Aramation Games

World of Goo is one of the most innovative puzzlers to hit the PC in a long time. Your goal is to guide these goo balls to extraction point by basically turning goo balls into scaffolding. Each stage gives you a required number of balls to save and if you fail, you need to start from the beginning. Core gameplay depends heavily on physics and gravity as you combine goo balls together in a towering structure, you will quickly realize gravity is not your friend. Since the structure is made of, well, goo, it is very jiggly and unstable. It is up to you to determine how much risk you’re willing to take vs. building a pretty stable structure in order to save an extra goo. A goo ball that you use for construction probably won’t be saved at the end of the stage.

There are other types of goo balls apart from the regular black goo: green goos can be moved and detached from built structure, white goos drip down, red goos can float, yellow goos can stick to vertical surfaces as well as horizontal, and skull goos are impervious to spikes. At later missions, it becomes a challenge to quickly and properly use all these different goos in order to reach the end. The game requires a lot of trials and errors if you do not plan your structure properly.

Unfortunately, the game is marred by control issues: you click on a goo, and drag it to where you want to place it. However this becomes infuriating when the time is running out, your structure is toppling, and you grab the wrong goo as they scurry about on the structure you’ve just built. The game also has an undo function when you click on a time fly that’s buzzing around your structure. It is sometimes too easy to click on them by mistake instead of selecting a goo.

In the end, the charming visuals and physics-based puzzles will give you a very different experience. You’ll soon fall in love with those goos.

Rating: 80%

Eternal Sonata is not another generic RPG from Japan. It is set in the dream world of Chopin, the famous composer as he lies in his deathbed. The biggest strength of the game is the incredible visuals and audio afforded by the setting. Intermixed with the game’s original scores are very recognizable Chopin piano pieces: as a fan of Chopin and having played all of these masterpieces, it was a delight to hear them so intricately used in a video game.

Game mechanic mixes turn-based combat with real time battles. You control a party of 3 characters and on your turn, the timer kicks in and you need to make your moves such as move, use items, attack and use special attacks. When it’s the enemy’s turn, you need to block and later in the game, counterattack when you’re prompted to do so. This mechanic is interesting, but it gets pretty annoying very fast as you continue your grind. The difficulty sometimes spikes but it’s generally a pretty easy game. You won’t die too often and you won’t need to hog too many healing items.

The biggest downfall of the game is the storyline. Even though the dream world of Chopin afforded an interesting world, the characters in it are shallow, one dimensional and irritating. Worse, the story of a nation bent on war vs. a nation trying to avoid war at all costs is interesting but doesn’t lead to any resolution. In fact, the ending of the game has infuriated me as I was expecting something better to resolve the stories. Throughout the game, Chopin wonders if the dream world is real or if his real world is a fabrication. But by the end of the game, Chopin doesn’t reach the conclusion of that debate and the game finishes abruptly.

This pretty linear game could have definitely used another or two script revisions as the setting deserved better characters and more fleshed out storyline. As it stands, the game’s innovative combat system that relies on real-time reflexes and light/dark mechanic is the saving grace.

Rating: 55%
Buy Eternal Sonata for Xbox 360 on Amazon.ca

Buzz! Master Quiz is the franchise’s first entry into portable trivia gaming, and it’s mostly disappointing. The core gameplay of answering questions based on clues, pictures and videos isn’t broken: the problem is the package surrounding the core gameplay is too shallow to be recommended.

The game ditches the game show format, and instead present you with a bunch of challenges for you to complete. Most of the screens consist of text and your host Buzz, and that’s about it. It is a passable interface but doesn’t do anything to spruce up the experience. Single-player mode consists of set number of questions that you must answer, by yourself. You are not even playing against computer opponents so the only incentive to continue playing is to… beat your own score.

Multiplayer is where the game fares better with 3 multiplayer modes, 2 of which can be played with only a single PSP with contestants passing it around. It’s passable but it isn’t an immersive experience like passing the controllers on a full-fledged console version. Game sharing mode is incredibly limited, and it isn’t worth the price of admission which involves multiple PSPs in the same room.

Buzz! Master Quiz, with its 5,000 questions, boring single player and limited-appeal multiplayer could be improved upon all areas and I hope the developers will correct all these issues. Until then, it is just a passable collection of trivia.

Rating: 45%

Red Alert series was always the fun and absurd loving member of the Command & Conquer series, and the latest entry in the franchise takes thing to the extreme (Xtreme?). Set in the fictional world where time travel is possible, the game starts with the desperate Soviets travelling back in time to erase Einstein out of existence in order to defeat the enemies. Of course when they get back, they realize they have reduced the Allies’ powers (by eliminating their nukes) but it gave rise to the Empire of the Rising Sun. This new faction seeks to destroy Western forces to claim supremacy over the world, and Allies and Soviets are forced to confront the threat together.

One of the guilty pleasures of C&C series was the live-action full motion videos featuring pretty well known actors. This time, EA has outdone itself by hiring George Takei, Peter Stormare, Tim Curry and other B-level stars to portray in-game characters. The end result is exciting and fun to watch as, thankfully, these actors don’t take themselves seriously and play up the campness. If you buy games based on the amount of real cleavage and legs, then RA3 may be your only choice on the shelves this Holiday.

Gameplay wise, the biggest addition apart from a 3rd playable faction is co-op. The entire single-player experience is designed to be played with another commander: you can either find someone online, or let the AI take over while you issue basic commands. This makes more sense in the universe - after all, if you’re fighting a war, there are bound to be other commanders on the battlefield - and it helps offload some of the work for you.  Another addition is the bigger emphasis on naval combat as a lot of the units are amphibious, and you can even build buildings on the water. This forces you to change your tactics as that shoreline becomes another route for invasion.

The highlight of the game is the units as we’re talking about a game that features armored bears, sonic dolphins, helicopters that can shrink enemies, anime-inspired hovering schoolgirl with psychic abilities and even battleships that can walk on the ground. Almost every unit has secondary functions and it can get tough to properly use all the units’ abilities in the heat of the battle. However it can be a delight to counter the enemies’ tactics by simply changing the function of your unit (such as making it go airborne).

Red Alert 3 feels just like the other RA games, only bigger, badder and faster. Once you set up your economy by building refinery right next to the ore mine, you can focus on churning out units and attacking the enemy. If you’re looking for a fast-paced action with pretty crazy units and George Takei playing a crazed Japanese emperor, this game is a definite must play.

Rating: 90%

As if you suddenly find hours to devote to gaming, major titles are being released. Here are the best of the glut:

Week of November 2, 2008

• Gears of War 2 (X360): If you enjoyed Gears of War, the sequel will offer plenty for you with updated game mechanics such as meat shield, better storyline and new multiplayer modes for you to enjoy well into 2009.
• Resistance 2 (PS3): This PS3 exclusive shooter features innovative weapons and 2 different campaigns: one single-player and one co-op. Add multiplayer and you have a flagship shooter on PS3.
• Tom Clancy’s EndWar (PS3, X360): Tom Clancy’s latest franchise puts you into command of an army as you fight the next World War. Innovative use of voice commands ensure this RTS experience on the console won’t be hampered by control issues.

Week of November 9, 2008

• Call of Duty: World at War (PC, PS3, X360): As if you didn’t have enough shooters to choose from already, the latest Call of Duty builds on the incredible success of CoD 4 and moves the war to the Pacific in the World War II.
• Mirror’s Edge (PC, PS3, X360): EA’s first-person action adventure parkour simulator lets you control an agile messenger who fights the oppressive regime by jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
• World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (PC): You may as well take the entire month of December off if you are into WoW, thanks to the latest expansion pack.

Week of November 16, 2008

• Left 4 Dead (PC, X360): If you want zombies in your first-person shooter, Valve has the answer for you with Left 4 Dead. It promises unique co-op experiences that adapts to your party’s skill level.

Week of November 30, 2008

• Prince of Persia (PS3, X360): Prince of Persia returns (without a sub title), first time on the current-gen consoles. Early previews showcase gorgeous environment and a sidekick mechanic that seemed intuitive and helpful.