Second Look: Crystalis

In 1990, the SNK Corporation (responsible for the Neo Geo arcade and console systems and the King of Fighters / Fatal Fury franchises) released an Action-RPG for the Nintendo Entertainment System called Crystalis. Armed with a very modest advertising campaign and going up against an impressive list of heavy hitting titles also released that year, namely Super Mario Bros 3, the very first Final Fantasy game, the second title in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, and Mega Man 3, Crystalis went mostly unnoticed by most gamers and was almost universally overlooked. Quietly, however, Crystalis was developing one of the most passionate cult followings of any game released in the third generation of video game consoles, and more than a decade after it's original release, it has finally gotten the praise and attention it deserved to begin with.

A Race To Battle

As a fan of all (well ok, MOST) of what developer Rockstar puts out, I've been keeping a patient yet keen eye for information on the latest installment in their most iconic franchise, Grand Theft Auto V. I'll save my opinions and hopes for the next GTA for another time (ahem, vehicle customization), but amidst all the rumors, conjecture, official statements, and news articles, something caught my attention a few weeks back.

Putting the 'RC' in Racing: MotorStorm RC Review

Model trains, Lego cities, remote control airplanes--I've long been captivated by small-scale versions of everyday things. Growing up without the allowance to maintain those expensive hobbies, I turned to Hot Wheels and Micro Machines for my fix, and when Codemasters' released their 1991 Nintendo classic Micro Machines at the height of the diminutive toys' popularity, my pint-sized obsession joined my other great love: video games. That childhood wonder resurfaced all these years later when Evolution Studios--the developer responsible for the full-sized Motorstorm series--released the first trailer for Motorstorm RC. Tiny cars buzzed around dirt tracks and launched off skate park ramps, and in those 80 seconds the game went from unknown to must-buy status for me. Now that I've finally gotten my hands on it, let's see how it fairs against my admittedly high expectations.

Jumper

You know, in some ways it's tough reviewing video games, or any intellectual property for that matter, be it music, film, literature, art, or any component therein. We all have our own tastes; things we like and things we don't. Sure, some franchises will appeal to the masses while others fly under the radar and only achieve limited recognition. Even if you loved something, the guy next to you might have hated it, and in that scenario neither of you would be wrong. Nearly everything in life that you can form an opinion about is subjective, and forming differing opinions on topics or products is, in my opinion, an important part of what makes us all unique as sentient beings. And while it's easy to condemn something you didn't personally enjoy, appreciate, or understand, it's arrogant and presumptuous to present your opinion as fact.

A New Spin On An Old Fable

Earlier this month, Lionhead Studios officially unveiled their plans for an XBox LIVE Arcade title based on their hugely successful Fable franchise, and it was clear by the first screenshot that this will be anything but your typical Fable game.

A Collection of Thoughts

We've all done it. In Super Mario Bros 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, we scoured tirelessly for the Tanooki Suit, even though it was merely an alternate version of the Super Leaf with the nearly useless added ability of becoming an immobile stone statue for roughly eight seconds. In Sonic The Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis, we endured seemingly endless iterations of that maddening "3D" bonus stage in an attempt to collect the otherwise inconsequential Chaos Emeralds, all just for the chance to briefly become "Super Sonic" before the end of the game. In The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time for the N64, successfully collecting shards of Heart Containers meant either being completely prepared or woefully vulnerable when it came to your final encounter with Ganandorf. Collectibles have been present for nearly as long as video gaming has existed, and up until recently there has been little to no reason to question their inclusion.

Gaming in the Achievement Era - Part 1

Welcome to Dialogues, a running series of casual discussions between the Op-Ed Gaming guys about the culture of video games. Today's topic: the pros of the Achievements and Trophies systems.