Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
Blog Tools
Edit your Blog
Build a Blog
RSS Feed
View Profile
« March 2024 »
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Entries by Topic
All topics
Atari 2600
Game Boy
GameBoy Advance
iPod Touch/iPhone  «
Nintendo (NES)
Nintendo 64
Nintendo DS
Nintendo Gamecube
PC
Playstation
Playstation 2
Playstation 3
PSP
Sega Genesis
Sega Saturn
Super Nintendo (SNES)
TurboGrafx 16
Virtual Boy
Wii
XBox
XBox 360
You are not logged in. Log in
Ethos Video Game Reviews
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
2.7 out of 5.0
Now Playing: Metal Gear Solid Touch (2009)
Topic: iPod Touch/iPhone
    

     Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for the Playstation 3 is arguably the greatest video game ever created - from a technical, graphical, story, artistic, and gameplay sense - it has it all covered. Much to my surprise, the iPod came out with its own game based on this masterpiece - entitled Metal Gear Solid Touch. Obviously, the capable little device has tremendous potential but could it carry out the same sort of perfection that the console game did?

     I remember when MGS Touch came out. Numerous gaming websites revealed a vague announcement made by Konami and speculated on what this meant for fans of the franchise. It was an elusive green circle with the trademark exclamation point in the center (pictured above)...and that was it. What could it be? Was this a new console Metal Gear game? Who knew! Well, less than a year after MGS4, Metal Gear Solid Touch was officially known to the public. I was very much intruigued by such a game, as who wouldn't want a portable version of one of the best games ever made? Unfortunately, it did not live up to such hype and anticipation.

     While MGS Touch does a lot of things right, the core gameplay is where the game ultimately suffers. Of course on the iPod, a game can live or die based on how intuitive the control is. Loosely based on the events of MGS4, Touch allows players to visit various locations from the aforementioned PS3 title - but you won't get to fully experience the environments as the game is a rail shooter. There is nothing wrong with a rail shooter, but when Konami plays coy with a vague announcement and then dares to boast a $7.99 price tag for this Metal Gear app, you'd expect a much more involved gaming experience. And for 8 dollars, that's a mighty steep investment considering that many incredible iPod app games are under 2 dollars.

     The graphics are quite stunning in MGS Touch, and you could say it is the best looking iPod game out there - just like its PS3 counterpart, as it is the best looking console video game out there to date. The game also contains many little different bonus features such as Drebin's Shop where it has a slew of wallpapers and such available, but some of the content is blocked until you complete certain portions of the game - you must also have enough Drebin Points to purchase them - so there is incentive to carry on with the game. In addition, there is also a bonus section entitled "Special" that explains the history of the entire franchise game by game and I must say that is a nice touch.

     As I mentioned earlier, the gameplay is subpar. When the PMC soldiers you are shooting at pop out from different cover areas, you have to drag Snake's gun across the screen to fire at him. It is a rather slow drag and the gameplay isn't just quick paced, you just feel stressed trying to drag your weapon from one side of the screen to another. The aiming must also be very precise, you have to be directly centered on the enemy if you want to take it down and that can be a nuisance considering how difficult it is to drag the weapon all about.

     MGS Touch is a decent game. But it is colassally overpriced, and if you can adjust and live with the fairly rigid and stiff controls, then you may have some fun. Otherwise, you may just be frustrated and disappointed. I also recall at the origin of its release, there was no "Lite" version available, which is for free. Now I check back and a free Lite version is indeed available. If I were able to screen this game ahead of time, I likely would have declined spending 8 dollars on this product. If it were cheaper, it'd be worth the time.

-Kurt L.

_______________________________________________________


Posted by ethosreviews at 10:01 AM EDT
Updated: Tuesday, 31 August 2010 10:34 AM EDT
Post Comment | Permalink | Share This Post
Sunday, 29 August 2010
2.5 out of 5.0
Now Playing: Mega Man II (2009)
Topic: iPod Touch/iPhone
    

     To kick off the new "iPod/iPhone" topic on the Ethos Video Game review section, allow me to discuss a classic video game re-released in today's modern age. One of the original Nintendo's (NES) best games, Mega Man 2, can be had now on your iPod device. To see how good this game really is in its original form, go to the NES topic section and read the review, or go to our YouTube Channel and watch the Mega Man 1-6 (NES) video review. Ok, enough of the shameless advertising, let's get to the review!

     Mega Man II for the iPod really intrigued me. As it is one of my favorite NES titles, I simply had to try it on my iPod Touch. While it features all of the sights and sounds in a crisp manner, the game suffers from its busted control. The touch screen on the iPod is generally very well implemented, and it goes without saying, this is an impressive little device. However, to play Mega Man II, it is a let down. If you hold the iPod in a vertical fashion you have the option to play the game with a tiny joystick at the bottom of the screen. I would avoid that control scheme as the joystick feels very constricting and difficult jumps are made nearly impossible.

     Fortunately, you can flip the iPod to its side and play horizontally. That allows you to control the game like a miniature NES controller, and this works far better. It doesn't entirely solve the delicate movements required to make some tough jumps in Mega Man II and also to negotiate the numerous patterns by the oncoming enemy. The NES version of the game seamlessly blends the action onscreen with the good old boxy NES controller in your hand, and all is well.

     In the end, the question is - is it worth our time? Well, for 2.99, while still cheap in the grand scheme, it's a bit pricey considering its flaws. There are some truly brilliant games out there available on the iPod for a mere .99 cents. However, fans of such nostalgic classics such as Mega Man II will, like me, download it anyway. Though, I would reccomend downloading the "lite" version of the game for free as to screen it ahead of time to see if you like the controls. If you can look past its shortcomings, you are clearly in for a treat with this classic and legendary NES title.

-Kurt L.

_______________________________________________


Posted by ethosreviews at 7:17 PM EDT
Post Comment | Permalink | Share This Post

Newer | Latest | Older