Friday Night Beer N' Game

This Week's Beer: Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

This Week's Game: Ninja Gaiden

The Beer: Harvest Moon is basically Blue Moon with more spices. Upon drinking it taste like any other American Ale, but when swallowed the full range of flavors hits you. First nutmeg, then a little clove, but when your taste buds start to settle down, you get this brew's most predominant flavor of pumpkin; as if you had just finished a piece of pumpkin pie. The first thought that crossed my mind was "Well that's kinda weird." The second was my brain telling my arm to lift it up for another swig. Weird, but in a good way. This is part of Blue Moon's seasonal collection, so I'd recommend picking some up soon, before it's all gone.

The Game: Ninja Gaiden on the NES is a game for anyone who loves screaming profanities at the top of their lungs. Don't get me wrong, this is a great game, but goddamn is it hard. Your only solace is knowing that every other person whose ever played this game shares the same frustration. Ninja Gaiden isn't just known for it's difficulty though, It's also known for it's fast paced gameplay, tight controls, great music, oh, and cutscenes. Though it may be extremely common nowadays, back in 1989, gamers were amazed at the level of depth a game's story could be, and Ninja Gaiden is considered to be the first (console) game to feature cutscenes.

So there, you got drunk, had a history lesson, and broke an NES controller all in a short period of time. Why? Because the best way to kick off the weekend is with a Friday Night Beer N' Game!

Happy Halloween!!

Jet Grind Radio

Jet Grind Radio is one of them games that isn't afraid to be different. This game, like the characters that reside inside it, continually marches to the beat of its own drum while simultaneously flipping off the statas quo. I just got my Dreamcast, (my collection of consoles is almost complete) and I figured what better way to break in my new system, than with one of it's greatest games. So strap on those skates, and turn the volume to 11, because we're gonna go for a ride.

Background: Jet SET Radio was unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show in 1999. It received a generous amount of attention due to it's revolutionary Cel-Shaded graphics, which give 3d graphics a "Cartoonish" look. Jet Set Radio was developed by Japanese game company Smilebit, and published by SEGA for the Dreamcast. It was released November 1, 2000 in North America, retitled Jet Grind Radio.

Jet Grind Radio sold relatively well, but failed to leave it's mark in history on a console that was slowly fading into obscurity. I never got a chance to play this game back in the Dreamcast's glory days, but I do remember seeing commercials of it on TV, and actually commenting on the "3d cartoon style." So far only one sequel has been released, JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future, for the Xbox. Sporting better graphics and better controls, JSRF is considered by many to be just as good (if not better) than it's predecessor. Recently talks of a third game in development for the Wii have sprung up. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but seeing as how the Wii has become a haven for original (and fun) games, I think it's only a matter of time before we'll be tagging the streets again.

Story: This is defiantly the weakest point of Jet Grind Radio, but that doesn't mean much. To me, a good game is defined by good gameplay or a good story, preferably it would have both, but I would still like a game if the gameplay was awesome and the story wasn't that great, or vice versa. That seems to be the case for most people who play Jet Grind Radio, they play for the gameplay. Don't get me wrong the story isn't terrible, just don't be expecting anything too epic or complex. This game, however, isn't about having storytime, it's about fun. The way I see it, a complex story attached to this game would only harm it's fun and carefree atmosphere. So don't read too much into it and just have fun. Well with that out off the way...

Beat, a 17 year old runaway, decides to start his own gang of skaters and graffiti artists after being shunned by every other gang. After proving himself, he eventually gets his first two members, Gum and Tab. The game takes place in the city of Tokyo-to, a city that resembles Tokyo but isn't. Beat's gang is known as the GG's, and their home turf is the shopping district of Tokyo-to, Shibuya-cho. Benten-cho, and Kogane-cho are the two other sections of the city, and are home to the rival gangs the Noise Tanks, and Poison Jam respectively. Another rival gang, the Love Shockers, resides it Shibuya-cho.

You start the game by battling the Love Shockers, an all girls gang made up of heartbroken lovers, as they tag your turf with their graffiti. Soon after, you challenge Poison Jam, a group of thugs that wear fish costumes, kinda like Kratos in Cod of War. While you were away in Kogane-cho, the technophile otaku gang, the Noise Tanks, kidnaps your dog and attaches an Ipod to his brain. All the while you're in battle over the right to run the particular area, the police, led by Captain Onishima, are out to arrest you by any means necessary. The majority of the story is narrated by Professor K, the DJ of the pirate radio station Jet Set Radio.

Okay, so I probably made the story sound more complicated than it really is... oh well.

Gameplay: The gameplay revolves around skating and graffiti. The object of each level is to find all the red arrows, which represent where a rival gang has tagged, and cover up their graffiti with your own. You skate around grinding on rails and doing crazy tricks while picking up spray paint cans. When you reach a red arrow, you pull the left trigger on the controller to start spraying. There are three sizes of graffiti you can spray, small, large and extra large. With the small graffiti all you have to do is pull the trigger and your art is complete. The large and extra large take some more work and more paint, but also give your more points. When you press the trigger, you will enter a mini game. Arrows will appear at the bottom of the screen, and you must move the control stick in the way the arrow designates. If you mess up, you waste a can of paint, and lose some points. Boss battles play pretty much the same way, only the object here is to spay your opponent while they run away from you.

The gameplay is extremely fun and satisfying, but can be frustrating at times. The biggest problem I have is the camera control, in which you pull the L trigger to position the camera directly behind you. This creates a split second jump in the gameplay and can be disorienting at times, especially if there happens to be something behind you. What's even more annoying is the fact that the L trigger is also used to initiate the graffiti scenes. This normally isn't too problematic, until the boss battles. In each boss battle there are three opponents that are running away from you, each of them must be sprayed ten times in order to defeat them. The problem is if you go to spray them but aren't close enough, the camera moves. So what do you do? You pull the trigger again, and you're still too far away, and the camera jumps again. So all the while your trying to tag your enemy, the screen is doing this strobe effect; it doesn't really give me a headache or make me nauseous, but it makes the game look cheap, and takes away some of it's shine.

My only other problem is the weird controls. There not bad, but they take some getting used to. So overall the gameplay is good, nothing spectacular and I was a little disappointed when I found out that all you have to do in order to do a trick is to have enough speed and jump, no complex mid-air controller inputs. There are a lot of other cool features Jet Grind Radio has. For one it has a cast of ten playable characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You also have the ability to change up graffiti, create your own, or download more from SEGA or other players, so the artwork never gets old. Anyone who plays this game will probably play with a smile on their face, I know I did. Even though the gameplay has it's short comings, it's still overall an enjoyable experience.

Graphics: Now we're talking. Few games before, and few games since have had such a unique and colorful style to them. Jet Grind Radio is considered to be the first game to feature cel- shaded graphics, a technique that has now become synonymous with unique games. Not only that the game has a very "Japanese" feeling to it; From Beat wearing goggles, to the anime billboards spread all over Tokyo-to. Usually I state graphical errors that I have noticed, but I haven't run into any. What more can I say? At the time of it's release, Jet Grind Radio showcased some of the best graphics the video game industry had ever seen, and certainly showed off the Dreamcast's capabilities. So, from a graphical stand point, this game is, at least for me, flawless.

Music: This is definitely Jet Grind Radio's greatest achievement. The music is undoubtedly some of the best I have ever heard in my 15+ years of gaming. Every song is like a funky ride into euphoria. It's a combination of rap, hip-hop, funk, techno, rock, metal, pop, soul, and god knows what else the artists of these songs threw in to make an awesome tune. Hell I could almost just turn the game on just to play around with the sound test. The music fits so well with the carefree nature of the game and it's characters, and also goes well with the scenery of the city. If you like any of the genres of music listed, you're sure to love the upbeat music featured in this game.

Originality: SEGA has always had a knack for creating original games, (**cough NiGHTS Into Dreams cough**) and Jet Grind Radio is one of their best. We need more games that feature this much color and style, instead of the dark and dreary post-apocalyptic environments that seem to be in every game as of late. Hmm... if only some company that starts with an S and ends with a EGA would make a new console, we might see more of games that aren't afraid to take a chance. Please SEGA....no? Damn.

Overview:

Story: 3/5

Gameplay: 4/5

Graphics: 5/5

Music: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Difficulty: Medium

Learning Curve: Slightly High

Length: Average, About 5 Hours

Best Part: Funky Music

Worst Part: Camera Control

Total Score 4.4 Worth Every Penny

Conclusion: The Dreamcast may be a thing of the past, but it's games like Jet Grind Radio that keep it alive ten years later. While it hasn't aged as well as some of the other Dreamcast titles, back at the start of the new millennium, this was top of the line. Jet Grind Radio is a game that should by no means be taken seriously. It's about having fun and listening to some good tunes, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Next Post Hint: "I Gotta Believe!!"

Friday Night Beer N' Game

Beer of the Week: Guinness

Game of the Week: Super Mario World

The Beer: Guinness is probably the greatest beer ever made. It's dark, smooth, and most importantly, it gives a giant middle finger to the supposed "King of Beers". Its dark amber coloring is often mistaken for black, especially with it's thick, off white head. While most beers lose their head after only a few minutes, Guinness' sticks around from the time it's poured, to the very last drop. Unfortunately Guinness has gotten some unjust prejudice from the majority of American Drinkers, due to it's dark color. People assume just because it's dark, that it's bitter as well, and never try this wonderful Irish brew. The way I see it though is, if you judge a beer by it's color, your unworthy of drinking it. All Hail the True King of Beers!

The Game: Super Mario World is one of my favorite games on the Super Nintendo. Hell, do you know one person with a SNES that doesn't own at least one copy of this game? I sure don't. This is the game that set the standard for what was to come on Nintendo's 16 bit console. Even though I grew up rooting for Sega, I cannot deny that Mario's jump into the next generation, was a work of art that had even the blue hedgehog himself saying "Oh Shit!" Spectacular levels filled with color and secrets that put the previous Mario games to shame, and Yoshi. How awesome is it to stomp on enemies, or eat them only to spit them back up and kill yet another foe. Man this game is great, and you know what else? It's hard as fuck! I swear they designed this game just to screw with you. Giving you a bunch of easy levels, and then one that Makes you want to chuck your controller at the T.V. Damn it's hard, but not so hard that it's unenjoyable and, this may have been a coincidence, but it sure seemed like the game got easier after my second pint. Weird huh?

So pour yourself a Guinness, (the proper way!) dust off that Super Nintendo, and play some Super Mario World, because there's no better way to kick off the weekend than with a Friday Night Beer N' Game!

Shadow of the Colossus

Yeah I know I'm skipping over this game's predecessor, Ico, which is more of a cult hit than Shadow of the Colossus is, but I have a good reason for that. I don't own Ico... yet. But rest assured when I do get my hands on it I will review it promptly. Besides it kinda works that I should review Shadow of the Colossus first; people who have played both these games will have already realized why, so anyway on with the review.

Background: Developed by Team Ico under the working title Nico, (short for Next Ico) Shadow of the Colossus proved to be something different right from the beginning. Fumito Ueda, lead designed of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico, expressed that he wanted to make a game that was similar to Ico, but also remained completely different. He wanted to make the game feel as "organic" as possible, in order to do this the game had to be programed from the ground up to allow for more immersible gameplay and realistic in game physics.

Overall Shadow of the Colossus has been well received, and has been praised as one of the PS2's best titles by critics and fans alike.

Story: The story revolves around a young man named Wander, who has brought the body of his girlfriend to a far off temple in hopes to bring her back to life using an ancient spell. Upon arriving a disembodied voice tells Wander that in order to bring her back to life he will have to seek out and slay the 16 Colossi that roam the surrounding lands. Wander is warned that the price of the ritual will be heavy, but he states that it does not matter, and along with his trusty horse Agro, sets off in search of the Colossi.

Almost all of the story is told at the beginning and the end, with little being told during the actual game. While playing you get a sense of loneliness and foreboding, as if slaying each Colossi is an unforgivable sin. You are never sure until the very end if what you are doing is right or wrong, or inconsequential. There are no enemies other than the Colossi, no villages, towns or other characters in which you can interact with. It's just you and your horse, so naturally you start to bond with the only living thing that doesn't try to kill you. All in all this is a very dark game that blurs the lines between right and wrong, while at the same time promoting companionship and undying love, and I for one am glad to have experienced such an amazing story.

Gameplay: As you probably already guessed, the Colossi are huge. Like REALLY huge, and the only way to defeat them is to find the weak points on their bodies, climb to them (yeah, your climbing on the Colossi) and inflict some serious damage by stabbing with your sword. This is easier said than done though; the Colossi know why your there and will do whatever it takes to stop you, whether that be crushing you with their weapons, shaking you off their bodies until you fall, or stomping on you with there massive feet. Though before you can fight them you will first have to find them, which is a feat all it's own.

You start off at the temple, and by holding your sword to the sun a beam will appear which shows you exactly where the immense beast is. The challenge in this is determining whether you need to go around something, climb over it, or deviate to another area to find the correct path. The lands are immense and almost completely devoid of life. While riding your horse to your next destination, you will notice plenty of ruined structures, which makes you wonder what took place in this land, who built these monuments, and what happened to them.

As much as I love Shadow of the Colossus, it is one of the most frustrating games I have ever played. Each Colossus has a different way in which to beat it, your job is to find out how to defeat it, making it somewhat like a puzzle game. This is fine, but you start to feel stupid after about twenty minutes of trying to find a way up the Colossus. Not to mention the whole time your trying to figure out what to do, you are running from, or dodging incoming attacks. Don't get me wrong I don't think they should have changed this and made it easier, I'm just saying prepare yourself (and your family) for a lot of four lettered curse words. When you finally slay the beast, a cutscene will show it's last moments of life. You'll feel really excited that you won for about two seconds, and the remainder of the cutscene is spent wondering if what you did was right, or feeling stupid that you had to look up how to beat the colossus on the Internet.

Graphics: The graphics are gorgeous, and really give off that organic feel that Ueda was talking about. The world, like the colossi is massive, and almost everything can be interacted with. The colossi move around while you are climbing them, making you feel as if you were actually ten stories in the air, fighting for your life, while the scenery reacts when the Colossi strikes it, by crumbling or shaking. The lighting is believable; when climbing, the various parts of the Colossi cast a shadow that stretches and warps depending on the location of the light source. Overall the art and design of the Colossi work together to give off a wonderful graphical appeal that shows off the capabilities of the Playstation 2.

There are a few graphical errors that I have noticed. First of all, there are a few glitches in the scenery or while climbing a Colossi, and since so much is going on the framerate does tend to drop from time to time. Secondly, horse riding isn't as responsive as it should be. Sometimes I'll go to turn, but the horse will just keep on going, only to run into whatever is ahead. You tap the X button to spur the horse and increase your speed, but it seems like the horse only listens when it wants to. From what I've heard, the designers wanted to make the horse more realistic, by making it random if the horse listens or not, because horses in real life don't always listen to commands. That makes sense, but when I'm trying to avoid a tree, and the horse runs straight into it, how realistic is that? I don't know of any horses that would willing run into trees just to say "Hey Fuck you."

Music: The music is really where Shadow of the Colossus shines. As usual I don't have much to say about the music, since it's hard to describe something that's meant to be heard, but I will say it's amazing. It does the job of sucking you in, and bringing the events alive. Each Colossi has it's own epic score; combine that with the sound effects that Wander, and Agro make during the gameplay and it really feels like your part of the action. But what I find coolest about the music, is when there is none. While searching for the next Colossi, the only sounds you hear are from Wander, Agro, and the wind. This is a brilliant device in which to create the feeling of solitude, and when the music starts up for the battle, it only feels that much more epic.

As I said before, when you finally slay a Colossi, it feels as if you did something wrong. This, again, is due to the music. During the cutscene of the Colossi's death, you hear somber music, along with the grunts and groans of the Colossi struggling to hold onto life. This same music is played at the end of each battle, and no matter how many times you hear it, it evokes the same feeling.

Originality: Wandering in a desolate land, fighting only enemies that tower above you, and wondering the entire time if you are playing as a hero or a villain. Shadow of the Colossus gets big points from me in the originality department. Can you think of any game that even comes close to being like this? I sure can't.

Overview:

Story: 4/5

Gamplay: 4/5

Graphics: 4/5

Music: 5/5

Originality: 5/5

Difficulty: Hard

Learning Curve: High

Length: Average, about 7.5 hours

Best Part: The Ending, Wow!

Worst Part: Can be frustrating

Total Score: 4.4 Worth Every Penny

Conclusion: For a game that is truly unique, and an adventure that is larger than life, look no further. You won't be disappointed, especially since this is now a Playstaion Greatest Hits, and can be picked up for around $20. So what are you waiting for pick up Shadow of the Colossus now.

Next Post Hint: In order to save Tokyo, we'll have to graffiti the hell out of it!

Random Video Game: Boom Boom Rocket

Well it's my off week, which means I'm still working on my next review. So to stick to my once a week post I decided that whenever I have an off week I will deviate from the cult classics to write about whatever else that interests me in the video game world, whatever that may be.

Boom Boom Rocket is a downloadable game from Xbox Live Arcade, though it came on a disc with my 360. The goal of the game is to trigger the explosions of fireworks in time with the music, as if you were putting on a huge display for the city below. Arrows representing the rockets fly upwards towards a line at the top of the screen; to blow it up, you have to hit the correct direction on your D-pad at the precise moment the arrow hits the line. The screen floats about as if you were in a helicopter, making it more challenging because the rockets always come from a different place.

The game is full of color, and is a complete joy to watch, let alone play. There are three different difficulties, easy, medium, and hard, but don't think that just because your good at other rhythm games you can skip right ahead and take on hard mode. The first time I played I remember thinking to myself, "Ha, I'm a master of Guitar Hero, this will be a piece of cake." Oh how I was wrong, so wrong.

All of the songs are of the classical variety, but are remixed into some pretty funky techno tracks. The game is short, simple and to the point. You'll probably learn how to play faster than other rhythm games, but don't expect to master it over night, but luckily the enjoyability will keep you coming back for more. So crack a beer, light up that big ol' HDTV of yours with some color and play some Boom Boom Rocket!