Slashdot Log In
Attack of the B-Grade Games
Posted by
Zonk
on Tue Aug 29, 2006 12:23 PM
from the graaaaiiiinnnnnsss dept.
from the graaaaiiiinnnnnsss dept.
The best games on the market are referred to as AAA titles. This refers to the cost required to make them, but it's often used to indicate the quality of a game title as well. Not every disc you pop in a drive can be God of War, though. Games that honestly give their all deserve at least a little respect; B for effort, as it were. Today I have impressions for two titles that favour style over substance and go down swinging, filling the screen with hundreds of NPCs for sheer shock value. Capcom's Dead Rising and the Dynasty Warriors wannabe Ninety-Nine Nights manage to both disappoint and satisfy. Like B-grade films, they're so bad that you just might love them. Read on for the Attack of the B-Grade Games!
- Title: Dead Rising
- Publisher/Developer: Capcom
- System: 360
As photojournalist Frank West, you're dropped into the Willamette mall to cover the story of the century. An entire town has gone red-eyed and shambling, and you're there to cover it with your camera in one hand and any weapon you can find in the other. The helicopter pilot will be back in 72 hours, and you have exactly that long (by your in-game watch) to do what you will and still get picked up. Within that three-day span you'll encounter mysterious agents, frightened citizens, armed psychopaths, an annoying photographer, a hungry clown, and a whole lot of freaking zombies.
That sounds like a great set-up for a game, and the first few hours tantalize with future payoffs. Where did the zombies come from? Who are the mysterious agents operating in the mall? What's with the crazy Spanish guy? Why would anyone buy a blue set of slacks with a tweed jacket? It quickly becomes apparent, though, that you're really playing two games at the same time in the same space. One game is all about the 'cases'. Certain events happen at preset times. As you work through the game's storyline, you'll have to show up at a place by a specific in-game time in order to see the cut scene and interact with whatever is going on. The clock works tirelessly against you, requiring you to race around the mall to make your appointments. If you miss even one event in the game's storyline, it's all over. You may as well use the time remaining in the game to randomly slaughter zombies, because you won't be seeing the end of the story.
My real frustration is how much the harsh time-table interferes with the other half of the game. The free-roaming GTA-style gameplay Dead Rising's marketing has been playing up only offers so much given that you have to be in certain places at certain times. In between missions you can attempt to save civilians, kill zombies, go hunting for psychopaths, try on clothes, kill zombies, take pictures, mix new beverages, learn new skills, play on a skateboard, and kill zombies. Unfortunately, there's never really quite enough time to let you fully explore your environment, so all the 'neat stuff' you can do becomes merely something you notice as you're running from place to place on the way to a storyline mission. There are a few sizable breaks between cases, but in the meantime civvies will have died and opportunities will be lost.
Top this mess off with bad voice acting, a story that tries to make witty jabs at American culture and fails, and often-challenging combat controls. Like the creatures in Dawn of the Dead, this game shambles forward in time to the cheerful muzak.. All promise and no payoff, Dead Rising will make for a good rental if you worship at the altar of bad zombie flicks. If you're looking for a short term stand-in for GTA or Resident Evil, you'd be advised to look elsewhere.
- Title: Ninety-Nine Nights
- Publisher/Developers: Microsoft Game Studios, Q Entertainment, Phantagram
- System: 360
Set in a somewhat forgettable fantasy realm, N3 tells the intertwining tales of seven heroic figures and their fight against the forces of darkness. Beginning with the attractive Inphyy, you slash and hack your way through hundreds and thousands of goblinoid baddies to make the world safe for us human-types. The identical subhuman antagonists come at you in waves of sameness, starting with a few dozen all in a bunch but ramping quickly up to hundreds at a time. As you defeat your foes, you'll gain levels and acquire items to improve your stats. There's no real strategy to be found here, just an RPG-lite beat-em-up with a grand feel.
The scope of the conflict is the most successfully executed part of N3. The 360's graphics do a great job of showing off huge battle maps, hordes and hordes of enemies, extremely shiny attack effects, and well-done character animations. With a few exceptions, the console handles the load without complaint, allowing you the satisfaction of seeing hundreds of opponents fall before you. There's no abstraction here; you'll get to see every single goblin you put down over the course of the game.
To take out the baddies, you'll be doing combos, stringing attacks together in long chains. N3 is incredibly combo-focused, and 'success' is measured by your ability to dive into a mob of baddies and destroy the whole bunch without ever giving your sword arm a rest. Each character levels up to new abilities as you move through their tale, but you start the game with several simple and efficient moves. XXX, YY is a typical combo, allowing you to cull the goblin horde like a farmer working his field. Unfortunately, you'll never need much more than that efficient first move. Despite the initially very satisfying experience of tossing hordes of baddies aside with a mere wave of your arm, you'll quickly realize that the entire game is going to consist primarily of XXX, YY repeated ad nauseam. Worse, the game actively works against your efforts to combo. Enemies often stupidly stand out of the range of the fight, and your NPC soldier buddies are the worst kind of ineffectual. Most frustrating of all, cut scenes interrupt your combos; running out of enemies I can handle, but falling just short of a 1000 enemy combo because a pretty-looking guy has to spout inane dialogue is just frustrating.
You do get to occasionally loose an 'orb attack', a cool-looking screen clearer earned by collecting shinies from your defeated enemies. Each hero has two different orb attacks, and they're all ludicrously entertaining. Even the satisfaction of the orb attack is muted somewhat, though, by the slowdown it prompts in the hardware. If the screen is wall-to-wall enemies, loosing an orb attack can result in chugging movements and choppy graphics. It's particularly jarring because the rest of the game looks so good, and never fails to distract when it occurs.
Related Stories
[+]
Lost Planet - Extreme Condition Review 66 comments
Though it would be hard to judge by past reviews, I really do like simple games. The straightforward nature of Burnout Revenge is, in my mind, one of the best ways you can present a game. It's with a decided note of frustration, then, that I have to report my distaste for Capcom's latest offering - Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. Demos for this title have been downloaded endlessly since last year's E3, and in the format of a one-level demo there's a lot to like. How can you go wrong with the formula of a devastated Earth, giant bugs, and mechs? By fronting the game with an unlikable protagonist and following up with AI that alternates between mindless and cheap, Capcom fails to deliver on the promise of any of those concepts. Read on for my impressions of another simple game that I really wanted to like ... and don't.
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
Full
Abbreviated
Hidden
Loading... please wait.
N3 opinion (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Attack of the B Grade Editors (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Attack of the B Grade Editors (Score:5, Interesting)
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Oh, well. Regardless, he's always got plenty of trash to talk about the PS3, so I suppose that's good.
Re: (Score:2)
As a contrarian video game enthusiast, I like Zonk exactly for those reasons. Er, actually, what I meant to say is:
In Soviet Russia, Zonk doesn't like YOU!
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The weekend runs are hard, but by the time you read something that goes up on Saturday or Sunday morning, it's been scheduled since probably midnight the night before. I don't sleep much, though, so it's possible I'm posting live late on a weekend. I am quite the social butterfly.
Otherwise, your observations about scheduling are almost entirely correct. That's pretty much exactly what I aim for in story spacing. Obviously, the more news we get the faster we post. Augus
What we need is (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Well, snakes on a plane, but not an airplane
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The BEST snake based game of all time!
Re: (Score:2)
Dead Rising TV Commercials (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Dead Rising TV Commercials (Score:4, Interesting)
I've heard nothing but praise from the people who own it. As for Zonk's comment on the time based "appointments" detracting from the running around and exploring aspect of the game... well, in my opinion that's a big plus. I've always been annoyed by games where it doesn't matter if you show up in 2 minutes or 2 hours you always arrive at just the right time according to how the linear gameplay is supposed to play out. Oblivion is a great game but when someone tells you that you need to deliver this message as soon as possible, you could run it there as fast as you can or loaf around "exploring" for 2 months before delivering it and the outcome is usually the same.
If anything I'd see the competing goals as a reason to play thought the title more then once. Either get the game and tool around in the world exploring places and killing zombies etc. and once you've had your fill go back and play through it in a totally different way, following along with the story... a story that apparently unfolds whether you're there to see it or not, IMO it adds a sense of realism (zombies... yes I know) it's a feature that is hardly ever seen in games today and a good feature IMO.
Parent
I hated dead rising until ... (Score:5, Insightful)
My biggest gripe is the phone. There's no ignore function. Otis will keep calling
Re: I hated dead rising until ... (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
but I've watched him play about 2/3 of the game and that phone is annoying. I think it's more annoying when you're not the one playing, because you're sitting at your computer reading slashdot or looking at pr0n and all you can hear is the faint sound of a bowling ball crushing a skull with an overpowering, extra loud phone ringing on top of it.
I think the game would
The best game of all time... (Score:2)
OBJonesQuote (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Dead Rising... (Score:5, Informative)
It's not as freeform as GTA, but it does offer you a LOT of flexibility in how you play it and what you do. And with the hundreds of weapons, if all you want to do is kill zombies, there are plenty of ways to do it.
Oh, and don't forget the unusual save system - when you die, you can reload your game, which is normal. Or you can save and restart - all your gained levels, experience, and skills remain with you. So you can play again, only with a stronger main character. This is almost necessary - trying to go through the game from a Lvl 1 character is tough. Restart a few times with saving experience, though, and it becomes easier. Not easy, but easier.
Yes, there are flaws in the game. The aiming system for guns and throwing items, for example, is slow and clumsy. And the survivor AI could definitely use work. But it's a HELL of a lot better than this review implies.
Re:Dead Rising... (Score:5, Interesting)
For example, I've been playing Beyond Good & Evil (great game BTW) for the last month or so. While I've enjoyed it, I must admit that at times the urgency just isn't there. When your companion is kidnapped early in the game, you then have to sneak your way through a large factory in an attempt to find him; but, the way the game is designed you could take days to do so if you felt like it. After hitting a savepoint or two, the urgency kind of washes away. Now, if there was a ticking clock that kicked off as soon as your buddy was kidnapped, I'd really feel more immersed in the game - it would probably be more frustating, but it would be exciting, too.
Parent
Re:Dead Rising... (Score:5, Insightful)
In that same vein, the ticking countdown levels are the exact reason I stopped playing GTAIII 3 years ago and never looked back. I have about 20 deadlines in my real life, where my livlihood actually depends upon it. I'll be damned if I'm going to take that kind of stress from a video game that I paid for.
Parent
Re:Dead Rising... (Score:4, Interesting)
I can save and restart, allowing me to replay the same sections of the game over and over until I'm powerful enough to advance? That's not an innovation. At best it's a weird loophole allowing those willing to restart and restart and restart to get an edge. At worst it's an old friend in new clothes: grinding. I got tired of grinding with the original Dragon Warrior.
As for the ability to simply ignore the main plotline and go do the other stuff, it seems sucky that you have to pick one or the other. Maybe some things (like the Zombie Genocide) should require you to make an either or decision, but why force the player to make that decision for lesser side-expeditions like rescuing civilians? Many gamers will focus on the primary plotline, feel frustrated that they failed so many side quests, finish the game, then be done.
These aren't misunderstood features, this is simply bad game design.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Definition of "grinding" (Score:3, Interesting)
I wouldn't consider the
Re:Dead Rising... (Score:5, Interesting)
Other weapons I really enjoy:
- Katana Sword (it slices and dices with the greatest of easy)
- Sledgehammer (great for watermelons or human skulls)
- Scythe (hook the neck and pull to remove head)
- sub-machine gun (perforate them all before they know what hit them)
- stun-gun (sizzle till they pop)
- heated frying pan (grill 'em and kill 'em)
- mall benches (have a seat, or else)
- propane tank + handgun (fire in the hole)
Other useful items include insects that will wipe out entire crowds and electric mixers that will convert various combinations of food items into temporary power-up drinks (2x Pie = "untouchable", 2x Wine/yogurt+ice cream = "quickstep", etc...). If you really want a challenge, try a cooking oil and orange juice cocktail.
The AI of the zombies is surprisingly random, but not to the point of being all to predictable. They also get more intelligent over time as they get more desperate to feed. (For example, they'll try to sneak up behind you and attack in large swarms further into the game, as well as becoming increasingly skilled at navigating complicated terrain, such as looking for openings to enclosed counters and traversing stairs.)
Finally, if you play along with the storyline, you'll find some of the human characters pose a greater threat than the zombies themselves, as you slowly uncover the mystery behind how the zombies came to be.
Overall, if you weren't a fan of the sometimes repetative gameplay of the Grand Theft Auto III titles, you may not find much value to Dead Rising. But if your not afraid to explore, Dead Rising will offer plenty of challenges to keep you busy long after the initial 72 in-game hours. Capcom really offered what was promised... anything within reach can be used as a weapon.
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
I tried the demo. I extrapolated from the demo that the game was too hard, the cutscenes were horribly interruptive, the acting was bad, and I just plain wouldn't have enough time to go around doing cool stuff. This added up to "shitty game, don't buy".
However, if the story is optional, that makes a difference. And the save system sounds innovative enough that I'd
Historical Note (Score:5, Informative)
When theaters showed a Double Feature, they usually showed the ticket-selling movie first, then tacked an inexpensive movie on the back of the first. This way they were able to advertise a "two for one" type of special, without investing in two major motion pictures. Since the second film (known as the "B" movie) was usually of lower quality than the first movie (the "A" movie), the "B" Movies in Double Features became associated with poorly acted and produced films that rarely had much of a plot.
And now you know... the rest of the story. Good day!
</paul-harvey>
The B in B-movies (Score:2)
Re:Historical Note (Score:5, Informative)
Don't take my word for it. Ask the Online Etymology Dictionary [etymonline.com].
Side Note: That's Etymology [answers.com] as in the study of word origins, not Entomology [answers.com] the study of insects.
Parent
Simple2000 (Score:2, Interesting)
Dead Rising a B Grade Game? (Score:4, Funny)
My wife & I play Dead Rising (Score:2)
I feel the game should in fact be patched to allow you to do all the different quests in one run if you're good at bat (so to speak) and skilled enough to budget your time.
The whole "you have to fail one mission to succeed at another" qualifies as realism, but sucks at escapism. If I wanted to remove escapism I'd go outside... oh wait a minute, bad argument, bad argument!!!
Re:My wife & I play Dead Rising (Score:2)
A skilled played will be able to rescue all the survivors (minus one) and finish all the cases in one game. No patching required.
N3 vs Dynasty Warriors (Score:5, Interesting)
What I really miss is the strategic element of the Dynasty Warriors series. In Dynasty Warriors, you have to decide whether to go after the enemy generals, close the enemy reinforcement gates, attack the enemy leader, defend your generals, or defend your leader. N3 is almost completely linear, with few choice points. Plow through grunts, fight a boss, do it again. And no save points, so if you fall to the last boss, it's repeat the whole mess. That can get old fast.
Still, the game is undeniably beautiful. There are none of the fog or draw-in problems of the Dynasty Warriors series on XBox or PS2 (I understand that there's an XBox 360 DW title, but it's not really next generation, with only modest improvements). It's great to see 2 or 3 dozen enemies and friends on the screen at once, each apparently acting independently (although the game takes care to space them out a bit to limit what it has to deal with). Still, there are some wild melees. Perhaps fortunately, you can't hit your allies; you can charge through a crowd of friends, staff swinging wildly, and nobody but the bad guys will get a bump on the noggin. Characters are beautiful, and whereas every battle in DW seems to take place on a blasted plain, some of the N3 battles occur in lush forrest settings (although curiously "dead"--as you charge through the forest, weapon flailing, not a leaf or frond stirs in response to your passing). However, while the levels are big, and often with long sightlines, you are still constrained to well defined paths, and frequently you are unaccountably barred from going in a direction that appears passable.
The game succeeds mostly on flash. It is one of the first 360 titles that really screams "next generation." For now, it's fun--in 6 months, the sharp graphics and high character count will be old hat, and nobody will be interested in playing such a crude beat-em-up
And unless you have an HDTV, DR is unplayable. (Score:5, Informative)
In all fairness, some other X360 games have really small text, too. PGR3 car descriptions, for example. I've just never seen it make a game impossible to play before.
Re: (Score:2)
It may be possible to push them into developing such an update if enough people contact Capcom USA's consumer service department requesting a fix for the issue. Here's the info:
Phone: (408) 774-0400
Hours: 8:30am - 5pm PST
Snail Mail:
Capcom Entertainment Inc.
Re:And unless you have an HDTV, DR is unplayable. (Score:4, Informative)
there's a plug that you can use to have the audio go through pc speakers, too (i think the vga adaptor actually included it.... but i forget: i actually already routed my game consoles through my pc's "line in,")
Parent
Reviews/opinions are like @ssholes... (Score:5, Funny)
For a title that got an 8.4 from Gamespot reviewers and a 9.0 from the players [gamespot.com], I'd have to say that this reviewer is just another opinion.
Re:LSL (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)