Spy vs Spy Review (PS2)

Many many years ago Spy VS Spy first appeared on home computer systems and consoles in the age of 8 bit entertainment. Offering a charming and amusing distraction as players tried to out wit one another. The premise was to steal a select number of objects and make you way to the level exit before the opposing spy. In order to hinder your opponent’s progress you could employ a number of trap devices to catch out the unaware and send them to a grizzly death. Now Spy Vs Spy has been dragged out of the cupboard and stuck on the shelves for a whole new generation. But on this evidence it really is a shame they bothered.

The single player aspect of Spy Vs Spy has our chosen agent making their way through a number of bland levels searching out objects, causing chaos, and engaging in 3D platforming antics. Why oh why was this ever made? The PS2 of all consoles really did not need yet another mind numbingly dull 3D platform-come-adventure game, even though the console is saturated with bland titles dare we say Spy Vs Spy sinks to even more uninteresting depths than most before it.

After playing the game for ten minutes we had already seen more than enough to make us fall asleep as wave upon wave of complete dullness battered against our heads in an ever repeating motion. After pressing through ever more dreary levels it was clear there is absolutely no enjoyment to be found. To make matters worse, not only are the levels dull but without a proper map you are sometimes left wandering around looking for where to go next (although there are helpful arrows that appear at times). Truly the feeling of wandering around a level with no clue where to go, just wishing you could find the exit, save the game and turn the thing off is one of the most depressing and desperate things the human mind is capable of feeling.

At least the controls are decent enough with characters being easy to move and the task of setting traps and weapons never feeling tricky. In game graphics, though uninspired, are fairly solid and colourful - if a little generic. As such, the game does not suffer from being ‘broken’, which in a way is even more shocking. If a game is over ambitious and suffers because an aspect is not implemented at least then you can have some idea as to where the vision was heading. Here everything seems to have been implemented competently from a basic perspective. The problem is that there is absolutely no imagination in anything. It's almost as if the developers really could not be bothered to make the game in the first place.

Multiplayer fairs little better, indeed when returning to the title and tossing a coin to see whether to play single or multiplayer all we could hope for was that the coin would somehow explode in mid air and kill us. Along with the new locations a selection of the original games rooms are available now in bland 3D. The action could be taken online or via a system link but trust us- you really won't want to. This title has to be in the running for the least enjoyable multiplayer experience of all time- wander around open something, put trap in, wander around, open something, put trap in, repeat until you die of boredom. Every aspect is just so bone crushingly soul destroying its enough to bring you to tears at times. There are a few modes such as death match, last man standing etc but when every thing is so mind numbing it hardly matters.

In conclusion there is absolutely nothing to recommend about this game. Even the Twenty pound price tag at launch is not enough to justify interest in it. There are certainly far better platform titles available (even Vexx pushes it close) and there are certainly far better multiplayer titles available as well. We advises never going near this uninspired dullard of a game, no matter how cheap you may find it in coming months. In closing all we can say is that this could well be one of the most truly awful games of the generation.
 

2/10

Retro 101's Favourite Beat'em Ups Part 4: The Best of the Rest

We all know that SNK and Capcom are the undisputed kings when it comes to creating beat'em ups, but over the years many other companies have tried and failed to make an impact on gamers. Among the piles of trash (Rise of the Robots, Shaq Fu), and the exceedingly average (Primal Rage, Brutal: Paws of Fury), are a handful of games that are actually pretty good.

Waku Waku 7

Waku Waku 7 is one of the weirdest and most wonderful games we have ever come across. The game itself is a polished title from sunsoft that bases itself on the classic SNK four button template. What sets it apart is the mad cast of characters and super bright colour scheme. This title, you see, is a completely crazy parody of Japanese anime.

The bizarre combatants include a giant Totoro style Japanese soft toy creature and a walking tank with a gun for a head. The moves are over the top and it all rolls along at a lively pace. It's unlikely that Waku Waku 7 will hold players attention for as long as something like Street Fighter Alpha 3 but it is undeniable fun and anarchic.

Waku Waku 7 is pretty difficult to find. The home version will need to be imported on the Saturn or Neo Geo and neither is cheap.

Guilty Gear X2

Guilty Gear X2 is a thing of true beauty and genius which looks amazing and plays even better. All the characters are remarkably different and players need to spend some time trying them out to find someone suitable to their style. The thing that really sets it apart from every other fighting game is the absolutely phenomenal level of depth it has.

We could list all the different features and techniques but it would take all day. It can be intimidating for newcomers but once you get your head around multiple special bars and different types of counters and cancels it all blurs into some heavenly stream of consciousness. Watching two Guilty Gear masters at work is mesmerising and the game is so engaging that you may well want to stick with it long enough to become one yourself.

Mortal Kombat 2

Mortal Kombat is by far Midways best known and most successful franchise. The original game is fairly archaic and only stuck around thanks to a wave of media attention and later games always seemed to lack something. However, despite not being the most technical game in the world, Mortal Kombat 2 is still really good fun.

The overall feel has been improved and characters are much easier to control than in its predecessor. The mass of different special moves, distinctive character designs and imaginative arenas also helps to hide the fact that most of the fighters core moves are all the same.

You can't deny the game has personality in buckets and there is more than enough here to occupy players in both single and multiplayer. There are decent versions of Mortal Kombat 2 on the SNES, Megadrive and, surprisingly, the original Gameboy. There is also an arcade version available on one of the Midway Arcade Treasures compilations but it feels a bit lose to us. The Mortal Kombat Anthology, which contains all the characters from the first three games, on the Playstation, is also well worth a look and there are also compendiums on Xbox Live and the Playstation Network.

Killer Instinct

Rare's combo heavy fighter made a massive impact upon release but returning to it now it's clear it can no longer hold it's own with the big boys and can feel a little clunky. However, Killer Instinct is still a very playable and enjoyable game and acts as a kind of middle ground between Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat with a few of it's own tricks added.

One difference is that it isn't split into rounds. Players each have two health bars, when one is depleted the character falls to the ground for a second and then gets back up. This makes scoring a perfect on your opponent even more humiliating.

The other big thing the game brought was the combo system. Killer Instinct was the first game that really focused on the idea of certain moves linking into other moves and executed it well. The game takes the concept to an extreme and players can set off massive successions of blows heading towards the hundred mark.

Killer Instinct is available on the SNES and there is also a decent version for the old Gameboy. There is a sequel on the N64 but the pad isn't really up to it.

IK+

The one-on-one beat'em up didn't really get into its stride until the 16-bit machines came about. However, there are a few games that did the genre justice before then. Barbarian and Fist of the North Star are worth a look but IK+ is by far the best of them. It is also unique in the fact that you are fighting against two other opponents.

This idea of having three fighters on screen was later used in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and in co-op modes in some of the later Street Fighter games. Players also don't have an energy bar but need to score a set number of points to the win the round.

You have a wide range of martial arts moves to take down your opponents and you need to move quickly as the other two fighters can score points off each other as well. The now legendary feature of IK+ is that you can make the players trousers fall down by pressing a certain button. It may not be revolutionary but it can't help but raise a smile.

IK+ is available on just about every 8-bit computer system known to man. It is also available on the Wii Virtual Console in the UK and is a must buy at 500 points.

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)

The recent retro revival has thrown many great games and collections in our direction. Rez has hit XBLA, Contra is back on top form on the DS, and collections from the likes of Capcom, Taito and Sega have put a smile back on many a face. Konami's announcement of a PSP remake of the Japan only Rondo of Blood was good news for Castlevania fans (well, the ones who shy from imports and emulation, at least).

If you're reading this, chances are you know the original game was released on the PC Engine CD in Japan. You might even know it was the last title to play in a linear fashion, being followed by the Metroid style Symphony of the Night. Rondo of Blood is considered a classic game, and is one of the most rare and sought after titles in the series.

As is the trend for remakes on shiny new consoles, the graphics have had a polygon facelift. All characters are 3D, as are the backgrounds, yet the game sticks to its 2D plane. Other titles have tried this (XBLA's fantastic Prince of Persia remake, for example), but Castlevania seems to suffer. The collision detection is often ropey which makes dodging spikes and enemies awkward and jumps tricky.

The re-recorded soundtrack is a welcome addition, with a great orchestral score and English voice acting which gives the game more grandeur than other, lazier remakes. Even the cut scenes are a nice touch. Short and sweet, they usually indicate a boss battle, and look lovely on the PSP's gorgeous screen. In terms of presentation, Konami really has put the effort in.

As a collection, the Dracula X Chronicles is a good buy – the original Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night are essential titles for any self respecting gamer. Yet judged alone, the remake seems a bit pointless. It's essentially a flawed version of a much loved game, and considering that game is included on the same UMD, it makes the whole idea a little redundant. It won't win Konami any new fans for the franchise and its likely most people will be playing through the first three or four levels with the sole purpose of unlocking the two classic titles.

So we come to the score. It is great to finally have both Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood available on the move. But you can’t disguise the fact that the main game is flawed and average at best. This leaves you paying for a Playstation and PC Engine Port and that really isn’t good enough for a full price game

6/10

Written by Dan Gill

Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King Review (PS2)

Dragon Quest was Enix's signature series before they merged with Squaresoft some time ago. This is the first Dragon Quest game after that merger and sticks with the theme of having funky anime style character design with a Dragon Ball Z twist to it. At the time, Dragon Quest games had never made it to the UK before - even though it rivals the Final Fantasy series in Japan for popularity - and so we were a little surprised to see this one being heavily promoted with television spots and poster and magazine adverts.

The distinct graphical style will be immediately apparent and if you're opposed to all things brightly-coloured, it may not be for you. Both the game world and the characters are 3D, but their cel-shading hides this somewhat, There is plenty of treasure to be found around corners and under shadows with the landscapes being well thought out to capitalise of the art style. In contrast, Towns all look very similar and there aren't too many locations in the game that stand out as different. Whereas Final Fantasy sends you to many locations with their own distinct look, these do not really have that charm.

The protagonist of this RPG, surprisingly, does not have spiky hair; he also never speaks throughout the game. Simply put, the hero of the piece is meant to be the player. Our unnamed Hero is a knight to the king and is helping him on his quest to return himself and his daughter back in humans (they have had a curse put on them, transforming the king into a strange Yoda look-alike and the Princess into a horse). To start with, Hero is joined by Yangus, a short, fat, straight-to-the-point cockney, who follows Hero wherever he goes... for reasons we find out later in the game.

The plot starts fairly simply, and through flashbacks you see what has brought us to this point and that our travelling band are searching for an evil Jester named Dhoulmagus. The basic premise is that our group must travel around the world looking for people who can help them in locating the said evil jester, who can then be swiftly dispatched so the King and Princess can return to normal. Later in your travels, two other companions will join you. Of course, this being an RPG, things are never exactly as they first appear.

Plot exposition and dialogue do not dominate as heavily as some may fear and Dragon Quest is not a game that will bore you to death with 30 minute cut scenes. It quickly swings into action by giving you a good hard slap in the face as soon as you try to fight anything. In battle, the initial learning curve is quite steep; though there are not too many level-up 'walls' in the game (i.e. difficulty barriers requiring extra training to pass). Unfortunately, the first one appears right at the start and you'll just have to brave the few hours needed to progress. Furthermore, whenever you die, you are returned to the nearest village with any experience points you earned still intact - meaning, if you are willing to put some time into the title, anyone can finish it.

The battle system is quite simple - you have a standard attack, a power up, magic and items. Power up uses that turn to empower your character by tensing them up with the pay off being in the next turn they can unleash this tension and send the enemy flying! Do this quite a few times and they will get super-charged and hit insanely hard. You can win quite easily by repeatedly pressing X and remembering to heal occasionally, so battles can be a bit boring. Boss battles aren't that much different either. If you get stuck, it's often more effective to just level-up than it is to try a different fighting strategy.

The customisation aspect of your characters affects what weapon they specialise in. When characters level-up, they gain points that can be spent on a specialist skill. For example, if one character specialises in swords, they will do more damage with swords, hit more often, critical hit more often and learn special sword-only abilities.

The music is absolutely mad, and we have never heard anything so happy and constantly upbeat throughout a game before. It is so ludicrously joyful, prepare to be rolling around in happy fits of laughter. There are virtually no serious tones in the game, apart from big boss battles. While you would think that being battered with tunes that make the Sound of Music look miserable would be some kind of hell, somehow it all just manages to stay on the right side of horribly cute.

In terms of longevity, Dragon Quest is a decent-sized adventure. It will probably take you forty hours for a basic run through, though the side quests will add another ten or so on top. Then, when you have completed the game, you get the option to start from the point right before you kill the last boss. Doing this unlocks a new dungeon which allows players to find out more about Hero as well as allowing you to find all the weapons you missed out on, master your weapon skills and complete the monster arena - an arena where you can capture monsters from the world and then pit them against other monsters.

Dragon Quest is good fun and a well put together game, although it seems to have a slightly mixed target audience. The team have gone to the trouble to include 'teleport' spells and spells that clear areas of monsters to stop frustrating back tracking and exploration of areas you have already visited which encourages newcomers. However, there are those level-up 'walls' where the only thing you can do is go and get experience points for a few hours in order to proceed. Luckily, these only pop up on two or three occasions and rarely spoil things. The best way to sum it up would be to say that Dragon Quest is a casual RPG for the hardcore gamer. If that sounds like you, or you've enjoyed other Dragon Quest games, then chances are you'll love it.

7/10