WTF Apps: Battery Girl(IOS)

Welcome once again to "WTF Apps", where I bring you yet another little app that I found when I got bored out of my mind and decided looking up stupid things on the app store was a funny idea(hint hint: It's not really that funny). Now, when it comes to electronic devices, some of the most common apps you will find are clocks, counters for events and, of course, performance related applications. "Battery Girl" is part of the third category, although it's got a bit more to it than just monitoring your device's performance.

WTF apps: Tentacle beat down game(Iphone)

Ever since I got my Iphone, I've done what most people do and tried out the various apps for it that didn't cost any money. However, unlike most people, when I get bored, I do some pretty  nonsensical, yet not illegal nor dangerous, things that often don't seem like anything a normal person would even think to do. What sort of things do I do when I get bored? Well one thing I've started to do is search for whatever stupid thing comes to mind on the app store.This brings us to today's subject, an app I like to call "Tentacle Beat Down", mostly because I don't know how to read Japanese.

Auditorium HD(PS3)

When it comes to music games, the more popular ones tend to be very fast passed and involve either taking you on a wild ride or trying to simulate what being in a band is like. However, some music games also focus on the simple idea that music is meant to be enjoyed, as well as be fun and relaxing. Auditorium HD, a two dollars game on PSN, happens to be one of those relaxed music games and it does it's job quite nicely. 

Super Metroid(SNES/WiiU)

 Over the years, certain games have reached a status that makes them nearly untouchable. May it be because of the nostalgia associated with the game, the obsession of a small group of die hard fans or because the game is actually good, these few titles are borderline gods for most "gamers". Super Metroid is one of these "god like" games and has become one of the most beloved games in the series. But does it hold up to the love people give it? Well the short answer is yes, it does.

Oyasumi Punpun(Manga)

 

What happens when you mix surrealism with the bitch that is real life? You get Oyasumi Punpun(Goodnight,Punpun). This slice of life manga, written by Inio Asano, was brought to my attention by MexicanAnime, a good forum friend of mine. It's a story about a weird bird like creature named Punpun, who lives among normal humans, acts like a normal human and, of course, suffers through his life like a normal human. Needless to say, this slice of life manga is not all cake and tea.

DLC Quest(PC)

 Due to a sudden change in our regulations, I'm pleased to announce that we, at Distro's random blog, are now offering our reviews as DLC. You want to read them? DLC. You want to see the pictures? DLC. You want to leave a comment? Well, that feature isn't implemented yet, but we got it as pre order DLC. Order these amazing features NOW!

MEDAMONTH:Giant Robo(Anime)

 Hello and welcome to the final review for MEDAMONTH! 

As many of you might already have figured out, I'm a big fan of robots and AIs, especially those that are of human size and/or constantly interact with humans. However, that does not mean I don't enjoy my share of giant robots. Cue today's subject, an early 90's OVA by the name of Giant Robo. What is this about? Well exactly what it says on the tin...well sort of.

Giant Robo is a seven episode OVA that came out in the early 90's. It revolves arround a young boy, Daisuke, who can control Giant Robo, the world's strongest robot and a memento from his father. Daisuke works alongside the Experts of Justice, who are a force that fight against Big Fire, a terrorist organization hell bent on world domination. So as one can see, the anime is very, and I mean VERY 90's like. If you like older anime, you will love Giant Robo as it contains literally everything that there is to love about older anime. Giant robots? Check. People of various nationalities with stereotypical powers? Check. Evil organization with no clear goals? Check.  Cheesy dub moments? Check. Fan service? Well actually, that one isn't really all that present, honestly. Anyways, the anime itself manages to be quite entertaining with a great dub as well as fantastic animation  and music that will leave you on the edge of your seat during battles. Sadly though, most of these battles won't involve the "promised" giant robots. In fact, even though you are presented many giant robots during the opening, very few robots appear in the anime, with most of them only appearing for a good three minutes at most. However, considering the story takes place during an energy crisis, it's understandable that people wouldn't send their very energy consuming robots out for battle unless they really needed the extra power.

Speaking of the anime's story, it's quite good, though you will be yelling at the screen near the end because of all the cliff hangers. Many events are set into motion near the end of the anime and are never given any time to even start. It's a shame to see the story just stop when it did, especially when most of the characters and events near the end feel like they where just pulled out of nowhere.

Seriously, who are these guys?

Another thing to mention about the story is just how dark it is. If you're going into this expecting a "12 year old saves the day" type show, well you are in for a heck of a mood whiplash. Yes, the 12 year old Daisuke is a key player in the events that save the day, however, many of the characters he interacts with will not see him save the day. The story starts off with a very light hearted feel, which is reflected with it's art being light and colorful and with allot of the events of the first episode taking place during the day time. However, as the OVA continues, the story takes a turn for the darker. People die, there is constant fighting, people want to kill each other and quite a few more dark twists rise up and are even reflected with the animation's colors becoming darker and more gritty, as well as most events now taking place during the night or under a dark, cloudy sky. Many of the characters add to this darker side of the anime as well, having very heavy back stories of having lived in what can only be described as a post apocalyptic world. Needless to say, the story is not all daisies, rainbows and unicorns. In fact, it's the complete opposite and it does said job quite well. However, there is one major issue I have with the story: It's slow. The anime is composed of seven 45 minute episodes which felt like they where dragging along a way too much. I would often check how much time had passed and how much was left since it felt like it was just going on forever. It's a thing I tend to dislike in general and it doesn't help when you have an early episode which contains a 10-15 minute clip show of the events of the previous episode.

Overall, Giant Robo was a good show that contains everything that's great about 90's anime. The dub is great, the animation is fantastic and the plot will keep you interested throughout the OVA. However, the slow story, as well as the mess of cliff hangers and plot holes it leaves, can easily leave you frustrated as to how boring and incomplete the anime feels at times. Still, if you like older anime or are into the giant mecha genre, the ova is a must watch, if not a must have.
 Final Verdict: 7/10
Pros:
+Good story, interesting characters.
+The animation is amazing.
+The dub is great, both for the good and for the bad bits.
Cons:
-The show feels really really slow.
-TOO MANY CLIFF HANGERS AND PLOT HOLES!
-Too many characters are introduced at the very last minute.    

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MEDAMONTH: Analogue: A Hate Story(PC)

Hello everyone, an welcome once again to MEDAMONTH!!!!!!!!

Today, I will look into a game that I found on steam called "Analogue: A hate story". Seeing as it's the first visual novel on the steam store, I got curious and got it while it was on sale.The game proved to be quite interesting from start to finish  not to mention unique in it's own special way. Now then, let's dig in too the world that is "Analogue: A hate story".

*Hyun-ae, one of the AIs you talk with.

Now before I start, I would just like to apologize for how small this article is. Truth is, the game is very easy to spoil, to a point where I can't even talk about many interesting aspects about it. The story takes place in a unknown future where space travel has existed for the longest of times. You, the player, have been asked to retrieve data from an abandoned ship which has been detected floating in space. Upon arrival, you are greeted by an AI which will be one of the two characters you interact with for the whole game. These two AIs, as well as the logs left by the people on the ship, will help you piece together what happened, as well as what society was like more than half a millennial ago. Overall, the story shines throughout the whole game and helps make up for the "lack of game play" common in visual novels. Not only that, the story is told in a completely different style, using notes and logs from the people who lived on the chip and letting you assemble each piece of the puzzle together until you find out the truth.

Expecting some tsun?

Although the art style and achievements can be seen as vibrant, funny and bright, the game itself is very dark in tone, thus reminding you that it is quite literally "a hate story" and that it will not end happily, least, in the logs. The music even adds to the unsettling atmosphere brought with the game, helping accentuate the moments that are more dramatic by either playing darker music or no music at all.

Sadly, this is really all I can say about the game without going into spoiler territory. I really wanted to add more, but if I do, I will be spoiling so much of the game that it will be ruined for whoever wants to play it. I highly recommend looking into the game as it offers a unique view on society and it's a good work to reflect on once you're done playing through it.

Final Verdict: 8/10
Pros:
+Character designs are really nice.
+Great Story that is presented in a unique fashion.
+Interesting views on society.
Cons:
-The gameplay,or lack there of, could use some polish.
-The command line interface you use throughout the game is very clunky.

MEDAMONTH: Megpoid the Music#(PSP Game/Music)

Welcome to the continuation of the still not famous MEDAMONTH!

This week, I will be reviewing a game which finally shines the spotlight onto one of my favorite characters: GUMI! GUMI is a Vocaloid created by INTERNET Co.,ltd and is one of the mascots of the "Megpoid" voicebank, leading many to call her a Megpoid rather than a Vocaloid. Although originally unpopular, she quickly grew in internet fandom and came to have a really big internet fanbase.  On March 28th 2013, a game based on the "Project Diva" series was released with GUMI as the lead(and only) character under the name of "Megpoid the Music#"(Megpoid the music Sharp).

Seriously, how could a game with such
a cute character be bad?

First of all, I've never been what you would call a full on Vocaloid fan. Although I do like the designs, I had never listened to the music made using the Vocaloid program  up until recently and in fact, tend to dislike most songs I hear that are made using the program. Even so, when I heard they had a video game called Project Diva, I got curious and decided to try it only to be disappointed by my favorite, GUMI, not being part of the game in any way. So you can imagine just how excited I was when I learned that they where coming out with a game starring GUMI and only her. Even though I hadn't listen to her music, I was thrilled. I told myself "it doesn't matter if the game is something I like or not, it has my favorite character at the center of it!" In other words, I was totally expecting to enjoy it, even if it was bad.......oh how I was naive.

"Megpoid the Music#" is a music game similar to tap-tap, Parapa the Rapper and Guitar Hero/Rockband and is basically a spin off of the Project Diva series. In fact, the game plays exactly like PD, only instead of flying everywhere, the "beats" you hit follow a straight line and it's clear when and where you must hit said "beats", something I found the game did well, although some find it makes the game to easy. The game contains various songs that where made using the GUMI voicebank and that can be played on four different difficulties. Now as far as the music goes,I have to be honest and say that even though I love the character, I had never heard GUMI's voice prior to playing the game. In the end,  I was pleasantly surprised with the voice as the voicebank is one of the more human sounding ones available for the program. In other words, not only is GUMI's voice pleasant, she doesn't sound like she's talking right after having eaten a shit load of "tubes".

Autotune never tasted better~

The music selected for the game is mostly composed of three genres: Pop, Electronic and Rock. In my opinion, the voice works best when used with rock and pop-rock, mostly due to the range these songs use. My favorite song in the game is by far "Carnival", which is also pronounced "cannibal" for some reason(I'm guessing it's a pun). However, there is one big flaw with every song in the game: They are all cut short. No matter what song you choose, non of them are the full versions. Now this is okay for songs that you don't like, but what about those you like or those that tell a  story? Not to mention that the endings are often screwed up and the last beat feels off  when it appears on screen. Overall though, you will definitely find a song you will like and enjoy among the various ones offered.

Now, for the part I didn't want to talk about but don't have a choice: the gameplay. It's horrible, the game is horrible. I tried to deny it for a while, hell, I even I tried to tell myself that it must be the version I got that's bad, but no, it's not. It's just a bad game. Now, the gameplay when you're playing the actual song is decent, although nothing spectacular.

The game is simple and barely interesting.
 It would not do well if not paired with the vocaloid franchise.

However, the menus respond very poorly and, to make things worst, the load times are horrendous. You will literally be waiting for a good five seconds each time you navigate to a new screen no mater what said screen contains. The graphics look okay in performance mode, but everywhere else you go, the quality varies from decent too down right deviant bad. Even worse is the fact that anything GUMI says during menu navigation sounds like a 20-30 year old trying to sound cute with a japanese accent and failing at it, not to mention the audio clips will sometimes screech for no apparent reason. Although I like the backgrounds for the main menu and some of the art used for the loading screens, they still vary  from decent art too stuff you would find in your grand-mother's garbage can because even she finds it's ugly.

Another very important issue is just how the costume system is annoying and poorly executed. To clarify, only two types of people are usually attracted to Project Diva games: Vocaloid fans and curious people like myself. The gameplay for the games a mediocre, however, the fact that you can select your favorite Vocaloid mascot from those available, as well as select the costume said mascot will wear, makes the mediocre gameplay seem unimportant. In other words, the costume and customization aspects are vital to the game's enjoyment in a game like this. Sadly, as stated above, the game fails to give deliver in this department. For starters, each performance has a stage, which is usually just one of the five or six bland ones available, as well as a dance routine. The choreography for each individual song is well executed but is ruined by one very simple detail: THE LACK OF PROPER COSTUMES! It might sound like a nitpick, but with the styles covered in he songs, as well as the stages, proper costume selection is key to making the song match the choreography, something the game doesn't even bother to try doing.

“What costume should we use for this song sempai?
- DEFAULT!!!!!!!!!! “

Not only that, but if you want GUMI to perform in a different costume than her default one, you have to select it while in the song selection menu after having selected a song and before starting it. This would be excusable if they had her in different costumes for each song, but they don't and it makes the system even more convoluted that it should be.  As for the costume themselves,well, that's  more a question of personal taste than anything else, though I will say the hairstyles could use some work on some of them.

Overall, "Megpoid the Music#" was just a massive disappointment  I was really excited when I first heard of it, but after playing it, I feel like I was just slapped in the face. Although the songs are enjoyable, the overall product is bland and disappointing, not to mention that it's annoyingly slow, error prone and even contains to much mediocre art. In short, if you don't like Vocaloids, avoid the game as it will not change your mind on them. On the other hand, if you like Vocaloids or are curious about them, then listen to the soundtrack as the game is horrible and you will find the only reason you are playing it is because of the music is good and because GUMI is cute. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go check if my inner fanboy is still alive.

Final Verdict: 3/10
Pros:
+GUMI is cute(Heavily Biased Opinion. Your personal Opinions may differ.)
+GUMI's voice is more human sounding than other Vocaloids, offering for a more appealing sound overall.
+The songs are quite enjoyable and overall well made.
Cons:
-THE GAME IS AWFUL! JUST PLAIN AWFUL!
-The gameplay is mediocre at best.
-Audio clips in the menu sound awful and will often start screeching.
-The majority of the art assets(pictures, backgrounds and game renders) range from decent to down right deviant art bad.
-The costume system is very poorly executed and extremely convoluted.

MEDAMONTH: Angelic Layer(Manga)

Due to a silly coincidence that occurred while selecting what to review for the next little while, I decided I would pull out the good old "themed month" trick earlier than expected. Therefore, I declare this month to be MEDAMONTH!!!!!!!!!

That's MEDAMONTH (Totally not stealing this joke)

For MEDAMONTH, I will be reviewing things that are robot and/or AI related each week, though other than that, nothing will really change. So let's get the show on the road with this weeks choice: Angelic Layer!

Angelic Layer is a  three volume manga released by Clamp in 1999 and is what I like to call a "buddy bot" series. It revolves around a young girl named Misaki who just found out about Angelic Layer, a game where gir- I mean- people of all ages battle against each other using custom made little robots called Angels. With the help of a mysterious and a weird lab coat wearing dude she randomly meets while on her way home, the girl creates her own angel, Hikaru, and partakes in an Angelic Layer tournament conveniently happening in her local area. In all honesty, the plot is almost completely non-existent and literally comes back to having the main character play Angelic Layer, as well as limiting itself to the tournament the main character participates in. Not only that, nothing bad happens to anyone, there is no secret base under the stadium, the government is not secretly trying to create an army of super soldiers using pokemon and you will catch your toast before it touches the ground if you happen to drop it.

WHY MUST REAL LIFE BE SO CRUEL!!!!!!!!!

In other words, everything is so good and perfect that it can even get somewhat exhausting to read through the manga. However, even if it can get a bit hefty, the light-hearted mood works well overall and is part of charm the series has. It also serves as a reminder of what Angelic Layer is: a game. With series that are centered around games(ex: Yu-Gi-Oh! and Medabots), it's easy to get lost in just how seriously the game is taken by the characters. In Angelic Layer, the story pushes the concept that the game is just a game and that win or lose, the goal is to have fun while playing the game.

The characters, as far as they go, aren't really fleshed out due to the short span of the manga, which is a shame. The characters that are introduced as the story progressed appeared full of promise, but few characters even lasted more than one chapter, leaving me wanting to know more about them. This is even more aggravating with the lack of any depth in the details surrounding each of the concepts for each Angel Misaki and Hikaru have to fight. Each one is basically a reflection of the person who created them, which means that the way they are built, the reasons behind the way they look and move, is unique to their creator and offers a world of possibility as far as character development can go. Every single detail of their design is a clue as to what motivates and inspires the creator to play Angelic Layer and I find it's something they really should have focused on more.

Each angel is unique and personal to their creator, either being a complete opposite or sharing a close resemblance in some way.

Not only that, but the lack of any life in the Angels is another thing that really bothered me, especially when it came to Misaki's compassionate personality. Angels are sadly complete dolls and even though allot of the art depicts them as being alive and able to move on their own, they are completely incapable of anything in the like, thus making Misaki's excuses after her battles come off as childish and empty. As a comparison, take Medabots, another "buddy bot" series, where each robot in the series has a personality and at least a semblance of intelligence, thus making them feel alive. They talk, they have emotions, they feel pain and, most importantly, they can think and move on their own, which also creates a relationship between the characters and their "buddy bot", making cooperation and compassion the show in battle more natural and meaningful.  Angels can't do anything when outside that layer, and even then, they need to be controlled by a human to even be able to move, which makes for a very one sided type of relationship between the creator and their Angel, something which really bothered me at times.

On another note, as far as the art is concerned, I found myself really enjoying the designs that Clamp went with for each Angel, as well as the characters that control them. Something that caught my eye was how the designs for each character seems to reflect how they are seen while the design for their Angel reflects what they desire to be or what they want people to actually see. Hotako, the youngest competitor in the series, wanted people to see that size doesn't matter and that she was as skilled as any other player. Therefore, she created an angel that relies more on speed and that looks like a ninja, who are well known for using speed and stealth to compensate for their weaker builds. I would have loved to see the series go into more depth on the designs, but sadly, they're nothing more than eye candy as far as the manga is concerned. Although the battles are well drawn and the designs for the Angels and their creators are fantastic, the moment the main character is out of the arena, the manga becomes intensively prone to spaghetti art. Squiggly arms, deformed heads, emoticon like facial expressions and wacky situations happen during these segments and often flow quite poorly from one frame to the other. This is especially true when the crazy character known as Icchan appears, as well as whenever Misaki's friend Tomayo attacks Kotaro. However, other than the poor flow, I never really had a problem with the change in art style as it fit with the light hearted atmosphere of the manga.

.........No comment.

Overall, I found myself slightly dissapointed with the manga due to how it missed key elements that could have made it possibly the best "buddy bot" series out there. Although the designs for key characters and their Angels are top notch, the lack of any life within said Angels and the lack of character development bring down the manga. Even so, I can easily say it was still quite enjoyable and that I would not hesitate to read it again.
For those interested, there is a 26 episode anime produced by Bones that was released in 2001 and was received with mixed reactions. I, myself, will most likely be giving it a watch sometime in the near future as I find myself wanting more Angelic Layer after finishing the manga, which is a good thing, least in my book. 

Final Verdict: 7/10
Pros:
+Cute, enjoyable and great for a relaxed read.
+Great for a younger audience who is interested in manga.
+Great character designs and superb Angel designs.
+The colored art featured in the Omnibus volumes are simply beautiful.
Cons:
-The lack of any life within the Angels is quite jarring.
-The lack of any actual depth for the cast is quite disappointing.
-The manga barely expands on the reasons for each Angel's design.

Music Review: Les Colocs

Quebec has an interesting music industry. For starters, it's divided into four main styles: "Rock" , "Modern Pop", "Old Pop"(pre 80's) and "Rigodons"(usually played around new years). Artists today usually dabble in either rock or modern pop, with the occasional "Rigodons" for the holidays. However, the Market is small and harsh due to language barrier, and it used to be even worse than it currently is. In the 80's, bands had a harder time getting attention with their videos and music due to the lack of any type of funding. This problem lasted up until around the start of the 90's, where artists helped popularize the use of music videos and created a market which was much stronger in that aspect. One of these bands was "Les Colocs", which has reached a legendary level and has  left a permanent mark in music history.

"Les Colocs" is a french band from Montreal,Quebec that was created by Dédé Fortin by literally looking around and recruiting various potential band members, regardless of their background and ethnicity. They where well known for their cultural diversity, their use of funny, yet often meaningful, lyrics and their "party music" style, which would cover various musical influences ranging from rock to blues and even to some country and jazz. Thanks to their various backgrounds, a massive amount of instruments where used to create their various songs, something not so common in most bands at the time. The intruments would range from the standard guitar and saxophone all the way to the harmonica and even Dédé's own two feet

Tap Dancin', yo.

The band has two official studio albums and one live album. The first album, entitled "Les Colocs", was released in 1993 and contains most of the band's big hits. The lyrics display a cynical view on society as seen from someone who grew up around the "lower class". Various subjects that are covered involve troubled kids, broken homes, towns being taken over by corporations, AIDS, low self esteem and many other political and social issues, all which are brought up using humor and clever writing. The songs on the album are immensely diverse, with each one sounding completely different from the previous and yet, managing to fit together quite nicely. Upbeat and joyful, the music will make you want to get up and move, faithful to the band's status as a "Party Band". My personal favorite is the song "Passe moé la puck", which has a heavy rock influence to it, as well as some very entertaining beat box segments. The lyrics reference TV reports on the homeless, listing the act as annoying, manipulative and just a waste of time. It's also famous for it's line "Passe moé la puck pis j'va en compter des buts!", which translates to "Give me the puck and I'll score some goals!", a metaphor illustrating the lack of options some people have in life due to their circumstances. The success of the first album put the band on the map and they became more and more popular, going from a simple pub band to a mainstream rock band.

Les Colocs completely changed the band for their second album

However, half way through the 90's, things started to go sour for the band after losing one of the leads, Patrick Esposito Di Napoli, to AIDS in 1994. This event started Dédé's downward spiral into depression, especially with most of the original band members leaving soon after Napoli's death, only making things worst for the artist. The second and last official studio album from the band, "Dehors Novembre", came out in 1998 and reflected Dédé's current state. Although it keeps it's diverse style, the album is allot darker and more serious than it's predecessor. The subjects it covers relate more to escapism, or more precisely, coming back to reality after trying to escape it. Due to the band being completely re-created for the album, it covers even more different styles than the first one, using elements of country, reggae and even storytelling, not to mention one of the songs is completely written in English. The instruments used are as diverse as in the first album, with the exception that Dédé didn't do any tap dancing this time around. The lyrics for the songs talk about escaping from reality, being helpless at the worst times, regretting your past, being left alone and without any way of being able to escape the life you now hate and other subjects. The cynical views present in the first album are now even more present, only with a view from the inside instead of the outside, with fake happiness, conformity, as well as being told what to do over choosing what you want are other subjects that the album also covers. My personal favorite song from the album is "Tellement longtemps", a song about someone who is having fun for the first time in a long time, most likely while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Overall, the album is by far better than the first, at least quality wise, though due to it's darker themes and tones,  it's not as fun as the band's earlier work and I can't say I would recommend it to just anyone, least not before recommending their earlier work.

On the 8th of May 2000, two years after the second album was released, Dédé Fortin finally caved in to depression and committed suicide, thus ending the band. There have been tributes to Dédé following his death, including complete albums and shows dedicated to him from friends, old band members and artists that where also huge fans of his music. A movie, entitled "Dédé, à travers les brumes", was released in 2009 and was generally well received. The movie focuses on Dédé and serves as both a Biography and a tribute to his memory.

After listening to the band's albums, I can easily say that they are well entitled to the place they hold in music history, if not more. They promoted cultural diversity and experimental music, inspiring future generations to do the same. I highly recommend checking the band out, especially their music videos, which are quite impressive, in and of themselves.

Final Verdict: 9/10
What I like:
+Amazing musical variety, both with their instrument and styles
+Great humor and clever lyrics (First album)
+Great lyrics that might make you reflect on life(Second album)
What I disliked:
-I have no negative comments towards the band, other than the fact that I will never be able to see them live.
-Some songs tend to drag once you heard them a few times. Luckily, this doesn't make the album suffer to much.

Go to TPS for more awesome stuff from awesome Blokes. 

Video Game Review: Paper Mario (N64)

Paper thin plot with a colorful world

Mario is the mascot of one of the biggest, if not the biggest video game companies in the world: Nintendo. As such, Mario is not limited to simply appearing in games which involve platforming and has been used in many other genres. One of these games is Paper Mario, a role playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It uses a unique paper like art style, making everything look like a pop-out book.

The game revolves around Mario, who must once again save Princess Peach from King Bowser. However, Bowser has stolen the star rod, an item that grants him any wish he desires, which now makes him invincible (though not smarter). After receiving a can of good old whooping from Bowser, Mario sets out to retrieve all of the kidnapped star spirits so that they can help him defeat Bowser and restore peace to the kingdom. Along the way, he will gather many many sidekicks, all of which help in their own special way. These teammates include a goomba with a baseball cap, a tomboyish pink bomb-omb, a clumsy Para-trooper, a tsundere rich girl Boo, a baby electric spark(who also happens to be the strongest ally), a overly protective mother fish called Sushi and even a 90′s kid Lakkitu.

lolclumsy…okay, moving on!

The story isn’t anything new as it’s, quite literally, a “gather the items of magic whatever and save the princess” type deal. However, the characters more than make up for it by being colorful and full of life, which is what I have come to expect from most Mario games. May it be the hilariously incompetent enemies or simply the funny comments that some characters tend to have, you will definitely not find yourself hating any of them, even the ones you tend to ignore(I’m looking at you, Para-Clumsy).

The graphics, as stated above, are based around that of a pop-up book backed with backgrounds that look like paintings. The world you walk around in is made to react like paper and the idea is played with almost constantly. Bridges will be hidden in near impossible places and literally unfold before your eyes, objects will tilt over when pushed out of the way and items(as well as enemies) will be lying flat on some blocks until you break it.

It’s your fault for making a paper gate!

The combination of style and clever use of the rules the world provides makes for a unique style never before seen and adds to game’s charm. If anything, my only issue with the graphics is that it did seem to cause some slowdowns, though they only happened outside of battle and could be considered barely even noticeable at times. As far as the music for the game is concerned, it’s great as well, giving a new life to many Mario songs we’ve grown to love and easily recognize. I especially like the level up song, which is cheerful and up beat, as well as a good send back to Super Mario Bros 3.

Game play wise, I find myself undecided as to what I think of the game. Paper Mario implements an anti-grinding mechanic that involves reducing the amount of experience you gain instead of increasing the amount of experience needed to level up. While I honestly don’t mind this, it ended up getting on my nerves as it never gave me a feeling that I was progressing through levels and getting stronger. When you gain a level, you are allowed to increase one stat out of three( Health, Flower Power or Badge Points) but are never given any type of attack or defense increase. While badges that do increase your strength and defense are available, the lack of said stat increase makes you feel as though you aren’t getting any stronger.

At this point, mario does 2-4 damage with his hammer if his enemy has a defense of 0 while his enemies can do 2-3 damage each even if you block them. This is halfway through the game!

Yes, with more HP, you can take more damage, but it does little to the fact that you can only deal a max of 2 damage to most enemies for a good chunk of the game, not to mention that you will be most likely be taking damage no matter what, sometimes even when you block the attack. I will say that the game play made for more satisfying boss battles, though getting through the dungeon was a chore considering the fact that Mario is weaker than at least half of the enemies in the game, if not more. On a side note, the affectionately nicknamed ”Peach gear solid” parts where surprisingly fun. Maybe it was because I had recently played all of the main MGS games, but I found it fun to play as peach and try to avoid detection.

Overall, the game is great and a definite must play for anyone who has a N64 or a Wii. It’s charming and fun, even with it’s slightly frustrating mechanics. It’s also a good game for younger kids, as it’s relatively easy and the world is fun, colorful and full of life.

Final Verdict: 9/10

Pros:
+Great graphics and music add to the game’s charm
+Great characters that are full of life
+Fun for players of all ages
+”Peach Gear Solid” is quite fun.
Cons:
-Leveling up lacks a sense of growth due to the lack of Offense/Defense stats.
-Occasionally slows down in some areas(barely noticeable)

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Video Game Review: Fire Emblem: Awakening

Anyone else notice that Kellam is behind Chrom's knee?

War. War never changes. People change but war will always be the same...or something like that. Anyways, everyone agrees that war isn't a game nor a joke. It's a painful part of society, one which has inspired various forms of art. This goes as far as video games, with a few portraying war as it is: ugly, but sometimes needed as well. Fire Emblem: Awakening, the most recent title in the series, is one of those games. Just like previous installment  it uses war as both a story and game play mechanic.

Fire Emblem Awakening is a Tactical JRPG. It's story revolves around the Shepards, a group of “elite soldiers” lead by the prince of Ylisse, Chrom, and their new tactician, the avatar (hint hint: guess who this person is). Together, they travel the land helping their people defend themselves from attacks, as well as recruiting new members they meet along the way. 

Admit it, you can't say no to him.

The story isn't that amazing, though it does its job well. The narrative is divided into two parts: Chapters and support conversations. Chapters can either be story related missions or side missions, usually consisting of cut scenes and dialogue. Support conversations, on the other hand, are optional and unlockable conversations that you gain by having two characters support each other during battle and usually involves sillier situations and dialogue compared to the chapters. 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

Overall, the narrative is quite enjoyable and you will find yourself liking most of the characters and wishing to learn more about them.

The gameplay is, by far, the best part of the game. It's hard to exactly explain why the gameplay, which isn't that different from other Fire Emblem games (it's still a matter of rock paper scissors), is so much fun. The best explanation I have is that it's simply fun to play, as well as well planned out. The game plays very smoothly and fast, making for quick battles that are quite enjoyable to play and replay as much as needed and does not exasperate you. The new pairing system offers stat bonuses that make many characters almost unbeatable. 

Just try to touch this kid's waifu, I dare you to!

The game's just well thought out so that it's a blast to play and doesn't cause too much frustration. The creators even thought about smaller details: Class changing items are now abundant and so are transformation stones, you can save before the battle so that you can restart it faster if need be and the supports conversations have been moved outside the battle to a sub menu you can access while on the main map. It's well worth your time and money and the game play itself will make come back for more.

Now, graphically speaking, the game is great. The main units all have their unique traits and designs which make for a very interesting cast at times. A good example is Anna, a character which lives, breathes and probably even poops money. 

And you all thought I was kidding...

All of her dialogue in battle revolves around various “business” quotes (ie: saying, “Please come again” after killing an enemy). Also, since the game is on the 3DS, that means the creators implemented 3D as well. Now, many still think that 3D means something is going to pop out and hit them in the face when, it reality, 3D is used to create a nicer picture with more depth. It gives the impression that an object isn't flat and will often even produce a better image than a regular 2D image. Fire Emblem Awakening doesn't feature any “pop out” effects, but the 3D effects are very well done as far as depth goes. As well, using the 3D while in the first person view during a battle is quite interesting during scenes, especially when done with a mounted unit.

Finally, the music in the game is very enjoyable, though the chimes that play when one levels up or finds an item will sometimes break the mood of said music. You will be having this moment where you are questioning the motives for the story, if the war you are waging is worth the actions you are doing. The music is emphasizing this feeling of guilt....then, you hear the “ice cream truck” chime and it just breaks the mood of the whole chapter. It's a small little thing that still irks me, seeing as how it happens in chapters I happen to have really liked. Even so, the music is still fantastic, especially the music for the “Summer Bonds” DLC.

To wrap things up, the game is a must ownfor anyone who owns a 3DS. It's fun, charming, well executed, and will offer you a good 30-40 hours of playtime at a minimum. It's by far one of the best games for the console, as well as a great introduction to the Fire Emblem franchise.

Final Verdict: 9/10

Pros:

+Great Characters and good story

+Extremely fun

+Great Graphics and music

+Online matches let you face off against others and you can transfer characters and teams VIA spot pass

+Voice acting is great, some of the best in the industry

Cons:

-Most of the characters only speak with small quotes (ie: Henry's “SPECIAL DELIVERY!”)

-Music will sometimes be interrupted by out of place chimes, ruining the atmosphere of certain levels

-Not all characters have supports and some of the supports are generic cookie cutter ones.

-The DLC isn't that interesting overall