pogo abilities.

The story is divided into 5 story arcs, which is pretty similar to the Mario titles, with the first chapter taking place on an island infested with Mafia of Cooks (crazy story, I know) with following chapter utilizing the gloomy forest setting. The other 3 arcs are not set in stone as of yet, as the backers of the project get to decide what happens next in the aforementioned acts.

                                           

                                                 Gameplay courtesy of Jesse Cox of OMFGcata fame

The best bit of news for me personally, is the multiplayer feature. You get to play the game with a friend, which is freaking sweet. The game will be featured both on PC and Mac. Gears for Breakfast (the developing team of the game) have stated their intent to publish the game on Steam, so if you have a Steam account, feel free to vote for them on Greenlight here.

Alternatively, check out their kickstarter here , where they explain the game in better detail.

Also please check out Jesse Cox for more interesting and wonderful game commentary. He has been very nice to us at The Ops Centre by allowing us permission to use his videos. Please go and show him some love.

Till then, this has been your Indie Video Game Feature.