The Magic Of The Twilight

The last Zelda game I had played was The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening on my good old GameBoy. And I still remember how much fun that was. Since, I had been an exclusive PC gamer - until last Christmas. So one can imagine how very pleasantly surprised I was when I discovered that this is a whole new ...sword-game.

In The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess the world is immense and beautiful and mostly open-ended. The graphics may be inferior to the latest PC games (Wii graphical capabilities are not one of its strong-points) however, I cannot remember when cutting-edge graphics were essential in the enjoyment of any cRPG. Having said that, the environments (from the grass and the creeks to the trees and the skies) have been designed to maximize the console's potential in most instances.

Not so with the sound: good music but low quality sound. And the dialogues are still scripted, not voiced. It makes no sense to hire top talent to compose the themes and sounds - only to present them badly.

The use of the motion-sensing Wii-Remote together with the Nunchuk follows a steep learning curve. Once mastered though the real fun begins. Moving with the Nunchuk and fighting with the Remote make the game such an immersive experience. Swinging the Wii-Remote actually swings Link's sword - and aiming in the screen will ail your arrows and projectiles.

It surprised me and brought back memories at the same time - and I had not have so much fun in years.

And never forget: It's dangerous to go alone! Take this.

A Metroid Universe

The last Metroid games I had played was Metroid II: The Return of Samus on my old GameBoy and the absolutely exceptional Super Metroid on a borrowed SNES. I still have the music from when crossing the Red Soil in Brinstar as a ringtone in my cellphone. So, buying this trilogy was more of a compulsion for me however, it turned out to be a very smart idea.

With Mtroid Prime: Trilogy, for the price of a single game, you get all three Metroid Prime games: Metroid Prime I, Metroid Prime II: Echoes, & Metroid Prime III: Corruption. Metroid Prime I and II: Echoes have been ported from the GameCube, with improved graphics and controls adapted to the Wii. Metroid Prime III: Corruption is one of the best games ever designed for the Wii!

You can access any of the three games from the Menu and play any one of them interchangeably. I found I and III to be beautiful games, offering endless hours of fun whereas II was a bit darker but still a not-to-be-missed experience. It took me a while to master the controls (I am a seasoned PC gamer yet new to consoles) but once I started feeling comfortable with them I had to tear myself away from the game.

Since all of my previous Metroid experience was limited to side-scrolling games, stepping into the space boots (and sticky-ball) of Samus was a blast!

Don't sit this one out. The fate of the Universe depends on it.

It's A Blue Planet. And It's All Yours To Explore

Ever since I watched those old Jacques Cousteau undersea documentaries, the idea of one day snorkeling myself never left my mind. So far I never had the opportunity to dive but I often catch myself daydreaming about underwater excursions. Until I can add a check-mark beside that item on my before-I-am-too-old-list this game offers an excellent substitute.

Dive & Relax. Leave the world behind you and become on with the underwater realm. The locales are beautifully designed, the fish, whales, dolphins and the rest of the marine life move in a very realistic fashion. The missions are pretty simple and most have an educational parameter but it is mostly about exploring at your own pace. Well, you do have to mind the oxygen level...

The underwater sounds are very well made and placed whereas the background music is a soothing companion. All in all Endless Ocean: Blue World is an excellently designed and produced diving-simulation game.

This is a game that will bring you home early, it will put a smile in your face and it will relax you like no other game.

I cannot emphasize this enough: this game is digital massage. It soothes your nerves, relaxes your body and puts you in a very easygoing mindset.

Take the plunge.

A Whole New Galaxy Of Fun!

I have only recently returned to consoles, being a dedicated PC gamer ever since my teens. In the past Nintnendo has made a number of bad decisions yet the company always manages to land on its feet for nothing else but for a single reason: it never forgets that gamers want first to have fun. And Super Mario Galaxy II is an excellent example.

The Wii console may have been made such a huge success story by applications such as Wii-FIT, but it will be remembered for the fun it offers with games such as this one. Super Mario Galaxy II makes the Wii shine at its best.

Princess Peach cannot seem to stay ...un-kidnapped more than a week, so her faithful plumber has to move heaven and earth to save her - yet again...But do we really need an excuse to dive in this galaxy of magic mushrooms, star-bits and coins, secret levels and surprising solutions to, apparently, insurmountable obstacles?

The levels blend beautifully 2D and 3D environments and the controls work superbly. I hadn't touched a console since my University years and had to get used to the controls of Zelda: The Twilight Princess - yet found the controls of Super Mario Galaxy II to fit like a glove from the very first moment.

This installment is not one you can breeze through, there are challenging moments. If you get stuck in a level you can ask for a mini-tutorial - but keep in mind that there is no free lunch in this galaxy: your need for assistance will be marked. Then again, retrying a level was never more fun.

There is invincible Rainbow-Mario, Rock-Mario, Spring-Mario and Cloud-Mario. And then there are Lumas and Yoshi. Every world has been imaginatively designed and gorgeously drawn. It is like a supernova of creativity exploding again and again. I believe this to be the best looking game on the Wii.

And it is the best platform game - ever!

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!

Forgive me Source-Code for I have sinned. For years I was a dedicated PC-gamer. I though ill of gaming consoles, considering them consumer-toys rather than entertainment systems. Who needs overpriced and oversized gaming consoles that can play Movie-DVDs and even BluRayDisks when most good games are released for PCs as well and they look and play better on them, right? Well, the Nintendo Wii is a different breed.

Gaming on the Wii is an experience one has to live at least once - but preferably whenever he or she feels blue. Sure, it may not sport the cutting-edge graphical capabilities of a SONY PS3 or the game titles selection of the Xbox. Nevertheless, most Wii games take full advantage of the console's capabilities and the exclusive games selection include the unsurpassable The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the absorbing Metroid Prime Trilogy, the mesmerizing Okami and the soothing Endless Ocean: Blue World.

Not to mention the capabilities of Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort when coupled with a Wii Balance Board!

If you can still find one, I would advise buying the (Limited edition) black one. I keep mine in our TV room and the black blends perfectly with my other home entertainment electronics. In any case, do not miss the revolution.

There is simply no other console that offers so much fun. Both SONY and Microsoft have technologically excellent gaming consoles - but Nintendo is the only one that always keeps in mind that gaming is supposed to be fun.

Samus Returns To Her Roots - With An Overblast

The METROID franchise was slowly going astray, falling "victim" to innovations that mostly worked yet, at the same time, were turning METROID games into a typical space shooter. Don't get me wrong, I greatly enjoyed the Metroid Trilogy - it just did not give off the sense of a classic METROID game. Well, NINTENDO made sure to take care of that.

Metroid: The Other M is an old-school platform shooter, only equipped with the latest innovations that enhance rather than hinder the true character of the game. Samus Aran can now move in 3D (and not only in a sidescrolling manner), yet this is and feels like a classic platform game. There is some puzzle-solving and expect to spend quite some time in the form of a morphing ball, zipping through pipes, bypassing obstacles, unlocking security doors and finding powerups; and the FirstPerson perspective is still available to deliver devastating missile shots (while keeping Samus stationary and vulnerable to enemy attacks, one cannot play the game as an FPS). Nevertheless, this is an pure action-shooter game that is greatly enjoyable.

Visually this must be the best game I ever played on Wii, with beautiful and distinct environments than never get boring and never interfere with the gameplay. And, following the tradition of the classic Metroid games, the The Other M experience is enhanced by great orchestral music. Nothing epic, but it sure fits the mood of the scene it accompanies.

The Other M is a tad story-heavier than I would have liked and the cinematic sequences are unskipable(?) whereas, annoyingly, the story at times throws Samus in the midst of her enemies with minimal firepower and often without her Varia suit. Other than those minor complains (and the game being a bit short), this is one of the best games I have ever played on a console. I would dare say, this is a title that is comparable to the monumental Super Metroid on the SuperNES.

The Eastern Side Of The West

This is the one of the most original FirstPerson shooter console games I ever experienced. Red Steel 2 is a SteamPunk-Western/Anime and it has been perfectly designed to take advantage of the technological capabilities of the Wii!

SCARE YOUR ENEMIES BY THE WAY YOU CARRY YOURSELF

The controls are a breeze to pick up. You move with the nunchuck and you turn by pointing the Wii-Remote. You fire your gun with the B-button whereas you unsheathe your katana with the A-button and swing the Wii-Remote like a real sword. And the last point is what makes this game so much fun. You slash, stub or hack by simply doing the same movements with your right arm holding the Wii-Remote.

This is not a workout game but after about an hour of having fun slashing and stubbing you will feel your upper arms to burn.

As you progress, there are improvements for your weapons and powers to purchase as well as special moves to learn by the cheeky weaponsmith/sensei.

THE WEST NEVER LOOKED THIS COOL

High-end graphics have never been the Wii's strong suit. That is why the cel-shaded (comic book) graphical style (similar to XIII and Borderlands) fits the gameplay well. Backgrounds, enemies and fighting moves (especially finishing moves) look really cool and crisp and greatly help the player immerse in the Anime atmosphere

The game requires the MotionPlus! extension of the Wii-Remote (usually not included with the game but is now included in most Wii bundles). 

They are coming again - keep those katanas high and ready!

A Classic Japanese RPG

In the history of gaming Japanese computer Role-Playing games have carved a niche full of legends, such as Zelda and Final Fantasy VII. Then, there are sleeper gems such as the Rune Factory Frontier.

If you enjoy the world exploration and crafting the World of Warcraft as well as the simulated farming of FarmVille, be prepared to immerse yourself into a world of addictive naivete where one tames the monsters and has to prepare for battle by...cooking.

Do not underestimate it, because this is a very ADDICTIVE game. And, in contrast to most cRPGs, this is a game that couples will fight each other for the WiiMote. I love this game because it reminds me of the classic The Legend of Zelda - Link's Awakening on my old GameBoy. 

You have been warned.

An Imperial Game

XenoBlade: Chronicles (aka: Monado: Begining of the World)  is one of those great games that (for some unfathomable reason) Nintendo had initially decided not to market outside Japan. It has been available, fully translated, since August in Europe (where my copy came from). This used not to be true for the US. Luckily, Nintendo North America (finally!) yielded to the pressure of the fans and announced the release of the game.

LIVE AND BREATH IN A GORGEOUS ANIME WORLD

Now, all of us who decided to go with the Nintendo Wii, we knew that it was not the most graphically powerful console. Its strengths lie elsewhere. Having said that, Xenoblade is the most beautiful and graphically detailed game on the Wii. Ever.

Set on two ancient biomechanical Titans frozen in mid-battle centuries ago, the world is simply enormous. There are about 20 maps, almost every map is huge and it is all open to exploration. Because there are only few and short loading times, you are practically flowing from one into the next as in a continuous world. And exploring the endless and open Xenoblade world is not only fun to do but also very rewarding.

The grass moves around your feet, birds sweep over your head, clouds roll by day, the galaxy scintillates at night and the whole world comes alive around you. In the heat of the battle the hits and special moves will be accompanied by impressive anime graphical events. Up close the characters may not be that detailed but the characters, their weapons and the environments have all been designed with great artistry. When the limitations of the Wii are reached you probably will not notice it either. Xenoblade has far better graphics than all the other notable Wii JRPG, such as The Legend of Zelda, Okami or Rune Factory: Frontier. My Wii had never produced such a visually advanced game!

THE STORY DRAWS YOU IN AND NEVER LETS GO

As any seasoned RPGer would tell you, the story is equally important to the graphics and the music, if not more so. And Xenoblade excels in this aspect as well. A tad clichéd at times, the story advances with beautifully made cinematic sequences and it manages to feel both reassuringly familiar and surprisingly fresh.

The human colonists (the Homs) are living on one of the frozen titans, Bionis, and are attacked by mechanical life-forms (the Mechons) who occupy the other. So, after the initial battle, it is up to Shulk, your hero, the young survivor from Colony 6 and the new bearer of Monado, together with (up to 3 of) his companions to save their world.

You bond with your companions by the choices you make - and this affects their abilities. Your choices also affect both the conversation options with Non-Playing Characters (NPCs) and the quests becoming available to you. In fact, everyone and their sister seems to have a quest for you. Conveniently, you do not have to go back to them once completed.

Xenoblade will enchant you with its sound vistas and ensnare you with its story.

THE MUSIC WILL ENCHANT YOUR SOUL

This is the first thing that hits your senses. The music of Xenoblade reminded me of playing Final Fantasy VII years ago and being mesmerized by its music. The Prelude I can still remember. In Xenoblade, the music will range from atmospheric to epic rock, and all the shades and colors in between.

It will be a familiar companion while you travel and a strengthening presence when you do battle, greatly enhancing the overall experience. Every map has its own theme (most with day and night variations) and you will catch yourself humming them long after having turned your console off.

Sometimes the importance of the music in a game is underestimated and the focus remains on the graphics. Xenoblade is a perfect example of how essential music is in order to achieve a total immersive gaming experience.

WIELD THE BLADE THAT SEES INTO THE FUTURE

As with any true RPG, there is leveling up, looting, crafting, bartering and re-equipping your character as well as his companions. Interestingly, the custom appearance you chose for them will not be lost during the cinematic scenes. If you enjoy earning achievements, Xenoblade has you covered. The game allows you to save almost anywhere but it also autosaves at nicely spaced Landmarks - and dying will only take you back to the last one encountered (without any XP or loot penalties).

The battle system is real-time but both the distance to their enemy and your relative position are factored in (hint: for such an oversized sword, backstabbing strangely pays off). Monado has powers that are unleashed after building up normal attacks. The legendary sword also allows you to glimpse into the future in order to avert enemy blows. Moreover, your hero and his companions have special abilities, called Arts (that need to recharge before they can be reused).

The enemies, especially the bosses, will focus on the character inflicting the most damage to it - and this allows for flanking maneuvers by the rest of your party. Most battles are not that hard however some of the bosses will tax your understanding of the game mechanics.

Equally important is that is not a one-ride-pony. Once the game is completed you can restart the entire story with your high level character to complete and explore everything you missed the previous time around.

Xenoblade-Chronicles gives you the option to experience it either dubbed in (in the UK version, British accented and not lip-synched) English or in (partially) subtitled original Japanese. After I had clocked in about half a dozen hours in the game I decided to restart it and opted to keep the original Japanese instead. After all, this is a JRPG and it feels much more authentic.

A classic masterpiece, not to be missed.

Meisaku!

Okami is a masterpiece indeed!

This is one of the very few games I coveted for years but could not play because it is not available for PC. However, once there was a Wii in the house this was one of the first three games I ordered. And my expectations were met in every way.

The first thing that grabs you are the unique graphics. If, like me, you are accustomed to the detailed graphical environments of most PC games, Wii games seem much more simplistic. Nevertheless, the colors and artwork of Okami are just mesmerizing! I am a great fan of cRPGs but this was the first time I relaxed playing one.

This is an old-school cRPG, so there is no voice-acting. No moatter though, this hardly has any impact on immersion. Playing Okami is like being in a Japanese fairytale - one that takes place in a huge, varied world. Forests and beaches, dungeons and villages, there is just no limit in the horizon.

The sounds are soothing, the imagery magical and the gameplay ingeniously incorporating the Wii-Remote movements.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!