Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem

Feature: The action / from third party
Developer: Rebellion
Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Official site: Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
Available Platform: Sony PSP

Cinematography cheap - cheap games

The first film "Alien" has appeared in the 1979 s - year. It command cargo spacecraft "Nostromo" paid for their curiosity, picked alien infection in the person of the universal warrior with a huge principal and acid instead of blood. Looking at this monster, did not immediately soobrazish that race hearsay, seemingly almost invulnerable (thick "skin", discarding the tail, vystrelivayuschy language and all that) is actually very weak, if we take into account the diversity of life forms in the universe. Based on the idea of co-sponsors, its representatives for the successful breeding and existence need incubators, in form and functionality reminiscent of Rights. At least, the head of the brain and free space required in the body - otherwise the whole civilization outsiders predicted root.

Brothers Greg and Colin Straus, continued ban "Alien v. Predator" on those little things not thought of at all. Instead, they gathered in his painting all stamps on the theme of the two franchises that have accumulated less than thirty years. Alien still strong and aggressive, predator is still straightforward and nepreklonen in their aspirations, and people, once again caught between two lights, behave habitual pattern - smart, and too busy to die at the wrong time. Familiar to classic films and there was no atmosphere in pomine, screenwriter puts all heroes in spending without thinking, and justifies this odd-tasting wine only finale. Radi poterpet meaning it is one and a half hours and wearing a senseless mincing machine.

At subbotnik - in another galaxy

Homonymous game in precisely the same plot films, suggesting once again go through the streets of a provincial town Gannison that in the state of Colorado. The ship predators, steam aboard reserve "crabs" and one infected hunter, contrary to tradition, not crashed in New York, and visions for this place. During the collapse of banks with parasites break, crabs fled to the woods, but from the patient vylezla adult specimen - the so-called "predalien (plus a foreign predator - neither fish nor meat). Catastrophe colleague tracked the ship captain, who immediately gathered their belongings and went simple remedy effects.

More on the plan are: population perepoloshilos half turned into incubators, and the other simply lost their heads, and only a handful of the most smekalistyh townspeople managed to escape death. Despite the fact that the film and sleplennaya explanation for his game almost identical in terms of literary value story, and part of his curios, look at the events in a completely different. People in the game slightly retreated from a given line of films scriptwriter, making main character of the very hunter who prispichilo Cleaning consequences of the accident. It hides you, and to walk the neighborhood visions town, working intergalactic nurse.

Against scrap No admission

Sutee this does not change: "Requiem" to the very end remains the same senseless leaves with nashlepkami Alien and Predator ™ ™ box, which turned both series. Predator running in the streets, basements or industrial areas Gannisona, otstrelivaet hearsay and destroy any traces of the presence of aliens on Earth. The challenges faced by them, do not go beyond "find the way it is." At the end of each location Stellar stranger waiting crowd enemies overlap output. And that was not boring, for every sneeze invisible judge issues a so-called "points of Fame, opening up access to new weapons and to upgrade the old.

With a hunter taskaet accustomed to, a set of "trunks": plasma gun, cannon naplechnuyu (even two), and drive a spear. He looks at the world, not only the naked eye, but through three filters built into the mask - infrared, technical, and "alien". The first allows you to see objects emit heat, the second - any devices and weapons earth, and the third - the very catchy, which is to destroy Superman and flew nameless. Each mode has its own particular view, but knowing them is not necessarily - still no relief.

Miserly set of ideas, with grit zasunuty the game, it becomes a futile from the start. Bag gun, having a function samonavedeniya, takes care of all the attention - she easily destroy any enemy, and used it to the battery for some reason never ends. Everything else in comparison with this product Overseas voenproma looks like a stick of primeval. There is no point in risking health and wagging your hands when you can just catch the enemy in sight and methodically kill him.

Borders on primitivism

People do not have to spare, to follow goggles fame - too (still longer than necessary), the modernization of weapons is carried out without interference from the player and magic batteries enough to destroy the entire population of the Earth as soon as possible. I suspect that even some of these conditions may seem harsh, the authors pile up to "forgotten" to put into other people's brains head, and at the same time have reduced any other threat to a minimum. Civilians mom Alien, are beginning to wear away "Why am I?" Not having the slightest resistance, attacking strangers strictly pairs, and only war cry easy frightened.

Simply mission predator, podchischayuschego debris for strangers on the territory of the American Farm - just walking from his home to the barn. And it risks step in the mud or on the way to get slightly scratched on the currant bushes. The health is not seriously hurt, but clearly demonstrate the degree of risk faced with a main character "Requiem" - fearless warrior, not able to jump and swim in the deep waters above the waist. What is the point was to create a primitive entertainment - is unclear. If only the principle of "cinema cheap - cheap game.

Pluses

* Movie game scenario repeats itself until the finals;
* Ideal as a time-killer.

Negative

* too easy to play;
* incredibly boring design levels;
* absent though any atmosphere;
* You can damn at all, except for a false fire

Graphics
Colorado town faintest landscapes have a minimum of details and colorized completely brown in color with some gray. Every element of design plunges in the eerie gloom: the same house, compiled from model "building blocks", deserted streets with rarely encountered by people skachuschie ridiculous monsters and the lights burning, similar to acne color on the wall.

Sound
Music by his task brought to a minimum and just nataskal standard for a series of sounds and music samples. Of the short list of tracks they created not remembered none. The atmosphere saspensa, so ably recreated sound relevant films are absent by definition.

Management
Once remembered for samonavedeniya combination of keys, you may not use more than anything else. Try regime of view and a lot of weapons are not useful never walk to the very end. In such circumstances, it becomes clear why the alien hunter does not know how to jump - it is simply not necessary.

Gameplay
One and a half dozen short levels flew for one evening without too much effort. To destroy dead crabs and traces of alien technology is not necessarily - notorious glasses glory, and so unofficial Pittsburgh;… unnecessary movements will be redundant.

The overall impression
In the Requiem can be lazy potykat finger while awaiting repair machines at the end of the SRT, in transport, in a meeting or at a boring pair in the university. The lack of even any emotion on the face and stoprotsentnaya process automation reliably shield your class. And for fun, find themselves engage in fashion.

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness

Genre: Role-playing / Japan (jRPG)
Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
Publisher: Koei Limited
Official site: Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
Wandering circus

All our life resembles an endless billiard party, in which God plays a couple of Fate. Table enormous balloon - unthinkable number. Do during the next life may be commonplace, and charming, and then silk - and the head befalls wave of change. Good or not - is as lucky. In doing so under the label struck celestial cues come not only to ordinary mortals, but bust.

Prince Laharl, the only son and heir of a legitimate world potentates Pirates demons, for two years in the dream lethargy. Recovered, after a long hibernate, he found that the father died, and fighting for the throne once close to the King vassals. In the absence of a single ruler, vvergnutaya into internecine warfare land to the brink of chaos. Unwilling to tolerate the prevailing situation, Laharl decides to return the throne, it rightfully belongs.

But cheerfully walk

A further history is just two "highlights": a healthy sense of humor and lack of formulaic characters. Heroes mercilessly ridicule pathos and high-speech, which is usually full of full-in movies, serials and animated games of the era swords and magic. As for the actors, some of them are even Laharl - particularly the blood royal, noble and fearless warrior - does not fit into the generally accepted framework.

He has a unique, but very serious flaw - it is a perfect dummy, is not friendly with the logic and forgets all in the form of maidens with appetizing forms. Escorted him no less colorful personality: perky and mercenary named poddannaya Etna, whose dramatic speech, as a rule, end in failure, and kind, too charming, in its stupidity Flonn angel. Overall, not custodians of justice, a wandering circus.

Checkerboard Party

Like any typical representative of the genre of Japanese role-playing games, in Disgaea constantly alternate two stages - preparations and fighting. Before each battle command can be changed, dokupat weapons, artifacts and equipment. Self tour of the towns and forests and toured neighborhoods - none of this here and not in pomine. You battle with the enemy soldiers, see the movie storyline, and then returning to the castle, shop and visit a hospital, and then choose an accessible location for a visit and once again jump into a fight. In the absence of an interesting storyline and tactical kinda boring part of such a scheme would have an hour.

At the same time, participate in the battle to twelve characters. Moving them like chess pieces, you can play some tricks unimaginable number of combinations. At certain moments, even wakes unhealthy sense of excitement when you start to rotate in the head with dozens of options, pridumyvaya to bypass or Lure the enemy in his trap. In addition to the usual methods of attacking, fighters can hold entire ligament attacks, the effectiveness of which depends on the skills and abilities of Trust. In such situations, a lot depends on "prokachki", which limit simply does not exist - just to have time and desire.

Paradise for corruption

Especially heavily from the standard set of characteristic of the genre cliches knocked only one thing only - the so-called Dark Assembly, which represents a sort of parliament, which decides on matters of interest to you. You can submit for the consideration of an application for an increase in the range of shops, obtaining the right to visit certain places or rentals fighters. In considering the petition, the Assembly rarely converge in a single opinion. Those who are too active ranges, or adversely sensitive to your request, will induce the support of bribes. As they dropped any object with useful properties affecting favor demons.

Such trifles not only emit studio Nippon Ichi creature in the crowd of similar products, but also offer an infinite number of ways to win. Enumerate nuances can be very long, but it does not change the fact - remain qualitative role Disgaea game has an interesting battle system and the almost endless tactical opportunities. And some monotony and однообразность action in it more than offset funny story and witty dialogue, podstegivayuschimi to further passage.

Pluses
* sparkling humor;
* bright and saturated design;
* deep and interesting fighting system.

Negative
* overvalued complexity of the game in the later stages;
* camera is not always convenient.

Graphics
Visually the game resembles Japanese anime cartoon style: colorful lupoglazye residents Pirates peace, vivid scenery and funny creatures. The only drawback - and several bednovatye empty scenery of the battle fields.

Sound
The excellent soundtrack and sound effects enliven many narration. In this game starts to resemble the cartoon is currently.

Management
Even during fight and complex tactical combinations do not have to go the extra buttons. A convenient Implemented menu that specifically meant for people who are just familiar with role-playing games.

Gameplay
On the one hand Afternoon of Darkness, a typical representative of the genre, the cords filled battles. On the other - there is the mass of small things, making it a unique product. Same use geosimvolov affecting the characteristics of their fallen fighters, offers unlimited opportunities to build part of the battle tactics.

The overall impression
Most Disgaea allocated by the colourful characters from the distant history of platitudes and interesting game mechanics. However, people familiar with the little Japanese role-playing games could alienate monotony "prokachki" characters. And without this project to go before the end of the project does not succeed.