Brian Riggsbee
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The Dead Outnumber the Living: Choose Your Own Adventure

3/30/2021

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The Dead Outnumber the Living is a web based, free to play, choose your own adventure that I created about 5 years ago with the Twine tool. This zombie apocalypse experience contains over a thousand passages, with pathways splitting and converging at points, items you can collect and combine, dynamic ambient content, and even some light puzzles to solve.
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The game is a mix between a “choose your own adventure” book and a classic text based video game, going beyond the typical choose your own adventure theme by providing a vast amount of pathways, dynamic content, story clues, and a few puzzles to solve.
  • 1105 passages
  • 2113 links
  • 114 ways to die
  • ​12 ways to win
Download the Game
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Rapid Reviews Part VIII

8/23/2020

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More quick reviews.

  • The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages (Game Boy Color) - Easily one of the best Zelda titles and arguably the best dungeon design of any Zelda game.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (Game Boy) - Playing this back to back with Ages was so much fun. Compared to Ages, Seasons is a bit more action oriented whereas Ages leans more heavily on puzzles.
  • Firewatch (PS4) - A simplistically delivered heartfelt story.
  • Carrion (Switch) - Repetitive, confusing, boring, and unnecessarily convoluted. One of the worst Metroidvanias ever produced. And to brand this as “horror” is just silly.
  • Panzer Paladin (Switch) - It’s got the retro look, fun weapons, and the cool anime inspired cut scenes. Gameplay and level design is where it falls short.
  • Curse of the Moon 2 (Switch) - The sequel that satisfied the itch left by the original. And yet still I crave more.
  • Mario Land 2 (Game Boy) - It’s intuitive, the power-ups are simple yet fun, you have freedom to chose what order to tackle levels, there’s secret stages, the check points curb any frustration, the water levels don’t suck, and Wario is awesome.
  • Castlevania Adventure (Game Boy) - You move like you are walking through mid, there’s no sub weapons, the hit collision on Belmont is unfairly large, you lose whip upgrades with damage, the gap jumps are ridiculously difficult, and the level design feels disconnected from the reality of the environments they are meant to exist in.
  • Brothers (PS4) - The mechanics are unique and at first a bit of a brain teaser to get accustomed to as it requires you to multitask in the truest sense of the word. It’s how I imagine drummers feel when they first learn how to play.
  • Resident Evil: Gaiden (Game Boy) - Unlike the failed, overly ambitious Game Boy version of the original Resident Evil (an unfinished demo), Gaiden smartly employs a battle mechanic that fits into the simplicity of the hardware. Where it suffers is in the dialogue that seems to have been outsourced to an elementary school student.
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The Last of Us 2: A Masterpiece

7/6/2020

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Warning: spoilers

The Last of Us 2 is an incredible narrative masterpiece. It’s difficult to put into words the range of emotions that this experience whipped me through, and how it left me feeling scene after scene. I gasped, jumped, smiled, and cried. I found myself hating then empathizing with characters, and likewise, completely siding with others to later question their motives. By the time I came out the other end, the deeply complex character motivation was grounded to my core, and I took on the burden of their affliction. I felt battered and scarred, identifying with characters for the deep pain of their experiences. It’s easily one of the absolute best narrative experiences I have come across.

The writing was extremely clever. They inserted parallels in a way that only enhanced the story, never cheapened. They artfully employed “show, don’t tell” in a way that unveiled information in the most engaging rhythm. And while I was a little hesitant at first to be playing as Abby in the second half, I came to realize this wasn’t just to tell the other side of the story, but to have you feel how complex the situation and people are in this series of painful events. It allowed me to go from initially hating Abby to just feeling hollow and sad for everyone.

As for the gameplay, I found the enhancements and additions to the original title to be sufficient. Yes, it was similar. That’s ok. The prone position added a new dynamic to stealth that I enjoyed, some new weapons kept combat feeling fresh, and hand to hand fighting (and dodging) felt gritty and real.

The environments were truly magnificent. The Naughty Dog artists and designers continue to blow my mind. The joy of gazing on the environments, by itself, is enough reason for a second play through.

And then there is the polish. I always felt immersed into this world. Sure, you can tell it’s linear and “level based” when you run up against the edges of the environments, but there isn’t not much to be done about that.

In the days that followed my completion of this experience I continue to ponder the story. A true sign of a great work of art is when you have a lasting impression. It’s that feeling of when you walk out of the movie theatre and you spend hours rehashing what you just witnessed, and consider the deeper messages. When it comes to The Last of Us 2, there’s a ton of narrative elements one could parse out and overanalyze until the (real) world ends. Here are a few stand outs that really struck me:
  • After losing her father, Abby constructs a suit of armor made of muscle. It represents the emotional shell that sprouted the day Joel took her father from her, and hardens over the years. Hiding within, Abby does not allow herself to ever fully open herself to a future with Owen, as her drive for vengeance overshadows her ability to settle into a life that could be. She wanders through existence like a ghost that can’t quite touch the love and potential before her. Once she successfully executes Joel her hardened exterior remains, and her chance of a life with Owen feels as if it is now out of reach. It is only when Abby rescues and becomes attached to the Scar children that she is able to realize where her purpose lies. In the end of our story, Abby sheds much of that armor and strength (both figuratively and literally), and focuses on a future (leaving with Lev to find the Fireflies), not the past (continuing the cycle of pain with Ellie). It’s a rebirth, of sorts, as Abby enters a new phase in her life.
  • You start the game as Joel. You then play the guitar and hand it to Ellie. This is the point where the torch is passed from one character to the other. What’s brutal is that in the end Ellie can’t even play the guitar properly because of the fingers she loses in her pursuit of senseless revenge. Ellie has just lost that much more of Joel.
  • Much of the story is about a cascade of tragedies, and a vicious cycle of loss at the hands of those seeking revenge. Even Joel’s brother Tommy loses his relationship with his wife due to his obsession with revenge. Abby attempts to break the cycle when taking mercy on Ellie at the theatre, and Ellie and Abby ultimately break the cycle at the beach. It leaves me wondering that, if Ellie had killed Abby on the shore of Santa Barbara, then would Lev later hunt down Ellie and kill her? Would JJ grow up to hunt down Lev? How deep could the cycle spiral downward?

​10/10

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Rapid Reviews: Part VI

4/29/2020

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Rapid reviews is where I write quick snippets on games I've recently played, and use the word "rapid" as an excuse to justify bad writing. Also check out parts 1-5.
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  • Akumajō Densetsu (Famicom) - I decided that for my second play through I should probably play the Japanese version, and mixed things up this time by doing Grant's path followed by acquiring Alucard. I had convinced myself I’d have a more unique and full experience by accepting Alucard over Grant. This resulted in instant regret, followed later by acceptance, and ended in a minor degree of appreciation. 
  • Dragon Quest XI (Switch) - Do you know that feeling when you spin up a JRPG and you convince yourself, at the start, that you won't do every little thing so that you won't be playing the same game for hundred of hours? That's exactly what I told myself, and the opposite of what ended up happening.
  • The Forest (PS4) - The Forest is like Naked and Afraid but with cannibals. I found that the joy of exploration and building was too frequently interrupted by screaming maniacs. The at first intense, heart-pounding terror manifested into sheer annoyance.
  • Battle Princess Madelyn (PS4) - BPM pays homage to Ghouls n Ghosts and the general look and feel of the Genesis. Yet unlike its predecessor, the muddy graphical quality makes it too challenging to see enemies, leading to frustrating moments. The long levels are painful, as starting over after a long run feels grueling and unfair. 
  • Resident Evil 3 Remake (PS4) - RE is one of my all time favorite series, and the RE2 Remake was so right on so many levels. Sadly the same cannot be said for the RE3 Remake. Simply put, it's far too short and linear. Linear doesn't have to be a bad word, but in the case of RE3R, linear translates to cheap action and instances of moving beyond an area before fully exploring it (when RE over-indexes on action over exploration the games tend to be less successful). Gameplay wise, RE2R laid an amazing framework, yet the dodge mechanic that was added to RE3R feels almost broken. In terms of replay value, it really is nonexistent, as having upgrades to purchase after completing the game is meaningless if the game is so short and straight forward that there is no desire to revisit. When it comes to Nemesis vs. Mr. X, I found running from Nemesis to less of an immersive impact because the situations are simply less scary and it overall feels way more scripted. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it. I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.  
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Rapid Reviews: Part V

12/31/2019

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Check out parts I-IV for more rapid reviews.
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  • Walking Dead: The Final Season (Switch) - I couldn’t help but play this game while thinking about how it was the last for Telltale. It was a bittersweet ending to a unique experience.
  • Mana Spark (Switch) - A simple and fairly bland roguelike. While the town dynamic provides a sense of growth and purpose, it lacks a true sense of a unique hook to make it stand out from a sea of similar games.​
  • Kid Dracula (Castlevania Anniversary Collection on PS4) - Kid Dracula finally comes to the US. Big, colorful sprites pop, the levels have a smooth flow, and your character grows (gaining magic) as you progress. It’s a neatly packaged platformer that holds up well.
  • Ghostbusters (Switch) - There’s a risk in playing a game that’s 10 years old: it’s not recent enough to be cutting edge and it’s not old enough to be retro. And Ghostbusters (the game) is not aging well.
  • Castlevania: Fan Edition (NES) - This is one of the many Castlevania hacks, leveraging sprites, music, and mechanics from the first two Castlevania games. This version attempts to recreate the original via a modified experience. I applaud the restructuring vision, namely how the adventure twists and turns through ruins and abandoned towns (Castlevania II is to thank for these assets). The execution, on the other hand, leaves more to be desired (Why are so few enemies from the originals used? Why is the same Dracula battle the end of two levels? Why not add a scared towns person or text to the signs?), as there is a sloppiness to much of the level layout (Why are there random platforms moving under the town that you can’t reach? Why remove the guarantee of whip upgrades when you aren’t fully powered from those candles?), and some unusual bugs (e.g. items constantly falling through floors) that did not exist in the originals.
  • Cave Story+ (Switch) - A mild and overrated retro platformer. If there is a semblance of depth and substance later I won’t be sticking around to find out.
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Rapid Reviews: Part II

2/9/2019

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It's hard to find time these days to play all the great games that are out there. It's equally challenging to find time to write about them. So like in part 1, I'll keep this to the point.

Mega Man 11 - PS4
The first hour was frustrating: I'd die getting close to a boss, yet not quite reaching one, and then would try another level, not sure which was the best one to tackle first, and die some more. At that point I collected enough currency to buy a few essential upgrades, and instantly the difficultly swung in the opposite direction as I conquered level after level with little to no problem. The challenge was still there, it just started to feel more fair.

All in all, it was a top tier Mega Man game, with an aesthetic that really appealed to me, fun weapons, and solid level design.
8/10

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood - PS4
This is classic Castlevania done properly. Levels are challenging but not to the point of frustration. The playable characters are unique. The music is stellar. The secrets are rewarding when discovered. My only critique of this game is that the dialogue and English voice acting in cutscenes are extremely cringe worthy. 

This is a must play for any Castlevania fan.
8/10

Dead Cells - PS4
I've never been a big fan of roguelike games. While I appreciate that there are some elements of persistence in Dead Cells, I personally gravitate to those games that are have more continuous forward motion. I played for a few hours and then moved on. 

Resident Evil 2 Remake - PS4
Capcom is continuing to head in the right direction with the Biohazard franchise, focusing on what made these games popular in the first place. So much attention to detail went into this game, and great improvements were made when compared back to the original. The environments are richer and more expansive. The story is more refined. It's enhanced in every way.

What stands out the most is the impressive pacing. There is a rhythm to the encounters you face v downtime, the feeling of safety v insecurity, the placement of items that you find v being completely devoid of ammunition. You actually have to be careful when firing at a zombie, as they sways in a way that can be challenging to hit and move at you with extreme aggression. You have to be on your toes when you enter a room, and likewise, ready to search a room quickly when an enemy rattles at the wooden door that is between you, keeping it at bay. Fleeing is a tackle option, and is actually essential in some instances. 

The gameplay is utterly satisfying in so many ways. It just feels good to watch as a zombie recoils from a gunshot, followed by the shock of it continuing to push forward quickly after. Zombies lunge at you from around corners, making it so that walking is often not just more immersive but a safer option. You also can never trust a zombie on the ground, keeping you constantly on edge.

I'm currently doing a second play through as Claire, having originally played as Leon (I elected to do the 2nd option that you unlock after the first play through). There are differences between Leon and Claire's runs, though I would say not quite as different as I had hoped. Needless to say I'm obsessed with this game.
9/10

Shovel Knight - PS4
This is classic platforming done to perfection. It's a little on the easy side, although I really didn't mind that. I also highly recommend playing the Spector of Torment campaign, which could have been its own standalone game in my opinion.
9/10


Red Dead Redemption 2 - PS4
What stands out the most to me with RDR2 is the amount of polish that went into it. It's incredibly detailed in terms of the mechanics, missions, and just the general interactions you have with NPCs and the world. The story and voice acting is topnotch, although I'm in the camp that feels that Dutch did get a little repetitive at times. There's also something that is so satisfying about the freedom you have to explore and decide how you want to interact with the people and places you discover. And the landscapes are drop-dead gorgeous.
9/10

Owlboy - PS4
Playing this game made me feel like I was transported back to the days of the SNES. Owlboy succeeds at marrying crisp platforming, beautiful 2D graphics, and a story that perfectly unfolds. 
8/10

Axiom Verge - PS4
Some say it's the best Castlevania game ever. It's definitely one of the best Metroidvania games of all times. And it's insanely impressive what one human was able to create. There are so many secret areas to discover, incredible music, and tons of fun weapons. Although, I actually feel the amount of weapons was a determent to the game, as it was overwhelming and many felt useless simply due to the overabundance. Overall I really enjoyed this game and would love to see a sequel.
9/10


Crystalis - NES
This, as well as the next 3 games, are all classic NES games I never had the opportunity to play during their original days. Crystalis is a solid action-RPG from beginning to end, and I can see why it is regarded so highly. The battle mechanics, namely coming from the unique swords that carry their own special abilities, made for simple yet effective battle strategies, as well as being the means to progressing through locked pathways. 
7/10

Battle of Olympus - NES
You may remember this game as the knockoff to Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. It looks, plays, and feels very much like it. The big differences being that it doesn't have the power of the stories and characters from Zelda, and it lacks the overworld element as well. I played this one for a few hours and gave up. 

Metal Gear - NES
As with Crystalis, I played this one end to end. I will admit I did have to look up one part online in order to progress, which was a hidden wall that you had to punch through. Having played some of the more modern Metal Gear games it was fun to go back and discover that so much of the themes were established from the very start.
7/10

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Resident Evil Revelations 2: Redemption for the Spin-Off Series

9/11/2018

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Last week I wrote a review of Resident Evil Revelations, and in short, I was disappointed. This week I'm returning with a review of Resident Evil Revelations 2. This being a rather old game by now, I'll keep my analysis short, and focus mostly on why it is so superior to the original.

RER2 shines in so many places the original failed to. Compared to the original, RER2 has:
  • More of a sense of exploration
  • Some scary moments (more is better than none, right?)
  • Better music
  • Characters are much more specialized
  • Richer, deeper gameplay
  • Diversity of environments
  • ​There's no swimming mechanic anymore (thank the gods)
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Overall it feels like a very different game. The biggest similarities are that you are always operating as a pair, although in the original the notion of having a teammate was a total farce. In RER2 your teammate is highly valuable, and extremely specialized. I found myself rhythmically toggling between partners in order to search, fight, and solve puzzles. There’s still a bit of the tedious nature in this dynamic, such as relying on one particular half of the pair to properly search.

There are some areas where, despite being a great game, RER2 falls a little flat:
  • Inventory management is a constant chore. I found myself often going through a routine of passing ammo to the character that can use it, and freeing up space.
  • While this sequel doesn’t hit you over the head with instructions as much as the original, it still does more so than it needs to. For example, I came across a brick wall with a giant X on it. When I explored it I was informed I needed a drill. And when I say explore, I mean in the non-diegetic sense whereas text appeared on screen to slap me in the face. This type of spoiler ruins that aw-ha moment you would have had when you found the drill. Allowing players to make connections is paramount to good design.
  • Scanning for items with your counterparts ability, while still tedious like the scanning mechanic of this games predecessor, at least fits better into the game world. For example, using a flashlight to seek out items is a nice touch. However, constantly toggling to the flashlight character hurts the cadence of the gameplay.
  • Grading, like the original, remains pointless. Unlike the original, RER2 adds a “next time” spoiler that you need to quickly skip. This isn’t a TV show and I don’t see the benefit in pretending it is.​​

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RER2 seems to have been heavily influenced by games like The Last of Us, and mostly for the better. There’s the middle aged man and mysteriously important little girl dynamic. There’s the character that can essential wall hack. There’s stealth zombie kills. And you can sprint. Obviously TLOU didn’t invent any of these themes or mechanics, but the connection is clear.

Overall, RER2 was great fun. I was constantly engaged with the level design, characters, and themes. It still holds up fairly well today. If you are thinking of checking it out, feel free to skip Revelations 1 (just read a quick synopsis).

​8/10
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Resident Evil Revelations: A Muddled Mess

9/4/2018

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My first exposure to Resident Evil was watching a neighbor play the original on PlayStation. At the time, even as a fan of the zombie genre, I wasn’t that intrigued. It wasn’t until the rerelease, Resident Evil: Rebirth for GameCube, found its way into my home that I finally dove into a Resident Evil game. I was hooked, and played it through a few times. I was ready to consume all things RE.

Fast forward and, after wrapping up RE4, I was caught up on all the series had to offer at the time. By the time I had the opportunity to play RE5 I had heard enough about the frustrations of the AI partner and the mixed reviews, and I decided to skip it. Then RE6 came along and snippets of info was enough to scare me away from that one. It just felt like a strange deviation from what attracted me to the series.

Once RE7 was announced I had grown eager to return. This is a game that reminded me why Resident Evil is one of my favorite series. It looked and felt amazing. The environments were truly terrifying, and I actually jumped a few times. It defined what survival horror should always be.

Which brings me to Resident Evil Revelations. Purchased for PlayStation 4, I figured I would give it a shot. Knowing nothing about it, I placed my order.

Here’s where it fell flat:
  • It’s far too linear, with extremely straight forward puzzles (if you can even call them that).
  • The episodic format is just plain annoying. Why does Capcom feel the need to interrupt action with an archaic grading system? Do we really need a “previously on...” after every short level? This isn't an arcade game.
  • The story frequently jumps around between characters, locations, and times haphazardly. Consequently, the story is slow and dry, and you never get to identity with any of the characters.
  • For survival horror, it’s missing the “horror”. Everyone is such a silly Hollywood action caricature and the monsters are so casually tossed in from the start that there is zero suspense, zero fear, and zero sense of danger.
  • The dialogue is cringe worthy and speckled with blatant sexism. And the women are highly sexualized in a way that is absurd.
  • You are hit over the head with guidance, even in the most obvious of situations, in the form of map markers and NPC chatter. This kills the sense of discovery.
  • Having an NPC partner adds little to the game. Enemies mostly ignore them as they fire shots that seem to do little to no damage. There is a formula that is reused throughout the game where the NPCs point you in the right direction, follow you, wait at a place you need an item to engage with, and repeat.
  • Ammo reappears in locations you have already been. It's an immersion killer.
  • The scanning mechanic is tedious. You kill an enemy and scan it, and then scan the entire room, over and over again.

This wouldn't be the first time that a Resident Evil title let me down. Zero and Outbreak were also let downs, just for different reasons.

There is a bright side to Revelations, however. At least, I think so. I just played the first hour of Revelations 2, and I'm amazed at how much of an improvement it is in so many ways. I was gripped from the start, and felt the horror that was missing in its predecessor. The team mechanics are sensible, the monsters more terrifying, and the environments are engrossing. While it still is more linear than I prefer my RE games, it gives a better sense of being free roaming. My only beef with the sequel, thus far, is that it clearly was influenced with many of the mechanics and feel of games like The Last of Us. To be fair, those mechanics weren't all original on their own, and have become commonplace. All in all, I have high hopes for this sequel.

5/10

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Home, Sweet Home

8/19/2018

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For me, like most that had the opportunity, my first experience with the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was at a young, impressionable age. Sure, we had an Atari before that, and a couple of games. But it was the NES that had the largest and most lasting impact on me. I was probably about 5 years old when my neighbor, Miles, beckoned me into his home, touting that he had a new game system, with promises of a dragon. Inside I was introduced to Super Marios Bros, and, as I recall the memory, I imagine my jaw remained unhinged for the length of my visit. It wouldn’t be long before an NES reached my home, and many years followed where I would journey, sometimes alone, sometimes with friends, through a rich expanse of worlds.

Fast-forward to around 2002 or 2003, during my college years, where I decided to unpack (and dust off) my old NES. It felt like it had just been long enough where coming back to it felt meaningful. By this time, multiple systems had already come and gone, and the NES, for most, had been forgotten, often only surfacing in a garage sale put up by a parent cleaning an attic.

This is also when I learned about the unreliable and degradation of the 72 pin connector. A few dollars and a few weeks later, a replacement arrived from a vendor on eBay. I recall opening up the system with a feeling that was akin to an archaeologist unearthing a sacred grave. In some ways, it felt like an invasion, and in another, it felt like exploring a newly discovered planet.

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After getting the NES operational again, I casually played a few games. It wasn’t long until I was back at it with modern games like Grand Theft Auto III: Vice City and Counter-Strike. My NES was quickly forgotten, re-boxed and packed away. Perhaps it was simply too soon.

It’s now 2018, thirty-three years after the North American release of the NES. At work, we have a #retrogames channel in Slack, where we discuss all things related to retro gaming (including the definition of what retro gaming is). It was in this community that the emotions I have deeply ingrained with the NES resurfaced. Quickly I plunged into all things retro gaming. I binged listened to countless episodes of the Retronauts podcast. I grinded through books like I Am Error, Legends of Localization Book 1: The Legend of Zelda, The Anatomy of Castlevania: The NES Trilogy, and NES Works Volume I and II. I played modern takes on 8 and 16 bit style games, such as Axiom Verge and Owlboy. I also found myself back in a place I hadn’t been since the early 2000s: eBay. My collection of original NES carts quickly doubled.

In the last 6 months I learned more about classic gaming than I had ever known. I gained layers of appreciation and understanding that simply didn’t exist prior. While in doing so, some of the charm of my memories may have been tainted, yet overall, my lasting impressions of what retro gaming means to me has been greatly enhanced. It reminded me a bit like my experience in studying film in college, as once I understood what the man behind the curtain was doing I could now love these things deeper, but the man could never be unseen, and thus some of the illusions were forever lost.

As I prepared my original NES for its return performance I came prepared with the knowledge that hooking an NES up to a 4K television was not going to be an ideal experience. However, I couldn’t even get that far, as just like in the previous round through memory lane, my NES failed to load any games. After a deep clean and another new pin connector I was back on track. This time  my goal was to experience games I had never played before, or those that I had only a glimpse of in their infancy. I decided to start with Crystalis.

As feared, the combination of the NES on a modern TV was a mess. The colors were off. Any movement on screen was distorted. And I could see the preloaded artifacts on the right side of the screen, which was an area that would have been obscured on a CRT television. I knew this just wasn’t going to work. Thankfully, there are heroes in this world that have produced gems like the AVS, which plays original NES (and Famicom) carts and outputs to HD. I went ahead and ordered one, and felt back on track.

I’ve since played a number of games, and not all to completion. I dabbled in games like The Battle of the Olympus, drawn to the Zelda II: The Adventure of Link style (or to be blunt, it’s a total rip-off). And played a few levels here and there with Batman: The Video Game, Commando, and The Legend of Kage. With so many games brought into my home all at once I had too much to choose from, a luxury that didn’t exist back in the 80s, which resulted in my fickleness. Thus far, at the time of writing this, the only two I have completed end-to-end are Crystalis and Metal Gear (both great). 
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Playing games as old as these, so many years later, after experiencing games evolve, and having those games be ones I had never played, resulted in a nostalgia-cocktail. It’s an experience that has been rather intoxicating. I often feel transported back in time, as if I just received ones of these games as a gift. Ignoring everything I have learned and experienced since then, however, is sometimes a challenge, and it’s not something that I feel one should even bother to block out. There is enjoyment to be found in comparing these games to those that followed, to feel the evolution and see what inspired the future. Granted, a hidden door in Metal Gear that is part of the critical path made me want to pull my hair out a little, and it was something I ended up looking up online. But this was the NES! Random, hidden doors was a sign of the time, and I can accept that.
Warning: Sweet Home spoilers ahead
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Which brings me to Sweet Home. If you haven’t heard of Sweet Home then you are not alone, as it was only ever officially released in Japan. The version I am playing is a translated reproduction cartridge, meaning it isn’t an original NES game, but you wouldn’t know that by the looks of it. Sweet Home, produced by Capcom, is a precursor to the Resident Evil (Biohazard) series. Similar to Resident Evil, it’s a survival horror themed game that takes place in a creepy mansion filled with creatures and zombies. The mechanics draw similarities as well, as you progress by collecting items, backtracking, and using those items to progress in the form of light puzzles. Notes left behind offer clues to both your advancement and the grander story. Even the ability to toggle between characters is later found in Resident Evil Zero.

Where Sweet Home differs from the Resident Evil lineage the most is two-fold: 1) it’s an RPG, and 2) what makes this game so unique is how you partner with the five playable characters. With regards to the latter, the dynamic of grouping (and ungrouping) with your fellow trapped survivors is what makes the game unique and special. You are restricted to no more than three characters in a party at a time, and each character can only hold two items, in addition to their special item. This forces the player to make strategic decisions. Do I have a good set of items for what I anticipate ahead? If I need items from the group of two I left behind will they be able to safely catch up to the party of three? You’re constantly making trade-offs, and while on occasion it feels somewhat tedious, it mostly feels engaging.

And at times, safety in numbers can backfire. I find myself often toggling between holding a stance that the clues are too literal, and thus, too easy, and wishing the game was more challenging. And then, just minutes later, my entire party of three will fall into a pit, hanging for their lives, and because I wasn’t careful enough my remaining party of two isn’t able to get to them in time to save them. It’s actually moments like these that really up my appreciation for this game as it’s these types of creative surprises that adds flavor.

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While I save often in this game, in fear of permanently losing a character, there was a moment that occurred early in the game where I decided to not reset and, instead, decided to accept and carry on. I had crossed a pit to obtain an essential item, by placing a log to form a bridge. My party of three doubled back after gathering the item, and this is when the character in the center of the line broke the bridge and hung to the edge. I was able to pull the character back up, but this meant that one of my other characters, Asuka, was now stranded on the other side. I ended up leaving Asuka on that lonely island for a huge portion of the game, always knowing, or at least hoping, that I would come back. It was a promise I made both to myself as a player as well as between the characters in the context of the game world. Eventually I found more logs, returned, and saved my friend. It was a sense of relief to finally be reunited. That was also when I realized that Asuka, all along, had a log in her inventory that she could have used to cross that gap. I laughed to myself.

The survival horror theme is bolstered even further by the ways in which characters become separated. If you’re like me, you occasionally take unnecessary risks in games (especially if you just saved your progress) in an effort to push the boundaries of the game. For example, there are spirits that will pull a character away from their group, plopping them in a room many screens away. The wisest decision in this moment would be to take the remaining two characters that are still bound together, and to have them navigate to their lost friend. However, like foolish teenagers in countless horror movies, I will often take my solo character and journey on, acting as if I am confined to the perspective of that person. Ask yourself, if you were taken from your friends by ghosts, would you sit still in a strange room? Probably not. Now, a solo trek like this can be disastrous, as you might break a flimsy plank that stretched across a pit, with no one to pull you up. Or you will face enemies alone, and with a finite number of healing items available in the game, this isn’t wise (assuming you even have an item to heal yourself with). This is actually where another ingenious mechanic comes into play: the ability to call for help. In this mode, another character (or set of characters) has limited time to run towards their comrade and assist them. It’s a heart-pounding moment.

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Further on the topic of encounters, as mentioned before, this is an RPG, albeit a rather atypical one. Battles are randomly triggered, with the exception of the fights that ensue when you come into direct contact with enemies that traverse across some of the screens. The battles are rather simple, made up primarily of attacks and prayer (think magic). Many of the traditional systems found in RPGs, such as collecting coins, purchasing weapons and items, and resting at inns to regain health, do not exist in Sweet Home (nor do they have a place here). Rather, there is no currency, weapons and items are discovered, and hit points and prayer points are replenished only with tonics.

The environments powerfully convey the mood. In this vast mansion you twist and turn down hallways, up and down stairs leading you to great heights and depths, and explore the outer areas surrounding the property. Each section is truly unique, ranging from underground labyrinths to a lakeside forest. The top-down view is contrasted by more detailed scenes of paintings and monuments, and the occasional open door animation.

Most areas, in addition to having their own visual complexity, are accompanied by a variety of music compositions that fit snugly in the horror genre. A rolling low tone base line is accented by squealing highs. There is a deliberant tempo juxtaposition between the moderate beats-per-minute (BPM) of the exploration music and the upbeat, panic inducing songs that quickly loop and build anxiety when you battle enemies and suffer from poison.

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Even with the limitations of the NES, Sweet Home managed to nail the theme of what survival horror should be. You’re scared. You’re often alone. Your resources are limited. Danger lurks behind every corner. The atmosphere is terrifying. A sinister backstory slowly reveals itself, making the world that much more frightening. Death is final.

Not only did Sweet Home bring me back to the joy of experiencing a new NES experience, it also reminded me of the pleasure of solving mysteries through the use of taking notes. Note taking, for many, in and outside the context of gaming, is considered a chore. Growing up in the days of the NES, however, it was not just helpful at times, but often essential. Drawing maps, scribbling down clues, recording passwords...these are all staples of the NES experience.

At this point, from what I can gather from the progression of the story, I’m close to the end. As for what comes next, I will dip into the backlog of titles I still have waiting for me, and keep playing, for as long as it still feels like home. And who knows, maybe in another 10 years I’ll dust off my NES games one more time for another go.

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The Last of Us: Multiplayer Tips Not Taught in the Loading Screen, Part II

12/30/2016

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Back in April of 2015 I wrote a post titled 11 Tips Not Taught in the Loading Screens for Multiplayer Mode in The Last of Us. With the announcement of the sequel to The Last of Us, excitement is once again brewing around this title, so I spent some time revisiting the multiplayer mode, and today am listing out some additional tips and strategies. Tips are in no particular order.

1. Mark while firing - If you are firing on an enemy, always simultaneously mark them, if not marked already. It's no extra work, and you not only get parts of marking, but you also get parts if a teammate kills the marked target, even if you are already down or dead at that point.
2. Baiting downed allies - This doesn't make you a bad person...honestly. Sometimes baiting a downed teammate in order to down an approaching enemy is the best thing you can do for your team, especially when playing in Interrogation mode. Don't just go charging out in the open to help a teammate up, if it means you are going to get shot down in the process. 
3. Run baiting - When you sprint, you appear on the enemy radar. This can be used to your advantage. Try sprinting in one direction, then pivot in a different direction and wait for an unsuspecting enemy to approach.
4. Changing load outs mid-game - Try this out: start with a crafting load out, so that you can quickly craft items from the materials you pick up from lockboxes. Then, after your first death, switch to a more favorable load out. If you upgrade a weapon and then switch to a different load out that has that same weapon, don't worry, because you won't lose the weapon upgrade.
5. Ideal place to die - With the exception of situations where you think you can be helped up or when you are hiding from a potential interrogation, crawl out into the open. That way, if an enemy wants to loot your leftovers, they have to do so without cover.
6. Self terminate - When downed, it's often to your advantage to die quickly, with the exception of when you might be helped up or when playing in Survivor mode, so that you can respawn faster. If this is the case, and you see some enemy molotav fire or an enemy bomb, crawl on top of them. And by taking out that bomb, that's one less bomb for your team to worry about.
7. Trigger enemy bombs while crawling - Similar to the previous point, try crawling over an enemy bomb when an enemy is nearby. That way, you can trigger the bomb and take out the enemy...along with yourself.
8. Block vault objects while down - I know, I have a lot of tips related to crawling around. For this one, the idea is to crawl next to vaulted objects, such as low walls and windows, in order to prevent enemies from jumping over to your side. This can be handy for preventing an enemy from getting an interrogation, or just to throw them off and leave them exposed.


Here is the original list from 2015:
  • 1. Craft a modified 2x4 as early as possible - When you pick up a 2x4 and die, you lose it, but if you upgrade it and die before using it, the upgraded melee weapon will cary over to your next life.
  • 2. Save one-time use boosters for challenges - Unless you have stored up a hefty reserve of one-time use boosters, save them for challenges.
  • 3. Save easier missions for later in the campaign - Challenges get harder the farther into the weeks you get, and while you can redo a previously used mission, the requirements go up if you do so.
  • 4. Avoid the large headwear - Sure, you look great in that large cowboy hat, but you are also easier to spot.
  • 5. Locate enemies while dead - When dead and waiting for your chance to respawn, press R1 to toggle through the various fixed cameras, and locate enemies.
  • 6. Don't sprint next to crouching teammates - Avoid sprinting next to your stealthy teammates, because as you charge around you will make your location appear on the enemy radar, potentially giving up your teammates. However, the opposite can also be used as a way to bait enemies into an ambush or planted bomb (sprint to attract enemies into a trap).
  • 7. Avoid putting yourself out in the open - It's tempting to execute an enemy from afar and then retrieve your loot, but make sure it's safe first. You can always collect the drops later in the round, so don't feel rushed. It's also tempting to run into a pile of unaware enemies while throwing haymakers, but if you have the ammo and don't have a melee weapon, it's probably better to just shoot them in the back.
  • 8. Learn the maps - This is a pretty obvious tip, I know, but an important one. It takes time to learn not just the layout of each map, but the vantage points and cover as well.
  • 9. Don't stray too far from the team - Sure, it's fun to be the lone wolf that sneaks up behind an enemy for a shiv kill, but more often than not riding solo is not a favorable team tactic. And, in the case of interrogation mode, it often leads to an easy interrogation for the enemy team. Instead, try working in a loose cluster formation, and ensure you have all vantage points covered (i.e. don't just have everyone staring ahead). But don't cluster too close, or else you will find the enemy taking the bulk of your team out with one molotov. 
  • 10. Revive teammates in safe areas - Often times you will do more harm than good when you rush out to revive a fallen ally, because in doing so the enemy will destroy you both. It's tempting to pop out from cover to help your comrades, especially when you see that big triangle icon staring at you, but think before you expose yourself. Sometimes letting your teammate crawl to your cover point makes the most sense for the situation, whereas other times letting the teammate die, as harsh as it may sound, is actually the tactical choice. And when your teammate is crawling for cover, actually let them make it behind the cover before you initiate the revive sequence, otherwise you may be blocking them and leaving them open to fire (with exception to a teammate that is a second from dying, in which case it's worth the risk of leaving them partially exposed).
  • 11. Don't sit in one place for too long - Unless you are guarding your lock box, or are sniping and know your area is secure, it's probably not safe to stay crouching behind that rusty car for very long. Staying still for a long time makes you an easy target for enemy flankers. 
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    Brian Riggsbee lives in San Francisco CA. He enjoys gaming, writing, creating art, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, chasing adorable dogs, and spending time with his wife and boy.

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