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Preview: Knights in the Nightmare

Yesterday I attended a demo for the upcoming PSP edition of Knights in the Nightmare. For those who have played the game on the DS, Atlus is tweaking a few key details that might have given you a headache before. Even I’m excited for this tactical RPG/bullet hell mania title, which hits stores October 19.

Check out my full preview at OneMetal.

Knights in the Nightmare, the tactical RPG that advertises “Bullet-hell heaven in the palm of your hand,” crashes onto the PSP this October. Atlus is adapting the Nintendo DS original that broke fingers and throbbed heads with its complicated and super real-time insanity into a much more user-friendly format. After sitting in on the latest demonstration, we at OneMetal have your inside scoop on both the story and fast-paced gameplay action.

During the demo, the good folks at Atlus stressed two main aspects of the Sting Entertainment-developed game: story and battles. A good chunk of our time was spent examining the actual battles and the renovated tutorial features, so let’s first breeze over the story highlights that will interest both new and old players.

Tags: Atlus, Knights in the Nightmare, Previews, PSP, Yukio Takats
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High in the Clouds: Bioshock Goes Infinite

More Bioshock, please! Check out the star-spangled news (with a teaser trailer and screens) at OneMetal.

Irrational Games promises to return the Bioshock series to red, white, and blue form with Bioshock Infinite. The sea is so three years ago. Come visit the city in the clouds.

2K Marin departed Bioshock from its original creative talent for the lesser praised sequel, but the company is graciously stepping aside for the third installment in the series, a property that Irrational Games has reclaimed. 2K president Christoph Hartmann recently announced, “We believe that Irrational Games will lend their meticulous attention to detail and unique storytelling expertise to make BioShock Infinite an incredible entertainment experience that will immerse new and diehard fans of BioShock alike.”

Tags: 2K Games, BioShock, Infinite, Irrational Games, Ken Levine, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
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GameCube Review: Resident Evil

The first generation of Resident Evil helped pave the survival horror road, a genre dripping with dismembered limbs, peeling wallpaper, blood-ruined luxury carpets, and heaps of empty shotgun shells. As members of Raccoon City’s homegrown Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.), Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and their surviving teammates escape the slobbering jaws of zombie dogs roaming the Arklay Mountains only to enter a reclusive mansion full of locked doors, instant death traps, and unsightly horrors. The original spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, both successful and embarrassing, but the GameCube remake of the classic gem stands as one of gaming’s most well-aged, graphically gorgeous wonders. Zombies have never looked so good.

Directing their painstaking attention to finer details, the developers transform the cobwebbed nooks and crannies of the mansion/ultra super secret Umbrella lab into a decor more haunting and clever than before. The spooky atmosphere permeates throughout the mansion interior and the surrounding grounds as new puzzles replace weary ones, and undiscovered locations open their poorly oiled gates. The menus taking a hint from the later REs, maps color “unexplored” rooms, those that still harbor items or herbs, for determined perfectionists and confused stragglers alike. For unknown reasons, though, gamers are still forced to rely on their scrambled memories when determining which key goes to which random red door on their multi-story mansion map.

While the beret-wearing Jill and the slightly less muscular Chris sport a few new moves, including a 180-degree quick turn and fancy stairs running, like in the original, they approach movable objects with an overly sensitive grace. The steep difficulty curve between the initial two modes can intimidate first-timers, as well.

On the other hand, new defensive items make countering unwelcome ambushes a cinch, especially in tight hallways with lots of easily shattered windows. Even the undead receive a complimentary face-lift, bumping up the difficulty a notch or two. Various unlockables, such as costumes and different endings, boost the replay value, and savvy gamers will note the enhanced music and sound.

Although the altered puzzles and extra scares fit neatly into the original’s code of fear, most fall flat in comparison with parts left untouched. The game’s plot, for instance, has been reworked and expanded, and some of long-time fans’ favorite cheesy lines have been removed or somehow made sillier (in a bad way).

Better controls and breathtaking visuals certainly polish the original Resident Evil‘s sparkle, but the storyline, devoid of the humorous and garish flair that made the game endearing in the first place, is guaranteed to bore both veteran S.T.A.R.S. affiliates and newcomers. 9/10

Tags: Capcom, GameCube, Nintendo, Resident Evil
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The Historical Silent Hill

The upcoming Silent Hill title awaiting us, the town’s Historical Society will be receiving a boost in tourism.

A fan's painting of "Misty Day - Remains of the Judgement"

Game writer Tom Waltz teased FearNet about the eighth installment’s historical twist, describing a tie-in, four-issue comic book that’s set in the 1800s and follows an outlaw named Jebediah Foster.

“I’m hoping that gets the fans going crazy and curious because the new game is a modern story and the comic take place in 1867. So we’re hoping people will be wondering, ‘How the hell can that happen?’”

Waltz confirmed that, with the script fully written, voice-acting for the game has begun. He’s also made fans a bold promise: “What I’ll say is, this is going to be a great game, and it’s going back to the core spirit, maybe people would point to Silent Hill 2. It’s character driven, it’s very dramatic, and I think it’s gonna rejuvenate the title.”

The writer assures gamers that the Silent Hill comics, like the games, aren’t throwaways, stating, “These comics they matter to Konami and they matter to the Silent Hill universe … Once ‘Team Silent’ disbanded and it just became Konami’s game but not the original creators’, the speculation was it’s just a franchise they’re milking and no one cares, but the truth is, everyone cares … Everyone on this team is a fan and cares what the fans think.”

What do you think? Are Silent Hill comics worth four bucks a pop? Can this new game, lacking Yamaoka’s or McGlynn’s grace, steer close to the high-esteemed Silent Hill 2?

No official word yet on the comic’s publisher, but I’m betting the company will stick close with their usual, IDW.

A previous Silent Hill comic.

Tags: IDW Publishing, Konami, Silent Hill, Tom Waltz
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PS1 Review: Threads of Fate

In a world where aeons (err, [relics]) hold unimaginable power, a spoiled princess with a phobia of pumpkins and itch for world domination and a humble shape-shifter with modest intentions meet in a bumbling little town. As they race for Valen’s relic, the ultimate aeon, the two magically bestowed adventurers pummel thievish pirates, explore ancient ruins, and best a mighty dragon. Wrap two stories, one lighthearted and the other redemptive, in one action RPG/platformer, and Threads of Fate is born.

Japan recognizes Square’s sorely underplayed creation (released here in 2000) as Dewprism, a game drizzled with role-playing elements and rife with personality. Clocking in at around fifteen hours, Threads of Fate engages players in a satisfying romp through dungeons and other fantasy locales. After choosing between the magician-in-training Mint and Rue, a mysterious and driven young man, players arrive at the central hub of Carona, and from there embark on a linear path rich with humor.

Although Mint develops her magical prowess along the way, Rue can transform into the monsters he encounters. Simplistic, non-obtrusive puzzles guarding rare treasure, the heroes must implement a different approach to overcome the challenges embedded within the picturesque environments. Indeed, the graphics have lasted well past their shelf life. Vibrant colors fill the screen, and catchy music adds a fun flair.

Since Mint and Rue can take a generous amount of damage before calling it quits, the game’s design adapts quite flexibly to the player’s skill level, the battle system ensuring that players build their stats without grinding. For perfectionists, extra opportunities periodically surface to boost core stats.

While the manageable but limited number of areas, side quests, and characters creates a wholesome and easygoing mini RPG, the world ends up restricted with little reason to revisit places besides collecting a missed item or two. Although magic is intuitive, players will be hard-pressed to exploit the variety available. With the exception of the aforementioned in-game puzzles, enemies have relatively non-specific weaknesses, so magic goes to waste.

Any head-scratching moments that crop up subside quickly, but one wonders whether this is due to the tight world. For such a small town, Carona poorly utilizes its services: The tavern, church, and Hobbs’ shop justify a stark handful of visits combined, Marco’s shop is always understocked, and the rare item buyers curiously disappear when they’re most needed. With a short list of areas to investigate, players won’t be stuck for long.

Though streamlined and entertaining at first, eventually the story and dialogue begin to drag, restating the same old ideas. Nonetheless, the dynamic aned quirky characters interact wonderfully, every scene comes to life, and the consistently interesting bosses fight fair. Two quests means at least a moderate replay level, but with this game’s charm, you’ll want to bash pumpkins and play with cute Poppul Purrels all day long. 8/10

Tags: Action RPG, Dewprism, Platformer, PlayStation, Square Electronic Arts, Threads of Fate
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Ratchet and Clank Land in the DC Universe

Wildstorm, the DC Comics property known for bringing video game icons to the comic book page, is adding the galactic Ratchet and Clank to their dossier this September.

After the defeat of Dr. Nefarious, the best pals zip off to the Solana galaxy for a quick vacation, but before they can enjoy some well-deserved shuteye, Qwark summons the heroes. The adventure pits Ratchet and his robot sidekick against a Markazian planet thief named Artemis Zogg. Writer T.J. Fixman and artist Adam Archer will be handling the six-issue limited series based on the popular Sony franchise.

[Via GameInformer]

Tags: DC, Ratchet and Clank, Sony, Wildstorm
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Reaper Pops Some Eyes

Death has always had such a dreary sense of humor … until now, that is. Reaper sports a fashionable wardrobe—the projected 2011 PSP game, that is, not the Grim guy. I have no beef with him as long as he keeps his distance for a good, healthy while.

Some of the rich, eye-popping images developer Fried Green Apps (clever) has put out for the “action platformer” even look a bit scandalous. Luc Bernard (Mecho Wars, Eternity’s Child) will be providing story and art direction.

Who says games can’t be art? Any first, erm, last thoughts?

More screens at Kotaku. Info from IGN.

Tags: Fried Green Apps, Luc Bernard, PSP, Reaper
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