(Note-this video game is rated mature for good reason, so I am not sure if young children should play it) {I would say not until at least age 14. ~ DB.}
I picked this game up recently, and haven't been able to stop playing it! Taking place in a fictional metropolis called "Liberty City", you play the part of the silent protagonist, a small-time crook who was double-crossed by his girlfriend during a bank heist and sent off to prison. However, on your way to the prison there is a hijacking and you escape in the midst of all the fighting along with a black explosives expert named 8-Ball. 8-Ball sets you up with some "work", and next thing you know, your working for the mafia.
What makes the game so interesting is that you are every bit as sleazy & bad as the characters you are working for-there is no morality whatso ever in this game. You are a criminal, and for you, crime pays!
The game is set in a very realistic 3-D world, which comes alive with dozens of "extra touches"-for instance, if you run in front of a car, people will curse at you and honk their horns, you hear hookers proposition you (& you can accept their propositions as well!)
The game is quite difficult, but thankfully a wide variety of weaponary and vehicles are at your disposal-if you need a fast car for instance, just drag the driver out and hop inside! As far as weapons go, you start out with a baseball bat, but then work your way up to a 9mm pistol, then an Uzi, AK-47 & the super-powerful M-16, a shotgun, a sniper-rifle, Molotov-Cocktails, Hand Gernades, Rocket Launchers, and even a flame-thrower! You can also fight with your bare hands or mow your enemey down with a car. What is so refreshing about the weaponary in this game is that, in many games with a wide variety of weapons that I have played, generally alot of the weapons simply "look good" but actually are fairly useless-and you end up using a single, "well rounded" weapon for the most part. Well, in this game, each weapon has it's place and use, from the pistol to the sniper rifle to the flame thrower, each works well in a different situation. For instance, the Uzi is useful for running with and shooting, or for shooting from a car, but the AK-47 is the heavier fire power. A baseball bat is great for muggings (each perdestrian carries cash, and if you kill them you can get it), and the sniper rifle is great for taking enemies out from a long range, safe across the street.
An interesting aspect to this game is that while it is very difficult (it's for an experienced game player, that is for sure!) each mission usually has an aspect to it in which you can beat it without too much difficulty. For instance, in one mission you have what seems like a dozen cop cars chasing you after a bank robbery-whereas your first instinct would be to race away from them, I came across a "pay 'n' spray" shop in which you can get your car resprayed (& therefore unnoticeable to cops) & easily drived My car to the gangs hide out. In another, you have to take out a pimp, however you are only armed with a 9mm while the pimp & his fellow gang member are armed with a shotgun & uzi. Instead of facing off with them, I waited until they got out of their car & mowed them down!
Besides the "main" missions, there are seemingly dozens of side missions you can take-anything from crusing into enemey-gang territory & mowing a few down with your machine gun for fun, to hijacking a taxi & carting people around, or an ambulance to save lives, or even a cop car to go on vigilante missions. At various points you'll catch the eye of street gangs besides the ones you are working for, & you can do even more work for them. If that wasn't enough, sprinkled throughout the game in various spots are "rampages" in which you get unlimited use of a powerful weapon and must perform a certain task, such as destroying a number of vehilcles in a limited amount of time. There are even "Hidden Packages" in the game, and for every 10 you collect a weapon is delivered to your hide out.
While a very challenging game, it is still enjoyable to the extreme, & highly recommended for the mature video game player.
5/5
* Grand Theft Auto 3 @ Game Spot
Probably one of the most fun games I have played in a while, Namco's Vampire Night is much more interesting than it sounds at first. Let's face it: most games where the player is any kind of "hunter" usually prove less than acceptable. Not so with this bad boy.
First of all, this game comes with a gun controller (GUNCON) for PS2, complete with sight, select, start, A&B and four directional buttons inventivlely integrated within the case of the gun. The player calibrates the gun before the game even begins, allowing the sensitivity of the gun, the range, etc., to conform to the player and not the other way around which was a nice change. Once the gun is calibrated, the player will need some practice, right? This game has you covered there, too.
The game starts off with three basic practice stages, consisting of three levels each. Once the player completes each level, the next level is unlocked and the player may move on to more difficult stages of practice. Once all three levels are unlocked and completed, the player recieves a "prize" in the form of more ammo, cheats, life, etc. . Once all the levels in all the stages are complete, more stages are unlocked that are meant to target specific things such as rapid fire/realoading, accuracy, quick judgement, etc. More than anything, these levels help the player get a feel for the gun, as the skills needed to play are a bit different than the ones built in practice. Once the player is comfortable with the feel and action of the gun, it's time to move on to the game.
In the game you are one of two vampires-turnned-vampre hunters, Michel (P1) or his sidekick Albert (P2) who, after somehow becoming partly human again, go on a mission in the year 2006 CE to kill the rest of the local group of vampires, which you have been a part of for the last 300 years, in order to end their reign over the local village. To make things a bit annoying a little girl from the village keeps following you (and your partner, if in 2P mode) for no real reason at all. Hell, you can't even shoot her. I tried it...several times.
The game itself consitsts of six stages (or 'chapters'). Armed only with handguns, the object is to make it through each of the stages by killing off the head vampire's (Auguste) minions (and their minions) in order to at last reach the man himself. In each stage, you battle different creatures before battling the minion that has dominion over that stage in thier bestial form. As one would expect, the farther you go, the harder it is to defeat the minion of that stage (though the game has an automatic cheat that shows you where the beast is weakest).
Once you get past the last minion (who reminds Me of a weaker, complete with flowing white gown, blonde hair and airy voice), you get to ditch the girl. The very last stage is more of an endurance round than anything. Against a windowed backdrop of night, the head vampire rises up and transforms into a grand demon who emerges from a ball of attack bats. Once half the life is taken forom him, he transforms into yet another, more grand demon that is a bit faster, and a bit more transparent than his previous form, thereby adding another wrinkle to the game. Once the head vampire is defeated, he vows revenge before he dies. At that point you are the only one(s) left, and wind up burning when the sun rises. There is then another cinematic little piece that makes the ending more disapointing.
Though I feel that there are some aspects that could be better, there are a few things that make this game a lot of fun. The 2P mode allows both players to play together in a cooperative effort, rather than making each wait to take turns. The player has no control over where the characters run on screen, but the game/machine is so intelligent in that respect that this is more of a positive thing than a negative one. As with all PS2 games, the graphics are impecable, taking on more of an interactive animated movie feel than a video game feel. My personal favorite feature is the automatic save. Whenever the player moves up a chapter or unlocks a training area or reward, the information is automatically saved to the memory card. A virtual 'satan send' to the lazy/foregetful gamer such as Myself.
All in all, I was able to complete all six stages in 2P mode and unlock a few new practice areas in one sittng, in under 1 1/2 hours without once running out of credits. Though it is rated "teen" and is definately not for little kids, I would say that kids 8 and above would probably love it. For the experienced gamer, it's a fun game with some replayability, as from what I understand, there are several places where, depending on your actions, you are given different paths. For the newer gamer (or the gamer new to a gun controller), it's a great game to hone your skills. There's no really big strategy involved in theis game, no stages to memorize (though shooting certian objects will yield the occasional reward), or anything; it's just fun.
This game is pretty good for its own sake. It's basically about a dead warrior in a land of ghouls & zombies who attack him at every turn, & it is up to you to find the Chaos Rune, among other hidden treasures arrayed throughout this underworld of bizarre incarnations.
The animations are up to 3-D par, although I will remark on the variety of different angles. The graphics are japanamistic, but nonetheless intriguing.
Spyro the Dragon
Playstation
I have recently come across this wonderful little game that is just absolutely perfect for darklings, seemingly tailor-made.
First of all, the flow of the 3D graphics are extremely realistic. The character is an adorable baby dragon, with all the mannerisms of what a baby dragon might be, as if the creators modelled him from puppies & kittens, which is probably what they did.
So little Spyro is set to explore in his homeland, where he derives sustainance from sheep, & questing for gems & treasures, perusing into archways & temples, & fending off sheepherders armed with staves. The Satanic implications are obvious. A dragon insinerating sheep for food.....? Sheepherders protecting their sheep? Predator vs. prey.....
In certain situations, such as when killing a charging ram, smashing into walls, giants attacking, you will note the joystick vibrate, thereby making the gaming experience a bit more tactile.
So the player is Spyro the Dragon, helped along with the advice of ancestors. It is remarkable how noble these mentors are, their voices echoing their arcane wisdom unto their young.
In travelling, we also embark into Stone Creek, & the more aesthetically-pleasing Dark Hollow, where new creatures wander to be defeated, & more treasures to be plundered. Bit by bit, little Spyro learns to glide, then eventually fly.
Gaming tip: Avoid water!
Viacom / New Media / CD Rom
- Starring -
Bill Williamson / Kieth Russ / Loise Menkert / Jay Nickelson / Nichole Peterene / Jim McGivern / John Arthur Olson
The presentation is about to begin. Darken your chamber, light the candles, burn the incense, & place your thinking cap on. The music grows into a choral tidal wave, singing "Mighty Empress", as the stars' names appear, & fade into a sanguinous abyss of darkness.
Based upon Bram Stoker's Dracula, 'Dracula Unleashed' is the only DVD interactive videogame on the market as of yet, & impressive it is! The experience is like interacting with a movie, the scenes, & the characters.
You are "Alexander Morris", brother to Texan Quincy Morris, who was mysteriously murdered, & you are here to seek justice.
You have been selected by the elite "Hades Club" to be a member of this esteemed, though secretive organization, likened Sir Francis Dashwood's Hellfire Club. It's leader is a "Devlin Goldacre", a real shit-disturber, who mocks Morris relentlessly.
Morris travels about London in a cortege' with a really polite driver, searching for the Lord of The Undead, & encounters many travails along the way. One's investigative persuits must be arranged in a particular way, so that a string of clues will lead to the final confrontation. Morris contains several objects in his satchel, which prove useful in various situations. Watch out for lunatics!
Periodically, Morris writes in his journal, which also contains the names & addresses of pertinent individuals & locations.
There are many artful backgrounds, dark oboesque music, & pretty good acting & costumings. Strongly Recommended.
Playstation / Calisto / Activision
"Rated: Mature - 17+"
"A Bloody good time in jolly Old London"
Bathed in darkness, & with a decidedly eerie atmosphere permutating into many morbid manifestations, the player is brought into a horror world of gore & mysticism. The scenery is gloriously Gothic, covered in shadow.....with many lurking abominations therein.....
You have the choice of being one of two characters: "Father Ignacius Blackward, a man of God combatting Evil", or "Nadia F., a Microbiologist." The latter character, who's father was murdered mysteriously, probably as a plan of "The Brotherhood of Hecate", a mysterious Dark order dedicated to dominating the earth using these mutant monsters. They are led by "Adam Crowley", former "legitimate" scientist who now masterminds the secret Brotherhood of Hecate. Unfortunately, their bodies were immolated in the Fire of 1666. Crowley only desired to create a race of "Supermen" {...can you say Ubermenschten?}; but things didn't quite go as planned. Still, this was still a great opportunity to realize their plans anyway.
The plot is basically based around their Grimoire, which was written by "Pepys", a mystic / Black Magic Magician. The Legend is quite intriguing, & quite ingenious, actually.
Werewolves, fire-spewing Demons, Spider-like creatures, Zombies, & knife-wielding "faceless men" are only some of the inhabitants of this truly nightmarish dimension.
Nightmare Creatures presents a forboding challenge for all those who wish to enjoy a bit of Eustress, in this descent into a veritable Hell.....
The 7th Guest
Virgin / Trilobyte / Mac CD-Rom
"Old man Stauf built a house
And filled it with his toys
Six guests all came one night
Their screams the only noiseNo one knows what happened next
There's no one left to say
But if you should see Old Man Stauf
Get on your kneees & pray"
You have been sent an invitation to attend an event by Mr. Stauf, world-renowned toymaker.
There are many legends surrounding this enigmatic man ---- he has quite an infamous reputation. Are they truths or lies? That is for you to decide. Either way, mystery surrounds him, just the way he likes it. Rumour has it he's a Warlock in league with The Devil.........
Dare you go through the Gates of his ominous mansion?
You are set free to peruse the many darkened rooms & hallways. Each contains a different puzzle to solve, a different riddle to decipher. Eventually, you will find who this "madman" really is.....are you prepared?
Overall, this game is multi - stimulating. Aesthetically, it is just beautiful - splenderous - gloriously gloomy. The digital artwork is visually stunning, & very detailed. The artistry of it all draws you into the scenery, with third-dimensional effects --- so much so, you could get lost within those lambent corridors for hours.
The puzzles are a bit trying at first, especially because you even have to figure out how they particularly work ---- but after that, it's one brainblending / gratifying riddle after another.
The music therein provides for a thickly eerie atmosphere that makes one want to jump right into the screen.
The CD Music on disc II
If you play this CD on your CD player alone, there are a series of songs available just to listen to, based upon those within the game. Some songs contain lyrics, some are instrumentals. The first is a rather mediocre attempt at replicating the Gothic, or Death Rock style.
Most of the same effects are used throughout, with sound samples of Mr. Stauf & terrified guests.
It seems the music was orchestrated to accentuate Stauf's "insanity", or genius, depending upon how you look at it.
There are a couple of Noiresque tunes, the most notable being "Dry Bones", sung with a very sultry female voice, which I picture being sung by a cross between Jessica Rabbit & Morticia Addams.
The 7th Guest is a veritable ghoulish conundrum that will have you become a regular guest of The Stauf's Manor again & again.
Kudos to the Technomancers. The 7th Guest is Spooktacular.
Symphony of The Night
Playstation / Konami
Castlevania is a darkly digital adventure into the Gothic world of the Dracula legend.
There's the ubiquitous Vampire Hunter, this one's name is "Richter Belmont", a 23 - year old mortal hunting the Lord of The Undead, estimated to be over 400 years old.
Richter's 17-year old girlfriend, "Maria Renard" goes looking for him, & is, of course, captured by Count Vlad Tepes Dracula {sic}; so she ends up presenting an additional problem / obstacle for Richter.
These magnificent creatures so easily beaten by inexperienced & pathetic mortals? Please.
Obviously, the philosphical theme is that of the "Good vs. Evil" simplicity, but remember, it is just a game, after all. There are some idealistic disturbances, such as werewolves being slaughtered, & of course, there's no real choice of actually being Dracula Himself, or a demon, for that matter, but the player does get an opportunity to battle, & even kill them.
Alucard, Dracula's confused & ingrate son, is an option, however, he has the same type of mentality besetting 'Nick Knight'; that is to say, unappreciative of the magnificent being he is, & the Dark Gift bestowal.
'Death' {Thanatos} makes a special appearance, giving Alucard a dire warning, & ends up making off with his weapons.....he he he.....
After some brief scathing philosophical arguementation, in which the Dracula character makes a rather good point, the battle begins, amidst the triumphant & haunting strains of an organ.
Castlevania comes off as being a 'cross' between a movie & a videogame.
Castlevania contains magnificent scenery, & some pretty damned good music.
One major warning: Watch out for Demons!
