DAY 229 / GAME 229 Aliens Infestation.

DAY 229 / GAME 229

Aliens Infestation.

      The Alien franchise has always had bad luck when translating into video games.  I have no idea why, it's got all the elements of an incredible action shooter or a suspenseful horror and yet they always manage to miss out on the opportunity to make something spectacular.  I'd imagine part of it is simply that so many existing video games already borrow so much from the series that producing something original may be tough.  Or perhaps it just suffers the same fate most games do when the property is owned by a film distributor who will always have some say in the final product.  
     One of the Alien games I recently tried had really showed up under-the-radar for me on the Nintendo DS handheld.  Aliens Infestation was lent to me by a friend at work who recommended it; I was a tad weary since it looks like a real oddball one-off but it turned out to be considerably better than most Alien games that have been released in the past decade or so.

         Infestation takes place just after the events of James Cameron's Aliens movie.  Similar to the concept for Aliens: Colonial Marines, a group of Marines arrive on the

abandoned Sulaco to discover the mess leftover after the mess on LV-426 colony below.  In this case, the game takes place back and forth between the colony and the Sulaco in a 'metroidvania' style of side-scrolling gameplay where new access to weapons and tools and keycards gain you access to new areas of the ship.   The map is a good size and offers quite a bit of exploration, rewarding you in not only the advance in storyline but also weapon upgrades, health pack and additional marines.  This is important as the game doesn't offer multiple lives for your player character; instead you start out with an initial squad that includes 4 members.  You can switch between them at save points along with your weapon loadout (You can choose as you find them between the pulse rifle, shotgun, flamethrower and smartgun.) and if you die, that marine is gone for good.  So essentially you have four lives.  As you make your way through the game however you discover new marines who have been separated from their squad and if you have an extra slot, they will join you.  Otherwise you can return to them if you remember where they are on the map.

       The nice part about this is simply that there are 19 different marines, each with their own personality and a great comic-book style design by comic artist Chris Bachalo of X-Men fame.  The designs themselves are at least half the reason why I enjoyed this game so much.  They're perfectly gritty and contain a half-decent balance of both male and female characters.  It seems to me as well that during the text-cutscene portions of the game each marine has different written reponses, which is really respectable and makes me curious to play this game through multiple times.  Which is easy since it really is a quick game to go though, taking only about 5 hours or so front-to-back.  Which is find in the end since it's a portable title that doesn't command a huge price.

    Aliens Infestation is easily one of those games I would have completely missed out on had I not been so lucky as to have it recommended.  It's solid, with decent controls and some great artwork.  This is one of the few Alien games that I'd really love to see a sequel to, especially if it can be put together by the same development team.  If you have a DS or 3DS, this is easy to find dirt-cheap.  If you're even half and Aliens fan, pick it up.  You'll get to enjoy this if you beat it:

DAY 228 / GAME 228 Ace Combat: Assault Horizon

DAY 228 / GAME 228

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon

      Ace Combat: Assault Horizon was be the first flight simulator title I had purchased in a very long time.  At the time I purchased this game in 2012 it had been over 10 years since I grabbed Airforce Delta for the Sega Dreamcast.  I've rented and played previous games in the Ace Combat series, one that's been on the market since the original PlayStation and I've been pretty happy with them; so when this was released recently I was in just the right mood for a nice flight-combat simulator and jumped on it.
          As is the case sometimes.  Usually I will wait.  Usually when most games are released I look over at my stack of unplayed games in queue and realize there's no point grabbing anything new until I've finished what's on my plate.  But every once in a while I get an urge to play a particular kind of game and every once in a while a new game is released that coincides with that urge.

         Assault Horizon turned out to be one of the most cinematic air combat experiences I'd ever played.  I'm not sure anyone's ever taken this approach to a flight simulator before or since, though Ubisoft's HAWX comes pretty close.  Assault Horizon includes a new Close Range Assault mode which you initiate during combat and effectively allows you to focus on chasing that one bogie or ground target without being overly concerned about crashing your jet into the ground.  During a number of round in the game these are set up while chasing key targets and the game is scripted to fly you between buildings, exploding obstacles and provide you with other close calls that you would normally see if this was any other action oriented video game.

         Excitingly enough, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon also added some non-jetfighter elements to mix things up a little.  The game starts off with an AH-64 Apache helicopter mission that is one of the finest helicopter games I've ever played.  Hiding behind cover and popping up to destroy targets, just as those are designed to do, never felt so perfect.  Assault Horizon gives you the perfect amount of control to allow you to fly through the streets and take down artillery and a fantastic level of detail with dust whipping up around you when you're close to the ground and a great 'over the shoulder' camera view so you can watch those hellfire missiles let loose from your sides.  The only unfortunate part was that there was only two of these levels.  Namco should really make an entire Ace Combat game based around helicopters.

         There is also a fantastic bombing mission in a stealth bomber, a gunning mission in an AC-130 ground attack aircraft and a mission as a door-gunner in a Blackhawk helicopter.  Each of these are exceptionally well executed and really add to the overall aerial combat experience, but also work well as one-offs that you were dying to play more of, as was the case with the helicopter missions.  

         Ace Combat: Assault Horizon really pushed to change the way combat flight simulators are played and they were very successful at that.  I've never been so excited by a flight simulator as I was playing this game and I'm really hoping that it did well enough that Namco incorporates this new style into their future games.  They made it more accessible to people who find flight sims 'boring', which they really can be, pushing for more ground details and easier controls as well as a ton more action that is typically missing in this genre.  Highly recommended for people who don't usually touch this genre.

DAY 227 / GAME 227 Racedriver GRID

DAY 227 / GAME 227

Racedriver GRID

      After the success of Codemasters DiRT rally game, I was pretty quick to jump on any other racer they pushed out the door.  I had been following the upcoming release of GRID for a while back in 2008 and it turned out even better than I could have ever expected.  I had seen what Codemasters could do with the Colin McRae rally property, but I had no idea if they'd be capable of so many other race disciplines.
          GRID covers a large number of racing disciplines and does a fantastic job on each of them.  It covers everything from GT touring cup championships, drift racing, touge, demolition derby and open wheel.  Pretty much everything except sprint car and rally some of which I had no idea existed before this game.


       Racedriver GRID took an already beautiful and accurate game engine and applied it to some new real life circuits and locations.  The real licensed cars look incredible and include a range from open-wheel roadsters to American muscle cars and Japanese drift machines.  The replay mode especially captured my attention with the ability to control the playback speed within a wide variance.  Controlled with the analog thumbstick, it looks incredible when combined with the fantastic camera angles and brilliant attention to detail including red-hot brake discs and billowing tire smoke.

         GRID features some great racing disciplines that really push your skill level.  For the first time I discovered Japanese touge racing which places you against an opponent, pushing against each other uphill along a mountainside road, then back down.  Strictly no-contact and the best overall time wins.  Essentially what you saw in Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.  GRID also features a variety of drift racing, including freestyle driving which rewards the most points achieved within a limited time as well as some standard circuit style races.  Races are spread out through a calendar year and at season's end you have the option of racing the 24 Hours of LeMans.  Of course, it's not a real 24 hours, but instead compressed into about 24 minutes.  But it does feature a full day-night cycle which really goes far to replicate what real drivers face in that race which includes going from full daylight, to the sun setting in your face and a dark night circuit.  It's easily one of the most unique features of this game and I love it.

     Racedriver GRID is one of my favorite racing games of all time.  Though, I can't say I ever got around to trying GRID 2 with the exception of a small demo at PAX East.  The new GRID Autosport does look absolutely fantastic though and I hear it is a real return to this original game.  I was very close to buying at launch, but I do have a lot on my plate right now.  I don't see myself waiting much longer however.

DAY 226 / GAME 226 Twisted Metal Black

DAY 226 / GAME 226

Twisted Metal Black

      When I discovered that there was a fifth Twisted Metal game, this time on the new (at the time) PlayStation 2 I was pretty excited.  Having purchased the PS2 somewhat late in it's release and not really keeping up on upcoming titles, I had a number of surprises like this where sequels I had no idea existed and I end up discovering them on the shelves dirt cheap.  PS2 discoveries were always especially awesome because quite often they turned out exceptionally great with huge increases in graphical quality and a better handle on controls.  Especially since the PS2 was sold stock with a dual analog controller and developers were sure to take advantage of it.  Twisted Metal Black really was, in the end, an oasis in a sea of bad sequels in the series.  The first and second games were terrific.  Especially the second one.  But as it turns out, SingleTrac, who developed the two games lost the rights to the property, but not the game engine.  So when Sony decided to keep the series running after the success of the second, their in-house developer 989 Studios had to rebuild the game from scratch and it was noticeably poorer for it.

        Years later however, former employees of SingleTrac formed a new company, Incognito.  This new company struck a deal with Sony to produce the latest game in the dyring series, Twisted Metal Black.  It was great.  It felt just like the originals what with similar play styles, handling and physics.  The characters and stories returned to their original potency and my desire to play endlessly returned as well.  

         But more than just a rehash of the first games, Black went out of it's way to be something new.  Darker, more cinematic and perhaps even more violent; Twisted Metal Black use the new console's power to the fullest to reimagine the original production.  Apparently for the first time achieving an "M" rating and even having portions removed from the European release, this really was a 'black' take on an already dark game; considering the first one contained a character who was forcefully bound to his vehicle for life.

         Twisted Metal Black was just this great game.  It was simple, basically a vehicular version of Quake's deathmatch multiplayer.  The cars were full of character and so were their drivers.  Very little competes with a game that contains a killer ice-cream truck drive by a malevolent killer clown.  I enjoyed it in the past and I enjoyed this new release.  I'm was little saddened that it had appeared the series ended with this game, until I discovered there was actually a recently released (2012) title for the PS3.  It somehow slipped under my radar, just like Black did.  Now just to get a hold of a copy.

DAY 225 / GAME 225 R-Type Tactics

DAY 225 / GAME 225

R-Type Tactics

      I am not good at Tactical RPGs.  I never finished La Pucelle's Tactics, never even bothered with Final Fantasy Tactics and generally feel bad for even trying them.  I'm guessing it's the same reason I'm generally terrible at Real Time Strategy games and Sim City style games; I suppose I just don't have the mindset for it.  But the one Tactical RPG I got the furthest in and mostly understood was a spin on the space shoot-em-up R-Type titled: R-Type Tactics, or R-Type Command in the US.  It was a portable title for the Sony PSP, which meant I was more willing to put more hours into it that I would have if it was a console title.  Mainly because I can play it on the train, or during any little bit on downtime that allows me to bust out the portable or pause it and put it to sleep anytime something comes up.  It's simply easier to squeeze in a few minutes here and there which works great in a game that is turn-based and often requires you take the time to strategize and plan each move and it's consequences.


        R-Type Tactics is an interesting take on the series considering it's roots.  R-Type being a classic arcade shoot-em-up who's series of games seemingly ended with the most recent title, R-Type Final on the PS2.  R-Type Tactics on the other hand, is a turn-based tactical RPG that sends you on a mission through the solar-system into the Bydo homeworld to end the alien attacks once and for all.  Each level sets you on a hexagonal grid with the same side-scrolling camera view from the shooter titles.  You progress forward through each level with various goals, typically including the requirement of defeating all the enemy ships in your path.  Each ship has varying stats including weapon power, speed, shields and radar range.  You can send scout ships ahead to see what's coming, repair ships to rescue downed craft, heavy fighters, long range gunners, bombers and all those typically escorting a primary flagship.  

        I especially enjoyed this game because it's focus was on my favorite aspect of the R-Type series.  That being the ship design.  As you move forward you gain access to new ship designs with new and better weapons and utilities.  You layout your starting grid for each level based on a limited number of resources and so you can choose how you want to attack the level; with little or no support and all assault, or something more balanced.  You gain access to various new flagships which offer the ability to repair more ships at once, or are submersible for the new water-based levels.  And of course, you get full stats pages on each ship with 3D rotatable models so you can view them in full glory.  Plus, during combat when your turn is executed you will often get a 3D animated cutscene displaying how it all went down.  It's a completely enjoyable experience.

        I played this pretty far into completion.  In fact, I was sure I had beat the game except that as it turns out, after the credits roll and you defeat the final boss, you actually end up in a reversed role.  After defeating the final Bydo boss, you become infected and start returning to earth as a Bydo force.  This is great because it feels like a game+, being able to experience the whole game over again from a new viewpoint, with all new craft and even more difficult levels.  So difficult in fact that I haven't been able to complete it.  Still, I got an awful lot out of this game and it was easily the one tactical title I was able to enjoy.  In writing this I've discovered there was a sequel made 2 years later in 2009, now I just have to figure out if it's available for purchase outside of Japan and I'm all set! 

DAY 224 / GAME 224 Daytona USA

DAY 224 / GAME 224

Daytona USA

      When I first got my Sega Saturn, it came with a 3-game pack to start that included Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2 and an arcade favorite of mine, Daytona USA.  I've always enjoyed racing games previously on the Genesis and on my PC, but without the ability to properly render the track in 3D they always felt lacking.  There were a few small exceptions; Hard Drivin' and Virtua Racing on the Sega and F-Zero and Mario Kart on the SNES.  But they never quite had the sense of realism that you got with Daytona USA.  And that's bearing in mind that in Daytona USA you drove cars with practically square tires..

       Really though, this was one of the first games that I felt really simulated the 'driving experience'.  Just the fun of rolling along behind the wheel with going forward being your

only objective.  There was an option to run a 99 lap race and at times I would just set that up so I could just drive non-stop for an hour or so.  It was no Tokyo Xtreme Racer, but at the time it was still enough to create that fantastic zen driving experience.  Heck, I don't even like stock car/Nascar racing very much but I had a blast with this game.  It's biggest downfall was that it didn't actually play like a modern racer.  Since it was a port of a Sega arcade game, it's still designed to eat quarters.  So rather than running a full set of laps and hoping to win, you have to battle against a timer and possibly loose even if you are currently holding first place.  The only more modern racer I've seen do that as a major part of the game and get away with it would be Vanishing Point on the Dreamcast.  But it really was a strong game mechanic in it's case.

        We also can't forget about the amazing soundtrack.  It was really super-bad.  It's main track consists of some dude singing about stock car things.  (Check the video beside.)  "This is your crew chief" and "This course is really tough".  It's really absurd and to this day I can't think about this game without hearing "Daaaaayyytooonaaaaaaa" playing in my head.
          So, square tires, (They really weren't able to produce proper curved surfaces at the time.) a terrible soundtrack and an unfortunate arcade conversion.  And yet, it still stuck with me as a super fun game.  Part of it was just due to the timing it was available and the tech was still new and part of it was that it was yet another game that crossed over between arcade and home console.  But either way, it was an enjoyable stepping stone.

DAY 223 / GAME 223 Super Mario 3D World

DAY 223 / GAME 223

Super Mario 3D World

      There's three games that Leia has forced me to play almost to the point of ruining that game for me.  First it was The Maw, then Pikmin 3; currently it's in the hands of Super Mario 3D World for the Nintendo Wii-U.  The upside is that 3D World is such a huge game to explore that although we've been playing it for four months straight we still haven't tired of it.  It's also helpful that this game supports up to 4 players simultaneously and so the two of us enjoy the game together and at times she'll just play it on her own.

       There's been a few key games in the Mario Brothers series that will always stand out as everyone's favorites thanks to solid controls, large selection of levels and immense replayability.  Namely Super Mario Brothers 1, Super Mario Brothers 3, Super Mario World and to a certain extent Super Mario 64.  I hadn't personally come across another Mario title that offered the same charm and tightly refined controls until I tried Super Mario 3D Land on the Nintendo 3DS.  So when it was announced that there was going to be a (sequel?) to this game on the Wii-U, I knew it was a sure buy.

      Super Mario 3D World on the Wii-U may not have the advantage of stereoscopic 3D, but offers up to 4 players at once working cooperatively or competitively (Depending on who you're playing with I suppose.) and the added bonus of 5 different characters to choose from rather than simply Mario and an unlockable Luigi in 3D Land.  This is of course a huge bonus as far as I'm concerned since it really expands the range of appeal for different players.  Especially someone like Leia who is always looking to play a female character and now gets to choose from (shock) two of them as the roster for 3D World includes Mario, Luigi, Toad, Princess Peach and an unlockable Princess Rosalina. (From the Super Mario Galaxy and Mario Kart series.)  And to spice things up a bit, each character features slightly differing traits as we once saw and haven't seen since, Super Mario Brothers 2.

    Super Mario 3D World may not be as tough as some of the older titles but it certainly offers extensive replayability.  After defeating Bowser at the last castle and the credits roll, you are offered access to a whole new set of levels; almost doubling what was on the map.  Though a lot of the levels are 'remixed' versions of earlier levels, they offer a much higher difficulty level and that extra challenge you're looking for.  There's also the star-collecting requirement.  Each level contains 3 stars, some more hidden than others, and some contain a collectible 'stamp'.  The stamps (so far as I know) are just there for collecting but the stars are necessary to continue forward.  Eventually you will find yourself returning to older levels in order to find stars you missed so you can unlock the next set of levels and move on.
      Beyond all this as well, the multiplayer element really changes how the game is played.  Being able to carry, throw and bounce off of other players means accessing otherwise inaccessible areas and finding better ways to defeat bosses.  Which include Bowser's kids again from Super Mario World, something I really enjoyed at the time and was happy to see return.

       Basically, Super Mario 3D World is one of those fantastic gems of a game that is not only quite perfected, but also enjoyable for everyone.  It's graphically beautiful and overall very charming.  This is one of those games that I could label as 'timeless' because I am certain that in a decade or so I will be playing this again in the same way I still play Super Mario World on my Super Nintendo.