Delays, delays, delays. Delays everywhere! BioShock Infinite, Tomb Raider, the South Park RPG from THQ, and Itagaki’s Devil’s Third (also from THQ) all got hit by delays in the past few days. And Devil’s Third might not make it out the door entirely. Man, it’s like video games take a lot of hard work, time, and money to make or something.

Silent Hill: Book of Memories was hit by a second delay during this Great Delay Wave. Konami pushed it back without telling anyone — its second time being so stealthy. All the other games’ delays were publicly announced, so it’s odd Konami would take the not-telling-your-parents-about-that-math-test-you-failed route. It works for a couple of days, then your teacher calls home. Or Destructoid and the rest of the Internet checks the game’s Amazon listing.

Since I got to play an early build of Book of Memories last Fall at an event held by Konami at Beats by Dr. Dre in Soho, Manhattan, (where also got a look at Downpour and the unfortunate Silent Hill HD Collection), I figured I’d say a bit about what the version I played was like, and perhaps shed some some light as to why it’s been pushed back again (this time to a more fitting October 31 release date).

So, Book of Memories is a PlayStation Vita title in development by WayForward, the studio behind Aliens: Infestation for Nintendo DS and BloodRayne: Betrayal for XLBA and PSN. They usually take on projects associated with long-running franchises, like Aliens and BloodRayne, and also Contra, Thor, and other licenses. The Internet goes crazy over them, but as I confess in my BloodRayne review, I  see WayForward as the card sharks in the “Almost Got ‘Im” episode of the Batman: Animated Series. Charming, but they… fall short. It was a matter of time, I suppose, until they franchise-hopped to Silent Hill. As you can tell just by looking at screenshots, Book of Memories has little to do with previous games in the survival horror series.

Most notably, it’s not a survival horror game. It’s played from a top-down perspective in an arcadey, Gauntlet-like dungeon-crawler fashion. It also has little to do with previous WayForward games. Their biggest strength, charming 2D spritework, is nowhere to be found here. It makes sense to go for 3D graphics in a Silent Hill game, but the graphics quality wasn’t exactly spectacular. This was evident in the amateurish menu design and character customization as well. Visually, Book of Memories resembled a middle-road iOS game, not a $40 PlayStation Vita game.

Would you pony up 40 bones/smackers/simoleons for this?

I spent a decent amount of time with the demo, mainly doing the same thing over and over, going from room to room, defeating indecipherable creatures and gathering keys to unlock more rooms. I kept playing to try and find the main “hook” to the game, but I wasn’t finding it. It seemed pretty standard. Creating a character from scratch provided a tiny bit of satisfaction. I got to give a goth girl a stovepipe hat. There wasn’t really much else to customize though. Characters came in pre-set templates and “personalization” amounted to giving them accessories like hats. Hrm.

Cooperative multiplayer is supposed to be in the game, but I didn’t have anyone to play with at last Autumn’s event. The rep there only had one PS Vita for everyone there.

Daniel Licht, who composed the music for Downpour, apparently returns. I couldn’t discern any specific tunes in the noisy area I was playing, but his involvement can only be a boon. He did a good job continuing the same kind of sound series composer/creator Akira Yamaoka established for the series.

Supposedly, past Silent Hill characters will return, though it’s unknown in what capacity. Pyramid Head’s a shoe-in, for sure. He’s like Stan Lee appearing in all the Marvel movies at this point. But I don’t know what good it would do, to have Harry, James and Heather involved.

An oven. Yes, this game needed to go back in the oven.

Eventually, I grew tired playing the demo. I got lost — there was no map or indication of where I was or where I had to go; the game suffered from Every Area Looks the Same Syndrome — and handed the PS Vita off to another journo. Months later, I’d find out the game’s been delayed a bunch of times. And with good reason. It wasn’t ready, not nearly. It just wasn’t fun. There was nothing to it. It didn’t take advantage of the PS Vita’s power or capabilities, nor was there was any way it could justify being a $40 retail title in a time when cheap, digital releases offer far more fun and visual quality for a fraction of that price.

There was no way it was going to make its March date in that state. Or its June date now that I think about. There hasn’t been a new scrap of info or anything since the Soho event. It’s only been nebulous release dates.

With the complaints lobbed at the glitchy, unfinished HD Collection (still waiting for those game-fixing patches), the Silent Hill series is yet another legacy franchise in hot water at the moment. We can hope Konami and WayForward use this long delay to turn Book of Memories – and the franchise’s reputation — around. And maybe all this playing it close to the chest stuff could work out well. It worked for Downpour.

It seems strange that the SEGA Saturn under performed after the Genesis’ success, but it suffered numerous issues that crippled the console.

The issues began with sloppy marketing. Kalinske (the then SEGA of America CEO) announced that the Saturn would be released on “Saturnday” September 2, 1995 giving gamers and developers time to save up cash and create games, respectively. But at the first ever E3 (May, 1995) Kalinske and SEGA released the console months before the initial date, and exclusively to Toys ‘R’ Us, Software Etc., and EB Games. This unexpected direction shift led to some retailers boycotting the console, and actually promoting and pushing Sony’s PlayStation, the Saturn’s biggest competitor, instead. Gamers were pissed, too, as the Saturn’s early release resulted in a game shortage–only six games were available at launch. The risky move proved costly.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Saturn had the potential to destroy its competitors (Sony PlayStation, Nintendo 64), but it came with a hefty price: $399.99, which was $100 more than the PlayStation. Yes, the hardware did justify the price, with its dual CPUs and six processors. Unfortunately, this made development extremely difficult. Both CPU’s had issues accessing the console’s RAM at the same time, thus leading to long and tedious game development times. Some ports even were redone altogether to run on the Saturn, but this resulted in subpar releases and a software drought. This changed over time, but it took SEGA manning the helm and showing other developers how to harness the console’s potential. As a result, the best Saturn games are first-party titles.

The development challenges that the Saturn created led to a number of studios bolting to the PlayStation. On paper, Sony’s PlayStation had inferior hardware, but it was easier to program. Many SEGA fans abandoned ship and purchased a PlayStation. Sony exclusives like Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, Twisted Metal, and Warhawk helped solidify their decisions. By 1996, Nintendo also knocked on SEGA’s doors with its Nintendo 64 and one of the greatest games of all time, Super Mario 64.

Top Left: 3D Control Pad, Top Right: Saturn Wheel, Bottom: Saturn Virtua Stick

By this point, SEGA was running out of options, but continued to fight the console war by porting over a number of its arcade hits. Virtual Fighter 2 ended up becoming the consoles best seller, and SEGA Rally Championship proved another popular title despite graphical issues. Virtual Cop also made its way over, gamers began to realize that like the Master System, only SEGA would truly support the system.

It’s not a surprise that arcade ports carried the console through the mid ’90s–SEGA’s arcade systems were flourishing. The Model’s I-III arcade boards were extremely successful. These boards gave birth to the Virtual Fighter series which improved with each board iteration. The Virtual Cop series was a fan favorite at the arcades also, and SEGA Rally Championship could be found in a many malls and theaters across America.

Click here to view the embedded video.

NiGHTS into Dreams
This is one of the most creative games SEGA has ever released. Players take control of Nights and visit children’s dreams in order to obtain a magical item. The dreams consist of a Nightopia section where the world is bright beautiful and peaceful, along with a Nightmare section where things usually take turns for the worse. The gameplay consists of flying through a series of rings in an aerial obstacle course, collecting different colored items. NiGHTS in Dreams has a whimsical soundtrack that really captures the game’s imaginative theme. The soundtrack is so good that songs from the game appeared in other SEGA titles.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Panzer Dragoon
Panzer Dragoon drew comparisons to Star Fox due to the on-rails gameplay. Players ride around a dragon and engage enemies using a handgun and the dragon’s homing attack. The game’s graphics outshined other titles on the platform, and the sound track is considered one of Yoshitaka Azuma’s greatest compositions. Panzer Dragoon saw follow-ups that ended with its sequel Panzer Dragoon Otra on the Xbox.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Virtual Fighter 2
The original Virtual Fighter deserves recognition, but the Saturn port is so inferior to the arcade version that it missed this list. However, with its sequel came a vast number of improvements. Firstly, VF2 is a technical marvel that runs at 60 frames per second. It also adds two characters that expands an already deep roster.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Quite frankly Editor-in-chief Jefferey Wilson might kill me for not including this game. But seriously this is one of the better games in the Saturns lack luster library. Symphony of the Night follows Alucard, Dracula’s estranged son who isn’t to fond of the family business. The Saturn version is praised for having smoother sprites and better audio quality, it’s actually one of the only multi-platform titles that was better on the Saturn. If you aren’t familiar with the series by now, you might wanna consider a different hobby other than gaming.

Click here to view the embedded video.

SEGA Rally Championship
Before Gran Turismo, SEGA Rally Championship was THE console racer to play. It’s a port of the wildly successful arcade games, but it isn’t the most accurate port.  There are frame rate issues, and the graphics are extremely blocky and jagged. Still, it’s fondly remembered to this day.

Next: Death of the Dream
The success that SEGA gained with the Genesis was quickly lost with the Saturn. The console ended up in a distant last place behind the Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation, but behind the scenes SEGA worked on its next console, which would also be its last.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Given the struggles of the Master System, it was shocking that SEGA produced a successor so soon. It only took three years after the release of the Master System for the SEGA Genesis (SEGA Megadrive in Japan) to launch in the United States in August 1989. In Japan, SEGA continued to struggle against the NES (and later the Super Nintendo), but in other markets, primarily the American market, the SEGA Genesis flourished. SEGA learned from the many mistakes it made with the Master System…but went on to make fresh ones.

The SEGA Surge
The company’s arcade presence exploded during the late ’80s and early ’90s, which saw the rise of popular titles like Golden Axe, Space Harrier, and Super Hang-On. SEGA ported those hot properties to the Genesis with the marketing slogan “Genesis does what Nintendon’t.” A bold, and genius, move.

SEGA continued to make drastic changes by replacing Michael Katz with Tom Kalinske as CEO of SEGA of America and relieving Tonka of marketing duties. This brought a variety of successful changes to the company. Initially, the Genesis came bundled with Altered Beast, but Kalinske replaced the game with Sonic The Hedgehog. Sonic received amazing reviews, gaining high praise for being a solid platformer with slick controls and interesting level design. This pushed gamers to purchase a Genesis, and nearly doubled the Genesis’ sales. SEGA continued to promote the Genesis as the superior, “cooler” console after the Super Nintendo arrived on American shores, and due to it’s larger game library and cheaper price, gamers flocked to the console.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Kalineske continued to make memorable marketing decisions in print and television commercials. SEGA compared the Super Nintendo to the Genesis side-by-side in what may have been the first console smear campaign. The commercial depicted an F-1 car with a SEGA Genesis attached to its rear, and an old van powered by a Super Nintendo. The commercial showcased how much faster and graphically intense games were on the SEGA Genesis. SEGA marketed the consoles graphical rendering power as “Blast Processing,” and stated that its hardware was far superior than anything found in the Super Nintendo. It was clear that the marketing took off, as here in the United States SEGA held more than half of console sales during 1994.

The SEGA CD, released in 1992, was critically acclaimed despite the huge amounts of shovelware. However, some of the best games from that generation appeared on the SEGA CD. Sonic CD (1993), for example, was hailed as a gaming masterpiece due to its amazing level design and improved visuals. Lunar: The Silver Star (1992) was released to a crowd of thirsty gamers who were in dire need of a great RPG.

It would be a gross oversight to not mention the TurboGrafx-16, the Liquid Snake to the Genesis’ Solid Snake. The 16-bit systems were released the same year (1989), and both had CD add-ons. However, the TG-16 had a weaker library than the Genesis and SEGA CD add-on. The TG-16 didn’t stand a chance and the Genesis trampled it.

All together it cost $580. Yikes!

SEGA’s 32x  was released in November of 1994, but the add-on didn’t reach the cult acclaim that the SEGA CD enjoyed. It suffered from bad timing, a lack of developer support, and a ridiculously high price point ($160). The lack of developer interest goes hand-in-hand with the bad timing, as SEGA made the huge mistake of releasing the 32x a month after it released the SEGA Saturn in Japan. Developers quickly flocked over to the Saturn and dismissed the 32x as a gimmick. The 32x only had 39 games, and was quickly discontinued a year later.

Still, there are a number of games on the Genesis that every gamer should take the time to try. Personally, I had both a Super Nintendo and SEGA Genesis in my household, but I spent much of my time on the Genesis. Not because I thought it was a better console, but because it had some of the most innovative and unique games at the time. Such as….

Ecco The Dolphin (1992)
Ecco the Dolphin captured gamers’ imaginations with its deep-sea exploration, and underwater caverns full of sea creatures. The story has an intriguing plot about extraterrestrials, time travel, and Atlantians, but what makes this game so special is the ambiance; you feel the disparity and the loneliness throughout your travels. Everything from the enemies to the amazing soundtrack (from the legendary composer Spencer Nielsen) helps convey this feeling.

Sonic 1,2,3, Sonic and Knuckles, and Sonic CD
These five games comprise the hedgehog’s golden age. The original Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) contains speedy platforming and excellent level design, but it’s criticized for being too linear.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) is vibrant, fast, and has many branching paths (as such, it’s considered the best in the series). Sonic can now crouch and charge into a devastating speed ball that destroys anything in his path.

Tails is even more useful in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994) as he can carry Sonic to unreachable locations. Knuckles the Echidna debuted here, and his rivalry with Sonic that would later turn into friendship. Gamers were also interested in playing as Knuckles, so SEGA heeded their calls with Sonic & Knuckles.

WTF!

During the second half of 1994, the innovative Sonic & Knuckles hit store shelves. Gamers could play the game as a standalone title, or they could attach either Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 into a built in slot on Sonic & Knuckles. This let gamers play Sonic 2 as Knuckles, but the real treat was replaying Sonic 3 as Knuckles. All the locked out locations became reachable, which opened up a whole new game. Sonic & Knuckles could also be played as a standalone title.

Sonic CD is easily the best title for the SEGA CD add-on. The time traveling aspect was a new concept that fans of the series weren’t to familiar with. Each stage has four different variations depending on the point in time which Sonic traveled.

Gunstar Heroes (1993)
Treasure’s game is brutally hard, but it has some of the best multiplayer experience on the SEGA Genesis. The anime art style is a welcome change from the dull art design seen in other 16-bit side-scrolling shooters. The weapons system is the main attraction here as players can combine different ammo types to achieve various effects like homing bullets, flame throwers, and high-powered lasers.

Shining Force II (1994)
The Genesis doesn’t have many RPGs, but the ones it does have are brilliant. Shining Force II is nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s that generation’s deepest, most tactical RPG and it features a steep learning curve. It also features one of the most fleshed out and character driven stories in gaming. This is rare in the tactical RPG genre; it took what Fire Emblem did right and improved upon it, and influenced games like Tactics Ogre, Arc the Lad, and Final Fantasy Tactics.

Comix Zone
Comix Zone looks like your typical beat ‘em up, but if you take a closer look, you’ll find that it’s one of the deepest Genesis brawlers. It take excellent timing and precise moves to defeat enemies; button-mashing leaves you demolished. The game is also known for its fourth-wall breaking plot that sees a comic creator battling his own creations.

The Next Episode
The Genesis is easily SEGA’s most successful console. With the Genesis, SEGA established a dominant foothold in the United States that was short-lived. Sony’s emergence as a console manufacturer and the on-going disagreements with SEGA’s arcade and console department in the mid to late 90′s would prove overwhelming. Next: The SEGA Chronicles pt. III.

Diablo fans have a reputation for being one of the most hardcore segments in the gaming community–now a new generation seeks the action-RPG battles. It’s been nearly twelve years since Diablo II’s release, and as such, newcomers may not be aware that one of the most challenging decisions occurs seconds after booting the game. Creating a character and choosing a class can prove daunting and even frustrating. It doesn’t have to be, friends.

In hopes of making your decision easier, we’ve crafted a character guide that highlights both the advantages and disadvantages that each class faces, along with some basic tips to get you started.

Don your armor, warriors.

BARBARIAN
This is a straightforward hack-and-slash class. Players can get away with making more mistakes with the Barbarian than with other classes due to the health boost it receives. The ability to equip shields and heavy armor further complement the Barbarian’s natural ability to soak up damage. The class’ combat aptitude lets Barbarians wield any melee weapon in the game, ranging from one-handed swords and axes (which may be dual-wielded) to more powerful two-handed weapons that plow through waves of enemies. Each class has a resource that allows it to use special attacks; in this case, the Barbarian uses Fury. With each punishing blow they take and deal, Barbarians acquire Fury which opens the door to monstrous abilities like Seismic Slam (a chaotic wave which knocks enemies back) and Hammer of the Ancients (which punishes close-range enemies).

Tip: Barbarians have very short-range attacks and are therefore effective when they are up close and personal to brutes–this leads to some difficult situations. This often results in enemies surrounding the Barbarian and sometimes suffocating the ruffian. Abilities like Ground Stomp, Leap, and Seismic Slam are crucial during these moments, as they each push enemies back and give you breathing space.

MONK
Monks are very similar to Barbarians in that they don’t have the long-range capabilities. They differ, however, by relying on speed and not heavy armor. Their hands are their primary means of offense, but they can use staves and dual-wield blades. Monks can perform devastating combos that also carry special properties. Combos increase Spirit (the Monk class’ resource), which opens offensive and evasive abilities. Monks also have access to mantras, special energy fields that grow stronger depending on the number of enemies you defeat. They affect both the monk and its allies, and are extremely helpful in keeping the monk out of trouble. Players looking for creative combat solutions should pick up the monk, as there are countless numbers of ways to obliterate enemies.

Tip: Aggression is mandatory for the Monk’s success. Monks, at early levels, chase your targets down and pick away at stragglers, killing any chance enemies have at surrounding you. Also, don’t be afraid to spend Spirit; Monks have some of the best mixes of defensive and offensive abilities early on. Blinding Flash is your go-to ability if you’re being overwhelmed. At later levels, use Seven-Sided Strike the minute you’re surrounded, as it causes you to dash between enemies causing 777% of damage while getting you out of trouble.

WIZARD
The Wizard is the master of control. The class relies almost entirely on its resource, Arcane Power. Wizards are excellent at long- to mid-range combat and are offensive beasts; they have powerful area-of-effect attacks that slow enemies down while dealing damage. Elemental spells that single out enemies help Wizards take out stronger enemies. Yet when a Wizard runs out of Arcane Power, it has protective spells that cost little to cast. Staying mobile and not taking damage is a survival essential. This class best suits players who love to manipulate the battlefield and control space.

Tip: Wizards control large amounts of space and can destroy groups of enemies. The key is to draw enemies out and bait them into large groups. Then combine Slow Time with any number of spells and enjoy the devastating results.

WITCH DOCTOR
The Witch Doctor class is my personal favorite and one of the more creative classes in the game. Featuring an incredibly useful pet-summoning ability, Witch Doctors never venture alone and have various ways to distract demons. The pet options range from fire bats to the brutal gargantuan. Summoning pets comes at a price however; these grueling summons cost large amounts of slowly replenishing Mana. This is when Hexes come into play; Hexes help lower enemies defenses and cause damage over time, often weakening enemies enough for pets to pick them apart. Playerswsho like playing a support role and enjoy company will have fun with the Witch Doctor.

Tip: Don’t over-summon, and make sure you support your pets; the longer they’re alive the more mana you can recover without pressure. When you’re surrounded, use Horrify and watch your foes away. Use that free time to regroup or summon new pets.

DEMON HUNTER
This is probably the most complicated class to play. That said, Demon Hunters have a nice selection of tools that make them extremely deadly. Demon Hunters are strictly long-range fighters who use crossbows. They also have the ability to use stealth and surprise enemies by attacking from shadows. Their resource is also a bit complicated; their offensive abilities cost Hatred while their defensive ones cost Discipline, leading to some tactical decisions. Demon Hunters can also employ traps to keep enemies at bay; some of which slow enemy progress and create distance. The Demon Hunter is ideal for creative players that want to wreak havoc in many ways.

Tip: Always create distance between you and enemies. The Vault ability is great for staying mobile and escaping enemies’ grasps. But using Entangling Shot with Caltrops will keep enemies moving at a snail’s pace, making it easy to kill larger enemies.

Diablo III will cater to a multitude of play types, as the in-depth skill tree allows each class to feel unique and will complement a number of styles. Hopefully, with this guide, you’ll spend less time deciding what class you want to play and more time questing.

See you online.

It’s sad to see a company that I love fall into such disarray. A few weeks ago, SEGA reported a 7.1 billion yen loss (roughly 86 million dollars), which resulted in the company axing games off its 2012 line up. SEGA,  a company responsible for several industry innovations (disc-based games, mobile memory cards, online console gaming, interactive voice gaming) suffered in a very unforgiving market. It has a rich history, that is both foreboding and uplifting, one that saw the company play the underdog role on several occasions. But with the Master System, SEGA proved it could produce great entertaining games and a powerful home console. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Enter the SEGA Master System
The SEGA Master System (SMS), released in the United States at a $200 price point, was the Nintendo Entertainment System’s (NES) 8-bit competitor. On paper, the  SMS was superior to the NES in terms of sound and graphics, but that didn’t mean anything without games–this led to the NES absolutely trouncing the SMS in terms of sales and public opinion. And as you will read later in this article, Nintendo had as much to do with the lack of software on SEGA’s console as SEGA itself. Pair that with SEGA’s ill-fated partnership with Tonka, and you’ll understand the challenges SEGA faced.

The NES hit store shelves before the SMS, and as such many developers flocked to it (many weren’t aware of the SMS’ pending release). In doing so, developers were subject to Nintendo’s draconian third-party policy.

Companies that developed games for Nintendo’s console during the ’80s were permitted to work exclusively with Nintendo and Nintendo alone. This led to just Activision, Parker Brothers, and SEGA itself supporting the Master System, which crippled the game library’s variety and quality. Still, the console trucked along for six years until it  was discontinued in 1992.

The SEGA Master System served up some greatest games ever made. Here are a few prime examples.

THE GOOD

Impressive for an 8-bit console.

Phantasy Star (1987)
Phantasy Star is an intriguing story of revenge, oppression, and eventually liberation. Getting your hands on a copy of the game was costly in 1987 as retailers sold Phantasy Star for a whopping $70-$80. But it was worth it! Phantasy Star, at its launch, was revered for its amazing graphics and rich characters. It’s also one of the first times with a female protagonist, Alis Landale. The plot holds up surprisingly well,too, so those willing to over look the dated graphics will find a compelling game.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)
This is an easy choice. Sonic made his debut on the SEGA Genesis in June 1991, but the blue blur also shined on the Master System later that year. It’s a toned-down port of the 16-bit version that features less graphical flare due to the SMS’ 8-bit horsepower. Sonic encourages speed and features some of the best platforming in any game. It also has one of the best chip tunes soundtracks of all time.

Looks strangely familiar.

Alex Kidd in Miracle Land (1986)
Alex Kidd was SEGA’s Super Mario before Sonic took those reigns. Personally, this is one of my favorite games of all time. It’s graphically superior to Super Mario Bros., and features a larger range of colors and sounds. The boss battles are also quite interesting; each one sees Alex Kidd in a head-to-head game of rock, paper, scissors. There’s RPG elements, too; players collect in-game currency and uses it buy items to help them along the way. Alex Kidd is Miracle Land is an elite SEGA Master System title.

THE BAD

The three games noted above are the SEGA Master System’s gems. Sadly, the Master System also has some of the most atrocious games in video game history. These are the worst offenders.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Spider Man VS. The King Pin (1991)
This game is an atrocity, and a disservice to the web-slinger as it’s plagued with some of the worst controls in video game history. Players have to avoid many obstacles (like pitfalls and gaps), only to get squashed by extremely overpowered bosses. To make matters worse, there are several game-ending bugs. Avoid!

Just like the TV show.

Alf (1989)
Alf is so awful that it makes the previously mentioned game look like an AAA title. The game gave players no direction as to what to do or where to go; it’s all trial and error (which would have been fine if the game was any good). There’s laughable hit detection that leads to unwarranted deaths, and the animations are primitive. You can finish the game within a half hour if you know exactly what to do–I’m not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Altered Beast (1989)
This Master System port still brings back horrible memories. Enemies flicker and tear due to the console’s limitations, and cheap tactics are used throughout the game. Zombies randomly rise from the ground, and if you are standing above one while it rising,there’s nothing you can do but to watch yourself die. Luckily, I only payed a dollar at a garage sale for this title, but til this day I think that dollar could have been put to better use.

Next: SEGA Shines
The Master System made it well into the early ’90s but SEGA had plans for the future. The SEGA Genesis was about to make a huge splash that would end up forever changing the gaming spectrum. Check back tomorrow for the SEGA Chronicles part II: The Genesis Years.

It’s been a while since my last diary entry. Since then, I beat the game and ended up surprised by how much I enjoyed Final Fantasy XIII-2. It fixes a lot of issues from the previous game, yet brings a whole host of new issues with it, notably a nonsensical plot. To even talk about it, it’s just… pointless. The writers didn’t entertain it with much care, so I’m not going to bother either… too much.

It should go without saying this late after the game’s release, but…

Very minor spoilers ahead!

This is your last chance, kupo!~

Okay then. Ahem.

…What a botch job of an ending! On one hand, I liked the dark twist it took. To a point. I haven’t seen a turn like that in the series since the World of Ruin in Final Fantasy VI. Unlike FFVI, however, this game doesn’t continue beyond its apocalyptic turn. In XIII-2, that’s it. That’s the end. See you in Final Fantasy XIII-3! Or not? Maybe? Word of God says there won’t be one, but how long will that be true?

On the other hand, I struggled to care about the characters and their plight, so the gloomy end didn’t exactly hit me as intended. Caius is such a boring, one-note villain who, despite the numerous reminders of his motivation, failed to garner any sympathy. So he’s trying to resurrect his dead loved one. Or kill a goddess. Either one, it’s as pedestrian as it gets. It’s good they went for a simpler goal for the villain this time around — anyone ever figure out what Barthandelus’ deal was in the first XIII? — but I was rarely moved.

CAIUS VS. NOEL - Characters you care about?

I mean, in a certain light, I liked some of it. It’s nonsense, and it’s not the worst kind of nonsense either. The gameplay’s good enough to brush the story and its silly melodrama aside. But hey, Noel was a pleasant surprise! By far the best-acted of the bunch, and as the last human alive in a future wasteland, the most interesting as well. He’s optimistic and energetic, which is a great juxtaposition, and we get a nice payoff when we finally got to see “the last days” of humanity and the toll it took on his psyche. He’s a solid protagonist, one that sticks out from the rest of the dummies in the cast. He even gives Snow some well-deserved criticism, and appears to be the only surviving hero in the end. It’s a shame he isn’t a in a better-executed story.

And that’s my problem with the FFXIII games as a whole. There’s a lot of grand ideas here, it’s just too bad the execution falls flat more than half the time. Under the care of a more focused writer and/or director this could’ve be one of the greats. As it is now, I’m tired of it. These guys just don’t have what it takes to deliver a story I care about. The dialogue, the plotting, the world — it’s all so haphazard. The same dumb pablum since Advent Children, Crisis Core, The 3rd Birthday, the whole sorry Kingdom Hearts series, the first Final Fantasy XIII… it’s become a pattern, one that appears to be here to stay. The guys that could deliver decent narratives have fled Square for the most part, or are relegated to the handheld scene.

Yeah, I’m about ready to move on to the next real Final Fantasy universe, free of Lightning, Snow and Serah. We’ve spent as much time as we need with this cast and this world. More than enough when you realize the world of Cocoon and Pulse is the only (single-player) Final Fantasy world we’ve known this generation. Generations prior, we’ve enjoyed at least three separate adventures in three separate realms per console cycle. This time, it looks like we’re stuck with the l’Cie and the Farseers and whatnot for a while yet.

Here I am again to say a bunch of whatever to you. I dunno.

As FFXIII-2‘s cliffhanger of an ending indicates, we got at least one more installment on the way. I don’t see how they can resolve everything the ending set forth with mere DLC. Plus, I detest the idea of that. I shouldn’t have to buy the true ending of a game. Optional expansion pack type stuff like they’ve been doing — Coliseum monster battles, costumes, side stories — that’s fine. I don’t agree with the prices, but that’s fine.  Selling the final piece of the story as DLC, though, sells such a clear message that these guys don’t care about plot or game design or anything — they only care about following trends and popular business models. FFXIII-2 is one of the most reactionary games I’ve seen — fix this, fix that, we have to be like this, we have to do that — and the whole DLC thing is just another mark on the checklist.

The Halo games, Gears of War, Mass Effect and the Call of Duty series all feature cliffhanger endings, so Final Fantasy should, too! Some of those game have QTEs, so FFXIII-2 should, too! Game X has branching paths and dialogue options, so should Final Fantasy! Check, check, check, check… It doesn’t feel like the game was led by a strong vision. It feels like game development by committee, by a studio struggling to figure out what us fickle fans want. I don’t envy the guys at Square, nor are they alone. Resident Evil, Castlevania, Sonic the Hedgehog, Metal Gear Solid… every long-lasting game series of the past 20+ years is currently enduring growing pains. Some are outright kaput.

Hm. When you consider other properties’ problems, Final Fantasy isn’t doing so bad at all.

Fight giant cacti with giant birds that you can ENSLAVE.

As far as gameplay mechanics go, Final Fantasy XIII-2 does pretty well. The fast-paced battle system from Final Fantasy XIII has been further refined, as I detailed in my previous diary entries. Battles go by so fast, the game should probably classify as an action-RPG. Paradigm shifts no longer randomly show animations of every party member shifting one after another, which is a welcome welcome welcome change that speeds up the pace of battles considerably. Additionally, when you reveal an enemy’s weakness, the Auto-Battle option picks out the basic attacks like Thunder, Fire, Attack, Ruin, etc. rather than the strongest attacks available. If you want to use the more powerful attacks, you have to go to the Abilities tab and select the attacks you want to use, which I think is an improvement over XIII’s way of doing things.

The Pokemon-like monster collection skirts by without the organization and finesse of that particular Nintendo series, but it is another nice thing to pay attention to while playing. I found myself asking What monster would be my best Ravager right now? My best Sentinel?, etc. I put my teams together based on their practical attributes in battle — highest magic, strength and so on — but also on the perceived personality of that monster. I will admit I spent some good time scrolling through the trinkets, hats and badges you can slap on a monster to personalize it. A robot with a four-leaf clover sticking out of it? How Ghibli. It’s inevitable you’d get attached to a certain beast! You have to sacrifice a considerable amount of rare material to raise their stats, so choosing which beast to rear at a time is an important decision. Based on the popularity of certain Final Fantasy monsters like Cactaurs, Chocobos and Behemoths, I can see this formula reappearing in future installments without protest.

The worst thing about the battles is how easy they are. I wonder why there are difficulty modes in this game at all — Easy and Normal. I chose Normal, yet it feels… very easy. With maybe a few exceptions sprinkled throughout, including the final battle, no one would never have a problem with a fight. You have to go off the campaign path into side quest and optional boss territory for a real challenge. Which isn’t too difficult — there is a LOT of content, not even counting the optional DLC bosses. Though I beat the main story there’s still a lot to do: max out my characters, capture and raise some more monsters, fight some challenging boss battles and see what else there is to discover. And I hardly patronized Serendipity, the casino world where you can race Chocobos, probably because it wasn’t necessary, too. It would have been wise to make Chocobo racing a one-time mandatory thing the way it was for Cloud in Final Fantasy VII. Still, it’s good it’s there. This game has a lot more going on in it than the first XIII.

Fact: The Augusta Tower is a really lousy, boring place.

At 30+ hours of play time in the main story, FFXIII-2 moves along at a fast clip, with the exception of two latter-half areas that drag the game’s pace down to a crawl. Anyone who’s played it by now probably know what they are: The drowsy Augusta Tower, and the rainy Academa City with all the C’ieth attacking. The Augusta Tower is a good example of what Final Fantasy needs less of: boring, repetitive dungeons with dull “puzzles.” An obvious bunch of padding, this “tower” is just a series of identical box-shaped rooms and passageways included to make the game last a tad longer. The puzzles — just a bunch of switch-flipping — could hardly be considered as such.

The “Temporal Rift” puzzles in the game, which appear randomly as extra challenges, could stand to go away, too. There’s nothing very fun about any of them and only get in the way of progress. Want to access a new area? First, solve this dumb time-based teaser! No, game. No thanks. They’re the most obvious of the shoe-horned “improvements.” Thankfully, there are only a few mandatory ones and the optional ones can be abandoned. I didn’t have the patience for them.

I had less patience for the Academia City scenario where monstrous C’ieth bombarded me at every possible second. There’s no Escape or Avoid Battle option in Final Fantasy XIII-2, I had to fight every single one of these boring bastards to continue with the game. A good chunk of my playtime was spent dispatching these easy-to-stomp things, thoughtlessly, like a hamster on its wheel. The fights went on and on and on, without any challenge or reason. They just kept coming. I began to question why I was playing it. Or any video game, at all. But I kept going so I could get the area over with, and hopefully that area was just a hump to get over. It was, thank god, and the rest of the game never got as laborious. Still, why was that section of the game allowed to exist in that mind-numbing state?

Is this the last we'll see of Lightning and the others? (No.)

When everything comes together in the battles — switching to a defensive Paradigm to heal, switching to one to grant buffs, to one to provide better defense, to whittle down the enemy’s Stagger bar, to issue an all-out attack, to initiate a monster’s QTE attack to really deal damage, to heal with a potion, etc – Final Fantasy XIII-2‘s a joy. When it becomes an effortless slog in a few parts, or the story takes a nosedive, it’s… well, not that bad. It’s an interesting game. The plot’s bunk, but that’s to be expected at this point. You’re not going to fault a dog for barking, right?

So, yeah! I’d recommend it. There’s a lot of content to keep busy, and the fighting’s fun. And the music! I had my reservations about it at first, but the soundtrack’s really good. If Square’s been consistent about one thing, it’s their excellent soundtracks. This one’s highly eclectic, poppy and vocal — in the same vein as the Persona games or Square’s own The World Ends With You. I still have some of its music stuck in my head time to time…

And that’s that. The final word on Final Fantasy XIII-2. Sort of. DLC’s still coming out for it, though there’s no indication any of it will finish the story. If they make an announcement at all, it could be at E3 in a few weeks. Otherwise, we’ll have to make do with Assassin’s Creed uniforms and moogle mustaches. Y’know. If you’re into that sort of thing.

[How To is a recurring feature in which we demonstrate techniques designed to improve your game, and make your skill set more than a little bit awesome. This time out, we’ll help you snap a PS Vita screenshot.]

So you’re breaking off a competitor a lil’ sum’thin sum’thin in Mortal Kombat. Just as you’re executing your fatality, it dawns on you that maybe you should save this sweet victory for future gloating. You can! The PS Vita has a built-in screenshot utility that lets you save those critical beatdowns as JPEG files.

Ready to rock? Here’s how to take screenshots on your PS Vita.

1. Insert a memory into the PS Vita. This is vital, because you’re unable to take screenshots without it.
2. Next, simultaneously press the PS button and the Start buttons.
3. “Saving…” will appear on-screen as the PS Vita saves the image to your memory card. This can take a few seconds. Warning: The gameplay doesn’t pause while you’re taking the screenshot, so if you’re snapping an action scene you may bite the bullet.
4. Return to home screen.
5. Open “Photos” to find your screenshot.

That’s it! Simply connect the PS Vita to your computer and use the clunky Content Manager software to transfer the image JPEGs to your desktop, or attach it to a tweet if you have the LiveTweet Twitter client installed.

Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead: A New Day is the most high-profile adventure game to hit the market since Quantic Dream’s Heavy Rain. Set in the same universe as, and running concurrently with, the events of The Walking Dead comic and television series, A New Day, the first of a five episode game release, is filled with the same human drama that’s set against the backdrop of a zombie invasion.

A New Day is a short game, but it’s crammed with goodness. If you’re a bit leery of the game due to the hobby’s long, craptacular history of licensed properties, read on to discover why you should check out The Walking Dead: A New Day.

Lee Everett Isn’t A Walking Stereotype
I will admit that I rolled my eyes when I first saw Lee Everett’s character design, and learned his back story, at a Telltale Games’ meeting during E3 2011. Black guy. Ex-con. I’ve been down this path before whenever a brotha is given the spotlight in any medium. I was half surprised that he wasn’t also a former basketball star who’d dropped out of high school. That said, The Walking Dead: A New Day’s script portrays Lee as a regular guy with strong familial bonds despite a murder charge. No rhymin’, no dancin’, no shuckin’, no jivin’. And I approve.

Clementine Is Irresistible
I’ve been gaming since the early ‘80s, and I can honestly say that very few characters have managed to make me connect with them emotionally. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater‘s Boss/Naked Snake dynamic tugged on my heartstrings, but other than that combo…nothing. That’s until Clementine came along. I’m not sure if it’s the cute moe design or voice acting (it could be a combination of both!), but a paternal instinct to protect the lil’ zombie-survivor kicked in big time moments after meeting her. Clementine is A New Day‘s heart, hope, and reason I’ve played through multiple times.

It’s Story-Centric, Not Combat-Centric
I, for one, am sick of air-venting zombies. We’ve been doing it since the original Resident Evil, and as such, explosive headshots mean absolutely nothing.  There was need for a new type of zombie game to free us from the shotguns to the face and chainsaws to the gut, and The Walking Dead: A New Day heard our plea. Sean Vanaman penned an excellent opening episode filled with interesting characters and tension-filled situations that manages to draw you in without the need for a digital sawed-off. Plus, every decision you make matters in terms of forming relationships with the other survivors.

It’s all love. The Walking Dead‘s second episode arrives at the end of May, which feels like an eternity. I’m eager to reunite with Lee, Clem, and the rest of the dysfunctional crew. It’s odd to say this considering I’ve never read the comic or seen the TV show, but I am now a The Walking Dead fan. Great job, Telltale Games. Great job.

The Ninja Gaiden series has been lauded by players and critics alike for its complex action combat and unforgiving difficulty. The latest iteration of the series, Ninja Gaiden 3, utilizes combat mechanics similar to those of the older titles, yet delivers an experience that is noticeably inferior to them. This article will explore Ninja Gaiden 3‘s strengths and shortcomings when compared to its predecessors, Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden 2.

Ninja Gaiden on the original Xbox stood out for its amazing level of polish, which was the result of a lengthy development period and subsequent expansions and gameplay tweaks. The game infused its combo system with advanced fighting-game mechanics, making the combat engine extremely robust, but satisfying to master. There is massive list of mechanics that players could utilize in Ninja Gaiden – from cancels and a variety of stun-states to instant-charge attacks and on-landing inputs, to instant-kills and context-sensitive attacks, Ryu was a technical powerhouse. Enemies operated under these same mechanics, making for a rich and challenging gameplay experience. With the release of the Hurricane Pack DLCs (which were completely free, by the way), Ninja Gaiden received more enemies, new weapons, and enhanced mechanics overall. Almost all of these additions were made available in Ninja Gaiden Black, resulting in one of the most polished and well-rounded action games released to date.

But Ninja Gaiden offered more than just combat. Platforming and exploration were crucial to progress, and every level in Ninja Gaiden broke combat encounters up with light platforming sections and key hunts. These sections were by no means difficult, but they did a great job of keeping the fighting from feeing tedious. Ninja Gaiden had great level design as well, with each area featuring varied and interesting environments. With levels such as a ninja fortress, a commandeered airship, a modern military complex, an ancient ruined aqueduct, frozen and magmatic caverns, a stone labyrinth, etc., no two areas were the same in Ninja Gaiden, and every area introduced new enemies and hazards. All of these elements combined made Ninja Gaiden the fantastic action game it is.

Fighting a doppleganger in Ninja Gaiden Black. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

Ninja Gaiden 2 took all of the combat elements of the original Ninja Gaiden and sped the fighting up nearly two-fold. Combat was fast – the game often threw twice as many enemies at you then the original did, quickening and adding to Ryu’s already massive combo list, and adding all new weapons to the mix. Levels were nicely varied and visually impressive, though exploration and platforming were less pronounced, with levels playing out extremely linearly when compared to the original. Backtracking was kept to a minimum as there was only ever one way to go. There were less keys to hunt as well, and they were usually placed near the door they opened, making their existence a bit superfluous.

The issue with this new mechanic, in my opinion, was that the underlying combat system was undermined by the random dismemberment and instant-kills. Learning how to effectively utilize a weapons’s attacks or how to capitalize on an enemy’s stun-state was generally less valuable than learning how to effectively dismember and obliterate enemies. The increased speed of the game also weakened the one-on-one complexity found in the original, since Ryu and enemies recover much too quickly from stronger stun-states to effectively act upon them (though you still could). Even though the enemies were just as competent in Ninja Gaiden 2 as they were in the original, the overall feel in Ninja Gaiden 2 was “Ryu vs. a mob” rather than the more personal combat of Ninja Gaiden.

Ryu literally cutting enemies to pieces in NG2. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

Team Ninja embraced the changes made in Ninja Gaiden 2 rather than the original, designing Ninja Gaiden 3 entirely as a “Ryu vs. mob” action game. The underlying complexity that the series was known for still exists in Ninja Gaiden 3, but in a diminished state, as instant kills and the new “Steel-on-bone” mechanic are the bread-and-butter of combat this time around. The game’s focus is not fighting enemies, but rather killing them quickly, and Team Ninja designed tools to aid players towards that end.

Now, before we delve into the bad, let’s look at what Ninja Gaiden 3 does very well.

Dodging feels great. The evasive maneuver in Ninja Gaiden 3 is a slide, which replaces the basic dash from the previous title. The slide can be used aggressively, dealing light damage and briefly stunning enemies. Ryu can also attack directly out of a slide, making it a fantastic way to open-up a combo. Hopefully, sliding (or an evasive ability with the same properties) makes it in future titles.

The attack animations and blood effects are top-notch, as one would expect from a Ninja Gaiden game. Team Ninja actually redesigned combos in Ninja Gaiden 3 rather than recycling the familiar combos from the first two titles. Combo extensions make heavy use of charge commands (pressing and holding the heavy attack button), and the combo system feels fresh and interesting as a result. Likewise, rather than the over-the-top gore-fest of Ninja Gaiden 2, Ninja Gaiden 3 opts for a blood-bath instead. The blood effects look fantastic – the delicate ribbons of blood that Ryu’s attacks draw look great, and the fountains of blood that erupt from Ryu’s finishing attacks add sanguinary satisfaction to every kill.

Oh, and no damned ghost fish. Good riddance, says I, as those enemies sucked spectacularly. Yes, I know you could farm them for essence. No, they were never fun to fight.

To say Ninja Gaiden 3 is bloody is an understatement. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

Now, without further adieu let’s look at the combat in Ninja Gaiden 3.

As stated earlier, Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2 had a very complex combat system “under the hood,” so to speak – combos all had unique stun effects on enemies, Ryu had plenty of cancels and special techniques he could utilize to avoid damage, stay mobile or capitalize on vulnerable enemies, etc. Ninja Gaiden 3 guts or simplifies many of these elements, reducing the practicality of the combos or making them altogether useless. Knocking an enemy into the ground in previous games allowed Ryu to use a powerful special attack, which dealt massive damage or killed the enemy outright. Grounding enemies in Ninja Gaiden 3 does nothing, as you cannot attack them until the get back up. Knocking an enemy into something in earlier titles (like a wall or another enemy) did bonus damage to the enemy. Wall damage has been removed, and cleared enemies no longer damage other enemies (that I’m aware of) in Ninja Gaiden 3. You can’t even grab an enemy and throw them out of a crowd to deal with individually, since Ryu no longer has a functional grab move. What this means is that you will be utilizing the combo system primarily for damage-dealing, and for setting up Ninja Gaiden 3‘s new mechanic, the steel on bone finisher.

Steel on bone attacks, much like obliteration techniques in Ninja Gaiden 2, are what sets Ninja Gaiden 3 apart from previous titles. This technique allows players to instantly finish-off an enemy. The way this attack works is not explained at all in-game, but some practicing with the combo system has revealed what I believe to be the basic mechanics for the finisher.

Enemies in Ninja Gaiden 3 have a certain threshold of damage they can take before they become visibly bloodied. This blood signifies that they are weakened, and can be juggled, stunned, tripped or knocked-around without resistance. It also means that a steel on bone finisher can be initiated. Specific attacks in Ryu’s combo will initiate the SoB, though heavy attacks tend to initiate them more often than not. Tripping a bloodied enemy and attacking them with a heavy attack will always initiate a SoB.

Ryu attempting an Ultimate Technique in Ninja Gaiden 3. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

Once the attack has been triggered, Ryu will lodge his sword into the enemy’s torso and require a second attack input to finish the attack. Once entered, Ryu will slice through the enemy and voilà – dead enemy. What is vitally important about the mechanic is also completely unstated in-game: steel on bone attacks can be chained from a weakened enemy to a non-weakened enemy, provided the enemies are close to Ryu, and you press the correct button. Hammering the light attack button after a successful SoB will have Ryu initiate another SoB on the nearest enemy. This can be repeated ad nauseum, allowing players to clear out entire waves of enemies by hammering the basic attack button. Pressing the heavy attack button during a SoB chain will actually break the kill chain, forcing Ryu to start over by weakening a new enemy and using the appropriate attack to initiate the SoB. Ninja Gaiden 3 will often prompt players to use the heavy attack to SoB stronger enemies. Don’t bother – the game lies. Hammering the light attack button works just as effectively as the heavy attack, and light attacks allow players to continue a SoB chain.

Steel on bone is a technique that completely undermines the combo system. At least in Ninja Gaiden 2 players were required to utilize the combo system to attack and dismember enemies individually. It is true that there is no guarantee a SoB chain will clear out a wave of enemies – some enemies may be out of range of Ryu’s attempt, and some enemies have higher priority attacks that can interrupt the chain. However, SoB chains are an absurdly easy way to remove several enemies from a fight, and the mechanic requires little skill to use; only a basic understanding of how to initiate the attack is required.

Older Ninja Gaiden mechanics have been reworked to allow for quick instant kills as well. In past games, Ryu has had access to ‘Ultimate techniques” and Ninpo attacks. Both of these mechanics have been retooled to focus more on killing rather than damage-dealing.

Ultimate techniques in older Ninja Gaiden games were the equivalent of a special/super in fighting games – they were high-powered auto-combos that dealt damage in a limited area. Each weapon had a unique ultimate technique, with specific targeting and damage properties. Some were better suited for single or few targets, while others were best used on groups or when Ryu was surrounded.

Putting the scythe to good use in Ninja Gaiden 3. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

Ultimate techniques have been redesigned in Ninja Gaiden 3 as glorified, automatic steel on bone attacks. Ryu will auto-target three to five enemies (depending on how late in the game you are), and kill them with a flashy red SoB attack. The technique has been simplified to a basic “remove X enemies” trump, which feels a bit cheap. The Scythe DLC that was made available recently has rectified this somewhat, since it utilizes a linear shockwave UT, much like the one in Ninja Gaiden 2. However, the sword and claw UTs function on the “easy kill” mindset of Ninja Gaiden 3. On the plus side, players cannot spam UTs in Ninja Gaiden 3 as they could in earlier titles, as Ryu can only execute the technique after defeating a certain number of enemies.

Ninpo (the Ninja Gaiden equivalent of magic) has been reworked under this mass-kill mindset as well. In truth, Ninpo has always been a particular grievance of mine – they were trumps in previous games as well, dealing enormous amounts of damage to opponents, keeping Ryu invulnerable during the casting animation, and requiring little skill to use. Their only balancing element was how limited players were in casting them, as Ryu could only cast a maximum of five or six times before running out of Ki (unless you used items to restore this, of course). That, and you were graded based on how much Ki you had left at the end of a chapter, so it was best to abstain from Ninpo-cheesing if going for a higher rank.

Ninpo in Ninja Gaiden 3 is earned by fighting – as players connect blows and defeat enemies, they fill a gauge beneath their health bar. When full, Ryu can execute his ninpo attack. I happen to like this change, as it means players must earn the overpowered super attack before they can utilize it. Unfortunately Ninpo is even more powerful in Ninja Gaiden 3 than any game before it, as it can quite literally clear an entire room of its enemies. It has the added benefit of serving as Ryu’s heal (since there are no items in Ninja Gaiden 3), encouraging players to use it whenever the opportunity presents itself. Ultimate techniques and steel on bone attacks fill the Ninpo gauge at an alarmingly high rate to boot, so Ninpo isn’t particularly difficult to earn in normal and hard modes. Team Ninja reduced the rate at which ninpo builds on Master and Ultimate Ninja modes, but it doesn’t take away from how overpowered the attack is.

The Ninpo dragon devouring all enemies in the field. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

What this all means is that players will not be using the combo system to defeat enemies, but rather as a means to set up steel on bone attacks, ultimate techniques and ninpo.

But, lets suppose a player opts not to cheese the newly designed instant-kill techniques. Suppose a player wants to make the combo system the focus of their playstyle. After all, the creative combo system and tight controls are what make Ninja Gaiden titles great, right? Sadly, Ninja Gaiden 3 makes it very difficult to enjoy melee combat if the player forgoes SoB, UT and Ninpo attacks. There are quite a few reasons for this, though the core issues are:

• The combo system has lost much of its complexity (as stated earlier)
• Ryu maneuvers like a tank, rather than a ninja
• Even the most basic enemies have a lot of health, making not using instant-kills a time consuming and tedious affair

Ryu has some ridiculous recovery time after most attacks or combos in Ninja Gaiden 3. Ninja Gaiden has always had tight rules when it came to canceling and defense – if you committed to an attack, you could not cancel out of it. You had to know when to pull your punches and when to go all-out. However, Ryu’s recovery was excellent. One would never feel vulnerable after committing to an attack, since players could always throw out a block or dodge after the attack was over. Players could also use a shuriken to interrupt their own combo (or interrupt the attacking enemy).

Ninja Gaiden 3 gives Ryu notably longer recovery after combos and even basic attacks. This gives the combat a clunky and unresponsive feel, as some enemies and virtually all bosses can recover from Ryu’s attacks faster than Ryu can. What this means is that players will end up sticking to the shortest combos with the least amount of recovery in order to keep Ryu responsive and relatively safe. As one can imagine, this makes combat severely limiting, and it runs counter to the combat system in earlier titles, where every combo had some practical purpose.

Ryu can slice through enemies with ease. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

Tied to the clunky recovery issue is Ninja Gaiden 3‘s odd attack buffering implementation. In earlier games, one could input certain commands during the animation of another attack, essentially allowing players to “combo” certain attacks into one another. Strong 360° heavy attacks could easily be tacked on mid-combo, for example. Because of the odd recovery of Ryu’s combos and attacks, this is no longer possible. At the same time, the game will buffer attacks that didn’t need buffering before – like aerial combos. Ryu has a terrible habit of continuing a failed aerial combo on the ground, with players unable to cancel out of the combo until he finishes his assault. This is particularly annoying when fighting strong enemies and boss fights, as they can fall out of air combos when not weakened. Ryu ends up landing and executing the failed aerial combo input on the ground, regardless of whether or not his attacks are connecting.

Enemy variety is lacking in Ninja Gaiden 3, and the bland, lifeless environments compound this issue even more noticeably. Players will engage four or five basic human enemy types for the majority of the game. That’s not to say that these are the only enemies in the game, but these basic human types will make up the bulk of Ryu’s combat encounters. These enemies will learn a new attack or two in later chapters, but engaging them is the same regardless of the chapter you encounter them in. Worse still, stages in Ninja Gaiden 3 are essentially large fighting arenas linked by hallways, with no interesting or dynamic features to differentiate the encounters. Fighting these enemies in a desert arena is no different than fighting them on an aircraft carrier arena, and this makes combat feel like a repetitive slog. The odd chapter that does introduce new enemies will throw waves of them at you, destroying any novelty the enemy type may have had. The final chapter is the only one in the game that offers anything resembling variety, and this is only because the chapter throws nearly every enemy type at you at one point or another. Yet even still, players will be forced to fight waves upon waves of fiend-type enemies during the tail-end of the chapter, dragging the gameplay back down to a monotonous chore.

A change of scenery is nice, but quickly loses its charm. (Team Ninja, Tecmo)

It is clear that Team Ninja set out to create a more accessible and cinematic Ninja Gaiden title with Ninja Gaiden 3. Unfortunately, in its attempt to do so, it sacrificed the depth that made their games stand out from others in the genre. The combat looks excellent, sure, and the combo system still has some semblance of the Ninja Gaiden skeleton beneath the superficial flash, but the technical aspects feel criminally underdeveloped. Ninja Gaiden needs a combo system with depth, one that rewards players for mastering its many facets. It needs interesting enemies that operate under the same combat mechanics as Ryu. It needs levels with substance, where players feel like they’re making progress – not a collection of eight or ten themed rooms to fight in. These are all elements that Ninja Gaiden 3 lacks, and the game suffers for it.

Many of us are The Walking Dead fans in one way or another. Whether you’re a fan of the television show, or the graphic novel, you’re probably pretty devoted to watching each episode or reading each issue. Some of us are fans of both, raging at the severe storyline differences that are the result of the director not wanting “graphic novel fans to know everything that happens.” And then things got all sorts of weird—Telltale Games announced a Walking Dead point-and-click adventure video game.

There was a mixed fan response immediately after the announcement. Some were extremely excited, others, like myself, were quite hesitant, because we remembered the awful Jurassic Park game from a few months back. Within seconds of starting up The Walking Dead: A New Day, my mind was at ease. Expecting yet another zombie shooter, I was quickly proved wrong—The Walking Dead has its own take on a zombie apocalypse with with Mass Effect style decision-making.

Choose your words wisely as you head toward the big house.

Initially, I was a bit surprised to find out that The Walking Dead: A New Day is only single-player, but then I realized that’s the only way to handle the property.  The Walking Dead, like Mass Effect, is designed to be a single player experience for one person, and one person only. The dialogue selection is similar to Mass Effect, in that you have a short amount of time to make a decision. The “Silent Shepard Syndrome” goes to a whole new level with The Walking Dead, as silence is an acceptable form of dialogue. For everything you say (or don’t say), there are consequences, either positive or negative. These alter your gameplay in terms of outcomes and future relationships with other characters. You can be a good guy, a bad guy, or a silent guy. Don’t let other games and their systems confuse you–you don’t have to go all one way or all the other way here. You can be a complete dick to some, and a total sweetheart to others. A New Day is all about individual relationships.

For example, without spoiling too much, you have the choice of saving one of two characters. Regardless of which character you choose, the same one will live and the same one will die. What changes, however, is your relationship with the related characters. In another part of the game, you have to step in the middle of an argument—you can either break an already developed relationship for the worse, or develop a new one.

Watch what you say...You don't want to fuel the fire!

The story is not in line with the graphic novel, or the television show, but you do see a couple of characters that exist in both forms. You play a guy named Lee Everett, and you start cuffed in the back of a police car. One thing I truly loved about The Walking Dead: A New Day is the mystery surrounding the character. You start off knowing nothing about him, similar to Billy Coen in Resident Evil 0, and pick up the pieces of his crime and life as the episode rolls out. Granted, this knowledge helps you in more solid dialogue choices in your second playthrough, but the there’s a definitely a magic feeling during that original run.

If I were in the mood for that Resident Evil/Silent Hill-type of survival horror, I wouldn’t turn toward The Walking Dead: A New Day to satisfy those needs. Those games require planning and strategic combat; this is a much quicker, simplistic form of fighting that uses a QTE-like system. It’s easy to get into, but at times I found it difficult to target zombies in a pinch.

The graphics are one of the game’s standout features. I’m glad that Telltale Games went with the comic-style graphics and not the ultra-realistic look as it gives the game its own unique style (and serves as an homage to The Walking Dead‘s origins).  Sometimes the subtitles run across the screen a bit too slowly, but it isn’t a dealbreaker.

Glenn is still a badass in the game.

The Walking Dead: A New Day has phenomenal voice acting. Each character has a fitting voice, and the voice actors themselves are obviously seasoned pros. The moody music and zombie sound effects are also spot-on, reminding me a lot of the show.

At the end of it all, you get a preview of what happens in the next episode, which reflects your in-game decisions.  Besides the controls being a bit hard to fully pick up on at first, and the occasional laggy subtitles, The Walking Dead: A New Day is all-win.

Hurry up, TellTale, I can’t wait until the end of the month for episode two.