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Ethos Video Game Reviews
Friday, 27 November 2009
4.2 out of 5
Now Playing: Resident Evil
Topic: Nintendo Gamecube

 

     Survival horror is a gaming genre that few manufacturers can pull off successfully. Every element of the game has to be spot on for the player to truly be engulfed in the setting, and feel a sense of dread when turning every corner. Back in 1996, Capcom brought us into a dark mansion filled with zombies and other terrifying creatures in the Playstation hit, Resident Evil. In many ways, Resident Evil set the bar of what a survival horror game should be. However, anyone who has played the original recently would agree although a stable to the Playstation consol, is incredibly outdated and blocky. Luckily, there is an excellent alternative for those who want to duel the undead once again. I'm of course talking about the Nintendo Gamecube's remake of Resident Evil.

  With the lengthy introduction over with, anyone who owns a Nintendo's little fun square probably has Resident Evil to go along with it. The remake of Resident Evil was one of the most anticipated releases for that system, and with good reason. Being a full remake, we for the first time were able to see that dark spooky mansion and all of its zombie goodness in a light most of us never thought possible. Graphically, it is easily one of the best looking games ever to grace the Gamecube. Even in the year 2009, Resident Evil still holds up and with all of the HD quality graphics on the market that's saying quite a bit. There is an excellent amount of detail that was put into Resident Evil, and it truly helps the player feel drawn into their surroundings. Mix in a dark soundtrack, and you have yourself one heck of a creepy gaming experience.

  Being a true remake, many of the themes from the original Playstation hit have carried over to the Gamecube. You pick your path by either playing as S.T.A.R.S members Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. Although the core of the game is the same, there are variations between the two, not to mention distinct difference in the character's abilities. Chris, being having an extensive military career before joining The S.T.A.R.S-SWAT like unit can take more damage and his shots are more devastating. Jill being a cunningly street smart cop can't take as much damage, but she can pick locks and has more space to carry items. Controls are tight, as were the originals. Any veteran of the Resident Evil franchise will feel comfortable jumping on in. You can also expect all the familiar weaponry from the original to return, such as the 9mm handgun, shotguns, grenade launcher, and of course the trusty combat knife. One major difference is the ability to use defensive attacks when a Zombie, or other creepy critters get their undead paws on you. By using items such as daggers, or grenades to put a halt to their assault was a clever addition to the Resident Evil arsenal, and also added a bit of realism to the experience. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to let a random Zombie just chomp down on my neck...luckily neither will Jill or Chris. Some of the games tricky puzzles have also been revamped or tweaked, but with a little patients aren't overly difficult so the pace of the game will continue to flow fluently.

  For the veteran players of Resident Evil, don't expect a lot of new surprises from this adaptation. The game's plot is virtually unchanged, although the voice work has been greatly improved compared to the original release. That doesn't mean all of the voice acting is perfect, some are still on the tacky side, but it's a minor critique that really doesn't take away from the game's fun factor.

  There were few true hits to Nintendo's Gamecube. With a barrage of E rated games geared towards the Nerds in training (meaning ages 10 and below), it was a welcome sight to see something dark and ghoulish for the mature crowd. The fact that it was an old favorite just made it all the better. Like the countless zombies you'll slaughter through this game, this remake brought the Resident Evil franchise back from the dead.

Written by RB

Over and Out

________________________________________________________


Posted by ethosreviews at 11:37 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 3 February 2010 11:31 PM EST
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Monday, 23 November 2009
4.4 out of 5
Now Playing: Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Topic: Nintendo Gamecube

  The Nintendo Gamecube isn't known for having a ton of smash hits. In the early consol wars between Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, the Gamecube sadly came in a distant last. That doesn't mean it was a terrible system by any means, there just wasn't a large variety of games geared towards an older audience. However, one remake in particular possibly became the best game on the system all thanks to an all too familiar hero.

  When I first found out that Metal Gear Solid was being remade, I jumped for joy. Finally, my favorite game of all time was going to be remastered with modern graphics, and game play mechanics taken right out of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. It sounded too good to be true, and then I learned it was going to be on the Gamecube. I'll admit, at first I had my reservations. As far as I'm concerned, Solid Snake was a Sony guy even though he originally debuted to the US market on the NES. With my bias set aside, when Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes released there was no chance I was going to pass it up. It was everything I thought it was going to be, and that was pretty awesome.

  As far as Twin Snakes goes, it is a true remake of Metal Gear Solid. Setting is the same, map layouts are identical, and even roaming guards are in the locations we remember on the Sony Playstation. As I mention before the only elements that were revamped are the graphics and game mechanics, and both are stunning. Some of the new mechanics such as shooting in first person, rolling dives, hanging from ledges, hiding the guards you take out are all pulled right out the Playstation 2 games. These elements as a whole add a depth of realism that was missing in the original version, and are excellent to have at your disposal. For those who want to collect as many items as possible, holding up wandering guards for their dog tags has also made its return in Twin Snakes. Collecting these tags will add more unlockables for players to tinker around with, and adds a fun challenge. Even Snake's movement while sneaking around seems completely realistic, however compared to the fluidity of the cut scenes they come up a little short. One of the biggest flaws to Twin Snakes however is the control mechanics. Don't get me wrong, the game handles tightly for the most part, but its obvious that Metal Gear Solid was not intended for the Gamecube Controller. One frequent annoyance, although minor, is when Solid Snake attempts to choke an unsuspecting guard by using the A button. On occasion, instead of just choking the guard, he will flip the guard over his shoulder. This could be problematic when trying to keep a low profile, and be as stealthy as possible. Also pausing the game, and using codec isn't as simple as it should be. Having to use a combination of Start A, or Start B to accomplish these things can annoying. That just fuels my argument that Metal Gear Solid is a franchise best kept to the Sony consoles when the choice is available.

  Despite what most people think, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes wasn't directed by the franchises creator, Hideo Kojima. Although Kojima had his eye on the project, The Twin Snakes was actually directed by Kojima's go to man Ryuhei Kitamura. From the get go, you'll notice a distinct difference in their production styles. The original Metal Gear Solid under Kojima's care had a grittier, and dare I say less flashy presentation. Everything felt raw, but completely realistic. Kitamura on the other hand has an eye for flare. Solid Snake performs more matrix-like flips and bullet dodges during cut scenes, and many of the visuals seem a bit over the top. That is by no means a bad thing, but hardcore fans of the original tend to like Snake staying on the ground instead of flipping around like Spider-Man. Every voice over done in the game was also redone. The Twin Snakes brought back the majority of the cast from the Playstation smash hit, for this new adaptation of the classic. Overall, most of the voice work is just as good as the were the first time around. Unfortunately, some might say that you just can't recapture the essence of the original no matter how hard you try. I tend to agree with that assumption, but Twin Snakes offers voice talent that many games don't even come close to comparing too.

  Metal Gear Solid is one of those franchises that are completely timeless no matter how they are presented. When Solid Snake first graced the Playstation, he became an gaming icon to all nerds living in the United States. He's a rough and gruff character that never says die, and with Kojima's direction Metal Gear is the definitive stealth action game. Twin Snakes continues this legacy, although some might say doesn't live up to the original, it is easily better than many games out on the market today. Not to mention it gave us all a reason to run out and buy a Nintendo Gamecube, and with Twin Snakes it made it worth every penny.

Written by: RB

Over and Out

_______________________________________________________


Posted by ethosreviews at 9:34 PM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 3 February 2010 11:35 PM EST
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