Sorry for taking over a month. I was enjoying my last few days of freedom without distraction. Actually, I'm not. Sorry, that is. This isn't a job; just for funsies.
General Stats
Concept: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 9/10
Playability: 10/10
Entertainment: 9/10
Replay Value: Very High
About the Game
Genre: Action/Adventure Shooter
Length: 8-16 hours
Platform: PS3
Review and General Storyline:
Okay, so this is definitely a Top 5 game, behind only Legend of Dragoon, Assassin's Creed II, and Persona 4/Persona 3 FES for me.
Plotwise, this game ranks pretty far up there. It's like DaVinci Code, Indiana Jones and Iron Man (for the snark content and sheer awesomeness) all squished together and molded into the form Nathan Drake. You begin the game by finding Sir Francis Drake (the explorer, like, duh)'s empty coffin at the bottom of the ocean, the only thing inside is Drake's journal.
And then you get attacked by pirates.
(Let's suspend our disbelief for a moment: why shouldn't the notebook be a sodden mess after spending who knows how in the ocean?)
And this is the part of the game where you decide what kind of player you are. If you play on easy (and even normal) thise first few guys can be taken down with very little effort on your part. Your auto-aim (there is a better word for this, I just can't remember it... -edit- correct term after research is, I guess, "aim-assist" -edit/-) makes very short work of these guys.
That is, assuming, you aren't as badass as me, taking them down with a brutal combo, or getting behind them to snap their pretty little necks.
If you play on hard, well... Let's just say that the pirates' aim increases dramatically while your durability is next to nothing. One shot, and bam. Dead.
Ahem. So, eventually, your buddy, Sully, (Victor - GODDAMN - Sullivan) shows up to rescue you from the pirates, and Elana (Drake's eventual love interest) has some issues with priorities--I mean, come on! Ship is on fire, pirates are just a hairsbreadth away, and she goes back to get her
camera? Hello?!--but you get outta there quickly.
(I am vividly reminded for a moment of Hermione Granger; "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse,
expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."Just a thought.)
And then, in the span of a cut scene, you ditch the girl, decipher a clue on a treasure map, and pretty much act like jackasses. More or less.
That brings me to one of the most impressive things about this game: the graphics. The transitions between the cut scenes and the game play is utterly flawless. If you aren't actually playing, just watching, it is ridiculous. Absolutely impossible to tell the person playing is actually doing anything.
I recommend that you do that, at least once, for this game--to watch, not play. At times, it honestly feels like you are watching a movie, it is that good. Well, if the person
playing is that good. If the person sucks, or he's playing on hard or crushing, then it is so obvious that he is playing a game. The added dialogue of the annoyed player is always interesting to listen to, though.
Side-note: I really shouldn't talk, because I've never actually finished it on Hard/Crushing. Just cuz it's so fucking hard. Not to say I haven't tried, I have, but shit, man. Not easy.
The different difficulty settings is what makes this game absolutely great for all gaming types. My sister, a very, very casual gamer, was mostly able to play on easy; and it just gets progressively more difficult for those more serious gamers.
The game follows a linear structure, and you can't deviate from it at all, sometimes you can explore a little, but the creators of this game were adamant about sticking to the story. So, no divergences for you. If they gave you a little more room to move about in, the concept would have probably been higher (though you can't get much higher than an 8).
Again, you will note a major fluctuation in the times--and I intended for this to include just the first play through. You can conceivably get all the trophies in two play throughs (to unlock the more difficult settings), and for experienced game-players, they can go through on normal in about 8 hours, if they push it and skip cut scenes.
It can also, more reasonably, take 3 play-throughs to get everything down, but that isn't the point. The point is, it is possible to take anywhere between 8 and 16hours to complete a run through of the game.
Overall, this game gets a 9 out of 10 for three reasons: the dialogue between Sully and Drake is hysterical ("You brought a hooker to church?!"), the graphics are phenomenal, and it is a great game for all player types--everyone can gain at least a little amusement from this game.
This game will constantly have you either: chuckling, cursing, and/or on the edge of your seat.
Showing posts with label naughty dog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label naughty dog. Show all posts
Monday, September 17, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
PS2: JAK and Daxter, The Precursor Legacy
I warn you now (and realize that I probably should have warned you in the introduction, but I am lazy and don't like thinking ahead) that all my reviews will be biased and there will be a foul language abundance.
General Stats
Concept: 8/10
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Playability: 9/10
Entertainment: 9/10
Replay Value: Very High
About the Game
Genre: Action/Adventure Platformer
Length: 8-20 hours
Platform: PS2
Review and General Storyline:
Alright, this game begins with Jak and his buddy, Daxter, exploring the dangerous Misty Island, and generally doing shit they aren't supposed to do--like exploring Misty Island.
Cute little cut scene and BAM. Best friend Daxter goes swimming in some Dark Eco and is now an Ottsel. That is a mix between an otter and a weasel, in case you were wondering (I was, so I did a little research).
And, you guys are totally in trouble with the Old Green Sage Samos, so he kicks you off to Training Rock, which is a seriously useful level. Here you learn pretty much all you need to know to kick ass throughout the entire game.
Eco, as you learn, is some pretty awesome shit. Green will heal you, Blue makes you fast, Red makes you strong, and Yellow shoots fireball things. Oh, and Dark Eco, obviously will kick your ass--you get hurt if you touch it and die if you fall in it. Ouch.
But these first few levels--Sandover Village, Sentinel Beach and the Forbidden Jungle--are very easy and teach you all the controls. If you can't get through these first few levels, there is now way that you can get past some of the later levels--because some of those get hard.
Anyway, the point of this game is to generally collect power cells. They power your A-GRAV zoomer and keep you from being lava bait. You collect them for Kiera, a babe that has both Jak and Daxter drooling after her--and she is the crotchety old Sage's daughter. That kind of defines the game. You need 20 to upgrade your heat shield the first time to get you to Rock Village, then 45 to upgrade your anti-gravity device to get through the Mountain Pass to Volcanic Crater, then 72 to power your second heat upgrade and go through the Lava Tube. Finally, 100 (or 101, depending on your awesomeness) power cells are needed to unlock the "secret" ending.
You also need to collect Precursor Orbs, which act kind of like currency--they allow you to buy Power Cells from various villagers. There are like 2,000 total, but you only need just shy of 1,600 to buy all the Power Cells--and you will be considered totally kickass if you can do that, because there are some seriously tricky spots (including 10 in the junction between Spider Cave and Volcanic Crater).
ANYWAY, mini-games. I live for some of these mini-games, if only because they are so freaking hard. The first one, in the Forbidden Jungle, is to catch 200 lbs of fishies. There are 5 lb fishies and 1 lb fishies, then there are Poisonous Eels--nasty little buggers--and if you catch a single one of them, the guy takes his net back and you have to start all over again. Super frustrating, but I feel like a boss when I finish it.
So, while you are attempting to turn Daxter back into a human, you end up kicking Lurker ass, rescuing all of the Sages, zooming on your zoomer, defending a swamp from critters, flit around on a Flut-Flut, spend time in a volcano, on a snowy mountain, chill on the beach, and explore some ruins. Easy.
The final level, the Citadel, defines this game. It weeds out the boys from the men, the women from the girls, the babies from the big kids. It defines a platformer--there is so much jumping, so much precision, just so much, that if you aren't dedicated, you might just quit. I thought about it, did, in fact, a few times. But then I set aside a couple of hours and made it to the very top. That is where I met the mother of all bad guys. Seriously. Super hard boss fight that ended up making me want to pull my frigging hair out. And then--freedom. You finish the game. Done. Kaput.
Like I said, this game, if you motor through and only get enough Power Cells and Precursor Orbs to finish the game, then it can take as little as 6 hours. It is also entirely possible to 100% the game in a single sitting, 10 hours, if you are good. If you are an inexperienced gamer and OCD and have to get everything, at the very pinnacle, this game will take 15-20 hours.
This is another great game for casual players. There are places that require some skill, but it is entirely possible to bumble your way to the very top--it just takes some persistence. I've only finished this one twice, possibly, but I've gone through the first few levels at least 10 times, and can 100% it in my sleep almost. The more you play, the better you will be.
Overall, I give this game a 9 out of 10. The dialogue of Daxter and the laconic Jak is hysterical and ups the replay value to very high all by itself.
General Stats
Concept: 8/10
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Playability: 9/10
Entertainment: 9/10
Replay Value: Very High
About the Game
Genre: Action/Adventure Platformer
Length: 8-20 hours
Platform: PS2
Review and General Storyline:
Alright, this game begins with Jak and his buddy, Daxter, exploring the dangerous Misty Island, and generally doing shit they aren't supposed to do--like exploring Misty Island.
Cute little cut scene and BAM. Best friend Daxter goes swimming in some Dark Eco and is now an Ottsel. That is a mix between an otter and a weasel, in case you were wondering (I was, so I did a little research).
And, you guys are totally in trouble with the Old Green Sage Samos, so he kicks you off to Training Rock, which is a seriously useful level. Here you learn pretty much all you need to know to kick ass throughout the entire game.
Eco, as you learn, is some pretty awesome shit. Green will heal you, Blue makes you fast, Red makes you strong, and Yellow shoots fireball things. Oh, and Dark Eco, obviously will kick your ass--you get hurt if you touch it and die if you fall in it. Ouch.
But these first few levels--Sandover Village, Sentinel Beach and the Forbidden Jungle--are very easy and teach you all the controls. If you can't get through these first few levels, there is now way that you can get past some of the later levels--because some of those get hard.
Anyway, the point of this game is to generally collect power cells. They power your A-GRAV zoomer and keep you from being lava bait. You collect them for Kiera, a babe that has both Jak and Daxter drooling after her--and she is the crotchety old Sage's daughter. That kind of defines the game. You need 20 to upgrade your heat shield the first time to get you to Rock Village, then 45 to upgrade your anti-gravity device to get through the Mountain Pass to Volcanic Crater, then 72 to power your second heat upgrade and go through the Lava Tube. Finally, 100 (or 101, depending on your awesomeness) power cells are needed to unlock the "secret" ending.
You also need to collect Precursor Orbs, which act kind of like currency--they allow you to buy Power Cells from various villagers. There are like 2,000 total, but you only need just shy of 1,600 to buy all the Power Cells--and you will be considered totally kickass if you can do that, because there are some seriously tricky spots (including 10 in the junction between Spider Cave and Volcanic Crater).
ANYWAY, mini-games. I live for some of these mini-games, if only because they are so freaking hard. The first one, in the Forbidden Jungle, is to catch 200 lbs of fishies. There are 5 lb fishies and 1 lb fishies, then there are Poisonous Eels--nasty little buggers--and if you catch a single one of them, the guy takes his net back and you have to start all over again. Super frustrating, but I feel like a boss when I finish it.
So, while you are attempting to turn Daxter back into a human, you end up kicking Lurker ass, rescuing all of the Sages, zooming on your zoomer, defending a swamp from critters, flit around on a Flut-Flut, spend time in a volcano, on a snowy mountain, chill on the beach, and explore some ruins. Easy.
The final level, the Citadel, defines this game. It weeds out the boys from the men, the women from the girls, the babies from the big kids. It defines a platformer--there is so much jumping, so much precision, just so much, that if you aren't dedicated, you might just quit. I thought about it, did, in fact, a few times. But then I set aside a couple of hours and made it to the very top. That is where I met the mother of all bad guys. Seriously. Super hard boss fight that ended up making me want to pull my frigging hair out. And then--freedom. You finish the game. Done. Kaput.
Like I said, this game, if you motor through and only get enough Power Cells and Precursor Orbs to finish the game, then it can take as little as 6 hours. It is also entirely possible to 100% the game in a single sitting, 10 hours, if you are good. If you are an inexperienced gamer and OCD and have to get everything, at the very pinnacle, this game will take 15-20 hours.
This is another great game for casual players. There are places that require some skill, but it is entirely possible to bumble your way to the very top--it just takes some persistence. I've only finished this one twice, possibly, but I've gone through the first few levels at least 10 times, and can 100% it in my sleep almost. The more you play, the better you will be.
Overall, I give this game a 9 out of 10. The dialogue of Daxter and the laconic Jak is hysterical and ups the replay value to very high all by itself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)