I like the charm of ‘Wallace & Gromit’, a British series of claymation films and television shows. While I don’t recall which ones I saw, I have fond memories of the series’ artistic directions, the fun dynamics between Wallace and Gromit, and Wallace’s wacky contraptions. Because of that, Telltale Games’ ‘Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures’ easily caught my attention. In ‘Grand Adventures’, you alternate between playing as the cheese-loving, well-intentioned, awkward inventor Wallace, and his resourceful, clever, anthropomorphic dog Gromit. With each episode lasting you anywhere from two to a few hours (depending on your problem-solving prowess), the variety of puzzles in each is decent. There tended to be two or three that would stump me, with the ones in the final episode being most challenging. The simple, clean design of ‘Wallace & Gromit’ is well suited for this adventure game. Telltale Games did a good job recreating the claymation aesthetics of the films and TV shows, including adding fingerprints to the character textures. I played this game at fullscreen 1920 x 1080 resolution. Although ‘Grand Adventures’ supports this screen resolution, graphic textures seem stretched out and low despite having graphics setting at the highest level. I believe this 2009 game may be best enjoyed at a lower screen resolution and in windowed mode on modern hardware. At the time of this review, ‘Grand Adventures’ also includes all 10 one- to three-minute episodes of ‘Wallace and Gromit’s Cracking Contraptions’, which I thoroughly enjoy. As appealing as this extra is -- mainly because I’m a ‘Wallace & Gromit’ fan -- I have to admit this game may be a tough sell for people unfamiliar with the series. This is an entertaining game, but gameplay-wise, ‘Grand Adventures’ is an average adventure game with no selling point or gimmick other than it being a ‘Wallace & Gromit’ game. If you’re indecisive about ‘Grand Adventures’, I recommend you picking it up when it goes on sale.
While I’m a fan of the visual design and concept of ‘Tron’, I found the movies to be average at best. I may be indifferent about the franchise, but did go into ‘Tron 2.0’ with some curiosity and enthusiasm. The developers adapted the look of ‘Tron’ for this game well. Any restrictions in colours, shapes and textures they could use for environment and level design didn’t stop them from making the world of ‘Tron 2.0’ feel like an upgraded, expanded version of the first movie. Yet, ‘Tron 2.0’ is an uneven game. Some levels are memorable; some truly forgettable. With the levels set inside computers or computer network, many don’t look like anything familiar to help ground the experience. I never got a clear picture of where I am in relation to where I was, and where I was supposed to go. It was a disjointed experience. Combat is also inconsistent. Some parts are exciting, fun and challenging; others frustrating, tedious, and unfair. I actually turned on God Mode several times just so I could move on. I also skipped some light cycle levels because the viewing angle changes were too disorienting, making what could have been great segments into frustrating ones. The game is also too clever for its own good. With enemy names being names or puns of computer applications and protocols, they can be confusing for non-tech-savvy players. Subroutines (i.e., upgrades) have uninformative names, too. You’ll need to refer to the in-game glossary periodically, and swap subroutines in and out manually, making the flow of the game more uneven. Oh, if you don’t like FPS platforming, be warned that there’s PLENTY of it in ‘Tron 2.0’. ‘Tron 2.0’ is made for fans of the franchise, assuming they can overlook the game’s unevenness. Honestly, this would be a better game if it were a first- or third-person adventure, in which you interact with its inhabitants and solve puzzles. It’s a shame it’s not because the game world is a beautiful one that’s worth exploring.
Three years was a long wait for the sequel to ‘Freedom Force’. Unbeknownst to many fans, including myself, the developers spent part of those 3 years sorting out rights to the game before they could start work on the follow-up. For better or worse, the developers eventually delivered ‘Freedom Force vs. the 3rd Reich’, hoping to meet the high expectations that fans had. ‘FFvt3R’ was a good game. It delivered more superhero RTS/RPG goodness that the fans loved. The story, alternating between the Silver Age and the Golden Age of Comic Books, had the right balance of drama and 1960s camp. A couple of characters inspired by the Golden Age were drawn with the proper stylings. Plus, some rough edges from the first game were smoothed out, ally AI was improved, roster of heroes was expanded, and environment textures and lighting were enhanced. Despite having an elaborate story and being fully featured, ‘FFvt3R’ felt a bit like a big expansion pack for ‘FF’. Technologically, this game was barely a full step forward from the last one. Character models and skins stayed the same, character movements and lip syncing remained stiff and robotic, and the camera still couldn’t zoom out far enough for proper strategizing. ‘FFvt3R’ was also unbalanced with regards to its gameplay and story. Levels of difficulty were uneven, with the ultimate boss battle being way easier than an early one against a minor villain. Many new heroes were quickly sidelined, as they didn’t have their own special levels to showcase their abilities as in ‘FF’. I never felt invested in the new heroes as I did with the main roster in the first game. So while ‘FFvt3R’ was a good game and improved on ‘FF’, it’s a bit underwhelming for a sequel. It’s too bad we won’t (or would unlikely see) a third game to tie up loose ends. Games like this just don’t have the same commercial appeal as action-oriented ones. Thus, I think ‘FFvt3R’ is worth playing, even if it’s just to see what a superhero strategy game can be.
Back in the 1980s and 90s, superhero games on the PC were okay at best. Many, if not all, paled in comparison to their faster, more exciting counterparts on home gaming consoles. Whatever superhero action PC games could do, the console ones just seemed to do better. But in 2002, things changed with the arrival of ‘Freedom Force’. There’s one genre that PC can do way better than home consoles: real-time strategy. With ‘FF’ being a real-time tactical RPG, PC gamers finally have a superhero game to call their own. Thankfully, it’s also a very good one that’s mod-friendly. What makes ‘FF’ stand out from other superhero games, even at the time of this review, is that its artistic design is inspired by the Silver Age of Comic Books. The art is reminiscent of those by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, and John Romita Sr.; the colourful narration and dialogues are like those written by Stan Lee. Even the voice acting is done in the style of that found in the 1960s ‘Spider-Man’ cartoon. While I am not a big fan of, and am not really good at, RTS/tactical games, I still found ‘FF’ accessible and easy to learn. The story has a nice, charming 1960s flavour, with more emotion in it than expected. While it’s clear that the game’s characters were inspired by popular ones in the Marvel and DC repertoires, they still have their own personalities. What makes ‘FF’ even more special is that you get to control a team of superheroes, not just a single member. With this game being so mod-friendly, you can even create and import your own heroes. It’s still easy to find meshes and skins of custom-made Marvel and DC characters, and play as them in ‘FF’. This is as close to a properly-made ‘X-Men’ game as you can get right now. ‘FF’ is an easy game to recommend to fans of real-time strategy games, and to comic book fans who are interested in superhero games outside of the third-person action genre. At its current low price (even when it’s not on sale), ‘FF’ is a game that’s hard to pass up.
The ‘Gobliiins’ trilogy are great looking games, but they remained under my radar until I read ‘The Guide to Classic Graphic Adventures’. With the book piquing my interest in the games, I decided to check them out. I can say that the cartoonish art in all 3 games still holds up in 2021. ‘Gobliiins’ is the worst game of the three. The most frustrating part is that the objective of each scene is often unclear. Puzzles require trial and error for you to figure out what you’re supposed to do, resulting in your goblins losing their health when you did something wrong. The animations for mistakes are usually whimsical, but it’s vexing that lost health carries over to the next scene. Many puzzle solutions are weirdly convoluted and nonsensical, too. No save game feature, but uses passcodes. (1.5 out of 5) ‘Gobliins 2’ improves on the first game by removing the health bar, allowing for more freedom to explore and try different things. This alone makes the game more enjoyable. Although objectives are sometimes clearly stated or hinted at, many solutions can still be convoluted and nonsensical. You only control 2 goblins this time, and you’ll need to use them simultaneously to solve some timed puzzles. It’s just as, if not more, whimsical as the first game. There’s a save game feature in this one. (2.5 out of 5) ‘Goblins 3’ is the best of the three. You control a single goblin, but you’re paired with different partner in certain scenes. You’ll need to work together to solve a greater variety of puzzles, some fantastical and a few just weird. While objectives of each scene are clear, some puzzles can still be challenging. A few overstay their welcome with their lengths, as well as tedious, convoluted solutions. (3 out of 5) Overall, the ‘Gobliiins’ trilogy is worth checking out for the second and third games. All three games feature a nice soundtrack and neat sound effects. Play the first one to get some context of the trilogy’s history, but it’s otherwise best avoided.
‘Stranglehold’ finally resurfaces! Presented by John Woo and developed by Midway as the sequel to the Hong Kong film, ‘Hard Boiled’, ‘Stranglehold’ had Chow Yun-Fat reprise his role as Inspector Tequila. Chow’s involvement was critical, for this game just wouldn’t be the same without him lending his likeness and voicing the character. ‘Stranglehold’ came after the first two ‘Max Payne’ games, of which the action took inspiration from Woo’s films. But, this game isn’t a copycat, and does have its uniqueness. The power to slow down time is rebranded as Tequila Time, in which time slows down as you attack enemies while diving or interacting with environment hotspots. There’s also Tequila Bombs, which grant a health boost or cinematic special attacks. At times, Tequila can find himself in standoffs against multiple enemies for some timed slow-motion gun action. Cutscenes in ‘Stranglehold’ are merely thin plot threads to bring you to the next rounds of shootouts. The more stylishly you kill, the more points you’ll earn for Tequila Bombs. I actually found the action in this game to be too frantic and too frequent. There’s hardly time to absorb what’s going on before the next shower of bullets rains upon me. The developers might have forgot that Woo’s films actually have quiet moments and drama to humanize the characters. Yet, the biggest problem with ‘Stranglehold’ is the camera: it is too close to Tequila to get a good view of the surroundings, and moves in and out too quickly at times. Never in my many years of gaming have I got dizzy from playing a TPS, until this game. It’s overly stimulating, and I found it best to play it in small bursts. ‘Stranglehold’ is a decent game. It looks great, but could have used some polish on gameplay and pacing. Chow’s presence is the draw, and what made me continue playing. It would have been even nicer if there was a Cantonese voiceover version, but it’s already a dream to be able to play a John Woo game starring Chow.
At first glance, ‘Door Kickers: Action Squad’ doesn’t seem like it has roots in the RTS genre. While it’s an action-oriented spinoff of ‘Door Kickers’ with plenty of shooting, this game still involves strategizing to some degree. One wrong move (e.g., breaching a room from the wrong direction, reacting too slowly, not gearing up properly) could mean losing a hostage’s or your life. ‘DKAS’ may not be a fast-paced, non-stop side-scrolling shooter like ‘BroForce’, but it still delivers hours of explosive fun. Although the game is subtitled “Action Squad”, you complete missions by yourself as one of 6 classes of characters/SWAT members. You can bring in a partner by playing co-op locally or online, which is rather fun, if you want a little support. Either way, you’ll need to move methodically and precisely; you can’t simply shoot your way through a mission in a frenzy and hope for the best. In ‘DKAS’, you’ll need to think about how to upgrade your characters. As you kill or arrest enemies, and rescue hostages, you’ll get skill points for rebuilding armor, refilling gear, replenishing health, reviving your teammate, earning an extra life, and using ultimate attacks. Each time you play will also earn you experience points for buffing your character. Stars that you receive for completing each mission can be used to purchase better weapons and gears. There’s a lot of game in ‘DKAS’: 3 game modes (Infinity Tower, Classic, and Zombie) and 4 mission types (Hostage Rescue, Clear Hostiles, Bomb Defusal, and Arrest Warrant). Although ‘DKAS’ hardly gets tiresome given the variety of modes and mission types, it can be slightly frustrating to play if you don’t upgrade your characters adequately. Still, this is a game that’s easy to recommend. It has just the right mix of action and light strategy, making it an appealing title for many gamers.
Of the three Dynamix adventure games, ‘Heart of China’ is my favourite. It’s a globetrotting adventure with an exciting story and great pacing. I also find its puzzles and level of challenge to be most balanced, though some parts – typical of 1990s adventures games – are unfair and require plenty of trial and error. Yet to this day, I still find ‘HoC’ to be thoroughly satisfying and entertaining. In the game, you’d be travelling with a companion most of the time. At certain points, you may need to switch characters and share inventory items to solve some puzzles. While there’s usually one correct or optimal solution to these problems, the ability to make choices and swap characters adds complexity to the game. This complexity was really something back in the 1990s. Seeing the story branch off in different directions based on your choices, and having the story set in different cities around the world make ‘HoC’ feel grand. Of course, this also means there’re plenty of ways to mess up, if not die. Thankfully, the game is not very punitive, but instead offers different endings to be discovered based on your choices of dialogue and action. Because of this, ‘HoC’ is very replayable. As much as I love this game, I still can’t get over the game’s questionable portrayal of Asians after all these years. For example, although the game’s printed “travel guide” explains how your in-game Chinese partner became a ninja, it’s disrespectful and unnecessary to clump the two Asian cultures into one. The story would have worked just fine if your partner were simply a kung-fu master or a Shaolin monk. While ‘HoC’ is by no means perfect, it’s still a very fun adventure game. Your race against time has the right balance of urgency and freedom to explore; the ability to play as different characters adds freshness to a tried-and-true genre; and the globe-spanning adventure is simply exciting. ‘HoC’ is an easy recommendation to anyone who enjoys or curious about classic adventure games.
Games like ‘80 Days’ can scratch travel itches that one may get during this COVID-19 pandemic. ‘80 Days’ is a choose-your-own-adventure visual novel based on Jules Verne’s classic, but with a steampunk twist. You play as Jean Passpartout, valet to English gentleman, Phineas Fogg, in their 80-day trip around the world. Throughout the journey, you’d tend to Fogg’s well-being, travel arrangements, and finances. Along the way, you’d also encounter obstacles and detours big and small. You can actually finish a trip around the world in several real-time hours. Because items that you can buy and sell, the value of these items, as well as departure and arrival times vary with each playthrough, ‘80 Days’ is very replayble. Some side stories are only available in certain rounds of play, too, adding some surprise to each trip. You can ignore the wager altogether and visit as many cities as you want (and not be punished for it thankfully) or finish the race as fast as you can. No matter how you wish to play, the joy of the game is appreciating the writing, and personalizing your adventure. For a visual novel, the writing is rather good. Written from Passpartout’s perspective, the story is interesting, and full of descriptions that inspire your imagination. Since you don’t get to see in detail the wondrous machines that the game describes – only their beautifully drawn silhouettes – you can’t help but wish for more details. As Passpartout, you can be as curious and adventurous as you wish, or be as reserved and cautious as Fogg. You make the adventure yours. As someone who shamefully hasn’t read ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’, I’ve been mesmerized by this game, so much so that I’d soon start reading it. For achievement hunters, this game will provide you with lots of exciting adventures. Yet, be warned: I think one secret achievement is bugged and can’t be unlocked. Still, I think ‘80 Days’ is a must-play, especially for all anchored wayfarers and travel buffs right now.
I played ‘Quake II’ when it first came out and loved it. It was one of the games that converted me from adventure games to first-person shooters. Although its predecessor, ‘Quake’, is generally held in higher esteem by many people, it never appealed to me since I’m not a fan of gothic horror. On the other hand, the sci-fi theme of ‘Quake II’ was just up my alley. There was no subtlety in ‘Quake II’, or many FPS of that era for that matter. Stealth? Silent kills? Regenerating health? No such things! Shadows were your enemy, not your friend. It was all about in-your-face action, blowing up your enemies with all the firepower you can unleash. All those shades of brown, gray and red/orange showed this game was gritty and meant business! Single player campaign story hardly mattered in ‘Quake II’ despite the developers intending to make a more story-driven game. It was simply going from A to B, and completing objectives, with no real drama to keep you engaged. No, ‘Quake II’ was all about the multiplayer matches. This game was the last game that I dedicated my time to playing multiplayer online. Some of my fondest memories of the late 1990s was playing ‘Quake II’ Deathmatch and CTF at LAN parties. In between, I’d log into a couple of trusted dedicated servers over the phone line to play with strangers. If the phone line was busy, I’d play with (third-party) bots, which were a real innovation back then. I still remember playing the game with no 3D accelerated graphics, which actually gave me an edge in multiplayer. Since my PC couldn’t render any lighting, I could see and kill all my enemies who were hiding in “shadows”. Good times. ‘Quake II: Quad Damage’ is a loaded package, containing all 3 official expansion packs, Eraser Bots, and the CD soundtrack. While it may seem simple by today’s standards, it’s really worth checking out this influential multiplayer FPS. For older players like me, it’s great game package to add to your online/digital game collection.
